On the Road to Alaska

On the Road to Alaska
Denali from the Air

Saturday, December 1, 2007

RV Travels 2007-2008

We left home on December 1 and headed south to warmer temperatures. This is a short blog of our travels.


We returned home on April 24. During the spring and summer we went to several Escapee's RV Rallies.

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South Hill Road
Orwell Township


 

First Night 
12.1.07


We fueled up at the Flying J in Carlisle and then spent the night in the parking lot. The lot was VERY full and it took extreme care to navigate through the many RV's parked there for the night. We were up and out early the next morning because they were predicting freezing rain. Thankfully we were able to get ahead of any problems.




Second Night
12.2.07 


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We stayed at Dixie Caverns in Salem VA, just south of Roanoke. It was VERY windy that night and traveling the next day was interesting. The RV is like a big sail in the wind. We headed on down to just north of Knoxville TN.


Raccoon Valley
12.03.07 

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We stayed the next few nights at an Escapee's Park in Raccoon Valley TN. It was pleasant and we had a pot luck supper. We met some new friends and visited with some other RVers that we had met last winter.
 
Athens TN
12.04.07

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We arrived in Athens TN to visit my friend Pat. We had a great visit and celebrated an early Christmas with her. We traveled to Cleveland and saw some lovely homes. I went to church with her on Sunday. We left on Monday, heading towards Blairsville GA. 

Trackrock Campground
12.07.07

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We stayed in this lovely park for four nights. We visited the Misty Mountain Railroad and also the Dalonega Gold Mine Museum. Just beautiful mountain country, but the roads were a challenge. Driving along the river in the RV, up and down mountain roads while pulling the truck was quite an experience. We will probably not go home this route.


Dahlonega
12.09.07

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We took a day trip down to here to see the Gold Mine Museum. This was the first gold strike in the US and they even had a mint here to produce gold coins. Cute little town, has a college now.


Misty Mountain Railroad
12.10.07


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This is the largest collection of O guage model railroad in the country. It is definitely worth the trip. Open May through December on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 2:00 PM. Donation goes to a local charity. Check out my Picasa web album for pictures.


Paris Mountain State Park

12.12.07

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We stayed at Paris Mountain State Park, just north of Greenville SC. We visited with friends from Billerica MA, Al and Jerry Comley. Al and Jerry live in Greer SC. They treated us to a lovely Sunday dinner and lots of catching up on family news. We hope to see them again on our way home again. We had not seen them in over 25 years. We decided we had better not wait that long for another visit.
Greer SC



Saint George
12.15.07


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We stayed here for one night. It is a black hole in the universe. No cell phone coverage or internet coverage. I was not able to pick anything up until we were about an hour south. Not a place to visit on the return trip!


Lady's Island
12.20.07
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We stayed here for about a week with friends, Cathy and Larry. We celebrated Christmas Day with them and had a great turkey dinner. We also saw Wendy and Don Huston and family. I did some sewing and Cathy and I played with some jewelry making.


Country Oaks
1.01.08


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We came back to Country Oaks campground to see some RV friends. We stayed here for a month last year. We had some native shrimp and scallops and did some shopping. We will be heading toward Alabama next. Our twin parked next to us.
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Three Rivers State Park
1.03.08

We were looking for a different park but found this one. Immediately gained an hour because of Central Time. Good place for the night.




Rainbow Plantation
1.04.08 

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Summerdale Alabama. This is an Escapee's park. We stayed here for a month last year and will probably be here for a month this year as well. Lots of fun people and things to do.


Foley Model Train Museum



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We visited the model train museum in Foley Alabama. Great display and attention to detail.


Fort Morgan AL


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This is a historic fort that was used from the Civil War until the end of WW11. Construction was something to see. Had a lighthouse at one point. Set up to protect Mobile Bay.


Air and Space Museum
 

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We spent a wonderful day here last year looking at all of the planes. We saw two IMAX movies. Man's Journey to the Moon narrated by Tom Hanks was exceptional With the Imax theatre you felt like you were right there. Another video about Hurricane Katrina and its imact on New Orleans was very good. A place well worth visiting.


Baldwin County Museum


Nice museum telling of the development of Baldwin County AL. Under development, place to return to next year. 

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Fontainebleu State Park





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This is a nice state park that we visited last year as well. There was a lot of damage here from Katrina. They have recovered from some but there is still a lot more to do. Beautiful large Live Oak trees that are hundreds of years old. Some survived the hurricane and the surge but many did not. We'll be here for a couple of days.


Sam Huston Jones State Park




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This is a nice small park, but we were able to get a full hook up. We will be here exploring the area for a few days before we head on toward Texas.




Rainbow's End Livingston TX


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We are in Livingston TX for the weekend at the Escapee's park. We will be heading down the eastern coast of Texas come Monday morning. Beautiful sunshine yesterday and today.
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Polk County TX


Neat museum about Polk county. Tells about the Native Americans that were once resident here. Train was used to transport a lot of timber in this part of the country, 




Gateway to the Gulf


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We stopped at this nice RV park. We just needed an overnight until we go to Goose Island State Park for a few days. Pot Luck supper, met some nice people.


Goose Island State Park


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We are camped here for four days, overlooking the Gulf. This heron came for lunch.


Corpus Christi


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Nice city to visit. Very clean seashore and beached. Lots of lovely boats. Home of the USS Lexington.


Lone Star Corral


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Escapee Coop Park, quiet and friendly. Within easy access to San Antonio and all the sights there. Also about 100 miles from Johnson City, LBJ territory.  We will be here until the mail and a few other 
things catch up with us.

The Texas White House
Monday, February 18, 2008 5:45 PM 

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LBJ's Texas Ranch
Monday, February 18, 2008 5:45 PM

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We went north to the Hill Country to visit LBJ's Texas White House also known as LBJ's ranch in the Hill Country of Texas.


Del Rio TX
Sunday, February 17, 2008 2:23 PM
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We stopped here for an overnight and to visit with Brenda and Gary Brown and their three boys. Brenda is sister to Denise, our daughter in law.


Tra La Escapee Park
Monday, February 18, 2008 5:25 PM

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We passed through some awesome desert and scenery to arrive here, Lots and lots of brush, cactus and NOTHING! In the middle of nowhere there would be a sign telling you to stop for school buses. We did not see any children, schools or buses. 



Fort Davis TX
Thursday, February 21, 2008 6:26 PM

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Highest town in Texas at 5,050'. National Historic Site at the Fort. One of the finest examples of a restored frontier fort in our country. Still working on some buildings.




Deming New Mexico
Saturday, February 23, 2008 9:32 PM

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We stopped here for a couple of days. This is another Escapee Rainbow Park. VERY heavy winds on the interstate getting here.




Escapee's Park in Benson AZ
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:29 PM
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This is a very large Co-Op of Escapee's. They have almost 300 sites, but they were all full so we are boondocking for a couple of days before we move on. The park is nicely done and landscaped with lots of activities going on. Obviously the place to be for a lot of people.




North Ranch Congress AZ
Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:48 PM
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We are here at another Escapee's Rainbow Park. BIG park. Has 110 sites for RV's and 436 deeded lots. Beautiful weather, 80 degrees and sunny. We are in the middle of the desert so I don't think we will have any rain.


Quartzsite AZ
Tuesday, March 04, 2008 6:20 PM
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We stayed one night on the free camping area known as BLM land. Bureau of Land Management. You can stay for an overnight, 14 days, some people get a permit for 6 months or a year. No services, but great for those who want to boondock for free or almost for free. Pretty sky at night.


Jojoba Hills Escapees Coop Park
Tuesday, March 04, 2008 6:23 PM
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Lovely park, set up in the hills. To get here we went UP a mountain and then down. Quite a ride! I was thinking of lying on the floor and closing my eyes to pray until we were through. Beautiful, breathtaking views if you could keep your eyes open long enough to see them. Phil did a wonderful job driving. I just hung on tight and prayed! We will travel to the ocean and San Diego from here before we  head toward Las Vegas. 

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Pacific Ocean !!
Saturday, March 08, 2008 5:23 PM

We traveled over to Oceanside and then up to San Clemente to see the Pacific Ocean. Lovely beaches, but towns had lots of people. We took the scenic route home up and over a mountain to Lake Elisnore. 
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Twin Lakes RV Park
Saturday, March 08, 2008 5:29 PM

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Just a one night stop on our way. Again we ran into some very heavy winds. Good time to stop. Had a slight OOPS on the way out.




Hoover Dam
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 8:45 PM
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Awesome engineering feat!


Orleans Casino
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:27 PM

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We  boondocked in the parking lot of the Orleans Hotel and Casino. We traveled down to the Hoover Dam. Later in the evening we toured the casino and had Chinese food. Then we cruised down the Vegas Boulevard to see all the lights. We would have traded up to this Prevost if we hit it big!!
Las Vegas NV


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Later we drove down Las Vegas Boulevard.


Gateway RV Park
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:27 PM 


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Williams AZ we will travel from here to view the Grand Canyon tomorrow. We are over 6700 feet here.






Grand Canyon South Rim
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 8:37 PM
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We spent the day viewing the canyon and Village. Awesome views. We had great weather for early March.




Bluff Utah
Thursday, March 13, 2008 10:53 PM 

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We traveled through Indian Reservation land all day to get here. The scenery kept changing and it was quite something to see. There are bluffs and up croppings that are very scenic. Most of the soil is pink. 

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Bernardo NM
Sunday, March 16, 2008 5:57 PM

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We stopped here and ended up staying for two nights, to wait for the winds to stop. The winds were gusting over 35 MPH. The RV was rocking and shaking so much we put in the big slide. It was sure nice when they decided to die down for a while.




Roswell NM
Monday, March 17, 2008 2:32 PM


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Good travel day today. The winds died down and the road was pretty good. We are going to the UFO museum to see if we can find some aliens! 

Roswell NM 009




Post View RV Park
 
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:13 PM
On our way east, this was a good spot to stop for the night.


Red Barn RV Resort
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:15 PM
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We went a little further than usual to get fuel and settle here. We will be here for two days to rest and get some laundry and cleaning done. Making good progress toward Louisiana for the rally at the end of March.




Sterling Crest RV Resort
Friday, March 21, 2008 4:20 PM
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Crossed over into Arkansas. We will be here for a couple of nights. Lucky us, railroad tracks are right across the road!!




Pecan Grove RV Park
Friday, March 28, 2008 6:01 PM 

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Nice park by the lake. Good for a night.



Jeff Busby Area
Friday, March 28, 2008 6:06 PM 

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Great free campground on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We spent a wonderfully quiet night here.


Natchez State Park
Friday, March 28, 2008 6:15 PM 


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We stayed here for three nights as we toured the antebellum houses in Natchez. Azalea and wisteria were in bloom, the houses were all beautiful. This is a pretty city.


Natchez MS
Friday, March 28, 2008 6:18 PM 

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Beautiful city.


Farr Park Baton Rouge
Friday, March 28, 2008 6:20 PM 


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We are here for a week for an Escapee's Chapter 26 rally. 


Summerdale AL
Friday, April 04, 2008 6:37 PM 

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4/4/08
We have returned to Rainbow Plantation for a while after the Gulf Posse Rally in Baton Rouge. We have taxes to do, mail to pick up and some visiting with friends before we start our way back home.
I have started the return home line from Summerdale because this is where we started our trip west at the end of January. Now, the beginning of April, we will be heading back home.


Gunther Hill Park
Saturday, April 12, 2008 3:20 PM 

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4/12/08
We will be here for four days before heading further north. Plan to be in Tennessee by next Friday.




Cummings Dealer
Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:24 PM 

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OOPS!!! We hit a very large pot hole on the Interstate 459 going around Birmingham. Lost everything. All we could get was a deafening BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
By the time AAA got there with a tow and we went about 25 miles to the dealer, they were done for the night. We had to go to a motel as they would not let us stay in the garage overnight. On the road by 9:30 the next morning. The bump knocked a poor battery connection loose.






Parnell Creek
Thursday, April 17, 2008 2:32 PM 

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Nice Passport America campground for an overnight. Time to get laundry done before we head for Tennessee tomorrow.




Back to Athens
Saturday, April 19, 2008 8:09 AM


4/18/08
We are back to Athens to visit with Pat before we start our return trip on Wednesday.


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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 8:42 PM
4/23/08
Stopped for an overnight at Keystone RV Dealer/RV/Park. Hope to be home tomorrow.


Sunday, April 27, 2008 7:31 PM


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We are home again after putting on almost 9000 miles. we had a good trip and saw some wonderful places but it is great to be back home again.




Zachary's First Communion
5/11/08
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We went to Craig and Denise's for Zachary's First Communion. It was great to see them after the winter.

Saturday, May 17, 2008 8:24 PM
Parishville NY
Saturday, May 17, 2008 8:24 PM
We went to Parishville to see Jon and Pat LaPointe. We had a good couple of days.


Chapter 20 Rally
Saturday, May 17, 2008 8:27 PM
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Raymond Maine

 
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:36 AM
We enjoyed a weekend visit with Norman, Dianne and Dottie before heading for the Chapter 3 Rally in Hermon Maine.
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Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:38 AM
Pumpkin Patch RV Resort
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:38 AM
We had a lovely time at the Escapees Chapter 3 Rally. We had lots of seafood and made some new friends as well as visiting with Pat and Jon LaPointe and Don and Eileen White.


Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:39 AM
Bass Harbor, Desert Island
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:39 AM
On Sunday afternoon we made a day trip over to see Paul and Mitzi Crawn. She fed us a wonderful seafood casserole.


Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:46 AM
Martinsburg PA
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:46 AM

July Rally for Chapter 20. We had a super time visiting with all of our RV friends.


Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:50 AM
Outdoor World
Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:50 AM
September Rally of Chapter 20