Peppy's Dream Moving Adventure Blog

We were picked up at the campsite this morning by Kelly, a lovely young woman from Enterprise Car Rental.  She took us back to their office and we got a 2007 white PT Cruiser!  We were so happy, because we know the car very well, and I’ve been missing mine a lot, so it was great to ride in one again!

By the time we got to Chicago, there was a college football game starting in SOLDIER FIELD Football Stadium, and there was also a free jazz festival (all weekend), so the city was CRAZY!  There was also a baseball game at WRIGLEY FIELD.  What a day!

We went up to Jerry’s apartment, which was spectacular.  It is in an historic building called, The Pattington.  Built in the early 1900's, Pattington is located in the Uptown Chicago Area on Irving Park, one Blk west of Lake Shore Drive.  Jerry had done a lot of work to the apartment over the past few years, and it was so beautiful.  Huge and spacious, with lots of windows, beautiful wood floors, with gorgeous crown moldings, great furniture, art, a balcony, French doors into the dining room, etc.

I thought it was the most beautiful apartment I had ever been in, and I’ve been in some nice apartments!  He just sold it (quite easily, I might add) because he’s moving over an hour out of the city.  He’s very excited about his move, and he's now going through the exact same things we went through a month ago – the packing, the phone calls, the change-of-address, etc.  We’re so glad we got to see his apartment before he moved!

We went locally to a great restaurant and had lunch, then walked to Wrigley Field where a game had just ended.  We saw a bridal party taking pictures and I took some pictures of them, too.  I guess they’re big Cubs fans, because the bride had a Cubs garter belt on!!!

Then we got in the car and drove on Lake Shore Drive, taking in all the views of the boats, the beach, the parks, and the Chicago skyline, but because of the football game, a lot of the exits were closed and there was a lot of traffic.  So, we decided to go to the most “touristy” place of all – Navy Pier.  It was a lot of fun and the weather was so perfect – not too hot, no humidity, a slight breeze -- just pleasant and cool. 

We walked around a lot and went through the SMITH MUSEUM OF STAINED GLASS WINDOWS, which is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows.  I thought of my friends, Geri and Larry, because I know they would LOVE this place.  They really appreciate fine stained glass!

I loved them all, but here are a few more favorites:

Then, we got back in the car and drove back to Jerry’s neighborhood (just a few miles away) and had Thai food at a great restaurant called THAI AROMA.  Yum!  After we dropped Jerry back at home, we drove back to WINDY CITY CAMPGROUND.  We were exhausted.  It was a long day, but so great.  I LOVE Chicago!

Eric heard about great mountain biking in Palos Hills, which is south of Chicago and north of where we are staying.  He got up early and headed up there in the PT Cruiser, while I slept in the RV.  I thought he’d be back around 1:00pm, but he was back before noon.  Turns out, it wasn’t great at all.  He’s just so spoiled by all the great mountains in New York and Massachusetts and there really aren’t any mountains in Illinois, at least anywhere near where we are!  He rode for less than a half hour and just gave up.  We are determined to find him some great mountains on the way down to Florida.

Our friend, Jerry, bucked the Sunday holiday traffic to come to Windy City Campgrounds and see our little RV.  We gave him the “3 minute tour” and he seemed to really like it.  There’s not much to it, but it IS cute!

We decided to head to nearby Frankfort for their Fall Festival.  It was really fun, and it was such a gorgeous day that it was a pleasure to just walk around and see all the crafts and different art work for sale.  I even bought a hand-made suede purse that is the perfect size to hold my camera.  I hate my camera bag, because it’s so big and bulky, but this is cute and pretty (it has a rose appliquéd on it) and I can use it as a real purse, if I don’t carry my camera!

Then we headed to Nick’s Steakhouse on La Grange Road in Mokena.  They have a great Sunday night seafood special – buy one dinner, get one free!  Everything was delicious, but Jerry and I were disturbed by the cigarette smoke, even though we were seated in the non-smoking section.  We’re just not used to smoking in restaurants, and it’s been a culture shock for me to have to breathe smoke after all these years of avoiding it.  It’s easy to stay away from it in NYC, because it’s really not allowed anywhere indoors, but outside New York…

We are going back to Chicago tomorrow, because Jerry is having a brunch for his father’s 75th birthday and he has invited us to join the family.  We are excited about going back to his apartment.  It’s so fabulous!

Right now, Eric’s outside having a couple of beer with our “neighbor,” John and his son, Jim.  It’s nice to meet people from all over and get to know them, if only for a few days.

We have no idea where we’re headed on Tuesday, except that we know we're going south, but we’ll try to figure it out tomorrow!

I have a new, unwanted alarm clock.  I’ve named him Sir Yap-a-lot, II.  If I didn’t know for sure, I’d think the other dog had followed us here from Whitestone!  This time, though, I’m pretty sure that this dog is locked up alone inside an RV, because I cannot imagine anyone letting a dog bark for an hour without stopping and he’s definitely not outside.  He’s just nearby.  A lot of people are leaving this campground today, so I hope he’s gone, too!

Eric is still sleeping, so I figured I’d start my blog for the day.  This is something I have really come to enjoy.  It’s nice to be documenting our trip in such detail, but it’s also “quiet time” for me every morning or night.  I like typing and I like being on the computer, so it’s pleasant for me.  He’s stirring, so I’ll stop for now.  MORE LATER!

It’s now 9:15pm (Chicago time) and we had a great day back in the city.  Jerry had a lovely brunch and set a gorgeous table.  He has Fiesta Ware dishes, which I love, and had an old Hall pitcher that belonged to his grandmother.  I told him it was very collectible and pretty valuable and he was thrilled!

I had previously met Jerry’s Mom, because they came to my shop when they were visiting in New York, but I got to meet his Dad, (who was celebrating his birthday) and one of his sisters, his brother-in-law, and his 13-year-old nephew.  We had a delicious meal, a fantastic chocolate birthday cake, and a lot of fun.  They were very interested in our trip, and we told them about where we had been, and where we are going.  They have all traveled a lot and gave us some good advice about places we must visit on our way west.  Here's a picture of Jerry and his nephew, Regev:

After brunch, Eric and I went to a local bookstore called UNABRIDGED BOOKSTORE and bought a 2008 Road Atlas of the United States.  Eric wanted a topographical map of each state, so he could see where the mountains are.  That’s where we’re headed!

Then, we stopped at a STARBUCKS (there seem to be as many in Chicago as there are in NY) and I was happy on the trip home, even though there was lots of traffic.  We got back to the campground and immediately took a nap.  Now, I’m blogging and Eric is happily reading his maps and planning our trip south to Florida.

Tomorrow’s going to be a big driving day for both of us, because we want to go almost all the way to Kentucky, so we’re going to get a good night’s sleep, bring the PT Cruiser back to ENTERPRISE and get on our way.  There’s just one thing stopping us from leaving very early:  We ordered a new DC charging cord for my computer from DELL and it is being delivered here by DHL tomorrow morning before noon.  We hope it’s WAY before noon, but you never know and we really want to get it before we go.  Otherwise, we’ll have to have it shipped from here to my parents’ in Florida.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Forgot to mention yesterday that THE FRIDGE IS BROKEN!!!!  We noticed last week that things just weren’t as cold as they should be, and the fridge was acting weird when you switched from LP (liquid propane, which it runs on when not hooked up to electricity) to electric.  The CHECK light kept coming on (NOT a good sign!).  Anyway, it finally gave out completely.  The good news is: I wasn’t cooking anyway, so there’s not lots of food in there.  The bad news is: now we have no place to keep our bottled water and leftovers!  I think we’re going to buy a bag of ice and a small cooler and just have an ice box – like in the old days.  Remember the ice box on THE HONEYMOONERS?  We eat out most meals, so it’s just a minor inconvenience.  Another, in what is starting to be a long list!

Spoke to my Mom on the phone for about an hour this morning.  We never run out of things to talk about, and she’s so excited that we’re coming.  We will be bringing the RV in for service while we stay with them and will rent another car (maybe another PT Cruiser!).  We made an appointment for Monday, 9/10 at an RV service center in Pompano Beach, which is relatively close to them, so we’re hoping they can get everything in working order.  It will be great to stay with my parents for a few days, and then we will visit Eric’s sister in Ft. Lauderdale.

So, we returned the car and were ready to leave here at 11:00am, but the charging cord I ordered from Dell had not been delivered by DHL yet.  I paid $16 extra for expedited delivery and Dell told me it would be delivered by Tuesday, noon the latest.  I called this morning and DHL promised it would be here by noon, so we hung around the camp ground for an hour.  At noon I called and they said it was guaranteed to be delivered TODAY, but not necessarily by noon.  I was SO mad.  I want to say here and now that I will NEVER use DHL.  I didn't choose them in the first place, that's the company that Dell uses.  I worked in the corporate world for 22 years and ALWAYS used FedEX, UPS, or the reliable U.S. Postal Service!  I never used DHL before and -- believe me -- I will NEVER use DHL again!

Anyway, we hung around the campground for another hour waiting for the package.  Eric wanted to leave, but I was determined, after waiting TWO hours, to wait until it came – no matter how long the wait was.  We saw a DHL truck and got all excited, and then it passed right by!  That was the last straw.  We were both so mad and frustrated.  We were both on the phone and got even MORE frustrated.  Then we fought (NOT fun) and then decided to go get gas, get me Starbucks (so, at least I would be a LITTLE happy) and then go back to the campground.  By the time we got back (2:10pm) it had been delivered, and we got on the road. 

Eric drove us 5 hours straight to Nashville, Indiana (I got to take a nap) and we are staying at THE LAST RESORT RV park, which is really nice.  We even have cable TV and I’m watching THE BIGGEST LOSER special. 

We are hoping to hit West Point, Kentucky tomorrow, so Eric can do some mountain biking.  Today was NOT a great day.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings!

Got up real early this morning and left THE LAST RESORT RV Park in Nashville, Indiana.  Too bad we had to leave so fast, because it was really nice!  Headed south to West Point, Kentucky, where we had read (online) that there was some great mountain biking.

We got to FORT DUFFIELD PARK at about 10:30am.  We found it easily from the online directions and they even had copies of a trail map at the parking lot.  There are 10 miles of scenic trails and Eric was pretty enthusiastic about his ride.  The only thing that could have made it better was some other riders to hang with and show him the ropes, but it’s a Wednesday morning and I guess everybody was at work!

While Eric was gearing up for his ride, we noticed a beautiful moth on my bicycle wheel.  I had my camera with me and took a few pictures.  I really love how this one came out:

FORT DUFFIELD was built in 1861 and played an important role in the Civil War in Kentucky.  It is named after Col. William W. Duffield, Commander of the 9th Michigan.  There’s a fort you can hike to, but no bicycling is allowed there.  Eric rode two different trails and enjoyed them both.  He said they were well-marked, so there was no fear of getting lost, and they both had great scenery.  He came back in about 2 hours.

We got on the road soon after that and decided to head south to Mammoth Caves.  We had been told it was a great place to visit and that the caves were another amazing sight!  We went back into Central time and gained an hour.  That’s always nice!  We found Horse Cave KOA Kampground (in Horse Cave, Kentucky), which is only about 10 minutes from Mammoth Caves.  It is really nice and we made use of their laundry and swimming pool!  Then we took a nap and went to Aunt Bee’s Restaurant (which is walking distance from the Kampground) for a delicious dinner.

We are going to see the Mammoth Caves first thing tomorrow morning!

Since we had such a nice dinner last night, we decided to go back down the hill to Aunt Bee’s Restaurant for breakfast this morning.  Then we headed over to MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK, which was only about 10 minutes away.  Here's a picture of our guides, Charlie and Kath:

We signed up for the two-hour “New Entrance Tour.”  This entrance was created in the 1920s, but it’s still called the “New Entrance Tour” or the “Frozen Niagara” tour.  Here’s some info on our tour:

 Emphasis on: Deep pits; high domes; dry cave passages; dripstone area at exit; dynamic cave being carved by water.
Landmarks: New Entrance, Roosevelt's Dome, Silo Pit, Grand Central Station, Big Break, Fairy Ceiling, Flat Ceiling, Frozen Niagara flowstone formation, Travertine Tour Route.
Elevation Change: 250 feet.
Number of Stairs: 500, nearly 200 descended inside New Entrance.
Steep Hill Climbs: Yes.

I’m not much of an adventurer, so this was really something new for me.  Eric was really excited about the caves, so I wasn’t going to be a party pooper, but the guide made me REALLY nervous when he talked about how tight some of the paths were.  I am only slightly claustrophobic, but the thought of tight cave walls really got to me.

We first walked down 300 steps through the caves.  The steps were made of metal and had a metal railing, so except for the occasional spider, the dampness making it all very slippery, and some tight squeezes (even for us), it was pretty tame.  Then, we came to a big room with rows and rows of benches, called Grand Central Station, where the guide gave a speech and answered questions.  We found the trivia and history of the caves very interesting.  

Next, we headed up a path with more steps and lots more rocks to a third area called “Frozen Niagara.”  It had all the stalagmites and stalactites.  It was all very beautiful.  I took a lot of pictures, but I’m afraid they don’t capture the experience very well.

After we left the caves, we got on the road, left Kentucky (which we really loved) and headed south to Nashville, Tennessee.  We had a great lunch at RIPPY’S on Lower Broadway, which is the center of Nashville’s honky tonk scene. 

As you can see from the photo, below, I found my girl -- Betty Boop -- in Nashville.  What a pleasant surprise!

I also got to "meet" one of my favorites -- Dolly Parton! 

According to one of the post cards I bought, “At any time, day or night, you may see some of the superstars of country music here.  This is where the music and dreams begin!”  We loved it!  So colorful and “touristy.”   Definitely the place to be at night, with bands in every bar on the block.  Even during the day, it was very exciting!

After lunch we headed south, past Chattanooga (and I kept singing the Glenn Miller song, Chattanooga Choo Choo, to Eric).  We left Tennessee and headed into Georgia to ALLATOONA LANDING CAMPGROUND outside Cartersville.  It’s been a VERY full day – the tour of the cave in Kentucky, lunch in Nashville, Tennessee, and now staying overnight in a campground in Georgia.  Three states in one day!   We’re really making time!  Tomorrow we will drive through Georgia into Florida and will arrive in Delray Beach to see my parents on Saturday afternoon.  We can’t wait!!!

Eric and I realized something for SURE this morning: Campgrounds are usually near a railroad.  I guess it’s because land near a railroad track is cheaper than elsewhere.  I really don’t know.  All I know is that we were RIGHT near a railroad AGAIN last night.  This one was the closest and loudest yet.  I slept better than I thought I would, considering how often that loud horn was blowing.

We checked out of the Allatoona Landing Campground and found a place to have breakfast.  Eric and I have been trying, since we left New York, to find interesting, off-the-beaten path places to eat, rather than eating at chain restaurants.  It’s not always easy, and we have eaten at chain restaurants, but – once in a while – we hit on a real gem – and today that was DOUG’S PLACE RESTAURANT.  I can’t even give you their address, because it’s not on their business card, but it was right near the Allatoona Landing RV Resort, about 6 miles from Cartersville, Georgia. 

The second I opened the door, I knew we were in for a treat.  It was 11:30am, and they were no longer serving breakfast, but the place was filling up fast for lunch.  The restaurant had tons of antiques and collectibles and looked like it had been there -- looking exactly the same way -- for at least 50 years.  The walls were lined with photos of ancestors, friends and family of the owner, Doug, who is no longer with us, but lives on in spirit and in the hearts of his friends.

I asked our lovely, young waitress if it would be okay to take some pictures and she said she’d ask the owner.  She came back and told me the owner said she’d be honored.  So, I took a few pictures.  It was really hard, because every table was filled with hungry patrons, but I managed to get a couple of shots without bothering anyone.

People were interested to know why I was taking pictures and asked if I was from a magazine or newspaper.  I told them that we were traveling the country and I was documenting the wonderful places we had been.  Everyone was so friendly.  I always worried that people didn’t like New Yorkers, or at least might not be too nice to us, but I was wrong.  Everywhere we’ve been so far – Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida – people have been so kind and helpful, so sweet and friendly.

They didn't have many non-meat items on the menu, and I don't eat meat, so I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and Eric got a grilled chicken sandwich.  We also got sides of macaroni and cheese and baked beans.  We finished the meal with a peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.  The check came to $12.67.  Can you believe it? 

After our lovely lunch, we got on the road and headed south on I-75 through all of Georgia and into Florida.  Not the most interesting drive, but we were really interested in making good time.  I did some driving, too – about 90 miles.  I know Eric doesn’t really relax while I’m driving, but at least he’s getting a break.  We arrived at GRAND LAKE RV AND GOLF RESORT in Orange Lake, Florida (between Ocala and Gainesville) and stopped at a place called Rocky’s Villa for some delicious Mexican food. 

If it sounds like all we did for the last two days is drive and eat – you’re right!  I am getting absolutely FAT.  It’s not like I was ever big into exercising, but lately, unless we’re walking a lot while sightseeing, it’s mostly been eat and drive, eat and drive, eat and sleep, then start all over again.  We’ve also been indulging in desserts everywhere we go.  Eric feels like he’s gaining weight, too, because he’s used to eating whatever he wants, but riding his bicycle 7 days a week.  He’s now down to riding about once a week.  It’s been very hard for him, but he knows when we get to San Diego he’ll be back to riding every day (and riding 12 months of the year, too!), so he’s not too upset about it.  As for me, if I keep up the current pace, I should gain 10 pounds by the time we hit San Diego and it will be VERY hard for me to lose it all.  Boo hoo!

We will be driving all day tomorrow, too, because we want to get to my parents’ house by 5:00pm.  We will be going out to dinner at 6:00pm with my parents, our cousins, and my parents’ friends.  There will be 10 of us, so it should be a lot of fun!

We left GRAND LAKE RV AND GOLF RESORT and headed to the IRON SKILLET for their buffet breakfast.  More carbs! 

Then we got on the road to Delray Beach.  We really didn’t do much today, except drive, drive, drive.  We drove down I-75, stopping only for STARBUCKS (whee!).  The only excitement of the day was that it started to rain and we’ve never driven the RV through rain before.  In fact, the only time it rained in the last month was when we were visiting in New Paltz.  We’ve never driven in it, and never been at a campground when it rained.  I feel pretty lucky about that, because at most campgrounds you’re walking in woods on dirt roads and if it was muddy it would really be a BIG pain!  The rain was very off-and-on and by the time we reached Delray Beach, the sun was shining and it was HOT.

We had a happy reunion with my parents.  They were so glad to see us, safe and sound, and so excited that we would be staying with them for a few days.  We're so glad to be with family again.  We showed them the RV and caught up a little.

We had two packages waiting for us at my parents' (very exciting!).  One was the small replacement door that fell off the RV.  Eric had ordered it from CAMPING WORLD and had it shipped to Florida.  The other package was all the mail our friends, Larry and Geri, had collected for us.  We have had our mail forwarded to them since we left NY.  That was something we were really worried about, since we knew we would be on the road for a long time and didn't yet have a real forwarding address.  They were kind enough to let us have our mail forwarded and we even changed our address to their address in a few instances.  They have been such fantastic friends, because they’ve been doing all kinds of things for us, letting me know about bills I need to pay, and just keeping us informed of everything that’s been coming our way.  We REALLY appreciate it and know we are lucky to have such wonderful friends. 

My parents had made plans for ten of us to go out to dinner tonight: our cousin, Edith, and her boyfriend, Sam, our cousin, Barnett, and his girlfriend, Gloria, my parents, and their friends, Marion and Mike.  We went out to a great restaurant in Delray Beach called FRATELLI’S ITALIAN GRILL.  The food was so good and the company a lot of fun.  We laughed a lot and ate a LOT of garlic knots!

We are looking forward to relaxing with my folks tomorrow and then we have to bring the RV into the service center first thing Monday morning.  We are hoping to get it back quickly, but you never know.  The RV Drama continues!

Well, we had a good night’s sleep and a wonderful breakfast prepared by my Mom and Dad.  Then, Eric went outside to put the replacement door on the hot water heater outside the RV.  Of course they sent the wrong door!  What a disappointment.  Now, not only do we have to ship it back, but also Eric had to finagle a new “temporary” cover on the door.  Instead of cardboard, my Dad gave him a piece of plastic and he used packing tape to hold it on.  It will have to work until we get to San Diego, because now Eric doesn’t trust them to ship the correct door and it’s not something you can just walk into a store and find.

The four of us each took turns taking a picture of the other three, so we have four pictures with every combination!

We are going to just relax today, and hang around the house, because we have an 8:00am appointment to get the RV repaired in Pompano Beach.  We will drive there and then find out how long they plan to keep the RV (if they know – it depends on the availability of parts, if needed).  We will rent a car from there (Enterprise – they’ll pick you up!).  We are hoping for another PT Cruiser, but we’ll take whatever we can get!

It’s so pleasant here at my folks’.  They are so happy to have us here, and they are always waiting on us (even though we try to do things ourselves) and just want us to relax and enjoy.  I took a nap this afternoon with my Mom, while Eric went out to do laundry (I think he just needed to get out of the house for a while – he’s not very good at relaxing) and my Dad watched TV.  My mom always calls me her “cloney”, because I am like her clone.  We are alike in so many ways.  We both love to take a nap, and we found out today that we both like to go to sleep on our left sides.  Isn’t that cute?  Anyway, we always find out more and more ways that we are alike.

We went to dinner at a Chinese Restaurant called KINGSBURG.  It was really good and we had a lot of laughs, as always.  One thing about my parents, they’re really funny (I guess that’s where I get it from, if I do say so myself) and they love to laugh.

After dinner we came home and my parents read my blog on my computer, because they don’t own a computer.  They just don’t feel the need!  While they were reading, Eric and I watched Britney Spears open the MTV awards.  I know a lot of people were curious about how she would look and how well she would perform.  Well, she looked okay (especially since she’s had 2 kids in the last 3 years), but her performance was not only completely lip-synced, but also very lackluster.  One thing that girl could do was dance, but she hardly danced at all.  I was very disappointed, because even though she’s not a great singer, I always thought she was a great performer.  Not tonight!

We’re going to head out early tomorrow for Pompano Beach to the RV Repair shop.  The saga continues!

We woke up early this morning and headed to Pompano Beach to the RV repair shop.  I had spoken to someone named “Artie” (a great name) and made an appointment for 8:00am today.  We got there at 8:10am.  The sign said “OPEN” and the gate was open, but no one was there.  Eric got out and looked around, then got back in and said we were leaving.  He said he didn’t see any place where they would work on the RV, and it looked like a scrap yard.  He said there were shovels and paint rollers on the ground.  It was very run down and Eric didn't think it was a good place to leave the RV.  So, we left and came back to Delray Beach. 

Eric has said for the past few days that he thought the brakes needed to be replaced and that was more important than the fridge and toilet (which really are just a minor inconvenience since we eat out all the time and stay at campgrounds).  Now, since it didn't work out fixing the inside, he wanted to find a place that would replace the brakes.   After we had breakfast with my Mom, Dad came home from playing tennis and he called his mechanic, who said he could do it, and they went right over.   Unfortunately, the brakes were completely shot, as well as the rotors and calipers.  All had to be replaced.  A MAJOR brake job.  We hope to have it back by Wednesday afternoon. 

Now, I know you’re probably all thinking, “Didn’t you get the RV checked out before you purchased it?”  Well, we DID.  It was checked out by a local Whitestone mechanic (not someone we had a relationship with), and we were also told by the seller that it was COMPLETELY checked out by his RV mechanic.  Well, both did a TERRIBLE job, because there were so many things wrong with it!  If we weren’t in the midst of selling our house and so overwhelmed with all that it entailed, Eric would have been able to check out everything himself – and even make all the repairs.  He is capable and knowledgeable.  But we were going CRAZY with all the stress of emptying the house and packing for San Diego, so buying the RV kind of got pushed to the back burner.  We’re lucky there was nothing wrong that caused us to get stuck on a road in Kentucky somewhere, but still, it’s been disappointing that so many things have gone wrong with the RV in just one month.  I don't think the people who sold it to us were trying to pull one over on us.  I just think they trusted their mechanic, and he took advantage of them.

Anyway, I’m happy to report that I got an appointment to get my touch-up.  My roots were just terrible and I really needed it – BAD.  I couldn't wait, because I always feel like a new woman after I get my touch-up (you know – blondes have more fun, but not with roots showing!).  I got a trim, too.  I had been going to LE SALON for 4 years (272 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY  11596; 516-739-8600) and Emily is the best colorist anywhere around.  Julie used to cut my hair, and she always did a great job, too.  I recommend Le Salon very highly!

I ended up going to a place called REGIS SALON in the BOYNTON BEACH MALL in Delray Beach.  My stylist, Songyea Stadmiller, did a great job of matching my color and gave me a great haircut, too.  Eric and my Mom accompanied me to the mall, and they walked around while I got my hair done.  My Mom is so cute, because she told Eric to give her a big hug, because she wanted people to think she had a boyfriend – a TALL boyfriend!  Of course, he complied!

We are going to stay in tonight and just have dinner at home for a change.  We’ve been eating out so much, it’s nice to stay in once in a while!

Today I didn’t want to watch much TV, because it was all about 9/11 and it’s something that, even six years later, I just can’t talk about or hear about.  I’ll never forget (nor should I), but I just don’t like to think about it.  I do want to say that I pray for all the people who lost someone on that horrible day.

We decided to get out for a while and accompanied my Mom while she ran some errands.  First we had lunch and then we headed to – of all places – Wal-Mart.  I say that, because I don’t like Wal-Mart very much, but I understand why people go there.  Everything is VERY inexpensive and, if you’re on a fixed income, it is certainly the place to shop.  I got some t-shirts, sundries, and a case of bottled water ($3.88).  Eric bought car wax for the RV (Mr. Maintenance!).

We heard from our niece, Michelle, today.  We are going to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow afternoon to see Eric’s sister, Ellen, her husband, Rich, and their children, Michelle and Scott, and Scott’s wife Jaime, their son, Kyle, and daughter, Rian.  We’re really looking forward to it.  We will come back to my parents’ to sleep and then – if we get the RV back tomorrow (as promised) – we will head out Thursday morning for our next destination.  We’re not sure yet where that will be, but we’re trying to see our nephew, Brandon, in Tampa, and our friends, Frank and Gloria, in Orlando.

We went to THE OLIVE GARDEN for dinner tonight.  I only go to THE OLIVE GARDEN when I’m in Florida with my parents.  I really enjoy it, but they don’t have them in Queens, so it’s not a place we frequented when we lived in NYC.

So, here’s the latest saga:  On Sunday night at around 9:00pm I put in a prescription for an allergy medicine at Walgreen’s.  The young man behind the counter told me that I could pick it up at 10:00am on Monday morning.

We didn’t get a chance to go back to the drugstore until Monday night, and the prescription wasn’t ready.  They told me to come back on Tuesday afternoon (today) at 2:00pm.  We went back tonight after THE OLIVE GARDEN, at 9:00pm, and the prescription STILL wasn’t ready.  They told me that they had ordered it, but it hadn’t come in.  I told them I understood that these things happen, but why didn’t someone call me, so I didn’t make TWO unnecessary trips to the drugstore?  I told them to give me back my prescription, because I was going to go elsewhere.

I went to a CVS a few blocks away and – within 10 minutes – I walked out of there with my prescription.  Go figure!  So, now I love CVS and I’m mad at Walgreen’s.  So, please join with me and boycott Walgreen’s.  Thank you!  (This reminds me of an episode of WILL & GRACE where Grace has a fight with the owner of HAPPY NOODLE (her favorite noodle place in Manhattan) and calls all her friends to tell them to go to LUCKY NOODLE and to boycott HAPPY NOODLE.)

Anyway, we just got home and are going to have vanilla fudge ice cream on Fruit Bobka, so I really must go!  (I really prefer a Chocolate Bobka, or at least a Cinnamon Bobka, but not if there’s a hair on it!  (That’s a SEINFELD reference, for those of you who are wondering!)).

L'Shana Tova!!  SHALOM!!  A happy and healthy New Year to all our friends and family!

Eric finally got the RV back from the mechanic and we are SO happy to be back in business!  There are still things to be fixed in the RV, but nothing that’s more than an inconvenience.  Eric really felt the brakes were in bad shape and, of course, he was right.  They were in TERRIBLE shape.  If we had been going fast on the thruway and had to brake, the RV probably would have flipped, because one of the brakes was in such bad shape that it was “frozen” and would have made the car pull dramatically to one side.  Anyway, once again, Eric’s knowledge of automobiles has saved us from a disaster.  I’m so lucky to have such a smart and handy guy!

Our friend, Jerry, gave us these t-shirts when we were in Chicago.  Dreams DO come true!

We drove down to Ft. Lauderdale late this afternoon to see Eric’s sister and the whole family.  We got a fast tour of Ellen and Rich’s house, because I’m allergic to their adorable dog – Zoe.  Ellen and Rich have done a lot of work to their house, and it all looks great, but their kitchen is fantastic.  It looks like something out of Architectural Digest!  I was so impressed.  It must be such a luxury to cook in a kitchen like that.  Maybe if I had a kitchen like that, I’d enjoy cooking!

We were treated to a fantastic dinner at a great Italian restaurant called CARRABBA’S, in Plantation.  Our party consisted of Eric’s sister, Ellen, and her husband, Rich, our niece, Michelle, our nephew, Scott, his wife, Jaime, their two gorgeous children – Kyle (who will turn 5 in 9 days), and Rian, who is six months old, and Scott and Jaime’s friend, Adam. 

I had fun with Kyle, who showed me all his karate moves, but I fell madly, deeply and hopelessly in love with Rian.  She is so beautiful and is at that age where getting a smile from her just melts your heart.  She is so chubby and sweet and Jaime was kind enough to put her high chair right next to me, so I could play with her and amuse her (I hope as much as she amused me) during dinner.  She is the kind of baby who will let anyone hold her, so I got to give her lots of hugs and kisses!

After they treated for dinner, we insisted on going next door to DAIRY QUEEN and treating everyone to dessert, but most declined (such discipline!), so only a few of us indulged.  We sat and talked for a while and then went back to Ellen and Rich’s house to say our goodbyes.

It is so sad to say goodbye to family, but when you’re going to a place as fabulous as San Diego, you know that they will definitely come to visit, and that makes the goodbyes that much easier.

We are planning to leave very early tomorrow morning.  That goodbye will be the hardest of all, as my parents have told us they probably will not make a visit to San Diego, so it will be up to us to come back to Florida to visit them.  I have always come down, once a year, but if I get a job in San Diego I’m quite sure I won’t have vacation for at least six months, and we will be so busy settling in, so it may be hard for me to visit for a while.  My mom and I talk on the phone very often, and we email back and forth, but it’s still hard for both of us, as we are very close.

Tomorrow we are going to try to see our friends in Orlando and our nephew, Brandon, in Tampa, before heading to New Orleans.  More goodbyes!

We got up really early, because my parents were going to synagogue this morning for Rosh Hashanah.  Don’t they look beautiful?

After a stop at the local STARBUCKS, we drove a little over three hours to Orlando and had some lunch at a great Latina restaurant – CABANA RESTAURANT in Ocoee.  I have NO idea how you pronounce Ocoee, so can someone who knows please email me and let me know!

We were going to visit our friends, the Sicolis, but we had a few hours to kill before Gloria got home with their boys, so we decided to do a load of laundry (our favorite pastime).   We finished just in time to head over to Windermere to our friends’ house.  We got there, but they weren’t home yet, so we waited in front of their house.  They live in a beautiful community and we were admiring all the beautiful houses on their cul-de-sac. 

Gloria called, to see what we were up to, and we told her we were waiting outside her house.  They hurried home from school and we had a happy reunion.  I have known Gloria and Frank for about 25 years.   They are a sweet, beautiful couple who have two wonderful boys – Frankie (12) and JJ (5).

Frankie and JJ loved the RV.  They thought it was the coolest thing ever.  They couldn’t believe that we slept in here, ate in here, cooked in here, went to the bathroom in here – everything!  We were so happy to show them around.  Then we went inside and got to see their gorgeous home.  Every room is decorated so beautifully.  Gloria and Frank have great taste and it is a pleasure to be in their home.  It's elegant, yet cozy and comfortable.  They have a gorgeous backyard with a big pool, which is completely screened in, so you can hang out outside and in the pool without one bug bothering you!

After Frank got home from work, we decided to go out to eat.  They generously invited us to sleep over (and Frankie so sweetly offered his room to us), but because they have a new dog (an adorable Yorkshire Terrier named Chippy), I was nervous about staying too long, because of my asthma.  So, we planned to spend the night at a local campground, but hadn’t yet made a reservation.

Here's Frank, Eric and Frankie; and Gloria and JJ!

We went out to eat first at a great seafood place called JOE’S CRAB SHACK in Lake Buena Vista.  The food was SO good and, as you can see, Eric had a delicious meal of Snow, Dungeness and Alaskan King Crab legs – Joe’s Special Crab Combo.  I had the crab cakes (after all, it IS Joe’s CRAB Shack).  Frank had the Mahi Mahi, Gloria had the crispy shrimp, and the boys had popcorn shrimp.  Everything was delicious!  We finished off the meal with big pieces of chocolate cake and a slice of Key Lime pie.  WOW!  We were stuffed!

We sat in the RV for a while, because we were on the computer, trying to figure out which campground to go to.  Frank and Gloria are SO great, because they didn’t want to leave until we had definite plans.  It’s harder to get into a campground after the office closes, but there’s usually no problem.  You just go to a site and pay in the morning.  There’s a lot of trust in campgrounds.  They trust that you’ll do the right thing by paying the next morning – and I think people usually do.  Anyway, we decided to go to ORLANDO WINTER GARDEN CAMPGROUND and we said our goodbyes to Frank, Gloria, Frankie and JJ.  We felt so bad, because it was after 10:00pm – very late for the boys to be out on a school night – and we knew they would all pay in the morning.

At dinner, we talked about friendship.  Eric and I don’t see Frank and Gloria that often, because we’ve never been to visit them in Florida, and they always visit in NYC, but don’t come up that often.  But it doesn’t matter.  We have the kind of friendship that transcends time.  We can let months go by without talking, maybe even a year, but when we DO see them, it’s as if no time has passed.  We love them and we know they love us and that’s the kind of friendship that is a real blessing.

Eric and I feel lucky, because we have lots of friends like that.  Friends that we may not see or talk to, but you know they don’t get mad, and we don’t either.  You just want your friends to be happy and healthy and when you talk to them or see them – it’s a gift.

Anyway, we’re traveling to Tampa tomorrow and will have yet ANOTHER happy reunion with our nephew, Brandon.  This has been a GREAT week, because we are getting to see SO many people we love!

ORLANDO WINTER GARDEN CAMPGROUND was nice, but Eric and I cannot understand why anything in Florida would be called “Winter Garden,” since they don’t have a real winter here!  Nevertheless, our short stay at Orlando Winter Garden Campground was a pleasant one.

I forgot to mention that last night, in the parking lot of JOE’S CRAB SHACK, we had some electrical problems, while we were in the RV with Frank, Gloria, Frankie and JJ trying to find a campground for the night.  The generator just stopped running, putting us in total darkness and turning off my computer (in a very bad way).  We were able to get everything going again, but now Eric’s worried about the batteries or the alternator.    This morning everything was fine and we ran around in the RV all day with no problems, but something’s up.  We just don’t know what it is.  I have a feeling we’ll find out.  Stay tuned!

Anyway, after a delicious breakfast at VOLCANO'S COFFEE BAR AND ROASTERY, we decided to go to CAMPING WORLD in Tampa, since we were going there anyway to see our nephew, Brandon.  CAMPING WORLD is a chain of RV stores/service centers around the country.  They come VERY highly recommended by GOOD SAM CLUB, which is the RV version of AAA.  We were hoping they could take a look at the toilet and fridge, since we’re having problems with both.

The complex where CAMPING WORLD is located in Tampa also has a HUGE RV sales/service store called LAZY DAYS.  We went there first, to see if they could fix the RV.  This place was fancier than most of the hotels I’ve been in.  They gave free coffee (which was delicious), had a play area for children, a sitting area for people with pets, a huge flat-screen TV, and the lobby was filled with the most comfortable chairs and couches.  Unfortunately, they told us they couldn’t even look at the RV until the 23rd (and today’s the 14th!). 

So, we went over to CAMPING WORLD, but they told us pretty much the same thing.  Since the fridge works – on and off – and the toilet works, but just leaks (and we’re really not using it at all), we decided to just keep going until we can find another place who can take us quickly.

We got to Tampa around 3:00pm and decided to go to the FLORIDA AQUARIUM.  What a great place!  It was much nicer than the NIAGARA AQUARIUM, which was nice, but not nearly as large.  The only thing that was better in Niagara was the sea lion show and the seals and penguins.  Florida Aquarium had lots of fish (in HUGE tanks), but they also had birds, turtles, alligators, and invertebrates, all in their natural habitat.  They also had a big tank of stingrays, which were really fabulous.  Eric and I had a sting ray in our fish tank once, but he died in just a few months.  His name was Sting Ray Charles!

After the aquarium, we went to Brandon’s apartment, which is really fabulous.  If I could take his neighborhood and transplant it to San Diego, that’s where I’d like to live.  His building is only 7 years old and is surrounded by fabulous stores such as a designer consignment shop, a spa, several restaurants, and a STARBUCKS!!!!  Who could ask for anything more?  The whole neighborhood is beautiful, clean and safe.

Brandon took us in his sporty blue Mustang to a GREAT sushi place called ZEN BISTRO GRILL + SUSHI BAR.  We were SO excited, because we have not had sushi (which is a passion of ours) since we left New York five weeks ago!  It was all SO delicious, we enjoyed it completely, and we were so happy!  Brandon seemed to know everyone there and told us he eats there regularly.   After dinner, we walked around and did some window shopping.  Then we went to STARBUCKS.  Everyone in STARBUCKS knew Brandon, too!

I'm so mad at myself, because I forgot to bring my camera with me to his apartment and to dinner, and then he came back to the RV with us, and I forgot to get it and take his picture.  I wish you could see him, because he's SO handsome and he looked so great.  I can't believe he's 32.  So grown up and such a great guy!

We talked for a while and then we told Brandon where we were going next – to BAY BAYOU RV RESORT on Memorial Highway in Tampa.  I told Brandon how we program Betty (the GPS system) and she takes us wherever we need to go.  I showed him the route she was taking us and he said it was wrong and we’d never get there.  I had SUCH faith in Betty that I made a bet with him.

He was absolutely right!  Betty took us to a dead end and told us to make a right where there wasn’t even a road!  It was by a railroad track, and the railroad track was there, but the road parallel to it wasn't!

Brandon then gave us directions and we went HIS way, but that didn’t work either, because it turns out that Memorial Highway is segmented and we needed to be going in the opposite direction.  We started following Betty’s directions again, but Memorial Highway was closed for construction.  We realized there was so way Betty could know this, but didn’t know what to do!  Then, we saw a DETOUR sign and followed that and finally made it here.  The GPS systems are fantastic (and we couldn’t have gotten very far without it), but they are NOT infallible.  Brandon outwitted Betty, because he KNEW she was sending us the wrong way – and he was RIGHT!  It was a little tense for a few minutes, when we thought we’d end up sleeping in a parking lot somewhere, but we finally made it here and it’s a really nice campground.

Eric’s been sitting for the past hour, looking at the Atlas (something he loves to do), trying to plan our itinerary for the next few weeks.  We know we want to go to New Orleans next, via Tallahassee and Pensacola, but we’re not real sure about after that.  We really wanted to go up to Memphis and see GRACELAND, so that may be in the future, too!

We slept in a little today (9:00am), took showers, did a load of laundry, and then picked up Brandon for lunch. 

We were so happy that we could see him one more time before we left, and I even remembered my camera this time!  He took us to a great place called Lenoces Neighborhood Restaurant.  I had the best grilled cheese in the WORLD!  It was a grilled four-cheese sandwich on rye with onions, tomatoes and mustard.  WOW!  That’s all I can say.  I LOVE grilled cheese and this was SO good!  Eric had a little more discipline and had a salad with grilled chicken, and Brandon had their Eggs Florentine, which looked really good.

After lunch we went to the STARBUCKS, which is right downstairs from Brandon’s apartment (such a lucky guy!) and then we hit the road.  It was sad to say goodbye, but we know Brandon will come to visit in San Diego, so it won't be long before we see him again!

We pretty much drove straight to Tallahassee (Eric did most of the driving, while I had the most delicious nap in the back, and then I drove for an hour while Eric “relaxed” (as much as Eric can relax)).

We arrived at the BIG OAK RV PARK at 7:30pm.  There really IS a big oak – it’s gigantic!  While hooking up the electric and water, Eric quickly made a friend (Ken) who recently bought the biggest, nicest RV I’ve seen so far.  We’d love to ask for a tour, but we’re too shy!!

Eric also saw two guys on mountain bikes riding around, and he stopped them to ask about mountain biking in the area.  They told him there’s a race tomorrow at 9:30am at Tom Brown Park at the Magnolia Mountain Bike Trail.  Eric doesn’t feel fit enough to race (I think he could), but we’ll definitely watch and then he can get in a good ride with plenty of other riders around, which is always more fun!  I’m so excited and happy for him, because he hasn’t had a good ride since Fort Duffield in Kentucky on September 5th.  That’s a LONG time between rides – especially for Eric, who used to ride 7 days a week.

We will be eating a dinner of leftovers tonight (since the fridge has been working fine for 2 days now) and will get an early start tomorrow for the mountain bike race.  Then, we’re off to Alabama where we’re staying at the most interesting campground.  So, be prepared for tales of our next big adventure!

As Tom Cochrane sang in 1991:
Life is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I wanna drive it all night long

Actually, for us, it’s more like a thruway or a turnpike, but that’s beside the point! 

We did a lot of traveling yesterday and today and we JUST got out of Florida.  It’s a BIG state!  We are now in Alabama, but we had a great day in Tallahassee, FL.  Eric found out last night that there was a big mountain bike race in a nearby park (TOM BROWN PARK).  We were going to go, watch the races and then Eric would ride the MAGNOLIA TRAIL afterwards.

When we got there, we saw that this was a HUGE race with hundreds of riders.  I’ve never seen so many mountain bikers in one place before!  The difference with these riders is that they train constantly (in the Florida heat!) for speed, stamina and endurance.  They are all about speed and distance.  Eric is a free-style rider.  He used to go for 30 mile rides, but now is more interested in jumps, tricks, and drops.

He talked to a few riders and they said that there were all different categories and that Eric should race, just for the hell of it, so he could see the park’s trail.  He signed up and was put into the Grand Master category (for expert riders in the 50-99 age range).  Ouch!  That was the oldest range there was.  I asked if any 99-year-olds ever rode, and they laughed and said that people in their sixties have raced, but not much older.

Eric was first given number 557, and then -- right before the race -- they told him he had the wrong number for his race group and he had to RUN and get another number while they held the race.

The last time Eric raced was about 10 years ago.  He isn’t much into it, but it really was the only way to ride in Tom Brown Park today!

They had children’s categories, women’s expert, Clydesdales (riders over 200 lbs.), and all age groups from 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-99.  Eric’s category had the least amount of riders, and if he had been riding regularly, and was used to riding in 95 degree heat, he would have kicked a__!  But he is definitely out of shape, because he went from riding 7 days a week to riding 4 times in 5 weeks!  Also, he’s not used to riding in extreme heat, because if it was ever that hot in NY he’d ride very early in the morning, before it got too bad.  He prefers riding in 40 or 50 degrees, since the body warms up as soon as you get going.  His race started at noon, so they were riding during the hottest part of the day!   I don’t know how all these riders do it in the summer in Florida, but they’re used to it, I guess!  Anyway, Eric had fun, and I got to experience a mountain bike race for the first time.

Eric starts the race!

Eric finishing the first lap!

After the race we had lunch and then got on the road to Alabama.  You’d think I’d drive and let Eric take a nap, because – after all – he’s the one that raced, but – no – he drove and I napped! 

We stopped at a gas station/Stuckeys Shop/Dairy Queen to gas up, clean off the bugs off the windshield (more on that later) and get some ice cream.  DQ is our new favorite place!  I love their Mocha Moolatte (which is why I am getting so FAT).  The Stuckeys had more Betty Boop than I’ve seen in a LONG time.  I couldn’t believe their collection.  It was very impressive.  Good thing I don’t collect any more!

Note to Gina and Susan: There’s a TANGER outlet in Foley, Alabama, and I thought of you girls right away.  You should think about a trip down here.  It’s really beautiful!!

We got to our campground at 7:30pm, but we’re back in Central time, so it was only 6:30pm.  Nothing like gaining an hour!  Eric has been outside ever since we arrived, washing the love bugs off the RV.  They are DISGUSTING.  They’re little black bugs and this is their mating season, so they are attached and fly around together, while they mate.  They are ALL over and when you drive over 100 miles and get out of the vehicle, they’re all over the windshield, the front grill, the side view mirrors, etc.  You clean them all off, drive another 100 miles, and they’re all back and disgusting as ever.  Eric said they smell like dirty socks.  Nice!

We are staying at WALES WEST TRAIN & GARDEN LOVERS RV RESORT .  This place is SO adorable.  It was opened by a couple who love trains.  Their retirement dream was to have their own Welsh Victorian railway surrounded by beautiful gardens.  This is the world’s only RV Park dedicated to train and garden lovers.  On weekends, and at many special events during the year, the general public can experience the feeling of joy that trains evoke.  They also have formal, themed and free-form gardens throughout the park to enjoy.  They host private parties and group events.  It’s a tourist attraction and RV park in one place!

This is the office where you register.  Isn't it the cutest?

A miniature train track surrounds the registration office.

This is the view from our site.  This is the closest we have EVER stayed next to a railroad track, but THESE trains won't be running all night and blowing horns!  We are hoping to get a train ride tomorrow, but they told us that the trains usually run only on the weekends this time of year.  The woman who registered us said she’d ask the engineer if we could have a ride.  I hope so!

We have heard from several people that New Orleans is crime-ridden and not a safe place to visit.  I’m heartbroken, because it’s a place I have ALWAYS wanted to go – someplace I would have flown to on a vacation.  We really want to go and see the French Quarter, eat some fabulous Creole and Cajun food, listen to some great music, and see the sights.

We also really want to meet our friends, Sergio and Lourdes, and their daughter, Angela, whom I know through the “Betty Boop Network.”  Sergio and Lourdes have a huge collection and are extremely knowledgeable in all things Boop.  We have been friends for almost 15 years (pen pals, phone friends, and email buddies), but have never met.  I spoke to Sergio today and he said that it is true that there is a lot of crime and there are many places that are not safe to walk – especially at night.  We are going to stay at the FRENCH QUARTER RV RESORT, which he recommends as the safest.  It is only 8-10 blocks from the French Quarter, but Sergio recommends that we take taxis back and forth.

We left the WALES WEST RV Resort in Robertsdale, Alabama in time for lunch and found another fabulous place to eat with authentic, down-home cooking – OLIVIA’S.  I asked for a business card, or anything with their name on it, and the waitress/manager told me that she could give me their phone number, but that’s about it.  Now, THAT’S a small-town restaurant!

We ate the $7.75 lunch buffet and feasted on (amongst other things) corn muffins, collard greens, sautéed cabbage in butter, fried chicken, gumbo, mashed potatoes, beans, macaroni salad and the best potato salad I ever ate in my entire life. 

After all that, we hit the dessert buffet and had coconut custard pie and banana pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers mixed in and whipped cream on top.  I tell you, it was fantastic and we were stuffed.  Then, I went to get my camera and started taking pictures of all the great stuff all over the walls and, of course, the locals started a conversation with us and one group of seniors told us they once visited New York and got lost in the Bronx.  I admitted that was not the best place to get lost!

After lunch, we went to an antique mall and spent about a half-hour looking at all the great stuff.  I found a beautiful hinged rhinestone bangle bracelet which I believe is from the 1940s.  Very unusual.  I’ve never seen anything like it!  It is the first thing I’ve bought (and the first time I’ve really gone antique shopping) in 5 weeks.  What a thrill!

Next, we went to the MUSCLE CAR MANIA CLASSIC AUTO MUSEUM in Summerdale, Alabama.  They had three showrooms of muscle cars and Eric just about went crazy.  He couldn’t decide which one he liked best and spent a lot of time looking (but not touching – as we were reminded by signs all over the place).   Alabama has tons of classic cars.  Eric was so impressed by all the cars we saw in lots, showrooms and on the road.  He loves Alabama!

We finally left Alabama (much to our chagrin, because we found it to be beautiful, interesting, and filled with lovely people).  We drove on to New Orleans with much excitement and trepidation, passing through Mississippi on the way.  We got to the FRENCH QUARTER RV RESORT at about 5:00pm and it could not have been nicer.  Although the neighborhood around the resort is not your typical campground neighborhood (we’re used to being surrounded by woods and are surrounded, instead, by factories, an elevated highway and a generally industrial neighborhood), the camp itself is lovely. 

The place was built after Katrina and has a definite “French Quarter flavor.”  The streets are all paving stones with a square of grass for each campsite.  Some have a screened-in gazebo and there is a cute street lamp at every site.  There is a beautiful pool in the middle of a courtyard, surrounded by an exercise room, a laundry room, and four bathroom/shower rooms.  It is all really beautiful and clean and luxurious.  Try to imagine a fancy campground on 11th Avenue in Manhattan and you’ll get the picture.  Because there’s a lot of crime in the area, they have 24-hour hour a day security, high brick walls and razor ribbon on top.  It kind of feels like you’re in prison, because the only way in and out is through the main gate.

Sergio and Lourdes picked us up at 7:00pm and parked in the French Quarter.  We walked around a lot and looked at all the great stores.  I bought some post cards and then we went to eat at THE COURT OF TWO SISTERS on Royal Street.  This restaurant is one of the finest in all of New Orleans.  There is a great history behind it, which you can read if you click on the link! 

For appetizers we shared oysters Italian style, shrimp remoulade, and fried green tomatoes with crab meat on top.  I had the blackened puppy drum with crab meat on top.  I learned that puppy drum is a type of fish called a red drum which, when young and small, is called “puppy drum.”   Eric had duck, and Sergio and Lourdes both had trout. 

We each had a fabulous dessert and some coffee to finish off this fabulous meal.  I had dreamed for many years of coming to New Orleans to eat great, authentic Cajun/Creole food and, tonight, my dream came true!

Of course I forgot my camera (again), but luckily Sergio brought his, so I will have some pictures (in a future blog) to share from this magical evening.  We ate outside in a beautiful courtyard covered by the leaves and branches from huge trees, which were strung with tiny white lights.  There are statues and a wishing well.  It was all so romantic.  I will never forget this night.

After dinner, we walked around a lot more and they took us to Bourbon Street to hear some of the music.  We got a little taste of the most famous street in New Orleans, but Sergio and Lourdes told us that even for a Monday night it was extremely empty.  That is a sign that things are not back to normal in New Orleans, even after 2 years.  I can only imagine what it used to be like, before the storm that changed everything.

Next, Sergio drove us all around St. Charles Avenue where we saw mansion after mansion, one more beautiful than the next and all very different.  TULANE UNIVERSITY and LOYALA UNIVERSITY are also on that street.  It’s just wonderful.  They told us that part of the Mardi Gras parade is down St. Charles and it is a much calmer, less crowded way to see the parade.

Finally, they dropped us off at the campground and we gave them the 3-minute tour of the RV.  They seemed to like it – especially the adorable throw and pillow we have on the couch with Betty Boop as a mermaid!  We made plans to get together again tomorrow night – for Sushi – and we will get to meet Angela!

Woke up early this morning and got a cab from the campground to the AUDUBON AQUARIUM OF THE AMERICAS.  We were so impressed with this aquarium.  It was huge and there were so many different exhibits, including a sea otter, penguins (which swam right up to the glass to visit with you), the sting ray bay (where you could pet and feed the sting-rays), the baby shark (whom you could also pet -- he felt like sandpaper!), the teeny tiny sea horses (SO teeny), the frogs, the rain forest and, of course, all the great fish!

While we were buying our tickets, we saw a group of ladies from the RED HAT SOCIETY  I've never seen such a big group before.  They were beautiful!

As you can see, I made a friend.  This penguin was up against the glass trying to see me as much as I wanted to see him!

At noon, we went to see the HURRICANE ON THE BAYOU documentary at the Entergy IMAX theater right next door to the aquarium.  It was so sad and touching and Eric and I both cried.  It is not just depressing to see the devastation that Katrina brought to this beautiful city, but it is also frightening to think that it could happen again, because the wetlands are disappearing.

After the movie, we went back to the aquarium to finish viewing all the exhibits. 

Notice the little green frog on the bigger brown frog's back?  How cute is that? 

Then we walked along the Mississippi River to the French Quarter, where we shopped and had lunch at PETUNIAS RESTAURANT on St. Louis.  Our friends, Sergio and Lourdes, had recommended it highly and said we had to get the crepes.  We happily complied!  It was as good as they said it would be.

We continued our walk of the French Quarter, ending up at CAFÉ DU MONDE
Where I got a café au lait and Eric and I shared 3 beignets.   They were covered in heaps of powdered sugar and were so delicious. 

After that treat, we went to JACKSON SQUARE, home of the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums. 
This park was so beautiful, so pristine, clean and perfectly manicured.  Eric and I were so impressed.

We flagged a cab and went back to the campground to shower and change before Sergio, Lourdes and Angela picked us up for dinner.  They took us back to their house, which is on the other side of the Mississippi River, in a beautiful suburb of New Orleans.  I mentioned in yesterday’s blog that they are big Betty Boop collectors and Eric and I could not believe our eyes.  Their collections are fantastic, but are not limited to Betty Boop.  They also collect a lot of DISNEY figurines, WARNER BROTHERS, advertising memorabilia, and ALICE IN WONDERLAND figurines.  Their daughter, Angela, loves THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (from the Disney cartoon). 

They have everything displayed so beautifully and were truly lucky, because they didn’t lose anything in the hurricane, even though their home had extensive damage.  I took a LOT of pictures of their collections, but are only showing you one, because I'd rather show you Sergio's art.  He is an amazing artist who loves to draw Betty Boop.  He only does it for his own pleasure, but he could do it professionally!

After getting a tour of their beautiful home and lovely backyard garden (including tall plantain trees, which they use to cook their traditional Cuban dishes), they took us to a local sushi restaurant called EASTERN (Chinese and Japanese Cuisine).  We had another great meal and really enjoyed their company.  They are such a lovely family and getting to spend time with them has really been the highlight of our trip to New Orleans!

Tomorrow Eric and I will take a bus or boat tour of the city.  No more walking for me until the next city we visit.  My feet were killing me today after all the walking we did!

Here are the pictures Sergio took of us Monday night at Jackson Square and at our delightful dinner at THE COURT OF TWO SISTERS:

Now, on to today:

Eric and I got up very early today and took the GRAYLINES SUPER CITY TOUR advertised as a tour where you “travel through three centuries of history, legends and romance as you encounter “The City That Care Forgot!”  We went through the French Quarter, Jackson Square, a historic cemetery (where we got out to photograph the old tombs and crypts), drove by Lake Pontchartrain, drove down St. Charles Avenue, and the Garden District.  The driver was also our tour guide and he never stopped talking for two hours, telling us stories of Voodoo and piracy on the Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates, and told us about the architecture of all the beautiful mansions we passed.

 After the tour, we walked around the French Quarter, visiting streets and stores we had not yet seen.  We did some serious shopping today, and it was fantastic!   My favorite shop was called ROAD KILL boutique on Rue Decatur, where I bought the most fabulous purse.  It’s made of a fabric with skulls and crossbones and roses.

Then we went to a great restaurant called COOP'S PLACE for lunch.  We had another fantastic meal of New Orleans cookin’!  We both had cups of gumbo, fried mushrooms with horseradish sauce, fried crawfish, and I had a shrimp remoulade salad, while Eric had the fried shrimp sandwich with French fries.  YUM!

We walked around some more, including the Flea Market, where I bought a great eyeglass case for my sunglasses, a cute top, skirt and a t-shirt, and Eric bought two CDs of New Orleans music.  Then went to Café du Monde (again) for more café au lait and beignets!

Betty Boop is VERY popular in New Orleans.  We have seen her on tons of souvenirs, including purses, t-shirts, wallets, and figurines.  Here's a big statue we saw in a shop:

As we were walking, holding hands, enjoying all the sights and sounds of this beautiful city, Eric said, “I love this place.”  It really touched me, because he’s not usually as enthusiastic about things as I am, and I can see he really loves New Orleans as much as I do.  It has definitely been our favorite city so far.  I can’t imagine anything topping it, but we have a long way to go!

We walked and shopped some more, Eric bought a t-shirt with skeletons drinking on it, and then we hailed a cab to take us to the post office.  Eric and the driver waited while I ran in and got a bunch of post card stamps, and then we came home.  We were both exhausted, but Eric started doing maintenance and washing the RV and I did two loads of laundry!

It is now only 9:00pm, but we are both ready for bed, especially since we’re leaving VERY early tomorrow for OAK ALLEY PLANTATION, a national historic landmark built in 1839.  It’s an hour’s drive from New Orleans, and we want to get there in time for the “plantation planter’s breakfast.”  This is yet another place our friends, Sergio and Lourdes, recommended to us, and we are really looking forward to it.  After that, we are heading to our next destination – Memphis, Tennessee, so we can visit GRACELAND!  So, it’s early to bed and early to rise (and let’s hope we’re healthy, wealthy and wise!).

We got up really early this morning to head to OAK ALLEY PLANTATION in Vacherie, LA, about an hour outside New Orleans.  It was another place that Sergio and Lourdes recommended very highly.  I told Sergio that he and Lourdes should be tour guides themselves, as they know all the best places to go!

We were really sad to leave New Orleans.  It has been the most beautiful three days and we enjoyed every minute.  If you’ve been to New Orleans, you know what I’m talking about, and if you’ve never been – you simply MUST go!

We got to OAK ALLEY in time for the Plantation Planter’s Breakfast, which included two eggs, grits, a biscuit and ham or bacon with coffee or juice.  They also had beignets, but I figured I shouldn’t have them three days in a row!

After breakfast, we went into the gift shop which was huge and brimming with beautiful things, including Christmas ornaments, decorative items for the home, books, clothing, candles, sauces and spices, postcards (I got some!) and other gifts.  A great place to shop!

Then, we took the walk to the “big house” where the tours are held.  The twenty-eight live giant oak trees in two well-spaced rows of 14 comprise “Oak Alley.”  They were planted in the early 1700’s.  This shaded path of oaks leads to the mansion that Jacques Telesphore Roman, a wealthy Creole sugar planter, built for his young wife in 1839.

Lovely ladies in period costume give the tours and our tour guide, Darlene (on the left), did a great job of telling the history of the house, the people who lived there over the past 170 years and what life was like when it was first built.  The mansion has been beautifully restored and every room is filled with authentic antiques.  Of course, this thrilled me, as I got to see the most beautiful furniture, accessories, paintings and chandeliers.

After the tour, we walked the grounds, looking at the antique cars in the garage, and visiting the cemetery of the last owners, who lived in the house during the 20th century.

We hit the road around 2:00pm and drove to the SWINGING BRIDGE RV PARK in Jackson, Mississippi.  The campground is right behind a shopping center, so there are restaurants and stores within walking distance.  That’s a treat!  We had a great meal at EL SOMBRERO Mexican Restaurant and then parked the RV.

My Mom called us a few minutes ago to tell us that my Aunt Lillian, my father's only sibling, died today, after a long illness.  Our thoughts are with our cousins, Ann, Pete, Lindsay, Timmy, Larry, Debbie, Michael, Chris and, of course, our Uncle Frank.

Eric's sister, Robin, had her second hip replacement today.  We are waiting for my niece, Melissa, to call and let us know how it went.  We wish her well!

Today is my sister, Audrey's birthday.  We hope it was wonderful and wish her all good things in the year ahead!

Tomorrow we will get to Memphis.  We are really looking forward to GRACELAND and plan to spend the weekend there.

As Paul Simon sang in 1986, “I'm going to Graceland, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee, I'm going to Graceland.”

We left Byram, Mississippi this morning, after Eric got a haircut (#1 buzz) and I stopped two doors down at a fabulous scrapbook store called A SCRAPPIN FRIENDSY.

I love paper, so I always loved to look at the scrapbook supplies, but I never got into that craft, as I was always so busy with my decoupage and jewelry mosaics.  Since we’ve been on the road, I’ve been saving post cards, business cards, brochures and other ephemera to document our trip, and taking plenty of pictures.  I don’t know if I’ll actually do a scrapbook, but I will certainly make some collages to frame and hang in our new apartment, which will represent our adventure across America.  Jo, the owner, was so helpful and I picked out a few pieces of paper that coordinated with the places we’ve been.  She also had these adorable little license plates (about 1½ inches wide) and I got them for all the states we’ve been in, and the ones we anticipate going to next.

We hadn’t had breakfast and it was already noon, so we asked Jo in A SCRAPPIN FRIENDSY where there was a great place for lunch.  She directed us to Jackson to a place called ELITE RESTAURANT, a cozy much-loved landmark, where we had another delicious meal.  Their homemade rolls were to DIE for!

We got on the road and got to Memphis at 4:30pm and checked into the MEMPHIS-GRACELAND RV RESORT (at the end of LONELY STREET behind the HEARTBREAK HOTEL – no kidding).  We couldn’t believe that Graceland is literally down the block.  We can walk there tomorrow for the tour! 

We decided to take a walk and see what else was in the area and find a place to eat dinner.  There are tons of souvenir shops, and we went into 3 or 4, and then we just started walking up ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD looking for a restaurant.  The Elvis Automobile Museum and Elvis' two custom airplanes are right across the street from GRACELAND.  There are also more souvenir shops and a bunch of restaurants.  Unfortunately, they close at 5:00pm and it was already after 6:00pm, so they were all closed.

We saw an employee come out of the closed areas and we asked him if he could recommend a good place to eat.  He told us about MARLOWE’S RIBS & RESTAURANT, which is 1 mile South of Graceland.  They have a free Pink Limo ride to and from your hotel or RV site.  The gentleman picked us up right at our site and took us (along with three sisters from England and Canada) to the restaurant.

Eric and I have found that talking to people has greatly enhanced our trip.  We make conversation everywhere we go, and the natives will always be happy to recommend places to go, things to see, where to go for the best food, etc.  It is through these recommendations that we have discovered some of the best food we have eaten on this trip, and had some wonderful adventures! 

Marlowe’s is famous for their barbecue, and they have an entrance filled with about 30 huge trophies to prove it!   Eric had the barbecued chicken, and I had the catfish, and we shared sides of beans, cole slaw, corn fritters and sautéed burgundy mushrooms.  YUM YUM! 

Everyone at the restaurant was so friendly, so helpful -- happy to be there.  It was so enjoyable.  We ended up taking home some catfish and chicken, so we could have room for dessert, which was a huge piece of Mississippi Mud Cake a la mode. 

While we waited for dessert to arrive, Eric went to talk to Tony, the owner of the restaurant, who manages the gift shop.  He told Eric what it was like in the “good old days” when Elvis used to come into the restaurant late at night.   He said he, Elvis, and some of the others in Elvis' entourage used to go down to the Firestone Auto Center to look at Elvis’ cars while they were being taken care of.  He said the auto center still maintains the cars to this day.

Elvis Aaron Presley.  What a handsome boy!

After our fabulous meal was over, the Pink Limo gave us the royal treatment with a ride back to our RV.  The driver was a great guy and also told us some interesting stories.

So, now we’re back in the RV.  Eric is reading as I sit here typing.  We will get a good night’s sleep, so we’re ready for GRACELAND tomorrow!

GRACELAND is a place that everyone should visit.  Not only because Elvis lived such a fabulous life, but also because it is wonderful to see how people from all over the world worship him, even after being gone for 30 years.  Elvis was so talented.  We got to hear so much of his music, got to see so many clips from his movies and concerts.  That boy could move!  He had that special something that just made him so special -- a real star.  He was the king.  And he still is – especially in Memphis!

Elvis' Living Room with stained-glass peacock inserts in the doorway:

We took the PLATINUM tour, which is a great way to see the full Graceland experience.  It includes an audio-guided tour of Graceland Mansion and grounds, along with self-guided tours of Elvis’ two custom airplanes, Elvis’ Automobile Museum, the Sincerely Elvis Museum, which has beautiful displays of his clothing and jumpsuits, and Elvis After Dark, which showed even more memorabilia.

A handsome portrait of Elvis graces the staircase to the bedrooms (which were off limits to visitors) and his elegant dining room:

:

Elvis knew how to live.  That’s for sure.  He had a fabulous mansion, all the toys a boy could want, including many cars, motorcycles, scooters, golf carts and trikes, which were all on view at the Automobile Museum.  His two airplanes were completely gutted and renovated, so that they were more a house with wings, including full bedrooms, televisions, living rooms and fancy bathrooms.

Elvis' blue and yellow Media Room complete with three televisions (so he could watch all three major networks at once) and the lightening bolt he used as his logo (with the initials TCB, which stood for Taking Care of Business!):

His grounds included a meditation garden and a small cemetery, where Elvis, his parents, his grandmother, and his brother (who died at birth) are buried.  There was also a shooting range, stables with horses (which were on view), a beautiful built-in pool, and beautiful lawns and landscaping.

Elvis' pool room, which was draped on all four walls and the ceiling with a colorful fabric:

His trophy room included hundreds of trophies, awards, and gold and platinum records.

Elvis is so beloved that every year around the time of his birthday and the anniversary of his death, people from all over the world send floral arrangements – both real and silk or plastic, along with photos, portraits, and other expressions of their adoration.  It was really quite touching.

They showed a lot of interviews with Elvis, and he really seemed like such a nice boy.  Always respectful, well-spoken, and even a little shy.  Eric and I came away with a new-found respect and admiration for his talent and his humanitarian work, which you don’t hear too much about.  It is a shame that he fell into the world of drugs and that his life ended way too soon.

After spending the entire day at Graceland, we went back to the RV and took a 2-hour nap, then did two loads of laundry before heading back out.  We walked over to the HEARTBREAK HOTEL, which is right by the campground, and had a drink in the JUNGLE ROOM (while we watched more concert footage of Elvis). 

Then, we got on the free shuttle to the famous (or should I say infamous) BEALE STREET in downtown Memphis (Home of the Blues…Birthplace of Rock N’ Roll).  This area felt just like the French Quarter in New Orleans, but it is only 3 blocks long.  There are about 40 bars and restaurants in this 3-block area and each one has live music.

Eric and I saw a bridal party at Wrigley Field in Chicago.  Here's a bride in the middle of Beale Street (on her phone, no less!):

There were also tons of souvenir shops.  The street is closed to traffic (with a large police presence) and the streets are crowded with people drinking (all drinks are served in plastic cups and syringes (I know, it was strange) and you are allowed to carry your drinks around with you.  They have horse and carriage rides, just like in New Orleans, and New York.  It was fun, colorful and exciting!  Even though I always thought New York was the most exciting city in the world, we don't have anything like the French Quarter or Beale Street!

We went to ALFRED’S ON BEALE for dinner and more drinks (hey – we’re on Beale Street) and then walked around until the shuttle bus came to pick us up at 11:30pm.

The view from our second-floor outdoor seating at Alfred's:

Beale Street's Finest:

We have a LONG day of driving tomorrow, as we are going through Arkansas and into Oklahoma (about 6 hours).  We will try to pass through Little Rock.  I always think of Marilyn Monroe when I see or hear “Little Rock,” because of that song she sang with Jane Russell in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES – “Two Little Girls From Little Rock.”  So, that should be fun!

NOTE TO MY DEVOTED BLOG READERS:  I was unable to get on the internet from Sunday to Wednesday.  So, these entries are late.  SORRY!

NOW, ON TO THE BLOG: 

We were sorry to leave Memphis, but managed to have more fun this morning before we left.  We stopped for some grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches and Red Velvet Cake (Elvis’ favorites!) and took pictures in front of the gate to his mansion. 

The brick wall surrounding Elvis' mansion is completely covered with good wishes and words of love and adoration from the millions of people who have visited over the last 30 years.  Eric and I decided that, like everyone else, we wanted to leave our mark in Memphis, not like Elvis did, but in our own small way!  So, we added our own words.  I wrote "Peppy and Eric, 9/07" and Eric wrote "Long Live The King."

Eric leaves his mark on Graceland Wall: 

We hit the road and drove all day – right through Arkansas!  It looked like a beautiful place, and we were tempted to stop in Little Rock, but we wanted to make good time, because we were doing another three states in one day – Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma! 

So, we drove I-40 West for over 200 miles and landed in Gore, Oklahoma (named after Al Gore (just kidding!)).  Here’s what we’ve noticed in the 6,000 miles we’ve driven since we left NY: people all over the place drive while talking on their cell phones.  I don’t know why I thought it was a “New York thing.”  Or maybe just an “East Coast/West Coast thing,” but you see people in every state, in every kind of vehicle, talking while they drive.  It’s annoying, to say the least.

Here’s the other, very sad, thing:  There are no STARBUCKS or DUNKIN’ DONUTS anywhere.  I haven’t seen one since Florida.  There WAS Starbucks in New Orleans, but I was so happy with the Café au Lait at Café Du Monde that I didn’t bother.  Unfortunately, there were no other Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts in Louisiana, or Tennessee, or Arkansas and, so far as we can tell, Oklahoma.  BOO HOO!!!!

I’ll tell you what they DO have tons of – everywhere you drive in America – McDONALDS  and SUBWAY.  I told Eric that in some of these small towns they don’t even get the joke – Subway – because they don’t have subways here, though I guess they know what a subway is!  Anyway, I knew there were McDonalds all over the world, but I thought SUBWAY was a New York thing, too!

We’re here in Gore, Oklahoma at a lovely campsite called MARVAL RESORT, located in the Oklahoma Ozarks, and everything here is so pretty.  It’s a shame we have to leave tomorrow.  They have cable, but – unfortunately – I can’t get on the internet, and we can’t seem to make any phone calls.  Eric said there probably isn’t a cell phone tower for miles, so I’ll have to do yesterday’s blog and today’s blog when I can get back on the internet.  I hope it’s soon!  We got in so late last night that I didn’t have the energy to complete yesterday’s entry.  I know you are all DYING to hear of our adventures and will just faint if you don’t keep up!

So, I guess it will be a Sunday evening of television and relaxing!

Our campground was so great, except I couldn’t get on the internet at all, so I’m REALLY behind on responding to emails and blogging.  SO SORRY!

We left Gore, Oklahoma and a few hours to Oklahoma City.  We drove downtown and ate a delicious lunch at the Museum Café of the OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART.  It would have been lovely to go to the exhibit of THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO, but we still had six hours of driving to get to Amarillo, Texas by 8:00pm, when the OVERNITE RV PARK closed.  So, we hit the road and drove, drove, drove (or should I say, Eric drove, drove, drove).  Eric won’t let me drive anymore, because he thinks the tires aren’t aligned properly and are not safe enough for an “inexperienced RV driver” like me.  We are going to try to get two new front tire for the RV and get them balanced and aligned.  Then, maybe he’ll let me drive again!

So, we’re driving along in Oklahoma when Eric sees a cop car behind us, and the cop starts flashing the lights.  Eric knew he wasn’t speeding, but he thought maybe the tarp over the bicycles was coming loose.  He had put it on the night before, because it rained all night in Oklahoma.

The cop motioned for Eric to get out of the car (which made me nervous to begin with).  Then, Eric disappeared.  I sat there for a few minutes, then took off my seat belt to look for Eric through the window in the back door.  He and the cop were nowhere to be seen.  Then, I noticed Eric sitting in the passenger seat of the cop car.  From his hands, I could see he was having an animated conversation, but of course I couldn’t tell what they were talking about.  I was SO scared.  I was afraid the car was going to take off, with my husband in the car, leaving me alone on the road in the middle of Oklahoma. 

After another 5 minutes, Eric came back.  The reason the cop pulled us over is that the tarp was covering the license plate (which the cop called “the tag”).  Eric said he was really nice and asked where we were from and where we were going and Eric told him about our entire trip.  I’m in the RV thinking he was getting arrested and they’re making friends!  Eric said he was a really nice guy!  We were actually really surprised that we hadn’t gotten pulled over before, because we thought cops loved to pull over New Yorkers!  So, here we finally get pulled over, but no ticket – just a friendly conversation n a cop car!

After registering at the campground, we requested the free limo service (with the long horns on the hood) to THE BIG TEXAN restaurant, which was a huge restaurant and had more mounted animal heads than I had ever seen before in one place.   I’m not kidding.  There had to be at least 100 of them. 

The whole place was wood, leather and dead animals.  They have a 72 ounce steak for $72 and, if you can finish it in 60 minutes, it’s free.  They have a table on a stage with a count-down clock.  We were hoping someone would attempt it while we were there, but no one dared tonight!

We were serenaded by three handsome gentlemen.  They asked for requests and we asked them to play "Yellow Rose of Texas."  We thought it was appropriate!

I had the char-broiled fresh salmon (which was fabulous) and Eric had the chicken fried chicken breast with cream gravy.  We also shared fried mushrooms and four sides: salad with Roquefort dressing, cowboy beans, Texas rice and mashed potatoes with gravy.  We finished it off with a chocolate cake that oozed chocolate, which was called a “Volcano.”  We took half our dinner home, and half the dessert, too, but at least we’ll have lunch in the RV tomorrow!

Everything in Texas is big – even the bugs.  The Texans even joke about it, saying that their state bird is the fly!  There was some kind of black cricket in the bathroom that was the size of a quarter.  There are a LOT of bugs here, but mostly flies.  I guess it’s because there are lots of cows here and where there are cows, there are flies.  I learned that lesson well when I lived in Hershey Park in Pennsylvania the summer of ’81.  We would get those sticky strips you hang from a light and they’d be filled up with flies in a day.  It’s not pretty.  Why is it that some places have so many bugs (Florida and Texas) and some places don’t seem to have any bugs at all?  I just can’t figure it out.

Anyway, we had a fabulous night and are looking forward to more adventures tomorrow!

We left OVERNITE RV PARK and headed to PATRICK TIRE, AUTO, TRUCK & RV SERVICE CENTER to see if we could get some new tires.  We were able to stop at an Albertsons that had a pharmacy and get a prescription filled and – believe it or not – they had a STARBUCKS – in Albertson’s!  Did you ever?  I could not have been happier! 

We ended up at the service center for 5 hours.  We waited for the 2 new tires to be mounted and balanced, one old front tire put on the back, new shocks installed, and an oil change.  Eric was with the guys while they worked, but I sat in their waiting room, sipped my Iced Decaf Venti Non-Fat Raspberry Mocha Latte, worked on my computer, read magazines and admired – from afar – the cutest Yorkie I have ever seen.  His name is Tony and he is so calm and sweet.  He didn’t jump on you, he didn’t bark.  He just sat in his little bed and looked at you.  Eric and I loved him and, of course, Eric was petting him a lot.  We were so impressed by how calm this Yorkie was, because they are usually a little hyper.  Anyway, we wish we could have a Yorkie just like Tony!

For the past two days, a REALLY annoying alarm kept beeping and it was very high-pitched and hurt your ears and we couldn’t figure out why it kept going off.  It was a signal that there is low voltage in the coach batteries and we were afraid they would have to be replaced. 

Eric told Mike at the service center to load test the batteries, to see if they were good, and Eric noticed that one of the terminal wing nuts was very loose.  He immediately thought that this might be the reason the alarm kept going off.  He tightened it up and Mike cleaned all the terminals.  Lo and behold, the alarm stopped!  We could not have been happier.  Although the work done today was expensive, we figure if we had brought the RV in to fix the alarm, and find out why it was going off, they might have figured it out, but it would probably have cost a lot in the process.  Once again, Eric saved the day.  He is truly my hero – and I adore him!

Meanwhile, during the 5 hours I spent in the office of the service center, I talked to this nice guy, Rod, who was having new tires put on his Ford Pick-up.  He told me and Eric about a place called PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK, which is only 15 miles south of Amarillo, where there is great mountain biking, and a view that is only topped by the Grand Canyon itself.   It’s called “The Grand Canyon of Texas.”

Didn’t I tell you that the best places we’ve been have been recommended by friendly people we met?

We were planning to head straight to Colorado Springs today, and Denver tomorrow, but Palo Duro Canyon sounded too good to pass up, so we headed south before heading north!

Mike from the service center recommended a great place to eat – EL BRACERO MEXICAN GRILL, where Eric and I had authentic Tex Mex food.  Then, we were off to Palo Duro.

We first registered at PALO DURO RV PARK and then drove immediately to the canyon.  It was VERY scary for me, because the cliffs were right there, and we had to ride down 10% grades, which is very steep – especially in an RV!  We finally got to the mountain bike trail and I took a nap in the RV (I was exhausted from my big day in the service center) and Eric had a great ride.

After that we came back to the campground and fell madly in love with a tiny black kitten that lives underneath the laundry room here.  We fed it some of my leftover salmon and it became our new best friend, even letting me hold it in my lap.  It’s a good thing I’m allergic, or we would have had a guest for the rest of our trip!

We also saw something scurry under the RV and I got SO scared, because I thought it was a rat, but it was the CUTEST little baby bunny!  I love this place!

Tomorrow we will get back on route to Colorado, going through New Mexico for a bit before heading North to Colorado Springs for the night.

We left Palo Duro RV Park after playing with and taking pictures of the cute black kitten.  It absolutely broke my heart that we couldn’t take him with us, because he was the sweetest, cutest kitten (aren’t they all?) and I thought of him all day long.  Eric said we should call up in a week and ask if anyone has adopted him yet.  He loved him, too, and said we definitely would have taken him with us, if it wouldn’t make me sick!

Eric and his new best friend: 

We stopped back at Albertson’s in Amarillo, so I could get another Starbucks, and Eric could get another iced green tea latte, which is a great drink he really likes!  Then, we set off for Colorado Springs, so we had another three states-in-one-day trip: Texas to New Mexico to Colorado.

A gentleman at the campground last night told us to take an especially scenic route, so we went through Amarillo to Dumas to Dalhart (all in Texas).  I was driving and told Eric if I saw an antique shop I was stopping, and we found a fabulous one in Dalhart called WAGON WHEEL ANTIQUES, LLC, which is actually a consignment shop!  It was room after room of great stuff, plus a barn full of old furniture, etc.

Eric and I spent the better part of an hour looking at everything and even made a few purchases!  Eric got a deck of AMERICAN WILDLIFE playing cards with 52 different images, and two vintage pocket knives.  I got seven handkerchiefs and two 2-strand beaded chokers (browns and blues).  I could have really bought a lot, but I have to remember we’re in a tiny RV!

They had lots of FIESTA WARE, HALL CHINA, head vases, green depression glass, and tons of southwestern collectibles.  

I talked a lot with Ann, the woman who worked there, and told her that I had a consignment shop in New York.  She explained to me that the woman who owned the consignment shop was rarely there and only took 30% of the selling price.  The consignors get 70%, but have to work there 2 days a week without pay, so they make more when something sells, but supply free labor to the owner.  I thought that was a pretty interesting way to do business!  I don’t know how it would have worked for me, but it certainly seemed to be working for them!

After we finished paying for our purchases, we asked Ann where we could find the best lunch in Dalhart and she sent us to HODIES BAR BQ, where we had a delicious meal.  I had the catfish and Eric had ribs.  He hasn’t eaten meat in a few years, but we were told it was fabulous and it was (I even had a taste!).  The meal came with a couple of sides, including Texas Toast, which is much better in Texas than it is in your supermarket freezer!

We had fresh peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert.  Then, we were on our way to New Mexico, through Des Moines (yes, there’s one in New Mexico, too!), Capulin, where we saw the Capulin Volcanoes, Clayton and Raton (not Boca Raton, just Raton). 

I don’t think I ever mentioned that when we were in Orlando visiting our friends, Frank, Gloria, Frankie and JJ, Frank gave us a “car ready” CD player for the RV, because the front cab only has a cassette player and radio (the CD player is in the back).  We have been using it ever since and it makes driving so much more pleasurable.  Eric and I have made a deal.  When he drives, I get to pick the CD, but it has to be from his collection.  When I drive, Eric gets to pick the CD, but it has to be from my collection.  He says that rule won’t last forever, because sooner or later he’s going to run out of CDs he is willing to listen to from my collection.  I have an awful lot of Broadway and pop music he just doesn’t like.  Today, while I drove, we listened to JONI MITCHELL and while Eric drove we listened to THE DOORS and TALKING HEADS.

Finally, we entered Colorado and drove north for another two hours to MOUNTAINDALE CABINS & RV RESORT.  We saw some of the best scenery yet.  Spectacular ridgelines, mountains and cliffs.  Eric can’t wait to ride the mountain tomorrow.  We are in an unusually scenic campground, which is great – lots of big trees, mountains all around, etc.  But there are bear warnings everywhere, which makes me REALLY nervous.  Don’t leave food outside, don’t wear perfume if you’re sleeping in tents, back away slowly if approached by a bear.  I’d like to think I could back away slowly, but I kind of think I’d be screaming and running for my life.

I also found out in Palo Duro Canyon that I don’t really do well on mountains.  Actually, I found that out 23 years ago when Eric and I were on our honeymoon.  We were invited to a party in Santa Barbara and the guy lived on top of a mountain.  I was SO scared going up that mountain and even more scared going down.  I’m wondering how well I’m going to do at the Grand Canyon.  I’m really afraid of heights!

Tomorrow we head to PERFORMANCE BICYCLE SHOP, because Eric needs a part for his bicycle.  Then, he will go mountain biking and I will try to find a place to either antique shop or get a manicure/pedicure.  I haven’t had one since Chicago and I’m in DESPERATE need.

I haven’t been able to get onto the internet since Sunday, so my blogging is VERY behind.  Nothing much I can do about it, but be patient and hope the next town has better reception!

We awoke to a gorgeous day in Colorado Springs.  Have I mentioned that in the almost seven weeks we’ve been on the road, the only time it rained is while we were staying in New Paltz at my sister’s house, a few sun showers in Florida, and one night in Oklahoma?  We have been SO lucky.  The weather has been fantastic for us and we feel really blessed.

Here's the views from our back door:

We left MOUNTAINDALE RV after I spent a few minutes in their computer room.  As you know by now, I wasn’t able to get on the internet for 3 days and it was SO frustrating!  I read all my emails and then we hit the road for PERFORMANCE BICYCLE SHOP, so Eric could get his tire fixed.

There was a STARBUCKS three doors down from the bike shop, so you know my day started well!   Next door to the STARBUCKS was a tanning salon called TAN YOUR HIDE.  And I thought all the healthy-looking people in Colorado got that way naturally!

I then went back into the RV, hooked up and was able to get on the internet, so I started blogging.  I managed to do Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in just over an hour.  I always type each day’s blog into WORD the day it happens, and download my pictures every night, too, so it’s really just a matter of cutting and pasting the text and then uploading all the pictures and adding the links.  I’m so happy to be back online again.  I am addicted to the internet!  We use the internet to get from place to place, as we plan our itinerary through GOOD SAM CLUB, and also use it to locate great campgrounds and get information and directions.

After Eric got the free hub on his wheel fixed (and he fixed the two flats he got from the cactus needles!), we got something to eat right nearby at a place called OLD CHICAGO.  Then we headed to PALMER PARK right nearby for his ride.  He made plans to ride tomorrow morning with one of the guys who worked at the bike shop, so he was just planning to check out the park for a fast ride today.

Eric ran into three guys riding the trail at the park, so he did a 2-hour ride while I worked on the computer, neatened up the RV and watched DANCING WITH THE STARS on the computer (since I missed it on TV).  I didn’t even get to finish the first episode when Eric came back, happy as a clam, having had a great ride!

We drove to our next campground – FOUNTAIN CREEK RV PARK in Colorado Springs.  This campground is in a much more urban setting, which I prefer.  A few blocks from the RV park is a strip of fabulous stores – antiques, crafts, clothing, restaurants, bars, etc.  It looked SO cute and Eric and I decided to go back there for dinner.  I also noticed a STARBUCKS right across the street from the campground.  I turned to Eric and said, "I could live here."  

I registered at the campground and Eric took a fast shower.  Then, we went back out to eat.  By now, it was 8:00pm, but we didn’t think we’d have a hard time finding someplace to eat.  We had seen a Japanese restaurant on the strip, so we went there first, because we were thirstin’ for some sushi.  We hadn’t had any since Florida and we were missing it.  There’s not much sushi in Texas, I can tell you that!

Anyway, I walked into the Japanese restaurant, which had a big sign outside that said JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND SUSHI.  I asked “Are you still open?” because it looked like they were closing up.  I said, “We just want sushi.”   They said, “We don’t have sushi.”  So, I said, “Well, why do you have the word SUSHI on the sign outside?”  So, the woman said, “It’s blacked out.”  But it wasn’t.  At least not well.  We didn’t notice anything until we looked again and then saw that they had put black lines through the black text, but it really didn’t show.  Anyway, we left.

We parked right across the street and went into a really nice-looking restaurant with a lovely menu.  They were closing for the night.

Finally, we went across the street to a place called JAKE & TELLY’S GREEK CUISINE RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR.  They were open until 9:00pm.  Eureka!  Who knew this town shut down so early?

We looked at their great menu and saw that they had fabulous appetizers, so we decided to get four and just share them all, instead of getting entrees.  That’s something that Eric and I used to do at our favorite Cajun/Creole place in Whitestone – COOKING WITH JAZZ – which closed a few years ago.

So, we ordered the following:

Crab Cakes:  Blue crab lightly seasoned with fresh herbs, pan-seared and finished with a roasted red pepper aoli.

Saganaki:  Kasseri (sheep’s milk cheese), grilled to perfection and served flambé, with lemon and grilled pita.

Grilled Asparagus:  Asparagus served with fresh water mozzarella and finished with a sun-dried tomato, Kalamata olive tapenade.

Anginara:  Artichoke hearts blended with sour cream, Parmesan, cayenne pepper and honey, served with fresh seasonal vegetables and grilled pita.

We finished it up with a Tiramisu, decaf coffee and green tea, and headed back to the campground.   We have cable TV, so we’re relaxing and enjoying Thursday night TV in Colorado Springs!

Today is my niece, Keri’s, 23rd birthday.  Happy birthday, darling!  I spoke to her (and my brother-in-law, Rich) and they're going out for Sushi tonight to celebrate.  I told her that we were planning to have sushi tonight, too, but of course it didn't turn out that way!  

If I was better at photo-shopping, I would have put a candle on the sushi, below!

We awoke at the FOUNTAIN CREEK RV PARK and it was another gorgeous day.  We decided to go walking down West Colorado Avenue and look at all the great shops we had seen yesterday.

We went back to GERTRUDE’S RESTAURANT (which was closing when we arrived last night) and had a delicious breakfast.

I had the Santa Fe Breakfast Platter, which included baby red potatoes grilled with spices topped with green chile, white cheddar, two eggs, sunny-side up, and two slices of sourdough rye bread.  They also had homemade orange marmalade!  I drank a decaf mocha latte.  Fabulous!

Eric had the short stack of ground blue corn meal cakes with homemade raspberry syrup.  They were so light and fluffy and the syrup was to die for!  He drank green tea.

Both plates came with grapes, strawberries, and slices of orange, honeydew and cantaloupe.  So nice!

Lots of Betty Boop on West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs! 

After breakfast we went across the street to an antique shop called ANTIQUE LEGACY, where I found two fabulous rhinestone pins.  They are both very different from what I usually collect (which is all clear rhinestones), but they were priced right and Eric and I loved them, so I couldn’t resist.  They’re a lovely addition to my collection!

We went in and out of about 20 stores, all along the strip and marveled at all the crafts, including glass, ceramics, pottery, rugs and blankets, plus clothing stores, housewares, accessories and souvenirs.  It was a lovely two hour shopping expedition!

 I saw this doll in a shop and my childhood flashed before my eyes.  I wonder if it looks familiar to either of my sisters.  Lenae?  Audrey?

Next, we got in the car, stopped at STARBUCKS (yeah!) and headed back to PALMER PARK, so Eric could get another mountain bike ride.  He really loves it here.  The weather’s been perfect, the mountain biking is great, and the views are spectacular.  I think Eric could live here.  I could, too, if it didn’t get cold, but I’m pretty sure it gets much colder here than in San Diego!

Eric and I were discussing the changing of the leaves in New York (and the East Coast) and how much he’s going to miss it.  I know I will miss seeing the change of colors, but I won’t miss the weather turning colder.  He loves upstate New York, the mountains, and the greenery so much and taking a ride upstate in the fall, to see all the reds, oranges, greens, yellows and browns, is something you have to see to believe.  All the people who lives in states where there are four seasons, especially the East Coasters, will know exactly what I am talking about!

We are giving that up to move to San Diego.  I really don’t care too much, but I think it is a sacrifice for Eric and I feel badly about that.  He said he wishes we could live in New York and have fall, and then it would go right back into spring and summer, missing winter completely!  Alas, that’s not possible.  So, I guess San Diego is the next best thing!

I know that when November comes around, and I’m still walking around in a light jacket, I’ll be the happiest girl in the whole USA!  Eric will appreciate riding all year round in more temperate weather, but I know he doesn’t mind the cold as much as I do.

Eric had another great ride in PALMER PARK.  He met up with a guy named Brad and they rode really hard, but Eric hit his foot on a rock while he was riding and now his big toe is purple and hurts a LOT.  He often gets injured while riding, either from banging something because he’s riding through tight spaces, or from being thrown from the bike or just falling off.  He wears a lot of protective armor, but it doesn’t always protect everything.  So, he’s walking kind of slow.

Here's a picture I took from the car of CASTLE ROCK, which we passed on the way to Denver. 

We left the park and drove straight to DAKOTA RIDGE RV PARK in Golden, Colorado (right outside Denver).  Unfortunately, I didn't see the address on the website anywhere (which I thought was REALLY strange), but they had directions, so I figured I wouldn’t use Betty (our GPS system) and would just follow their directions.  Unfortunately, their directions were HORRIBLE and we got lost, so we had to stop, so I could start up the computer and find the address someplace else (I ended up finding it on a listing of campgrounds in and around Denver).  I went back to the website and found the address on the CONTACT US page, but it wasn't on the DIRECTIONS page or the HOME page, which is just wrong!  It was SO frustrating, because if we have an exact address Betty can get us here without a problem, but without an exact address it’s very hard.

Anyway, we finally got here and I immediately did 2 loads of laundry while Eric took a shower.  I feel better that I got that done, because he rode two days in a row and there were tons of smelly bicycle clothes (really smelly).

We are going to Denver tomorrow, but probably won’t do too much walking around, since Eric’s got a boo-boo!

Eric's sister, Robin, is recuperating from her second hip replacement.  We hope you're feeling Better, Robin! 

Eric's other sister, Rachel, is recovering from surgery, too.  Hope you're doing great, Rachel! 

Eric's other sister, Ellen, is in the hospital.  We hope you're much better and home soon, Ellen! 

Eric's younger sister, Susan, is not in the hospital and has not had any operations recently.  TAKE CARE, SUSAN!!!

This morning Eric and I could not get out of bed.  I don’t know why we were so tired, but perhaps it was because we had such a stressful night getting to the campground and got to bed late.  Anyway, we finally got up after 10:00am and left DAKOTA RIDGE RV RESORT at 11:30am.  We went right across the street to a real biker bar called SUSIE’S BAR AND GRILL.  I thought of all the Susies I know (sister-in-law, cousins, and friends), and knew they’d appreciate these pictures!

When we walked in (Eric in his bicycling t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, and me in my denim Capri pants and baby-doll top) we definitely attracted looks.  We were definitely not the typical visitor to Susie’s!  There was a young couple in complete biker gear having a beer.  We started talking to them and they were so nice we ended up taking a picture of them.

We told them of our travels and they told us that they traveled the country in an RV for a year, with their bike on a trailer behind.  That would be a fabulous way to travel – the convenience of having the RV, plus the convenience of the bike whenever you want to go sightseeing!  We also got to meet Ginger, the owner (there is no longer a Susie!).

I had a grilled cheese with fries and Eric had their breakfast burrito.  Both were really delicious.  Their iced tea was the best I’ve had in a while (really dark and not watery).  We were so happy that we found Susie’s, because we like to make every meal an adventure, and this certainly was!

After we ate, we started down West Colfax, which is a main street in Golden that goes all the way to Denver (about 10 miles).  Eric wanted to replace the speakers in the front of the RV, because one was blown and it just didn’t sound that great (especially to him).  We saw a car stereo place and we stopped by.  They said they could do it in ½ hour (which was amazing), so Eric took me to a nearby nail salon and I got a manicure/pedicure while he got the new speakers installed.

I had not had a manicure/pedicure since Chicago, which was a month ago, so I was in desperate need.  Although they did a good job, I have to say, again – it was no SUNSHINE NAILS!  Cindy and the girls at SUNSHINE NAILS in New Hyde Park (2217 Hillside Avenue) do such a fantastic job.  They are so sweet, friendly, and hard-working.  Cindy has just moved into the space I used to occupy with PEPPY’S DREAM, and my friend, Julie, sent me some pictures, which follow.  As you can see, she put down a new floor and did a lot of renovating.  The place looks fantastic!  I wish I could be there to congratulate Cindy in person!  She provides all nail services, as well as massage, waxing, and also sells furniture and accessories like pocketbooks and jewelry.  You must go see it, so you can see all she has done!

After Eric picked me up, we decided to drive the 10 miles down West Colfax to Denver.  We had no plans, but just wanted to see the city.  Downtown Denver is beautiful.  We saw a lot of great buildings, including the Denver Mint!  We drove up and down the streets and then drove a little further out of town to the residential areas, which had lots of really old, beautiful homes.  Some were Victorian, with lots of gingerbread; some were brick bungalow-style homes, with just as much character. 

We found a “trendy” part of town, with lots of great little coffee houses, bars and restaurants.  Then, we saw a park and decided to drive around and see what it was like.  Next thing you know, we see a big sign for the DENVER ZOO and decided we should go.  I thought we wouldn’t do much walking today, because Eric hurt his big toe yesterday while mountain biking, but he said it was much better and did hurt, but not too much to walk.  So, we went to the zoo!

It was really fantastic.  We have been to three aquariums since we left New York, but hadn’t made it to a zoo yet, so this was a real treat.  I don’t know when we last visited a zoo, but I can tell you, it’s been a while!

We saw lots of great animals and enjoyed every minute, but I would definitely say the highlights for me were the baby giraffe (with his mother and father), the elephants (I don’t know why, but I just love elephants!), the felines (the leopard was my favorite, of course!), and Bird World.  I just love birds and there were so many beauties!  Eric's favorites were the Malayan Tapir and the Andean Condor (which has a 10-foot wing span).

Here's the Malayan Tapir, which was very hard to photograph, since he kept diving under the water.  He has very interesting coloring, because he is part black and part gray. 

Here are two more pictures of the Malayan Tapir, which I found on the internet, so you can see what he looks like!

 Here's the Andean Condor that Eric liked so much.  He's in the vulture family!

Speaking of manicures, this guy could certainly use one:

Check out this shot I got of a bat in flight.  I'm quite the photographer, eh?  Actually, it was just luck, but I told Eric, "I meant to do that!"  See the other bats hanging from the ceiling?

We stayed until the zoo closed and then went back to the “trendy” stretch of restaurants and went to PARALLEL SEVENTEEN, which served contemporary Vietnamese cuisine.  We had a lovely meal.  We shared two appetizers: Fresh vegetarian summer rolls with peanut sauce and pommes frites (purple, Yukon gold and sweet potato fries with creamy nuoc cham).  I had the Sizzling Saigon Crepe, stuffed with sprouts, mushrooms, onions and shrimp, while Eric had the Jasmine tea smoked duck confit with mango chutney, lychee compote and orange mint slaw.

For dessert, we shared a Wanton Wonton (fried cinnamon wontons layered with French vanilla bean ice cream and roasted pears, topped with star anise honey.

Then, we headed back down West Colfax to the GOLDEN TERRACE SOUTH RV RESORT.  Tomorrow, we will leave Colorado (which we have really enjoyed) and drive to Moab (and Arches National Park) in Utah.  Eric is very excited about riding Slickrock in Moab, which is a mountain biking Mecca.  This should be a REAL adventure!

As John Denver first sang in 1972: 
 

“And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high”

We woke up to another gorgeous day in Colorado, but last night was a different story.  It got really, really windy.  I mean SO windy that the RV was actually rocking a little.  I couldn’t sleep, because I was scared.  The wind was howling, and the RV was rocking and I was afraid it was going to blow right onto it’s side, or get carried away to Oz and land on a wicked witch!

I guess it often gets windy up in the mountains, I’m just not used to it!  Anyway, we left GOLDEN TERRACE SOUTH RV RESORT and headed back into town, for breakfast and a little shopping!  We ate at a place called THE COTTAGE INN, which was the closest thing to a diner we’ve seen since New York, but more than half the menu was Mexican food!  It’s so strange, because there are SO many Mexican restaurants in Colorado, and the non-Mexican restaurants have Mexican food on the menu!

After breakfast Eric dropped me off at an antique mall in Golden called “The Antique Mall” (how clever!).  It was great!  Tons of collectibles to look at, and lots of costume jewelry.  The only problem was, most of the jewelry was more than I could afford, or just priced much higher than I thought it was worth!  It’s funny to think that fabulous jewelry in my shop was much cheaper than in a one-horse town in Colorado, but I guess I always knew my prices were low.  That’s why I had so many devoted customers.  Right, girls?

While I shopped there, Eric went to a bicycle shop and bought some body armor he needed.  He’s going to be doing a lot of mountain biking in the next week and wants to be prepared.

After Eric was done, he came to The Antique Mall and he helped me find two nice, inexpensive pins, so I was happy! 

Then, we hit the road for Fruita, Colorado, our last stop in Colorado before hitting Moab.  We are staying at MONUMENT RV RESORT – “Stay and Rest Where the View’s The Best!”  It is just two miles from the Colorado National Monument and right across the street – literally – from the National Park where Eric is going riding tomorrow morning.

We only stopped for gas, but it was a really fabulous drive, because the snow-capped Rocky Mountains were all around us for the first hour, and we had beautiful mountain views for all of the four hours.  This was the drive Eric dreamed about when he was driving straight for 100 miles through flat terrain with corn fields on either side of the road.  This was a curvy, mountain road with steep inclines and descents, canyons, mountains, streams, tunnels that ran right through the mountains and the Colorado River rushing by.

We arrived at MONUMENT RV RESORT and immediately drove into the town of Fruita for dinner.  The town is very small and the only restaurant we could find that was open (besides a Mexican Restaurant) was THE END ZONE, a sports bar, where Eric got to watch the football game while we had some surprisingly great salads (his with crab meat and mine with seared ahi tuna).  We finished off the meal sharing a piece of cake called “Chocolate Confusion.”   I think they gave it that name because there were about 5 different kinds of chocolate in one cake.  Delicious!

Eric is looking forward to a great morning of mountain biking and then we will go explore the Dinosaur Discovery Museum (which is also, conveniently, right across the street), the peach, apple, cherry, plum and pear orchards in the area, or the antique shopping in Grand Junction (the downtown Main Street Shopping Park).  There are tons of other things to do, so there’s no telling how long we’ll stay here.  Only time will tell!