Day 48, Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Time change to Eastern Time.  Finally in the right time zone!

Had lunch with Barb today.

Drove through the Smokey Mountains.  Missed all the good shots, but trust me, they were beautiful.

Got to the RV resort.  Decided showers tonight as temperatures again suppose to be in the 20s, so will disconnect the hose prior to going to bed.  Getting tired of this cold weather.

Day 47, Monday, March 12, 2018

Dreaded Monday.  Can't wait until they find my replacement and I can officially retire.

Saw Quilt Store advertised on one of those attraction blue highway signs.  What!  Can't pass that up.  Off we go.  Nanette said it was a very good quilt store.

Breckenridge Lake RV Resort tonight.  Most of their water was off due to a leak they can't find, but they did find us a place with water.  Of course, it is going to be down in the 20s tonight, so after dinner, disconnected the water and brought in the hose.

Later this week, temperatures are suppose to be in the 70s.  Just our luck.

Day 46, Sunday, March 11, 2018

Since today is a travel day, makes sense that the winds picked up last night.  Was going to leave early, but because of Day Light Savings time, got up late, late start.

Covered 3 states today, OK, AR, TN.

As we entered Arkansas, my thoughts were we have definitely left the wide open roads of the West and have entered the congested highways of the East.

Day 45, Saturday, March 10, 2018

Quilt Store #1

Zeke has been having issues with new dog food, so we decided it was time to find his regular dog food.  Went on the manufacturer's web site and found several. Since the closest store was 45 miles away, started to call to make sure they had it.

Petco, Broken Arrow, OK  no don't carry it
Petco, Tulsa, OK, no don't carry it
Southern Agriculture, Tulsa, OK, no don't carry it, but our store on 71st does.  Yes, says they have 3 bags.
Southern Agriculture, Tulsa, OK at 71st, yes we have.  Please hold it we are an hour and a half away.

Off we go, bought the food and what?  A quilt store just half a mile away.  How can we pass that up?

Off we go.  Find found.  What?  Another quilt store just a mile down the road.  As you know, can't just visit one quilt store, they come in twos.  Off we go.

Nanette and Zeke happy eguals Bob happy.

Quilt Store #2

Day 44, Friday, March 9, 2018

Wide open road, don't see this in the East

Seems like the longer drives now are the norm vs. the exception.  Not sure why.  Wide open roads of northern Texas and Oklahoma.  Not much traffic.

Rush Hour in Oklahoma look carefully

When exiting off a highway onto a state road, Nanette and I both heard something.  Nanette suggested I pull over to check it out; my exact thoughts.  When I got out of the RV, an older couple pulled up along side and said, "So you heard it too?  Your hubcap is up at the ramp entrance".  I thanked them and off they went.  I walked back, rear RV wheel looked good, left side of the Cube; yep both hubcaps there, right side of Cube, sure enough both hubcaps there, left side of the RV, wheels look good, over to the right front of the RV, missing hubcap.  Isn't that how it always is?  You always find what you are looking for in the last place you look?  Why is that?  Walked back up the ramp, got the hubcap, put on, kicked it several times to make sure it was seated properly and off we go.

Zoom of Rush Hour Photo

Hour later, in a construction zone where they closed one lane of a two lane highway, we had to follow one of those flag trucks.  We were last in line and all of a sudden I heard that noise again.  Pulled over best I could (I was completely off the road thankfully), walked back and got that hubcap.  Put the hubcap in the RV and had to wait for the flag truck to come back the other way, then turn around and come back the way we were headed and joined the line of cars, bringing up the rear again.

Upon inspection of the hubcap, sure enough one of the four thingys that hold it onto the wheel had come off.  They are rivoted on, so manufacturing defect.  Will have to take care of that when we get home.

Day 43, Thursday, March 8, 2018

Up early, on the road by 8:30am.  Major accomplishment.  Long drive today AND we lose an hour changing time zones.

At Matador, TX, Nanette wanted to go and pick up some groceries.  Grocery and hardware in the same store.  Brocolli next to the bolts.  Nice small town, but very depressed.  Not much happening in "Downtown".

Off to the Roaring Springs Ranch RV Park.  During check in they warned us of wild boars seen by others.  We were like, right we will keep an eye out, but sure enough as soon as we pulled into our site, there was a wild boar.  Kinda cool.

Nice place, but no cell phone coverage, no internet.  Bit difficult to get any work done....

Day 42, Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Hose started to freeze last night, so Nanette went out, disconnected the hose and brought it in.  When I woke up, it was 26*, but 16* in Tijeras, NM, so not sure how cold it actually got.

Two quilt stores today.  While Nanette shopped, Zeke and I sat outside and enjoyed the weather while people watching.  Of course, Zeke's nose got a work out.

Then we were off to Petco, Zeke's favorite store.

Day 40 & 41, Monday & Tuesday, March 5 & 6, 2018

Official start of return trip to home.  Kinda sad and happy all at once.

Went through Hatch, the Pepper Capital of the World and of course had to buy some - fresh green chili peppers, dried red peppers and roasted green peppers.  That should get things moving.






Also tried to eat at the World Famous Sparky's, home of the Green Chili Pepper Cheeseburger.  Need to try that.  Closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Bummer...



However, across the street at the antique store, they had a couple of old cars, Hudson and Plymouth.  Nice consolation prize.

Typical landscape of southern New Mexico.  A lot of land here and few inhabitants between.

Day 38, 39, Saturday/Sunday, March 3 & 4, 2018

Zeke Chilling

Saturday, Nanette and Shirley went to the Quilt and Craft Show held in Mesa.  Nanette really liked it as it was not only Quilts but also crafts of all sorts.

Dad and I went to the club for lunch.  Nice relaxing day.











 

Sunday, Dad, Shirley and I went to the Highland Games in Pheonix.  They had a British car display as well as all the Highland games, Hay Throw, Weight Throw, Hammer Throw, etc.  I enjoyed street juggler.

Day 37, Friday, March 2, 2018

The wonders of travel.  Lost 3 hours today.  One hour due to time change (Arizona does not go on Day Light Savings), one hour due to meetings I had to attend (still trying to retire, unsuccessfully so far) and one hour due to Phoenix rush hour travel because we lost the other two and ended up going through Phoenix at the height of rush hour.  Ugh.

While driving through southwest California/western Arizona, I  just reflected on the wide open spaces found in the West.  So very different than the congestion of the East.  We have such a diverse country, not only in land/landscapes, but in people, customs, opinions, etc.  This is what makes America great.

Of course, entering Arizona, at the Welcome Center they warn you of the poisonous snakes and insects.  Hummmm.

Day 36, Thursday, March 1, 2018

Rained heavily last night.  Big storm moving in today.  Thought if we could leave by 8am we might be between systems.  Worked out great.  Some rain, but not bad.

A few hours after leaving San Jose

Amazing what a few hours and a couple hundred of miles can do.  Went from rain to sunshine.

Day 35, Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Zeke with mouth on Miska's neck - no harm, just playing

Relaxing day visiting with Dave and Diane.

Zeke loved playing with Miska, their dog.  Zeke chased Miska all over the yard, they would wrestle and box as well.  Think Zeke loved seeing grass again after nearly a month without.

Miska and Zeke boxing

Day 34, Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Rained all night last night.  Should have ended at 2am, but steady rain at 5 - 6 am when I got up.  Going to be fun breaking camp in the rain.  By the time we broke camp it was just misting, so not bad.

Stayed at Diane and Dave's home in San Jose.  Haven't seen my cousins in many years.  Great seeing them.

Had a great dinner of smoked baby backs, with home made macrooni and cheese, home baked bread, etc.  Think we will need to stay here a bit longer