Week begin 12/14

Week Three 12/14-12/20

The Packer game was great! Beat the Bears! Enjoyed our visit with son Jeff. Today, leaving Carrollton, VA heading to Wilmington, NC. Visiting Faye Paterson, an acquaintance we made through our friend Ron Tenpas, and shared some fun times as couples. Took the scenic route along the coast, highway 13 / 17 south. Started out in fog, but quickly burned off and soon full sun, temp hitting 68. Had arranged a dinner date with Faye, happy hour at her house then on to dinner. Arrived around 6pm and she welcomed us with open arms.

Fayes house is beautiful in a very “upscale” gated community. She gave us a brief tour and introduced us to her special cat “Mr. Ritz”. We enjoyed cocktails and snacks, then on to a local bistro. Very nice, Bob Yellow Fin Tuna, Shari Flounder, both great. Hope to treat Faye when she visits Wisconsin.

Tuesday, leaving Wilmington heading towards Charleston / Savannah. Continued on hwy 17 south, stopping in Myrtle Beach for lunch and a beach walk. Would not recommend this route in prime season, but this time of year not too bad. Temps hitting 71, some people actually on the beach in swim suits. Good lunch on the main drag, pretty quiet, then on towards Charleston. Traffic in Charleston “Awful”. Found a Wal-Mart for a quick overnight. Called grandson Jeff Jr. in Savannah, with hopes of seeing him tomorrow. Mom Dawn responded that 6:30pm. Wed evening would work. Arranged to meet and excited to see grandson Jeff Jr.

Wed AM, Shari and I decided to go for a walk in Charleston. Weather great with temps around 70. Found a really nice Italian restaurant for an early lunch. Being seated, only two other people in the place, but by noon the place was full. Guess it was a good choice. Food was great. Left Charleston around 2PM en route for Savannah. Agreed to meet Dawn at a Wal-Mart / Home Depot right off exit 104 on I-95. She was right on time with Jeff Jr. and his step brothers and sisters, a group of seven, filled our coach in a hurry, but was really fun and nice to see a everyone.

Thursday AM departed Savannah en route for Orlando, Fl to connect with friends Richard and Jeanne Byrd. Haven’t seen them in a couple years. They spend the winter in an Encore park just outside of Disney World, and they enjoy working there part-time, getting lots of park “perks” along with their efforts. Invited them to our coach for happy hour and got caught up on time passed. Day started with sun and ended with rain. Forecast cool for the next couple days, so not sure how long we will stay here. About 29 accidents out on the highways this morning.

Friday, Richard & Jeanne busy so we did a little self guided road trip around the area. Saturday, they offered to take us to Disney World, and as workers they get free passes for guests. What a great treat! Spent time in Epcot and the Magic Kingdom parks. Caught the evening parade in front of the Castle and down the main drag in the Magic Kingdom and closed the day with awesome fireworks display in Epcot Center. A twelve hour day, but truly incredible! Lots of people here due to the Holiday weekend & kids off school, so the park was packed. Disney world is truly a “fantasy”. If you haven’t been, it is a must. Sorry, we forgot the camera, so no photos of Disney World.

Sunday, Richard & Jeanne continued to tour us, taking us to Disney’s Wild Kingdom Park. The park was packed with families and young children. We endured for a couple of hours, then moved on to lunch at a sports bar catching the first half of the Packer game. Then off to Disney World “Downtown”. A “mega” shopping park / mall. Lots of people in Magic Kingdom shopping. What more could a guy want. Yea!

A huge “thank-you” to Richard & Jeanne. Disney was awesome!

End of week three.

Week begin 12/7/09

Week Two 12/7-12/13

Left Mitz and Ryan on Monday 12/7 heading towards son Jeff in Carrollton, VA.  Enjoyed very much our visit with Mitz & Ryan, but school for Ryan and back to work for Mitz shortened our visit.  Ryan, good looking kid, will be eighteen in May.  Glad to hear he has several college applications out and hoping for results in January.  We wish him good luck.

Jeff not off till the weekend, so our journey will be slow and deliberant, as it is not that far.  Weather has been “OK” considering what our Wisconsin friends are going through.  Lots of rain, some mild flooding.  Temps in the 70’s, then sudden drop to the 40’s.  Settled in to Suffolk, VA, pronounced “Suf-Fix”, a very nice RV park called Davis Lakes.  Lots of year round RV’s, we looking like the only transits in the transit area.  Did some area sightseeing, lots of history here.  Toured a train museum.  Went to Smithfield, historic village nearby.  Beautiful historic homes.

Called Jeff an announced are arrival. Plan Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday with him then off south Monday.

Connected with Jeff Friday evening, caught up on conversation and ordered take out in. He has a beautiful condo in Carrollton.  Saturday picked up Jeff for a road trip to Virginia Beach.  Nice to have a local “tour guide”.  Weather a little “brisk’ for a beach trip, ie; 45 degr.  On the good side, no traffic or crowd issues.  Lots of Christmas decorations along the “Board Walk”.  Was nice to see the beach even out of season.

Sunday to Jeff’s for the Packer game.  Head south Monday AM.

Week begin 11/30/09

Week Begin 11/30/09

Left Oshkosh on Monday 11/30 around 8:30am.  Looked kind of like a carnival leaving town with our tow vehicle behind the coach, kayaks on top and bikes on the back.  Our goal was to make Effingham, Il around 410 miles, enough for the first day.  Pulled into a Wal-Mart for an overnight stay, arriving around 4:30pm.  No more than getting settled in, we look out the window and see our friends Skip & Marlene Zacher.  We knew they were leaving for Florida the same day as us, but surprised to see them next to us, they know we are Wal-Mart users.  Anyway, they were staying at a Roadway Inn just a few blocks from us.  So we decided to happy hour together and order sandwiches out for dinner.  When Skipped checked in, he asked the desk clerk if we could park our coach in their lot in as much as they were guests there, and she said no problem.  So we moved the coach and after dinner settled in.  Around 10:45pm a knock on the door and a group of ladies with “Santa hats” said we were on private property and would have to leave.  I shared we got permission from the desk clerk.  The leader said that management did not approve.  So I said it sounds like a Mgt / employee problem and closed the door.  At 11:00pm, another knock on the door, and we drew more attention then the couple crashing the White House State Dinner.  Three squad cars pointing at us and two officers at the door.  Said we had been asked  to leave the property and refused.  I shared the permission we were granted and our friends were guests at the motel.  The officer went to the office to verifying our story, and after confirming, called the manager still insisting that we leave. The officer felt really bad and was very polite and without further ado we returned to Wal-Mart for the night.  Wow, what a first night.  So much for doing things right and getting permission.

On Tuesday, an early start, we headed for Nashville, around 230 miles, wanting  to see the Christmas lights and decorations at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  Arrived at the Two Rivers RV Park on Music Valley Drive just a mile from the hotel.  Got settled in for a two day stay, deciding to stay in for the night.  Rain all night and forecast for tomorrow is more rain.

Wednesday we sought out a Martha Stewart recommended Café.  Loveless Café was great.  Carol Fay, the “Biscuit Lady”, appearing on the Martha Stewart show, greeted us and showed us

 to our table.  Yes, the hot biscuits are great!  Secret recipe she says.  Shari ordered smoked pork chops and I went with their trademark fried chicken.  All was great, doggie bag to go.  Evening spent at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  Each time we visit we see

something new.  The Christmas Decorations are incredible.  Live Christmas Music entertainment in the Atrium.  Tomorrow we head for Asheville.

Thursday
was a late start for what we thought was a short trip to Asheville, NC, 227 miles prox.  Well, about 100 miles west of Asheville on I-40 we were told of a major rock slide that closed I-40, so had to detour 100 miles out of our way going north on Hwy  81 then back south on 26 to Asheville.  So two hours more driving and losing an hour in the time zone change, decided to pull over and spend the night just outside of Johnson City at a Wal-Mart.  Tired.

Friday, our trip from the Johnson City area, took us through the Appalachan Mountains en-route to Asheville and then on to the Graham / Burlington area to visit grandson Ryan.   Weather still cloudy and colder than normal, high today 48.  Scenery beautiful, but weather doesn’t do justice.  Arrived at Cane Creek Campground / RV Park around 4:30pm.  Very nice family farm run park situated in a beautiful rural valley.  Not many RV’s here this time of year, and we are located in a site with a beautiful view.  After settled in called Mitz, Ryans mom, and announced are arrival.  Both working tomorrow,  so a free day for us to explore.

Spent the day exploring Graham, went downtown for parade and activities, but rain and cold put a damper on the events.  Went into Burlington and found where Ryan works. Sunday went to Chapel Hill, Tar Hill country, walked the campus area and had lunch on the drag at the “Breadmens”.   Dinner with Ryan and Mitz at the Longhorn Steak House.  Great to be with Mitz and Ryan!