Don & Sandi at "home", back in the Stockton area.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

We are home! Final "100-Day Trip" blog entry...

Hi.

Well, we did it.  We completed our so-called "100-Day Trip" around the United States.  We arrived "home" late Monday evening after a couple of days of "chill'n" in Laughlin, Nevada...we saw three movies in two days at the local cineplex; and we just relaxed.  We are now "camping" at a nice campground in French Camp, just south of Stockton.  This will be our home-base for a while as we begin the hunt for a house or condo in Stockton verrry soon.

We decided to summarize our trip as succinctly as possible...in order to help our "old" brains keep track of our favorite adventures and scenic sites.


Trip Summary:
1. Traveled for a grand total of 127 days (July 12 to Nov 15).
2. Traveled out-of-state for 99 days (Aug 9 to Nov 15) on our "100-Day Trip"!
3. Traveled a total of 18,305 miles (11,130 in the motorhome and an additional 7,175 in a lot of "side-trips" in the car).
 4. Traveled most of the time at about 55 mph, even in those states where it would have been legal to go 80 mph.  We averaged approximately 7.0 mpg in the motorhome (while towing the car)...yeah!  (We had predicted we would get only about 5.0 mpg.)
5. Had only very minor mechanical issues (two blown tires, one blown shock absorber).
6. And yes, we did visit 44 states during the trip.  On previous RV trips, we visited the four states that we did not see on this trip.  Consequently, we have now been to EVERY state in the 48-contiguous states in the good 'ole USA!   (Alaska, here we come...sooner-or-later!)


Favorite event of the trip?   Without a doubt, the several days we spent with family (son, daughter-in-law, daughter, and our two granddaughters) at Disneyland was wonderful!  That was our favorite part of our trip...and a great way to start our retirement adventures.  OK, now to our favorite adventures and scenic sites, aside from the family part of the trip.


Top 5 Favorite "Adventures":

1. Dolphin Swim in the Florida Keys (for Sandi).
1. Fighter Pilot for a Day (for Don).
2. Zipline rides in Branson, Missouri.
3. Helicopter ride to view the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri (and our visit inside the Arch).
4. Bi-plane ride to view the Florida Keys.
5. Space-shuttle amusement park ride at EPCOT (the ride that provided real "air-sick bags" in front of each rider...and we almost used them.)


Top 10 Favorite Scenic Sites/Monuments/Cities/Places (with a list of the "Why?":

1.  Florida Keys:  dolphin swim;  bi-plane ride;  snorkeling;  camping 10 feet from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico;  Key West;  Southern-most point in U.S.;  beautiful scenery.

2. Niagara Falls (New York):  Cave of the Winds walk;  Maid-of-the-Mist boat ride to Horseshoe Falls;  beautiful.

3. Grand Canyon (Arizona):  walks along the South Rim;  beautiful;  beautiful;  beautiful...truly so "grand in scale" that it is hard to take it all in.

4. Kennedy Space Center (Florida):  Shuttle "Discovery" on the launch pad;  Saturn Five rocket on display (huge!);  touched a real moon rock;  history of US space travel.

5. Washington, DC:  Four museums;  Declaration of Independence (the real one!);  Dorothy's red slippers from "Oz";  Spirit of St. Louis airplane;  shuttle Enterprise;  Memorials/Monuments (Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson, Vietnam; Korean, WW II, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier).

6. Branson, Missouri:  Showboat ride on a paddle-wheeler;  zipline ride;  multiple shows.

7. Mt. Rushmore (South Dakota):  Mt. Rushmore monument of the presidents;  Crazy Horse Monument;  Badlands;  buffalo.

8. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina:  historic first flight by the Wright brothers (monument and first-flight "runway" location);  Jeep ride on the beach on the Outer Banks of NC;  wild Spanish Mustang horses.

9. North Dakota Trip:  drove to ND for dinner;  beautiful segments of scenery;  fields of sunflowers and grain;  really relaxed for the first time...reached the realization that "we really are retired".

10. New York City:  Ground Zero site;  Times Square;  Statue of Liberty;  Broadway.

Honorable Mentions: 
A.  Devil's Tower (Wyoming)
B.  Mississippi River (campground on the river in Arkansas).
C.  EPCOT (Florida)
D.  Harper's Ferry (West Virginia)

*****************************************************************

OK, that's it...this is the final blog entry (for this trip).

We would recommend this trip (or any portion of it) to anyone and everyone.  Go do it!   We had a great time; and although it does seem like we were gone for a very long time, in other ways the time and miles just flew by.  We had a great adventure...and we still love and like each other ;-) !!!

Thanks for following the blog and allowing us to share.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Grand Canyon

Hi.

We have spent the past two days at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.  We had previously visited the North Rim and it was beautiful...but we have found that we believe the South Rim views are even more beautiful.  But you cannot lose by visiting either rim of the Grand Canyon...absolutely spectacular!

We hiked some of the South Rim trail on Wednesday and enjoyed the views and the walk.   On Thursday we drove about 25 miles along the South Rim roads and stopped at scenic-view outlooks about ten times.  We also visited the Tusayan Pueblo Ruin,  occupied by Native Americans over 800 years ago.   We also visited the Desert View Watchtower, built in 1932.  It was designed as a re-creation of prehistoric towers found over large areas of the Southwest, believed to be used for food storage and protection during war.  This tower was built as an observation tower and rest stop for early visitors to the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

We will leave the Grand Canyon on Friday and head towards California.   We should arrive home in the Stockton area in the next 7 to 10 days...or so  ;-).

Take care.
Don & Sandi.  

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

White Sands & Belen

Hi.

We have spent the past couple of days with "Uncle Ken" in Alamogordo, New Mexico.  We had a great time visiting with him and going to the White Sands and the Space Museum.

The White Sands are incredible...miles-upon-miles of white sand (looks almost like snow from a distance); and the sand is soft, almost like talcum powder.   The Alamogordo area has been an instrumental site in the development of weapons (first A-bomb test called the "Trinity" project took place at the White Sands); as well as space-related projects.  The White Sands Space Harbor is an emergency landing site for the Shuttle.

Our visit with Uncle Ken was great.  He has been a fixture in Alamogordo for decades and he has to be the youngest 95-year old person I have ever met.  Our wish is to be as "young" as him when we are 95 years old!  

We then drove north to Belen, New Mexico...my father's birthplace.  He grew-up in Belen until he was 17 (and moved with the whole family to Richmond, California).   He worked at the railroad station as the person who had to wake the train engineers and caboose-men to tell them their train had arrived and it was time to get to the train.  He worked out of the "Harvey House" (see photo), which is now a national historic site.   He would wake the men sleeping at the Harvey House, or run to their homes locally to wake them.  It was great to visit Belen.

We arrived at our campground inside the Grand Canyon National Park late on Tuesday.   Boy is it cold (predicted low of 23 degrees F tonight)!   There are even some small patches of snow on the ground in our campsite.

Take care.
Don & Sandi  

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Roswell, New Mexico

Hi.

We visited Roswell, New Mexico for a few hours on Friday.  As you may know, an infamous "UFO" allegedly crash landed in Roswell in July, 1947.   The craft is also alleged to have had three or four aliens in the craft; all secretly recovered by government officials.   The locals were told to "keep quiet".

After our visit to Roswell, we have this official statement to make, "Everything seems normal to us.   We saw absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.   Just another day in our 100-Day Trip.  Really."

That's our story and we are sticking to it.

Take care (help!)
Don & Sandi

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Alamo & Caverns

Hi.

Over the past few days, we have seen a lot of Texas.  Umm...is it safe to say, we have seen all of Texas that we care to see ;-) ???   Boy, it's a big state to drive through!

While in Texas we went to San Antonio (and watched on TV as the Giants won the World Series...yahoo!).   We walked the "river walk" alongside the narrow San Antonio River that runs through downtown.  It was beautiful with its shops and side-walk restaurants, and music...and tour boats moving down the river.  (Yes, we took the tour-boat ride too.)  We loved that area.

We also visited the nearby "Alamo".  It was very interesting to learn in a fair amount of detail the history of the Texas "republic" and its fight for independence.  It was a fierce battle.   The Alamo is treated as a shrine once you enter its main chapel area.

San Antonio was the site of the 1968 World's Fair, and so we had to visit the "Tower of the Americas" while we were there.  We took the ride to the top of the tower; the view of the San Antonio area was magnificent.

We arrived in New Mexico on Wednesday.  We visited the Carlsbad Caverns for several hours on Thursday and really enjoyed the beautiful scenery of stalactites and stalagmites, 750 feet below ground level, at a very cool 56 degrees.

Well, that's all the news for today...in less than three weeks we will be home!

Take care,
Don & Sandi

Saturday, October 30, 2010

New Orleans

Hi.

We have spent the last couple of days in New Orleans and we have really enjoyed visiting the "Big Easy"...a very entertaining and "alive" kind of place!

We took a "bayou" boat trip on Friday and saw at least 15 alligators.  As you will notice in one of the photos, Sandi found a new friend in the 1-year-old alligator that we got to "meet" while on the bayou boat trip.

We ate well (loved the shrimp) during our visit.  The architecture is beautiful, as was the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter.   You will notice in the photo above that we are in fact wearing our "Mardi Gras" beads, with a Giants logo.   (Please note: we paid money for the beads ;-)   Go Giants!

We took a walking tour around the French Quarter and found lots of interesting shops, street entertainers, and "interesting" people walking about...even more so than in San Francisco.

We also drove into the Lower Ninth Ward district of New Orleans; the area that received the most damage in Hurricane Katrina.  It was good to see the new homes that have been built and that are currently being built.  However, it was very sobering to see block-after-block of empty lots, weeds 6-feet tall, and concrete foundations in the middle of nothing.   This neighborhood was destroyed...but their posted motto is, "Remember our past...celebrate our future".   God bless them!

Final note:  For those of you who happen to watch the HGTV show, "Holmes on Homes", you may recall the series of episodes where he and his crew rebuilt a home in the 9th Ward.  In that series, there was a woman sitting in her rocking chair on her porch watching the whole rebuilding process happening next door to her home.  She was interviewed several times and always had a cheery word and a positive attitude.  She could always be seen "rock'n on her porch".  So, guess who we saw as we drove by the houses on that street?  Yup, there she was, just rock'n away.

Off to Texas tomorrow.

Take care.
Don & Sandi  

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Everglades

Hi.

Today we visited the Everglades.  We took a 1-hour "airboat" trip through the swamp.  We had to wear ear protection due to the very loud 502-inch Chevy engine attached to the giant 3-bladed prop of the airboat.  It can really scoot along...and we really enjoyed it when he spun the boat around!

We saw a lot of birds, as well as lots of trees and bushes up close as our Captain took us through some very narrow channels.  We also saw four alligators, one being at least 12 feet long...he was BIG (and scary)!

Headed towards northern Florida in the morning; and then Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Quite a Saturday!

Hi.

Boy, what a Saturday!!!    "Why?", you ask?   Well...

1.  The Giants won the NLCS and are going to the World Series...YIPPEE!

2. Sandi had a "dolphin encounter" (that's a good thing) at the "Dolphin Research Center" on the Grassy Key, about a half-mile from our campsite.   Sandi was able to shake hands with Daisy, got a kiss from Kyle, and then Daisy and Kyle took Sandi for a ride.  She held onto their dorsal fins and was pulled through the lagoon.  Sandi says, "This was definitely the #1 adventure for our entire trip!"

3. Then we took a ride in a beautiful yellow-and-red biplane.  We squeezed into the front seat, while the pilot flew from the backseat.  We flew around the Grassy Key area for about 10 minutes.  It was a great adventure to have the wind blowing in our hair and seeing the beautiful coral reefs, blue/green water, lagoons, and homes.  We loved it!

4.  We then came back to the campsite and snorkled in the water just behind our motorhome.

The best Saturday (best day?) of our trip!

We leave the Keys tomorrow and head north towards Interstate 10, and start thinking about hanging a left, headed west to California...  

Take care.
Don & Sandi  

Saturday, October 23, 2010

The Florida Keys

Hi.

We have been busy the past few days...having fun.

-Visited Disney World's "Magic Kingdom".  It is similar to Disneyland, but it is missing a few things, such as the Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, Blue Bayou, and the submarine.   It was definitely fun (but we like Disneyland better :-).

-Visited South Beach (Miami) and we swam in the Atlantic.  The water is sooo much warmer than the Pacific in California.  We walked along the South Beach hotels, shops, and restaurants...there must be three outside/patio restaurants on every block.  We had a wonderul dinner at an Italian restaurant alongside the beach.

-Arrived in the Florida Keys on Friday.  We drove down to Key West and found the Southernmost Point in the Continental United States...only 90 miles from Cuba.   We then walked around Old Town in Key West...a very nice area.

-We are camping on the "Grassy Key", about half-way through the Keys (and 55 miles from Key West).  Our campsite is on the water (Gulf of Mexico).  We can snorkel about 10 yards from the back of our motorhome...hope to do that later today.
 
We are really enjoying Florida (and the Keys are quite beautiful).

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Kennedy Space Center

Hi.

We spent Saturday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, about an hour's drive from Orlando.  Let me start by saying, "Yoo-hoo!".   Space Shuttle Discovery was on its launch pad in preparation for lift-off on Monday, November 1st.   As you can see by our main web-page photo above, we were able to get within a couple miles of the shuttle on our NASA/Kennedy Space Center bus tour.  Discovery, and its crew of six astronauts, will deliver a payload to the International Space Station.  This will be the last trip for Discovery, as the shuttle program winds down in the next six months.

On the first photo to the right, you can see a wire cable leading downward from the launch tower.  If something goes wrong during pre-launch, the astronauts would high-tail it out of the shuttle cabin, hop into wire baskets, and slide down the cable into a bunker.  They would then hop into an armored tank/transport and drive out of the area ASAP!   The crew has been at the Kennedy Space Center for the past week or so practicing that maneuver (and many others).     

We really enjoyed the visit and seeing so much "space history" (rockets, space capsules, launch pads, shuttle runway, mission control center, and so on).   We also had the chance to see a couple of alligators in the canal running alongside the road...those critters are apparently everywhere there is a body of water in Florida!   (I am staying out of the bath tub!)

On Monday we head to the "Magic Kingdom" for the day, and then take-off to the Miami area by mid-week.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Friday, October 15, 2010

EPCOT

Hi.

We spent the day today at Disney's EPCOT attraction in Orlando, Florida.  We didn't quite know what to expect, but we had a great time on the rides and visiting the various countries in the "World Showcase".  

EPCOT has the "Soaring" ride that is also at California Adventure at Disneyland in California...one of our favorite rides at any amusement park.   We also rode the "Sum of All Thrills" ride...that was a very unique "virtual reality" ride.  You get four minutes to design your own roller coaster ride using some very sophisticated but user-friendly software to determine what type of virtual ride you would like.  We selected the "roller coaster" option and we "designed" a steep climb, followed by a screaming dive downward, two loops, a figure eight, and a tight curve to the finish.   We then walked over to the virtual-ride machine, sat down, and the 3-D hood was lowered over us and our simulator ride "took off"!  The feeling was very realistic and lots of fun.   Every physics department in every school in the nation should have one of these rides to take real math and science and convert it to instant fun...and nausea!

We also rode the "Mission: Space" ride.  This is probably the most intense amusement park ride we have ever been on.  When we got off the ride, we both thought we might have an unfortunate experience sometimes refered to as "losing your lunch".  We didn't, but it took about an hour to fully recover from the experience.   Highly recommended, but be careful what you eat before the ride!

All-in-all...we loved EPCOT!

We plan to visit the Kennedy Space Center tomorrow and the Magic Kingdom on Monday.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Monday, October 11, 2010

Update time...Florida

Hi.

We are in Florida...it is a little muggy, but verrrry nice.   We will spend about two weeks running around the state and seeing the sites; then we will head west (via New Orleans, Roswell, Grand Canyon, etc.) on our way back to California.  

Update:   We have now visited 37 states in the 63 days since we actually left California's borders.  We have traveled 7,052 miles in the motor home and another 3,568 miles on various side trips in the car...ok, a lot of side trips in the car.   So, we have traveled 10,620 miles at this point.   I just checked how far home is from here...only 2,784 miles if we drove straight there (but we won't :-).  

OK, time for an oil change on the car and on the motor home (and some shopping at Camping World...yippee).  Then off to the Orlando area for Disney World, Cape Canaveral, Daytona Beach, and other sites we decide to visit before heading down to the Miami area for a few days.

Take care.
Don & Sandi  

Friday, October 8, 2010

History, Airplanes, Horses, and a Lighthouse

Hi.

We traveled from Virginia to North Carolina on Wednesday.

Prior to leaving Virginia we visited the "historic triangle" comprised of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.   Colonial Williamsburg was, at one time or another, the home of Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and George Washington during the time it was the capitol of Virginia.   Jamestown was established in 1607 and became the first permanent British settlement in America!   Yorktown is the location of the battle where the Colonists defeated the British; and General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington, effectively ending the Revolutionary War.   A lot of fascinating history here, with each of the towns within about 10 miles of each other.

On Thursday, we visited Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and the Wright Brothers National Memorial, recognizing the first sustained powered flight by an airplane in 1903.   We were able to walk the path of the four flights they made on December 17, 1903.   Fun!

On Friday we took the "wild horses" Jeep tour on the North Carolina "Outer Banks".   Mustangs were brought to the Outer Banks back in 1520 when the Spanish established a mission in the area.  This herd of mustangs runs free in the Northern part of the Outer Banks area.   On our 2-hour Jeep tour our guide drove us to the beach, on the beach, through water (over "hill and dale")...and we saw approximately 25 horses during our ride.  The horses are absolutely beautiful.   This adventure is now in our top five list of "fun things" from our 100-day road trip.   We highly recommend it!

After our wild mustang adventure, we visited the nearby "Currituck Beach Light Station" (lighthouse), a beautiful red-brick structure built in 1875.  It is 162 feet tall and has 214 steps to the top...we know...we climbed 'em.   The view from on high was quite lovely as we could see both the bay and the Atlantic Ocean from the lighthouse, built on the narrow strand of land known as the Outer Banks.  

We head-off to Florida (via South Carolina and Georgia) starting tomorrow.  

Bye for now...take care.
Don & Sandi  

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Wrapping-up in D.C.

Hi.

We have now completed a wonderful (but exhausting in a good way) week in Washingon, D.C.  In the past couple of days we have:

-Parking?  Tried to find parking in downtown D.C. on a Saturday when there was an AIDS walk, a "unity" rally on the mall, war protests, and so on...only took us an hour to find a place.

-Smithsonian's "American History" Museum:   We saw Dorothy's "ruby slippers" from the "Wizard of Oz", the top hat that Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater, First Lady's Inagural dresses, the "Stars and Stripes" flag that inspired the national anthem, and lots more...3 floors more...lots of fun.

-White House:  We walked by the White House (front and back)...beautiful building.   The home owners did not come out and wave at us.

-Air & Space Museum #2:  The Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum near the mall ran out of space for all of its displays; so an additional Air and Space Museum was opened next to Dulles International Airport.  It is cram-packed full of all sorts of airplanes and space-related craft, including a shuttle.  The shuttle "Enterprise" never flew in space but it was the first shuttle; and it was used to test flying (gliding) characteristics by being released from on top of a 747 and then flown down to the runway.  It was very exciting to see this first shuttle up-close.  Another interesting airplane in the museum is the "Enola Gay", the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.   This is an amazing museum to visit if you are ever in the DC area!

And that's a wrap for the D.C. area.  On Monday we head out for Virginia, then the Carolinas and down to Florida.  Today we plotted out our calendar for the approximately 50 days we have left before arriving back home in the Stockton area...boy, the time is flying by!   See you soon ;-).

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Friday, October 1, 2010

Days 2 & 3 in D.C.

Hi.

Boy, have we been busy!   There is sooo much to see in DC, we may have to stay around an extra day or two.  Here is a quick run-down on what we were up to on Thursday and Friday.

-Holocaust Museum:  We spent about 3 hours taking the self-guided tour of the history and horror of the Holocaust...really overwhelming.
-Air and Space Museum:  Aircraft hanging from the ceiling, including Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis", probably my favorite artifact of any I've seen so far on this trip.   The Wright Brother's "Flyer" (first airplane) is also housed in the museum.
-U.S. Capitol:  We took a tour and had a chance to sit in the House chamber (but not in session again until November).
-Library of Congress:  What a beautiful interior...I think the most beautiful of all of the facilities we have seen on our 100-day adventure.   (And you get searched as you leave this building!)
-Supreme Court:  We didn't get to go inside as the Court was having the official "investiture" ceremony for new Justice, Elena Kagan; so the Court was closed to the public.  We did get to see Justice Kagan and Chief Justice Roberts as they came out of the front doors for their "photo op", following the ceremony.
-President Obama:  A special guest at the investiture was President Obama.  There was a lot of police activity around the front of the Court and the rumor was circulating that the President would be at the ceremony.  Well, he was at the private ceremony; and then when his entourage of vehicles left, they drove by the front of the Court.  So, we got to see him in a "blur" through the dark-tinted glass of his presidential limo...they sped by rather quickly, all 15 vehicles!  It was very exciting.
-Arlington Cemetery: We visited President Kennedy's grave, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  We were there for the "Changing of the Guard" ceremony...inspiring and moving.

Again, more photos than usual...but we have to share.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Washington, D.C. - Day #1

Hi.

Whew!  We spent the day viewing as many national monuments as our "50-something" bodies could handle.

We visited the:
-Washington Monument (we rode the elevator to the viewing windows at the top of the monument)
-Lincoln Memorial
-World War II Memorial
-Vietnam Veterans Memorial (including the original Memorial Wall, as well as the "Three Soldiers" statue, and the "Vietnam Women's Memorial" statue).
-Korean War Veterans Memorial
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
-Jefferson Memorial

Each of the memorials is so unique, majestic, and awe-inspiring...they are each breathtaking in their own way.   All three of the war memorials are very impressive in representing the individual and collective sacrifice of so many soldiers (men and women) who served our country.  Sandi and I both agree that the "Korean War Memorial" is the most unique and moving.

I have included more photos than usual for this day's blog entry...just couldn't help myself.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Hi.

Today we had a chance to have a very nice lunch-time visit with our niece Deanna, and her 1-year old daughter Allie.  (Husband Ray was at work at the Pentagon today.)  Ray, Deanna, and Allie just moved to the Washington, DC area a couple of months ago for Ray's new employment.  They have a lovely home in Virginia...it was great to visit!

Yesterday Sandi and I took a side "road trip" to West Virgina and visited Harpers Ferry, about 85 miles from our Maryland campground.  What beautiful country (even in the pouring rain)!

Our visit to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park was educational and fascinating.  (Quick history review:  In October, 1859, John Brown and 20 men raided the Harpers Ferry federal armory.  He wanted to seize the 100,000 weapons, primarily rifles, and use them to wage a battle against the South and free the slaves.  He was captured; and his plan failed with his execution by hanging just two months later.   However, his action is credited with focusing the nation's attention on the "moral issue of slavery", which led to the beginning of the Civil War 18 months later.  During the Civil War, the town of Harpers Ferry changed hands eight times between the Union troops and the Confederate troops.)

OK, end of the history review...but this was an amazing place to visit and walk through the streets where so much history took place.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Philadelphia

Hi.

On Saturday we went to Philadelphia and we had a very enjoyable time walking around Independence Square.

We started the day by viewing the Liberty Bell.  This symbol of freedom was very exciting to see; especially with Independence Hall directly behind it and viewable through large windows.  Independence Hall was a little difficult to see as it was covered in scaffolding.  They are working on refurbishing the clocks on the tower and also repairing/replacing some of the wood ledges in several places on the tower.

We then took a guided tour of Independence Hall.  We stood in the room where great men of history like Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, and many others debated and eventually signed the Declaration of Independence, and later the Constitution.  It was hard to get our minds around the fact that we were actually standing where they set into motion the creation of the "United States" of America.

In one of the wings of the Hall there were actual copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution used by some of the men during their debates regarding wording and philosophy.  (No photos allowed!)   A very impressive place to visit.  We really enjoyed seeing our American history "up close"!

We also found out that there is a "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" from the Revolutionary War.  Thousands of soldiers are buried in mass graves in an area called "Washington Square".  A monument was built in 1954 to honor their extreme sacrifice for our freedoms.

We will now head to Washington, D.C. for a week (and more lessons in history).  Stay tuned!

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Friday, September 24, 2010

Atlantic City

Hi.

Today (Friday) we visited Atlantic City, New Jersey, and its famous wooden boardwalk.  The boardwalk is over five miles long.  No, we did not walk the whole thing...but we could have (not).  It was a warm and muggy day and we were tuckered-out after one mile...and the one mile return trip.   The boardwalk is a lot like the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in terms of games and shops, but more like a flea market (read that as "not as nice as the Santa Cruz Boardwalk").

Of course on this boardwalk, there are extravagant hotel/casinos spaced along the walkway...and those are some high-end places!   (We got really "wild" and gambled $5 on a 25-cent slot machine...and walked away $5 poorer.)

The beach is quite nice with a lot of shells piled-up in spots on the beach.  We finally got to dip our feet into the Atlantic Ocean...cold water, but not Santa Cruz cold.


Bye for now.
Don & Sandi

Orange County Choppers (Newburgh, NY)

Hi.

On Thursday we left the New York area headed for our New Jersey campground.  From that campground we will visit Atlantic City (20 miles) and Philadelphia (70 miles).  We will then head to Washington, DC for a week or so.

As we left our New York campground yesterday, we decided to visit the Orange County Choppers (OCC) retail shop since it was only 25 miles away.  OCC is, of course, the motorcycle shop of "American Chopper" fame on the Discovery Channel...and now part of the TLC channel's "Senior vs. Junior: American Chopper" show.

It was fun to walk around the store and view a lot of the motorcycles on display that we have watched being built on TV over the years.  While in the store, we saw a sign that pointed to, "Workshop - public viewing".  So, we walked over to a hallway at the back of the store...and lo-and-behold, there was the OCC shop!  I didn't know the actual shop was a part of the retail store building...yippee!

From the viewing hallway, you can watch the guys work through picture windows.  They cannot see the viewers and there is a screen mesh that blocks the view a bit...but we were able to clearly see them working on a bike, just like on TV!  Two TLC cameramen were filming while the guys worked.  No, we didn't get to see Paul, Sr....but we did get to see Rick, and Mike (bald guy), Christian (red-bearded guy), and Jason (computer designer guy).   Seeing Rick at work was, well, "way cool"!

That's all the news for now.
Take care.
Don & Sandi

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

New York, NY

Hi.

Today we took a 10-hour bus tour to New York City from our campground about 45 miles away from downtown NYC.   We started the tour by visiting Times Square, which is a very happening place...BUSY!

We then drove to Wall Street; and we walked from there to Ground Zero, location of the former World Trade Center towers.  It was a moving experience.  The new Freedom Tower is rising from the WTC area, although neither of the two new buildings being constructed will rise from the precise location of the former Twin Towers.  That specific area will become a National Memorial Park and museum in memory of September 11, 2001.  The new buildings and memorial are scheduled to be completed in 2013.  

We then drove back over to the New Jersey side of the Hudson River and took the ferry to Ellis Island and then to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty.   What an impressive symbol of freedom!

We hit the road again tomorrow as we head to Philadelphia and then to Washington, D.C.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Monday, September 20, 2010

Boston

Hi.

First, a shock absorber update...we actually had both shock absorbers replaced on the front of the motor home at a truck/RV repair shop, just "coincidentally" less than two miles from our campsite.  We were on the road by 1:00pm on Monday.   Yippee!

Now, about Boston...what a beautiful city!  We took the "Bean Town Trolley" for a 2-hour around-the-town tour to start our day on Sunday.  We then visited the North Church where, back in 1775, two lanterns were lit and displayed in the belfry to advise Paul Revere that the British were moving "by sea" (one if by land, two if by sea).   Mr. Revere then galloped off on his famous midnight ride.  We didn't go into the church because there was an actual church service being held when we arrived...and one of us wasn't dressed for church (Don!).

We then visited Paul Revere's house just a couple of blocks from the North Church.  We then hiked over the bridge to see the oldest commissioned floating warship in the world, the USS Constitution.  She is a spectacular and beautiful ship.  She is also called "Old Ironsides" (as you may or may not recall, cannonballs fired by an enemy British frigate during the War of 1812 just bounced off her wooden sides).

We then returned to the harbor area and took a 45-minute harbor tour on one of the ferry boats.  We then had a lovely dinner near the harbor...and headed "home" to the RV.   We were exhausted.

We are in a campground in Connecticut and we will head to New York, NY tomorrow for a few days.


Take care.
Don & Sandi

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Update...

Hi.

So, time for an update?!  It took us 5,476 miles to reach Maine...we did zig-zag a bit on the path to the Northeast.  We have now visited 27 states on this trip (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine); and now we are in Massachusetts.

We will be taking the "Bean Town Trolley Tour" tomorrow (Sunday) and then do a little site-seeing on our own in Boston.

As we drove into Boston, we discovered some of their roads are as bad as roads in California...and that's tough to beat!  We were traveling a little under the speed limit of 45mph when we came across what I will call a "bump-in-the-road".  The motorhome did NOT get launched into the air...but got about as close as a 20,000 pound vehicle (towing a 4,000 pound car) can be bounced upward without being airborne.   Then the front end came down with a bang.   We hit the "stops" as they say.   That was the scariest bounce I have ever taken in the motorhome.   I was hoping we didn't break anything.  Well....when we arrived at the campsite, I looked under and around the motorhome.   The bounce was so intense that it broke-off the bottom bracket on one of our front shock absorbers and bent the bracket backwards.  A circular bracket is now sticking straight up in the air (it is not a circle anymore)...and the shock absorber is hanging down.   Not the way it is supposed to be. ;-)

We  will take our Boston tour tomorrow and work at getting the shock absorber issue fixed on Monday.

It's all good.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Maine!

Hi.

We made it to Portland...Portland, Maine!   Of course, this is as far eastward as we will travel unless we go sailing.

Maine is pretty much like we imagined...beautiful and serene....the homes, the scenery, the atmosphere.  We took a drive down to the shore today at Wolfe's Neck State Park on the Casco Bay (about 15 miles north of Portland).  We then had lunch at a seaside restaurant where a lot of the locals go.  I had a lobster roll and it was muy bueno!

We are actually camping in Freeport (just north of Portland).   Freeport is the home of  L.L. Bean and there are over 130 different outlet-type stores along the Main(e) Street. The  LL Bean store is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  I guess the local Maine-ians love those products.  It was fun to walk through the downtown area and (mostly) window-shop.

We will relax around the campground on Friday and then head for Boston for a few days of site-seeing.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Baseball Hall of Fame

Hi.

Sandi and I had a very nice lunch-time visit with Kevin and Donna in Syracuse, NY yesterday.  Kevin was in charge of maintenance and operations at Logan when I was the House #3 principal back in the mid-90's.   We had a great time of catching-up.

Today Sandi and I went to Cooperstown, NY and visited the Baseball Hall of Fame.  We really enjoyed the visit and seeing all of the awards, memorabilia, photographs, paintings, and sculptures.   A rather amazing place; in fact, it became a bit overwhelming because there were so many items to view and read about.   I kept saying, "Wow!"...then I would turn the corner to another display and say, "Wow!".   It was a lot of fun.

We then traveled some of the smaller highways in New York state, and we eventually made it into Vermont.  Tomorrow we head for New Hampshire and Maine.  We will spend a few days resting in Maine.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Niagara Falls

Hi.

We spent Sunday at Niagara Falls.  Wow. We had a great time as we took a ride on the "Maid of the Mist" boat that cruises past American Falls, and then goes almost into Horseshoe Falls.   We had our blue slickers on, but it was still like being in a downpour as we were so close to the cascading water.  The wind, the blowing water, and the thunderous noise of the falls is spectacular.  If you haven't taken this ride, it is truly a "bucket list" experience.

We walked around to the various scenic viewing areas for both Horseshoe Falls and American Falls.  It is amazing how you can walk up to the railing just a few feet away from where tons of water falls over the cliff every second.  Breathtaking.

We then put on yellow slickers and took the "Cave of the Winds" hiking trail.  We walked to the base of the American Falls and got drenched again. The highlight of the trail was reaching what is called the "hurricane deck".  We were literally at the base of the American Falls (specifically Bridal Veil Falls); and when the wind blew just the right way, we were pelted with huge water drops from the waterfall.  They were so big and moving so fast and so frequently that it was actually painful when they hit.  Great fun!

We then ended the day with ice cream.  Sort of a perfect day, huh?  Off to Cooperstown (and the Baseball Hall of Fame) tomorrow.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Wandering...

Hi.

We have spent the past few days "wandering" through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and New York.   We are currently camping about 15 miles outside of Niagara Falls and we will visit the Falls on Sunday.   We were in Niagara Falls during a spring break about four years ago and it is one of our favorite places.

So, what have we been doing the past few days?  Well, we have been viewing this country's beautiful scenery as we have have driven down the highways and the by-ways of several states.  Some areas look like California scenery;  but most areas are different with flat lands full of crops that seem to stretch on for miles...or rolling hills full of cedar and birch trees, with layered, dark rocky outcroppings.

We had our first encounter with "toll roads" (turnpikes)...nothing like paying $27 to travel a little over 120 miles in Indiana.  Oh well! :-)

We also had the opportunity to see the "scenery" inside another tire shop.  Yup.  We had another tire blow-out on one of our rear tires; but on the other side this time and while traveling down the freeway.  Fortunately, we were able to quickly pull over at an off-ramp and exit to a safe area.  We called our "Good Sam" emergency service and in three hours we were on the road again....and looking for a tire shop that could sell us the correct tire (and one that actually had it in stock).   We finally found one in Elkhart, Indiana about a mile from where we were camping.  What a coincidence!?!    The price was sooo good (and the service so exemplary) that we replaced all of our old tires.  We now have a total of six new tires...and a lighter wallet.  Whew.

We originally planned to go to Elkhart to visit the RV/Motor Home Museum.   Amazingly, over 70% of the travel trailers, fifth-wheels, and motor homes produced in the USA are produced in-and-around Elkhart.  Our own Damon Challenger motor home came from Elkhart.  We enjoyed our visit to the museum to see the beginnings of the RV industry and its display of "rigs" from the 20's and 30's.   

OK, that's it for now...off to Niagara Falls in the morning.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

St. Louis

Hi.

We have made it to St. Louis and today we spent the day visiting the Gateway Arch.  We started with a quick 5-minute (but very exciting) helicopter ride to view the arch and the surrounding area.  It was our first time in a helicopter and it was over toooo quickly.  The ride and the view were both spectacular.

We then visited the Arch and I took a couple of photos...OK, a couple hundred photos.  Yes, I did delete a bunch of them once we got back to the motor home.  And I am only "forcing" you to view six of them ;-).  

The ride to the top of the arch was in what they call a "capsule".  It seats five people (barely) and there are eight capsules in the "train".  Once the capsules were loaded, we took the four-minute ride inside the arch to the top.  You cannot be claustrophobic to take this trip!

There are several sets of rectangular windows on each side of the arch.  One side overlooks the Mississippi River, and the other side provides a view of downtown St. Louis...from 630 feet above the landscape.

Sandi and I both agree that the Gateway Arch is one of the best national monuments we have ever visited.  

That's all for now...off to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and eastward starting tomorrow.  

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Friday, September 3, 2010

Graceland

Hi.

On Thursday we drove into Memphis and went to Elvis' home, Graceland.  We really enjoyed visiting Graceland and seeing the first floor of his home (the 2nd-floor is kept private) and the other buildings on site.  Two surprising things...the home is, generally speaking, somewhat small.  We expected it to be much larger, considering Elvis' status as the "king".  More surprising was how close the home is to a major 4-lane roadway with non-stop traffic.  You could literally stand on the sidewalk outside the short rock-wall fence (and next to the traffic) and see the front door.  Makes you think Elvis really was a "down-home boy".  

We are resting (mostly) for a few days before heading for St. Louis on Monday.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Moving On...

Hi.

Well, we finally moved on from Branson, Missouri after a great week of fun.   But we didn't exactly rest as much as we thought we would...there was too much to do!  We will definitely visit Branson again some day.

Since we traveled to Branson, we decided to hit a couple more states in the area, like Tennessee and Kentucky;  and then head North to Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, etc., enroute to Maine.  Tomorrow we plan to visit Memphis, and Graceland, as we are only about 15 miles from the home of Elvis!  

We are currently parked at a campground in West Memphis (Arkansas).  It is situated along the Mississippi River, with Tennessee on the other side of the river.  (To paraphrase a famous politician, "I can see Tennessee from my house.") 

The view is beautiful and we have decided to stay in this campgound until Monday (through the Labor Day holiday), as finding another campground along the way might be difficult this weekend.  So, we will "force" ourselves to rest along the Mighty Mississippi for a few days.

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Zipline! (Branson...Part 3)

Hi.

On Monday, Sandi and I rode the Branson Zip Line in the Wolfe Creek Preserve just a few miles north of Branson.  Yippee!  It was great fun as we rode four different zip lines through the beautiful wooded area.  It wasn't nearly as scary as I (Don) thought it would be...after the first step, you just "fly" through the trees.  I kept spinning 180 degrees and so most of the time I was flying backwards through the trees :-).   Sandi had no problems with spinning or with the height issues.  But we both agreed that walking on the suspension bridges to the first launch point was a little unsettling.   Good thing we are young and tough!

On Tuesday afternoon we will go to see the play, "Noah, The Musical"; and then tomorrow we pack-up and head for Memphis, and then St. Louis.

Bye for now.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Branson...part 2

Hi.

On Sunday afternoon we spent a very nice three hours on the "Showboat Branson Belle" as its two red paddle-wheels slowly churned through the waters of Table Top Lake.  We had big band entertainment, dinner, a variety show with singing and comedy, and we also strolled along the four decks of the "Belle".   The weather cooperated and it was a wonderful Sunday afternoon adventure.

Zip line on Monday!  (I am not afraid...I am not afraid...I am....)

Bye for now,
Don & Sandi

Branson, MO...Part 1

Hi.

Bad news?  Driving into our Branson campground we had a rear tire blow-out on the motorhome.  Good news?  We were only going about 25 mph at the time; but it was a rather loud "ka-boom".   The spare tire has been installed and we are good-to-go...but we have a couple more days to "rest" in Branson.

On Friday night we watched the "New Shanghai Circus", featuring Chinese acrobats.  It was very entertaining and amazing to watch their feats of balance and their ability to fly through the air.

On Saturday we took a road-trip in the car to Garland, Oklahoma.  My mother was born in Garland (and her maiden name is Garland...her mother's maiden name was Rainwater).  This area of Oklahoma is Choctaw country.  Back in the late 1800's a distant relative by the name of Joseph Garland was the Chief Justice of the Choctaw Nation, after the Choctaws had been moved (relocated) to Oklahoma from Mississippi.   We visited the Garland Cemetery (since the town has sort of disappeared) and found quite a few headstones with "Garland" or "Rainwater" engraved on the tombstones.  It was both interesting and sobering.  This cemetery was originally established for Choctaws only, but was eventually opened to all folks.

On Sunday we head for a dinner cruise on the Branson Showboat (paddleboat) on the lake.  Should be fun.

Don & Sandi

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Update...where are we?

Hi.

We have done a lot of driving over the past couple of days...from Rapid City to Minneapolis to Kansas City to Branson, Missouri.   We are ready to rest for a few days and catch some of the shows in Branson...lots to choose from!   Our plan is also to consider doing a "zipline" here in the Ozarks just outside of Branson.  While wearing a harness, you "fly" through the trees on a zipline (wire cable).   Stay tuned on that one?!

While in Minnesota, we stopped by the "Mall of America"...biggest mall in USA (and world I think).   It was a bit overwhelming, especially with its 7-acre theme park in the middle of the 4-floor mall.  Gave me a headache :-).

So far we have traveled over 3,000 miles and hit 13 states...we are making progress (and having fun too).

More info to follow soon.
Don & Sandi

Sunday, August 22, 2010

South Dakota's Badlands

Hi.

Last night we re-visited Mt. Rushmore to see the "lighting ceremony".  It was a very moving experience.

Today we drove out to see the badlands of South Dakota at the Badlands National Park near Wall, S.D.  The badlands are often described as a "moonscape".  We would definitely agree.  As you drive along, you see rolling hills...and then we turned a corner and the landscape changed dramatically to sharp, pointed, jagged peaks.

Most of the badlands have a tan-and-pink coloration.   But there is a section that has a tan, red, pink, yellow combination of colors that is absolutely beautiful....never seen anything like it.   The photos do not do justice to the landscape, but we try ;-).

We also visited the largest drug store in the world in Wall, SD....yes, Wall Drugs.   It was fun to walk through the shops...except it was about 103 degrees.   Getting back into the air-conditioned car was fun too!

Tomorrow we leave South Dakota and head for Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri...

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Mt. Rushmore...and more!

Hi.

When we told friends and colleagues (and even strangers) about our retirement road-trip in our motor home, we were often asked, "So, where will you start?".   We answered, "Disneyland with family, and then head towards Mt. Rushmore, then east to Maine."   Well, we made it to Mt. Rushmore on Friday!   Yeah!

The Mt. Rushmore National Monument is a very impressive site.   The access to view the monument is one of the best we have ever experienced.  Viewing the four presidents almost takes your breath away.  The "sculptures" are spectacular to behold...the detail, the size, the environment of the Black Hills...a "gotta-see" place.  Add it to your bucket list!

From Mt. Rushmore, we headed 11 miles down the road to the "Crazy Horse Memorial" that is still being carved.  The memorial honors North American Native Americans, and Lakota hero "Crazy Horse".  After decades of work, the face of Crazy Horse is complete.   Decades to go...but just as with Mt. Rushmore, what amazing skill it has taken to design, calculate, and sculpt on such a grand yet detailed scale.

We ended our day by driving through the scenic byway of South Dakota's "Custer State Park".  As we drove through the park, we saw prairie dogs, "antelope" (pronghorns), donkeys...and BUFFALO!   They are big and beautiful!   Vehicles had to stop while the herd crossed the road.  One of the male buffalos charged head-down at a motorcyclist who drove too close to the herd, but stopped about two feet short of butting him...thank goodness!

That's all the news for now...take care.

Don & Sandi

Friday, August 20, 2010

North Dakota

Hello,

On Thursday, we had to spend some time getting the roof-top air conditioner fixed on the motor home.  We then moved into our campsite in the Rapid City, South Dakota area, where we will be for the next three or four days.  After nearly seven weeks in the motor home, we both had the "spring cleaning" urge and so we spent a couple of hours freshening-up the interior of the motorhome from front-to-back and top-to-bottom.

At about 3pm, on a bit of a whim, we decided to have dinner in North Dakota.  We looked at the map and started our 3-hour drive to Bowman, ND.  Once we got into town, we had to find a place to eat...not as easy as we thought.   We had a choice of the "deli" at the gas station...or "Wendy's Pizza & Sandwiches Family Restaurant".  We choose the latter.   We had a very nice dinner and headed back to Rapid City...got back to the motor home about 10:15pm.   This big road-trip is about seeing the USA and lots of national monuments and cities.  But it really is about "making memories".   And the 7-hour dinner drive to Bowman will be a simple, but special, memory of this trip.

Take care,
Don & Sandi  
 

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Devils Tower

Hi.

We visited Devils Tower in northeast Wyoming this morning and took a 1.5 mile hike around its base.  What an impressive geological formation.   More simply...wow!   It rises 867 feet from its base and it is about the size of a football field on top.   The vertical rock columns are simply amazing to gaze at from afar, but especially up-close.

We are now in South Dakota and will visit Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Black Hills, and probably more...there is a LOT to see in this area.

Bye for now,
Don & Sandi  

Monday, August 16, 2010

Flaming Gorge National Rec Area

Hi.

We made it to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area today, a site we had wanted to visit for years, but it was always too far out of the way.  Yeah!   It was a tough drive...one road sign said, "Next 4 Miles -  10 switchbacks and 5% to 8% upward grade".   That was a rather slow drive for us!

The Flaming Gorge Red Canyon overlook provided an awesome view of the Green River flowing through the red, brown, and green-colored canyon walls (cliffs)...a few photos are attached.   We are glad we made the "out-of-the-way" drive.   We are now in Wyoming enroute to South Dakota.

Later!
Don & Sandi

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Dinosaurs?

Hi All,

We are in Vernal, Utah (upper-right corner of Utah) and today we visited the National Dinosaur Monument.  Unfortunately, the "quarry building" is currently undergoing a renovation (since 2006) and will reopen in Fall, 2011.  I guess we'll have to come back.   See the photo at the right to see the closest thing to dinosaurs that we came across in our travels today.  We ventured into the Colorado section of "Dinosaurland" and took a somewhat strenuous 2-mile roundtrip hike (at an elevation of 7,500 feet) to a beautiful viewpoint called "Harper's Corner"....spectacular scenery.  We were a bit winded when we finally made it back to the car...but the hike was well worth the effort.   And all that exercise allowed us to eat dessert this evening!

Take care.
Don & Sandi

Friday, August 13, 2010

Utah

Howdy!

We spent a couple of quick days in Las Vegas, including one day getting some pre-planned work done on the motor home, such as having a BIG mud-flap installed so that our towed Saturn doesn't get dinged-to-death over the next 10,000 miles.   In Vegas we visited the top of the Stratosphere resort (over 100 stories above the ground).   It was quite a view (although I had to fight my fear of heights to slowly work my way over to the edge of the railing).   I love flying, but I don't do well with heights (buildings, cliffs, etc.).   Sandi just quietly and lovingly laughs at me.

We have moved on to Utah, enroute to the Flaming Gorge National Park and Devil's Tower...then to Mt. Rushmore from there.

Bye for now,
Don & Sandi

Monday, August 9, 2010

Disneyland!

We did it...we survived Disneyland, California Adventure, and Knott's Berry Farm over the past few days.  Our heads (and stomachs) are still spinning a bit from the wild rides and lots of walking in the sunshine within each of the parks.  We had a ton of fun with our immediate family; and granddaughters Madison and Felicia had a wonderful time for their first "grown-up" visit to Disneyland.   We hit most of the major rides, and we all agreed that the "Hollywood Tower Hotel" ride (tower of terror) was the scariest ride of all.  And I sat behind 3 Logan graduates during that ride...I tried not to scream too loudly.

The family members have now all flown home.   Don and Sandi will hit the road (starting tomorrow Tuesday, August 10th) for our 100-day trip throughout the USA.  We are very excited about beginning the big road-trip.  Ya-hoo!  (But we miss family already ;-).

Don & Sandi

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Felicia

Hi.  As some of you know, our granddaughter Felicia and her mom were in a serious car accident on Wednesday, July 28th, in San Andreas involving a DUI driver in the other vehicle; sadly with two fatalities in his car.  Felicia's original diagnosis had some serious aspects to it and she was airlifted from the accident site to a hospital in Modesto; and then airlifted from there to ICU at Children's Hospital in Oakland.   We quickly drove to Oakland from Southern Calif.   Felicia is good!  After four days at Children's she was released.  She is sore and has a bum (deeply bruised) left knee, but she is becoming very agile with the crutches.  Everything else turned out to be OK.  Felicia's mom is also OK (broken thumb).  Miraculous.

It was decided that Sandi and I should bring Felicia back to our motor home and let her rest-up with us.  We will be doing our Disneyland family get-together starting Thursday and Felicia will have a great time...as will all seven of us.  She will not be able to go on all of the rides, but we will have a blast I'm sure.   We are truly fortunate and blessed.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
Don & Sandi

Monday, July 26, 2010

Fighter Pilot Donaldo!

Hi.  As many of you know, one of the most exciting (and perfect) retirement gifts I received from wonderful NHUSD friends and colleagues (and you know who you are!), was a flight in a military trainer with simulated aerial dogfights at approximately 5,000 feet in the sky through Air Combat USA.  Well, today was the day I had the experience of a lifetime flying out of Fullerton airport in Southern California.  On a previous blog entry about a week ago, I had stated that our ride on the waver runners on San Luis bay was a 9.5 out of 10.  I must amend that comment ;-).   I have to move that experience to being a 6 out of 10...and today's aerial dogfight experience to being an 11 out of 10.  Wow!

I had a 1-hour briefing with the instructor pilot; then donned the flight suit, life-vest, and the parachute.  Yup.  FAA requirements for this type of flight require the wearing of a parachute.  The instruction I received today regarding the chute, if we had to use it,  was, "Get out of your seat harness, stand on your seat, and dive head-first past the trailing edge of the wing.  If you survive that, pull the d-ring to open your chute."   Hmmm.

Then came the actual flight (with the instructor of course).  We went up through the clouds as it was overcast and then did some training maneuvers and then engaged in five simulated aerial dogfights.  I am struggling to find the words to describe today's experience.  I have a private pilot's license and so I have been in "small airplanes" many times over the years.  This was beyond anything I could have imagined.

 Let me briefly describe one dogfight.  (Note: The dogfights are certainly mostly scripted, but do have their own twists-and-turns.)   The dogfight began by us heading towards each other at a closing rate of approximately 400 miles per hour (200 mph in each aircraft).  Once we passed each other at about 300 feet apart, we went after the "bogey" by climbing straight-up; then turned sharply left over the wing, dove down to come-up from behind the other plane by swooping down and back-up again to get his plane into my windshield target area.  Then I pulled the trigger and "electronically" caused smoke to come out of the back of his plane.  That was one fight...we had four more.  We pulled positive-G's and negative G's.  We were right-side up, upside-down, sideways, straight-up, and straight-down.  This was the wildest roller-coaster-in-the-air-at-a-mile-high ride I have EVER had.   I will never forget this once in a lifetime experience.   Thank you!

Donaldo

Monday, July 19, 2010

Don & Sandi --> Wave Runners!

Hi Everyone,
On our third day in San Luis Obispo, we decided to become "wave runners"!   We went on a 2.5 hour wave runner (jet ski) tour of the San Luis bay harbor.  It was very exciting...and frankly a little scary at times.  We have been on wave runners on lakes, but never in the bay or ocean.   When we rounded the protected rock strand that kept the waters a bit calmer, we found ourselves going through, and over, some fairly challenging swells.   But it was a great adventure...a 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.   We even saw a few sea lions; and two otters laying on their backs just enjoying life....not dissimilar to us.

A couple of photos are attached.
Hope all is well.
Don & Sandi

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

San Luis Obispo

Hi.  We are on-the-road en-route to Disneyland via San Luis Obispo (SLO) and Santa Barbara.  We got lucky today and found the last campsite along the San Luis Harbor camping area, which is on the bay (see photo).   We are spending time reading, as we have no TV reception here.   And that's a good thing!

On day #2 in the SLO area,  we went to Hearst Castle for the first time.  "Amazing" is the only word that comes to mind.


Take care!
Don & Sandi

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Hi. My (our) first blog entry...yippee. This means our retirement has arrived! Sandi retired on June 18th and I retired on June 24th. Yoo-hoo!!! We are moving out and living in our motor home for the next few months. Our itinerary? Well, something like this:

-Two weeks in the Stockton area to do some family-related activities and camp with our daughter and granddaughter for a week.
-Leave for Disneyland by way of San Luis Obispo...a nice slow drive to L.A.
-Visit family and friends in LA and San Diego area
-Spend a week at Disneyland with our daughter Tara, granddaughter Madison, son Tim, daughter-in-law Chrissy, granddaughter Felicia, and Sandi and Don...and of course, Mickey!
-Then on about August 10th Sandi and Don then head for Mt. Rushmore and parts East.
-Travel the USA (about 40 states) over the next few months...back home by Thanksgiving.

Our posts to this blog will likely be somewhat infrequent over the next few weeks until we hit the "big trail" in August.

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