Excellent Adventure IV

Manassas, Virginia

2008-07-30T15:20:00.005-04:00

July 29, 2008

Today started at a leisurly pace. Last evening before dinner, I stowed all of the awnings on the Silver Lady and put away the outside chairs and table. This morning, I got up to make muffins to go with our tea and coffee. By the time that we actually started getting dressed, it was almost 9:00 am. Sue walked Pooh Bear while I started the project of checking fluids in the coach, hooking up the tow dolly and putting the bicycles on their racks. This was followed by the ususal flushing the black water tank and putting everything away for the trip home. While I was doing this, Sue cleaned the inside of the coach, stripped the bed and packed away all of the loose items that must be stored before we can travel.We both showered and changed clothes before heading out. After we were off site, I loaded the Chrysler on the tow dolly. washed up and we finally headed away from Ocean Waves Campground with mixed feelings about 11:40 am. Before we departed, we obtained the reservation forms for next year's visit.

We stopped for fresh vegetables at one of the roadside stands along Route 168 north of Nags Head and then stopped at Pierce's Barbeque in Williamsburg. Pierce's is a place we visit on every possible occasion. It is by far the best barbeque we have ever had. In addition to a very satisfying meal, several pints of meat and a bottle of Pierce's sauce made their way into the Silver Lady for the trip home. Our last stop on this trip was for fuel just north of Kings Dominion above Richmond. Overall, it was a pleasant trip. The front A/C that failed in Colorado was still not working and the front of the coach became somewhat uncomfortable during the trip. I looked over at one point and Pooh Bear was sleeping near the door, with his face smashed up against one of the air vents to benefit from the fresh air. Although we had the generator running, in hind site, I think that none of the rooftop air conditioners were running and we were relying on the dash A/C. The fan on the top of the windshield on Sue's side quit. I sure wish that I had Uncle Bud's knowledge as I need to get that repaired before our next trip. We also discovered that there was water dripping from one of the light fixtures near the refrigerator. I think, for some reason the drain tube fore the middle rooftop A/C has gotten plugged and that this was a condensation overflow. In any event, I will have all three rooftop A/C's serviced before our next trip.

We arrived home in Manassas about 6:30 this evening. It was good to be home. It was great to see the house and everything that is familiar, but at the same time, we have had such a wonderful time on this trip that it was sad to see it coming to a conclusion. Sue and I have been very blessed by our time together, by the adventures we have experienced and by the remoteness from issues we routinely face in Manassas.

During the day today, we reflected on what we had seen and what we had done. We decided that on the next trip, we will shorten each day's travel so as to give more time to treasure each day. We both clearly want to go back again to visit Durango, Colorado and Asheville, North Carolina. In the process of this, we began thinking about and discussing the next Excellent Adventure! I think that is a true reflection of the impact and enjoyment of this now completed Excellent Adventure IV as we look forward with anticipation to the next opportunity to explore this great country together. We travelled 5621 miles in the coach and probably another 400 to 500 miles in the Chrysler while we were gone. As a time together and an advneture, it was everything we had hoped for. Remembering that this trip was originally planned for 2007 and was postponed by my surgery, we counted ourselves blessed to do the entire trip in 2008. This was a special gift from God.

We reflected many times during the trip about the people who went across the country in the late 1800's and stood in awe of their courage and determination. For us, the Silver Lady was our "conestoga wagon" and the sites were our adventure. We are a very bless country and a blessed people. Sue and I count ourselves fortunate to be Americans and children of the God of the Universe.

Ocean Waves Campground (2)

2008-07-30T14:53:00.006-04:00

July 28, 2008

This final stop at Ocean Waves Campground was just what we needed. We have spent three more wonderful days walking the beach with Pooh Bear, taking much needed afternoon naps and long swims in the campground pool.

We have pushed our walks along the beach a bit father each day. When I recall that during last summer's visit, I had all I could do to walk to the water one time and stand their looking out, I realize how blessed I am. I am extremely thankful for opportunity to be here again and particularly for the rest.

Sunday, we walked with Pooh Bear to the local Dairy Queen where he had his own bowl of DQ ice cream. He make quick work of the bowl and looked longingly at Mom's cone. Afterward we walked over to Pamlico Sound and watched lots of people on their small surfboards attached to harnesses and large kites. These kites pulled the riders at trememdous speends across the water. Sue and I were amazed. Years ago, I brought my sunfish sailboat to this very site and sailed across the Sound for hours at a time. Those were great memories.

We were up early on Monday morning as Sue had an appointment for a massage in Avon about 20 miles south of Waves. This was a Birthday present from Brent and Jen and much appreciated. While Sue was being papered, I visited an Ace Hardware store, a bike shop and finally the local Food Lion. Sue certainly had the better task but we both had fun. Afterwards, we had lunch at Bubba's Barbeque in Avon and then headed back to Ocean Waves.

We then headed for the Chicacomico Life Saving Station in Rodanthe just up the road from the campground. This is a place we have visited often and supported the restoration with some small gifts. We had not been for a visit to the station in probably five years. There were many new things to see. For the first time, we were able to visit the second floor of the Keepers House and to actually go up into the top most turrent. We were told that during World War II this station was manned by 42 people in a location actually intended for about 8 men. There is a tremendous history to this particular station and to the Lifesaving Service (predecesor to the US Coast Guard in this part of the Country). If you ever haver an opportunity to see this Station or to learn of the sacrifice of the men who labored there, I highly recommend it.

After this very inspiring visit, we headed again for the fish market to purchase red snapper which we relished for dinner. Sue finished reading Clarence Thomas' book and started onto another. I picked the book up and am truly enjoying it. This is a personal memoir written by him about his life up to the time that he was confirmed for his seat on the US Supreme Court. It is fascinating walking with him through the struggles in his life in search of himself and his world view. I have a new appreciation for Mr. Justice Thomas.

Ocean Waves Campground

2008-07-25T22:04:00.002-04:00

July 25, 2008

Its Friday night and impossible to believe that we have been here for three full days. This place, the beach and the ocean bring such refreshment to our bodies and our spirits.

Wednesday, we slept in. After getting up, we took our coffee and tea outside to relax. Pooh Bear was with us and right beside me. Sue and I were talking and suddenly, we heard a commotion at the adjacent campsite. Pooh Bear had wandered next door and created quite a ruckus with a cat that was on a leash outside. I got him back with us and tied up when the neighboring camper came over very upset. His hands were bleeding apparently from trying to hold his cat. We got a stiff lecture about obeying the "rules" and apologized profusely. As you might imagine, Pooh Bear has been on a tight leash ever since. In the afternoon we went swimming in the pool and rode our bicycles around the neighboring areas of Waves and Rodanthe for several hours. We toured the nearby KOA Campground as well as a private campground called Camp Hatteras. The latter has much bigger sites and seems well laid out. We were both worn out when we got back and it was nap time.

Thursday, we awakened to rain. It rained off and on for a good deal of the day but we were able to sneak in a long walk on the beach with Pooh Bear and a swim in the pool. During the walk we watched a guy on a surf board being pulled along by a huge kite. The kite supplies all of the force and he is somehow able to control his speed and directions with his board and a harness that attaches to the kite. Its amazing to watch. The principles must be a lot like sailing, but the body strength and control required defy explanation. In the late afternoon we headed for one of the local seafood stores and puchased red snapper, vegetables and some fruit. I pan friend the red snapper with red peppers and onions in a butter and lemon juice sauce. We made caesar salad to go with the snapper and feasted like kings.

Today, I made cranberry orange miffins and we slowly emerged from the coach to face the day. Sue has started reading the recent book by Justice Clarence Thomas and I am reading the first of Joel Osteen's books. We headed for the ocean again and a long walk along the beach with Pooh Bear. The surf was really rough today. We watched several guys in a sea kayak going in and out of the surf and running with the waves. It certainly looks like something that would be fun, but not in today's surf. After the walk, we settled down under the Silver Lady's main awning with Pooh Bear and read for more than an hour. Later, we headed for the swimming pool and got some more exercise. Sue and I are both doing a lot of stretching in the pool as well as swimming laps. We are certainly getting more exercise on this part of the trip, but I'm not sure that our culinary delights are not offsetting the benefits of the exercise.

After the pool, we found our way for a late afternoon nap. I think we slept for more than two hours. I was awakened by a knock on the door of the camper. By the time I got to the door, I saw the campground owner driving away from our unit. She had left us a reminder about obeying the rules for dogs to be on a leash. Apparently our neighbor had lodged a complaint about the incident two days ago. In any event, Sue, Pooh Bear and I sat outside, talked, read and relaxed until almost dark. The neighbor headed out and later came back and actually smiled at us and I responded in kind. This little tift has created a stess none of us needed.

We took the ipod docking station outside under the canopy and were able to listen to "Beach Boys" music as the day faded. Life is tough. We are both really relaxing. The trip across the country and all of the driving was wonderful but this part of the trip with nothing to do and no where to go is much needed. Thank you, Lord.

Waves, North Carolina

2008-07-22T22:54:00.002-04:00

July 22, 2008

Sue and I were up early this morning beginning our preparations for the day's travel. As I was packing chairs away, a gentleman came up and asked questions about the tow dolly. I was pleased to assist in his research. We checked the anitfreeze and oil in the Silver Lady and both were fine. She is still leaking oil and blowing some of that leaked oil from underneath all over the tow dolly and the car. My efforts as diesel mechanic the other day seem to have slowed the leak a little and the coating on the car and the dolly are not as bad as they were before I worked under the chasis.

We headed east on I-40 from the Asheville Campground a little after 11:00 am. As the day moved along and we travelled further east, outside temperatures climbed. With the front A/C not working we were both a little uncomfortable. We stopped just west of Durham, NC for fuel and a sandwich and pressed on into the coastal plain of North Carolina. We finally arrived in the Outer Banks about 7:30 pm and then headed south to Waves. We arrived at Ocean Waves Campground a little after 8:00 pm to greet our friends and long time hosts Clyde and Carolyn. It was good to be in familiar territory.

After dropping the car, we headed for our campsite. To my chagrin, I could not get the hitch lock on the tow dolly to work. Several other campers came along and helped me finish dropping the tow dolly and storing it at the back of the campsite. After that, I was able to back the Silver Lady into her site and complete setting her up. Sue and I have become experienced at this and everything went smoothly.

It was so very good to withdraw inside, sip a drink, listen to smooth music and relax. I said to Sue that I was looking forward to just doing nothing tomorrow. I can get up when I want, nap when I want, swim when I want but there is no adgenda. For the last 25 days we have been more or less on a schedule to be somewhere, see something or get on the road. Sue's plan for this break at the end of our trip was wonderful and much needed.

Asheville, North Carolina (2)

2008-07-21T21:50:00.006-04:00

July 21, 2008

We have had two wonderful days in Asheville. Sunday morning, we got up, walked Pooh Bear and dressed for church. We attended Mountain View Baptist Church in Black Mountain, with our friends Bob and Susan Lueck. We first met Bob and Susan on our honeymoon in Cayman Brac and have become friends. They are wonderful Christians and we have had the privilege of fellowshipping with them in the Brac and now here in Asheville. We have been listening to Scott Leib's sermons on the trip but it was good to actually be in church. After service we went out to brunch and then back to Bob and Susan's to visit for an afternoon of fellowship and catching up with each other. They took us back to pick up our car as they were teaching a class at church at 5:15 pm.

After a nap and a swim, we headed out to find some barbeque. We never found any, but found a great greek and italian restaurant where we had a wonderful dinner on the veranda. Sue had grouper and I had a pasta dish with capers, shrimp. scallops, mussels and mahi mahi. It was a very romantic setting and a great meal.

On Monday morning, we walked Pooh Bear, went for a swim and headed off to the Biltmore Estate for the day. What an amazing experience. This "house", the largest private home in America, was built in the late 1800's by George W. Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbuilt. It took over six years to build the house and to landscape the grounds. The Estate today is still over 8000acres. George W. Vanderbilt was a bachelor when the house was built. He later married and brought his bride to Biltmore. They lived there, a daughter was born to them at Biltmore and they lived together until George died. The house was first opened to the public in 1930 and remains open today. The property is a working farm as well as a tourist resort. Our tour of the house lasted almost four hours. We went on a self directed tour with an audio guide to about 40 rooms in the house. The self-guided tour allowed us to take as much time as we wanted at each location. I think there a a total of 225 rooms, but we saw only a small portion. Even with that, the house was absolutely overwhelming. Built into the house was electricity, a pipe organ, many, many working bathrooms with toilets and bathtubs, refrigerators, a complete lanudry facility, a two lane bowling alley and a heated indoor swimming pool with a ceramic tile ceiling and underwater illumination.

Afterward, we had a late lunch in the stables which were also finished in ceramic tile. Many of the booths were actually stalls for the horses, complete with feed troughs. It was a very delightful experience. We did some shopping and then headed out to see the gardens. We soon realized that the gardens were everybit as awesome as the house. There is so much to see here that we will need to come back again.

We returned to the Silver Lady exhausted and took a desperately needed nap. After the nap, we walked Pooh Bear, watched a movie and prepared for tomorrow's trip to the Outer Banks. The campground here in Asheville was really great. It lies beside a stream and around a large fishing pond. Mountains surround the area. It is a truly beautiful area we are anxious to visit again.

Asheville, North Carolina

2008-07-19T22:45:00.002-04:00

July 19, 2008

This morning started early with concerns about the Silver Lady and her oil leak. Sue walked Pooh Bear while I crawled under the rear of the coach trying to isolate the leak. We have gone through at least two quarts of oil, mixed with the normal road dirt. The bikes, the tow dolly and the car were really a mess. I was able to isolate the area of the leak. I tried to use the tools I had with me to tighten anything and everything I could see. As you might expect, I had some tools, but not what I really needed. First I needed a set of 1/2 drive metric sockets which I did not have. I tried to make do with 3/8 s but didn't have a long handle ratchet so had a very hard time on my back trying to get any pressure. I did find several things that I could get some pressure on that were a little loose. I got back up from the job, not really sure if I had made any difference.

While all of this was going on, Sue and Pooh Bear returned, with a neighbor in tow. They struck up a conversation and soon the Husband joined us with his limited set of tools. They were from British Columbia and were taking 3 months to tour parts of the US. What wonderful people. The guys talked RV's while the gals talked about sites they had seen and still wanted to see. Their companionship took our minds and hearts off the difficulties we have recently experienced and gave a good start to the day. After they left, we backed up, broke camp and headed for a fuel stop before getting on the road.

Today was a 550 mile day the highlight of which was a stop at a rest stop where Sue made a picnic lunch for us. We took the lunch and our drinks and headed outside under some large oak trees and rested in the shade as we ate. This rest stop was just east of Nashville. We both have expressed a desire to come back to Nashville. We also didn't get to see any of Memphis so truly feel that Tennessee is a state we want to see again.

We stopped for fuel in Knoxville and continued on into North Carolina toward Asheville. We passed within less than 2 miles of the first campground on this trip in Newport, Tennessee. I-40 east of Newport and on into Asheville is very windy. I was pushing very hard driving this portion of the trip at the end of the day and our guardian angels were working overtime. We pulled into the KOA East Campground in Asheville just after 9:00 pm. They were still open and very graciously received us. KOA's give great personal service and for that we are very pleased. In this situation, we were taken to our site by a staff member in a golf cart who led us right to the site and helped with my layout on the site before he left us. This is a campground that we stayed at last year and I sure didn't want to find my way around with the Silver Lady after dark alone. All was well. We got set up quickly and Sue cooked a wonderful dinner.

We touched base with our friends and will meet them at their church in the morning for services.

We have been on the road now for 22 days. There have been many, many life changing experiences. There have been many - let's do that again experiences. There have been lessons learned and things that have frustrated us. Today at the second fuel stop, A trucker said to me, "you really handle that rig like you know what you are doing." I was so blessed by his comments, it helped put the last couple of days in perspective. Sue and I have become seasoned in all of this. Yes there are things we can and will do differently next time, but there will be a next time. We have learned so much and much of the operational things are becoming almost second nature.

I have truly treasured this time with Sue and the sharing that we have done, experientially, emotionally and spiritually.

West Memphis, Arkansas

2008-07-18T22:15:00.005-04:00

July 18, 2008

About 3:30 pm this afternoon we finally arrived at the Tom Sawyer RV Resort on the banks of the Mississippi River in West Memphis, Arkansas. We were about 24 hours late in arriving.

We left the KOA just east of Oklahoma City yesterday morning about 10:00 am headed for West Memphis. Less than 20 minutes into the trip, a man passed me on Interstate 40 and frantically waved me over. I pulled off in a wide area just past an on ramp and just before some road construction. He told me that one of the wheel bearings on the tow dolly was smoking and about to seize. Checking, I found that he was absolutely correct. We had lost the wheel bearing grease cover and all of the grease on that wheel bearing had come out. We were most grateful that he recognized the problem and that he cared enough to stop us before the wheel had seized up completely. As it turned out, he was our first ministering angel of the day.

Sue, Pooh Bear and I ran across both lanes of the Interstate with cars and trucks rushing past us at 70 mph and headed for a gas station we could see about a mile away. There was no road service there but they gave us the name of someone to call. Call we did and we were told that they were too busy to help us but referred us to someone else, Billy. I spoke with Billy and he told me that he would be able to come help us but it would likely be at least 2 hours. I said OK and we started waiting. In the process, we called AAA and ultimately were told that the tow dolly was not covered by their services to us. We started to head back to the coach when one of the female employees came out to admire Pooh Bear. When she realized that we were going to head back across the Interstate, she became our second ministering angel and drove us back to the Silver Lady.

After waiting for Billy for about an hour and one half, he called to tell us that he had gotten tied up on another job and he would not be able to get to us. He suggested someone else who when I contacted him, he was also tied up and not able to get to us today. I called Billy back and he recommended another service company. I called them and they said they would come but it would be at least another hour and one half before they would get to us. Billy, again a ministering angel called back several times to check on us. We waited. Finally two trucks and two guys arrived. They looked at the wheel and concluded what I had already told them, we needed new wheel bearings. They took everything apart and headed out to get parts. Another wait. When they returned, they started to make the repairs. They ended up having to buy a while new drum assembly with the bearings already in place. Actually, they bought two for the price of one and we now have a spare for which I was very grateful.

Everyone in this neck of the woods speaks only in terms of cash. We shelled out almost $400.00 for the road service and parts and were extremely grateful. While I was settling up with the man he said to me that he thought we needed two new tires on the tow dolly. He was sure that we would not make it back to Virginia and felt sure that we would not make it out of Oklahoma without a tire failure. With my OK, he tracked down a tire shop in the next town. These two ministering angels lead us to first an ATM to get more cash and then to the tire shop. We were extremely grateful. The guy in the tire shop stayed open and waited for us. He had what we needed and promptly put them on. You guessed it, cash, another $140.00. He was a ministering angel. At 6:30 pm yesterday evening, we finally headed east again on I-40. About an hour later we stopped for fuel and dinner. Both of us needed out of the unit at that point so we sat down and had dinner at a truck stop.

We learned many great lessons today. We had water on board and the generator produced electricity to run the A/C's that allowed us to survive in the stiffling outside heat for almost 5 hours. We also learned that on this type of trip, we need to carry more spare parts. We learned as well that our God takes care of all of the details.

Sue suggested mid-afternoon that we contact the KOA in Little Rock and make that our goal for the night. We arrived at the Little Rock KOA at about 12:30 am, 14+ hours after leaving Oklahoma City.

This morning, we took our time, went for a long swim and finally headed for West Memphis about 12:30 pm. We had an uneventful trip with a Wal-Mart shopping trip along the way. Driving the motor home on the Interstates is relatively easy. When you need to get off and find your way around town or get to a campground, that can be a little more frustrating. We finally found the Tom Sawyer RV resort and checked in. It was everything they had advertised - right on the banks of the Mississippi River. We have a wonderful site with a great view.

After "lunch" at 5:00 pm, we walked Pooh Bear along the River. A nap was the next order of the day followed by washing the car, the bikes, the tow dolly and the back of the Silver Lady. The Lady has developed an oil leak and she is spitting oil all over her rear end, the bikes, the tow dolly and my car. We spent almost two hours working on this, fully realizing that they will all get very dirty and oily on the trip tomorrow. Sue was wisely concerned about the car and the effect of all of this oil on the finish long term. We were so exhausted when we finished that a trip out for Memphis Barbeque at the "Rendezvous" will have to wait for another trip.

Tomorrow we are off to Asheville, North Carolina to see some friends who own a home two doors from our house on Cayman Brac. They are great Christians and we have learned so much from them. With each passing experience, we learn more about the details of operating a vehicle like the Silver Lady and all of the things that you need to check daily. God has covered us at each step, mostly in spite of my efforts. The situation yesterday could have been very destructive. God took care of us. Praise His Name.

Oklahoma City

2008-07-16T23:57:00.008-04:00

July 16, 2008

Today, with a wistful glance, we headed out of Durango, Colorado heading southeast towards I-40. The trip today was about 560 miles and we were exhausted at the end. We found the KOA with no difficulty, got checked in and set up the coach. Afterwards, we headed for the swimming pool for almost an hour.

The owner uses saltwater in his pool. There was no chlorine taste or smell. We both felt very refreshed when we got out and rejeuvenated. I'm going to have to check on this to see if we could do this with the hot tub and what's involved.

We have praised the Lord very day for a safe trip, but today we have a special reason to praise Him. Just west of Oklahoma City, after driving about 8 and 1/2 hours, I saw an orange pickup truck run off the road coming in the opposite direction. He was running through the grassy median and headed right for us. As if in slow motion, I watched him fight for contol of the truck and to try to keep from coming back on the road in our lane. It was only the Lord that steered the truck along the grass and past us as I continued forward. I looked in my mirrors immediatly after and saw one vehicle in the grassy median and a large cloud of dust on the right side of the road in a gully. I can only assume that he came across our lane right behind us and went on across our lane into the gulley. None of this was in my hands, nor could I have done anything to prevent an accident. We are so very blessed and thankful to our God.

When we went online this evening, we had a second blessing for the day. One of the men who had gone on the white water rafting trip with us, Mark Lewis, sent us an Email and shared a number of pictures he took on the trip. We have downloaded several to include with today's Blog. We have sent Mark an Email thanking him and asking for other of the pictures as he is willing to share.

Tomorrow we head for West Memphis, Arkansas. Our trip is all east at this point and it feels as if we are heading back to Manassas. Several times today, I had to remind myself that we still have almost 2 weeks of this Excellent Adventure ahead of us.

Since Excellent Adventure III was given a nickname, The Recovery Tour, we have decided that this trip also needs a nickname. We have called this our Rocks, Rapids and Railroad Tour.

Sante Fe, New Mexico

2008-07-15T23:28:00.005-04:00

July 15, 2008

Monday, we elected to take the day off and deviate from our planned visit to Mesa Verde National Park. Sue and I were both weary and I had been given the name of an RV repairman. I spoke with him on Monday morning and he indicated that he would come out to see if he could help us in the early afternoon. During the morning, after walking Pooh Bear and having breakfast, I worked on some law office matters. The repairman arrived shortly after 1:00 pm. His tests indicated that all of the electronics on the A/C were working properly. He guessed that either the compressor is gone, a valve is stuck or all of the freon had leaked out and that he could not fix it. He recommended a heating and air conditioning man who we were never able to contact.

After the repairman departed, we headed for Durango, wandering in and out of many stores. It is a wonderful town, one we both hope to visit again.

This morning we were up somewhat early and walked Pooh Bear. After that we began out preparations to get underway for Sante Fe. We departed Durango about 10:30 am. We had a delighful trip through northwestern New Mexico. It is a fascinating landscape with many open miles of land. From time to time broad mesas rise around you. We saw some magnificant red rock formations as we drove. I was following my GPS and Sue was using the Mapquest directions. Both failed us and we got lost trying to find the campground. We wandered around and finally found some directions from the campground's website which we used to actully find the campground. We ended up with a great site on a hilltop overlooking Sante Fe pictured above.

Sue made a quick lunch and we headed off to visit Sante Fe. The town was not at all what we had expected. Sue and I wandered in an out of many stores and shops. Sue bought for herself a beautiful turquoise belt buckle from an upscale store. There were many street vendors and losts of lower cost shops but none compared to the shop of Sue's purchase. Afterward, we stopped in a small restaurant for chips and dip and a beverage. We then headed off to the main square of town for an outdoor music concert.

Returning to the Silver Lady, Sue headed for the laundry and I started doing my exercises. We saw a thunderstorm move into the area. During the storm, we were treated to an incredible light show across the valley. It was still raining long after we went to bed.

While on the Durango to Silverton Railroad, we had purchased a Guidebook and a DVD about the railroad, restoring an old steam engine and a similar railroad in Western North Carolina. Tonight, we watched the entire DVD. We were also blessed to see several of Brent's comments, particularly the one about the Anemas River and taking a seat on the railroad beside us. Nothing would give us more joy than to do this portion of our trip again and be able to share it with family.

This trip has gone so very quickly and tomorrow we have a very long day traveling to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as we begin our journey back east. The Southwest is truly a wonderful part of our great country. The diversity of landscapes, the uniqueness of our history, the diversity of our people, yet we are joined together as Americans. We are a blessed nation. We have been given an awesome gift in this land. Thank you Father. In this time of election, uncertainty, economic instability may we all remember that all of this is in God's hands. God has begun a good work and he will complete it in His own ways for our good.

Durango to Silverton Railroad

2008-07-14T14:09:00.006-04:00

July 13, 2008

"Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller

Today, Sue and I made the long awaited trip on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We surely did not want to miss this life experience. We were up early, walked Pooh Bear and were on our way to the Railroad by about 8:10 am. We had been told that if you do not pick up your tickets by 8:30 am, they sell them to other people who are waiting. In any event, we were there on time and got our tickets and got aboard the train. We had the first two seats in the front of a Vintage restored enclosed car three from the back of the train.

The train started promptly at 9:00 am with the sound of its steam whistle and then a billow of black coal smoke as it started to move just as it has for 126 years. We will have the same ride, the same breathtaking views, and the same adventure as others have had for decades. We will experience Colorado at its best...wildlife, waterfalls, and majestic peaks all from the view of an 1880's passenger. What a thrill! There is no smell like the smell of burning coal. There is no sound quite like the shrill whistle of a steam engine. WHOOO-WHOOO... (not at all like the sound we were forced to make to order a drink on the train ride to the Grand Canyon). All of this brought back memories of my childhood in Erie, Pennsylvania in the early 1950’s. We lived relatively near a train repair facility (roundhouse) and heavily used Pennsylvania Lines tracks. I used to take my bike and ride up there and longingly watch the trains and the men working on them. Of course you all know of my fascination with my Lionel trains that Mom and Dad started for me around this same time. My Uncle Bud contributed to this as well, buying for me a large transformer. All of this set has been added to over the years and it still is all very much in operating condition. On occasion, it is set up around our Christmas tree. Sue continues to encourage me to make the train set a permanent display in the basement and add to it as a hobby.

We left Durango at an altitude of about 6,000 feet and headed up. The trip lasted a little over three hours, with several stops to drop off hikers, supplies to little towns accessible only by the railroad and to take on water for the steam engine. We passed through some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. The mountains, some of which were still snow capped, were spectacular. The entire trip we were running on a narrow gauge track (30 inches) and the ride was occassionally jerky at the track joints. When you stop to reflect on the work involved in building the road bed on the side of a mountain, it is no wonder that they used a narrow gauge. We were experiencing the same trip that the silver and gold miners and early settlers experienced.

The tracks run along the Animas River for the entire trip. At times we ran alongside the River. At other times we were very high above the River looking down into its gorge. We saw a number of white water rafters and passed an Adventure Lodge that can only be reached by the train or helicopter. Sue said that I spent much of the trip with my head hanging out the window and a huge childlike smile on my face. The years definitely fell away. When viewing the rapids on the river, we thought of Brent and his kayak adventures. He would have a blast on the Animas.

Arriving in Silverton, at over 11,000 feet (and sucking air) we took a step back in time again to the late 1880’s. The town is very well restored. Sue and I had lunch at Natalie’s 1912 Restaurant, which is located in a former bordello. That service is no longer provided, but the food is great. Since we had only a little more than two hours in Silverton, we explored a little of the town. Apparently there were 3 Hollywood westerns that were shot entirely in this little town, True Grit, Across the Wide Missouri, and Run for Cover. We wandered into a number of shops featuring Navaho pottery, jewelry and leather goods but did not purchase anything, except some ice cream for the return trip. The skies clouded over a little on the return trip and we were both very thankful we had brought along light jackets.

Coming back, we were in the same seats but going the other direction so we saw some different perspectives on the same trip. We watched the locomotive puff its way up mountains, and held our breath as we looked out the window at the extreme height and the pristine river gorge below. This was a dream come true...another check off on the Bucket List.

The true highlights of this Excellent Adventure IV have been standing under the crystal clear waterfalls in the Grand Canyon, sleeping under the amazing night sky from the Grand Canyon floor, singing to a bus load of strangers “How Great Thou Art” and now this thrilling train ride. The scenery of the trip and the childhood experience of the train will be a lifetime memory. I certainly hope that Sue and I will be able to do this trip again. I think the next time, I will book us a room in Silverton for the night and take the train back to Durango the next day for an expanded experience. Completing the trip in Durango, we saw a town that we would like to explore more. This is a four seasons resort area and we are blessed by the wonderfully cool weather.

Durango, Colorado

2008-07-11T23:54:00.004-04:00

July 12, 2008

On the road again, just can't wait to be on the road again....this morning, we walked Pooh Bear, took a couple more pictures of the campground and began to pack up for the trip. All went well with the teardown and after loading the car and showers, we headed out. Getting out of the Campground proved to be interesting as we needed to make a turn that was too tight. I had to back up several times which with the tow dolly is very dicey. Fortunately all went well.

We had not been on the road for very long when Sue realized that she had lost her cell phone. She remembered having it a Ruby's yesterday and called them. In and around more Verizon service problems, her phone was located and the staff at Ruby's is going to ship it to her in Manassas. A guardian angel was looking after her, again.

We stopped in Page, Arizona at a Walmart. I went into the store and dropped off the four rolls of 35 mm film we took on the Colorado River for processing. While we were waiting, Sue and I did much needed food and miscellaneous shopping. At the end of the one hour, we went back to the photo counter to be told that all four rolls of film had been blank. We were heart broken. I don't know if I purchased bad film, if someone at Walmart messed up on the processing or I failed to properly load the camera with each roll of film. In any event all the pictures of the river rafting trip and the canyon were a total loss.

We got back under way and travelled across a very very rural area of northern Arizona. I went for over 100 miles without seeing a fuel station. The Silver Lady was getting thirsty and we were getting a little concerned at the desolate environment. We finally found one on the Navaho Reservation and paid $5.079 for each gallon. The station put a limit of $300.00 on our charge card so the tank was really not completey full. Heading on into the area where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado meet (Four Corners) I missed a turn and we ended up going about 40 extra miles out of our way. Sue helped me get back on track with alternate routes as there was no way to turn the Silver Lady around.

As we neared Durango, Colorado, we were traveling up into much higher altitudes. The terrain changed siginificantly as did the vegetation. Most of the day, we drove trough these very arid and sparsely populated areas called the "high desert." There is no way I would every consider living in this area. Obviously others feel the same as we would travel miles and miles and never see any sign of habitation. It is a very hot and barren land. We arrived first in Cotez, Colorado and then travelling on for an additional 40 to 50 miles, we arrived in Durango. This was a very hard drive and I think we actually traversed about 359 miles. The KOA was a very welcome sight. We were warmly greeted. They escorted us to our site and helped us get lined up. After that I hooked up everything and with Sue settled down for a very welcome glass of wine. We walked Pooh Bear, explored the campgound, discovered the perfect spot to watch tomorrow night's sunset, had pizza prepared by the campground staff and decided to turn in.

Tomorrow we are off to ride the Durango to Silverton narrow guage railroad.

Bryce Canyon

2008-07-11T23:43:00.008-04:00

July 11, 2008

“The air is precious to the red man, for all things share the same breath- the beast, the tree, the man. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. If we sell you our land, you must keep it apart, and sacred, where even the white man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow’s flowers.” Chief Seattle, 1854

Today we headed out for Bryce Canyon. It was about an hour's trip to the Visitor's Center where we stopped to see the introductory movie and visit the gift shop. We have had no Verizon service for several days and I took this opportunity to call the office and to try to help with issues that had arisen. Afterward we headed out to see the Canyon.

Bryce is very different from Zion. At Zion you are on he bottom of the Canyon looking up. At Bryce, you are on the top looking down. We drove all the way to the top at Rainbow Point. It was 9,115 feet high. We hiked around here and took a goodly number of pictures. The rock formations were unique in many ways. There were peaks and hoodoos and lava structures that resembled little castles. There was one peak that was named Molly's nipple. You can infer what that shape was, I'm sure :) We chatted with two couples from Phoenix at Rainbow Point overlook and as we were all getting ready to depart the Point, one of the gentlement said that this view makes you feel like you've been to church. It is a very reverent atmosphere. We certainly agreed.

According to the movie at the Visitor's Center, the Canyon is named after an early Mormon family "Bryce" who owned the property when the Mormon's settled in Utah. It is reported that when asked what he thought of his back yard James Bryce said the area was a "hell of a place to loose a cow."

On the way back down, we stopped at most of the overlooks, admired the formations and the sky and took lots more pictures. At the bottom of the Canyon, we stopped at Ruby's restaurant for a late lunch. This restaurant is owned by the same family that first started servicing tourists in the late 1920's. Attached to the restauant was a motel, gift shop and lots of other areas in which to spend you money. It was a very interesting place, if you like trinkets, especially. We didn't purchase anything except a great lunch at the Cowpoke's buffet.

Returning to the coach, we walked Pooh Bear and then took a short nap. We opted for ice cream for dinner (Ben and Jerry's of course). Sue did a load of laundry while we worked on the Blog, completing one of the updates and drafting several others. That completed, it was off to bed to be fresh for a day of traveling to Durango, Colorado.

A Break

2008-07-10T20:31:00.002-04:00

July 10, 2008

Today, we opted for a much needed day of rest. We stayed close to the camper and the campground. The campground is surrounded by horse pastures, with the requisite horses. Pooh Bear got stressed out by that fact and walked with his rear end facing away from the pasture during the entire walk. He wasn't taking any chances on getting his rear end nipped again. His bowels kind of locked on him too. Stress is a terrible thing!

After our customary muffins and tea and coffee, we headed for the swimming pool and talked with several of our fellow campers. We encountered a couple and their two boys from Rochester, New York. Like us, they are taking a month for this western trip and are staying in KOA Kabins at each stop. Their intent is to visit more places than we will, but our schedule seems to be working out well for the two of us.

I think one of the A/C’s in the unit is not cooling. It is running fine, but the output of cool air seems much too low. I am going to need to have that serviced soon. In an effort to shade our Silver Lady, I put out the large awning on the passenger's side as well as the awning over the door. This was the first time we had used these, this trip and I had to make some minor adjustments. I then worked on the lights on the tow dolly. For reasons that escape me, the plugs for the lights continue to come out of the lights. I have repaired these twice already. I can’t do this without taking the entire light assembly off and then reinserting the plugs and then putting the units back onto the fenders. This time I tried to cover them with duct tape in hopes that will hold them in place. Thank God for duct tape!

While I was doing all of this, Sue was busy cleaning the inside of the coach... dusting, mopping, vacuuming, etc. Pooh, of course, helped her out with this. He ran back and forth over the mopped floor and zoomed around while she was running "JAWS" (the vacuum). He is scared to death of it. He must have been a housewife in a former life.

We watched the new National Treasure 2 movie (what fun!) and then took a decadently long nap. The book, Everything I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten, had it right. The world would be a better place if we could all take naps each afternoon.

We’re off to the swimming pool again for some exercise and refreshment before dinner. Life is tough!

After dinner, we watched a new Gaither Homecoming video that Sue had bought me for Father's Day. It was called Campfire Homecoming and featured mostly old hymns and choruses from the 50's and 60's. Most brought back sweet memories. We are both so inspired by this music and the love of God and for our God that we see and experience with each video.

Sleep in the coach is so sweet. last night I turned off all of the A/c's and we slept under a blanket all night. What a refreshing change!

Zion National Park

2008-07-10T20:22:00.007-04:00

July 9, 2008

“Here you may yet find the elemental freedom to breathe deep of unpoisoned air, to experiment with solitude and stillness, to gaze through a hundred years of untrammeled atmosphere, across red rock canyons beyond blue mesas.” Edward Abbey

Today, Sue and I got up with the best intentions of getting an early start. We walked Pooh Bear, and headed for Zion National Park at about 10:30 am. We retraced our route from yesterday to the Visitors’ Center andhopped on a National Park Service shuttle bus to view the Canyon. Other than on Utah Route 9 that runs from the Park’s South Entrance to its East Entrance, private vehicles are not permitted in the park. These shuttles run on clean propane fuel to be environmentally conscious.

We rode the shuttle "up canyon" to the end of the line and then worked our way back down. At the last stop, Temple of Sinawana, we took a hike beside the Virgin River. I think we walked more than a mile looking at beautiful rock formations and areas where water was leaching through the rock walls , called "weeping rocks" , and forming fresh water pools. This water began at the top of the limestone layer approximately 1,700 years ago and just now is reaching the layer where it "weeps" out and is apparent to the eyes. The rocks narrow and become a beautiful canyon passageway. I took a picture of Sue near the end of the river hike that is at the top of this posting. On the way back, we stopped at several of the different shuttle stops so I could take pictures.

When we arrived at the Zion Lodge, we got off the shuttle to purchase a picnic lunch at the restaurant. We bought sandwiches and iced tea and headed outside to sit on the very green lawn in the shade of a very large tree. This Lodge has been there since about 1920 and accommodates overnight guests. We enjoyed the shade and the respite while a park ranger gave a nature talk on the wild animals of Zion. We learned lots of interesting facts about wolves, coyotes, foxes, ravens, beavers and badgers. Did you know that wolves are the only natural predator of coyotes? Wolves are nearly extinct due the farmers who kill them off so the coyote population is expanding. We stopped next at the Museum to watch a 22 minute movie that gave an orientation and history of the park before heading back to the Visitors’ Center and the car. Everyone out here says that it’s a dry heat and that it is, but it is still very, very hot.Upon arrival at the car, we found the outside temperature was 106. We headed back to the campground with the intention of getting some more pictures. My failure to properly plan resulted in dead batteries and some of the sites we really wanted to photograph will have to wait for another trip.

Zion is truly a beautiful work of art and deserves it's name.

The terrain, the sandstone mountains, the canyons, the plants, all direct our thoughts to the Creator. The very name, Zion National Park speaks of the Heavenly City. Angels Landing, Court of the Patriarchs, the Great White Throne, are all signs and symbols of our Christian Heritage and Hope. We serve a great God. As I reflected on the beauty of the Canyon today, I was touched by the love of God for us. If His creation is this magnificent, how much greater is his love for us. I know in a new way today, God’s love and care for me. We are privileged to see this place and to see through this place the omnipotence of our God.

Glendale, Utah

2008-07-07T23:17:00.004-04:00

July 8, 2008

Today started slowly. We took our time getting up. After walking Pooh Bear, we began the process of getting underway. It was about 10:30 am when we pulled out. Sue wanted to see the Las Vegas strip so we drove through town on a road parallel to Interstate 15. We both said to the other that we had no real desire to spend any time in the midst of all of the glitz of Las Vegas. I think it must resemble a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.

We topped off with fuel and then got on I-15 and headed toward Salt Lake City, Utah. For the first time this trip, we paid over $5.00 per gallon for the fuel. We travelled through northeastern Nevada, northwestern Arizona and into Southwestern Utah. We stopped in St. George for lunch and shortly thereafter left I-15 on Utah Route 9. As we travelled the elevation rose significantly and we found ourselves in a beautiful mountainous area. We arrived in Zion National Park. I was told that if we were going to drive through the Park, we needed to drop the Chrysler off the tow dolly and Sue would have to drive the car.

After Sue drove the Chrysler off the tow dolly, I tilted the bed back up and inserted the locking pin and safety clip. Apparently I did not get the clip in correctly as when we arrived at the campground, Sue said I had been dragging the ramps of the tow dolly the entire way. Fortunately, I was able to hammer one of the side pieces back into shape and I had an extra safety pin in my tool box. This was the first day with any real difficulties with the coach. It is so hot here that as we travel that the dash A/C could not keep up with the temperature in the coach. We normally run the generator as we travel and with that we can turn on the house A/C to keep us cooler. Today the generator repeatedly quit for no apparent reason. I need to check oil, coolant and then pray a lot. We can’t come back across the country in this heat without having the unit serviced. I think Sue was really glad to drive the Chrysler as she had a working A/C for the last hour of the trip.

The trip through Zion was most interesting. We traveled about 10 miles of constant switchbacks some of which were so tight that I could not stay in my own lane. We were escorted through a tunnel that had a clearance so low that I was required to drive with the center of the Silver Lady on the centerline of the tunnel to avoid hitting the low ceilings. It was a challenging trip, but I was amazed at how easy the Silver Lady was to handle. The scenery in Zion looked absolutely gorgeous but I saw little as I drove. We are coming back to Zion tomorrow to explore the Park. I’ll see more then. I will admit that I was exhausted when we arrived at the KOA.

Coming out of the Park, we continued on for about 30 miles to Glendale, Utah and then further north to the KOA. The campground is really out in the middle of nowhere. We are in a valley with major hills on both sides of us. We are by far the biggest rig in here, but got set up with no difficulty. After a short nap, Sue headed for the campground laundry to wash clothes from the river trip. While doing laundry she put the finishing touches on several of the previous Grand Canyon postings. She has such a delicate touch with words and adds great word pictures to my simple prose.

As I traveled the last part of the trip today alone in the Silver Lady, I realized again how much I appreciate Sue being there to help with the navigation, reading the road signs and general encouragement. She is truly my co-pilot and for that I am extremely thankful.

Colorado River Day 3

2008-07-07T22:44:00.004-04:00

July 7, 2008

We awakened this morning to the smell of coffee and bacon cooking. I stumbled out of my cot and found my way to the coffee pot. Sue was already up and having a cup of tea. We began packing up everything for the continuance of our adventure. This included breaking down the cot, rolling up the sleeping bag, deflating the "pillow" and folding the sheets. Breakfast was french toast with bacon, juices, fruit and more coffee and tea. They did a great job again. I think everything tastes better when cooked outdoors. While all of this was being prepared, we each made a sandwich for our lunch later on today. The ham sandwiches went into a baggie with our name on it and placed in a cooler. After breakfast we started loading everything back onto the two rafts, including all of our personal gear, and headed off again down the River with the promise of larger rapids to come. We were not disappointed!

The day was bright and sunny...somewhere in the high 90's with nary a cloud in sight. After about 45 minutes of rafting, rapids, and more mysterious river stories shared by the crew, we stopped on the shore and headed to a cascading waterfall which originated up a canyon. We climbed over sand and then large slick granite type rocks with the only assistance being a rope with knots to keep our hands from slipping. We then came to a rope ladder which we had to climb, straight up, and found ourselves at the opening of a cave. We walked back into the cave and discovered a majestic clear waterfall cascading down the walls from far above. We both stood under the waterfall and let the water cascade down over us. This water was very refreshing and much warmer than the river water. Sue climbed up the side of the cave walls beside the waterfall and slid down into the pool of water with a splash and a grin from ear to ear. As we started our descent, the slick rocks became a little more of a challenge but Sue and I made it down with no mishaps and were thrilled at what we had seen, the joy of the experience and the excitment of what we had accomplished working our way up to the falls and down again. Remembering that it was only a little over 12 months ago when I was told that I might never walk again, this was an overwhelming gift from God. We both decided that this one experience was worth the horrid plane ride at the beginning.

Returning to the rafts, we headed out again and did three "large" rapids. The height of these rapids was not as high as what we have experienced at Ohio Pyle with the family, but it sure was a lot less work. The river guides do all the work of navigating the rapids for us. About 11:30 we stopped for lunch and to break down the rafts to join them into one large raft. We had to remove the pontoons on either side and roll them up for storage on the raft. When that was done, we pressed on until we met the jet boat for the final portion of the trip to Lake Meade. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to the four crewmembers we had gotten to know but we were all ready for a hot shower and a real bed.

Today was just beautiful and the jetboat ride was fast and hot. I think we were all a little windburned by the end of the two hours. Sue and I had covered up pretty well and were not sunburned.Other members of the group were feeling the sun's effect mightly by the end of the boat trip. The lower Colorado River is very laden with sand and the driver had to constantly maneuver around sandbars. I took lots of pictures during this portion of the trip. Upon arriving at the crystal clear Lake Meade, all of our personal gear and the entire group were transferred to a motor coach for the 3 hour trip back to Las Vegas. We traveled over the Hoover Dam on this return trip. Although we did not stop, we were able to see the dam and the bridge that they are building to take all travel traffic off the top of the dam. Lake Meade, at the Hoover Dam, seems to be down at least 50 feet from its highest marked point. We were told that this area has not had normal rain or snow for at least 10 years and the lake level surely shows it.

Arriving back at Las Vegas Airport, there were quick good-byes to the new found friends with whom we had just shared so much. We promised to exchange pictures and hopefully we will be able to keep in touch with several of the families. They hailed from Chicago, Massachusetts, San Francisco, France, Arizona and Ocean City, Maryland. We actually may try to keep in touch with the Maryland folks. They were a doctor, nurse and their two daughters. We really enjoyed getting to know them.

Sue and I got our duffel bags, jumped on an airport shuttle bus and headed to the car. It was about 5:30 pm and Las Vegas was a sweltering 114 degrees. We drove to the Kennel to pick up Pooh Bear. He heard me talking with the attendants even before they brought him out. He was excited to see me and obviously, he had made a real hit with the staff. It was very good to have him back and to return to the Silver Lady. Showers were the immediate priority and I think we flushed several pounds of sands into the Silver Lady's drains as we showered, washed our hair and shaved for the first time in three days.

We did not take the digital camera on the River opting instead to take our waterproof 35 mm camera. I took about 100 pictures. It will be a few days before we are in one place long enough to get them developed and transferred to a CD so we can review and post.

I first dreamed of this trip during my first year at Houghton College. I had a senior roommate, Robert Carr, who was about to graduate and he and his bride were going to do a Grand Canyon River rafting trip on their honeymoon. I caught the vision at the time. The events of last May and the surgery sure cast a doubt on whether this dream would ever be full-filled. God has been great and I was able to complete the long-awaited trip, doing all that everyone else did. I was clearly the oldest on the trip by at least 10 to 12 years, yet I was able to hold my own in the activities and the chores. Thank You, Father.

The Grand Canyon was definitely a trip to be remembered and, hopefully, to be repeated a few years down the road. The pictures we took and our efforts to describe in words, the majesty of what God has created, are great for our reflection and for the memories we both will carry with us forever.

As we were leaving the waterfall this morning, one of the other passengers, a Doctor from Ocean City, Maryland, asked what day it was. He was told it was Monday and his response was, "It seems like Sunday. We have just been to church while standing under that waterfall." That phrase best describes the entire three day trip. Sue and I definitely had a spiritual experience. We were drawn in a whole new way into the presence of God and given a new vision of His grace. How Great Thou Art!

Colorado River Day 2

2008-07-07T22:26:00.003-04:00

July 6, 2008

This morning started early with the roar of an incoming helicopter at 5:45 am. The Bar 10 Ranch is a pickup and drop off spot for river tours. There was a group of about 35 people arriving from 6 days on the river as we were getting ready to head out for our two days. After a delicious pancake breakfast we got all of our gear and headed for the heliopad. We were "forced" to give our weights again..this time stating it outloud. They said, "If you lie, you die." but I suspect they add 10% onto each person's answer. They tell you exactly where to sit so the helicopter is well balanced. The flight was great fun, with a very able and precise pilot. We flew over the area we had traveled in the ATV's last night and after a couple of masterful manuvers by the pilot we landed safely on the Colorador River shore, right by the two rafts that we would be spending the next 48 hours.

The rafting crew of four, including one female, were also young twenty-somethings. They had just brought in the 6 day people and were busy getting ready for us. All of this process of getting people to and from the river with all of the gear probably took about an hour. After a brief orientation and stowing all of our gear, we headed out. The Grand Canyon from the river defies description. Words do not do it justice. We were on two motorized rafts. There were 14 of us on each raft with two crew members. This day's travel was long, but the scenery was magnificant. We stopped for lunch beside the river and then continued on our trek through the calm waters and the occasional rapids. We were entertained by the crew with tales of adventure and misadventure by the early river runners. The afternoon became a little overcast and we had intermittent light showers. They were very welcome as they kept the termperatures down. I'm sure that the pictures everyone took will not be all that we hoped, but there was never a word of complaint about the cooling rain.

We had been told to expect temperatures in the 105 to 110 range at the bottom of the Canyon. The crew worked hard to keep us hydrated (to include cold Coors and Bud as well as sodas and plenty of cool water) and nourished and there were frequent stops for forays into the extremely cold but refreshing river.

We stopped for the evening along a sandy bank of the river and unpacked everything. We were amazed at how much "stuff" came off the rafts. We all selected an area for sleeping by the river, put up our cots and organized our cots, sleeping bags, and inflatable "hard as rocks" pillows. We had to let the air out of the pillows to have more comfort. As all of this was going on, the staff set out hors'dovres of cold salmon, watermelon, cheese and crackers. The crew chief also produced two bags of wine...one red and one white. Dinner was salad and spaghetti, with en exceptional strawberry cheese cake for dessert. How they kept all of this food cool amazed me. Everything that we were served had been on the raft for 6 days before we were served and the quality was very good. Quantities were virtually unlimited.

Dark settled in soon after dinner and Sue and I were off to our little piece of shoreline. As you might imagine, we were covered with a fine sand and smelled very "fresh" after a long day. Sue shampooed her hair in the cold Colorado River and said it was truly a breathtaking experience. I simply found my cot. We slept side by side under the sky beside the river. The day's rain kept temperatures lower into the evening and all night. We both rested comfortably after gazing in awe at the beauty of God's heavenly star-filled sky and giving Him thanks for the opportunity to enjoy the unbelievable beauty of God's creation.

Colorado River Day 1

2008-07-07T22:04:00.002-04:00

July 5, 2008

Sue and I hurried around this morning with last minute packing and getting ready for our river trip. We stopped at a Kinko/Fed Ex Store to drop off a package that needed to get to the office in Manassas. After that we dropped Pooh Bear off at his Kennel and headed for the airport. I had taken the car off the tow dolly and we parked in the long term parking. We both were wearing the Arizona River Rafters tee shirts so the guide spotted us just after arriving at the airport. we joined our group of about 26 rafters and headed out. We were bussed to the airport for general aviation north of the city and checked in. This check in included having each person step on the scales as well as weighing the luggage. They arrange the weight load evenly on these little puddle jumpers in the effort to make a safer ride. We were sent on the last flight of the group with 5 others from our group. It was a very bumpy ride, with severe and rapid altitude drops. We were told that the hot temperatures were causing updrafting thermals off the mountains. The two teenagers on the flight were having a blast, screaming and holding their hands in the air as though on a roller coaster. Sue was nervous and shaking, but I am the one that lost it...twice...and with a leaky "sick sack"! Not fun!

We arrived at the Bar 10 Ranch, landing on a "grass" strip. We were both relieved to put our feet on solid ground. The staff at the Bar 10 Dude Ranch consisted of about 10 very personable,talented and energetic twenty year olds. They took very good care of all of us...cooking, entertaining, cleaning, and telling us about the various "critters" that share the land in these here parts. These included scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes, many kinds of bees, coyotes, mountain lions and an occasional bear. That was enough to keep Sue awake most of the night since we slept under the stars with little protection other than the canvas top of the Conestoga Wagon. We did not actually have any visitors of this sort during the entire rafting trip. The staff at the Bar 10 had a day of activities scheduled and we jumped in with gusto. We both rode horses, listened to the cowboy's tall tales, shot "skeet" and eventually laid down on the grass. Grass in this part of the country is a rare and precious commodity. The Bar 10 has a natural spring of pure water that is vary rare in this hot dry desert land. After the brief nap, I felt a little better and Sue and I both rode horses through the outback. I did really well at this. By the grace of God, Sue was spared from a horse that was going a little insane with the loose bridle. Her horse's bridle became loose as they were ascending a small incline. One of the cowboys saw it and told her to jump off of the horse. The horse was calmed down, bridle replaced and Sue finished the trip safely. Our legs were bowed for a while and the later ATV ride did not help this condition.

After a wonderful dinner and socializing with the other rafters, we headed out on an ATV trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Neither of us had ever done anything like this. We each had our own ATV. Sue was in front, right behind the guide's ATV and I was bringing up the rear. We went with a group of about 10 and were well supervised. We had a blast! Sue was standing up when riding the extra rough terrain, to avoid the constant bumps and jolts of the rough terrain. She kept up with the guide very well. The round trip was about 12 miles, taking us to a new viewpoint of the Grand Canyon. We could see extinct volcanoes and the area where the lava flowed millions of years ago.It is amazing that the demarcation lines are still evident after all of this time. This view of the canyon gives a very different perspective than the South Rim. This Natural Wonder morphs into differnt shapes and colors as the angle and time of day alters. It is truly amazing and a wonder of nature. We have heard that the average sightseer to the GC spends about 5 minutes looking and oohing and ahhing and then moves on. Those visitors have no idea what they are missing by spending such a small amount of time there. We have four days of viewing it from all anges on this trip...north, south, above, below and still know there is more to see. We both came back excited at what we had seen and what we had accomplished. It was an empowering and awe-inspiring time. "Life is a daring adventure, or nothing at all." Helen Keller

Half of the rafters were kids 18 and younger. All were with their parents. It was a very family oriented group. We were the only couple without children, but we fit right in and were well received.

After dinner we gathered on a grassy knoll and had a brief introduction of the next day's events plus a "Cowboy Revue" of songs, skits, jokes with audience participation by the Bar 10 staff. They sang the Garth Brooks song, The River, which seemed very appropriate: "I'll sail my vessel til' the river runs dry, like a bird upon the wind these waters are my sky. Don't you sit upon the shoreline and say you're satisfied. Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide." The staff consisted of 4 girls and six guys all of whom were talented musically in addition to all of their other responsibilites. It was a very full half day and we welcomed heading off to rest in the in the Conestoga Wagon. We had been concerned about a staw mattress but we had a thick pad and a sleeping bag in the wagon. Where else could we ever have this kind of day and these kind of experiences ??? What fun this excellent adventure is! Every day includes new opportunites to do things we have never done before and thank the Lord for his provisions to give us the desire and a risk-taking attitude. The Arizona sky at night was so full of stars that it brought back fond memories of the Outer Banks sky at the ocean. It makes such a difference when there are no city lights whatsoever. All electricity is turned off on the Dude Ranch at 10 pm. Tomorrow morning, we head for the Colorado River by riding nose down through the canyon in a helicopter. YeeeHaw !!!

Las Vegas, Nevada

2008-07-03T23:59:00.002-04:00

July 4, 2008

We leisurely got up this morning, walked Pooh Bear and began our preparations to depart. Sue did a load of laundry and while I was doing other things, she washed the windshield and front of the Silver Lady. A female camper came over to her and asked if she had lost a bet as she had never seen a female washing the outside of a motor home. I’m a blessed man as we share in our tasks.

About 11:00 am we again headed west on I-40. We drove about 100 miles of both flat and mountainous territory and stopped in Kingman, Arizona to purchase fuel. While there, I spoke with a police office about taking the motor home across Hoover Dam. He said that there would be no problem with going across the dam, but that his office was hearing that there was a four to five hour backup at the dam because of 4th of July traffic. We asked about alternative routes and he suggested a route that was about 40 miles longer, but with no traffic. No problem making a decision about that one. Hoover Dam will wait for another trip.

We arrived in Las Vegas and with Sue’s able navigation found the campgrounds with no difficulty. Once we were checked in and set up, we took Pooh Bear for a quick walk and retreated inside the motor home for an icy banana daiquiri. It was about 117 degrees outside…the hottest place in the US for the 4th of July. I unhitched the car and we went looking for a FedEx drop site and the airport in anticipation of an early start on the white water rafting trip in the morning.

We headed for the swimming pool a little after 8:00 pm. We were able to watch a magnificent pink sunset through palm trees. Later we saw the Las Vegas fireworks while floating in the pool. While in the pool, we started talking with another couple who were just starting full-time RVing. He had just recently retired from Westinghouse in Pittsburgh. They are a few days ahead of us in terms of what they have seen and done. They shared some good insights and told us that at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, temperatures would be lower. In the process, we discovered that he has a brother in Spotsylvania, Virginia and her mother and brothers reside in Brooksville and Spring Hill, Florida where Lisa and Geoff and the granddaughters reside. We also discovered that they were Christians and we shared some stories with them as well. It was a wonderful July 4th.

The rest of the evenings activities will stay in Las Vegas :)

Grand Canyon

2008-07-03T23:41:00.003-04:00

July 3, 2008

"Life is not made up by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

We both realized we were indeed holding our breaths when viewing the Grand Canyon for the first time. It is truly majestic in its scope, variations of color and pattern. Mere words can never express God's majesty in this place. Ya gotta see it to believe it!

We were up early this morning and headed out about 8:15 am. We dropped Pooh Bear off at doggie day care and headed for the Grand Canyon. We had reserved seats on the dome car of the train. The train runs from Williams sixty five miles to Grand Canyon Village. The trip took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The Grand Canyon Railway Train runs on tracks originally laid in the very early 1900's. Passenger service to the Canyon stopped in the late 1960's. A husband and wife invested their life savings in buying what was left of the railroad and in five years, the train was running again. It runs two trains each way every day. The cars are beautifully restored as are the engines. The on-board service was exceptional. We were entertained with musicians, very personable attendants who told corny jokes (What do you call a cow with no legs?... Ground Beef. A mushroom walks into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender says, "We don't serve mushrooms here." The mushroom says, "I'm not a mushroom, I'm a fun guy. " ---Think about that one for a while :) They also had complimentary continental breakfast on the early train and snacks on the evening ride. We were served a drink called a "Woo-Woo". You have to hold your hand up and act like you are pulling on a train engine cord while you say loudly, "Woo-Woo! " Another chance to make fools of ourselves. It consists of vodka, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice.Very Yummy! We were "robbed" by armed train robbers who rode up along side of the train. The train stopped and the robbers got on and of course everyone played along and gave up their dollar bills while holding hands up in the air. Everyone in our dome care was sharing a bit of their lifestories on the ride back and it was interesting to see how far people had come from around the globe to see this Natural Wonder of the World.

Arriving at the Grand Canyon Train Depot we headed out for our motor coach tour along the rim of the Canyon. The coach took us to several overlooks and "kodak moments" galore. We took a plethora of pix which we will gladly share to anyone who wishes to see them on our return. But the camera can never do justice to the actual visual image. I sang "How Great Thou Art" to Sue at the Mohave overlook. One grandmother stated to her granddaughters that I was serenading Sue. They wanted to know what serenading meant. Probably the closest they could identify with would be John Cusack holding up his boombox in the movie, Say Anything. Once on the coach again, I was requested by the entire bus to sing it again and they all joined in on the chorus. This was an overwhelming and unique experience for me. I have never done anything like this before and I was asking God to help me with each breath. There were 33 people on the coach. The Driver also sang a verse from "Shall we gather at the River" with particular emphasis on the "where bright angels' feet have trod as he told the story of one early explorer. There is now a lodge called "Bright Angel." God's presence was everywhere in what we saw and experienced. Neither of us was ready to leave and believe that we will be forever changed by this experience.

We spent about 2 1/2 hours walking the rim and enjoying the diverse population of tourists before heading back on the 4:30 train. We were both exhausted but in a good way. This was an experience we will repeat in a few years...after we leave the workworld behind and can spend more time RVing.

Williams, Arizona (2)

2008-07-02T09:44:00.005-04:00

July 2, 2008

Today is the first day we are staying put for a few days. The Silver Lady gets a well deserved three night and two day rest.

No alarm clock is needed here as the sun rises at about 5:30 am and a freight train comes by the camground and blows its whistle at 6:30 each morning

This morning, Sue and I took the bicycles off their racks and headed into the town on Williams, Arizona. We rode along the old Route 66 for a number of blocks as we wandered. Riding bikes is a great way to be with the locals, eye-to-eye, much better than riding around in a car We went into a number of small local stores and made several interesting purchases. We told one store clerk that we were on bikes and she assumed we had Harleys on the curb. After the ride, we returned to the Silver Lady and took a much needed nap.

After the nap, we headed for the swimming pool and a vigorous workout, then a relaxing time in the spa. Life is tough! We returned to the Silver Lady and "dressed" for dinner. Heading out on our bicycles again we encountered a "Wild West Shootout" on the main drag of Rt. 66. The road was block off and re enactors were having a duel about who stole a steer. They involved the 60 or 70 tourists who had gathered. One little girl was quite upset by the blanks that were being used in the shootings. The cowboys would be shot down and get right backup. One almost landed in a pile that was graciously left by his horse. He stopped midway and moved over and fell down a few feet away. Very funny skit. We found a charming restaurant, Pedro McGillicutties. We were delighted to find excellent Mexican food-Shrimp and Chicken Fajita- and soft folk music in an outdoor veranda. Pedro was the guitarist and he played tunes by Jim Croce and other 70's musicans. When we headed back to the campground, it was dark and actually cool. We both grabbed our jackets to walk Pooh.

It was a very enjoyable day exploring this delightful little town on the edge of paradise.

Williams, Arizona

2008-07-02T09:14:00.007-04:00

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Our day started slowly this morning. We walked Pooh Bear and then had a pancake breakfast prepared by the Campground staff. At the suggestion of the KOA staff, we decided to take the Chrysler off the tow dolly for a trip through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest.

We headed for the National Park taking with us our camera, two bottles of water and little else. Arriving at the Visitors Center, we watched an info movie about the Park and its extensive history. Sue bought a CD that gave us a guided tour of the Park. We began the driving tour, stopping at all of the 23 overlooks to see the majesty of our God's creation. The Petrified Forest resembled what we imagine the moon surface to be. The petrified wood dated back to the Triassic (dinosaur days) Period. As we went on, the sun and heat became overwhelming. We only did one side hike at the conclusion of the tour. We understand now why the Park opens at 7:00 am. This place is truly a step back in time.

We returned to Holbrook and drove on parts of the Historic Route 66 (to get our kicks on Rt. 66). What is left of it is a piece of our generations' history. Sue and I were reminiscing about the TV show, Route 66, and the entertaining adventures the actors encountered each week. ..very mild in contrast to today's shows. We saw the Wigwam Motel from the movie "Cars" and stoped at a very old A&W Root Beer for floats. Back at the Kampground, I put the car on the tow dolly and prepared to get underway for Williams, AZ.

Heading west again on I-40 we stopped in Winslow for fuel and supplies at Walmart. Winslow in on the Navaho Reservation. I think Sue and I were the only caucasians in the Walmart store. We were conspicuous in our shorts and tees. It was interesting that the Native Americans all dress with long pants, long sleeved shirts and sometimes jackets or blankets in this Arizona heat. The two of us on the other hand are trying to shed everything we can and still be decent.

The High Desert, as they call it here, is most inhospitable to us. Continuing west, we arrived in Flagstaff and began seeing much more vegetation including tall pine trees. To our surprise again, we saw a sign that indicated the elevation at 7335 feet above sea level. I have really not sensed that we are driving up, but it is clear things are changing. Flagstaff looks like somewhere that we would like to visit again and the climate much more comfortable. We did not stop but drove right through headed for Williams about 40 miles further west. When I ponder what our forefathers endured to cross the country, I am amazed at their endurance and tenacity. Our forefathers and mothers with horses and wagons were very determined to head west for California. Our trek in an air-conditioned motor home is the way to go!

We arrived in Williams and found our campground with no trouble. We are really getting good at the teamwork of navigating and setup upon arrival. We had to get out all of the extensions for the hookups as our site, with the car on the dolly left us a bit father than normal from the hookups. With that completed, Sue walked Pooh Bear and we settled down with a glass of wine to relax and watch the Arizona mountain sunset. Arizona is not on daylight savings time so by 8:00 pm it was dark. By 8:30, our eyes were getting heavy since our bodies are still on East Coast time of 11:30.

Holbrook, Arizona

2008-06-30T23:57:00.005-04:00

Monday, June 30, 2008

"On the road again..." Leaving Amarillo on I 40, we were in very flat but green country. We saw three real-life cowboys on horseback working a group of cattle. We also saw a large area of cows in what I believe to be a feed lot or getting ready for a supermarket destination. Passing into New Mexico, we were immediately impressed with the breathtaking scenery. The mountains, the mesas, the buttes, the plateaus, the escarpements were a sight to behold. We were surprised at how little vegetation there is in New Mexico and how sparcely populated is the entire state, at least along I40. Miles go by with no houses, strip malls, fast food stops, or fueling opportunities (the Silver Lady was getting a little stressed by the latter).

Arriving in Arizona, there was again a change in topography. Arizona is more like Texas in that it is flat. There seems to be more vegetation than in New Mexico, but things are very dry. We traversed a portion of the Navaho Indian Reservation today and will likely see more tomorrow.

We passed by the Petrified Forest on our way to Holbrook. Arriving at the KOA, we settled in and then had a steak dinner that was prepared by the Campground staff. After dinner we headed for the swimming pool and swam until almost 9:00 pm. We had the pool to ourselves, swimming laps, floating leisurely and being awestruck by the magnificant display of stars.

We have been pleased with all of the KOA Kampgrounds so far. Each is totally unique and staffed by interesting and friendly people, and they do a great job of maintaining high quality standards. In the literature we received from this Kampground, we were surprised to learn that we were at 5,000 feet of elevation above sea level. We had no idea as we were traveling that we had come so high.

The Silver Lady is performing well. Driving her in this part of the country is a pleasure. I set my cruise control at about 72 and relax. In over 500 miles today I don't think that I passed 100 cars or trucks and far fewer passed me. For many miles, we had the highway all to ourselves. The gas prices (over $4.50/gal out here) have definitely made stay-cautious more attractive for many. This journey has been in the works for almost two years and we were not going to let the oil robber barons keep us home. Life is now!

Amarillo, Texas

2008-06-30T10:00:00.006-04:00

"Whatever you want to do..just do it. Making a fool of yourself is absolutely essential." Gloria Steinem.

We drove west on I-40 through the mountains of Arkansas and entered into the flatlands of Oklahoma. I was reminded of the land rush in the e arly days of Oklahoma and was surprised at how dense was the landscape. We saw oil fields and were tempted to stop and say "fill-er-up" at one of those rigs. Diesel fuel is costing about $300 /day. At one of the fuel stops, we chatted with a couple that have been full time RVers for 11 years. They were headed for southern Colorado. He told me that he was a public speaker. I got the impression that he was a preacher although he looked like a mountain man.

The roads in Oklahoma were terrible. We were driving on concrete and felt every bump. As we passed Oklahoma City, the countryside became more what I expected. We broke into song with "Oklahoma, where the wind comes whipping down the plain, and the waving wheat will sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain." and "Oh, what a beautiful morning, Oh, what a beautiful day."

We crossed into Texas a little before 6:00 pm Central time and arrived in Amarillo at about 8:30 pm. It was a long day on the road, about 590 miles. The Amarillo Ranch RV Park was a little taste of Texas with large sites and the obligatory 10 gallon hats abounding. Sue bought a spoon in the gift shop that is called a "Texas Soup Spoon". It is a spoon on one end with a ladder for a handle. The ladder is so the farts can climb up and jump off, presumably not back into the bean soup :) We'll let you know how that is working for us.(not really...we'll will spare you that detail)

This morning, we walked Pooh Bear and a very regal standard poodle caught his eye. She was way out of his social league so he will continue the quest for his "missing piece". As you can tell, our furry child is enjoying this trip and all its varied experiences. If only he could type, this blog would be much more interesting, I'm sure.

Little Rock, Arkansas

2008-06-30T08:11:00.003-04:00

Saturday morning, Sue and I took Pooh Bear for a walk at the Newport, Tn KOA. On the walk we encountered a small pony. He still had the umbellical cord attached so was very young and extremely curious. He gingerly approached Sue and let her pet his nose. He and Pooh Bear did the sniff here and sniff there ritual to get the scent of each other. Sue thought this was a once-in-a-dog's lifetime event and ran a quarter mile back to the camper to get the camera. While she was gone the pony decided that Pooh looked tasty and bit him on his backside. Anyone who knows Pooh, knows that this area is not to be messed with. The pony approached Pooh again (perhaps for another nip) and Pooh lashed out at him. It was the first time we had seen Pooh's evil twin, "Rebel", emerge. In the end all was well and a little wiser.

We drove to Little Rock Arkanasa today, passing through the Applachian and Smoky Mountain mountain ranges. The overlooks were incredibly beautiful. This is a beautiful country, indeed! As we crossed the mighty Mississippi we were amazed at how muddy and swollen it appeared. Mother Nature has added an abundance of water to this area in the past few weeks.

We were caught in traffic on I-40 at a dead stop for almost an hour due to an accident that we could not see from our vantage point (between two 18 wheelers and miles of nothing but vehicles).

We arrived and set up at the KOA in North Little Rock about 7:30 pm. Several times during the day, Sue spoke with a childhood friend who now lives in Little Rock. She and her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and 2 grandchildren picked us up and took us to dinner at a great restaurant. The son wanted some "dirt" on his mom from her childhood playmate but Sue was not about to divulge any "long-kept secrets" between the two friends of 41 years. Sue's friend is the secretary to the school system's Superintendent and suggested that there was an opening for a principal in her District and an opening at the Rose Law Firm. Their entire school district in Perryville, Arkansas is about the same size as Sue's Elementary School. We had a wonderful dinner and a delightful time visiting for the evening at Ferneau's which is a four star restaurant in Old Town Little Rock. Sue's friend will be visiting Northern Virginia in April to attend her retired husband's Navy unit reunion and will result in another evening of memories and much laughter. The people God puts in your path along life's journey certainly add depth and color, some for a season, some for a reason and some for a lifetime. We look forward to the many people that we will encounter on this Excellent Adventure IV and to the rippling effect that each one will have on us forever.

Two Days to Go

2008-06-25T15:56:00.005-04:00

Today is Sue's last day of work for the school year. Tomorrow for her is running lots of errands. Tonight is a grocery shopping trip trying to complete the food and supplies we will need until we arrive in Las Vegas.

The Silver Lady came home last evening. She's had a really good cleaning and is almost ready. We still need to make sure that we have some spares, that the tow dolly is prepared and that everything is in place.

Pooh Bear gets to visit his Aunt Paula tomorrow for his regular grooming.

I have lots of cleanup details in the office tomorrow.

The reality hit again this morning - its almost time! I have dreamed of part of this trip since college. We have planned this trip for almost two years. The trip is now at hand and we are excited. It will be so good to get away and we are very much looking forward to thirty two days away, together.

Three more Days

2008-06-24T13:58:00.004-04:00

As I awakened this morning, my mind was racing with all of the last minute things that need done. We will head out in less than three days. All of the things that I mentally checked off as needing done, now need done.

The Silver Lady comes home this evening from storage for the last stages of food, clothing and "stuff" packing.

Sue and I are both so ready to go. I think we are both going through the motions at work as our hearts are already "on the road."

Newport, Tennessee

2008-06-13T10:49:00.004-04:00

We departed Manassas a little behind schedule. We stopped in Front Royal for fuel and then headed down I-81. We ran through three thunderstorms on the way but other than the CD player quitting, we had no problems.

On the trip we came over a hilltop and saw three crosses on the next hill. It was a wonderful reminder of God's love.

Our first stop is in the lovely mountains of Eastern Tennessee at a KOA Campground we visited last year on or Excellent Adventure III otherwise known as the "recovery tour." Several of the staff remembered us, but all remembered Pooh Bear. We set up the unit and headed for the swimming pool. After a very welcome swim, we had dinner and headed for bed.

2008-06-11T18:53:00.004-04:00

We are excited having only 16 days before we leave. Today Sue bought us T-Shirts from Arizona River Runners. We are loooking forward to a white water rafting trip on the Colorado River.

Our bags are almost packed and the Silver Lady is being readied. Grocery shopping, washing clothes, packing for Pooh Bear all lie ahead. The days at work are becoming harder as our hearts are really ready to be on the road.