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Sunday, March 27, 2011

A COLD, WET, WINDY GRAY DAY……PLUS THUNDER, LIGHTNING & HAIL!!

EVERY YEAR I GET A SHOT OF THESE WIND MILLS FOR MIKE AS WE GO BY

Woke up to a cold gray windy damp day in Henrietta Texas this morning. Checked out weather patterns for the coming week & could see that our good luck weather of past years was not going to be on our side this time. Decided if we have to be cold we might as well be cold in the comfort of our house back in Bayfield. With that thought in mind we switched travel gears & had the big wheels rolling east by 8:40 a.m.

THIS PHOTO KIND OF SUMS UP OUR DAY

The day remained gray & we had sporadic rain showers. Decided to just keep pushing it & pile up some homeward miles. Climbed aboard I-30 west of Texarkana heading east with Little Rock Arkansas in our sights.

PIT STOP EAST OF LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS

Figured it would be better to see Little Rock in the rear view mirror later in the day rather than have it in our windshield first thing in the morning. Just couldn’t believe the volume of traffic on the Interstate for a rainy Sunday. It was basically a 60 mph traffic jam all the way from west of Texarkana Texas to west of Memphis Tennessee. Truck’s almost outnumbered the cars. The traffic congestion reminded me of why we much prefer the western States to the eastern States.

About 50 miles east of Little Rock the thunder & lightning began & we suddenly ran into a very nasty but brief hailstorm. Only lasted about a mile but visibility was limited with cars pulled off to the side. The hailstones drumming on the rig’s roof sounded like the popping of gunfire. Immediately following the hail we drove out of the storm into a few faint shafts of sunlight.

OH OH….. HAILSTORM!!

I am typing this from an RV friendly Rest Area on the south side of I-40 just east of Hazen Arkansas & about 90 miles west of Memphis Tennessee. It is raining hard & the sharp cracks of thunder have got both Checkers & The Motormouse scared like nuts. TV’s on, Kelly’s making a hot turkey supper with mashed potatoes, gravy & peas, heater’s going full tilt & we are cozy:)) Yep, just gotta love this RV Lifestyle alright.

JUST MINUTES AFTER THE HAILSTORM

Now, I had better back up & take back a statement I made yesterday. Thanks to my old RVing blogger buddy Ed at THE PEREGRINATING GRAYBEARD way back there in Pahrump Nevada, I have had it pointed out to me what the term, ‘troubled waters’ really means. Ed commented & said, “I think I agree with Judy and Emma, I don't see any troubled waters here.
Dictionary.com says that 'troubled waters' is a confused or chaotic state of affairs. I find that in my personal life but have not experienced any on the Bayfield Bunch blog.” Well, Ed is right. My use of ‘troubled waters’ was incorrect in describing Jerry’s comment the previous day regarding the Day’s End book. My apologies to Jerry for using a wrong piece of terminology there. Cursmudgeons have a tendency to be that way at the end of long tiring days. Not an excuse as much as it is the way of a Cursmudgeon sometimes. I’ll tell ya…..this having to live life as a human is tough stuff!!

OUR OVER NIGHT SPOT IN THE REST AREA….THE RV AREA WAS FULL PLUS IT’S EASIER FOR MAX TO GET IN & OUT WITH THE SIDEWALK RIGHT THERE!!

Couple typing errors in Saturdays blog about the transmission problem. Had meant to say the transmission wouldn’t shift instead of would. Also, it was a switch on the dash & not a shift on the dash. Typos have been fixed. Hazards of blogging when tired:((

LITTLE MOTORMOUSE IS SCARED OF THE BIG THUNDER MONSTER

Ever notice what a great feeling it is at the end of each traveling day when you reach your destination, shut er down & just go flop in your favorite chair. You can feel the day’s driving stress just simply flow away. Always my favorite part of any driving day.

CANYON DE CHELLY……SOUTH RIM

No destination in mind for tomorrow. We’ll just keep pushing for home….snow or no snow. Anxious to get Max home too. Our health insurance runs out Friday anyway, but yes, we left the Southwest too early. We seem to make that mistake every year. We are good examples of the old saying….We get too soon old & too late smart:(( Oh well, a little snow shoveling will be good exercise for me………….ya right!!!!

<<< CANYON DE CHELLY.……….. SPIDER ROCK

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Hear about the polar bear who was depressed living up North? He left the Arctic, and went all the way to the Antarctic? But he was still not content, since he was now a bi polar bear.

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The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

Technorati Tags: Little Rock Arkansa,Texarcana,Memphis Tennessee,Henrietta Texas,Rest Stop

Saturday, March 26, 2011

AND I THOUGHT WE HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM!!

EAST OF AMARILLO TEXAS

We woke up to the crowing sounds of a Rooster this morning. Now how nice is that:)) And how nice it is to have it light until 8 p.m. at night now too. Many early signs of Spring as we rolled through the rural countryside today too.

SUNRISE ON OUR STREET THIS MORNING

A few words about Vega City Park in case there are some Boon Dockers motoring through on I-40. . This was one of our nicer stops even if it was on a street. The fenced Park is well cared for, clean & neat. Tennis Courts, jogging track, horseshoes, badminton & a complete children’s playground with washroom. Book says one can park anywhere they like around the outside of the Park. We parked at the northwest corner by the gate. Beware the low hanging tree branches. Another good spot is the south side along the fence by the tennis courts. Verizon signal was good as well as Skype. Also received about 5 clear TV channels with the rig’s antennae.

A COUPLE OF TIRED LITTLE TRAVELERS

After a fuel fill up in sleepy little Vega we were back on I-40 heading east about 8:10. For the longest time I thought we had some kind of transmission problem because the rig wouldn’t shift into high gear. I felt we were ascending a long grade into Amarillo but it still should have shifted. We seemed to be running a thousand RPM’s to high. Tac should have been reading about 2200 & it was reading 3200. Stopped to check tranny fluid & it was fine. Just could not figure out why it was not shifting. And then…………with the flick of a switch the problem was instantly solved.

THEY SURE BUILD LONG TRAINS OUT HERE IN THE MIDWEST

When we had stopped for the day on Friday, one corner of my suction cup visor had pulled free. In order to re-stick it to the windshield I straddled the steering wheel with knees resting against the dash. My right knee had pressed the ‘Overdrive’ button into the ‘ON’ position. As soon as I turned that switch off this morning the revs dropped to their normal running range. And with that, all the gloomy transmission repair dollars floating around in my head flew right out the window:)) Ya Ya I know, I can just see all the mechanic guys just shaking their heads.

We had been driving in beautiful morning sunshine until we hit Amarillo. Ahead of us, just like a wall, lay a cloud bank. It was like we drove up into the clouds complete with a big drop in temperature. Shades of the Twilight Zone. Twenty miles east of Amarillo we were back into full sunshine & warmer temps again heading for……..Oklahoma City? Nope, Wichita Falls. Just before Amarillo we decided on the southeastern route along highway 287. This proved to be a good decision because the highway is a nice 4 lane road. We were just needing an Interstate rest & 287 gave us that. Lite traffic, green farm fields stretching to the horizon, quaint towns & great signs of Spring along the way.

THIS McDONALD’S IN CHILDRESS WAS UNDER RENOVATIONS WITH ONLY THE DRIVE-THRU OPEN….BUT, DID THAT STOP KELLY?? NOSIREE…………..

Missed a turn off ramp in Wichita Falls & briefly ended up in the Soupburbs again. But, within minutes we had ourselves straightened out & back on track for the little town of Henrietta on highway 82. Our book told us of a city park there called Hapgoods so that is where this blog is coming from tonight. We are within site of the highway but all is quiet. This is actually a real RV campground with water, electricity & sewer. We are fine so never bothered with any of the facilities. Twelve spots here with 3 rigs & us. The other rigs kinda look permanent. Not as nice a location as Vega but it will do just fine for an overnighter. Five clear TV channels, green grass, a tree & a good Verizon connection. No destination tomorrow except to say we will join up with our old tried & true southwest route at a little place called St. Jo just west of Gainesville Texas. As challenging & exciting new routes are, there is always something comforting about the familiarity & security of old routes……………10-4:))

Oh Oh……I think the wind just found us again:((

OUR OVERNIGHT SPOT IN SOUTHEAST HENRIETTA TEXAS…COMPLETE WITH GREEN GRASS & A TREE:))

We have gone through two time zones in the past 3 days & that is working in my favor as far as sleeping goes. It has been as if my Ontario body clock never did make the transition to Pacific time all the while we were in the West. Kelly was even up before me this morning & that is extremely rare.

VALLEY OF FIRE VISITOR’S CENTER BLENDS RIGHT INTO THE ROCKS

And now, once again let me clear something up. Geeeezzzz!! The book I mentioned in last night’s blog is the ESCAPEE CLUB’S book called, Days End. You have to be a member of the Escapee’s Club to receive this book. I have mentioned probably half a dozen times in past posts that Kelly & were once members of the Escapee Club when we first became interested in the RV lifestyle years ago. We also joined the Canadian EXPLORER RV CLUB around the same time. We let both those membership’s lapse but our very outdated Days End book dates back to that time & still serves us well. I happen to think the Escapee’s Club is an excellent outfit with many benefits. We just happened to let the membership slip & just haven’t got around to renewing it again. Now, I hope that calms the troubled waters……..again. Double Geeeezzzz!!!!

VALLEY OF FIRE, NEVADA

GROANER’S CORNER:(( What do you have when a lawyer is buried up to his neck in sand?

Not enough sand.

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Technorati Tags: Amarillo Texas,Vega Texas,Henrietta Texas,Wichita Falls,Explorer RV Club,Escapee RV Club,Trails End Book

HEADING EAST ACROSS THE FLATLANDS

AN EARLY SIGN OF SPRING FOR WE CANADIANS…… IN NEW MEXICO

Our day time temps are getting warmer the further southeast we go but our night time temperature at the Route 66 Casino spot this morning dropped to 35F so it was time to make some fast tracks further southeast.

JUST GOTTA LOVE THIS VERIZON AIR CARD TECHNOLOGY

Being on the west side of Albuquerque we knew it would be wise to wait out the morning rush before heading east so we took our time getting organized before tackling the city traffic. And then, it was on to Albuquerque.

HELPING OUR TWO BIG GUYS INTO THE RIG AT A NEW MEXICO REST AREA

Beautiful sunny morning heading east into the city. Caught the tail end of the morning rush but it wasn’t too bad because I-40 just goes straight through the city.

Once again with great sadness I watched the mountains slowly disappearing in my rear view mirror as we headed ever further east. The haze became heavier & the mountains became fainter. And, then they were gone. We were now on the seemingly endless flat lands. When we crossed the State line leaving New Mexico it brought to a close another wonderful winter in the great American Southwest. I will begin counting the days from this day forth until we once again head west & strain our eyes to see those magical mountains reappearing out of the haze once again.

OUR OVERNIGHTER SPOT IN VEGAS TEXAS

A couple days ago I mentioned about heading southeast in search of warmer air. Well, we found it & are currently in a little place called Vega just west of Amarillo Texas. 75F with a gentle breeze & spring song birds in the budding trees overhead. We even have green grass. We are parked for the night right beside the town’s little park that Kelly had found in the Escapee Days End guide. That guide is our prime source in searching out great boon docking & camping areas.

THIS PARK IS COMPLETELY FENCED, GRASSED & HAS A PLAYGROUND FOR THE MOTORMOUSE

Our journey is far from over & I do intend once again to continue the blog after we arrive back home just as I have the past couple years. This is going to be a Spring, Summer & Fall of major decisions for us. We are actively working on planning for our future to ensure we do not have to ever spend another winter in Canada & you can rest assured I will be blogging about all that as things transpire:))

We are watching the weather closely to the east now & depending on when & what those weather patterns do we will determine our travel times & destinations over the next few days. We may slip through Oklahoma city or we may slide down through Wichita Falls & pick up our old route at Gainesville. We intend to remain as far south as reasonably possible before making the big swing north at some point. If we decide on our old route that big northern swing will occur just west of Memphis. We’ll see which way the wind is blowing in the morning:))

CAN YOU TELL THE LITTLE MOTORMOUSE JUST LOVES IT HERE….YA RIGHT!!

The Bayfield Bunch welcomes our latest blog Follower, John Kite. Always nice to see new blog supporters:))

STOP SPINNING THIS THING & LET US OFF!!

Just a reminder that it is a short 9 months to Christmas. We have spent our last 4 Snow Birding Christmas’s in Columbus New Mexico, Borrego Springs California, McNeil & Elfrida Arizona. Just thought I’d throw that at ya in case you didn’t have any Christmas thoughts on your mind lately…………:))

CANYON DE CHELLY….. A NORTH RIM OVERLOOK

GROANER’S CORNER:((

A woman in a bar tries to pick up a mathematician.
"How old, do you think I am?" she asks coyly.
"Well - 18 by that fire in your eyes, 19 by that glow on your cheeks, 20 by that radiance of your face, and adding that up is something you can probably do for yourself..."

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