Yesterday was warm and partly sunny with a high about 30C. In the evening, it cooled down to about 21C, which was great for our evening stroll through the park. During the night a cold front moved in, dropping the temp to 13C, and lots of rain.
As I write this, it is still raining slightly while we are in McAllen Barnes & Noble store. We have looked to buy a Guia Roji at Sanborn Insurance but have struck out as they are out of stock, and waiting for the 2010 shipment to arrive. We will look for this Mexican road atlas on our travels in Mexico at a Pemex station.
Tomorrow, we have to get everything packed away, ready for our Wed morning departure for Mexico.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
November 27 Friday Black Friday
Today is NOT SHOPPING day for us as we want to avoid the madness that prevails in the US on the day after Thanksgiving. People we lining up very early in the morning (3 or 4 AM) to get the door-crasher specials. Not my game.
We do something far more relaxing and entertaining and enjoy the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a world renown birdwatching park, a few miles south of Alamo, on the Rio Grande River. The have a 50’ observation tower you can climb to watch the birds. Since birds like to sit in the tree tops, being above them is a great idea. There are birds here we don’t see in Ontario, like the Green Jay, and the Great Kiskadee. If you think the Baltimore Oriole is pretty, you should see the Altamira Oriole. Very very pretty and bright orange. We also see a Ladder-back Woodpecker, which is similar to our Downy Woodpecker in Ontario, but lacks the red head color.
After viewing from the tower, we walk down one path and find a photography blind and sit down to watch the birds close up.
The Refuge has set up a little water hole, sprinkled with seeds to attract the birds. The Green Jays come in little groups, gobble up some seeds and then take off into the woods. A few minutes later the scenario is repeated. These Jays are similar to our Blue Jays (not the ones with bats and gloves) but a completely different coloring. A Golden Fronted Woodpecker joins in with the Jays. This woodpecker is similar in size and color to the Red-headed Woodpecker but has patches of orange and white on its head. We spot a Black-crested Titmouse that comes in for a few seeds and flies off into the woods.
A Great Kiskadee approaches near but sits in a branch above and off to the side of the water and seems to settle in for a little nap. Then a Altamira Oriole flies in and lands at the water, and is joined by another Great Kiskadee. The Oriole proceeds to have a nice bath and the Kiskadee joins in.
The Great Kiskadee joins with the Altamira Oriole at the watering hole.
The Great Kiskadee and the Altamira Oriole enjoy a bath together.
I hope the pictures do these pretty birds justice.
We do something far more relaxing and entertaining and enjoy the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a world renown birdwatching park, a few miles south of Alamo, on the Rio Grande River. The have a 50’ observation tower you can climb to watch the birds. Since birds like to sit in the tree tops, being above them is a great idea. There are birds here we don’t see in Ontario, like the Green Jay, and the Great Kiskadee. If you think the Baltimore Oriole is pretty, you should see the Altamira Oriole. Very very pretty and bright orange. We also see a Ladder-back Woodpecker, which is similar to our Downy Woodpecker in Ontario, but lacks the red head color.
After viewing from the tower, we walk down one path and find a photography blind and sit down to watch the birds close up.
There were several butterflies too.
A Great Kiskadee approaches near but sits in a branch above and off to the side of the water and seems to settle in for a little nap. Then a Altamira Oriole flies in and lands at the water, and is joined by another Great Kiskadee. The Oriole proceeds to have a nice bath and the Kiskadee joins in.
Golden Fronted Woodpecker
Green Jay
Green Jays squabble, showing coloration on tails.
Great Kiskadee in tree.
The Great Kiskadee joins with the Altamira Oriole at the watering hole.
The Great Kiskadee and the Altamira Oriole enjoy a bath together.
Bev on a trail in the Wildlife Refuge.
The Spanish Moss creates a tunnel through the trees.
November 26 Thursday – Thanksgiving Day II
We have already stuffed ourselves once this year for our Canadian Thanksgiving Day. Now we get to go round two. The RV park has supplied a turkey for every group of about 20 people. One of the ladies living in a semi-permanent mobile home has been designated the turkey cooker, primarily because she has a regular size oven. That is one thing that most motorhomes lack. Our oven might be able to accommodate a chicken, but not a turkey. The rest of our group supplies all the trimmings, like mashed potatoes, salads, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, and desserts.
The reception hall is quite large and there were over 220 people attending. After grace, we all dig in to the food for our noon time meal. With people from all over the US and many from Canada, there is a wide variety to choose from. I tried the scalloped corn even though I had never heard of it before. It was good but I missed out on the corn stuffing. Surprise…some people actually enjoyed the turnip.
We sat across the table from a couple from Minnesota, Sue and Dan Nelson, who are on their first trip after retiring. Since we are all in the same boat, we enjoy the friendly banter and discussions of the trip so far.
Ah…then come desserts. I pick small pieces of lemon and pecan (that is pee cawn, not pee can) pie. I really enjoy the pecan pie which is better than any store-bought pecan pie I have had.
Stuffed to the gills, we waddle back to the motorhome, taking left-overs with us. We join up with our neighbours from North Bay, Norm and Claudette Fortier, for an afternoon of euchre, guys against girls. So sad for the girls as they go down in defeat 4 games to 1, we all enjoyed the time socializing and hope to get in another round before we leave for Mexico.
Then comes round two of Thanksgiving Day II. Yup, we all head back to the hall for a 5:30 PM with all the left-overs to choose from. Most people are still stuffed from noon so the plates are as heaping as before. Never the less, after the main course, I head for the pecan pie, by-passing the lemon ‘cause I’m trying to cut down.
The reception hall is quite large and there were over 220 people attending. After grace, we all dig in to the food for our noon time meal. With people from all over the US and many from Canada, there is a wide variety to choose from. I tried the scalloped corn even though I had never heard of it before. It was good but I missed out on the corn stuffing. Surprise…some people actually enjoyed the turnip.
We sat across the table from a couple from Minnesota, Sue and Dan Nelson, who are on their first trip after retiring. Since we are all in the same boat, we enjoy the friendly banter and discussions of the trip so far.
Ah…then come desserts. I pick small pieces of lemon and pecan (that is pee cawn, not pee can) pie. I really enjoy the pecan pie which is better than any store-bought pecan pie I have had.
The View Looking Up Our "Street"
A Nice Cactus Across the Street
Stuffed to the gills, we waddle back to the motorhome, taking left-overs with us. We join up with our neighbours from North Bay, Norm and Claudette Fortier, for an afternoon of euchre, guys against girls. So sad for the girls as they go down in defeat 4 games to 1, we all enjoyed the time socializing and hope to get in another round before we leave for Mexico.
Then comes round two of Thanksgiving Day II. Yup, we all head back to the hall for a 5:30 PM with all the left-overs to choose from. Most people are still stuffed from noon so the plates are as heaping as before. Never the less, after the main course, I head for the pecan pie, by-passing the lemon ‘cause I’m trying to cut down.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
November 25 Wash & Hair Cut Day
Today was a close to home day…no sightseeing or shopping. In the afternoon, Bev went of to the laundry centre in the RV park while I went on adventure to get a hair cut. I asked at the front desk about a local barbershop but they said “Oh, just go to any salon and get it cut like everyone else. Drive down the street and drop in.”
Huh? Beauty salon…for girls and women? Women cutting guys hair? What is the world coming to? I stop in a Julie’s Beauty Salon where we had previously spotted a sign listing haircuts for...wait for this…$5. That’s right…five US bucks. As I enter, I see men, women, and children sitting in the waiting area. As I approach the desk, I see a sign saying men have to pre-pay for hair cuts. I guess women don’t pre-pay as their costs would vary depending on what they wanted done. I am instructed to have a seat after anteing up the $5. Just a few minutes later and I am led into the cutting area where 8 or 10 women were cutting, dying, and perming hair. My turn in the chair and I ask for just a regular hair cut with a taper at the back. My usual. She asks “Do want scissors or clippers?” I’ve never had this option before so I go for the usual clippers. The end result looks just fine, short and neat. I am ready for Mexico.
It suddenly dawns on me that this is the first time since early childhood that a women has cut my hair, and that was my Mom. What a chauvinistic lifestyle I have led!
I arrive back at the park to help out with the rest of the laundry. Chauvinistic and domesticated concurrently.
We spend the rest of the day preparing for the big day tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day II. Bev prepares stuffing and I prepare the turnip.
Huh? Beauty salon…for girls and women? Women cutting guys hair? What is the world coming to? I stop in a Julie’s Beauty Salon where we had previously spotted a sign listing haircuts for...wait for this…$5. That’s right…five US bucks. As I enter, I see men, women, and children sitting in the waiting area. As I approach the desk, I see a sign saying men have to pre-pay for hair cuts. I guess women don’t pre-pay as their costs would vary depending on what they wanted done. I am instructed to have a seat after anteing up the $5. Just a few minutes later and I am led into the cutting area where 8 or 10 women were cutting, dying, and perming hair. My turn in the chair and I ask for just a regular hair cut with a taper at the back. My usual. She asks “Do want scissors or clippers?” I’ve never had this option before so I go for the usual clippers. The end result looks just fine, short and neat. I am ready for Mexico.
It suddenly dawns on me that this is the first time since early childhood that a women has cut my hair, and that was my Mom. What a chauvinistic lifestyle I have led!
I arrive back at the park to help out with the rest of the laundry. Chauvinistic and domesticated concurrently.
We spend the rest of the day preparing for the big day tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day II. Bev prepares stuffing and I prepare the turnip.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Nov 24 Tuesday South Padre Island
We traveled east to the coast and South Padre Island and met up with Marg & Ev Thompson from Midland Ontario. They are staying at the Isla Blanca Park on the very south tip of the island. We wanted to scout around and get a good sense of what South Padre is about. Our bowling friends, Ken & Louise Pigott have been coming here for a few weeks each year and now will be coming for three months starting in January. While I had seen a map view of the island, I was a bit surprised to see the number of high-rise buildings…condos and hotels along the gulf side beach. This is area is fairly well built up but everything peters out in a few miles as you move north, and then it is just miles of beach and sand dunes.
One of the highlights of this little jaunt was a visit to the local turtle sanctuary. It was a rather simple “zoo” of large tanks, maybe 10-12’ across, with one or two turtles each that had been rescued from the nearby beaches. Most of these turtles were missing one or more appendages, usually due to shark attacks. There was one turtle that was rescued very young, no bigger than 3” across, that was missing three appendages. The center was experimenting with a prosthesis that would allow this turtle to swim in a somewhat of a straight line. Amazingly enough, this turtle was now about 15” across and about 15 years old. The center does take loving care of these wonderful creatures, releasing many back to the wild after a period of tender care.
We stopped for lunch at a seaside restaurant with a nice view of the lagoon side and the causeway bridge linking the island to the mainland. We were just about finished lunch when a cold front moved, changing the sunny warm day into a cool, very windy, and wet.
After lunch we continued the tour into Port Isabella on the mainland side of the bridge. There were lots of shrimp boats at the commercial docks and lots of them were pretty well beyond repair and probably due for the scrap yard soon.
There were a couple of RV campgrounds but none that would be suitable for us as the RVs were packed in pretty tight. Not what we would consider fun. I had been a little antsy when the storm moved through as I was worried about out awning being out, and possibly gone with the wind.
We returned to Ev & Marg's rig to find that their awning had been damaged, with a 1 foot tear of the material right at the top where it joins the side wall. Someone had rolled in the awning while he was away, saving considerably more damage. We left for home expecting the worst.
When we arrived b ack at our campground we found the awning secure and undamaged...what a relief. If you recall, we had just installed this two weeks ago. The bicycles were knocked over but no damage done. The Satellite dish was another story though. It had fallen over and broken the arm off that holds the LNB. Another job for JB Weld epoxy.
South Padre Island
This area has had a Red Tide, killing off thousands of fish.
You can imagine the smell.
Marg doesn't like the smell so she wears a mask, mainly to ward off the respiratory irritation.
One of the highlights of this little jaunt was a visit to the local turtle sanctuary. It was a rather simple “zoo” of large tanks, maybe 10-12’ across, with one or two turtles each that had been rescued from the nearby beaches. Most of these turtles were missing one or more appendages, usually due to shark attacks. There was one turtle that was rescued very young, no bigger than 3” across, that was missing three appendages. The center was experimenting with a prosthesis that would allow this turtle to swim in a somewhat of a straight line. Amazingly enough, this turtle was now about 15” across and about 15 years old. The center does take loving care of these wonderful creatures, releasing many back to the wild after a period of tender care.
This big guy would surface and squirt water. Why? Who knows!
We stopped for lunch at a seaside restaurant with a nice view of the lagoon side and the causeway bridge linking the island to the mainland. We were just about finished lunch when a cold front moved, changing the sunny warm day into a cool, very windy, and wet.
After lunch we continued the tour into Port Isabella on the mainland side of the bridge. There were lots of shrimp boats at the commercial docks and lots of them were pretty well beyond repair and probably due for the scrap yard soon.
There were a couple of RV campgrounds but none that would be suitable for us as the RVs were packed in pretty tight. Not what we would consider fun. I had been a little antsy when the storm moved through as I was worried about out awning being out, and possibly gone with the wind.
We returned to Ev & Marg's rig to find that their awning had been damaged, with a 1 foot tear of the material right at the top where it joins the side wall. Someone had rolled in the awning while he was away, saving considerably more damage. We left for home expecting the worst.
When we arrived b ack at our campground we found the awning secure and undamaged...what a relief. If you recall, we had just installed this two weeks ago. The bicycles were knocked over but no damage done. The Satellite dish was another story though. It had fallen over and broken the arm off that holds the LNB. Another job for JB Weld epoxy.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Nov 21 Saturday Windshield Screen
One of the big attractions of this area are flea markets. The DonWes Flea market has several vendors with RV parts. We arranged with the Shade Shack to have windshield screens installed. These screens block 90 % of the light coming into the RV, reducing the heat absorbed into the interior. This is a big deal on a sunny day, and a good investment.
In the morning a fellow showed up to measure the windows and returns to the shop. Late in the afternoon, he shows up with his daughter to finish the installation.
Not shown here are window covers for the driver and passenger side front windows.
As part of the package deal of $275, they included wiper covers, mirror covers, and a bag for everything to fit into when not in use. Cash deal tax, included.
In the morning a fellow showed up to measure the windows and returns to the shop. Late in the afternoon, he shows up with his daughter to finish the installation.
Positioning the windshield screen.
Installing the snap fasteners.
Not shown here are window covers for the driver and passenger side front windows.
As part of the package deal of $275, they included wiper covers, mirror covers, and a bag for everything to fit into when not in use. Cash deal tax, included.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Passing Time on a Rainy Day
It isn't a perfect day, but it is warm. The high was 27 C and muggy.
When we gassed up in Natchez, I left the gas cap behind. So we dropped by an auto parts store (Reilly's) to pick up a new one. At the same time, I borrowed a steering wheel puller tool kit.
Back at the motorhome, the gas cap replacement was easy. Then came the steering wheel pull. Ya gotta have the right tools and this made the job go so much better. After getting the steering wheel off, I got at the culprit of my problem...the hazard lights switch which is part of the turn signal switch assembly. I was able to dismantle the switch and re-tension the switch contacts. Now we have our hazards lights working again. That little job probably saved us a few hundred dollars that a dealer/mechanic would have charged for the labor and parts.
While I was in the area, I also added a turn signal chime that dings whenever the turn signals are on. Very helpful when you are in a noisy driver's area with AC fans blowing to keep cool and the tunes are playing.
We returned the loaner tool set today and we are sitting outside the DQ checking for mail and updating the blog. Sorry...no pic of the DQ.
We signed onto a site that joins people wanting to travel into Mexico together. This is the same place run by the couple who wrote the book on camping in Mexico, that is considered the bible for RVers in Mexico.
.
Rolling Homes Press publishes Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping
When we gassed up in Natchez, I left the gas cap behind. So we dropped by an auto parts store (Reilly's) to pick up a new one. At the same time, I borrowed a steering wheel puller tool kit.
Back at the motorhome, the gas cap replacement was easy. Then came the steering wheel pull. Ya gotta have the right tools and this made the job go so much better. After getting the steering wheel off, I got at the culprit of my problem...the hazard lights switch which is part of the turn signal switch assembly. I was able to dismantle the switch and re-tension the switch contacts. Now we have our hazards lights working again. That little job probably saved us a few hundred dollars that a dealer/mechanic would have charged for the labor and parts.
While I was in the area, I also added a turn signal chime that dings whenever the turn signals are on. Very helpful when you are in a noisy driver's area with AC fans blowing to keep cool and the tunes are playing.
We returned the loaner tool set today and we are sitting outside the DQ checking for mail and updating the blog. Sorry...no pic of the DQ.
We signed onto a site that joins people wanting to travel into Mexico together. This is the same place run by the couple who wrote the book on camping in Mexico, that is considered the bible for RVers in Mexico.
.
Rolling Homes Press publishes Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Nov 17 Tuesday
It was colder last night and the temp reads 12C at 7 AM. We use the furnace to warm up. It is now raining as I type away on the blog…off-line of course. We plan to go food shopping and look for wireless Internet this morning.
I am sitting in the parking lot of a La Quinta Inn in Alamo using their wireless service for free. Wish I could get good service in the RV park.
I am sitting in the parking lot of a La Quinta Inn in Alamo using their wireless service for free. Wish I could get good service in the RV park.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Nov 16 Monday Settling to Home for 2 Weeks
Our spot is next to another couple from North Bay, who have taken up the RV life full time. We learn there are others from Ottawa and Peterborough.
Since the day starts of cloud and rainy, Bev goes off to do the laundry and Vic stays to replace the sink and light fixture in the bathroom…remember the bargains we got in Elkhart Indiana? Bev’s time is quite productive as she gets to speak with the people from Peterborough and picks up some useful camping info. She also learns they have Starchoice (Shaw Direct) and they offer to help get our dish working. Later in the afternoon, we go for a walk to their campsite, only to find they are not home. The dish is visible so Vic checks the settings and quickly realizes his error. We return to our site and align the dish and voila…HDTV. It really pays to be accurate with the elevation setting. I thought I had set the dish to 59 degrees elevation, not knowing I had mistakenly set the dish to 49 degrees. The satellite I found wasn’t the right one. That also explains why we couldn’t get it set up right in Lake Corpus Christi.
The day stays mostly cloudy and tops out at about 22C.
Since the day starts of cloud and rainy, Bev goes off to do the laundry and Vic stays to replace the sink and light fixture in the bathroom…remember the bargains we got in Elkhart Indiana? Bev’s time is quite productive as she gets to speak with the people from Peterborough and picks up some useful camping info. She also learns they have Starchoice (Shaw Direct) and they offer to help get our dish working. Later in the afternoon, we go for a walk to their campsite, only to find they are not home. The dish is visible so Vic checks the settings and quickly realizes his error. We return to our site and align the dish and voila…HDTV. It really pays to be accurate with the elevation setting. I thought I had set the dish to 59 degrees elevation, not knowing I had mistakenly set the dish to 49 degrees. The satellite I found wasn’t the right one. That also explains why we couldn’t get it set up right in Lake Corpus Christi.
The day stays mostly cloudy and tops out at about 22C.
Nov 15 Sunday Onward to the “Valley”
We get up and have pancakes for breakfast…a leisurely start, since we don’t have a long trip today.
Heading south on 281, the terrain is again pretty flat and we go through areas of heavy farming. You can see for miles. Then the farming disappears and is replaced by scrub land and mesquite trees. Then grazing cattle…but still flat. We see some “nodding horse” oil well pumps working away, and also some that are not working. We call them “napping horses”.
It is a partly cloudy day and by 11 AM the temp is up to 28.5C.
At this point on 281, the road is four lane divided highway, with a very wide grass median. They have planted palm trees along the median, so it looks quite inviting. I haven’t mentioned anything about the highways in Texas. In Ontario, a two lane highway will have a max speed of 80K or 50 MPH. In Texas, the same road will be 70 miles and hour, with paved shoulders, so traffic moves quickly. Doesn’t help me much as we only travel 60-63 mph.
We arrive in the Mission Texas about noon and start our search for a spot for two weeks. Leaving the RV in a Walmart, we will work our way east in the car looking for campgrounds. The first spot looks very nice, and has Internet service, and the rate is $300 for two weeks. There didn’t seem to be many transient sites. We move on to the next, expecting it to be noisy, as it looks by the map to be too close to the highway. It seems fine and the sites look good. The rate here is $200 for the two weeks. We move northward to a place called Casa Del Valle, in Alamo. Since it is Sunday, there is nobody in the office so we look around. We stop to chat with some people from Ontario and they spoke of the great rate they got. We go back to the office and make a call to the number posted on the door. They answered and said they will be there in 10 minutes. When they arrive, we discuss the rate. They have special pricing on for November and December and the rate is $89 per week or $200 for a month. Electricity is extra at 13 cents per kilowatt, but that shouldn’t add up to much. Since there is little difference, we opt for the month. When Bev paid the bill the next morning, the actual rate charged was only $189. Wow!
Internet service is provided by a separate provider but we get a 4 hour trial coupon. It sucks big time. The service is so slow, it is nearly unusable. If I had signed up to the two week rate of $23, I would have been really PO’d. We will look for free service outside a hotel in the area. Since leaving home, with great and reliable Internet access, I am really hurting without it. Maybe next year, we will get satellite Internet service and be more independent.
As this is Sunday, Battle of the Blades will be on at 8:00 PM Eastern so I attempt to get the satellite dish set up. Using the satellite finder, I can lock onto a good signal but the receiver won’t pick up the satellite. We miss the Battle.
Heading south on 281, the terrain is again pretty flat and we go through areas of heavy farming. You can see for miles. Then the farming disappears and is replaced by scrub land and mesquite trees. Then grazing cattle…but still flat. We see some “nodding horse” oil well pumps working away, and also some that are not working. We call them “napping horses”.
It is a partly cloudy day and by 11 AM the temp is up to 28.5C.
At this point on 281, the road is four lane divided highway, with a very wide grass median. They have planted palm trees along the median, so it looks quite inviting. I haven’t mentioned anything about the highways in Texas. In Ontario, a two lane highway will have a max speed of 80K or 50 MPH. In Texas, the same road will be 70 miles and hour, with paved shoulders, so traffic moves quickly. Doesn’t help me much as we only travel 60-63 mph.
We arrive in the Mission Texas about noon and start our search for a spot for two weeks. Leaving the RV in a Walmart, we will work our way east in the car looking for campgrounds. The first spot looks very nice, and has Internet service, and the rate is $300 for two weeks. There didn’t seem to be many transient sites. We move on to the next, expecting it to be noisy, as it looks by the map to be too close to the highway. It seems fine and the sites look good. The rate here is $200 for the two weeks. We move northward to a place called Casa Del Valle, in Alamo. Since it is Sunday, there is nobody in the office so we look around. We stop to chat with some people from Ontario and they spoke of the great rate they got. We go back to the office and make a call to the number posted on the door. They answered and said they will be there in 10 minutes. When they arrive, we discuss the rate. They have special pricing on for November and December and the rate is $89 per week or $200 for a month. Electricity is extra at 13 cents per kilowatt, but that shouldn’t add up to much. Since there is little difference, we opt for the month. When Bev paid the bill the next morning, the actual rate charged was only $189. Wow!
Internet service is provided by a separate provider but we get a 4 hour trial coupon. It sucks big time. The service is so slow, it is nearly unusable. If I had signed up to the two week rate of $23, I would have been really PO’d. We will look for free service outside a hotel in the area. Since leaving home, with great and reliable Internet access, I am really hurting without it. Maybe next year, we will get satellite Internet service and be more independent.
As this is Sunday, Battle of the Blades will be on at 8:00 PM Eastern so I attempt to get the satellite dish set up. Using the satellite finder, I can lock onto a good signal but the receiver won’t pick up the satellite. We miss the Battle.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Nov 14 Saturday Heading South
We really liked the Sandy Creek Park (Corp of Engineers) as it had a great setting, and good sites. Not to mention that the price was reasonable at $16. Facilities are minimal though.
Since we have a long drive for the day, we get away by 8:30 AM. We don’t see Helmut and Marg to say good-bye. The day starts out at 11C, which is promising. The first leg of the trip takes us through Livingston, then it is a southerly shot down past Houston to get to Lake Corpus Christi State Park. At Livingston, the temp rises to 22C. Nice!
We gas up in south Houston at $2.49 per gallon. Since starting on the Trace, we’ve been getting about 7 ¾ miles per gallon. At least it is better than a boat.
Since there is a Harbor Freight store not far out of our way, we take a detour, only, to find that we can’t get our rig into, and exit, the parking lot, and cannot park on the street. We will leave Harbor Freight for another day. Not that I need anything…just want to look around. Yeah right.
The terrain is mostly flat, making easy going for the RV, but there is a stiff wind jostling us.
We pull into the State Park late in the afternoon. The temp is now 28C and we are not used to it.
The Texas state parks charge per person ($4) and per campsite ($16) and that was for water and electrical hookup. Facilities are a little lacking but we are only staying for the one night. We are close enough to the Donna Texas area that we can be there within 2 ½ hours drive. That will allow us to look around for a campground and get settled before dusk.
Since we have a long drive for the day, we get away by 8:30 AM. We don’t see Helmut and Marg to say good-bye. The day starts out at 11C, which is promising. The first leg of the trip takes us through Livingston, then it is a southerly shot down past Houston to get to Lake Corpus Christi State Park. At Livingston, the temp rises to 22C. Nice!
We gas up in south Houston at $2.49 per gallon. Since starting on the Trace, we’ve been getting about 7 ¾ miles per gallon. At least it is better than a boat.
Since there is a Harbor Freight store not far out of our way, we take a detour, only, to find that we can’t get our rig into, and exit, the parking lot, and cannot park on the street. We will leave Harbor Freight for another day. Not that I need anything…just want to look around. Yeah right.
The terrain is mostly flat, making easy going for the RV, but there is a stiff wind jostling us.
We pull into the State Park late in the afternoon. The temp is now 28C and we are not used to it.
The Texas state parks charge per person ($4) and per campsite ($16) and that was for water and electrical hookup. Facilities are a little lacking but we are only staying for the one night. We are close enough to the Donna Texas area that we can be there within 2 ½ hours drive. That will allow us to look around for a campground and get settled before dusk.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Nov 13 Tooting into Texas
Brrr. We wake up to greet a day at 4.2C / 40F. Where did all the heat go?
When I try to hookup the break-away device for the towed car braking system, I discover that the little pull out thingy is missing. I suspect it got lost while in Natchez when the front of the car scraped the road when exiting a parking lot...funny deep curb ate it, I guess.
We stop just outside the park to fill up at $2.59…more expensive than north of us, around Nashville.
We cross the bridge on Hwy 84 over the Mississippi River and get a good view. As I said before, there is a good current flowing and you see several tree parts floating down stream.
We get a awful surprise going into Vidalia Louisiana, just across the bridge. Gas is selling for $2.39. Since we filled up with over 58 gallons, we could have saved $11.60, enough for two DQ Blizzard, and change in return!
The roads are quite flat and there are lots of cotton fields. We see huge bales of cotton the size of shipping a container. Instead of dead deer on the side of the road, as in Indiana, Tennessee, etc., we now see dead possums.
We decided to cut the trip short and stopped at a Corp of Engineers campground, west of Jasper TX. Very nice place and the fee is reasonable @ $16 for hydro & water hookups, right on the lakefront. Now we need to go to a National Park somewhere and get our Golden Age Pass. That would have dropped the price to $8 per night. Bargoon!
We are right this moment sitting in the car in the Jasper Ramada Inn, mooching on their Wi-Fi. The problems we had yesterday are gone.
We haven't finalized our next leg, but it should be somewhere southwest of Houston.
When I try to hookup the break-away device for the towed car braking system, I discover that the little pull out thingy is missing. I suspect it got lost while in Natchez when the front of the car scraped the road when exiting a parking lot...funny deep curb ate it, I guess.
We stop just outside the park to fill up at $2.59…more expensive than north of us, around Nashville.
We cross the bridge on Hwy 84 over the Mississippi River and get a good view. As I said before, there is a good current flowing and you see several tree parts floating down stream.
We get a awful surprise going into Vidalia Louisiana, just across the bridge. Gas is selling for $2.39. Since we filled up with over 58 gallons, we could have saved $11.60, enough for two DQ Blizzard, and change in return!
A field of cotton
The roads are quite flat and there are lots of cotton fields. We see huge bales of cotton the size of shipping a container. Instead of dead deer on the side of the road, as in Indiana, Tennessee, etc., we now see dead possums.
We decided to cut the trip short and stopped at a Corp of Engineers campground, west of Jasper TX. Very nice place and the fee is reasonable @ $16 for hydro & water hookups, right on the lakefront. Now we need to go to a National Park somewhere and get our Golden Age Pass. That would have dropped the price to $8 per night. Bargoon!
We are right this moment sitting in the car in the Jasper Ramada Inn, mooching on their Wi-Fi. The problems we had yesterday are gone.
We haven't finalized our next leg, but it should be somewhere southwest of Houston.
Nov 12 Visit to Natchez
We stop in at the Visitors Center to look around the exhibits and try out the Wi-Fi. The exhibits explained the history of the area but the Wi-Fi was a no-go. There was a unsecured access point but I couldn’t get connected. We then move to the Library. They don’t have Wi-Fi but we get on a computer to check emails. We then walked down the street to the ABM to get some cash. Low and behold, across the street is the Bass Pecan Shop, one of our targets. We load up on pecan treats and use the free Wi-Fi. I get part way through updating the blog when access just won’t pass any more data. I tried restarting the computer, disconnected & re-connected the access to no avail. I was pee eee double ess eee dee. The in-store computers carried on without a burp, even with on guy using Skype. I left in a huff.
We looked a bit more around town at some of the old houses. Impressive old architecture.
Of course, you have to take in the grand view of the Mighty Mississip itself. The river is very wide at this point, maybe a kilometer and runs quite fast. You and understand why the Indians and early settlers decided to walk back home through the woods on the Natchez Trace. No way they could have paddled upstream.
In the afternoon, we visited the Mount Locust Inn, which was one days walk from Natchez, and the first stop for travelers. This estate was originally a farm that took advantage of the opportunity to serve the travellers of the day, augmenting their farming income. The farm had up to 51 slaves working the fields and tending the owners needs. With the advent of the paddle-wheeler steam boats, the Trace became little used and the Inn operations subsided.
We meet another guy, Helmut, from Ontario. After some chatting, we learn he is from Penetang and he has actually had a short chat with Dale Steffler. For those who don’t know Dale, he and his wife Jan are old boating friends on Georgian Bay. They have been travelling to Mexico for 25 years, and even got married there. Small world.
Helmut and his wife will tag along with us tomorrow on our next leg into Texas. The intended destination is just south of Huntsville TX, but we have a couple of alternate stop-overs in case we run late.
We looked a bit more around town at some of the old houses. Impressive old architecture.
In the afternoon, we visited the Mount Locust Inn, which was one days walk from Natchez, and the first stop for travelers. This estate was originally a farm that took advantage of the opportunity to serve the travellers of the day, augmenting their farming income. The farm had up to 51 slaves working the fields and tending the owners needs. With the advent of the paddle-wheeler steam boats, the Trace became little used and the Inn operations subsided.
Mount Locust Inn
Vic & Bev walking on the original Trace.
We meet another guy, Helmut, from Ontario. After some chatting, we learn he is from Penetang and he has actually had a short chat with Dale Steffler. For those who don’t know Dale, he and his wife Jan are old boating friends on Georgian Bay. They have been travelling to Mexico for 25 years, and even got married there. Small world.
Helmut and his wife will tag along with us tomorrow on our next leg into Texas. The intended destination is just south of Huntsville TX, but we have a couple of alternate stop-overs in case we run late.
Nov 11 Remembrance Day Tupelo to Natchez
No poppies down here, but we see them on satellite TV on CBC news.
We make an early start as we have a longer drive to Natchez today. We get away by 8:10 AM.
The day starts cool again but warms up nicely to 21C / 70 F, and totally clear skies. We spot four deer along the side of the road as we leave the park, and head back onto the Trace.
This is the first day we spot wildlife on the parkway, as three wild turkeys cross the road in front of us.
Somewhere around Jackson, we notice that the trees are greener and have lost fewer leaves than in Tupelo, just 150 miles away. We know we are in the south now as we have spotted a tree with Spanish Moss hanging from it.
We pull into Natchez State Park about 2:00 PM, lots of time to get settled in. Too bad there are trees in our view of the Shaw Direct satellite. No TV tonight. Camping fee $18 but not as nice a campground as Trace State Park.
We make an early start as we have a longer drive to Natchez today. We get away by 8:10 AM.
The day starts cool again but warms up nicely to 21C / 70 F, and totally clear skies. We spot four deer along the side of the road as we leave the park, and head back onto the Trace.
This is the first day we spot wildlife on the parkway, as three wild turkeys cross the road in front of us.
Somewhere around Jackson, we notice that the trees are greener and have lost fewer leaves than in Tupelo, just 150 miles away. We know we are in the south now as we have spotted a tree with Spanish Moss hanging from it.
We pull into Natchez State Park about 2:00 PM, lots of time to get settled in. Too bad there are trees in our view of the Shaw Direct satellite. No TV tonight. Camping fee $18 but not as nice a campground as Trace State Park.
Nov 8 Sunday to Nov 10th Tuesday
We make a pledge in the morning to get started earlier and/or make shorter hops. Yesterday was too stressful on one of us, and since we have time, we will tend to enjoy the trip much more.
We hit the road 9 AM, later than we should, but our destination is not too far down the Natchez Trace Parkway, to the Trace State Park, near Tupelo, Mississippi. We actually drive through 3 states this day, Tennessee, Alabama, and into Mississippi, with Bev at the wheel for most of it.
We stopped at a few sites along the Trace to view Indian burial mounds, a cave/sinkhole, and the Collinwood visitor centre. The lady at the centre gave us some background on the Trace, which was very helpful in understanding the significance of the of this National Parks parkway. It seems the Indians would trade goods going in a north south direction. They would canoe down the Mississippi River to around where Natchez is today. They would sell/barter their goods and return home by carrying their canoes cross country along an old path back home in the hills of Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky. As white settlers moved in, they followed the sage advice and experience of the natives. They would build log raft and barges to take their goods downriver to Natchez, where the would sell their goods, including the barges for lumber.
Next we stopped at the Parkway Visitor Centre, north of Tupelo, to view a short film and the artifacts on display.
We arrive at the Trace State Park in good time to get settled in, without rushing. What a great park, with a nice site right beside the water. This park is great for activities and has designated areas on the water for waterskiing, fishing, and swimming. There are also trails for mountain bikes, ATV, motorcycles, and horses. The sites were $18 per day for electrical, water and sewer connections. Even cheaper if you’er 65! We spend three nights here, since it was such a nice spot and Hurricane Ida was sweeping in to Gulf area south of us.
After we pull into our camp site, we set the leveling jacks to level the RV. Except one rear jack doesn’t seem to do its job. Bev yells at me to stop the jack as fluid is spurting out and creating a big puddle on the ground. S**T.
BTW, Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis and the big attraction is the little house he was born in. We skipped that and took advantage of the time and nice weather to install the bra on the front of the Focus and the stone guard flaps on the rear of the RV. That will keep things cleaner for the car and prevent stone chips.
We met three Canadian couples in the park, all heading to Florida for the winter. Bev went off to do laundry while I worked on fixing the broken hydraulic line on the leveling jack. When Bev returns she is quite exited and tells of seeing four deer crossing the road, just feet in front of the car. The next morning I see deer tracks along the water’s edge, just 20 feet in front of our RV.
We hit the road 9 AM, later than we should, but our destination is not too far down the Natchez Trace Parkway, to the Trace State Park, near Tupelo, Mississippi. We actually drive through 3 states this day, Tennessee, Alabama, and into Mississippi, with Bev at the wheel for most of it.
Typical part of the Trace road.
We stopped at this cave.
We stopped at a few sites along the Trace to view Indian burial mounds, a cave/sinkhole, and the Collinwood visitor centre. The lady at the centre gave us some background on the Trace, which was very helpful in understanding the significance of the of this National Parks parkway. It seems the Indians would trade goods going in a north south direction. They would canoe down the Mississippi River to around where Natchez is today. They would sell/barter their goods and return home by carrying their canoes cross country along an old path back home in the hills of Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky. As white settlers moved in, they followed the sage advice and experience of the natives. They would build log raft and barges to take their goods downriver to Natchez, where the would sell their goods, including the barges for lumber.
Next we stopped at the Parkway Visitor Centre, north of Tupelo, to view a short film and the artifacts on display.
We arrive at the Trace State Park in good time to get settled in, without rushing. What a great park, with a nice site right beside the water. This park is great for activities and has designated areas on the water for waterskiing, fishing, and swimming. There are also trails for mountain bikes, ATV, motorcycles, and horses. The sites were $18 per day for electrical, water and sewer connections. Even cheaper if you’er 65! We spend three nights here, since it was such a nice spot and Hurricane Ida was sweeping in to Gulf area south of us.
After we pull into our camp site, we set the leveling jacks to level the RV. Except one rear jack doesn’t seem to do its job. Bev yells at me to stop the jack as fluid is spurting out and creating a big puddle on the ground. S**T.
BTW, Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis and the big attraction is the little house he was born in. We skipped that and took advantage of the time and nice weather to install the bra on the front of the Focus and the stone guard flaps on the rear of the RV. That will keep things cleaner for the car and prevent stone chips.
We met three Canadian couples in the park, all heading to Florida for the winter. Bev went off to do laundry while I worked on fixing the broken hydraulic line on the leveling jack. When Bev returns she is quite exited and tells of seeing four deer crossing the road, just feet in front of the car. The next morning I see deer tracks along the water’s edge, just 20 feet in front of our RV.
Nov 5 Saturday Lexington to South of Nashville
We leave early in the morning, heading into Lexington, disregarding the GPS, and go the wrong way. We get on the right track to the Tire Discounters store to have the front tires replaced. The old tires are “Double Coin” tires made in China. I don’t know this brand and don’t want to trust them for the trip to Mexico and back. We replace them with Kumho KRS03 tires to match the dualie tires on the rear. We get on our way by 10:30 AM. The new tires feel less harsh than the old Double Coins. Money well spent.
The weather warms up to low 20’s C / 70ish F, with partly cloudy skies. We note that the trees here have already changed colours (or should that be colors since we are in the US) and many have dropped their leaves. We were expecting them to not be as advanced as at home in Canada.
We stop near Bowling Green at Camping World to stock up on holding tank treatment, sky light shield that actually fits right, splash guard for the rear of the RV, and awning parts.
Our fuel stop is next near Bowling Green at the Flying J for $2.51 per gallon. See the trend? Fuel is cheaper as you head south.
We pass by the General Motors facility in Bowling Green, home to the Corvette. Right next door is the Corvette Museum. Maybe one day we will have time to stop in, but not this time.
Heading south of Nashville towards the Natchez Trace Parkway, we hit a couple of steep grades. This time the RV really had to grind it up the hills, with not much to spare.
Our destination for the day is to be at Meriwether Lewis National Park on the Natchez Trace Parkway, about 40 miles south of Nashville. We are running late (5:15 PM) and it is getting dark by the time we enter the campground…only to find it full. We dash off to a nearby private campground only to find a small gravel laneway that doesn’t look too promising for an RV towing a car. We need to find a place to turn around and get back on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Seems like it should be easy but we have to go for miles to a village where we can get turned around. We head to the Thousand Trails RV park a few miles south on the Trace only to find this one closed for the season. The guy at the gate says we can stay in the parking lot at the adjoining store. Turns out to be a nice spot, all to our own, and quiet as a mouse. Again the furnace proves to be the ticket to keep us warm for the night, as the temp drops to 41 F / 5 C. Even running for the night, the furnace didn’t put a dent in the batteries.
The weather warms up to low 20’s C / 70ish F, with partly cloudy skies. We note that the trees here have already changed colours (or should that be colors since we are in the US) and many have dropped their leaves. We were expecting them to not be as advanced as at home in Canada.
We stop near Bowling Green at Camping World to stock up on holding tank treatment, sky light shield that actually fits right, splash guard for the rear of the RV, and awning parts.
Our fuel stop is next near Bowling Green at the Flying J for $2.51 per gallon. See the trend? Fuel is cheaper as you head south.
We pass by the General Motors facility in Bowling Green, home to the Corvette. Right next door is the Corvette Museum. Maybe one day we will have time to stop in, but not this time.
Heading south of Nashville towards the Natchez Trace Parkway, we hit a couple of steep grades. This time the RV really had to grind it up the hills, with not much to spare.
Our destination for the day is to be at Meriwether Lewis National Park on the Natchez Trace Parkway, about 40 miles south of Nashville. We are running late (5:15 PM) and it is getting dark by the time we enter the campground…only to find it full. We dash off to a nearby private campground only to find a small gravel laneway that doesn’t look too promising for an RV towing a car. We need to find a place to turn around and get back on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Seems like it should be easy but we have to go for miles to a village where we can get turned around. We head to the Thousand Trails RV park a few miles south on the Trace only to find this one closed for the season. The guy at the gate says we can stay in the parking lot at the adjoining store. Turns out to be a nice spot, all to our own, and quiet as a mouse. Again the furnace proves to be the ticket to keep us warm for the night, as the temp drops to 41 F / 5 C. Even running for the night, the furnace didn’t put a dent in the batteries.
Nov 5 Thursday La Porte
We go shopping at Menards in Michigan City, which is like a Lowes or Home Depot. I get a short electrical conduit for the surge protector project and find windshield wipers on sale for about $10 each.
They are the new flexible type and longer than the current ones. That should be an improvement. I install them when we get home later in the morning.
In the afternoon, Bev and Mary go food shopping while Don and Vic tackle the satellite TV setup again. This time I noticed that the dish was moving slightly due to a stripped screw, so we replaced the dish. Still no signal. So we replaced the LNB. This time we get a signal and get locked onto the satellite. BTW, it also helps to connect the satellite finder gizmo the right way, with the LNB connector going to the LNB. Ha! Dummy. A call to the provider to activate the new HD receiver goes well and voila…HD viewing.
They are the new flexible type and longer than the current ones. That should be an improvement. I install them when we get home later in the morning.
In the afternoon, Bev and Mary go food shopping while Don and Vic tackle the satellite TV setup again. This time I noticed that the dish was moving slightly due to a stripped screw, so we replaced the dish. Still no signal. So we replaced the LNB. This time we get a signal and get locked onto the satellite. BTW, it also helps to connect the satellite finder gizmo the right way, with the LNB connector going to the LNB. Ha! Dummy. A call to the provider to activate the new HD receiver goes well and voila…HD viewing.
Nov 4 Wednesday La Porte
Shopping Day. Elkhart Indiana is about an hour’s drive east of La Porte and is the home of RV manufacturing. There are several great places for bargains and obsolete parts. First stop is a few miles north east in White Pigeon Michigan. Bontrager’s is a RV surplus parts dealer with three buildings of misc parts and pieces. I pickup a circuit breaker so I can wire in a “whole house” surge protector (more on that later). $6…what a deal. We find a replacement bathroom light fixture of $15, and a RV AC receptacle.
Heading back toward Elkhart, we stop at Johnson’s Surplus and find the bathroom sink we badly need, as the current one is cracked and needs replacement. At $10, the sink is a great bargain, as well as the $2 for the drain fitting.
Onward to RV Surplus and Salvage in Elkhart. This is a very large building with a great mix of new, obsolete, and used parts. We are able to pick up a new door lock assembly and a vent “pillow”. The vent pillow is used to block out the sun and heat coming in through the shower sky light. Too bad. It turns out that pillow is too small for our opening. Not a good deal.
Heading back toward Elkhart, we stop at Johnson’s Surplus and find the bathroom sink we badly need, as the current one is cracked and needs replacement. At $10, the sink is a great bargain, as well as the $2 for the drain fitting.
Onward to RV Surplus and Salvage in Elkhart. This is a very large building with a great mix of new, obsolete, and used parts. We are able to pick up a new door lock assembly and a vent “pillow”. The vent pillow is used to block out the sun and heat coming in through the shower sky light. Too bad. It turns out that pillow is too small for our opening. Not a good deal.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tuesday in La Porte IN
Nov 3 Tuesday
Great sunny day. Never waste a good day on the ground. Mary goes off to the office for the day. Don and Vic go flying in Don's vintage Aeronca. I guess that makes Vic vintage as well. The airplane is one year older than Vic. After "de tookoff", Vic takes over the controls. It has been several years but it all comes back, just like riding a bike. We fly northward to the Lake Michigan shoreline and head west toward Gary Indiana to view the steel works. Then we so a 180 and fly back past Michigan City to New Buffalo. About an hour and a quarter we land back at the La Porte airport. Great flight. Thanks , Don.
In the afternoon, Bev and Vic go into La Porte to buy a propane tank at the Ace hardware store. We need the short stubby 11 pound tank to fit into the RV "basement" storage compartment. Ace’s price is better than Camping World, a large chain of stores throughout the US.
Later in the afternoon, Don and I take on the task of upgrading Don’s satellite system. We need to replace the current LNB thingy and also install a HD receiver. We install the LNB and then try to re-align the dish, using the new satellite aiming gizmo I got recently. We just couldn’t get things right and had to give up with the onset of darkness. :(
Great sunny day. Never waste a good day on the ground. Mary goes off to the office for the day. Don and Vic go flying in Don's vintage Aeronca. I guess that makes Vic vintage as well. The airplane is one year older than Vic. After "de tookoff", Vic takes over the controls. It has been several years but it all comes back, just like riding a bike. We fly northward to the Lake Michigan shoreline and head west toward Gary Indiana to view the steel works. Then we so a 180 and fly back past Michigan City to New Buffalo. About an hour and a quarter we land back at the La Porte airport. Great flight. Thanks , Don.
In the afternoon, Bev and Vic go into La Porte to buy a propane tank at the Ace hardware store. We need the short stubby 11 pound tank to fit into the RV "basement" storage compartment. Ace’s price is better than Camping World, a large chain of stores throughout the US.
Later in the afternoon, Don and I take on the task of upgrading Don’s satellite system. We need to replace the current LNB thingy and also install a HD receiver. We install the LNB and then try to re-align the dish, using the new satellite aiming gizmo I got recently. We just couldn’t get things right and had to give up with the onset of darkness. :(
Monday, November 2, 2009
Monday in La Porte IN
Nov 2 Monday
We are settled in La Porte. Today is a bit of a work day to get a few things done with the items I have purchased via the Internet and had shipped to La Porte. The easiest job first. The windshield washer nozzles have broken off where they come through the cowl below the windshield. A small tube coming from the washer pump connects to the inside part of the nozzle, while another small tube connects on the outside, going to the squirter part. The nozzles were very difficult to find but inexpensive. A ten minute job should do the trick. Disconnect hoses. Remove busted nozzles. Install new ones. Connect hoses. Done. Oops...one nozzle won't shoot out fluid. Turns out that the inside hose wasn't connected to the nozzle but to a bolt. Funny that the washer fluid can't make it through solid metal.
Next job was to install a new battery charger. The battery charger is used to charge the 12V DC "house" battery while we are parked and plugged into 120V AC. All lighting in the RV uses DC so without charging, the house batteries will die. The old charger still works but the new one is current technology that is more "battery smart" and will charger faster and not overcharge the batteries. The old one has a huge transformer and weighs a ton while the new one is practically feather light. This job goes quickly, without a hitch.
Next job is a biggie. The awning doesn’t work right so one spring mechanism needs replacement, as well as the whole awning fabric. One person can't do this job. The four of us fumbled our way through the job but get it done in a couple of hours. Don says he won't be doing any awnings in the future. Too much like work. What a whuss!
We are settled in La Porte. Today is a bit of a work day to get a few things done with the items I have purchased via the Internet and had shipped to La Porte. The easiest job first. The windshield washer nozzles have broken off where they come through the cowl below the windshield. A small tube coming from the washer pump connects to the inside part of the nozzle, while another small tube connects on the outside, going to the squirter part. The nozzles were very difficult to find but inexpensive. A ten minute job should do the trick. Disconnect hoses. Remove busted nozzles. Install new ones. Connect hoses. Done. Oops...one nozzle won't shoot out fluid. Turns out that the inside hose wasn't connected to the nozzle but to a bolt. Funny that the washer fluid can't make it through solid metal.
Next job was to install a new battery charger. The battery charger is used to charge the 12V DC "house" battery while we are parked and plugged into 120V AC. All lighting in the RV uses DC so without charging, the house batteries will die. The old charger still works but the new one is current technology that is more "battery smart" and will charger faster and not overcharge the batteries. The old one has a huge transformer and weighs a ton while the new one is practically feather light. This job goes quickly, without a hitch.
Next job is a biggie. The awning doesn’t work right so one spring mechanism needs replacement, as well as the whole awning fabric. One person can't do this job. The four of us fumbled our way through the job but get it done in a couple of hours. Don says he won't be doing any awnings in the future. Too much like work. What a whuss!
Departure Day
November 1st came before we were fully ready to leave. Emotionally, we were ready, but physically...not so much. Bev had to deal with a last minute minor emergency with her mother which took some time out of her preparations. Meanwhile Vic soldiered on.
We got our house sitters comfortably established so the house will be in good hands while we are away.
We rushed through Saturday getting food and clothes packed on-board, but still had a few things to go for Sunday. Sunday dawned cloudy and sullen while we were bright and eager to get on the way. Previously we had hoped to get away early in the morning, and then realized noon would be a more realistic time. That turned out to not be the real reality. It was closer to 2 PM by the time we pulled away from the curb. A small departure committee of neighbours Bob, Reinhart and Sybille were there to wave us on. Thanks all.
By 5 PM we approached the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia and got our first "ouch" of the trip. The bridge toll-troll demanded $9.00 for the RV and towed car. That will be an omen of more to come. A short stop at the duty-free store to stock up on cheap booze, a bottle of Canadian Club, one Jose Quervo tequilla, and one Tanqueray gin. The store clerk noted that the limit entering into the US was one 1 litre per person but the duty would be fairly low ($2-$3). Still a good deal.
Onward to the US side of the bridge and a short lineup at Customs. The agent went through the usual "Who are you?, Where ya goin', How long?, etc. She came into the RV but seemed to be interested only in if there were other people on-board. After a "clear to go", we pulled away with nary a question about booze.
First stop in the US was a stop for fuel...US$150.00 put it right near full from a 1/4 tank. What a deal! If we had filled up in Canada the bill would have been Cdn$210.00. That is one of the great things about traveling outside Canada.
The rest of the trip to La Porte Indiana was uneventful, driving in the dark the whole way, arriving about 10 PM local time. A long first day.
We got our house sitters comfortably established so the house will be in good hands while we are away.
We rushed through Saturday getting food and clothes packed on-board, but still had a few things to go for Sunday. Sunday dawned cloudy and sullen while we were bright and eager to get on the way. Previously we had hoped to get away early in the morning, and then realized noon would be a more realistic time. That turned out to not be the real reality. It was closer to 2 PM by the time we pulled away from the curb. A small departure committee of neighbours Bob, Reinhart and Sybille were there to wave us on. Thanks all.
By 5 PM we approached the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia and got our first "ouch" of the trip. The bridge toll-troll demanded $9.00 for the RV and towed car. That will be an omen of more to come. A short stop at the duty-free store to stock up on cheap booze, a bottle of Canadian Club, one Jose Quervo tequilla, and one Tanqueray gin. The store clerk noted that the limit entering into the US was one 1 litre per person but the duty would be fairly low ($2-$3). Still a good deal.
Onward to the US side of the bridge and a short lineup at Customs. The agent went through the usual "Who are you?, Where ya goin', How long?, etc. She came into the RV but seemed to be interested only in if there were other people on-board. After a "clear to go", we pulled away with nary a question about booze.
First stop in the US was a stop for fuel...US$150.00 put it right near full from a 1/4 tank. What a deal! If we had filled up in Canada the bill would have been Cdn$210.00. That is one of the great things about traveling outside Canada.
The rest of the trip to La Porte Indiana was uneventful, driving in the dark the whole way, arriving about 10 PM local time. A long first day.
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