8-15-16 - Heat Escape - Day 4

                                                        Elmer Fudd wabbit hunting

We left from Amarillo and traveled 252 miles.  It was a beautiful day with beautiful views.  Judy and Terry got their camper repaired and were about an hour behind us.  We met up at Lake Trinidad State Park.

I think we were skunked today.  Every time I walk in the camper, I smell it.  Lauren argued with me that it is not the smell of a skunk.  Judy said she had a good nose for detecting smells and confirmed my findings.  I have cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil all over the camper.  I hope it goes away soon.

We sat outside in the cool evening air, grilling burgers, watching rabbits, and  enjoying the beautiful views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

I have  my light jacket on - We have accomplished our mission….. The great heat escape!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                  Moon Rise

Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/F4GCC6Nppvt6uMcG7

8-14-16 - Heat Escape - Day 3

Today we drove 135 miles to meet up with our heat escape accomplices,  Judy and Terry.   We all decided back in July that it was too hot in South Mississippi and it was time to take a road trip.  Unfortunately, Judy and Terry have camper issues that can't be repaired until after the weekend.

We are staying at Amarillo Ranch RV Park.  It is a big campground, nice folks, although they didn't seem too excited about us not making reservations.  Oh well, we are retired and we love being spontaneous and not following a schedule.


We all took a nice drive to the Cadillac Ranch and the Palo Duro Canyon then came back to the campground and fried some of that good ole white perch from the Rez.  While Lauren was frying fish, one of our camper neighbor's came by walking his dog, Oscar Meyer,   Oscar started staring at Lauren with those pleading doggie eyes wanting a bite of fish.  His owner told Lauren he could offer Oscar a piece of fish but he won't eat it because he is a very picky eater.  After gobbling 2 small bites, Oscar had to be lured away with the rest of the piece of fish for later.

Oscar took home a doggy bag!!

                                                                            Oscar

Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/UD8n1tG8fLXefnGA6

8-13-16 - Heat Escape - Day 2

We are camped at one of our favorite campgrounds, Ole Cotton Gin RV Park in Quanah,Texas after traveling 321 miles.  We really wanted to make it to Amarillo to see our friends, but knew it was time to stop.  Usually when we are here the temperature is around 108 degrees.  Today it is a cool 92 degrees with the wind howling.  

We are definitely getting closer to cooler weather!!

8-12-16 - Heat Escape - Day 1

                                                   
                                                    Cooling off, 102 degrees outside



Our original plans was to stay in Crossroads until we sold out.  Six weeks of sweltering weather changed our minds.,  We decided to escape the heat.  After stopping for a visit at Timberlake for a couple of nights, we hit the road.  We stopped 6 hours later at Texas Rose RV Park near Tyler, Texas. The temperature is 102 degrees.  It is cloudy and breezy.

It's nice to have a flexible plan for our next chapter.

We are 334 miles closer to cooler weather!!!

                                 
                                                               

6-30-16 - Leaving the Rez (The Next Chapter)

 We have had a monthly rental site at Timberlake Campground for six years. We have developed many lifetime friendships, watched some amazing sunsets, sat around great campfires, shot a lot of bull, caught a lot of fish, and have wonderful memories that will stay with us forever.

 Many years ago we went to Goshen Springs to go crappie fishing in April.  The campground was full. We were told there were campsites available at Timberlake Campground.  We were so disappointed because we knew how to fish at Goshen Springs.  It was one of the best disappointments we have ever had!

 We came year after year and fished in the spring for crappie.  We got lucky in 2010 and got a monthly rental.  We spent the next couple of years going to the Rez on my days off.  After retiring in 2012, we started spending most of our time at the Rez.  We have had the time of our lives here.


 After 2 fantastic going away parties, we were really tempted to delay our departure and see how many more parties we could have,  We are sad to leave our friends at Timberlake Campground, who are more like family than friends.   As much as we love it here, we are going home to pursue our dream of selling out and becoming full time RVers.

  After we got to Crossroads, Ferny Kat snuck back in the camper, and was looking out the door at us.  She is as ready as we are. for the next chapter.  We aren't sure where that is, but we'll write when we get there!

6-7-16 and 6-8-16 - Coon Dog Cemetery

                                                                   

                                       
                                                           The Beginning  (1st dog buried)


   We have been wanting to ride the motorcycle to Coon Dog Cemetery in Tuscumbia, Alabama for the last couple of years.  We decided to make this ride before we left the Rez.  The weather was a little less humid, and a little cooler, so we took off.

The road going to the cemetery is a windy. somewhat rough road.  About half way of the 10 mile stretch, Lauren almost went into the ditch to dodge a big ole rattlesnake.  I never thought about a rattlesnake encounter on a motorcycle.

The cemetery was a nice memorial to all the coon dogs buried there.  There were some unique tombstones and grave markings.

We ate dinner at the Rocking Chair restaurant and spent the night in the Cold Water Inn.  We headed to Red Bay Alabama and toured the Tiffin  Motor Home factory.  We took the back roads to French Camp and had a great BLT, (AKA Big Willie).  Then we motored down the Natchez Trace to the Rez.

Another check on the bucket list!!

You think we might be rednecks????


Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/vfnEHqwPWQuC67KE6

6-6-16 - Boatless

                                                                                        

    As much as we love boating, we decided we cannot take our boat on the road with us.  It was hard to part with this boat after 25 years of  so many happy memories of fishing and boat riding. This is one of many things that we must get rid of in order to follow our dream of full time RVing.  We hope that the young man that bought our boat has as much fun in our boat as we did. It is bittersweet, but we think it found a really good home. 

          We are a little bit closer to our pipe dream today of selling out and hitting the road!!!!!

BYE!!!!!