Our Great Western Adventure

 Goodbye Rockwood

21 June 2024

Howdy y’all! Thank you very much to all of you who have read our blog and posted comments. Being

Being the techno-troglodyte that I am, it is personally rewarding to have been the instrument

which gave birth to this blog. Think of the scene of the apes, making fire, music crescendo in

the background and ....Halleluja! I DID IT!

PS: for those of you who started reading about our adventures on this post, the previous post "The BoomerBus: Our First Adventure" can be accessed at the bottom of this post. Just click on More Posts.

Well, it's time for us to depart our 'home base' in Rockwood Marina and RV Resort in

Rockwood, TN and begin the next chapter, Our Great Western Adventure. We were here for

approx three weeks to take care of medical appointments, spend time with David

(Linda's brother who lives in Tellico Village), meet with friends and have some work done

on the BoomerBus. Our strategic plan is to return here every June for medical appointments

and visit friends and family. Several of you requested more photos, so here are some from Rockwood Marina and RV Resort. Enjoy.

Yes, a spectacular sunset during our last week in Rockwood.

Our Last Quarter with all the accoutrements on site 519.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you: that's a 40+ foot yacht anchored just off the campground. They joined their friends in the two busses parked directly in front. Great campground: all the amenities you would expect plus waterfront sites, a marina, rentals. Rockwood Marina and RV resort is on Watts Bar Lake.

22 June 2024

We departed Rockwood yesterday for our first stop en route to Hearthside Grove RV Resort in Petoskey, MI. We were gifted a one week stay at this resort by the sales team at NIRVC Nashville. First stop is Benton, IL.  Awful trip! What should have been 5.5-6 hours at most, turned out to be a grueling eight hours. Three hours into our trip, just as we crossed into Kentucky, the dreaded Check Engine: MIL warning light illuminated. Here we go again. To compound the problem and add to my stress level, we are traveling in a huge tin can with outside temps at 100+F! Yes, we are running the generator to power three air conditioning units but the heat accumulation in that sail of a windshield is unrelenting. Izzy is so restless we begin to worry. We stop at a rest area, check the fault codes again, take Izzy for a walk and let the engine cool down. All that adds time.

A short note of explanation regarding the warning light: in layman's terms -mine to be precise- the computer which governs everything in this tin can, gets a signal from a sensor at the DEF tank (diesel exhaust fluid -a requirement for clean air) that it is overheating which will, eventually, tell the engine to slow down to 5MPH! Yes! Can you imagine 62 feet (Our Last Quarter+toad) crawling on I-40 at 5MPH! So, we make it to Benton, IL campground and I'm scrambling to find anyone to help fix this. 

Friday 4:30 PM! Yeah, right.

I made arrangements with a Cummins repair and service shop to come to our next campground in Michigan City, IN on Monday, 24 June. After consulting with William, the Cummins tech who replaced the DEF coolant flow valve while we were in Rockwood, we decided to depart Benton, IL on Sunday, 23 June and travel two hours and stop at a rest area for one hour and repeat this process until we arrived at our destination. Yes, this made for a long day but what really made the drive miserable was the traffic congestion on I-94/I-80 on the outskirts of Chicago. OMG! This was perhaps the worst traffic jam we've ever experienced, even more than the traffic we dealt with in Washington DC. The highway signage was incomprehensible, four lanes merging into five lanes and narrowing down to three, construction all along the route and massive semis mixed in with regular traffic. And the BoomerBus with its toad smack in the middle! Yes, 38 miles took two hours. NOT FUN but we made it to Michigan City Campground, IN.  Once we parked we looked at each other and laughed and said "we did it"!  Just another adventure.

24 June 2024

Monday morning I receive a phone call at 6:30AM from Jack Markin, the Cummins technician who asks me to explain the problems we've had with Our Last Quarter. After a 30 minute conversation, he's on his way to our campground with his mobile repair truck. Bottom line: Jack diagnosed the problem by eliminating the most obvious and common indicators. After four hours he finally fixes the BoomerBus. The Tiffin Factory installed lines from the DEF tank to the Cummins engine were installed backward! NO! Say it ain't so! Anyhow, Jack's thorough and methodical approach to the problem has given us a huge boost of confidence. Our confidence in his work will be tested when we head out on Wednesday. 

BTW: $800 just for the site visit + labor & parts. Sent the bill to Tiffin. Cocktail time. 🍸

Here we are in Michigan City, IN til Wednesday, 26 June when we travel to Petoskey, MI to the Hearthside Grove RV resort.

BTW: I'm learning more about how to insert photos, emojis and such each time my dainty fingers touch this keyboard. Watch out world!

For our dear friends Neil & Sharyn, Mike & Polly, Riann & Ismi and Kathleen with whom we've shared so many African adventures, this photo shows y'all are in our thoughts each time we sit down at the table. Love y'all.

Finally got our signs assembled and positioned on our site in Michigan City, IN. Thank you Pepper Patti.

27 June 2024

We arrived here, Hearthside Grove RV Resort in Petoskey, MI yesterday afternoon. It was an uneventful trip. No lights, no bells, no beeps, just a quiet and comfortable ride on mostly very good roads. We recommend y'all go to their, Hearthside Grove, website. Our photos don't do it justice. The manicured grounds, streams and fountains throughout the property, the owners additions to each lot. WOW! No, we're not buying but we certainly are in awe. 

We went to a well known restaurant in Petoskey, Chandler's, and enjoyed and excellent meal with perfectly crafted Aperol Boulevardiers. Knob Creek bourbon, Aperol and Carpano vermouth with an orange peel. Slurp, slurp, slurp! Upon our return to Our Last Quarter, Linda sent a note to Ashley, the mixologist who introduced us to this wonderful cocktail several years ago.

Today we took a leisurely ride around Petoskey and along SR31 south, following the coastline of Lake Michigan. The town of Petoskey is charming with a walkable downtown. Tree lined streets, old buildings and many dining options with outdoor seating. However, the temps are only in the upper 60s! Beautiful parks along the waterfront with plenty of space for people to gather and enjoy! One of the most beautiful small towns. The scenery along the coast was spectacular. Izzy was not fond of the wind driven waves, crashing along the shore. 

Later we went to dinner at The Pier restaurant, right on the water, in Harbor Springs, MI and got to witness the Blessing of the Fleet. Serendipity. Here are some photos of our site in Hearthside Grove, the town of Petoskey, the coast along Lake Michigan and Harbor Springs.

A park in Petoskey right on the waterfront & our site in Hearthside Grove.

Petoskey marina and Linda & Izzy on the coast.

Simply beautiful coast along Lake Michigan.

Here we are enjoying an aperitivo at The Pier restaurant in Harbor Springs, MI while watching the Blessing of the Fleet.

What Have We Learned...So Far?

28 June 2024

It's an ugly day today. Cloudy, cool and rain in the forecast so we're staying in Our Last Quarter and taking care of chores. Just a day of light work and relax. Later we'll dig out the games we brought with us and see what we want to play. Not gents poker.

Anyhow, I was ruminating on what we've learned during these three+ months of RVing and thought I'd put my thoughts on paper.

As y'all know, we've been living in Our Last Quarter only since March 20th of this year, so we don't have the experience of those who've been doing it for years. Nonetheless, as newbies we have learned some valuable lessons and wish to share these with you.

• Plans change.
• Tire pressure is important.
• Clean the front of your motorhome -especially the windshield- at every campground stop.
• Ignore the point above if you can drive while blindfolded.
• Always engage the parking brake of your toad before disconnecting.
• You don't need everything you've packed in your motorhome.
• RVrs are like boaters: a community of helpers.

We also relearned something we've known forever: together is better.

• Together, the colors of a rainbow are more vivid.
• Together, we can meet any challenge and overcome every obstacle.
• Together, wine is much more than alcoholic grape juice.
• Together, every morning is a beautiful sunrise.
• Together, a trip is an adventure.

29 June 2024

Another cloudy, cool and rainy day so we stayed home in Our Last Quarter and caught up with chores. Between rain showers I washed the windows outside, with extra effort on the windshield, and adjusted tire pressure to the one recommended by the last weigh-in. At 50,000 lbs the back tires -all six of them- need to be a bit less than the front ones. Here are some pics of the inside of Our Last Quarter.

Now, if I could just figure out how to align the pics and embed verbiage. Maybe next century.

🎶  Goin to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come 🎶

3 July 2024

We departed Hearthside Grove in Petoskey, MI on the 1st of July, spent one night in Michigan City, IN and onward to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, IL, the home of Lincoln for one night, $20.  The fairgrounds have 300+ RV sites because they host many events here and people come in the their RVs, trailers, campers, etc. Today, there's a horse show here so many campers and horse trailers but still plenty of room for Our Last Quarter + toad to park without unhooking. We've got water and electricity, no sewer. After breakfast, we'll be on the road to Worlds of Fun campground in Kansas City, MO. Another 300 miles, so approx six hours with a rest break in the middle. We'll be in Kansas City for six nights and depart on the 9th of July.

So, we followed I-72W and SR36S in direction of Kansas City. Very nice and smooth roads with hardly any traffic to speak of and just cloudy weather. However, once we turned onto 

I-35S, the first 10 miles were just a series of washboards. The tar used to seal cracks in the roadway simply made Our Last Quarter shake and rumble. Izzy was quite upset. Anyhow, we finally made it to our destination, Worlds of Fun RV Village, attached to Oceans of Fun Amusement Park at 2PM. By 3PM we were set up and sitting outside listening and watching kids on the roller coaster scream as it reached the top and plunged downward. Time to relax. Ordering a pizza for delivery tonight.

                                                

Our Last Quarter parked in site #47, Worlds of Fun RV Village, Kansas City, MO.

Spectacular sunset watching people ride the roller coaster in the amusement park next door.

Independence Day

Overnight thunderstorms made us think today was going to be a total washout for any fireworks. However, by late afternoon, the clouds disappeared and clear, blue skies  raised our hopes and spirits. We made a risotto from leftover steak au poivre and washed it down with a Chateau Lilian Ladoux 2009 Bordeaux we had in our wine frig. With after dinner drinks in hand we settled in our lawn chairs for the show to come. 

BTW: Izzy didn't like the fireworks but she didn't freak out either. She barked at some of the louder ones but didn't seem to be bothered by the light show.

Two 'ole farts on Independence Day, 2024.

See the drone?

Check out the short video (hope this works) of people on the rollercoaster and fireworks overhead. 

OK, I need to work on this.

8 July 2024

Well, it's time to move on and tomorrow we'll be on the road to a Grand Island KOA (Kampgrounds of America) in Doniphan, NE. Yep, never been there nor did I have any clue it existed but it serves the purpose for a one night stop over. Then, on the 10th of July, we'll stop in Cheyenne, WY for one night before stopping in Little America, WY for three nights. 

We use the RV LIFE Trip Wizard App to plan our trips and stops. The App is very helpful in that it analyzes all the pertinent data regarding the RV (height, weight, width, etc) and uses that data to map out an itinerary safe for the RV to your destination. It does not alert you to accidents nor other perils of the road so we also rely on Waze. Anyhow, once we leave Kansas City, the Wizard basically says take I-80W and drive forever! It's almost 900 miles from Lincoln, NE to Salt Lake City, UT. See y'all in a couple of days.

PS: we experienced our first hailstorm in Our Last Quarter while in Grand Island campground. LOUD!

Yes, Izzy guarding Our Last Quarter from all the flying insects!

Plans Change

10 July 2024

We are in Cheyenne, WY for one night as planned. HOWEVER, while in Kansas City the last day, winding down our stay there and preparing for departure, I decided to check the weather for the next two weeks along our itinerary. Especially since the heat in California has been described with so many adjectives and expletives I decided to check it out myself. WELL! The temperatures forecast for those ten days planned for our stay at the Ambassador RV Resort in Caldwell, Idaho range from 102F to 110F! CALDWELL, IDAHO? F! (temperature)

🔥🔥🔥🔥

Not gonna happen! So we quickly realigned our original stays in various locations with cooler temperatures -90sF!- and delayed our stay at the Ambassador RV Resort for a week. Yes, we are still on schedule to travel another 300+ miles tomorrow on I-80...again...to Little America, WY. I'll update the blog in the next few days regarding this iconic American rest stop in the middle of nowhere.

12 July 2024

We departed Cheyenne, WY at 08:30 on Thursday, 11 July following the interminable I-80W to Little America, WY. Made our usual halfway stop to run the generator, take Izzy for a walk, lunch and rest for about 30 minutes or so. Lots of history along this route as it is the one followed by pioneers during the 19th century. Various history markers along the way explain how pioneers established trading posts, settled towns and built military forts. The route also cuts through former Indian Nation lands and several sites are infamous for the events which occurred there, such as the Sand Creek massacre. Approaching Laramie, WY on a long steady hill climb for several miles, the vistas from the summit are spectacular with snowcapped peaks in the distance and long views of the valley below. Several times we commented on how much the geography resembles that of the Karoo, the region in South Africa introduced to us by our dear friends Neil and Sharyn.

Snow and windbreak fences along I-80. Snowcapped peaks in the distance.

We were fortunate to extend our stay here from three days to nine because of the heat dome frying most of the West. During the next week, the National High School Rodeo Championship will take place in Green River, WY about 30 miles from here. When we arrived yesterday at 2:30PM, the parking areas were jammed with trucks, horse trailers, RVs and other vehicles. We both muttered aloud, "what's goin on"? Fortunately, we had a reserved spot in the RV campground.

Little America, WY. Not a hamlet, not a village, not a town, not a city: just a truck stop. Nothing around for at least 30 miles, yet Little America thrives and has its own zip code: 92929. What is it? It started, in 1934, as a very modest two pump gas station with a small convenience store and four cottages where the weary traveling this route -before the Eisenhower interstate system was built- could rest for the night. Today it is an American icon and 'must stop' on I-80. Today it is a gas station for cars, a huge truck fuel center, restaurant, grill, convenience store, hotel and RV campground. However, parts of this rest stop still retain the aspects of rest stops of the 1960s or earlier. We had dinner at the restaurant last night and enjoyed excellent chicken fried steaks the size of a baseball catcher's mitt!

Our server informed us that the mashed potatoes were homemade, not from a box! Who could eat the mashed potatoes with that monster steak! It reminds me very much of the breaded cutlets we would get when visiting Slovenia with my brother and his family. Una zavata!

This is home for the next eight nights, then onward to Twin Falls, Idaho.

He came to visit almost every evening.

19 July 2024

The time has come for us to move on. Tomorrow, Saturday, 20 July we head to Twin Falls, ID. We changed the next campground in Twin Falls, ID based on recommendations from new friends we made here in Little America. I'm writing a separate section on friends to be posted at a later date. We stayed here in Little America longer than initially planned to avoid the heat in Idaho but it seems we're just gonna have to endure some of it. The forecast calls for temperatures between 98F and 105F over the next ten days. While we were here, we drove to Green River and Rock Springs, WY to purchase supplies for the BoomerBus at Walmart, have Izzy's nails trimmed at Petco, our pedicures and manicures at Nail Art and grocery shopping at Smith's. We took care of the usual chores which is starting to become routine. Yes, we're ready to move on.

Twin Falls, Idaho

21 July 2024

We arrived here yesterday, Saturday, 20 July from Little America, WY. It was 100F when we arrived but eventually cooled off in the evening to a balmy 85-90F. We went to dinner at the Elevation 486 restaurant, recommended to us by new friends Shawn & Angie, and enjoyed a great meal. I had Idaho rainbow trout while Linda had the aged farm-raised beef filet. Both perfect meals but the view from this restaurant, perched 486 feet above the Snake River, was stupendous. We sat outside on the veranda an just took in the breathtaking geography. 

Views of the Perrine Bridge and Snake River from the restaurant terrace.

This morning, Sunday, 21 July 2024, we arose early and drove a short 20 minutes to the Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls. We arrived at 09:00, 75F and a cool breeze, and what a spectacle  of nature! These falls are called -justifiably- the Niagara of the West. Check these out.

Tomorrow, 22 July, we're on the road to Caldwell, ID. Not a long drive but a stop we want to make. Why? Well, Caldwell is noted for the Sunny Slope Wine Trail! Not that we're running low on wine -the wine frig holds 21 bottles and another 12 in the basement frig- but always interesting to partake in wine tastings from different regions. 

It'z A Dogz Life

Oh, how sweet and cutezy that my ownerz are posting their adventurez online so that other humanz can follow them. I callz them my ownerz becuz I haven't yet adopted them as parentz. This is Izzy, the third part of the team on this adventure. However, was I ever consulted about this momentouz decizion? But, nooooo! They consulted with David, owner of that little Hitler of a dog. The consulted with Gaiya and Kevin and thier kidz and that horse they call Wally. Me? Nooooo! 

My humanz make me wear a leash everytime we go outside the house-on-wheelz. Everytime I have to go, that damn leash pullz on my neck! How can I concentrate with that thing around my neck. I want them to sit on the toilet with a leash and try takin' a dump!

I hear my humanz complained about my tongue prints on the windowz. Well, excuuuuuzzze moi! I protect the perimeter. My earz are like radar: I hear the invayderz before I see them. Yes, then I focus on them, get in stalking mode and pounce before the little suckerz can do any damage. Then my humanz yell at me not to eat them instead of praizing me for protecting them! Whatz up with zat?

I like what my humanz feed me but it's the same ole' s@!t every day. The dude lets it sit there for two dayz! I want to feed him a sandwich made with stale bread! And the water! Yuk! It sitz in the water bowl all day and gets warm as pizz while he enjoys and ice-cold drink. I'm gonna pizz in his beer some day.

Yez, it'z a dogz life but my humanz are slowly getting it. The female human is wayyyyy more advanced that that trog but there's still hope for him. She'z almost there. Him, knuckle-dragger trog, well...we'll see. Later y'all. Izzy out.

Plans Change II

24 July 2024

We made it to the Ambassador RV resort in Caldwell, ID where we initially planned to stay nine nights. Remember, this is the home of the Sunny Slope Wine Trail and we planned to partake in several wine tastings and purchase some wine for Our Last Quarter. However, we shortened our stay to just four nights due to the extreme heat. It was hot in the early afternoon when we arrived but not unbearable. By late afternoon, the temperature rose to 105F! Even with three air conditioners all we could do is lay in bed with the floor fan blowing to provide some relief. 

The next morning, I arose to took Izzy for her usual walk and was greeted with a grey haze of smoke. The area was blanketed with ash. Back inside Our Last Quarter, we quickly researched the weather for Caldwell and discovered the temperatures were going to climb to 106F and the National Air Quality Index rose to 151, unhealthy for humans! We decided to look for alternatives and the BoomerBus team made a quick decision to escape. Portions of I-84 were closed due to the wildfires so we settled on US95 north (no, not I-95) to Grangeville, ID. We packed up and left by 11AM. 

How hot was it?

Just 200 miles, the trip should have taken approximately four hours but due to road construction, it took six hours. However, what a beautiful drive! The geography changed from low hills without much vegetation to mountains with huge pine trees, mountain meadows and log cabins scattered peeked through the tall trees. Clean air and blue skies! We watched people float down the Salmon River in kayaks, inflatable dinghies and tubes. The Salmon River runs through Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in America! Simply stunning! We arrived at Bear Den RV Park in Grangeville, ID on Tuesday, 23 July at 4PM with temperatures in the 80sF, no smoke and blue skies. The air conditioners breathed a sigh of relief and so did we.

Bear Den RV Park in Grangeville, ID.

27 July 2024

We departed Grangeville, ID on Friday, 26 July and followed US95 north headed to Kennewick, WA. Overall, an uneventful trip except for road closures due to the wildfires and smoke which caused us to follow detours. We followed US95 to Lewiston, a city on the ID/WA state line and perched along the Snake River. However, due to the thick haze caused by wildfire smoke, we coudn't see much of the city and scenery. Here we followed US12 westward, along the Lewis & Clark Trail and through the Nez Perce Indian Reservation and arrived in Kennewick, WA at the Columbia Sun RV Resort on Friday, 26 July at approximately 2PM. We are here until the 1st of August.

Columbia Sun RV Resort.

Here's a copy of our planned itinerary. Remember, Plans Change!

Change of Plans: we will not stop at Red Bluff, CA nor Betabel RV Park in San Juan Bautista, CA. Instead, we will stop one night (8/22) in Willams, CA at  Love's Truck Stop three nights at the Ancient Redwoods RV park in Redcrest, CA and then three four nights (8/22-8/26) at the Flag City RV Park in Lodi, CA.

30 July 2024

Here we are in the Columbia Sun RV resort in Kennewick, WA. At the suggestion of one of our campground neighbors, Randy and his wife, on Sunday we ventured to Prosser (about 30 miles from here) to the Vintner's Village. What a great experience! A cool concept of consolidating a group of tasting rooms from various wineries in a walkable area which includes food establishments and food trucks. Drive, park, walk, taste and eat all in one place. Very cool! We enjoyed the very friendly and quite knowledgeable LuAnne from the WIT winery who, in addition to sharing her knowledge of WIT wines, also explained some of the history of the area. After purchasing six bottles, we walked across the street to the Wine O'clock Bistro for lunch/dinner. Truly innovative and creative foods to enhance the flavors of each ingredient and paired with suggested wine flight. Mmmmmm!

The WIT winery tasting room and across the street Wine O'clock Bistro.

Afterwards, sitting outside Our Last Quarter while enjoying an after dinner beverage, Rob, another neighbor, stopped by to chat. At 83, he and his wife have been full-time RVrs since 1999! His words of wisdom: "I'm still learning. We still love this lifestyle. We'll do it until we can't." I also learned his home state, Texas, requires him to return to the state every other year to renew his RV license and pass a driving test: parallel park the RV! Thank you Tennessee.

4 August 2024

We are currently camping in paradise! This is Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Cliffside RV Campground, a military installation. Yes, we drove by the flight line which had many large US Navy (737s)  electronic warfare jets. The campground is run by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation program. During her professional life, Linda's office managed all MWR activities worldwide for the US Army! Serendipity.

Let me catch up: we left Kennewick on 1 August to escape the coming heat and arrived in Ellensburg, WA for two nights. Very dusty campground but with waterfront on the Yakima River so lots of kids and young adults camped there to indulge in water sports of every kind. We departed on 3 August at 08:20 with temperature of 79F following I-90W through the mountains toward Seattle. Halfway through we reached Snoqualmie Pass, 3000' elevation, mountains, huge trees everywhere, everything green, a river in the valley bottom and 70F! We descended for approx 10 miles to North Bend, WA. I really appreciate the engine brake now, AKA Jake brake. Near Seattle we followed I-5N until the junction with SR20 which then led us to Whidbey Island. Yes, it is an island and you have to cross two narrow bridges with gobs of tourists walking along the side to get the perfect photo op! Yes, these two bridges are two way traffic and narrower than usual. Yes, my pucker factor was very high! I thought for sure my side mirror would whack somebody. We made it onto the base, unhooked our toad and Linda brought Our Last Quarter on the winding road through the tall trees to our assigned spot. Here we are.

Photos of the Cliffside RV Campground on NAS Whidbey Island.

More photos of the campground.

At the suggestion of our camp host, Hailey, last night we went to dinner in Coupeville, just a few miles from NAS Whidbey Island, for fresh mussels. Here are two pics from last night.

On the road to Coupeville and no, that's not Mt. Ranier (I thought so, duh...) but Mt. Baker. 

We met a lovely couple, Ric & Stephanie seated next to us who informed us about the town and area as well as Mt. Baker. They also gave us contact info for recommended activities. 

NOTE: I will be posting a section on Friends of the Road and it will be dynamic, updated as we meet new folks on the road. I'll tell you more about Ric & Stephanie later. For now, enjoy these photos of Whidbey Island, WA.

NAS Whidbey Island, Cliffside RV Campground.

These are photos of Coupeville, WA where we had dinner -mussels, mussels & more mussels!- at the Front Street Grill.

6 August 2024

Military installations are different. Yes, I'm stating the obvious. You know when you're on an active military facility. Yesterday, we witnessed Navy jets fly by the campground during the day. The US Navy EA-18G known as the Growler, is an electronic warfare jet. Loud, very loud at times. Here's one in the pic below. You may have to enlarge the photo to see it.

However, listening to our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, play every morning reminds me of the privileges I enjoy because of those who serve. Never forget.

"Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground." Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Lyrics by Stephen Stills.

Our final evening in Cliffside RV park, we went to dinner at Seabolt's restaurant in Oak Harbor, again at the recommendation of Ric & Stephanie. We both enjoyed an appetizer of shrimp cocktail and I indulged myself in mussels -again!- and clams in a white wine sauce while Linda ate the whole crab by herself! After dinner, we walked around the campground and admired some of Ken's, the camp host, driftwood artwork. Tomorrow, we head to McMinnville, OR.

9 August 2024

We departed Cliffside RV Park on Whidbey Island Naval Air Station on Friday, 9 August at 07:25 following WA SR20 to I-5. We followed I-5S through Seattle without any major traffic issues. However, once we approached Tacoma, traffic slowed to a crawl. From Tacoma, WA to McMinnville, OR, multiple construction zones, volume of traffic on a Friday, lane closures and accidents simply turned I-5 into a bumper-to-bumper sea of vehicles. Even after leaving I-5 and following OR SR18 and OR SR99, stop lights placed so that you couldn't make the next green light and the volume of traffic caused us to make the six hour trip into an 8.5 hour slog. We finally arrived at Olde Stone RV Village in McMinnville, OR at 4PM and were set up by 5PM. We sat outside with delivery pizza enjoying the evening, fully relaxed and recuperating from that tour de force. We also met a lovely couple, younger than us, who were camping in their travel trailer, who took interest in our home, the Tiffin Zephyr. We spent the next hour chatting with Sheldon and Ellie until the red ball of a sun set behind clouds giving us a beautiful sunset.

Friends of the Road: An Ongoing Tale

As I stated earlier, this section will be dynamic and I'll update it as we make new Friends of the Road.  Natural. Instinctive. Human. I said it earlier, RVrs are like boaters: a community of helpers. Regardless if they're full timers or not, everyone we've met wants to help newbies like us. I call them Friends of the Road because all of us have something in common: we're on the road.  All of us, at some point, are rolling down some highway to a destination. 

Dennis and Sue, experienced campground hosts at the Rockwood Marina and RV Resort in Rockwood, TN. From the first day we arrived, they offered suggestions, recommendations and advice regarding the full time RV lifestyle. They were there if we needed anything.

David and Kelly whom we met at Red Bay Acres in Red Bay, AL while having Our Last Quarter (see our first post, The BoomerBus: Our First Adventure for an explanation regarding the name) serviced by the Tiffin Customer Service team.  David and Kelly live in Texas for part of the year and in Florida for the rest of the year. They gave us suggestions and recommendations for living in a motorhome. After a week of having our motorhome serviced, we packed up and said goodbye to our new friends of the road and headed out to Lebanon, OH. However, after a few miles on the road the dreaded LOW DEF warning appeared. So, we turned around and headed back to Red Bay.  Soon as we pulled into the campground, David came over to help. First he checked to ensure we had DEF in the tank using a makeshift dipstick. Plenty of DEF.  So, he suggested to start the ignition for a minute then turn it off a couple to times. Let it sit for 10 minutes and voila` the warning disappeared! While it didn't completely solve the problem, it did allow us to depart and begin this part of our adventure. Thank you David.

Miles, another friend of the road we met in Red Bay, lives six months in Florida and six months in Canada, on an island. He noticed I hadn't yet removed the plastic film on the Zephyr rock guard at the rear of the motorhome, simply crawled under the coach and removed it himself!

Shawn and Angie are a lovely couple we met at the Little America RV Park, WY in July. When we told them we were going to Twin Falls, ID they immediately suggested an alternative to the campground we reserved and a restaurant. They were once full timers and yearn to return to that lifestyle. They are frequently on the road with their RV for work. Currently living in Twin Falls, they directed us to Elevation 486, a restaurant perched on the side of a canyon with spectacular views. We enjoyed their company and hope to meet them again on the road.

We met Randy and Becky at the Columbia Sun RV Park in Kennewick, WA. When Randy noticed me working on the passenger side mirror of Our Last Quarter, he came over and offered a hand. He and Becky also recommended we visit Prosser, WA (about 20 miles distant) and the Vintner's Village there for wine tasting and food. Great recommendation!

Ric and Stephanie, WOW! What great people. They reaffirm my belief that people -yes, I'm generalizing- are inherently good. We met Ric & Steph at the Front Street Grill in Coupeville, WA. They were seated at the table next to ours and we struck up a conversation about seafood. Yes, the restaurant was right on the water and it's specialty is mussels. When Linda says she's from Baltimore and loves blue crab, next thing we know Ric says he'll put some crab pots out tonight and share some with us! He texts us the next morning to tell us he's caught four Dungeness crabs and will share two with us. He cleans them, cooks them and then he and Steph invite us to their home, a villa set high on the banks of Penn Cove- where you can watch whales and orcas swim by just feet from the shoreline! The view of the cove is framed by snowcapped Mt. Baker! They prepare cocktails for us and deliver the crabs, ready to eat! Whaaaaat? Yes Dorothy, there are really good people out there and we get by with a little help from our friends.

In Cliffside RV Park, Whidbey Island NAS we camped next to a retired Navy pilot, Scott and his wife Tami. We enjoyed watching sunsets with cocktails in our hand with them and sharing stories of a military service as well as stories of the road. They are seven year full timers so we learned a lot from them. Thank you Scott & Tami.

Not every person in a motorhome is happy. Two gentlemen we met at Cliffside spoke only of their negative experiences while on the road. I tried to coax a positive comment from them without success. I wanted to ask 'why the hell are you living this lifestyle' but refrained from being myself -yes, I know, very unusual for me- and simply let the conversation die.

In Olde Stone Village RV Park in McMinnville, OR we met Sheldon and Ellie, a younger couple who are yearning to join the full-time lifestyle but still have family obligations which ground them in a sticks & bricks home. However, we are convinced they'll be on the road sooner rather than later. When we told Sheldon this was our first motorhome experience, his mouth fell open and remained stunned the rest of the time we chatted with them. Later, Linda and I chuckled at his reaction and thought he probably had nightmares of us on the road! LOL!

12 August 2024

On Saturday, 10 August, we went to downtown McMinnville. During the summer months, 3rd street -the heart of downtown McMinnville- is made a pedestrian zone and businesses bring the inside to tables and chairs outside, under the shade of trees while you are serenaded by street musicians. Reminds us very much of places we've been to in Italy where most cities have made the city center totally pedestrian. We stopped in the Willamette Valley Wines Tasting Room on 3rd street and were hosted by Chris and Monique who guided us through some excellent local wines. While the Willamette Valley is noted for pinot noir, Chris walked us through some surprising whites as well. Yeah, we purchased a case: six reds to knock your socks off and six whites Linda and Sharyn call lifestyle wines. Now I need to find room -already at a premium- on Our Last Quarter.

NOTE: remember, Willamette rhymes with damn it!

Scenes from downtown McMinnville, OR & Chris & Monique.

Here's our spot at the Olde Stone RV Campground in McMinnville, OR.

On Wednesday, 14 August we visited the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum located in walking distance from the Olde Stone RV Campground. This is where the Spruce Goose is housed (see pics) and we got to enter it. WOW! Huge! There are also many other aircraft, some original and some reproductions. All very interesting but we can't help but compare to the Museum of the US Air Force we visited in Dayton, OH. However, the coolest thing is this museum is located in the middle of a vineyard! Where else but in the Willamette Valley?

Yep, there's a 747 mounted on the roof of one building of the museum. Other aircraft, including another 747 are scattered throughout the grounds of the museum. Also, note the size of the Spruce Goose. Huge!

16 August 2024

Well, it's time to move on to our next stop in this adventure: Winchester Bay RV Resort located on the Oregon coast. We departed Olde Stone RV Campground and followed OR SR22 to the Oregon coast where we then joined US101, a Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and followed it south. 

Here are some scenes along the Oregon coast on US101 South.

Here's a sign we've never seen before.

We finally made it to our destination, Winchester Bay RV Resort and set up camp, facing the marina and watching fishermen come and go for the rest of the day. What a beautiful spot! A sidewalk runs all along the waterfront. Not much of a town here, mostly RVs, campers and boats but there's a dock where fishermen deliver their catch of the day and some dives we'll check out later for something to eat.

Views from our front windshield.

PS: we found a shack to have some fresh seafood.

Saturday, 17 August starts as an overcast day with sporadic showers. Not enough to get you soaked but enough to make you want to stay inside. However, we decide to follow the road southward which follows US101S and we take Izzy along. Just a two-lane road, after a couple of miles we arrive at the beach. Huge dunes on our left where people are driving ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) and the ocean to our right. The largest and highest dunes in the US! Here are some pics of the dunes and ATVs.

Linda, Izzy and I decide to climb the small dunes, on our right, to the beach and see the ocean.

19 August 2024

Sunrise on the day we depart Winchester Bay, OR.

We depart Winchester Bay and follow US101 South toward our next destination: Ancient Redwoods RV Park in Redcrest, CA. Along the Oregon coast we see one jaw dropping scene after another. Simply spectacular scenery. Here are some pics we took along the way.

We continued along US101 South, crossed into CA -after an agricultural inspection at the state line- and were making excellent time until....the coolant temperature gauge climbs into the red! Danger danger! Luckily, that horseshoe is still firmly attached to Our Last Quarter, we pulled into a motel parking lot to determine the problem. Bottom line: a hose ruptured and all the coolant was along US101! After a couple of hours of calling various RV repair shops we finally arranged for a mechanic to come to our location and fix the problem: replace the ruptured hose. After three hours of work and $1000 we were back on the road but running very late. Not gonna make the campground where we had reservations so we decide to spend the night in a casino on an Indian reservation. Awful! Creepy, isolated and wouldn't set foot in the place any other time. We really couldn't sleep, arose at 3AM and departed at 6AM. Couldn't wait to get outta there. First time we felt uncomfortable -real concern- during this entire adventure. Anyhow, we're back on the road, US101 South toward Ancient Redwoods RV Park in Redcrest, CA, home of the Avenue of the Giants. Giant redwoods. 

20 August 2024

We are finally in the Ancient Redwoods RV Campground and in the middle of a giant redwoods forest. Pics don't convey the true size of these trees as it is impossible to frame the entire tree. The road, named Avenue of the Giants, is a small two-lane road which meanders through the forest and around ginormous trees with trunks the size of buses. We find ourselves constantly looking everywhere to see one tree larger than the next. The size is not just what's impressive: the beauty is overwhelming. Just sit there and look. Majestic.

Lunch at the Ancient Redwoods RV Park.

Yes, that's our truck parked next to that giant redwood.

21 August 2024

Our last day in the Ancient Redwoods RV Park and we meet George and Rosalba (Rose) Dawson, parked next door.  What a lovely couple who have been full time RVrs for eight years! They've been pretty much everywhere! Rose is Sicilian and she and I enjoyed speaking Italian during the afternoon and evening (I suspect she cussed at me in her Sicilian dialect which I don't understand a word! 😆) as we enjoyed a Spritz Aperol aperitivo. We exchanged contact information in the hope that we'll meet again on the road.

22 August 2024

We depart our campsite at 07:45AM and follow US101 South, through more redwoods until the geography changes to a long flat valley just before we take CA20 East, towards Williams, CA. This road is curvy, twisty at times, up and down hills that I'm constantly adjusting the engine brake to slow us down. The constant curves make for an uneasy feeling as the BoomerBus seems top heavy and ready to roll at any moment. Beautiful drive, but not one I'm looking to repeat again soon. We follow around Clear Lake, CA. Wow! What a beautiful body of water. The town of Lucerne, CA claims to be the "Switzerland of the US": NOT! Not even close. While there are a couple of wealthy enclaves, hidden behind gates, most of the area is a dump. DUMP!

Anyhow, we connect with I-5 at Williams after the obligatory fuel replenishment (103gal=$500) and off to Flag City RV Park in Lodi (pron Lo-deye) just 95 miles down the road but right through Sacramento. Ugh! City traffic. The bane of my existence. However, we make it to our destination by 3:30PM and are set up by 4:30PM. Long day but now we're positioned to make the rest of our adventure an easier one. We are so looking forward to our next stop, Sun Outdoors RV Resort in Paso Robles, CA where David will join us for a week and an old friend who we served with at BRO Hof, Germany in 1976 - 1977 is coming to visit.

NOTE: while traveling on I-5S between Sacramento and our destination, Lodi, CA we encountered -actually drove through!- a wind dust devil so large and powerful it actually moved the BoomerBus a bit onto the left lane of the highway. Fortunately, there weren't any vehicles, especially tractor trailers, in the left lane at that point. Made for a white knuckle experience.

23 & 24 August 2024

Friday, 23 August we arose early to have breakfast at The Avenue Grill -a well known and highly recommended breakfast place in downtown Lodi- and arrived at 0800 to be seated at the counter. As we watch the chef & staff prepare plate after plate we are amazed at how quickly they turn out the orders on such a small stove and griddle. Simply amazing. My order of French toast came with three eggs and four sausage links! Very tasty but OMG, too much. No Mas! Anyhow, we enjoyed our breakfast and headed back to Our Last Quarter to take care of some chores. 

Saturday, 24 August we arose early -again!- to have breakfast at the Michael David Winery & Cafe just around the corner from the Flag City RV Campground. Breakfast was just OK. Can't compare to The Avenue Grill. We also purchase some oatmeal raisin cookies and a peach pie, for later. Afterwards we venture into Lodi to purchase some cheese from Cheese Central and also stop at Calivirgin Winery & Olive Ranch to purchase fresh cold pressed EVO. Chillin' the rest of the afternoon.

Downtown Lodi.

27 August 2024

We are at the Cava Robles/Sun Outdoors RV resort in Paso Robles, CA. Yesterday, Monday, 26 August, we departed Flag City RV park in Lodi and followed I-5 South. From Stockton to our turn-off onto CA41 -approx 150 miles- and along the route we saw mile after mile of agricultural cultivation. Flat land in a valley criss crossed by aqueducts which feed the agriculture. This is the San Joaqin Valley and it is the most productive agricultural region in the US. 

These are pics of the RV resort we're staying in until the 7th of September. The Cava Robles/Sun Outdoors RV resort in Paso Robles, CA.

The USMC V-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft flying overhead. Note the rotors are going from helo mode to airplane mode.

29 August 2024

We awoke this morning to a campground covered in fog & temps in the low 50sF! Forecast to burn off by 10AM.

The campground enveloped by fog.

🎶🎶 Here comes the sun...doo duh duh doot...Here comes the sun...🎶

NOTE: I need to clarify comments I've made wrt the Tiffin Zephyr problems & costs incurred. While I've mentioned approximate costs incurred to fix various problems we've had, we haven't had a single penny out of pocket. Specifically, the Tiffin warranty coverage has reimbursed us, or paid the repair shop directly, in every instance. Tiffin's Customer Service has been responsive, prompt and helpful in every case. Yes, it cost us $3500 to repair the damage I caused by running into a retaining wall, but that was my fault. Furthermore, the repair technicians made every effort to save wiring, lights, chrome and a basement storage door in order to reduce my cost. Tiffin's problems are not with Customer Service, rather, with factory production. These problems are underscored in a Tiffin Owners Forum we follow. Others have experienced problems with their coaches which point directly to the factory production and lack of an effective quality control process. We are very happy with our new home, it just isn't perfect.

David joined us at the Cava Robles Resort and introduced him to the resort bar and later went to a seafood restaurant, The Cracked Crab, in Pismo Beach, CA. 

 

30 & 31 August 2024

Howdy y'all! So, we -Linda, David and I- went to the Sensorio light exhibit just a couple of miles down the road from our campground on Friday. Pics below give just an idea of the show. The camera can't capture the true expanse and effect of the lights. The Field of Light consists of thousands of LED lights on 'sticks' in the ground and the colors change as darkness descends. The Towers of Light are stacks of 200 wine bottles, each with LED lights in them. African themed music played as we walked in the maze. Finally, those are actual fishing poles lighted by LEDs. Ken and Bobbi Hunter, Paso Robles locals, commissioned British artist Bruce Munro to create the light show while following the contours of the land. Truly beautiful.

On Saturday, we met Richard and Renee` for breakfast at a local breakfast joint. Richard and I served at the same BRO in Hof, Germany in 1977. After breakfast we invited them back to Our Last Quarter and spent time reminiscing and catching up. Good time spent with them. They actually drove four hours from Redondo Beach to visit us! Thanks y'all.

Family For Forty

I've recounted stories about the folks we've met on this adventure. Most recently, Richard and Renee` (pics above). Richard and I served in the US Army together at BRO Hof, Germany in 1977. The Sicilian girl (our age!) Rosalba who we met just one day in the Avenue of the Giants yet seemed as if we'd known each other for years. Ric & Stephanie from Whidbey Island, WA who just sent us a note from the restaurant we met in and enjoyed Dungeness crab. They also invited us to their villa for cocktails and fresh crab Ric had caught the night before. Please refer back to the section titled: Friends of the Road for more tales of road warrior friends. 

Here we are in Cava Robles/Sun Outdoors RV Resort in Paso Robles, CA where we meet Brett and Tina. What a great story! Every year for Labor Day, they and their family and friends meet to spend the holiday together. Twenty-five motorhomes. TWENTYFIVE! For the past FORTY years! For most of that 40 years they would camp at Pismo Beach. However, a couple of years ago that campground became a time share business and Brett & Tina & Co were asked to leave. So, Cava Robles/Sun Outdoors it is. Now consider this: their daughter Courtney wasn't even born when her grandparents started the tradition. Family For Forty. Inspiring. Safe travels my new friends and hope to see y'all on the road.

Where There's Smoke....

It began on Monday, 2 September. Labor Day. We noticed unusual aircraft activity at the small Paso Robles Municipal Airport located just a few miles from our campground. It's a small municipal airport not accustomed to handling commercial type aircraft such 737s. We noticed four engine jets, BAE146, taking off from the airport, flying very low and making sharp turns toward north. All day! These aircraft, in addition to helicopters and propeller aircraft were all painted white with red stripes. California fire fighting aircraft. By accessing the California Fire Map site we found that a fire was burning just 20 miles north of us. As the winds increased we saw smoke from the fire. The flight activity continued for three days and ceased on Thursday, 5 September. Apparently the fire was under control. According to the California Fire Map, approximately 8000 acres burned. The resources California expends for fire control are staggering. $3.5B...Billion! The costs are higher: how can you measure the life of a firefighter?

🎶🎶 The Heat Is On🎶🎶 sung by Glenn Frey

We departed Cava Robles/Sun Outdoors RV Resort Saturday morning, 7 September to our next destination, Outdoor Resorts RV resort, Indio, CA. A note about Cava Robles RV Resort: it is a true resort and one we certainly would like to come back to for a longer stay. Here are two pics which are just a small glimpse of why.

Angie, our favorite bartender took care of us at the pool. Wine tasting at Justin's Paso Robles tasting room. Yeah, we walked out with another six bottles!

Now, the route we followed was designed to avoid Los Angeles. So, we followed CA46 eastward, by the James Dean fatal crash site near Cholame until we merged onto I-5 at Lost Hills, CA. Eventually, we merged onto CA223 until meeting CA58 in Fig Orchard, CA. Nothing really remarkable so far about the geography except it seemed to become more desert-like than agriculture as we progressed toward the valley. Stretches of CA58 are about as remote and desolate as you can find. Once we got to Barstow, CA and turned onto CA247 south, the heat rose to 110F! Yes, the heat is on! At the intersection of Barstow Road and Old Woman Springs Road (still CA247) in Lucerne Valley there's a store which advertises 'Cold Beer Sold Here' and there must have been 50 motorcycles parked in the dusty parking lot. We continued on through the steep downhill grades of Yucca Valley, through Palm Desert to Indio, CA, our destination. A very long, very hot day. We now look forward to meeting our friends, Gary & Vickie with Michelle and hopefully Jeff as well, who lived in this area before settling in Tellico Village, TN. They are joining us as of Monday, 9 September.

NOTE: while driving on CA58 (Bakersfield to Barstow) the aircraft 'boneyard' in Mojave, CA is visible from the highway. Many commercial aircraft from various airlines are clearly visible but the one which stands out is the Qantas 747, the last one. It is parked at the airport entrance.

112F! Crispy Critters!

Yeah! How did we choose to stay here, Indio, CA in early September? Well, not we but ME! I selected the RV resort here because it was listed as one of the top ten in the country and when I made the reservation -for early September- I got what I thought was a good deal. Now I understand the reactions from folks we met in other CA campgrounds when I told them we were going to Indio in early September. Yeah, 112F! It was so hot I had to carry Izzy across the street to the small grassy area this resort calls a "dog walk". Yeah, we are like shut-ins: all blinds closed and three air conditioners running 24/7. And...there's a fire close by. 

mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

However, our dear friends Gary, Vickie, Michelle and Jeff are here visiting us for a couple of days. Jeff grew up in Indio and Gary, Vickie and Michelle lived near here, Palm Desert, for some time. We enjoyed a drive to the Renzoni Winery where we tased wine and had a late lunch. Beautiful setting and excellent wine. Yes, we purchased another case!

A screenshot from the California Fire Map and a spectacular sunset. 🎶Fiiiire....Fiiiire🎶

The Renzoni Winery near Temecula, CA.

Old friends with new friends John & Mari` at Renzoni Winery.

Indio sunset.

Izzy's Back

Hello my faithful followerz. I'm back to update y'allz on my most rezent adventurz. So, first: I was taken to a canes doctorum. I had a small problem with my SuZQ and couldn't empty my pizz sack every time my humanz took me outside the house on wheelz. Anyhow, the doctorum gave my humanz some white round treats which my humanz grind up and mix with some round meat-like stuff they call balogna and feed it to me. The doctorum also stuck a cold stick into my anuz minimuz! Notz fun! Can't wait to get outta here!

This plaze is like Dante's Inferno! Yez, I leaned about him and hiz Divine Comedy -nothing comedic about it!- attending the Caniz Lupuz Universitatum while I waz waiting for a human to take me home. The other day my human took me for walk and the long straight black walkway was so hot I couldn't keep my pawz on it! The Trog picked me up just before I waz going to sink my caninez into his lower pawz. He'z learning. I've promoted him to Trog Firzt Clazz.

My humanz also took me to meet other humanz who we met before while living in the houze without wheelz. Two old humanz and two younger onez who belong to the canis de toro. The younger male wears fuzz on his faze like my male human but keeps hiz head covered with a backwardz duckbill! The younger female is the smartest one. She knowz some lingua canis. Anyhow, that'z allz for now. Izzy out.

Plans Change Again

Well, we have to make more changes to our adventure. We cancelled the second week here in the southern California Oven and tomorrow, 15 September, are going to CampVerde, AZ and we will stay there til the end of the month. Then, onward to Tucson for the month of October. However, from Tucson we will head back to Nashville, TN thus eliminating the original plan to visit TX, LA & AL. Things we have to do and people we have to see. Next time.

16 September 2024

Howdy y'all! So, we departed Indio, CA on Saturday, 14 September and followed I-10E toward Phoenix, AZ. If you haven't traveled on I-10 between CA and AZ, it's an experience! Not our first time and probably not our last but certainly a road you remember. 250 miles of mostly flat desert! Vast areas of nothingness. Is that a word? Some stretches you can see forever! We stopped at Love's truck stop in Buckeye, AZ for fuel & give Izzy a pee break. From Buckeye, AZ we followed the bypass around Phoenix to I-17N. Now the geography began to change. Hills turned into mountains with greenery and elevation changes. We arrived at our next stop, Verde Ranch RV resort in Camp Verde, AZ at approx 2PM. We were set up by 3PM and sat outside enjoying clear skies and temps about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Indio. We're here through the end of September.

Photos of the campground in Camp Verde, AZ.

On Tuesday, 17 September we went to Moscato, an Italian restaurant in Camp Verde. Beautiful place, excellent service and superb food! We met the owner/chef, Salvatore Moscato, a Sicilian immigrant to the US who prepares dishes based on his mother's and grandmother's recipes. We'll be back.

Enjoying a delicious dinner at Moscato in Camp Verde, AZ.

On Wednesday, 18 September we decided to drive to Winslow, AZ to stand on the corner! We followed AZ SR260 East until it connected with AZ SR87 North. The geography along AZ SR260 consists mostly of tall pine trees which gives that Alpine vibe. Very few homes or ranches along the way. AZ SR87 is a different story. Once you reach the Quayle Hill summit -approx 6000'- the geography becomes vast areas of flat desert without any sign of human habitation until you reach Winslow. 

AZ SR87: the road ahead and the road behind...or vice versa. Nada!

🎶Well, I'm standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona

Such a fine sight to see

It's a girl my Lord, in a flatbed Ford

Slowin' down to take a look at me🎶

20 & 21 September 2024

Howdy y'all! So, the past couple of days were quite busy. We drove to Clarkdale, AZ, just past Cottonwood, AZ and about a 30 minute ride from our campground in Camp Verde to ride the Verde Canyon Railroad. Great experience! The scenery was simply spectacular -see pics-, the narration was interesting and informative but the railcars were the star of the trip. Authentic, vintage railcars from the 1930s and 1950s outfitted in southwestern comfy leather furniture and onboard vintage bar made the trip an adventure. The host on our particular railcar, Ivey, was knowledgeable and full of humorous anecdotes. She also made some killer Tequila Sunrises. Rather than attempt to describe the scenery, I'll let the pics speak. It's a 4.5 hour train ride.

On the way back from Clarkdale, we drove through Cottonwood which was hosting the annual Thunder Valley Rally. Very cool. Motorcycles and classic cars everywhere. Really cool downtown but we'll go back to visit when the Rally is over, next week.

On Saturday, 21 September, we were visited by two TN friends: Tom & Lisa. They are visiting Sedona and drove down to spend the afternoon with us. Great to see them and spend time. We'll see y'all back in TV later this year.

Friday, 27 September 2024

Since my last post we've been to Cottonwood, AZ and later Sedona, AZ. Cottonwood is a cool town with an historic district, walkable downtown area with restaurants, shops and music venues. We drove through here last week when we returned from Winslow and encountered the Thunder Valley Rally. Much quieter without the motorcycles and classic cars. We did some shopping for the grandkids, had lunch in a cool restaurant/saloon and learned more about the history of Cottonwood. This area was a huge copper mining region during the latter part of the 1800s and early 1900s. In fact, the railroad we rode on last week was initially constructed to haul ore from the mines.

A few pics of Cottonwood, AZ.

Some pics of the scenery around Sedona, AZ.

Yes, some folks in the campground are getting a head start on Halloween.

Izzy's favorite spot when she's not sitting in Linda's lap.

Saturday, 28 September 2024

Yes, we do tend to eat out more often than when we lived in a sticks-n-bricks home. At every campground stop we try to find new and interesting places to dine. However, we still cook meals in the BoomerBus and enjoy them either inside or outside, depending on the weather. We returned to Moscato, the first class Italian restaurant in Camp Verde, AZ for another outstanding meal. I had the stinco di maiale (ham hock or pork knuckle) with pan roasted potatoes and spinach. Huge portion! Too much to eat in one sitting so we took the leftovers home. Linda enjoyed her chicken marsala again and ate every bit of it.

Once back at Our Last Quarter, we stored the leftovers for another day and today, Saturday, we used those leftovers to make a wonderful risotto con stinco di maiale and washed it down with the last bottle of Justin's 2020 Focus (a Syrah) from Paso Robles, CA. Yummm!

For all you Triestini, note the wine glass from Suban, above.

Tucson, AZ, October 3rd 2024

Well, we're in Tucson at the Tucson/Lazydays RV Resort. Yes, it's hot! We arrived on Tuesday with 104F heat which is forecast to last through the end of the week. Then we get some relief with temps down into the low 90s. We departed Camp Verde, AZ on Tuesday morning and followed I-17 S, took the Phoenix bypass (AZ SR303) to 1-10 to Tucson. Phoenix is huge so the bypass is a 1990s era road in great condition, mostly 3 lanes which goes around Phoenix.

I did it again!

Dear family, friends and followers: I failed the parking test...again! Yes, hardheaded Romano tried to park Our Last Quarter while still hooked to the toad and sideswiped the utilities pedestal causing the rupture of the water line! Think of all the movies where a fire hydrant is spewing water into the street! Yes, that was us -ME- because I insisted I could make the turn. In every campground we've stayed at, Linda does the parking. Wonderful! Perfect! Never an issue. I'm prohibited -permanently- from parking the BoomerBus, Our Last Quarter, the Motor Home, the Zephyr...call it what you want, but to me it is now VERBOTEN!

Karen Kamp visited us on Wednesday and we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres with a couple of bottles of white wines from the Willamette Valley we purchased while in McMinnville, OR. Karen and I served together in the US Army while stationed at Ft. Huachuca, AZ from 1978 - 1980. We were friends back then and yesterday seemed as if we just continued from back then. She is now retired and a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the southern AZ Visitor's Center. She will be our tour guide for all things Tucson and surrounding areas. It was great reminiscing and filling in the blanks with her. we look forward to spending more time with her and seeing another friend from those days, Connie Huff.

Home

Friday, 11 October 2024

Howdy y'all, I'm back to tell you about the past week. So, we visited downtown Tucson, specifically the former Pima County Courthouse which now houses the Tucson Visitor's Center and the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum. First built in 1929, the building was dubbed the "most outstanding Spanish Colonial Revival building in Arizona”. During renovations, the original corner of the first walled settlement of Tucson was discovered and is now preserved inside the center. Displayed in the center are numerous exhibits explaining the history of Tucson and life of the native people to settlers who established Tucson. Karen is a volunteer and explains the history of southern Arizona using an interactive display of the area.

The gem and mineral museum is truly impressive. Gems and minerals from all around the world are displayed. Such incredible structures and shapes. We even found a diamond extracted from the Kimberley Mine in South Africa which we visited years ago with our friends Neil and Sharyn. Cool!

Mt. Lemmon

During this week we also drove to Mt. Lemmon. Tucson sits at an elevation of approx 2,300 feet while the top of Mt. Lemmon is 9,200 feet! Yes, folks, there's a ski lift at the top and cabins which remind you of an alpine valley yet it is only 40 miles from Tucson! We departed Tucson with 97F in mid-morning. A slow climb, stopping for photo ops and just enjoying the scenery, we arrived at Mt. Lemmon ski area two hours later and 67F! One interesting note of the drive is while Saguaro cacti are everywhere (see pics) as you enter the Saguaro National Park, once you reach 4000 feet, they disappear. The drive offers spectacular vistas and beautiful rock formations which are simply impossible to reproduce in a photo. Here's my best attempt.

Li'l Abner's

Yes, there's a steakhouse named Li'L Abner's which is a landmark located in the outskirts of Tucson and it's history is fascinating. The inside still features rustic, wood slabs and adobe covered walls and ceiling while the floors are old terracotta tiles reminiscent of old Mexico construction. License plates and other memorabilia are plastered all over the restaurant. Outside, tables are arranged family style near the mesquite fired grill where you can watch the grill master prepare your steak. Very basic menu of steak and more steak with beans and a salad. The restaurant sits on the site of a bar, opened in 1947, and later expanded -not much I say- as a BBQ restaurant. The first in Tucson. However, the building sits on the site of a Butterfield Overland Stage stop which operated from 1857 to 1861and traveled between St. Louis and San Francisco. In the early 1900s, cowboys used the area for roping competitions. The restaurant also has a notorious past. Two brothers who were part of the family who owned the business in the 1970s, were busted for selling illegal drugs. Once wasn't enough: they were busted a few years later for counterfeiting US currency and went to prison. It is a fascinating place to visit and the steaks are awesome! The bartender, Morgan, makes the best Margaritas and she's been working there since she was 15! She knows everyone. She's also working on her graduate degree in marketing and her goal is to open her own business. Awesome good person.

One of the outbuildings and a pic of the bar.

The Boneyard

We drove to David Monthan AFB which sits on the edge of Tucson to do some grocery shopping in the base commissary and check out The Boneyard as it is called. This is the storage area for old and out-of-service US military aircraft. This is also the location where some military aircraft are parked temporarily, awaiting 'recall' to active duty. We saw B-52s,  B-1, C-130s, FA-18s, F-16s and, yes, Top Gun's F-14s and rows upon rows of helicopters of all types all covered with protective wrappings and parked in neat rows. There are also many older aircraft parked here as well which will most likely never see active duty again. Unfortunately, The Boneyard is currently closed to the public so we were able to just drive around and view the aircraft from the fence line. We have access to the base because of our status as military retirees. Here are few pics.

Wednesday, 16 October: Update

We were sitting outside in the shade, enjoying a late afternoon aperitivo when it peeked around the BoomerBus steps and checked us out. Cautiously stepping  around the truck it emerged on the other side and then, with a quick burst of speed, disappeared. Beep Beep!

On Friday, we met Connie at Teresa's Mosaic Cafe`, a Mexican restaurant on the outskirts of Tucson. So good to see Connie. We tried to recall the last time we met and agreed it was sometime in the mid-80s in Germany. Heidelberg? Munich? Connie spent almost her entire military career in civilian clothing. A different Army than what most folks are used to. Regardless, although retired, she is a highly respected Army Intelligence Professional. It was great to see her again and she helped fill in some of the blank spots.

Ft. Huachuca and Sierra Vista

I attended the US Army Interrogation Course at Ft. Huachuca in 1975. Following my assignment to Germany at BRO Hof, Linda and I returned here in 1978, as I was assigned as an instructor at the US Army Intelligence Center & Schools. On Saturday, we drove the hour+ from Tucson to revisit this part of our lives. Very, VERY little did we recognize. The historic -and preserved- part of Ft. Huachuca was easy to recognize. General's row is still as it once was and the historic buildings still stand. The old parts of the fort are recognizable and brought back memories.  A stop atop Reservoir Hill was obligatory as it was in the 'old days'. The vistas are still wonderful. However, the rest of the base is a mystery to us. Yet we lived there from 1978 to 1981. Everything has changed.

As we left Ft. Huachuca, we drove down Fry Blvd and searched for any landmark we could associate with the past. Nada! Not even the Sorry Gulch Saloon, infamous stomping ground for all soldiers and where Special Forces soldiers demonstrated their prowess by diving from the balcony onto various cacti in the yard. However, we did find the very first house we purchased and lived in from 1979 to 1981. It is still there, 1216 N. Catalina Drive and, to our surprise, still in very good shape with a few of the original features. Wonderful memories now faded by the passing of time.

1216 N. Catalina Drive

Tuesday, 29 October

Howdy y'all! Yes, it has been a couple of weeks since I updated The BoomerBus Chronicles. Since I last added new content, we've had several experiences. First, Linda flew to RI for a week to spend some time with our g'kids, Luca and Lola and our daughter Gaiya. During that time I accompanied Karen to a wine tasting event hosted by the Catalina Foothills Chapter of the American Wine Society. The event occurred in the historic home of Karen's friends in Tucson and featured wines from South America with similar cultivars from Arizona. A very interesting and enjoyable evening with excellent food to help with the eight -YES, eight!- generous pours. Anyhow, thank you Karen and your friends for inviting me to this special evening.

After Linda returned to Our Last Quarter, we invited Karen to join us for dinner and grilled steaks -on the Cobb Grill- with sauteed mushrooms and Linda fixed a salad from my mother's recipe. We washed dinner down with a South African 2014 Syrah from Fraai Uitzight. We lost track of time reminiscing. Simply amazing how you can feel like you're back 40 years!

Linda and I also enjoyed some of the best pizza we've had outside Italy at Vero Amore in Tucson. Awesome!

Finally, we've been here almost a month -ready to move on- and we'll begin the final leg of this adventure on Friday as we head toward Nashville via Las Cruces, NM. We'll store the BoomerBus at the NIRVC in Nashville beginning the 15th of November for maintenance and repairs. We've scheduled to pick it up on 17 February when the next chapter of Our Last Quarter begins. We've made reservations for the month of March at the Buena Vista RV resort in Orange Beach, AL. We signed up for the NIRVC Customer Appreciation Rally in April at the Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, TX and have made reservations in RI to attend Lola's graduation from Middle School in June. I'll keep y'all informed and hopefully amused.

01 November 2024

Howdy y'all! On Wednesday, 30 October, we met Karen at the Tohono Chul Gardens on the outskirts of Tucson. It was named "one of the world's great botanical gardens" by Travel & Leisure magazine. Truly spectacular. All flora native to the Arizona desert are displayed and information tags explain the significance of each plant. The land was donated by a family and now includes a Bistro and a couple of galleries where local art is displayed. It also includes an area where one can learn how to make your backyard a native desert. Really cool! Hummingbirds were all around us as we walked the grounds. Fifty acres of stunning flora.

On Friday, 1 November we departed Tucson and followed I-10 toward Las Cruces, NM on the final leg of our Great Western Adventure. The plan is to stop in Las Cruces three days, Santa Rosa, NM for three days, then on to Sayre, OK and Fort Smith, OK for two days each and finally one night in Forest City, AR before making it to Nashville, TN where we'll store Our Last Quarter for December and January for maintenance and repairs. We'll be heading out for the next great adventure in February 2025.

Oops! Plans change

So, it appears we'll be here in Las Cruces longer than planned. As we pulled out of the Love's Truck Stop just two miles from our destination, we heard a 'metal dragging' sound. We stopped and I exited The BoomerBus to inspect and attempt to ascertain the reason for the sound. Bottom line: the passenger side dual wheel in the rear shifted inward approx 2"! This caused the inner wheel to rub against the leveling jack, especially when turning to the right. We decided to proceed to our destination, two miles away -we had already traveled 290 miles!- and call a mobile mechanic shop to help us. The technicians arrived on Saturday, 2 November and, after 1.5 hours, determined the bushing was worn and was the cause of the problem. Yeah, we don't have a clue what they're saying but with photos I sent an email to Tiffin Customer Service requesting assistance. They are closed today, Sunday but will receive my email tomorrow morning. All we can do now is wait and watch some NFL games.

16 November 2024

Damage to the BoomerBus was significant: sheared bolts from the V-Link assembly caused the axle to shift inward damaging shocks, brake chamber, ride height assembly and inner tire. Waiting for parts and mechanics in Las Cruces, NM gave us the opportunity to explore the area. The city is spread out and almost surrounded by mountains. The most prominent mountain range, visible from just about everywhere, are the Organ Mountains, designated a National Monument in 2014. We dined at several restaurants, including one which is also a winery! Yes! New Mexico produces one of our favorite bubbly wines, Jacqueline Leone. We enjoyed a wonderful meal at Hacienda de Mesilla. Decorated for Christmas in a mixture of Western and Mexican style ornaments and decorations, the ambiance was quite festive. The meal was excellent as well. We also explored Old Mesilla, now a neighborhood of Las Cruces, with narrow alleyways and adobe buildings. All that was missing was dirt in the streets to make you feel as if you were back in the late 1800s. Las Cruces and the surrounding area also has ties with space exploration. Specifically, White Sands Missile Range, Spaceport America and Virgin Galactic all are located nearby. Finally, we didn't realize how close Las Cruces is to El Paso, TX and Mexico: just 45 miles!

The Organ Mountains and part of Las Cruces, NM.

Before moving The BoomerBus from the campground to the repair shop, we made friends with Ken & Jean Bailey. Great people. Ken was super helpful trying to find a solution to provide power to The BoomerBus while in the shop. The four of us went to dinner at one of the local restaurants and enjoyed a very good meal and even better company. While they have been RVing for 35 years and they're on their 8th RV, they still have a sticks and bricks home in Massachusetts. We will be visiting them in July when we will be at the Normandy Farms campground in MA. Thanks again y'all!

Epilogue

We were reunited with The BoomerBus, Our Last Quarter on Thursday afternoon, 14 November. The repairs delayed us 10 days. We departed Las Cruces on Friday, 15 November following I-10 to I-25 to US70 and US54 toward Amarillo, TX.  Both US70 and US54 are great roadways. No potholes, no patches, no tarred repairs. We both agree this portion of our adventure was probably the most restful and stress free drive yet. Long, straight stretches of two lanes in each direction, allowed visibility for miles. Set cruise control on 60 MPH and go. The geography and sights along the way are also quite interesting. 

The first section, I-70, goes right through the White Sands Missile Range and Test Facility. Yeah, desert as far as the eye can see except for the occasional entrance to the range, heavily guarded by armed military personnel. This is the US Army's primary missile testing ground. Although the desert is stark, there's a unique beauty in the vast emptiness.

At  Alamogordo, NM we joined US54. It also is in great condition, albeit mostly a two lane roadway which travels through some interesting towns. US54 goes through Carizozo, NM where the speed limit drops to 25 MPH as you drive through the sleepy little village. Five minutes is all it takes. The town's history is tied to the infamous bandit, Billy The Kid. After Carizozo, the geography becomes more scrub brush which reminded me of large green balls scattered everywhere. There are a few remnants of buildings which seem like the broken dreams of someone who tried to make a life in this desolate place. We also spotted a herd of about 50 pronghorn antelope at a watering hole.

Between Corona, NM and the ghost town of Duran there's a huge wind farm of giant, stark white windmills all turning in the same direction at the same speed. We begin to see cattle in this area and noticed the ubiquitous metal windmill at water troughs. Now with solar panels capturing the sun's energy to power the water pump. Finally we arrive at Santa Rosa, NM where the Pecos River flows -yes! water in the river bed!- and the historic Route 66 goes through town. We join I-40E, a familiar roadway we've traveled many times. UGH! Truck traffic, potholes, joint repairs and construction until we reach the Texas state line. The road surface changes to concrete and a very smooth ride. We stop in Vega, TX for the night. Next stops: Henryetta, OK and Forrest City, AR before reaching Nashville.

Wednesday, 20 November

We are back in Tellico Village, TN at David's where we'll be (except for the Christmas period) until mid-February. The BoomerBus, aka Our Last Quarter, is at NIRVC Nashville where it will be repaired, maintained and cleaned for us when we reunite with it in mid-February and start our next great adventure. 

It's NOT a 24/7 vacation

For those of you who believe full time RVing in a Class A motorhome is a perennial vacation: NOT! Yes, we have visited places we've never seen before. We've seen spectacular sights and landscapes one sees in postcards. Yes, we've had the freedom to go wherever we want, any time we want. We've enjoyed first rate meals in wonderful restaurants in interesting locations and reunited with old friends. We also met new people who became friends very quickly.

However, it's still work to live full time in a motorhome. Trash collects and needs to be disposed. Clothes and linens need to be washed. The BoomerBus requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Remember the windshield comments I made earlier? There are expenses as well. I could go on and list everything we do to make the adventure happen, but I'm certain y'all get the picture. We've enjoyed the past eight months very much and look forward to mid-February when we'll begin our next great adventure. Stay tuned y'all!