Sept 6th - Mesa, AZ

Sept 6^th – Mesa Arizona

We had an uneventful drive to Mesa this morning. Good time to be driving as the traffic was great all the way. We checked into VVV and got settled into our “usual” site. We were walking to get water when Robin Umatum came out to say hi and asked us to come in & visit for a while. A while ended up being several hours and drinks later!!! Neil is driving for a dental office in Mexico and his car broke down on the way back today so we kept Robin company until Neil got back after Harland picked him up. Jill came over as they were supposed to go to dinner. She finally left to look after her dog and came back after Neil was home. By this time no-one should have driven to dinner so we ordered very good Chinese take-out. Quite the welcome back!

This will be the last post for a while. Like last season, I decided to take a break from the blog since things get awfully repetitious here. Also, a lot of friends keep up with us on Facebook so my stats indicate fewer readers. If we do anything interesting or unusual, I will probably post.

Sept 1st to 5th - Parker AZ

Sept 1^st - 5^th – Parker AZ

Thurs - We lazed around until Terry thought he could go get someone to look at our power problem. A couple of guys showed up a short time later, took it apart, put it back together and it worked. They asked that we don't run 3 ACs – I think we had figured that out! We just shut the doors to the garage so we don't have to cool that area. We took the bike to town again (with closed shoes!) and stopped on the way to make a tee time for tomorrow morning. Pretty much the same as yesterday – casino & a bit of shopping but we stopped at Bobby D's Diner for huge root beer floats on the way back. Yummy! Then we put on our swim suits and cooled off in the Colorado River before settling in for the evening.

Fri – We teed off on the back 9 of Emerald Canyon GC at 7 this morning. It rained during the night and the humidity was really high which made it seem even hotter than the thermometer read. I made sandwiches, we changed into our swim suits and cooled off in the river again while we had lunch. Then it was back to the casino. A neighbor 3 rigs down (Sharon) came over just before we were ready to have dinner to ask if she could see our home. She also wanted to have a ride on the bike sometime this weekend as her husband wants a bike but she is afraid of them.

Sat – Up early and on the golf course at 7. Must mention that this early bird special is $10 each for the back 9 including the cart and the last early tee time is 7 which explains our schedule. Our round was not as enjoyable as a sand trap maintenance crew was working just ahead of us and we had to wait on nearly every hole. On longer holes we could tee off as most of the traps are close to the greens and/or they had finished with fairway traps. Terry finally got annoyed and we hit up anyhow. Tends to make for a crappy game. We relaxed a while, had breakfast for lunch and then took chairs to the river so we could cool off and watch the boat “parade”. Boats & water craft of every shape & size running up & down the river. They are quite orderly and drive on the right side of the watery highway. The water is quite warm but cool enough to be refreshing. Of course we headed back to the casino on the bike with a stop this time at Safeway.

Sun – Golf at 7 with slightly “not so hot” temps. Not quite right to say “cooler”. We had to wait a few minutes on the first hole for a greens mowing crew to leave. When we got to the tee box on the next hole, they graciously halted work so we could “play through”. We both had some great shots mixed in with the usual so-so stuff. We drove the truck to the casino & a bit of shopping so we could fuel up before we leave on Tuesday. We did well at the casino so didn't get back early enough to want to visit the river before dinner. We have taken turns winning a bit at the casino so our spending luckily is not as great as all the visits might imply!

Mon – Labor/Labour Day. I think the park expected more campers than showed up. Everyone has to wear a wrist band for the weekend to keep out non-paying guests. I will be happy to cut off the lime green accessory tonight! We skipped the golf this morning but have been up early too often so couldn't sleep in. Of course we had to give the casino one more chance to return our money. Good news is it didn't take everything! We stopped at WalMart for our favorite General Tso chicken and a couple of perfectly ripe avocados for a late lunch. I defrosted the freezer and obviously updated the blog. Terry started packing up lawn chairs, etc to leave tomorrow. Loaded the bike and then kicked back. Very quiet in the park.

Aug 26th to 31st - CO, AZ

Aug 26^th - 31^st – CO, AZ

Fri - No storm materialized last night so it was indeed uneventful. We packed up and headed south and then west – through “4 corners” but have been there before so didn't stop. We are still wandering around so went to Page AZ and set up at the Elks club which has water & electric with a dump on site. We had a fairly long drive today so relaxed for a while and then went to the Elks for a drink. There chatted with some very nice, friendly people and left when they all went to have the steak dinner offered by the club. We had dinner planned so just kicked back for the rest of the evening.

Sat – Previously we toured Antelope Canyon and someone last night told us that there was a free area where we could walk in some other canyons. When we got there, there was a line of cars waiting to get in and I told Terry that it looked like we would have to pay to park. When we finally got to the booth, it was $8 each to enter the site and then $20 each to go on a tour. We said “bag it” and drove to Horseshoe Bend. Lots of people there but we got a decent parking space and walked to the top of the first hill where you could see the river. From there was an even longer walk down which of course means a walk back up! Terry choose to stay at the top and I walked down. I was too chicken (or smart!) to get right to the edge for a picture of the entire loop but got some decent shots. If there had been fewer people and an empty space near the edge I probably would have crawled to the edge! When I got back to the top where Terry was waiting, we both made the same comment – we heard all sorts of languages except English! We stopped for a few groceries and headed back for an early dinner since we didn't have lunch. Then it was back to the Elks club for drinks and to listen to really bad singers as it was Karaoke night. A guy (Mark) sat beside us and we really enjoyed talking with him. He just moved to this area and had all sorts of questions about our gypsy lifestyle. He came to look at our rig when we left and said he might come down to VVV this season.

Sun - We were going to Laughlin & Riverside casino RV park but changed our mind and went to the KOA RV park at the Avi casino on the other end of “the strip”. We thought it was quite a bit more expensive than the Riverside but at this time of year is cheaper and a nicer park. The weather got a LOT hotter during the drive so we were happy with 50 amp service to run the ACs. After setting up, we got a shuttle to the casino (not too far but too hot to walk!) and enjoyed the cool while losing very little.

Mon – Just before we decided to get going for the day, Terry looked out and saw a small lake near the truck. Our water hose blew due to the heat. Our neighbor had just noticed it also and was turning off the water. We replace the hose and headed to Bullhead City for breakfast and some shopping. I saw a sign for the Bonanza Cafe (best breakfast in town!!) and we drove by it in a mile or so. We stopped and had a great breakfast for a very reasonable price. A huge Walmart was nearby for a few items that we needed. I decided to get rid of the knife block that I have to place in the sink each time we move and we were looking for magnetic strips to use instead. None at Walmart, none at Ace Hardware (obviously a small town as a clerk searched their database for 5 minutes) but found the mechanics version at an auto parts store. After dealing with the groceries and putting up the magnetic strips (yes, 2!) we headed back to the casino. This time we both came out ahead for a change.

Tues – We were only going to stay here for 2 nights but we saw the nice big laundry room at the park and decided to stay and get the laundry done today. But first we went to the casino for a buffet breakfast. Since it was earlier and not so hot, we actually walked back & forth. Got the laundry all sorted out and discovered several machines out of order so it was a good thing that there was only one other person there. Terry wanted to go back to the casino but I had decided that I needed to do some “delayed cleaning” which is best done without Terry pacing around and being bored. My technique is to clean one area and then take a break with a book. I had just finished when Terry got back with more $$ than he started with.

Wed – Packed up and headed south again to Parker AZ and the La Paz county park where we have stayed previously. We knew it would be busy this coming weekend but we were here early enough that we had our pick of sites. The lady at the office sent us in to pick a site and then come back to register. We went to unload the bike and found a dead battery as we didn't unload & ride it since one short ride in Cortez. Hooked up the charger, registered, had a bite to eat and took the bike to town. It was really hot and the exhaust air hits our feet so we were hurting by the time we got to WalMart. Of course there was road construction to make the trip even longer. We each bought cheap, closed shoes for the ride back as sandals weren't cutting it! We stopped at the casino to continue cooling off. The ride back wasn't as bad due to our new shoes, the sun more behind us and a shorter ride on the highway instead of the road with construction. Thermometer on the bike showed 111. While we were relaxing and hydrating, half of the power went off so we only had 30 amps which won't run 3 ACs. 2 ACs still ran but it was HOT. I had thawed a skirt steak for dinner but Terry didn't want to go out in the heat to BBQ so I fried it instead. It was still excellent. When we went to bed we closed the bedroom door and just ran the bedroom AC which cooled the room down after a bit.

Aug 22nd to 25th - NM, CO

Aug 22^nd - 25^th – NM, CO

Mon- There were only a few puddles left from the rain last night and a 4 inch high water mark on the 5^th wheel tires which were on a slight incline above the stream running down the road. We had an uneventful drive heading north to Colorado. We stopped at a really nice truck stop in Raton – easy access, nicely marked pickup diesel island, friendly employees, clean and a nice cafe to have breakfast for lunch. We got off the highway to check out a couple of RV parks in Walsenburg, drove past and immediately got back on the highway – YUK! We ended up in La Vita which is on Hwy 160 just west of I25. At this point we just wanted a spot to spend the night and ended up at a motel/RV park with a very scary clerk to check us in. The weather was cooler and it was nice to sleep without AC running.

Tues – We started with a huge climb over North La Vita Pass (9413 ft) and didn't descend a lot on the other side but remained in what I refer to as high plains. I have an app on my phone to check altitude (don't have that on our current GPS) so I kept track often. Once again a lot of construction to keep drivers alert. We passed to the south of Great Sand Dunes Ntl Park where we have been in the past so didn't stop. There were lots of big RV parks in the area near South Fork and we finally figured it was because of fishing, hiking & off-road vehicles. Shortly after that we crossed the Continental Divide at 10,856 feet. We had to deal with torrential rains, lightning & thunder which was a little tense as we navigated lots of hills & curves. We didn't stop for lunch and checked into La Mesa RV park in Cortez just after 2:00. It is a small park with a very nice, knowledgeable owner. When I called to get a site, she said she had one pull-through left but we would have to back into it as we were too long to make a corner. When we got here, she had shuffled things around and put us in a pull-through that we could drive through – just had to keep an eye on an overhanging tree branch that had been damaged by previous visitors. We unloaded the bike, had a late lunch and were relaxing when it started to rain again – after the park owner said rain often bypasses Cortez!

Wed – We started with a shorter version of our usual coffee & games and then went to the Anasazi Heritage Center which was really interesting. To quote from a visitor guide “the museum displays the history and the methods that modern archaeologists use to reveal the past, and preserves artifacts and records from excavations”. Sounds less interesting than it actually is!! The McPhee dam was delayed for over 4 years so artifacts could be removed from the reservoir area. Next was a visit to Mesa Verde Ntl Park which is just a few miles from our RV park. We stopped at the welcome center to pick up a map, headed into the park and started climbing the winding road. We had been to this park many years ago but I didn't remember the road. Very scenic, no clouds to obscure the view. Mesa Verde is known for the ancient cliff dwellings and you can take tours of some of them. However, I do not particularly like tall ladders and I would not voluntarily crawl through a tunnel so that was out. There were lots of areas to park and take pictures, sometimes with a short walk. I walked UP a path to a fire tower where there was an amazing, nearly 360 degree view. When we came out of the park, we went to Dolores which is a small town a few miles from Cortez. We had a late lunch and then found a place to buy oil for the Spyder which is why we went there. We stopped at the park to switch to the motorcycle and went to WalMart for a few items. We wandered around a bit too long and rain started as we came out of the store. Only a short trip back so we didn't get too wet. Tossed on the bike cover and relaxed!

Thurs – We were only going to stay here for 2 nights but discovered a casino about 10 miles away. The casino has an RV park so we discussed moving but I suggested that we ask the owner here what rate we could get for another night and it was the same as at the casino so yesterday we booked another night. We got a special here with one day ½ off and the owner was smart enough to give us a rate of half of what we paid for the original 2 days. We took the truck to the casino as rain showers were forecast again. We played a long time but eventually gave them our money! We stopped at KFC on the way back to pick up a very late lunch. We loaded the bike in case the weather isn't nice tomorrow morning. I figure the evening will be uneventful (just heard thunder!) so will post the blog.

Aug 19th to 21st - TX, NM

Aug 19^th - 21^st – TX, NM

Fri - We skipped coffee & doughnuts and hit the road reasonably early – I40 continuing west. It is still obviously construction season but no delays. I guess they can't hold up all the semis in both directions. We stopped for fuel and were going to get something to eat but the truck stop was really congested so we decided to go down the road a ways. Well, we ended up finishing some little doughnuts that we got a couple of days ago and weren't all that hungry when we reached another restaurant with decent access so continued into Albuqueque/Bernalillo. We have stayed at the Coronado Campground in Bernalillo in the past and got a site here again. The rate is right - $20 for water & electric – and there is a casino a short drive away! We had to park the 5^th wheel far back in the site to be able to get it level and the water hookup is on the wrong side in front of the site so Terry went to the office to see if he could buy a hose. The host lent him a short hose that got us hooked up. We had an early dinner and then took the bike to the casino where Terry won enough to cover my losses as well.

Sat – After coffee, games & breakfast, we went to find a Costco. The GPS did not do a good job and had us driving in circles. Luckily my phone did a better job but if I had not spotted the sign as we went past another business we might have made another loop. Costco is located behind a Chev dealer and a strip mall – very odd! We did our shopping and then stopped at WalMart for few more items. After putting things away and having a light lunch, we went back to the casino where we found motorcycle parking in the parkade. This time Terry didn't bail us out! Dinner, drinks & relax!

Sun – We can only use one AC here (rules of the park!) but it is doing a fairly good job of keeping the rig liveable as it isn't super hot. We had a muffin with our coffee & games and then hung around long enough to have some lunch before heading back to the casino. Not so good! There is an adobe picnic shelter with a sturdy picnic table (casita?) at each site here and it is amazing how cool it is under there. Each time I have been in it a lovely breeze is blowing through the big “windows”. Terry set up the BBQ there for dinner. Just as it was getting dark, we heard thunder and then rain beating on the roof – good thing we loaded the bike when we got back this afternoon. The roads were small streams as the heaviest rain lasted about 20 minutes.

Aug 13th to 18th - MS,TN, OK, TX

Aug 13^th - 18^th – MS, TN, OK, TX

Sat - We got moving slowly and first went for diesel. SO much easier to fuel up without the 5^th wheel and the price was great - $1.99. Then we went to check out some casinos down the road but didn't stay long. We went to a casino across from Sam's Town and ended up having a buffet lunch there. Terry took me back to the rig so I could update the blog and he actually walked to Sam's to gamble a bit. It absolutely poured rain off & on the rest of the afternoon & evening.

Sun – We drank coffee & played computer games while it rained some more. I made a late breakfast and we drove to Sam's casino as rain still threatened. We played a long time and had a late lunch buffet. We took a little drive to find a slightly longer but easier way to get back to I40 (thru Memphis) when we leave here.

Mon – The rain stopped before we pulled out this morning and the different way back was great. We were late enough that rush hour traffic was gone – or maybe it isn't as bad as we feared it could be. When we stopped for fuel we had a Popeye's chicken lunch. We split a 6 piece chicken strip meal which came with 2 sides so we got 2 coleslaws. The server used tongs to grab the chicken and some pieces must have been too small so she gave us well over 6 pieces which we could barely finish. When we were ready to stop, we pulled into a casino which advertised RV parking. We saw a big truck parking area with lots of room so we backed into a spot near the end. A truck parked near us and when Terry talked to him he said it would get full so we pulled in the slides and moved down a spot and parked slightly into a cross-hatched area which I assumed was no parking. We woke up at 4 am with a refrigerated unit running right beside the bedroom slide. He was squeezed into the cross-hatched area! Not too much sleep after that!

Tues – The weather finally cleared with no more rain forecast ahead of us. We stopped at the Grand Casino for breakfast but we were a little late so we ended up with the lunch buffet at 11 instead and didn't spend much more for a bit of gambling. We stayed a couple of years ago with friends Bill & Georgia and Lonnie & Cindy at Red Rock Canyon just out of Oklahoma City and decided to go there again. We drove into the entrance and found no one at the office but a sign saying there was no entrance fee and camping fees would be collected each evening. But the most important part was a statement saying due to the sharp turns on the road, no RV over 40 feet could go on the road into the canyon. Luckily there was a big turn around area and we went back to a casino that we also visited a couple years ago. I had noticed on the way past that they had RV parking so we went in and paid $5 for 30 amp service which turned out to be 50 amp service. And when you gambled $50 you got the $5 back! The $50 includes winnings that are rebet so really isn't $50 of your own money. Of course we played for a while and then got dinner to go from the cafe at the casino. While we were eating, we got a phone call from Marv Thompson who Terry fished with in WA and who took us fishing on his charter boat when we were in Alaska. He and his wife Diane sold their boat & house in Alaska and bought a place in Chewelah WA. They also have a place in AZ so we will be playing golf with them this winter.

Wed – How nice to have no trucks beside us last night and enough electricity for AC as is very warm. We continued west on I40 – with more road construction of course. A basically uneventful drive to Amarillo TX and the Amarillo Ranch RV Park conveniently located on the frontage road along I40. Very efficient staff has us checked in quickly and told us about a free limo service to the Big Texan restaurant nearby. Another guy just checking in said if we hadn't been there it was worth a trip. We only had some mini donuts all day so we signed up for a 4:00 pickup and got set up in a huge long pull thru site. We relaxed, had a drink, showered and the limo picked us up at our site at 4 for the short ride to the restaurant. We browsed the gift shop before being seated in a cozy booth. I splurged on the filet while Terry stuck with his favorite baby back ribs and neither of us were disappointed. When we were done, we walked outside and there was a different limo & driver waiting. We were faced the right way to have the door side in shade so we put out a couple of chairs and sat outside in perfect temperature. Our neighbors went by on a walk and joined us for a chat. Just after they left, another couple stopped for a visit and while they were here, a guy walking the cutest, tiniest dog stopped so we could cuddle the dog! Love socializing a bit!

Thurs – The park has coffee & doughnuts in the office each morning so we had to check it out. We joined a couple (John & Sharon) at a table and had a nice chat. They have just retired and were interested in what we told them about VVV so we went by afterwards before they left the park and gave them a fall special flyer. Then it was time to do laundry. The 4 washers were empty when we got there so of course the dryers were waiting for me too and we got it all done. We have a tire on the truck that has a slow leak so we went to find a Discount Tire store. They were busy so we left the truck and walked to a nearby IHop to have breakfast for lunch. When we got back they still hadn't looked at the tire so we got to wait which Terry does so well! There was a nail in the tire and the repair was free! Then it was on to WalMart for a few items and back to the park – relax, computer games, dinner, TV, load the bike and maybe have a cocktail or two!

Aug 6th - 12th - IN, KY, TN, MS

Aug 6^th - 12^th – IN, KY, TN, MS

Sat – (I just looked back over the blog and realized that I didn't include the reason that we seem to be backtracking and going in all sorts of wrong directions. We are going to get some warranty work done on our 5^th wheel in Indiana since we really don't like the dealer & their service department in Arizona where we bought it. We called a while ago and made an appointment for the work and for a tour of the Grand Design factory.)

We took our time getting going and first found the locations of the repair place we will be using and the Grand Design factory. Then we went to Shipshewana which is a town full of mainly Amish owned shops. We wandered around a long time without buying anything. We went to the RV Hall of Fame where there was also an RV show taking place. We checked out a few toy haulers before going into the Hall of Fame. We have been there before but it is an amazing place and we enjoyed it again. Back to the rig to relax and have dinner.

Sun – We drove all over looking for a place for breakfast. The GPS did a wonderful job of sending us in circles and had us in a slum-y housing development instead of at a Denny's. We did eventually get to eat. We went to Menards (like Home Depot) to get a couple of small plastic bins and something to repair a hinged access door at the back of the garage. We damaged it on New Year's Eve with the legs of a plastic lawn chair and just now figured we should do something. We pulled up the non-slip covering and cleaned up the glue residue. We found a throw rug just the right size and put it down with double-sticky carpet tape. The back wheel of the bike goes over it all the time so we will see how well it lasts! We also made a stop for very few items at WalMart as we were on the bike when shopping. Hot weather so we stayed inside with the ACs running. We loaded the bike in preparation for tomorrow.

Mon – We took the 5^th wheel into Charger Enterprises at 8:00 and went over all the repairs needed. Some picky, some not like the fridge door that came open when driving and the counter top put a dent in the door. We went back to Shipshewana, found a place to have breakfast (“Haystack” for Terry) and then checked out a few more stores including one with an amazing selection of fabrics. We went to the Grand Design factory for a tour at 2:00. There was only us and one other couple in our group with a very knowledgeable young tour guide. The workers had mostly finished for the day (they start early to beat the heat) so we were able to go anywhere to check things out from the bare frame to the finished products in the quality control area. Very interesting! We went from there right to the repair place and found out as we were driving that they pulled the rig beside their office and plugged it in (30 amp) so we could stay overnight and they could continue working on it in the morning. Luckily the office was still open when we got there as we found out that the fridge door did not arrive and they had no idea when it would get there and a slide to fix a bedroom drawer was on order. We ended up being pretty ticked off with the shop manager (who we thought from phone calls was “on the ball”) and decided to hook up and go back the RV park where at least we had 50 amps for multiple ACs.

Tues – The repair shop was to contact us today when they wanted the rig back in so we hung around and basically did nothing. OK – we played a FEW computer games!!! We did not get a phone call at all!!!!

Wed – We packed up and left fairly early and headed south. We finally got a phone call saying the drawer slide was in (I didn't mention that they broke the drawer slide fixing another problem in the dresser!) but they had no more information on the fridge door. We told them yesterday that we would have them ship the door to Mesa to be repaired when we get back. We drove a fairly straight line south – 31 to I65 (around Indianapolis in a blinding rain storm) and 2/3 of the way through Kentucky where we ended up in Cave City at a Passport America RV park where we stayed a few years ago. Still hot & humid. We went for a walk after dinner and stopped to chat with 2 couples traveling together – brothers & their wives – Jim & Sue (Oklahoma) and Ken & Judy (Wisconsin). We told them about VVV and will give them more info.

Thurs – After coffee, toast & a few computer games, we went to Mammoth Caves and bought tickets for a 9 o'clock tour which was starting in a few minutes. We chose the “Historical Tour” which included walking down a road to a big cave entrance, going through “fat man's nightmare” (narrow by your feet & head) & “tall man's nightmare” (yup, duck down all the way), across the “bottomless pit” on a metal grid bridge, into a couple of HUGE caverns and up & down many stairs. The tour guide was very good & knowledgeable about all the history involved. Of course the cave was cool so walking back UP the road in sudden heat was a workout. We went to WalMart for groceries and had lunch there first at McDonalds. We stopped at a liquor store (cost more than groceries!) and came back to put everything away and rest for a while before dinner. We walked down to visit our new friends for a while and to give them VVV fliers for the fall special.

Fri – We never unloaded the bike as the back of our site was downhill and the back ramp would have been very steep so it didn't take long to pack up & leave. Terry prefers driving freeways so we continued south on I65 and then west on I40 at Nashville. This continues to be “construction season” everywhere with lots of work just out of Memphis. Conflicting construction & permanent signs caused us to miss an exit and we ended up on “surface” streets in Memphis – yuk! But we made it to Sam's Town RV park just out of Tunica MS and got set up. I saw a post on FB that Bob & Bobbie were in Graceland which is not very far away so I sent a message and they ended up driving down to see us. We had a nice chat before we all went for the seafood buffet at Sam's Town. We stayed to register for our site (I had registered online but we needed to check in) and Bob & Bobbie headed back. We were tired so didn't even stay to gamble.

Aug 2nd to 5th - MO,IL,IN

Aug 2^nd to 5^th – MO, IL, IN

Tues - Got a call at 9:30 from the mechanic – wrong part was received!! We figured if we got the repair done tomorrow it would be later than we wanted to leave so we went to the office and paid for another night. We did the laundry so we still were somewhat constructive. The clean laundry room is close so Terry could help me carry and I could walk back & forth. Otherwise we were pretty lazy which could have been induced by the HUMID weather.

Wed – No call from the mechanic so Terry finally called him about 11. Yes, part was here and he had to go pick it up from the Chev dealer. When Terry left to get the repair done, I got busy and did some overdue cleaning. After Terry got back, we went to a larger WalMart for a few items that we couldn't find or forgot to get on Monday – including a mouse for the computer since I smashed the dongle when I put the computer away to travel!

Thurs – Packed up and hit the road fairly early as Terry had checked the weather and saw a big storm cell heading the way we were going – northeast. The truck had no problems and after a couple of fuel stops and a rest area to stretch our legs we arrived in Mulberry Grove IL for the night. It was fairly early to stop but after the tension of getting the truck fixed and lots of road construction we were ready to quit.

Fri – Pulled out early again and wiggled across the rest of Illinois and into Indiana. I say “wiggled” as the GPS sent us north to Chicago which we didn't want to do and there weren't any east/west highways where we wanted to go. Only when we were within 100 miles of our destination did I find a decent road that we could have hit sooner. Our Atlas has roads marked in orange that are suitable for trucks and it tends to mask the type of road. Then our GPS didn't have the RV park address so I ended up using my phone. It took us into the park from the east rather than the west and after several miles on a narrow county road we encountered a road closure less than a mile from the park. We had to go a mile south, a mile west and a mile north before being able to drive around “local traffic only” signs to the RV park. Doesn't sound like much extra unless it is at the end of the day and in town. We got set up in our site and relaxed.

July 28th - Aug 1st - IA,SD,MO, KS, MO

July 28^th to Aug 1^st – IA, SD, MO, KS, MO

Thurs - There is a golf course with the Grand Falls resort so we decided to play today - $40 each for 18 holes including a cart. We picked up the cart at the pro shop and drove it to our site to load the clubs. The driving range is also right beside the RV area so we warmed up before starting the round. The course is beautiful and well maintained. We caught up to a foursome ahead of us after a few holes and they waved us through as they were spending time looking for balls in the rough. The weather was quite warm so we were worn out by the time we finished. We took the clubs back to the rig and then had to lend the casino a few dollars (took a long time!) before heading back for dinner.

Fri – On the road again heading south. The casino is in Iowa but we immediately hit South Dakota before going into Missouri. We looked for a RV site in St. Joseph but the 2 that we called didn't have big enough sites so we had an adventure getting diesel and carried on. I looked in the Good Sam book and found Jellystone in Lawrence. I didn't notice that it was Kansas as it was in the Missouri section but it rang a bell with Terry so I checked FB and found out that Chief & Debra are work-camping there so it didn't matter that we went a bit out of our way!! Set up and the kid who parked us got Debra on his golf cart as we told them we knew her. Chief was working but we had a nice visit with Deb before making dinner & relaxing.

Sat – Chief contacted us and suggested going to breakfast with him & Deb and then playing golf with him & a friend (Darrel). Breakfast was in downtown Lawrence which is a college town with older, restored buildings. On the way back, we drove past big, old “mansions” that are often frat houses now. Chief picked us up for a fairly long drive to a “country” golf course - $15 per person including a cart. But we all had fun. On the 13^th hole, a light rain started and we decided to play through the 14^th hole as it headed back to the clubhouse. When the rain got harder we said “bag it” and hustled back to the car. I had dinner ready to eat when Chief came by with Darrel & his wife to see our rig. After a beer, they invited us to their place so we took 15 minutes to gobble down dinner and walked over. Terry got a buddy burner and we ended up visiting until after midnight.

Sun – Chief deposited our buddy burner on our picnic table so we didn't go see them before pulling out this morning. A little tight so a guy kindly moved his pickup so we could make the turn at the end of our row! We took I70 toll road back to MO ($2.75 there, $3.75 back?) and headed south. We had torrential rain most of the way. The truck decided to test us by blowing the clamp again – 3 times!!! Each time Terry was able to pull the the shoulder and fix it as we definitely wanted to avoid having to tow the rig & 5^th wheel. We stopped for lunch “somewhere” and had to wade through water after parking in WalMart and going across the road to Burger King. We found the RV park in Branson where we have stayed before and followed the GPS through town rather than being smart enough to go around the long way. Nice to get set up and relax. Got the name of a mechanic to contact tomorrow!!!

Mon – After a cup of coffee, Terry went to find the mechanic. He had a look at the truck and said the repair would not hold any more and we needed a new “turbo boot” which of course would have to be ordered. Terry checked with the local Chev dealer who, after a couple of phone calls, found one in Missouri that could be overnighted and get here tomorrow. But the mechanic was still looking for one online so we had a late breakfast and then went shopping while we waited. WalMart and a grocery store next door provided what I thought we needed but of course I did not grab the list when we left! The weather is hot and incredibly humid so we had to take the groceries home right away and get everything put away. Terry talked to the mechanic again and gave him to OK to order the part from Chevy so we can get the truck fixed tomorrow. After dinner we took a little walk around the park which was enough with the humidity.

July 21st - 27th - Hill City SD

July 21^st to 27^th – Hill City SD

Thurs – We had a very short drive but we hit the road reasonably early, exited I90 on the truck bypass just before Rapid City and pulled into Crooked Creek RV shortly before the check-in time of 11. Our site was vacant so a very nice guy escorted us to our site, waited while we unloaded the bike and capably backed us into our spot. We set up and immediately went grocery shopping. I don't know if I mentioned that we are joining 8 friends – Al & Linda, Bill & Linda, Bob & Claudia and Russ & Joanne – to ride motorcycles in the area and I am going to make dinners for the group. We had seen a WalMart on the drive here and hoped to get a bite of lunch before shopping but there wasn't a fast food outlet in the store or nearby. It took quite a while to get through my huge grocery list, check out, get back and put stuff away. We had bought General Tsao chicken for dinner but I suggested that since it was mid afternoon we might as well have a late lunch/early dinner before I started cooking (spaghetti sauce & desserts) & prepping food. Everyone else will be arriving tomorrow.

Fri – I continued with some food prep and Terry went into Hill City to the only grocery store and found flat iron steaks that we didn't find at WalMart. We were still missing a few food items so after lunch we went back to the grocery store. The rest of the group arrived with Bob & Claudia in their motorhome right beside us, Bill & Linda up on the hill near the entrance in a cabin and Al & Linda and Russ & Joanne on the opposite side in a motel that also belongs to the campground. The weather was perfect for sitting outside for drinks, catching up & laughing and Javanese Chicken was well received for dinner.

Sat - We had agreed on a departure time of 10 so we all had time for coffee and breakfast. The park does breakfast (biscuits & gravy, eggs or all you can eat pancakes) so some of the group took advantage of that and some of us had zucchini bread, etc at our place. Today Al took us into Custer State Park (paid entrance fee and had tags good for a week attached to the handle bars) and we paused to admire and take pictures of huge buffalo herds. It was quite warm already so the buffalo were mostly laying down or moseying around). We also stopped to watch the donkeys approach vehicles to ask for food. Then it was on to Mt. Rushmore which we had all visited previously but it is always impressive. We continued riding including Iron Mountain Road which is Terry's favorite. We stopped at Spokane Creek RV (we stayed there last year) to get Tee shirts and ended up having lunch as well. Luckily Al knows the area fairly well so we were happy to follow him where-ever he wanted to go. I took pictures & videos which we all enjoyed later. Dinner was flatiron steak which unfortunately took longer to BBQ than I expected so it was good that everyone was having a good time and didn't mind waiting. Actually, Al wasn't having a good time as his stomach was really bothering him and he didn't even eat dinner.

Sun – Again a 10:00 suggested leave time but we were ready a little earlier. We went past Deadwood & through Lead on the way to Spearfish Canyon which is very scenic. There were lots of cars & bikes so we didn't stop anywhere in the canyon. We arrived at a pizza buffet place in Sturgis for lunch and then drove into town so we could stop, walk & shop. The weather was very hot so Terry hit the pool when we returned to the park and the rest of us relaxed in the shade and some even napped for a while first. Had planned a different dinner but there was lots of steak leftover so we stopped at a grocery store in Custer for a few ingredients and I made Beef Stroganoff.

Mon - We planned to attend a concert with “Brule” this evening so Al organized a shorter route which included the Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road again, a visit to a stockade and a stop in Custer so we could take pictures of painted buffalo statues scattered around town. While in Custer we had a light lunch at DQ as we were going have an early dinner before the concert. Change in plans! While we were enjoying our pre-dinner drinks, it started to rain and hail which made the outdoor concert a no-go. Terry set up the table in the “garage” and we were able to seat all 10 of us inside for spaghetti dinner. The Ninja Warrior show was on TV so we all enjoyed it during and after dinner.

Tues – Bill & Linda left early this morning so the group was down to 8. There were a couple of roads that we missed so Bob led the ride today. We rode Needles Highway in the opposite direction which is really great as you see totally different vistas. We stopped at the top to take pictures including the Needle Eye which is a slot in a huge, tall rock formation. We rode Playhouse road and then planned to go to Mystic for lunch. Unfortunately we were following a slow farm tractor and took a turn in the road instead of going straight. Al finally realized we were on the wrong road and caught up to Bob. I suggested that we go back to the park and have burgers for lunch since that was the planned dinner replaced by the stroganoff. Everyone was agreeable (dark clouds forming!) so we turned around and headed back. Made a quick stop in Hill City on the way to look for a phone purse for Linda. The dark clouds dumped a little rain before we had lunch and then let up. Bob & Claudia went to Hill City to shop a bit and ended up getting quite wet on the way back as the rain returned. I had pork roasts in the crock pot for dinner which we ate inside again. We had planned go to the “Brule” concert tonight but knew that wasn't going to happen as we saw weather forecasts for huge hail. Everyone left a little earlier as we all hitting the road tomorrow.

Wed - We found out this morning that Custer (about 10 miles away) got hit with the forecast hail last night but we didn't have any. Everyone showed up for coffee, etc this morning and we all hugged farewell (don't do goodbyes!). We had to pull out to load the bike and then headed east on I90. We were a few miles from Wall when we heard a huge bang and the truck slowed way down. Terry recognized the sound & symptom from a couple of years ago in Mesquite NV. A hose that a diesel repair guy had fixed with a huge clamp had popped loose again. It has to do with compression and the engine will continue to run at 18% so we limped to an exit. Unfortunately we were on a long uphill so we wondered if we could make it. Terry remembered a big service station where we could turn around and park. Terry was able to put the clamp back on and we headed out only to have it blow again a short ways down the highway. This time Terry repaired it on the side of the freeway and put it on slightly differently which made the difference as we had no more problems and pulled into Grand Falls casino RV park just out of Sioux Falls IA about 5. We had to go into the casino to register for an RV site and spent a few dollars.

July 13th to 20th - ND, Minnesota, Iowa, SD

July 13^th - 20^th – ND, Minnesota, Iowa, SD

Wed – The weather was clear and mud mostly dried up so we didn't leave big ruts when we pulled out this morning. Not too early as we were only going to Bismark. We talked to Bob & Peggy Paul (VVVers) and they came to visit with us for a couple of hours before leaving for a week of camping & boating. Quiet evening.

Thurs – We wandered around a huge Menards store before meeting Jerry & Phyllis for an early lunch at Perkins. We talked way more than we ate so it took a while! Then another quiet afternoon & evening.

Fri – On the move again to Minnesota. The drive was fairly uneventful – just lots of construction near “the cities” but we were going against the traffic most of the time so not too slow. A little nerve wracking when there were only 2 lanes rather than the usual 4 or 5 and the lane we were in was normally the shoulder or breakdown lane. Dennis & Gloria were busy Saturday night so we decided to stay for a couple of nights at Dakota Meadows RV which happens to be right next door to Mystic Lake Casino. After setting up in a lovely long pull-through, we took the bike to the casino and spent quite a bit of time there. Home for dinner, TV & games.

Sat – It was way past time for a haircut for me so we got some info from the RV park personel and immediately forgot where we were supposed to go! We were looking for Great Clips and found Fantastic Sam so I put my name on the list and we went across the street to Subway for lunch. Then I proceeded to get the WORST haircut ever!! Once she clipped up the back and then continued on one side I knew I was in trouble. And did she listen to my instructions for the length on the top & bangs? Hell no!! I'm going to look a little odd wearing my motorcycle helmet in the grocery store! Terry went back to the casino when we returned while I pouted & hibernated! We both returned to the casino later with no better luck than other visits lately. We loaded the bike when we got back as rain was forecast.

Sun – We had a HUGE lightning & rain storm last night. It rained most of the night but had cleared up by morning so we had an easy drive to Woodbury and the RV park where we stayed last year. It was easier to get to this year as there was no road construction. We called Dennis & Gloria after we got all set up and asked if we should go to their place. Gloria said she wanted to see our rig with the back deck set up so they came to see us. We were in another long pull through with big trees for shade so we had a great time sitting on the deck having a drink. Then we followed them back to their new town home where Gloria made dinner. We had a lovely evening with Terry having more “fun” than me so Dennis led us back to the RV park with me driving the bike!

Mon – We did some grocery shopping this morning and then ran around trying to find a Verizon store that had moved. We had to get a holster for Terry's phone as he broke the old one on a doorknob. Finally found the new location and then got back and put things away. We met Dennis & Gloria for lunch at Applebee's and wandered through a big furniture store afterward before following them back to their place. Gloria couldn't find all their games so we settled for a few games of Yahtzee. Then it was time to move outside with a drink before dinner which Gloria cooked! Lovely day.

Tues – We got a fairly early start and immediately ran into a big backup on 94. When we saw it we first crossed 94 but then I couldn't figure out quickly how to get onto 494 so we bit the bullet and joined the crowd on 94. Turned out to be an accident involving a couple of semis and lots of Hazmat vehicles so it took us at least 30 minutes to go a few miles. But then it was clear sailing all the way south to 90 and then west. We decided to stay at another casino in Iowa just across the border from Sioux Falls SD. It happens that our friends Clem & Marlene live in Madison SD so we called and they could meet us for dinner at the casino. Actually they came earlier, saw our new rig, had a drink and we caught up on each other's news before going to the casino. We all entered a free slot tournament (no winners in our group), played slots for a while and then hit the buffet when it opened at 4:30. Hugs goodbye after another great visit with good friends.

Wed – We walked to the casino for an inexpensive breakfast buffet before heading out of Iowa and back onto 90 to continue west. Very hot (OK maybe not by AZ standards but hit 104) so happy to be in the truck with AC turned up. Lots of construction which you can tell is needed by the bumpy current lanes. Three fuel stops (head winds affected diesel consumption and we weren't sure where the next service station with easy in/out was located) and a stop at a DQ. We checked out one RV park and immediately left and ended up in Wall at a so-so park but a pull-through with 50 amps to run the ACs. Luckily I had leftovers that needed to be consummed for dinner so a lazy evening for both of us.

July 10th to 12th - North Dakota

July 10th-12^th – North Dakota

Sun - Not a long drive today so we didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn. Backtracked into Williston and then turned south to Medora. Checked into Red Trail RV and finally got parked where we had to park the truck across the way as there was a big mud hole beside the rig – lots of rain yesterday. Terry was concerned that if a big rig parked beside us we would have a tough time getting out but the park is full so we'll have to figure it out in a couple of days. The weather was still ugly so we took the truck to town to fuel up and to get tickets for the musical and pitch fork fondue on Tues. After we got back and had dinner we had a huge wind & rainstorm.

Mon – Rained last night but clear and breezy this morning so after toast & coffee we took the bike into town and shopped – or at least wandered through a lot of stores. One street was blocked so a tree that was damaged yesterday could be removed and there was lots of mostly dried mud in the streets and even up on some sidewalks. We ended up at the Cowboy Cafe for lunch and were surprised when a familiar looking lady came up to our table and asked if we remembered her. It was Lynette's mom Delores! (Lynette lives at VVV and we met her mom there) We continued touring the area including a drive to the golf course as someone in Polson said we should try to play but the wind had picked up and we both hate playing golf in the wind. Would have been great for me as 3 holes were unplayable because of the storm and I have always said that 13 or 14 holes would be perfect. Another quiet evening with the wind whipping the trees.

Tues – I wanted to go to the Cowboy Cafe for a caramel roll but forgot about it until later in the morning. Still very windy so we kind of hibernated. Terry ran one errand on the bike and obviously I worked on the blog. A couple came into the park with a tiny trailer behind a trike so Terry went to talk to them. He came back with another guy who wanted to see our rig while the couple on the bike where heading out to get tickets for the pitchfork fondue & the musical as they were going to ride there with us.

We just got back from dinner & the show. For anyone who doesn't know, the pitchfork fondue is a buffet dinner where the steaks are put on pitchforks and cooked in barrels of hot oil. The musical is outside in an amphitheater with a backdrop of hills rising behind the stage. The food and the show were great. We even saw a couple – Jerry & Phyllis Hager – who stay in VVV for the winter! Terry recognized Jerry as they took their seats about 6 rows ahead of us and then Phyllis spotted us when she went to get popcorn.

July 6th to 9th- MT to North Dakota

July 6^th- 9^th – Montana to North Dakota

Wed – We had a huge rainstorm this morning. I even posted a video of the river in the middle of the street and happened to catch a flash of lightning. So we kind of hibernated. I caught up the blog and made another batch of rice krispy squares to use up the rest of the huge box of cereal. Happy hour was indoors as it was still very cool. Many people do not like the noise from many conversations (echoes) in the activity room so there were only a few people there. Brad & Jay came for a tour of our rig when we left early. Quiet evening.

Thurs – On the road again! We had to wait for Mike to get out of the shower to say goodbye to him & Brenda and Howard & Karleen. Terry said we would be leaving about 9:30 but of course we weren't that late. We stopped at a casino in Browning MT for lunch (sandwiches were great!), a new casino card, some free play and some donating! We stopped in Havre where we experienced different pull-though sites. They were long spots along both sides of a median which contained the utilities. Of course you parked with your door next to the median so this meant you pulled your power cord & water hose under the rig to hook up. Looked like they saved one side for people staying one night and filled it up from the “front” (exit end) so the next rig could pull in behind. Luckily a smaller rig was behind us as we kind of slopped over into that site. The lady checking us in suggested Uncle Joe's for dinner as it was my birthday. We had the Chateaubriand for 2 and it was an amazing meal. Good salad, garlic mashed potatoes, perfectly cooked broccoli, sauteed mushrooms on top of the meat, a super Bearnaise sauce, a small loaf of bread for each since we wanted different types – AND we arrived just in time for happy hour and got 2 drinks for the price of one!

Fri – Pretty uneventful drive with not many turns on the road as we continued east on Hwy 2. We were ready for lunch and couldn't believe a McDonalds with empty curb parking in front long enough for us. We fueled up more often than usual as we didn't want to run too low not knowing what was available down the road. We checked into Lewis & Clark State Park 18 miles east of Williston and were pleasantly surprised by the size and amenities. We are in a full hook-up loop which has all pull-through sites which make a little loop off the main road. Not many neighbors when we parked but more came in later.

Sat – It rained a lot last night but nice this morning. We had a lazy morning with computer games, email, facebook and eventually breakfast. We unloaded the bike and rode all around the huge park. It is on Sakakawea Lake which is a huge bulge in the Missouri River. People were swimming and I thought the water would be cold but I walked in a bit and figured that I could actually swim if I was hot enough to need to cool off. I walked up a path to a little lookout area while Terry waited below. We drove around all the areas of the park and were constantly amazed by how well kept everything is and how many amenities are available – group camping sites, a couple of cabins, walking trails, kiddie playground and an area with horseshoes, volleyball court & shelters with picnic tables. We stopped at the registration/store to see if something appealed to a sweet tooth but came back and sat on our deck to eat a fudgesicle. Decided to finish this post while dinner is cooking as I doubt that anything exciting will happen to add later!

July 2nd - 5th - Montana

July 2^nd to 5^th – Montana

Sat – We got an early start for a bike ride to Glacier National Park which is a couple of hours from here. It was a beautiful day! We went up the west side of Flathead Lake and had only a short line to get through the park entrance. A lovely drive through trees and beside a lake took us to Going to the Sun Road. We have been on the narrow, windy, “side of the mountains” road a few times in the past but it was SO much more enjoyable on the motorcycle. I could take pictures like crazy and not be afraid of being too close to the edge or other cars. The parking lot at the top was full but they had designated motorcycle parking spots so we stretched our legs a bit and then headed back down.

We were starving (2:00) and Terry suggested we stop at a lodge in the park but I figured it would be expensive and crowded. Just a short ways out of the park (Colem) we saw a restaurant sign and stopped. We hesitated momentarily when we saw that the place was in a service station but the food ended up being great. We rode back down the east side of the lake for a total loop of 220 miles and were back in time for happy hour on the lawn.

Sun – We took a little road trip today – to Missoula to see Joe & Stella and their grandson Jayden. They are on a camping trip and when we saw that they were in Missoula for 3 days we figured we would join them for lunch. We visited for a bit when we arrived and then went to Cracker Barrel to eat. When we got back, Terry took Jayden on a ride around the park on the motorcycle which really made his day. Once again, we were back in time for happy hour.

Mon – We enjoyed a lazy morning and I made 2 batches of rice krispy squares for later. We rode to Subway for lunch and then Terry decided to check out the rest of town. A parade had just ended and it took us quite a while to get through traffic to get back but the weather was gorgeous so it didn't matter. The park has a big party for the 4^th. People volunteered to set up tables & chairs under the big pavilion, set up serving tables including kiddie swim pools filled with ice to keep salads cool and put up lots of decorations. We went over about 5 and found that Mike & Brenda had saved us chairs at their table. After the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem, table numbers were called and dinner was served. Then a band set up on a stage at the end of the pavilion, front tables were moved and it was dance time until 10. We had a short time to head down the entrance road for the fireworks show. Unfortunately there were some glitches but still some fine displays.

Tues – After morning coffee & games it was time to do laundry and Terry cleaned the bike. There are only 3 washers here and a couple of other people were doing laundry as well so it took quite a while. I made a late, light lunch when we got back and we did nothing constructive for the rest of the afternoon. Happy hour was a bit cooler but most people still searched for shade. BBQ steak for a yummy dinner

June 29th & 30th, July 1st

June 29^th & 30^th, July 1st - Montana

Wed – We met Dennis & Deb and Jim & Cathy for breakfast in Ronan this morning. There was way too much good food in each order. I ordered 2 pancakes, 2 eggs & bacon. I ate 1 pancake, 2 eggs and 3 of the 4 pieces of bacon. It gave me enough energy to update the blog when we got back! We rode to Bigfork again and this time found the touristy section of town that we missed previously. It took quite a while to check out all the shops on both sides of the street that was about 2 blocks long. One store had a full basement crammed with more stuff. We ended up at DQ again for a late, light lunch – OK, I only had a Blizzard! After coming back and paying for 5 more days it was time for happy hour. Then we moved on to Kate's place for drinks & food. She sold her 5^th wheel on a seasonal site so she had the new owners over to meet some people.

Thurs - We played a 9 hole golf course this morning with Mike & Brenda. Jim & Cathy and Howard & Karleen also played. We did a scramble format as this was Brenda's first golf game and Mike didn't want her to get discouraged right away. If she keeps at it she will be just fine. This was the first time anyone in our group had played the course so I will use that as an excuse not to have done better than 1 over! We all went to a bar & grill in Pablo for lunch which we had to digest playing computer games. Happy hour of course. We made the mistake yesterday of saying we would join a group for pizza for dinner tonight so we felt we had to go. A lady takes orders and phones them in to the pizza place so we don't have to wait so long. Unfortunately, they messed up our order so we had to wait for a second pizza to be baked. Since we had a big lunch we brought half of the pizza home.

Fri – I chose this morning to sit around in my PJs playing games and Mike came over about 9 to ask if we wanted to go to the farmers' market with them. I got ready in a hurry and we drove to town in their jeep. Brenda immediately lined up to buy sticky rolls which is the reason they go to the market! The line was long but Dixie was up ahead a ways so they got her to buy 2 rolls for us. We came back to eat them and even Terry agreed that ½ a roll is plenty. Terry took Dennis on the motorcycle to pick up Dennis' truck at the Chev dealer in Ronan since Dennis really wanted a ride on the bike. Leftover pizza for lunch. Happy hour today was margarita night. We have been telling some women that we will teach them a couple of line dances which we did today since there was music playing in the pavilion. Honky Tonk Stomp and Terry's version of the Electric Slide (box step instead of rock). The heat & margaritas prompted many people to swim and/or sit in the hot tub afterward. At 10:30 the owner of the park (Walter) had a fireworks show for Canada Day. It was very nice but apparently nothing like he puts on for the 4^th. He has a pyrotechnic license to do his own shows.

June 24th to 28th - Montana

June 24^th - 28^th – Montana

Fri - Obviously we are having way too much fun here with no time – or inclination? - to keep the blog up to date! We woke to pouring rain early this morning so we didn't jump right out of bed. It continued to rain all morning which didn't interrupt our game playing at all. I did take enough time to post the blog. Happy hour was moved into the activity room as the weather was still threatening.

Sat – There is a big July 4^th party put on by the owners of this RV park and our new friends are saying we should stay but our site is booked 2 days after our week is up. So we got this site for 2 more days, move to a grass site with full hookups for 2 days and then move up the hill to WalMart for 3 days and they will let us come back for the party and happy hours.

We were invited to a party at Jim & Cathy's after happy hour today. Luckily all the camp hosts in residence were there as we were pretty noisy until quiet time of 10 and slightly quieter for a little while longer.

Sun – Another day that is lost from my mind! Guess it wasn't too exciting! Happy hour of course and Terry made a trip to the casino after dinner but unfortunately wasn't there long!

Mon – We went for a motorcycle ride around Flathead Lake today. We went up the west side and into Kalispell where we checked out a mall and bought some shirts. We stopped at a “casino” for lunch but the restaurant was too fancy & pricy and the casino was tiny so we continued on and down the east side of the lake. We stopped to eat at a Dairy Queen in Bigfork and then drove back. The lake is beautiful & clear and the temperature was perfect – not too hot. We were back in plenty of time for happy hour(s) where everyone was searching for shade. A couple (Dennis & Deb) came over to see the rig and have a Moscow Mule. We were still gobbling down dinner when 2 more couples (Mike & Brenda and Howard & Karleen) came over to take advantage of Terry's offer of Mules.

Tues – OK, it was Tuesday when I started this entry and somehow it didn't get done! Seems like we didn't do much but the day filled up quickly. We made a shopping trip to Walmart on the bike and I kind of forgot how much (little?) we can carry so I had a big bag in one hand and a huge box of Rice Krispies on the other side. Guess what's for the pot luck dessert on the 4^th? I got a jicama for happy hour and it was half brown on the inside so Terry had to make a quick return trip to take it back and get a good one. Good thing WalMart is just up the hill. We had leftovers for dinner and were sitting outside when 8 people (including 3 camp host couples) came over with big smiles on their faces to tell us that the people who were supposed to come into our site had just canceled and we could stay longer. Woohoo! Time for more drinks! I guess the new neighbors who pulled in today agreed as they joined us after they finished a late dinner.

June 21st to 23rd - Montana

June 21st-23^rd – Montana

Tues – We packed up and headed east. We stopped for breakfast at the 10,000 Silver $ Bar but hadn't accounted for the time zone change and had to settle for lunch. There were long stretches of road repair with narrow lanes but no waiting. We arrived at the Eagle's Nest RV park in Polson around 2:00 and set up in a nice pull-through. When I called for a reservation, the lady (Brenda) moved someone else so we could have an end site with a nearly straight approach. There is parking for the truck right behind us and room for the bike in front of the 5^th wheel. We stayed here before and it is a really nice, well kept park.

We were told about a daily 4:30 happy hour that was normally held outside but was to be inside due to cooler weather. We headed over at 4:30 and found a guy (Al) setting up chairs. We chatted with him for a while before we realized that everyone else was outside as the sun had come out! We joined them in their big circle on the lawn and met many friendly people. A lot of them stay here for the summer. Plenty nice enough to BBQ dinner.

Wed – Terry took the bike for fuel and to find a liquor store. Guess we should have stocked up more on inexpensive booze in Arizona!! Then we went to – what else – a casino. We signed up for players cards and found out it was senior day which included hourly drawings for $25 in slot play. I ended up winning the first drawing but it didn't help me much! Terry did OK so we will go back! We were back in time for a very late lunch before happy hour where we met more people. It is so nice that a group of people who know each other includes newbies right away.

Thurs – I made a lunch and we headed to the golf course for our 10:08 tee time. First I changed from shorts into long pants just so I could change back into shorts at the course before we teed off a bit early! The weather was perfect, too bad our golf games were not close to perfect! Oh well, the course was really pretty & well maintained with beautiful views of the lake. A group of three guys waved us through on the 13^th hole and we finished shortly after 1:00. We came back and ate our lunch at the rig. Terry went to get the truck washed and to pick up some cleaner while I made cookies. I got the recipe from Georgia but mine did not turn out like hers. I am blaming the oven and/or cookie sheets until I check the recipe with Georgia.  Terry got back, shined up the bike and it was time to go to happy hour. There we met the 3 guys who waved us through on the golf course! Dinner & a quiet evening.

June 19-20th - Spokane

June 19-20^th - Spokane

Sun – We all went to breakfast at the sprint boat race venue this morning. It was put on by a restaurant from Spokane – fried potatoes, gravy, eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, OJ. Outside of course and the weather co-operated. Easy pack up & trip back to Spokane. We came back to the Elks club, signed up for 2 nights and got settled. We relaxed a bit and had a drink before meeting Bill & Georgia at Applebee's for dinner. When we hooked up today, Georgia asked Terry why he left the shin-knocker (tow ball) on our truck since we tow a 5^th wheel. Terry said it would prevent damage to the truck if someone backed into us in a parking lot. Darned if a waiter didn't come by asking if anyone owned a blue-gray (?) truck on the edge of the parking lot as someone had hit the truck and wanted to own up! Turned out she had probably hit the hitch as there was no damage to the truck.

Mon – We were lazy for a bit this morning and then went to visit Barb Fatzinger before her PT appointment. We had a nice visit with her and friend Karen. Barb is doing well or else she lies well. She has the neatest ice machine that pumps cool water through a hose that you place/wrap on your knee. No more drippy ice packs. They have probably been around for a while but I haven't seen anyone using it.

We stopped at Senor Froggy's for lunch, came back to pick up an empty propane tank, got the tank filled and did some grocery shopping. Shopping was an adventure as Fred Meyer was resetting huge sections of the store so we had to wander around to find a couple of non-food items. First thing when we got back – turn on the AC!! Uneventful evening with dinner & computer games.

June 14th to 18th - WA

June 14-18^th – WA

Tues- We had an uneventful morning and early afternoon – probably some shopping involved!! We went for dinner at Bill & Georgia's and then played Sequence to a tie.

Wed- We are going to St. John's on Thursday to watch sprint boat racing so we did some planning & a bit more grocery shopping. Julie & Natalie came to visit with us in the afternoon. Julie is doing very well (thanks a lot to Natalie) but we shared a few tears as we talked. Shortly after they left, it was time go to Bill & Georgia's and then to Texas Roadhouse to join their friends (Wally(1) & Linda and Wally(2) & Jan) for dinner to celebrate Wally(2)'s birthday.

Thurs- We packed up, dumped the tanks and drove to Bill & Georgia's shortly before noon for the trip to St John's which was a lovely drive through wheat fields once we left I90. We are going to watch sprint boat races here on Saturday.

We set up on the lawn at the fairgrounds which is just a short ways from the sprint boat track. We have 110 power and a water faucet if we need to fill the tank – for $5 a day. We walked into town to buy early passes and to check things out. Bill & Linda Schoeplin are going to join us so we looked for a balloon to tie to our sun shelter so they could find us. Unfortunately the only store with balloons was closed today. We had a lovely dinner on the BBQ.

Fri- We played 9 holes of golf this morning. Terry still had a sore back but figured swinging a club might help so he played too. The weather was great – think we all dressed too warm as we were shedding jackets early. None of us set any course records but we all had fun! We walked to town for a free lunch at the hardware store – hot dogs, homemade potato salad, chips, drink & brownies. The pharmacy was open so we got a helium balloon for tomorrow. This was also the “show & shine” for the owners to show off their boats so we wandered up & down the main street and then headed home.

We could have played golf all day for the same rate but we were all lazy so Terry & Bill returned the rented pull cart & we relaxed. After dinner we went to the sprint boat race venue and put up frames for “easy up” sun/rain shelters to reserve our sites. We got a couple of passes to allow us to do it today rather than trying to get a good location tomorrow morning.

Sat- Of course today dawned cool & cloudy since the sprint boat races are today. We shared a muffin, packed a lunch and left with Bill & Georgia just before 9 which was when the gates opened. We had quite a walk to our “reserved” site and we added the covers and got settled well before the first race. Bill & Linda found us thanks to the balloon. Wally & Linda came a bit later and were also guided by the smiley face balloon.

The races were great but unfortunately the weather was not. It did rain but at least we had “tents” unlike a lot of people. Bill & Georgia's son Dennis has a sprint boat and won his division today – as he has done several times before. Knowing someone personally in the race makes it a lot more fun. We had a super viewing location even though it meant walking up quite a hill. After the races we took ourselves & our gear to Dennis' trailer where we stayed out of the rain while Bill went to get the truck from the huge parking area – what a guy!! I made dinner for all of us and we watched TV until Bill went back to their rig, plugged in a heater & electric mattress pad and blew the breaker! No biggy – we were all ready to call it a day and Terry just fired up our generator for a while.

June 10-13th - Spokane

June 10-13^th – Spokane

Fri – Raining this morning so we watched TV in bed before getting up to be lazy some more and catch up the blog! We went to visit Dale & Patsy and then they took us to dinner – and to DQ! It is so nice to see long time friends and catch up with them.

Sat – We are going to have to get out of here!! Another visit to a casino – this time to Worley ID. We had to have their chicken fried steak before we left so I didn't have to make dinner. I talked to Barb Barker and she said Larry is in a rehab facility where they are working on his short term memory and generally getting him in shape for heart surgery. This is a very bad year for sickness, vehicle problems, etc. Guess that is a pitfall of getting older along with your friends!!

Sun – We tackled the lovely task of laundry this morning. Luckily a large, decent laundry facility is not far away so it didn't take too long. We got a GPS for the motorcycle (previous one wouldn't charge all the time) and Terry fought with the installation while I puttered around.

Mon – We got up at the unheard of time of 6:00 am to play golf at 6:30 with Bill & Vern. We played 9 holes at Liberty Lake GC. It is a short course and there was a twosome ahead of us so it didn't take long. It was quite obvious that we hadn't played for a while. We stopped with Bill at McDonalds for a sandwich & coffee and then came back for the serious business of computer games. Terry was antsy so another visit to the casino was next where I managed to keep our losses down again. Dinner & TV filled the evening.

June 6-9th - Spokane

June 6-9th – Spokane WA

Mon- After coffee & games, I caught up the blog while Terry visited with some neighbors. Julie stopped in for a visit in the afternoon after a doctor appointment. Then we went to Harlan & Barb's in Mead for dinner. Of course we had to start with Moscow Mules! Harlan proved again that he can cook very well.

Tues- It was time for a trip to Costco today as it is one of the few places that we can find Chinese Pork. Of course there was more than that in the cart by the time we were done. We stopped at a grocery store for a few items and headed home. I cut up jicama and pork to take to Bayview this afternoon where were having dinner with Larry & Julie, Terry & Tena and Barb & Harlan. Barb & Harlan came here and rode out with us. The weather was lovely and we were happy to be able to sit in the shade. Good friends, good food as usual. Terry had a little more fun than some of us and I got to drive home!

Wed- We had terrible news this morning. Tena called to tell us that Larry (Reglin) collapsed in the bathroom and could not be revived. It was even more of a shock since we had dinner with him last night and he was fine. We weren't in shape for anything productive so we went to the casino which didn't lift our spirits as it gobbled our money. We stopped to get our favorite “Sour Cream Lemon” pie and had a small piece for a snack before heading to Skip & Kathy's for dinner. They had a new house built and this was the first time we saw it. We took a wrong turn thanks to the GPS so, thanks to cell phones, Kathy was able to turn us around and get us to their place. The house is lovely and their son Nick joined us for a yummy dinner and a game of “3 to 13” which Kathy won.

Thurs- Terry took the motorcycle to a CanAm dealer in Coeur d'Alene and got the mirror fixed for the huge sum of $8.08! What a nice surprise. Then we took the truck to do some grocery shopping as we needed a bit more than would fit easily in the bike. I made lunch and got a roast in the crockpot for dinner and then we kicked back. Bill & Georgia arrived for dinner about 4 and we sat out on the deck in the gorgeous sunshine for a pre-dinner cocktail. We have been friends with B&G for many years and always have a great time with them. They just got back today from a camping trip and are leaving tomorrow to go to Seattle so they left reasonably early and we went to the Elks lodge for a drink.

June 2nd-5th - OR, WA

June 2^nd - 5^th – OR, WA

Thurs – Absolutely gorgeous weather and we “wasted” a bunch of it in the morning with our usual coffee & games. We invited Dee & Jan for dinner tomorrow so we did a little grocery shopping. A little because we took the bike to enjoy the sunshine and I didn't need anything for tonight as we went to the Elks for steak night with Dee & Jan. They go almost every Thursday and made a reservation as it is busy. We introduced them to Moscow Mules before walking over for dinner. The dinner was quite nice but my steak was the wrong cut and overcooked so I sent it back and waited for a perfectly cooked meal. Dee & Jan said the meal was not as good as usual.

Fri – Dee called this morning to say that Jan had a bad night and was not feeling well so they wouldn't be joining us this evening for a dance at the Elks. They were going to bring their truck & camper so they wouldn't have to drive home after drinks & dancing. We went for a longer bike ride to explore the area a little more. Salem is a nice little city with a clean, busy downtown area. We figured we had been out enough that we could find our way back from where-ever and we were right. The dance tonight was from 8 to 12 but we went shortly after 7 and were glad we did as lots of tables were already taken. We got a table right on the edge of the dance floor and chatted with 5 people at the next table. This is a very active Elks club with over 2000 members. The band was very good and we did lots of dancing including line dances. The only line dance done by others was the Electric Slide.

Sat – When we set up, I take down bars securing things in the pantry and set them in the corner of the bottom shelf. I dropped the first bar and the rubber end made it bounce a bit and it went right down a little slot on the lower half of the pantry where there are drawers. I couldn't get it out so we went shopping for a new tension bar. Of course Fred Meyer didn't have them but BiMart came to the rescue. When we got back, I decided to put double-sticky tape on the end of a bar and try to stick it on the lost bar. It worked! Now I have a spare bar. We had a fairly early dinner so we could go to a dance at the Elks again. Same band, same time as last night but a slightly different crowd – more band groupies and fewer people our age. Dee & Jan joined us for a while but Jan was still feeling a little puny so they left early. We ended up talking with a couple that sat beside us yesterday and then with another couple who we saw last night.

Sun – On the road again! After driving for a while, we decided to go all the way to Spokane which wasn't a huge day but longer than we often drive. We had a little mishap on the way when we hit some huge bumps in a construction area in Pasco. It was a section that had been ground down for new asphalt and had about 7 (felt like more) ridges running right across the highway. Lots of back & forth motion as 5 axles hit at different times. We stopped a ways down the road to check for problems inside and I found that a chair had fallen from the top bunk (storage) in the toy hauler and had taken off a side mirror on the bike. All else OK.

We stopped for fuel – truck & us – in Boardman and pulled into the Elks club on Pines around 5. Got set up and Terry worked on the bike mirror. We secured it temporarily until we can find somewhere to get it fixed. We relaxed, contacted people to make plans and I was finally making dinner when someone knocked on the door. I was totally surprised & pleased to see Dale & Patsy who have been friends for years. Their car club meets at the Elks. When they came out Dale recognized our truck & bike and came to say hi. Dale reads the blog so knew we were heading north. They couldn't stay but we will see them later.

May 31st to June 1st - Oregon

May 31-June 1^st – Oregon

Tues- We started the generator so we could have coffee & be lazy before going to the casino for breakfast. We spent some time gambling and went back to the rig where I used the opportunity to defrost the freezer before it was time for a drink. We caught the shuttle back to the casino and had the driver drop us off at the buffet that she recommended for dinner. It was excellent! We walked back through the hotel/shops/casino and watched a young woman winning at a machine that we had never tried. Terry said I had to try it and it ended up being a good choice as I cashed out with $500! Yes, I was excited! This was a penny machine (what we nearly always play) and I was betting 38 cents, sometimes 88 cents.

Wed- We had a short drive so we went for breakfast before pulling in the slides and continuing east on Hwy 18 which took us to Salem. We ended up at the Keizer (suburb of Salem) Elks RV park, found the host and set up in a nice long pull-through. The park has 74 sites and only a few vacancies. I had called a few days ago and they don't take reservations so we were happy to get a spot. I had noticed a taillight out on the truck and the weather was beautiful so we took the motorcycle to a Fred Meyer store that we noticed on the way in. They didn't have the bulb so we bought a few groceries and had the cashier direct us to an automotive store. When we left there we “took a long way” back – OK, we were slightly lost for a few miles. Dee & Jan Lee (from VVV, live in Salem) phoned and we met them at the Elks for a drink. One drink turned into more and by the time we got back we didn't even have dinner before crashing.

May 27-30th - Florence & north

May 27-30^th – Florence & north

Fri – Oh, oh – got too far behind again and can't remember the bits & pieces of everyday life on the road! Obviously I spent time updating the blog in the morning and I definitely know that we went to a dance at the Elks club and had a great time. It is so fun to dance again. There wasn't a huge crowd so we could get a small area for line dancing. The first dance was Mustang Sally and the line dance group from the Elks immediately got out and we joined them. Love it!!

Sat – Another uneventful but beautifully sunny day. After a typically lazy morning we took the bike to the casino again. Good thing we are not losing bunches each day!

Sun – Lovely day again so we went to old town. We shifted the metal art over the main door so now we need something to put on the wall beside it. The town was busy but we managed to find a parking spot beside some other bikes on the main street. After browsing through many stores we found another piece of metal art that we could carry on the bike. We stopped at a few stores looking for a mirror and got already cooked ribs for dinner so I just had to add a salad. Our ribs are much better!!

Mon – When we were getting ready to leave, a lady with a couple of grandchildren were walking their dog and the young boy was inspecting the motorcycle which Terry had moved closer to their site. We had to move to dump the tanks and planned to load the bike then so I suggested to the lady that she bring the grandson over to watch the process. The whole family (grandma, grampa, dad & kids) enjoyed seeing the process and we ended up telling them about VVV and giving them a brochure for the fall special. We headed north on 101 with Lincoln City as a possible/probable destination. Lots of Memorial Day traffic especially in Depot Bay and then even worse in Lincoln City. Stop & go from south edge all the way to the turn off to Hwy 18 as by then we decided to go to Spirit Mountain casino and stay in their huge RV parking area for the night. It took an hour & 15 minutes to go 27 miles. We had a late lunch at the casino and returned to the rig after 6 in time for a drink and a late dinner. 

May 25, 26th - Florence OR

May 25,26^th - Florence OR

Wed – We headed north a few miles on the bike to check out the sea lion caves attraction. I knew there wouldn't be a lot of animals in the cave at this time of year and once we talked to someone there we decided not to pay the $14 per person entry fee to smell the cave and watch sea lions in the “rookery” from high on a cliff. There is definitely not enough to do here as we ended up back at the casino! Once again it was not expensive entertainment. We stopped at Chen's Family Dinner restaurant for an early dinner. We ordered a family style dinner for 2 and could not believe the amount of good food. Started with soup (bigger than a cup, smaller than a bowl), then 3 different appetizers (spring rolls, BBQ pork & crab puffs) and 4 main dishes (sweet & sour pork, sesame chicken, pork with noodles, chicken fried rice). Except for the soup, I think we took home as much as we ate. All for $10.50 per person.

Thurs – After our usual morning laziness, we went to the clubhouse here at the park to exchange some books. Small selection but I did find enough to keep me going for a while. We went back to the casino in part to enter a slot tournament – for free! Unfortunately, in our first try with 8 others we came in 8^th & 9^th!! We had a very late lunch at the buffet and then used up the remaining afternoon losing very little money. We stopped for a couple of items at Fred Meyers on the way back. I am wasting a lot less food by stopping nearly every day for groceries!

May 22-24th - Florence OR

May 22-24^th – Florence OR

Sun - We had a short drive to Florence today so we could wait out some rain showers before packing up and heading north. Of course we had to check out Mill Bay Casino on the way and ended up there for quite a while. We got in on the tail end of a lunch special - $5.99 for a really good Philly cheesesteak sandwich with more fries than Terry could eat and I opted for a very nice side salad. We checked into the Elks club RV park where we pretty much had our pick of sites as it is very empty at this time of year. Since we had a late lunch I didn't have to make dinner – just a snack for Terry and dessert.

Mon – Once we got going, we went to Fred Meyers just down the road looking for more bedding! This time we wanted a comforter as we decided it is finally time to retire the wool quilt that my grandmother made as it lost the ability to keep us warm. We have had the quilt since we have been together (39 years!) and did an overhaul on it many years ago. We found a comforter – on sale even – and also picked up a few groceries. The sun had warmed up nicely so we took the bike into town and ended up – where else! - at the casino. By the time we finished there it was time to head home for an early dinner after which we took the bike just down the road to walk through the Darlington nature preserve which has weird bug eating plants.

Tues – Gorgeous clear day. Perfect for the bike but definitely needed a jacket when moving. We went to Old Town which is right on the Siuslaw River. We walked the entire main street and checked out every store that could have had something to hang on a small blank spot on one wall in our rig. I also took pictures of “Dancing Sea Lions” which is a fund raising project for Florence. Sea lion sculptures have been painted by local artists, placed around town and will be auctioned off later. We had a nice lunch looking over the river and the Siuslaw River Bridge which was built in 1936 and still carries the traffic on Hwy 101. Of course we had to make a return visit to the casino where we played a long time and I finally won a bit to cover some previous losses. Dinner, TV and computer games for the evening.