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.