Chasing 70 Degrees Once Again - Florida in January 2023

With Jace's Christmas break finally over, it was time to resume our travels southward. After spending last year in the American Southwest, it is back to Florida for the winter months of January-March.

People to visit with - Barbara's brother lives in Florida, as well as our nephews and nieces on her side of the family, friends to meet, and lots of rest and recreation to take advantage of.

We're staying in Chiefland this year at a park called 'Strawberry Fields for RVers'. We were here 2 years ago for s single month with Jace, and it's a nice park, but with limited amenities. Nice wide, level, paved pull-thru site pads, and they've expanded to include a large number of back-in sites on grass in the back section that had been undeveloped the last time we were here. While it's a bit more north (just west of Gainesville) than we'd like, you can't beat the rates they charge here; $475 per month all year 'round, and you pay for your electric (usually about $80). Most places south of Orlando charge $850-$1000, and resorts on either coast can run you $2000-$3000 per month squeezed in like sardines.

We'll also be close enough to attend the annual Tampa RV Supershow on January 20th with friends Byron and Lynn Hill. And no, we're not looking to get a new RV, but there are lots of third-party vendors with interesting products and ideas for us RVers, and we intend on seeing what new items are available to make our life better on the road. It's a two-hour drive from here, but we have a doggie day care appointment for Grover just minutes away from the fairgrounds so he won't be alone all day. He'll still chew us out mercilessly when we pick him up at the end of the day, but at least he won't be alone for hours.

Such is life with a beagle.

We're also only a 30-minute or so drive to the Gulf Coast and scenic Cedar Keys,so we'll give you an update on our travels there. Might even take the kayak over there for a spin.

For those of our readers in northern climes, stay safe and warm as best as you can. We'll have a boat-drink in your honor as we kick back in shorts and Hawaiian shirts

Tails From The Road, Part 2 - Meet Grover!

As my Dad was moving his blog posts from his original host over to this one, it dawned on me that I had never properly introduced myself to our readers. I'm Grover, the latest in a long line of adopted dogs Mom and Dad have had through the years. Not that I haven't been featured in lots of blog posts; I've become a very integral part of this family in such a short time frame!

But for all of you who have never had the pleasure of my company in real time, it's time to get to know me - Grover the Lemon Beagle - a bit more intimately.

This is what Dad calls my mugshot. I don't really know why he calls it that, but from what he tells me it's the first look Mom and Dad got of me when I was turned over to someone who had agreed to foster me. Apparently, I was in a home with a poodle and a cat, and they were both attacking me. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it; there's nothing to the ugly rumors that I might have been the instigator in some of those attacks.

All I know is the next day, I'm being picked up and put into the back seat of their Mini Cooper convertible and taken to my new home! I was a bit surprised when my new house moved around - a lot!

I quickly learned that Mom is a soft touch when it comes to a cute face. Even though they provided me with a very comfortable bed to look out my very own doggie window, it only takes a little pleading and some doggie eyes to get Mom to allow me in her lap. She's such a pushover! I do love to go for rides in the car, too, so Mom and Dad got me this nice harness and rigged it up in the back seat to keep me safe. It's only drawback is that it doesn't allow me to get in the front seat of the car with Mom. Grrrr!

Either way, traveling is the life for me!

Mom and Dad are really nice, and make sure that there are lot's of toys for me to play with (and sometimes destroy), because you can't have too many toys, right?

Mom and Dad also take real good care of me, but sometimes they like to do things I don't like very much, like take a shower, or worse yet, have my toenails clipped. I really hate that. So sometimes before, and always after, I find a good hiding place to let them know I'm not really happy with them. This usually involves hiding behind the big pillows on their bed. It's not a very effective hiding spot, as they always find me, but it gets the message across that I'm a bit ticked off with them.

It's actually MY bed, even though Mom and Dad still insist that it's theirs. They sleep in it with me, and I just move underneath or on top of the covers as my needs suit me. And ALWAYS in between them. After all, we beagles are Velcro-dogs, and I must be attached to one or both of them at all times.

Sometimes Mom and Dad will take me on one of their adventures outdoors. I really love long hikes in the woods, because there are lot's of smells for this beagle's nose to investigate. Other times, I'm not as enthusiastic about joining them in one of their outings, like the time they took me kayaking in a lake with them. It was pretty scary at first, and I kind of got used to it after a while, but let's just say I was very happy to get my four feet back on solid ground!

Now some of you may get the idea that I sit around all day, playing Velcro-dog by attaching myself to either Mom or Dad (or both) - and I do - but sometimes I have work to do as well. After all, someone's got to keep track of these humans to make sure they're doing their chores right. One time, Dad had to vacuum out the Mini, and Mom and I had to supervise him to make sure he was doing it right.

And it's very hard work keeping track of them, even in a small area like our motor home. Sometimes I have to make sure that everything is OK with Dad when he's in the bathroom. After all, the shower IS back there, and that's pretty scary! Sometimes he just spends a lot of time in there, and I get concerned, so I track him down and check in on him from time-to-time.

Other times, I just have to make sure he's eating right, and not dropping anything on the floor that would make a mess for me to clean up.

Dad says it creeps him out, but I know he's just kidding. Dad kids a LOT. But mainly, I'm a thief; at least, that's what Mom and Dad call me. Dad says it's because I stole his heart. With Mom, I just steal the food she's not watching very closely, or what she's dropping while she makes a meal for them. No matter; I'm still one very happy dog who is loved, and who doesn't get attacked by a poodle or a cat any more. Even if I have to put up with getting dressed in a silly costume every once and a while:

That's all for now. If you happen to see us in a campground somewhere in the very recognizable Parental Parolees blue Tiffin motor home, stop by and say Hi! I'll be sure to steal your heart, too!

Refresh In Red Bay - 11/05/2022

As we sit solidly in Fall and await the advent of Winter, it was time to get our coach ready for the extended trip to somewhere warmer. Like many homeowners who have to get ready for the cold, or find little things that need doing before the wintry weather makes it's annual appearance, our house is no exception. After driving 8,000-10,000 miles since our last visit to Red Bay, little things come loose (as is expected in a home that suffers the equivalent of an earthquake nearly every time it hits the road), recurring service on the chassis is needed, and sometimes an upgrade or two is taken care of.

The big difference between me and you homeowners out there? I'm retired, have limited skills and tools to accomplish some of the simplest jobs, and I'm retired. That means I pay someone else to have this stuff done. Costs a bit more, but did I mention that I'm retired?

So moving on, our list was blessedly short this October, as our coach continues to be one of the better built coaches that has come out of Tiffin in the past few years.

So you know what that means, right? More money available for UPGRADES!

One of the nice things about Red Bay is that the area is populated with current and former Tiffin employees who have started their own businesses either full-time, or do the same work they do at Tiffin after hours. There's at least a couple of dozen shops that can take care of everything Tiffin does, with the added benefit that you can make appointments with them instead of using Tiffin's first-come, first-serve scheduling at their service center. Plus, after your first year (when your full warranty runs out with Tiffin), they limit you to 2 technicians in one Express Bay for 3 ½ hours maximum. Third-parties will work on your coach for as long as you need them to, and they charge the same $125 per hour that Tiffin does.

So same people and talent, same service rates, fixed appointments, and creative people who can make almost anything you can dream of.

Enter Cody Poores.

Cody worked in Tiffin's cabinetry shop for many years, and started a business doing upgrades after-hours a few years ago. Cody is one of those people who is truly a craftsman at his work. When COVID hit and folks were let go due to the economy slowing down, Cody decided to leave Tiffin for good and do his magic full-time.

One friend of ours had Cody replace their 3-drawer cabinet on one side of their galley and converted it into a pull-out peninsula with extra counter top space. Another friend did the same, but added a replacement doghouse (the area between the two captain's chairs up front used for cup holders and minor storage) into a much more functional (and beautiful) cabinet and table. Barbara was storing clothes in a narrow but deep hamper in the bedroom. It worked, but was clumsy if she needed something in the bottom of the hamper.

While Barbara would love to have more kitchen counter top workspace, our design is different than our friend's galley is, so there's no way a peninsula could replace our 3 existing drawers (more on that later).

But the doghouse replacement and hamper change-out was definitely on our radar scope.

Had to set up an appointment nearly 6 months in advance (since snowbird season runs from September thru November and Red Bay gets VERY busy during that time), and sent Cody our choice of styles, stain color and counter top style and color, and the wait was on. But was it ever worth it.

As you can see from the before and after pictures, the doghouse was of a cheap plastic and fake chrome construction that was basic in design, and barely functional. No real flat surface on which to sit anything, and the cup holders were low to the floor and away from the seats, so reaching down to grab a sip of something required some manual dexterity while driving a 38-foot motor home down the road.

Typical motor home doghouse. Cup holders, a bit of storage, and not much else.

So out went the old doghouse and in came this:

This went from being something that separated our captain's chairs into a living space when parked!

Note the extra long pull-out tray. Locks in during travel, too!

As you can see, the cup holders are now raised higher and more towards each captain's chair for ease of use. The counter top is wide and deep, and can hold my tire pressure management display for easy viewing when driving, or snacks when the seats are turned around facing inward and parked in a campground for weeks or months at a time. A recessed tray extends the area for snacks and drinks, and a drawer beneath stores everything from sunglasses to monitors when we're not driving. The counter top is the same material as the rest of the coach, the hardwood used is the same as Tiffin uses, the stain is the exact same, and the handles even match the ones on our drawers. In short, it's a perfect addition to our house and makes the front of the coach look like it was built with the rest of the coach.

Barbara's hamper has been converted into two deep adjustable shelves with more than enough space to hold everything she used to store in the hamper, with extra room available to get 3 pairs of shoes off the bedroom floor.

Next Spring? A pull-out counter top next to the fridge for extra workspace when preparing meals.

Prior to Red Bay, we spent two weeks in Piney Grove COE in Dennis, Mississippi. A very pretty Corps park with tight spaces in one half of the park, and decent sized spaces in the remainder. Guess which side of the park we had? Yup, the tight side. Our driveway was listed as being 50-feet long, but that was with the inside angle measured; the outside was more like 40-feet, which barely gave us enough room to pull the Jeep in perpendicular to the front of the motor home.

Just a bit of a tight squeeze between the cement retaining walls, some trees on the other side, and the campground road!

Spent our last week in Piney Grove flat on my back recovering from something my grandson gave me. This year I have been through COVID in late May, the flu in late July and whatever this bug was that Jace gave me. I've had healthier years.

But for now, it's back to North Georgia for November and December and our go-to campground, Leisure Acres in Cleveland, GA, to be near Jace and our daughters for the holidays. Haven't made our Winter reservations for January – March yet, so we don't know if we'll be in Florida, or Texas, or even Arizona this winter. We'll roll the dice later in November to see where we'll be.

Even though we're not traveling I have plans for an update or two on here before the holidays, but if I get lazy (after all, I'm retired) here's wishing all fellow, future, and wannabe Parolees a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas, and a safe and Happy New Year!

Catching Up While Laying Low - 10/22/2022

Gas prices have been BRUTAL, which has really put a damper on RV travel for many people - us included.

After getting Jace back home to Georgia, we laid low for a full month, even leaving the RV at a campground there while we took the Jeep up to New England for a quick trip to see my Dad and some friends. And, of course, get our fill of New England food we can't get down South.

Once back in Georgia, I gave the 36LA a good cleaning outside with Wash and Wax-All, making that bad boy shine when the sun hits it. It's a good 2-day project, but it keeps me out of trouble, and it uses less than a gallon of water to do the whole motorhome.

Spent every morning knocking down spider webs off of the outside of the RV. Some new Asian pest is making their home in GA, NC and AL. They're big, they're ugly, and they have no business being on my house! Supposedly, they are harmless unless you're a mosquito, but when you're bigger than a half-dollar, and black with green or yellow markings, you don't get a pass from me.

We're heading to Red Bay and the Tiffin Motorhomes Mothership for a few minor repairs and a really neat upgrade to our doghouse (that's the console area between the two Captain's chairs up front), so we'll have some pictures coming in a future post from that trip. Always nice to visit Red Bay and meet with lot's of fellow Tiffin owners a couple of times a year!

Done Being Alabamy-Bound - 9/06/2022

With gas prices through the roof, but no choice in still watching Jace every day for his summer vacation, changes had to be made to our planned Northeast itinerary.

Changes as in – blowing the itinerary up entirely and sticking to inexpensive Corps of Engineers parks for the summer and staying down South to minimize mileage on the motor home.

So the good news is that we saved some money over the past month and still had some fun with Jace. The bad news is that our usual goal of chasing cooler temperatures in the summer by heading north was toast. Mid-summer in central and southern Alabama is BRUTAL, especially when you're staying on water in COE parks. And the worst thing is you can't swim there, because even if they did have beaches at the two parks we stayed in (they don't), there's a little problem with alligators in Alabama – as in, they have them. Oh, and using an inflatable kayak? Not recommended.

So it was lots of walks on fairly level roadways and fields, and lots of bike rides for me and Jace. At six years old, he's a bit behind his peers in bike riding, as he still uses training wheels due to lack of practice over the past 1 ½ years since he got the bike, but he's almost ready to lose them. Maybe during our last 2 weeks of summer vacation in Georgia. Hasn't kept him from barreling down roads at high speeds, though. With daily highs in the mid to upper 90's, Grover's extended walks needed to be early, or just following an afternoon rain, as the pavement was too hot for his paws.

Our first campground was a new one for us at Issac Creek COE. It's an older park, but nearly all the lots are shaded, if a bit narrow. There are about 10 older lots up by the entrance that consist of small gravel, but the rest are cement pads with paved driveways.

On arrival, our camp hosts knew exactly who we were, as they had tried to reach us earlier in the day to change our reservation. They thought we might not be happy with the lot we had booked (Lot 2, one of the older gravel lots) and thought we might not even fit comfortably in it (we did). But while an alternate lot had already been booked by the time we got there, they promised to find us another one if it opened up. The next day, they were showing us Lot 17 by the creek, and we moved. These hosts are the epitome of helpful people, and go out of their way to make sure you're happy at Issac Creek.

As with many COE parks, a dam is involved, and Jace got his first closeup view of the dam that formed the lake on which this park sat. With all the heavy summer rain we endured, he got a chance to see spillways opened up to release the excess water upstream, which was pretty cool.

Issac Creek is located about a half hour's drive from Monroeville, Alabama. Monroeville is famous for two authors; Truman Capote and Harper Lee. Harper Lee wrote 'To Kill A Mockingbird' (one of my all-time favorite movies). The courthouse in downtown Monroeville is the inspiration for the trial's movie set, and was painstakingly replicated in Hollywood for the filming of the movie. It was kind of chilling to stand in the actual courtroom and imagine Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch defending his client. Afterwards, we went upstairs and sat in the balcony where Jem and Scout watched the trial take place.

Atticus Richard in the courtroom!

Not so close by, but still a day-trip away is Mobile, AL. While there is much to see in Mobile, the problem with not staying too close is making sure that Grover isn't left alone for the majority of the day. It's not that he'd do something bad, but it's not fair to him to be left alone for so long.

But there was one attraction I'd been waiting to see for a couple of years, but hadn't been able to because of time or weather constraints, and that was the USS Alabama at Battleship Memorial Park. Unlike many naval displays across the country, Battleship Memorial Park features more than just the featured attraction – that being a World War II battleship. It also has the USS Drum, a WWII-era submarine that you can venture through, lots of military aircraft and even some tanks!

Jace on the forward deck of the USS Alabama.

Jace standing next to a 16-inch shell fired from WWII battleships like the USS Alabama. I might have suggested that if he didn't behave, we'd shove him into one of the main guns and send him off into Mobile Bay.

There's one snack in Alabama that we haven't been able to find elsewhere, and that's something called “cheese straws”. I don't know if they're available anywhere else, but we've only found them in Alabama. It's a delectable treat of cheese, flour, cayenne and other spices squeezed out of a pastry bag and baked to crunchy goodness. Tried them about a year and a half ago when visiting Hodges Winery outside of Montgomery, and I can't get enough of them since. What's interesting about this trip is the brand we found at a local Publix. It's called “Mook Mills”. “Mook” is the nickname I call my grandson, Jace, so we just had to buy these!

One of our neighbors, a fellow 36LA owner, told us about a play place for kids on the other side of Montgomery called Nutopia. Lots of padded places to jump on and from, lots of slides, and lots of places upon which to climb. It was a perfect place to take Jace to keep him occupied, and to burn off energy without killing us as well. Jace hooked up with a 10 year-old boy named Jai who helped Jace get over some fears he had with some of the taller slides, and they both had a great time playing together.

We also visited a local sunflower field. Got a ride through it on a tractor-pulled trailer, and got some nice pictures of Jace.

I'm admittedly biased, but this kid is too stinkin' cute!

After 2 years of rehabbing my right shoulder, I decided to attempt swinging a golf club again. Montgomery has a very nice city course and driving range about 15 minutes away from where we were camped out at Gunter Hill, so Jace and I hit the driving range. Needless to say, after 2 years removed from swinging a club, and this being Jace's first time (and him using an adult club as well), neither of us are ready for the pro tour anytime soon.

Finally, Jace spent a lot of time riding his bike in both COE parks we stayed in. We had gotten him the bike a couple of years ago, but he really hadn't had a chance to do a lot of riding over those two years, so he was still on training wheels this trip. Following a month of many hours bombing around COE parks in Alabama, he finally soloed without training wheels at our next stop in Georgia!

Now into early August, it's time for Jace's summer vacation to end as he heads back to school, and Mimi and Papa get some much needed rest and relaxation until the next time we have him over in early September.

Corps-Hopping - 4/23/2022

One of the ways many RVers save money, and get to stay in some really beautiful locations, is to hang out in US Corps of Engineers parks.

Bolding Mill COE (Corps Of Engineers), Gainesville, GA

The mission of the Corps of Engineers for OUR purpose was established back in the 1820's to control and protect US waterways; especially as concerns flood control. The Corps is also the largest supplier of fresh water in the United States through the construction of dams and creation of reservoirs. The electricity these dams create account for 25% of all hydroelectric power generated in the US. While the Corps of Engineers manage 8 different districts across the United States, the one's that interest those of us who RV are the three southern districts, as they manage the majority of Corps-created parks and campgrounds.


As you can imagine, when you create reservoirs to provide drinking water to many areas, or to simply control flooding during wet seasons, you inevitably create shorelines. Those shorelines become prime real estate for recreation, and the Corps of Engineers have provided the US with hundreds of parks and campgrounds to enjoy. A few are small and only accommodate tent camping, but the rest range from mid-sized parks that encompass 50-80 largely level campsites that can take most RVs, to larger campgrounds that swell to more than 200 sites and can handle the biggest of motorhomes.

Another Bolding Mill COE site.

Because of their location, most sites in Corps campgrounds offer views of the water, and that's their charm. Very rarely are there site that are landlocked. It's one of the big positives to Corps camping. The downside is that while most sites offer power and water hookups, very few Corps parks have sewer connections. This means that the longer you stay, the more you have to leave your site temporarily to dump your black and gray water tanks. Not the most difficult thing to do, but disconnecting from water and electric, as well as securing items in the RV for a move, can get a bit tedious the more you have to do it. One other minor downside: If you're visiting people at night outside of the park, you have to time your return to be before 10:30 as the park's gates close then.

It actually helps that the Corps has restrictions on how long you can stay at their parks, and how long BETWEEN stays at the same park. This keeps full-timers from establishing “permanent” residency in parks like many do in private parks, and reduces the amount of “junk” that people bring to recreate. At least most people. I'm always amazed at the amount of “stuff” people pack into their pickup trucks and storage spaces that get unloaded for a week or weekend, only to be crammed back into their spaces when people leave.

Anyway, back to limits on stays. The rule is that you can stay for up to 14 days at a time, and only within a 30-day timeframe. So for example, you can stay from the 1st to the 14th of a given month, but you have to leave the park and cannot come back in until 30 days from the 1st has transpired. So if you want to keep moving between local parks (like we've done in Georgia from late March until the end of April), you need a rotation of at least 3 Corps parks to make this work. Two weeks in one park, two weeks in another park, and because you've only taken up 28 days thus far, you need at least one week in a third park before you can go back to the first one. All this is predicated on being able to find an open campsite for the timeframes you need if you don't plan way ahead when campgrounds begin to take reservations.

It can be challenging.

But the payoff is HUGE. Not only do you get to recreate on (or near) water, but Corps park are generally quiet due to being situated well off of most roadways. In addition, most of them have long driveways to handle your vehicles, and wide spots separated by relatively dense trees so that you don't see or hear your neighbor very often. In addition, they have level packed-sand areas for chairs, tables, and shelters that the RVer might bring with them, plus fire rings so you and your friends can gather around a warm and cozy fire at the end of the day.

Obey River COE at Dale Hollow Lake, TN

And you can't beat the price. Anywhere from $26 - $30 per night, and if you have certain passes like our Senior Park Pass or Military Park Pass, you pay half price for every night. Very nice, even if you do have to dump tanks every 3-6 days.

Reservations are handled on a very user-friendly app at Recreation.gov.. You can look at pictures of your specific site at many parks, and the site descriptions detailing what equipment is allowed are usually pretty accurate (if on the safe side). We've seen quite a few sites that their description might have caused us to avoid, yet could fit our motorhome in with just a bit of difficulty.

If you're an RVer and haven't tried Corps of Engineers campgrounds, you're missing out on one of the best benefits of RVing.

"Homeward" Bound . . . - 4/19/2022

For full-time RVers like us, "home" is where we park it. But heading back to Georgia for a Jace fix is kinda like heading home, just as heading up to Massachusetts for a visit is much like heading home. Spending approximately 30 years in each place will make it seem that way.

Our next real stop was in the Houston, TX area, but that meant we had one day to get to the eastern edge of New Mexico in Las Cruces, and two travel days across the length of I-10 in Texas. Fortunately for us, while the stretch of I-10 east of Beaumont, TX and into Louisiana is legendary for it's poor condition, I-10 through AZ, NM, and much of TX is in pretty good shape.

One of the more striking views on I-10 is near the border of Arizona heading into New Mexico, and it just so happens that a rest area exists right in the middle of it, making for a great photo opportunity. It's called Texas Canyon, and it has some of the most unique rock formations we've ever seen in our travels thus far. Giant, smooth rocks perched in various positions, almost as if placed there by some unseen hand. Huge boulders perched vertically on top of other rock formations that look as if they would tumble down with the slightest touch. It's no more than a half mile long, which makes it all the more reason to believe it's been staged, but it's not.

These are just representative pictures of Texas Canyon. Some further west before the rest area are even more amazing.

Look at the rock formation above the center of the trailer. They just seem to hang out there without gravity.

Our goal with the price of gas going up so much in between the time we got out west to the time we needed to leave was to “overnight cheap”. Our first night was at a rest area over looking Las Cruces, NM from the west. It's up high, allowing you to look down upon the entire city, had dedicated RV parking spots where you could extend slides, and featured the world's largest road runner sculpture made entirely out of recycled scrap metal.

Great view overlooking Las Cruces, NM with the early moon rising above.

Previously the world's largest popcorn ball and the world's largest pistachio. Now the world's largest road runner!

A better view without our mugs.

We battled high winds the entire trip eastward through New Mexico and Texas, and fortunately they were tailwinds which helped our gas mileage considerably – especially given the recent high prices for gas. And the further east we went, the lower the gas prices became. But it was very nice to see an extra 100 miles on my “miles to empty” display as the newer tailwind efficiency was calculated by the on-board computer. At one point I was getting 11 miles to the gallon, where usually I get 8-8.5 mpg. Winning!

Once in West Texas, the winds that helped us out so much also brought a brief period of driving trouble as well – dust storms! We've managed to avoid those potentially dangerous driving conditions so far, and these certainly weren't the worst we were warned to expect based on the signs that are posted in New Mexico, but they were bad enough to make me drop down to about 40 mph in places for the next 35-45 minutes of driving. I can only imagine what one of these would be like at night.

An orchard of trees being covered by swirling sand. At one point, we couldn't see more than 5 car lengths in front of us!

Even small mountains are no match for west Texas sand storms.

Our fuel stop at the Ft. Stockton Flying J was downright treacherous. By this time, the winds were constant at 40+mph with gusts into the 50's and we pulled into the RV pumps facing directly into the teeth of the wind. Opening the heavy door to our motorhome was a challenge, especially getting down the stairs without it slamming back into you. Grover wouldn't even stay outside long enough to do his business! Good thing our fuel fill is in the rear of the coach, so I could hide behind the bulk of the RV out of the wind, but I still got plenty of grit in my eyes during the 10-15 minutes it took to fill the tank.

After another night in a rest stop along I-10 and a drive through the very quaint town of Fredericksburg, TX (a place we are DEFINITELY coming back to), we finally found our home base for the next 3 days just south of Houston, TX. We were there to catch up with long-time friend Bob Johnson and his wife, Susan, both fellow RVers we had camped with 2 years previously, and to visit Space Center Houston.

Passport America got us a $20 per night stay at Safari RV and Mobile Home Park. They have about a half-dozen pull through sites for RVers who are just passing through, and the rest of the sites are for full-time residents. For the price, it's really not bad at all, and it put us just 15 minutes away from the Space Center.

For space buffs like me, Space Center Houston was – okay. The highlight was being able to actually enter and walk through the 747 / Space Shuttle combination that once transported the shuttle from it's original landing site in California (before they began landing at Cape Canaveral) back across the country to Florida, and also served as the means to test fly the first shuttle Enterprise to validate it's glide characteristics. Another treat was to walk through a building which contained an unused Saturn V rocket that would have been used on a future moon landing mission had the number of flights not been scaled back by budget cuts at NASA.

I'm always amazed at the technology humans can create when the need arises. This is one example.

Another highlight of our trip eastbound back to Georgia was a stop in Beaumont, TX to visit with fellow RVers Byron and Lynn Hill. They have a Tiffin Open Road 34PA built the same year as ours, and they liked our color scheme so much they asked if they could use it as well. We had been in the same park with them twice before, but had been separated by about a dozen or more spaces each time. This time, just by happenstance, the park office had us both in adjoining sites! Given our unique color scheme, it was very strange to see the two of us parked side-by-side!

Good thing neither of us got drunk at night and tried to find the right RV!

Our final stop on the way to Georgia was a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi. We took a driving tour of the Civil War battlefield, then went downtown to eat and see Vicksburg's famous flood wall mural.

Happened to be downtown when this paddle-wheeler was docked for the day on it's way to Memphis. Note the individual murals running along the length of the flood wall in front of the riverboat.

Overall, the trip to Arizona was a good one, and I suspect we'll see that state again in future winters, perhaps for a bit longer next time. Our first trip with flat-towing the Jeep Cherokee was an unqualified success and proved to be much easier than our previous tow dolly setup with the Mini, even if the Jeep isn't quite as much fun as the Mini was to drive.

Upcoming is 5 weeks in and around Lake Lanier Corps of Engineer parks (one to take care of our grandson, Jace, during his Spring Break), and then it's time to head out to an early May trip to New England to visit family and friends, and take in an all-important high school reunion for Barbara!