Say it ain't so...

We've been home about two weeks now and several terrible things have happened. First we experienced our first snow of the winter. Though locals called it a 'light dusting', any snow was too much. Oh how a few months down south changes one perspective. Tonight we're supposed to get a hard freeze (mid-20's) so I had to crank up the heaters in the coach so as it didn't get too cold. I hate burning fuel for the furnace now as diesel prices this morning were $4.30 a gallon. Thankfully I have a full tank but conservation is now becoming more of a necessity.

The other terrible thing that happened is we sprung a very small leak in the coaches black water tank. For those not familiar with that term, it's the tank that serves as the motor home's septic tank. It's a part of your motor home you always want in good working order but never have to actually work on yourself. Though the tank is flushed out with some regularity, they all have a residual aroma that is unmistakable, so working around them is best left to someone else. However, with the thought of saving a few bucks, I decided to tackle this little job myself. Since I thought the tank was empty, removing the dump valve (finally understood how it got its name) should be an easy job. Unfortunately I had not figured the incline of my driveway and soon realized that there were still several gallons of 'honey dippers stew' still in the tank. Well not exactly still in the tank but now rushing out the 3 inch hole I had just opened when I removed the valve. Now moving fast is not one of my strong attributes but I did show a little Olympic burst of movement in an attempt to get away. But, as it quickly turned out, not quite fast enough. Ugly might describe it best but I'm sure all my neighbors within 500 yards heard a different description. I'd had the foresight to put a shop towel under the pipe to catch any drops but that soon was floating out the bay door in this tsunami of sludge. As quickly as it started it soon ended but the deed was done. Looking around in hopes that none of the neighbors were watching, I filled up several buckets of water to at least dilute what had streamed down my driveway. I packed up my tools, closed the bay door where I was working and called it a day. Clean clothes and a long hot shower was in order and another lesson was learned. And... aren't you glad that I don't have any pictures to show for this entry? In spite of this little 'dirty job', we're still 'livin the dream', playing the hand we're dealt and planning our next trip. Stay tuned.

Like MacArthur...we did return!

Like the swallows of Capistrano, the buzzards of Hinckley Ohio, and General MacArthur at Corrigidor; we returned to our old home town. No one can deny that Battle Creek isn't the town it once was. No longer can you cruise your 51 Chevy through the Sip-N-Nip, get a hot dog at Hosh's, or buy some luggage at Robinsons. Most residents can no longer say they work for either Kelloggs, Ralstons, or Post. You can't get on a North Central DC3 at Kellogg Airport and go to Chicago or even watch the Central HS band march down Main Street every Friday night when there was a home football game ... but you can see your friends and family who didn't bailout out on the old town and have prospered and thrived there. Though we've not lived here for over 30 years, there is still an almost tangible feeling when driving into town. Maybe it the faint smell of cooked cereal in the air from the remaining cereal factories or distinctive city skyline, I'm not sure, but it something that lets you know you're home.

We had made some hasty reservations at the PG's luxury RV resort and grateful we did. Only one site available and not a full hookup at that. Started with only about 105 volts when we first plugged in but it later rose to 120v as they apparently unscrewed a couple of the bare bulbs draped around the property. We thought we were going to have a lake access site, but as it turned out, we had to go through the owner's house, down through the basement, down a steep hill before getting to the lake. It actually wasn't so bad as they had lots of video games and a slot machine to play with along the way. The site wasn't as level as advertised either. Not that we were standing up when we slept at night but it wasn't hard getting out of bed. They did give us a very reasonable rate and actually invited us in to join them for a meal.

When we first pulled up to the resort we kind of thought this was a small mom and pop operation, it's owners putting in the normal 80 hour work week trying to keep the place afloat but soon realized at the dinner table the first night that this was a big, multi-state operation. The godfather and godmother (our secret nicknames for them) were seated and, as it turned out, the Chicago faction was in town and joined everyone at the table. We were, to say the least, a little more nervous than usual as the couple had, what some could describe as, a pit bull at their side. Better behaved than most, it was still crouched at its owners' feet ready to defend. Also seated was an affiliate of the 'family' who soon will be controlling one of the areas finest bodegas. My guess is that once that bodega is running, others will follow. The competition will not have a chance. We didn't say much at dinner, but was polite and non-threatening. In retrospect, with the food as good as it was we wondered if they had ever thought about getting into the restaurant business. We said our goodbyes and slunk back to our coach. Carefully locking and re-locking the door...just in case.

Just in case any of you actually believed any of the previous rhetoric, let me clear up a thing or two. Paula and George (and their neighbors) graciously allowed us to park our rig in front of their lakeside home for a few days. It saved us from the WalMart parking lot and was very much appreciated. Their collective family, Jason, Geoff, Kim, Scott and Peaches and Adie (Peaches and Adie are dogs), were all there and and we enjoyed seeing them.

We stayed put for a couple of days visiting with Sharon's parents, Cliff & Harriet, and sister, Gay, and my Uncle Frank and Aunt Florence as well as friends Bill and June and generally relaxing. Surprisingly something we haven't done much of lately.

Sharon found these party go'ers hanging out at the local pub. They joined us and before long they were almost like family.

Too soon, our time here had come to an end and it was time to make the last 100 mile- journey to home base. Twenty-three (23) weeks on the road. Approximately 5700 new miles on the coach and over 8000 additional miles on the tow car. The least we payed for diesel fuel was $2.59/gal at the beginning of the trip and $4.19 a gallon somewhere in Kentucky a week or so ago. Our average site charges per night were about $37.00. 'Not too bad', I'd say for the caliber of places where we camped. We had originally planned on several 'free' nights at WalMart or Sam's along the way, but for safety reasons we choose not to. Probably too paranoid but we were more comfortable. We spent more money on eating out than we had planned but looking back at all the good times we had with friends and family, we have no regrets. We travelled around in the tow car far more than I also had planned. Not one regret there either as it gave us the chance to see many new places.

We've met some interesting new people and made a few new friends. We visited dear friends and relatives along the way and had a great time with them as well. We visited old homesteads and ate some really fantastic new foods. We've accumulated a bunch of new travel stories that will occasionally spring into our future conversations if we think of them.

The coach, with the exception of a couple of minor issues, performed like the classic carriage she is and we already miss being on the road with her.

Now we must begin another chapter and that's where you readers can have some input. We enjoyed putting this blog together and I am looking for ideas to keep it going until we start our next trip sooooooooooooo .. if you have any suggestions on subjects you'd like me to talk about, things we've done on past trips, or whatever... please comment below. Stay tuned as we're still 'livin the dream'.

Ohio hospitality...

There's something about the Midwest. I know it's depressed. Lots of snow this winter, plant closings, dreaded low MEAP scores, no fresh vegetables, and people longing for even a few minutes of sunshine. But it's comfortable. People talk like me, they're a little laid back; but not too much, flannel is okay to wear, cars are rusty, and most are friendly. The little tense knot in the back of my neck is gone now so I know I'm getting close to home. It's nice to let your guard down a little after exploring so many unknown places over the past several months.

We decided to leave the coach near Columbus and drive the toad over to Sharon's cousin's home east of Akron. The trees are starting to bud out and an occasional crocus was trying to climb out of its wintry home so the hour and half drive was a pleasant one. Besides, the sun was shining and we hadn't seen much of the area in quite a while so it's always good to nose around a little.

While motoring along, my eyes whirled skyward catching a glimpse of a flying landmark. The circling Goodyear blimp was in view and it was as majestic as ever. I still remember the first time I saw it one dark evening while living at my grandmother's house on Manchester Street in my old home town. I was not much more that five years old I suppose, as the huge orb drifted overhead and was so low it nearly covered the sky. In those days they had lights all over the side of it spelling out the company name, so for such a tender young lad, it was quite a thrill. Since electricity was still a recent invention back then, I wondered how long the the extension cord was. Anyway, it was good to see the old girl and in my mind she's still queen of the skies.

We arrived in the neighborhood where we thought we should be but since I hadn't put the correct address in the GPS, we were a little stumped as to which of the prim, well kept homes were Diana and Craig's (Sharon's cousins). Thankfully we caught sight of Craig standing on the front porch and waved us in.

As they say, apples don't fall too far from the tree and proof is that Diana keeps house just like her mother. Beautifully decorated and not a thing out of place. I even checked under the dining room table for a wad of gum but no luck...clean as a whistle. Our timing for this visit was great as it was also her daughter, Amy's, birthday and we got to meet Chris (Amy's significant other) and also reacquaint ourselves with her son, Tyler (12). Craig handled the outside cooking while Diana readied all the inside goodies. She made an awesome baked beans that could win any contest. As usual, Sharon and I mowed down all the free food and enjoyed the afternoon talking with Craig and Diana about old times. It was good to see them again and hope to see them again soon.

Just in time ...

Left Berea Kentucky this morning in a driving rain storm. As predicted, the rain started early and with gusto. Flood warnings were already posted for most of the state and all's I could think of was getting stranded somewhere I didn't want to be. We could have stayed put but the rain was expected to continue for several days so our best choice was to get out of town and maybe get ahead of most of the storm. Traffic was not too heavy but what was there was mostly big trucks. We succeeded in getting ahead of the weather but it took about 200 miles of Kentucky and Ohio roads to do it. Tense driving for me but we did make it to our next stop by mid-afternoon.

We're about 15 miles north of Columbus and in a nice family owned facility. Since they just opened for the season we had little problem finding a site. Unfortunately they're better set up for 5'ers and trailers as the turning radius' were very tight for me. After we unhooked, I had to jostle the coach around to get it into our assigned spot but made is just fine and we had a chance to look around at our camp. It looks like a 250 site camp with store, pool and lots of stuff for families. Since it's about six miles from the nearby town of Galena, it's quiet and out of the way.

We kicked back and relaxed for a while then decided to head out for dinner. Since we couldn't be home to celebrate our good friends Bill and June's wedding anniversary today we thought we'd just celebrate in their honor. We'd heard there were about 70 resturants near the freeway so we ventured that way.

After driving by most of the eateries in the area we settled on Italian food and a place called Marcella's. We stepped inside to find a bustling bistro with stacks of wine bottles, loaves of bread, and stacks of cheese. The place smelled great. Our waitress stopped over and explained the resturant was a new concept being developed for Italian eating. Like a tapas, they served lots of different things, but small portions of each. This encouraged you to try new things and to share with your table mates. With a little help from our waitress we ordered the following:

Pecorino Di Pienza. A formaggi (cheese) appetizer that was heated in a small iron skillet. Along with the cheese (a sheep's milk variety), we were served thin toast points along with thin slices of apple and some truffle honey. To eat you dip the toast tips into the hot Pecorino cheese, add an apple slice and drizzle with truffle honey. Oh my. Not a combination I could ever have dreamed up, but wish I had. Completely fantastic. Next was a braised veal meatball with a simple tomato sauce. The most delicately flavored meatball on the planet. Next a Caesar salad of Romain hearts with a very mild Parmisan Reggiano dressing and anchovy. Next Lasagna Alla Bolognese with a slow cooked veal ragu and pecorino cheese. The noodles were as thin as baklava crust and without a doubt the finest lasagna we had ever eaten. Next we enjoyed Penna Alla Arrabiatta pasta with a spicey tomato sauce, toasted garlic and sweet basil. We top it all off with a very graceful carafe of ItalianVeronse. Oh my again. We can hardly describe this food. It was one of the finest meals we have ever eaten. You might think how could they eat all that food but since the portions were small and we shared each dish, it was just the right amount. Surprise surprise but we also ordered dessert. A tiramisu that was almost undescribable. Light and oh so delicious. So if you are ever in the Columbus area, stop in and enjoy. Kathy A. at the office...make a point of getting Jim to bring you here.

When we were about finished eating, we noticed a commotion of some sort occuring just across the aisle from us. A rather large, well dressed man was leaning over his table kissing his date. They were surrounded by resturant staff and other diners and the resturant erupted in applause. Seconds before the kiss he had been on one knee proposing marriage to his girl. She was in tears as were several onlookers nearby. It was a nice touch to our evening too.

As a sidebar to this night out dining... the resturant is owned by the same people who owned Mitchell's Fish House located in Lansing at the East Town Center off of Lake Lansing Road. I say owned (past tense) because they recently sold the property and it will be operated as a Ruth Chris Steakhouse. They apparently decided to get out of the fish business and concentrate on Italian. They are considering opening a Marcella's resturant in Michigan so there is hope.

Yes we can ... Yes we can

We left Adairsville heading for Berea and even fairly early for us. About 9:30 we left camp only to be reminded that I needed to fuel up before going too far. We knew there was a Flying J stop several miles north and their fueling setup is familiar so we decided to stop there. Making these stops, though necessary, are a little painful. At nearly $4.00/gal you quickly become an expert in controlling fuel consumption. Burning about a gallon every 8 miles forces you to think about your driving techniques. Steady and slow seems to work best for us.

Speaking of slow... since my cracked charged air cooler is only allowing the engine to produce about 50% of its rated horsepower, tackling the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky was not so fun. Conceptually, if you speed up going down the hill you will build up enough momentum to carry you to the top of the next. In practice getting the coach up to 15omph so as I can get up the other side of the long, steep moutain isn't working out. First they say the coaches top end is capped by the factory at 99mph. Second, with weak output, doing 75 is a chore on level land and Third, it's a little too scary for me. So when we started into the mountainous areas we pulled into the far right lane and chanted like the little red engine 'yes we can...yes we can'.

As it turned out a few "yes we can's" was almost not enough. Truck traffic was heavy and three lanes of 18 wheelers late for their next stop made for interesting driving. I kind of got in a groove and was rolling along pretty good but got behind a truck with, I guess, the same turbo problem I was having. As we were both in the right lane and facing a 4 mile uphill grade, we soon began to go slower and slower and slower. Trucks were stacking up behind me as far as I could see. 55 then 45 then 35. How slow can we go I wondered. Can we even make it? Can I start up the tow car and push with it? This hill went on and on but we leveled out at 35mph and I sat back and enjoyed the scenery. Finally reaching the top some minutes later, we now faced the high-speed thrill ride down. Not succumbing to that nonsense, We settled in to enjoy the many flowering plum and dogwood that were laced amongst the woods alongside the freeway and let the blood pressure subside.

We arrived at our camp in Berea Kentucky and found a camp that needed a little sprucing up but the new owners were working on it. Big pull-thru sites which is exactly what we like for these over-night stops. We have another 200 or so mile trip in the morning but heavy rain and thunderstoms are in the forecast so we'll surely be extra careful. We're headed for Delaware Ohio and getting a little closer to home.

Secrets out! ...

I know you've all been waiting to know about our 'other' daughter so I guess it time to fess up.
South of Adairsville Georgia is the town of Acworth where Jeni lives. Jeni is sort of our adopted daughter who has been our own daughter's best friend since grade school. She was at our house so much that we just kind of adopted her. She and her family are dear friends to us and we wanted to stop and say hello as long as we were in the area. We met at a local resturant and she brought her youngest son Jameson. What a handsome young boy. He was a little under the weather and not too excited about seeing anybody but in the loving arms of his mother, he managed to make it through lunch without much fuss.

Adairsville isn't much of a stop-over but the camp was good. We had a large pull-thru with plenty of room and it was just off I75 about 40 north of Atlanta. Great over-nighter for either coming or going to Florida. And an added bonus of free popcorn in the office. One cool thing that we sorrily missed was nearby Barnsley Gardens. Coined 'The most romantic place in Georgia" this high end stop is not only a display of pristine gardens but has a cluster of rentable cottages (rated 5 star) and a first class restuarnt alongside a golf course. We hear it is quite the place but bring your American Express card. Maybe we'll stop here the next time through.

The small town of Acworth near where Jeni lives, is trying to save its past through the restoration of many of the old buildings downtown. Quaint and homey, a neat little town to spend a warm afternoon window shopping or picking up that must-have antique. We drove around through some of the neighborhoods of old, well kept homes and it's the kind of town you'd like to raise a family in. Small, everyone knows everybody, and simple.

We're sorry we missed John, Jeni's husband and oldest son Jonah and good friends Kelly, Ted and their daughters, Zuzu and Isabelle. Seems that time is just flying by and we're unable to fit in all the great people we should see as we pass through an area. Next time out we need to slow down and stay longer at each stop. We both think we're missing too much of the local culture and that's what fun.

We finished our visit and headed for our next stop of Berea Kentucky. Why there you say? Well it about 250 or so miles away and if you've not figured it out by now, that's about all I drive a day with the coach. Still trying to learn how to smell the roses while 'livin' the dream'.