Saturday, August 17, 2002

Up and around for me came about 6 am & for Donna about 7am.  We did most of the loading last night, in preparation for Parker's (Donna's nephew) birthday party in Rusk and to start the trip to Pennsylvania.  We left Lufkin about 10am with the 'cute little truck' in tow.  Did a quick check on the toad to make sure no miles were registering and then another check a few miles down the road. All was ok.

We arrived at Mac & Lena (Donna's parents) about 11:30 and did a big circle to get turned around and headed out for leaving tomorrow.

We spent some time visiting, had a bite of lunch, then we took a nap. When we woke up Scott and Austin were there, as well as Mike, Kathy, and their daughter.  They were on their way to Denton for daughter to start college at North Texas University.

Austin and Parker had lots of fun playing in the coach.  Pretending to drive, and hiding from Kpoppa.

About 6pm we went to Trevor and Denise's (Parker's parents) house for the birthday party.  Lots of people there.  Austin and Parker really played together well; playing the slide in Parker's huge playground.  Austin is really talking in short sentences now and has quite a large vocabulary, and is becoming more 'grown up'.  He has become a little camera-shy lately, but its mostly just his 'ornery streak'.

Well its 11pm now, everybody is gone, Donna is in bed, and we plan to leave at 7:30 in the morning, so I am off to bed too.

Sunday, August 18, 2002

I got up about 5:15 and Donna got up about 5:45, neither resting very well last night.  Donna said she was up 5 times. I was up only once, but woke up several times.

She has sausage on the stove right now, not sure what else.

Its now about 8:30pm and for the last 4 hours we have been sitting on the banks of the Mississippi River watching the barge traffic. 

We left, with Mac and Lena following in their truck and fifth wheel, about 7:15, north to Tyler and up US 271 to Mt. Pleasant, where we got on I-30, and went about 10 miles for our first break at a Rest Area.  Our next stop was in Arkadelphia, AR, where we had lunch in the coach.  Mac tried to call an old Navy buddy, but he had passed away.

We bypassed Little Rock about 2pm or so, and connected up with I-40, and took another break a few miles down I-40 at about mile marker 200.

We decided to overnight in Memphis or West Memphis.  Donna got out the Trailer Life Directory, found this place right on the river, so here we are.  Tom Sawyer's Mississippi River Campground is not the fanciest place, but not to hard to find, easy to get around, and the view is great.

Monday, August 19, 2002

We were both actually up with the sun the morning, before 6am.  The coffee was ready and I got a cup and drifted out to the river bank with my camera.  As the sun peeped over the horizon, a huge barge and tug was coming down the river.  I got several pictures with the sun at various angles.

We left the campground about 8am, went to the Flyin J at I-40, then north on US 5 toward the Kentucky state line.  Donna got a call from her Tyler doctor.  Trying to get a prescription filled , we got lost in Mayfield, Ky, trying to find the Wal-Mart.  We finally gave up and went on to the next town. There we found a Super Wal-Mart right off the Parkway.  It took about an hour to get the meds and shop and have lunch, then back on the Parkway.

We made it to Elizabethtown (Barden) and went to a fairly nice campground, but very wooded, very tight sites, and only 30amp service. Not sure I can get out in the morning without un-hooking the truck.

Lena cooked waffles, eggs and bacon for everyone, really great.  Mac and I played a short game of dominoes, then we all played one game of 42.  Mac and I beat Lena and Donna.

Right after we got here, Mac got his portable dish out, and with the help of another camper got it zeroed in.  I couldn't get mine to find the satellite because of the trees, and last night I could not get it to auto-lock on the satellite, even though there were no obstructions.  Going to have to figure out the problem.

I was able to get out of the park with no trouble.  It was tight, but with Mac and Donna spotting for me, I made it just fine.

Tuesday, August 20, 2002

We drove most of today, across Kentucky and into West Virginia.  We really started to get into some mountains.  We made to Morgantown, WV and climbed another mountain to Cooper's Rock and stayed at a park on top of the mountain.  The park was really primitive, but plenty room and fairly good access.

The drive through West Virginia was really pleasant, good freeways, beautiful countryside, and even a few trees were beginning to turn fall colors.  Lots of hills to climb up and go down, but most grades were fairly easy.

Tonight we played 3 games of 42, which Mac and I won 2-1.

Wednesday, August 21, 2002

We didn't bother with an early start this morning, since we only had about 180 miles to travel. Partly in WV for a few miles, then across the very top end of Maryland to Hagerstown, then north to Chambersburg, the east to Gettysburg.

We got checked into the campground, Round Top Campground, just a couple miles south of Gettysburg.  The drive through WV and Maryland was much more hilly, and steeper.  Several 6% grades both up and down.  The Up grades were usually in 4th gear and 45 mph.  The coach held its speed with the Pac Brake doing its job.  RPM's were in the 2000 to 2500 range at 45-50 mph, and held steady.

We just hung around the campground this afernoon, then about 4:30 we left to see some sight.  We first went to the Visitors Center, but it closed at 5pm so we walked across the street to the Union Cemetery.  Union Soldiers ONLY!

This was also the site of Abe Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  He was actually in an area next to the cemetery that is now a part of the cemetery.

We then took a driving tour of part of the battleground.  Literally 100's of monuments and statues.  The armies faced each other from ridges ranging from 3/4 to 1 mile apart.  The Union army was mostly on Cemetery Ridge, defending the town.

We had dinner tonight at Hoss's Steak & Sea, but we all just had the salad bar, which was actually pretty good.  Mac paid the check, so I need to get even next time.

We called David and Kim tonight and Courtney, our month old grand-daughter had gained 5 oz last Friday, and going back to the doctor next Tuesday.  Kim is looking forward to going back to work. We also call Dale, checking on my mother. Dale said she has decided she is ready to move to the Assisted Living home in Lufkin, and they will have the largest room available on Sept 1.

We also called Scott, Shelley & Austin.  Austin caught a 'big' fish.

Thursday, August 22, 2002

We both slept pretty late this morning, not getting up until about 7:30.  We were pretty slow getting moving and Donna fixed eggs, bacon and biscuits.  Mac and Lena were up and ready to roll and waiting on us.

We left the campground about 9 or so, and first went to the Visitor's Center.  Donna and I watched the 'Electric Map', a really an informative presentation.

We then drove through more of the auto tour route & the downtown.  We walked a few blocks, had lunch, shopped a little.  Lunch was really good, a place called The Pub.  Had hamburgers with really thick 8oz patties.

We walked around checking out the old railroad station and took a few pictures of the 'square', which is actually and traffic circle. 

We left downtown and went to the Outlet Mall.  It was really a neat design and different layout, like a Main Street, buildings facing the street with parking in the middle.  Of course there were also lots of parking surrounding the buildings.

After we got back to the park, Donna and I took a nap until about 6.  Donna left to go to the store for a few items and Mac and I played dominoes.  When Donna got back we all played 42, which Donna and Lena won 3-1. Mac and I would have caught them and beat them but it got too dark.

My sister Sharon called and said Maw is 'getting used to the idea of moving'. Sharon seemed fine with it too.  We also talked to Dale, the let The Meadows know that Maw is coming and he is working on getting a 'scooter' for her.  Her doctor will have to prescribe, run some tests, then Medicare will pay 80%, and her insurance the remaining 20%.

This is our last night in Gettysburg. The battleground is quite a sight to see.  Its really hard to believe the loss of life and limb that occurred. The battle was the real turning point in the 'Northern War of Aggression'.  The South never recovered from this defeat and was on its last leg.

Friday, August 23, 2002

We left Gettysburg about 8:30 and arrived at our campground just east of Lancaster about 10:45.  One section of Hwy 30 in York was really narrow with construction and Donna just had to leave the co-pilot seat and lay down on the couch.  The campground is pretty nice.  We are in an open area, no trees, but part of the park is very wooded.  The satellite dish locked right on with no problem.  However, Mac could not get his dish to lock in, but the camp has cable, so has full service (Fox News Channel).

After lunch in the coach, we drove over to the Amish House & Farm Tour.  This was at one time part of and Amish Farm, but now is a tourist attraction. The tour of the house was quite interesting.  Parts of the grounds were interesting, but really nothing special.  After the tour we drove around for a couple hours on the back roads and saw lots of Amish farms, and some non-Amish also.

Some farms were harvesting corn and some were harvesting Alfalfa hay.

We drove over to a Farmer's Market in 'Bird in the Hand'.  Yep, that's really the name of the town.  The market had quite a bit of unique food stuff.  We bought some Apple Butter and some Peach Butter.  We even tried some apple butter on toast for a snack.

We got back to camp about 5:30 and started the 42 game.  Mac & I swept the first 3 games with Lena and Donna winning the 4th.  While we were playing 42, and Amish lady and her 3 1/2 old little boy came through the grounds in her horse and buggy, selling her goods.  Donna bought some bread.  I took a few pictures of the little boy.  The lady spoke 'Pennsylvania Dutch' to him.  He will not learn to speak English until he starts to school, although he seemed to know a little already.

Quite and interesting day.

Saturday, August 24, 2002

I got up about 6:30 and Donna about 7:30 to a steady rain, which Mac told me later had started about 4:30am.  Donna and I decided today would be a good day to go out for breakfast, but Mac & Lena declined, saying they need to get diesel for the truck and have the oil changed.  So about 8:30 Donna and I went to Bob Evans Restaurant, supposedly a great place similar to a Cracker Barrel. We have seen lots of them in the Southeast, but never before went to one.  The worst decision we have made in a long time.  The service was slow, the food was cold, even cold biscuits.

After that fiasco, it was still raining, so we headed for Strasburg.  The rain had subsided some so we walked around to look at the 'tourist train', then over to the Choo Choo Barn.  Lots of scale trains and animated operations.  The display was not real large, but very interesting.

A few more stops and we bought Courtney a barrette, then back to the coach to meet up with Mac & Lena.  Donna called on their cell phone, and they were shopping at The Gap.

After meeting back up with Mac & Lena, we headed back to Strasburg, got and ice cream, and looked in a couple of shops.  On the way to Strasburg, we stopped at a fruit and vegetable stand, where Donna bought some Bell Peppers.  A young Amish family stopped in driving their buggy.  Only the man got out of the buggy to buy some stuff, and Mac started a conversation with, and talked to him a long time, learning a lot about Amish life.

Later, we drove to Intercourse ( a town), looking for a bulk food store, that had a variety store next door, which was supposed to be selling kid's straw hats.  Lena wanted to get one for Parker.  Unfortunately, they closed at 4pm, right before we got there.

We made it back to camp about 5pm, ate a bite, then about 6pm started our 42 game.  We had only played one game, when the rain started again, and we had to run into the coach. It rained real hard, lots of wind and lightning.  Everybody in the campground was running for cover.  Two ladies across from us had their awning out and they were gone.  The wind tore one end loose, so myself and a couple other guys we over and got the awning stowed and secured.

We all had a little discussion about where to head to next, with concerns about next week-end being Labor Day and many campground will be packed.  We are registered here through Monday night, so we will probably go to Hershey on Monday, just not sure what to do with Sunday, since all the Amish places will be closed.