The Phillies played the Baltimore Orioles today and won 7-5. It was an exciting game that the Phillies won with a 4-run rally in the 8th inning. Once again, the Phillies prospects outplayed the regulars who are for the most part off to a slow start.
The regular players who are guaranteed to make the team generally take a more relaxed approach to spring training and usually don't particularly put up impressive statistics in spring training. Unfortunately for the Phillies the last few years this casual approach has carried over into the season with predictable results. The rookies and minor league players who are close to the major league on the other hand are trying very hard to do well and impress the staff on their quest for the big leagues. There appears to be a good crop of Phillies minor league players who are just about ready to move up. A casual approach by the major leaguers who will mostly make up the team this year will not serve them well this year because there a lot of talented players waiting to take their jobs. We'll see how the regulars do as spring training progresses. More to follow later.
We are changing RV sites tomorrow. We originally made our reservation from March 1st to April 1st. When the spring training schedule was released, we noticed it was starting a week early. We were able to make a reservation for that week but not at the site we had reserved.
No baseball until Friday. Tomorrow will be a set-up day at the new site and Thursday will be a sightseeing day. The weather remains great. The locals say we are experiencing May-like weather and today was a record high at 85 degrees with very low humidity. We are not complaining.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 28
Baseball today. The Phillies played the Tampa Bay Rays and unfortunately lost 7-2. It was a slow game, mostly Phillies minor leaguers against Tampa Bay minor leaguers after the first few innings. Lots of young players get a tryout early in spring training. In a week or so, many will be reassigned to the minor league spring training camp adjacent to the park and the regulars and some veterans and non-roster players will get progressively more playing time. So even if a game like today was like watching a minor league game, it was still a lot of fun, enjoying the scene, great weather and talking to people from the Philadelphia area, either here for a visit, or relocated to the area after retirement.
After the game Judy decided to do the laundry at the park laundromat just down the road. We had dinner in the RV after that.
More baseball tomorrow, the Phillies v. the Baltimore Orioles.
After the game Judy decided to do the laundry at the park laundromat just down the road. We had dinner in the RV after that.
More baseball tomorrow, the Phillies v. the Baltimore Orioles.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 27
It was another quiet day. We slept in again and relaxed around the RV the rest of the morning. Judy had her nails done in the afternoon and we had a lunch/dinner at a nearby restaurant, Cody's Roadhouse. That was pretty much it for the day.
More baseball tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Rays. Weather remains great.
More baseball tomorrow against the Tampa Bay Rays. Weather remains great.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 26
Today was the first home game of the Grapefruit League for the Phillies. The game against the University of Tampa on Thursday was really just an exhibition game. They opened the spring season against the NY Yankees yesterday at the Yankees field in Tampa (the Phillies lost).
Before the game today, there were opening day ceremonies with speeches by Clearwater and Phillies officials. The first ball was thrown out by a 4-star Army general, General Raymond Thomas III, Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command headquartered at nearby McDill AFB. He is from Philadelphia and he wore a Phillies hat with his uniform when throwing the ball (it was a strike).
The Phillies won today. It was a good game that they won in the 9th inning on a "walk-off" hit by one or their rookies. The Phillies played most of their regular position players for the first few innings then switched over to their rookies/non-roster players trying to impress the staff and help their chances to make the team. The Yankees did not bring their "A" team (most visiting teams do the same early in spring training as they also are evaluating their young players). Nevertheless, it was a good game, the weather was great, and the beer was cold.
We cooked dinner in in the RV tonight. Tomorrow is another "off" day with plans TBD.
Before the game today, there were opening day ceremonies with speeches by Clearwater and Phillies officials. The first ball was thrown out by a 4-star Army general, General Raymond Thomas III, Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command headquartered at nearby McDill AFB. He is from Philadelphia and he wore a Phillies hat with his uniform when throwing the ball (it was a strike).
Dave Montgomery, Retired Phillies President, battling cancer
The Phillies won today. It was a good game that they won in the 9th inning on a "walk-off" hit by one or their rookies. The Phillies played most of their regular position players for the first few innings then switched over to their rookies/non-roster players trying to impress the staff and help their chances to make the team. The Yankees did not bring their "A" team (most visiting teams do the same early in spring training as they also are evaluating their young players). Nevertheless, it was a good game, the weather was great, and the beer was cold.
We cooked dinner in in the RV tonight. Tomorrow is another "off" day with plans TBD.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 25
Not a lot to report today. We slept in, did some work around the RV, got haircuts, had lunch at Steak and Shake, ran some errands and got the truck washed. All of a sudden it was 5:00 pm.
The opening home game for the Phillies is tomorrow against the Yankees. The weather is good - clear and 80 degrees and no rain in the forecast.
The opening home game for the Phillies is tomorrow against the Yankees. The weather is good - clear and 80 degrees and no rain in the forecast.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 24
The first spring training baseball game was today - a 7 inning game against the University of Tampa team. They are a very good NCAA Division II college baseball team that is presently ranked number 2 in the country. The Phillies team today was mostly composed of their top rookies who are expected to be playing in the major league in the next year or two, maybe even sooner for some of them. The Phillies won 6-0 and their rookies looked pretty good.
We started the day with breakfast at Lenny's a favorite restaurant popular with Phillies fans here for spring training.
We started the day with breakfast at Lenny's a favorite restaurant popular with Phillies fans here for spring training.
As the game today was not against another major league team and it was still early, it wasn't too busy. Once again, we had a "hearty" east coast breakfast, Florida style.
A "Redneck Benedict" - two sausage patties on biscuits with two poached eggs covered with gravy and home fries with onions (maybe 2,000 calories). This is not an everyday breakfast, but it was sure good.
Judy had the more healthy option, lox and bagels - also very good.
And our waitress called us "hon" and started us off with a complimentary "danish basket" of half a dozen small pastries.
Tomorrow is an R and R day, just hanging around the RV, getting caught-up with paperwork and getting haircuts in the afternoon. The next game is on Saturday.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 23
Well we are here. After 3600 miles of driving, we arrived at our destination for the next 5 weeks, the Bay Bayou RV Resort in Oldsmar, FL. This is the 4th time we have stayed here so it almost feels like our home away from home. We will be in this site for the next week then moving to our regular reservation site on March 1st.
The trip down from Crystal River was only 70 miles but the weather was windy and raining. The rain was mostly off and on with periods of only light showers and the traffic was not too heavy. After we arrived at the RV park around 1:30 pm and checked in, topped off the propane and hooked up, it started to rain pretty hard. Nevertheless, we went to the nearby Cracker Barrel Restaurant for lunch and the Walmart just up the road for a few supplies. Right around sunset the skies cleared and we had a spectacular rainbow (actually a double rainbow) that lasted a long time.
Baseball starts tomorrow. The Phillies play a college team, the University of Tampa, a nationally ranked NCAA Division II team. The Phillies will field young upcoming rookies, many of whom will be the future of the team in the next few years. A couple of them may even get some playing time in the majors this year. Once again, baseball is starting and optimism for the Phillies abides.
The trip down from Crystal River was only 70 miles but the weather was windy and raining. The rain was mostly off and on with periods of only light showers and the traffic was not too heavy. After we arrived at the RV park around 1:30 pm and checked in, topped off the propane and hooked up, it started to rain pretty hard. Nevertheless, we went to the nearby Cracker Barrel Restaurant for lunch and the Walmart just up the road for a few supplies. Right around sunset the skies cleared and we had a spectacular rainbow (actually a double rainbow) that lasted a long time.
Baseball starts tomorrow. The Phillies play a college team, the University of Tampa, a nationally ranked NCAA Division II team. The Phillies will field young upcoming rookies, many of whom will be the future of the team in the next few years. A couple of them may even get some playing time in the majors this year. Once again, baseball is starting and optimism for the Phillies abides.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 22
We slept in this morning, "putzzed" around for awhile, then did the laundry. There were a lot of people using the two small laundry rooms in the park, so we went into town to a laundromat. We ate lunch while waiting for the dryers then returned to the RV.
We thought we had an appointment at 2:30 pm with a guy to come into the park to wash the RV but he never showed up. Probably just as well as the forecast for the short trip to Oldsmar tomorrow is for rain showers. We'll get it washed after we arrive. Maybe Judy will even let me get up on the RV roof with the scrub brush and I can do it all myself. Further discussion will be required regarding that plan. (It will never happen - J)
We went over to Eileen and Linda's house about 5:00 pm for drinks and appetizers. Some of their friends and neighbors were there and we enjoyed talking to them. We then went to dinner at another great seafood restaurant on the water. Their friend from New Jersey, Bob, also joined us for dinner.
It was a great visit with my sister and we are off to Oldsmar in the late morning. We will see Eileen and Linda, as well as Allison, Eileen's daughter and her family in March at a ball game. Eileen and Linda will also be attending other games as spring training progresses.
We thought we had an appointment at 2:30 pm with a guy to come into the park to wash the RV but he never showed up. Probably just as well as the forecast for the short trip to Oldsmar tomorrow is for rain showers. We'll get it washed after we arrive. Maybe Judy will even let me get up on the RV roof with the scrub brush and I can do it all myself. Further discussion will be required regarding that plan. (It will never happen - J)
We went over to Eileen and Linda's house about 5:00 pm for drinks and appetizers. Some of their friends and neighbors were there and we enjoyed talking to them. We then went to dinner at another great seafood restaurant on the water. Their friend from New Jersey, Bob, also joined us for dinner.
It was a great visit with my sister and we are off to Oldsmar in the late morning. We will see Eileen and Linda, as well as Allison, Eileen's daughter and her family in March at a ball game. Eileen and Linda will also be attending other games as spring training progresses.
A lobster vending machine. It costs $2.00 for a chance to catch a lobster. A grappling hook descends from above and you try and snare a lobster in the hook. If you catch one, they will cook it for you at no charge. If not, too bad and try again. My guess is that it would be cheaper to just buy the lobster.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 21
We got a little bit of a late start today and didn't get on the road until about 10:00 am. We drove south on I-95 to Jacksonville, FL, then SW to Crystal River, FL., arriving just before 5:00 pm.
We are staying at a nice RV resort in Crystal River, the Rock Crusher RV resort. It is a fairly large park with mostly snow birds from Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario and other upper mid-west northern locations.
After settling in, we met my sister Eileen and her friend Linda at the RV park and went to a great seafood restaurant out near the coast. We had an excellent meal and it was good to see family again.
Tomorrow will be a housekeeping day in the RV and then meeting Eileen and Linda again for dinner. Wednesday is a short travel day down the coast to Oldsmar, FL where we will be staying at the Bay Bayou RV resort until the end of March. After a somewhat rambling, almost one month trip across the country, we are almost there.
We are staying at a nice RV resort in Crystal River, the Rock Crusher RV resort. It is a fairly large park with mostly snow birds from Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario and other upper mid-west northern locations.
After settling in, we met my sister Eileen and her friend Linda at the RV park and went to a great seafood restaurant out near the coast. We had an excellent meal and it was good to see family again.
Tomorrow will be a housekeeping day in the RV and then meeting Eileen and Linda again for dinner. Wednesday is a short travel day down the coast to Oldsmar, FL where we will be staying at the Bay Bayou RV resort until the end of March. After a somewhat rambling, almost one month trip across the country, we are almost there.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 20
We slept in a little this morning, then talked about what we wanted to do today. The original plan was to tour Savannah. However, fter arriving at Tybee Island, it appeared there was a lot to see so we decided to stay here today and check it out.
Our first stop was Fort Pulaski, an historic Civil War fort at the mouth of the Savannah River that was built to control the approaches to Savannah by water. The fort is on an island in between the north and south channels of the river - a strategic location. I admit that despite reading a lot about the Civil War, I had never heard of Fort Pulaski.
The fort is now a National Historic Site and was designed in a style similar to several forts built along the Atlantic Coast in the mid-to later part of the 19th Century. In fact, it is very similar to Fort Jefferson, the fort in the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico that we visited on a previous trip. The fort here is named after Casimir Pulaski, a Polish count who fought with the U.S. in the Revolutionary War and was killed at the Battle of Savannah in 1779.
Construction of the present fort began in 1829 and by 1860 it was mostly finished but was not completely armed or fully staffed. As the Civil War approached, the State of Georgia seized the fort in 1861 two weeks before the state seceded from the Union. The fort was then garrisoned by Confederate troops until 1862 when a successful siege and bombardment by Union troops forced the garrison to surrender. The fort then remained in Union control for the remainder of the Civil War, blockading the Savannah River. The restoration of the fort has been done very well and was well worth the visit.
We then wanted to get our feet wet in The Atlantic Ocean so we travelled a few miles down the island to the "main drag" of the island tourist district adjacent to the municipal wharf. It is a typical beach town setting with the usual assortment of bars and souvenior stores. The crowd was mostly young people, many wearing bathing suits that would probably have gotten you arrested a few years ago.
We walked out on the beach to the water and were surprised to see a large number of jelly fish that had washed up on the beach. The water was cold and no one was swimming, although the beach was packed with sunbathers.
Our first stop was Fort Pulaski, an historic Civil War fort at the mouth of the Savannah River that was built to control the approaches to Savannah by water. The fort is on an island in between the north and south channels of the river - a strategic location. I admit that despite reading a lot about the Civil War, I had never heard of Fort Pulaski.
The fort is now a National Historic Site and was designed in a style similar to several forts built along the Atlantic Coast in the mid-to later part of the 19th Century. In fact, it is very similar to Fort Jefferson, the fort in the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico that we visited on a previous trip. The fort here is named after Casimir Pulaski, a Polish count who fought with the U.S. in the Revolutionary War and was killed at the Battle of Savannah in 1779.
Construction of the present fort began in 1829 and by 1860 it was mostly finished but was not completely armed or fully staffed. As the Civil War approached, the State of Georgia seized the fort in 1861 two weeks before the state seceded from the Union. The fort was then garrisoned by Confederate troops until 1862 when a successful siege and bombardment by Union troops forced the garrison to surrender. The fort then remained in Union control for the remainder of the Civil War, blockading the Savannah River. The restoration of the fort has been done very well and was well worth the visit.
After touring the fort, we had a nice lunch at a nearby seafood restaurant, Coco's.
Our next stop was the Tybee Lighthouse. The lighthouse and associated buildings have been restored by the City and the local historical society and is now a popular tourist attraction on the island. The lighthouse is presently closed inside for renovation but we were able to tour the associated buildings and a nice museum in a 19th Century artillery battery across the street.
We walked out on the beach to the water and were surprised to see a large number of jelly fish that had washed up on the beach. The water was cold and no one was swimming, although the beach was packed with sunbathers.
After we returned to the RV the the plan was to rest awhile then go out to dinner. However, after a glass of wine, we decided to eat in tonight. It was a long, but enjoyable day and we are glad we decided to tour Tybee Island.
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 19
We got on the road about 9:30 am after getting gas and our daily "truck stop mocha". There was no mocha in the mocha, but what the heck, it was a little shot of caffeine to get us moving.
It rained a little over night, mostly showers and nothing too heavy, but was still raining in the morning. We hooked up in between showers and headed east, again on I-20E.
As we traveled through Atlanta, even on the bypass around the south end of town, traffic was heavy and it was raining pretty hard off-and-on. As we headed east, then SE on I-16 through Macon, GA towards Savannah, GA the rain let up and as we approached Savannah the rain stopped and the skies cleared.
We arrived at the RV park on Tybee Island where we are staying for two nights about 5:30 pm after losing another hour as the time zone changed to EST. Tybee Island is at the end of the Savannah River on the Atlantic Coast about 15 miles east of Savannah. The Island is a big league tourist destination for the region ,offering lots of ocean beach and associated recreational activities. We didn't really know much about the area as we have never been here before and picked the spot because it was an RV park close to Savannah.
The RV park, River's End, is packed. The sites are close together but we have a pull through site and plenty of maneuver room. It was also very quiet last night.
After getting set up, we went out for dinner at a local seafood place and retired to the RV after a long and relatively difficult travel day.
It rained a little over night, mostly showers and nothing too heavy, but was still raining in the morning. We hooked up in between showers and headed east, again on I-20E.
As we traveled through Atlanta, even on the bypass around the south end of town, traffic was heavy and it was raining pretty hard off-and-on. As we headed east, then SE on I-16 through Macon, GA towards Savannah, GA the rain let up and as we approached Savannah the rain stopped and the skies cleared.
We arrived at the RV park on Tybee Island where we are staying for two nights about 5:30 pm after losing another hour as the time zone changed to EST. Tybee Island is at the end of the Savannah River on the Atlantic Coast about 15 miles east of Savannah. The Island is a big league tourist destination for the region ,offering lots of ocean beach and associated recreational activities. We didn't really know much about the area as we have never been here before and picked the spot because it was an RV park close to Savannah.
The RV park, River's End, is packed. The sites are close together but we have a pull through site and plenty of maneuver room. It was also very quiet last night.
After getting set up, we went out for dinner at a local seafood place and retired to the RV after a long and relatively difficult travel day.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 18
We slept in this morning then did some chores around the RV before our friends, Paula and Dallas Smith visited. After visiting, talking about old times and experiences since high school and previous visits with them, we went to lunch with them at our favorite "on the road" restaurant, Cracker Barrel. The food is always good, consistent and reasonably priced.
After lunch, Paula and Dallas returned to their home about 15 minutes away and we ran a few errands, getting some groceries for the next part of the trip to Florida.
We are going to visit Paula and Dallas at their home this afternoon and go out to dinner with them this evening at a local barbeque restaurant.
We drive east to Savannah, GA tomorrow by way of Atlanta. We will stay in Savannah for two nights then head south to Crystal River, FL on Monday.
After lunch, Paula and Dallas returned to their home about 15 minutes away and we ran a few errands, getting some groceries for the next part of the trip to Florida.
We are going to visit Paula and Dallas at their home this afternoon and go out to dinner with them this evening at a local barbeque restaurant.
We drive east to Savannah, GA tomorrow by way of Atlanta. We will stay in Savannah for two nights then head south to Crystal River, FL on Monday.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 17
We are in Alabama.
We left the RV park in Mississippi about 9:30 am and headed east on I-20. It was another easy travel day, interstate all the way with sunshine, dry roads and no wind. We arrived in Oxford, AL about 2:30 pm and are staying at a campground right next to a Camping World. It is called the Camping World-Good Sam's Campground of Oxford-Talladega. Apparently the campgound is owned by Camping World. This is the first one like this we have seen and apparently they are now branching out to be a full service recreation company - selling RVs/Trailers, camping supplies, RV roadside assistance/insurance, and now hosting campgrounds.
The park is O.K., mostly level gravel pads but with lots of room. Not alot of ambiance but the park is close to a major NASCAR venue, Talladega Speedway, and I am sure the place fills up when the races are in session.
We will be here two nights and will be visiting tomorrow with a high school classmate, Paula Smith (Schell) who is married to Dallas, a retired Army helicopter pilot. Paula is also retired from the Army - she ended her career teaching at the Army post-graduate school.
We are headed for Savannah, GA on Saturday then on to Crystal River, FL to visit my sister Eileen and her friend Linda. After that, we go to Clearwater, FL and the start of spring training for the Phillies.
We left the RV park in Mississippi about 9:30 am and headed east on I-20. It was another easy travel day, interstate all the way with sunshine, dry roads and no wind. We arrived in Oxford, AL about 2:30 pm and are staying at a campground right next to a Camping World. It is called the Camping World-Good Sam's Campground of Oxford-Talladega. Apparently the campgound is owned by Camping World. This is the first one like this we have seen and apparently they are now branching out to be a full service recreation company - selling RVs/Trailers, camping supplies, RV roadside assistance/insurance, and now hosting campgrounds.
The park is O.K., mostly level gravel pads but with lots of room. Not alot of ambiance but the park is close to a major NASCAR venue, Talladega Speedway, and I am sure the place fills up when the races are in session.
We are headed for Savannah, GA on Saturday then on to Crystal River, FL to visit my sister Eileen and her friend Linda. After that, we go to Clearwater, FL and the start of spring training for the Phillies.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 16
Today was an easy travel day. We awoke to sunny skies, no rain and cool weather. We got on the road about 9:30 am after getting gas and another "truck stop mocha". Actually, none of them ever taste like mocha and all of them taste pretty much alike, be it "French Vanilla", "English Toffee", "Extreme Espresso" or whatever. The good news is they are usually only $1.00 or less compared to a real mocha at Starbucks for $3.50.
We drove I-20E all the way today with Shreveport, LA and Jackson, MS as the only cities where we had to dodge traffic. The road was dry, traffic wasn't too bad and we had very little, if any, wind en route.
We stopped for a late lunch as we crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg, MS. We stopped at a Mississippi welcome center just across the river with a great view of the Vicksburg bridges.
We are staying tonight in Pelahatchie, MS at an RV park called "Yogi on the Lake". It is actually a regional recreational resort on a local lake with cabins and RV and tent sites.
As you right gather from the name, it has a Yogi Bear theme throughout the park. The resort is not exactly upscale and is virtually deserted right now. The local recreational season here doesn't start until March 1st, and we suspect it is very busy during the summer. It offers a wide range of activities for families. such as water sports and fishing. It is very quiet here tonight and all we can hear is the faint sound of banjo music in the distance.
We drove I-20E all the way today with Shreveport, LA and Jackson, MS as the only cities where we had to dodge traffic. The road was dry, traffic wasn't too bad and we had very little, if any, wind en route.
We stopped for a late lunch as we crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg, MS. We stopped at a Mississippi welcome center just across the river with a great view of the Vicksburg bridges.
As you right gather from the name, it has a Yogi Bear theme throughout the park. The resort is not exactly upscale and is virtually deserted right now. The local recreational season here doesn't start until March 1st, and we suspect it is very busy during the summer. It offers a wide range of activities for families. such as water sports and fishing. It is very quiet here tonight and all we can hear is the faint sound of banjo music in the distance.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 15
We had a lot of rain last night, including thunder and lightning. This morning it was still showering, mostly cloudy and windy and cold. The forecast for our trip east was for more rain most of the way.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and were pleasantly surprised as the rain outran the forecast and we had dry roads, but windy, all the way to our stop tonight in Gladewater (near Longview) in east Texas. We are staying at the Shallow Creek RV Park, just off of I-20. It is a nice park with pull-trough's and a good place for an overnight stop.
The route was east to Austin then NE towards Longview over mostly back roads, but all in good condition. Once again we experienced rural Texas and a number of small towns that have seen better days. There is lots of "stuff" on many of the properties, things that are no longer used, but still there with nowhere else to go. There didn't seem to be a lot of economic activity going on in many of the towns and there were a lot of open ranch land with goats, cows and a few horses visible from the road.
Tomorrow we have another travel day to Mississippi then on to Alabama to vist high school friends.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and were pleasantly surprised as the rain outran the forecast and we had dry roads, but windy, all the way to our stop tonight in Gladewater (near Longview) in east Texas. We are staying at the Shallow Creek RV Park, just off of I-20. It is a nice park with pull-trough's and a good place for an overnight stop.
The route was east to Austin then NE towards Longview over mostly back roads, but all in good condition. Once again we experienced rural Texas and a number of small towns that have seen better days. There is lots of "stuff" on many of the properties, things that are no longer used, but still there with nowhere else to go. There didn't seem to be a lot of economic activity going on in many of the towns and there were a lot of open ranch land with goats, cows and a few horses visible from the road.
Tomorrow we have another travel day to Mississippi then on to Alabama to vist high school friends.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 14
When we got up this morning, it was overcast, windy and a lot cooler. We also had a few showers last night, but nothing significant.
We originally thought we would walk around the downtown this morning, but due to the weather, we decided to do the laundry instead. After that was done, it was time for lunch. We were looking for a BBQ restaurant but the two in town were closed on Monday so we went to a Mexican restaurant instead. We had a great meal of authentic Mexican food and ate enough to count for dinner tonight.
After lunch we visited the National Museum of the Pacific War. It is actually an extensive complex of several facilities, The Admiral Nimitz Museum, the George H.W. Bush Gallery, The Pacific Combat Zone, The Japanese Garden of Peace, a Memorial Courtyard, and the Plaza of the Presidents. Due to time constraints, we only had time to visit the Bush Gallery.
The Bush Gallery is a series of exhibits tracing the origins of the conflicts in Asia leading to WW II. Each exhibit highlights a particular event or battle in the Pacific culminating in the atomic bombing of Japan and the subsequent surrender. There are narrative displays, artifacts including military equipment, weapons, and uniforms, etc. as well as lots of multimedia videos and narratives. The displays were very well done and match in many ways the displays we have seen at the National WW II Museum in New Orleans.
We discovered Fredricksburg is a major tourist attraction in this part of Texas. The heritage of the early German settlers in the town and surrounding areas has been emphasized with lots of tourist-type shops with a German touch as well as numerous restaurants offering German food and beer. The museum is also a major draw due to the fact that Fredricksburg is the birthplace of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the legendary Admiral of the Pacific Fleet in WW II. The ranch and burial site of Lyndon Johnson is also only 10 miles down the road.
After the museum we stopped at H.E.B, the regional store comparable to a super Walmart or Fred Meyer, for a few groceries.
Tomorrow, we drive to Shevreport, LA, the next stop on our journey east. The forecast is calling for rain enroute, but we'll see how it actually turns out.
We originally thought we would walk around the downtown this morning, but due to the weather, we decided to do the laundry instead. After that was done, it was time for lunch. We were looking for a BBQ restaurant but the two in town were closed on Monday so we went to a Mexican restaurant instead. We had a great meal of authentic Mexican food and ate enough to count for dinner tonight.
After lunch we visited the National Museum of the Pacific War. It is actually an extensive complex of several facilities, The Admiral Nimitz Museum, the George H.W. Bush Gallery, The Pacific Combat Zone, The Japanese Garden of Peace, a Memorial Courtyard, and the Plaza of the Presidents. Due to time constraints, we only had time to visit the Bush Gallery.
The Bush Gallery is a series of exhibits tracing the origins of the conflicts in Asia leading to WW II. Each exhibit highlights a particular event or battle in the Pacific culminating in the atomic bombing of Japan and the subsequent surrender. There are narrative displays, artifacts including military equipment, weapons, and uniforms, etc. as well as lots of multimedia videos and narratives. The displays were very well done and match in many ways the displays we have seen at the National WW II Museum in New Orleans.
We discovered Fredricksburg is a major tourist attraction in this part of Texas. The heritage of the early German settlers in the town and surrounding areas has been emphasized with lots of tourist-type shops with a German touch as well as numerous restaurants offering German food and beer. The museum is also a major draw due to the fact that Fredricksburg is the birthplace of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the legendary Admiral of the Pacific Fleet in WW II. The ranch and burial site of Lyndon Johnson is also only 10 miles down the road.
After the museum we stopped at H.E.B, the regional store comparable to a super Walmart or Fred Meyer, for a few groceries.
Tomorrow, we drive to Shevreport, LA, the next stop on our journey east. The forecast is calling for rain enroute, but we'll see how it actually turns out.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2107 - Day 13
We left Alpine about 10:00 am after getting gas for the RV and truck stop mochas for us.
The drive to our destination tonight, Fredricksburg, Texas was a little sporty. We headed north from Alpine to I-10, then east. We had a pretty good cross wind, probably about 20 mph almost all the way on I-10 where we turned NE towards Fredricksburg. It was a "two hands on the wheel" day but we arrived O.K. in Fredricksburg about 4:30 pm.
We will be here two nights. We had dinner at German food restaurant tonight downtown and activities tomorrow TBD.
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 12
Today after breakfast we traveled north about 25 miles to the small town of Fort Davis, TX to visit the Fort Davis National Historic Site.
Fort Davis is one of the best remaining examples of a frontier military post that was established during the western expansion and the corresponding Indian Wars during the latter part of the 19th Century.
The fort was originally established in 1854 and was a key post in the defense system of West Texas. Troops stationed at the post protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches, and travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road. During the Civil War the post was abandoned by the Union troops in 1861, was briefly occupied by Confederate troops and again occupied by the U.S. Army in 1862. By 1880, the fort had become a major installation with over 100 structures and quarters for 400 troops, including the 10th U.S. Calvary Regiment, the all-black (with white officers) "Buffalo Soldiers". After 1880 most of the Indian War activity in the area had subsided and garrison life at the fort became mostly routine. And, in 1891 after Wounded Knee, the Indian Wars were essentially over and the fort was decommissioned.
After the fort was shut down, it fell into the same disrepair that befell most other abandoned frontier posts. Some upkeep was attempted, but many of the original structures disappeared. A dedicated restoration effort was eventually mounted years later by the State of Texas, Lyndon Johnson and other supporters and the fort was eventually designated as a National Historic Site in 1963. Since then, a major restoration effort was undertaken and today many of the original structures have been saved and others restored and furnished as they would have looked during its operation. The foundations and partial structures of other original buildings have also been preserved and identified.
The National Park service has done an excellent job in restoring and maintaining the site. There is an excellent museum displaying the post's history and artifacts from the time are on display. Many of the buildings are furnished and open to the public. Fort Davis is off of the highway but well worth the visit.
The fort was originally established in 1854 and was a key post in the defense system of West Texas. Troops stationed at the post protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches, and travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road. During the Civil War the post was abandoned by the Union troops in 1861, was briefly occupied by Confederate troops and again occupied by the U.S. Army in 1862. By 1880, the fort had become a major installation with over 100 structures and quarters for 400 troops, including the 10th U.S. Calvary Regiment, the all-black (with white officers) "Buffalo Soldiers". After 1880 most of the Indian War activity in the area had subsided and garrison life at the fort became mostly routine. And, in 1891 after Wounded Knee, the Indian Wars were essentially over and the fort was decommissioned.
After the fort was shut down, it fell into the same disrepair that befell most other abandoned frontier posts. Some upkeep was attempted, but many of the original structures disappeared. A dedicated restoration effort was eventually mounted years later by the State of Texas, Lyndon Johnson and other supporters and the fort was eventually designated as a National Historic Site in 1963. Since then, a major restoration effort was undertaken and today many of the original structures have been saved and others restored and furnished as they would have looked during its operation. The foundations and partial structures of other original buildings have also been preserved and identified.
The National Park service has done an excellent job in restoring and maintaining the site. There is an excellent museum displaying the post's history and artifacts from the time are on display. Many of the buildings are furnished and open to the public. Fort Davis is off of the highway but well worth the visit.
Our next stop was the McDonald Observatory, 17 miles north of Fort Davis.
After a great cafe lunch, we picked up our reservation tags for the three tours we signed up for.
McDonald Observatory, a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of the world's leading centers for astronomical research, teaching, and public education and outreach. Observatory facilities are located atop Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, which offer some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States. Mount Locke at 6800 ft. elevation is also the highest mountain in the Davis Mountains.
The observatory was established in 1939 as a joint venture between the University of Texas and the University of Chicago and has continued to expand since then. It now has over 12 permanent telescopes on the site including two very large telescopes, one of which is the first spectrum array telescope which has become the model for most new and larger telescopes.
McDonald Observatory, a research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of the world's leading centers for astronomical research, teaching, and public education and outreach. Observatory facilities are located atop Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, which offer some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States. Mount Locke at 6800 ft. elevation is also the highest mountain in the Davis Mountains.
The observatory was established in 1939 as a joint venture between the University of Texas and the University of Chicago and has continued to expand since then. It now has over 12 permanent telescopes on the site including two very large telescopes, one of which is the first spectrum array telescope which has become the model for most new and larger telescopes.
The observatory also has an extensive public outreach program which was a condition of the original benefactor, Texas banker William Johnson McDonald. He left the bulk of his fortune to The University of Texas at Austin “for the purpose of aiding in erecting and equipping an Astronomical Observatory to be kept and used in connection with and as part of the University for the study and promotion of the study of Astronomical Science.
Our first tour was a solar viewing and a tour of the facility including a visit to two of the large telescopes. The tour started in the auditorium with a video of the history and current activities of the observatory. We next had an excellent briefing about the sun, its composition and the various activities associated with it. The highlight of the presentation were real time images of the sun viewed through various filters (actually a 8 minute delay due to image transmission time over the 93 million mile distance). The images were directly from a telescope and were displayed on a large screen.
The next telescope we visited was The Hobby-Eberly Telescope.With its 10-meter mirror, the HET is one of the world's largest optical telescopes. Completed in 1997, the telescope has recently undergone a complete upgrade. The HET is optimized for spectroscopy, the decoding of light from stars and galaxies to study their properties. This makes it ideal for searching for planets around other stars, as well as probing distant galaxies, exploding stars, black holes, and more. Soon, the telescope will begin a major study of dark energy, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX).
The HET is a joint project of The University of Texas at Austin, The Pennsylvania State University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. During our vist we were surprised to see a picture of the inventors of the telescope technology, Hobby-Eberly, both from Penn State, posing next to the famous Penn State Nittany Lion Statue, a location where we also have posed for pictures.
The event after the tour was a Twilight Program. This one was a multimedia presentation and demonstrations about the moon. We learned just about everything we ever wanted to know about the moon in the excellent one hour presentation.
After viewing a few celestial bodies our fun meter maxed out after a very long day and we headed back to the RV Park arriving after 10:00 pm.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 11
After our overnight stop in Las Cruces, NM, we got on the road east to Alpine, Texas about 9:00 am.
Alpine is in the Texas Big Bend country south of I-10 on US Highway 90. We came this way last year, passing through Alpine to our overnight stop in Marathon, Texas about 25 miles east of Alpine. At the time, we noted that just north of Alpine is Fort Davis a Civil War/Indian War fort that has been restored as a National Historic Monument. Also nearby there is the McDonald Observatory, a world class observatory. So, this year we decided to visit both attractions.
We lost another hour en route and are now in the Central Time Zone. We arrived at our RV park in Alpine, The Lost Alaskan RV Park (a strange name and we are unsure of the reason why) about 3:00 pm local.
After hooking up and resting a little, the plan is to go out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant recommended by the park staff. There are three Mexican restaurants in the same block so there is obviously a market here for Mexican food.
Alpine is actually a fairly large town in this part of Texas. It is also the home to Sul Ross State University and is the gateway to the Davis Mountains north of here and Big Bend National Park to the south.
The plan for tomorrow is to tour Ft. Davis, about 25 miles north of here in the morning and visit McDonald Observatory in the afternoon for a tour, a twilight program and a star observation tour in the evening.
We will be here two nights then will leave for Fredericksburg, Texas on Sunday on our way east.
Alpine is in the Texas Big Bend country south of I-10 on US Highway 90. We came this way last year, passing through Alpine to our overnight stop in Marathon, Texas about 25 miles east of Alpine. At the time, we noted that just north of Alpine is Fort Davis a Civil War/Indian War fort that has been restored as a National Historic Monument. Also nearby there is the McDonald Observatory, a world class observatory. So, this year we decided to visit both attractions.
We lost another hour en route and are now in the Central Time Zone. We arrived at our RV park in Alpine, The Lost Alaskan RV Park (a strange name and we are unsure of the reason why) about 3:00 pm local.
After hooking up and resting a little, the plan is to go out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant recommended by the park staff. There are three Mexican restaurants in the same block so there is obviously a market here for Mexican food.
Alpine is actually a fairly large town in this part of Texas. It is also the home to Sul Ross State University and is the gateway to the Davis Mountains north of here and Big Bend National Park to the south.
The plan for tomorrow is to tour Ft. Davis, about 25 miles north of here in the morning and visit McDonald Observatory in the afternoon for a tour, a twilight program and a star observation tour in the evening.
We will be here two nights then will leave for Fredericksburg, Texas on Sunday on our way east.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 10
It was a long travel day today - a little over 400 miles from Phoenix, AZ to Las Cruces, NM, just west of El Paso. The weather was good however, sunny and no wind, and there wasn't much traffic, relatively speaking, on I-10.
We stopped for lunch at a rest stop on I-10 in the Texas Mountains, the site of the Apache Chief Cochise's last stronghold.
We arrived at the Hacienda RV Resort in Las Cruces about 5:30 pm. We have stayed here several times before but this trip is just an "overnighter" so we didn't even bother to unhook our truck. We had dinner in the RV and plan to get an early start tomorrow to our next stop, Alpine, TX.
We stopped for lunch at a rest stop on I-10 in the Texas Mountains, the site of the Apache Chief Cochise's last stronghold.
We arrived at the Hacienda RV Resort in Las Cruces about 5:30 pm. We have stayed here several times before but this trip is just an "overnighter" so we didn't even bother to unhook our truck. We had dinner in the RV and plan to get an early start tomorrow to our next stop, Alpine, TX.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 9
Today was another slow-paced day. After sleeping in we did the laundry this morning, had lunch in the RV, rested, then met Sylvia and Rich Aunger for dinner at a great Mexican restaurant nearby. After dinner we came back to the RV.
We almost feel guilty just taking it easy for a couple of days as we always seem to be doing/seeing something on our stopover days. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our two days "off".
It is a fairly long drive to Las Cruces, NM (just west of El Paso) tomorrow but it s all freeway (I-10) and the weather looks good.
We almost feel guilty just taking it easy for a couple of days as we always seem to be doing/seeing something on our stopover days. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our two days "off".
It is a fairly long drive to Las Cruces, NM (just west of El Paso) tomorrow but it s all freeway (I-10) and the weather looks good.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 8
We got up this morning and decided we really didn't want to do any sightseeing today and to just relax around the RV resort instead.
We did make a short trip to the local Walmart just down the road to pick up a few things. As it was also lunch time, we looked around the shopping complex and picked a place called Nick's Diner II. As it turned out it was a good choice. The restaurant is a great Greek restaurant/east coast diner sort of place. We had excellent Gyro sandwiches, very well done in the Greek style.
The rest of the day was primarily spent sitting outside in the sunshine reading and occasionally dozing off a little. We had dinner in the RV and are planning to retire early. It feels good to be on vacation and not have to do things if you don't feel like doing them.
Tomorrow looks like another relatively easy day. Judy will be doing laundry in the morning (I will help if requested) then we will be meeting our friends Rich and Sylvia Aunger for dinner tomorrow evening at a nearby restaurant.
We did make a short trip to the local Walmart just down the road to pick up a few things. As it was also lunch time, we looked around the shopping complex and picked a place called Nick's Diner II. As it turned out it was a good choice. The restaurant is a great Greek restaurant/east coast diner sort of place. We had excellent Gyro sandwiches, very well done in the Greek style.
The rest of the day was primarily spent sitting outside in the sunshine reading and occasionally dozing off a little. We had dinner in the RV and are planning to retire early. It feels good to be on vacation and not have to do things if you don't feel like doing them.
Tomorrow looks like another relatively easy day. Judy will be doing laundry in the morning (I will help if requested) then we will be meeting our friends Rich and Sylvia Aunger for dinner tomorrow evening at a nearby restaurant.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Florida Spring Training 2017 - Day 7
It was an easy drive today from Palm Desert to Phoenix. The road was dry, no wind and very little traffic on I-10E.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and arrived in the Phoenix area about 3:30 pm local, losing an hour entering the Mountain Time Zone. We are staying at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort in the Phoenix suburb, El Mirage, in the NW part of town. We have stayed here several times before. It is a very nice destination resort for snow birds with a mix of RV spots, semi-permanent park model modular homes and most recently, permanent houses that are part of the resort. There is also an 18 hole golf course at the resort which is a major attraction for golf-playing snowbirds. The resort additionally has a major pickel ball complex that is apparently a venue for regional pickle ball tournaments (A snowbird thing).
After getting set-up and relaxing a little, we had dinner at the golf course restaurant and returned to the RV.
The plan tomorrow is to visit one of our favorite places here, the Desert Botanical Gardens. If time permits, we may also explore other things. We will be here three nights and are planning to meet friends, Rich and Sylvia Aunger for dinner on Wednesday.
We got on the road about 9:30 am and arrived in the Phoenix area about 3:30 pm local, losing an hour entering the Mountain Time Zone. We are staying at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort in the Phoenix suburb, El Mirage, in the NW part of town. We have stayed here several times before. It is a very nice destination resort for snow birds with a mix of RV spots, semi-permanent park model modular homes and most recently, permanent houses that are part of the resort. There is also an 18 hole golf course at the resort which is a major attraction for golf-playing snowbirds. The resort additionally has a major pickel ball complex that is apparently a venue for regional pickle ball tournaments (A snowbird thing).
After getting set-up and relaxing a little, we had dinner at the golf course restaurant and returned to the RV.
The plan tomorrow is to visit one of our favorite places here, the Desert Botanical Gardens. If time permits, we may also explore other things. We will be here three nights and are planning to meet friends, Rich and Sylvia Aunger for dinner on Wednesday.
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