Spring Trraining 2023 - Day 16

 An easy, fairly short drive today from Tallahassee to Crystal River.  It is only 70 miles North of Oldsmar and our RV Park for March, but we decided to stop short for the night and have a short drive tomorrow for our check-in at noon.

My sister Eileen used to live here and we know the area fairly well.  We ate out at Charlies Sea Food Cafe for our first taste of Florida seafood this trip.  It was good.

The park where we are staying tonight is a snowbird park. It is an older Thousand Trails park. The sites are very close together, narrow roads, and a lot of more-or-less permanent rigs in a variety of condition and full time amenities (e.g. attached patios, covered outside areas, and permanent plants and lawn ornaments.  It was an O.K. overnight stop but not somewhere we would ever spend the winter.  A lot of people do though, and the lady at check in told the person in front of me they were all fully booked for next february.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 15

 It was a windy drive to Tallahassee today.  Mostly a quartering tailwind with moderate gusts.  Not really bad but a "two hands on the wheel day". 

It is a nice RV park where we are staying tonight. We stayed here several years ago.  I didn't remember that we did when I made the reservation, but it was familiar when we arrived.

We also entered the Eastern Time Zone and are now 3 hours ahead of PST.

South tomorrow to Crystal River then a short drive to our RV park destination in Oldsmar on Wednesday.

I had some time today after we arrived to go back through the blog and add a few pictures and links here-and-there.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 14

 An easy drive today, 260 miles from our RV park in Breaux Bridge to Robertsdale, AL, about 30 miles East of Mobile, AL.  No wind, clear skies, dry roads and moderate traffic.

Our RV Park tonight is a mom-and pop park off the highway in the woods.  Looks like a lot of extended stay RVs/Tailers.  Again, not a low-end RV park, but fairly nice riggs throughout.  The park is close to a lot of recreation opportunities and not a bad place to set-up camp to do that.

On to Tallahassee, FL tomorrow.  We are getting close.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 13

 We decided to do stuff today instead of laundry. 

Our first stop was at the local Cajun market near the RV park where we are staying.  Ww bought a few things we didn't know we needed then to Camping World just down the road for a few things we did need.

As the day was still early, we decided to travel down to New Iberia and Avery Island, about 30 miles South of Lafayette.  We have been there before years ago and wanted to go back for another look.

Our first stop in New Iberia was the Koneko Rice Milling Factory.    Why a rice milling factory? It is the oldest operational rice factory in the country (1912).  It is on the National Historic Register, has great rice (brown pecan) and a super gift shop.  We had a personal tour of the mill again and bought some rice and a special "secret sauce" they make that is very good.

We then went down to Avery Island about 10 miles South of New Iberia.  The island sits on several salt domes used for storage of oil and is the home of Tabasco.     All Tabasco is made here. It is also a major tourist attraction with plant tours and a large gift shop with tasting opportunities of everything Tabasco.  We had previously done the tour and just visited the gift shop for a few Tabasco things.

Co-located at the Tabasco complex is a scenic "jungle tour" around a bayou. pin oak trees, Azaleas, and a bird sanctuary for egrets. It is a nice drive-through tour and we decided to do it again.

Avery Island

It was then back to Lafayette for dinner at Prejean's, our favorite Cajun restaurant in Lafayette.  Another great meal then back to the RV park after a long day.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 12

 We got on the road from the RV park around 9:30 am and headed East on I-10 through Houston.  As usual, regardless of the time of day, traffic was heavy and extensive.  It doesn't help that Houston essentially starts about 30 miles West of city center and another 20 miles further East.  It went O.K. for us, just trying to stay out of the way of the trucks and fast movers.

We also transited two other fairly large cities enroute, Beaumont, TX and Lake Charles, LA.  Lots of road construction everywhere with narrow lanes with no shoulder in many spots.  Weather was cloudy almost all the way to our destination RV near Breaux Bridge, LA, the Cajun Palms RV Park.

The park is very large and is a regional destination park for families and large groups.  There are lots of things to do for everyone, and offer a variety of RV sites, cabins and tent sites.  There is also a Boudin and Cracklin  cook  off event here this weekend.  Boudin is a Cajun/French type of sausage with other ingredients and Cracklins are deep fried pig fat.  We passed on attending.

We will be relaxing here tomorrow, doing a few errands and eating out at a favorite Cajun restaurant in Lafayette.  Temperature is in the 80s, partly cloudy and a little humid. Temperatures are above averages for the area.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 11

 It was a relatively short trip today (225 miles) from Kerrville, TX to Brookshire, TX (about 30 miles West of Houston).

It was a fairly easy trip without any appreciable wind.  The hard part was getting through San Antonio.  Lots of traffic and road construction made for a hectic transit and being able to identify and get into the right lane through the various and numerous lane changes through town on I-10.  Lunch at a one of the excellent Texas rest areas than onward.

The park where we are staying tonight is fine.  It is just off of I-10.  It seems to have a lot of "extended stay" residents.  Not a marginal set of residents with the blue tarps, barking dogs, low end RVs, and old pick-up trucks like we have seen elsewhere.  Long term residency (not snowbirds) is a definite trend across the country we have experienced.  More and more people are seeking affordable housing in RV parks.  Compared to other housing options, RV park living can be affordable for many depending on location and park accommodations.

The Houston Transit tomorrow.  Always a challenge and not a lot of bypass options.  The city has like 6 rings around the city.  It is hard to say where the city starts and ends but it is always busy.  

Louisiana tomorrow - Cajun Palms RV Resort, just beyond Lafayette.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 10

 As forecast, it was windy this morning, again mostly a quartering tail wind abut 20 mph with gusts.   Same direction WSW.

Nevertheless, after gas and a truck stop mocha, we got on the road about 9:30 am. It was a relatively short trip today to Kerrville, TX, just west of San Antonio, about 240 miles.  Not that far, but it was a challenge again with the wind.

We are staying at a small KOA campground in Kerrville.  Nothing fancy, but just fine for an overnight.  Another short drive tomorrow to a campground just West of Houston - not a city to transit at the end of the day.  It is the posture child for urban sprawl.  Something like 6 traffic rings around the city and it all seems to go on forever.  Also, on the Southern route East, it is hard to avoid.

I have a few pictures and will backfill the blog as I can.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 9

 We left Las Cruces, NM around 9:00 am.  It was overcast with light rain for about the first 100 miles.  By the time we got to Van Horn, TX, about the halfway point to our destination for today, FT. Stockon, TX, the skies mostly cleared, and the wind significantly increased. to over 20 mph with occasional higher gusts.  the direction was quartering tailwind that required two hands on the wheel and reaction to lateral movements. We are fairly light, and the wind has more of an effect on us rather than the semi-trucks and the 5th wheel trailers.

Anyway, we safely arrived at the Ft. Stockton RV Park around 3:30 pm.  We have stayed here many times and is a great place for an overnight stop.  They have a cafe that is handy for breakfast and dinner as a travel option if desired. 

FT Stockton is noted for its metal cutouts of the U.S . calvary and Comanche Indians, each on one side of town or the other.

Lots of history here.  A traditional water stop for both Indians, the Army, and pioneer settlers.  You know how that worked out.

Ft. Stockton

We were just happy to get here this time.  It was dinner in the RV and early to bed.  More high winds forecast for tomorrow for our trip East to Kerrville, TX (I-10 in Texas is 850 miles from El Paso to Beaumont.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 8

I was able to get the new tires on the truck this morning at Sam's Club.  One less thing to worry about going forward.  I got in early and out in an hour.  Goodyear tires at a great price, quick service, and on-going warranty protection going forward.

We also did a little shopping at Walmart this afternoon to refurbish the RV supplies.  The Donner Party would be impressed.  We are well stocked, and self-contained.

An early dinner at La Posta de Mesila and early to bed.  Texas tomorrow, another familiar RV park in Fort Stockton.

Not much else to report today, mostly R&R about halfway to Florida.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 7

 It was a fairly short drive today to Las Cruces, NM.

It was cloudy when we got on the road about 9:30 am after gas, truck stop mochas, and confirming with the truck stop tire guys that our spare tire, now on the truck would make it to Las Cruces.

It started to rain as we moved East.  Not hard or stormy, just a light to moderate rain with little to no wind.

We arrived in Las Cruces around 1:30 pm, had a light lunch then coordinated replacement of the truck tires for tomorrow morning at the local Sam's Club.  We could probably just replace the damaged tire and spare but decided to replace them all.  There is still good tread on the tires, but I noticed the beginning of some sidewall cracks on them.  Not worth taking a chance on a blowout while towing.

We also decided to do laundry since we got here early today. Dinner tonight in the RV and early to bed.  We will be here tomorrow and plan to do get the tires done, refurbish a few supplies and dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant in town, La Posta de Mesilla.

Back on the road Tuesday to Ft. Stockton, TX

Spring Training 2023 - Day 6

 An interesting day today. It was our second day in Wilcox, AZ in SE Arizona, not too far away from the New Mexico border. Before we left home, for several reasons, we decided to not do a lot of sightseeing along the way and take our time getting to the East coast with shorter daily travel trips.

Today was one of those days we decided to do some sightseeing.  The destination was the Chiricahua National Monument about 35 miles south of Wilcox.  It is an impressive area of rock formations and the home of a lot of history.  The area was a major site of many battles in the Indian wars of the 1800s.  This is Apache country and perhaps their greatest leader Cochise, made his last stand nearby, marking the end of the their fight to protect their ancient ancestral lands.

After a late breakfast at the KOA café (it was very good), we headed South in the truck through open country to the national monument visitor center in the mountains at 5200 ft elevation.  After a short tour of the exhibits and gift shop, we started the scenic tour drive up to the highest point on the drive, Massai Point (6870 ft). The road is paved although narrow and winding.  There was also snow on the side of the road and slush/ice on parts of the road in the shade.  It is a 6-mile drive from the visitors center to the top.

About 2 miles from the top, things really got interesting.  We got a flat tire on the truck.  We apparently hit a rock in the roadway and it slashed a cut in the sidewall of the right rear tire.  Fortunately, there was a pull out about 200 yards ahead and we were able to get off the road.   So, there we were on an uphill incline on a narrow road with a flat tire.  We did have a spare tire and jack but were ill-equipped to change the tire without assistance, especially on a unlevel surface.

As we attempted to call for assistance, there was no cellphone service.  We attempted to call 911 and after several tries had a short connection and were able to generally tell them where we were before getting disconnected.  Call back attempts did not work.  We also stopped cars going up and down the road to pass along our need for assistance to staff at the visitors center or at the top if anyone was there.

About a hour later a park vehicle arrived. The park staff member was looking for us.  They had received the referral from the 911 operator (who was in New Mexico) without a good location.   With her assistance and two other park staff members who arrived, we were able to change the tire , chocking the wheels to prevent rolling. Since we were almost there we continued on to the top for spectacular views of the surrounding area.  The trip back to the RV park in Wilcox was uneventful, but we now need to deal with a tire replacement issue. The adventure continues.

Day 6 – Chiricahua National Monument

Here a link to more information about Cochise and the Apache Wars in the 1880's in this area. Very interesting history and reflective of the times regarding our relations and attitude towards Native Americans as we moved West and settled on their ancestral lands.  

The Apache Wars

Spring Training 2023 - Day 5

 Tough ride today.  Lots of wind along I-10 through Phoenix and Tucson.  Two hands on the wheel and staying out of the way of the trucks.  The good news is it was only a 220-mile drive and we arrived at our next stop Wilcox, AZ. about 3:30 pm.  Still windy when we arrived, a nice KOA RV Park however, with lots of amenities.

We will be here for two nights.  Maybe some sightseeing tomorrow, depending how we feel.  Goal 1 - sleep in.  Maybe breakfast at the park cafe, then about a 30-minute drive to the Chiricahua National Monument, The last stronghold of Cochise and the Apache Nation.  

Chiricahua National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Things going well so far.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 4

 A fairly easy drive today from Palm Desert to Goodyear, AZ (Just West of Phoenix).  Not a lot of wind and I-10 was busy but moving, except for a 15 minute slow down for road construction along the way.

We are staying at a senior retirement/snowbird community for the night.  It is a 55 year or older retirement community with lots of "permanent" small modular homes  (park model RVs), spaces for RVs and trailers and a section for short term RV spots, like the one we are in for the night.

This concept is very popular here as well as throughout the southwest, south, and southeast.  It is a lifestyle choice for a lot of seniors, fairly inexpensive, mild winter weather, lots of activities in conjunctions with like-minded seniors. and a secure environment with lots of services. Not everyone's lifestyle choice in retirement but it works well for a lot of people.

A relatively short drive to Wilcox, AZ tomorrow although some wind along the way is forecast. We haven't done any sightseeing so far this trip, but our stay in Wilcox is for two nights and we may do some there. Maybe even some pictures.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 3

It was a good decision to spend another night at the RV Park in Bakersfield.  The forecast winds heading East were as predicted and maybe even a little higher in some areas.

Today was also as forecast. It was cool and sunny this morning and the mountain passes were all open without any travel challenges.  We decided to take the Tehachapi route, East on US 58, South on US 395 to I-15/I-215, East at I-10 at San Bernadino.  It worked well.  No wind to speak of and other than the usual area traffic and congestion, we arrived in Palm Desert, CA around 3:30 pm.  We are staying at the Emerald Deset RV Park.  We have stayed here many times.  It is a high-end gated RV park and is close to a lot of things to do in the area. It was originally going to be a two-night stay but due to the extra night in Bakersfield it is only an overnight this trip.

On the road again tomorrow to Goodyear, AZ (just West of Phoenix) for another overnight stop.  Weather looks good.

I will post pictures soon.  Still fighting a sinus/head cold but getting better.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 2

 We'll, checking the weather this morning there were high wind advisories all along our two optional routes to Palm Desert as well as potential 85 mph gusts and blowing sand in the Coachella Valley to Palm Desert.  We then decided to stay here another day as the forecasts for tomorrow are much better.  

No plans for today other than to relax in the RV.  Maybe a DVD movie this evening. Life in the slow lane.

Spring Training 2023 - Day 1

 After a busy time getting ready, we got on the road about 11:30 am for the first leg of our trip. Our destination for today was River Run RV Park in Bakersfield, CA   We normally stay here every trip.  It is convenient in that we can make a decision whether to continue on US 99/I-5 over the Grapevine into the LA Basin and East on I-10 through San Bernadino or head East on US 58 through Tehachapi and the high desert then South on US 395 to I-15/I-215, joining I-10 at San Bernadino.  We prefer the US 58 route depending on weather.  It is a little longer, but avoiding the LA congestion is worth it.

The trip South on US 99 took a little longer than usual. One of the safety cables connecting the RV to the truck we tow somehow came unhitched.  A CHP who passed us told over his speaker that we were dragging a cable.  We were just South of Auburn on I-80 and got off at the next exit (Newcastle) and reconnected the safety cable.  There wasn't an easy way for us to get back on I-80 so we wandered through the countryside for a while before getting back on I-80 at Sierra College Blvd.

The rest of the trip South was pretty much uneventful, trying to stay out of the way of the trucks and weaving speeders. Things always take longer than you think they will and after an extended lunch stop at the rest stop in Turlock, we arrived at the RV Park about 6:15 pm - in the dark.  It is never fun to hook up in the dark but until daylight saving time returns, it can be a challenge when you arrive later in the day.

The weather for tomorrow is problematic. No precipitation but high winds are predicted for the mountain passes and the desert through the Coachella Valley to Palm Desert, out next stop.  As we get older and have flexibility in our schedule, we are more risk adverse - shorter daily drives and more conservative about taking on marginal weather/travel conditions. We'll see how things are in the morning.