On June 22, two in our group set out ahead of the rest for Muncho Lake. Along the way we spotted black bear, moose, deer, and stone sheep. We drove right through the Rockies again, with lots of steep grades up and down the passes. The Alaska Highway so far has been a pretty good road, two lanes with little traffic. Sometimes there are wide shoulders, but sometimes there are none. Even so, it has been a spectacular drive that the bus has been able to handle quite well. Muncho Lake is literally in the middle of nowhere! Seven miles long [View Full Entry]

---

---

All six coaches gathered in Cochrane, Alberta, just west of Calgary. On June 18 we headed to Banff National Park. We spent two nights in the park campground, had a couple of happy hours and a pot luck dinner together; and everyone got to know each other a little better. The Banff area is just gorgeous with huge mountains, glacial lakes and lots of evergreen forests. We saw elk and a black bear. On June 20, we headed north through Jasper National Park. The drive provided the most spectacular scenery we have ever encountered--the beautiful Canadian Rockies. Huge snow and glacier-cov [View Full Entry]

---

---

We spent time in Buffalo, WY for medical visits, to wash and wax the bus, and to get things ready for our Alaska trip. A great local find was the Winchester Steak House where Diane ordered prime rib. It was so big and so good that we shared leftovers for dinner the next evening. One day, another Prevost bus rolled into the campground. We didn’t pay much attention until the next day, when Diane realized she recognized the distinctive paint job. Alan remarked that he too had seen the coach before. Lo and behold, we realized it was Les and Pat [View Full Entry]

---

---

In late March, we visited the Magic Kingdom with Mark, Heidi and Alex and went to Epcot by ourselves. We got to keep Alex for a few days while mom and dad had another adult getaway. We loved our baby fix, especially when he said “Grandmama,” (OK-- manmama), which made Diane beam. In April, we were back on the road. We stopped at a Casino RV park in Louisiana, or should I say Trailer Trash Central. All the neighbors were boiling crawfish, and their kids were running around half-nekkid. (The crawfish did smell great, however.) We scooted out of there and [View Full Entry]

---

---

What can I say about Riverbend Motorcoach Resort? In a beautifully landscaped setting along the Caloosahatchee River, there are three clubhouses, pool, hot tubs, tennis courts, and a whole host of activities to keep you as busy as you’d like. We rode our bikes almost every day, and Diane joined the ladies exercise group. This season marked the beginning of the Riverbend and SW Florida Railroad and Village, which was created by several talented lot owners. We can’t believe how time has flown by. Diane’s sister Donna flew down in January and we all drove up to Leesburg [View Full Entry]

---

---

Staying at the Marathon service center near Tampa put a dent in our wallet. The hookups were free, but maintenance and service costs……ouch! Oh well, it is important to keep the bus in tip-top shape. Located 45 minutes from Diane’s parents in Leesburg and 45 minutes from Alan’s son, daughter-in-law and grandson in Tampa, the service center was well situated for our needs. We were glad we could spend time in Leesburg when Diane’ stepdad was in the hospital. And when he passed away just one month shy of his 87th birthday, we were also glad to be nearby so w [View Full Entry]

---

---

Leaving Traverse City, we drove through Ontario and headed east to Lake George in the Adirondacks, where Ken and Ellie re-joined us for a few days. They graciously returned 9 bottles of wine that we didn't want to carry across Ontario due to Canada's alcohol tax. Of course, we thanked them by sharing a bottle or two or three. We then headed south to spend time with Andy and Kay (who joined us in Yellowstone a few months ago) and who have a lovely country home and 50 acres outside Troy, NY. Diane backed the bus all the way up their [View Full Entry]

---

---

After 6 months and over 3,000 miles, we thought we’d finally update you on our travels. Even though the date above is September, we're writing this in March--shame on us. Leaving South Dakota in late August, we headed for Minneapolis/St. Paul. A casino RV park was home for a week, and we were pleasantly surprised to find an enclosed RV wash bay at our disposal. It’s extremely rare, actually. We enjoyed the Minnesota State Fair, sampled a few restaurants and farmers markets, visited the Mall of America (not as big as I thought), and left town right before the Repub [View Full Entry]

---

---

We were pleasantly surprised at the beauty of the Black Hills. National forests, granite mountains, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the stunningly beautiful Custer State Park are found along with the usual tacky tourist attractions, motels, campgrounds, and gift shops. Everyone’s seen photos of Mt. Rushmore, but it’s quite a treat to visit in person and learn the story of how this national memorial came to be. The Crazy Horse monument was slightly more interesting, in our opinion. The project was begun in 1948 after Chief Standing Bear wrote to sculptor Korczak [View Full Entry]

---

---

We spent a great week in a Breckenridge condo with Mark, Heidi and first grandson Alex from Florida. All had a good time, especially Alex who exhibited what we called the Breckenridge face—he would scrunch up his little face, raise his hands and give everyone a big toothy smile—apparently he hasn’t done the same thing since leaving Colorado. We then headed for Denver to hook up with friends Jim and Chris before caravanning together to West Yellowstone, Montana. We were joined by non-RV friends Andy and Kay who had never been to Montana or Wyoming. All had a gre [View Full Entry]

---

---