Our trip west would not have been complete without a stop in Roswell. We camped at the Trailer Village RV Park on the edge of town. The International UFO Museum & Research Center endeavors to be the leading information source in history, science, and research about UFO events worldwide. There is a large display of information and visual formats related to the 1947 Roswell Incident and other unexplained phenomena related to UFO research . The truth is out there in the desert! The best part of the trip was the awesome t-shirt Mike got in the museum gift shop; picture an alien with rainbow dreadlocks (he couldn't resist).... read more

It had been 19 years since we last visited awe-inspiring Palo Duro Canyon. Lois drove the RV down the often steep switchback road to the Juniper Campground, about 6 miles into the park. The first day we hiked the Riverside and Cliffside Juniper trails, which included a side trek to a large crevice up a boulder-strewn path. The next day we made the rigorous 6-mile hike up to the Lighthouse rock formation. The last 30 or so yards was very steep with a sheer drop-off on the last turn. Mike was encouraged to crawl across this section by a fellow hiker from Columbia, South America. Definitely out of Mike's comfort zone! The following day we went into Amarillo for a workout at Planet Fitness, lunch at the Big Texan steakhouse, and a short drive on Rt. ... read more

Another day, another state, Oklahoma, just east of Oklahoma City. The Wes Watkins Reservoir had concrete picnic tables and an unusual 23mph speed limit. It is a first come, first serve (no reservations) campground, but we had no trouble securing a site. The nearby city of Shawnee offered a Planet Fitness for a workout and a carwash for Mazie, our Jeep.... read more

Our next campsite, Tom Sawyer RV Park, was located on the west side of the mighty Mississippi River. Memphis got its name because the Egyptian city was also located on a mighty river, the Nile. The first thing we did was visit the Pyramid, which houses Bass Pro Shops. There is a stream inside with fish, a hotel, and up near the top of the pyramid is a restaurant and an outdoor viewing platform. Next was a visit to the famous Beale Street. While colorful, it is a bit rundown. A haven for lovers of nightlife, especially blues fans. We drove by Graceland and St. Jude's Hospital, two national landmarks in the city. Day two we enjoyed a workout at Planet Fitness, then eating lunch at Central BBQ near Beale Street, and drove past the Lorraine ... read more

Right before we drove through Atlanta, our tow bar malfunctioned. We disconnected and drove separately to Lakeside Landing RV Park & Marina. On an excursion to Birmingham, we visited Vulcan Park and learned about Birmingham's historic role in U.S. steelmaking. We climbed a 124-foot pedestal to walk around the viewing platform of the 56-foot-tall Vulcan, the largest cast iron statue in the world. A visit to a Buc-ee's truck stop on our way back to camp could not be avoided. We devoured delicious, but overpriced brisket and BBQ turkey sandwiches. The next day we visited Sloss Furnace National Historic Landmark, a pig iron-producing blast furnace operating from 1882-1971. We completed our tour of Birmingham with a stop at the 16th Street Baptist Church, site of racist violence, and the Kely Ingram Park, where civil rights demonstrators ... read more