Thanks for sharing! I always read all of your blog and enjoy it fully. You are such a good writer (of course!!) and we get to take the trip, without any of the downsides. We arrived in Florida last Saturday so are still settling in. We took a longer route via the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway since Dick hadn't gone this route. And then we stopped in Asheville to visit friends who moved from Deer Isle three years ago. They are also at a CCRC though very different from ours. (a single family house, 2 BR 2 Bath, double car garage) Gordon is also a train fanatic and we wish John and he could connect. Gordon had a big train set up in his double car garage in Maine but had to let it all go when they moved. He missed it, so the moved a wall in their 2 car garage (still very big) and he now has multiple tracks and trains in a set up that can be fully shut off from the garage. It's his man cave and both he and Judy are thrilled with it. Big boys with little toys they still love.
Thanks for sharing all you have. Enjoy fall and re entry. Barb and Jim are back from Costa Rica and we plan to get together in a few days.
Carol
enjoying your blog I'm grateful that you allow some of us to vicariously travel along with you by following your blog. I've never been to the Canadian Rockies but have seen stunning photos and heard testimony as to the beauty and grandeur of those grand national parks. I did get out to Glacier in 2011. I participated in a mountain bike trip from Whitefish to Lincoln that roughly followed the Continental Divide along back roads. It was suggested that we bring 'bear spray' in case of encounters with Grizzlies. I decided to take my chances and, besides, the locals joked that grizzlies just regard the spray as 'salsa'. Our trip ended near Lincoln that has the dubious distinction of being the 'home town' of the unibomber, Ted Kaczyski. He lived in a remote cabin in the hills near the town. I gather our mountain bike route had gone close by the site of the cabin but there was nothing left to see. The FBI had been concerned that it could become a sort of shrine for like-minded psychopaths and had it completely removed. Apparently, for a period it was on display at a now closed museum in DC dedicated to news gathering called the Newseum. Although our tour did not include Glacier I had wanted to see it and had made arrangements to go there on my own after the tour. I had made a reservation in East Glacier to spend the night and had planned to ride over the Going to the Sun Road to get there. Incredibly, the road had only opened a few days before I got there on July 17 of that year. It turns out they restrict bicycle on the western half of the road during peak traffic periods, so I put my bike on the front of a bus and rode to the top. Once at the top it was clear from some of the cleared snow that there were places where it still would have been over my head. They don't restrict bikes on the eastern end of the road so I was able to coast down to East Glacier and spend the night. I did ride to the top the next morning but once again took a bus down the western half. There was enough road work taking place on the western half that year that I was glad I was not trying to negotiate through those obstacles with vehicles like your motor home bearing down on me. I was interested to read a couple of entries ago that you visited a Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It wouldn't have been noteworthy to me except for something I learned a couple of weeks ago when Estelle and I were visiting Ottawa and we went to the Canadian Museum of History. Not surprisingly, there had been a significant amount of mixed marriage largely between European trappers/hunters and Native American women with the resulting mixed ethnic population labeled the Metis. During the 19th century there were land rights conflicts between the Metis as well as Native Americans and the westward moving European settlers in what would become Manitoba. Some of this led to armed confrontations and latter cultural subjugation as well as reluctance to join in the confederation that eventually became the united provinces of Canada. I was curious if that had something to do with the establishment of a museum dedicated to human rights in a place like Winnipeg. I depart for my own travels next week on 9/11 to spend three weeks in the Southwest. Happy Trails - Dennis
wish I were there I think the short corn is maize. You can research it and let me know the details! Sounds like a relaxing vacation. You both deserve it. Safe travels. Take care. Love,Thora
In the old days... Hi Linda and John: I love reading the blog post, as always. This one reminds me of the trip my mother and her family took from Louisiana all the way to Lake Athabasca in about 1924. They headed for Winnepeg where there were relatives. There were no road maps at all so you'd get to one town and then ask directions to the next!
xoxoxo
In the old days... Hi Linda and John: I love reading the blog post, as always. This one reminds me of the trip my mother and her family took from Louisiana all the way to Lake Athabasca in about 1924. They headed for Winnepeg where there were relatives. There were no road maps at all so you'd get to one town and then ask directions to the next!
xoxoxo
Greetings It was very interesting to read your latest episode. But we were disappointed to know that you were so close to our home. If you travel through the area (eastern Canada) again, i hope you will. be able to stop in for a visit. We are often in Ottawa, so a rendez-vous there is also possible. I hope we will see you in Florida this winter. We will be there from 5 November to 1 April except for Christmas.
Greetings from Nominingue It was very interesting to read your latest episode. But we were disappointed to know that you were so close to our home. If you travel through the area (eastern Canada) again, i hope you will. be able to stop in for a visit. We are often in Ottawa, so a rendez-vous there is also possible. I hope we will see you in Florida this winter. We will be there from 5 November to 1 April except for Christmas.
Happy Trails Hello Linda and John: Glad to hear that you have recovered and are back on the road! My wife and I will be making a trip to Ottawa in 10 days. I've been there a couple of times in the winter for cross country ski events on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River in Gatineau. I've been impressed with the city, the museums, restaurants, and many festivals (even in the depth of winter). I've spent some time in the U-P during the 11 years I lived in Madison, WI. Again, those trips were for cross country skiing since, as you noted, they get LOTS of snow starting early and lasting late. I've enjoyed a few pasties on those trips. I've been to Duluth a few times usually as an overnight on the way to exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. If you've been there before you've probably heard of Grandma's Bar in downtown Duluth, which is a popular pizza joint and watering hole. I look forward to reading of your upcoming travels over the next weeks. I will be departing on 9/11 for three weeks of travel in the Southwest. On the itinerary is a hike to and from the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an overnight camp, a week of mountain biking on trails along the North Rim of the canyon, and a couple of weeks of sightseeing by rental car in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Safe travels! Dennis
Thanks for the memories Linda, thanks for all the time you spend documenting your travels. Dick and I have both enjoyed traveling with you. You DO have amazing travels and we might like to do some of them, but for now we will just enjoy your sharing. We are getting settled at Shell Point, going to lots of speakers, programs, activities and are happy to be here. In a month we'll be in Maine where we will experience weather and culture shock! All good. Thanks again, Carol
Taos Looking forward to going to Taos someday so enjoyed that and all your info in case we get back out there. PS Elizabeth here for two days with new fiance. Happy for her.
Sounds like you're still enjoying your trip. It would be fun to get the view from the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I've hiked part way down a few times but never all the way. Antelope Canyon sounds familiar. I've seen plenty of stunning pictures of a slot canyon that goes by the name Antelope Canyon (perhaps the same one but further up where it is dry and narrow). In 2008 I did a week-long bike ride with a group starting in Page and ending in Nogales on the Mexican border. We had a rest day in Flagstaff and I hung out at a brewpub downtown (Beaver St Brewery). I don't remember a view of the trains so it must not be the same as John's favorite. There were plenty of trains to watch as I remember. I believe almost everything shipped to/from southern California goes through there. Temps will stay considerably cooler while you stay up on the Colorado Plateau. Once you descend the Mogollon
Rim it will warm up considerably and you'll start to see Saguaro Cacti. The descent into Oak Creek Canyon is spectacular, but not for the faint of heart and not something I would want to try in a motorhome. If riding in vehicles on steep ups or downs is not your thing you should avoid the Pink Jeep Tours in Sedona. Actually, I assume they must have some less crazy options because my 89-year-old stepmother was going to do one with a group from her retirement community in Green Valley, AZ. If you're looking for things to do before you go you could consider a trip to Wupatki Ntl Mon just north of Flagstaff, which is an interesting example of pueblo culture without too many tourists. One of my favorite areas, but further away, is Canyon de Chelly. The canyon itself is spectacular as a natural feature but the remnants of cliff dwellings make it even more fascinating.
Thanks for sharing Dick and I both enjoy reading about your travels. You inspire us. Some day we might do some of the traveling you are doing. But I think I'm more of a homebody most of the time. We did just get back from a 3-day trip to northern Maine. Neither of us had ever been there and I wanted to know what Aroostook County and the potatoes were all about. We also went to New Brunswick and drove through the longest covered bridge in the world...1282 feet. And we toured the french fry capitol of the world....who knew. It was a fun and different way to celebrate my big (70...how can it be...I'm knocking off 10!) birthday. Travel and friends help ease this aging process!
Have fun and keep on traveling. Carol
Glad you made it down from the heights Thanks for the book Plainsong. I read a chapter before I realized I had read it and had enjoyed it. I reread it. I was thinking I had read one of his other books, Eventide. I will pass it along to someone who has not read it.
I have not gotten to My Sister Knits, but will soon.
It sounds like you trip to Salida was fun and interesting.
Ava started kindergarten with a smile. Jesse is exhausted from football but happy. Don is starting a new project at the energy lab and is also happy. I dug into my quilting projects and finished one of those I thought I hated but my quilting group encouraged to me to finish. Guess what? I kinda like it now.
We are off to Seattle on Sept 15.
Stop by anytime you are in the neighborhood.
Nancy
Hello Linda and John Good to hear that you two are enjoying yourselves. I grew up a few miles south of Elkhart, IN in Goshen. Elkhart was always our arch rival. My father out-lived his first two wives and when he married his third he moved to Elkhart to live in her house. So, from 1982 until she sold the house a couple of years ago I would go there when I was back in IN to visit family. The RV industry has been really big in that area for many years. Unfortunately for local economies RV purchases are closely tied to the overall economy and gas prices. After the downturn in 2008 unemployment in Elkhart was among the worst in the country. However, I never knew there was an RV museum.
Best wishes John and Linda,
It is nice to read your account of your travels. I guess we won't see you at the Cove again this year. We will be there from 3 Nov to 1 Apr except for 3 or 4 weeks around Christmas. See you next year I hope.
great to get your travel updates The Broadmoor is amazing isn't it? One of my favorite places in the Springs. Most of my family settled in CS after leaving Nebraska so it is a place I always enjoy too. Clearly "old money" built it and maintains it. Nice to see how others can live.
enjoy the rest of your trip through the Midwest...and no more snow! We leave for Maine May 3rd. Hope all is thawed by then!
Carol
not to be missed Hi John and Linda: I have enjoyed following your blog entries of your current trip. I have been to many of the places you describe although perhaps not with the luxury of time that you have been able to enjoy. You were wondering about what to look forward to in your trip across the prairie. It may be too late to see the migrating Sandhill Cranes along the Platte River in Nebraska. It's an amazing sight (and sound). Back in 1981 I rode a bicycle across Kansas during a trip from the East Coast to Colorado. I can recommend a stop at the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum in La Crosse, Kansas . I don't know that you'd want to make it a multi-day stay but it would be good for an hour's diversion from the prairie. You'll be too early for the prairie wild flowers and grasshoppers that were always jumping on our legs. Have a good time.
Dennis
so glad you are having aa great trip Sounds like you are having sonderful experiences, and relaxing too. It appears you managed to drive right by my old town of Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park...the places you visited are far more interesting...although I think you should have done a spa thing in Ojai just for fun..yeah yeah...probably only set you back a few hundred...I wouldn't have done it either...am glad the Pacific views have been memorable. Great views to take home in your memories....to help balance those snowstorms that are hitting Durham and more. We are SO glad we are in Florida and enjoying 80 temps most days. The good life! Carol
Just read your two latest blog entries. Hey Johnny and Linda, sounds like fun. I don't get to do this very often, relax, that is. I haven't smelled the roses much lately. Today I am sick so I am trying to relax, but the wheels keep turning. That is funny about that naked guy. Not sure I would want to bring my kids up there. Linda, some day you will have to teach me how to write like you do. Maybe one afternoon. If I went on a trip like you guys are on, I wouldn't know where to go to see all those interesting things. Sounds like fun though. Take care, Bill
back on the road again... Hi Linda,
Great to hear that you are back out west enjoying the sun and warmer temps. We are also glad to be in a wonderful climate. And our fellow walkers didn't complain about our very low 41' temps this morning. Getting up to near 70 today so no complaints...we can handle this "cold" weather! And it's strawberry season at Plant City so we enjoyed shortcake with fresh berries last night. What's not to like?
We just got back from Oaxaca, Mexico where we enjoyed a week of Zapotec ruins and more. Also very happy to meet our newly sponsored girl who turns 10 later this month. Delightful girl, wonderful dedicated grandmother who is raising her and her brother; both parents are dead. Mother died when she was only 23...Life isn't fair!
Enjoy your travels and we look forward to your next letter. Carol and Dick
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John and I have been tent camping for years, and have enjoyed wonderful road trips in the USA. Now we have bought a big motor home, and this is the beginning of our adventures in it.... full info
Ross
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Glad to hear all is going well with the RV but too bad about the cool windy weather. Safe travels. I enjoy your blog