This first section was transcribed from a fax I received on 8/29/99 from Mom.
Monday, August 23, 1999
We left Lafayette at about 1:30 p.m. and drove on Hwy 90 to New Orleans. It was a nice drive because there was no traffic to speak of. No eighteen wheelers for sure. It rained on us a little before we got to New Orleans. Took Hwy 310 out of Boutte to I-10. Drove to Slidell and spent the night with Pat Urbano, a friend of Dad's that used to do business with Southern Structures. She took us out to dinner at Copeland's - it was pretty good. She also insisted that we spend the night at her house. We slept in her king size bed. Her house is on Lake Pontchartrain at the south end that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Dad broke a gee gaw of hers and we will have to replace it soon. We also stopped up her commode. I guess she won't ask us to visit her again. Ha!!!
Tuesday, August 24, 1999
Left Slidell about 7:30 a.m. Drove on I-10 to Mobile, AL and I-65 to Montgomery, AL. Then I-85 to Newnan, GA. It was raining so we decided not to go to a campground. We just pulled into the parking lot at Wal-Mart and spent the night there. The weather was about 62 degrees. Sure was nice.
Wednesday, August 25, 1999
Left Newnan about 8 a.m. Drove to Gainesville, GA met with John Tucker and he told us how to get to the campground. The name of the campground was "Enota." It is an Indian word for "meeting place." It was a beautiful place. There was a little creek behind the "Brave." We slept with the windows open. In the morning, it was 52 degrees - wonderful. John and his wife, Annette, came to meet us on Friday at noon and we drove around and just looked at the beautiful country. Mountains, hills and valleys. Dad made a tee time for Saturday morning at Brasstown Valley - a state owned resort.
Thursday, August 26, 1999
We just rode around today.
Friday, August 27, 1999
Went to the resort to show John the golf course and we decided to eat lunch there. When we got back to the campground, we cooked sac-a-lait and fixed a salad. Annette fixed a fruit salad. Good food. The first day here a cat adopted us. A cute little calico kitten. Dad made the mistake of giving it some milk and cereal. Well every time we sat down to eat it was there for a snack.
Saturday, August 28, 1999
John and Dad played golf at the resort. Their tee time was at 7:40 a.m. I got an observer cart and drove behind them. I promised not to laugh but it was hard. When we got to the first hole, it was foggy, so they hit the ball and I watched where the ball went. We went in that direction. Sure enough, they were in the middle of the fairway about 5 feet from each other. Well the fog lasted until about the 7th hole and their scores were not too great. What we could see was beautiful. The rest of the holes were gorgeous and they did better on the back nine. They paid about 50 cents per stroke. We went back to Enota about noon, got dressed and went to Church. Afterwards, we met the rest of the crew at the resort for dinner. I told the waitress that it was our anniversary and asked her what she was going to do for us. She said not much. A little later, she came back with strawberry shortcake and a guy who played the fiddle. We had a regular hoe-down, it was great.
Sunday, August 29, 1999
Left Enota about 8:30 a.m. Drove on back roads to Inman, SC. Got here about 2 p.m. We are at Bubba's house and they are cooking dinner for us. His sister Pam is here helping. We met Bubba's son for the first time since we have known Bubba. Nice looking guy. Well we are staying at a campground about 30 minutes from here and we probably will spend the night here tomorrow night too. Bubba will probably take us out on Lake Bowen after dinner. He has a party barge and likes to go out at night. Dad and he will have a drink in one hand and one dragging in the water.
I will be in touch again when we get "On the Road Again."
Love Mom and Dad.
On the Road Again - Three
I don't know what happened to installment #2!
Thursday, September 2, 1999
We went into Ashville today, looking for vitamins for Dad and I. We drove on a lot of winding roads, it was very beautiful. We drove on the Blueridge Parkway about 5 or 6 miles. The speed limit there is only 45 miles an hour. We did this in "Blue".
Friday, September 3, 1999
Drove all day to Lexington, VA. Camped at Longs Campground.
Saturday, September 4, 1999
Drove around on back roads with "Blue" and stopped in at the Federal HQ Office and got some info about the area. Went into Lexington to go to church. Was early enough to have a cup of coffee. We met some people from England and they joined us for coffee and we found out they were going to Church also. Had a nice conversation with them.
We got rain tonight, that was generated by hurricane Dennis.
Sunday, September 5, 1999
Drove around on a self guided tour. Found out that Sam Houston was born in this area, and we all know that ole Sam was one of the heroes of Texas and eventually became governor. Also rode about 40 miles on the Blue Ridge Pkwy. Spoke with some couple riding a motorcycle. They were driving from Florida to Canada on the Pkwy. They were in their 50’s.
Monday, September 6, 1999
As we were leaving Lexington to continue our trip, we were driving on I-64 north towards DC. This is a foggy area and on each side of the roadway there are lights on the roadway. I think all states should have something similar. Especially LA over the basin.
Camped in Stafford, VA. After getting to our campground we drove "Blue" into DC and picked up our tickets for the White House tour. Hardly any traffic since it was labor day. Well with the one-way streets and the diagonal streets we got lost, but we did see a lot of the city.
Tuesday, September 7, 1999
Drove "Blue" and went into DC. Parked at Union Station. Toured the White House at 8:45 am. Got the tickets from John Breaux's office. We enjoyed our tour. After we walked to the Washington Memorial, they are cleaning it and have a scaffolding all around it. Dad rode the elevator to the top and I stayed at the bottom, resting my feet after the walk. Then we walked to the Korean Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial, all were very impressive. I sat down on the top steps of the Lincoln Memorial and rested there too. We hailed a taxi and he took us to Union Station. When we got in the cab my legs started cramping, I couldn’t stretch my legs so I rubbed them hard. Boy was I uncomfortable.
We got to the car and it wouldn’t start. Dad had forgot to turn off the lights. Some guys came by and helped us get started. Thank goodness for good Samaritans.
Wednesday, September 8, 1999
We drove "Blue" to a Metro parking lot about 10 miles north of where we were staying and took the Metro into town. A much better way to get into DC. We went to the Capitol and visited the House and the Senate. Went to John Breaux’s office and thanked them for getting us tickets to the different areas we wanted to visit, drank a cup of LA coffee and gave them a small bottle of Tabasco.
We then walked over to the "Castle" of the Smithsonian, walked around a few of the museums. Then we caught Metro back to VA.
Thursday, September 9, 1999
Drove to Greenbelt, MD. Then went to the Metro lot about 2 miles away and went into DC and toured the Air and Space Museum. Dad really liked this museum.
Got back to the parking lot and "Blue" wouldn’t start again. Yep, somebody forgot to turn off the lights. We called AAA and they started it for us with a hand held portable battery charger. We are going to buy one.
Friday, September 10, 1999
Went back into DC via Metro, well actually VA, to Arlington Cemetery. By this time we are getting tired. So we journey back to MD and washed clothes.
Saturday, September 11, 1999
Today is my birthday. Got some phone calls from friends back home. We drove into Annapolis, MD. Walked around and into the Courthouse. It was still a working courthouse. Walked around the town had coffee and then went out to the Naval Academy and the dock area. Went to Phillips for lunch - very good food - and the view of the bay and docks was nice. Pretty as a picture.
Went back to Greenbelt and went to church and then went to dinner at the 101st Airborne Restaurant. Enjoyed the food.
Sunday, September 12, 1999
Traveled all day. Went through Delaware, New Jersey, New York and into CT. Camped at Riverdale Farm Campground. Spent $15 on tolls. The traffic was bad. Drove 350 miles today. Biggest day yet.
Monday, September 13, 1999
Drove around on back roads and did get to the beach road which was on Long Island Sound. Ate a Chili Dog on the patio.
Tuesday. September 14, 1999
Drove to Stonington, CT and went to Wal-Mart and exchanged battery in Blue for a new one. We are camped at Highland Orchards. They have apple trees here and apples on the ground. This is where they have the first modem hook up. Got email. Tried to send still a problem. Went to computer store and they helped correct the problem. Sent and received more email.
Wednesday, September 15, 1999
Went to see the movie "6th Sense". This was my birthday present. It was very good. Frank enjoyed it, too.
Thursday, September 16, 1999
Well we moved today to get away from Floyd. Went to one campground that was supposed to have phones at each site, not so. Went to another, better campground, nice and clean, no modem hook up. We'll try to send this later. It is still raining. Dad is taking a nap. I have brought this up to date. We are at Odetah Campground. Odetah means "the place where deer are." And it is still raining. And Dad is still sleeping. There is a big Indian Casino near here. We saw it driving in, so I think we may go visit it before we leave here. We will probably be here until we meet the rest of the gang.
All for now. Will let you all know more later.
Love Mom and Dad
On the Road Again - Four
Friday, September 17, 1999
It rained most of today, too. We washed clothes, cleaned etc. Then we decided to go to the Indian Casino. It was very very very big. We fed the machines for a while and then went to eat at their buffet. Wasn't as good as the ones in Louisiana. The machines weren't very good either. It is about 15 miles from here.
Saturday, September 18, 1999
Tonight the campground is having a Halloween costume contest. They have also provided all the children here with pumpkins and stuff to decorate them. We looked in the rec room and there must have been a hundred kids working on pumpkins. We went into town about 5 miles and bought some trick-or-treat candy and some groceries. We got back about 4 p.m. and not too long after that the kids came around and started trick-or-treating. I think we must have had about 45 to 60 dressed in their Halloween costumes.
After the trick-or-treating was over Dad and I went to mass at 5:30 p.m. It was just about a half a mile. Today was the last anticipated mass until next spring. On the way over there was a lot of liter along the roadway.
Sunday, September 19, 1999
This morning Dad and I took a couple of black trash bags and also a clear one. The campgrounds in CT recycle and they give you bags when you register so that you can separate trash from bottles and cans. Anyhow we took our bags and walked to church and picked up liter along the road. Dad had a full black bag and I had a half of one and the bottle and cans bag was just about full. Then we got back to Brave and rested a little.
When we left Greenbelt, MD we forgot to bring the "Tin Man". So today Dad made another one. We will have to get a funnel tomorrow for his hat and we bought two cans of smoked oysters that Dad will eat to make the tin man's shoes. We are going to hang him on the awning so we won't forget him this time.
Dad bar-b-qued some chicken this afternoon and it was very good. We had cooked two sweet potatoes a couple of days ago and still had one left so I made a sweet potato casserole. Turned out pretty good even if I say so myself.
We will stay at this campground until Thursday morning and take it pretty easy. And then move down close to the time share in Westbrook. Dad's blood sugar has been pretty good this week, I think he is finally relaxing. Time will tell. When we told some people that we were going to be down in Westbrook, they said they had a lot of outlet shops. One lady said they were not like the ones in Mobile. She said they didn't know how to shop up here. She is from Mobile.
All for now. I probably won't report in until after Fred, Lois Billy, Wanda, Virginia and Earl leave.
Take care. We love you all. Mom and Dad
On the Road Again - Five
Tuesday, October 05, 1999
Drove around on back roads down to Wallingford, CT to get prescriptions filled. One was filled and the other will have to go back and pick up the other one. The back roads in this state are beautiful. You cannot see too far in any direction, because it is hilly and heavily wooded. The trees are beginning to really turn now. Tried to find a Compaq store, no luck today, will try again tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 06, 1999
Took a flu shot today. Found out where we can give blood. Had to call American Red Cross to find out where they were having a blood drive. Did that and they we had to call a nurse and tell her what kind of medicine we were taking. Made an appointment to give blood on Friday. Then we drove to Cromwell and got a flu shot.
Found a Compaq store today in Cromwell. They have been very helpful. They asked us to come back in the morning and they would know if they could help us. Going home today we crossed the Connecticut River on a ferry at Rocky Hill, CT. It is the oldest continuous operating ferry in the United States.
Thursday, October 07, 1999
Brought the computer to the Compaq dealer. They called Compaq and asked if they had the battery and they told Tom (we are on first name basis now) that they had the battery in stock and it would be in their office on Friday. Wonderful!
Friday, October 08, 1999
Gave blood today. What an experience. They were having a blood drive in the community room at the Congregational Church. Not at all like United Blood Services.
Went to pick up battery, you guessed it no battery. Tom told us it would be in Monday. Okay!
Saturday, October 09, 1999
Drove to Bradley International Airport and picked up Joey and Honey. We then went back to the campground and sat around a campfire until it got too cold to be out. I had made soup so that we could have that when we got back from the airport. It sure was good. Honey and Joey liked it too.
Sunday, October 10, 1999
Went to church in East Hampton, the priest was a Father LeBlanc, Dad gave a little bottle of Tabasco to him. Drove around the back roads and showed Honey and Joey the beautiful trees, went to Mystic, CT, rained but enjoyed walking around the little shops.
Monday, October 11, 1999
Drove to Cromwell to pick up the battery, WAS NOT THERE!!!!! Not a surprise. The next delivery truck was due in about 2 p.m. Went to a museum and took a small hike in the marsh. Saw a snake in the water, a little one. Went back to the office of Compaq and it still did not come in. They called Compaq and chewed them out, the battery should be in on the 14th and they will mail it to Josh and Kim’s. We left the parking lot at 3:15 p.m. Drove northeast to Putnam, CT and camped at Wolf Den campground.
Tuesday, October 12, 1999
Drove to Littleton, MA, it was a long day. We stopped at Waldon Pond, Honey fixed lunch, it was good. We then walked around the Pond and saw a couple of people swimming even though it was in the 50’s. We camped at Minuteman KOA. We had another campfire for a little while. Got to do a couple of loads of laundry and all of took showers in the campground shower. Met some people who were taking a couple of years off to see the country, Don and Tracy. Also met a man whose family was taking a year off to see the country, he has two children 6 and 4 and they are home schooling them. Going to bed early because we have to get up early in the morning because we are going into Boston in the morning.
Wednesday, October 13, 1999
We left the campground at 5:30 a.m. drove to the subway station , about 25 miles, what a madhouse of traffic and caught the subway into Boston. We got there about 6:30 a.m. When we got up to the streets we started talking to a lady and asked her where a good place to eat breakfast. She told us where and walked us to the restaurant. It was in the bottom of the building where she worked. She sure was nice. The breakfast was nice too. Kinda like a cafeteria, we ordered and picked up our food at the end of the counter, Honey and Joey bought breakfast. The restaurant was in an old bank building and we ate in the room that used to be the safe.
We ran into Don and Tracy and we took a tour bus, it was like if you saw something you really wanted to investigate you could get off and then later get back on the bus. Well all we did is ride around. They also had an option to tour the harbor which we took. Before the boat tour we went to eat at "Legal Seafood Restaurant". We decided to share a dessert, so Joey said since we were in Boston we should try the Boston Cream Pie, so we decided to do this and boy was it GOOD!
Thursday, October 14, 1999
Started out about 8 a.m. Saw an office building with Compaq on it so we turned around and Dad went in to speak to someone. Well there was security at the door and he could tell Dad nothing or at least that is what he said. He agreed with everything Dad said about Compaq and then when Dad got back to the motor home we decided that that was what he was paid to do. Agree with the customer and tell the customer that all they did there was soft ware. Oh well. Got to Littleton, ME at dark. Rainy and cold.
Friday, October 15, 1999
Drove to Bar Harbor, ME and ate lobster. We also drove around Acadia National Park. It sure is a beautiful place. The round trip was about 250 miles.
Saturday, October 16, 1999
Today we drove from Freeport, ME to South Hero, VT. We had breakfast in Auburn, NH in a little Mom and Pop café. Joey fell in love with a little girl who wore her hair like Honey did when she was a little girl. We stopped in Jefferson, NH and toured a maple syrup making place. It was interesting. They go out at this time of year and insert a plastic tap into the trees, it used to be wood and metal and hang a bucket under the spigot. In the spring they go back and check to see if they have liquid in the bucket and collect it and take it to a big vat and boil it down until it is syrup. Maple syrup is good on PANCAKES. The campground in South Hero is on Apple Island, VT and the name of it is Apple Bay Orchard Campground.
Sunday, October 17, 1999
Frank and I went to church and Honey and Joey started packing for their trip home tomorrow. We had to go into Burlington, VT and wash clothes so we decided to eat lunch there, it is about 30 minutes from the campground. It was a rainy day. Honey treated us to lunch at a German Restaurant and then we went to Ben and Jerry’s for Dessert.
Monday, October 18, 1999
Took Honey and Joey to airport. Left campground at 5:15 a.m. arrived at airport at 4:30 a.m. After we dropped them off we found a diner and had breakfast and then went to the Laundromat and washed sheets so that when Carm gets here she will have clean sheets. When we got back to campground we drove to Plattsburgh, NY had to cross a ferry and went to K mart for prescription for Frank. Had to cross another ferry. We could get the Motor Home on, because there were 18 wheelers on the ferry. It was another beautiful drive.
Tuesday, October 19, 1999
Cleaned house. Drove back roads again and found a Wal-Mart and an R V center and bought supplies. We saw a beautiful motor home about 6 feet longer then ours it also had a slide out. If we decide to do this permanently we may have to buy one that is a little roomier.
Wednesday, October 20, 1999
Drove around back roads again today. We were going up to Stowe Ski area but were told that the pass was closed due to snow. I wonder how the skiers get up there to go skiing. We went around the mountain and went to the town of Stowe. It is a touristy little town, with a lot of shops, narrow roads, etc. I can’t imagine how crowded this was when the Olympics where here. Then we drove over to Waitsfield to see if we remembered where Art and Maria Lucia lived. We did and we tried calling them but they must have gone to Brazil already this winter. It rained this morning but cleared up this afternoon and it isn’t as cold today as it was yesterday.
Thursday, October 21, 1999
Drove to Watertown, NY. We took a back road through the Adirondack Mountains and it was beautiful. Kim was home when we got there. When Josh got home he fixed lemon pepper chicken and Kim fixed Broccoli and they did a great job.
Friday, October 22, 1999
Josh drove us around Watertown and we went to a Cider Mill where they were pressing apples and the cider was very good. They had a stream and a waterfall behind the building and they used to use this water to make the cider but can not anymore because of sanitary purposes, but the guy who owns it told us the water tested cleaner then the water at the city water place. Hunting season starts tomorrow and the men at this mill are going hunting deer and turkey.
We met Kim for lunch.
Saturday, October 23, 1999
Kim and Josh drove us around the area. We went to Adams Harbor and took a tour on a boat. We rode around the 1,000 island area on Lake Ontario. There were some beautiful homes built on the islands. Some very large and some just summer cottages. All were very pretty. Some were for sale, one in particular was going for $650,000. Just a drop in the bucket.
Tonight Josh cooked shrimp etouffee with some shrimp we brought from Lafayette. We had a couple of cans of Tony Chachere’s etouffee mix and Josh added some onions and bell pepper and it turned out pretty darned good.
Kim gave me a permanent and it turned out pretty good. I will last now until I get home.
Sunday, October 24, 1999
Frank and I went to church at St. Patrick. A beautiful old church. They have just finished renovating the windows, they have added a pane of glass outside of the stained glass windows. We didn’t find out if it was for warmth or to protect the stained glass from other things.
Again we rode around the area in a different direction. We stopped to visit a fish hatchery. The fish they catch in this area are salmon, pike, steelheads, and trout. Some of these fish weigh up to 50 pounds. Fishing season opened this weekend too.
Tonight Josh fried a whole chicken for us, just like we fry whole turkeys back in LA. It sure was good. I fixed a pea casserole and Kim fixed sweet potatoes and a salad. It was like a holiday meal.
Monday, October 25, 1999
Kinda straitened up motor home in preparation of leaving tomorrow. Frank and Josh took Blue to have oil change and also have it washed and greased and air in the tires. When they got back we took Brave to a state campground and emptied the sewer and shower liquids then we had propane filled up and got gasoline.
When Kim got home we went out to Dinner. When to Sacketts Harbor and ate at "Tin Pan Alley". It was pretty good food, but not something that Josh and Kim were used to eating. When we got back we decided to watch a movie that I had gotten that day. It wasn’t over until almost 11 p.m. and Josh had to go to get up very early Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, October 26, 1999
In fact he came out to the motor home at 5:15 a.m. and hugged us bye. We finished putting electric lines in compartments and put the boards up and hooked up Blue and got on the road again.
Drove on NY hwy 3 back to VT and pulled into Graniteville, VT about 3:30 p.m. We are at the Lazy Lions Campground about 30 miles south of Burlington, VT. They will close on November 1st.
Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Today we did 2 weeks worth of laundry and came back to the campground and cleaned so that Carm can come visit us tomorrow. In fact we just talked to her and she is bringing us a couple of cans of Rotel which we haven’t been able to find up here, however I did find two cans today and our mail for the last month. That means I will have to pay bills PDQ.
Okay doaky, I have caught up to date and when Carm leaves I will recount those days etc.
or Jewel