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On The Road Again - Spring 2000

Monday, March 20, 2000

Left Lafayette this morning at 6:30 am. Went up I-49 to US190. Crossed over into Texas about 9 and then began to anticipate the trip. The wildflowers along the highways are beautiful. So far we have seen purple (wild-verbena), yellow (dandelions, daises), pink (buttercups), white (?). And of course the azaleas are blooming profusely in the yards we are going by. Also are seeing the purple (grape) wisteria.

We've seen a lot of new life - calves, ponies, and sheep. We are beginning to see Indian paint brush, "marshmallow," "White Star" plants in the ditches. In the wooded area we are travelling through we can see long horn cattle grazing. Wonder how they don't get stuck amid the trees.


Tuesday, March 2l, 2000

The guys (Fred and Frank) played golf at Wedgwood Golf Club in Conroe. Dad had 105 and Fred 109. Tonight we ate dinner at Mary Ann and Theo's house. Theo says this will be their last house. It has about 6000 square feet. It does not look like a retirement home. They are on the lake and have a party barge at their dock. They fixed salmon for dinner and James and Barbie Drews came to meet us from College Station. We had a nice evening.


Wednesday, March 22, 2000

Took a tour of Blue Bell Ice Cream factory. Interesting. We got a free sample of ice cream which was banana split. Dad had sugar free vanilla.

We also visited the SPJST Museum in Temple. This is the Czech Insurance Club that most Czechs belong to from birth. The museum guide knew some of the same people that Dad knew from Crosby.


Thursday, March 23, 2000

Today we went to the only Domino factory in the United States. They are located in Waco. Had a set of double six made with Grammy and Poppy on them. Bought a set of Mexican Train Dominos which are double twelve's. Had lunch with Bill and Polly Killough who live in West. Toured their home which was built for their motor home, shop and car display and home.

1:30 pm "On the road again". Fred almost ran out of gas. He told Dad that he needed gas and was going to fill up at the next station. So Dad pulled in and was going to fill up to even though he did not need any, but Fred said get out of the way I am coasting in behind you. So we got out of the way.

Camped at San Saba city park and RV park. The former mayor is now the city manager and he came by to collect. He told us that he was instrumental in getting the RV park installed. They named it after him Joe Ragsdale. It was on a small pond in the middle of San Saba. We played dominos.


Friday, March 24, 2000

We are on the edge of "hill country." The flowers in this area are pink lupine, yellow button flowers, blue bonnets, Indian paint brush. We are also seeing yucca plants. They raise a lot of goats in this area. One store had goat sausage for sale. In the past hour we have seen about 5 cars. We also have seen about 4 dead deer. Makes you wonder if killing deer with a car is a sport out here. Just saw a road runner run across the road. This land is very barren. I don't know how the sheep and goats get any nourishment on the sparse grass in the fields. Just saw a sheep outside the fence trying to get back into the field.

Had lunch at a roadside picnic area. A man from California was there too. He had just made a small trailer about 8-10' long. He is going to sell expresso coffee from it. He will travel up the west coast and go to fairs.

Camped at Van Horn, TX. Ate Crawfish pie and played Mexican train w/Fred and Lois.


Saturday, March 25, 2000

The guys played golf for free, had to pay $6 for cart. Was not a very good course.

Went to Holy Family Church, the cantor had a beautiful voice.


Sunday, March 26, 2000

Had a picnic lunch in the mountains. It was very cold, still had snow on the ground. Had a sign saying to watch out for bears.


Monday, March 27, 2000

Went to Bisbee, AZ and toured Queen Mine, which mined copper in its hay-day. Strolled the streets of this town which is inhabited with artists. Quaint.

Got to Honey and Joey's. Good to see them. Their patio is not finished but it still looks beautiful.


Tuesday, March 28, 2000

Fred, Joey, Honey and Dad worked on sanding the table and Lois and I washed clothes. In the afternoon we went to a baseball game. Diamond Backs and the Seattle Mariners. Mariners won.


Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Played golf at Randolph North GC. We got there at 6:30 am and played the flat course and when we finished that one played he hilly course. Fred and Honey road together, Dad and Joey, Lois and I. Everybody just shook their heads when they found out we had only 2 players and three carts. Oh well. Fred had his best game on the hilly course, a 90.

All for now. Love to all Mom and Dad


Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Wednesday we went up to Mount Lemmon, and we were going to have a picnic but it was too cold. We did walk out on the rocks at Windy Point, didn't stay too long. Went to "A" Mountain and had our picnic there.


Thursday, March 30, 2000

Honey and Lois went to town looking for curtains. Came back about 3 hours later and still did not have what Honey wanted. They did get some curtains up and took down the old ones in the front room.

Friday Honey and Lois went out again and returned with some different curtains that met with everyone's approval. Fred and Dad and Joey got them up in the spare bedroom and their bedroom.


Saturday, April 1, 2000

We had an exciting ride today. We drove Our Yahoo! over the side of a steep embankment. Successfully made it to the bottom of a deep gorge where we must have been the first humans there in centuries! By the looks of things, this area had been unaffected by technology - in fact there were primitive animals which more closely resembled dinosaurs than the animals we're used to seeing these days.

Okay, that was a webmaster April Fools joke! Now back to the genuine submisssion. CPS

Drove out to San Xavier Church and looked around. Fred and Lois wanted to go out there because Fred's sister-in-law asked him about it. Went to church.


Sunday, April 2, 2000

Went out to breakfast. Rode around a little and just relaxed. Washed again so we would have everything clean before we left.


Monday, April 3, 2000

Left Honey and Joey's about 8:30am. Stopped to fill up with gas. Joey called and said Honey was sad that we were leaving so they would make us sandwiches and they would meet us down the road or at Biosphere II. Well sure enough they met up with us and we all toured Biosphere II. Did you all know that Biosphere I is the Earth? Well when we left there Honey and Joey followed us to Apache Junction and ate dinner with us. They left us about 8 pm and got home about 11 pm. Stayed at Carefree Manor RV Park.


Tuesday, April 4, 2000

Left Apache Junction this morning and went to Phoenix and toured Cerreta Candy Factory. Actually the factory was in Glendale, which is the Antique Capital of AZ. There were 90 antique shops. We traveled AZ 89, which is very mountainous and curvy.

Stayed in Ash Fork, AZ because we were tired after the mountains. We stayed at KOA.


Wednesday. April 5, 2000

Drove on "Route 66" for about 88 miles, very empty and lonely stretch of road. When they made I-40, they bypassed this "Main Street of America". This was the first cross-country road that was paved. It started in Chicago, IL and ended in Los Angles, CA.

Camped at Zuni Village RV Park in Kingman, AZ. Got there about noon and after lunch drove out to Oatman, AZ on another stretch of 66. It was mountainous and curvy also. In Oatman, they have burros wandering around in the streets. They beg for carrots. It is an old mining town that now is just a quaint little town that sells to tourist.


Thursday, April 6, 2000

Dad and Fred played golf in Kingman at the Ceretee Cliffs Golf Course (I found a Cerbat Cliffs Golf Course - could this be it?). It was a beautiful course surrounded by mountains. They did pretty good.


Friday, April 7, 2000

This morning we went to church. They only had a communion service but it was very nice. We drove into Las Vegas, NV. We are staying at the Oasis RV Park. They have telephone hook ups at the sites. And they also have a modem hook up in the office. It is really a nice place.

After we settled in we went looking for a part for Fred's camper and while we were on that side of town ate at Sam's Town. A seafood buffet - pretty good. Then we played the slots a little and I won $201 on the nickel poker machine. I picked the ace of clubs and I got a royal flush. 4000 nickels. Wow!


Saturday, April 8, 2000

Went to Henderson, NV, which is just south of here and toured a clown factory and also another candy factory, Ethel M. Her son is the one who invented M&M's.

Went to church at the Cathedral on the Strip. Then we went to Bellagio's to see the dancing water but they cancelled the show because the winds were too strong. [Note: The water show at Bellagio's is one of the most compelling reasons to go to Las Vegas, in my opinion. I've seen it twice and can't wait to take the family there one day. - webmaster]


Sunday, April 09, 2000

We washed clothes and bar-b-qued chicken today. We are now getting ready to go to downtown Las Vegas and try again to see the dancing waters.

We will leave here tomorrow on our way to Reno. So will update you all later. Love Mom and Dad


One last thing...
Sunday, April 9, 2000

We went downtown last night. We heard they had remodeled some of the casinos. They have made a street mall out of a couple of blocks. They have put a canopy of lights over this mall. It's called the Fremont Street Experience. They had a light show which was fantastic. There were virtual eagles flying over and slashes of colored lights. Also blue angels. It was beautiful. Then at the end there were virtual fireworks.

Had to write about this. Can Chris find this info and put it in our travels. Sure he can. Love to all Mom and Dad


Webmaster's Note: I haven't had time to "enhance" this last installment but will do so soon.


Monday, April 10, 2000

We are traveling north on US 95. It is called "Ghost Town Trail" We see a lot of cactus and I think they are called Joshua Trees. It seems to be my turn to drive. The road is fairly straight and no traffic so I guess I can handle this drive. Besides, Dad is sleepy. This is a very monotonous road We are camped at Hawthorne, NV at Scotty’s RV Park.


Tuesday, April 11, 2000

Drive into California to Mono Lake, CA This is a very interesting lake. It has alkaline chimney stacks combined with salt from the area. We had coffee at a small café. The clerk was a school teacher and she was taking the year off because she had taken her children (2) on a five week trip to Europe. She said she wondered why she wanted to spend five weeks with children. The school that she teaches at has classes of 13 pupils per teacher. It is a very small community on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. The "Tioga Pass into Yosemite was closed so we could not go into the park.

When we got back to Hawthorne, NV the guys decided there was time to play golf. So we went to Walker Lake Golf Course which is on an old Army base. It was a 9 hole and they played the whites and then the blues. They were not very impressed. This area is where they store ammunition for the army. It was previously run by the navy and now is under civilian contract.


Wednesday, April 12, 2000

Leaving Hawthorne we are traveling along "Walker Lake". They are trying to "save" this lake. It is a salty lake and not much snow runoff is getting to it to replenish the evaporation. They do not get much rain here either.

Now we are on US 50 which is called the "Loneliest Road" in America. This is the road Fred and Lois will take when they leave Reno.

Arrived in Reno about 1 pm. Camped at "Rivers Edge RV Park". This was recommended by a fellow camper. He said it was the nicest in Reno. Well it was nice. Pretty much space between motorhomes and the Turkee River ran along side the campground. Also there was a walking path along the river and a small park where the locals could park their cars and walk along the river. What he forgot to tell us that we were under the landing path of planes that flew into Reno. We got used to the planes and they quit flying about 11 p.m. and didn’t start again until about 6 a.m. It worked as an alarm clock.


Thursday, April 13, 2000

The guys played golf at "Rosewood Lakes GC". They said it was nice. It was built on and around wetlands and when their ball went into the wetland they were not able to retrieve the ball. I don’t think they lost too many. Lois and I had our hair done. Me a perm she a cut and color.


Friday, April 14 , 2000

Fred drove to Sacramento, CA , we visited his cousin Jane Mouton and her husband Gene. Jane graduated from St. Cecilia school with Fred. Jane gave us some oranges off of her tree. They were delicious, sweet and juicy.


Saturday, April 15, 2000

Picked up bowling ladies at the airport. Took them to Circus Circus Hotel. After they were settled in we all went to "Little Flower Church" and dinner after at the Peppermill Casino.


Sunday, April 16, 2000

Picked up ladies and went to buffet at Atlantis Casino and after we bowled "500 Club and 600 Club Tournament. Not one of us did any good. We did have fun. They had cartoons on the score board that made fun of my gutter balls and our splits. Of course they also showed when we made strikes and spares.


Monday, April 17, 2000

Guys played golf at "Lake Ridge GC". A very beautiful course. Little pricey. The fifteenth hole was very challenging. The tee box was at 4200 elevation and the green was about 100 feet below on an island. They lost about 4 balls trying to get on the green. There was no one behind us. Fred realized he wasn’t using his driver and when he did he finally got on. We drove the carts and enjoyed the scenery


Tuesday, April 18, 2000

Lois and I went with the bowling gals on a tour to San Francisco. We left at 5:45am and returned about 9:30 p. m. We all had dungeness crab for lunch. As we were traveling over Donner’s Pass it was snowing. A very pretty site. This Pass is famous in the history of settling of the western part of our country. While we were having fun Fred and Dad picked up another 13 gals from Lafayette.


Wednesday, April 19, 2000

We bowled at 7:15 p.m. Did so so. Overall team did so so. One of the gals on an opposing team asked dad to get a coke for her and she gave him an envelope so that he could remember her by. Dad said for her to put her name on it, so she wrote on it "To the man of my dreams". WELL!


Thursday, April 20, 2000

Bowled at 7:15 am. Did better than on team. Did better in doubles. While we bowled the guys played golf at "Northgate GC". They said this was a beautiful course too. The ruffs were not tall grass but lots of rocks. If a ball went into the rocks it bounced forever and sometimes they got lucky and it went into the fairway.


Friday, April 21, 2000

Went to Carson City which is the capitol of Nevada. Walked around a little and visited a museum. Also visited the old capitol building. Some of the ladies had sore feet so we could not walk too much. Had lunch and went back to Reno.


Saturday, April 22, 2000

We took the ladies back to the airport after breakfast. We all got a little teary eyed. Fred and Lois and Dad and I went to a show "Work That Skirt" at the Reno Hilton. It was about the different dances of the 50’s and 60’s. The dancers were very energetic.


Sunday, April 23, 2000

Fred and Lois, Dad and I went to 7:30 am Mass at "Little Flower Church". This is a very beautiful church and probably holds about 800 people. And of course for Easter there was standing room only. We ate our "Easter Meal" breakfast with Fred and Lois and then we packed up and went west on I 80 and Fred and Lois went east on I 80.

On west I 80 we go over Donner’s Pass which has an elevation of 7,262 feet more or less. We had to down shift on grades of 6% and 5%. They had signs for the truckers along the road to save their brakes and drift (coast). They also let them know when to "crank up" when we were coming to a steep incline. At Auburn, CA we took CA49 which is a steep and winding road. Speeds were anywhere from 15mph to 35mph. About 5 miles before the campground it finally got up to 40mph, this was very nice because the strain was getting to me, and probably dad too.

We are camped at Ponderosa RV Resort it is a "Coast to Coast Resort". It is a nice camp ground. It is also headquarters for river rafting, on the "American River". The Ponderosa email : rvresort@pacbell.net web : www.pondersosarv.com The city we are in is Coloma, CA Our neighbors are filling small bottles with potpourri. Smells good. They "do" art shows around the west.

Well I guess I have bored everyone enough, so will sign out for now and get back with you at a later date. By the way we ate at a buffet and had coupons "buy one and get one free" Wasn’t that great?

Love mom and dad, Frank and Jewel, Grammy and Poppy.

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