2011 Chapter 2

After 172 miles of uneventful driving, we arrived in Deming, New Mexico about 1:30pm on Wed. April 20th. I got dinner in the crock pot right away and at 4:00 we went to the rec room for the social hour & met a few of the other campers in the park. Rich & I got so many suggestions of "MUST SEEs" in Nova Scotia, we may have to extend our stay!! Thursday we drove into downtown Deming to visit the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum & Custom House. In one of the rooms they had the Honor Tree.

 I added my dad's name to the Honor Tree and

Norm & Cheryl added Norm's brother, Doug.

One of the volunteers in the museum highly recommended a restaurant, Sparky's, in Hatch for lunch. He said they had the BEST Green-Chili Cheese Burger. So we drove 46 miles to Sparky's. Food was very good BUT we all agreed it is a ONE TIME 46 mile "must do".

The Colonel, Ronald McDonald, and Uncle Sam were all out front.

Friday we drove 340 miles to Fort Stockton, TX to stay in the Walmart parking lot for the night. AND of course, we can't stay in their parking lot and NOT go shopping! So the boys did their shopping first and then Cheryl & I did ours. The only difference was when Cheryl & I went into the store we had to contend with the BATS flying around the store!! Yes, there were SEVERAL bats!!!

2011 Asphalt Wanderer

Well, we have hit the asphalt again!!:)  After 18 months of working on the motor home and remodeling the house, Rich has FINALLY put his tools down and got back in the driver's seat!! We left Happy Trails, Monday April 18th, and followed Norm & Cheryl Maeder to Benson, AZ where we stayed 2 nights. While there, we went to the old mining town of Bisbee, checked out the mine, could have taken the tour into the mine, but since we were dressed for the 87 degrees, Cheryl and I decided we didn't want to go into the 47 degree mine.  So we walked the streets of Bisbee, up hill, checked out MOST of the stores, and went to Screaming Banshees Pizza.  VERY GOOD pizza!!!! No red sauce.  Norm had read about it in the magazine, Arizona Highways, so we decided to give it a try!  Glad we did!!!   Wednesday morning we drive to Deming, New Mexico for 2 nights to check out the area around there.  We will be traveling with Norm & Cheryl through AZ, NM, TX, LA, AL, TN, VA, MD, & NJ.  From there, starting July 5th, Rich and I will be working our way up to Nova Scotia for a 2 week tour with the Good Sam Caradventures.  We plan to spend another 3 weeks in Canada, exploring more of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and working our way to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.  From there we will begin our trip home arriving back in Happy Trails around the middle of September.
So, I will TRY to write OFTEN and keep them SHORT but with lots of pictures!:)

Take Care and Be Safe
Your Wandering Friends
Rich & Dorothy

Chapter 10 September 29, 2009

We had a great time in Seaside with everyone. Norm and Cheryl fixed their spectacular crab chowder for dinner Tuesday night and then we all went to Camp 18, a very good steakhouse, Wednesday to celebrate Dennis and Darlene's anniversary. Actually, their anniversary was Tuesday BUT the finale for "Big Brother" was on Tuesday night and Cheryl, Darlene, and Diane didn't want to miss it!!!! Besides, we all wanted the crab chowder!!!

The last 2 weeks at Willamette Mission were pretty uneventful. We did have a horse escape from the horse camp, an erratic driver, and a missing grandma and grandchild, but all ended happily.

We left Willamette Mission, where it was and cool, Monday morning and drove to Centralia, WA where it was and cold. We arrived at Brazel's RV Performance to have the alignment checked out. In and out, right NOT We now need to replace the front disc brakes Looks like we will be here at least one more night When we leave here, we will head up to Enumclaw, WA to visit our friends, Conrad and Gwen Rich and Conrad are hoping to paint the front end of their motor home if the weather will cooperate (But, remember, we are in WASHINGTON and the weather forcast is ).

October 8th thru Oct 11, the 4 of us will be going to Prosser, WA for an RV rally with the Olympic Snowbirds at Wine Country RV Park. From there, Rich and I will start our trip back to AZ. Of course the in AZ will determine how fast we try to get back to Happy Trails

Until Next Time

Rich & Dorothy

CHAPTER 9 September 9, 2009

Hi There!!

08/29/09 Just want to let you know not much happening. We did make it to the Oregon coast where the weather was BEAUTIFUL! We went whale watching, and even walked on the beaches. 1st of Aug we arrived at Willamette Mission State Park near Salem where we are volunteering thru the end of Sept. Weather was VERY WARM, if not HOT, the first couple of weeks but it has FINALLY cooled down. In fact, we had the Staff/Volunteer Appreciation picnic yesterday at 5:00. It rained from 11 to 4 but by 5 it was warm and sunny again

09/08/09 Well the Labor Day Weekend just ended. We had the SCA, a Medieval Age Reenactment group, reserve a majority of the park for 4 and 1/2 days. They were expecting close to 2,000 members UNTIL they saw the weather report..RAINRAINRAIN ALL WEEKEND!! So, 900 to 1,000 members and vendors attended. It POURED EVERY NIGHT and hours at a time during the days, but it didn't seem to slow down their enthusiasm at all!!!

We also had a Church Youth Group reserve another small area of the park. They, too, had fewer than expected due to the weather, but they still set up about 15 tents. They didn't let the weather ruin their weekend either, but they did come over to us, since we were the Camp Host on duty, to let us know they were having problems with yellow jackets coming up out of a hole in the ground. Rich and one of the Park Rangers went over there to locate and spray. They located 2 nests and began spraying. Once they got to the second hole, they SUDDENLY realized there were MORE when they got swarmed by more yellow jackets coming out of 3 more holes. Unfortunately, Rich got stung 6 times on his legs. But even this didn't discourage the youth group!!

We also had a small wedding reception held at another area. They planned ahead. They stapled plastic all around the shelter to protect them from the rain.

All in all it was a good weekend. I think it would have been ALOT busier if it hadn't rained. DUH!!! However, the weather did cooperate whenever it was time for us to go out and check on the grounds and activities.

We suspect Labor Day weekend to have been the LAST hurrah in the park so we don't expect anymore EXCITEMENT!!!

Darlene and I will continue to play cards. The guys don't like to play cards anymore because Darlene and I USUALLY whip their butts!!! The 4 of us are going to Seaside, Or next week for a couple of days to visit with friends from AZ and celebrate Dennis and Darlene's 45th anniversary.

Miss you all

Rich & Dorothy

Chapter 8 July 13 - July 21, 2009

After spending ALL DAY at Freight Liner we finally headed to Oregon about 4:00pm.  We had NOTHING but HOT weather for four more days.  We got to Phoenix RV Park in Salem, Or on the 17th and found ourselves in ALMOST perfect weather!!  It was a little too warm during the day but cooled down to the 60s at night.  At least we were comfortable!!!

We stayed at the RV park for 4 nights before heading to the coast.  The park is VERY NICE and CLEAN and within walking distance to the store.  We were able to have a few dinners with our friends, Dennis and Darlene, and spend some wonderful evenings outside playing cards and Mexican Train with them at Willamette Mission State Park where they are Park  Hosts and we will be park hosting with them Aug and Sept.  It was so good to be amongst friends again!!

We left Salem this morning and headed to Depoe Bay on the Oregon coast.  We are staying in Fogarty Creek RV Park right on US101 and within walking distance to the beach.  I am sitting on the couch and looking out the window at some  beautiful big trees at the edge of Fogarty Creek State Park.  Of course, I do have to look through and around a few motor homes, BUT it is still nice!!  It’s supposed to be cool, not cold, and sunny during the day and cold and foggy at night. ( At least that’s what weather.com is telling us).  I am so excited!!  I don’t think I will have to shave my legs the whole time we are on the coast ‘cause I’ll be wearing long pants!!!

After setting up the motor home, we took a drive down the coast to Boiler Bay and saw 2 whales!!  Of course, we didn’t have our cameras and binoculars with us!  Then we walked through Depoe Bay.  What a cute little town.  Came back to the motor home for a lasagna dinner and enjoy the cool/COLD night.    

Chapter 7

We left Nacogdoches, TX Friday morning about 10:30 and arrived in Aledo, TX around 4:30.  We were looking so forward to some cooler weather.  WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!?!?!  It was just as HOT and MISERABLE!  We decided, shortly after we got there, we would go to bed early and get an EARLY start in the morning and not stop til the sun went down...We drove 13 hrs to Deming, NM where it was 87, cloudy and windy, and even rained a little bit...Not perfect, but A LOT BETTER than TX...We even got to watch some fireworks!!!  Sunday morning we headed to Happy Trails looking forward to the DRY heat!!  As we were driving, our outside temperature gauge kept going up and up and up!!!

By the time we arrived we had seen the temperature go as high as 116.  BUT it was a DRY HEAT!!!

Well, we have been here a week now, and I’ll tell you what, anybody that stays here in the summer by choice has got to be CRAZY!!!  The average temperature has been 110, IF NOT HIGHER!!  First day here I decided to get up early and go for my walk.  At 6:30am it was already 84.  That was the last day it was lower than 90 at 7:00am AND the LAST DAY I went for a walk!!!  

Ok, enough of the weather...we did get the motor home all put back together, and was able to move Rich’s doctors appointment from the 23rd to the 13th, so as soon as the doctor gets done with him we are heading for Freight Liner for a lube, oil, filter appointment set for 7:00am Tuesday.  Then we head to Las Vegas where it’s supposed to be 106.  BUT it is supposed to be 85 in Salem, OR when we get there on the 17th!!!

Since it has been TOO HOT to DO anything FUN, I really have nothing more to say.  I’ll write again when the Asphalt Wanderer is wanderering in COOLER weather!!!

Take Care

Rich & Dorothy 

Chapter 6 Pictures are Worth 1,000 Words

If you right click on the pictures you should be able to "open link in new window" for a better view 

Remember Me?????

Our motor home sitting with the BIG Boys (Country Coach and Prevost)

Motor Home with slides out

Notice the Name Plate?????