Jun 15, 2010 - Summer 2010/To Alaska - Travel (Crystal Falls, MI)

Today was another travel day – but a much easier one. We have two days to cover 400 miles. However, we did not get on the road until 10:30 AM because Gary had to return the plumbing part, get the right size, and install it. As we moved through Michigan and Marty checked our progress via map and GPS, she discovered another one of the nice Michigan State Parks on our route and about 263 miles away. We reached Bewabic State Park in late afternoon and there were plenty of sites available. The layout of the campground is similar to Stephen...

Jun 14, 2010 - Summer 2010/To Alaska - Travel (Caledonia, WI)

Today is another travel day. We have made several trips in this direction and there is little of interest that we want to spend time looking at so we have planned a semi-dash (i.e. continuous travel without stopping but at moderate speeds and for moderate time span). Again, we were on the road by 7:30 AM and this time, Marty even showered while parked at Wal-Mart. Around 9:30 AM, while traveling north on I57, a couple of cars passed us, honked, and pointed that we should pull over. Gary did and during his walk-around, discovered that the...

Jun 13, 2010 - Summer 2010/To Alaska - Travel (Effingham, IL)

Today's schedule called for a travel day and it was. We got an early start – pulling out of the Hoover RV Park just before 7:30 AM. We were traveling a familiar route and stopped at the McDonalds at exit 310 in Cullman for breakfast. This is a great location as they have a huge truck parking area behind the restaurant. As Gary turned into the parking lot, the motor home lurched thru the storm sewer and one of the drawers under the dinette came slamming out and broke. Marty started the cleanup but finished it after breakfast. It looked as...

Mar 30, 2010 - Spring 2010 - Travel Day/Hoover, AL

This was another travel day and on a route that we know pretty well. We got going early – 7:50 AM and made good time. We reached Tifton, GA around 10:00 AM and stopped at their Cracker Barrel for breakfast. As we travelled US82 West, we went by the sign for the Jimmy Carter Historical Site. We have passed this spot so many times and never have time to stop – so today we did. The tour included almost all of Plains, GA – the old Plains High School, Billy Carter’s gas station, the Jimmy Carter campaign headquarters in the old depot, and the...

Mar 11, 2010 - Spring 2010 - Preparation/Hoover, AL

Before actually travelling, there were several tasks to complete on the motor home. First, since it was currently winterized, all the pipes needed checking and the water tanks needed cleaning and filling. Second, Gary wanted to install the new water-tank level probes. Third, Gary still had not installed the water-saver system. Finally, we needed other items such as diesel fuel and LP gas. Cleaning and filling the water tanks was not a problem – Gary just needed to allocate some time to the project. Installing the new probes was easy too,...

Jan 4, 2010 - Auburn Football - Travel Day/Hoover, AL

We woke this morning to very cold weather (below freezing in south Florida). Even though it was early (before 7:30 AM), there was a lot of activity going on in the RV park. We soon found frozen water pipes – outside the motor home. Everyone else was wandering around trying to figure out what to do. We had filled our holding tank yesterday in anticipation of leaving in the morning so had no problems. We were able to get on the road early headed home. By 9:30 AM, we passed a McDonalds that advertised, “Busses welcome”. Figuring that if there...

Nov 13, 2009 - Picking up our RV!

We flew to Birmingham, Alabama this morning to purchase our 2000 Monaco Windsor 38' Diesel Pusher RV Home!! We stayed overnight in the owner's driveway so we could go over everything with him the next morning, since this was our first time RV'ing. We left late Saturday morning to drive back to NJ. We stopped overnight in Virginia on Saturday and then Delaware on Sunday night to arrive back in Sicklerville, NJ on Monday morning! We were tired, but grinning from ear to ear!! It drives really nicely and handles very well! Better yet,...

Jul 27, 2008 - A Tale of Two Cities

We left NO today, heading for an overnight stay in Hoover AL (a suburb of Birmingham) on our way to our ultimate destination of Gatlinburg TN. Even the interstate roads inear NO could use a lot of work, so we limped east on I-10 at 40 mph, hoping to keep the screws and connections in our RV from jostling loose, until we reached I-59, which is then a straight shot to Hoover. We fueled up in Tuscaloosa, and boy, the diesel prices had dropped in the six days since we had last taken on fuel. In Marianna FL in the Panhandle, we paid $4.899 at...

Jul 13, 2008 - Sun. - Hoover, AL

(Leaving: Knoxville, TN - Destination: HOME - Hoover, AL - 241 miles) 05:38 AM Jo Ann gets out of the bed; her back is hurting and she can't stay there any longer. She gets on the sofa and goes back to sleep. 06:20 AM Betty and Jo Ann both get up and Betty gets in the shower first, then Jo Ann. JD gets up last and gets the last shower. 07:30 AM As soon as we are all dressed, we head to the lobby for breakfast hoping to beat all the kids that we saw last night, and we do! Jo Ann is feeling better today and she eats some real food. We all...

Jun 23, 2007 - Sat. - Heading Home!

(Leaving: Lenoir City, TN - Destination: Home - Hoover, Alabama - 245 Miles) 05:00 AM We are up early. We all get showers, get dressed and go looking for breakfast. 06:30 AM We find the continental breakfast and eat our fill. Then we head abck to the room, finish packing and load the van. 07:16 AM We check out and hit the road heading home. 08:58 AM We cross the state line in to good old Alabama. 09:36 AM We get on I-459 in Birmingham. 10:00 AM We arrive home safe and sound after a short but very good trip.

Jul 4, 2006 - Tue - Hoover, AL HOME!

(Leaving: Greenville, MS - Destination: Hoover, AL HOME! - 270 miles) 10:04 AM We leave Greenville, Mississippi and head east on US Hwy 82. 11:20 AM We are getting hungry so we start looking for a place for some lunch. We spot a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Winona, MS. It is the only decent looking place to eat that we have seen for a while, so we stop. The food is very good. 12:00 PM After we finish our lunch, we are back on the road again. 01:22 PM We cross the state line into good old Alabama. 02:00 PM We reach Tuscaloosa, AL and get on...

Feb 28, 2006 - Tue - Hoover, AL - Home!

(Leaving: Savannah, GA - Destination: Hoover, AL - 440 Miles)06:40 AM We finally get up. We were awakened at 5:00 AM by the people in the room above us. They were up at 5am and were VERY LOUD! It was bad! So we finally went back to sleep and are just now getting up. We get a shower and then pack our suitcases and get ready to head for Hoover, AL and home.07:40 AM We go downstairs to the Atrium for breakfast. It is good again!08:20 AM We have the Bellman bring our car around.08:30 AM We check out and leave The Marshall House, and hopefully...