(Albuquerque, NM)
As we travel around Albuquerque I took notice of how many business signs tout Military Discount given here. This is a common sight in most towns that have a military base. Bob and I make use of these discounts every chance we get. It’s a businesses way of showing their appreciation of the men and women who have served and who are serving. In most cases a military ID must be presented.
I have a list that I refer to frequently and thought I’d share it for the military members, retired and present who read here. If you have a friend who has retired from the service please feel free to share this blog post with them.
Two important caveats. First, some stores offer discounts only at the owner's discretion and other discounts vary by state. Second, many stores that give a military discount don't advertise it. It is always worth asking a store whether they have one or not and to have your military ID on you.
Restaurant Discounts
•99 Restaurants: 10% discount with Military ID for retired and active veterans
•Acapulco: 20% off for military personnel in uniform or with valid ID
•A&W: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you
•Applebee's: Discount varies per location, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you
•Arby's: Discount varies per location, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Back Yard Burgers: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Barnhill's: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Birdies For the Brave: Complimentary admission for active, Reserve, and military retirees and dependents at select PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, and Web.com Tour events. Many tournaments also offer discounted admission or complimentary admission for non retired military veterans.
•Boston Market: 20% with military ID.
•Captain D's: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Carl's Jr. - Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Chevy's Fresh Mex: 20%, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Cinnabon: 15% off at participating locations with a valid military ID
•Ci-Ci's Pizza: Discount varies, dependent on location, must present military ID
•Chick Fil A: Varies, Discount with ID card (location dependent), discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Chipotle: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Cold Stone Creamery: Discount varies, must present military ID
•Cracker Barrel: 10-15% off, at manager's discretion
•Dairy Queen: 10% off, location dependent
•Del Taco: 50% off at participating locations with valid military ID
•Denny's; Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Dunkin' Donuts: Veterans advantage members save 10% on all online orders. They also send free coffee to the troops oversees.
•El Molino Coffee Shop: Free Shipping, online
•Friendly's Ice Cream Stores: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Golden Corral: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Hard Rock Cafe: 10% - 15% off. Varies for each location.
•Hickory Farms : 10 percent Military discount - Enter 892848 in code box on online order form
•Hooters: 10% off with military ID
•IHOP: 20% with Military ID at owners discretion
•Java Cafe: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Johnny Rockets: Personnel in uniform will receive a 50% discount
•KFC: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•LoneStar: 10% off everyday with ID and 20% off on Mondays
•Long John Silver's: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Longhorn Steakhouse: 10% military discount (this may not be honored at all locations)
•Margaritaville: 10% off with valid military ID
•Mrs. Fields Cookies: 10% off with military ID, coupon link
•Panchero's Mexican Grill: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Pancho's Mexican Buffet: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Panda Express: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Papa Murphy's: Participating locations will take 50% off one pizza
•Pizza Hut: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Popeyes: 10% off with a valid military ID
•Quiznos: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Raising Cane's Chicken: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Red Robin: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: 10% military discount
•Sam's Club: Get a $15 gift card when you become a member (active duty and retired only)
•Schlotzky's Deli: 30% off with military ID
•Sizzler: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Sonic: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Subway: 10% off, if not in a military town
•Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off with military ID
•Taco Bell: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•The Melting Pot: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Texas Roadhouse: 10% military discount
•Wendy's: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Wing Zone: 10% military discount in Alabama. Ends 12/31/2015
•Zaxby's: 10% off with military ID
Clothing Discounts
•Abercrombie & Fitch:10-15% off, at manager's discretion
•Aeropostale: 10% off with military ID
•American Eagle Outfitters: 10-15% off, at manager's discretion
•Anchor Blue: 10% off
•Banana Republic: 10% military discount 1st of every month (may vary by location; in-store only).
•Bass Pro Shops: 10% off from the 15th to 22nd of each month
•Boscov’s: 15% off in-store purchases with military ID everyday.
•Buckle: 10% off, Free Shipping on all military orders
•Cabela's: 10% off
•Christopher & Banks: 10% of with Military ID
•Coleman: 15% off with veterans advantage card
•Dress Barn: Discount and participation will vary by location, bring Military ID to ask
•Eddie Bauer: 15% off most merchandise (some promotions excluded) with military ID
•Express Clothing Store: 10% off on top of other coupons as well with military ID
•Extreme Outfitters: 10-20% on miltary Gear, online and in Store
•Forever 21: 10% off
•Gander Mountain: 5% off
•Gap: 10% military discount 1st of every month (may vary by location; in-store only).
•Green Island Breeze: 20% Military Discount In-Store and 10% Military Discount Online with code: MD10
•Hancock Fabrics: 15% off on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (in-store only)
•Hanes Outlet Store: 10% off with Military ID
•Hot Topic: 10-20% off with military ID
•Jockey: 10% off with valid Military ID
•Jones New York Outlet Store: 10% off with valid Military ID
•Kohl's: 15% off at participating locations
•Maurices: 10% off with valid military ID
•Nautica: 10% off with military ID
•New York and Company: 15% off military discount
•Old Navy: 10% military discount 1st of every month (may vary by location; in-store only).
•Orvis: 10% discount for Veterans Advantage members
•Overstock: Free Club O membership for Military personnel (5% reward dollars for every purchase, free shipping, and extra reward dollars)
•Pac Sun: Discount varies per location, just bring in a vaild military ID and ask
•Ralph Lauren Outlet Store: 10% off with Military ID
•S&K Menswear: 8% Discount on all items free shipping on orders over $99 & APO/FPO shipping. To access the military site at S&K you must go through their AAFES Exchange Mail Online service. http://bdeal.me/aCVq2X
•Tommy Hilfiger: 10% with valid military ID
•Under Armor Outlet Store: 10% off with military ID
•Wet Seal: 10% off
•Wilson's Leather: 10% off in-store with military ID or call 1-866-305-4704
Shoe Discounts
•DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse: 10% military discount (may vary by location)
•Eastbay: 20% off online and by phone with a Veterans Advantage Card
•Finish Line: 20 percent military discount off select items at special locations
•Foot Action: 20% off with military ID
•Foot Locker: 20% off with military ID
•Kid's Foot Locker: 20% off with Military ID
•Lady Foot Locker: 20% off with military ID
•Nike : 0% off, In-Store. For official company policy please check out http://www.nikebiz.com/customer_service/discounts.html
•Payless Shoe Source: 10% off
•Rack Room Shoes: 15% discount. Bring in valid military ID
•Shoe Carnival: 10% off with military ID
•Timberland Outlets: 15%, bring in valid military ID
Travel and Hotel Discounts
•American Airlines: Discount varies, requires military ID
•Amtrak: Active duty US military personnel, their spouses and their dependents, are eligible to receive a 10% discount off most Amtrak rail fares or save 15% with your Veterans Advantage card.
•Best Inns and Suites: Varies, must present Military ID with check-in
•Best Western: Rates within allowable per diem, must present military ID with check in
•Budget: Varies, up to 25% off time and mileage Store, requires military ID to redeem
•Budget Truck Rental: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Choice Hotels: Rates at or below per diem depending on location. Discounts may vary and depend on availability. Must present military ID.
•Clarion Inn: Rates within allowable per diem while on travel orders. Must present valid military ID with check-in
•Comfort Inn: Rates within allowable per diem while on travel orders. Must Present valid military ID with check-in
•Days Inn: Rates within allowable per diem. Must present valid military ID with check-in
•Disney Resorts: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Disneyland : Military discounts are available only for tickets purchased at installation MWRs. Prices vary per date and length of visit
•Great Wolf Lodge: Up to 33% off, discount varies however. Must book room over the phone rather than the internet.
•GuideToMilitaryTravel.com: Another great site for military families to go to when looking for travel discounts.
•Hilton Hotels: State and federal employees and U.S. military service members are eligible for discounted bookings at Hilton hotel and resort properties. Discount amount may vary by property
•Marriott Hotels: It's the Per Diem amount the government picks up, whatever that amount is. Just call and place the reservation over the phone and ask for that discount.
•Nickelodeon Hotels: Reduced rates and perks, online and in store, www.nickhotel.com/military , 877-NICK-111 and ask for the Military Family Package
•Ramada: 15% to 30% - depending on availability. Must present military I.D. upon check in.
•Samsonite: 15% off with military ID
•Sierra Suites: Rates at or below per diem depending on location. Discounts may vary and depend on availability. Must present military ID
•Southwest Airlines; Varies, it's a dollar amount, not a percentage. Not available on all flights, you'll have to call Southwest and simply just ask.
•Travelodge: Rates within allowable per diem. Discounts may vary and depend on availability. Must present military I.D
•Wyndham Hotels: Discounts vary by 140 locations. Also depend on availability. Must present military I.D. upon check in.
Vacation Discounts
•Anheuser - Busch Amusement Parks: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Azamara Cruises: Discounts vary, 800-338-4962
•Busch Gardens: One day complimentary admission for members of the military and 3 direct dependents in 2012. Here's to the Heroes
•Carnival Cruises: 10% off of cruise, but must be booked over the phone, and not online, as proof must be faxed in
•MLB Hall of Fame: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Movie Theaters: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•My Cruise Club: 9% off on all cruises www.militarycruisedeals.com
•Professional Sports teams: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Ripley's attractions and museums: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Schlitterbahn Waterparks & Resorts: Active military can purchase Schlitterbahn tickets for up to 50% off the general admission price at participating military installations. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
•Sea World: One day complimentary admission for members of the military and 3 direct dependents in 2012. Here's to the Heroes
•Sesame Park Place: One day complimentary admission for members of the military and 3 direct dependents in 2012. Here's to the Heroes
•Shedd Aquarium in Chicago: Free general admission with military ID. On the Shedd Aquarium page that is hyper linked here, scroll down to “Other Discounts” to find out more information.
•Six Flags Magic Mountain: Service members receive special discounts on admission for special events and specific dates. Tickets must be purchased in advance MWR and ITT 143. Recreation offices, not at the park.
•Walt Disney World Resort: Walt Disney World Resort offers U.S. military personnel 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets for just $138 each and up to 40% off select Disney Resorts Hotels
•Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo: Free admission ticket for active duty or reserve member of the military, also allows 50% discount in admission for up to 3 family members
•Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium: Enrolled military get in for free and 50% off for up to 3 family members http://www.nyaquarium.com/
•World of Coca Cola: $2 off standard admission price for service member with I.D. and up to four guests.
Computer and Electronics Discounts
•Apple Store: The discount varies, you need to sign up here - http://www.apple.com/r/store/government/
•AT&T: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Dell Computers: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Hewlett-Packard: Log on to website and click on New User Registration: Enter first and last name, user name, password and email address. Use company code: 2727. Discounts vary. Online only.
•Inkshouse.com: 20% off $50 or more, use cod Mil20
•Microsoft: Government employees can get discounts on software through their Home Use Program
•Nextel: 18% Discount, call 1-800-639-6111
•Nuvo: $30 off Ritmo Pregnancy Sound System. You can call 1-888-688-6462, or use coupon code MILITARY99 online at http://www.nuvo-group.com. Valid military ID required for in-store purchase.
•Rocky Mountain Tracking: 5% off any tracking inc. Use code USMILITARY, http://www.rmtracking.com/
•Sprint: 10-18% off. Sprint will also put a "hold" on your line when you are deployed, if you provide a copy of your orders, so you still have the same number when you come back and you do not have to pay for the time your gone as well.
•Sprint Business: 15% to 20% Discount, 1-888-788-4727
•Verizon: 15% discount on monthly bills. Applies only to the military member's primary line.
Automotive Discounts
•AutoZone: Varies Per Store - Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Advance Auto Parts: 10% off with military ID
•Avis: 25% off, online you should use this coupon AWD # A555084
•Big 10 Tires: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Dollar Car Rental: Allowable per diem rates
•Firestone Auto Center: 10% off
•Ford: Discount varies, http://www.encs.com/ford/
•Geico: 2% to 15% in all states except Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas
•GM: Varies, always well below MSRP. You can sign in online at https://www.exclusivegmoffer.com/ip-gmpop/initPop.do?program=mpp
•Hertz: Allowable per diem rates. Show valid military ID
•Jeep: $500 for active military, reserves and retired reserves or active after 20 years of service. Requires military ID
•Jiffy Lube: 10% off with valid Military ID
•Kragen Auto Parts: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Meineke: 10% off parts. In store only. Simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Midas: 10% off
•NAPA Auto Parts: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•National: No fee for additional drivers, and special off duty rates per location. Service members receive full loss damage waivers
•O'Reilly Auto Parts: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Paradise Limousine: $25 Off Limousine Service Coupon Code: 1369 for service members
•Pep Boys: 10% off with valid military ID
•Race-Depot: 10% off, use code 10MILCITY
•Suzuki: $500 off for you and immediate family. Requires military ID
•Toyota: $500 off + $500 for firs time buyers. Requires military ID
•Vets-Cars.com: an auto dealer association that pledges "thanks, respect, low up-front pricing, transparency and a superior showroom experience for U.S. Veterans, Active Duty and family members."
Beauty Discounts
•Mary Kay Cosmetics: Military personnel and dependents receive 10 % on online orders. Reference your service affiliation and status, and ask for additional free gift and bigger discounts by contacting website. Note: Mary Kay cosmetics are sold by independent consultants who can choose to honor discounts or not and can also choose whether or not to offer free gifts with purchase. Most consultants do honor these requests, but are not required to.
•Pure Beauty: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Sally Beauty Supply: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
Sporting Goods Discounts
•Champs Sports: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Copeland's Sports: Discount varies per location
•Dick's Sporting Goods: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Play It Again Sports: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Sport Chalet: 10% off
•SportsMemorabilia.com: 10% off at checkout, use code mili10 online
Health and Wellness Discounts
•GNC: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Simone Protective Health: 20% off their nutritional hydration drink.
Education Discounts
•Ashford University: Discounted tuition at $250 a credit, books are covered for all required courses, waived application fee, waived technology fee and more! Benefits apply to all Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists and spouses, dependents eligible for survivor benefits, plus civilian DOD employees & separated vets/retirees still using their GI Bill.
•Barnes and Noble: 6% off regular price plus free shipping, check out www.bn.com/militarycity
•Discovery Channel Store: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•istudysmart.com: Free Shipping for Military Families, Online, 9/15 - 10/14
•Lerner: 15% off
Jewelry Discounts
•Facets Collection: 10% off jewelry and 5% off all engagement rings and loose diamonds
•Samuel's Diamonds: 10% off in-store with military ID
•Szul: Free shipping to Military APO/FPO destinations until 12/31/10. http://bdeal.me/dnZ6Fb
Children's Discounts
•KB Toys: 15% off during advertised Military Days
Movie Discounts
•American Video Productions: 10% off to active duty, retired, families of military and dependents. Call and ask for the discount http://www.americanvideoproductions.net/
•Blockbuster: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•IMAX : $1 off movie tickets with Military ID
•Movie Theaters: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•Regal Movie Theaters: Matinee prices for all show times. Requires Military ID
•United Artist Movie Theaters: Matinee prices for all show times. Requires Military ID
Eyewear Discounts
•Boston Bill Sunglasses: 10% off
•Eyewear: Discount varies, get the discount online at http://www.afeyewear.com/ - This site offers military discounts for a wide range of eyeglass companies
•Haber Vision: 50% discount on all sunglasses. Online at http://www.habervision.com/CodeResult.aspx?code=JB10222Q
•MilitaryContacts.net: Up to 30% off contact lenses and free shipping on orders over $50
•Oakley: There is a website you register with that offers Oakleys at a discounted price. It doesn't say how much that price is though. Check it out online at https://secure.usstandardissue.com/
Home and Garden Discounts
•Agentsource.com: Up to 40% off standard real estate closing costs for Active duty men and women moving in the United States or Canada
•Anna's Linens: 10% off any purchase with Valid Military ID in store only
•Camino Real Apartments: 5% military discount
•Century 21: FREE Century 21 AON Home Protection Plan when they buy or sell a home through Molly Kucharski ONLY paid for at settlement. Value = $399.00, call 1(800) 952-2516
•CubeSmart: Additional 20% off with valid Military ID
•Home Depot: 10% off Year Round, to active duty, active reserve, retired military, and immediate family. In-Store only. Varies- some locations may require documentation.
•Kiss the Cook: Register with your military email address and receive a 10% discount
•Leslie Pool Supplies: 10% off with military ID
•Lowe's: 10% off year round to active duty, active reserve, retired military, and immediate family. Just bring in a valid military ID. The military discount, however, cannot be combined with other coupons they may be offering.
•Michaels: 10% off every Wednesday at select stores. Call your local store for participation.
Miscellaneous Discounts
•ASMBA: Armed Services Mutual Benefit Association - Membership in the non-profit association is free, and, when you join, you'll get $3,000 of free AD&D coverage.
•Build a Sign: Free banner and cards to support the troops
•CoinsAndPins.com: 10% military discount on custom made products as long as the custom items are more than 60% military related
•FromYouFlowers.com: 20% discount when you order by phone at 1-800-838-8853
•IAVA : IAVA, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, is a veterans organization that looks to help take care of the newest generation of American veterans. They also are working with companies, such as JC Penney, to provide up to $200 in vouchers to certain retail stores.
•National Credit Solutions: 25% discount, call toll free at 866-485-2540 x109, and for a direct line please call 972-746-4209
•Online Chimp Website Solution: $15 off the small business website builder
•Sears: 10% off on tools and related items. Contact your local store for details.
•Spencer's Gifts: Discount varies, simply ask and have a valid military ID with you.
•TurboTax: Active duty military are eligible to file federal tax returns for free through the Intuit Tax Freedom Project
•Walgreens: 10% with military ID every Tuesday
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
9/23/2014 We’re Happy with the RV Guy!
(Albuquerque, NM)
We arrived right on time this morning for our appointment with Tom's RV Service. I have to tell you, we both liked this man right away.
Jeff, our technician got right to work pulling our wheels off and diagnosed the problem right away. we had a caliper seize. Tom got on the phone right away and called our extended warranty company and got all the parts we needed ordered.
While we were there we asked that the rest of the tires be pulled and inspected also. It was a good thing we did this. The other calipers were also failing but had not failed as yet. Tom then called the caliper manufacturer and went to bat for us. Kodiak said that since we were out of the manufacturers warranty that they were not responsible. Tom pressed the issue and reiterated that all four calipers are failing at the same time. We’ve only had these since February of 2013 when we had everything replaced due to the Lippert oil filled axles failing. In light of this Kodiak agreed to replace the parts as a goodwill gesture. Installation will come from our pocket and we’re okay with that as long as we’re safe while traveling.
Of course we heard the usual delivery will take 7 – 10 days. Of course it will.
Our extended warranty would not cover the failing but not yet failed calipers. I don’t understand this, they ARE going to fail. It may be in 200 miles, it may not be until we travel 1200 miles. What happened to preventive measures?
Our big question now is WHY did all the calipers fail? We don’t know. The RV technician doesn’t know. Bob will research this to death online, I guarantee it.
We went back to the famcamp, got set back up and relaxed the rest of the day.
So now we wait.
We arrived right on time this morning for our appointment with Tom's RV Service. I have to tell you, we both liked this man right away.
Jeff, our technician got right to work pulling our wheels off and diagnosed the problem right away. we had a caliper seize. Tom got on the phone right away and called our extended warranty company and got all the parts we needed ordered.
While we were there we asked that the rest of the tires be pulled and inspected also. It was a good thing we did this. The other calipers were also failing but had not failed as yet. Tom then called the caliper manufacturer and went to bat for us. Kodiak said that since we were out of the manufacturers warranty that they were not responsible. Tom pressed the issue and reiterated that all four calipers are failing at the same time. We’ve only had these since February of 2013 when we had everything replaced due to the Lippert oil filled axles failing. In light of this Kodiak agreed to replace the parts as a goodwill gesture. Installation will come from our pocket and we’re okay with that as long as we’re safe while traveling.
Of course we heard the usual delivery will take 7 – 10 days. Of course it will.
Our extended warranty would not cover the failing but not yet failed calipers. I don’t understand this, they ARE going to fail. It may be in 200 miles, it may not be until we travel 1200 miles. What happened to preventive measures?
Our big question now is WHY did all the calipers fail? We don’t know. The RV technician doesn’t know. Bob will research this to death online, I guarantee it.
We went back to the famcamp, got set back up and relaxed the rest of the day.
So now we wait.
Monday, September 22, 2014
9/22/2014 Settled in at Kirtland AFB
(Albuquerque, NM)
Well, we’re here for a week. We figure that will give us enough time to find a repairman, get parts ordered if need be and delivered and then installed. I know, I know, a weeks is wishful thinking on my part.I am we are, so ready to get to Arizona. There is a 14 day limit here for spaces in this FamCamp. Surely, we won’t be here that long.
I did get recommendations from the office on RV repair places. I called Tom’s RV and left a message for a callback. A short while later our call was returned but I just missed it. Looking at the number I recognized it as Tom’s RV Repair and dialed back right away. It’s a good thing I did too! Tom’s wife, Elaine, was calling and leaving me a message that Tom no longer did mobile repair and that they were making appointments two weeks out. Well, as she was leaving that message I had Tom on the phone explaining where we were, what was wrong, that we were full-timers and needed help. He agreed to see us tomorrow morning at ten. That was a lucky call for us.
We took a ride into the main part of town to see what was here. We spotted a Sam’s Club so made a stop there to get some Campari tomatoes and few other things.
On the way back to the base I took notice of these low lying clouds.
As we got closer to the base we saw these cloudbursts.
As quickly as the rains came, they left.
At the base we never got a drop. It went all around us. At one point I thought for sure we were going to get nailed.
Then I looked at the area at the back of the 5th wheel and this was the sky. So we hung out at the back end.
Well, we’re here for a week. We figure that will give us enough time to find a repairman, get parts ordered if need be and delivered and then installed. I know, I know, a weeks is wishful thinking on my part.
I did get recommendations from the office on RV repair places. I called Tom’s RV and left a message for a callback. A short while later our call was returned but I just missed it. Looking at the number I recognized it as Tom’s RV Repair and dialed back right away. It’s a good thing I did too! Tom’s wife, Elaine, was calling and leaving me a message that Tom no longer did mobile repair and that they were making appointments two weeks out. Well, as she was leaving that message I had Tom on the phone explaining where we were, what was wrong, that we were full-timers and needed help. He agreed to see us tomorrow morning at ten. That was a lucky call for us.
We took a ride into the main part of town to see what was here. We spotted a Sam’s Club so made a stop there to get some Campari tomatoes and few other things.
On the way back to the base I took notice of these low lying clouds.
As we got closer to the base we saw these cloudbursts.
As quickly as the rains came, they left.
At the base we never got a drop. It went all around us. At one point I thought for sure we were going to get nailed.
Then I looked at the area at the back of the 5th wheel and this was the sky. So we hung out at the back end.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
9/21/2014 Limping into Albuquerque
(Albuquerque,NM)
We took our time driving what should have been a two hour or so trip from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque. We made several stops including a twenty five minute stop at a roadside tourist trap.
We thought we were going to run into a really bad storm on the way.
As we got closer the clouds got darker but we could definitely see where the sun was getting through a break in the clouds.
I never get tired of seeing the overpass decorations that are so prevalent in the western states.
We pulled into Kirtland Air Force Base where we’ll set up in the FamCamp. This was a new base for us as the last time we tried to get in here they were full due to a graduation taking place and the FamCamp was booked solid.
The camp host who checked us in was very friendly and helpful with giving us maps and directions.
Our site is just across from the laundry which a good thing because I haven’t done our laundry since we left our son’s home in Kentucky. We were both down to wearing our least favorite things. A dollar for wash and dry each also made me a happy camper.
We were happy to be able to open all the windows have a delightful breeze flow through the house. Just a breeze, no dust or sand involved.
After getting set up we made a run to the Commissary to pick up a few things. There was a big display of Maxwell House coffee that normally sells for $6.99 and was on sale for $5.99 and then add in a $1.00 off coupon that was attached to the top of each container, well I was just in grocery shopping heaven! I put four (almost 2 lb) containers in my basket.
We took a ride around the base to get the lay of the land and then settled in for the rest of the day.
We took our time driving what should have been a two hour or so trip from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque. We made several stops including a twenty five minute stop at a roadside tourist trap.
We thought we were going to run into a really bad storm on the way.
As we got closer the clouds got darker but we could definitely see where the sun was getting through a break in the clouds.
I never get tired of seeing the overpass decorations that are so prevalent in the western states.
We pulled into Kirtland Air Force Base where we’ll set up in the FamCamp. This was a new base for us as the last time we tried to get in here they were full due to a graduation taking place and the FamCamp was booked solid.
The camp host who checked us in was very friendly and helpful with giving us maps and directions.
Our site is just across from the laundry which a good thing because I haven’t done our laundry since we left our son’s home in Kentucky. We were both down to wearing our least favorite things. A dollar for wash and dry each also made me a happy camper.
We were happy to be able to open all the windows have a delightful breeze flow through the house. Just a breeze, no dust or sand involved.
After getting set up we made a run to the Commissary to pick up a few things. There was a big display of Maxwell House coffee that normally sells for $6.99 and was on sale for $5.99 and then add in a $1.00 off coupon that was attached to the top of each container, well I was just in grocery shopping heaven! I put four (almost 2 lb) containers in my basket.
We took a ride around the base to get the lay of the land and then settled in for the rest of the day.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
9/20/14 The Blue Hole
(Santa Rosa, NM)
When we checked into the RV park we were given a brochure with a map of the area inside, the rules of park on the back, lots of advertisement around the perimeter of the brochure advertising local restaurants, Laundromats and other small businesses. What was most striking about this brochure was the cover. It featured a deep blue swimming hole surrounded by small cliffs that children were jumping off. The Blue Hole. Having to forget about tires and wheels and brakes for awhile we decided to go see what The Blue Hole is all about.
It wasn’t too far from where were staying, perhaps a 20 minute drive across town. Fifteen if we had known where we were going.
We drove past a good sized lake which had no one there. It was empty even though it was a Saturday, it was a beautiful sunny and warm day. Chaise lounges were lakeside on the beach and not a person was to be seen. We just didn’t understand it. Past the lake, about a half mile down the road we saw the sign for The Blue Hole and pulled into the gravel parking lot. The first thing we noticed was several tent canopies set up and a couple of dozen people walking around in wet suits. It certainly contradicted what we saw in the near distance of children jumping from small cliffs, clad in bathing suits, into the same water the wet suit-ers were going into.
As we got closer the SCUBA tanks came into view. Ahhh,,,,its not that adults were wimps and needed wet suits, they were diving. When I read the sign then the need for wet suits really came into play and I realized it was the children who weren’t playing with a full deck. The water was only 61 degrees. A steady temperature all year round.
It was a hole and it was blue so the name fits.
The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa is a circular, bell shaped pool that is one of the most popular dive destinations in the US for SCUBA diving and training.
The Blue Hole is an artesian well that was once used as a fish hatchery. It is a clear blue body of water with a constant 61 °F temperature and constant inflow of 3000 gallons per minute.
While the surface is only 60 feet in diameter, it expands to a diameter of 130 feet at the bottom, hence the description of bell shaped.
Around the edges the water was crystal clear.
We watched the kids jumping off the cliffs for awhile.
For the ones who were jumping for the first time today, their squeals as they hit the cold water had every one laughing.
I would have to be on fire to jump in that water and that would only be after I asked everyone if they had a blanket to roll me in and I got all no answers. I don’t do cold water.
On the was back to town we passed this very old church.
Well, what was once a church I should say.
It had a small cemetery and I have to say, it was well kept and many of the graves had flowers or flags.
On the was out of town on the way to The Blue Hole we noticed these painted paw prints on the road.
It was on our way back through that we noticed the high school. These are the prints of the Lady Lions and King Lions and they lead all the way to the parking lot of the school.
Before we left the RV park today on our adventure, I stopped in the office to see if any word had been heard from the owner’s friend. The answer was no but we were told where the shop was. We decided to go check it out, to make sure we could fit in the parking lot at least.
We had to turn around and pulled into a parking lot of a business that boasted several old cars and trucks in the parking lot. One was especially photo worthy.
An Edsel.
We found the place we were looking for and the parking lot was plenty big. We had forgotten that this place caters to big rigs. It just so happened that some of the guys who work there were on the premises. Bob talked to one fellow and was told that in all probability they would not be able to help us. Oh No! What do we do now?
We headed back home and talked about our options. It doesn’t seem we’re going to be able to get the problem fixed here. Movin’ on tomorrow….slowly.
When we checked into the RV park we were given a brochure with a map of the area inside, the rules of park on the back, lots of advertisement around the perimeter of the brochure advertising local restaurants, Laundromats and other small businesses. What was most striking about this brochure was the cover. It featured a deep blue swimming hole surrounded by small cliffs that children were jumping off. The Blue Hole. Having to forget about tires and wheels and brakes for awhile we decided to go see what The Blue Hole is all about.
It wasn’t too far from where were staying, perhaps a 20 minute drive across town. Fifteen if we had known where we were going.
We drove past a good sized lake which had no one there. It was empty even though it was a Saturday, it was a beautiful sunny and warm day. Chaise lounges were lakeside on the beach and not a person was to be seen. We just didn’t understand it. Past the lake, about a half mile down the road we saw the sign for The Blue Hole and pulled into the gravel parking lot. The first thing we noticed was several tent canopies set up and a couple of dozen people walking around in wet suits. It certainly contradicted what we saw in the near distance of children jumping from small cliffs, clad in bathing suits, into the same water the wet suit-ers were going into.
As we got closer the SCUBA tanks came into view. Ahhh,,,,its not that adults were wimps and needed wet suits, they were diving. When I read the sign then the need for wet suits really came into play and I realized it was the children who weren’t playing with a full deck. The water was only 61 degrees. A steady temperature all year round.
It was a hole and it was blue so the name fits.
The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa is a circular, bell shaped pool that is one of the most popular dive destinations in the US for SCUBA diving and training.
The Blue Hole is an artesian well that was once used as a fish hatchery. It is a clear blue body of water with a constant 61 °F temperature and constant inflow of 3000 gallons per minute.
While the surface is only 60 feet in diameter, it expands to a diameter of 130 feet at the bottom, hence the description of bell shaped.
Around the edges the water was crystal clear.
We watched the kids jumping off the cliffs for awhile.
For the ones who were jumping for the first time today, their squeals as they hit the cold water had every one laughing.
On the was back to town we passed this very old church.
Well, what was once a church I should say.
It had a small cemetery and I have to say, it was well kept and many of the graves had flowers or flags.
On the was out of town on the way to The Blue Hole we noticed these painted paw prints on the road.
It was on our way back through that we noticed the high school. These are the prints of the Lady Lions and King Lions and they lead all the way to the parking lot of the school.
Before we left the RV park today on our adventure, I stopped in the office to see if any word had been heard from the owner’s friend. The answer was no but we were told where the shop was. We decided to go check it out, to make sure we could fit in the parking lot at least.
We had to turn around and pulled into a parking lot of a business that boasted several old cars and trucks in the parking lot. One was especially photo worthy.
An Edsel.
We found the place we were looking for and the parking lot was plenty big. We had forgotten that this place caters to big rigs. It just so happened that some of the guys who work there were on the premises. Bob talked to one fellow and was told that in all probability they would not be able to help us. Oh No! What do we do now?
We headed back home and talked about our options. It doesn’t seem we’re going to be able to get the problem fixed here. Movin’ on tomorrow….slowly.
Friday, September 19, 2014
9/18-9/19/14 Houston….We Have a Problem
(Santa Rosa, NM)
Here we are in Santa Rosa rather than Tucumcari. We decided to come here because it’s a bigger town and Bob thinks we’ll have a better chance of getting the service we need here.
Bob spent the better part of the day on the Internet trying to get a handle on why this is happening, what could cause it. He’s got several possibilities to explore further.
I made phone calls as he needed them made to find a service shop where we can get fixed. The possible service shops are falling by the wayside fast. They don’t have anyone that works on electric over hydraulic brakes, or they are a small shop and we can’t even fit into their parking lot or they’ll be happy to look at it if we can make an appointment for two weeks out and they don’t guarantee they can fix it. Uh,,,no thanks.
On Friday we had to make a beer/Pepsi run and to get a few things like bread, bagels and butter in the house. We went to the grocery store, the only game in town, and were shocked at the prices this grocery store was charging. I looked at Maxwell House coffee and they wanted $12.99 for the container that I usually buy for $6 to $8. They wanted $2.69 for a green pepper and they weren’t even big green peppers! I Needless to say I went over my mental list and cut it down considerably.
When I got to the checkout counter I had to ask the lady how in the world did anyone afford to shop here. She smiled and agreed with me. She told me that the women of the town will get together, load a van with coolers and go for an hour and three quarters ride to Albuquerque and go shopping there. They’ll spend the day and shop Sam’s Club or Costco and the regular grocery stores and also take in Sears, Penny’s, Kohls and Target. I wouldn’t be happy having to do that.
Once back at the house Bob decided that each wheel needed to be looked at individually. He jacked up the 5th wheel so that the back wheel on the passenger side could be spun freely. I sat in the truck and when told to, hit the brakes. The wheel didn’t stop. He got it going again and this time when told to I manually applied the brakes by the controller inside the truck. The wheel didn’t stop. No brakes. This is not good. Since we are traveling on flat land now he didn’t engage the Tow-haul so the truck brakes alone are stopping us. This is not good.
We continued to check each wheel and we found that some were working with the brake controller when applied manually, but none by foot brake. This is not good.
Back to the computer for more research and to ask more questions of guys in the forums. There is a small number of responders to his questions in the forums that he’ll listen to but those guys really know what they are talking about so they are a good source of information and have helped us with issues in the past by giving Bob food for thought in figuring out how to fix something. Then of course you have the idiots that have been camping in their first camper or pop-up for 3 months, weekends only, and know everything! Bob reads me their answers and we have a good laugh.
The RV park owner has a friend who works on big rigs, the tractor trailer kind of big rig and he put a call in to him to see if he can help us. The waiting game begins.
Hopefully, we’ll get some good news tomorrow.
Here we are in Santa Rosa rather than Tucumcari. We decided to come here because it’s a bigger town and Bob thinks we’ll have a better chance of getting the service we need here.
Bob spent the better part of the day on the Internet trying to get a handle on why this is happening, what could cause it. He’s got several possibilities to explore further.
I made phone calls as he needed them made to find a service shop where we can get fixed. The possible service shops are falling by the wayside fast. They don’t have anyone that works on electric over hydraulic brakes, or they are a small shop and we can’t even fit into their parking lot or they’ll be happy to look at it if we can make an appointment for two weeks out and they don’t guarantee they can fix it. Uh,,,no thanks.
On Friday we had to make a beer/Pepsi run and to get a few things like bread, bagels and butter in the house. We went to the grocery store, the only game in town, and were shocked at the prices this grocery store was charging. I looked at Maxwell House coffee and they wanted $12.99 for the container that I usually buy for $6 to $8. They wanted $2.69 for a green pepper and they weren’t even big green peppers! I Needless to say I went over my mental list and cut it down considerably.
When I got to the checkout counter I had to ask the lady how in the world did anyone afford to shop here. She smiled and agreed with me. She told me that the women of the town will get together, load a van with coolers and go for an hour and three quarters ride to Albuquerque and go shopping there. They’ll spend the day and shop Sam’s Club or Costco and the regular grocery stores and also take in Sears, Penny’s, Kohls and Target. I wouldn’t be happy having to do that.
Once back at the house Bob decided that each wheel needed to be looked at individually. He jacked up the 5th wheel so that the back wheel on the passenger side could be spun freely. I sat in the truck and when told to, hit the brakes. The wheel didn’t stop. He got it going again and this time when told to I manually applied the brakes by the controller inside the truck. The wheel didn’t stop. No brakes. This is not good. Since we are traveling on flat land now he didn’t engage the Tow-haul so the truck brakes alone are stopping us. This is not good.
We continued to check each wheel and we found that some were working with the brake controller when applied manually, but none by foot brake. This is not good.
Back to the computer for more research and to ask more questions of guys in the forums. There is a small number of responders to his questions in the forums that he’ll listen to but those guys really know what they are talking about so they are a good source of information and have helped us with issues in the past by giving Bob food for thought in figuring out how to fix something. Then of course you have the idiots that have been camping in their first camper or pop-up for 3 months, weekends only, and know everything! Bob reads me their answers and we have a good laugh.
The RV park owner has a friend who works on big rigs, the tractor trailer kind of big rig and he put a call in to him to see if he can help us. The waiting game begins.
Hopefully, we’ll get some good news tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
9/17/2014 Destination: New Mexico
(On the road WEST)
We got a fairly early start this morning, let me make that clear, early for us. Eight-ish.
We had a beautiful day to be driving.
It was shortly after we got on the road that Bob happened to look down at the odometer and said, “We’re turnin’ 100,000 miles.” Everything in my book is photo worthy.
We soon noticed we were back in the land of long, long, trains. This train had 136 cars and 4 engines.
We went through this town called Hooker, Oklahoma.
You wanna call your hardware store Hooker True Value? Not a problem. That said, if I owned the only motel in this small town I think I’d find another name.
It didn’t take us long to cross over into Texas.
We went through this small town and I really liked their town sign.
We were going under some overpasses and we noticed these bird nests.
Some overpasses had many more nests than this one. Enlarge the picture and take notice that they are around the columns holding the overpass up too. I shudder to think how many baby birds never make a second flight when exiting the nest for the first time. It sure didn’t seem like a safe place for a nest to me.
We passed lots of pretty scenery along the way.
We started seeing the windmills again.
And we saw cattle, lots and lots of cattle.
The wind picked up a ways down the road. Lucky for us by the time we got there the dust had dissipated.
We reach New Mexico! Our destination for today.
Our normal stop for this trip would be Tucumcari where we would stay at the Elks Lodge. This is going to change this trip. We were thirsty and pulled over when we found a gas station/convenience store combo that had a large parking lot. While I went inside Bob did his usual thing and walked around the truck and 5th wheel to make sure everything was intact and ok. It is during these walk around inspections that he checks our tires. He touches each one and the rims. Today, we had a hot tire. Hot, as in burn your hand if you left it there too long hot. Tucumcari is a rather small town so after checking the map we decided to go 60 miles further to Santa Rosa.
We stopped every half hour or so to give a wheels/tires a rest and to cool down although because we were stopping frequently the one tire wasn’t getting as hot.
So we limped into Santa Rosa and chose the Santa Rosa RV park to stay in. Hopefully, we’ll get this fixed easily and inexpensively tomorrow. Regardless, we're going to stay two nights here.
We got a fairly early start this morning, let me make that clear, early for us. Eight-ish.
We had a beautiful day to be driving.
It was shortly after we got on the road that Bob happened to look down at the odometer and said, “We’re turnin’ 100,000 miles.” Everything in my book is photo worthy.
We went through this town called Hooker, Oklahoma.
You wanna call your hardware store Hooker True Value? Not a problem. That said, if I owned the only motel in this small town I think I’d find another name.
It didn’t take us long to cross over into Texas.
We went through this small town and I really liked their town sign.
We were going under some overpasses and we noticed these bird nests.
Some overpasses had many more nests than this one. Enlarge the picture and take notice that they are around the columns holding the overpass up too. I shudder to think how many baby birds never make a second flight when exiting the nest for the first time. It sure didn’t seem like a safe place for a nest to me.
We passed lots of pretty scenery along the way.
We started seeing the windmills again.
And we saw cattle, lots and lots of cattle.
The wind picked up a ways down the road. Lucky for us by the time we got there the dust had dissipated.
We reach New Mexico! Our destination for today.
Our normal stop for this trip would be Tucumcari where we would stay at the Elks Lodge. This is going to change this trip. We were thirsty and pulled over when we found a gas station/convenience store combo that had a large parking lot. While I went inside Bob did his usual thing and walked around the truck and 5th wheel to make sure everything was intact and ok. It is during these walk around inspections that he checks our tires. He touches each one and the rims. Today, we had a hot tire. Hot, as in burn your hand if you left it there too long hot. Tucumcari is a rather small town so after checking the map we decided to go 60 miles further to Santa Rosa.
We stopped every half hour or so to give a wheels/tires a rest and to cool down although because we were stopping frequently the one tire wasn’t getting as hot.
So we limped into Santa Rosa and chose the Santa Rosa RV park to stay in. Hopefully, we’ll get this fixed easily and inexpensively tomorrow. Regardless, we're going to stay two nights here.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
9/16/2014 A Sweetheart of a Road Route 54
(On the road WEST)
We pulled out of Cozy Corner RV Park this morning and picked up Route 54 heading west. What a great road this is! Very little traffic and a road as smooth as glass.
We did see a lot of open land with very little of it being used for crops. Oh, we saw the occasional field of corn and milo and hay but for the most part they were just green grass fields. We thought this odd to say the least.
We came across several roadside signs saying Experience the Flint Hills.
We’d love to but that’s all we saw so we didn’t know where they were, what they were or how to experience them. With a little research I found the following.
To start with, we were in Greenwood County in Kansas. This county, almost entirely is located within one of the world’s great beef cattle feeding grounds, the Bluestem pasture region of Kansas. The area, more popularly known as the Flint Hills covers four and a half million acres.
The Bluestem region comprises the last large segment of true prairie which once stretched from the forests in the east to the Great Plains.
Each summer a million head of cattle are fed on the nutritious grasses of the Flint Hills. Every summer southwestern cattle are shipped here to graze and fatten up.
Besides cattle grazing we saw a lot of these along the Route 54.
Lots of silos.
Lots of hay rolls.
We stated in a rather new RV park in Guymon, OK. I was told to look for the drive in movie screen and I would find the park. Sure enough there it was.
What I first noticed when we pulled in was this garden in front of the office. I did a double take when I realized what was “planted”.
Need a closer look?
Bowling balls! Some painted, some not.
The couple who own this place bought the drive in three years ago. It had been closed for 20 years and the fellow often said to his wife, “Some day I’m going to open that drive in again.” Well, the land came on the market and he jumped on it. There was lots of land in the deal that they didn’t need for the drive in so they built the RV park.
I saw a sign in the office and on our brochure that if the RV park people are going to sit outside, or even from inside their RV’s, and watch the movie they should buy two tickets from the office first. Now I’ll tell right up front. If I’m watching the movie from my RV,or even sitting in lawn chairs on my lawn, I’ll be darned if I’m going to go pay for two tickets. I’m just not that honest. I didn’t have to decide about this anyway since its closed for the season.
We should finish up with Oklahoma tomorrow, make our way through Texas and be in New Mexico tomorrow! We’re getting closer!
We pulled out of Cozy Corner RV Park this morning and picked up Route 54 heading west. What a great road this is! Very little traffic and a road as smooth as glass.
We did see a lot of open land with very little of it being used for crops. Oh, we saw the occasional field of corn and milo and hay but for the most part they were just green grass fields. We thought this odd to say the least.
We came across several roadside signs saying Experience the Flint Hills.
We’d love to but that’s all we saw so we didn’t know where they were, what they were or how to experience them. With a little research I found the following.
To start with, we were in Greenwood County in Kansas. This county, almost entirely is located within one of the world’s great beef cattle feeding grounds, the Bluestem pasture region of Kansas. The area, more popularly known as the Flint Hills covers four and a half million acres.
The Bluestem region comprises the last large segment of true prairie which once stretched from the forests in the east to the Great Plains.
Each summer a million head of cattle are fed on the nutritious grasses of the Flint Hills. Every summer southwestern cattle are shipped here to graze and fatten up.
Besides cattle grazing we saw a lot of these along the Route 54.
Lots of silos.
Lots of hay rolls.
We stated in a rather new RV park in Guymon, OK. I was told to look for the drive in movie screen and I would find the park. Sure enough there it was.
What I first noticed when we pulled in was this garden in front of the office. I did a double take when I realized what was “planted”.
Need a closer look?
Bowling balls! Some painted, some not.
The couple who own this place bought the drive in three years ago. It had been closed for 20 years and the fellow often said to his wife, “Some day I’m going to open that drive in again.” Well, the land came on the market and he jumped on it. There was lots of land in the deal that they didn’t need for the drive in so they built the RV park.
I saw a sign in the office and on our brochure that if the RV park people are going to sit outside, or even from inside their RV’s, and watch the movie they should buy two tickets from the office first. Now I’ll tell right up front. If I’m watching the movie from my RV,or even sitting in lawn chairs on my lawn, I’ll be darned if I’m going to go pay for two tickets. I’m just not that honest. I didn’t have to decide about this anyway since its closed for the season.
We should finish up with Oklahoma tomorrow, make our way through Texas and be in New Mexico tomorrow! We’re getting closer!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
9/14/2014 We Visit With Family
(Clinton, MO)
As I said in an earlier post, we came to this town because we are stopping to see niece, Christy and nephew, Charlie.
We haven’t seen these two in nearly twenty years. After their dad, Bob’s brother, passed on they moved to Kansas with their mother.
They are now grown and with families of their own.
We met them at the Denny’s for breakfast in a town called Peculiar. That was a central location for all of us.
Christy and her husband Ric and their children, Autumn, Paige and Dominic were the first to arrive.
We arrived shortly after them and Charlie and his wife Katie with three of their four children arrived last. Charlie had a hard moving because yesterday he was playing ball with his sons and messed up his shoulder pretty bad. Bad enough that a trip to the hospital was in order and surgery seems likely.
After a delicious breakfast and lot of talk bringing each other up to date on what’s happened in the last twenty years it was time to part ways. Christy’s daughters are very active in sports and had games in the afternoon that they wanted to attend.
Charlie and Katie invited us back to their home to continue our visit. They lived in a nearby town that kind of reminded me a Mayberry sort of town. The streets were all tree lined, the homes kept up nicely, one gas station, two bars and five churches. A ratio Charlie and Katie were happy to bring their children up with.
We both appreciated the time we got to spend with both of them and their spouses. We think they married well and both seem genuinely happy.
A picture of Charlie and his Uncle Robert.
We had a great visit with them and are so glad we took the time for this side trip.
Back at home we settled in. Bob did strike up a conversation with the fellow next to us and we met his companion, Gunner.
A face only a mother could love. I became Gunner’s best friend when I started scratching his back. If I moved away he followed and looked at me as if to say, “Well, start scratching!”
Tomorrow we continue our trek west.
As I said in an earlier post, we came to this town because we are stopping to see niece, Christy and nephew, Charlie.
We haven’t seen these two in nearly twenty years. After their dad, Bob’s brother, passed on they moved to Kansas with their mother.
They are now grown and with families of their own.
We met them at the Denny’s for breakfast in a town called Peculiar. That was a central location for all of us.
Christy and her husband Ric and their children, Autumn, Paige and Dominic were the first to arrive.
We arrived shortly after them and Charlie and his wife Katie with three of their four children arrived last. Charlie had a hard moving because yesterday he was playing ball with his sons and messed up his shoulder pretty bad. Bad enough that a trip to the hospital was in order and surgery seems likely.
After a delicious breakfast and lot of talk bringing each other up to date on what’s happened in the last twenty years it was time to part ways. Christy’s daughters are very active in sports and had games in the afternoon that they wanted to attend.
Charlie and Katie invited us back to their home to continue our visit. They lived in a nearby town that kind of reminded me a Mayberry sort of town. The streets were all tree lined, the homes kept up nicely, one gas station, two bars and five churches. A ratio Charlie and Katie were happy to bring their children up with.
We both appreciated the time we got to spend with both of them and their spouses. We think they married well and both seem genuinely happy.
A picture of Charlie and his Uncle Robert.
We had a great visit with them and are so glad we took the time for this side trip.
Back at home we settled in. Bob did strike up a conversation with the fellow next to us and we met his companion, Gunner.
A face only a mother could love. I became Gunner’s best friend when I started scratching his back. If I moved away he followed and looked at me as if to say, “Well, start scratching!”
Tomorrow we continue our trek west.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
9/13/2014 A Fish Fry!
(On the Road WEST)
We were on the road this morning and heading towards western Missouri. We’re going to see a niece and nephew and meet their families for the first time.
Destination today is a small town called Clinton.
On the way we stopped at a rest stop which had some unique picnic table shelters.
Now Bob and I were riding quietly, both lost in our own thoughts. All of a sudden we were brought out of our quiet time with a jolt! Picture this. Summer time, farm land, crops growing, a crop duster doing his thing. You know the sound the plane makes as it makes its turn to do another pass? That whine? Yeah, that sound! We heard that sound magnified by ten. The sound came out of nowhere. This idiot passed us on the right, driving on the shoulder of the highway. As his tires passed over this, behind us, the sound was certainly unexpected and very loud!
I saw this flash of red out of the corner of my eye as he flew by us, we were going 60 something, and he passed and crossed over the strip again we realized what it was. Before we could even speak he was past us, in the left lane and a dozen car lengths ahead of us. We just looked at each other, stunned.
As we pulled into the town of Clinton we both took note of fields and fields of what looked like really different looking corn.
It certainly was as not as tall as the corn we’ve been seeing and the tassels at the top were much darker in color.
As I was signing into the Cozy Corner RV Park I asked the lady behind the desk about what kind of corn was growing. She chuckled and said, that’s not corn, that milo. Milo, something we’ve never heard of before. With a quick Google I found the following.
Milo (or more commonly referred to as "Grain Sorghum") is a grain product that is grown in hot dry climates that cannot sustain corn. It is used in many parts of the world as a food grain for human consumption. However, in the United States it is more commonly used as an ingredient in the production of animal and livestock feeds.
We got set up into our spot and within minutes the men in the park were coming to check out the beast.
We noticed that a man riding a small front end loader was collecting picnic tables from all over the park and depositing them across the street from us under and around a pole barn type structure. Soon after here came the grills. The park was holding their annual catfish fry. The fellas invited us and I had to come up with a dish to bring. I was totally unprepared for this. I opened the cupboards and they looked much Old Mother Hubbard’s> What to do, what to do. rooted around and finally came across two cans of baked beans. That’ll work!
So at six we were off to a catfish fry. The people were absolutely as friendly as could be and included us in their conversations.
There were about a hundred people or so, so you can imagine how much food there was. Luckily, there was a crock pot of baked beans and my dish. When I saw all the serving dishes lined up I was afraid that there was going to be ten of them filled with beans. I went home with only half a can’s worth left.
We stayed and chatted until it started getting dark and then went in for the evening. Tomorrow we’ll see family.
We were on the road this morning and heading towards western Missouri. We’re going to see a niece and nephew and meet their families for the first time.
Destination today is a small town called Clinton.
On the way we stopped at a rest stop which had some unique picnic table shelters.
Now Bob and I were riding quietly, both lost in our own thoughts. All of a sudden we were brought out of our quiet time with a jolt! Picture this. Summer time, farm land, crops growing, a crop duster doing his thing. You know the sound the plane makes as it makes its turn to do another pass? That whine? Yeah, that sound! We heard that sound magnified by ten. The sound came out of nowhere. This idiot passed us on the right, driving on the shoulder of the highway. As his tires passed over this, behind us, the sound was certainly unexpected and very loud!
I saw this flash of red out of the corner of my eye as he flew by us, we were going 60 something, and he passed and crossed over the strip again we realized what it was. Before we could even speak he was past us, in the left lane and a dozen car lengths ahead of us. We just looked at each other, stunned.
As we pulled into the town of Clinton we both took note of fields and fields of what looked like really different looking corn.
It certainly was as not as tall as the corn we’ve been seeing and the tassels at the top were much darker in color.
Milo (or more commonly referred to as "Grain Sorghum") is a grain product that is grown in hot dry climates that cannot sustain corn. It is used in many parts of the world as a food grain for human consumption. However, in the United States it is more commonly used as an ingredient in the production of animal and livestock feeds.
We got set up into our spot and within minutes the men in the park were coming to check out the beast.
We noticed that a man riding a small front end loader was collecting picnic tables from all over the park and depositing them across the street from us under and around a pole barn type structure. Soon after here came the grills. The park was holding their annual catfish fry. The fellas invited us and I had to come up with a dish to bring. I was totally unprepared for this. I opened the cupboards and they looked much Old Mother Hubbard’s> What to do, what to do. rooted around and finally came across two cans of baked beans. That’ll work!
So at six we were off to a catfish fry. The people were absolutely as friendly as could be and included us in their conversations.
There were about a hundred people or so, so you can imagine how much food there was. Luckily, there was a crock pot of baked beans and my dish. When I saw all the serving dishes lined up I was afraid that there was going to be ten of them filled with beans. I went home with only half a can’s worth left.
We stayed and chatted until it started getting dark and then went in for the evening. Tomorrow we’ll see family.
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