Epic winter trip

September 27th, 2019

We are on a 6 month trip to hopefully escape winter in Ohio stopping first in Utah. We left on September 23rd on a Monday and made our first stop to visit friends Keith and Mary Davidson, they own the KOA in Terre Haute Indiana. It was a good distance for the first day of 210 miles. The next day we really moved along and left Indiana and crossed Illinois and part of Missouri. We were going to take our time but with the strange weather patterns we were concerned that we would run out of time to see the 5 National Parks  in Utah so sprint across the US was now the plan. The next day we finished Missouri and got into Kansas then Thursday was finish Kansas and get into Colorado. Friday was my most dreaded day and had been on my mind since the beginning of planning this trip, that anxiety was crossing the Rockies west of Denver, it did not fail to support my fears, with about 5 major passes with up to 9% grades and miles long uphill the trip was horrible, a couple issues one being at high elevation gas engines produce less power and with the RV coming in around 22,000 pulling the CRV it made for terrible uphill power. At one point we were down to 25 mph and losing speed. I pulled to the side of the road and let it rest for a few even though nothing was overheating. When we got back the power was better, makes me think there may be an update needed to the ECU. Anyway we made it through but believe me we will NEVER make that trip again in this RV. The scenery was incredible with what little I was able to see.

So Friday night we are sitting at Glenwood Colorado River KOA in Silt, Colorado, fantastic campground and clean and well organized. Deanna is getting some laundry done and tomorrow morning we finish our final leg into Utah and Arches National Park.

Lake Loramie

July 22nd -28th, 2019

We opted to visit a park we have never camped at before, Lake Loramie State Park. We have visited a few times and looked over the campground but before we mainly only had weekends to camp and this campground is slammed on weekends as we are finding out today on Saturday. We originally were going to leave on Friday morning but have enjoyed being in this site with a great view of the lake and canal that we decided to stay till Sunday. We have no one in front of us and our site is plenty large enough to give us space without being cramped. This week has been the most perfect week out of the summer so far and we are entering August next week, weather has been high 70's and low 80's and most of the week was mid 50's at night. To wake up in the morning and look out the windshield and see steam rising from the water was awesome.  Jess and I are getting multiple walks in each day totaling 3 miles at least and Deanna walks in the evening with us. Our neighbor Winona has been a lot of fun to talk with and she just loves Jessie, her parents came friday night for a cookout and her dad Wild Bill (he says Mild Bill) was a blast to talk with, he has traveled a lot of the places we have been or are going.

One day this week a couple friends came up in the morning to go kayaking with me and we spent about 3 hours out on the lake taking a nice leisure paddle for about 4 miles. One side of the lake is all No wake and the other side is the speed zone and it is separated by an island. Actually this campground is on an island. As we went up the north side of the island and crossed under a footbridge there were houses all along the shoreline. Quite a nice community. One thing we have noticed is there is a lot of Red Headed Woodpeckers at this park and a lot of Blue Herons. We have not seen a single mammal yet as in Deer or Racoon or Skunk which is surprising.

Sitting here this morning typing this and all the campers around cooking out the smell of bacon is filling the air and the sound of silence is pretty much not broken by people but by dogs barking. I find that pretty amazing that this many people are congregated in one area and it is so quiet as compared to what it would sound like sitting in a restaurant with the noise level nearing breaking your ear drums!

Friday night Deanna was feeling better than she had all week after suffering through what we are pretty sure was a flair of her lupus so she decided to go out in the inflatable kayak so she could enjoy some of the canal system of the lake. Was a great night and not to hot, we got in about a mile and a half and about an hour on the water.

So today (Saturday) we will just lounge and enjoy the atmosphere, tomorrow will be back home and getting the RV cleaned up for the next excursion where ever that may be too. We want to make a run to Indiana yet before we head west in September.

 Above is a video of the dam here at the lake

 This is the kayak ramp that is handicap accessible.

 A rock I found from a facebook page from people who paint rocks and place them, when you find them you post you found it and then place it in a different spot.

 Red Headed Woodpecker

Kayaking Barkcamp State Park

 About 3.25 miles around the lake, hot hot hot!

Found some beach balls

 Overflow basin at the dam.

Barkcamp State Park

July 7th, 2019

We waited for the park to clear of 4th of July campers and arrived here at Barkcamp at about 3:30. 170 miles and took us about 4 hours. This park is only about 20 miles from Charleston WV. The section we are in has maybe 7 campers. Upon arriving and getting set up it was sweltering heat at almost 90º and 5000% humidity but shortly afterward it began raining and poured down for over an hour. Now at 8:30pm the temp outside is a lovely 70º.

Tomorrow we will do a little driving around and check out the lake, Jess and I will get our morning walk in to the tune of about 2 miles. Tonight we just had a brat for dinner and applesauce.

Last night we had dinner with my Niece and her family from Indiana, was great to see her as it has been about 4-5 years. We will make a trip over to see them sometime this month.

June 3rd

Quick update, at Kiser Lake which is nice because there are only 4 other campers here so we have it all too ourselves basically. Jess was pretty sore last night since the previous 2 days I took her walking with me in the morning and we did 2 miles Saturday and 3 miles Sunday along with her other walks. She was wiped out all evening. Also found 2 ticks so keeping a close eye on her when she comes back in from the walks, they show up pretty easy on her white legs

Temperature got down to 45º last night so the furnace was definitely required! Today is a bright sunny 50º right now and no rain expected till Wednesday. Had a little campfire last night but the cold front was blowing about 15 mph  which didn't make it all that enjoyable :)

Today some errands to run and we will see where it goes from there!

Retirement Day 1

So I finished my working career for a living on May 31st, 2019. My original intentions was to retire on Deanna's birthday but that extra 2 weeks of wages wreaked havoc on qualifying for Social Security so I backed it up to the end of May.  The day before the awesome company I worked for Fluid Quip Inc. had a cookout for me that was catered by a local BBQ business Rudy's. Quite the feast, pulled chicken, pulled pork, baked beans, scalloped potatoes, mac and cheese, chili, chips, cobblers, cookies and plenty of drinks. It was awesome! This is the best I have ever been treated by a Company and not just because of the cookout and that includes when I worked for myself for 13 years!

A week or so of glamping is the best way we can think of to start this adventure BUT to get the day started right it has not only been Deanna waiting for me to retire but Jessie Dog, every morning I leave for work she would stand at the gate and watch till she couldn't see me anymore and then hang her head, Deanna would let her in and she would go to her little cubby hole in a closet and pretty much stay till I came home at lunch. SO to get this started we are going to go for a morning walk. This will be a great way to get some exercise for both of us.

So that is the update, stay tuned for upcoming travels!