Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Our trip is complete!

Home Sweet Home!

Before
After

58 days and 9,870 miles later we have completed our trip and what a trip it was!   We had a fantastic time and saw  lots of amazing stuff!  We are both thankful to have had the opportunity to do this.  Most of all I am thankful for my wonderful husband who drove us all over the country safely!  We still have a few holes on our map but we covered a lot of states!  We are happy to finally be at our Florida home and will spend the next few days getting settled in.  Warning to our family and friends: we will be back in NH on Nov. 1st for 12 days with 2800 plus pictures and lots of stories to share!  Can't wait!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Finding our way home!

Beautiful Gulf of Mexico!
National Museum of Naval Aviation


"Tommy" plane


Naval aviation's first helicopter

Spanish water battery


Fort Barrancas


Pensacola Lighthouse
We arrived in Pensacola Florida yesterday!  Today we toured the National Museum of Naval Aviation but unfortunately we weren't able to see all of it as they had no power due to a blown transformer!  What we did see was totally amazing though!  We then went to Fort Barrancas and the Pensacola Lighthouse!  We saw the Gulf of Mexico and it was a wonderful sight!  Tomorrow we have an overnight  in Ocala at our usual stopping off place and then home Tuesday!  It has been cloudy and rainy the last few days but sunshine coming tomorrow. 

Friday, September 28, 2012

New Orleans

Steamboat Natchez
paddle wheel

colorful buildings in French Quarter
New Orleans skyline




We arrived here in New Orleans  yesterday to a downpour!  The campground provided a courtesy shuttle to the French Quarter so we took that today.  We took a steamboat ride which could have been a lot more fun if it didn't rain on us!  The Natchez is the last authentic steamboat on the Mississippi River.  I can cross that off my bucket list!  We got soaked but enjoyed ourselves anyway.  After the steamboat tour we got on a bus and toured the city.  At least that was dry!  We can't complain because this is the first day that it has rained on us since we left Ohio!  The rain we had in Las Vegas was at the end of the day so that doesn't count!  Off to Pensacola Florida tomorrow!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

San Antonio, Texas

Alamo
cruising down the river


this building is a hospital

Tower of Americas

Church at San Jose' Mission

San Fernando Cathedral

We arrived here yesterday and spent the last two days touring the city.  Yesterday we visited the Alamo, took a River Barge ride, and did a lot of walking.  Today we returned to take a trolly tour to the missions, a cathedral, old settlements, and some more walking on the River Walk!  We ended the day at the Republic of Texas bar where we had margueritas and appetizers.  Yummy!  Off tomorrow with an overnight in Beaumont, Texas and then to New Orleans on Thursday. 

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Along the road

Yesterday we arrived in Carlsbad, NM and expected to enter the Carlsbad Caverns but were disappointed to find out that their "winter" hours  meant that no one could enter after 3:30 and  we arrived at 4:15!  Our plan was to tour the caverns which are supposed to be very deep and very large and then watch the bats come out at dusk.  We did see the bats and there were thousands of them!  It was quite a sight to see.  We watched for 25 minutes and they were still coming out of the cave but in much smaller amounts.  Today we left the tall mountains and deep canyons of the west and entered the flat and desolate plains of Texas. We did find a couple of hills to climb but no mountains.   Our first stop is just an overnight in Ozona and off to San Antonio tomorrow.  When we arrived here we discovered a flat tire on the camper that neither one of us were aware of!  The tire was down to the rim but luckily no damage was done to the camper!  Our trip is winding down which is bittersweet!  We have had a blast and seen a lot of amazing stuff but we are both ready to plant our feet!  Off  to see the sights of San Antonio tomorrow and get a tire fixed!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

White stuff!

big drift on this corner!
plow bank on side of road
mountain ridge looks like water!

another high plow bank!
lonely cottonwood tree



hill to slide on!

We arrived here in Las Cruces, New Mexico yesterday.  We went out touring this morning and came across all this white stuff!  Incredible! 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Cruising with Ben

Nieman family
Our tour guide


Traveling the back roads
yes, we went there!



winding thru the mountains

Roosevelt Dam
We have had a great time with the Nieman family!  Ben took us to his favorite place yesterday which was FAR out in the mountains and it was quite a ride!  Thanks for a fun and jaw dropping day!  Yes, that thin brown line in the pictures is the road we traveled!  Tomorrow we will be heading to Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Bridge over Roosevelt Lake