Lancaster, CA - Day 58

Miles 264
It was dry when we left Dome Rock at Quartzsite. We didn't have any rain all day. We went on Hwy 10, Hwy 215, then 138, and we are on 14 here in Lancaster. John says it was a short cut! Back in Pacific Time Zone and close to home tonight. Here is the proof below - I guess in case you wonder what state you are entering there are options to inform you!

California or Bust!!!

PS: We were just getting into bed after 10p when a security guard at Walmart knocked on our door and told us we could not spend the night. We were shocked. It is true we did not check to be sure this time. John went to the store and sure enough we have to move. It is our own fault for not checking. Thankfully, we were able to pull into their local Fairgrounds RV camping and spend the night. This was just 6-7 miles away and had electrical hook ups. We won't make that mistake again. We used to check each time and we just got lazy about calling ahead to find out for sure if it would be okay. It all worked out, but barely. Had we not been able to camp here we would have had to drive at least an hour or more in the dark.  

Dome Rock - Quartzsite, AZ - Day 57

John got up and took a photo of the beautiful sunrise. This is a lovely spot, which at first looks barren but at a closer look among the many multicolored rocks you find the lovely plants that survive on the desert. Our plan to enjoy the great outdoors was scuttled when it began to rain about 1p. That's okay, we got a lot done this morning and relaxed in the afternoon. Our meals today were combinations of leftovers so the fridge is cleared out a bit. 

Morning Sky

Lovely Desert Plants

Dome Rock - Quartzsite, AZ - Day 56

Miles 257

We had a nice drive today staying on Hwy 10 with only a few traffic delays along the way. We ate lunch at a Cracker Barrel, well not exactly. We forgot it was Sunday and they are crazy busy so John ordered it to go and we ate in the trailer. We had a few raindrops along the way today. We also stopped at Picacho Peak, where we camped before, and dumped our tanks and refilled with fresh water. We are at Dome Rock BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campground tonight. It offers a free stay for up to 14 days. We plan to stay 2 nights. Tomorrow we plan to rest and clean out a few places in the Jeep and in the trailer. I also plan to organize photos and perhaps fill in a few more pages of my album. I have fallen woefully behind with that. It  was a great plan to keep it up each day but I lagged behind during the cruise and haven't been current since! The sky changed i n fascinating ways today and tonight it was just astounding!My photos do not do it justice. I was going to take a photo of the sunset but I was reading and missed it. That's a goal for tomorrow, that and to clean out our fridge!

Beautiful Sky Today

And Tonight

Tucson, AZ - Day 55

Miles 325

Since we woke up super early (for us) due to the time change, we took off earlier than usual. I know John is ready to be home when he gets up first and gets all ready to go before me! It was an uneventful day.  We had fast food for lunch. We are at Walmart tonight. Bought Lean Cuisine for our dinner and used the microwave. 

El Paso, TX - Day 54

Miles 366

We got an earlier start today, gained an hour going back to Mountain Time, and we didn't stop for a restaurant meal. All of that contributed to accumulating 366 miles today. We are at Walmart tonight and I am feeling much improved. John still has a little bit of cough but not much. The drive was somewhat pretty as there were some hills and trees along the way instead of the flat, brown land we saw along Hwy 20. We had a slight glitch when we ran out of LPG. John thought he had just the one tank open so we could just open the next tank and be good to go but that was not the case. Turns out both tanks were on and both tanks were empty. Good thing Walmart sells full tanks or we would be driving around El Paso in the dark looking for a place that sells LPG. 

Rest Area Hwy 10, TX - Day 53

Miles 200

Tonight we are staying at a TX Rest Area, which we are told is very safe. It is also noisy but I am too tried to drive on today. I am a little better each day but not well yet. We will probably get an early start in the morning and hope to make good time. The drive today was uneventful, thanking God for that. 

San Antonio, TX - Day 52

We were up and out early enough to visit the Alamo before too many people arrived. I guess it is busy for a week day because the Rodeo is in town. The Alamo is an interesting place, right in the middle of town, and it was free to enter. No photos are allowed inside. I'm not sure why because it is all stone but that's the rule. They have a nice set up with outside displays and open courtyard areas around the mission. There is also a Museum and the always present gift shop. They had a fascinating display in the gift shop of the mission/fort area with tiny troops and horses all in place. From there we went to lunch at the Rio Cafe, the oldest restaurant along the River Walk, which was also instrumental in building up this area that is now so popular. Now there are multiple restaurants along the River Walk but it was the first, established in 1946, and still going strong. From there we went on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. It took about an hour and gave us a good lay of the land and a few interesting sites to see. We did not get off until we made the full loop because we wanted to also go on the River Boat tour. We had to go inside the mall and find the starting point and get our ticket, which took time. Once you see the actual San Antonio River water you might want to change your mind but we went anyway. It is not very good looking, brown/green, and not safe to be in or fish from. That seems odd to  me since it goes right through town you would think they would attempt to purify it in some way. Maybe that is impossible. Anyway, taking a little boat ride was fun. It is close to 90F and we are parched. We  stopped for a cold drink before heading back to camp. I wish I had more energy. After getting back I am resting and John went to get me both DayQuil and NyQuil in hopes it will help me. Whatever this is seems to have settled in my head and chest. Tomorrow is a new day. 

Casa Rio

River Boat Tour San Antonio

San Antonio

San Antonio, TX - Day 51

Miles 171

After deciding we wouldn't stop in San Antonio, we had a change of heart. For one reason, we want a break from the road and we can use the rest. We are at River Walk RV Park. With the Good Sam discount it is $38.70 per night. Supposedly it is close to the San Antonio River Walk downtown so we will venture out tomorrow and see. It was cool and clear when we left Houston area this morning and it is pretty warm at 84F with no shade in the RV park. Hoping to feel invigorated in the morning and go exploring!

(Just West of) Houston, TX - Day 50

Miles 237

We slept in because neither of us slept well last night. We got on the road at noon. We had rain most of the way today. A couple times it was so hard visibility was very low. At least people were sensible and drove slowly and even had on their flashers. I've never seen people use flashers for the rain but it did add to the visibility. We are at Cracker Barrel again tonight in Barker, TX, which is just west of Houston. It's not raining at the moment and quite pleasant. We probably won't be going to San Antonio but just by it. Both of us just feel like getting home since we aren't feeling our best. However, TX is a BIG state and I think it's 700+ miles to the border from here! 

Entering Lake Charles Area, LA

Welcome to Texas Sign (really!)

Lafayette, LA - Day 49

Miles 130

We didn't go far. We stopped  for lunch at a Cracker Barrel, then rested, drove another hour or so and stopped at another Cracker Barrel for over night. I'm feeling better but not great by any stretch of the imagination. Tomorrow is a new day. 

Bayou Segnette State Park - Day 48

Day 48 was not great. I felt a little sick last night but this day brought 101 temp, sore throat, aching all over, and my head felt like it was in a vice slowing being screwed tighter and tighter. I stayed in bed most of the day. I did get dressed and eat a chicken "flavored" cup of noodles - that had to  pass for chicken soup. We tried to book an extra day, not knowing what tomorrow might bring, but the campground is full so we will move on. 

ps: I'm writing this the next morning and I am feeling better. Achiness is gone, headache is better. Check out isn't until 1p so we will relax a bit and then move westward. 

New Orleans - Day 47

We were up early and out to drop Tony off for daycare and grooming. We secured parking for all day in the city for $35. It seems like a lot but we are just a couple short blocks from the cooking school where we will end the activities for the day so it is worth it. We walked all over, had a sort of little brunch at Pierre Maspero's. This building has quite a history and right now it serves some good food. It is a very friendly place as well. We walked around some more and did a bit of shopping. We also saw this "anti Hate" band setting up but when I asked what Hate they were  talking about, they said Trump, I laughed and told them I voted for him. They just stared at me. Anyway, they didn't get a donation from me and later we noted they had been rained out. Then we went to the Musical Legends Park because I wanted to go there last time we were in town and we ran out of time and energy. Surrounded by life sized bronze statues of Jazz Legends we sat and listened to live music while having a drink and munching on fresh, warm Beignets. Our timing was good because about the time we settled in to enjoy the music, the rain started. We hung out there until almost time for our cooking class and the rain let up a bit. Once again we thoroughly enjoyed the cooking demo at the New Orleans School of Cooking. The class was only half full and we got very large portions of the Gumbo and Jambalaya that was made. The Gumbo was pretty salty for my taste, even John thought it was salty, but it had great flavor. The Jambalaya was delicious. Pat was our chef again this time. It was every bit as enjoyable to hear her entertaining delivery of NOLA history about food and people who shaped the cuisine we eat here today. Though the traffic was bad we did make it back in time to pick a fresh smelling Tony up before 5p. It is 53F and raining. We feel full, comfortable, and warm for the night so we will be staying inside.  It is soothing to hear the rain on the trailer. 

Pierre Maspero's

Musical Legends Park

New Orleans School of Cooking

Bayou Segnette State Park - Day 46

Miles 138

After leaving Cracker Barrel this morning we decided we would try a drive along the Gulf Coast again, leaving US 10 and going on Hwy 90. Most of the way it was lovely and interesting. There are so many houses and property for sale and a lot of new building going on. I don't think this can still be from Katrina 11 years ago but something has the area very depressed. As we got closer to New Orleans we had to get back on US 10 again as  that is the only way to get across the Mississippi River in this area. I didn't realize it when I made the reservation here at Bayou Segnette that we are in the same exact spot we were in on our first visit here. It was the only spot left when I made the reservations so I took it no matter what it was. John has had a hacking cough for about a week now. I called Kaiser and asked for some Codeine cough syrup to help him sleep at night. We picked that up before coming to the campground. I am not sure it set well on his stomach as he just threw up his minimal dinner. I think he should have taken the cough syrup after eating...:-(  I feel bad for him but he has no fever or any other symptoms, just this cough. Tomorrow is a new day, I hope he feels a lot better.  

The Mississippi Gulf Coast

Moss Point, Mississippi - Day 45

Miles 220

It was pretty warm last night but this morning there is wind, and a  spattering of clouds. As we head west on Hwy 10 the clouds get thicker and darker. It never did rain but the temperature dropped to the low 50's. Actually it feels pretty good. There was little traffic on the road and it was a nice drive. Tonight we are at a Cracker Barrel in Moss Point, Mississippi. Amazingly, the gas here is $1.99 a gallon. Of course we just filled up a few miles back in Alabama. We were all set for a great shot of the "Entering Mississippi" sign but John didn't open the shutter. Oh well, lol. Tonight should be quieter at Cracker Barrel than Walmart last night. No matter what side of the parking lot we pick, it seems to be the truck side at Walmart. Tomorrow we look forward to a short drive and arriving to Bayou Segnette State Park. If I forgot to mention it last night, we are now back to Central Time. 

Bye Florida!

Hello Alabama!

Lovely Drive

Marianna, FL - Day 44

Miles 227

Tonight we are at a Walmart again. Last night after the dismal efforts to connect to Wi-Fi we decided we wouldn't stop at an RV place again unless necessary. We did secure 3 night back at Bayou Segnette State Park for Feb 16-17-18, we are looking forward to that. There was just ONE campsite left and we got it. We will be in and out of New Orleans before Mardi Gras so it should be fun. We enjoyed the group class at the New Orleans School of Cooking so much that we booked it again! A different menu this time of course. 

Today's drive was uneventful. US 19 wasn't as bad as we thought it would be, though there was nothing much to see along this "Wildlife and Coastal Trail" as they call it. You cannot see the coast and we only saw a dead deer by the road. We planned to have a nice lunch being it is Valentine's Day and all but we never saw a restaurant that would fall into that category. We ate a granola bar and then we saw a Burger King and go 2 Whopper Jr.s and a small fry to share. After stopping for the day we realized we gained an hour back, we should have gone on but we were in stop mode by then. After we relaxed for a bit we walked over to a Mexican Restaurant and had an early dinner. It was very nice, though it was the hottest chili relleno I've ever eaten.

Lake Rousseau, FL - Day 43

Miles 116

We left Cracker Barrel and backed tracked just a few miles so we could go on what they call The Dolphin Trail, it sounded fun as part of the drive. We drove across the inland waterways to Treasure Island and headed north. We thought we would be driving along the Gulf Coast with nice views but all we really saw was stop and go traffic and nice hotels. There was plenty of beach access but there was no place to park something our size. We found a public parking lot finally but had to leave as there were no drive through 2 car spaces or RV parking at all. We also didn't see any colorful dolphins until near the end. At that point I had pretty much lost interest. When we tried to snap photos on the move it didn't work out well either. Now we have the decision to go inland or stick to US 19 in hopes of seeing either coastal scenery or at least something but hotels. We probably made the wrong decision. We continued to crawl along this 4-lane, with intermittent lights, at a slow pace seeing little communities, not even quaint ones. We made a sandwich for lunch in the trailer while in the Winn Dixie parking lot and then moved on. By mid afternoon we are disappointed in our day. John looked up an RV park and we went to that, after making a wrong turn and being an a gravel road with huge ruts we got back on track and found the place. Lake Rousseau is a typical RV place with close together sites, barking dogs, and TVs blaring. I can't connect to the "free" Wi-Fi at all. (We are using tons of GBs on our phones and for the hotspot).Lake Rousseau is about 10 miles off US 98, which is also US 19. We are pretty much stuck on this route until we get up to Tallahassee, FL and Hwy 10 again. Not our best adventure to date and we are exhausted, but tomorrow is a new day.

St. Petersburg, FL - Day 42

Miles 207

We got a pretty late start today and then we spent about an hour at the Big Cypress Welcome Visitors Center. I think I found out the birds I videoed yesterday are Cormorants. It is still unclear to me because the ones I took photos of had orange throats and the ones the ranger claimed they were did not have any orange, it is confusing. I can certainly understand that a bird can change coloring at different ages but she didn't address my question about the orange coloring. She told me younger ones are more white (?) There were other people and to keep asking seemed rude so I gave up. When we pulled into the welcome center there was another Casita parked there! Of course I took a photo of us side by side and when we were walking out of the Center we were about to go in. Their Casita is a 2007 and badly needed a shine. He commented on that, not me. Anyway, they were headed for the Keys. We chatted for a little while, a nice couple from MO. We exchanged emails and I told them I would send them info about the Casita Owners FB site we are on because it is interesting and informative most of the time. They spoke of wanting to visit CA but have not because of our high gas prices. I guess it is all relative. We enjoyed the Welcome Center but we were disappointed we didn't see the Manatees they sight there frequently. So back on State Hwy 41 to Naples, then a short jog on 866 (also known at the Golden Gate Parkway), which put us on Interstate 75. We took that to St. Petersburg where we are parked at Cracker Barrel tonight.

Casitas!

Tampa Bay & Bridge to St. Petersburg

Monument Lake, FL - Big Cypress Nat'l Preserve - Day 41

After breakfast & coffee we drove back toward the east on US 41. We wanted to go to the Oasis Visitors Center. It was interesting, had a boardwalk where you could see a few alligators and different fish, and there is a movie to view all about the park. All of that was very nice. We came back to camp, ate lunch, and took off to go on a 17 mile graded gravel road called Birdon Loop. We were told is good to go on to see wildlife and different habitats. The road is 10 west of our camp. We drove slowly and stopped a lot to see multiple alligators (we gave up counting) and so many beautiful birds. This place is a birder's paradise I am sure. I don't know the names of most of the birds but they range from cute little ducks that bob up and down in the water to enormous Great Blue Herons that fly majestically through the air. It  was a lovely drive and we enjoyed it very much. We decided not to go on to the town of Everglades City where there is a Seafood Festival going on. We will leave here tomorrow and stop at the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center, where it is purported we have a good chance of seeing manatees. The rest of the day was typical, playing cards and walking Tony. 

A Few Birds & Gators

Monument Lake, FL -Big Cypress Nat'l Preserve - Day 40

Miles 148 

Today we left Knights Key and drove to Big Cypress National Preserve. We are staying at Monument Lake Campground for two nights. The Senior Rate is half price so two nights for $28. We enjoyed a beautiful drive out of the Keys. The water is such a lovely aqua color in so many places. We wanted to drive through one of the State Parks to take a look but they do not allow that. They told us the sites are right on the ocean, $43, with water and electric, but no sewer. There is a  dump station. The Florida Keys really are unique and we are glad we came to take a look. After we left the Keys we got gas, at lunch, and got a few groceries at Walmart. Then we then left Hwy and got on State Route 997 until we picked up Hwy 41 into the Everglades and the Preserve. It was a nice drive with some different views. We were very happy when we arrived at Monument Lake Campground, it is a lovely place. The lake is small, has alligators (but the only one seen by anyone in a long time is a 3 ft one we saw tonight too), and turtles. You fish at your own risk and you DO NOT swim in the lake. The person camped next to us said they saw several alligators along Hwy 41 on the way here, in the canal by the road. We actually looked for some but never even saw one! We are in a campsite that has gravel for parking the trailer but then a grassy area with a table and a fire pit. We have a palm tree and another tree for afternoon shade. It is just rejuvenating! We both commented how the cream colored gravel surrounding us, the insects, and the lack of trees at  Knights Key became depressing. It is also much cooler here and so far, no No See-Ums! We did see a couple mosquitoes but those cannot come through our screens and are easy enough to spot if they do come in the door with us. We played cards outside in the lovely fresh air and perfect temperature. After taking Tony for a walk we went to a little ranger program at 7p up by the camp host. We walked up and watched the tales of flora and fauna in the area. The moon is so bright tonight we even have a shadow! While I though Gators would be our main concern, apparently they are overrun with Pythons! They have even hired special Python hunters from India to come to catch and exterminate them, or at least keep them under control. This is creepy for sure. I won't be going out of the trailer after dark anymore!  

Leaving the Keys

Monument Lake

Our Camp

A Small Gator!

A Beautiful Moon Tonight

Knights Key - Marathon, FL - Day 39

We decided we will cut our stay here short. We don't get a refund but we are tired of sweating and getting bit by No See-Ums. There are few places without bug bites on our bodies - enough of that! We really haven't been able to use the Thermacell because you cannot use it inside and it has been too hot to be outside much. Between the humidity and the actual temperature it "feels like" it is in the mid 90's. Therefore, we did laundry today and worked on the first steps of heading back for places to stay, etc. It was a lovely sunset. We are happy we came to see the Florida Keys but we don't have a desire to return. 

Sunset & Part of 7 Mile Bridge

Tony on a giant piece of dead coral. The coral is so 
unusual and interesting to look at, so many facets. 

Final Sunset in the Florida Keys

A Beautiful Moon Too

Tony

Yesterday I noticed one of Tony's canine teeth was badly chipped. It  is down to the root, but sideways on his tooth. We will definitely see Banfield Pet Hospital as soon as we get to one. This does not seem to bother him. 

There is still a very, very slight discharge from his eyes as  well. I did tell Lauderdale Pet Lodge about this when they asked (the eyes, not the tooth) and they claim no other complaints about such things so it is not their swim pool for the dogs. Hmm... Well, we won't be using them again anyway. 

Now on the lighter side, as soon as I went into the restroom guess who got on my little travel laptop? I had no idea he could read in Spanish! Apparently he was looking up hunting techniques because of the happenings later in the day. 

Disclosure: 

NO animal, reptile, or human was 
harmed in the following event. 

John took Tony out for his last evening relief when Tony again wanted to chase something. Mind you, he was still on a leash but managed to catch this small iguana. He was very proud and brought it back to the trailer and left it on the step. As John called me to see it, it tried to escape. Again, still hooked to his leash Tony caught it! After the photo John put Tony in and took the iguana over to the larger rocks where apparently it quickly departed because it was gone the next time he looked. I noticed the iguana was missing part of its tail so maybe it was slow and that why Tony was able  to catch it? Tony the Great Gray Hunter was very proud of himself! 

Knights Key - Marathon, FL - Day 38

A quiet day of reflection, prayer, and thanksgiving. 

Knights Key - Marathon, FL - Day 37

Today we drove into Marathon and bought a Thermacell insect repelling device at Home Depot. People on the Casita page said this will also keep the No See-Ums at bay. We have not had a lot, nothing like the first night but the bites we do have itch so we would like to not get more bites. The bite also form a minuscule blister but seems once the blister pops the itching is lessened. Not a fan of these little bugs (which are actually in the mosquito family). I asked the cashier at Home Depot her favorite place to eat, so that's where we went for lunch. It was our dinner for the day, at the FL.Keys Steak and Lobster House. I'm sure you will shake your head in dismay to find out I had the meatloaf special of the day! It was delicious with fresh sauteed squash and carrots, and tasted like a home cooked meal. John had the biggest burger I have seen in a long time and it was also delicious with sauteed onions, avocado, and Gorgonzola cheese. Neither of us could finish the enormous meals, John ate his leftovers for the evening meal but I am still too full. We will definitely go back to this place before we head home. It was not fancy but it was only $30. giving a 20% tip! Good food, good price. That was our outing for the day. Marathon is a nice enough place. They have their own small, weekly newspaper and the real estate listings were not as outrageous as one might think. We both relaxed (ie: napped) and started new books today. We both feel tired  as we didn't sleep well last night. It was windy and the blinds kept waking me up. We were expecting a brief thunder storm early evening but it didn't happen. 

A White Egret I think?

Knights Key - Key West - Day 36

Happy Birthday to our son Jeff today!!!

Up and out early today because we want to see all we can of Key West. It took just over an hour to drive there. We are camped just on the north east side of the Seven Mile Bridge. The reality is to travel to Key West on the only Hwy, Hwy 1, you cross 42 bridges. The largest of these is the Seven Mile Bridge of course. Key West is much bigger than I thought and really just looks like any other city except there is a lot of water and Palm trees. Our first stop was the Southernmost Buoy Point. I hate to say it, but  it smelled very bad there. When we parked and got out it reeked of urine, then up by the buoy it smelled like rotting seaweed. There was a huge line to wait for your turn to take a photo with the buoy, I didn't want to wait so I took one of the back. Google will supply the front view! I was in need of a restroom by then and we went to the Conch Republic and Seafood Company where we planned to eat later. We were able to secure parking very close by, it was a good location and we increased our parking time and stayed in the same spot after eating. We saw them come in and unload a large catch of Yellow Fin, how Jeff would have enjoyed that! When we went in to eat the hostess asked if we had papers for Tony (they are technically NOT allowed to ask that). We smiled  as she lead us to a table. We had never had Conch (pronounced "konk") before and it pretty much tasted like Calamari. The stuffed mushrooms were fantastic! John had ribs and I had fish tacos, which were a little disappointing. John loved the ribs. 

Old Town Trolley Tours was our next adventure after lunch. We walked just a little ways and found the booth, got a ticket, and waited just 10-15 minutes to board this version of a hop on, hop off. No one questioned us about Tony, he did have his vest on. We saw many things. Ernest Hemingway Home was one of the things I wanted to possibly visit. I changed my mind when I found out 40 or more cats live there. I think either Tony, John, or I might have a breakdown if we tried to do that! I really can't imagine! We saw it from the trolley even though it has a somewhat crude brick wall around it we still had pretty good views. La Concha Hotel is another writer's spot. Tennessee Williams lived on the penthouse floor of this hotel to write Streetcar Named Desire. 

We saw the Harry Truman Little White House and we were told several past presidents stayed there as well. I also didn't realize there were so many Civil War sites in the Keys, then you can also read about the Conch Republic. There are Conch Republic flags everywhere you turn. There is a large Navy presence here in Key West (Key West Naval Air Station) I didn't realize that either. We were told that SEALS also do underwater training here, but I found no information to substantiate that statement. I thought all of that was done in San Diego now. 

There are a lot of random sites like Tropic Theater with a statue of Marilyn Monroe, and other statues of unknown people (to me) around town.

We thought our last stop of  the day was Mallory Square but after getting out there and looking around we decided to hop back on and take the trolley to the stop where we got on. When we were almost there we saw the most fun looking Kermit's Key West Lime Pie Shoppe. So THAT was really our last stop of the day. It has been on the  Food Network! Oh boy, what a fun place. Can you believe they even make dog treats? They gave Tony 2! Kermit, who waved to us as we went by on the bus, had to show us the Portuguese Water Dog he just bought. It is a puppy and will be shipped in soon. What a  friendly and fun place. We bought a few things and had a piece of pie in the garden cafe area. 

Now it really was time to head to our vehicle, parked just across the street as our parking time was almost up! On the way back we had a deluge of rain but it. didn't last long. But such a change, we were quite warm when we left in the morning, then HOT, then RAIN!