Plichta Travels

Saturday, October 24, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:09:00.007-05:00

Early Saturday morning we arrive at the port of Piraeus and disembark the Ocean Majesty for a transfer to the airport and the return flight home.

It was a wonderful trip. In addition to the tours to the islands, we were treated to wonderful Christian fellowship; too much good food, gospel music, and one evening a Greek dance troupe came aboard ship to entertain us.

The memory that will be the most lasting in our minds about this trip is the sacrifices that the dear saints Paul and John endured to spread the gospel of Jesus, not only to the Jews but also to Gentiles like us. They didn’t have the luxury of an ocean liner and air conditioned tour buses to get from place to place. They didn’t have a beautiful hotel to sleep in. They endured many hardships to get the message of Jesus out to a lost world. Paul records his trials and difficulties in II Corinthians, Chapter 11.

We today are so blessed to have the teachings of Paul and John throughout the New Testament. We should never take for granted the many sacrifices that the saints before us have made to keep the Gospel alive. It is our prayer that future generations can say that we were faithful in keeping the Gospel alive for them!

Friday, October 23, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:08:00.007-05:00

Early in the morning we arrive at Santorini, jewel of the Aegean. This most scenic of all islands was created by a volcanic eruption over a thousand years ago. Perched atop 1,000 foot cliffs, this city is believed by some scholars to be the lost city of Atlantis.

We went ashore via small tender boats. Here we rode to the mountaintop city of Thira on a cable car.

The cable car on Santorini appeared in the 1961 movie “The Guns of Navarone.” The cave with the large guns, however, was shot on the Island of Rhodes. A little poetic license.

There were two ways to reach the top of Santorini, via cable car or by donkey. We chose the cable car. In this photo you can see the zig-zag route of the donkeys which took longer to reach the top than the cable car (and, by the way, a lot more smelly). We spent the day shopping and exploring the beauty of the island. There were a large number of shops, especially jewelry and souvenir shops.

Sharon and I ate lunch at a seaside café with a traditional Greek seafood lunch. The meal for two included: Prawns, anchovies, mussels, calamari (squid), octopus, deep fried sardines, and another larger fish that was also deep fried. The plate included a salad of eggplant, olives, lettuce and tomatoes. Including drinks of water, coke and mineral water the total bill was €41, approximately $60 US.

Thursday, October 22, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:07:00.005-05:00

Early Thursday morning we arrive at the island of Rhodes. Paul during his 2nd missionary journey passed the island of Rhodes on his return to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1). He apparently did not have a ministry on this island,.

The original inhabitants of Rhodes were probably Greeks who settled there in about 1000 BC. According to legend, the island was first governed by a grandson of Crete’s King Minos. Little else is said about the island until Homer records in the Iliad that soldiers from Rhodes took part in the Trojan War.

A picturesque drive along the eastern coastline brings us to the city of Lindos. This enchanting site, the most important of the three great cities of ancient times, is guarded by medieval walls constructed by the Knights of St. John in the 13th century. From the Acropolis (incidentally, every Greek city has an acropolis which means "the high point") there are breathtaking views of the great expanse of the Aegean Sea, and St. Paul’s Bay where the Apostle Paul cast anchor during his historic voyage to Ephesus. We climb the Great Staircase to the Temple of Athena, among the most important temples of the Ancient Greek World. The climb was treacherous; very steep, slippery rocks, and no handrails.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:05:00.003-05:00

This morning we dock at the isle of Patmos. We transfer to a small tender boat to go ashore since there is no dock for our ship. Patmos is a crescent shaped volcanic island located about 35 miles from modern-day Turkey. The island is only 24 square miles in size. There are about 3,500 full-time residents. Even with its sparse vegetation, the island is a charming, picturesque and tranquil island of white-washed houses and churches. It is a lovely resort island with much activity.

In about the 2nd Century BC, Patmos was subjected by the Romans. The island fell into a state of decline and began to be used as a place of banishment. It was in this context, in 95 AD, that the Apostle John was sent to Patmos under the rule of Emperor Domitian.

During his 18 month stay on the island, he wrote the book of The Revelation and converted many inhabitants of the island to Christianity.

In September, 96 AC, Domitian was assassinated and the new Emperor of Rome, Vocceius Nerva, recalled all those who had been exiled to the island. John was returned to Ephesus.

Once on land, a short bus ride takes us to the Monastery of St. John. In 1088 AC, Patmos was given to St. Christodolelos for use as a monastery. The Monastery is over 900 years old and contains many well preserved frescoes, mosaic icons, medieval textiles and vestments. Included in the library of ancient books and manuscripts are 33 pages of an early 6th Century copy of the Gospel of Mark. Other pages of this document are housed in the Vatican City in Rome, the British Museum in London and in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Nearby we visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse, presumed to be the place where John wrote the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:9-11 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea”). According to tradition, it was from within the cave that is now housed inside the monastery, where this took place. Inside we can see the niches in the wall that mark the pillow of John and the ledge used as a desk. Also we see the three-fold crack many believe to be made by the Voice of God to emphasize the honor of the Trinity. Photography was not permitted inside the cave.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:04:00.020-05:00

We cruise to the Turkish port of Ephesus (Kusadasi), the greatest city in Asia Minor during the Roman Empire. We see recorded in Acts about Paul's visit in Ephesus-- (Acts 18:19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.)

We enter the city thru the Magnesia Gate, and find innumerable monuments: the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsius and the Thermal Baths of Scolastika.

Inside the city we stopped for a group picture and a brief message from Dr. Stanley in the Grand Theatre. This magnificent ancient theater which will seat 25,000 people has such perfect acoustics in its natural bowl shape that Dr. Stanley did not have to use a microphone.

On the way back to the motor coach we strolled along the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. Just outside Ephesus, we see the Basilica of St. John, erected over his grave by the Emperor Justinian. Downhill lies the famous Temple of Diana now in ruins one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Paul was in Ephesus in 53 AD. He stayed there for two years, teaching in the school of Tyrannous. While there, God allowed Paul to do many miracles including the casting out of evil spirits.

John the apostle, also went to Ephesus to live and teach after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. John is buried at the Church of St. John shown at the right. It is throught (but not proven) that Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her last days with John in Ephesus and is buried there.

After touring, there was time to shop in the local craft shops known for their carpets, jewelry and leather goods. We visited a Turkish carpet dealer in Ephesus. Turkish carpets are hand made from wool and are the finest carpets in the world and are very expensive. Each thread is tied separately, one thread hand knotted at a time. The detail in the design is remarkable as you can see from the depiction of the Last Supper. It may take a worker 2 to 4 years to complete one carpet.

Monday, October 19, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T12:02:00.010-05:00

The ship arrives at Kavala and after debarking, we take a short drive to Philippi. Philippi is a city in ruins located about nine miles from the Mediterranean coast. Excavations continue and more of the ancient ruins are unearthed each year.

The major site of excavation, where the ruins of the Roman Forum from the 2nd Century AD are located, is divided by a modern highway. It has been found that many large staircases and other structures still remain buried beneath the road.
Philippi is also on the Via Egnatia, the trade route from Rome to the east. There are large sections of the Roman road still evident in Philippi.

In 42 BC, Philippi was the site of the famous battle of Roman leaders. Brutus and Cassius fought against Mark Anthony and Octavius. Mark Anthony and Octavius claimed the victory resulting in the suicidal deaths of both Brutus and Cassius.

In 50 AD, Paul and Silas arrived to preach Christianity (Acts 16:12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony, and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.), and the first European convert, Lydia, was baptized (Acts 16:13-15 On the Sabbath, we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. … One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer of purple cloth…When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited them to her home.) There we visited the chapel that commemorates the baptism of Lydia.

No tour to Philippi could be complete without a visit to the site of Paul’s imprisonment. From here Paul was inspired to write Philippians 1:7-14. After Paul and Silas were imprisoned for proselytizing, there was an earthquake and God opened the doors of the prison and set Paul and Silas free. This story is recorded in Act 16:25-26: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose”. The Scripture goes on to record how the jailer and his whole family came to believe in Paul’s God. St. Paul’s prison was a Roman cistern that was converted into a prison. As you can see, it was a crude and uncomfortable place. A church was later built over the site, but since destroyed.

Being located strategically on the Via Egnatia (the Roman Road), Philippi was often the site of battles for control of the trade routes. During the 4th Century, the Goths attached the city, then the Slavs in the 7th and 8th Centuries, followed by the Bulgars in the 9th Century. In the 11th, 13th and 14th Centuries, the Crusaders came, followed again by the Slavs. Finally, the Turks occupied the city at the end of the 14th Century. But wars, malaria and hunger left the city desolate. Only a few ruins remain of its glorious past.

Sunday, October 18, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T11:59:00.011-05:00

Sunday, October 18, 2009: Sunday morning we dock at Thessaloniki, the modern day name for Thessalonica. After breakfast, Dr. Stanley conducted a morning worship service with the music lead by Mike Speck and John Starnes. At noon we boarded a bus for a drive through Thessaloniki which is the capital of Macedonia and the second largest city in Greece. It is built around a major seaport and the city is a major industrial center of Greece. Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica on his second missionary journey.

We visited the Citadel where Paul addressed the Thessalonians.

(Acts 17:16-34 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”). Many of the Thessalonians came to believe in Jesus through Paul’s ministry. The Jews were jealous, and ran Paul and Silas out of town.

Paul retreated to Berea, a nearby town, which we visited next. Berea is known as the place where Paul preached to the Jewish nobility. (Acts 17:10-15). Along the drive, we enjoy magnificent views of the city, along with the numerous monuments from centuries ago. It is evident everywhere we go, that new construction waits on the old when ruins are unearthed. This is an example in Berea.

We visited St. Paul’s Tribune (built in 1950 it contains many colorful mosaics of Paul) and the Byzantine Church of Christ from the 14th century. The Church of Christ contains a number of frescos which on first glance looked dark as if they were covered with soot, but when the photographs of the frescos are viewed a wealth of color can be seen.

We also visited the Eptapirgion Walls (ruins) that stretch along the northern edge of the old city. From the top of the hill it is possible to imagine where the wall originally went to the south because the Lefkos Pirgos (White Tower) still stands and is all that remains of the southern part of the wall down by the seaport’s coast.

It was in Berea that we saw a dog that looked exactly like Jill, Billy and Grayson’s dog, Jilly. There were tame dogs or cats in all the cities that we visited in Greece. The city feeds and cares for the animals, and they are all well fed and well behaved.

Saturday, October 17, 2009 (Late Post)

2011-01-22T11:57:00.001-05:00

Later we board the Ocean Majesty which will be our home for the next seven days. We were welcomed aboard by Dr. Charles Stanley and guest speaker Ed Diaz, along with a great lineup of Gospel singers who encourage and entertain us during the week.

October 17, 2009: The Parthenon and Temple of Athena Nike

2009-12-05T00:06:00.004-05:00

On the very top of the Acropolis are the ruins of the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike.

October 17, 2009: Mars Hill, Athens, Greece

2009-12-04T23:56:00.006-05:00

Paul visited Athens on his 2nd missionary journey between 49-51 AD. Paul was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols as recorded in Acts 17:16.
Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill is recorded in Acts 17:22-31. “Men of Athens!” It reads. “I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you”. Then Paul went on to tell the Athenians about his God and his Savior Jesus Christ.
As you can see from the picture, Mars Hill where Paul delivered this sermon is a large rocky hill about 377 feet high on the Acropolis, the highest hill in Athens.

First Stop - Athens, Greece: October 17, 2009

2009-12-04T23:41:00.004-05:00

Athens is a city of 3 million people. It is very congested with traffic and people. Cars park 2 and 3 deep along the streets, and it is difficult for the tour buses to get through the maze. You can see in this slide the contrast between the old city and the modern city.

Thursday & Friday, October 15&16, 2009: Divani Caravel Hotel, Athens

2009-10-16T08:12:00.008-05:00

Thursday, October 15, 2009: We arrived in Athens earlier than expected at 12:30 p.m. There was a very light rain falling, just enough to wet the ground. We transferred to a deluxe hotel, the Divani Caravel Hotel, for dinner and a night of rest. I couldn’t believe the room price of €540 per day. The hotel was nice but I would never pay that kind of a price if I was traveling on my own. I had planned to attend a Rotary meeting at 9:00 p.m. at a restaurant about one mile from our hotel but I just wasn’t feeling up to it. After having been up for 36 hours the bed looked very good. We stayed in the hotel for the night.

Friday, October 16, 2009: Frank is still not feeling like traveling today. He stayed at the hotel while Sharon went with the tour group to Corinth. Along the way we see several olive trees, a major product of Greece.
Corinth was one of the most important cities of ancient Greece. Its location, on the isthmus that connects the Peloponnesus with the rest of Europe, was ideal for trade both by land and sea. Paul visited Corinth in 51 A.D. and founded a Church there during his stay.

It is recorded in Acts 18 that when Paul departed from Athens he went to Corinth where he resided with Priscilla and Aquila who were tent makers as was Paul. Acts 18:4 "every Sabboth Paul reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks." The Jews were upset by Paul's preaching. Acts 18:12 "the Jews with one accord, rose up against Paul and brought him to the Judgment Seat." Dr. Stanley spoke to the tour group at this site.

Lechaion Road is a limestone paved road from the seaport to the city of Corinth, and is probably were Paul walked.

Seven of the original 38 columns of the Temple of Apollo, built in 552 B.C. still remain. They are all that really "stand" of ancient Corinth.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009: Our Flight

2009-10-16T08:09:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, October 14, 2009: Our adventure starts with a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, over the Atlantic to the birthplace of civilization, Athens, Greece. The flight aboard Lufthansa airlines was most pleasant except for the nine hours. The flight took the long way around flying north along the eastern seaboard up over New York and Newfoundland before crossing out over the northern Atlantic. We then followed a route over Scotland, southern England, northern France before landing at Munich. Our flight from Charlotte had 29 members of the tour onboard. We did leave earlier and therefore were able to get to Athens earlier than the balance of the group who flew out of New York and were not expect to get to Athens until 5:30 p.m. Frank wasn’t feeling well on the flight, having just recovered (so I thought) from a brief bout with the flu.

Visits to our Ancestoral Homes and Cemeteries

2009-10-13T20:56:00.002-05:00

It's late and I'm having problems getting to the blog site. The Pittsburgh, PA posts will have to wait until a later time. Sorry.

We depart in the morning for our trip to Athens Greece and Turkey. Hopefully I'll have better luck when I'm not pressed for time

We've arrived in Pittsburgh, PA

2009-10-02T22:25:00.002-05:00

Sharon and I arrived in Pittsburgh this evening and are settled in at our hotel.
Tomorrow is the big day to visit the ancestoral homeplaces, schools and cemeteries. Tomorrow eveining the folks in Pittsburgh have arranged a dinner and reunion of Frank's Mother's three sisters. At last count we are expecting 57 for dinner and a time of fellowship to renew family connections. I have my genealogy information available and am looking to some of the cousins to update a few missing dates and places.
Will post more tomorrow evening.
Enjoy the travels.
Frank

We are on the road again? Or should I say SKY and Water?

2009-09-18T16:42:00.006-05:00

Sharon and I are preparing for our next trip. But this time, instead of hitting the road, we will be flying the skys and then sailing the water.

We depart October 14, 2009 from Charlotte, North Carolina and fly to Athens, Greece. After three days in Athens, we will board the ship Ocean Majesty and tour the Aegean Sea to follow the routes of the travels of St. Paul.

Our tour will start in Athens, Greece and over the next few days will take us to places such as Corinth, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Philippi. Then it is on to the Turkish port of Ephesus. The next day we dock at the isle of Patmos and the day after, to the island of Rhodes and the city of Lindos. Then we sail to Santorini, the jewel of the Aegean Sea where we will take a donkey/cable care ride to the mountaintop city of Thira. After a day exploring the island we sail to the port of Piraeus where we will disembark the Ocean Majesty and transfer to the airport for our return flight home.

Our host on this tour will be Reverand Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. We look forward to his teachings during this trip and are excited about visiting each of the places that Paul wrote about in his letters to the early Christian Church.

The Apostle Paul wrote much of the New Testament through the inspiration from God and the Holy Spirit. Before his conversion, Paul was called Saul. Saul was the persecutor of Christians: he witnessed and approved the stoning of Stephen, who was the first Christian martyr. Acts 8:1 reads: "And Saul was there giving approval to his death."
Then Saul was converted on the road to Damascus and from that time on Paul was on fire for the Lord.
God used Paul in powerful ways to spread the news about Jesus. Paul took three missionary journeys to Asia Minor to spread the good news. Our trip in October will allow us to visit many of the places where the Apostle Paul visited and preached, and, in many cases he was persecuted because of his message.

Family Reunion in Pittsburgh, PA

2009-09-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

We are looking forward to a reunion with my mother's family in Pittsburgh, PA over the October 2-5, 2009 weekend. We arrive late Friday evening and after a nights rest, visit several ancestoral homes and addresses on the North Side. The folks in Pittsburgh have arranged a catered meal for Saturday evening which is the time that we will all get together with the cousins that we have not seen for many years. We are looking forward to that special time. On Sunday we do what all Pittsburghers do and that is to take in a Steelers Football game.

A Final Note to Suspend This Travel Blog

2007-03-31T22:24:00.000-05:00

We are back home safe and happy to be here. We traveled 6,213 miles (10,021 Km) in 28 days thru 15 states. That may seem like a marathon trip for some but we enjoyed every mile of it.

The weather was great. The family and folks we met and visited with were a special pleasure. The events we saw and the historical places we visited were special as well. I would recommend a trip such as this to anyone who has the time to devote to it. If I would have changed anything about the trip it would only have been to make it longer. I would have liked to stay an extra day to two at several of our destinations. But that will have to wait for the next time.

As for the future, well we are planning a trip to Jamestown, Virginia for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown and then to Gettysburg, PA to visit the Civil War battlefield. We also have a trip planned to Dallas, Texas to a Praisefest with Dr. Charles Stanley. Later in the year we will be visiting "The Cove", the Billy Graham Retreat Center near Ashville, North Carolina. We will let you know when each of these will be so that you can follow along and enjoy yet another part of our great country.

The Dogwoods are in Full Bloom in Tennessee

2007-03-29T23:02:00.000-05:00

We have been singing our Church Easter music, especialy today, and not only have we started the day with the beautiful sunrise, we also saw the dogwood trees in full bloom. Another fitting way to end the day and to start thinking about Easter that is just one week away.

We thank God for a wonderful trip with good health, good weather and safe travels. We hope that you have enjoyed riding along with us. We thank everyone for their comments.

Opryland, Nashville, Tennessee

2007-03-29T22:56:00.000-05:00

Our last night on the road is in Nashville, TN. We stopped by Opryland and walked thru the Opryland Hotel. Wonderful gardens inside.

Thursday Morning, March 29th

2007-03-29T22:50:00.001-05:00

This morning we started early because we are headed home. After being gone for 4 weeks we are looking forward to getting home and seeing everyone that we have been missing during our trip. We started before the sun came up and so as we were passing thru Ft. Smith, Arkansas, the sunrise peeked over the horizon. At the same time Sharon was playing a CD of some of our Church Easter music, and the song playing was "Was It a Morning Like This?" The good Lord made our day be providing the sunrise to accompany the song.

Giant Cross in Oklahoma

2007-03-29T22:46:00.000-05:00

As we drove thru Oklahoma we came across this giant Cross. I don't have any exact measurements but it must have been at least 200 feet or more. You can see the telephone poles in the bottom of the picture. Around the circle at the base of the cross were life size statues of the Passion of Christ on his way to be crucified.

Holsinger Meteor Fragment

2007-03-29T22:35:00.000-05:00

The Holsinger Meteor Fragment is the largest piece of the 150 foot meteor found thus far.

Meteor Crater, Arizona

2007-03-29T22:25:00.000-05:00

Meteor Crater is 4,000 feet across and 550 feet deep and is estimated to have been created by a meteor approximately 150 feet in diameter about 50,000 years ago. Meteor Crater is located approximately 40 miles east of Flagstaff, AZ.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

2007-03-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

The Grand Canyon is one of those special places in our country that you just have to see to believe. When you look down over the side of the canyon you are looking down 4,000 feet and that is a l-o-n-g way down.

They really have a "terrible" erosion problem here!

Grand Canyon, Arizona

2007-03-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is Sharon relaxing on the side porch of the lodge at the Grand Canyon. We had a very special lunch in the dining room which was first class.

Tlaquepaque Art Center in Sedona, AZ

2007-03-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

If you know Galax, Virginia, you know that our largest Mexican Restrauant is "Tlaquepaque". Well, driving thru Sedona we found the "Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village." A small area with several shops with local crafts and fine arts.

Sedona, Arizona

2007-03-29T22:01:00.000-05:00

The trip down to Sedona, AZ was one of the most beautiful drives that we have taken. The two lane road wound around the side of the mountain as we descended several thousand feet into the canyon. There were several places were the road switched back on itself several times.

Monday, March 26, Sedona, AZ

2007-03-27T22:54:00.000-05:00

Today we traveled south from Flagstaff, AZ to go to Sedona, AZ. We had heard from several individuals that Sedona was a stop we had to make on our trip. Well for Kenneth and all of the other hunters out there, we passed this group of elk driving south on highway 89a. We originally drove passed them before we could stop, but they waited for us to turn around and go back to get this picture.

San Francisco Mountains, Flagstaff, Arizona

2007-03-27T22:50:00.000-05:00

As we got closer to Flagstaff, Arizona, we started to see the San Francisco Mountains. They are still snow capped and an unusual site to see after the warm weather we have been having. The snow is still in the mountains.

Black Mountains of Arizona

2007-03-27T22:31:00.000-05:00

After leaving Hoover Dam we drove along Arizona highway 93 towards Kingman, AZ. That route took us thru the Black Mountains. It was another beautiful day, clear and sunny with beautiful clouds in the sky to make it all that much nicer.

Monday, March 26, Hoover Dam

2007-03-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

We left Las Vegas, NV on Monday morning and drove over the Hoover Dam to get to our next destination in Flagstaff, AZ.

Since it was earlier in the morning, the sun was in a different place in the sky and some of the photos are different.

Currently, you can drive directly over the top of the dam but that is changing. For security reasons a new road is being build to bypass the dam.

Las Vegas, Nevada

2007-03-25T02:04:00.000-05:00

The KOA Campground in Las Vegas is right downtown. We can look across the fence to the Sahara and Circus Circus.

The New Nevada Route 93

2007-03-25T01:57:00.000-05:00

At the present time you travel over Nevada Route 93 to get to Hoover Dam. The highway actually crosses over the top of the dam. I recall seeing a program on TV that an alternate route was being built to take traffic off of the dam for security purposes. The new roadway uses several bridges to cross the deep gorges. This picture shows how high one of the bridges will be as it by-passes the dam. It is amazing that they are building this bridge where they are. The new road will be 4 lanes compared to the two lane twisting winding road they have today.

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, Nevada

2007-03-25T01:37:00.000-05:00

We dropped our camper at the campground in Las Vegas and drove over to see the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Located about 25 miles from Las Vegas, Lake Mead is the largest body of water that we have seen since we left the west coast.

Mojave National Preserve, Southeastern California

2007-03-25T01:26:00.000-05:00

After Barstow, California we entered the Cady and Soda Mountains eventually passing thru the Mojave National Preserve. We climbed to 4,728 feet at Mountain Pass and then desended a very long steep grade as we went down the other side of the mountain.

Max and Rebel say Goodbye!

2007-03-25T01:18:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning Max and Rebel say goodbye as we pack up at George's place in Westminister, CA.

George and Sharon pose next to the new camper. There is another shot of it below. So far it has been working well with no problems.

Day is done! Gone the Sun!

2007-03-24T01:09:00.000-05:00

There is no better way to end the day than to watch the sun set in California. Tomorrow we break camp in George's driveway and start our trip east. We plan to stop in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA

2007-03-24T00:40:00.000-05:00

The Crystal Cathedral is the Church of Dr. Robert Schuller located in Garden Grove, California. Garden Grove is a suburb of Los Angeles.

Here are a few pictures of the Crystal Cathedral.

The Glory of Easter @ the Crystal Cathedral

2007-03-24T00:22:00.000-05:00

This evening we extended our stay in LA by an extra day so that we could attend a performance of "The Glory of Easter" at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. We drove by the Cathedral earlier in the week and when we learned that the opening performance of their Easter program was Friday night we decided to stay and watch the program.

The production included more than 200 volunteers as well as a cast of professional actors for the major speaking parts. With a stage 124 feet across and 80 feet high it is one of the largest indoor sets in the world. Six angels fly throughout the production some as high as 80 feet and at speeds up to 20 miles per hour.

No story of the passion of Christ would be complete without the animals; from the donkey that carried Christ into Jerusalem to the 5 horses of the Roman Soldiers as well as a camel, llama, water buffalo, peacocks, sheep and goats.

2007-03-23T01:56:00.000-05:00

For the past few days we have been parked in the driveway of my brother George who lives in Westminster, CA. Our dog Max was happy to meet George and his dog Rebel. Rebel is about 11 years old and while they got along very well with each other, Rebel wasn't in the mood to run and romp around like Max wanted to do. They seemed to enjoy each other.

It was especially good to visit with George. Since he lives out here in California, we don't get to see him as often as we would like.

CBS "The Price is Right", Los Angeles, CA

2007-03-23T01:37:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, March 21, we had tickets for the CBS show "The Price is Right." Sharon hoped to get on the show. We obtained tickets on-line. But those tickets only gave us the right to stand in line to get other tickets. We had some advice from Robert and Norma who were on the show about two years ago. Robert recommended getting there about 3:00 a.m. to get in line. We didn't get there until 4:15 a.m. and we were about 212th in the line. One man and his daughter had camped out on the street since 8:00 a.m. the day before!

At 8:00 a.m. the studio started to issue passes that showed your approximate arrival order. When we got our order number we were #308 and #309. Seems some people were holding spaces for family members and friends who showed up just before the 8:00 oclock time when the passes were distributed. They gave out a total of 325 passes.

We were told to return at 9:45 a.m. to be admitted to the audience holding area. We went across the street for a bagel and coffee and returned to CBS. From 9:45 until about 12:00 noon we stood around while a CBS employee "Chuck" entertained us and had us play games. About 12:30 p.m. they started interviewing everyone for possible contestants. The interviews were done 10 at a time; asking the simple questions about name? were we were from? and just made small talk.

At 2:10 p.m. we entered the studio for the 2:30 p.m. taping. Unfortunately, Sharon's camoflague T-Shirt with the saying "Vietnam Nurses Love Bob Barker" didn't attract enough attention. Sharon did not get on the show, but we were happy that the fellow who camped out since 8:00 a.m. the day before did. By the time we got home at 5:30 p.m. it had been a very long day. "Been there, done that." Don't think we will try that again.

The show we saw will be broadcast on April 20th. We were seated in the back left section if you want to watch for us.

Mission at San Juan Capistrano, CA

2007-03-23T01:24:00.000-05:00

We stopped by the Mission at San Juan Capistrano on our way from San Diego to Los Angeles. The swallows were not there; they seem to be behind schedule returning this year.

The Mission had just reinstalled a restored altar piece.

KOA Campground at San Diego, CA

2007-03-23T01:16:00.000-05:00

The flowers at the San Diego campground were beautiful as you can see.

San Diego Zoo

2007-03-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

After lunch we visited the San Diego Zoo. Our special attraction was the Giant Panda.

We had heard that it is the best zoo in the world, and we tend to agree.

Can't wait to try some Potato Pancakes

2007-03-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

After Church on Sunday, we stopped at "Coco Restaurant". Sharon ordered a vegetarian omelet with fresh fruit on the side. Frank ordered the potato pancakes with eggs and sausage. Frank can't wait to get home and try making the potato pancakes himself. It will take some experimenting to get the ingredients right. If you want to try it, here is what was in the pancakes: Shredded potato, cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, chopped green pepper, and egg to hold it all together. Wonderful eating.

Shadow Mountain Community Church, El Cajon, CA

2007-03-19T11:29:00.000-05:00

By Saturday evening we had reached our campsite in Chula Vista, CA. The next morning we traveled to Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, CA. SMCC is the home church of Dr. David Jeremiah, the host of "Turning Point". We have heard Dr. Jeremiah speak on one of our previous trips to "The Cove", the Billy Graham Retreat Center near Asheville, NC.

It was a special privilege to visit Dr. Jeremiah's home church and participate in a very special worshipful Sunday service. The praise singing lifted us and was a special blessing. The Choir was at least 200 members, a full string orchestra, piano and organ, with a sextet and a soloist. The Church made it especially easy for visitors to find parking and our way into the sanctuary. This was a very special way to start a Sunday morning.

Dune Buggies in the Desert, CA

2007-03-19T11:17:00.000-05:00

As we crossed the border into southern California the dune buggies, 4-wheelers and dirt bikes were out in full force. Over the course of several miles in the Sand Hills of southeastern California we saw several hundred riding up and down the dunes. There were groups of campers at various places along Interstate-8 and they all had dune buggies and 4-wheel vehicles parked next to their campers.

2007-03-19T11:03:00.000-05:00

Western Arizona has wind farms. These hugh windmills set on top of the mountain and slowly turn to produce electricty. They reminded Frank of what he saw when He was in Austria a year ago. The Austrian windmills are shown below.

Yuma, Arizona

2007-03-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

If you live in southwest Virginia and northwest North Carolina you know about Pilot Mountain near Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Well in western Arizona we found this pair of mountains. Frank named them Pilot and Co-Pilot Mountains.

Pecan Trees

2007-03-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

As we traveled thru southern Arizona we frequently saw Pecan Tree Orchards. One campground that we stayed in earlier was in a grove of pecan trees and the campground asked that you collect no more than one quart per camper. This was the wrong season for nuts so we purchased a few pounds at a roadside stand.

We went and did IT! Friday, March 16th

2007-03-18T01:32:00.000-05:00

This is Frank standing next to Lisa Marie Leaf and her fiance James Nelson from Nelson RV in Tucson, Arizonia. And the Heartland "Sundance" camper you see hitched up to our truck is now ours.

After visiting with Arthur and Faye Cox several days ago and seeing their Montana Camper, Frank got itchy feet. After we visited with the Bakers in Tucson, Frank and Sharon went camper shopping. We found Nelson RV and after talking with James, signed the papers. We traded the camper we got from Robert in on this new 2008 Sundance. It is 29 feet and has three slide outs (bedroom, kitchen and living room). We are enjoying the extra room.

We had everything finished by 5 p.m. but it then it took us a few hours to transfer all of our personel belongings from the old camper to the new one. James let us camp on his RV lot overnight and we finished the orientation in the morning.

Saturday, we drove to Chula Vista, CA south of San Diego and arrived late in the afternoon at our campsite. We will take some more pictures on Sunday after we get back from Church.

Jim and Anna Baker

2007-03-15T23:45:00.000-05:00

We visited with Jim and Anna today. They previously lived in Galax and moved to Arizona a couple of years ago. Anna fixed a wonderful lunch of chicken rollup with a cold multi-bean salad and a fresh fruit desert. It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon catching up on old times and learning about their children and grandchildren.

That is Sharon standing with them in front of a large Saguaro Cactus in front of their condo. Jim mentioned that it takes about 50 years for the Saguaro to grow one of its large arms. This plant must have been more than 25 feet tall.

Tucson, Arizona

2007-03-15T23:34:00.000-05:00

Today we traveled around Tucson, AZ. The Saguaro National Park is located just a few miles east of Tucson and contains a large number of the large Saguaro Cactus. Additionally, there are several other varieties that we did not know the names of.

Slovaks even in Tombstone!

2007-03-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

As we travel around you never know who you will run into. Here we are in Tombstone, AZ and the guy selling tickets for the stage coach ride is Slovak. His family name is Yakoss and his grand father was born in Kosice, Slovakia. His grandmother was from Moravia in the Czech Republic. We chatted for a while and he had all of his facts correct about Slovak history and genealogy. I enjoyed my conversation with him. He had some free time while the stage coach made its tour and he was waiting to sell tickets for the next tour. He even knew a few Slovak phrases.

Saloon in TOMBSTONE

2007-03-15T00:49:00.000-05:00

The saloon is now a bustling restaurant and bar. As you can see it is well used. A modern day thriving business. On the boardwalk outside there is even a wooden Indian. Sharon tried to talk with him but he didn't have much to say.

Stage Coach Tour of Tombstone, AZ

2007-03-15T00:42:00.001-05:00

We took a stage coach tour of Tombstone to see

all of the sites.

The coach was an authentic reproduction of the stage coaches used a hundred years ago. The modern day modification included a speaker system so that the driver could talk to the passangers inside the coach as he drove thru the streets of Tombstone.

Tombstone, Arizona

2007-03-15T00:22:00.000-05:00

Tombstone, Arizona is the site of the famous gunfight at the OK Corral. The town has built a wall around the original location of the corral and now charges admission to see the site.

Dos Cabezas Mountains, Arizona

2007-03-15T00:14:00.000-05:00

After we crossed the state border from New Mexico into Arizona we came to the Cos Cabezas Mountains. The unusual rocks had many examples of boulders balanced on top of large rocks. It looked like any one of them could just roll off their perch and crush something below. Fortunately none did break loose while we were driving through.

La Posta de Mesilla Restrauant

2007-03-14T00:14:00.000-05:00

We missed the sunset this evening because we were having dinner in La Posta Restrauant. This building is the original La Posta. For more than a 125 years the adobe walls have withstood the attack of elements and man, has sheltered such personalities as Billy the Kid, Kit Carson and Pancho Villa. Now the small community of Mesilla sleeps but La Posta still offeres its traditional hospitality to all.

Rio Grande River, Las Cruces, NM

2007-03-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

The Rio Grande River flows thru Las Cruces, NM. Although the river is not very deep at this point it still contains a good amount of water. You could walk across the river but I am not sure how solid the river bed would be.

2007-03-14T00:07:00.000-05:00

The mountains that surround the Tularosa Basin are some of the most rugged that we have seen. They are truly beautiful mountains.

Alamogorda, New Mexico.

2007-03-14T00:02:00.000-05:00

The Winesette Family from Virginia went west in the early 1900's and settled in Alamogorda, NM.

We understand that they built one of the first three story houses in Alamogorda. Driving thru the oldest part of the city we found this example.

The porch around the main house has been enclosed based on an earlier picture I saw in the local history museum.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

2007-03-13T23:51:00.000-05:00

The White Sands National Monument lies 15 miles (26 KM) southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico. The White Sands Missile Range completely surrounds the park. This area is the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert and lies in the Tularosa Basin. The white gypsum sand now covers 275 square miles (443 Sq. KM).

Patriot Missile

2007-03-13T23:49:00.000-05:00

The Patriot Missile is the one that we heard so much about during the first Iraq war. This is the missile that was able to intercept the SCUD rockets that the Iraqis were using at that time.

White Sands Missile Park

2007-03-13T23:43:00.000-05:00

The White Sands Missile Park includes examples of most of the rockets and missiles tested here since 1945. Below are just a few of the rockets and missiles on display.

White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico

2007-03-13T23:37:00.000-05:00

At the end of World War II, the White Sands Proving Ground was established to test the emerging rocket technology. Known today as the White Sands Missile Range, more than 42,000 missile and rocket firings have been conducted. Missiles and rockets for the Army, Navy, Air Force and NASA are all tested here.

Another Day Draws to a Close

2007-03-13T00:23:00.000-05:00

So another day comes to an end. But that day would not be complete without a glorious sun set. It must be the Lord's way of telling us "Good night and pleasant dreams!"

Ladder Ranch, New Mexico

2007-03-13T00:18:00.000-05:00

Arthur Cox took us out to see the local sights which included the Ladder Ranch. The Ladder Ranch is owned by Ted Turner of Turner Broadcasting and it is where Turner maintains a herd of buffalo. The ranch is estimated to be more than 256,000 acres.

We reached the area just after the sun had set and so we were able to photograph the silhouette of the ranch sign.

Arthur and Fay Cox, New Mexico

2007-03-13T00:10:00.000-05:00

It is hard to stay away from home even when you are traveling. We stopped in Cabello, NM to visit with Arthur and Fay Cox and received an invitation to stay for dinner. Arthur had been out prospecting on his gold claim all day and arrived at the same time we did. Everyone knows that Fay is an excellent cook and in no time she whipped up a good-ole' fashion homemade dinner of country ham, fresh baked biscuits, ham gravy, apple sauce and apple butter. This apple butter was something special. It had been canned by the Mt. Vale Church in Galax and the Coxes carried it with them to New Mexico. A taste of home away from home.

We had a pleasant visit learning about Arthur's gold mine claim that he works on a regular basis and Fay's painting lessons. They even showed us the local sights at Ladder Ranch, the sun set and we met some of their local friends.

Guadalupe Mountains, NM

2007-03-12T23:58:00.000-05:00

This morning we departed the campground at Carlsbad, NM and headed for Las Cruces, NM. We traveled the southern route that took us back thru Texas towards El Paso and then north back into New Mexico. One of the first things we saw along the route were the Guadalupe Mountains. There was a light rain falling, just a drizzle, but the mountains were veiled with clouds.

Today's Sunset at Carlsbad, NM

2007-03-11T22:55:00.000-05:00

As the day comes to a close we witness another marvelous painting across the evening sky. Such a scene could only be painted by the Master Himself. What a glorious end to the day.

Special formations in Carlsbad Caverns

2007-03-11T22:47:00.000-05:00

Seeing the "big room" in the large underground space is one thing. Then there are all of the individual unusual formations.

Entering the Carlsbad Caverns

2007-03-11T22:16:00.001-05:00

The natural entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns is the same place where the bats fly out of during the summer months. Being here in March we did not see the bats. They usually spend the winters in Mexico and return to Carlsbad during the summer months. They swarm in a mass exit from the cave each evening to feed. Sharon and Imogene had the opportunity to see the bats when they traveled here two years ago.

Sharon and I walked down into the cavern from the natural entrance. The descent was a sloping walkway that descended 750 feet into the caverns. The entire path was dimly lit. Visitors are no longer permitted to walk out of the cavern because of the steep grade. Elevators were installed some years ago and everyone exits that way.

After descending into the caverns and walking along the "main corridor" you eventually end up in the "big room". The "big room" covers more than 8.2 acres and the path around the room takes more than 1 and a half hours to walk the distance.

The "big room" is fantastic. Around each turn of the path there is a new and interesting rock formation to be seen. There is spot lighting throughout the cave and most of these pictures were taken with the available light. For some reason the photographs made with a flash are not as interesting and seem to lack the depth provided by the spot lighting throughout the cave.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

2007-03-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

Today we spent the day at the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The entrance to the site is marked with a large state park sign. We are struck by the contrast of the tan landscape here as compared with the lush green of Virginia.

Carlsbad, TX

2007-03-10T23:19:00.000-05:00

We arrived at the Carlsbad KOA campground about 4:30 p.m. A pleasent stop after a day's drive. After setting up camp we settled down for dinner and the sun began to set. What a glorious sight with which to end the day.

Mentone, Loving County, TX

2007-03-10T23:10:00.000-05:00

North of Pecos we stopped at Mentone, Loving County, TX.

The white building on the right behind the town sign is the Bootstrap Cafe. Seems Michael used to stop there to eat when he was in college and worked on the oil rigs in the summer months. There is a better picture of the Bootstrap Cafe below.

Sometimes it is better to remember things the way that they were rather than the way they are now.

Loving County, Texas has a population of 67 in a county with 2,000 square miles. That means there is only 0.0335 persons per square mile. I have heard that this is the least populated county in the lower 48 states.

Oh, yes. Don't forget the Pecos River. Here it is 100 miles up stream from the earlier picture. We expected the river to be smaller near Mentone.

Pecos, TX: Saturday, March 10, 2007

2007-03-10T23:04:00.000-05:00

Pecos, TX: As we approached the town, the Chamber of Commerce had a sign advertising a radio message about Pecos. Sixteen restrauants was mentioned.

It was late, about 2:30 and we had not had lunch because we were waiting to stop at Ben's Mexican Restrauant in Pecos. My brother-in-law recommended it as he remembered it from years ago. I stopped at the Flying J service station to fill up on diesel and I asked about Ben's. The two young ladies at the counter said "Ben's?" "Never heard of it." "That must have been a long time ago." Sorry Mike.

Those sixteen restrauants the Chamber of Commerce mentioned, they must have all been on siesta at 2:30 p.m. I didn't find a single one that looked like it was open. We stopped outside of town and made a sandwitch in our camper.

Pecos River near Sheffield, TX

2007-03-10T22:53:00.000-05:00

On the recommendation of Michael B. we stopped to take a look at the Pecos River near Sheffield, TX. I was expecting something extraordinary. I'll let you be the judge. Here are the pictures.

The Pecos was about 15 feet across at this point. We are looking forward to seeing it near Mentone, TX which is almost 100 miles further west. Maybe it is larger there.

Herd Steakhouse & Sunshine Cafe, Junction, TX

2007-03-10T22:45:00.000-05:00

We had a taste for steak for the evening meal so we went to the Herd Steakhouse. Pleasent setting and a wonderful meal. Good service and a pleasant wait staff.

An anonymous person left a comment on our blog recommending the Sunshine Cafe so we ate breakfast there this morning. We didn't want to pass up the recommendation. Thanks Mr. or Ms. Anonymous. The Sunshine Cafe is a great local mom and pop restrauant. We would recommend it.

San Antonio, TX: Friday, March 9, 2007

2007-03-10T22:37:00.000-05:00

San Antonio skyline holds a lot of memories for Sharon. It was at Fort Sam Houston that Sharon received her basic training when she went on active duty with the Army Nurse Corps.

It was getting late in the afternoon when we passed thru San Antonio and we did not take time to stop. We had been to Fort Sam Houston just a couple of years ago so we did not seen a need to stop this trip.

We were headed to Junction, TX for our camp site for tonight.

NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

2007-03-08T22:49:00.000-05:00

The Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX is the administrative, mission control and astronaut training center for the United States manned spaceflight program.

We spent most of today at the center touring the facilities and visitor center.

The original Mission Control Center handled all of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. The oringinal two IBM computers had only 400 KB of memory which is one reason all of the engineers during those early flights kept their sliderules handy. Most of the math calculations were done the old fashioned way with a sliderule, something that is hard to find today.

The Saturn Rocket was last used on the Apollo
17 flight. The next Saturn Rocket would have been used for Apollo 18 but that program ended once the Space Shuttle became available. The Saturn Rocket is now on display. It was originally out in the open but NASA has built a building around it to protect it.

The current program deals with the International Space Station and a mockup of each of the space station modules is housed in a special building used for training and mission problem solving. Sixteen nations are participating in the International Space Station Program.Tomorrow we travel approximately 300 miles to Junction, TX. We hope to stop in San Antonio for lunch at the River Walk (Sharon's old stomping grounds while she was in basic training at Fort Sam Houston). Type to you tomorrow.

Houston, TX

2007-03-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Houston, TX on Wednesday, March 7th. After finding our camp site, we set up camp, fixed dinner and got a good night's rest. We plan to visit the NASA Johnson Space Center tomorrow.

Itinerary for the next few days!

2007-03-08T09:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Michael B. for the suggestion. Here is our itinerary for the rest of our trip. If anyone has any recommendations for things to see we would appreciate hearing about it. Don't forget to look ahead a few days because I might not see your comment before we get to the destination.

Thu, Mar 8: All day in Houston, TX. Visit Johnson NASA Space Agency.
Fri, Mar 9: Travel to Junction, TX.
Sat, Mar 10: Travel to Carlsbad, NM.
Sun, Mar 11: Visit Carlsbad Caverns.
Mon, Mar 12: Travel to Las Cruces, NM. Visit Fay+Snookie Cox in Cabello (Alamogorda).
Tue, Mar 13: Travel to Benson, AZ. Visit Tombstone.
Wed, Mar 14: Visit Saguaro National Park.
Thu, Mar 15: Travel to Tucson, AZ. Visit James+Anna Baker.
Fri, Mar 16: Travel to San Diego, CA.
Sat, Mar 17: Visit San Diego all day.
Sun, Mar 18: Visit David Jeremiah's Church in El Cajon, CA.
Mon, Mar 19: Travel to LA, CA. Visit George P.
Tue, Mar 20: Visit with George P.
Wed, Mar 21: Visit "The Price is Right". Sharon has a Camouflage shirt that reads; "Vietnam Nurses Love Bob Barker."
Thu, Mar 22: Visit with George P.
Fri, Mar 23: Travel to Las Vegas, NV. Visit Hoover Dam.
Sat, Mar 24: Travel to Flagstaff, AZ. Visit Sedona, AZ.
Sun, Mar 25: Travel to Holbrook, AZ. Visit Meteor Crater.
Mon, Mar 26: Travel to Santa Fe, NM.
Tue, Mar 27: Travel to Amarillo, TX.
Wed, Mar 28: Travel to Oklahoma City, OK.
Thu, Mar 29: Travel to Little Rock, AR.
Fri, Mar 30: Travel to Nashville, TN.
Sat, Mar 30: Travel to Galax, VA.

Looking forward to receiving your recommendations for places to visit.

Pappadeaux in Beaumont, TX

2007-03-07T21:03:00.000-05:00

We knew we would be traveling thru Beaumont, TX, so we asked our good friends Lamar and Margo Hebert where we should stop for lunch. Lamar recommended Pappadeaux on I-10 west of Beaumont.

We stopped for lunch and had our second Cajun meal in two days. The gumbo was excellent and the french bread was the most authentic that I remember having since I went to high school in Orleans, France in the late 50's.

We hit the restrauant about 1:30 p.m. after the main lunch crowd, and had most of the place to ourselves. Wonderful table next to the plate glass windows with all of the flowers in bloom. It was 71 degrees today in Beaumont.

After lunch we drove on to Houston, TX. We plan to visit the Johnson NASA Space Center on Thursday and perhaps see some more of Houston as well.

Thanks for that old Army Training!

2007-03-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

When we got up this morning I had several items in the camper that were not working: Water Heater igniter, the stove hood light, the LP detector and the water tank level monitor.

Checked thru the camper book and could not find anything until I looked at the wiring diagram for the camper electrical system. Each of these items is on the same circuit. When I traced down the circuit on the fuse panel, I found a 5 amp fuse that was blown. Went to the campground store and purchased a pack of 5 each 5 amp fuses for $1.42. I only needed one so the total repair cost was just $0.28, tax included.

We are packing up and heading to Houston, TX today. Will write more this evening.

La Cuisine et la Musique Cajun!

2007-03-07T00:48:00.000-05:00

We ended our day at Randol's, Salle de Danse. A typical Cajun restaurant with live music located in Lafayette, LA.

I tasted my first crawfish, gumbo and the crab and corn soup and it was outstanding. If I wasn't already full I would have ordered another serving. We finished the meal with a great bread pudding.

The music was there also. Great Cajun band!

The dancers did their version of the Cajun Square Dance. It looked like a slow waltz or two-step walk, at least until they stepped up the beat and the music played faster. Then they really started to swing.

Spring is in the air!

2007-03-07T00:45:00.000-05:00

Among all of the debris and construction, someone still found time to plant some flowers. They are beautiful. A glimmer of hope that things will be made right again. At least in this small part of the world someone is still able to smell the flowers.

9th Ward, New Orleans, LA

2007-03-07T00:36:00.000-05:00

The large national chains like Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and some of the chain restrauants are up and running and doing a booming business. Their parking lots are full. It looks like Christmas shopping except that all of the vehicles are pickup trucks buying building materials.

The local "mom and pop" business don't seem to be doing as well. Many of them are still in need of much help.

9th Ward, New Orleans, LA

2007-03-07T00:27:00.000-05:00

Some of the home situations would make you want to cry. Here it is, two years later and folks are still digging out.

Some of the buildings still need to be torn down because many of them look as if they are beyond repair.

On other blocks you can still see folks cleaning up and rebuilding. There were several locations were there were Church vans parked and a half-dozen folks were working on a single house.

9th Ward, New Orleans, LA

2007-03-07T00:22:00.000-05:00

Here it is two years after Katrina and things are moving ahead.

As we drove thru the 9th Ward, there was a great deal of construction activity on both private homes as well as commercial property. Trucks with building materials and constructions crews coming and going in every direction.

New Orleans, LA via Ferry

2007-03-06T23:59:00.000-05:00

We stopped at the Louisiana's Welcome Center to ask if the roads were open enough to drive thru the 9th Ward. They gave me directions and a map. Since I usually navigate better than Sharon, Sharon drove the truck and I gave her directions.

I missed the turn on Paris Street and we ended up on a very narrow entrance ramp to a ferry.

That's right; we still had the camper in tow.

There was nowhere to go except to get on the ferry and ride across the river.

I wasn't sure if they would let us on the ferry. But there was no alternative. There was no way that I was going to be able to back up the camper the 800+ yards around several sharp hairpin turns, on the very narrow road, to go back where we came from.

I never saw a sign saying that there was a ferry ahead.

After we crossed the river, we drove around a block and got back on the ferry to get back to the side of the river where the 9th Ward was located. They didn't charge us to go across but we had to pay $1.00 to get back were we started.

When we go site seeing, we see all the sites.

To Lafayette, LA via New Orleans

2007-03-06T23:53:00.000-05:00

We changed our route this morning to swing by New Orleans. Since we were this close, we decided to see what the city looked like after two years since Katrina.

On the way, Max had to be right up front checking out everything on the road. He doesn't miss a thing and if it is alive, then he wants to go play. You have not seen anyone or anything concentrate so much on the road ahead of him.

John Schneider of "Dukes of Hazzard"

2007-03-06T23:32:00.000-05:00

We spent last night in Meridan, MS. Our drive was uneventfull. After arriving at the campground and settling in for the night we went to bed. At about 3:30 a.m. we were awakened by someone pulling in to the camp site next to us. When I looked out the window all I saw was a monster of an RV that must have been 50 feet long pulling a 20 foot trailer.

The next morning at 7:00 a.m. our new neighbor was up and about getting ready to pull out. He didn't get much sleep but I guess if you are John Schneider of the "Dukes of Hazzard" and are used to running around in the General Lee, jumping over creeks and whatever, then you don't need much sleep. Here are two pictures.

Although we didn't get to talk with him since he was on the road before we were up and dressed, he was right outside our window. Sharon had her fill of looking "up close and personal" at a movie star. She thinks he is even better looking now than on the old TV show. Sharon mentioned that she thought he was cute with his blond currly hair.

I guess I'll have to get a perm and bleach my hair blond to keep up.

Go West "Young" Man, Woman and Dog

2007-03-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

Here we go again!

Frank and Sharon departed Sunday afternoon for the start of our westward adventure. Of course we couldn't forget Max. He loves to ride in the truck. All you have to say is "Let's go for a ride in the truck", and he is at the door ready to go. He doesn't know it yet, but this trip is going to take 28 days.

That is Sharon with Max sticking his head out of the back window of our new Dodge 2500. Thanks to Robert Worrell for closing the deal at Jeff Johnson Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge. The truck did great on our first towing trip of 262 miles today. Didn't even know that the 27 foot camper was behind us. Thanks Robert.

Max kept watching out the window for something to chase. He didn't spot any deer but a dead groundhog on the side of the road got his attention.

He likes getting up between us and laying down on the arm rest between the front seats. Just like a child he has to be in the middle of the action.

At days end we arrived at our KOA campground

in Anderson, SC. I think Max was tired after all the excitement.

Sharon is busy writing in her journal. As you can see the camper is quite cozy and comfortable. We need "cozy" tonight, since it is 30 degrees here in South Carolina!

Tomorrow we should find warmer weather on our trek south.

Monday, February 5, 2007 Guyton, GA

2007-02-06T16:00:00.000-05:00

Monday evening we arrived at Dave and Carol Seitz's log cabin home in Guyton, GA. Dave lives in a natural setting that he has tried to preserve the way that nature intended for it to be. This is Sharon with Max and Dave and Carol holding Holly.But, Dave did make a concession since he knew that we were towing a camper. He cut a few branches on some of the trees so that we would drive into an space near the house. When we arrived and he saw how high the camper was, he had to trim a few more branches. Dave and Carol have a beautiful log home in the woods which is Dave's retirement home. Located on 22 acres he is surrounded with nature. Dave has photographs of various snakes, birds and a fox that come to the house on a regular basis. While walking in the woods after breakfast on Tuesday, we did not see much wildlife other than a few birds but later in the day did see several large hawks and buzzards.Tuesday afternoon we also went to the historical society building in Springfield and saw where the society is reconstructing an old turn of the century farm building complete with a smokehouse that was in operation smoking meats. I tried to take Sharon's picture in the smokehouse but it was too smoky.

Monday, February 5, 2007

2007-02-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

This morning, Sharon and Frank broke camp to travel South to Savannah, Georgia. We planned to visit with Dave and Carol Seitz at their log cabin home in Guyton, Georgia. But before we departed the campground we have a few camper problems. While we were in the camp site, we were using city water and everything went well. Before we departed, I tried to put some water in our storage tank so that we would have a supply of water in case we could not hook up to water in the next couple of days. I started to fill the tank and noticed water dripping from under the camper. When I went inside the camper I noticed that the camper floor was wet in the bathroom. I stopped the water and then we spent some time trying to mop up the water. I guess we have a leak somewhere and we will have to deal with that at a later time. It is a good thing that we are not headed to California right now.

Sunday, February 4, 2007

2007-02-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning Jill and Grayson left to return home. The had to get back home to go to School on Monday. Frank and Sharon met John and Diane Kost and we went to the First Baptist Church of Surfside to attend Church with Pops and Irene Traxcler. After the Sunday Church service, the four of us went to lunch and later rejoined Pops and Irene at their condo to watch the Super Bowl Football game. You know how much of a sports fan Frank is so I can't event tell you what the score was now that it is two days later.

Paul and Irene Traxcler 50th Anniversary

2007-02-06T15:37:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, February 3, 2007, Sharon and Jill with Grayson went shopping. Frank went to a flea marker to find something for Max who traveled well.

Saturday afternoon we drove down to the Royal Garden apartments in Surfside City, SC. Paul and Irene Traxcler were celebrating their 50th anniversary and were going to exchange vows at the beach. About 170 family and friends gathered for the celebration. It was cold and windy but the we didn't really notice the weather. After exchanging vowes on the beach everyone went to the reception to celebrate with a "pig picking" dinner and dancing. I have a short video clip of the two of them dancing which I tried to post but the blog web site did not like the file. Email me privately and I will email the dance to you.

Arrived at Mrytle Beach, South Carolina

2007-02-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

Sharon and I arrived at Mrytle Beach, South Carolina on Friday, February 2, 2007. The trip from Galax was uneventfull and an easy drive. I wasn't able to connect to the internet while there so I did not post information earlier. This is a late post about our experiences without photo's. I'll have to add the photos later. We found the KOA Campground and set up our camper without problem. Jill and Grayson joined us for the weekend and the celebration of Pops and Irene Traxcler's 50th Wedding Anniversary. Irene was Jill's Missouri "granny" when we first adopted Jill.

Jill drove her car following the camper and they stayed thru Sunday morning. Jill and Grayson returned via Durham, NC to visit a friend there.