Rantoul, IL.
53 deg. clear, NW wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = Mostly sunny. Highs around 80. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
Wow!!! 53 degrees this morning!!!!
Because we're so used to it being so hot for so long in this part of the country, 53 degrees feels like it's winter!!!! Wouldn't it be nice if the temperatures didn't go from one extreme to the other so often?
I received a few comments on yesterday's blog about how far we have traveled and how many states we have been to in during the last 13 months. Yes, we did travel a lot this year, and I really don't expect to be traveling anywhere near that much every year.
The thing was, it had been 4 years since Jim and Linda had been out west to see Jeff and Heather who live in Portland Oregon, and, since you're going that far anyway, it would be a shame not to see other attractions or areas along the way, even if you had to take a longer route to see them.
Yeah, we could have gone straight out to Portland from Florida, and then straight back here to Illinois, and probably reduced the distance by 3 or 4 thousand miles, but just think of all the wonderful sights we would have missed. Things like the beautiful sunsets in the desert of Arizona, the stark beauty of Death Valley, the majesty of the Sequoias and the Redwoods, the beautiful California and Oregon coasts, the beauty of the mountains in northern Idaho and the "Big Skies" of Montana. We wouldn't have seen the wheat fields of the Dakotas or the lakes and forests of Minnesota. And, don't forget that great week we spent on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan where we saw some of the most beautiful sunsets, over Lake Superior, I've ever seen.
No, I wouldn't want to take such a long trip every year, but in a few years, I'll be ready to go again. ; ) Maybe next time we can visit Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, the Great Salt Lake, some of the National Parks in Utah and Wyoming, and maybe even the coast of Washington!!!!
Hmmm!!!! Where's that Road Atlas????? ; )
Did you know that the five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained from these international competitions? The colors were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country in the world.
Showing posts with label wandering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wandering. Show all posts
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wandering Into Oregon
Florence, OR.
42 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Overcast with a chance of rain, then rain in the afternoon. High of 63F. Winds from the SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
We left Crescent City about 9:45 and continued North on US 101. The road from Crescent City up to Bandon, Or. leaves something to be desired as it's bumpy, curvy and there's quite a few areas where construction is in progress. Many areas have had landslides where the road has slid down the hills and has been repaired, or is being repaired. All of these areas are rough and in places we were down below 30 mph.
Once past Bandon, the road is in much better condition. Oh, there are a few rough spots but for the most part we moved right along.
All along the Oregon coast there were great views of the ocean. Jim was able to get a few photos, but none of them are too great.
It was 2:00 when we pulled into the Pacific Pines RV Park here in Florence. That meant that we traveled 178 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Really not too bad considering the road.
This is a nice park with full hook-ups, 50 amp electric, free cable TV, free wi-fi, level cement pull-thru and back-in sites, and nicely landscaped with flowering bushes and plants between the sites.
The sites are fairly close together though, and the sites are plenty long for me, but Jim had to un-hook CLT.
The lady in the office was very nice and made sure Jim knew where the laundry, bathrooms and other amenities were located. She also made sure that Jim knew the best way to get me to my site.
After getting me into my site and set up, Jim took a little nap. Then, about 5:30, he and Linda took CLT and went into town and to Mo's Seafood Restaurant for dinner.
Mo's is pretty famous in Oregon. Their main claim to fame is their clam chowder, which has even been served in the White House.
The lady at the RV Park gave Jim 2 tokens for a free cup of clam chowder and coupons for 2 free non-alcoholic beverages, so they both had the clam chowder. Jim also had crab cakes and Linda had clam strips. That along with their free beverage made for a nice meal.
While they were eating, they were able to enjoy the great view of the Siuslaw River out of the window by their table.
42 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Overcast with a chance of rain, then rain in the afternoon. High of 63F. Winds from the SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
We left Crescent City about 9:45 and continued North on US 101. The road from Crescent City up to Bandon, Or. leaves something to be desired as it's bumpy, curvy and there's quite a few areas where construction is in progress. Many areas have had landslides where the road has slid down the hills and has been repaired, or is being repaired. All of these areas are rough and in places we were down below 30 mph.
Once past Bandon, the road is in much better condition. Oh, there are a few rough spots but for the most part we moved right along.
All along the Oregon coast there were great views of the ocean. Jim was able to get a few photos, but none of them are too great.
It was 2:00 when we pulled into the Pacific Pines RV Park here in Florence. That meant that we traveled 178 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Really not too bad considering the road.
This is a nice park with full hook-ups, 50 amp electric, free cable TV, free wi-fi, level cement pull-thru and back-in sites, and nicely landscaped with flowering bushes and plants between the sites.
After getting me into my site and set up, Jim took a little nap. Then, about 5:30, he and Linda took CLT and went into town and to Mo's Seafood Restaurant for dinner.
Mo's is pretty famous in Oregon. Their main claim to fame is their clam chowder, which has even been served in the White House.
Linda's clam strips were very good, but Jim's crab cakes were spicy and he didn't much like them. As for the clam chowder, Jim said that he liked the clam chowder that he had in Crescent City better than this. Linda however, thought the chowder was excellent.
Today, we'll continue wandering up the coast. I don't know how far we'll get. On the map, it looks like it's going to be pretty twisty-turny.
Did you know that The Oregon Coast stretches approximately 363 miles from the Columbia River in the north to the Oregon–California state border in the south?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wandering Around Texas Hill Country
Boerne, TX.
57 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy. Fog early. High of 77F. Winds less than 5 mph.
CLT, (Cute Little Truck), got a workout yesterday. You see, Jim and Linda decided that they wanted to wander around the area and see if they could find some scenic roads.
So. . . . . about 11:00 they took CLT and headed West from Boerne on Rt. 46. The first town they came to was Bandera. There, Linda spotted a quilt shop called, "Gone Quiltin'" that looked interesting, so they went in to look around. It was a neat place and Linda found a few gift items.
While they were talking to the owner of the quilt shop, they mentioned that they were looking for a place to get lunch. Well, the owner knew just the place. : ) It was called "Sparrows", and without the lady's directions, CLT said they would never have found it.
You see, it's about a block off of the main street, and in a building, that you would never think housed a restaurant. The only sign is a sign over the door and unless you're right in front of it, you wouldn't even see it.
From what I understand, it was a neat place where they served mostly sandwiches. Jim had a roast beef sandwich, (that he said was excellent), and a cup of chicken and dumpling soup. Linda had a ham sandwich that was very good and a cup of excellent broccoli cheese soup. Then, as they were paying the bill, they noticed some home-made brownies, so they bought a few of them to bring back here. ; )
Being that this place is off the beaten path, I'll give you the address so you can find it if you ever come to Bandera and want a light lunch. Its at 1307 Mulberry Street, and it's just over a block East of Rt. 16, which is the main street in town.
From Bandera, they headed West on Rt 16. When they came to Medina, they spotted this little store.
It's called the "Apple Store" and it's a combination gift shop/ bakery/ restaurant!!! They have all kinds of locally made gift items, a small bakery and a restaurant at the back of the store.
Again, Linda found a few small gift items to buy. : )
Rt. 16 from Medina to Kerrville is a designated "scenic route", and Jim and Linda were not disappointed. The photo below shows just one of the many scenic views that they saw along this route. CLT says that there were hills and valleys, twists and turns and beautiful homes and ranches all along this route.
From Kerrville, they got onto I-10 and brought it back here to Boerne. It was almost 4:00 by the time they returned.
Both of them said that they really enjoyed wandering around "Texas Hill Country" yesterday and will definitely do more wandering if they come back to this area. ; )
Did you know that today is Jim and Linda's 27th wedding anniversary?
Happy Anniversary, Jim and Linda
For all you family members, Jim and Linda want to know, do you remember the fog? : )
57 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy. Fog early. High of 77F. Winds less than 5 mph.
CLT, (Cute Little Truck), got a workout yesterday. You see, Jim and Linda decided that they wanted to wander around the area and see if they could find some scenic roads.
So. . . . . about 11:00 they took CLT and headed West from Boerne on Rt. 46. The first town they came to was Bandera. There, Linda spotted a quilt shop called, "Gone Quiltin'" that looked interesting, so they went in to look around. It was a neat place and Linda found a few gift items.
While they were talking to the owner of the quilt shop, they mentioned that they were looking for a place to get lunch. Well, the owner knew just the place. : ) It was called "Sparrows", and without the lady's directions, CLT said they would never have found it.
You see, it's about a block off of the main street, and in a building, that you would never think housed a restaurant. The only sign is a sign over the door and unless you're right in front of it, you wouldn't even see it.
From what I understand, it was a neat place where they served mostly sandwiches. Jim had a roast beef sandwich, (that he said was excellent), and a cup of chicken and dumpling soup. Linda had a ham sandwich that was very good and a cup of excellent broccoli cheese soup. Then, as they were paying the bill, they noticed some home-made brownies, so they bought a few of them to bring back here. ; )
Being that this place is off the beaten path, I'll give you the address so you can find it if you ever come to Bandera and want a light lunch. Its at 1307 Mulberry Street, and it's just over a block East of Rt. 16, which is the main street in town.
From Bandera, they headed West on Rt 16. When they came to Medina, they spotted this little store.
Again, Linda found a few small gift items to buy. : )
Rt. 16 from Medina to Kerrville is a designated "scenic route", and Jim and Linda were not disappointed. The photo below shows just one of the many scenic views that they saw along this route. CLT says that there were hills and valleys, twists and turns and beautiful homes and ranches all along this route.
Both of them said that they really enjoyed wandering around "Texas Hill Country" yesterday and will definitely do more wandering if they come back to this area. ; )
Did you know that today is Jim and Linda's 27th wedding anniversary?
Happy Anniversary, Jim and Linda
For all you family members, Jim and Linda want to know, do you remember the fog? : )
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A Resort? Prescriptions and Wandering Around Boerne
Boerne, TX.
65 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy. Fog early. High of 75F. Winds less than 5 mph.
.
It ended up being quite foggy early yesterday morning, but at least, it wasn't raining. A little before 9:00 Jim took the garbage out and set it at the front of my site so that it would be picked up. Then since he was out, he decided to hook up the rest of my utilities.
You know, the water and sewer hoses.
Since he was out and about and the weather was co-operating, he grabbed his camera and took a few shots of my site and the park area that I'm in.
In the photo below, you can see that this park is nothing fancy, and I have trouble calling it a "Resort" as there is definitely not a resort like setting.
A view looking down the street from my site
In this photo, you can see how narrow the sites are. .
You know, I have never been able to figure out what the definition of an RV Resort is. When I think of a "Resort", I think of an upscale park with lush green grass, spacious sites, maybe a tree or palm in the area to sit under, picnic tables at every site, and possibly some vegetation between sites for some privacy. Then of course, there has to be a swimming pool, lots of activities, and of course a big banquet hall or rec hall for entertainment or gatherings.
This park has lots of amenities and even a banquet hall, but I just can't make myself think of it as a "Resort".
I don't know, maybe it's just me.
About 11:00 yesterday morning, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed into town to find the Walgreen's Drug Store so that Linda could get her prescriptions refilled. They easily found it and she got all here prescriptions refilled without any problems.
In fact they were in and out of Walgreen's in about 45 minutes.: )
From there, they stopped at a bakery and picked up a few goodies, went to the Post Office to mail a card, and then drove around town a little to see what was there and to scope out some stores they may go to while we're in the area.
When they got back, Linda did a load of laundry and Jim took a nap. ; )
Today, I think they're going to take a drive to check out some of the neighboring communities and see the sights. Jim says he's heard that there are some very scenic drives in this area that they call "Texas Hill Country", and he wants to see if he can find some of them.
I hope he remembers to take his camera along. ; )
Did you know that the King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island?
Also,
Did you know that In the British Isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years?
65 deg. overcast, no wind.
Forecast = Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy. Fog early. High of 75F. Winds less than 5 mph.
.
It ended up being quite foggy early yesterday morning, but at least, it wasn't raining. A little before 9:00 Jim took the garbage out and set it at the front of my site so that it would be picked up. Then since he was out, he decided to hook up the rest of my utilities.
You know, the water and sewer hoses.
Since he was out and about and the weather was co-operating, he grabbed his camera and took a few shots of my site and the park area that I'm in.
In the photo below, you can see that this park is nothing fancy, and I have trouble calling it a "Resort" as there is definitely not a resort like setting.
This park has lots of amenities and even a banquet hall, but I just can't make myself think of it as a "Resort".
I don't know, maybe it's just me.
About 11:00 yesterday morning, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed into town to find the Walgreen's Drug Store so that Linda could get her prescriptions refilled. They easily found it and she got all here prescriptions refilled without any problems.
In fact they were in and out of Walgreen's in about 45 minutes.: )
From there, they stopped at a bakery and picked up a few goodies, went to the Post Office to mail a card, and then drove around town a little to see what was there and to scope out some stores they may go to while we're in the area.
When they got back, Linda did a load of laundry and Jim took a nap. ; )
Today, I think they're going to take a drive to check out some of the neighboring communities and see the sights. Jim says he's heard that there are some very scenic drives in this area that they call "Texas Hill Country", and he wants to see if he can find some of them.
I hope he remembers to take his camera along. ; )
Did you know that the King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island?
Also,
Did you know that In the British Isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years?
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