Southern U.S.
April Summary
Petrified and Grand Canyon NPs highlight of April
Our average temperature for April was 69 degrees. According to Google, we traveled 976 miles; walked 62 miles; and visited 56 places and 17 cities. The map makes it look like we wandered quite a bit. Well, we did! 
Second visit to Arizona this trip – more the northern part of the state this time.
April 30, 2023
We just keep traveling after a full year on the road
A week stay at WorldMark in Overgaard, AZ. Not too much going on other than a hike in the Mogollon Rim area. Overgaard is at 6,700 feet elevation so it hasn’t been long since the last snow melted. The area we went hiking was not fully open and there were still remnants of the last snowfall. Doing laundry; attention to small details in life (office type); long walks around the neighborhood; a bicycle trip down the dedicated, yet bumpy, bicycle path along the road through town; deep clean of the RV; hot tub soaking; luxurious showers of more than 2 minutes; and using the oven for some baking was about the gist of the stay. Not a whole lot of “town” activities happening in Overgaard, but that was just fine.
Headed toward New Mexico (again), we stayed at the Apache County Fairgrounds in St. Johns, AZ. 
First stop in New Mexico was El Morro National Monument where we hoped to catch one of nine campsites, first come. Nope. But a mile down the road was 
The Ancient Way Café and a nice RV campground. Next morning, headed back to the monument for a hike to the top of the mesa and native American historical dwellings. The sandstone cliffs along the base of the mesa featured hundreds of travelers’ inscriptions to document their journey through the area, called Inscription Wall. Names and dates, poems, drawings – much of it in Spanish dating back to 1600’s. Being a Sunday, the Monument campground sites cleared out and we spent a warm afternoon in the sun and viewed the stars at night.
April 30 was originally the end date of our year-long adventure. Hard to believe we left May 1, 2022, on this epic trip. Yet, we are not done! Since our grandson in Wisconsin turns one year old the end of May, we have extended our wanderings until mid-June when we will return to the Pacific Northwest. For now, we will meander north, visiting Evan and Kaitlyn in Colorado; Allison & Eric in Wisconsin (and eat birthday cake with Finley); other family and friends in South Dakota and Wisconsin; and then on to Montana to see Andrew, before making it home.
To follow the final, “And The Rest” of the trip, CLICK HERE…
April 20, 2023
The 'other' Winslow, and Grand Canyon adventures
“Take it Easy” and lyrics “Standin’ on the corner of Winslow, Arizona,” was stuck in our heads for a long time after visiting the famous site. 
We walked the historic area on Route 66, toured the La Posada Hotel, and did the touristy photo op on the corner. It was quite fun to eat lunch at the café across the street and watch other people posing for pics as well. Dave even acted as a free photographer for a short time, using folks’ cameras to capture their memories.
One night spent in the parking lot of Twin Arrows Casino outside Flagstaff and we were closer to Grand Canyon NP. We had booked the campground in the park but had 3 more nights to wait before that. On the way to the Flintstone Raptor Ranch (Harvest Host parking overnight) we stopped at Walnut Canyon National Monument to hike among the cliff dwellings left behind by Native Americans. The park ranger informed us that the river had not been flowing as heavily since 2005, a reminder of the heavy snowfall we had heard reported just weeks earlier while in Mesa. Good thing we waited! Snow piles and evidence of flooding were still visible. Walnut Canyon was deep and the Visitor Center was built right on the edge for spectacular views. The trail along and around the ruins was amazing, as we tried to envision what it was like to dwell here.
We had planned to spend two nights in the dispersed camping area just outside the gates of Grand Canyon NP and the city of Tusayan, but we ended up getting a first-come site at Mather Campground for the night before our scheduled reservation. 
Sometimes it pays to ask the question, even though the sign says, “Campground FULL.” We were parked next to other Travato owners from Virginia, giving us the opportunity to compare notes.
The Grand Canyon: surely most of you reading have been there, so it’s understood how captivating the vastness is. 
We started exploring via the shuttle to Hermit’s Rest and hiking back part of the way, along the Rim Trail. Wow! The next day, more hiking along the rim, trying to take in the long geologic story at Yavapai Geology Museum. We took people-watching to a whole new level along the rim trail, using binoculars to spot hikers and rafters deep in the Canyon. We were willing to try a bit of the famed Bright Angel Trail but learned there was still packed snow and ice on the trail so, not wishing another ER visit on ourselves, we opted out. We uncovered our bikes on day three for a ride along the Greenway Trail to Yaki Point. Becky got an adrenaline rush when two elk bolted onto the path in front of her from the rim side. No crash occurred, though surprise was displayed on all faces involved.
Mather Campground was gorgeous. We got the impression it had recently been repaved. The elk were frequent visitors through the grounds, seeking newly sprouting green grass, and coyotes made themselves heard at night. The ravens were just big and kinda scary, to be honest – smart tricksters that they are. The second campground we stayed was Desert View, a near opposite sort of campground from Mather. From a 300+ site at Mather to 49 sites at Desert View, the activity offered was also diminished. Not the views of the Canyon, though. Colter’s Watchtower offered an amazing view of the Canyon. 
We were pleasantly surprised the upper floors were open to the public, unlike we read in the brochures. Apparently, in 2019, the fire marshal put a stop to hordes of people in the tower at once. Then Covid came along. They have just figured out the solution, allowing 25 people at a time into the four upper stories of the tower.
April 10, 2023
Back to Arizona, warmth and petrified wood
Arizona almost immediately brought us warmer weather and less windy conditions. We stayed at Lyman Lake State Park for a couple nights and had some nice hikes in the region, including one that followed a path visiting some petroglyphs.
Back on the road, we were at the Petrified Forest National Park for Easter weekend. 
Didn’t find any eggs, but enjoyed hikes amongst the amazing “rock forest” remnants. Honestly, many of the chunks of logs looked like someone had bucked up a bunch of trees for firewood – just waiting for someone to come along and split it up. However, pretty sure our splitting maul would lose that battle. The Blue Mesa hike was a favorite, with bluish layers to the hills and petrified tree hunks exposed from erosion.
While visiting that park, we stayed the two nights at the Crystal Forest Museum, just outside the south entrance to the park. The museum offers free overnight “camping” (parking), which is perfect for those of us able to dry camp (no hookups). Ran into another Travato-traveling couple at the park. They were from Michigan, but have been on the road as full-timers for five years. Wow – and we thought one year was long!
April 5, 2023
Valley of Fires, birdwatching, cold nights, and VLA
Valley of Fires, near Carrizozo, NM, is reminiscent of Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho but much bigger. Described as the “newest lava flow” on the continental U.S., at around 4,000 years ago, it has had some time to evolve and add some plant life, but is still a stark, lava-looking, sharp-rock landscape. We walked the one-mile loop into the moonscape several times and it seemed to look different each time. Awed and amazed at plants being able to cling to the area; the buckled, bubbled appearance of the flow and the openings for critters to build homes; and the contrast of the lava flow area to that of the desertscape around it – we spent two days at this gem of a campground. 
The area was as black as White Sands was white, just an hour away.
Moving on, we visited Bosque (Boss-K) del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, a refuge for thousands of sandhill cranes and other birds in the winter. Though we didn’t see too many birds on our driving tour, hike, and at the visitor center, we could tell it is a very busy stopping place for birds at different times of the year. Our favorite bird was the Gambel’s Quail as we enjoyed watching their antics in the campground. We also saw lots of ducks, egrets, hawks, wrens, jays, goldfinches, blackbirds, etc. The sandhill cranes had already left for their northern “summer” places.
Tumbleweeds Diner in Magdelena, NM, was a Harvest Host overnight. We were looking forward to having dinner at the small, eclectic diner – alas, it was closed. To add to that … the overnight temps dropped to 13 degrees. Yikes! Water lines were frozen for a little while, but looks like we dodged any breakage! The pump wasn’t on, so seems there should not have been any pressure on the lines … and room for expansion.
Cruising toward Arizona from Magdelena, we passed the famous “Very Large Array” (National Radio Astronomy Observatory) – made famous in the movie “Contact” with Jodie Foster. Pretty cool and kinda eerie at the same time. At lunch the same day, we stopped in a town called “Pie Town.” It is famous for, you guessed it, a pie festival and several cafes that sell pie. We found just one such joint open, and had the pie and pulled pork. Very good!
We’ve had some very windy days in New Mexico, apparently a common spring occurrence. Mostly warm days but chilly nights in the high desert. Heading back into Arizona and toward Grand Canyon, we are hanging out in the south until the weather warms a bit more before we move into Colorado, etc., for our final few months on the road.
April 1, 2023
Back into New Mexico, Texas for warmer weather and parks
Leaving Arizona behind and heading back into New Mexico, we revisited Saddlehawk Ranch in Deming for the night; then a boondocker where we stayed previously in Las Cruces. Dave particularly enjoyed the visit back to Saddlehawk Ranch. The last time at that destination, he was just two days post-surgery. This time, he was able to help the ranch place a new fire ring in the boondocking area, and he joined ranch hand Will in providing some evening guitar music. Will even let Dave try his electric guitar, and it was fun to play, sing and talk with the folks at Saddlehawk.
The point of revisiting some of our stops on a backtrack route was to have warmer weather while visiting the national parks in the area. Guadalupe Mountains NP in Texas; Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands NP in New Mexico, were all much warmer than when we came through a month ago.
Four nights in the Guadalupe Pine Springs campground gave us a chance to do some hiking to historical buildings and springs, and into canyons. We did not attempt a hike to the top of the highest point in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, but we enjoyed sunsets and sunrises over the mountains; and the natural beauty of the desert.
At Carlsbad, the self-guided walking cave tour beginning at the Natural Entrance from the Bat Flight Amphitheater and into the Big Room cavern was amazing. We have descended into multiple caves, but are always astonished at the number of different formations nature creates. Of course, humans add names such as Devil’s Spring, the Whale’s Mouth, and Iceberg Rock, to interpret what nature created. Too early to see the bats, though, not yet returned from winter migration.
Staying near White Sands NP, at Oliver Lee State Park, gave us the opportunity to visit the white sand dunes and explore the trails at the state park, too. 
The campground host had “sand” sleds to borrow. So, along with several hiking trails among the gypsum sand dunes, we did give sledding a try (mainly for the photo op). It certainly had a “snowy slope” look, including sand plow piles along the edge of the road and picnic areas. But we were in shorts and t-shirts! That’s our kind of sledding!
The state park is at the base of the Sacramento Mountain range. Besides offering several trails and a visitor center to explore, the desert is beginning to come alive with color – 
Torrey Yucca, Ocotillo, and Hedgehog cactus blooms were beautiful, as were other unidentified flowers. On our way out of Alamagordo, we did have to stop to buy a new set of strings for Dave’s guitar (no injuries reported when the E-string popped!) and visit the Pistachio capital of the world.
March Summary
Lingering in Arizona, waiting for New Mexico to warm up
Our average temperature for March was 68 degrees. According to Google, we traveled 872 miles; walked 64 miles; and visited 52 places and 14 cities. Lingering in Arizona, then entering back into New Mexico for some warmer temperatures in order to visit the national parks, state parks, and monuments. Lots of hiking!
March 18, 2023
Softball, hoodoos and house buying attempts
Todd and Marlys’ granddaughter had a softball game in the next town on our itinerary, Willcox, AZ, so we spent the afternoon watching the game and soaking up some sun. Though Willcox had some interesting things to explore, we opted for a day of rest at our boondocker site, catching up on bills, paperwork, blog, etc. Rain was in the forecast and the winds were blowing up dust.
Bonita Canyon Campground and surrounding Chiricahua (Cheer-ah-COW-ah) National Monument was gorgeous. 
So glad we took the detour to see the hoodoos, etc. The Echo Canyon loop trail wound through spectacular rock formations including the Grottoes and Wallstreet to the densely wooded Echo Park. A bit reminiscent of Bryce Canyon in Utah, though none of the red rock coloring. The campground was beautiful and small. The host said they’d had several inches of snow the week before so we came at a good time. The river runs through the campground and we had to drive through four inches of runoff water just to get through the campground loop. Can’t imagine what happens when there is more water flowing.
Along with hiking, we were trying to make a purchase offer on a house with our realtor – unfortunately, the only cell service we could get was the Wi-Fi at the visitor center, making it challenging but not impossible!
March 13, 2023
Desert flowers and cactus; ostrich sightings+; Tucson friends
On our way out of the valley of the sun, we visited our niece, Emma, Rikie and grandnephew Ezra! Enjoyed the evening catching up and marveling at how fast Ezra has grown. At the end of our Phoenix area adventures, we decided we could totally become snowbirds and spend winters here!
Heading toward Tucson, a few days at Picacho Peak State Park and a visit to Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Ranch were on the agenda. 
The ostrich ranch was more than just ostrich. Alas, riding an ostrich was not an option, but feeding them and the many other animals was. The Boer goats were the most creatively fed with a “hole in the wall gang” setup (literally, goat heads sticking out of holes in the wall) and the “goat penthouse” where several goats were up high on a lift, waiting patiently for tourists to add some food to the cup on a conveyor-type belt and hoist it up to their “penthouse.” Apparently, being intelligent animals, they try to be the first out of their pen in the morning so they can be in the highest place possible for the day. We also fed the ostrich with open hands, a little bit brave given the size and force of their beaks, but no bad bites occurred; sheep; miniature Sicilian donkeys; Nigerian Dwarf goats; Peking ducks; rabbits; chickens; and Fallow deer. In part of the food cups, we had a popsicle stick with birdseed on one end, allowing us to feed the parakeets; a container of nectar to feed the Rainbow Lorikeets; and a bit of asparagus to feed the tortoise. As an extra bonus, Dave held raw fish in his had for the stingrays to eat.
Picacho Peak State Park was one of the nicest parks we have been to. Not only was the camping wonderful, we were amazed by the beautiful wildflower display among the Saguaro cactus on the hillside. 
Several hikes and bike rides later allowed us to marvel at the desert, full of life, with orange, purple, white, yellow, and red flowers, some we could identify, some not. We did not summit Picacho Peak as it seemed beyond our need for that much adventure. When gloves are recommended for utilizing a cable to assist in the “climb” to the top, we opted out and, instead, opted to view hikers and birds with binoculars from our campsite. Much safer. The sunsets were phenomenal, too.
On to Tucson to visit friends for several days. Todd and Marlys used to live on Bainbridge and our boys played together at church. 
They left the island many years ago now, but we’ve stayed in touch and it was great to catch up. We spent most days out and about, enjoying the zoo; Saguaro National Park (west) hiking; a hike through an interpretive park; and getting our tires rotated. Evenings we played games and chatted with our gracious hosts.
March 5, 2023
Hanging around Phoenix
We spent several hours at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) on our way to Scottsdale. 
This is a “must see” for any music fans! Along with thousands of musical instruments from around the world, there were audio clips to display how the instruments sound and show the culture they represent. An entire room of hands-on instruments kept us occupied, as well. The museum’s general theme, “Music is the language of the soul,” exemplified our connections as humans across the world. 
Makes us wonder if we included more music in local and global politics, for example, if we’d all get along better!
Noting a small Nature Park a stone’s throw from our condo, we sought an afternoon walk, but discovered fencing obstacles and a narrow golf course fairway to traverse. Not exactly the most acceptable route but we didn’t get yelled at for crossing cactus beds and we didn’t get hit by a golf ball! The nature park followed along the edge of a water canal, a common sight in the big city.
We had a chance to see one more Mariner spring training game; enjoy the hot tub at the condo; explore more of Scottsdale area; and make lemon bars and lemonade from the juice Mindy squeezed for us. Very tasty!
February Summary
Lots of Arizona time!
Our average temperature for February was 60 degrees. 
We had a cold snap through New Mexico. Then again in Phoenix area but, in general, it was usually warmer than the average reported! According to Google, we traveled 1,128 miles; walked 33 miles; and visited 60 places and 19 cities.
February 26, 2023
Family, Mariner baseball, wild horses and lemon bars
Stayed in the Mesa, Sun City, Scottsdale area for a while, soaking up some sun. Visited with Neil & Mindy Beemer several days. 
Though we were able to park in their guest parking, we could only do so for 48 hours at a time. Gave us a chance to catch up; pick some lemons, oranges and grapefruit; take a drive with them in search of wild horses; watch Mindy golfing; make lemon bars and lemonade; and enjoy Neil singing some karaoke at the community center. We found an RV park nearby where we were the only Class B van in a sea of 5th wheels and trailers; some boondocker locations; and a planned, weeklong Worldmark stay in Scottsdale – all with a plan to attend some spring training games and find some hiking trails. 
We watched the first two Mariners’ spring training games of the season in Peoria under beautiful, warm sunny skies.
February 18, 2023
New Mexico proves a bit chilly in February
A stay outside of Deming, NM, was Saddlehawk Ranch, a ranch where the owners are rescuing horses and retraining them to pull carriages. 
It was Super Bowl Sunday and we were able to watch the game while hearing chickens, burros, donkeys and horses in the background. The sunset was amazing! Most of New Mexico is high desert and the nights are a bit chilly. Our plan is to return to the national parks in a month so we will be a bit warmer. We did detour south off I-10 to Columbus, NM, where we met with Tamara, someone Dave worked with and has stayed in touch. Camping at Pancho Villa State Park, we thought we’d get a good walk in but we just happened to pick the day that “never happens here” and dealt with cold temps and high winds. Our walk was short and we were “rocked” to sleep by the wind and pelting rain. The next morning was cold but sunny, no trace of rain, and we met with Tamara for coffee at the local hub of the city – the library! We learned first hand what challenges small, rural cities such as this one are facing – lack of adequate internet a big one. 
Happy Valentine’s Day in Deming, staying at a house near downtown. Woke up to snow! The weather forecast was for snow, but, like most desert, you never quite know if your part of the desert will experience the forecast in quite the same way. Expecting a few flurries and nothing sticking to the ground, we were surprised by an inch of white stuff. It melted quickly but that night, staying at the New Mexico Welcome Center in Lordsburg, it got down to 20 degrees. Water in the lines were a bit slushy but nothing damaging. Time to get out of New Mexico until it warms up a bit more!
Hoping for warmer nights in Arizona before getting to Mesa, we stayed in Thatcher and Superior at boondockers. Yes, warmer nights but not by much. Arrived in Mesa and 72 degrees! Ahhh.
February 11, 2023
We didn't plan a visit to El Paso but...
Leaving Big Bend behind, we spent nights near Terlingua and in Marfa. 
We were intrigued by the “Marfa Lights” phenomenon, though did not actually see anything. Unfortunately, Dave had some abdominal pain throughout the night, which prompted a visit to the next city’s ER. 
Van Horn hospital narrowed it to a possible gallbladder attack but did not have the testing abilities to be conclusive. So, Dave got an ambulance transport to El Paso where he had his gallbladder removed. Fun, right? Becky can just hear Dave’s next song: “I left my gallbladder in Old El Paso.” Everything went well and he is in recovery mode. We had planned to stay several days in the Las Cruces, NM, area, so it really hasn’t disrupted the “big picture” plans. Just a little detour and we are back on the road again.
February 3, 2023
Big Bend hiking, biking, desert, geology, and critters
After an overnight stay at an RV park in Fort Stockton and a stop to take in the city’s humongous roadrunner statue, we drove into Big Bend National Park for a week stay. Starting in Rio Grande Village, we took advantage of the area hiking trails; the village store with several ice cream options, wifi and showers; enjoyed a ranger talk on dark sky parks; watched javelinas and coyotes wander through the campground.
Braving our fears of entering Mexico in a somewhat obscure fashion, we jumped in a row boat, paid our fare, and crossed the Rio Grande to Boquillas Del Carmen. 
Everyone we had talked to said we really should experience this unusual crossing. The small village offered two restaurant options and lunch was delicious. The people were so friendly and we enjoyed our short visit. Upon returning to U.S. soil, and after a passport check and zoom call with border patrol, we hiked a trail along the Rio Grande, with a view of Boquillas Canyon.
We rode our bikes from the campground to the hot springs parking, walking from there to the remnants of a bygone tourist hot spring location right along the Rio Grande River. Still inviting to tourists (aka us), but the once built-up area has succumbed to age and the river’s power, leaving only a simple square outline of a structure to hold the 105-degree water. We soaked our feet along with others who were more adventurous, slathering mud all over their body. Ew!
In a period of five days, we experienced a big swing of temps. From our 3 p.m. temperature recordings, we had a 77-degree day and a 45-degree day. We went from purchasing ice cream at the Rio Grande Village store one day to room temperature chocolate bars the next!
Big Bend is a BIG park! It even encompasses an entire mountain range within its borders. Chisos Mountains and Chisos Basin campground was our next stop for two nights. 
A little concerned about the cold weather and higher elevation, but it’s typically warmer in the basin overnight than at lower elevation. Still had a bit of rain in Chisos, but not enough to dampen our exploration spirit. Though we left the trailhead in low lying cloud cover, by the time we made it to the end of the Window Trail, the desert view was stunning and full of light. The clouds broke to reveal the mountain walls around us, the spires bathed in sunlight.
One more campground stay in Cottonwood area of the park. On our Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the campground, we stopped for a few short hikes and overlooks, including cool geology spots and an old homestead ranch area where the windmill is still pulling water out of the ground after all these years, keeping shade and pecan trees alive. Before finding our campsite, we opted for one more hike at Santa Elena Canyon, only to be surprised by some standing water covering the road. Of course, you can never quite tell how deep water is, or what sort of ground is at the bottom. Given our poor history of getting Lena stuck in mud, we turned around. After a talk with the ranger at the campground, who assured us our van would be fine going through this short stretch of water and pavement was at the bottom, we planned for the hike the next morning, hoping the water level would be much lower. 
The hike itself, was also an adventure with some detours. The trail path crossed Terlingua Creek which “is usually dry” but it definitely wasn’t dry where the trail indicated. We studied other hikers across the creek and took a detour farther up the creek to cross. Added a bit of distance to the hike and looked a little “hiker/scrambler” to us but we gave it a try. Well worth the effort to get a peek into the 19-mile-long canyon, with 1500-foot walls above us.
Cottonwood campground was fairly primitive for national park standards. There was a small visitor center and store nearby which we thought was about a half mile away. Opting to walk there, and discovering it was probably farther than that, was not the worst part. It was the small, annoying black flies, constantly trying to fly up our noses and in our ears! We did seek bug refuge in the visitor center and store (an ice cream day) before our trek back to the campground. Certainly not a location for sitting outside, enjoying a book in the afternoon, with all the flies. We fell asleep to the sound of owls and the faint light of a full moon. The next morning, we were gifted a sight of a vibrant-colored Vermillion Flycatcher, wondering how long it would take this one bird to eat all those flies! And the owls were still perched in the cottonwood trees.
We like rocks. Big Bend has quite a variety of formations, colorings, past volcanic activity, etc. There were some unique layers, now exposed. A completely gray rock (claystone?) section is next to a red-colored section. Volcanic rock is next to shale. We are certainly not experts, just appreciating the variety and history of all these different formations. Reminds us of South Dakota Badlands or parts of the 5 Utah parks or even Dinosaur Monument. Becky is always intrigued by plants as well. Another few weeks and we may have seen much more in bloom in the desert. Amazed how many cactus varieties exist.
January Summary
Keeping the temperatures warm from Florida to Texas
Our average temperature for January was 65.5 degrees. According to Google, we traveled 1,550 miles; walked 51 miles; and visited 73 places and 32 cities. From Florida and into Texas, we can do without humidity but enjoyed the gulf otherwise! Texas hill country is delightful! The beaches are beautiful and Southern hospitality is alive and well. 
January 26, 2023
Texas gulf, Austin, Fredericksburg and hill country
We chose Galveston as our next destination, mainly to avoid driving through Houston. Another ferry ride took us to the island and we found a parking spot for the night at San Luis Pass County Park, closer to Freeport. Galveston would have been a fun place to explore but we were lacking in time. Driving toward Austin, we had a couple more nights with harvest host and boondockers in LaGrange and outside Austin. Our hosts near Austin provided good conversation and their porch for a view of the vibrant sunset. Zilker Park offered trails and a nature and science center. 
Exploring downtown Austin, we located Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughn statues along the riverfront walk and found a store with El Arroyo reader board sayings it has posted outside the restaurant. We were delighted to see seriousness in mask-wearing in these sayings. An example: “A big nose isn’t an excuse for no mask. I mean, I still wear underwear.” Entertain yourself with a google search for more fun quips from this famous reader board.
Nine days at another Worldmark condo near Hunt, TX, was in store for our next stop, giving us a chance to do a deep clean of Lena; spread out a little more; do laundry; complete any fixes needed to the RV; etc. Mostly hanging around the resort pool and hot tub, we also tried our skill at the frisbee golf course; 
participated in a star gazing party; did some wine/beer tasting offered at the resort; and completed a couple puzzles. We did venture out to explore Fredericksburg, a charming town known for its German heritage. Luckenbach, TX, offered some afternoon live music – worth a stop at the ridiculously small town, population 3, to check out the historic music venues, post office, dance hall and bar. All music references to Luckenbach now make sense…
January 13, 2023
Driving along the gulf, ferries, hurricane destruction
After leaving NOLA and following the gulf coast, we ended our day of driving in Abbeville, LA, at a Military Museum and airport parking for the night. The museum was not open for viewing but we did walk among the collection of tanks outside. The small, neighboring airport was busy with helicopter, prop plane and small jet activity to keep us entertained. The night was quiet though!
We entered Texas the next day via the Cameron Ferry II, a small ferry. The $1.00 fee was almost too much – we had to dip into the laundry money to pay our way! The coastal route produced sights of hurricane destruction to the homes along the way. Many homes are still standing but clearly uninhabited. Some homes were demolished and have only a concrete pad to house an RV on site. Unclear which hurricane hit this area.
Port Arthur, TX, offered a harvest host distillery. The host gave us a taste of their whiskeys, rums and gin, as well as some history. The owner comes from several generations of distillers from the Tennessee area and is working his craft in the Lone Star State. After the tasting, it was nap time! Dave can insert another Jimmy Buffett reference song to go with the rum we bought. We suspect we will carry this rum all the way home with us so come by in late June to share some Texas rum.
January 10, 2023
Westward: Alabama BBQ, Mississippi Cranes, and the Big Easy
We continued west to Gulf State Park in Alabama. A huge camping park, but nicely laid out with lots of biking trails and other amenities. It seems it’s a prime destination for snowbirds. We met many Wisconsin and Michigan folks, mostly on the days when Dave wore his UW-Eau Claire t-shirt. Taking advantage of the bike trail system, we attended a “camp talk” about famous pirates of the area.
We cut off some miles by taking the Fort Morgan ferry ride across the mouth of Mobile Bay. Quite a different experience from Washington ferries. This was a 28-car open ferry, with oil platforms and pelicans plentiful along the way. The pelican numbers almost rival the seagull numbers from Elliott Bay in Washington. Destination for the night was The Cozy Rosie Harvest Host. 
Turned out to actually be The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint, a famous, eclectic collection of “sort-of” buildings in Ocean Springs, MS. There are crazy things decorating the walls, old license plates cover up holes in the boardwalk. Look up the story behind it – quite interesting. And the barbecue was excellent! I guess we can now be called ShedHeds…
The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge piqued Becky’s curiosity, as her dad worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Pacific Northwest. Always up for learning something new, we ventured to the visitor center, learning the Mississippi Sandhill Crane is a different subspecies than other Sandhill Cranes (Greater and Lesser) we hear about migrating from northern North America to Southern U.S. These birds do not migrate. The wet pine savanna habitat, unique to this area, but historically reduced in size, is maintained on this refuge for the 150 so critically endangered birds. We took a nature hike, hoping to catch a glimpse of these birds, not really expecting to see them. We did not. But going back to the visitor center, there was a gathering (a “sedge”) of about 10 birds right out on the front lawn! Their four-foot stature and red-crowned heads are quite beautiful.
Kiln, MS, was our next stop for the night. Much quieter scene at a boondocker. We met the dad of the property owners, who showed us where to park. In pure southern charm, he explained where to find nearby stores, calling it the big city and jokingly said he should “move to the country.” But we were definitely already in the country. Love it! Searching for things to explore, we discovered The Crosby Arboretum nearby, a 104-acre interpretive site. We spent a few hours walking the trails and viewing different ecosystems of the area.
Our next stop, Pearl River, LA, also a boondocker locale, was a three-night stay, giving us an opportunity to explore the area a bit more. Plenty of suggestions from the host, as well as friends, gave us a few ideas of what to do. Sunday brunch at Palmettos at the Bayou offered new, local foods to try as well as some live jazz music. There were boardwalks to explore but the rain kept us from that adventure. We drove to Lake Pontchartrain 
and Fontainebleau State Park, learning it’s more an estuary than a lake. Lots of standing water on trails there from the morning rain, but we persisted until it started to get dark. Abita Springs is a small town with Abita Springs Mystery House to check out. A collection of rather strange things and dioramas. From bottle caps; computer keyboards; and computer components covering the ceilings, to old working arcade games, to voodoo dioramas with moving characters, and alligator-dog and “bass-igator” taxidermy creatures. Finding a bakery nearby, we discovered something new about the Mardi Gras season – King Cakes! Do a quick google search if you want to learn more about the custom. A walk on the Tammany Trace and a stop at the mall rounded out our stay in Pearl River.
City Park was our parking “base” for a day in New Orleans. The large park offered walking trails; a sculpture park; art museum; the “singing” oak; and 
Café Du Monde for beignets. Quoting Jimmy Buffett “We eat til we ate way too much!” Sadly, the Botanical Garden and Miniature Golf were closed the day we were there. Then we caught the streetcar to the French Quarter, wandered around Jackson Square and Riverfront Walk. We tried to connect with Dave’s cousin but they are still among the working folk and we could not come up with a way to get together.
January 2, 2023
Family, the new year, and saving pelicans
Christmas Day was cold for Florida but we loved it! Humidity was lower and the sun was out in full force. It was a lazy day spent with family and talking to our kids and playing some new games. 
We hung out with Brad and Julie a few more days before heading West to Becky’s sister, Kim’s, place in Shalimar, FL.
Stopping along the way in Chiefland at a Boondockers, and at a county park near Newport, we stayed along the coast as long as possible, enjoying the drive and sights. We brought in the New Year with Kim, Larry, Melissa and Joshua. We walked the beach and pier at Fort Walton Beach, hearing more about Joshua’s beach lifeguarding experiences. Along with saving swimmers from various situations, he is now well-versed in dis-entangling fishing line from a Brown Pelican and has good advice: don’t do it! Says it was quite the harrowing experience, but the pelican survived and flew away. We enjoyed their home on the bayou, watching birds and boaters; catching up on news; celebrating Larry’s retirement; working on a puzzle; and eating Kim’s great cooking!
Dave, Joshua and Larry spent part of one afternoon touring a local US Air Force museum – complete with an outdoor display of several retired war birds. Joshua and Dave decided that Larry should spend some of his retirement time as a tour guide at the place. He has amazing knowledge and offers entertaining colorful stories to go along with the facts. Well, maybe some of that couldn’t be on the tour…
December and 2022 Summary
Family, holidays, Keys and Parks
Most of December travels are part of the “Eastern” blog, but we ended the month (and 2022) with true southern hospitality with family. We stayed warmer in December. Our average temperature of 74 degrees was definitely affected by a few days in the 40’s. According to Google, we traveled 1607 miles; walked 35 miles; biked 21 miles; visited 47 places and 16 parks; traveled 136 miles via ferry; and stayed in Florida the entire month. It’s a very large state! 
This summary map of all of 2022 travels also includes our “shakedown” trip in January/February.
January 2023
Southern Charm and Hospitality
The mountain teaches stability and grandeur; the ocean immensity and change. Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes, — every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man. Even the bee and the ant have brought their little lessons of industry and economy. ~Orison Swett Marden
