Start of the Great Lakes Tour

For the next 6 weeks we are in the states of Wisconsin and Michigan to sample the shores of the western Great Lakes and the North Country. Our beautiful weather (finally) is continuing with lots of sunshine and cooler than normal temps - just like we ordered.

We are beginning with the city of Madison, and a visit with our Jojoba Hills buddies, Don and Sara Schultz. They spend Jojoba's hottest months here in the Wisconsin capital getting a grandkids fix, and also in the Minneapolis area to visit their older daughter. For now, we are joining them at a very nice county park within the city limits of Madison. After spending more than thirty years as teachers in this area, Don and Sara have a bunch to show us.



Although Madison is the state capital, in its heart it is really a college town. I was so busy listening to Don and Sara's narrative and gawking at the huge U of W campus that I didn't take a single picture until we took a breath for dinner at Paisan's, one of the city's favorite restaurants (and a Schultz must for visiting friends) overlooking one of the city lakes.


 







For the next few days we were taken on a grand tour of the Madison area - an artist colony (where the real pro photographer goes off on his own search,) the rolling hills of their old neighborhood (we saw the apple orchard,) and the amazing campus of an information technology company called Epic, which develops and markets, successfully, (it's in nearly every medical office in the country) patient tracking and billing software.














Then a tasty lunch at the Bavaria Sausage House. Don gave us lesson on the proper method for preparing real Wisconsin brats. Can't wait to try it when we get home.

 The next day we walked the downtown streets and the Capitol building. They were getting set up for an evening concert on the green there, but that didn't stop us from touring the grounds. Finished it off with some ice cream.









Thanks, you guys. Had a great time, and look forward to more when we get to Minneapolis.

Goodbye to Old Haunts - Hello to New

So far our 2014 trip has been like so many previous, seeing familiar ground (except for Big Bend NP) and familiar places. But now we head for uncharted territory - well, actually, it's pretty well charted - up the middle of the USA, ultimately to the Northwoods, to meet up with friends, old and new.

We did overnights in Guthrie, OK and Lyndon Station, KS (see the storm shelter we would have had to use here,) with heavy rains and severe weather ahead and behind, before spending a few days in the middle of it in the Kansas City, MO area, specifically in the city of Independence.


Many, many churches in Independence, the most spectacular of which is the temple of the Community of Christ, a movement originally part of the LDS church, which also has multiple temples in the city. There are also plenty of Catholic and Protestant denominations represented.

Independence was also one of the Truman's summer White Houses (the other being in Key West.) After leaving the Presidency, he and Bess spent the rest of their days here as well.

After one more stop in the middle of what was once a few hundred-acre corn field in Amana Colonies, Iowa (and another storm-filled night,) we arrived in Belvidere, IL for a week - our intention, to visit our daughter, Shannon's, future mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the suburb of Roselle and also to spend a couple of days in the city of Chicago (45 miles away.) But with no mass transit routes into the city from the Rockford/Belvidere area - shoulda checked that out beforehand - we postponed the Chicago touring for another trip to the area.

But we had a great visit with Jean (Mom) and Shere (Sis). We had met Shere a few Christmases ago at Shannon and Bill's in Oxnard/Channel Islands, but we were new to Jean. Both are super people, so easy to be with and relaxing to visit.


Went out to eat together and spent the whole afternoon, but wish it had been longer. We can't wait till the next time. Who knows...there might even be a wedding involved.

New Times with Old Friends

We're off to pay another visit to our good friends from our previous life (back in the rat-race of careers,) Rick and Vicky Bartosek in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie. When in this area, we like to stay at a Texas State Park on Joe Pool Lake in nearby Cedar Hill. Unlike Medina Lake that we just left, Joe Pool is within inches of its normal level. It's not only a difference in local rainfall, but also the fact that Joe Pool is way down the list of water sources for the Metroplex. So even with a population of 6.5 million, the dozen or more reservoirs in the area seem to provide ample water for metropolitan needs.

Rick and Vicky have been in their beautiful home so long that they have retired the mortgage. We have remained close and dear friends even though our lifestyles are polar opposites (perhaps as much by life's happenstance as by choice,) and they are making the most theirs by spending tons of time with three generations of family - four, including themselves - Vicky's mom, Millie, in her nineties, their daughter, Kelly, in her thirties, and their two-year old granddaughter, Riley - what a cutie!. Oh yeah, and their two shelties, Scout and LD.   

So great to spend time with them - so relaxing and comfortable, even after more than 23 years since our working-together days. And good cooking by both Rick and Dickie's BBQ.

Medina Lake with Alan and Lou

We aren't through with San Antonio yet. We are joined at a Thousand Trails preserve about thirty miles northwest of the city by our very good friends from Jojoba, Alan and Lou Flaum. They are on their way back home after two months of travel, while we're just getting started. The park is called Medina Lake, but "lake" seems a thing of the past. We were here six years ago and one third of the park was lakeside with a large boarding dock and launch facilities. Now with the lake at 3.7% of normal capacity (that is NOT a typo) the water's edge more than five miles away.




The lack of nearby water hasn't discouraged the local white-tail deer population, and a $10 investment in a 50# bag of deer corn guaranteed their attention.

The park is in the Texas hill country and close to Bandera, a small taste of the West in the "Cowboy Capital of the World." (Most everything in Texas is a bit of a stretch.) Some fun shopping along with a beer and barbeque.

That was followed by a trip to town to see the Alamo and stroll along the Riverwalk - some of the best that San Antonio has to offer. And it was all punctuated by the Spurs successful run for the NBA title.

While in town, we also took a trip down Jan's Memory Lane as we tracked down her high school alma mater - Alamo Heights - and two of her former homes.

One other side note. We knew our house batteries (2 of the six-volt deep-cycle variety) were on their last charges, so we took advantage of a Costco that was close, and exchanged them for fresh ones. Taking a lesson from Jojoba friends who recently posted similar repair challenges while on the road, I carefully photographed the situation before removing the old ones, and used the pic to assure the correct placement of the new ones. In went the first just according to the photo. Then the second. After hooking up the cables, my trusty repair assistant asked why there was so much sparking going on. I confidently told her it would quit when I tightened the wing-nuts. I quickly realized that I was the wing-nut when the batteries started heating up. A quick disconnect, end-for-end swap on the second battery, and reconnect (plus-to-minus-to-plus-to-minus!) corrected the problem. And I didn't even cook the converter. You know, ignorance has limits, but stupidity is a bottomless pit!

San Antonio Walton Family Fix

The highlight of the first part of our journey this year is our visit with our oldest child and his family of three in San Antonio. It has been four years since we have been together, and although F/B and phone keeps us in close touch, there's nothing like the actual thing. David (the III -  twenty now,) and  David (Jr) and Yvonne make a close and happy family, and a real joy to visit.


Yvonne is a San Antonio native, and they have lived here for over twenty years. They are part of a close extended "familia" with parents and four sisters, which makes for aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews and cousins galore. Our visit was touched by a terrible family tragedy which happened only six weeks before. Yvonne's kid brother, a veteran of two tours in Iraq, and one in Afghanistan, and the future patriarch of the family, became another of our brave soldiers unable to cope with the memories of combat. D3 considered his uncle Paul his hero and role model, and now wears Paul's dog tags.

Getting time together can be a problem, since all three work, D3 sometimes till 11PM, Yvonne on an 8 - 5 schedule, and David working four 14-hour nights as a shift manager followed by four days off. For us, it just complicates a one-week visit. For them, it's a fulltime challenge till David moves to days next February (or sooner if Walmart promotes him to store manager.) But we managed very well, getting quality time with all three - even D3's girlfriend.

Till next time. We might even get them out to SoCal next year.

Big Bend National Park

Well, I could pretend that it is the next morning, but it's actually three weeks later and we are well down the road. It's not like I haven't had time to keep you up-to-date. Like in grade school -  I get an "X" in self discipline. So.....

We are off to Big Bend National Park, about 65 miles to the park headquarters. When we arrived we were greeted with an unlikely scene in the parking lot - about fifteen or twenty new or like-new Corvettes. Turns out the Corvette Club of California was on a "Tromping Thru Texas 2014" rally. Bet the Visitor Center has never had so much money in the parking area at one time.

We explained our limited time and a very nice ranger recommended a route down to the river , the Rio Grande, through some beautiful country, to Santa Elena Canyon, then back to the highlight of the park, the Chisos Mountains and lodge.

Our doubts about how Big Bend might measure up to our other experiences were misplaced. Lots to see and marvel at, even on so short a visit. In the fall/winter or winter/spring, the hiking and canoe/kayak adventures along the Rio Grande would be a real kick. The 100+ temps kept us from even walking down to the river's edge.

We finished up our visit with a drive up to the Chisos Lodge for lunch - a cool 91 up here at 6000 feet.










When we returned to the Marathon Motel and RV Park, we had time for a cocktail, and a stroll around their very nice garden area.