Sunday, February 5, 2017

Family Travel



My best friend in later years was my Brother in Law, Sonny. Much of our interests were the same. He was married to Sherry’s sister Colette. The oldest sister Lennie was married to a good friend also, Elmer. Before retirement we started a practice that became a tradition. After Christmas we took a van. Ours sometime and other times rented one. Three Sisters and their husbands.  We traveled for about a week. WE all got along splendidly and had great times. Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Daytona Beach, Tampa and San Antonio.


(Walton's Mt. The School John-boy attended and below the house he was raised in on Walton's Mountain. Trip with Colette and Sonny)


Once Sherry and I got into RV’ing the trips were made in the motor home. We never did work out a trip with everyone, something always came up to prevent one of the other couples to come along.

(Sonny and Colette again that is the Bush compound in Kennebunkport, ME)


The trips expanded in the motor home, the furthest was the Bad Lands and Nova Scotia.  We made the Nova Scotia trip with both couples but at separate times. 

WE also went to Las Vegas with Sonny and Colette. We kidded with Sonny about leaving a winner and never touching a slot machine.  If you stand around a Casino, someone will eventually walk up and give you a token or money to “Go ahead, Try your luck!”  Sort of priming the pump. That happened to Sonny. A lady gave him a couple tokens.

I was feeding a couple dollars in the 25cent machines. We started to leave and He asked a guy in an apron, what can I do with these, and held up the coins. The guy took then and gave him two silver dollars, and he walked out a winner without touching a machine, I left a $2 loser(I am a big time gambler).

Sherry’s sisters loved to travel with us, but never more than three-four weeks, then they were ready to GO HOME!
We also traveled with my sister and her hubby Dick, They had a motor home and were full time. WE had a ball, even drove to Alaska.

(Pulling the coaches in close and dry camping on a river in Alaska)


WE followed Dick and Kat to Standing Indian Campground.  We didn’t know it was close the the AT.  We climbed Standing Indian MT and Sherry talked to some hikers. Then she got the idea we should hike the trail.

Many times we went our separate ways. They to camp on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we had decided to hike the Appalachian Trail.  It wasn’t very long, we were still at Standing Indian and got a call Dick had died in their motor home while camping on the Parkway.

Dick was missed terribly.But due to missing Dick and a small family situation, Kat still wanted to travel and Sherry drove her 38ft. Motor home and followed me in ours. We still had a ball. Kat was a treat to travel with.

Nite Shipslog
 WE towed our Saturn to Alaska.  This is after a few hundred miles on the Alcan Highway.

 Our coach towing the Saturn moving over to avoid Moose on the road.

8 comments:

Paula said...

I think I could learn to travel with close friends like that.

Lisa said...

This was a great story Jack. You kids have so much fun! Never stop.

Up late in Gtown
Lisa

betty said...

That was sad about Dick, but glad Kat still wanted to continue to travel. I haven't done any traveling with my two siblings except once brother/his family met up with me/family in Washington DC area where my sister lives still and my mom lived with them before she passed. Brother/family was leaving as me/family were arriving; we had one day together but it was fun with seeing a few sights and then spending time with my sister, her family and my mom :)

betty

TARYTERRE said...

Good times. Great memories. Wonderful adventures.

shirl72 said...

How did I miss your blogs I am on the computer every day. I think you get up in the middle of the night and post. Maybe I have been asleep. Yesterday was my last volunteer day at Historic House. We had several people come in just to visit.
I will start checking more..Where does the time go. I think when we do e-mail that settled my problem about commenting..

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Times like that will never be forgotten and being with family makes the memories sweeter. One of my sons brought up the times we traveled years ago with good friends. Sadly some of them are gone now, but will never be forgotten either. Good times make the hard times easier, I'm thinking.

Mevely317 said...

How fortunate you were to enjoy spending extended periods of time with your family members! I have it on good authority (*smile*) that sometimes dear friendships suffer from vacationing together.

That Kennebunkport coast looks a bit angry ... but inviting, too! What I'd really like is to see moose in the wild. Unfortunately, I'm not 'up' for that drive.

Glenda said...

In "Three Dog Night" tradition...
"Well, I've never been to Spain
But I kinda like the music, Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
They don't abuse it, Never gonna lose it, I can't refuse it.

Well, I've never been to England
But I kinda like the Beatles but I've been to Oklahoma"........YOU TWO have been everywhere man!!! Love reading the stories!!!
p.s. I spent a good bit of time working in Kennebunk, Maine and was able to see some of the country that you talk about in your tales!