Most of the crazy stuff we have done were my hare brained ideas.

WE have always loved the wilderness or woodsy camping. Once my BIL said they had found a great place to camp. A place near Franklin NC called, ‘Standing Indian’. It is a small national park named for the mountain nearby, Standing Indian.

We climbed to the top of standing Indian and Sherry met some back packers. On the way down the mountain she said, “Did you hear where they were going?”

“No, I didn’t catch that.”

“They are hiking to Maine, that is 2000 miles from here, can you imagine?”

“NO, I cannot even think of walking 2000 miles.”

“Well, I think we can do it,” she said.

“Are you  crazy baby? We have NEVER backpacked! I love the woods and I love camping but that is tough.”

“We should do some planning and do it.”

(Most folks do not notice these signs posted where the AT crosses a road, now we see the all)

It took a while and a lot of thinking, as we walked back down the mountain. I had been a Marine. Of course I did many miles with a 80 pound pack, I knew it would be tough, maybe impossible. But I thought, ‘this girl has followed your dreams,’ time you reciprocated. So before we were back down at camp, we had decided to give it a try.

(We learned fast that this white blaze marks the AT, Sometimes every tenth mile sometime a mile apart.  I thought this one was cute, someone had sketched the face, it made me smile) 

So it was a trip to the library. The librarian suggested we read ‘A walk in the Woods’, by Bryson. So at a bookstore, we bought the book and read it. We both then caught the fever.

We had heard of the Appalachian Trail, the AT. But really did not know anything about it. So we had to do a lot of reading. Everything was different. Boots, packs, clothes and food. But it wasn’t long until we were ready for a trial run. Back to Standing Indian.

There are a lot of memories, mostly good.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Bryson only hiked a couple hundred miles, but he wrote a best seller, a fun book.

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Ahhh, the three wheel delivery wagon.

The last of the pictures (scanned) that we took on the FIRST trip across the USA

This is Hoover Dam power plant.

This is the Colorado River after leaving the Dam. Most of us did not know that the Colorado River many times dried up before the Dam was built.  Since the dam holds Lake Mead and meters the water out, it does not go dry.  However as we found out the last time through, Lake Meade’s water level is dangerously low.

Above is Lake Mead 2013 The white on the rocks shows how dangerously low the water had become then. This picture taken from the road on the dam itself. 

The above picture was taken from the dam in 2013. first you see the conglomeration of power towers supporting the poser lines coming up from the Hoover DAm power plant and in the distance the new GIANT bridge by passing the Dam and spanning  the Colorado River gorge.


This is the Queen Mary. It was then a Hotel



Of course we had to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Lake Tahoe

And main street in Reno.  Not as big as Las Vegas, but still well known for Gambling.
Today we moved. WE are now at Clerbrook golf and RV resort. WE have never been here, it is a very pretty place and BIG.  WE are just North of Clermont, FL.
Thanks for following us on our first excursion from the East Coast, back in 1983!  WOW, it started a dream to see all 50 states and we have since, done that.
NIte Shipslog
PS:
Steady travel is not for everyone, but for some reason I cannot get enough of it, I am sure it is a character flaw, but what the heck, most folk have some Character flaw.
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Now this is cute, I can see Paula chasing the cows in this!

More from our First trip across country.

If you  go to California, you must see the Giant Red Woods, of course.

Sonny and I are both lovers of wood, and seeing these magnificent trees was a treat.

Of course a trip to Yosemite, Just natural beauty, rugged and wild. The day after we were there and spent the night a bear attack was reported on a ‘soft sided camping unit’, that is how the tent and pop up is described.

 

Crossing the Rockies was a treat to us southerners, snow is not a thing we see all the time. Maybe, just maybe once a year. And besides, it is cccold in NC when there is snow, we were comfortable in short sleeves.  It was summer and still snow.

 

The famous Air Force Academy Chapel and its Striking construction. So modern when it was built.

Sonny and I took the cog train to Pike’s Peak. The girls wer snug in a motel. Now this elevation was cccold.

WE took a tour on the paddleboat  Tom Sawyer.

This is the St. Louis Arch. we went up in it, the whole crew, even Colette who was never too adventurous. There is a great view from the top.

Thanks for allowing me to show you our trip from over 30 years ago.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

We have circled the USA several times since then but the first time was the most exciting.  Of course every trip is not the same because we tried to take different routes.

WE have found some of the nicest people as we have traveled.

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An early Mobile Restaurant. The forerunner of the Roach Coach another of my businesses, in another life it seems.

A ride across country

We were much younger then, and had a lot of fun laughing. No one mentioned the Beverly Hill Billy's until we drove around Beverly Hills looking at movie stars homes. WE were sort of a rag-tag group in the Chevy dragging the old pop-up camper .  But it is the company and the trip combined that gives the memories. Sonny was my closest friend and Sherry and her Sister Colette were enjoying themselves.
 
On the way to Hollywood,  we had to enjoy a scene with cowboys headed into town after a trail drive. Cowboy Museum OK City

The painted desert Inn and the museum

And then the BIG HOLE IN GROUND, the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon is probably the most impressive place I have ever been. The grand canyon is so big and deep that we could look down on a mountain in the canyon that was taller than any mountain in North Carolina. The shear size of this BIG DITCH keeps you in awe.

The way I understood it, there are only two trails down into the canyon. This is one of them. No we didn’t go all the way down, that is a days hike.

The two sisters.
When I start looking for pictures I have a rough time finding what I want.  But being from North Carolina where there is plenty of green stuff, it takes some getting used to this rugged country, but I loved it. 
This was about 33 years ago, at times it seems like yesterday.
Thanks for hanging with me here I am still looking for the pictures of Israel.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I have said with each trip around the USA, this is probably our last, but something draws me.
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(continuing with the old vehicles)

This driver is not going to be the first one at the wreck if they have a head on collision.

California, and the Beverly Hill Billys

Our first cross country trip we had a Chevrolet car and a pop-up camper.  WE planned this trip with Colette and Sonny.  Colette was an Elvis Fan, so we had to stop in Memphis to see Graceland.  It was just beginning to be a tourist attraction.


We took the camper on into Arkansas, cooked hamburgers for supper, talked awhile then turned in. It started raining we had a small battery powered B/W TV. the weather man on the 11PM news made the statement, I would hate to be out in this storm, then we felt the wind coming down the Mississippi.
At times the little camper wings moved up a few inches under the beds and we all would hear Colette say, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. I still smile thinking of it, but she was scared. Sonny was holding her tight. Finally we gave up and sent the girls to the car.  Sonny and I shut the little trailer up and tied it down as best we could, then hooked it to the car. This was done in a down pour and winds of 30-50 mph. We were drenched and  jumped in the car. The girls had a couple towels for us to dry our hair and face with. WE were all laughing now, what a start, it had to get better.
We stopped in Muscogee OK to dry out and clean up. Of course we were singing Merle’s song.

We made our way west stopping along the way. Here we are at the Petrified forest, in NE Arizona.

We enjoyed many adventures, but the ladies could not wait to see that side walk in California with stars feet and hand prints.
 
The Girls had their picture with Debbie’s prints. While Sonny and I opted for the more famous, TRIGGER and Roy Rogers of course.

More on our first cross country trip later.
Thanks for coming this way.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
There were some places in mind, but it was mostly a trip to go where we felt the urge. The fun kind of thing.
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This may be the former car with some sheet metal added. It looks like bike wheels.

Ever wonder why you got out of bed today?

I’m laughing at myself to keep from crying. I had this great idea for a blog entry. I wanted to cover a trip Sherry had the nerve to take without me, but with my blessings.  She went to Israel without me. I knew she took pictures, because I see them on the screen saver, but with the screen saver you have no idea from which file the computer retrieved them.

In my 36000+ pictures I could not find them. Long story, but I put the photos on this computer from a source that the files are not labeled.  I have been slowly putting them into order, but I am far from finished.

No problem methinks, go to the old computer where I labeled my pictures. So while Sherry is out walking with Evelyn, I got on her computer (my old computer) and ACCIDENTALLY MOVED ALL ‘MY PICTURES’ TO A FILE CALLED ‘SAVED GAMES’.

Our net connection is via a cell network.  At times it is shaky (literally)  I clicked on My pictures at the exact time of a vibration and it moved the file over a file called ‘saved games’ and when I let off the mouse and it dropped the file into ‘Games Saved’.

    

They moved in seconds, before I could stop them. No big deal, I will move them back. In trying to move them back I duplicated the file. (I thought) So I deleted one (36000 pictures). Happens I didn’t have two files (a ghost file or something).

Now To the Trash Bin. It is such a large amount I decided to  restore all in the trash bin. Computer looks at me and says, no problem, time required 18 hours!  WHAT?

So it is now giving her back the pictures. But I am afraid they will go right back into ‘Saved Games’. And then I will have to move them back to MY PICTURES so the screen saver will work.

I love this stuff…….. (yeah right).

Well that didn’t work, back to the drawing board. I am not mad, I have time. But I said yesterday, folks need to smile, so: , I just tucked my girl in, I have a lot to smile about.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Even a happy guy can be frustrated.

PS2: Now all is well with one small problem I will work out later. I still cannot find the pictures I was looking for, oh well….

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This was the strip down model, no heater.

Smiles

We were at a McDonalds for coffee, on the way to check the mail a couple days ago. The young lady behind the counter radiated joy and was displayed by a beaming smile.

You may be that person.  And I am sure you have met one. It just gives you a good feeling!

You have been served by persons that you could tell the smile was forced. It could be a battle they are handling, or they may force a smile because it is part of the job and necessary. It may not be a natural part of their life.

I am not complaining, I love all smiles.  But it does me good when I am given that special smile by a complete stranger at an information booth or behind a cash register.

At the same McDonalds the lady behind us had a radiant smile and a hat about like mine and Sherry struck up a happy conversation. Just looking on I was made VERY HAPPY. I love it.

If you like trained dogs look this over. You will smile.

https://www.youtube.com/v/txiR7oEVGd0

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Animals can seem to make the most stalwart smile.

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An old International Harvester Woodie.

(Again thanks to the Packard man, Louis!)