Author Archives: Doug and Jackie

About Doug and Jackie

A couple of retired educators rolling along in their RV . . .

Red River Gorge and Rain

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Doug and Jackie

As we left the campground of Hocking Hills State Park and made our way along the narrow serpentine roads out of the hills it was West Virginia in our sights, one more state to add to our “places camped” map.  We mostly followed along the Ohio River on the West Virginia side, which was a pretty torn up two lane due to a lot of trucking activity, railroad crossings and a patchwork of road repairs.  What fun in a large motorhome!  But as we got closer to the destination, Beech Fork State Park, the roads got narrower, winding once again, and then a complete stop for the trailers, cars and trucks ahead of us.  What was up?

It happened that a fairly large mobile home was being moved/towed out of the area and they might have managed to get stuck in the shoulder or something.  It was a half hour of sitting, watching the engine temperature to be sure it didn’t spike while at idle, asking folks who were walking to check it out, and then we began to move.  Yep, there it was, taking up most of the road, with traffic slipping past, half on/half off the roadway.  It was a tight grip on the wheel, slow as she goes, hope we don’t scrape kind of move that put us finally past the “house” and maybe a mile up the road to camp.  Ok, enough excitement.

Campground was pretty large, sitting alongside a quiet lake and less than half full.  We unhooked the Jeep, backed into the site and got ready to relax for two nights.  No big hikes here, no caves, just a quiet spot by the water.  Well, some drizzle overnight with a chance of more rain the next day.  We’ve been lucky to only have some brief overnight showers and otherwise gorgeous sunny weather daytime, so we couldn’t complain.  But this big thunderstorm rolled in just after lunch and pounded the RV.  Booming claps of thunder and just a lot of water came down as we smugly congratulated ourselves for not being in a tent.

It cleared off by dinner and we sat out to watch some good birds around us.  Yellow warblers sang “sweet sweet, I’m so sweet” and flitted in the nearby trees and then we spotted a larger yellow and black bird.  Hmm, wait, there is the male … a bright orange and black Baltimore Oriole.  Nice.  The female kept coming back to pull strips off the old milkweed stems, no doubt getting nesting material.  And while watching a couple of mallards walk around the shoreline, we noticed another pair that were in fact wood ducks.  Tried to get some good pictures as they swam off and we remarked that this evening on the lake was pretty cool indeed.

As we got ready to hit the sack, Jackie said her pillow felt wet.  Wait, the bedspread was wet, too.  Very wet, as were the layers below: the blanket, the sheets, the mattress topper, foam egg crate and the memory foam mattress below!  What?  It seems that the rain must have puddled on top of the slideout and made its way inside (were we not fully extended?).  That meant we were draping sheets and blankets around the motorhome to try to dry out.  We pulled out the couch and slept with just two small afghans – but it was surprisingly comfortable.  

In the morning there was a slight breeze and plenty of sunshine, so we draped the blanket over the awning support, used the dashboard as a drying rack and raised the mattress off the platform to get some air circulation.  After a walkabout with the dog (saw a box turtle), morning showers and a garbage run, it was time to dump the tanks and hit the road.  Our trip back into Kentucky was barely 3 hours, but the twisty 2 lane was waiting for us.  Jackie volunteered to drive the Jeep out until we found a spot, maybe a rest area/welcome center in Kentucky, to hitch back up.  That made it easier to navigate the country roads until we were on the Interstate.  

But signs announced the rest area was closed, so Jackie exited and headed for a Flying J gas station.  Only problem was that a nearby ATV/UTV/Motocross event must have just concluded – there were super muddy 4-wheelers on trailers everywhere.  Absolutely crazy busy, but we found a level spot to connect the Jeep and get on down the road.  

We found our way to a nice parkway going into the Red River Gorge area that had a large, level rest area that was perfect to have lunch, get a few maps and unhitch, since the Natural Bridges State Resort Park was just 2 miles up the road.  Perfect.  Up the winding road and we found our destination: Middle Fork Campground in the park.  As we dropped down into the riverside camp spot I had to wonder if the posted sign “Warning, Flash Flood Area” would come into play, with rain and thunderstorms predicted for the next couple of days.  

Since it looked like wet weather was headed our way, we quickly drove around to the one feature we wanted to see:  Natural Bridge.  You have a nice option to ride a chairlift “Sky lift” one way to the top or round trip.  Oh heck, the trail down looks to be about a mile, so let’s ride up and hike down.  The trip up was gorgeous, with lots of blooming wildflowers and ferns below us, mountain laurel in bloom, even some Sweetbay magnolias blooming.  At the top we hopped off and hiked over the sandstone bridge and then circled down and under the arch.  Very cool spot and some pretty narrow stone stairways and passages.  And although the hike down to the parking area was mostly downhill and the blooming mountain laurel was colorful, we are certain it was much longer than the “1.75 miles” noted on the trail sign.  Jackie was ready to crash as we finally saw the parking lot, with more steps yet to go!  Wow, that took the last of our energy.

And yes, back in the RV our bedding had finally dried and we could get a proper night’s sleep.

The next of our two days here was a kayak adventure through an underground, flooded mine.  Certainly not something we have ever done.  Several layers of light clothing, water shoes and the GoPro camera – we were set. After our safety briefing, suited up with life jackets and helmets, we grabbed our paddles, slipped gracefully into the kayaks and off we went into the cold darkness.  What fun.  As we paddled along the 40 degree water that went as deep as 12 feet, we saw some of the large rainbow trout that were stocked and fed in the waterway.  This wasn’t a wild, natural cave system, but it was certainly a unique experience that we loved. A video of the trip is posted here: Kayaking Gorge Underground

As if that wasn’t enough exercise for one day, we headed out after lunch for a drive around the Red River Gorge and the Daniel Boone National Forest to do some short hikes to arches and sandstone rock outcroppings.  The weather prediction is for more rain and thunderstorms, so we wanted to get out before the rain hit.  But somehow the rumbling stayed in another valley and we stayed dry.  A short hike to Angel’s Windows and then Whispering Arch (half miles out and back) convinced us that we had seen enough of rock walls, arches and outcroppings for now.  But one cool drive through a tunnel on the way back to check out the lodge, I hear they have a Trails End Tavern that would be a nice end to the day.  Yeah, but it’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so we were left to sit in the lobby and connect to WIFI.  

That’s ok, we had a nice bottle of wine and a steak on the grill back at camp, with a cool evening to sit by the river and wonder about the coming rain and flash floods.  

Final day in camp was spent editing pictures and writing updates for the blog, once again heading to the lodge for a WI FI upload.  Thunderstorms rolled through the park and maybe 200 yards below our spot several trees came down. One hit a camper’s car and the wind blew a canopy into the creek. Lucky all we had was rain at our campsite.

The next morning we pulled out and headed home, with one last stop outside Knoxville at a KOA.  Big storms on the drive. We both reflected on this 3 week trip and decided that it was really pretty great.  We were able to follow the spring awakening through a part of the country we had not yet explored.  The caves, caverns, rock formations, waterways and hiking trails really made this exploration special.  And of course we love staying in National and State parks when we can.  Wildflowers in bloom, spring birds singing, even the rainstorms all refresh the spirit and make you thankful to be able to enjoy it all.

This is probably the last post of this adventure.  Thanks for coming along with us.  Sign up for notifications so you don’t miss our next adventure.  And yes, check out some of the many videos I posted on our YouTube channel. I hope to post video highlights soon.

What’s next?  We have some repair work we will be doing in the RV.  The carpet ripped during our Pigeon Forge trip so we have plans to replace the carpet and flooring in the main part of the motorhome.  We have a few days reserved at our nearby lake this summer when we will have our two grandsons stay with us and a fall break cruise aboard the new Utopia of the Seas ship.  Oh, and another trip to St. Andrews State Park on the Florida panhandle in the fall. Stay tuned.

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Ohio Cliffs, Caves and Gorges

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Doug and Jackie

Heigh-Ho and here we are in Ohio now.  We needed a little excitement I guess, so after a rainy start leaving Carter Caves we crossed the Ohio River and left all straight roads behind.  Seriously, we meandered on serpentine two-lane roads the entire time in Southeastern Ohio, making our way to Logan and nearby Hocking Hills State Park.  Somewhere between a roller coaster and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, but in about 3 hours we were pulling into our latest spot to spend a few days.  

By now the pets are well adjusted to the routine, even if they probably don’t like all the movement and noise.  Everyone got fed and watered in camp as we set up and reviewed the park map to figure out what to explore.  We opted to go to the Visitor Center to get our bearings, check the trail maps and have a quick look at the trailhead for Old Man’s Cave.  I found it a bit confusing at first, since they mark everything as a one-way trail and note several places where there are lots of stairs – but it didn’t look hilly around that spot so, maybe when we hike it tomorrow we will find out.  The rest of the afternoon was a “break” to do some laundry and (in my case) catch a nap.

Ok then, let’s hit the trail to Old Man’s Cave after breakfast!  We packed the cameras, water bottles and decided it was going to be warm enough for shorts and tee’s.  From the parking lot we took the one-way trail to Upper Falls and standing on a bridge admiring the view over the falls we noticed that a group of students (we figured 8th graders) was gathered just ahead of us.  Well, gather might be generous, they were moving all about and chattering and giggling and, well, being 8th graders with a month of school left.  That meant that we should delay our hike a bit to let them get ahead.  And they did.

Back to the sandstone ravine that we were hiking through.  This was an amazing journey down into this carved canyon of walls covered in moss and ferns, with huge hemlocks towering above us.  The narrow (hence one-way) trail wound along the creek, under ledges, around boulders and crossed the creek several times.  It was cool and lush and stunning.  To be so deep in this ravine with cliffs above you, some overhanging, was very unique.  It reminded me of our hike in New Hampshire’s Flume.

We soon reached this inward curved wall that was Old Man’s Cave.  Very cool indeed.  The approach had a bit of the feel of the cave dwellers of Mesa Verde.  Hugging the boulders where it was damp were clumps of wild columbine, red and yellow in the sun.  Trees above the cave grew precariously at the edge.  Water dripped from cracks in the sandstone.  It was worth the stair climb that came next, as we made our way back up to the top.

Hearing that there was a connection to Whispering Falls trail from the nearby lodge, we drove just around the corner to try that half-mile in, half-mile out trail.  Beautiful lodge on the hilltop, but a stairway down to the trail was a reminder of the effort to return.  But the trail wasn’t too rough, just some rocky spots along the sandstone cliffs and a last set of stairs down to the curved cave.  This one resembled Old Man’s Cave, but was deeper and more curved.  A small waterfall that you walked behind spilled over the edge, dripping maybe 100 feet.  Again, quite a sight. 

Along the trail as we returned were more pink ladyslipper orchids and loads of ferns.  And that final set of stairs up.  We spoke to a group of 3 who were struggling to return back to their car at the Visitor’s Center, which was probably another 2 miles mostly uphill.  I volunteered to take the driver in the group back to their car in the Jeep, since we really had no other room.  They were extremely grateful and my return back to Jackie had given her time to make it up the stairs and to the lodge on her pace, not mine.  Ok, time for lunch.

So the afternoon had to include one more hike – which would it be?  Looks like this Conkles Hollow gorge trail.  It was listed as an accessible trail, concrete sidewalk.  Perfect out and back, half mile each way.  And it was pretty easy going through the wide, fern-filled gorge.  Clusters of saxifrage. trillium and May apples were interspersed among the mossy logs and ferns.  The trail went close along the sandstone cliffs that once again towered above until the sidewalk ended and it became a trickier path.  Onward around boulders and along the creek we went until it ended in a huge bowl with a waterfall spilling over the lip.  Not a gushing fall, but significant enough to sound wonderful as it splashed into the hollow space.  Definitely worth the hike. 

BUT, we were done for the day.  On the way back to camp we stopped at the lodge, with tablets and laptops to connect to WI-FI and I uploaded the recent blog about Carter Caves (at the bar, sipping vodka & tonics, gin & tonics – in tall glasses).  Yes, that was a proper end to the day’s hiking.

Next morning we had two hikes on the list.  Ash Cave and Rock House.  Ash Cave was less than a mile of trail and looked like a moderate hike.  Rock House was a more difficult hike that would involve more steps and uphill climb, but also less than a mile.  It seemed possible to do both, so off we went.

Ash Cave was an easy gorge trail into the cave and an uphill hike along a rim trail back.  And boy was it worth it!  As you will see from the pictures, which really don’t convey the size and scale, this was a massive amphitheater of sandstone carved out of a wall of rock.  A small stream cascaded over the lip and splashed into a pool below.  A picture of this cave in our local paper is what inspired me to make this trip and it did not disappoint.  Simply a grand expanse of curved wall and roof.  And yes, a stairway out with plenty of uphill climb back to the parking lot.

Rock House, site of a lot of stories of bandits and hideouts, was our last challenge here and since it was still morning, we drove the 8 miles or so to get to the trailhead.  This rim and gorge trail was also a one-way hike that curved along the cliff edge and then switched back and dropped down along a sandstone wall covered in moss and ferns.  Once reached, the cave was an amazing spot, carved into the hillside with several “windows” looking out to the woods beyond.  What a perfect spot to shelter and not be seen.  And of course the return trip back through the gorge was an uphill trek.  But once back at the Jeep we were quite glad we still had the stamina to hike to these spots.  Funny how your legs and knees just start to object more as they get older.

That wrapped up our hiking adventures here in Hocking Hills State Park.  We did make a short run to Logan for some groceries and gas for the Jeep.  Back at camp we got things ready for a morning departure.  The next leg of the trip will be another serpentine drive through the hills and Southeast to Beech Fork State Park in West Virginia.  Maybe 3 – 4 hours.  Rain is predicted for tomorrow afternoon, so it may take a bit longer.  Thanks for joining in the adventure.  I will try to post more when I get the chance.  In the meantime, enjoy the pictures.  

And Finally . . . 

Some astounding statistics for my work:  My blog has reached 50,000 views, and my YouTube channel has over 500 subscribers, due primarily to the popularity of the “Glass Fountains and Totems” video.  That alone has 40,000 views.  Incredible.  Thanks!  Check them out if you like:  youtube.com/@adventureswithdougandjackie

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Kentucky Caves and Camping, Part 2

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Doug and Jackie

It was time to leave the bourbon sampling behind and head out to Carter Caves State Park, just east of Lexington.  To update you on the gasoline situation and check engine light, my next fill-up was with a higher octane gas and another can of high mileage Seafoam cleaner and the engine seems to be running just fine.  I believe the source of the problem was a low octane gas from Buc-ee’s that caused the problems.  We did just fine on the drive to Carter Caves.

Our camping spot this time is at Carter Caves State Resort Park, arriving on a Saturday.  The excitement here is for the caves and hiking trails.  We wound ourselves along a pretty narrow road, creek on one side, wall of limestone on the other and plenty of cars heading past us.  Seems awfully busy for a rather remote spot in the Daniel Boone National Forest.  Arriving in the campground explained things, it was loaded with trailers, trucks and kids and bikes and more kids and more bikes … wow.  Fortunately our spot was a pull thru but once we unhooked the Jeep we decided it would be a better back-into spot.  Very tight quarters among the pickups and trailers.  Let’s hope things change by Monday morning.  We leave on Tuesday.

At the Welcome Center we learned there was an afternoon tour of X Cave, so we booked it, changed into the proper shoes and sweatshirts and followed the guide into the very cold cave.  X Cave is so named because you can traverse two passageways that cross in the middle, each one passes through the hill, so you enter, cross, exit the back, then return back into the cave to walk the other passage.  The cave was a dry cave with very few drip stones but some nice formations and pretty easy walking, if narrow.  It had lights added and some modifications made in the 40’s and 50’s to make passage easier (you used to have to climb a rope ladder to get to the entrance).  Even though not pristine, these are very cool caves.

As we drove back to camp I spotted some distinctive black and white birds that compelled me to grab the camera and walk back to catch them.  Not much luck, so back to the campsite I went.  Our neighbor noticed the camera and said “you looking for those woodpeckers?”  “Yes, but no luck,” I replied.  “Well they’ve been busy all day in the tree above you.”  What?? Sure enough, a pair of red-headed woodpeckers were digging a nest into the upper trunk of the tree – right above us.  So, I was able to get a few good shots.  Nice bird.

Gorgeous sunny weather meant the temperature climbed into the 80’s, then dipped down pretty cool at night.  I feel like we have traveled back in seasonal time, too, since the leaves here are just coming out – mostly a lot of oaks with pollen (I thought we were done with that).  Back home we went through this about 2 – 3 weeks ago.  

Sunday morning we booked an early tour of another cave, Cascade Cave.  This cave had some water dripping and flowing into it, with a few more formations and several large rooms.  We saw some small bats along the way and got a pretty good picture of one hanging tight to the ceiling.  Maybe the size of a large prune.  Excellent hike though.

We also hiked short distances to see some of the natural bridges here in the park.  Some of them are huge, wide and tall tunnels through the rock, one seemed ready to fully collapse, with stacks of shale looking more like stacks of books.  One has the roadway crossing above.  Lots of wildflowers blooming, most of which I remember, some ID eludes me (and I left our books at home).  All of them look very cool up close.  I found out the lodge on property had pretty good WI-FI so I was able to upload the first part of the blog for you to read.

Tonight is steaks on the grill and some bourbon drinks sitting out in the very nice evening while we watch the campground empty out.  It is about 90% empty now, as the weekenders head home.  Much quieter and relaxing.

Monday morning was our day to try another cave, self-guided Horn Hollow Cave.  We needed a permit to hike this, so at the Welcome Center we filled out the form as the ranger asked “You have flashlights?”  Yes. “You know about the water, right?”  No, what water?  It seems a creek runs through this cave, from ankle to mid calf deep, and we needed to rethink our shoes and pants.  Back to the campsite to put on shorts and pack some water shoes.  Now we were set to begin the hike to the cave, up and around some boulders, cliff faces and such, pretty much up most of the way until we slipped down to a dry creek bed where the cave entrance beckoned.  We changed into the water shoes, got our flashlights ready and I put my GoPro on a headband mount.  Ready!

Well, when you are the only ones entering a dark, wet cave, it’s a bit intimidating.  And the water was COLD.  Left? Right? Let’s follow the flow of the water to the right.  It was pretty low in spots, but plenty wide and the flashlights were a big help, obviously.  A small fish and a crayfish were spotted in the water, but no bats around.  After about a quarter mile through the cave, the water began to run downward through a smooth channel and we were quite suddenly at the other end of the cave.  How cool was that?  So now what?  We didn’t see an obvious trail out of the stream bed, so we opted to retrace our steps and go back where we entered.  Changed back into our hiking shoes, had some water and granola bars and rejoined the trail back to the car.  Altogether it was about a 2 mile hike, but once again an uphill climb awaited us just before the end.  A video of the cave portion of the hike is posted here: Horn Hollow Cave

Ok, back at camp and time to chill for the rest of the afternoon.  In the morning we will pack up and drive to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio for more trails and caves and maybe another week earlier in the spring! Keep an eye out for more of the adventure, and try to look at these pics on a big screen.

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Bourbon, Bats and Caves

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Doug and Jackie

It’s April and we are off on another adventure!  Let’s get you caught up.  When last I posted we were waiting for the repairs to our motorhome to be completed.  The damage from a collision took out several of our basement doors, the boxes around the electrical and water hookups and generally made a mess of the left rear of the motorhome.  Well the long wait for parts, installation and paint matching was complete by the end of March.  I have to give a shout out to the folks at Open Road RV in Acworth for getting this done and keeping me posted on progress.  Also, thanks are due to GEICO for covering this major repair.

Next on the list was to have some preventative maintenance on the engine.  Our local mechanic did a one day service to replace the serpentine belt, spark plugs, wires and coils (awesome!) and then alerted us to front brakes that were 90% worn.  Ok, new brake pads then.  Plus a charge to the cabin AC.  Ouch, that was a hefty bill, but much better than a breakdown on the road.  We are just shy of 100,000 miles, so it was worth the peace of mind.

So after a good cleaning, inside and out, sanitizing the fresh water tanks and packing all our gear we are off on this next trip: the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  Yes, we will sample what we can, but rest assured it won’t be while driving the motorhome.  It starts off with a visit in Nashville to our niece Rachel, who is graduating high school and her brother, Colin, who is celebrating his 21st birthday.  A good time for the family to gather.

You may have noticed in the photos that we have a new travel companion: Binx.  It’s been two years since Merlin passed and Jackie felt it was time for a new young cat around the house.  This is the first motorhome trip for Binx, and so far he is doing just fine.  He and Kodi bump noses and stare at each other, but they haven’t quite gotten to the “let’s play” stage yet.  A little more time in this large box of a motorhome and they should be best buddies.

Up the road then to Mammoth Cave and camping in the park.  It was a pretty easy drive up from Nashville, only a few climbs – I was sure to keep an eye on the engine temperature and that did not seem to be a problem at all.  However, we had a new one pop up way back before Chattanooga, which I kept to myself until I met up with my son and brother-in-law in Nashville.  It seems that only a few miles away from a fill-up at Buc-ees mega gas station I noticed the check engine light came on.  And it stayed on, teasing me to be worried about the engine.  With all the work we just had done on the engine, I was kind of scratching my head about the cause.  It was familiar, as I think the last time it happened and I got all concerned about NOC sensors and the code that the computer gave, it was after another fill-up at Buc-ees.  Well just get me to Nashville.  

Before heading out of Nashville I added a can of Seafoam gas cleaner and crossed my fingers.  I was surprised then that the light went out before we made it to Bowling Green and I was certainly happier.

Rolling into Mammoth was gorgeous.  Just a bit behind our spring leafing in Kennesaw, but everything was greening up nicely.  We pulled into our site, a dry or boondocking site, and leveled up, put out the slides and fed the pets.  It was early afternoon so we went over to the visitor center and booked a 3:30 tour of Mammoth Passage.  The cave is only accessible by guided tour (except in the busy summer season), so we were curious to try this extra tour that entered through the Historic Entrance.  We have hiked in a few cave systems before: Carlsbad Caverns, Florida Caverns and one near Pike’s Peak.  This was totally different.  

After a low passageway we found ourselves in a huge underground tunnel.  Of course this is a well maintained system of walkways, railings and lighting, but it is also massive.  And dry.  There were no dripping springs, pools or stalagmites and stalactites.  Just rough walls that opened up passageways that felt more like underground subway or railroad tunnels.  One intersection aptly called the Rotunda had a huge open and circular ceiling.  It almost felt like the underground lair of some superheroes or maybe MI-6’s lab for Q.   Very special, quite cold.  We saw a few small bats on the ceiling, but not massive colonies.

This campsite had no electricity or water, but we had onboard water, the generator for electricity, gas for heat and the fridge and stove and although it was getting below 50 degrees, we figured we were fine.  Until we weren’t.  Running the generator seemed to leave gasoline fumes in the camper, so we shut it off and aired out.  Overnight Jackie’s CPAP machine quit, the heat didn’t come on and the fridge was off.  A bit of morning panic, as there was no power from the house batteries at all. And it was cold!

The next day we had another tour booked that started off at 9 am, so we were out and hiking into the cave early.  This tour took us to another entrance area by bus and it felt more like traditional caving experiences.  A more narrow passageway that tried to bang your head or poke your side was fun to traverse on our way to stalagmites, stalagtites and flowstone.  Lots of those formations to see and a final stairway down behind Niagara, a large formation that was very cool.  This area Iof the cave had lots of cave crickets, who we learned leave the cave every week to feed and return.

Back at camp after the tour we unhooked the house batteries, called an auto supply store in Cave City, about 30 miles away and when they said they had replacements, off we went.  With the new batteries installed, we felt much better.  The fridge was running again (even though it runs on gas, it needs electric for the control panel) and except for charging the phones and making coffee, we were ok.  Took the Keurig to the restroom to make coffee and charged phones in the Jeep.  Never a dull moment.  But the generator will have to wait until back home.  I suspect it has something to do with last fall’s accident.

We had time to wander around the trails a bit, since it was such a nice afternoon. The Green River flows through the park and there was an actual free operating ferry across one of the roads. Plus a really great loading ramp for kayaks up and down a long stairway. We also saw numerous wildflowers some springs and a few of the original CCC camp cabins.

Overnight it wasn’t nearly as cold and we had some rain. Lying in bed while trying to ignore the barking dog asking for breakfast, Jackie said her CPAP machine stopped again overnight.  Oh No!  Please tell me we didn’t kill the new batteries!  Actually, it must have come unplugged, since everything else was fine.  Sigh of relief.  We showered at the camp store, feeding quarters into the shower to keep the water running, then packed up, hooked up the Jeep and made our way off to Bardstown.  This was maybe 80 miles away, easy drive on a smooth interstate with little traffic.  We opted to veer off the interstate on a nice 2 lane road that took us to Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace and boyhood home.  A unplanned but beautiful stop on a gorgeous drive through green Kentucky fields.  Today’s final stop was the campground in My Old Kentucky Home State Park just outside Louisville.  This is the week before the Kentucky Derby and we are set to celebrate the upcoming race with some mint juleps and lots more bourbon sampling.

Bourbon sampling was easy, since less than a mile down the road was Heaven Hill Distillery, featuring Elijah Craig and Evan Williams.  Since I had my Kentucky Bourbon Trail Guide and time was running short, we hit the bar and ordered a flight each.  I had a rye sampler and Jackie went with bourbons.  And I got my book stamped.  Well we couldn’t stay long, since we found out the distilleries all closed their tap rooms at 5 and it was already nearly 4!  Next stop was Bardstown Brewing, maybe 4 miles back.  Great tap room and they had a nice selection of bar food.  We ordered their special meatballs and greens and a plate of ahi tuna tacos.  And we learned something new: benedictine.  It is a sour cream and onion spread that is usually served on cucumber sandwiches, but ours was served with the meatballs.  Yummy.  Oh, and an Old Fashioned each of course.  Best food at a bar I have had in a long time, and the drink was yummy.  And I got my book stamped.  But it was too late to visit any others.

Something that really surprised us was the way they stack and age the barrels of bourbon.  These huge barns/aging houses (rick houses) really are monstrous and numerous.  There is an entire art to their design, construction, temperature, humidity – all of which affects the bourbon.  BUT I was reassured to see there would be no shortage of bourbon for the foreseeable future.

Day 2 of our bourbon sampling was to begin with a quick stop nearby at Lux Row Distillery.  Another gorgeous operation, very modern buildings amid some historic ones and the most beautiful Kentucky bluegrass you will ever find.  We had a sample of their Rebel 100 Rye and promptly bought a bottle it was so good. I got my book stamped and we drove in to Louisville to sample Whiskey Row.  Whoops, wait, was that Jim Beam we just passed?  Quick, turn around and let’s stop.  So we saw the green grounds of the distillery, dotted with the warehouses and the iconic white barn and family farmhouse.  Just had to sample some Knob Creek and Basil Hayden before continuing onward (plus a stamp in the book).

The challenge was to find a couple of distillery tasting rooms but more importantly to get checked-in at 6 different bars on the Urban Bourbon Trail to earn a shirt.  It involved a lot of walking along Main Street, but the weather was great and the rewards better.  So an Old Fashioned and Mint Julep at Evan Williams Experience, a stop at Old Forrester and Angel’s Envy, a photo op at the Louisville Slugger bat factory, ummm lunch at Troll Under the Bridge for a delicious Reuben sandwich and beer cheese with pretzels followed by a few other spots for bourbon drinks … and then to the visitors center to collect the t-shirt!  Yippee, mission accomplished.  We drove back to camp and kind of crashed for the rest of the evening, skipping supper (but fed and watered the pets).

Day 3 in Bardstown/Louisville we drove to Versailles, KY to visit two distilleries:  Castle & Key and Woodford Reserve.  Plus, I was going to connect with a good friend from my days with the Professional Lawn Care Association.  The drive was easy on the Bluegrass Parkway and we were soon sipping on cocktails at Castle & Key Distillery.  The grounds of this restored distillery were amazingly beautiful, with the original buildings nested in the green valley.  The folks at this spot were very friendly and the drinks impressive.  Jackie had a Bloody Mary and I had a four cocktail flight that was terriffic.  I was so impressed with their gin that I snagged a bottle to take home.

It was time to venture just a few miles down the road to the mother ship:  Woodford Reserve.  It is one of my favorite bourbons, so I was excited to stop by.  But I have to say the experience was lacking something.  The grounds were beautiful, but other than the rick houses that you could only see from a distance, the buildings were recently built and really lacked charm.  It was just a retail store (that was out of much merchandise) and a small bar.  Of course we both had Old Fashioneds on the deck, but it just didn’t match my expectations.  Perhaps if we had booked one of the tours it would have been different.

Then it was time to drive the beautiful bluegrass countryside and find my friend from days past.  Sandy was waiting for us on the porch of her gorgeous farmhouse and we had fun reminiscing over the good times of our past together.  It was good to meet up after 25 (?) years.  She even pulled out one of the group pictures from our PLCAA days.   

The next day in Bardstown was pack-up and get moving day, but we had just a bit more time in the morning to find two distilleries:  Maker’s Mark and Willett Distilleries.  Maker’s Mark was supposed to be within 30 minutes, Willett was 2 miles away.  But a half hour down the road and the directions said another half hour to Maker’s Mark, so that was scuttled and we stopped at Willett instead.  Again it was beautiful grounds and an old distillery, where I got my book stamped and we headed to hitch up and head east beyond Lexington.  

Our next stop is Carter Caves State Park in the Daniel Boone National Forest.  Our big bourbon sampling adventure is over for now, but not forgotten.  My recommendation for any who want to try this is to focus on the actual distilleries and not get too excited about the downtown Louisville bars and tasting rooms.  But do take note that all the distilleries, downtown or out in the hills, all close at 5 p.m.  Well, I hope to find some Wi-Fi soon to post this story and some of the many pictures so you have an idea of what we have been up to. More to come, and thanks for reading along.

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What’s Next for 2024?

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Doug and Jackie

Indeed, we are now into 2024, which means we have been on this retirement journey for 9 years! (and the motorhome is now 20 years old … good deal).  And there is nothing on the calendar for the year!  So what new adventures are ahead for us?  Let’s find out.

When we last posted, we had just finished a short trip to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains.  Fun time in the fall.  Just before that we returned to Alaska to explore all the way north to Denali in search of bears and other wildlife.  I have just finished up a video of that adventure and posted it to our YouTube channel.  Check it out: Back to Alaska

So the rest of October was a two week camping trip back to St. Andrews State Park in Panama City, Florida – a tough spot to get a reservation but a favorite location for us.  The motorhome was packed up and ready to roll, so off we went, south around Atlanta and on to Columbus toward Alabama.  We usually stop for one night in Eufaula to break up the trip.  

Well, as we were motoring along the interstate outside Columbus on a sunny, clear day, Jeep in tow, I heard a loud “bang” from the back of the motorhome.  I gripped the wheel, looked in my sideview mirrors and ran through thoughts of a blown tire or generator explosion, since it looked like something happened on the rear driver’s side.  I eased off the gas, gently applied the brakes, and looked for an opening to pull off the road.  Best spot was to move left and into the shoulder of the median, without fishtailing or making things worse.  I noticed a small pickup a bit behind me that looked to be doing the same thing.  Mind you, this all happened pretty quickly.

Once stopped, I hopped out to check the tire, but it was fine.  However, the entire side of the motorhome was a mess from there on back.  The Jeep was fine, but the doors to the generator, water and electric service were crumpled, ripped and smeared with black.  What the heck was all this??  The pickup had stopped on the shoulder back behind me, so I ran to it and noticed the front right side was all crumpled as well.  “What happened?” I asked the driver and passenger.  Did you have a blowout?  Their tire was flat, so I figured maybe it blew and caused them to hit my back quarter.

All I got from them was that the two vehicles came together and hit, suggesting I had swerved or fishtailed into their truck.  Nah, not possible.  Plus, I was well under the speed limit with cruise control and not weaving in lanes at all.  That’s not how I drive.  Well, we called 911, a local sheriff arrived who then called in the state patrol.  Trooper took statements from us both and concluded that he couldn’t find who was at fault and left it at that.  I have my own ideas about how I got rammed in the back, but it remains undetermined.  

Well, since our electric and water hookups were now pretty much unavailable, I took some rope, did my best to tie down the bent and broken doors and we turned around to head back home.  It wasn’t certain we could connect to water and electricity and I wasn’t sure they were safely functional either.  Two weeks at the beach were aborted, we called to cancel the reservation and nervously made our way back along the interstate, around Atlanta and back into the driveway.  A bit shook up the whole time, scratching our heads over how this all went so wrong so quickly and making the phone call to our insurance.

The next steps, over the rest of the fall, were:

  • Get an estimate on damage from local RV repair shop
  • Wait a month for them to even look at it
  • Get a preliminary estimate/payment from insurance adjuster
  • Finally get a complete estimate from repair shop (3 times original estimate)
  • Go to RV shop to drain water and winterize (since we have had many days of freezing temps – go figure)
  • Repair shop orders parts (over holidays, so it will be 6-8 week wait)
  • Wait for parts to arrive … still waiting at this point
  • Hope the repairs are done in time to enjoy some camping in April

It’s now February and despite a rather gloomy outlook for getting the motorhome back, plus needing brakes and tires checked and running a full 100,000 mile engine checkup, we went ahead and planned a late April/May three-week adventure.  We have all the reservations set at parks in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Tennessee for a trip dubbed our “Bourbon Trail.”  There are plenty of distilleries we want to visit, plus lots of caves, hiking trails, waterfalls and Churchill Downs (yes, we will be in Louisville during Derby Week). Stay tuned for stories about the trip.

Oh, and on the rest of the maintenance schedule is some flooring repair and replacement.  When we were packing up to leave Pigeon Forge the living room slide got caught on the carpet and ripped a strip off.  Now this is a 20 year old carpet, so it wasn’t a total shame, but it does mean we have to figure out how to replace the floor for the main section of the motorhome.  Summer project, I guess.  By now you are probably saying “no thanks, I don’t want a motorhome,” but you would be wrong to think that.  We have had so many great adventures that would not have been possible without this trusty van.  It’s just part of the deal – like owning a home that always needs a little TLC.

Anyhow, thanks for coming along with us.  Sign up for notifications so you don’t miss our next adventure.

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Pigeon Forge and the Smokies

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Doug and Jackie

Back from our Alaska Adventure and seeing signs of fall here at home, we quickly got ready for a long weekend with family in the Great Smoky Mountains.   Alex, Bethany and her parents Jim and Dawn convinced us that it was going to be a good time, so we all booked adjoining sites at Clabough Family Campground just off the main drag in Pigeon Forge.  But Jim and Dawn had to change to a larger site, seeing as how they just upsized from their trailer to a very nice, long Class A motorhome that would not fit in their original campsite.  Oops. 

About two weeks before the trip I wanted to give the motorhome a once-over and check things like tire pressure, oil and coolant levels, charge up the house batteries – all things that are just good practice.  Well the engine barely started up after a few tries, so I put the trickle charger on overnight to boost the engine battery.  Next day it was a slow roll to start but it failed to start later that day.  So I took the battery to NAPA, exchanged/bought a new one and had the same problem once again when it was installed.  No real start, just a lot of clicking.

A little research, a few videos and a call to a mobile tech pointed to a faulty starter being the culprit.  Mobile tech wasn’t available, we were only days away from the trip, so I decided to add to my “new skills” and picked up a new starter to install.  I got halfway through the process when Alex volunteered to help and together we crawled under and replaced the starter.  It was really only two screws and the heat shield, but one of the wire connections was so corroded, we had to snip and replace the terminator, all in a rather awkward position underneath.  But it worked – problem solved (and a new battery in the process).

Our drive to Knoxville was pretty easy on the interstates.  Well, except for when we exited a backup near Ringgold and took a back way to avoid it.  It was a good idea, since the road met up with the interstate heading toward Knoxville again, except we were suddenly faced with a low railroad overpass.  It was posted 13’6” and a train was of course rolling along the overpass as we slowly, and I mean slowly crept under.  My motorhome height is supposed to be less than 13 feet, but I have never put it to the test … but we didn’t get stuck, didn’t scrape or lose anything off the roof, so you won’t see us on a YouTube video of what not to do.  But it was close.

Anyway, my navigator was doing a great job on ‘maps’ guiding us through downtown Knoxville heading to Pigeon Forge until she directed me to turn up a hill that was marked “no trailers or motorhomes.”  How’s that?  A bit late notice, but I was committed.  I soon found out why, with sharp turns on a narrow road, twisting our way up.  Towing the Jeep only made it a bit worse, but we managed not to mangle any other cars, mailboxes or signs and soon were approaching the campground.  We seem not to learn the lesson that the mapping apps show you the shortest way to go, assuming you are in a car, which isn’t always the best shortcut for an RV.

So we checked in, got to our site as Alex and Bethany were also setting up and we each quickly got set up.  Next was to check on Jim and Dawn and get the tour of their nearly new motorcoach.  Very nice Georgetown unit – maybe 40’ if I recall.  Full size fridge, washer and dryer and lots of room and storage.  Good deal.

So what did we do for the four days in town?  If you have ever been in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, you know that there is PLENTY to choose from.  This place has one of everything and a few extra oddities thrown in.  But top of the list for Alex and Bethany were the rollercoasters of Dollywood.  I think it was a special challenge to see how many they could get me to ride.  And I think I held up pretty well. We all decided the best way to visit was to park in the city lot, take the trolley shuttle to the park and split the day with lunch back in camp.  That way we could do all the coasters before it got busy, but still be refreshed enough to return for the light displays at night: Great Pumpkin Luminights.  

It was a beautiful fall day, the three of us rode 7 or 8 coasters, never really waiting in line, and just enjoyed the decorations for the Harvest Festival.  Yummy cinnamon bread!  Jim, Dawn and Jackie did some window shopping and Dawn did brave the Lightning Rod coaster, though I think that ended the coaster rides for her (it was really fast, with plenty of loops and barrel rolls).  The three coaster riders did agree that the newest coaster, Big Bear Mountain, was the most fun.  Very fast and smooth with some hills and turns, but no loops or barrel rolls.  

And the return to see the lights at night was really special.  The pictures hardly do it justice – it was colorful everywhere, with hints of fog.  We also rode the steam train around the park, though the cinders were plentiful in our hair afterward.  So Dollywood was a great day, with PLENTY of walking up and down.

Another day was spent driving in and around and through the Great Smoky Mountain Park.  The weather was beautiful again, almost hot in the afternoon.  A stop at the visitor center for our daily parking pass showed us just how many folks were in the park, even though it was a weekday.  We opted not to do the Cades Cove loop of 11 miles that is known to take 3 – 4 hours when busy.  Instead we drove to some overlooks and had a picnic lunch along a stream at Chimney Tops.  Jim kept saying we should take the Mother Nature Trail – which I thought was an odd name, but OK. We did, but I soon learned I heard him wrong.  It wasn’t a hiking trail, it was the Motor Nature Trail, a single lane road with nearly no parking or stopping allowed.

It was on this drive when we stopped to check out a log cabin that we got our first glimpse of black bears.  Now you know from our previous blog of Alaska bear searching it is something we want to see but had great difficulty finding.  But here we were in the Smokies easily watching a mother and good sized cub making their way along a creek.  Almost too easy, but we definitely enjoyed it and had a good look.

Last activity choice was the Titanic Museum.  Bethany had this on her list and we agreed it would be a worthy tour.  It was a cleverly interactive museum of artifacts recovered by one of the first diving teams to reach the wreck with photos and stories of the builders, the designers and the many passengers aboard.  You receive a boarding pass for one of the passengers and learn by the end of the tour whether or not you survived.  I did not.  It includes a replica of the main stairway and a few staterooms.  One room was the bridge, complete with icy cold water outside that you could run your hands through.  It also featured a large model of the ship built of LEGOS.  And in the gift shop I found the perfect item: a Titanic duck for the Jeep.  

The campground had a lazy river that was really a lot of fun, since the water was warm and weather was great. Alex and I floated around several times one night. We finished off the weekend with some outlet shopping and of course a stop at two breweries.  In Gatlinburg we had a flight and pretzels at Gatlinburg Brewing and in Pigeon Forge we sipped on a large flight at Smoky Mountain Brewery.  All good choices, plus a great lunch at the Applewood Farmhouse Grill.  

Well the weekend was a success, but like all motorhome trips, there has to be at least one thing that requires further attention.   This trip we had two.  First was when retracting the living room slide, something caught the carpet, tearing and crumpling the carpet under the couch enough that the slide would not close completely.  Solution was to tear back the carpet in that spot to allow the slide to close.  Secondly, the “check engine” light came on after a fill-up at Bucc-ees (that is an entire gas station world).  That one is unresolved for now.  I connected a diagnostic code reader and got the code for a knock sensor that either means replace the knock sensor, check engine fuel for pinging, change spark plugs … or in my case wipe the code and see if it returns.  There were no other obvious problems with overheating or rough running engine, so I will monitor it on our next trip down and back to Florida.  Once back I will have a full engine overhaul before winter.

Sometimes it is just nice sitting around the firepit at home, especially with cooling fall temperatures.

Next stop is two weeks in St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach, Florida to enjoy some sand, salt and swimming (and maybe a little beach bar hopping).  Catch you later!

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Back to Alaska, Part Two

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Doug and Jackie

If you have been following our blog, you know that we just completed another great adventure – this one to Alaska with family.  (If you didn’t read Part One, this might be the time to go back and catch up).  We sailed on a northbound Celebrity cruise from Vancouver to Seward aboard the Millennium, a ship we were familiar with from our 2018 southbound cruise.  From there we added excursions and travel to Anchorage, Denali and Talkeetna.  This part starts with our disembarkation in Seward. A video of highlights is posted here: Back to Alaska

After posting Part One, Norm sent me some pictures of their excursions, so I’ll add them here:

Flight home, over Mt. St. Helens

Vancouver, Granville Island and Lions Gate Bridge

Ketchikan Salmon

Icy Strait Point and Rental Side-by-sides

Juneau Whale Watching

Chilkoot River Rafting, Haines (from Skagway)

Hubbard Glacier

So back to Seward and our disembarkation.  Jeff and Vickie were going to catch a midday bus to Anchorage and then fly back home to South Carolina.  Norm, Linda and Carol were to catch a bus to Anchorage early to rent a car and then drive to Denali.  Jackie and I were set with a 4 hour cruise around the Kenai Fjords from Seward before catching a late bus to Anchorage to spend the night.  We would then start our land portion of the trip, catching the Wilderness Train to Denali and meeting up with Norm, Linda and Carol.

It was a drizzly start to the day in Seward as we disembarked the ship, bags in tow.  Breakfast in the main dining room was actually quite delicious and as we were finishing up our eggs Benedict Norm popped in to say they were headed off the ship and on to Anchorage and would see us tomorrow in Denali.  Once ashore we arranged for our bags to get held at a local hotel until our bus to Anchorage arrived.  We caught a free shuttle into town and made our way to Waterfront Park and the Sea Life Center.  Unfortunately we just didn’t have the time to tour the center, but we did scan the shoreline and harbor to spot whales, otters, eagles … hoping it would be like our last visit.  No luck.  We did learn that this was the original starting point of the Iditarod race.  Oh, but look at those folks – it’s Jeff and Vickie and luggage hopping off the shuttle to do the same waterfront scan!

We walked around a bit and looked for a lunch spot we remembered.  Had ourselves a splendid rockfish sandwich and beer, said “safe travels home” to Jeff and Vic and headed over to the dock for our excursion.  The boat for the 4 hour cruise was a good size and super comfortable.  It was almost more of a small ferry, with assigned seating around tables and next to wide, clean windows.  There was plenty of outdoor space for viewing, once we cleared the harbor and headed out to Kenai Fjords to explore.

At first it seemed this was going to be a bob-around with nothing to see except clouds and drizzle, but we were treated to some gorgeous coastline, small waterfalls and soon some wildlife.  Our binoculars worked great, but my camera’s long lens didn’t give me a crisp focus on all of the shoreline wildlife – not my best photos.  We found a cluster of Steller sea lions who were barking and croaking at each other, surrounded by hundreds of kittiwake gulls perched on the rock faces and flying about.  Bobbing in the water were two species of puffin, the horned and the tufted, with common murres diving about.  Up on the hillside we spotted a couple of mountain goats just hanging out on the cliffs.

The boat ventured out into the edge of the Gulf of Alaska’s open water a bit to try and find some of the last humpback whales, but we didn’t spot them.  

On the other shore, the Kenai Fjords National Park, were some picturesque islands, covered with Sitka spruce and moss. A group of harbor seals were sunning on the rocks and sea otters bobbed along the shoreline.  Those darn otters are so cute.  More puffins were on the rock ledges and in the water.  Bald eagles perched on trees.  Very colorful.  Even though we didn’t spot whales, there was plenty of cool wildlife to see.  Once we had a cell signal again we got a message from Vickie that Jeff might have left his backpack at a local food truck, would we please check?  (In all the hustle and bustle of transfers and luggage, it is rather easy to do).

Back ashore we quickly found the spot she described, but no backpack and the food truck was closed.  The harbormaster’s office was closed, too, but we got phone numbers and left messages.  It was getting late, so we sat for a beer in the Stoney Creek Brewhouse and waited for the bus.  I ran next door to another popular food “bus” to grab us some food while Jackie continued to ask around about Jeff’s backpack.  No luck. 

After a 3 hour bus ride to Anchorage we hopped off the bus, with luggage, and tried to get our bearings to walk to our hotel – in the rain.  Kinda got turned around a bit, but checked into a nice room, crashed and then up early to catch a cab to the train station for our trip on the Wilderness Express car of the  Alaska Railroad headed to Denali.  This was really special.  The upper floor of the rail car was an observation dome and our assigned seats were in front of the bar.  The lower floor was a dining room for breakfast and lunch that would be served (this is a 7 – 8 hour trip).  Out of the station we rolled, leaving Anchorage behind and winding along the mountains of the Chugach State Park and across the Knik River.  It was still cloudy and rainy, so we didn’t see the peaks of the mountains, but what we did see was spectacular.  Little ponds and grassy marshes that should be perfect for moose (none), river crossings of grey glacial runoff and forests of dark green spruce stunted by permafrost.  

We climbed to over 3,400 feet, but you hardly noticed it (until your ears popped).  We did notice there were large areas of brown spruce and were told that spruce beetles have been pretty devastating to the forests the past few years. There was no Wi-Fi aboard and very spotty cell service, but somehow Jackie got a call from the Seward harbormaster that yes indeed they had Jeff’s pack, so Jackie connected them with Vickie and they were set to work out the details of sending it home.

Breakfast was a hearty mix of scrambled eggs, taters and reindeer sausage, served with china and tablecloths.  Almost felt like the Orient Express.  Lunch was equally delicious, though we had only one drink since our limitless drink package aboard the cruise ship had expired.

We had a short stop in Talkeetna and along the Susitna River.  This was where we would spend the night on the return trip, so we peered out at the small town.  It really acts as a basecamp for the many climbers who head to the southern side of Mt. Denali.  We pulled out and headed north, crossing Hurricane Gulch on the longest and highest Alaska Railroad bridge, many of us crowded on the viewing platform for photos.  The train passed through a flag-stop stretch that meant folks who had no other means of access besides the train would put a flag out on a pole to indicate they needed to board. 

Arriving in Denali we caught our shuttle to the Denali Bluffs and it wasn’t long before we were checked in to our room.  It faced Denali and even had a small balcony, although the temperature was dropping as the rain was clearing.  Carol’s lodging was in a nice cabin a few miles back, but when she learned that the bathhouse was a short walk away and she should watch for bears, that arrangement quickly changed to a different lodge and cabin with Norm and Linda.  One with a bathroom included.  

Connecting with Norm, Linda and Carol was tricky, since Norm had only a weak signal and that was through Facebook messenger.  But we did share plans for the morning and opted to eat dinner in the lodge dining room with some local beer and barbecue (I know, what do Alaskans know about good barbecue?  But it was just right).  We were early to bed so we could catch the Wildlife Tundra Tour bus in the morning.  Jackie bought sandwiches to go and we had water and a snack box on the bus, so we were good for food.  Now for the wildlife.  And views of Mt. Denali.

You may have read that a portion of the roadway into Denali was wiped away in a landslide of the soil and permafrost – actually, the road crossed a moving rock glacier.  Replacing that section, which is less than halfway into the park, will be a couple of years to complete.  That meant our trip was only about 6 hours, out and back.  But that was plenty of time to see some caribou, brown bear, Dall sheep, golden eagles and ground squirrels.  Moose not so much.  Mt. Denali not so much either – it was hidden in clouds.  Still, it was scenery that you won’t find anywhere else, as the glacier-scooped tundra valleys and sharp mountain peaks are spectacular.  Fall was just starting to turn the leaves and grasses golden and red, a nice contrast with the green spruce. In a case of the movie Endless Summer’s line “you should have seen the waves yesterday,” Norm and Carol confessed that on their first day in the park (while we were on the train) they actually had a moose cross the road in front of them.  Norm supplied the photo as proof. Darn!

For dinner, Norm drove us up to Healy and 49th State Brewing.  This was an interesting spot for a few reasons.  First of all, it looked like a huge warehouse with an outdoor beer garden, but inside it was extremely busy and lively – especially for a Sunday night.  Most of Healy’s 1,000 residents must have been there.  We had another delicious meal (huge plates of halibut tacos, crab toasted cheese and seafood chowder) with flights of beer and Carol’s gin and tonic.  She had a heavy pour in an old fashion glass, so Jackie had to help her order more tonic in a TALL glass.  

Maybe the most intriguing part of the scene was the green and white bus in the beer garden.  If you ever saw the movie or read the book “Into the Wild” you would know it is the one that Chris McCandless lived in, just about 40 miles from Healy.  This one was a reproduction used in the movie.  The original was removed by helicopter and moved to Fairbanks due to visitor safety concerns.

We had time the next morning to drive back into Denali on our own and we were determined to find moose.  We all diligently looked among the spruce, in tundra fields and down along the rock-filled dry creeks and several beaver ponds.  We did see two beavers swimming around, but no moose.  We were driving through areas marked “caution, moose rut in progress” but no luck.  Then, as we have learned, we stopped where others stopped and jumped out to see what they found.  Yes, there was a moose walking between trees.  A bit far off, but a bull with a nice rack.  And further along we spotted others, all just a bit farther off than we could easily capture on camera.  

One last stop at the marvelous visitors center and it was time to leave the park and head to Talkeetna.  We were scheduled for a late flightseeing trip on board a small plane that would take us up and around Denali for a bird’s eye view.  With the rain continuing and the low cloud ceiling, it was doubtful.  Yep, halfway to Talkeetna we got a text that the weather would not allow flights and ours was canceled.  Darn, that was to have been the last special treat on this trip.  Denali was not going to reveal itself to us this time.

The rain continued on and off and by the time we crossed the swollen Susitna River and arrived at the Susitna River Lodge and Cabins we were just a little concerned about flooding.  Riverside is nice, but not when the firepit for your cabin is half submerged in the riverbank.  The cabin was cozy and welcoming, but only had beds for 4, so Carol was once again lodged elsewhere in town.  She was a good sport about staying one night in a motel that was more like a small dorm room, but at least she had her own bathroom.  (Can’t feel too sorry for her, after all she had an aft facing balcony suite onboard Millennium). Still, that river looked awfully close and portions of main street were already closed off due to flooding.

It didn’t stop us from shopping the small cottages in town and stopping in Nagley’s General Store to say hi to the mayor.  Some years back the town appointed a friendly local cat as unofficial mayor and his successor lives in the store.  Yes, there he was, greeting anyone willing to scratch behind his (her?) ears.  That’s just the kind of place this was, quirky and charming – and wet.

Denali Brewpub was on our list of places to try, so we found a table under a canopy next to the firepit and ordered up some beer and food.  I did want to have something from Mountain Pizza just next door, but nobody else was in a pizza mood, so I deferred.  Good thing, since the sweet potato fries served with my deep fried halibut were amazing.  Big wedges of roasted sweet potato that were crisp on the outside and creamy inside.  Nice dipping sauce with just a little heat.  Yum.  Across from us was another possibility: a food truck that advertised Halibut Tacos, but we were quite content with our meal.  I noticed a walk-up window for pastries at the Talkeetna Roadhouse and was hoping to snag some, but it said “sold out, come back Friday.”  This was on a Monday, so maybe I am out of luck all week.

The rain tapered off and the river didn’t rise any further, so we were in for a quiet night.  We thought.  Round about 4:30 in the morning we heard a loud ‘boom,’ then silence.  Nothing else, no lightning, no thunder, no rescue sirens.  Hmm.  We all heard it, but nothing more.  In the morning Norm picked up Carol in town, barely a half-mile off, and they came back with the answer.  The Halibut Taco food truck had exploded.  Flattened.  No fire, no significant damage to nearby buildings.  We had to go drive by and check it out, but felt bad for the owners.  Many in town were helping sort through the damage and I suspect that the mayor was helping with some of that halibut!  The local news reported it was a propane leak and no one was injured in the blast, but pieces did fly across the street.

It was time to head to Anchorage and catch our flights back home.  The low clouds lifted, revealing the towering mountains we were driving through, and lush marshes and fields were dotted with aspen and spruce, but no other wildlife that we could see.  Downtown we returned the rental van and caught two cabs to the airport.  We said our goodbyes, checked our bags and had one more task before leaving.  A longtime family friend lived in Anchorage and I was anxious to catch up, even for just a quick drink.  Cassie was the sister of my good friend Laurie, who had just passed away this spring and it had been too long since we met up.  

She was expecting our call and met us at the airport for a short drive to Midnight Sun Brewing (of course a brewery, what did you expect?).  There we had a flight, toasted old friends and caught up on family news.  Her husband Russ, who is also a teacher, caught up with us and we all enjoyed some good eats – it was Taco Tuesday, so of course we obliged, along with a cup of beer cheese soup with toppings and a delicious roll.  One last drive through a local park known to host a moose or two (no sighting) before dropping us at the airport and our trip back to Atlanta and we bid farewell.  

Red-eye flights back east are really not special at all.  The time difference, seven hour flying time, completely full capacity, tight seats and minimal cabin service really didn’t make flying fun at all – even with Delta.  That’s ok, we slept most of the day we got home, trying to adjust and recover from this amazing Alaska adventure.  I hope the pictures help you get just a peek at the uniqueness of this state that has a scale like nothing else.  Even though we didn’t get to see the largest mountain in North America, Mt. Denali, it was still worth the trip.  Planes, trains, buses, ships, boats, vans, cars, taxis, transit and hiking – what an adventure.

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Back to Alaska, Part One

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Doug and Jackie

“Chichagof Island has the highest concentration of bears in the world at 1 – 2 bears per square mile. The Alaska Brown Bear can weigh 1,500 lbs. and have a reach of 12 feet.  See those scratch marks high up that tree trunk? From a large male no doubt,” our Tlingit guide whispered as we walked quietly along the path.  We were walking along a creek on a moss covered trail trying to spot a bear.  That observation really didn’t help our nerves.  Just moments before, we saw one leaning back against a tree by the stream.  She moved into the brush, met up with her cub and was pulling down branches to reach the berries.  We were trying to get a closer look.  Did we?

Well here we go again, off on another adventure!  This one started last fall when we decided a return visit to Alaska was in order.  Jackie really wanted to go when bears were most active, which is toward the end of summer when the salmon make their run upstream to breed.  That meant we were looking at a mid-August cruise with an extra visit up to Denali.  So we spent days comparing the options and plotting the best way to see everything we wanted – within budget, since Alaska is pricey.  We settled on a northbound Celebrity cruise from Vancouver to Seward aboard the Millennium, a ship we were familiar with from our 2018 southbound cruise.  From there we added excursions and travel to Anchorage, Denali and Talkeetna.  It should be fun!

As news of the cruise spread among family members, we were asked by my sister Linda and Norm if they could join us.  Sure.  Can you add us to the Denali Wildlife Bus Tour?  Sure.  A bit later we added Norm’s cousin from Australia, Carol, and then my brother Jeff and Vickie jumped into plans for the cruise portion.  We were now a happy band of seven headed north. A video of highlights is posted here: Back to Alaska

The packing goal for the trip was to check one bag and have one carryon, with a backpack.  With all the possible layers for rain, cold, cruise attire and whatever, we barely got the bags closed.  Off we flew to Vancouver via a short hop from Seattle (and by the way, flying is really no fun anymore), arriving almost before we left, time-zone wise.  We took the city transit train from the airport to the waterfront, which was very clean and timely and checked into the Pan Pacific hotel at Canada Place, right where the cruise ship loaded.  The Queen Elizabeth was docked when we arrived and looked splendid.  

Norm, Carol and Linda had arrived a day earlier and we were able to meet them at the lobby bar for afternoon drinks.  Lots of catching up and chatter about what was to come, then around the corner we went to have dinner.  Rogue was a great spot at one end of the train station where we had local Steamworks beer and delicious food.  By the time we walked back to the hotel Jeff and Vickie had arrived and we all took some time to walk around the pier and admire the lively city waterfront and late sunset.  Vancouver has lots of cool buildings, rooftop gardens and lots of flower baskets, with rather mild weather, so it made for a delightful evening.

One benefit of staying at the hotel is that your bags are portered to the ship in the morning and you have only to take the elevator down to the ship’s check-in desk.  We were onboard well before noon and searching for our “spot” to have drinks and lunch.  That spot became a corner table at the Sunset Bar at the stern of the ship, just outside the buffet.  It was a beautiful, sunny and warm afternoon of drinks and chatting before sailing away under the Lions Gate Bridge and out of Vancouver harbor.  

Alaska cruises are a bit different from Caribbean cruises in that the ports and excursions matter almost more than activities aboard ship.  Combined with the time difference (3 and 4 hours) from the east coast, it makes for early mornings and not so late evenings.  But the excitement kept us going on day one and Jeff and I found ourselves at the craps table later at night, doing well and coming away ahead of the game. 

Northbound found us sleeping through most of the narrow Inside Passage, a scenic cruise past seaside villages, lighthouses and salmon farms, but the next day was a sea day of travel, cold and cloudy.  We spotted quite a few humpback whales off the sides of the ship as we headed north.  Not too close, but close enough to watch them blow and then pop their tails out before diving.  That evening Jackie and I had dinner at a unique specialty dining spot onboard: Le Petit Chef.  This was a meal that featured a projected story on our table with an animated tiny chef preparing our food.  As we progressed through the courses, the server would add the actual plated food that matched the animation.  Quite entertaining!

Our next day was in port at Ketchikan – site of a major salmon run. Jackie and I had an early excursion on a small boat that took us along the coastline looking for whales and wildlife.  It was a wonderfully scenic and smooth run along the islands and coastline where we saw harbor seals, a few bald eagles, black-tailed Sitka deer and marbled murrelet, but no bears or whales.  Since it was low tide we did see some very colorful starfish tucked into the rocks – both purple and orange, so that was neat.

Back in Ketchikan we walked along Creek Street and the salmon ladders and saw tons of salmon making their way upstream.  There were just so many fish they covered the entire stream bottom.  At the deepest end of the creek was a harbor seal diving around, no doubt making a meal of them.  An impressive display of the migration upstream to spawn.  Oh, and Vickie said she saw a bear.  Right there along the creek near the salmon ladder.  Just a quick glance before he ducked back into the shrubs and before she could alert anyone.  I could see the disappointment in Jackie’s face at the news, and of course we couldn’t find the bear.

Our next stop was at Icy Strait Point, or Hoonah, to explore for bears.  I love this port for the simplicity and emphasis on the local culture.  The main buildings are an old salmon cannery and sit well above the waterline.  If I recall correctly, there is about a 15 foot difference between tides.  Our excursion was in a van with six others as our local Tlingit driver took us through the Whitestone Logging Camp and surrounding creeks and woodlands in search of Alaska brown bear.  That is where this story started, when we were trying to get a second look at a female and cub.  

We didn’t spot that pair again, while walking through the brush.  But we did continue to drive around the logging roads and paused at the bridge crossings.  Our guide told us these bears had some polar bear DNA, which accounts for their larger size and color variations. They are also well fed from their salmon diet, preferring to eat the roe and brains from the females and tossing away the males. Of course all sorts of berries were good to eat, too.

As we checked out more creek crossings the young lady next to me said “bear” and we stopped to quietly slip out of the van and take a look.  Yep, there were two walking along the creek bank not noticing us.  The youngster moved out to the streambed where he looked back at us looking at him and decided that was a bit too much and turned to disappear into the brush.  But we all had a good look. 

We saw at least one or two more and while searching the roads we heard lots of stories about life among the bears and the precautions the local children are all taught. 

Back aboard ship we heard from the rest of the group about their adventure with side-by-sides and travels around some of the same woods we did, but unfortunately they did not spot bears.  

After a delicious dinner we sat out at our spot at the Sunset Bar to enjoy the sail away and share stories of the day.  The food and service aboard ship was really just wonderful and the drink selection was perfect.  Jackie was happy to get her Woodford Reserve bourbon with ginger ale in a TALL glass, as was I.  Dinner in the main dining room was white tablecloths and rather elegant and with one exception (first formal night) we were able to get the dining times we wanted.  A few nights we opted for the buffet, which had some really good food.  Lunch had a delicious charcuterie presentation of meats and cheeses, displays of desserts were amazing and the ice cream selection was a bonus (especially the After Eight mint chocolate).

Juneau was our next port of call and the weather continued to be sunny and rather mild.  Jackie and I planned to head to the Mendenhall Glacier and others were headed to whale watching and exploring town.  On our previous visit it was easy to catch a bus to the visitors center so we had no problem finding the City Bus this time and riding out to Mendenhall.  EXCEPT that the bus stopped short of the visitors center – by a mile and a half.  It seems the National Park Service limits visitation to the glacier and only issues a certain number of permits for transportation to and from.  Taxis, shuttles. buses and private coaches must have valid permits to drop off or pick up visitors and by the end of the season they have mostly used up their quota.  And the city bus doesn’t stop there anyway.

Aw heck, it can’t be that bad, eh?  Well it was getting to be a nice warm day, we had our layers of long sleeves and raincoats and backpack with cameras, binoculars and, well, it was a darn long mile and a half trek.  We did have some nice views on the approach and Jackie enjoyed the visitors center, but I just had to hike the mile further in to see Nugget Creek Falls and then back around to get better views from the Photo Point.  Ah, but that walk back to the bus stop …  As we got about halfway I noticed a van stop, turn and drop off two folks just ahead.  Looked like a taxi to me, so I waved frantically – the van waited and I breathlessly asked if he was headed back to town.  While agreeing to take us back, two other hikers ran up and asked to split the fare so it was a much faster and easier return trip back.  Thank goodness.

In town, Jeff and Vickie had a crab feast at Tracy’s Crab Shack, we had good eats at the Alaskan Brewery and we met up with Norm, Linda and Carol at the Red Dog Saloon for Alaska Duck Fart shots.  It’s a locally famous layered shot of Kahlua, Baileys and Canadian whiskey.  Norm met up with a work colleague who was on another cruise – what luck!  We really wanted to ride the tram to the top of Mt. Roberts, but we just ran out of energy.  We did all spend time on the aft deck searching the mountainsides for Dall sheep – spotting several. And we left port later at night, so it was magical watching the other ships set sail.

Skagway was our next stop and another sunny day.  At this port we had a midday helicopter flight to a glacier planned so it was wonderful to see clear weather.  Jackie and I made our way to the TEMSCO heliport, sat through the safety video, put on the ice boots and lifejacket belt and got ready to fly.  Front seat for Jackie, ready to assist the pilot I guess!  There were four of us plus pilot in the chopper and we each had a good view and headphones to communicate.  The flight up and over the water, through the mountain passes and landing down on the glacial ice was thrilling.  

Once out and on the ice the helicopters took the previous tour back and we were left with a couple of guides to explain the glaciers (and tell us why there was so much rubble).  It was a chilly 40 degrees and windy, but totally amazing.  Cracks in the ice were a beautiful shade of blue, with stones suspended within.  Rivulets became small streams that carved through the ice or disappeared down deep holes.  We were invited to lean down for a taste of the water – I leaned over and just scooped up a mouthful – cold and crisp.  We walked around the glacier for nearly an hour and it was just incredible, a bit like a moonscape – and cold.

The last trip to Alaska and the Hubbard Glacier was a rainy, windy visit with lots of sea ice, so we really didn’t get good views of the seven mile long icy front face.  This time it was much different.  We were able to get very close to the glacier as the ship then spun to share the view with all sides of the ship.  We saw and heard several calving moments (when the ice splits off) and I spotted a harbor seal on a chunk of sea ice as we cruised into the bay.  A great look at the blue ice and the ragged chunks of glacial rock and ice.  Very cool.

That night was “pack up” time and we all spent time stuffing everything back into our bags and preparing for what came the next day.  Jeff and I had cashed in our winnings at the casino the night before, but had to try our luck one more time at the craps table.  Mistake – minor loss on that last night.  We paid a last visit to the martini bar, grabbed some eats at the buffet and had drinks at “our spot” at the stern, although the weather was turning colder and wetter.  The next morning was our disembarkation in Seward where each of us had different plans.  Jeff and Vickie were going to catch a midday bus to Anchorage and then fly back home to South Carolina.  Norm, Linda and Carol were to catch a bus to Anchorage early to rent a car and then drive to Denali.  Jackie and I were set with a 4 hour cruise around the Kenai Fjords from Seward before catching a late bus to Anchorage to spend the night.  We would then start our land portion of the trip, catching the Wilderness Train to Denali and meeting up with Norm, Linda and Carol.

So for that portion of the trip I will start a second blog, Part Two.  For now I will try to gather some of the many photos and post this segment.  Stay tuned for more of our return trip to Alaska (and maybe soon some YouTube video – but my GoPro Studio has been glitchy lately).  Thanks for joining us on the adventure.

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Mardi Gras Magic

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Doug and Jackie

Yes, that’s right, we are back on the high seas again – this time it is a wonderful family affair aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras, a darn big ship that just launched in 2021 with a passenger capacity of 6,500.  I actually booked this one just before our cruise on the Carnival Sunshine last year, hoping that our first-time cruisers Karina, Jason, Wyatt and Owen would want to sail again.  And they did, joined this time by Bethany and Alex.  It was truly a magical time for everyone as you will see from the many, many pictures (and check out the video: Mardi Gras Magic ).

So before we get started, just a few updates on our non-sailing adventurous days.  The RV is still in the driveway awaiting the ladder repair.  This has been a bit of back-and-forth with the repair dealer about ordering the correct ladder, but I think we finally have a ladder ordered and final install soon.

We had a short visit by Nashville family Judy and Craig with the planned highlight being an ebike trip into town.  That started off just fine, but Doug’s ebike developed a “communication error” and would not power up the motor for the return back home and he pedaled off ahead of everyone back home.  Unfortunately, a heaved section of sidewalk got the better of Jackie as she swerved to avoid it and instead went up and over the handlebars.  Pretty banged and scraped up, she rode an ambulance to the hospital, went into a level 2 trauma unit to get scanned and x-rayed and ultimately stayed the night.  The result was quite a bit of road rash on arms, shoulder and knee and lots of internal bruising, but no serious internal injuries, thank goodness.  

Jackie’s pulmonologist was good about explaining how she will have a few months of recovery for her internal healing and full lung capacity to return, but everything was moving in the right direction.  Yes, we kept John’s accident in the back of our minds and were thankful for the very thorough medical exams and diagnostic equipment available to us.

So on to the fun adventure.  These trips to Orlando and Port Canaveral are always a bit of competitive fun.  Alex, Bethany, Jackie and I were in car #1 and Jason, Karina, Wyatt and Owen were in car #2, heading in the same direction but two different starting times and points.  Alex and Karina kept texting fake locations and travel points to each other (rest stops, state lines, lunch stops) so we all were never quite sure who was in the lead.  Not that it was a competition.  But I did hear it when we arrived at the hotel just five minutes after Karina’s group (yes! We beat Dad).  

And the next morning was the big reveal – a straight shot drive to the pier to see the massive ship waiting for us to board.  Cruisers will tell you this is always the big “gasp” moment of excitement, followed by the trek from parking to check-in with a few bags in tow, passing through security, passport control and the gauntlet of photographers to join 6,499 of your fellow passengers.  But then you have that first look aboard, gathering family and for some of us that first drink (for which you had to do the muster station checkpoint first) and “let’s eat!”

Ok, but what about the fun?  Where did we go, what did we do?  Well, this cruise was all about family and making memories, not as much about the shore excursions.

Aboard Ship and Sea Days

Where to start?  This is a huge, 20 deck ship and some of us were in the Family Harbor section on deck 4.  That made it easy to get to the kids club, also on that level, and a small area with food, coffee, drinks and games for families.  Very easy to grab breakfast and afternoon bites but harder to snag an elevator.  Jackie was moving a little slower around the ship due to her recovery, but didn’t miss out on anything. Alex and Bethany booked a room in the Havana District, which featured their own pool and a porch with swing. They had ready access to the Havana Bar, too.

Sea Days were understandably crowded around the pools (kid soup as Jackie put it), but lots of fun on port days with far fewer onboard.  Our crew didn’t spend much time ashore other than Mahogany Bay, so we took advantage of that.  Wyatt and Owen absolutely loved the pools and waterslides – in fact both did the Blue Lightning waterslide their first chance.  That one had a head-first mat that you used.  Wyatt later told me he did the Orange Thunder drop slide, but I said I didn’t believe him.  So of course he grabbed my hand and marched me up the stairs to show me – how brave!  That meant following him down, too. This was all about family and making memories, so everyone was splashing around together and having fun.

Several of us braved the ropes course on the top deck, even the short but breathtaking zip line section.  It might not look like much, but the step off the ramp out and over the water was a scare for sure.  Alex, Bethany, Karina and I all did it though, even with rain and dark clouds threatening nearby.

And then Bolt: the roller coaster at sea.  After some technical glitches delayed the action for a few days, Alex, Bethany and I managed a reservation and a two loop trip on this wild ride.  It did a good job of launching you forward and around the track, with a few power boosts along the way.  Definitely worth the extra $15 per person.  Didn’t let you take GoPro shots, so no first person video.

First Stop: Cozumel

Jackie and I stayed onboard to hang out with the grandsons as the rest went ashore to check the shops.  It was very hot and not too breezy that day, so it was a quick shopping trip for most.  But as I mentioned, it made it a good day for splashing at the pool decks.  Owen and Wyatt have come such a long way with their water sense, having had swim lessons this year and growing confidence.  In the pool they were holding their breath underwater for me to count how long … a big difference from last summer.  We were spending so much time in the pool that I said they were waterlogged.  Wyatt declared “I’m not waterlogged, I’m a kid!”  So true, but your hands are pretty wrinkled up.

Next Stop: Costa Maya

While this stop is a big shopping plaza, it does have a generous salt water pool in the center that you can use.  Two other pools with lounge chairs require that you purchase food and drink, so that was a “no thanks”.  Once again, the boys got wet and loved it.  We all watched the ritual of the Papantla Flyers perform high above us, marveled at the dolphins, flamingos and tropical birds all around and just enjoyed a few hours ashore.  

We were the only ship in port for the morning and as we disembarked onto the long pier Jackie was encouraged to ride the tram.  We ambled on down the pier, soon to be passed by the tram with Owen seated beside Jackie, grinning from ear to ear.  For the trip back, Wyatt made sure not to miss out and rode along, too.  Great choice.  The rest of the afternoon was more pizza and pools.  I was surprised that both boys knew what a Vespa was, so we had to stop and get some pictures.

Last Stop: Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras

This was really the only beach stop.  Each day before this the boys had their buckets and shovels ready for the sand, only to be disappointed when we told them “no beach today”.  But this was a beach that had bits of coral and shell to discover and lots of water to splash around in.  From the pier you had a choice of walking through a tropical botanic garden or riding the chairlift to the beach (Jackie and I chose the chairlift).  Even though this is Carnival’s pier and beach, food and drink are not included, although the chicken fingers were quite good and reasonable.  This was a really beautiful day and we totally enjoyed bobbing in the water, holding the collected bits, dumping and refilling buckets … all good fun.  

Back aboard and showered off we set sail into a very windy sea, with the mountains of Honduras on the horizon.  The last two days were very calm sea days – extremely flat water.

Green Eggs and Ham!

Of course we had to try the Green Eggs and Ham breakfast with all the Dr. Seuss characters and a very colorful (and sweet) assortment of food.  While some of us had fun at breakfast, Alex and Bethany were taking a tour of the ship from the laundry on deck 0 to the navigation bridge and time with the captain.  That seemed to be a really special tour that was truly “behind the scenes”. 

Food, Drink and Impressions

I think we all agreed that the dining choices, from main dining to casual eats and ice cream, were varied, delicious and fun (well, Lido buffet for breakfast was the usual zoo).  Bars were plentiful and creative, with lots of specialty drinks.  The Fortune Teller, Brass Magnolia and Alchemist bars in the French Quarter were especially fun.  Havana bar near Alex and Bethany had a distinctive Cuban feel and in the Italian District you had themed selections at Bar Dela Rosa.  And that was next to the pizza, panini and Italian restaurant. Jackie and I had breakfast one morning in Emeril’s Bistro: a plate of bananas foster crepes with a side of beignets. Yummy and a nice quiet spot. And banana splits got a big thumbs up.

Entertainment was all around, with live music in the corners of most bars and great musical events in the central Atrium, which actually was along the starboard side of the ship.  One show featured a magician, several had aerialists, all had song and dance (and loud).  The younger among us went to dance parties and glow parties on the Lido pool deck, we hit several trivia contests and a few main stage shows. 

The grandsons did their best to consume massive amounts of pizza and ice cream cones, with a few trips to the candy shop Cherry on Top.  Guys Pig and Anchor Smokehouse was a big hit for barbecue pork, chicken and brisket – plus they brew their own beer aboard.  Shaq’s Big Chicken had generous chicken sandwiches and chicken fingers, Guy’s Burgers had big sloppy burgers with the fixings, Street Eats had variations of loaded fries, bao buns, stir fry and noodles, but was not open as often as we wanted.  We dined at Cucino’s Italian and ChiBang Mexican/Chinese and celebrated Jackie’s 70th birthday.  Alex and Bethany dined at Rudy’s Seagrill for lobster and seafood, and we all made sure we were at the Palm main dining for the second formal night.  Somehow our server knew I would appreciate two lobster tails, which were just about the best I have had (well, except the one from the Harmony).  

The only glitch we had was making the table request on the two formal nights.  You used their Hub app to request a table, then had to wait for the notification that your table was ready before proceeding to the dining room.  That wasn’t clear to most folks and the result was a logjam at the dining entrance (and a very long wait the first night).  Service overall was adequate, but it was clear there were many new crew members and not the usual depth of experience.  Getting there, but not quite pre-pandemic – and people are definitely cruising in big numbers.

I have to add some post-cruise notes:  what should have been a 7 hour trip back home took over 10 hours, it being the start of July 4th weekend I guess and everyone leaving Florida?  And our son Alex had a one-day turnaround to repack for a 2 week business trip to Vietnam.  Poor guy, I know he wasn’t looking forward to another long travel day.

And we won’t speak of the casino.  They had one craps table, fairly high minimum and it was not nice to me, so not a lot of time spent there.

So as we unpack, do laundry and gather our memories, I realize that we have just two days before it is check-in time for our next cruise to Alaska in August.  And I just learned the RV ladder is ready to be installed just in time for next week’s local camping on Lake Allatoona (a camping adventure for the grandsons).  Who planned out this summer?  Were they nuts?  Oops, guilty – this fun is self-inflicted.  So if I find a moment, I will edit our video from Mardi Gras and probably post about our Alaska cruise once back home.  That one grew from just Jackie and I to my brother and sister, their spouses and a cousin – seven of us heading from Vancouver to Anchorage.  Wheee!

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Goin’ Topless at the Beach

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Doug and Jackie

Yep, that’s right.  We are spending two weeks in Florida, camping at a favorite spot: St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach.  And we have the top down on the jeep to enjoy the sun and fresh salt air.  That’s topless in Jeep-speak.  What were you thinking?

Adventures of 2023

This is not the start of our spring adventures, though.  That actually started a few weeks back over Easter weekend. So let me get you caught up before I share this Florida adventure. You see, we had this big family camping weekend planned out while we were in St. Andrews back in October.  It was kinda funny the way it happened.  Judy, Jackie and Bethany were talking about trying to find a campground that was close enough for all of us to meet up, and Fall Creek Falls State Park in mid-Tennessee seemed to be the right spot.  Just a couple hours from Nashville, Kennesaw and about an hour from Chattanooga.  Perfect.  So while Alex was putting the finishing touches on our seafood dinner “pot luck” over the wood fire, the gals announced that they found open reservations for Easter weekend at the park – and we could all book sites around our own cul-de-sac. 

Alex was trying to get their attention to say the scallops, shrimp and fish were hot and ready, but they were calling over to John “quick, log in to your account and book site … for that weekend!”  Well it was a bit of a frenzied moment while everyone booked their part of the cul-de-sac, including Bethany’s parents from Memphis who were “in” too (via phone call).  Ok, everyone booked, all set!  Now let’s eat.

That was the plan, anyway.  But things didn’t quite work out that way. 

Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN

One week before the Easter camping weekend, family situations changed for Jim and Dawn and for Judy and Craig, such that neither group was able to get campers ready in time. Bethany’s parents rented a house nearby for the weekend and Judy, Craig, Rachel and Colin, who had just sold their trailer, came anyway to bravely camp the weekend in tents. But we would be missing one camper completely: John.  More about that in a bit.

We were all determined to make the best of things in a really nice state park.  Except that the weather was also working against us.  Jackie and I were a day ahead of everyone else and had a nice afternoon upon arrival.  But as everyone else arrived on Good Friday for the weekend, the temperatures dropped into the 40’s, rain rolled in and it became pretty miserable.  We were downstream of everyone else, so we had a small creek running through our site.  Alex and Bethany were on a large site, level and uphill from everyone, so they were fine.  Judy and Craig pitched a tent borrowed from Alex, plus two pup tents before the rain started and we thought we would all be fine. It could have worked, except that it was awful weather for tent camping: temperatures in the 40’s, rain and drizzle the whole time. It didn’t make for a great first night, so in the morning Judy’s group decided to head back home to get dry and warm. Who could blame them?

The rest of us, plus two long-time friends of Jim and Dawn, huddled around Alex’s firepit at night, and considered options for the next day from our RV living room.  Well, you know full well that we have some sort of “brewery compass” which meant that we found Happy Trails Brewery maybe half an hour away. We had a delicious lunch and some local and regional brews to quench our thirst and soon declared that the day wasn’t a bust after all.

Speaking of the rain, my Jeep’s windshield wipers once again failed to work.  From our October post you will recall that we had quite the crazy evening with the top down and a sudden rainstorm in PCB.  That night John was in the back seat getting soaked as I tried to see through the raindrops on the windshield … without the wipers working.  I thought I had it all fixed and working this winter, but they refused to work for Easter weekend.  Hmm, new project when I get back home.

Even though it was not the weekend we had planned, we did get in some nice hikes to the falls just before the rain came and, naturally, the day after everyone else headed home. We stayed one day later, which meant we got a nice and sunny last day (but things still needed to dry out).

Speaking of repairs, before we headed out once again, I was determined to fix our tail-light connection to the Jeep. Ever since we got the Invisi-Brake installed, the turn signals on the Jeep were flipped from the Winnebago while towing. That meant if the motorhome signaled a left turn, the Jeep was signaling a right turn. A short term fix was to connect the plug upside down, but that was a temporary solution at best. So I took the time to diagnose which wires were connected wrong, made the correction and now everything works as it should.

St. Andrews State Park, FL

Our first stop heading to the beach has lately been in Eufala, Alabama at Lakepoint State Park.  Staying there for one night just breaks up the 7 hour trip enough that we don’t arrive tired and grumpy.  Besides, we are retired … what’s one more day?  A nice enough pull through spot in a park along the lakeshore that was pretty empty.  Next morning it was just over 3 hours to the beach and we wouldn’t be able to check in until after 1:00 anyway, so it was an easy ride.

Lakepoint State Park

So yes, here we are again in St. Andrews State Park. Much different since the hurricane damage of a couple years ago, but certainly an upgraded experience for folks in motorhomes like ours. We have our electric bikes with us and of course the Jeep. Yes, I took apart the windshield wipers again, this time replacing the motor and articulating arms and we have wipers that actually work in the rain now. If you read the post from the fall camping trip you will note that they failed me then, which made for a wild ride to dinner!

Our site was just fine – in fact it would be hard to complain about any of these sites in the newly rebuilt park.  Level, clean, full hookups, water views – just not as many trees as before and missing a lot of the character that made this campground special.  But it was a bit on the slim and narrow side, so when we finally got bikes, chairs, shelter, grill and picnic table all situated, we were kinda tight.  The wind was pretty strong, gusting to 30 mph, and the air was long pants and sweatshirts kind of cold.  Had to really secure the shelter, since it was almost airborne a few times. A few light showers came through the first two days and the Gulf was whipped up with huge waves and no swimming was permitted.  It looked wild – more like a storm in the Atlantic.

But as the days went on the temperatures stayed in the 70’s, water calmed down and we had blue skies, even if still breezy.  So what did we do?

Riding the eBikes

Since we had our electric bikes and it wasn’t swim weather, we rode around campground and over to Patches Pub for a beer and grouper sandwich.  It was there that we learned it was the start of Thunder Beach, a week-long motorcycle event.  Of course.  We manage to find bike weeks wherever we go.  But it was pretty cool to see all the crazy cycles.

In the morning we started off on the bikes only to find Jackie’s rear tire was flat as a pancake.  Gave it a good going-over but found no sharp objects or obvious leaks.  Wouldn’t hold air though.  A run to Walmart to get “green slime” to fill and fix the leak.  Unscrewed the inner plug, added the green stuff and pumped in the air.  No good, still went flat.  Tried that twice and then gave up, went to the beach.

OK, one of the other ebike owners in camp said he had a flat and took his bike to Steve’s Bike Repair in Panama City. Hmm.  Well, surely fixing this shouldn’t be that tough.  I have replaced many inner tubes on bikes at the shore and growing up, how bad can it be?  Well, yes, it is the rear tire where all the gears, motor and disc brakes are, but can’t be impossible.  Off to PC we went to find Academy Sports and a new inner tube.  We stopped for gas and while pumping Jackie asked “Did you see the spot across the street?  Steve’s Bike Shop.”  Hmm, well sorry Steve, gonna try this repair myself.  Got the tube, and a set of plastic hooks to help lift up the outer tire from the rim, all set to operate.  And yes, we were successful in replacing the new tube.  For the heck of it we filled the old one with air, found the spot where it must have leaked (on the inner/upper side – strange).  That tube is still holding air several days afterward.  Go figure.

Beach Days

But the days spent at the beach have been magical.  The color of the water in the Gulf is just amazing and hard to describe.  Clear, turquoise to dark blue, with soft white sandy beaches … can’t find anything better.  And the temperature gradually warmed up to be very refreshing.  At this park that abuts an inlet from the Grand Lagoon to the Gulf of Mexico you have the benefit of two beaches along the rock jetties.  On the lagoon side is the children’s pool:  a relatively shallow and sheltered cove that had clean, clear water and all sorts of fish.  We alternated between the two beaches, depending of the wind and surf.

Umm, lights out?

Midway through our stay the humidity increased and temps went into the 80’s, so we turned on the AC before bed (also to help Kodi get through the day) and within 10 minutes the camper went dark.  Hmm.  No power.  Must have been a breaker.  I checked the inside breakers, nothing was off.  Outside box, same thing.  Surge protector at the box had green lights.  Well, check everything again, flip and reset.  Nothing.  Well, the fridge was running off house batteries, so food was ok.  One last check at the surge protector to unplug and re-insert all the cords and problem became clear.  The plug from the RV power cord was fried. Once I got it disconnected, one of the pins just jangled loose.  Well, too dark, too late at night, will have to wait till morning.  Opened all the windows and hoped it wouldn’t get too sticky hot.

Yes, another trip to PC to find a new plug.  None at Walmart, an ok replacement at Lowe’s and Home Depot, but once Camping World opened I found the one I wanted.  Bought a new surge protector, too.  Back in camp I cut off the old wires, clipped back the insulation to good wire and replaced the plug.  Success and we were back with power.  Just one of those things that happens to these outdoor plugs and sockets periodically (and always at inconvenient moments).

Shore power plug replacement

Just minor problems.  Still, beautiful weather, lots of beach time and plenty to do.  Watching campers come and go, waiting for the Bald Eagle to reappear (first day spotting), searching gator lake for gators (none spotted), watching three sharks swim by us (maybe 5 foot long, species unknown), catching the dolphins in a feeding frenzy just beyond the waves, spotting a box turtle on the move, walking Kodi several times each day around camp, jeeping out and about, topless.  Good times.

We’re Ducking!

Ever heard of “Duck, Duck, Jeep?” Well it is a special Jeep thing (much like cruise ducks) that folks do to surprise you and bring a little sunshine to your day. A little rubber duck is placed on the driver’s doorhandle, sometimes with a note that says you have a pretty awesome Jeep and wish you a happy day. You can either keep the duck, pass it on to another Jeep or post a picture of it to a page online. We have a supply of ducks and cards in our Jeep, ready to surprise folks with, but this trip we were surprised ourselves by the number of ducks that landed on our Jeep. We must be in their migratory flight path! What fun.

Oh, and of course we had to hit our usual beach bars:  Pineapple Willy’s for frozen daiquiris and Mahi mahi sandwiches, Sharky’s for the same and Patches pub for the only grouper sandwiches we can find.  We waited for a table at Schooner’s, an always-busy spot, and were fortunate to get a beachside spot just in time for the nightly cannon blast at sunset (it’s a small cannon with a darn loud bang). We did order grouper baskets which were delicious!  Beachfront bars and grub are just fine by us.

So on the next to last day in camp it is overcast and breezy – a good time to sit and write about this adventure.  There is a severe thunderstorm rumbling across the lagoon and we are wondering if it will come this way.  Might want to put the top up on the Jeep, just in case.  

Oh yuck! What a discovery.  As we got to the Jeep something looked very wrong.  The spare tire and in fact the entire rear end of the Jeep was covered in splat.  What?? OMG we were “splashed” by one big bird, no doubt a heron flying overhead.  It was inside the back, too.  Covered the flippers, chairs … fishy, chalky icky.  So we spent some time with the hose, rag and bucket cleaning it all out and putting up the top.  Guess our topless time is over.  Man, that was one healthy bird. 

So back to the very long story here.  For the trip back home we stopped at Chattahoochee Bend State Park north of LaGrange.  That’s only 2 hours from home, but we can then miss the perimeter around Atlanta and make it home by noon rather than at the end of a seven hour trip.

Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Sad News this Spring

Last beer with John at Thanksgiving – Cheers!

So why was John missing from our Easter camping trip? A few things have happened in our lives this spring that remind us that time is precious and we really should enjoy every day.  I mentioned we were missing Jackie’s younger brother John from our Easter camping weekend …  well, life takes some crazy turns when you least expect it.  Just before we left for our January cruise aboard the Prima we heard from John, who was in the Philippines.  We knew he was there for 3 weeks visiting his fiancée but we didn’t expect a phone call.  He had been in a motorcycle accident, was banged up with some road rash and pain, but told us not to worry he was in good hands. 

Midway through the cruise we got a text that he was back in the hospital for gall bladder surgery. The next morning another text that he died from internal injuries.  Shock. Absolute shock.  Horrible news that put a sad end to our cruise (we learned of it while in port at Grand Cayman – never got off the boat). So . . . much of this spring has been spent doing what you do when a family member dies.  You know from our previous posts that we helped him build his cabin in the mountains, which he finally moved into about a year ago.  You also know we camped with him in his new truck camper last fall and had future camping plans.  Now we are helping empty the cabin and making decisions about his camper.  It’s tough.  I asked him why he decided to design and build the cabin himself.  “Bucket List” was his answer.  “Always wanted to …” and that list included pilots license (bought his own plane), bass fishing (bought his own boat), scuba (got his instructor’s license), motorbikes, mountain bikes, mini-bikes, and recently his truck and camper for boondocking out West.  He could be grumpy and stubborn at times, but if you needed help with something he would be there to help and offer advice.  We miss him at each stop on this trip, since he would have been right there with us, and that leaves so many emotional tripwires.

With my lifelong friend Laurie at the Jersey Shore

One other bit of sad news hit me this spring. A very dear and lifelong friend had passed away. Laurie and I knew each other since we were very young, in fact our moms were both in nurse training together and they had known each other since second grade, or so the story goes. We were born just months apart and remained close friends through college and into our adulthood.  Laurie and I were both super interested in the natural world, both went to college for wildlife and biology degrees and kept our friendship going through tough times for each of us. From previous posts you will recall that we stopped to see her on our trip to Acadia National Park and you probably caught some of her comments on this blog.  She was traveling with us in spirit and shared in our adventures through the pictures and stories.  Gone too soon and someone who will be sadly missed.

Our next adventure will be a cruise with our grandsons, Jason, Karina, Alex and Bethany aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras, so keep your eyes out for the next recap of fun aboard the high seas. Thanks for reading along.

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