The trip has felt like a whirlwind, so far! But today we took the time to catch our breath, and smell the roses! everywhere you look there are spring flowers, new leaves opening and blossoms!! It really does the spirit good!!! (Sorry guys, I know you aren't quite there yet, but it's coming)
We took some long walks and checked out the neighbourhood and tried to catch the "flavour" of Tulsa. We met some great people, mostly hispanic or Indian. There are some huge malls here and no end of restaurants. What you don't see much of are grocery stores. we checked out 2 Walmart groceries looking for gluten free bread - no luck!! And yet almost everyone you talk to either has a gluten intolerance or a close family member does. where do they buy "their" food? Good thing I brought lots of my own, but it's running out!!
It was still a great day! Warmish . . about 26 C this afternoon and sunny. We sat out in our lawnchairs, or at least I did. Karl found a few. things that needed to be fixed and then there was the question of posting pictures on the blog. He does like to putter, but I was noticing just a bit of blue smoke as he hunched over the ipad....
I managed a homemade spaghetti dinner (Walmart did have rice noodles). Just as we were getting ready to go for a walk, the skies opened and we were hit by heavy rain and hail! We did get that walk in and loved the way things had cooled off in the rain.
Tomorrow we hit the road again for Dallas.
Jš
Monday, 31 March 2014
Roadtreks .... everywhere!
Forgot to mention that yesterday coming thru Missouri we were passed by an older-model Roadtrek, a model I had never seen before. I was curious and wished I had had a chance to see it a little better.
About an hour later we pulled into a rest stop and, ... there it stood!
Went over to peek at it. Was in beautiful shape. Then began talking to the owner, a 65-ish lady who travelled alone with her little dog, all over the place. Coincidentally, she was just going to Arkansas to trade in this 2004 model 200 for a new 2013 model 210 ... needless to say she loves her Roadtreks.
Small world!
Karl
About an hour later we pulled into a rest stop and, ... there it stood!
Went over to peek at it. Was in beautiful shape. Then began talking to the owner, a 65-ish lady who travelled alone with her little dog, all over the place. Coincidentally, she was just going to Arkansas to trade in this 2004 model 200 for a new 2013 model 210 ... needless to say she loves her Roadtreks.
Small world!
Karl
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Eureka we found the sun!
We bid a happy farewell to the Econologe in Rollo this morning.... nothing like the excitement of 4 policecruisers showing up at bedtime and a chance to watch a police chase live. No guns and we never got the "story" from anyone. We did however resolve to stay at the Best Western Inn next time. The trip today was shorter. Our little car chugged up and down such unending hills like a trouper - Turned out to be the Ozarks Mountains -who knew?! Everywhere we looked there were cowboy and Indian souvenir shops or towns. Try Jesse James' hideout and Roy Rodgers Ranch Museum. Trouble was we just wanted to get to Tulsa for today with the idea that we'll do the the tourist thing tomorrow!
The temperaure climbed with every hour. we started the day with sweaters and winter coats and ended it with 26 degrees and teeshirts! Wow!
We did make it to our little campground in Tulsa Oklahoma - nothing fancy, but clean, quiet and with lots of flowers. Think we'll hang out here for at least another day. We need a break and so does our valient little Subaru! We expect to pick up our trek to Dallas on Tuesday.
By the way, Karl has not found any $10 bills yet ... still looking though!
Joanne
Left around 8 am yesterday and passed thru Indianapolis about mid-morning, on a cold, snowy, blowy morning. Was I happy? I think not.
We are starting to recall why our progress is a little slower than planned. With the camper attached we can drive quite well but our gas consumption goes up about 40% at 90 km. Anything above that and it jumps another 20%. So we chug along at 55 mph. However, on the bright side, it's been a long time since I was able to fill up my tank for $35.
Early afternoon we poked into a little town called Greenup, Missouri. Very typical midwest, lots of cowboy-era structures and architecture. Very cool.
A couple of hours later the sun broke thru and the rest of the day was gorgeous, and the temp finally started to climb from 4 to 10 by suppertime as we headed southwest toward St Louis. Stayed at 10 until 9 pm when we settled into an EconoLodge about 2 hr past St Louis on I-55, a normal little roadside town here called Rolla. Will never stay at EconoLodge again ... paperthin walls, doors that slam, pillows that would fit into your shirt pocket, heater that sounds like there's a train inside, lukewarm showers, peeling paint, etc.
Supper at Denny's right beside motel at 9 pm.
Hoping that we will hit enough warmth today to camp tonight!! Thinking about spending a day tomorrow relaxing and just touring locally if the weather co-operates.
We are starting to recall why our progress is a little slower than planned. With the camper attached we can drive quite well but our gas consumption goes up about 40% at 90 km. Anything above that and it jumps another 20%. So we chug along at 55 mph. However, on the bright side, it's been a long time since I was able to fill up my tank for $35.
Early afternoon we poked into a little town called Greenup, Missouri. Very typical midwest, lots of cowboy-era structures and architecture. Very cool.
A couple of hours later the sun broke thru and the rest of the day was gorgeous, and the temp finally started to climb from 4 to 10 by suppertime as we headed southwest toward St Louis. Stayed at 10 until 9 pm when we settled into an EconoLodge about 2 hr past St Louis on I-55, a normal little roadside town here called Rolla. Will never stay at EconoLodge again ... paperthin walls, doors that slam, pillows that would fit into your shirt pocket, heater that sounds like there's a train inside, lukewarm showers, peeling paint, etc.
Supper at Denny's right beside motel at 9 pm.
Hoping that we will hit enough warmth today to camp tonight!! Thinking about spending a day tomorrow relaxing and just touring locally if the weather co-operates.
Saturday, 29 March 2014
After a morning of last-minute scurrying, laundry, cleaning, grabbing, and tossing stuff into the camper, we rolled out of Kitchener (finally) at 11:45 yesterday. It was a dreary day but (woo-hoo!) not freezing!! ... and the rain had ended, not to return for the rest of the day.
Passed thru Customs at Sarnia about 3 pm, where the mean-looking officer glanced at the camper, and reminded us that it is still winter even in Dallas. I told him we were willing to take our chances!
The first thing that happened in the US was that we stopped for gas and, on getting out of the car, I found a penny (remember those things?) on the ground! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this was an omen. (At a later gas stop I found a quarter as well as another penny ... at this rate I will be finding $10 bills before today is over!)
So we stayed on I-69 the rest of the day, passing thru Flint, Lansing, and onward into Indiana, only about 25 miles short of our first-night destination of Fort Wayne. Settled into a Days Inn at about 9:30 pm. We were pretty beat, and still competing for who could do the most coughing and other head-cold-related nasal harmonics.
Destination for today is somewhere near St Louis, Missouri, and since we will be able to get an earlier start, we should be able to stop a little earlier and take in a tad of local touring. Keeping our fingers crossed for a bit of sunshine today and some coat-free weather!
Passed thru Customs at Sarnia about 3 pm, where the mean-looking officer glanced at the camper, and reminded us that it is still winter even in Dallas. I told him we were willing to take our chances!
The first thing that happened in the US was that we stopped for gas and, on getting out of the car, I found a penny (remember those things?) on the ground! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this was an omen. (At a later gas stop I found a quarter as well as another penny ... at this rate I will be finding $10 bills before today is over!)
So we stayed on I-69 the rest of the day, passing thru Flint, Lansing, and onward into Indiana, only about 25 miles short of our first-night destination of Fort Wayne. Settled into a Days Inn at about 9:30 pm. We were pretty beat, and still competing for who could do the most coughing and other head-cold-related nasal harmonics.
Destination for today is somewhere near St Louis, Missouri, and since we will be able to get an earlier start, we should be able to stop a little earlier and take in a tad of local touring. Keeping our fingers crossed for a bit of sunshine today and some coat-free weather!
Monday, 17 March 2014
Hello all!
Well, just like everyone else, we are tired of the relentless cold weather, so we are packing our stuff and going to look for a little relief! The game plan is an open-ended visit to Texas, with maybe a whirlwind tour thru New Orleans and maybe even northern Florida.
Being retired, we have no agenda! So, we hope that you will keep your eye on this blog to see what we've been up to. Tentative return date, maybe, if we feel like it, might be around April 25. Then again, it might not!
What's our plan?
We haven't planned a lot of specifics, kinda looking forward to the spontaneous, impromptu lifestyle! However, our basic route plan goes like this:
Kitchener - Detroit - Fort Wayne - Indianapolis - St Louis - Springfield - Tulsa - Oklahoma City? - Dallas - Waco - Austin - Corpus Christi - McAllen
The return trip:
McAllen - Houston - New Orleans - Mobile - Pensacola - Birmingham - Chattanooga - Knoxville - Cincinnati - Dayton - Detroit - Kitchener
Who knows:
- when or where will we stop over?
- what will we look at?
- what day or if will we reach any of the above spots?
We don't ... so stay tuned! Tata for now, we're outta here!
K&J
Well, just like everyone else, we are tired of the relentless cold weather, so we are packing our stuff and going to look for a little relief! The game plan is an open-ended visit to Texas, with maybe a whirlwind tour thru New Orleans and maybe even northern Florida.
Being retired, we have no agenda! So, we hope that you will keep your eye on this blog to see what we've been up to. Tentative return date, maybe, if we feel like it, might be around April 25. Then again, it might not!
What's our plan?
We haven't planned a lot of specifics, kinda looking forward to the spontaneous, impromptu lifestyle! However, our basic route plan goes like this:
Kitchener - Detroit - Fort Wayne - Indianapolis - St Louis - Springfield - Tulsa - Oklahoma City? - Dallas - Waco - Austin - Corpus Christi - McAllen
The return trip:
McAllen - Houston - New Orleans - Mobile - Pensacola - Birmingham - Chattanooga - Knoxville - Cincinnati - Dayton - Detroit - Kitchener
Who knows:
- when or where will we stop over?
- what will we look at?
- what day or if will we reach any of the above spots?
We don't ... so stay tuned! Tata for now, we're outta here!
K&J
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