A REVIEW OF OTHER TRAVELS
Last summer we, along with other friends, joined a “local” club affiliated with Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA); Tri-State Traveliers. The bulk of members live in the Cincinnati area but members also come from within a 120-mile radius. We went to three rallys, two in Ohio and one in Kentucky, before the season ended. Here’s a look at their logo, which gives you a good idea of their membership territory.
After returning from last summer’s trip we headed to the panhandle of Florida for the birth of a grandchild. Daughter Ashley and family live in Gulf Breeze, which is across the bay from Pensacola. We’re fortunate in that there’s room to back the motorhome into the drive and be parked under several pine trees that provide great shade even in the midst of heat. The photo below was taken about a week after baby Benjamin was delivered.
While doing grandparent duty we took Jada to the great naval aviation museum at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. We enjoyed the vast array of flying machines on display and, of course, enjoyed getting to be with family for the birth of a child.
In September we ventured out to Amana Colonies in Iowa for the fall convention of GMC Motorhomes International. We coordinated one of the breakfasts which includes making pancakes based on Martha’s recipe. This was the fifth breakfast we’ve done for them. We have a faithful crew of volunteers that also enjoy helping. Byron led the choir for the Sunday worship experience.
During late October we headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a state-wide meeting of medial transcriptionists. We stayed at the only campground still open for the winter. Well, it’s really more of a parking lot for RVs rather than the traditional campground. We stayed on the property of the Wisconsin State Fair at the year-round facility for RVers. On our return we stopped in the Chicago area to visit with Don and Ruth Hustad. Dr. Hustad was one of Byron’s professors while he was in seminary. They moved from Louisville in 2010.
We returned to Florida in December meeting Ashley, Michael, and family in Orlando. We spent several days so we could go to Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, and Animal Kingdom. Though it was a bit cool, we enjoyed Walt Disney World's attractions that were decorated for the Christmas season. On the way back from Florida we visited friends in Americus, Georgia and also went to Calloway Gardens for their Christmas display.
All lit up for Christmas -- on Main Street USA
In March we took off for another GMC Motorhomes International. This one was at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama. Once again we coordinated a pancake and bacon breakfast. And, once again Byron led the choir for Sunday worship. This time they performed his latest composition based on the text of the hymn “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”.
For an April excursion we went to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Martha was the lead-off speaker for a meeting of medical transcriptionists in the Great Lakes region. Though a little cool with a hint of wet snow in the area, we had a safe trip and our first experience of spending the night in a Sam's Club parking lot.
WESTERN SWING 2013
Our first day of travel saw us going from Louisville to the Memphis KOA which is just across the Mississippi River in Arkansas. We finished loading up and headed out around 10:30 am. It was a sunny day with just a few clouds in the sky and a projected high in the mid-70’s. We headed westward through Kentucky for a brief visit with Byron’s brother and sister-in-law, who live outside of Paducah in Lone Oak.
Before getting into the Paducah area we did see some rather dark clouds overhead. It looked as though they would bring a heavy rain but they didn’t. We stopped for fuel and a late lunch at Love's in Calvert City. Since we are towing our Honda Accord, we have to be careful about picking places where we can pull through. One of the cardinal principals of towing is not to back up for more than a few feet because damage may occur to the alignment of the car or to the towing mechanism.
We spent about 75-minutes with Danny and Lynda. Danny was recuperating from the hip replacement surgery of last week. He looked well and in good shape for celebrating his 79th birthday in another week. We departed shortly after the physical therapist arrived for his first, formal session. Later we learned that she challenged him to walk more and to get outside. As the military type, he’ll follow orders when they come from the right direction.
Since the Memphis KOA was our target for the evening, we headed down US 45 against the advice of our Tom Tom GPS or the preferred routing from Google Maps. Why? Because both would take us across the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at Cairo, Illinois. We knew, from a previous adventure in our Holiday Rambler, we didn't want to subject ourselves to that again. The bridges are old and narrow by today's standards. In fact, the Mississippi bridge is one foot narrower than the Ohio bridge and with an 102-inch-wide motorhome you appreciate modern bridges. Lanes ten-feet-wide or less leave little room for margin of error.
Our route took us through Dyersburg, Tennessee along what will ultimately become I-69. We pulled off for dinner in the coach at the Walmart before heading on to Marion, Arkansas, a few miles north of West Memphis. After nearly eight hours of driving, the KOA was a welcome place for spending the night. One doesn't mind the traffic of nearby I-55 when tired from the day.
The distance from Louisville to Lone Oak was about 230 miles. From Lone Oak to Marion, AR was another 200 miles. 430 miles at an nominal top speed of 62 at 1700 RPMs makes for a long enough day.
Tomorrow we’ll head for Little Rock where we’ll stay for Friday and Saturday. This will allow us the opportunity to visit the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.
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