and reality sets in.....

We're back home. Yes, the water heater is in process of being replaced. (I have to say, if you stand to the side in the shower, get your head wet first, and then just scrub and only rinse in the water, it's really not that bad..Tracey wholeheartedly disagress with me on this) The grass needs cutting, there is a trip to the beach coming up in a few days, I'm flying to Vermont on Wed and the pile of laundry Tracey is tackling could swallow one of the kids. We've suddenly gone from "no care" to "no time". It's amazing how that happens.
Today went by so fast....one project to the next....I just came from 11 days of drive, unpack, eat, play, fire, bed, breakfast, drive, unpack, eat, play(you get the drift) and suddenly we're back in the mix of the everyday. Oh well, as "toeside Tom" says, "That's life".

The RV is washed and ready for return. The bumper is bent, but I'm at peace with this. (again, "That's life") I can't wait to see Brad tomorrow and hand him the keys to our recreational vehicle, though, I would like to have an old one to park out front as a playhouse for the kids. I'm thinking that we could actually charge admission to the kids in the neighborhood. Everyone thinks it's quite cool that was our "house" for 11 days.

One bit of reflection that Tracey and I did while sitting along the stream, outside Gatlinburg (not in Twin Creeks mind you, that was the campsite we "thought" we had a reservation for, we were actually at Outdoor Resorts of America, I know they sound similiar) we offered up some "I hope...." statements...such as:
I hope that our kids had nearly as much fun as we did.
I hope that we aren't charged full price for the accidental damage to the RV.
I hope that in 2 years, we do this again, but with less distance, more days, and more nights at great campsites.
I hope that if my kids are ever in need of help, that they'll encounter people like Ronnie Livingston, Bill from Twin Creeks, The lady at the KOA in Texarkana and her husband, The guy next to us at Loretta Lynns place, and the list could go on and on, from the doorman in Nawlins to the kid offering samples in a Lake Charles, LA restaraunt...everyone we came across was more than nice.
I hope that there will always be clean streams with access from a road to play in....and that I'll take the time to do it.
I hope that the folks in Gulfport, Waveland, Pass Christian and other towns devastated by Katrina get more help.
I hope my kids will always get along as well as they did on this trip.
I hope that with 24 hours left on our trip we don't do anymore damage to the RV.

and that's just the highlights....this list could go on and on and on.....and oh yeah, one more, I hope that the Tennessee Two doesn't ever show up on our doorstep!

Great times for the Hanburger family. It's interesting that now that we are home, with the kids in their rooms, with Tracey upstairs, me down here on the sofa typing, we all seem so far away. It's obvious that you get close from living in close quarters, but in this instance, I feel so much closer to my family, from living in those close quarters and I miss that closeness already. I'm sure it's there, but we're spread out and getting re-aquainted with things like friends, to do lists, etc.

My last "I hope" is that we can do something like this often, just Tracey, the kids and I, out and about seeing things, having fun, and enjoying each others company.

Video Updates, finally! part II

A news update from Raccoon Mountain (Day 2)

Another News Update, this one from Huntsville, AL (Thanks again Mac and Melissa and Congrats to Tasha and Wiley!! - tuck, next time buddy!

My boy looking rough in Nawlins....remember, Laissez les bon tam roulez!!

NEWS FLASH! from Tulane Hospital

This next place wasn't the Westin, but it was 1000% better than the place that spawned the "It's time to leave if" rules.

Did you know that Loretta Lynn has a dude ranch? Neither did we, she's also got a great campground.

One of the higlights of the trip!!! This stream off the highway was perfect for breaking up our trip to Memphis from Texarkana

Notice Grey correcting the name of our location

Arkansas, summed up in less than a minute:

But wait, there's hope for Arkansas....

And in Austin, always hit up the water park and definitely stay at the Wall Homestead. (thanks again for hosting us Tina and Chris)

And if anyone was curious as to the "atmosphere" within the "flying hanburger"....please note the performer and his backup.

So sorry it took so long to bring video to the mix, but we just didn't have the time each evening. We were too busy drinking wine, sitting by campfires, reminiscing about the day and thinking about the next....and the fact that it takes about 10 minutes to load one up, it was put on the backburner.

seriously...

Get home safely and remember that a few days back Troy called to tell us that our hotwater heater was broke! didn't matter much then, we would just deal with it when we got home. Well guess what we are home and I have to go to the neighbors to take a shower! So much a nice relaxing bath this evening. It is so good to be home but we are still on road trip time....just ate dinner, kids outback playing.....will our life ever return to the way we once knew it??? I think Chris might just sleep in the tree tonight:)

Apex, here we come!

I took my last shower at a campsite, balanced on one leg to get dressed (being sure not to touch anything and stay dry) ate my last breakfast in the RV, brushed my teeth for the last time with a cup and it feels great to be heading HOME!!!!

This adventure has been AWESOME, very few times tears were almost shed

• wrong hospital in New Orleans
• wrong campsite in Gatlinburg, TN
• laying in bed with the kids itching our mosquito bites with towels (great idea Grey)
• Indian Springs in Kuntze, TX
• really driving through most of TX except Austin
• Chris falling down the steps in the rain at the last campsite, ok those were tears of laughter
• and of course leaving the WESTIN!!

I think for our first time on a road trip we all really came together and had a blast. I hope the kids have as many great memories as Chris and I do. Thanks again Chris for making all my dreams come true....I would go anywhere with you!!! and "do we have a horse?"

Grey and Molly: I love you so much and can't wait for our trip in two years back to ENOTA!!!

No sorry we don't have a reservation for you

We arrived in Gatlinburg, TN around 7pm to traffic! Let me just say Gatlinburg is a happening place over memorial day weekend. It is like Coastal Highway, Waldorf, and Myrtle Beach on steroids all thrown into a 5 mile stretch through the mountains. It took about an hour to get to our campground. Finally we arrive at the "Twin Creek Resort"....and they do not have a reservation for us and are fully booked for the holiday! Surely this is some mistake I have talked to these people numerous times about reserving a creek side spot! I am about to lose my cool on this mountain women when thankfully she went to get the owner, Bill. "This woman will just not take NO for an answer" she told him. Bill came over calmly to help figure out what was going on. He helped me realize I had called the place above him in the AAA camp book...opps...I had a reservation at Outdoor Resorts of America about 10 miles down the road. What a nice and helpful guy Bill is, not only that he stopped us on the way out the campground to let us know our gas tank was open. I am sure they got a great laugh at us around their campfire that night.
Back on the road. The only problem with this new campground is that it is not on the trolley route into town and there was no way the Flying Hamburger was going back down towards Gatlinburg.
Chris and I have decided after a few beers around the fire that we will do Gatlinburg another time and "the flying hamburger" is flying back to Apex. (only one day short of our original plan).
This plan was definalty confirmed when we woke up to rain this morning. Apex....here we come!

The Music Highway

I feel like we are on a country music road tour now...left Graceland and spent the night at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch.
Last night was such a relaxing evening. As soon as we arrived the kids spotted a playground with kids (I think the first they have seen since the Tennessee two). Grey and Molly made friends fast and played til the sun went down. We took this opportunity to set up camp...the only problem was I reserved us a site with 50 amp instead of 30 amp. Those of you reading might be wondering what 50/30amp is.. and what the big deal is? I too didn't think it was anything, if nothing else maybe we get more power with a 50 amp hookup instead of the 30 we have been using.
Turns out they are completely different plug types. Luckily they sell adapters. So if anyone ever needs one we have one!
After this happened Chris and I started laughing about the phone call I made to Loretta's Dude Ranch to reserve this spot. She told me we had to have a horse to stay on the lower campground with the 30 amps. I looked at Chris as said "do we have a horse?" and before I knew it I asked the question to her "What is a horse?". Guess we have been on the road too long.

Chris and I got to enjoy a quiet evening with wine by the fire. The kids made s'mores and then off to bed.

The musician's around TN are no joke...we have enjoyed finding about how they lived and how their lives of music intertwined. Oh and Molly just loved all the clothes they wore for performances. The whole family enjoyed a mini show about Johnny and June Cash.

On the road again to Gatlinburg, TN....then finally on our way home!!!!!

Darren Smith - LoadMaster - All Around Good Guy

As we were getting out of the creek in Arkansas, I look up and about 500 feet up in the air, are two C-130 looking cargo planes skimming over the landscape. Instantly made me think of Darren as he was a "loadmaster" in the air force, and I believe was stationed in Little Rock, flying in the C-130. He's got great stories and I thought of those guys up there, must be a "gas" to do that...unless they were asleep like Smith!! Our tax dollars hard at work.