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.

The Flying Hanburger

The RV finally has a name (day 9)....The Flying Hanburger!
When we were riding on the shuttle back to the RV from Graceland, we saw Elvis's plane, the Lisa Marie. I told Molly, Elvis named his plane after his daughter and if Daddy ever bought a plane, he would name it The Molly Brent. She laughed and said no call it the "The Flying Hanburger." So instead of getting a plane we have the RV!

Texarkana to Loretta's Place

Left Texarkana this morning as soon as everyone was up. I don't even think breakfast was served..it was get a shower and get moving. Found a site last night, swimmingholes.org and it gave us the idea to break the trip up, we'd stop in Hot Springs and have a swim....well, we drove to just outside of Benton Ark and see a sign for this place http://www.magicsprings.com/
Hit the exit and the sign says 20.something miles to Magic Springs....luckily, we are enterprising parents. We come barreling down a hill, see a creek running lazily along and under this bridge we're about to cross over....and Tracey makes the call...."that's a good spot". In another amazing stroke of luck, on the other side of the creek is a pulloff and a gravel spot to park "the flying hanburger". So we make a quick U-turn and the four of us are up to our ankles in fresh water, crystal clear and actually cold. (Obviously not from the hot springs up the road). There was a great area where the creek was held up, creating a little pool, complete with fish of some sort (Tiger Fish is what Grey says they are..and while he's pretty smart, does he really know what fish are in streams in Middle o nowhere Arkansas?) and flat skipping stones. The pool drained down toward the bridge and the current was pretty strong, but Mom and Molly plunged thru anyway. We skipped stones, collected some great looking shale rocks.....souvenir's for their friends. We stayed as long as we could take the bugs. Then off to Graceland.

Graceland is a pretty amazing place. What's really amazing is the earning power of "The King". He collected $15 for parking, $68 to look around his crib, and his glasses and a teddy bear, complete with pink leather fetched another $32....I hadn't spent money that fast since High School Musical on Ice. The over the top nature of everything was something to see and it's quite impressive to turn a corner and see all of his lifes work and accomplishments.
Our $100 tour had us out of there within about an hour. Of course we had to stop at the gift shop...my favorite thing.

We joked:
Parking at Graceland $15.00
Tour of Graceland $68.00
Your daughter naming the RV, Priceless.

After Graceland, we were back on the road. Next Stop was Lorretta Lynn's Dude Ranch and we had a 150 plus miles to get there...which the flying hanburger soaked up nicely.

At some point in the trip, we crossed the mighty Mississippi again on this trip and I have to say, she seemed to be flooding. Since I haven't even thought about the news for last 9 days, no idea if it is flooding, or if that's "normal", but the water was high and fields were flooded.

As we've rounded the curve in Austin, both Tracey and I have felt the pull of "reality" back home. Our "road time" has been pretty heavy these past two days. Luckily we've found a nice place here at Loretta's. We're up on a hill, nice view at sunset and it's cool, not as many bugs. We have a short drive to Gatlinburg TN tomorrow and then two more days of hanging out with the kids.


Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!!

Some days, three states....some states, three days

Get me out of Texas....at least Texarkana. I wish there was a way to tell when you are reserving a campsite if it is a trailer park or campgroud. I am so over showering where people are doing their laundry. Now I am sitting here (covered in mosquito bites) waiting for my family to wake up so we can head out of here. I hope I have a more eventful day to tell you about this evening than yesterday. All I saw was the inside of the RV yesterday.
Well enough complaining. I am gonna just "put on my big girl pants and deal with it"!

Almost Forgot - If you don't have plans

You can come to the "Tight Fittin Jeans" contest out in Livingston. (and to think I almost forgot about this photo)

That's this weekend folks, I know I'll see you there!

Just call us "the breeze", we keep movin down the road!

Man we've been moving down the road. In a whirlwind we have cut across Texas, had a great afternoon with Chris, Tina and Irie Wall in Austin. We enjoyed dinner, some drinks, live music (remember the GunHands out of North Texas..they'll go far, provided everyone has a shot and a beer in them while listening) and of course the company of good friends. (Tina, being pregnant and all, even sat at home while Chris, Tracey and I got out for an extra drink in town...Tracey and I cut a rug we were having so much fun. Thanks Tina!!)

In the morning we ran to Mt Bonnell for the must have photo from a great overlook in Austin. Then over to Aunt Betty's to see she and "the original Mimi". Mimi is my mom's aunt and such a special woman. Always so full of life, always wanting to laugh and at 91, she's only slowed down by the locks on the doors. We got to visit with she and Betty for about an hour or more and then, it was back in the RV kids, it's time to blow this state!!

Here I am with the kids and the "O.M."...Original Mimi!

Here she is, little Miss Irie....Wall, you'll have your hands full.

And the "must have" photo......just look at that view!

Couple of hours on the town never hurt anyone...and overlooking 6th ave....great party town.
(also the introduction to "a shot and a beer" for Tracey)

and you know we found a water park for the kids....maybe that's our next trip..."low budget water playgrounds and the RV parks around them"

From Austin to Texarkana and now at the state line KOA for an evening of rest. If this RV was a horse, it'd be dead. We knocked out 400+ miles today and some of the most scenic, was just outside of Austin on our way to Waco. Seemed like the horizon was forever and a day away and the sky was perfect blue with a few clouds. Just picture perfect when you've got 7 hours behind the wheel.

One thing that has struck me is the highway system in texas. This state is huge....just massive...considering we drove in 5 hours, then up and out in 7 and we only touched a quarter of the sucker. So what do they do, they make the speed limit 70 on almost every road....but slow down to 60 in towns....and oh yeah, cut 'er back to 65 at night. The other very cool thing on most of the roads we travelled today, they make the shoulders extra wide. If you're not going fast enough, someone will either pass you on the shoulder, or you can slide over and let them around. It's a big state, people are armed, and I guess the last thing they want is road rage.

We finally got to use the "sandwich makers" that stick into the fire. Which is a good thing because Tracey has been itching for a fire since we left Enota that second day.

This evening was funny as you could really tell that she hasn't been "shopping" lately. She rolled into the KOA this evening and picked up a book, a magnet, and basically whatever the kids wanted. I could feel the stress just pour out as she paid for something besides food, drinks and ice.

Being on the road this much is not the easiest thing, I have to admit, but luckily everyone is eager for the next day, since we've found that it always brings some enjoyment. Tomorrow, we're off to Hot Springs Ark to see, what else, the Hot Springs. Can't wait to take an early bath in the springs.

News Flash

Just wanted to let eveyone know Molly is doing great! We just arrived in Austin, TX. Gonna go buy some boots!

Two More Things

I read something in an article in New Orleans about the people of that city. The word Generous was used to describe them, and after our short stay, I have to say that is a great word to describe just about everyone we came in contact with. Every interaction was positive, from the cab driver back from the hospital, to the security guard working the metal detector at hospital #1 before going to Tulane, our hotel staff, the nurses....it was actually very noticeable when someone wasn't polite, and pleasant, and genuine.....and that guy was making balloon toys for kids, go figure.

Our road trippin mobile still doesn't have a definite name. While things have been labeled, "the catch all", there isn't a moniker for the vehicle, but I do feel that as we leave New Orleans that we have adopted their slogan and attitude of "Laissez les bon temps rouler" which means "Let the Good Times Roll!"

and now, the "it's tme to leave" rules

After our brief stay in Kuntze, Tracey and I reflected on some new, but simple, and maybe obvious rules...for instance:

1) If you walk into the emergency room, and there is a metal detector to get access to the emergency room, it's time to leave.

2) If you arrive at your campsite, walk to the bathrooms and notice exposed pipes...it's time to leave.

3) Anytime you arrive at a campground, and your neighbor has a fence (2x4 and cinderblocks), watergarden, shed, lawn equipment, and various other items, living and non, it's time to leave.

4) If two kids (affectionately now known as "the tennessee two") great you as you open the door from parking, JUST LEAVE. (more on the tennesse two in a second)

5) If for instance, one was to back into a tree, while parking, while looking at the sticker that says, "Always use a lookout while backing up"....It's time to leave. (not that this happened, I'm just saying if it did, that's bad karma and you should go on down the road)


and another "rule of the road" that is just so important for anyone considering an RV trip: When you can shower, shower. You just don't know when the next one is going to be.





As promised, more on our friends, the Tennesee Two. Like I mentioned, we pull into the "other" campground, we were greeted by two little boys, twins actually. Both on matching bicycles, neither with shirts, nor shoes, but one, with a coat and the other, camo pajama bottoms. (He was the ninja warrior ) They quickly explained "Mama said don't talk to the neighbors." which of course was a green light for my family to "dig in". Twenty wonderful questions ensued....


and a picture for you to see the Tennessee Two...our time was short, but the impact was lasting.

and yes, I'm contemplating right then and there...."how fast can I pack all this crap up, and get the h#!! out of here!"This picture is just so great that I wanted to post it tonight. My kids have been troopers. Seeing them together with big smiles and hearty laughs has been such a great thing. This was taken on Lake Livingston in TX. End of a long day on the road and as you can see, they are up for anything..so we went swimming in the pool. Good times and cold.

Look for more on Lake Livingston tomorrow from Tracey.

spoiled by the westin and not sure I want to camp anymore

Had a beautiful morning in New Orleans....breakfast at Cafe Du Monde...yummy. The biegnets and coffee were delicious. Took a carriage tour through the french quarter. I am sure it was not the same as seeing Bourbon Street at night but at least we got to see it, (well I saw it briefly on the way home from the hospital) now Chris and I have a reason to come back. The tour was the way to go to see everything, there would have been no way Molly could have made it all over. She is doing great now but this morning still had a headache. After the tour we checked out the French Market and Jackson square. I really wanted to get a paining done of the kids but Tuesday mornings in New Orleans are a little slow, not many painters out yet.

I need to take a minute and just let you know if you are thinking of coming to New Orleans you MUST stay at the Westin off Canal Street. The people who work there are the most friendly and helpful. As we were leaving I asked the front desk if they had a pencil sharpener I could use, the kids have been doing a lot of drawing. Well they didn't have one since all there pencils come already sharpened. So I thanked them anyways and she said hold on....went and got the kids a handful of pencils, a box of colored pencils and each a Westin kids kid kit. The Kid Kit was a back pack full of goodies.....disputable camera, water bottle, braclet, etc. (Jenny might need there names on these:)

Decision to head to TX has been made 12:00. Arrive at campground around 5:00, set up, go to the bathroom, packing back up at 6:00 and hitting the road. No way am I staying here. The bathrooms were disgusting, the bugs are big and everywhere here. So far not a big fan of Kuntze, TX. The manager of the campground was really nice so I kinda feel bad for just rolling out but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! Off to Lake Livingston....North Shore RV/campground Resort! From now on if the words "resort" are not on the sign....I am not staying!

what to do....what to do

Do we stay in New Orleans another day since we haven't seen anything but an emergency room and CT machine??? Gonna go get some breakfast in the French Quarter and decide.

And Whaddya Know

after all the drama of Tulane hospital, an overpriced hotel meal, and everyone falling asleep, I wonder over to Harrahs next door, drop $100 at the blackjack table and walk out up $400. NICE and thanks to Harrahs. You just paid for all the ridiculously overpriced crap that I'm sure we'll do in Gatlinburg, TN.

Tulane University Hospital

while we didn't expect to write anything about a hospital while on our way across the southeast...we did get a chance to visit Tulane University Hospital. What a great childrens emergency room. Remember that bump Molly got on her head? Well we walk out of the hotel, on our way to investigate the french quarter and what happens? Molly got sick on the sidewalk. That, combined with her sleeping constantly since the fall and Dr Tracey put the symptoms together and off we rush to the hospital.
(thanks Microsoft for keeping the benefits going, thank goodness)

The staff was incredibly friendly, very efficient and took great interest in making sure that Molly was OK.
(considering that we originally walked into another hospital right down the street, and you had to pass thru a metal detector to get in, our making it to Tulane was such a blessing)

alright, so we're now back in the hotel suite, waiting on dinner and thinking about our "next" visit to New Orleans so we can actually see the city.

Did you know?

That if you really need to go to the bathroom, you can stop at a hospital? Never dawned on me to do that until we were stuck, late at night, in gulfport, no attendant on duty at the RV site, and a locked bathroom door keeping my little girl from being able to go potty. Where there is a will, there’s a way…and where there is a hospital, there is an open door and a clean bathroom.Did you know?

and yes, tracey came up with this idea...as she was making friends with some random person on a street corner....just kidding, she wasn't making friends, she had to go also.

Hurricane Katrina

I can’t say that I’ve ever been to a war zone. I’ve seen the destruction of natural disasters, but not really close up. All that changed in Gulfport, Pass Christian, and Bay St Louis, MS. The amount of devastation in these towns, almost four years later is still so apparent and vivid.
We got into town late, so we couldn’t really see much beyond the roads and the main part of town looked a tad “old” or “rundown”, but the reality of the situation was apparent at morning. Our campground was about a half block back from the Gulf. Just a strand of sand and what looked like an old parking lot between us and the beach. Before Katrina, it was a motel and apartments. Simply washed away in a 30+ foot storm surge. The became waterfront overnight..nothing to block the view now. I’ve used amazing to describe things, and awesome is a favorite word, but I’m at a loss to describe the complete destruction of the first few city blocks of these towns.
I can only believe that these are some of the strongest “willed” people around as they have begun the process of rebuilding. Surely there are many that walked away, but there are many more who stayed put, and started cleaning up. Where they decided to begin is a major question. Roads buckled, bridges dropped into the water and as we drove on 90 west towards New Orleans, we saw concrete slab after concrete slab left with only stairs leading to the beach. The entire house had been washed away, nowhere in site now. For every twenty knocked down, there would be two or three left standing with fresh paint, obviously restored in some fashion.
The setting was so surreal and sad that Tracey and I both felt guilty for being there, for viewing this, and very guilty for even filming anything.
Rolling into New Orleans and the destruction of that same storm is evident still. Not so much in the downtown area around the french quarter, but primarily the neighborhoods to the north and east as you pass into town on I-10.
Having seen portions of both areas now….I’d say that New Orleans got the media coverage and those coastal towns of MS got the shotgun blast of a major hurricane. All the damage, half the sympathy.

now this is living....

So we arrive in New Orleans...yes right downtown in the good ole RV. As we are coming up the elevator Chris is explaining to the kids that this is what is like for Daddy when he is traveling. He is staying in hotels like this....well low and behold if I had known this was where he was staying I would have been with him too. Who knows how we got this huge room but we are going to enjoy it for the evening.

Chris swears his hotels aren't usually like this, not sure if I am buying it or not! We are off to see New Orleans.

Well since this video is taking so long to upload I am going to tell you about day 5. Woke up on the railroad track this morning...hehe...decided to just have a relaxing morning, we have been going strong for 5 days now. Chris made us a delicious breakfast and the kids played outside for a while. Finally I was getting antsy (surprise, surprise) and we headed out for a walk. We found a spray park (basically an playground with sprinklers coming out of everywhere). The kids had a blast. When they were finally all wrinkled up we walked over to West End Peir to check out the beach. This place is very pretty but I bet before Katrina tore it up it was beautiful. There is still so much devestaion down here. They have done some rebuilding, but still cleaning up 4 years later. The beaches here are white sand but alot of random items, such as TV and iron ladders. I think the highlight for Grey was finding a dead armidillo on the beach. After the beach we were on the road to New Orleans.

One minor problem on the way to New Orleans which has lead to Rule #4 or something like that. Stay seated while the RV is moving! Molly was trying to go up to Grey's bed and slipped.....fell into the stairs and cut her head and has a big knot on the back of her head:(

HOLY S&*#!!! We've parked on a

TRAIN TRACK!!!!!!

well we didn't, but we must be close cause it rolled thru last night after we'd set up the RV and Tracey and I both thought we'd parked on the tracks.
RV walls just aren't that thick.

The Catch All

sooner or later in an RV, there will be one cabinet that becomes the "catch - all". Ours is over the dining table and there is a plethora of junk up there...it's fun to open the door and see what spills out.

We finally got into Gulfport today. We blew thru Mississippi as the road was flat and straight..well, occasional hills, but nothing like the mountains of TN/GA/NC. You know you are in the middle of nowhere when the exit signs not only tell you what that exit is for, but also how long until the next exit....sure does make you watch the gas gauge.

Gulfport is a town that was just hammered by Hurricane Katrina several years ago. We got into town late and that is another item or rule for the road....get into the campsite before dark!! It's just better on everyone..especially parents with frayed nerves. Anyway, even in the dark, you could still see that the town is reeling. There are brick and concrete footers where houses used to stand and the block between our campground and the gulf is nothing but sand now...and it looks like it used to be a motel or similiar structure. Morning and "light" should bring more.

Goodnight all.

Life is a Highway

Riding on the highway from Huntsville, AL to Gulf Port, MS. So far this will have been our longest ride...maybe 5-7 hours, who knows. The kids have gotten in a pretty good routine in the RV (still no name) play their DS, draw, eat and then take a nap.

Just wanted to thank Mac and Melissa for making us feel so comfortable for the evening. You guys have such an inviting house! Sorry if we ran your electric bill through the roof charging ALL of our electronics! So the Davenports taught our kids 2 things while we were there

• swear jar: Molly and Grey now have a swear jar, every time they hear Chris or I say a bad word we have to give them a quarter. Hanging out with their Daddy on this trip they are gonna save up quick for their Wii, just kidding hon!
• Sardines: A game similar to hide and seek but instead of everyone hiding only one person hides. When you find them you just quietly hide with them until everyone has squeezed into the hiding spot. Lots of fun, not so much in the RV but I am sure when we get home it will be fun.

Now what did the Hanburger's teach the Davenport's??? we taught them how to RECYCLE!!!

After a wonderful breakfast fixed by Melissa, we went to the rocket and space center, www.spacecamp.com, it was really amazing. I can't wait until I can catch up with Honey and find out more about when her and Grandmother Darlene worked at NASA, I think the kids will have a new appreciation to hearing stories about it now. More to come later.....

up bright and early with the kids

Yesterday was another great day...very busy, the kids aren't sure if it is still the same day or not. We woke up after a terrible rain storm at Raccoon Mountain, it felt like our RV was going to float away. Luckily it stopped raining by morning and we were able to take down our canopy, get showered and pack up. (and we figured out that the sunlight in the shower has a small leak. Good thing we didn't listen to Chris when packing, he kept saying, "just put it in the shower")

We then headed off to a cave tour though the caverns. http://www.raccoonmountain.com/html/caverns.html
Everyone had a great time with out tour guide Ewing, he told us everytime we got wet by a drip of water we were getting a cave kiss and it was worth 7 years of good luck. From the looks of Grey when we came out of the cave, he is going to have good luck for the rest of his life! The cavern was quite amazing and pristine with huge formations, tight spots, and again, amazing views.

After we cleaned up and unplugged our home we headed into Chattanooga for lunch and to see the sights. Got some delicious ribs at "Sticky Fingers", and found out our blues names. I am "Big Liver River", Grey and Chris are "Sticky Killer River" and "Sticky Killer River JR." last but not least we have "Jailhouse Money River". No need to worry Grey got a shirt with the blues alaphabet so you can all figure out your names when we get back:)

Rode a train straight up Lookout Mountian, highest point in Tennessee. http://www.ridetheincline.com/. Quite a mile high trip. So far we have been to the highest point in Georgia (Brasstown Bald) and now the highest point in Tennessee, Lookout Mountain...at least we think we heard that during the train ride.

On the road again to Scottsboro...and we hit the Unclaimed Baggage store. This is the store that has all of the "goods" left by people in airports, on planes, etc. I am sure there were some good finds there to be found but I felt like I was at a giant good will store. Though they did have everything from lotion to rollar blades. It is amazing what people leave at the airport.

Now to visit with Mac and Melissa in Huntsville AL. The kids were so excited to go swimming when we got there....but mother nature had other plans. Chris has always talked about the storms in Huntsville, well we got to see them first hand. The water was coming down like a firehose was overhead, the streets had partially flooded on the parkway and we were spraying water all over the place.
Once we got to Mac's, the heavy stuff stopped, and finally after the thunder stopped we just let them get in the pool in the rain. Had a wonderful mexican dinner with friends. It was nice to take a real shower and sleep in a real bed!

More to come, we head to Gulfport MS for a day on the beach.

Video Updates, finally!

Not that Chattanooga isn't the hotbed of technology connectivity, but for some reason we couldn't upload our videos there...and we had no connection in the Enota resort. (which was very nice I must admit)
Here are some updates...Enjoy, we are!!


The First Campsite at Enota...

A nice climb up the mountain, which Molly really didn't like, we came upon the waterfall. I don't think I've ever been to a waterfall this large....it was stunning and the kid in me wanted to splash around....so Grey and I did!! (we both agreed that having this in our backyard would be "so cool")

And now, The News with Grey and Molly

And for anyone that's curious....yes, Mom is demanding her own bed. Lucky for her, we're having so much fun we don't mind!

Rules that should have been instituted earlier

1) NO food in the beds. Mom and dad are being cool, letting it all hang out, and the next thing you know, I'm sleeping in the crumblings of oreo/chocolate/wafer thingy. I thought it was dirt at first, but by morning, I could see that I was simply laying in broken up food.

2) NO dirty feet in bed. It accompanies rule #3.

3) NO dirty shoes in the RV. Take em off at the door. Amazing how much crap can get into one place in such a short span of time. We now have two towels over the stairs leading up into the cabin. One for shoes, one to wipe feet. (Thanks Brent and Deb for sending down that bag o' towels)

One rule that we did install that so far has worked, is the: No Asking, "Are we there yet?" questions. So far it's worked well, but we're only on day 2. My bet is that someplace between Huntsville, AL and Gulfport, MS, the question will come up.

It's turned into a cool night here at Racoon Mountain. Storms are moving thru and because of the rain, we've suddenly been upgraded to a "creekside" RV lot, which is nice. Being waterfront really adds to the excitement.

Cross your fingers that tomorrow brings sunshine. I'd hate to have to leave our canopy behind in a downpour, damn if I'm taking it down in the rain.

Oh, and we are officially campground snobs. If you don't have a stream, wildlife, waterfalls, and in ground trampolines, what DO you have?? (Grey noticed the lack of wildlife, kudos to him)
We're now plotting our return trip using terms such as "retreat" "resort" "lux-super-snobby RV Wonderland - with Streams"..

Off to bed.

Tight Turns, Great Views and 10 minutes in the Ocoee

So when I was 24 or so I moved from Raleigh, NC to Huntsville, AL. I told some folks before the trip about my moronic move to take my 20something foot Ryder truck, with brand new taurus in tow (making my vessel all of 30 plus feet) thru the mountains. Deciding that a more "direct" route was appropriate and faster. Well it turned out to be a white knuckle adventure and today, today I got to relive that trip.

The "old copper rd" is highway 64/74 which runs thru the mountains of NC and TN and is right along the ocoee river. It's called the old copper road because it was used to bring down copper ore off the mountain. Here's more: http://www.telliquah.com/History2.htm So if you've ever been on a road that is one side river, with world class white water rapids, and the other side sheer walls of rock, straight up for hundreds of feet, then you've been on a road like this and you've probably been amazed. It's half trying to see the sights, half not being scared you'll hit something. It's such tight quarter. We made it thru and Tracey absolutely loved riding the switchback turns. ;)

As we made our way from Ducktown, TN on the old copper road we came up on the Ocoee Whitewater Center. It's man made and flat out incredible. The whole thing was built for the Olympics and water flow is controllable. So today wasn't a kayaking day I guess and we lucked out and were able to play down in the riverbed...and yes, I did almost fall, slipped right on a submerged rock....and Grey saw his dad almost go down...and almost lose the camera! Beauty!
And then it thundered and we loaded back up in the RV and hit the road...our ten minutes of fun was over.
More on the OWC as the locals call it... http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/ocoee/

Another good day of travelling...and we did get to Racoon Mountain....just in time for some rain.
http://www.raccoonmountain.com/

Enota....little bit of heaven

Yesterday we arrived in Hiawassee GA at the Enota Mountain Resort. To say it was beautiful would have been an understatement. Our campsite was right on a swift flowing creek that started on one end of the property, dropped from several hundred feet up, and flowed into another creek just past our campsite. The kids and Chris had a blast playing in it. We'll post some videos of the site, waterfalls, and a news update shortly.

In the morning we tried our best to go "tubing" on the creek in the campground, but the creek wasn't deep enough, dad was too big, and the water was much colder fuller submerged instead of just wading around.
The boys did make the trip up to the see the 400ft waterfall and evidently it was something to behold. The trail was long, the climb was hard, but the view was well worth the trip.

Needless to say, we may be spoiled for any other campsites after Enota, but we are off to Chattanooga and Raccoon Mountain.

we are really doing this!!

8:15 am The four of us in an RV for 12 days, we are really doing this! Our first stop this morning is in Spartansburg, SC to see one of Chris's buddy from college. Then we are off to our first campsite in Hiawassee, GA.
We have two new guests that will be joining us on our travels....Flat Stanley and Flat Sally.

P.S. I am not a big fan of the name "Rolling Turd"

And we're just about Packed!!

It's quite amazing how much stuff you can cram into an RV. Several hours later, multiple trips up the driveway, two joy rides for curious friends, a tank of gas (when the heck did gas jump to $2.24???) and we've just about got the rig loaded. We think. I hope. We'll know soon enough.

I think after watching Grey and Molly play in and around the RV today, we may not really need to go anywhere and they'd still have a ball. Their excitement is almost as high as Tracey's right now. (and she's bouncing all over and sick at the same time) Every nook and cranny has been investigated and every travelling position has been scoped out. I'm hopeful they haven't found 12 days worth of fun in only the 8 hours we've had the RV.

I think we'll need to name this RV "thing" we have as our new home. I'm sure we'll come up with something over the course of the trip...also quite certain that many a choice word will be used to describe it, but hopefully we can coin something that captures it's fine points, like the massive CRUISE AMERICA tattoo, the 1-800 # plastered at every corner, the wonderful mountain portrait with lighthouse, and all the dust from our travels. Right now the kids just call it the "rolling turd".

More to come, the adventure is just beginning.

Packing up

One day to go until we hit the road. Chris went to pick up our home on wheels this morning. Getting excited but I think I will feel better once we have this thing packed and I know what we can bring and what we can't bring. Well off to pack the RV and take all Grey and Molly's friends for rides....OK their dads too.