Heading to Branson

     Heading to Branson, MO to meet up with about 37 other "solo-trekkers".  We are calling our gathering "Meet in the Middle" because solos are coming from all corners of the US to meet in the middle of the US.
     There'll be lots of chit-chat, eating, sharing, shows, and wanderings.
     The gathering begins Thurs. afternoon and I'll leave on Monday to go to Eureka Springs, AR with a few other "solos" to explore this "Swiss Alps of the Ozarks" - a Victorian town with lots of Painted Ladies, shops, mountains, forests and supposedly one of the most architecturally beautiful churches in N. America, set in the woods.
     On my way home I'm hoping to swing by Florence, AL to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house - the only one in AL

So, I got an earlier than expected start today which was a good thing:

• before I got to Orlando there was an accident so had to detour out of my way to stop at Lorraine's to get some of Buzz's famous pasta fazool, Lorraine's famous banana bread and to help her get rid of some over-done (for them, not me) chocolate chip cookies - dinner tonight!!

YUM!!

• "check engine" light came on while on the detour so after hugging Antonia & getting my goodies, I had to go to the Roadtrek dealer:  Leisure Time RV in Winter Park to see what was going on.  The NICEST young tech gave me a lesson in filling my gas tank, turned off the light and we're hoping that's the issue.  So an hour later I'm on the road again.
• and you know how annoying it is when your smoke detector's battery dies and it starts chirping?  Well, try that in a vehicle driving down a highway & there's nothing you can do about it until you stop.  I got a new battery from Lorraine but was going to wait until I got to Leisure Time to put it in but of course it then didn't chirp anymore - probably in the middle of the night tonight.
• So, that's my 3 strikes for today and that better be the end of it.

I'm at Deer Run RV Park tonight in Troy, AL after passing Malone, FL when I got off I-10 to get on Rt. 231.  Only stopped 3 quick times - gas (cheapest it's been since last presidential election) at Loves which I loved, loved, loved because they had long-handled windshield cleaners so I could actually get all the way to Rhoda's middle, then once for lunch and once for you know what.  Gained an hour - Central Time (the hour I lost at Leisure Time) so was able to get to my planned-to-stop-at place.

BTW - if you need a typewriter repaired, there's a shop in Cottondale, FL that can do that for you.  Can't miss the little town - right in the middle of many cotton fields.

BTW - what do you think they do at a "Bull Testing" place?

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses in IL, IN, OH, PA, & NY

It's August Already

Well, I do have lots of excuses for why I haven't been blogging in so long but I think they're legit:

• cousins wi fi wasn't working (1 night)
• cousin's reunion was in a remote area of IL with no internet and no cell (4 days)
• on the road with a baby and daughter in Rhoda which meant that we ALL were in bed at the same time and even if there was internet - which there wasn't at the site - too much to get rearranged for eating and sleeping (2 nights)
• many little second cousins running around and aunts and uncles to catch up with so that by bed time there was no time or energy left to post (3 nights)
• and even now, I'm posting sitting at my daughter's friends house while 3 under 3 are getting acquainted and I'm being rude being on the computer but I know some of you are wondering where I am and what I've been up to 

But, it's all been a blur for the last 9 days.  Lots of family reunions and little sight-seeing - just Niagara Falls.

So, my sojourn is basically at an end.  I should be at Chateaugay Lake by Sunday and then about 3 weeks recuperating, unpacking, repacking, catching up with friends and more family, going to the County Fair, and hopefully just chilling by the lake.  

My posts will be sporadic for awhile but hopefully you'll check in with me once in awhile and hope to see some of my Solo Trekkers in "the middle" in October.

Second generation cousins

Plumb cousin reunion

Cousin David cooking steaks

4 generations

All kinds of things use our highways

Guess where

One of the cities we went through
Cleveland

Kast Family Farm with one room
school house in background

This is the way Antonia traveled
in Rhoda and she slept
between the 2 beds.
Worked well.

DATA:

Well, I changed the oil again so must have gone at least another 3000 miles since last time

LOTS of gas but I don't think $3000.00 worth since last posting

Camping:  lots of free nights with a 110 converter in driveways but a few nights in campgrounds