CLASS OF 2007 follow along with us.

[Carolyn Wilkerson]

Howie & Norah, Keith tells a story about us camping with friends out near Kearney, NE, one time in the mid-80s; the wind blew so hard we expected to wake up sleeping in Kansas. We were scheduled to spend 3 nights but we packed up the next morning. No fun in a tent.

 

We lived in Nebraska, Palmyra to be exact, on Hiway 2, southeast of Lincoln, for four years. That was our introduction to the midwest after having spent more than half our lives on the west coast. Talk about culture shock! So, we don't envy you your trip there this spring.

 

Gary & Karen, have you thought about doing a blog with pictures of this adventure to Alaska. I'm sure you'll have many stories to tell. We have long kicked ourselves for not taking that trip when our son was living in Anchorage for ten years. Enjoy.

 

We're doing pretty well, all thing considered. Keith has weathered 8 out of ten radiation treatments and the first cycle of oral chemo without any noticeable side effects, except some additional weight loss. We've begun to add supplements to his diet and lots of calories that we've tried to stay away from for years! Major thought reversal when planning meals: how can I add calories? Is there something here I could add butter to? What can I make with whipping cream? Weird.

[JoeandMarcia]

Jay get all the medical stuff fixed up. (you know what I'm talking about too)

 

Howie and Nora, from what I see on the weather channel you had better get out of NE.

 

Leland and Cathy, I hope you are adding extra RV hookups for all of us passing through.

 

Carolyn and Keith, that extra weight loss will give you better gas millage when you get back on the road. There is always a brighter side to things, and if you look around there is always someone in worse shape than we are. Remember you are in our prayers.

[cody47]

Great to hear from everyone -- we have been on the road a bit lately. Currently, we are in eastern SD and looking forward to seeing folks at the Escapade in Gillette.

[TJones]

Williams is great. We saw our first Eagle's nest while driving in Kabib National Forest. If anyone passes through the area and wants to boondock, about three miles south of town there are great locations to pull over. If you would like additional information PM me.

 

We have had to cancell our plans to volunteer at Lee Bottom Flying Field in Southern Indiana. They need a volunteer for mid-August to mid- Oct. If you are interested, go to http://www.leebottom.com/ to learn about the field. You can also do a search on the Escapee's site. Kirk worked there several years ago.

 

Tony

[lelandschliep]

my intention is to put in two spots so we can have company but it is not our intention to be here to be hosting. We got places to go and see yet, know what I mean? If I can get it setup I'll post it so anyone can stop by although it is a little off the road, it is nice out here in the country. mowed a whole acre of grass today. YUKKKKKKK.

[JoeandMarcia]

Willy Nelson at the Kentucky Horse Park.

 

Tonight we broke out the "MARGARATOR", one of the locals here looks like Willy, and sings as good as or better than Willy, and he put on a show for us tonight.

What a time we had listening to Willy (Crockets Road Show) and sipping down the margaritas.

Then the camp host started telling stories, (his wife will kilt hit tonight) we all laughed until our sides hurt, I was crying. I just wish everyone could have been here.

[SKP098118]

Escapees ROCK!!!!!

[Carolyn Wilkerson]

Joe & Marcia, thanks for the mirror. I may have been being a bit whiny. All I needed to do was think about all the nursing homes I've been in as a pastor for 25 years. This beautiful country campground is waaaaaaaay better. The birds are singing, the chipmunks and squirrels (there is one with a blond tail!)and the bunnies are keeping my dogs entertained. And the neighbors are great for help and conversation. In another week or two I'll be in the heated swimming pool every day. See ya on the road one of these days.

[nana25k]

Gary your right, have been away from the forum for a few days and look what you guys are all up to. Just goes to show that you can't turn your back on a class for one second and they are all chattering

 

We are enjoying our time with the family, parked in my sisters drive. My nephew will be here to detail the rig tomorrow, Ron will start repacking bearings this week end also. The first of the week we will be on the phone with Holiday Rambler to see about the repair work.

 

Its certainly nice that my daughter is dating a computer business owner!! What a difference one day in his shop for the laptop did. Runs like a top now.

Jay...take care of yourself and get well, hope its nothing serious

Gary..Did youhave to check those rocks at the border????

 

Bob & Molly, travel safe, what is the house status? Did you sell and move all your stuff?

 

Leland..Just post the directions we will all show up sooner or later even if you aren't home

[Carolyn Wilkerson]

Yeah, Gary, what about all those rocks? At times in my camping vacation years I would bring home rocks from various parts of the country and put them in our garden in Milwaukee. I used to wonder what the archeologists/geologists were going to imagine a thousand years from now about the pile of rocks that didn't seem to belong where they were. I suspect they would decide it was some sort of religious ritual! HeeeHee

[vmarr]

Its the new folks here, we're still in VA, Cheatham naval annex, by williamsburg. Real quiet, nice place here. We were goen to Niagra falls and up around N. MI to WI, and then kinda head west young man to some doans in WY at the tail end of June.But DW decided that grandkids were more important than a bunch of water, so we're scrathen niagra, and headen to NE for awile, before WY, more on the way anyways. See yall there

[nana25k]

Only you would think of that Carolyn

 

vmarr...I am glad to hear Chetham Annex is nice since we haven't used that one yet...be safe and let us know your travel route since we may run into each other again

[norahg]

For all of you who warned us to get out of Nebraska, the warning didn't come soon enough. On our way to our friends north of Lincoln we drove through the worst storm we have ever driven in. At one point we just pulled off the road while the storm packing 60+ winds went by.

 

The 5 days at our friends were spent watching the weather channel constantly as the storms passed all around us and the tornado warnings came and went. Fortunately the nasty tornado that hit Iowa missed us by 25 miles.

 

Then there was the trip back across Nebraska heading west. The weather was calling for more severe thunderstorms and possible tornados in the eastern part of the state, so we decided to head west before the storms arrived. We overnited in a WalMart parking lot in, you guessed it, Kearney. We had barely set up when the tornado sirens started. By the time we decided the sky really looked bad and we had better move the dogs to their cages in the car and drive from the back of the parking lot to near the front of the store the wind and rain came down in torrents. We made a mad dash for the store and as we entered the store manager locked the door behind us and moved everyone to the employee section at the back of the store. Half way back the lights went out, but the generator kicked in and everyone made it into the employees lunch room safely. We sat with about 150 other people for about 35 minutes or so. We could hear the wind banging things around on the roof. We were very relieved when we were finally let out to see our rig still standing and the car undamaged although several shopping carts had been pushed into it. All the kids gym sets on display at the front of the store where blown into the parking lot and some tree limbs were down -- but that was the extent of the damage where we were. We did hear that several tornados did touch down in Kearney and that there was substantial damage. A train was blown off its tracks across town and some big rigs blown over on the highway. The only mess we to clean up was the water that was blown through our window and slideout seals at 80+ mph. It made a nice little puddles on the floor and counters.

 

We are now safely parked in Valentine, NE just 4 miles from the Rosebud Reservation in SD at a very nice (nothing fancy) CG on a working ranch. The weather is sunny and warm. Monday we will move north or maybe east towards Rapid City, where we will probably hang around until time to move to Gillette.

 

Everyone, stay safe as you come west and keep those emergency weather radios turned on.

[Carolyn Wilkerson]

Well, thank goodness you're all safe! There's nothing like a tornado to make one aware of how fragile life is, especially life in a sardine can!

 

Be careful out there, everybody. Sure am sorry to be missing you all at Escapade.

 

I picked up a SHARE food order this morning. Since we're in one place for 6 months, might as well take advantage of this buying club. It's got 5 lbs of onions in it! I need Mike & Sandy's french onion soup recipe!

[JoeandMarcia]

Glad to hear you 4 survived the storm.

 

there is a nice fair grounds close by Valentine in Bassett NE on 183 and 20, that we stayed in one night on our way to Rapid City. The price was right, (donations only).

 

The guy that runs the French River RV Park in Custer SD is a really nice guy, he goes by "rock". It is a Passport America Park so we stayed there for about $15 a night.

You have to watch for deer that walk down through the park. It is small and not a lot of room, but Rock does do leather work if you have a pair of boots that need re-soled.

 

Make sure you go see Crazy Horse, they do a laser light show every night. Taking 16A will give you a great view of Mt Rushmore as you pass through the tunnels, and the "pig tail" turns are awesome.

 

You wont regret having the little car there because there is a lot to see in that area.

 

www.chasingthe70s.info has a write up of when we were there last year.

[nana25k]

Golly Gee Howie & Norah....How scary! Between the snow and the tornadoes it may be time for all of you who are wandering around the mid west to head to the east coast and hang out with us!!!

 

Please be safe

[TJones]

Good Grief. Glad you guy are ok, had to scare the hell out of you.

 

Pamela and I were discussing the best strategy for handling high winds and severe weather. We saw a recent program on TV that explained that underpasses on the Fwy are bad places to hole up if you get out of the vehicle. They said the old idea of getting into the lowest place possible was still best if you are caught outside.

 

We were wondering if placing the rv next to a bulding on the lee side would be a good idea in a city. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

Sure am glad you guys are ok.

 

Tony and Pamela

[chiefneon]

Howdy everyone!

 

No problem with the rock going into Canada. In fact Karen's suffering rock withdraw I think. She hasn't picked up a rock after crossing the border.

 

We've been checking out all the wildlife. In one day we saw on the roadside moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, deer, caribou, buffalo, and a couple of black bears. Its been great.

 

We're in Whitehorse, Yukon now should make the Alaska border in a day or so.

 

"Happy Trails"

chiefneon Gary & Karen

[JoeandMarcia]

Tony, the best way to deal with the high winds is to avoid the areas where they are. Yea I know everyone likes a little but not a smart. LOL

 

 

Gary, you will have to replace all the rocks with pictures. Since you are somewhere that everyone says we need to see, but we have no desire to be, we could see it through your pictures.

 

I hope everyone is having a gr8 time, and I hope the fuel prices don't slow us down too much. We are "chasingthe70s" into the northeast.

[BobGuy]

We're finally on the road again leaving our son's horse farm just west of Richmond, Va. this morning heading west. The first stop was in Roaoake to see Molly's mom and we're overnighting at a Crackle Barrel on I40 just east of Konxville. We'll be in Branson this Sat the 7th and will be there till the 15th. If anyone is in the area give us a shout! We plan to stop in Tulsa and see Jay and Fay on our way to Gillette for the Escapde.

 

Safe travels and hope all you guys are having the time of your lives.

 

Bob nad Molly

[barski]

We have been out of touch for awhile.Sandy and I have been doing family stuff and work on house to get ready to sale. We are going to camphost at a small Ma and Pa resort in northern Mn. Besides full hook ups, we get boat,motor,bait,and 4wheeler. Resort has 11 sites,4 of which are seasonal. Not a bad gig for the summer. If anyone is going to be in the Grand Rapids,Mn.area or heading east after Gillette, Give us a call,this place is as layed back as it gets,and the fishing is great. Everyone play safe and drive careful.

[JoeandMarcia]

Bob and Molly,

I wish we could have gotten together one more time before you headed west again, maybe this fall.

 

Mike and Sandy, that sounds like a gr8 place to spend the summer. Just enough perks to keep it interesting.

 

Until we meet up again... everyone stay safe.

[vmarr]

Bob and Molly, your right behind us sorta, we left Williamsburg VA yesterday,(mon.), and went right by where you were probably, on 64 past Richmond to Charlottesvilleand, Stanton, then went to 64 across to IL and down 57 to Cape Girardeau MO, and are staying here until Thur. then we're off to Ozarks MO, about 15 M north of branson to see some friends. Will probably be there until Sun. Not sure of canpground name, they're supposed to get with us on that, maybe we can get together for a little. emails vere.ve@gmail.com see ya later. hugs

[BobGuy]

Hi vmarr, we're on I 40 now headed towards Nashville. I'll send you an email...we'll look forward to meeting you guys in Branson.

 

Joe and Marcia...I'm so sad we didn't cross paths...we spent last night not far from Raccoon Valley. SOrry we've missed you but we'll get together this fall for sure. Plan to make a stop in the NOrthern Neck with us. (Linda and Ron are in the East also, so let's see who else is around and make plans!!)

 

Linda, the house is For Sale...I haven't packed much...still lots of dishes and plenty of sugar!!LOL Hope to see you this fall!! (You can help pack )

 

Hugs and safe travels to everyone!

M&B

[topfuel]

Hi Bob and Moly, We are north of SLC, Utah at camping world for a couple minor repairs and of course looking at used MH's at the dealer here. We will move on to Yellowstone after the rain leaves then on to Escapade. We will be hosting at Assateague Island NP in ocean City, Md., for Aug, sept, and oct. Drop in if your in the area.