We started our trip on Oct. 17th, 2010. We took I-81 through Virginia – a very scenic route. This is a photo of the Blue Ridge Mountains along our route.
This “camper” is from California. It was in a Virginia rest stop and we got a chuckle seeing it.
We met George and Joanne Dunn in Alamo Palms a couple of years ago. They are “full timers” and we visited them in their home state of Alabama.
This is Lakeside Landing – our campsite while visiting our Alabama friends. George & Joanne drove us all around – we saw the Honda plant where Don’s Accord was made; we had a great catfish lunch & shopped at the Pink Store – that’s even better than the Dollar Store, which George calls the “Alabama Macy’s”.
Jim & Sara Prickett put on a dinner for 14 people – all folks that we had met in Texas. This is Sara’s big country kitchen. She made spaghetti and homemade sour dough bread, plus peach cobbler. We learned about real Southern Hospitality!
Jim Prickett - and
Sara Prickett. Our Hosts! Their 50th wedding anniversary is very soon and they will renew their vows.
The Pricketts have 45 acres and a lake. After dinner, I picked up pecans while Don went fishing.
Don’s fish!
Joe Talton and
his wife Mary Patt . She’s wearing her Alabama dirt shirt and I’m laughing at the big breakfast. We’ll be seeing them in Alamo Palms this winter.
Our farewell breakfast. L to R- George, Joanne, Don. We sure had a wonderful time in Alabama.
Knoxville, TN – We stayed at the Escapees’ Raccoon Valley RV Park in Heiskell. From there we toured Oak Ridge where Atomic Energy was developed – along with the atomic bomb that ended WWII.
Outside the Energy Museum is this tower sculpture made from pieces of the World Trade Center tragedy on 9/11.
from a brochure on the museum.
While in Shreveport, LA, we couldn’t resist the great lunch buffet at Sam’s Town Casino. We also lost a few bucks – very quickly - playing the slots.
We saw some REALLY BIG, beautiful churches in Shreveport.
These huge crosses are sure to catch your attention as you drive through the south.
This is KUDZU – the plant that ate the south. It’s invasive and is all over- literally.
In Livingston, TX, we stayed at the Headquarters of the Escapees – Rainbow’s End. Thousands of “full timers” use this as their home base and mailing address.
Welcome to Houston, TX! We stayed at Elks Lodge 121 – full hookups, huge concrete pad – and easy access to the freeways - (Don’s nightmare).
I have always wanted to visit Bayou Bend, former home of Texas Governor Hogg and his philanthropist daughter, Miss Ima Hogg. We were not able to tour inside the home because of a private tour, but we enjoyed the beautiful gardens with an audio self-guided headset.
Even the iron gate is a work of art.
These formal gardens are on the south side of the house. There were 9 separate garden areas to explore – a very pleasant afternoon.
Don braved Huston’s freeways again on Friday to take me to the International Quilt Show. This photo of downtown was taken outside the Convention Center.
We had never been is such a huge convention center before. The quilt show took up the entire building with half dedicated to quilt display and the other half to vendors.
Eleanor Burns of “Quilt in a Day” fame, gave a funny, half hour presentation. I caught up with her at her booth and Don took our photo. Great fun! Below are some of the quilts that we photographed.
After the quilt show, we had lunch at Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen – one of our favorite restaurants.
I love this photo of Don eating his ice cream cone. Adios, Houston!
