Zoo & Lighted-Boat Parade

This week's adventure was a visit to the Gulf Coast Zoo - same zoo that was Animal Planet's "The Little Zoo That Could" & a trip to the marina next to Lu Lu's to watch the boats line up for the lighted-boat parade.

Last time we visited the zoo I ran out of battery power for the camera when we reached the big cat area, so this time we concentrated on the big cats.  We had a

good time.  Weather was great.  Zoo was crowded as they were having a free-entry-with-a- food-donation event.

Lighted-boat Christmas Parades are always fun, and this one was, too.  We stayed near the marina by Lu Lu's and watched the boats prep & line up.  Took pictures until it got too dark for me to take pictures, then drove along the international waterway as they boated

toward Orange Beach just to watch a few go by.  Maybe I should have tried a video?

Anyway, we had a good time.  We've had great weather this week. Lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s.  Looks like rain for the next few days and on into Christmas as various lows pass by.  So far no snow, no ice.  That's the way we like it!

Later, David

Settling In

University of Mobile's Ram Corps

We've survived  our first week.  Been out eating with some of the gang (Mikee's, LA BBQ, DeSoto's), met new friends, got to watch the University of Mobile's Ram Corps Christmas show at the State Park, and got a new  (temporary) tooth cap.  Oh, and spent lots of money at Camping World in Robertsdale, AL.

Donna's getting her bike rides in, and I'm getting in some walks.  Most of my scratches are healed though one knee and shoulder are still covered with tegaderm.   I can use my hands, again, and I can shake hands.  So that's good.  Probably start some of the trailer maintenance tomorrow that I had intended to do, but delayed, to let my palms heal.

So all-in-all, we're fine.  Everyone have a good weekend.  David

  

Everyone settles down at sunset.

Back at Gulf State Park, AL

We've arrived for winter and was greeted with spring-like weather.  Don't know who turned up the heat, but it's nice.  Had a nice trip down from B'ham.  We took the bikes in for servicing on Tuesday, got a couple of dental appointments out of the way on Wednesday (new temp cap for me), got the bikes back, and then I promptly fell of my bike before the numbness had gone from my new tooth-cap procedure.  Knees, hands (palms), elbows & shoulders beat up as is the left side of my face.  One shoulder, one knee & one palm covered in tegaderm (thin-film covering).  Broke my bike helmet & destroyed a cheap pair of sunglasses in the process.  Gonna be sore & sensitive for a few days.  Definitely put a delay in some of the trailer maintenance I wanted to do while it was warm.  As my Dad told me, I'm too old to fall off bikes!

Started visiting folks, too.  Greeted some of the people we've met in our previous trips to the state park (all staying in the state park, too.)   Got in one visit before we even had the trailer ready to bring the slides out.  Donna got in a long bike ride with the Folks-on-Spokes group today.  We finally got out to visit with Greg & Judy, had a nice dinner with them at Desoto's, and got a glimpse of Gulf Breeze's Christmas float.  Looking forward to lunch at Mikee's with everyone tomorrow, too.  Yep, we came here to eat!

Beginning to plan next year's roaming.  I think we're going to stay on the east side of the Mississippi River & try to make the Hitchhiker's forum's M&M rally in Michigan (August).  Also made reservations for a couple of weeks at Ludington, MI in late July.  We're thinking of spending a month or so in Two Harbors, MN.  We enjoyed our short trip there this past summer.  So we want to go back and spend more time visiting up & down the north shore of Lake Superior.  Need to make a short trip to Mitchell, SD, and I'd like to take a tour of Winnebago's manufacturing in Forest City, IA while we're out that way.  Need to make a decision on whether or not to have a residential fridge installed in the trailer, too.  Looking at having a Cheap-Heat electric-resistance add-on heater installed on our furnace as well.  Still no clue what we're going to do come March 1st when it's time for us to leave the state park, though.

Anyway, good start to winter even with the bumps from yesterday.  Yep, these, too, shall pass - as soon as the scabs grow on!  Later, David

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  We've had a great week visit Dad & Anna & sneaked in a showing of "Big Hero 6".   Got to spend Thanksgiving Day with Dad, Anna, Anna's daughter & her husband, and the grand kids plus Eric.  Nine for dinner made for a good crowd at the dinner table for an excellent meal.

Gettin' cold tonight, so we're back at the trailer all set-up for below freezing temps.  Hopefully, it's our last night below freezing night for awhile.  Everyone have safe travels home.  We're off to Gulf Shores on Monday. At least that's the plan!

Later, David

Back in Birmingham

We had a great stay at Stone Mountain getting in all the visits we could with Doug & Louise plus dog time with Pumpkin & Jack.  We also got a special visit from Mike & Terry and even more dog time with Ike.  Unusual to see them on this side of the Mississippi River.  It was a great week, though!  Oh, and stocked up on supplies from PECO campers, too.

Cold, cold (below freezing cold) Wednesday morning move to Birmingham to visit Dad & Anna.  I-20 still had ice on it in a few places.  Dad & Anna seem to be doing well.  We've gotten in a couple of visits so far plus a walk around their subdivision.  The campground here in Pelham isn't very large, and there's no close-by subdivisions to walk around.  So we take advantage of that when we're at Dad & Anna's place.  We can get into Oak Mtn State Park, and may try to do that once or twice.

Anyway, here until the end of the month.  Then move south to Gulf Shores, AL.  Unfortunately, we got to watch one of the local channels give it's winter weather prediction.  Wet & cold.  Oh the joy that's gonna bring!

later, David

Stone Mountain, GA

Back at Stone Mountain visiting Doug & Louise.  Here for the week.  We had a nice stop in High Point, NC visiting everyone there.  Too quick of a stop, but it was great to see everyone.

Getting cold here.  We anticipate 4 nights of below freezing temps over the next week, so we've filled the freshwater tank, put the hoses back in, and turning up the heaters.  Fall colors are still in this area, so walks and drives are really scenic.

Got the front end of the truck aligned and put two new tires on the front end.  Got about 74,000 miles out of the old tires (we got 45,000 miles of the first pair of front tires).  Real happy about that mileage given the low pressures we run in the front tires to try to improve the truck's ride.  Unfortunately, I think the automotive industry has lost the ability to balance tires.  This modern "electronic" wheel balancing isn't cutting it for 19.5 inch wheels.  Give me the guys who made it an art using on-vehicle balancing.  Those people knew how to balance tires!   And, yes, I'm aware that on-vehicle balancing actually balances more than just the wheel and tire - it takes into account all the imperfections of the wheel suspension system.  And that's just what our 6-yr old, 9,750 lb truck needs!

Anyway, everyone stay warm.  I'm told that all of us may have already seen our high temps for the month of November.  Well, maybe they're wrong.  We can wish!  David

Last Night in Fredericksburg

Prospect Hill, Lee's Drive, Fredericksburg Battlefield, VA

Last night here in the Fredericksburg KOA - assuming everything works OK in the morning.  All doc visits are done.  Apparently we're OK, but we've eaten too much.  We've seen just about everyone.  Rental car is turned in.  Was able to take advantage of $3.359/gal for diesel and topped off both fuel tanks.  Big change for us as diesel was $3.869 in International Falls.

If all goes well, we'll head down to High Point, NC for the weekend.  Then move on down toward Stone Mountain, GA on Monday with an overnight at Gaffney, SC KOA - a new stop for us.  Plan to arrive at Stone Mountain State Park on Veterans Day.

At least that's the plan!  Later, David