Last Day @ Gulf Shores

This season has passed by quickly.  Tomorrow we're back on the road.  First Stop is a weekend in Tallahassee before moving further south down to Eustis, FL.  Appears we're going to have a wet trip over the weekend.  Weather prognosticators predicted a wet winter, and we sure are having it.  Maybe it'll break for awhile when we head north out of Eustis.

We plan to go back to our weekly postings starting next week.  Maybe we'll even get a few photos worth posting to Facebook, too!  Anyway, thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Until next week, David

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Just a short post letting everyone know we're doing fine.  Beginning to plan our trip back out west for later this year.  Otherwise, we doing the same-ol'-same ol':  walking, riding bicycle, campfires, eating out.  We've had a warmer winter than normal.  Seems wetter than normal, but that may not be accurate.  Pollen (long leaf pine) is in full force.

Friends & family trip begins in two weeks.  First stop Tallahassee, FL on March 1st.  That's the plan, anyway.  We'll post again in a couple of weeks.  Thanks for dropping by, David

End of January Update

Twin Bridge Trail, Gulf State Park, AL

End-of-month update for ya.  We're fine.  Continuing to either ride bicycles around the state park or walk around the state park.  We did get a dinner in with Steve & Susan.  They're busy as usual.  We're glad they could break away and come over for dinner.

Four weeks until we hit the road, again.  We're still planning to head east with stops in Tallahassee and Mt Dora (Florida).  Back up to B'ham from there.  Over to Stone Mountain.  Then up to High Point, NC and Fredericksburg, VA.  A week in Luray, VA after F'burg.  That's what we've got reservations for so far.  We still have a late April trailer service at Indiana Interstate Enterprises in Lagrange, IN.  How early/late we get out of there will depend on the route we take back to Jackson, WY (assuming the feds are still open).  May 15th is our check-in date at the fish hatchery.  Would like to get a visit in near Sioux Falls, SD if possible on the way out.

That's if for us.  Hope it's enough info for ya.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Will write more in a couple of weeks.  David

Mid-January Update

Since I had a brother-in-law tell me that my problems getting my Medicare Card were due to all my past unfavorable comments on software and IT,  I thought this Dilbert cartoon would adequately get everyone up to speed on just how I see software and IT.  Yes, I'm part of the generation that made Bill Gates a billionaire by buying his unfinished software.  I apologize to everyone that I did that.  Not only did he not deserve the money, but now all entrepreneurs think that's how you become a billionaire - sell unfinished, flawed products.

Yep, I finally got my Medicare Card.  Only took four months and two weeks after I submitted my application for Medicare on the first day I became eligible to apply.  Can't renew my retired military ID without the Medicare Card.  So the card arrives some six weeks after the retired military ID expired.  Yes, you can get a temporary ID while waiting for your Medicare Card.  You just have to go reapply every 30 days.  Not a bad process if you live within reasonable traveling distance of a military personnel department.  Heaven help you if you don't.  Heaven help you if you're on Tricare and you have a medical emergency during that time, too.  The temp ID says you're not qualified for Tricare.  Nice process they got there - NOT!

OK - that's outta my system.  We've been unseasonably warm down here, and we've loved every day of it.  It did rain for about a week to ten days as a train of fronts came through, but mostly sunny all the other times.  Fronts come through fairly quickly down here for the most part, so storms usually pass by fairly quickly.  Looks like we'll get cold enough this weekend to pull up the freshwater lines this weekend.  First time to have to do that this season.

In other news, our hot water heater stopped heating on electric - again.  Turns out an old, $8 switch had broken.  The truck got recalled for a engine block heater.  No one knows when the parts will be available, so we can't get that done while we're down here.  Hopefully, we won't have to wait as long as people trying to have air bags replaced!  Need to look at getting a tire replaced on the truck, too.  Always something.

We're doing fine.  Donna rides with the Folks-on-Spokes while I walk.  She walks some, too.  We try to walk two to three hours at a time just to stay use to the length of the short hikes in the Tetons.  Can't duplicate the change in elevation, though.  We enjoy the walks, so it's easy to go the distance.  Haven't seen a whole lot of wildlife.  One gator, a few eagles, an armadillo - that's been about it other than the squirrels and birds.  If the weather is warm, the trails are busy - especially on the weekends.

Anyway, that's it for us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking in on us.  I'll write something in a couple of weeks.  David

Happy New Year!

Beach Mouse Bypass Trail (boardwalk), Middle Lake, Gulf State Park, AL

Well, we've been here a month and truly settled in.  We're still doing OK and doing the same things as last time. We're still walking and Donna still rides her bicycle with the Folks-on-Spokes three days a week.  So far, nothing new (that we know of) has broken on the trailer.  The truck has gotten a new recall for the engine block heater.  And it has rained.  Weather people earlier this year had mentioned a warm, wet winter for this part of the country.  So far, they've nailed it!

I know that's not much, but that wraps up our 2018 adventure for this year.  We pretty much plan on visiting the same general places in 2019 and traveling about the same general timeline.  At least that's the plan!

Here's to a great new year for you all! Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Until next year, David

Mid-month update

We've settled in down here at Gulf Shores.  Been out to eat a few times.  Tried the park's new Woodside Restaurant just off Highway 135 as you enter the park from the west.  Having gotten use to longer hikes over the summer, we're trying to keep the time & length of our walks similar to our summer hikes.  Kinda hard to duplicate the elevation change, though!  Donna still rides with the Folks-on-Spokes, Gulf Shores two to three days a week weather permitting.

Been a wet season, so far.  We've had heavy rain, but not the severe weather we've had in previous years.  Hopefully, we'll get lucky and miss most of the coldest stuff, too.

For those who keep track of such things, we did get the ASCO Red Hat II valve replaced with a manual shut-off valve.  The old valve was wired so that closing the stove top shut the gas off to the stove (to keep the stove from lighting should the cover be closed).  It had worn out and shorted itself out so that it was always on and allowing gas to flow no matter whether the stove top was open or not. We now have to close it manually if we want gas flow off when the stove top is down. 

And in a nod to the 21st Century, we had the software in the truck updated as well as a GPS update.  The original software would reboot from time-to-time.  Nothing dangerous, mind you.  But it did it enough to make Bill Gates proud.  Posts on Ford forums had indicated that people did see an improvement with the update, so we went ahead and had it done.  For the GPS: One must now go get it from a Ford dealership, so we had them just update it themselves while the truck was there.

That gets you up to date.  Thanks for stopping by and checking up on us!  We don't post as often when we're down here as we get into a routine and not a lot changes from week-to-week.  We'll get an update out in a couple of weeks, though.  Later, David

Gulf Oak Ridge Trail, Gulf State Park

Gulf State Park

Middle Lake & Boardwalk, Gulf State Park, AL

We've made our way back to Gulf State Park, AL for the winter arriving Sunday.  We're in our normal site, settled in and filled with groceries.  We've seen a few friends since arriving, got an early dinner in at Mikee's, visited the new Interpretative Center at the park's pavilion, visited & ate lunch at the new lodge, and walked the new changes (updates?) to the old State Route 2 bicycle path.  There's a new, larger crock-pot in the trailer now.  We've gotten the water heater fixed only to develop an overheating ASCO Red Hat II solenoid that controls propane flow to the stove to prevent the stove from staying or turning on while the stove top is closed.  It's an old solenoid that's wearing out, it's probably shorting out, and - of course - it obsolete.  Start getting that resolved tomorrow.

The Folks-on-Spokes folks are beginning to arrive, so we're looking forward to seeing them.  We're also looking forward to visiting with our standing Friday lunch group, too.  Since we get into a routine when we're down here, I'll starting updating the blog about twice a month.

That's it for now.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Pics are from our walks this week around the park.  Enjoy your Christmas shopping!  David

Displays at the new Interpretative Center

New swings at the pavilion

Lobby at the new Lodge

Lobby at the new Lodge