Let the Good Times ROLL!
NATIONAL PARKS ACROSS USA -
Since September 28, 06, we have seen the following National Parks:
Badlands National Park – South Dakota
Big Bend National Park - Texas
Crater Lake National Park – Oregon
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – North Carolina
Mount Rainier - Washington
Mount Rushmore National Memorial – South Dakota
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Washington
Redwoods National Park - California
Saguaro National Park - Arizona
Sequoia National Park - California
Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming
Yosemite National Park – California
National Parks and/or Monuments seen on previous vacations:
Jefferson Expansion National Memorial – St. Louis, Missouri
Lincoln Memorial & Washington Monument - DC
Everglades National Park – Florida
Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona
Haleakala National Park - Hawaii
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii
U.S.S. Arizona Memorial – Hawaii
National Parks we hope to see:
Death Valley National Park - California
Mesa Verde National Park – Colorado
Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico
Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
Arches National Park – Utah
Canyonlands National Park – Utah
Zion National Park - Utah
Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming
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November 9 - 10, 2006
Arrived at Raccoon Mountain RV Park after encountering many twists and turns on the road westward out of the Smokies. It was scary, to say the least with several stone outcroppings forcing us into the other lane. Great mountain views, and close location to downtown and area attractions.
Five minutes away from the RV park was Lookout Mountain. We took the drive in the late afternoon. Beautiful view at the top. They had hang-gliding places advertised. Nice scenic highway Rt. 157 and a nice view of the city below. Neighborhood is mixed with old historical homes and new modern ones. We saw St. Elmo National Historic District at the foot of the mountain, Chattanooga’s first bedroom suburb with shops, etc. but had no time to stop.
Glancing back into history, St. Elmo was once the site of the crossroads of two ancient Cherokee Indian trails and home of Daniel Ross, the father of John Ross, principal chief of the Cherokee tribe at the time of the "Trail of Tears," when the Cherokees were removed to Oklahoma. The John Ross home is a National Landmark in nearby Rossville, Georgia.
We drove to Camping World for supplies. Also took in a movie at Hamilton Place Mall. Over 200 stores and 30 restaurants.
Ray: We have decided that we need to stay at one location 3-4 nights in order to feel it is necessary to unload the motorcycle off the truck. The actual load & unloading is not bad -- the eight tie-down straps take time though. When we are on the road fully loaded, I can only see the truck with the bike through the RV's back-up camera. So far, so good. Ramp works fine and always draws a small crowd of inquisitive people.
Waynesville, NC to Chattanooga, TN – Leaving Waynesville, NC heading west, I decided not to take I-40 over the mountains to the north because so many people advised against it, rough road. Instead we stayed south of the Smokies. Beautiful area at peak fall colors, but now mostly barren and stark. Road was great and RV-friendly until we took Rt. 64. Single lane toward Tennessee looked good on the map and GPS, however some of the roadside cliffs appeared as if they wanted to reshape our RV, forcing me cautiously into the other lane. Everything has a different perspective when you are sitting at eye level 8-9 ft. above the road with another 4-5 ft. of your home over your head, we must have 13-ft. + for safe clearance. Looking through a picture window that is 5 ft. high and 8 ft. wide really brings your world into view. Most of the time that view is truly indescribable. I can hardly wait until we make the next turn or crest the next hill.
Next time I would like to ride the bike in this area.b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item">
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FULL TIMING
FULL TIMING? Our first thoughts on such a monumental change of direction in our lives started with the purchase of a 32' Toy Hauler-KZ 5th Wheel early 2006. We took a vacation in May and traveled the mountains of North Carolina. We liked the fact we had our own bed to sleep in and could see surrounding areas either on our Honda Gold Wing or GMC truck. However, during the vacation, we found that the KZ 32' 5th-wheel was entirely too small, even for a long weekend. We wanted to trade up. One thing led to another and we started to question the next three years before Marsha was scheduled to retire.After much soul-searching, prayer, and financial calculations, Marsha requested early retirement for personal and physical reasons.Full timing meant we were saying "goodbye" to all that is familiar. Everything happened so quickly we didn't have time to contemplate that aspect much. We research everything thoroughly before we purchase. This would be our new home and we wanted all the "bells & whistles" within our budget. Lazy Days in Seffner, Florida had a new National, 2006 Tradewinds motorhome available at the right price. It has a 400-HP Turbo diesel engine and many amenities. We did get the "cart before the horse" purchasing the RV before selling our home. It was the worst time of year to sell a home in Florida. We sold with only a month before closing! Thankfully, we had our new "home on wheels" in our back yard for preparation.
It became clear that our personal craving for travel and adventure overcame our requirement for a traditional home with all the things that seemed so important.Getting rid of clutter can be liberating. We did not want to pay for storage. Collectibles such as our Fenton glass, sets of crystal glass, or ceramic pieces were handed over to family members or close friends for their enjoyment. We had a two-day garage sale and anything remaining went to charity. We feel the flexibility and comfort of RV travel far outweighs any pinch felt at the fuel pump. Let the Good Times Roll!
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