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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Braunig Lake RV Resort


Administration & rec hall.
December 6, 2006
Arrived at Braunig Lake RV Resort on the outskirts of San Antonio. We plan on 13 days at this location. At Braunig Lake RV Resort they offer guests a full service resort where they have everything necessary for a relaxing and worry-free stay. There are a total of 265 full service RV sites that are open to both seasonal and nightly guests. The park surrounds a large man-made lake.


December 7, 2006
Drove into San Antonio with overcast skies, but no rain. Bit chilly with wind gusts. We parked and walked to see the Alamo. I don't remember much from the time I saw it as a child when my family lived here.
The 18th century Spanish mission where 189 Texan volunteers, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, were slaughtered by the Mexican army in 1836. It is a self-guided tour and they have a gift shop with a lot of memorabilia for sale.

We walked a few blocks and stopped for lunch at the "infamous" Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. Few bars have a collection of over 1,200 mounted animal heads, a two-headed calf, and three shrunken heads made by South American tribes. Under the watchful eyes of so many animal heads and a standing bear with an unfriendly expression you feel as if you're in the Wild West. The Buckhorn has been a traditional favorite of native Texans and those who wish they were. The food at best was edible. We understand that the museum is worth seeing, but we didn't have any time left.
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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!