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
______________________________
February 26 - We arrived at
Elite Resorts of America. It is a very large RV park on Little Lake Kerr. We love,
REALLY LOVE, our site with the full deck to relax and cook on the BBQ. To be out of dirt and sand and room for the truck and bike is awesome. Our walks down to the lake everyday are quite enjoyable. This is one of the sunset pictures Ray was able to capture.
Sunday, March 16 - After experiencing a mild winter in central Florida, Marsha and I are enjoying our second residency for the winter in
Salt Springs, located east of Ocala and at the north end of Ocala National Forest.
This morning we decided to ride our 2005 Gold Wing motorcycle into the area of the famous horse ranches around the Ocala area. The temperature in early AM was already 60 with a high predicted near 80. We dressed in layers, with our outer layer being leather. We took route 316 west. Most of the roads in the Ocala National Forest are relatively straight with a very slight roll to them. At any moment, you expect to see any one of many native animals that inhabit the forest. Today, many black birds, buzzards, squirrels, raccoon, armadillo and many small birds welcomed us as we rode into the morning haze.
North of Ocala, approximately 7-miles, we started to pass horse ranches. Shortly after crossing over I-75 on route 316, we turned south on route 225. It is hard to explain the vastness of this area and each ranch has its own identity, some with large metal gates with initials or names. The ranches are divided with wood fences painted mostly white, black or stained dark. The land is cleared for grazing and looks like a manicured yard except for occasional large moss-laden oaks. The barns or stables appear to be so upscale they could be fit for human habitation rather than horses. In addition, the most pleasant surprise was the magnificent horses, most of them quarter horses with their colts staying very close to their mother. Moreover, we admired the amazing homes sitting majestically down the very long entrance driveways.
b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item">
>
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!
Posts
