July 24, 2012 - Gun Barrel City

Had a heck of a time driving thru Dallas - lots of construction and SLOW moving traffic, YUCK. Got here to the campground, Lakeridge RV Park (near Athens) about 4:00, about 1.5 hours later than I figured. This is my last campground, I will be home sometime tomorrow afternoon. Not really looking forward to unpacking everything and putting stuff away. I plan to clean up the inside and outside of the coach as best I can tonight so I dont have to do it when I get home. This place is pretty good, full hookups, level concrete sites and the price is great, $21. It is in the TACO book.

Well I left on June 8 and will be getting back home on July 25. Had a really great time with friends in Canada and at GNR. Driving all those hours by myself without my sweetie next to me was no fun. I talked to her a few times and sang a few of her favorite songs when they came on the radio but it will never ever be the same - it SUCKS BIG TIME!!!! Hopefully next time I take an extended trip I will have a new travel companion, but I am not in any hurry - I am sure Barb will fix me up with someone compatible. Well, this is my last post for this trip. When I take another, I will resurrect this blog once again.

Bye, Bye till next time.

July 23, 2012 - Guthrie, OK

Not much going on today. Left about 9:00 this  morning and arrived here at Pioneer Campground about 3:00. Mostly level gravel sites with full hookups and LOTS of sand burrs (OUCH)! Trying to figure out what to make for dinner - whatever it is has to go with amaretto sours.

July 22, 2012 - Topeka, KS

Left Forest City about 9:00 yesterday morning and drove to Clarinda, Iowa, which is in southwestern Iowa, to visit a friend of mine, Dixie Zehr, who lives in Holiday Villages during the winter months. We sat around for a while catching up on news and drinking beers and wine. Then we out and had a really great dinner. Watched a little TV and then went to bed. We got up today and  Dixie made me a REAL breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal. I decided to stay a while and go to church with her - a really old church with a lot of character. I left when I got back from church and headed down the road to Topeka.

Temperature was 106 on my digital temp gauge in the coach as I drove thru Kansas City about 2:00 this afternoon. HOT, HOT, HOT - I think global warming is REAL!!!!!  This campground, Deer Creek Valley RV Park, is a fairly new one and gives a Good Sam discount. Lots of level concrete and grass (all brown) and no trees. They do have a lot of amenities like a nice swimming pool that I had all to myself - felt really good.

Lots of concrete and dead grass.

Nice relaxing swimming pool.

July 20, 2012 - Forest City, IA

Winnebago service center finished up my slideout work this afternoon about 2:00 so I decided to just stay here at the service center again tonight like I have the past couple nights. They have a couple dozen sites, some in the parking lot and others in a little park next door - 50 amp service, no water and no sewer which is fine with me. I'm just catching up on the news with my toddy and trying to figure out what to have for dinner. Will probably watch a movie on TV tonight and finish reading my book that I have been working on for a couple months now. Tomorrow I will be heading home.

July 19, 2012 - GNR

Went to more seminars and listened to a lot of entertainers yesterday and today. Last night the Texas row finished up the BBQ for dinner that we had for the first night. Lots of good sides once again. The entertainment on the big stage last evening was the Surf City Allstars. All the members of this tribute band were once musicians or singers with the Beach Boys. Original Beach Boy David Marks sang with the group and they did all their original hits - it was great, lots of singing and dancing. Marks has been touring the the Beach Boys in their 50th reunion tour but had some time off from the tour so he came and sang with the Allstars. As with most 70 year old rockers, his voice is not very good anymore but he blended in fine.

Before the concert we had a classic car rally - about 50 or so classic cars from various clubs drove thru the rally grounds and then stopped so we could walk around and see the cars. My coach was getting service work done and I left my camera in it so did not get any pictures. 

Tonight closed out the rally with a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, A1A. They are the only tribute band personally sanctioned by Jimmy Buffet. They played all his great songs and ended up of course with everyone singing along with Margaritaville. The service shop should finish up my slideout work tomorrow and then I will start heading back home.

July 17, 2012 - GNR

Went to a lot of Seminars today and learned about some new things with my coach. One big tent has entertainment going on all day long from about 9:00 in the morning to about 4:00 in the afternoon. Really good music, comics, magicians. Last night the featured entertainer was a pick-pocket/magician. He was really amazing and a good entertainer. This evening we had a husband & wife singing team that sang songs about the RV lifestyle - some really funny songs. I had my coach in the Winnebago shop all day getting some service work done on it. During GNR you can schedule to have work done at discounted prices and they know exactly how to fix things vs. a repair shop in Texas. Tonight we also had State Row parties. Each State served a sample of food from their state at the head of their row. It was like trick-or-treating, you just go from row to row and eat and drink. Had lots of meatballs, finger sandwiches, margaritas, cajun food, beer, wines, wild rice soup, and on and on.

Entrance into the Rally grounds across from the Winnebago factory.

We served Texas salsa at our row, hot stuff with plenty of jalapenos in it, yum, yum.

Cap'n Tom Sparrow and his first mate Annie (from Clear Lake and a member of my local Winnie club in Houston)

Every year a group of guys get together and entertain the party goers on a float that goes from row to row.

Tonights entertainment - notice his guitar is in the shape of an RV. These folks travel the country in their motorhome and write songs about their RV experiences.

July 15, 2012 - Forest City, IA (GNR)

We arrived here at GNR yesterday about 12:00. They didnt start parking coaches until 1:00 so we got in line and ate some lunch while we waited. Got parked and set up about 2:00; Jim and Rosemary are parked next to me on Texas Row. Texas has about 75 coaches here. Went down to happy hour about 4:00 and met all the other Texas folks, many who I know from Texas W state rallys.

Got up this morning about 7:00, had a little breakfast and then went into town to familiarize myself with it again. Barb and I were here for our first GNR last year - this is where she started getting sick and just wasnt her cheerful self, so I knew something was wrong. GNR brings back a lot of good and bad memories, but with all the friends here, I am sure I can make it thru just fine. I saw that the Methodist church in town had a 10:00 service and since it has been about 4 weeks since I had been to church, I decided to get dressed up and go. As it turns out, half the congregation was GNR folks. After the service they had a BBQ lunch for all of us, so I went to that as well; cant pass up free food when on a budget. The whole town of Forest City bends over backwards for the Winnebago folks during GNR, lots of free meals, discounts at stores, festivals and parades - lots of fun.

Did a little computer work this afternoon and then the Texas row had a BBQ pot luck dinner. Everyone brought a dish and the state furnished brisket and sausage. I ate like a pig once again. After dinner sat around and relaxed with some folks and then went over to the big arena for the opening ceremonies. All the seminars and activities start tomorrow. You can check out the blog from GNR last year at this time to see what Barb and I were doing during the week.

Waiting in line to check in.

All set up - did not have to jack up the coach as much as I did last year.

Texas head of row - as you see, it is a pirate theme this year.

Enjoying happy hour.

BBQ dinner with LOTS of side dishes that everyone brought.

July 13, 2012 - Ashby, Minn.

Almost missed the time change again. Jim woke me up at 6:00 this morning and told me he was going to go fill up at a local gas station and get some breakfast. I went back to bed and could not sleep so I got up and checked my cell phone which showed that it was 7:10. Of course the clock in the bedroom was set from my watch which was wrong. Since we were planning to leave at 8:00 I had to hustle to get everything cleaned and put away. Drove about 425 miles today and got here about 6:00, Prairie Cove Campground in Ashby. Pretty nice campground with long grassy pull thrus. Full hook ups and a Good Sam discount. Should arrive in Forest City tomorrow for the Winnebago Grand National Rally (GNR). Will be there for about a week and then will head on home.

Jim and I have that poor Rialta boxed in pretty good.

July 12, 2012 - Brandon, Manitoba

Had another long driving day today, about 7 hours. Got to the campground about 4:00 and we got a little rain. Staying at Meadowlark Campground. They have a lot of sites, all grass and flat with a lot more room than last night. We will finally get back to the good ole USA tomorrow so I can check all my voicemails.

More room than yesterday.

July 11, 2012 - Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Got up about 6:30 this morning and packed up the rest of my stuff. Had a few donuts and coffee with the other folks in the group and said goddbye. Smarts and I left about 8:00. It was a long day, got to the campground at about 4:00. Staying at Pondarosa Campground which has just grass sites, mostly level but we are packed in pretty tightly. After dinner tonight Jim and Rosemary and I went over to a local casino. I played blackjack for a couple hours and made $50 - did better than the Smarts did. 

Pretty tight fit at this park.

July 10, 2012 - Canmore/Banff Canada

Today is my last full day here in Canmore. We didnt have anything going on until about 5:00 tonight so I spent most of the day cleaning up the inside of the coach, putting things away and getting ready to leave tomorrow morning. Put away all the yard art on the outside as well as the hammock and chairs. Lubed up the jacks and checked the air on the tires - now I am ready to roll.

Tonight we went to a dinner theater here in Canmore, Oh Canada, EH?!. This was EXCELLENT. This is a music celebration of Canada that provides an unforgettable Canadian experience. Multi-talented singers perform Canadian songs in a rustic log cabin as well as serve as our waiters for the evening. During the show we were served a delicious Canadian 4 course family style meal; 1-soup, 2-salad, 3-meats (sirloin, chicken, and fish) and vegies, 4-mouse desert. We met singing mounties, lumberjacks, Anne-of-Green Gables and other Canadian characters as we enjoyed the songs and scenes of Canada.

Our table.

Good friends, Jim & Rosemary.

Our waitress and performer.

Singing and dancing.

Trapper.

Lumberjack.

Miss Kitty.

Mountie.

Disco Mountie

This was a perfect ending to our Canadian Rockies tour. I would definitely do this one again.

July 9, 2012 - Canmore/Banff Canada

Today we left about 10:00 on the bus and headed to Calgary (about 1 hour drive) to attend the Calgary Stampede. Since I didnt want to walk around the fairgrounds all day long, I elected to stay on the bus when we got there and took the city tour which took about 3 hours with a 1 hour stop for lunch. Stopped by the Olympic village for about 30 minutes and the rest of the time was in the bus seeing all the city highlights.

We got back to the stampede about 3:00 and it was HOT for Calgary, about 33 degC or 90 degF. I wore my cowboy duds and hat but did not wear my boots because I can only take about 2-3 hours of walking in boots.

This was the 100th year celebration of the stampede and boy was it BIG. It looked to me to be bigger than the Texas State Fair.

They had huge area where the native Indians showed you life in their various tribes.

There were authentic teepees from all the various tribes - must have been about 30-40 of them. Members of the tribe stayed in them during the stampede and some of them were open so you could see in them.

I walked around visiting some of the booths and vendor booths and of course the beer booths. Since beer was about $7 for a can of Bud, I did not get too many. There was a big wine garden set up in one of the air conditioned halls so I relaxed there for about an hour and did some people watching while sipping a few glasses of merlot.

On my way to the stadium for the big show, I ran across the Budweiser clydsdales. They were just getting them harnessed up and hooked up the the trailer to drive around the fairgrounds. Before they put any tack on the horses they brush them down really good and feather up the hair on their hooves. It takes about 10 minutes to get each one ready.

Opening ceremonies at the stadium.

The chuckwagon races started at about 8:00 and there were 9 heats of 4 wagons each. The races originated by the cowboys of the stampede in 1923 and is probably the most thrilling sport known to man. The races get under way as a quartet of four-horse wagons and their sixteen outriders thunder around the half-mile track in pursuit of a $1,500,000 purse.This was really exciting to watch.

Following the races, there was a 90 minute celebration of the 100 year anniversary complete with a firework display that was better than anything I had seen in Houston. It reminded me of an opening ceremony that you see on TV for the Olympics. There were headline acts from around the world and world class singers. It rivaled the Houston Livestock show and hands down.

Bringing the huge stage onto the track.

Some of the pyrotechnics and entertainment.

I will try to upload some of the videos that I took during the show and put them into my picture album at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/106137482761610674940/2012CanadianRockiesTrip

We finally arrived back at the campground about 1:00 in the morning and then I slept in.

July 8, 2012 - Canmore/Banff Canada

Got to sleep in again today; bus didnt leave until 10:00 today. We went to the Banff Springs Hotel for their HUGE bruch buffet. They had every kind of breakfast item you could imagine along with lunch items like prime rib, steaks, different types of chicken, several fishes, tons of veggies and a whole room of desserts.

Picture of the hotel - it is built like a castle and is huge. All the staff is housed next door in their own apartments. 

We had our own private dinning room with more silverware on the table than I knew what to do with.

Food area was massive with anything you could think of.

There was also outside dining on a patio overlooking the town of Banff.

Then we took the bus over to Sulphur Mountain where we road a gondola up to the top of the mountain. What a fantastic view.

This is the entrance for the gondolas. Had a food court, gift shop, etc.

Picture of the gondolas.

Loading up on the gondola - it seated 4 people.

Another awesome view from the top.

July 7, 2012 - Canmore/Banff Canada

Today was a free day so I got up late (8:00) and had a leisurely breakfast. Worked around the coach for a little while doing a few little maintenance items before I leave next week. Just before lunch I went in to the town of Canmore and walked around a little while. Didnt see much so I came back and had lunch then drove over to the town of Banff (about 15 miles away). Walked around the town looking for a good deal on a T-shirt, which I finally did find. Had to have a couple brews at the Banff Ave. Brewing company - good beers, and then picked up some great chocolate at a home made candy store. Will sit around the fire again tonight with everyone and talk about our day.

This is really a tough lifestyle.

July 6, 2012 - Canmore/Banff Canada

Wifi went out at the RV park so had to go down to the library in town to connect to the internet.

Today we left about 7:45 and traveled via the Trans Canada Highway to the scenic Icefields Parkway

 and then on to a view of Crowfoot Glacier, one of western Canada's finest historic landscapes.

We then continued on to Bow Lake, the source of the Bow River. Across the lake is part of a very large icefield covering an area of the great divide.

Had lunch at The Crossing - another great buffet.

At 2:00 we climbed on board a 55 passenger snowcoach to tour the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in North America.

The glacier has shrunk a lot over the years.

This is how it used to look early in the 1900's

Driving out to the glacier in the coach. Top speed is about 28 mph. Has 36" wide tires with 15# air pressure in them.

We got out on the Athebasca glacier. The glacier is about 1000' thick where we got out.

We then stopped the Num Ti Jah Lodge for snacks and a bathroom break and to view some more fantastic scenery.

Every night we have been sitting around a campfire sipping our toddys and telling stories - some of them true. It does not get dark until about 11:00 which makes it hard to go to bed early.