BirdSongPlace
San Diego County, CA
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Joined: 11/08/2004
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I have really enjoyed reading about your trip and was sorry to see that you didn't have more time for Texas. Actually it might be just as well as I think Texas is like a whole different country and requires a few weeks to become acquainted with. We held up in Texas one year while waiting out hurricanes in Louisiana and Alabama. It turned out to be a great excuse to get to know Texas.
We LOVE Big Bend but you can't just drop in on your way somewhere else. You have to be going to BB to get there! Texas tourism offers the very best travel book that is available. It is the size of a small phone book and is full of fun facts that helps you to find all those little out of the way spots that you would certainly miss if you are just flying down the interstate.
Do add Texas to your travel bucket list.
PS I hope that you will publish a map showing your route of your current trip.
2000 Ford F350
2004 Adventurer
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Mike Tassinari
Peabody Mass..
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Joined: 02/27/2003
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Hi Anne&Joe...
Cathie saw your post a bit back on Marguretas and wanted to climb through the Screen...
You have kept me speachless with your postings and pictures..I have alway know that there is a LOT more to this good ol US-of-A,having for the most part only traveled the East Coast corrodore..
Thank you for taking the time to keep all of us posted..
Mike Tassinari
2002 Ford-4x4-Extended Cab-Dually-Lariet-Powerstroke Diesel--4.10 gears--Ranchero Adjustable Shocks-55 Gallon Extended Fuel Tank--4 Extra Main Leaf Springs-1 Extra Helper Spring..Independant Second Altinator(100AMP)to Charge MY Twin 275 AH. Deep Cycle Battery Bank tucked under the truck bed....
2001 Lance-11&1/2 Ft.-Model 1121/slide/out with all the Toys&2000 Watt Inverter
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TwoMaineiacs
Near Freeport, Maine
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Joined: 04/08/2006
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We have the huge Texas state travel book back in Maine. Figured we'd pick up a newer one but never found a tourist center. I agree Texas deserves a trip of its own. Lucky we found that fun state park we did on our own.
Mike - a TCer could never live long enough to see half the places just mentioned here on TC at RV.NET. I'd printed off a lot of them and we've seen many but there are is so much more.
Pete - see comments on Graceland below
June 23 - OKC through Arkansas
Today was a pure travel day with no sight seeing. Left OKC early and headed into some fairly heavy rain. Welcome temperature of 70F and no trouble driving. We were on I-40 which is a heavy truck traffic route so took a leisurely pace and just drifted along looking at the green fields. Quite a contrast from UT, AZ and NM.
What I don't like about a lot of the states we are going through? Billboards! Hundreds of ugly billboards clutter the side of the highway and obstruct views. Glad the top tier of New England states doesn't allow them anymore.
We frequently buy diesel at the Love's Stations chain and there has always been a pump for diesel on the gas station clearly marked RV fills. Today in Palestine, Arkansas, pulled into a Love's and no diesel with the regular gas pumps. So around the back we went with all the big trucks. Took a long time to get to the pump, even longer to do the paper work inside but..... while Joe filled and papered, I chatted with some of the road crew for Brad Paisley. They were traveling in four gorgeous big buses with bright graphics and clean as could be. Nice group of guys. Said Brad flew in to concerts but sometimes traveled with them. They asked lots of questions about Bangor, Maine as they are going there relatively soon.
Tonight we are in Village Creek State Park in Arkansas. It is a large park with maybe 100 campsites. There are about 5 people in all in the park. Think gas prices are catching up with everyone? We chose to stay here because we are very tired and needed a quite night with no road noise or big diesels roaring early AM. We're pretty played out and ready to head for home except a few more stops. Tomorrow we go see Elvis and Beale Street,then Nashville, a friend in TN, and then VA to visit family. That last 850 miles back to Maine is going to be a killer!
June 24 - Memphis to Nashville
The drive into Memphis was not fun. The roads are broken up, dirty, lots of litter and very impatient drivers. Sorry those of you who live in that part of TN, but the parts we saw would not draw us back.
Got to Graceland about 10:00AM and it was already 94F degrees. The fee to enter the parking lot was $8.00. At least they didn't charge us the $10.00 for an RV. Walked into the area to buy tickets and were told it would be an HOUR before we got to the head of the line. $27.00 for a walk around the outside of Graceland, $32.00 for a quick tour of the inside, $68 for a full tour and that is per person. We'll spend money when it is something we really want but we looked at each other and said no way! There were people from all over the world waiting to get in. Bless them and I hope they enjoyed it. Bought an Elvis magnet for our travel board, post cards to send home and left. Cheap? Maybe but that $136 dollars will buy diesel to see a lot more interesting things, a lot less crowded and maybe cooler. Pete - you go in?
Back on I-40 which had even heavier truck traffic today. As soon as we could we moved over to the Natchez Trace and followed it up to Nashville. Interesting history to the Trace but after the views out west, this became routine really quickly.
We took fellow RV.NET member JerBear's advice and are in Two Rivers RV Park in Nashville tonight. We had a great steak dinner at Sante Fe Steak house and tomorrow will take a quick van tour into Nashville to see some of the sights and country star's homes on a drive by.
Next is Knoxville and into VA to my family. We're then headed home to Maine as quickly as we can. Cool, foggy weather calls.
2011 Chalet Double Slide on a 2010 Ford F-350 Diesel DRW
On the Road Again from Rural Maine
Our travel blog with photos
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Tbone54
Lexington,SC
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Joined: 12/22/2007
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If yall are coming thru South Carolina I have a overnite spot with water,20 amp power and dump. I am in Lexington next to I-20 and just 7 miles from I-26. Just email me at tallen217@aol.com if interested. Thank you very much for the trip photos.
2000 Chevy 2500 6.0 gas drinker
2002 Lance 835
2000 Sea Hunt 172/Honda 90
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petekerwien
Camano Island, WA
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Joined: 06/28/2007
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Anne: exactly... could not have put it better...we did not go in. I sat in the TC while Mitzi found out the same info you did. A lot of people do go in. We were happy heading down the road.
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TwoMaineiacs
Near Freeport, Maine
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Joined: 04/08/2006
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tbone54 - thanks for the generous offer. Headed from TN into VA and then to ME. We may catch you on the next trip - after a long rest from this one!!
Pete - see I knew you were a sensible fellow.
Anne
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fuelhauler
Southern Oregon
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Joined: 07/25/2006
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I'm with you on passing up the Elvis tourist trap. Do you know he's still making over 40 million a year from the grave? It was a trivial answer on tv the other nite.
2005 Dodge q/c 4x4 dually six speed pac brake
2006 bigfoot 10.6
2003 Everest 32' 5vr (SOLD)
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LanceCamper845
Pocono Mountains, PA
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Joined: 12/24/2006
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Anne,
I was hoping you and Joe would make it into North Carolina and join Cathy and I in New Bern. We will be here until July 3rd. We are in the New Bern KOA in the exact site you and Joe had. We left home on June 16 and camped at Assateague Island and then the Outer Banks before heading here.
Jim & Cathy
2008 Ford F-250 Crew-Cab w/ Camper Package
6.8L V-10 / 5 Speed TorqShift / 4.10 Rear
Ride- Rites / Stable- Loads / TorkLift Tie Downs / Fast Guns
2011 Lance 830
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TwoMaineiacs
Near Freeport, Maine
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Joined: 04/08/2006
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Jim - wish we had more time and could join you but there is some stuff we've go to do at home this summer. The house sitter has a life too so home calls pretty loudly. Watch out for those afternoon thunderstorms, southern style. Bit different from our northern ones. Joe says go into New Bern to see the home of Pepsi Cola in a drugstore downtown.
June 25 - Nashville through Knoxville and the Great Smoky National orest
Today turned into part fun and part travel. Left Nashville at rush hour and got hung up in a traffic jam where a tractor trailer cargo burned. Cab looked okay so somehow the driver must have been able to disconnect. Long, slow inch by inch traveling.
Decided not to stop in Knoxville though it looked like it had a lot to offer. Took I-40 to I-140 to 129 at Alcoa, TN, then 35 at Maryville to 321 to 73 at Townsend to a good Smokey Mountain Travel Center for maps, etc. and into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
The road we were on was called the Little River Road and snakes up through the forest following a stream up and down, rounded gentle lush green mountains of very small size compared to the west. I can see where so many of you TCers like this park as we spotted a lot of side roads that looked jeep friendly.
Then you come to the scene below within 100 feet of the scene above
What a shock coming out of the forest and BAM - right into the middle of true honkey tonk in Gatlinburg. We could not find a native artisan for pottery, all reproduction junk. Very disappointed and spent a minimal amount of time in this tourist trap. I'm sure the good local artists are there but just not easily found quickly.
Back to I-40, through Asheville and further on some of the worse concrete roads we've ever driven. Bone jarring to say the least. We had planned on going up 173 through Boone, NC and then onto the Blue Ridge Parkway through Fancy Gap, Meadows of Dan, VA and then over through Danville and from there to near Richmond. However, these older bones just aren't going to take more sightseeing right now. We stayed on I-40 which got even worse for concrete joints and bouncing and are tonight in a campground near Statesville, NC. It was 95F late
afternoon, is 78F now and 77F inside with AC. Can finally turn it off! Our fifth week on the road and we have fallen prey to the siren song of air conditioning!! Sorry folks, sitting in a Wal-mart or by the road tonight with generator just wasn't going to cut it. Tomorrow we'll be at my family in VA and will spend 4-5 days visiting and resting up from the road. Poor camper and truck need a major cleaning. There is still Palo Duro red mud in the cracks.
This trip is pretty well over as we'll head straight back to Maine, ready to plan the next one and getting all our thoughts, notes and photos in order.
Can't say enough on how well the Host Rainier has performed. One broken drawer latch and a screen door slightly out of alignment (don't ask) and that is it for over 7,500 miles. The Ford F-350 has handled all we've thrown at it. The engine/fan noise has not re-occured now that we are down out of 8-10,000 feet at high temps and long, slow pulls with a load. We look forward to many more trips but will be rethinking what we were carrying for gear, clothes, food, etc. Rally trips and long travel trips are two different animals!
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petekerwien
Camano Island, WA
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Joined: 06/28/2007
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It was a great trip for us too! Brought back memories and created some new ones.
Glad all went well, stay safe you still have miles to go!
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