We left Keaton Beach, FL on Thursday and drove 150 miles across the panhandle via Route 98. Might be our upbringing, but we never seem to range very far from the salt water where ever we go, and Route 98 definately hugged the coastline on the way here. It was a great sunny drive with vistas on the Gulf. The highways have been especially good the last couple of driving days in terms of being flat, smooth, and sparsley populated. Great for hauling our little rig.
Some of the towns we passed thru on the way here were Perry, Newport, Sopchoppy, Eastpoint, Carrabelle, Apalacicola, and Port St. Joe. The neatest looking place might have been Ho-Hum RV Park, a very small park, right on the beach somewhere along the way, but we stuck to plan and made it to Rustic Sands RV Park, a half mile from the Gulf here in Mexico Beach, FL.
We've been relaxing here, got stocked up on groceries yesterday, and today went out to the beach at the west end of town. It is said to be 26 miles of white sand between here and the next settled area, Panama City. As you noticed, dogs are allowed on this particular beach, unlike those on the east end of town where the hotels and restaurants are found. Before we went out there to run Dixie today I cleaned the screens and windows in the RV (all 7) while Anne did a single load of laundry.
There is a huge Air Force base down the road west of here, Tyndall AFB. Always an exciting drive past something like that and to see and hear the fighter jets as our boys practice. Very impressive, and gives one a sense of pride.
Tomorrow morning, Sunday, we leave here for Helena, AL just outside Montgomery, 281 miles north. We must get an early start because the Celtics/Lakers game is on national TV at 2:30pm our time. I forgot to mention we found ourselves in the Central Time Zone after arriving here, and I'm guessing we'll remain in it as we go up thru Alabama. It's a good thing cell phones change time zones automatically, very nice feature. We'll spend one night at Cherokee Campground in Helena, then get up and drive 104 more miles up to Decatur, AL where we'll stay at Point Mallard RV Park visit with good friends we love for a day or two.
From there, plan is to jump across state borders directly from Decatur, and travel diagonally across Mississippi southwest on the Natchez Trace Scenic Parkway on our way to Louisianna.
Home Again !!
We've come full circle and made it home to Maine (not the most attractive Welcome sign we've seen in our travels)
Henniker, NH
We'll make it home after we leave here
Pretty close to home now
Now we're getting somewhere....
Niagara Falls, NY
Welcome back to USA. I didn't know you could drive from Michigan directly to NY, but we did it
A 'good sign'
Wonders, The American Falls (near) and Canadian Falls (far)
Maid(s) of the Mist
Ontario, Canada
Here we go, off to Canada again, over the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron
Another very nice young lady intervied us and wished us safe travels
Welcome back to Canada, now to get across Ontario, then out of Canada later today
They were practicing along the highway in Canada.
Fancy Queen Elizabeth Way sign
Any and all of these all look good to us....
Locks in the Niagara River allow ships to travel and negotiate the 326 foot drop between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The St. Lawrence Seaway allows ships to avoid Niagara Falls along the way.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe ???
Here we go again, kinda like SWA, just like cattle
We all got bored waiting over an hour to cross the border
I wonder if the boys will take any of our stuff this time?
Port Huron, MI
Location, location, location...
The Blue Water (double) Bridge to Canada
This is where we stayed at Port Huron, MI, poised to cross their bridge to Canada in the morning
Harrison, MI
Didn't take alot of pictures in the rain today as we drove, but this shows the direction we took as we drove towards our reservation in Harrison, MI
St. Ignace, MI
Signs in St. Ignace, MI
Mackinac Bridge between St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, MI. Third longest suspension bridge in the world
Sign says it all
Crossing over the Mackinac Bridge. It connects Michigans U.P. and L.P. (mitten)
Iron Mountain, MI
Could be Maine, but we're driving down Hwy 70 between Eagle River, WI and Michigan's U.P.
Shortly after leaving Eagle River, WI we entered Michigan again. We missed the welcome sign first time in, but got a second chance.
Hwy's we traveled on the U.P. of Michigan
Might be Bark River, MI but it's the same time here as it is back home, yeah !!
Lively town on the U.P.
On coming cedar post truck travelin on the U.P. of Michigan. Cedar trees and the industry thrive here
Eagle River, WI
Nice welcome sign !!
We stayed here, and as usual opened the campground for the 2011 season
Yup, the World Snowmobile Championships are held here in Eagle River
Hwy 2 on UP of Michigan on way to Eagle River, WI. Yes, we left Wisconsin at Hurley, entered Michigans U.P. at Ironwood, took Rt 2 to Rt 45 and entered Wisconsin again at Land O'Lakes on route to Eagle River, Hi Pines Campground
Deluth, MN
Just checking to see if you're paying attention
Bridge from Deluth, MN to Superior, WI
Across the bridge from Deluth into Wisconsin
Looking down into Deluth
Landmarks at the tip of Lake Superior in Deluth, MN
Cloquet, MN
Gas station at Fond du Lac Indian Reservation
We stayed at Big Lake Campground, Cloquet, MN, near Deluth. I liked this sign. Can't remember where it was but it was somewhere off Hwy 2
A neat General Store, northern Minnesota
Local election time in Bagely, MN
Outside of Blandin Paper Mill, Grand Rapids, MN
Theif River Falls, MN
The Red River, flooding as we crossed into Minnesota at Drayton near Grand Forks. We were detoured from our route in this area due to flooded highways.
Minot, North Dakota
Taken from our site at Rough Rider Campground. Yes, those sites across the dirt road are under water
With the Souris River flooding here it'll be a while before anyone uses these sites
Flooded campsites at Rough Rider Campground, Minot, ND
USA, Yeah !!!
Anne had to pass this huge seeding aparatus (which kindly moved over for on-coming cars)
We drove thru North Dakota on this valley-like highway on our way to Minot
USA/Canada border at North Dakota
Flooded farm land, like most of the farmland we saw across Canada
Suddenly a fog bank overcomes the beautiful clouds as we drive the Trans-Canada Highway
Feels good, the anticipation of leaving Canada for USA
I have serious questions about these US Customs agents, if they only knew I had this picture. They took the rest of them I had taken here, and our dog food and fruit too.
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Sunrise in Moose Jaw
Trans-Canada Highway, 4000+ miles long
Anne, excited to finally see the Moose, freezing, or both
Loved this sign, seen in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Medicine Hat, Alberta
One of hundreds of the grain elevators in this part of the world
Even here in Canada, we never get too far from the train
Places along our route here
The largest Tee-Pee in the world, Medicine Hat, AL
British Columbia, Canada
About a half hour from Moyie Springs, ID
The border crossing was all torn up with construction going on
Look them straight in the eye and tell the truth, works every time
I would have placed the sign somewhere else.....
Put your thinkin cap on. Hey, maybe the GPS will convert for us ?
Imagine this with a nice blue sky
So near, yet so far away
You can almost reach out and touch 'em
Do I hear an echo ??
Holy Cow, let's hope not
Oh My !!
Watch out for these !!
Not too fast !!
Just plain scenic, don't blink
Yikes, no guardrail here !! C'mon now, no rubber neckin
Where the rams hang out, it's their territory
Quick, convert the meters, and hope this is over 12' 6"
This Rocky Mountain Sheep looked as tho he wanted to take us on, we slowed down
Welcome to Alberta
Moyie Springs, ID at Twin Rivers Canyon Resort
The road we negotiated in and out of the Resort
Looking over the edge of dirt road, half way up the hillside, as we drive out of Twin Rivers Canyon Resort
View down to the campground as we drive up the hillside (notice the road behind us in the mirror)
View of the hillside / switchbacks from the campground below
View of a train atop the canyon wall, from the lower campground
View of the canyon from the rivers edge
The train atop the canyon wall heads to the log yard we saw on the way into the Resort
Find the Pope in the Pizza, rather the UPS Truck starting up the switchbacks
The sign says it
One of many switchback turns heading down the hillside into Twin Rivers Canyon Resort
Sign on the way down to the resort
As we start driving down, a look across the canyon to a log yard on the other side
8-10 deer surprised us and traverse the steep hillside in front of us as we drive down switchbacks into the canyon
A section of the road we used to descend the canyon hillside
View from top of the hill at Moyie River Canyon, ID,. We camped down bottom at the river
We're never too far from the tracks. Taken in Bonners Ferry, ID
The Washington Desert between Moses Lake and Spokane
Desert Farming
More of the Washington Desert (no, it's not a painting)
I smell trees, yeah, we're finally out of the desert, 30 miles outside Spokane
Coming into Spokane, WA on Hwy 90
18 miles to Spokane RV Park, Deer Park, WA. Might be cold !!
Around Sunset 4/6/11
From our site at Spokane RV Resort. YEAH IT SCARED US TOO
Over the Cascade Mountains we go
Let's go for it
We don't carry chains, so........
WARNING !! WARNING !!
Is THIS where they filmed Rambo?
Find the Pope in the pizza (or the cell tower in the spruce trees)
Just a little further, then it's all downhill from there
Ears popping yet ??
Why not just pour salt on the wound !!
Heavy wet sleet
I see the potential for an avalanche
On to Moses Lake, WA
Another good place for a wind farm
Vantage Bridge, Vantage, WA, crossing the Columbia River
On to Black Diamond, WA
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Gig Harbor, WA
I'm thinkin' Camp Granada.....
Hood Canal Bridge
Some serious cloud cover
Sequim, WA (pronounced Sqwim)
Quinnault Indian Reservation Natural Area at Olympic National Forest
We got fuel here in Amanda Park,WA
A spot on the WA coast in Quinault Indian Resesrvation today
A sign
You can see the managed forests
We've come to expect 'border crossing' checkpoints in places like this
Approaching Lake Cresent
Driving along side Lake Crescent
The boom precedes the empty log truck as it approaches
Port Angeles with Olympia, Canada (Vancouver Island) across the water in the distance
Copalis Beach, WA
No fear
My girls love the beach
Ahhhhhhhhhh
Oooooooooo
The girls. What about poor Beasley, stuck back in the RV?
Anne insisted
Almost sunset
What about steamers?
Puffy Q at Copalis Beach
Ride into Washington from Astoria, Oregon
Next Landfall, Washington's wilderness
Tankers in the mouth of the Columbia River
Near the bridge to Astoria, the distant bridge goes to Washington State
Netarts, OR
Their boat launch
???? They grow in bunches along the roadside
Bigger, and fancier tail than the ones back home
Skunk plants, not for your centerpiece we're told
Bay City, OR
Lunch at Pacific Oyster
We're talkin dump-truck loads of live oysters
I shuck, you shuck, we all shuck
I shucked these, he shucked those, I bet mines heavier
Packing the oysters for sale
Ride from Lincoln City to Tillamook, OR
Pacific Coast Highway at sea level for a change
Big country out there
The longest scenic byway we've ever seen
Didn't expect to see cranberry bogs here !
That's where the Oregon Dunes start up ahead there
More of the Oregon Dunes, and a brief shower in the background
Lincoln City, OR
The Siletz, a beautiful green, wild (no dams) river
Alright! They have cats here too !!!
Oh yeah, we can take 3 nights here to recharge
Site 7, Coyote-Rock RV Park
Garlic, salt & pepper, or jerk (smoked salmon that is) for the weary
It's the Siletz River, one of a few wild rivers left in Oregon
Coos Bay, OR
Coos Bay
Port Orford, OR
View of the harbor, and booms on the dock
The Marina of Port Orford, OR
???? Head, just to the South of Port Orford
Hmmmm, wonder how big it is?
The ??? Head at Port Orford
Beam me up Scotty
Trinidad, CA to Port Orford, OR
Glad they were resting when we came thru
Drive-thru Redwood Forest, well allright !!
WOW
WOWWOW
It took awhile to get thru California
It was a short summer for us, but we'll have another summer when we get home
Love that blue sky when it shows up
What will the sky do next?
And how did it get there?
I know Montana is 'big sky' country, but ......
Trinidad, CA
Good thing the other park had no vacancies, we'd have missed out on something nice !
Among giants !
Hold that tree up Anne (don't anybody tell her there's no top on it)!!
Damp around these parts.....these trees drink like crazy
Caspar Beach to Trinad, CA
Oh my, no rubber neckin for the driver
Is that a sunny spot ahead, can we make it?
Up we go again
We've seen these in the news but this is a bit too close for comfort
Tryin to capture the height of those redwood trees
Holy cow, how many 'S' turns will that be
A place to pull over
In case they didn't look tall in the other picture
All that and blue sky too
WHOA !!!!
No, those are not Matchbox cars....
The Sea Ranch, CA
Before we walked down the stairway
No problem, walking down to the beach
Hope I can get back up
Meme couldn't jump the stream from the waterfall
Caspar Beach to The Sea Ranch, CA
First turn out of Caspar Beach
Along California 1
Pacific Coast Highway
PCH
Don't be looking down !!
Somewhere along California 1
Caspar, CA
My girls, Anne and Dixie discovering Caspar Beach
Caspar Beach
Yup, we've made it to the Pacific Coast
Caspar Beach from the street
Entrance, Caspar Beach RV Park
Flowers at Caspar Beach RV Park
Flowers at Caspar Beach
More of CBRV Park
Flowers at Caspar Beach RV Park
More of CBRV Park
Flowers at Caspar Beach
Willits, CA
At Willits we exited Hwy 101 and took Route 20 over to the coast
Anne driving thru vineyards on Hwy 101 near Ukiah, CA on the way to Mendocino
View on the way to Mendocino
Napa Valley, CA
A site along the road near my cousins home
Amazing how these grape vines are trained
Standing alongside a vineyard at Napa Valley
Amazing detail of how each grapevine is tended to at Napa Valley
Tiburon, CA
View of Angel Island and the GG Bridge from Tiburon waterfront
View of San Francisco from the Tiburon waterfront
View of San Francisco from up on a hill in Tiburon
View from a 'ritzy' hillside in Tiburon
Another cool view of the GG bridge from another hill top in Tiburon
Sacremento, CA
Getting into Sacto
Driving thru mountains east of Napa
Even folks with solar powered gate openers have trash cans
A Winery
Tight road in the hills of Napa
Riding to Sacto thru the woods of Napa
Riding thru the hills of Napa to Sacramento
Hills and vineyards of Napa
San Francisco Bay Area
Wind Farm East of Oakland
Kingsburg, CA, Viking RV Park
Citrus, Palms, and Snow all in one
A proud employer in this town
fruit trees and mountains way up at Sequoia
Spring sprang !
One of many colors of poppies around here
Pretty in pink
Magnolia
Flowers bloom in March, grapevines produce in September
Why not, a self directed RV Park ? Just follow the dots.
Hey Lizzy
Gardens at Viking RV Park
Driving, Lake Elsinore to Kingsburg, CA
East LA Freeway
Hills and Freeway near Santa Clarita
Near Pyramid Lake
Pyramid Lake
I think Isaac Newton warned us about this stuff.
Weeeeee!!!
Some kind'a nut trees
Around Lake Elsinore, CA
Riverside Drive
Sunrise
Clouds cling to the mountain tops
Fiesta Island Dog Park, Mission Bay, San Diego
More of the Dog Park
Fiesta Island Dog Park, San Diego
Mission Bay Shoreline
Territory east of San Diego
Funny how a Mexican looking dude usually let's us proceed thru
The stats
Carrizo Gorge, CA
Hwy 8
Are those bumps in the road ahead, snowy ones ?
No Where's Ville
Glamis Dunes
Here we come !
A mountain pass going into Yuma, AZ
Wellton, AZ
Fantistic crops grow in the desert, one being onions, and these were thriving
Wellton, AZ
We never get too far from the railroad
Here we are !! Is that a little dust devil?
Gila Bend, AZ
The other windy city
Desert driving
Near Gila (Hela) Bend
The Desert
If you water it, green will come
Driving Thru the Desert again
On the way from Mesa to Yuma
Mesa
Every spot, even our's, has it's tree
Mesa
Got Citrus?
Mesa Regal RV Resort (RV City)
2500 spaces at this park, WOW
Mesa, AZ
Bird of Paradise plant
Picacho, AZ
Sunset on the ranch in Picacho, AZ
More sunset in Picacho
The spread at Picacho
Ouch Cactus
Close up ??? Cactus
Little cactus garden
Prickly Pear
View thru window from our table at Frankie's
Tucson
Just passin thru
Deming, NM
Sunset sky, Hi-Lo RV Park
?? Cactus, Hi-Lo
Sunset at Hi-Lo RV Park, Deming
Cactus Garden at Hi-Lo
El Paso Texas
Drive to Deming, NM from Carlsbad, NM
Texas Hwy 285
Texas Tea
More Texas Route 17
On the way from Study Butte TX to Carlsbad, NM
Most motor homers are satisfied with a car in tow, but this is rediculous
Big Bend National Park, Texas
THIS is The Rio Grande w/Mexico just across
The scenery never quit in the park and outside too
Study Butte, Texas
Sunrise out our door in Study Butte, fuzzy pic but you get the idea
Coming into Study Butte, TX just outside Big Bend National Park
Texas 'Hill Country' West of Austin
Heading West from Austin to Fort Stockton
Austin, TX, Live Music capital of the World
Alongside Highway 45, Huntsville, TX
__________
Dallas Day Trip
SuperBowl Players superimposed on a giant building
One day after the SuperBowl
The 'High Five'
Huntsville, Texas
It wasn't featured on 'The Travel Channel' for it's looks....
Louisianna
Natchitoches, LA, home of 'Steel Magnolias' the movie
Louisianna COLD
Brrrrr
Are ya sure you want to sneak up on me with that camera?
Beasley is doing fine ! Getting over a sneeze he's had for a week now
Home for the next 2 nights
View from our truck, we pull into Country Livin' RV Park
Mississippi's Natchez Trace Parkway
Seen 5 miles,,, you've seen em' all.
Mexico Beach, FL
Dixie will be able to stretch her legs here
Florida's Panhandle
Route 98, a divided highway, ideal conditions for haulin'
12
Stress free
11
Pondering our next move, the drive across Texas maybe?
10
Florida's Natural Gas Pipeline Project along Highway19
9
Finally, a place for a pocket full of tangled line
8
The end of our road, and we're here all alone
7
Self explanatory
6
No complaints from anybody
5
View back from the pier/deck
4
No hurricanes in the forecast, RIGHT?
3
OK, I guess somebody's got to take Site #25
2
From the RV steps, sight of where 'The Old Pavilion' once stood
1
People just get uglier and loose their sense of time when the tide goes out
Keaton Beach, FL, Old Pavilion RV Park
6pm 'ish
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Aripeka, FL
This sleepy town was Babe Ruth's favorite fishing/vacation spot
