Chicken Creek Classic rally

After some running around Tuesday morning we left Chanute before noon and arrived in Chicken Creek, a Corp of Engineers park in Cookson, OK. Wes & Tonia, the hosts, were already here; just behind us Bruce & Bunny arrived. We set up and spent the evening visiting. The weather is really great, 70s daytime & 50s at night.

On Wednesday we washed the trailer as a few more HitchHikers arrived from Chanute.

NuWa visit

On Monday we were up early and dropped off our home at the service department at 7am along with several others from the city campground. We then had breakfast at the Grain Bin downtown, there were 4 or 5 couples and Judy had her usual....pecan waffles. We all did the 10am NuWa manufacturing tour and then hit the parts department for a few items we needed. The two finished HitchHikers have full body paint, no decals. We picked up our home at 3pm and returned to the city campground, Santa Fe Park, for the night.

Made it to Chanute, KS

Yesterday we started at 8:45 and no wind! Sweet. We did get rained in but no heavy downpours. I started driving and after we were through St Louis Judy drove for a few hours then I took over driving through Kansas City to Chanute. Judy is a much better navigator than I am. We arrived in Chanute about 4:30 and luckily a friend, Jeff, saved us a site, actually his was big so we shared it. The Santa Fe city park is overflowing. One of our friends dry camped in the grass. On Sunday there was some truck & HitchHiker washings going on, a little beer drinking too. Late in the afternoon many of us gathered behind our unit in the sunshine and out of the wind for happy hour. Two couples are here settling into their new HitchHikers, several are here for service appointments, and one for parts. The park is full of non HitchHikers due to a city celebration yesterday and a class reunion this weekend. Up early tomorrow to be at NuWa by 7am.

Que it up Willie...On the Road Again.......

Saturday we got to attend Devyn's second soccer game, she got an assist on one goal; not bad considering she's playing with older girls. They won 5 to 2 and are 1/1 for the season. Randy has succeeded in tuckering me out splitting and stacking wood this week. I'm pooped. I will admit that every time we work on his wood pile it hurts a little less. We had goodbye supper with Devyn this week and then again with Randy & Kristi. They are all doing fine and we'll miss them but after two months in MI it's time to leave so we can all return to our normal lives. Patches had a difficult time bidding farewell to all her cousins,

Nick, Dollar, Jack, Holly (the horses); Anne & Remmy (the goats); and Tom, Jerry, Brad, Jovi, Bubby, Itty Bitty, Squeeky & Strippy Girl, & Reggie.

We were planning on leaving last Sunday but a couple medical appointments popped up so we hit the road Thursday afternoon. Our first stop was Elkhart, IN at the MOR/ryde facility so they could check the softer rubber suspension they installed a couple weeks ago. After only 200 miles of travel all is well and their inspection passed. We left a little before 8 this morning (Friday) and made it 330 miles to Litchfield, IL; about an hour east of St Louis. It was very windy but we have to be in Chanute, KS Monday. We decided to travel longer days and get there Saturday, tomorrow, rather than Sunday so we can rest Sunday.

Today also showed us the modified suspension is working well. Time to get the blog going again.

Soccor & back to school

I know we have been busy the last couple weeks but I'll be darned if I can remember busy doing what. We have been back to Elkhart two days to have some work done on the trailers new suspension system, so far so good. We went to Devyn's first soccer game in the rain and she's back in school, middle school no less! We have been visiting with family, Judy's sister Jean and my sister Bev; friends Don & Zola and Chet & Anna and Al & Joan as we are getting ready to head west in four of five days. We have also been busy with doctor appointments, only one left tomorrow. The weather the last few days has been really nice, 70s daytime and 50s at night. Cool enough for Randy to make me earn my keep by helping him split and move wood for the winter season.

Doctor Jody Bahnmiller

Doctor Bahnmiller has successfully completed her medical education and residency and has her Florida & Mississippi medical licenses. She has also passed her board exam and is board certified! Today she started working in Long Beach, Mississippi for Hospital Corporation of America at a clinic that another doctor has started. The clinic is associated with Garden Park Medical Center. She saw 16 patients on her first day, all survived. Congratulations daughter. Mom & Pop

The Hoosier Honey Beauty Contest

Today Judy and I attended a couple seminars, not any of early (9am) ones though. I attended Gypsy Journal FAQ while Judy attended (of course!) Honey Let's Clean the RV. In the afternoon I went to Managing Digital Photos with Picassa while Judy went to For Women Only. We both went to Beginning Genealogy by left after 20 minutes....too dry. We both attended the Google Earth presentation. Before the evening entertainment started Dennis Hill (RV Driving School) warmed the audience up in his orange outfit, his favorite color (might be due to all the orange cones he uses in the RV driver training). At 7pm Nick gave away more door prises (we won a book on RV Maintenance last night) then about 7:30 the Hoosier (Hooter) Honey Beauty Contest started. The winner, wearing the tierra, was Carmalita Camelback. RV rallies aren't always serious. If you want to see more of the beauty contest here's a YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIuLgUDa8R4