Ingram, TX & Johnson Creek RV

We arrived at the rally site, Johnson Creek RV Resort, Thursday afternoon after a 170 mile ride from Bastrop. Driving over we drove through the area of the Bastrop brush fires of last year. We saw acres of burnt & dead trees and many foundations where houses use to be, including just fireplaces. There were many houses under construction too.

The last time we were at Johnson Creek we were towed in. The truck blew a turbo hose in January 2008 outside Kerrville and our home was towed here until the truck was repaired the following day. The park is in a pecan orchard & quite nice......no FEMA trailers here! Stan & Connie have been work camping here since December so we went to dinner with them. There are 26 HitchHikers coming in for the rally next week so we'll be seeing many of our RV friends.

Bastrop, TX

We weren't sure how much time we wanted to stay in Bastrop, 20 miles south east of Austin, as we have a few days of slop in our schedule. We drove through the rain so we'll have to have Jody & Renato stop over and help wash the truck & HitchHiker as they are both now quite dirty. After getting into the campground and we decided we'd only stay one night. For $15 we got to park next to a FEMA trailer. We did pass a field with acres of bluebonnets. It was quite overcast and hazy so you can't see how nice they really looked.

Livingston, TX......Escapees HQ

We left Kinder (with $85 of the casinos $$$) and arrived at the Escapees HQ park. We were here for several days in early 2008 when we had our rooftop satellite dish installed. This time we met up with Paul & Dottie so we went out for some good Mexican chow for dinner. They will leave in the morning. I wanted to stop here and have the rig weighted and get an insurance quote too. We'll get the quote today and tomorrow before we pull out we'll get weighed.

Couchatta Casino Kinder, LA & ants ants ants!!

HAPPY BIG 40 RANDY LAST FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, our fond memories of our first time in Abita Springs in November 2008 have not been repeated. Tuesday we did some running around, restocking food, refueling, lunch and checked out out best route our of here because of the low old live oak trees. Last time we broke a rooftop vent cover and we are now 2" taller due to the better suspension system. Wednesday, Thursday & Friday it rained rained & rained some more. Thunder & lightening made it exciting. One afternoon we had to take cover in the clubhouse due to a tornado warning. We just stayed put all the time, never even made it to Abita Springs Brewery for the tasting room! We wanted to leave Friday morning but it rained all Thursday night so it was too wet to depart. Friday afternoon the sun came out & started to dry things off. Saturday we made the 180 mile trip to a very nice CG at Couchatta Casino. After we set up we discovered a parting gift from Abita Springs.....ANTS, lots of em. Judy went bonkers between killing ants and cleaning from all the wet "stuff" we tracking in from the last stop. We have RV friends, Roger & Barb, who live 10 miles from here so they came down and we all went out for a nice supper then returned here to continue the visit. I have been busy insurance shopping as out truck went up 22% from last year and I haven't investigated insurance since we hit the road 5 years ago. The slide problems we had aren't causing any problems but I did make a service appointment in Chanute, KS May 29. It's on the way back to MI anyways. We always enjoy visiting there, RV friends show up all the time.
Today, Sunday, we will stay here as we'd like to spend some time, hopefully ONLY time, in the casino & enjoy the great weather. The park was pretty full when we arrived and we had to change sites as the first one was next to "partyville", kids, people, music, toys all over. Today LOTS folks are leaving , looks like locals come for the weekend with families & friends bringing lots of kids & golf carts and nifty little golf cart cars. Reminds me of when Jody & Randy were young & we went camping at state parks with Judy's family. Tomorrow we'll make the trip to Livingston, TX & the Escapee HQ park.

Abita Springs, LA

We made the looooong 94 mile trip from Biloxi today after stopping by Jody & Renato's place to pick up our dry laundry, a quick McDonald's breakfast stop & trying to fill the trucks tank. The BP station was out of diesel but we have plenty left in the auxiliary tank. My 27 year old Harley belt buckle has finally had it so we stopped at a Harley dealer for a new one, didn't like any and one possibility was made in China.

We went back to the park & packed up, left at 10:30 and arrived in Abita Springs at 12:30. It's a free ROD park so we ended up with 30a and water site, no sewer so we'll not stay a full week as the shower holding tank will be full. I never thought we'd get a satellite signal through the trees but Judy was optimistic and guess what......a perfect signal!

Free, Free, Free at last!

We left Gulf Shores Friday morning for the 115 mile trip to Biloxi. We returned to Foxes RV Park where we stayed last fall when visiting Jody & Renato. We had a little surprise when we arrived as two slides didn't want to work right when we set up. We got them to work without much trouble but will have to keep an eye on them as something is not right. We went over to see Jody & Renato which was great, then went to their favorite Japanese restaurant. Saturday Jody & Judy went to Mobile for hair "styling". When they returned we all went out for for lunch. We sat outside with the beach & gulf behind us. We went by the clinic where she works as you can see. That night we all went to a Mississippi Surge hockey game at the coliseum. It was quite enjoyable listening to rednecks at a hockey game in flip flops. One interesting item is when two players fight the refs allow them to remove their gloves & helmets, go to center ice and fist fight. When one falls down they both go the the penalty box. Wish I would have gotten a video. Sunday Jody & Renato rode their bikes over (3 miles) and washed the HitchHiker AND truck. THANK YOU!!!!! We then went to Newks as we were all starving. Afterwords we went to see the movie 21 Jump Street before saying our goodbyes as they return to work Monday & we head west to Abita Springs, LA.

Gulf Shores is almost in our rear view mirror

Our time in Gulf Shores this winter is drawing to a close. Our neighbor, Corn, had a fish fry this week and here is is frying fish from the gulf. We went out for one of our last meals (at Steamers) with our HitchHiker friends Paul & Dottie and Dave & Donna (even though they have a Mobile Suite) and Don & Zola.
As you can see Patches like small boxes, and we saw a nice bluebird outside our window. We have been seeing robins for a month now.
The marina & boats in strorage were next to a nice resturant we went to with Don & Zola.