A lot of catching up to do......

I have neglected you Dear Blog, and so I will sit myself down and try and get you caught up, a little bit at a time, and we will start today and go backward….and forward…and backward again.

It is always amazing to me when people say, “What do the two of you DO ALL DAY on that Re-started Path thing you talk about?” Well I am here to tell you, there are not a whole lot of dull or empty moments in our lives. Right this very minute I am sitting outside, just steps from the Peace River in the middle of Florida in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve. The air is extremely still and the spanish moss hangs from all the oak trees around me, draped like a shawl on a fancy dress. It’s off-grey color combined with the gentle sounds of the acorns dropping from the trees I find very soothing. The sun is just setting and the sky is filled with the vibrant pinks and blues that seem to only be present when it is a calm clear night.

Today we had an adventure of sorts, if you include alligators and bike riding an adventure, AND I DO. We rode the mile or so over to Pioneer Park, not that far from where we are camped, in search of the elusive Sandhill Crane that is on my list of “Must Photograph”, this trip to Florida. Didn’t find any cranes, but we did have a nice ride filled with Ibis, ALLIGATOR (only 1), and a magnificent, but shy, Blue Heron.

This area of the Great State of Florida is where a lot of “My People” still live today. We are extremely fortunate to have a family historian, thank you Sara K., that has managed to compile through DNA and an immense amount of research, an extremely thorough history of our family. It seems that the majority of relatives on my Mom’s side were some of the very FIRST settlers in the state of Florida. When we told Sara we were going to be in Peace River area she told us “if you get in any trouble, just throw a dart, bet you will hit a cousin because I show at least 50 in the general area.” hmmmmmm…..

Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we are on our way to Bok Tower. That little piece of land holds many fond memories for me. As a child, we would try and visit the tower on the return from a week at Daytona Beach after our summer vacation. My brother and I would wander up and down the fauna and flora filled paths, chasing squirrels and throwing them the peanuts that they dispensed in the little machines, for I think a nickel - at that time. My Mom and Dad would wander off by themselves and we would catch up to them every once and awhile and check in. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized the significance this little piece of earth held for my Mom. What I would give to sit on a bench with her once again and listen to the birds and her gentle soothing voice as she told me the tales of the 1940’s when her father worked the land around the tower and she would drink in it’s beauty. But that’s for tomorrow…….

Merry Christmas Eve to all our family and friends! If you are reading this, then you signed up for our emails, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT! We love to keep connected with you this way, and hope that this next year brings you so much joy and happiness, a little bit of travel…OR A LOT IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED, and a few giggles along the way. Love to you all, Sue & Bob.

New England in the Fall

It’s been a little over two weeks since we returned from Boston, our routine here in South Carolina now firmly settled once again. Walks in the morning next to the now harvested cotton fields, trips to the library to get some work done on websites that I manage, bike rides for Bob and evening meals with family. We could really get used to this. After not been “settled” for quite a while, it has been nice to sink our roots in a little.

The weather has changed. Gone are the hot and humid - sit out by the pool all afternoon days, they have been replaced with the crisp cool temps of fall, with a scattered thunderstorm every few days.

The two weeks in the Boston area were more than we could have hoped. The only thing that wasn’t in our favor was the cold and sometimes rainy weather that we experienced. It didn’t put a damper on our spirits though and our visit with my Aunt Sue was truly wonderful.

Her beautiful home sits on a corner just a short block from Duxbury Bay in one direction, and a park dedicated to Miles Standish’s first settlement in the other. The area is filled with history and we wandered through the towns of Duxbury and Plymouth viewing areas of not only Revolutionary times, but more important to me, the areas were my father grew up. This was the history that I was looking for. As my Dads younger sister, my Aunt Sue has always been my “go to” for family information.

This was the first time that Bob had been to the area, so she told him many stories of Dads adolescence and summers on the bay. I just sat in the backseat and closed my eyes…traveling back through the years long ago.

The sweet smell of the breeze off the bay, the crackle of the leaves as I ventured out on a morning walk..all these memories I take back home with me. And, a brick to be mailed to Michelle for the “Travel Collection”.

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A few days later we ventured through the hell known as “Boston Traffic” and made our way to the Beacon Hill area where we had rented an AirBnB for a few days. Our good friends Melissa and Tim from Susanville were arriving at the airport that night. A great location, it allowed us to hop on the train to go into the historic areas the next day.

We ate and drank our way through Boston. Placing our feet on the red brick route of the Freedom Trail , we set off for our first stop, Faneuil Hall. Next stop - Quincy Market where it was time for Mel and Tim to get their first “lobstah” roll and some hot and hearty New England Clam Chowder. We ventured off the path for cannolis at Mike’s Pastry, and then it was on to Paul Revere’s House, Christ Church, Copp’s Burying Ground and over the bridge to see Old Ironsides’ herself, The USS Constitution. What a great day, and although chilly, the sun was out and the skies were crisp. The Northern section did not disappoint for a fabulous Italian dinner either.

WE ALL LOVE CANNOLIS

Of course we had to do the taste test between Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry. Located a couple short blocks from each other on Hanover Street in the North End, we started with Mike’s in the morning with some coffee. Had Modern Pastry after dinner, and then went BACK to Mike’s for a follow up taste test another day. No follow up was really needed, we ALL agreed, MIKE’S PASTRY was the bomb!! Even found out that they ship anywhere!! They send the cannoli shells separate from the cream and extra toppings. Christmas treats anyone????

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Next up on our “must do” list was a visit with our good friend Jayne who lived in Connecticut. Stationed together in Hawaii FORTY YEARS AGO, we had seen each other only once since we left there. What a kick!!!! How does it happen that all that time can go by, but you feel like it has only been weeks? We have had children, and now grandchildren! We reminisced about the days in Hawaii and the times that only your 22-25 year old self can have. Memories flooded back as we looked through photo albums and recalled long ago times upon the shores of Upolu Point, the Coast Guard station where we lived. I wish we would have had more time with her and as Bob says “there is always next year”, but hoping we can get her to come and visit us out west.

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Thanks to Aunt Sue’s loving hospitality, we returned to her house with Mel and Tim and used it for the jumping off point to see parts of Cape Cod. We spent our days wandering around Duxbury and the Cape, making sure that Melissa and Tim had their fill of seafood, a huge part of their “New England Bucket List”. Fall color was just starting, we were a couple weeks early for peak, but it was still beautiful and we took the opportunity to visit a few garden centers too. Well OF COURSE we did, we are Garden Girls after all. We even shot a few videos for her YouTube channel.

Aunt Sue’s sweet little girl, Moxie. She kept all of us in line, and enjoyed a treat or two that just happened to fall to the floor.

Duxbury Bay, and Big Beach. Looking out to the bay from the house where Aunt Sue and Dad grew up.

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The parting was hard, always is. Not just with Aunt Sue as we left Duxbury to head back to Boston, but with Mel and Tim when we boarded separate planes to head home.

Next up, the excitement of a full on HENDERSON SIBLING REUNION! Bob’s younger brother, Ralph, arrived for a week in South Carolina last Saturday, and SARA will be here tomorrow. With Cash and Carson in tow, you can say we are very HAPPY people!!! Only one missing for a true happy day is Travis, but the Navy had other plans for him this week :{

As much as we love exploring new vistas, National Parks and trails …Family and friends - it’s the best reason to travel.

If you hike...you need one of these!

We have spent a lot of time the last four years hiking in and around the desert southwest. This last summer though we logged the majority of miles in our hiking boots in the Pacific Northwest. We realize now, it gets JUST AS HOT in the mountains, and this nifty compact filter sure came in handy, matter of fact, we used it most every day we had any water source. Great thing about most of the apps now for hiking, they also show you if there is a water source. That information allowed us to go easy on the weight in our Camelbacks, and just use the filter instead. Love IT!!

Katadyn BeFree 1.0L Water Filter, Fast Flow, 0.1 Micron EZ Clean Membrane for Endurance Sports, Camping and Backpacking Buy on Amazon

Small print stuff: We only put items on our site that we have TRIED over and over, and believe are a good fit for readers of this blog. Our blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Reconnecting

We arrived at what we lovingly refer to as “The Baker Resort”, at the end of September. I am still amazed every time I walk up the driveway that Bob was able to get the bus in through all the trees. Lisa, Bob’s sister, and Brad, her husband, cut down A LOT of trees at the beginning of the driveway in order for us to get the bus in. It only took him one shot to get it into place. Mad skills he has!!!

Their home is located on a remote country road in an historic area of South Carolina and the acreage is filled with lush plantings and hundreds of trees. Lisa has been a Master Gardener for her county extension for years and it shows. It is a beautiful comfortable home, inside and out, that they have made for themselves.

I spend my early mornings on quiet peaceful walks through the nearby cotton fields and Bob is getting caught up with chores around the bus. With Brads massive and fully equipped workshop/man cave, he is enjoying having a place to tinker. The temps have been in the low 90’s the last couple of weeks so of course we have taken advantage of the pool most afternoons. It has been very easy to come off the road and get used to this “resort” living. We plan on spending the majority of Fall here, until the temps get to low for us to comfortably stay out in the motorhome.

”Baker Resort” kidding aside, here is the REAL reason why we are enjoying being here so much.

In the summer of 1976 we were living at the Coast Guard station on Folly Beach, SC, just outside Charleston. Bob was newly home from being stationed for an isolated year in the middle of the Pacific - Marshall Islands/ Enewetak. That summer we asked his parents if the kids - Lisa (15) and younger brother Ralph (11) could come up for a few weeks’ vacation. They sent them from Miami on the train and we had weeks of lounging on the beach, working on surfing skills, playing pool, and just generally being a family that loved to hang out with each other. The next year our lives took us West, first to Hawaii and then eventually to Nevada where we spent the last 35 years until we hit the road in 2016. There were mini-visits where we would come home to Florida or Georgia, and times when Lisa and Brad made it out west, but they were always limited to days…not weeks.

Fast forward 40 YEARS and we now have time. The time - to just relax with each other. This is the longest period of time that they have had together since that long-ago summer, and as is so often the case - if you are lucky, it is as though no time has passed. They still tease each other, they find comfort in just sitting for hours in each other’s company with no need for words, and their laughter is infectious as they remember pranks from the past.

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We are off to Boston in a couple days, spend some time with my Aunt Sue, reconnect with a friend that was stationed with us in Hawaii 40 years ago, and meet up with our good friends Melissa and Tim from Susanville, CA. It will be a packed two weeks of hustle and bustle. But then we will return….to The Resort on Brattonsville road, and reconnect and relax some more.

I can’t wait.

We have loved getting to better know our beautiful niece Greer and her husband Jarrett. With a little boy on the way, we have another generation to look forward to.

Nephew Ian giving Bob a relief from smoker duty.

Two beautiful great danes, and three kitties….I am in animal bliss.

So far I have seen 4 snakes, two turtles, and MORE BUGS than you can imagine.

Today we are waiting for Hurricane Michael to arrive.

Time for an Update

An updated vehicle that is. We finally bit the bullet and got a new car. The 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee that we have been cruising around in has been a great ride, but with more miles planned going down the highway this next year we thought it was time to go with something a little more dependable. What did we decide? Another JEEP of course. We still want to be able to hit the backroads, climb some rocks and have many adventures off the beaten path.

NOW BOB’S WORK BEGINS - AGAIN

This will be the 3rd time he has had to install a tow plate on the front of a vehicle. Unfortunately every car we have towed, the original TJ, then the Cherokee, and now the new JK requires a different set-up.

First things first, we needed an organizer for the back. Usually we just kind of stack everything around in the cargo area, but Bob found this one so we are going to give it a try. It is a SUNPIE Roll Bar Storage Bag Cage Multi-Pockets & Organizers & Cargo Bag Saddlebag Tool Kits Holder. We will have to see if it can help keep us a little more organized, AND keep things from flying all around when we are in some rough places.

We also need to add on a trailer hitch to hold our bike rack. The rack we have now is a swing away and a good one. It holds the boys bikes when they are with us, so we would like to keep it if possible. Our Cherokee did not have the spare tire on the outside like this JK does though, so we may end up having to get the rack that fits onto the spare tire if this doesn’t work.

The next couple things are going to be a little more time consuming and difficult. Lucky for Bob though, we are parked in Lisa and Brad’s driveway so he will have much more access to tools and a comfortable area to do the work. Last time he had to add the braking system to the Cherokee he was working on a piece of carpet in the dirt outside the motorhome in Sedona.

Because we tow our car behind the motorhome we need a braking system….RIGHT??

The one he is going to install is the same brand that we have now, but you have to put a new plate, specific to that year and model vehicle to the underside. We also need the wiring kit that allows the brakes and turn signals from the motorhome to show up on the jeep while it is being towed. We have all these ordered, and I will update this blog post after Bob gets them installed.

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Corp of Engineer Campgrounds

If we had our choice we would rather be boondocked out in the middle of nowhere, but this last year we have made a big effort to take advantage, and get our money’s worth, out of our Thousand Trails membership. Neither of those options were available though as we started to make our way across the Midwest towards the east coast.

This post is mostly for our camping friends we have made along the way, and also a reminder for us when we are in these areas again. The Corp of Engineer parks that we have stayed in have been FABULOUS!! They are level sites, usually at least partly paved or thick raked gravel, surrounded in lovely well kept grass, all have had electric and some have also had water at the site.

The best part, almost all are on the WATER! Either a large lake, dam project or river. Not to mention the fact with the “Old Mans Pass”, as Bob calls it, the sites are 1/2 off, making most only 8-10.00 per night. This is an amazing bargain considering all the sites we have stayed at so far are HUGE, with plenty of space between you and your neighbor. All had water access for boats or canoes and while not near a large city - a big benefit to us - they were close enough to a town large enough for groceries etc. Most had paved/rustic walking paths, bike trails and two even had disc golf courses. Clean restooms/showers and either a dump station on site, or close by.

Over the last month we stayed at three different parks on our way across the Midwest. At the first park outside Yankton, South Dakota, the hosts were so helpful on things to do in the area and they gave us a CD that lists all the parks. You can also find that info here: List of Corp of Engineer Parks by State. Reservations are super easy to make on recreation.gov and they do not charge an additional fee on their site.

We only planned for a couple days at each one as we were making our way across the country, but we could have spent the max 14 days allowed and been very happy.
Happy Trails everyone!!

Cottonwood Lewis and Clark Lake, Yankton, SD
Peaceful location right on the water. Lots to do in the surrounding areas.

Overlooking the Lewis and Clark Lake / Cottonwood / Yankton SD, Nebraska border

Bob Shelter Recreation Area / outside Des Moines Iowa
This park has a trail system that goes for 24 miles all the way into Des Moines.

Right on the Des Moines river, a very peaceful place to park. These sites were closer than at any of the other parks, but it backed right up to the river, so that became our veranda.

Sugar Bottom at Coralville Lake, outside Iowa City, IA
There are other COE campgrounds in this area. We got lucky and got a beautiful site under the trees. Temps were super hot here, and humid. They also had quite a bit of flooding in the lower areas that closed about 1/3 of the campground.

Long Road East

We left Wyoming on a big white puffy cloud day. I had taken my last trip around the lake the evening before and already I was longing for the day we would return to this little corner of the world in the Bighorns.

Thus began our long trek to the east coast where we will rendezvous with friends and family over the next few months. Our first stop though was in Box Elder SD, just outside Rapid City. A long day for us at about 325 miles, we made it in time to pick up our mail from the service we use, Americas Mailbox, and then we settled in for the night at a nearby brand new Cabela’s. After Bob did an extensive journey through the store we set our chairs up outside the bus and a beautiful sunset developed in front of our eyes.

Next morning it was off to Pickstown, SD where we would finally have a reunion with Bob’s “Brother from another Mother”, Neil. It had been a long five years since we had seen him at Bob’s retirement party and we missed him….a LOT!

250+ miles later we were pulling up to the Corp of Engineers Dam project where he works and started to set up at the campground nearby to wait for him to get off work.

Look at those grins, this is another one of the big reasons why we travel,
to have this time with the ones we miss and love.

Our campsite was peaceful and quiet, right on the Missouri River overlooking the dam where Neil worked. Located within the rolling plain of the Missouri Plateau, the Fort Randall dam project was completed in 1956 and sits not far from the site of the original Fort Randall that was used as an outpost in the mid 1800’s. All the buildings had been moved or destroyed long ago, but we walked through the remainder of the forts graveyard, and gazed out over the Missouri River wondering what it must have been like to live there at that point in history.

Also known as home to one of America's largest wintering concentrations of bald and golden eagles, Neil took us on a side trip in search of some. We found a pair of goldens nesting in the trees right by our campsite, and watched them soar at an area across the river. Such a beautiful site to see.

Was a great weekend. We ate and drank just enough and laughed around the campfire at night. It was a beautiful way to start this trek east and we just hope it’s not five years before we see Neil again.

Notes for next time: https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/randall-creek-recreation-area/
https://gfp.sd.gov/userdocs/campground-map-randall.pdf we stayed in space#19, but any and all along the river would be nice.

Bighorn Mountains

We left Prune Creek and made our way a few miles down the road to Sibley Lake. Another Forest Service campground, this time instead of the sound of gentle flowing water from the creek, we had a beautiful alpine lake to hike around and nordic ski trails to follow up into the mountains.  At almost 3 miles to cover the perimeter of lake, my daily walk took me through little inlets filled with head high willows. I stopped and listen every 100 yards or so to make sure there are no moose sleeping or grazing. I have only seen a few signs. Their massive footprints in the deep mud and skat laying on the trail. After our experience at Prune Creek I am always on the lookout for signs of recent activity.

The water is deep blue, and so shallow near the edge that you can see the tiny fish glistening in the sun. There are signs of beavers everywhere - you can’t go 10 feet without seeing a tree that has been gnawed through and left to fall into the water. No signs of a dam anywhere. There is a beautiful dock they have built on the southern perimeter of the lake that extends for hundreds of feet. Set up for fishing, benches and overhangs with holes to hold the rods and carved every few inches with names, dates and promises of everlasting love. 

The weather has been beautiful and cool, and even brought us a surprise snow shower one morning, in August!  At 8500 ft, the local host at the campground told us that it is not unusual to have snow every month of the year in the Bighorns. 

We have filled our days wandering around the countryside checking out hikes and looking for wildlife. One day we spent on the road to Shell Falls and Dinosaur Tracks. While the tracks were not as impressive, to us, as the ones we saw outside Escalante in Utah, it was a beautiful drive and the wildlife on the hillsides were abundant. 

We stopped at a local tavern in Shell, pop. 88, just because their hand carved sign was calling us, and Bob realized after we were sitting outside having a cold beer that he had been through here before on one of his motorcycle journeys with the boys. Small world, and sometimes on the bike I think so much of it goes by really...really fast. 

We have been back to Prune Creek in search of moose a few times, but have not seen any. I am just so thankful that we were fortunate to have the "Moose Experience" while we were there. Such massive creatures, Bob is great as my  lookout as I tried to get closer to get a good shot. Perhaps it is time to get a larger lens. 

We have mule deer right in the campground, and of course scores of chipmunks that love to hop up on the table and see if Bob left them any treats. 

When not hiking or exploring, our days are spent just hanging around camp reading.

The only thing we could possibly find as a negative in this whole area has been the lack of "connectivity" to the outside world.

The only thing we could possibly find as a positive in this whole area has been the lack of "connectivity" to the outside world.  

Next year I will have my kayak with me. I will float out into the middle of the lake and gaze at the Bighorn mountains off in the distance. I can't think of a prettier place to be in August, then here in Wyoming. 
 

The view across the valley from the Dinosaure Tracks. 

Moose......moose.....everywhere are MOOSE!

They are SO MASSIVE, intimidating and BEAUTIFUL! Last year when we were camping at this same area we were able to see a few cows (female moose) as they wandered around through the willows by the campground. This year there was a larger group of females, a few with calves, but it wasn't until the end of our second week here that we saw our first, and only BULL! 

He was magnificent, scary and regal all wrapped up into one gorgeous animal. When we first saw him, we didn't see that he also had a cow and a calf with him. Numerous times we had been told to be very aware around the females if they had a calf. Known to charge at you if they feel even the slight bit threatened, we had been keeping our distance all week and I was usually on the other side of the big creek when I was shooting them. 

Once we spotted him, I quickly ran back to the bus to get my bigger lens and fortunately he didn't move while I was gone. I quietly crept through the tall grass to try and get a little closer to where we had seen him laying down from our vantage point on the hill above him. When I got down level with him I made my way slowly through the tall willows, creeping from pine tree to pine tree, to get a little closer to him. That was when Bob saw the cow and calf grazing about 25 ft. from him. He had his eye on them....and then all of sudden...he had his eye on ME!

I slowly backed up and got behind a large tree as he rose up in all his glory and started walking right towards me. By then I was backpedaling pretty quickly, trying not to fall into one of the hundreds of holes that the beavers or gophers had made by the side of the creek. 

Over the next hour and a half we followed him, and his family, along the creek bed until another group of people driving by spotted him and tried to get a little to close. They crossed the big creek together and made their way into the willows. We didn't see him again. 

Return to Prune Creek

Prune Creek / Bighorn Mountains
Wyoming

One of the best things about this lifestyle that we live is the opportunity to be flexible…….

Rising early last Thursday, we left Glacier National Park for points southeast. Bob had warned me for the previous few days that we would need to make up some miles if we were going to get across Montana in time to meet up with his “Brother from another Mother” Neil. With most of our pack-out done the night before, we had the slides in and the motor warming by 7am. The next 11 HOURS we spent tooling down the highway. Most all of it was interstate miles, except the road south from Glacier around Flathead Lake, but still, it was a lot of driving for Bob. We arrived in Sheridan, WY about 6pm and it was 103 degrees  HOT HOT HOT. We found a local store parking lot for the night and set our chairs out in the shade of the motorhome, had an adult beverage and I turned and said to Bob, “Isn’t this where we took the boys last summer up into the Bighorn Mountains?”  and the seed was planted.

After a couple phone calls we pushed our plans with Neil ahead a month and set our eyes on climbing the mountain range in the morning. We had unhooked the Jeep, and I traveled up the mountain quickly ahead of Bob. We wanted to try and get into the same campground we stayed with the boys last summer, Prune Creek. Not able to make reservations online on such short notice, it did show there was one “walk-in” available, and as luck was running our way, we got it.

A week later;
Now firmly settled along the gentle running water of Prune Creek we watch as moose travel daily from the thickets of willows across the stream to our side of camp. Keeping an ever-close eye on me, Bob worries when the opportunity to get a good picture outweighs my sense of boundaries with these huge beautiful creatures.

A national forest campground, the rustle in the wind of lodgepole pines and giant spruces intermingle with the hummingbirds fighting over the feeder Bob has filled and hung by our table. The campground is run by a concessioner - and our camp hosts, natives to Wyoming, Bob & Beth, are in their early 80’s. This is their 14th year here and they fill us with tales of moose and bears, trails to hike and summers long past.

No cell coverage unless we go up to what we refer to as our “phone booth” at 9430’. While neither of us likes the lack of contact with the kids, we are enjoying the quiet solitude of no internet and our in-house library is being depleted by a book a day as we catch up on our reading. We travel up to the top every few days and check in and read the news. That is how we found out that the exact area we were hiking in Glacier just a few days before was now under mandatory evacuation. It is so sad to see the fire damage that this latest lightning strike has caused.

We have taken a few hikes, with Porcupine Falls our favorite so far. 440’ descent in less than a mile, meant 440’ back up also, but it was worth the view of the falls at the bottom. The altitude has taken some getting used to, especially on a hike like that, but every day my lungs feel stronger. There are well worn trails right from camp that follow the creek for miles and most mornings that is where you will find me. I walk in solitude listening to the creek as it changes from calm waters to boulder filled small waterfalls.

Once again, we have found a little peaceful place on this earth that we could spend our summer months. The old cabins that line parts of the creek down the road are leased through the Forest Service, most are still in the same family’s names that settled here a over a hundred years ago. Perhaps we can find one that needs a new tenant.

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