Halloween Dance at VDO

Cam, Judy, Dan, Sandy, Rosa and David

You pick an RV park for a number of reasons, including social and entertainment. Last night's VDO Halloween Dance was a great way to kickoff the winter season.

Like all the dances at VDO (Valle del Oro), there were live musicians. Last night's group kept the dance floor jammed, and that's exactly what we did. Dance until we dropped. It was great fun.

VDO sponsors a number of events each winter, and this was one of them. Tickets were free, and so was everything else (including beer and wine).

We're a touch slow getting started this morning, although Judy did marshal enough energy to head for the gym.

It's warm, so I'll be opting out for a walk around the park early. The distance around VDO is 2.2 miles.

Fall Weather in Mesa

Desert Landscape Along Hwy 60

Now that we are in Mesa, blog posts will slowdown eventually, but there are still some photos to share, and there are other updates worth posting - besides, we don't want you thinking all we do here is party.

Speaking of parties, today there is a Halloween Dance. Life at VDO is never dull.

A common question is how's the weather? So, we should have something on the blog about weather.

Fall weather (meaning anytime before the end of November), is normally like summer weather at home in Ontario. Days are normally hot, evenings warm, and nights cool - but not cold. The temperature at 6 am today is 60 degrees. This will be a day in the 80s. Just like yesterday, and the day before that. Skies are clear, no rain is forecast. Arizona is in a drought, and has been for a number of years. Rain is a good thing, but it is rare.

What's different about fall weather - you can sit out comfortably in the evenings.

Late in the year, and early winter, days are warm, nights are cool, and sometimes cold. You can sit out after dinner if you have a heater. We have a gas fire pit, and we wouldn't be outside after dark in the winter if we didn't. Daytime heat evaporates quickly after the sun goes down during the winter months.

Up Early on Day One

Day one in VDO started earlier than we were planning. We forgot about the AZ time change and were well into the news before realizing it was actually 6 am and not 7 am. There is lots to do today, but basically we're organized.

Yesterday's adventure was one we will not forget anytime soon. We went south from Albuquerque on Hwy 25 as planned, and then headed west on Hwy 60. Here's the route. From Kingston, we made four major turns, highway 60 was the last, it took us right to Mesa.

What appears simple enough on a map proved anything but in reality. The first 250 miles ranged from desert range to steep climbs and pine forests. It was anything but dull, but it was also lonely. Long stretches without seeing another vehicle. Not a place for a breakdown (you should have seen Judy's face when I brought this up). At times we exceeded 8,000 feet in altitude, our ears were popping. We crossed the Continental Divide.

We Can Hear You

What we found really interesting were celestial listening dishes all pointing to space and running for miles, all in a nice straight row across the desert plains. All pointing in the same direction (approximately south).

There is so much to say about the miles along this route, but we'll summarize by saying the desert is far from boring.

Example: Show Low. Yep, this is actually a place, and we fortunately topped our fuel tank, because we were about to embark on some serious climbing.

This is the desert!

Having traveled the Cabot Trail a few times, I thought I had seen steep climbs, but it was nothing like what we found for about the next 100 miles west of Show Low, Arizona. We were now getting the message on why the route west on Hwy 60 was sans trucks hauling camping trailers.

Judy was not fussy on the heights, tight turns, and steep terrain. She did say at least once, let's get out of here. I've posted a photo, maybe it will give you some idea just how challenging this highway is. Of course, if you're from the area you take it in stride, we found it challenging for sure. There was no wind, the roads were not icy, the skies were clear, and look how we're talking.  

Warning: don't try this route in bad weather. Also, be sure your vehicle is okay with high climbs and steep drops - you need good brakes.

We traveled over 2,800 miles, and the most exciting were the final 400. When we got in yesterday afternoon, pleasantly tired and happy the trip was over. For those of you out there who worry about The Coach - The Coach did fine, but I do plan to have the brakes checked.

Setting up Camp For Real

We're here, safe and sound. Our friends were here to say hello, it is great to be back in AZ.

Along Hwy 60 towards Show Low

I'll have plenty to say later, probably in the morning. Tonight is about getting unpacked and setup in the real camp. No more Camp Hampton for now.

It does feel good to be here. There is a little desert dust to get cleaned up, and it is hot. Very hot. Wonderfully hot. Note: I originally wrote warm, this isn't warm, this is hot.

Total mileage in six days, 2,800 miles. 

Reality check: a long-haul trucker probably does more than 4,000 miles in the same time, and he/she doesn't have someone to help out. Judy and I pretty much split the driving.

Truckers don't stay at Camp Hampton (Hampton Inns). They live in their truck.

Frankly, we have no idea how they do it, week-in and week-out..  

American/ Canadian Truckers keep the system flowing. We really do recognize the contribution these road warriors make to the lifestyle we all currently enjoy. There are a lot of them, and they are a pleasure to share the road with.

Closing in on Mesa - Day Six

So far on this trip we've made just two major turns. Today, we'll make our final turns onto Hwy 25, south to Hwy 60, which will take us to Mesa. Here's the route.

Hard to believe we've come this far (over 2,300 miles) without a GPS. Turn one was Hwy 401 onto I-81. We stayed on that until Knoxville, TN. Right turn at Knoxville onto I-40, and here we are in Albuquerque, NM.

For now, breakfast at Camp Hampton kitchen, and then off we go. More later.

Albuquerque in Sight

The closer we get to Albuquerque the warmer it gets. Judy is driving, I'm updating the blog, and answering email.

I am using the word Albuquerque as many times as I can, so I might actually be able to type it at some point without a bunch of typos.

It was certainly cool when we departed Elk City this morning, and it didn't change much across Texas or the east end of New Mexico. This is the cold air, which is heading east to eventually collide with Hurricane Sandy. So says the Weather Channel. What I can tell you for free -  it's definitely cold out here. Try 28 F this morning. Be prepared everyone. Are we ready for winter?

Entering Texas around 9 am this morning I was humming Amarillo by Morning. I love this song, and especially as we find Amarillo by Morning.

Amarillo by morning, up from San Antone.
Everything that I've got is just what I've got on.
When that sun is high in that Texas sky
I'll be bucking at the county fair.
Amarillo by morning, Amarillo I'll be there. 

For those who don't know north Texas along I-40, it can be described in one word: FLAT. Flat, but with farming. Farming, and sometimes cattle. Somewhere, there are also ranch homes, but you rarely see them from the highway, but you do see massive entrances (gates) and then nothing. Since you can see for at least 25 miles you wonder how far these ranchers have to drive to get out to the highway! I'm reminded of Dallas (the TV series).

New Mexico in the east is flat, but it soon turns to hills, big hills. It is also desert, and now there are no more farms. This is the land government settlement people gave the first nations people in exchange for putting their bows away. This was before our time. We are much more generous, we give them our old cars and trailers.

Over the years, when Judy has been seeking my counsel on things, she has asked where old trailers go to die. I guess she is thinking, where do we send our trailer when the time comes! I'm thinking NM along Hwy 40...where the other ones are. I wonder who these folks are voting for? Will four more years change their lives?

Speaking of Judy, I have just patiently explained that sometimes we let off on the gas a little when we get big hills, so that we don't take two mile hills in passing gear. Even the big trucks don't go full speed up big hills, I explain. I know she finds my driving advice helpful.

I'm having to drop this post suddenly because we are apparently changing drivers. :-)

Comments Update

It seems like allowing comments has caused frustration for people reading this blog, just too many steps I guess, so it wasn't working. If you have comments, please send them via email to me, and I'll include them on upcoming posts.
We're about to get breakfast, pack the van, turn off the Weather Channel and head for Albuquerque.

Territory we traveled just a few days is now under weather attack, which will include major snow in some areas (West VA, VA, PA). Fall and winter travel is all about luck, but it's certainly something we watch closely on the road, and when necessary alter our route to avoid problems. We plan, but we stay flexible. Our computer and the Weather Channel are our major source of weather advisories.

Good luck to everyone on the east coast, Hurricane Sandy looks like the real deal.

Elk City Camp Hampton

Looking East - View From Our Hampton Suite

No travel coupons tonight, but did manage a little rate manipulation, so we're in a rather classy campground, which happens to be directly beside a Wal-Mart. Judy wasted no time in heading over for much needed supplies.

Noooo, staying in the Roadtrek on the Wal-Mart lot was not a consideration.

Low tonight 29 F. This area is under a breeze and freeze warning. When temperatures drop this low, we prefer being inside brick and mortar.

This day was totally up to expectations. We left Little Rock in rain, it cleared quickly enough, and then it was about the wind behind the front, which was pushing from the NE. That should have helped, probably did, but it made for some nice jolts from time-to-time when gusts hit. We shared the driving.

Beyond Oklahoma City there was slight less truck traffic. Only slightly less. This is America, and there are trucks on the Interstate. Millions of trucks.

We're now out of the mountains and onto the plains. Tornado Alley.

Oklahoma where the wind come rolling down the plains. Windy today, but NO tornadoes.

Tomorrow morning, we off to Amarillo, TX. It won't take long to make Amarillo, and we'll make some decisions then based on wind and weather as to where we head. We've got close to 2,000 miles behind us now, we're on the downwind slope. With luck, Mesa, AZ by Sunday. Here is our expected route.

Okay, it is about the journey. So here's a little bit about Elk City from Wikpedia, which we consult constantly as we travel: Elk City's history dates back to the days immediately following the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in western Oklahoma Territory on April 19, 1892, when the first white settlers made their appearance. Prior to this time, many early ranchers had driven cattle over the Great Western Cattle Trail from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas, the present town-site of Elk City being in the direct path of that famous trail.

We're humbled thinking of what those early pioneers went through in their travels, over these exact same trails. We think of them constantly.

Goodbye Arkansas, Hello Oklahoma

It didn't take long for the rain to clear, the sun is out, it's cooler but we have clear skies and smooth highways (most of the time). Certainly nothing wrong with America's Interstate highway system - thank you America for sharing.

Oklahoma Reception Center I-40

Last fuel fill up was in Ozark, AR. Price $3.28 gallon. Came with clean restrooms at the Velero I-40 Travel Center, which just happened to have an old-time group of Ozark pickers entertaining in the the truck stop restaurant. This was a first for me. It's just 10 am, nothing like a little Blue Grass to set the mood for the day.

Incidentally, Deliverance was not shot in the Ozarks, it was filmed in Georgia. Just the same, I think I saw descendants (or, possibly kin) of country folk from that movie back at the last truck stop. We were very polite just in case. A lot of folks in these parts do wear camouflage for whatever reason.

Oklahoma I-40 Reception Center wins the prize for best in America.

Little Rock to Elk City

We're up and ready to go, but there is some serious rain falling at the moment, so we'll take our time and see if it clears off. What we're not facing is Hurricane Sandy on the east coast, or snow and cold temperatures up north.

Destination today, Elk City TX. Here's the route.

Holiday Inn Express was a good choice for this night. Lots of little extras, and a great shower head. Coupons paid off again as our rate dropped from $120 to $74 with the coupon. They certainly take hot breakfast serious, best so far by a country mile.

A couple of notes regarding yesterday. About 50 miles before Memphis we saw our first cotton fields, a sure sign that we're in the south. On the west side of Memphis we crossed the Mississippi River, and you can't help thinking of the history connected with this river.

Highway work took us off the Interstate for an hour or so, we took an alternate route that ran parallel to I-40. What we got was a small glimpse at rural Arkansas.

Hazen AR - Parking two hour maximum

Trade in little towns is mostly dried up and abandoned. Very sad. Still, someone is always doing business and we ran into acres of rice farms. Rice farms in the American south? I'm going to have to Google rice farms.

Over the last few years I've passed through this area many times, and in the early years I was often found chugging along on the secondary roads, but no more, like everyone I'm seeing America from the Interstates at 65 mph.  If only for an hour or so, it was good to be doing the back roads again, even though The Coach was feeling all the bumps.

There was a sign in the service station where I stopped for gas looking for staff, including managers. They were offering $7.15 an hour.

Tennessee River Crossing

Just past 10 am and we're already past Nashville TN. Took Hwy 40 right through town so we could see the tall buildings. Judy also enjoyed some facetime with Costco,  it wasn't open yet - she was happy just seeing the sign.

Two things happen near Nashville, the time zone changes so you lose an hour (or gain an hour depending on how you look at it), and not too far west of Nashville you cross the mighty Tennessee River. Once past the Tennessee, you also have fewer hills to climb.

We did discuss taking the Natchez Trace south to New Orleans, but the weather forecast has rain and cooler temperatures ahead, so we'll stay on route to Memphis, and then Little Rock.

Sunny today, warm with a light breeze. Traffic moving well, roads are great. With the late October sun low on the horizon, it certainly puts the driver in the hot seat going west. Tinted windows recommended.

Fueled just west of Nashville, $3.29 a gallon.The fill up took 24 US gallons (91 litres) and cost $79. Based on the price per litre we paid on departing Kingston on Tuesday ($1.19) the savings was $29. There may be people reading this blog who will want to hear that US highway travel remains cheaper than Canadian travel.

Judy is starting to fidget, she's driving so I think we're close to a lunch stop. Nice thing about traveling in the coach is you have your kitchen with you. Lunch and a nap, and then off we go.

Knoxville TN - Little Rock AR

Florida and the entire east coast is facing a major hurricane, the weather network is all about that. In our area it looks like warm temperatures, and we'll see about winds as we get going.

We're still 1,800 miles from destination, and 500 miles today will certainly put a hole in that. We're hoping for Little Rock, but will settle for anything west of Memphis. Here's our route.

The Fairfield Marriott turned out to be just fine, and we saved a bundle ($64 before taxes) by bringing along our coupon book, which we picked up at the last comfort centre along I-81. We had many choices, but settled here because it was steps from Cracker Barrel. Hotels put limits on how many rooms go to coupon clippers, but the front desk told me at this time of year they'll take all they can get. Fair exchange is no robbery.

We had considered camping back in Bristol, but we checked KOA rates and changed our mind. Overnight, with power and water was $50 (our hotel with breakfast $64). With dinner out just $20, you see the appeal of camping at the Fairfield.

Off to breakfast and an early start today. Well rested, ready to go.

Camp Fairfield, Knoxville TN

This has been a richly rewarding day for both of us. Anytime you can weave your way through several million trucks, maintain highway speeds, and make virtually every comfort stop without a mishap, you've had a richly rewarding day.

We're currently at Camp Fairfield, on Cracker Barrel Lane, so you know where we'll be dining tonight.

Judy is currently watching golf, I'm updating the blog and bringing my fluid level back into balance.

The Coach ran like a deer. The photo shows Judy giving it a loving hug. We're approaching 80,000 miles on this rig, so hugging is a good idea. Thank you Chevy for a great ride. Thank you Roadtrek.

Fuel today came to something under $100. Current price $3.15 in TN. We refueled at $3.38 before leaving VI. This was a miscalculation. Travel Tip: refuel in TN.

Mileage today about 450 miles. Judy drove more than her fair share as a penalty for saying yesterday that I was not calling on her enough. Tomorrow may well be different.

Speed limit here for trucks is 55 mph in TN. This is apparently just as guideline.

Good things about today worth noting: Verizon. No need to ever be disconnected.

Started the day in jeans, finished in shorts waiting for things to cool down, and game one of the World Series.

PS. Roast Beef dinner at CB, $20. No dishes, excellent dinner.

Chambersburg to Knoxsville

LaQUINTA lived up to expectations and turned out to quieter than I would normally anticipate given the place is full.

I didn't mention the gourmet breakfast, which we're about to enjoy. And, then we're off in the general direction of Knoxsville TN. Here's the route we have planned.

Downwind Day One

Lakeside in Chambersburg, PA at Camp LaQUINTA.

Reflections of The Coach in Lac LaQuinta

Found other campers in same park, haven't met them so far.

Did notice other campers at Walmart on the parking lot, but didn't meet them either, and decided this really wasn't where we wanted to be tonight. Looked for dinner in Walmart, but Judy didn't like the idea of macaroni and cheese with hot chicken wings.

Travel Tip: No booze at Walmart in PA.

Currently enjoying refreshing drink before heading out for camper's dinner.

For those who follow in our footsteps. Leave Kingston around 6:30 am. Turn right at Thousand Island Bridge crossing. Follow I-81 to Chambersburg PA (exit 16). This should take about nine hours. Arrived in time to search out fine wine and vodka source, and then settled in. No maps or GPS necessary, watch the highway signs, do not leave Hwy 81.

Weather was warm and wet.

Judy is getting the hang of camping on the road in the Roadtrek. She is currently looking forward to our campfire at the Long Horn. This changed when Long Horn was not open for business. Fuddruckers was the next best thing.

Gas today:  about $100 ($3.74 a gal). Here's the route.

Room: $69 with a coupon.

Travel Tip: Always check at rest stops for discount books. This LaQUINTA is a new hotel, it's beautiful and worth every penny.

The guy behind me without the coupon paid $89. Save where you can campers (lesson for today).

Final Update: Steak House was not open for the public yet. So, we went to Fuddruckers. This was a good choice, since campers always look for way to keep costs low. Dinner was excellent, walked home to campsite. Cost of dinner $20.

Note: when we returned from dinner out and campfire, hotel was full.  Travel Tip: Don't wait too long to settle in for the night.