Saturday, December 24, 2016

December 22, 2016.

The year is coming to a close and I thought it fitting to close our travel blog as our full time travelling days are now over due to Junes' fall on January 19, 2016 which left her paralyzed and at this point, still unable to get into our fifth wheel travel trailer.  Her progress since the January 25th spinal surgery has been really great.  She went from zero ability to move, to very slight controls by March, to standing in April, a few steps by June, to her most recent accomplishments that include her ability to walk with a walker regularly up to 60 ft at a time, and the biggie is her ability get into our truck, with some help, as of mid December. The truck thing is huge, as we can now come and go as we please without having to arrange for special transportation.

June was in the Scottsdale Arizona Hospital through the end of March.  We then moved into an apartment in Tucson, AZ where she continued receiving physical therapy which is likely to continue for some time.  During the year we decided due to our circumstances that it was time to settle, so we decided to move to Ft. Wayne, Indiana where our two sons and three grandchildren live.  Our move will be sometime in April, 2017.

After looking for a house, with the help of our sons, we decided on having a new house built with some features to better accommodate the likely continuing needs that June will have to better access house entry and ease of movement and use inside.  The new house will have a large master bath with roll in shower, ADA compliant grab bars in bath, zero threshold at entry doors for easy entry in a wheelchair or walker. Also, three ft wide interior doorways.  Every existing home we viewed had 30 inch wide or less interior doorways, which made it very difficult to move around in a wheelchair.  We will also have appliances easy to access and use, closets, pantry, and important to me, a garage long enough for my truck to fit inside.  Completion right now is set for March 31st, but winter weather will dictate. We'll wait here in Tucson until it's completed.

We have been very fortunate to have been able to travel as we have done our entire lives.   We travelled during our earlier years every bit of our vacation time when working. We didn't start a family during our first 12 years of marriage, and we travelled from Ohio to the Western US States every year, camping and exploring new places each year.  We continued the pattern after the kids came along, taking them West a few times and then getting into boating as the boys got a bit older.

Our boats kept getting larger as the boys grew, then by the time they had moved out of the house, we had progressed to our sixth and largest boat, a 39 ft. single diesel trawler which we travelled full time beginning the day after I retired in June 2004 until we moved to Florida in September 2005.

The boat trip was a trip we had dreamed of doing for several years. . June and I retired in June, 2004 and travelled for a year on our boat from Lake Michigan to Florida, then North on the East Coast through Canada, back to Southern Lake Michigan. It was the most amazing trip we have ever taken and one that will be tough to beat. After completing the circumnavigation of the Eastern US, We settled in Florida in the fall of 2005.  Except for an occasional trip North from Florida, we got anxious to travel again and On April 3rd, 2011, we departed in our Motorhome for the "BIG 2011 PLAN" We then completed an 18,000 mile, 6 month drive from home in Florida to Northern California, North on the Pacific west coast to Seattle. From there to Alaska - with returning stops in Spokane, Washington - Oregon, Yellowstone, and other sites - then to Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit family, then back South to Florida and home. We then traded in our motor home and purchased a new 5th wheel travel trailer and truck, sold the house, and continued travelling until January, 2016

We kept a blog of our Alaska trip, then continued after we began our travel in the trailer.  So many great memories and pictures that we can review from time to time to enjoy them all over again.  During our married years (50 years on Mrch 11, 2017) we have travelled in every State except Hawaii... Maybe when they build a bridge we'll drive over there.  We've also travelled through Western Canada on our way to Alaska, plus meandered through parts of Ontario and Quebec when we travelled on the boat.

There may be some future trips from our new place in Indiana, but not what we've experienced to this point.  I imagine we're among a small number of people who can boast about the amount of real travel that we've been so fortunate to have completed.  We've spent a lot of time exploring and enjoying the life on the road and would not change a thing.

Fin







Thursday, December 24, 2015

MERRY CHRISTMAS

It's been two months since our last update and want to say Merry Christmas to all.....



We had planned on leaving our club rally in Camp Verde, AZ and driving up to the Grand Canyon for a few days.  The extended weather report called for temps in the 50's ad a chance of rain for the next week, so we instead drove to our winter place in Apache Junction, AZ. 

Our planned check in date was October 21st, so since we were a few days early we checked in to nearby Lost Dutchman State Park for a few days.

View from our campsite dining table of the Superstition Mountain

 
On October 21st we hooked up to head over to our winter quarters. While exiting the park, coming in were friends Bob & Kim who were also at the rally in Camp Verde.  Unknown to all of us, they were staying at the State Park during the time we were there.  We pulled over and talked about the odds, planned a lunch meet for next week, and after a half hour went our separate ways. 

We planned an impromptu lunch meet with some of our Heartland Owners Cub friends.  Had a great gathering and will see everyone again at the next rally.

Although we planned in advance to spend the winter here in Apache Junction, AZ, we are a bit disappointed in our choice.  Our policy has been to try new places and not return to the same locations twice, but in this case, we now wish we had returned to Tucson where we spent last winter.  Live and learn...

While here though, we'll make the best of it.  June made three ceramic Christmas Trees in the park ceramics room.  One for each of our Grandchildren.  They turned out nice and we shipped them to Indiana so they could display them for Christmas.  We got calls and they said they really liked the trees.  June used each of their favorite colors for the tree bulbs, and for the Grandson, some baseball decals placed on the tree.

Blake's Tree
 
I've played a little Shuffleboard and have taken to hiking several times on a couple different trails.  I've discovered I really like the exercise and the views.

Shuffleboard is big here in Arizona

Views from the Hieroglyph Trail in nearby Gold Canyon, AZ

 
Petroglyphs viewed from the trail



 
Each month the RV park has a Bon Fire on the desert during full moon.  Attendees cook hot dogs and enjoy the evening under the full moon with the Superstition Mountain in the background.  That fire is really hot so we can't get very close.
Residents have learned to add extensions on the hot dog sticks as that fire is really hot.
Knuckles would get cooked without the extensions.
 

A real highlight of our time here was when our youngest son, Kane, flew out from Indiana to visit for a week.  We were soooo glad to see him and had a great time!

Kane with the Petroglyphs on the Hieroglyph Trail

At Lake Roosevelt

One day, Kane treated us to a ride in the desert in this ATV rental car....Great time!


View from Tonto National Monument





 
We had a really good time.

It was a bit chilly during Kane's visit (50's), but sunny days made it really great.



 

It's Christmas eve, nothing planned. Kane flew home last Saturday.  June and I have lunch reservations Christmas day at Miners Camp Restaurant.   Again, Merry Christmas All!