Day 63–Home Again!

 

After 6,607 miles of RV driving, 669 miles in the Jeep and the last  three days of constant driving we have finally made it home! Jewel was more then happy to get out of the MH and head for her hiding place under our bed! LOL

We had a wonderful trip but now it is back to reality with Dr’s appointments and tough decisions to make. Do we stay here and do intermittent travel, sell or rent the house and go on the road for a couple of years. Decisions, decisions.

Tom will be moving to Maine soon with Tiffanie and Adeline. Both boys have moved out and are living on their own. Brittny has been on her own for three years now so she is pretty well settled.  Our Megan, in Washington is away at college, so all of our older grandchildren are doing their own thing. So I guess, it just may be time for us to do the same. Ron’s Mom lives locally so that will surely play into any decisions we make. Once we are settled back in here we will be focusing on what our next step in our lives will be.

Day 62–Driving Day, Danbury,Connecticut Rest Area

We were on the road by 8 am this morning. The drive/ride has been slow going because we are traveling in highly populated areas, with a lot of traffic and bad roads.

We have also been running into a lot of snow – ugg!

We arrived at the Danbury, Connecticut Visitor Center and rest area around 5 pm. After a full day of driving (just under 400 miles) Ron was beat so we decided to settle in for the evening. We still have another 204 miles before we get home.

When we pulled into the rest area we were surprised to see about 8 MH’s settled in with their jacks down and slides out. It looks like a regular CG. I guess that is because there are no open CG’s this is as good as it gets.

Tomorrow we will be home and will have a lot of decisions to make regarding our life moving forward. It is going to feel very strange and sad not to have a job to go to. I guess I’ll have to deal with that in  my own way and  time.

Day 61–Driving Day and Another Rest Area for Us in Maryland!!!

Not much to tell except that we  slept super well last night. Went to bed at 9 pm, woke around 4 am then back to sleep until 7:30 am. I guess we both needed the sleep.

We were hoping that there would be at least one CG open on this leg of the journey but it was not to be. We planned on sleeping in a rest area on at least one night of our journey home but not all of our journey home. Our holding tanks were getting full, fresh water low and patience running thin. Ron professes to like to boon dock, but not so much anymore. Especially since we can’t open the slides in a rest area.

We stopped for lunch in a rest area in West Virginia and were pleasantly surprised to find they had a dump station with a fresh water supply. We were able to dump our holding tanks and replenish our fresh water, Yeah!!!! That is the good news – the bad – still no CG to set up in.

So after traveling over the mountains of West Virginia,  and seeing some dreaded snow,  we settled in for the night in another rest area on I-68 in Maryland.

This rest area does not allow trucks so we have been alone since arriving. Not sure if I am going to like this but there is no where else to go.

Day 60–Indian Caverns, Corydon, IN, Rest Area in Kentucky

The rest area in Indiana was very quiet but for some reason neither Ron or I slept well so we were both up very early. It was very cold last night so our furnace went on constantly. We have been spoiled with our heat pumps that run very quietly but it got too cold for them so the furnace went on and is quite loud.

We  stopped for fuel, Propane and breakfast at the Flying J on our way to the Indiana Caverns. I called to make sure they had parking for our  RV and luckily they did. The road into the the caverns was very, very narrow. There was no possible way for a another vehicle to pass with the MH in the road. Thankfully no one came the other way.

The  Indiana Caverns are the nation's newest show cave. As part of the Binkley Cave System, it is Indiana’s largest cave system and the  11th longest cave in the U.S. at 37 + miles long.  The cave has been open to the public for just under one year.

When I saw it in the Indiana visitors publication it never mentioned climbing up or down stairs but emphasized the boat ride through the cave. I checked on line and either it was not mentioned or I missed that little fact. At any rate, the tour not only included a boat tour but also stairs and ramps that went down 110 feet which also meant  climbing back up 110 feet!!! We were there so it was game on for me.

Inside the cave we saw the usual cave stuff but also a 36 foot waterfall:

                                   

Ancient Ice Age Bones:

Cool Rock Formations:

       

Down 110 feet we boarded a catamaran and headed deeper into the cave. At times we had to duck our heads to get through but it was quite a lot of fun.

 

The entire tour took about one hour and twenty minutes. It was different  then any other caves we have been in and our guide was excellent. The trek back up all those stairs was challenging but doable.

 

Back at the top we stopped to share a picture with the what ever it was in the lobby. LOL

 

    

                                                   

It was time to move on and Ron felt like driving so off we went.  I looked again  for a campground but to no avail so once again we would be spending time in a rest area. We were both bummed out because we thought for sure something would be open but no such luck. Around  7 pm and after a very busy day we settled in for the night at an I-64 rest area.

Day 59–Leaving Clinton, Missouri–Rest Area–Indiana Welcome Center

We left Clinton around 9 am this  morning hoping to put some miles behind and especially for me to get out of tornado alley!

It was a long day and after  just under 400 miles of driving we pulled into the Indiana Welcome Center. There were no CG’s available on I-64 so we opted to spend the night at the welcome center.

After careful research we discovered that we might like to take in  a cave that involves a boat ride. I can do that!!!!

Nothing much else to tell for today.

Day 58–Cozy Corner RV Park, Visit to My Brother, Clinton, Missouri

Although we did not get any more storms last night I had a difficult time sleeping. I guess just knowing we were on a tornado watch kept me awake.

This morning while walking Jewel Ron ran into yet another closed down motel behind the  RV park. That seems to be what we have seen all along the old Route 66. From what we have read Route 66 was once a bustling thoroughfare that is now just a memory.

He checked out the brick house that we were told we could also use as a shelter if necessary but couldn’t get to it. So much for that option in an emergency!!

                                                                

The good news is the the skies are clear this morning – the bad – It is COLD!!! We are back to wearing our winter coats. The temps here change so dramatically hence the turbulence that leads to the frequent tornado action around here.

We arrived in Clinton around 1 PM at the Cozy Corner CG. We have stayed here before and they do have a tornado shelter.

                                                  

Then we stopped in to see my brother and his wife. After walking into his house I was shocked to see how bad he looked. My brother is generally clean shaven and clean in general but he looked like he hadn’t seen a razor, barber or shower in six months.  The house was worse then usual and when Rose came out of her bedroom, once again I almost fell over. She didn’t look any better. The nurse in me wanted to take them and spiff them up, hopefully making them feel better but I had to resist.

Moe is doing better after his partial foot amputation and his pain is  much less now. Rose is still suffering ill effects from her bilateral hip replacement  times  two.

Despite all the medical issues they were both in good spirits. They are down to three dogs from seven and all three dogs love my brother. He has had the little dog Prancer for 17 years. The two little black dogs are seven months old and not socialized at all. They are beautiful but  are very shy and have never been outside. Yes, that it what I  said – no imagination needed.

 

                              

We stayed for about four hours and bought dinner for all of us. It was a nice, although somewhat sad visit for me. My brother and sister-in-law are in such bad physical health that it amazes me. My brother continues to smoke and both eat whatever they want despite both being insulin dependent diabetics.  I guess I can’t help everybody – although I would like to try. They are both in their early 70’s but look closer to 90. Back at the CG I was still in a state of shock over our visit but soon realized there was nothing I could say or do for them that was going to change anything.

It continues to get cold here and we now have come to the realization the fun part of our trip is over. We have  1400 miles of cold to travel so will be moving on tomorrow.

Day 57–Beagle Bay RV Haven & Campground, Sarcoxie, Missouri

Once again, the winds were so brutal we had to close the bedroom slide again just to get a little sleep. Jewel was so spooked she  came to bed with us. As we were getting ready to leave this morning, the man from the RV next to us came over to talk to Ronnie. He couldn’t believe we were leaving with the winds so bad. He planned on spending another day at the CG to see if the winds would calm or stop. He had heard it would be worse today, but we didn’t, so Ron felt we could move on safely.

On the road it was windy but not as bad as yesterday. At least the sun is shining and it is much warmer – in the high 70’s. The weather here  changes rapidly making it  a prime area for  nasty events – events I shall not mention.

 

Ron was in a driving mood again  and the sun was shining , the wind not as bad as yesterday so it made for a better ride/drive. Around 4:30 pm we arrived at the Missouri Visitor Center. Black clouds were moving in and it began to rain. Inside the center the TV was announcing a tornado watch for the area. Oh GREAT!!! My biggest fear realized – dam tornado watches and warnings in almost the entire state. So much for changing our route to visit my brother.

The woman at the visitor center warned us to be careful because the weather could get really ugly quickly and we should be very aware at all times.  Comforting!!!! Ron wanted to stay in the parking lot for the night but I quickly vetoed that.

It was pouring when we walked back to the MH so we were in a hurry to get in. Ron had grabbed the keys from the ignition that did not have the door key on it. He had taken the door key off so that he did not have to carry  the set when we took our day trips - so no key to get in and all the windows were locked!!!!! So there we stood in the rain, thunder and lightening looking at each other. Oh MY!!!  You see we actually have another entrance door on the drivers side that we never use so don’t think about. Luckily, Ron did think about that and had the key to that door. Yeah!!! We were in and out of the storm. Did I say something about we needed to be supervised!!!LOL

I had found a place that looked quite nice in the brochure about 20 miles down the road. Ron reluctantly agreed, so off we went. The skies continued to grow darker and wind was whipping. It was raining and the lighting pretty intense. We were both watching the skies for that dreaded funnel cloud!!!

At the CG we duly noted that it was not the Haven it was promoted as but just another run down CG in the area. On the bright side, the skies were clearing so I foolishly thought we were in the clear.

The couple that greeted us had the TV on in the office and low and behold we were under a tornado watch!!!!! After some discussion about warning sirens and where to go for cover we were assigned our space. Oh Goody, just where we want to be - in tornado alley under a tornado watch in a MH in a run down CG with a laundry room for cover. You just can’t make this stuff up. The man told us that I- 44, the route we are now on is the known corridor for tornadoes!!!! Yeah!!! Did I mention we are right outside of Joplin, the town that was wiped out in 2011. by an F-5 tornado!!!!!

He told us not to worry  that we would here the warning sirens and he would ride through the GC honking his horn to let us know it was time for cover!!! Again –Yeah!!! The laundry room was too our left with a lovely large propane tank against the outside wall. Sooooo – if the tornado doesn’t get you, the exploding propane tank will. 

OK – back to trying to think normally. I made dinner and Ron took Jewel for a walk. He met a lovely much older woman who was hooking-up  her tow car. Apparently she is on husband # 3 (first two died of cancer) who had a stoke and a recent fall so she drives the MH and everything else that goes along with traveling in a MH.

Ron looks at me and tells me it is time for me too be a BIG girl and get with the program. Yeah, Right!!! I must admit I should at least learn to drive the dam thing but since I hate to drive anyway I’d be more of a hindrance then a help.

After dinner a storm rolled in with intense thunder, lighting and rain that  on the roof sounding like  hailed. Ron looked at me as if to say – what have you gotten us into. We’re feeling like we really want to be back in our living room out of harms way.

 

Jewel was a mess with the storm and was shaking like  an earthquake. Finally the storm passed and Jewel calmed down. We are still under a a tornado watch until midnight. The good news, I think,  is the wind has stopped completely.