The Knowles Great Adventure

And the search continues

2012-02-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

It looks like we have our manufactured home in Canby sold. We have made an offer on a home in Milwaukie and are hoping to move within about 5 weeks.

New Adventure...Phase II

2011-12-16T01:46:00.000-08:00

We have our house for sale and are looking for another home, closer to Ricks work. We have spent quite a bit of time looking and hopefully the one we made an offer on will eventually go. If you know anyone who is looking for a manufactured home in a beautiful park in Canby, Oregon please let us know

2011-09-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

It been over a year since we embarked on our journey...we want to do it again for sure.

Figuring out where to go next....

2011-04-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

We have received so many "come back again" fliers from different states as well as many attractions.
I know that it will be a while before we go anywhere else due to the time and Rick job. We are just staying busy here.

Finishing Up The Year

2010-12-27T21:35:00.000-08:00

The year is coming to an end. We have had an adventure for sure this year...Death in the family (Ricks adopted Mom), travel, changes in family dynamics, family short sightings, fussing and a feuding, missing my oldest son and his wife, again disappointments from others, changes in health status for hubby and me and last but not least...Changes in Ricks job and no medical insurance for me. Time for some changes for sure.

Happy New Year!!!

2010-11-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

Oil wells right next to the freeway in LA

San Fran color and design...............

Additional LA Photos

2010-11-10T21:23:00.001-08:00

Yes this is LA Ink tattoo shop....

Yes this is LA Ink.....

Got Home Tonight

2010-11-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

We are so very tired..I will add information and pictures later....

November 1 & 2

2010-11-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

We left Vegas on the morning of the 1st of November..headed for LA to see our first foster daughters....we leave the foster off as they stole our hearts...her and her baby sister. They have both grown into beautiful, intelligent, charming young women. We are so proud of both of them...in college and in love....doing well. Follow your hearts girls we know you will both make the right choices.....Love Mom & Dad

Vegas is Over

2010-11-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

Yes we left Vegas WINNERS....we won playing slots to the degree we are going to have to pay taxes on my winnings. We also had our entire 5 day stay at the Treasure Island Resort and Casino comped out...total bill for staying there....................$00000000000000000000000000.

We are looking forward to returning........

We Are In Vegas

2010-10-30T00:05:00.000-07:00

More about Vegas when Vegas is over...we Leave here on Monday the 1st of November...

Love to all.....Pray we win :)

We LOVED IT !!!!!

The Grand Canyon

2010-10-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Today was a very relaxing day touring the grand canyon.

When we woke up this morning this is what the mountain just above Flagstaff had on it....SNOW... It was a big chilly today although it is suppose to warm tomorrow. We will be in Las Vegas...

Standin on the corner in Winslow Arizona

2010-10-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

JUST HAD TO ADD THIS...HAVE A GREAT NIGHT

Off to the Grand Canyon tomorrow

Tonight in Flagstaff Arizona

2010-10-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today we started out in Gallup NM on old Highway 66. We were trying to find the place where Ricks parents were killed in 1956, but the freeway has taken most of the old highway 66 near Holbrook/Chambers/Navajo Arizona. We did spend some time in Holbrook doing some investigating, but those results are still pending.
Eeyore got to sit on the ledge of the painted desert and look at all the pretty rocks. We then went on to the Petrified Forest.

Gallup, New Mexico

2010-10-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

The desert in western New Mexico is so pretty....perfect red mountains. We are staying in Gallup New Mexico...tomorrow its on to Navajo AZ on old Route 66. The location is important to Rick as that is where his Mother was killed when he was just under 10 years old. We are going to the local court to see if we can locate where she was buried. Say a pray for him as her needs to work on this chapter.

Amarillo Texas

2010-10-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

We woke up to thunder, and lightning this morning in Oklahoma so we thought we would get out of town early. We had planned on staying until the afternoon but there were severe storm warning and Rick didnt want hail golf ball size hitting the truck...I cant blame him I didnt either,

Amarillo is where we landed tonight. Tomorrow its on to New Mexico, then to Arizona on Monday. We have made a couple stops on old Route 66 and we be using as much of the old road as possible the next couple of days.

Marlow Oklahoma

2010-10-23T20:49:00.001-07:00

Roger this is for you...traffic at noon in Dallas Texas

We spent the night in Marlow Oklahoma visiting with some of my cousins. Kevin and I are just 2 years difference in age and were always good friends as we visited as kids. I reconnected 2 years ago when I was back here and we had a ball with him and his wife. We also got to meet some more of the McKinley clan (my maiden name) and all in all had a really relaxing time.

Shreveport Louisiana

2010-10-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

We managed to get out of New Orleans and drove over a 25 mile bridge (causeway) covering coast to coast of Lake Pontchartrain. This is the same lake that had the dike break after Katrina flooding the 9th ward in up to 15+ feet of water. We travelled some very pretty roads and ended in Shreveport for the night.

We had dinner at a nice restaurant here in town and I ate ALLIGATOR..Kinda taste like overcooked chicken...LOL

Roger...This is for you...

Last day in New Orleans

2010-10-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today started out poorly. We went down for breakfast and the only thing left was waffle mix...no butter, no bananas...nothing but waffles...we finally decided to go to the local IHOP and had a good breakfast. We finally decided to use the mass transit system and rode around the city on the trolley cars.

We ventured out on the only actual steam driven paddlewheel left on the Mississippi...the Natchez, We enjoyed two hours of sitting and watching the river traffic, it was a nice day. We then returned to the trolley system for a short tour of the canal Street.

Swamp Tour and holding a gator

2010-10-19T16:38:00.001-07:00

Today was a swamp day. We actually saw multiple gators. These are in the wild and not fed by humans. The top one is over 12 feet long the small one I am holding was about a year old and just under 2 feet long.

New Orleans- Day One

2010-10-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is a memorial set right in the middle of the ninth ward..The red frame represents the blood shed from the loss of lives. The blue poles represent water levels with the deepest covering some two story building,
I will search for more information later tomorrow after the swamp tour.

Today we are doing the VIP Tour of the city. The VIP ultimate tour of the city is a unique and informative sightseeing tour of New Orleans that combines the history, beauty, and splendor if New Orleans with a close view of the devastation from the aftermath of Katrina.

We will post after the tour and give you our honest opinion and let you know if it was worth the price of $45. per person.

Tour Review....we were able to see some of the rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. There are still a lot of areas that are severely damaged. No matter what the damage or condition of the property, if the taxes are current the city cannot come in and destroy what is left. It is so sad the damage that this city suffered. Did we think it was worth $45 EACH...No...more in line would have been $30 or less. Our driver was very pleasant and has been a New Orleans resident for 30 years, since he was 3.

Tonight we took the truck out of the valet and entered into the traffic nightmare know as New Orleans French Quarter...had to do some laundry. We are staying at the Queen & Crescent Hotel, just off of Bourbon Street (no on site laundry)

New Orleans at last!!!

2010-10-17T18:18:00.001-07:00

Some of the building in Biloxi Mississippi are so pretty. There are some that are still in ruins from Rita and Katrina, but the new building are really pretty.

After the fiasco of finding lighthouse we were surprised to say the least when it was smack dab in the middle of the road. We also had some very interesting lessons like the one below.

Biloxi Lighthouse

Oh My Gaud!!!!...Lost in Panama City Beach

2010-10-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today was a strange day to say the least...We refered to the map and went out to a place called lighthouse point. When we got there all the signs said allegator Point. We drove to the very end of the island and found a dead end....no more road...no lighthouse. We finally asked a young man where the lighthouse was...he said there never has been one on the island. All the houses are build really high due to severe storm surges. It was a pretty drive.

We then found an old Iron lighthouse, again after getting lost on lighthouse road....not a great experience.
We also found this beautifully restored Lighthouse St. George Lighthouse
Finally this is how we ended the day!!!!

After over an hour of driving through in town construction trying to find the motel..we finally settled for the night. The motel had changed addresses due to the construction and the lady at the front desk didn't know how to give instructions....but enough about that.

Today-(Sunday)...We are off to New Orleans, Bourbon Street, Swap Tours and Gators

Savannah Georgia

2010-10-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

We are spending the night in Savannah. We took a carriage ride pulled by two beautiful horses named Sonny & Cher...then we ate at Paula Deen's restaurant...Pictures later

Review of the restaurant...I thought the food was very good. My husband who is a meat and taters type person was not impressed at all. My recommendation is wear earplugs!!!
I have never been to a louder restaurant in my life. The other people were rude and overbearing. I will never go back again.

Dinner with a great friend

2010-10-14T18:21:00.001-07:00

We drove on to Myrtle Beach South Carolina today and went out to see the lighthouse at Cape Lookout..we discovered that you cant get there by car,....so sad....
With that being said I still want to share a picture of this lovely lighthouse...this is a stock photo from the website of the lighthouse.

Tonight we had the pleasure of having dinner with a dear friend...Carmen. It was so great to see you and hug you again..you have been so important in our life. Thanks for all of your support in our lives. You are as awesome now as always....Love you girl....

Homecoming for Rick

2010-10-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today Rick got to go back home. Camp LeJeune was his home for over 5 years while he was in the Marine Corp. When we approached the gate, the guard just waved us in. We drove around on the base looking for a place to check in. Rick asked a young man (Marine) where we were to check-in...with a sorta stern look the young man said "you need to return to the front gate and get a pass to be on base".
We both kind of snickered ans said oops....we did turn around and head to the front gate.

Yesterday's Lighthouses

2010-10-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

This is the Ocracoke lighthouse taken from the ferry as we were leaving the docks.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and visitors center.
This is the Bodie Lighthouse which is currently under renovation. The funds for this renovation were from the stimulus package. This is to help the preservation of our landmarks (or so I was told).

Wright Brothers & Lighthouse hopping

2010-10-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

We started the morning out ae the Wright Brothers Flight Room and Museum. It was a very interesting place.

Sunset on the Currituck Sound

2010-10-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

THIS WAS AWESOME!!!!!!

At Kitty Hawk North Carolina

2010-10-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today we travelled to the outer banks of North Carolina and along the way we saw the first cotton fields in my life. It was so neat. The fields were just white and the bales of cotton were so white. What a site!!!

The causeways were so impressive. The water beautiful, so blue....WOW

Even Eeyore had fun!!

We ventured up to the Currituck lighthouse about 20 north of where we are staying. It is so beautiful here...I dont want to leave. We are going lighthouse hopping tomorrow and that should be fun. The picture below is a stock photo because the lighthouse was closed for tours when we got there.

Eeyore crossing the border

2010-10-11T19:22:00.001-07:00

We left Dallas, Georgia this morning and made it a short travel day we are in Greenville, South Carolina. Tomorrow night we are scheduled to be in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Visit with my favorite nieces

2010-10-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

We went to visit with my two favorite nieces this morning and had a great talk with them both. These are two of the sweetest girls that I have ever met and I would love them to death even if they weren't family. Andrea is on the right and she is the oldest child of my brother and Tori is on the left, she is the baby of the family. Both of these girls have the biggest hearts and are just loves.
I shared my Stone Hill wine with them....they were smiling!!

DONT EAT AT SHONEY'S

2010-10-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

After we checked in in Acworth Ga. Rick and I had dinner at Shoney's right next to the motel.....4 hours later he was throwing up his toenails and that continued for over 5 hours. I knew he was really sick when he said "I am so cold...please curl up to help me get warm." He usually kicks me to move over the other way.

Thank God...he was feeling better this morning and other than being really weak, I guess you could say he is no worse for wear.

He did talk to the manager at the restaurant this morning....they offered him a free breakfast...NOT!!!!

FUN CAR

2010-10-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

This awesome car passed us and all I can say is the truck exceeded the speed limit(BY A LOT) so I could take this picture. We have seen so many cool looking cars and trucks from all parts of the country.

Acworth Georgia

2010-10-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

ENTERING GEORGIA!!!
I JUST LIKED THIS SIGN!!!

FALL COLORS.....

We are in Acworth for the night and are going to Dallas GA to see my dear nieces tomorrow. Today we traveled from Nashville into Georgia. The colors are turning and no matter how hard I tried I couldnt get a decent shot. As we go into South Carolina (oh yea, and now North Carolina [Kitty Hawk] I will try to get some more).

Neely's Bar-B-Q

2010-10-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

The best Bar-B-Q I have ever had...fall off the bone tender ribs, bar-b-q spaghetti, to die for beans..A once in a lifetime treat. Thanks Pat & Gina Neely for your great food.

A busy day

2010-10-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

I just loved the look of this Mustang so I grabbed a shot of it. Sorry about the blur but we were doing 70 MPH and she was doing about 70-80 on a different road.

Leaves changing colors

We made some time today and covered quite a few miles. We started out in Fenton, Mo. then crossed the Mississippi into Illinois, on to Indiana, then to Mt Washington Kentucky to visit some dear friends and still made it for dinner at Neely's Bar-B Q in Nashville before closing. The colors are really starting to change and they are really pretty.

Left Branson....now in St Louis

2010-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

We spent the majority of the day in Branson catching the last couple of shows before we left town. The Hank Williams Revisited was a good show and the artist was very good. I dont really like Hank Williams music, but this dude made it good.

I did find a beautiful handmade quilt that will be wonderful on my new bed when I get home..So yes Beverly I did do some shopping, LOL

We travelled to St Louis tonight and we are heading to Kentucky in the morning. I cant wait to see how the leaves are turning and how the Mississippi looks tomorrow.

Time for a shower and sleep time. Until tomorrow...crossing the Mississippi this morning

THE OAKRIDGE BOYS

2010-10-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have seen this group twice before and both times they rocked. The last time was over 25 years ago...the crowd was rowdier, the volumn greater...but they are still AWESOME....MY HANDS ARE SORE FROM CLAPPING, THROAT SORE FROM YELLING....IT ROCKED.

THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN!!!!!

The Branson Belle

2010-10-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

We had lunch on the Branson Belle and cruised Table Rock reservoir . The meal was OK and the entertainment I would rate as a 5 out of 10. If I was to come to Branson again I will not be putting this on the list of things to do.

We are official DUKS

2010-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

YES we rode the duck....this is a really fun ride that is an amphibious vehicle that runs on the land as well as in the lake. Ride the Ducks

We also were given free tickets to a 10 AM concert. Down home Country

What a great wake up show...got the blood moving.

The day finished up with Dolly Pardon's Dixie Stampede....I must say that both Rick and I we not impressed by the show or the food.

Tomorrow we Start the day with the Branson Belle and that should be great

Arrived in Branson Missouri

2010-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

We rolled into Branson Missouri this early afternoon. We went to the information center and got all of our tickets for the shows. We then went to a presentation of Wyndam Properties and was very pressured to purchase a time share style condo. I guess it was worth spending two hours of our time for $100 refund on our stay here.

We went to see the show Pierce Arrow this evening and I would recommend it to anyone who likes country and gospel music as well as some great comedy throw in. It was fun and we did enjoy it.

Tomorrow we are going to ride the duck as well as go to the dixie stampede. That should also be a blast.

Visits with More relatives

2010-10-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

We went to Galena Kansas to visit with my second cousins. What a fun time..telling old stories and some that I had not heard before. Ate breakfast at a hole in the wall just on the outskirts of Galena...a full breakfast for both of us...eggs, sausage, hash browns, biscuits and coffee for $4.00 each....WOW I want to bring these prices back to Oregon.

We went to the grave of my Grandpa & Grandma McKinley (Millard Filmore & Essie Rose Bacon McKinley Pyle) as well as my Great-Grandma Brewer (Bacon) (Harding)(Johnson)....family plot. Uncle Charlie Pyle is also there.

We are staying here until early next week then its on to Branson, MO for 3 nights and 4 days of entertainment, rides, and general fun.

Hanging in Miami

2010-10-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

THE HORNBACK BOYS----.

Randall Hornback, Rick Hornback-Knowles, Clifford Hornback

Wow Rick now has blood relatives in Carthage Missouri. He also has a third cousin by marriage who just happens to be my Aunt by marriage....Beverly Pyle Kerns

We arrived in Miami, Oklahoma on Wednesday about noon. We have been spending time with Roseannes side of the family. Then on Thursday Rick got to meet some people that we thought might be blood relatives. As it turned out, not only are they blood relatives they are his second cousins. Funny thing is, my aunt by marriage is his third cousin...confused yet...LOL so were we. It was so great to see the three old men, sitting and talking and going over the charts of who was who 100 years ago.
Yesterday evening we went to my cousins for a great dinner and sat and talked for hours.

We are picking up my other Aunt (Norma) and going to catfish Johns for lunch down in Grove Oklahoma.

Pictures will follow...using Aunt Beverly's computer.

Lunch was awesome. I love good catfish..for Rick they also had good burgers, although they use the same oil for the fish and the fries...yuk!!! for someone that does not eat fish.

A crazy day to say the least!!!!

2010-09-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Last night we had dinner with my cousin Mark. As we sat and talked we were trying to figure out how many decades (not years) since we had seen each other. The closest we could come was that he was too young to drive and he just had his 50th birthday this year, so to sat the least it has been way too long.

We started out this morning in Kansas City, Missouri...then travelled to Wichita, Kansas....down to Oklahoma City for a visit to Sgt. Grit Marine Corp Supply...Hubby was in heaven!!!! We left Oklahoma City and headed to Tulsa to spend the night. It has been a well travelled day.

The Bugs are Horrific

2010-09-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

There are so many bugs on the raod its hard to believe. The fuzzy places on the picture are splattered bugs....So Sorry, but I just had to explain!!

On to Missouri

2010-09-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

We left Chaska, Minnesota this morning and have travelled to Blue Springs, Missouri (just outside of Kansas City). We have had a long day, but have seen a lot of the country. There are corn fields as far as you can see in Iowa as well as in Northern Missouri.

2010-09-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

Just a couple more pictures from yesterday in Duluth. The ship was 1006 ft long....it was AWESOME!!!!

Up to Duluth

2010-09-25T08:50:00.001-07:00

Eeyore in Duluth
Lighthouses in Duluth at the shipping channel

Eeyore at the iron range roadside stop
FALL COLORS HAVE STARTED HERE

Yesterday we went up to the Maritime Museum in Duluth. The shipping industry is awesome and very awe inspiring. The massive size of the ships, the movement of the bridge for the passage of the ship, the overall experience was fantastic.

We are spending the day today recovering from the running around yesterday...OH YEAH

OFF TO ARCHIVERS!!!!!! RUBBER STAMP HEAVEN!!!!

Visiting with Norm & Charlie

2010-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

After spending the night in Worthington MN we drove on into Chaska, MN. The lakes and the area are just beautiful. Green fields, corn ready to harvest, cattle and such. We are spending a few days in Chaska and Friday (tomorrow) we are going to run up to Duluth to see Lake Superior.

The weather was perfect until we hit Minnesota (Chaska) and it has been raining all day as well as thunder and lightning last night. It is suppose to let up tomorrow.

Had dinner out with family last night. Norm Charlie, and the boys. What fun catching up.

I will catch up more later...thanks for following us on our Great Adventure

Rick & Roseanne

Crossing into Minnesota

2010-09-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

We are spending the night in Worthington Minnesota. On to Chaska in the morning.

A couple more shots

2010-09-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

A couple more shots from around the corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.
There are corn fields as far as the eye can see.

Eeyore disappointed!!

2010-09-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

Today was a learning experience. There is a building in in Mitchell South Dakota named the Corn Palace. I thought I was going to have a great corn meal...wow what a shock when I found out this was made of FIBERGLASS.....BLAH!!!!

Eeyore said he should have read the information first!!!!

This information was copied from a wikipedia article.

The original Mitchell Corn Palace (known as "The Corn Belt Exposition") was built in 1892 to showcase the rich soil of South Dakota and encourage people to settle in the area. It was a wooden castle structure on Mitchell's Main Street. In 1904–1905, the city of Mitchell mounted a challenge to the city of Pierre in an unsuccessful attempt to replace it as the state capital of South Dakota. As part of this effort, the Corn Palace was rebuilt in 1905. In 1921 the Corn Palace was rebuilt once again, with a design by the architectural firm Rapp and Rapp of Chicago. Moorish domes and minarets were added in 1937, giving the Palace the distinctive appearance that it has today. It costs $130,000 annually to decorate the Palace.

The exterior corn murals are replaced and redesigned each year with a new theme. The designs are created by local artists. From 1948 to 1971 the artist Oscar Howe designed the panels. Calvin Schultz designed the murals from 1977 to 2002. Since 2003, the murals have been designed by Cherie Ramsdell. No new mural was created in 2006 due to an extreme drought.^[2]

Besides being a tourist attraction, the Corn Palace also serves the local community as a venue for concerts, sports events, exhibits and other community events. Each year, the Corn Palace is celebrated with a citywide festival, the Corn Palace Festival. Historically it was held at harvest time in September, but recently it has been held at the end of August. Other popular annual events include the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo (in July) and the Corn Palace Polka Festival (in September). It is also home to the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers and the Mitchell High School Kernels basketball teams.

The Corn Palace in Mitchell was preceded by several other grain palaces including: a Corn Palace in Sioux City, Iowa that was active from 1887–1891; a Corn Palace in Gregory, South Dakota; a Grain Palace in Plankinton, South Dakota; and a Bluegrass Palace in Creston, Iowa.

In 2004, national media attention was drawn to the Corn Palace, when it received Homeland Security funding. This drew criticism of the Department of Homeland Security and its grant program. In 2007, the Corn Palace subsequently received $25,000 in DHS funding for a camera system useful for purposes including Barack Obama's visit in 2008, and as reported by the Mitchell Republic, to protect a "new Fiberglas statue of the Corn Palace mascot Cornelius" in 2009.

Sleep TIme

2010-09-20T23:51:00.000-07:00

Spending the night in Rapid City South Dakota...on to Minnesota tomorrow. Night all

Mt Rushmore National Monument

2010-09-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

We arrived just at dusk so the picture is slightly grainy. We walked through the state flags to get to the stage area.
The presentation was wonderful and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn and appreciate more about the history of our country.
At the end of the program the guide asked that current and past veterans come to the stage to help lower the flag for the night. This was a very emotional event for the veterans (and others). Sorry it is blurry but it was at night and a long way aways.

Eeyore crossing the border

2010-09-20T23:37:00.001-07:00

Eeyore is thrilled to be leaving the brown of Wyoming going into South Dakota. Mountains in the distance.

South Dakota-Mt Rushmore

2010-09-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

I have never seen so much coal...Multiple trains loaded to the max with coal as far as the eye could see. What an interesting part of our nation and what keeps it moving.

On to Mt Rushmore

2010-09-20T23:27:00.000-07:00

Back into Wyoming...I thought Idaho was one color (beige), but after traveling the entire state of Wyoming and seeing just ONE tree and it was brown, It sure made me appreciate the color green of Oregon. Colorado has some beautiful color as well.

2010-09-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful uplifting day. It started out with the great honor of meeting one of the most talented stampers that I know. Yes I got to have lunch with the wonderful , fabulous, uber talented MOTHERMARK!!!!!

She as a awesome as her work.

What a neat and wonderful lady.

I also had the honor of meeting and dining with Jon and Eliza Brock who are neighbors of Cindy's (mothermark) and I have gotten to know over the last 3+ years online.
I feel like I have known these two wonderful ladies all of my life. It was like meeting old friends.
Thanks for a wonderful lunch and memories that will last a lifetime.

Mothermark & Eliza tomorrow

2010-09-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I am so excited I could just Spit. We are meeting with two wonderful people for lunch tomorrow. I cant wait to meet Cindy and Eliza. I know there will be hugs and maybe even tears. I am so excited.

Garmin found a restaurant

2010-09-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Since we are in Loveland, CO we relied on the Garmin to find us some dinner. Well....... it is a fact that the Garmin has no taste, we have decided it just loves to tell us where to drive. We travelled out of town about 5 miles up by Carter Lake to a place named Windjammer Roadhouse. The drive was pretty and it was nice to get out of town........but it turned out to be a Biker Bar (which is just fine), but there was no service. THe food was just OK. Burgers were the only fair offered that even looked interesting and safe. Next time we will stick with a chain like Applebee's or Chili's

Entering the Great state of Colorado

2010-09-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

The lovely state of Colorado. We could sure tell as we were leaving Wyoming...we started to see trees and knew that Colorado was over the next hill.

Downtown FOrt Collins reminds me of Downtown Eugene. A college town with a lovely campus.

We are staying at the La Quinta Inn in Loveland and will meet friends tomorrow for lunch.

Our next stop will be somewhere between here and Mt Rushmore..

Off to the pool and dinner...Football, hubby, pool and NO COOKING...I am very happy!!!

Coming into Wyoming

2010-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know the freeway speed in Wyoming is 75 MPH and the roads are bumpy....At least that is what I was told is the reason the Welcome to Wyoming sign is fuzzy....but hey who cares..I LOOK GOOD

We are spending the night in Rawlings Wyoming. 645 miles about 9 1/2 hours and we are all tired...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We will be rolling into Loveland Colorado tomorrow get a room and veg. Watch some football, play in a pool, and then Monday at noon we are going to meet our frinds Mothermark & Eliza. This is going to be so special. They are great peoples and I cant wait to see them face to face.

Cindy and Eliza...I will call you tomorrow sometime to set the schedule for Monday...Roseanne

Utah Has Colored Rocks

2010-09-18T21:16:00.001-07:00

At least there is a color other than beige in Utah. We saw a lot of pretty rocks and poor Eeyore did get out of the car. I was so excites at SU headquarters we forgot him.

Stampin" Up! Headquarters

2010-09-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Riverton, Utah

This is the headquarters to the Stampin' Up! USA

I am a demonstrator for this company and I wanted to go to the main office. The warehouse and the offices are huge.

Lookout Utah...the Knowles are coming

2010-09-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Coming into Utah and learning some information about Lake Bonneville and what remains of it today.

This is a really fun trip.

Out to stretch our legs..

2010-09-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

I was able to get out and look around and I had dad read me all this neat information about the hawk. Then he held me by the sign while mom took the picture...the entire area is still a lovely shade of beige. Maybe Utah will have color.

Headed to Salt Lake to take pictures at SU headquarters

2010-09-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

Boy I am having a great time. We left Mt Home Idaho this morning and I just found out that Idaho has one color....beige. There are lots of shades of the lovely brown, but not much else.

We are headed to Salt Lake City to take pictures at Stampin' Up! headquarters....Thrill for me...I will probably just have to sit in the car.

Breakfast with the family

2010-09-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

Tis morning started out in Mt. Home Idaho. Breakfast with the family before we hit the road. We had agreed to 7:30 AM....Dear hubby was up at 6..now mind you we were at the Hampton less than 1/4 mile from the restaurant. Of course we were there like 20 minutes early. Went and filled up the truck and still had to wait for the rest of the family to get there.

Dinner with the daughter.

2010-09-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

We had dinner with Jeannette tonight and we are doing breakfast with family in the morning.

Thanks for the great visit Jeannette

Mt. Home Idaho

2010-09-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is a relax day, swim in the pool day, catch up on the internet, plant the farm, harvest the crops, ect...type of day. We are staying at the Hampton Inn and having dinner tonight with Jeannette (Rick's oldest daughter). On the road in the morning and on to Salt Lake City for a tour of the Stampin' Up! Headquarters.

No pictures of this old broad in a swim suit....I would not subject my friends to that torture...LOL

Dinner with Dorinda...

2010-09-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

It was awesome to see Dorinda again. We had a great dinner and talked for over 2 hours. What a great gal...wish she lived closer...

I will miss you girlfriend!!

The Majestice Bald Eagle

2010-09-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

This was taken from the edge of the cage. I really wish I could have gotten closer, but was not an option. I cannot believe just how beautiful these creatures are in person.

Birds of Pray Display in Boise

2010-09-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

We went the a wonderful exhibit called the Birds of Pray in Boise. It was very interesting and all of the bird pictures are of living birds. We so enjoyed seeing the great birds and learning about their habits and environments.

Todd and his Great Uncle Rick. (with Eeyore)

Im in Idaho

2010-09-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Rolling into Idaho...Look out Boise here we come

Baker City --Oregon headed to Idaho

2010-09-16T20:20:00.001-07:00

Entering Baker Valley rest area. I am so tired, but we will be in Boise soon!!!

On the road...Day One

2010-09-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

6:00 AM...Portland Oregon in the rearview mirror. We are on our way and I am sooooo Excited.

I refuse to ride on the hitch

2010-09-14T19:46:00.001-07:00

After all of my hard work....I was told I would have to ride on the Hitch.....I said no way...

I'M DRIVING

2010-09-14T19:43:00.001-07:00

I finally got the work all done and then I had to close the lid. Wow do you know how hard that is for someone my size. Glad dad helped

2010-09-14T19:37:00.001-07:00

My name is Eeyore and I said I wanted to go on vacation with my family. They said okay, but that I had to pull my own weight. So here I am filling up the truck..

.Packing the truck was such hard work. Sure wish someone would help out at least a little.

We leave in 3 days.....

2010-09-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

We are packed, the special things prepared, son has been here for instructions on running the house while we are gone...truck cleaned and polished...we are ready. Can we leave now???

Thanks for all the encouragement and best wishes from all our friends.

PS...The travel guides are arriving, but only about 25% are here...pray for a big mail day Monday or Tuesday.

Travel Guides

2010-09-02T18:03:00.001-07:00

Yesterday hubby decided it would be a great idea to get visitors information packets for each state we are going through. We leave in two weeks...The maillady is going to hate us. It was such a great time talking to people from the deep south. By the time I got done talking with them I was using y'all. Oh the fun times ahead.

The Countdown is moving forward

2010-08-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

We have all the lists made, family notified, bags packed and the search for motels and attractions have started. It is going to be so interesting to visit nephews, nieces, cousins, my mothers cousins (I think that makes them my great cousins), Aunts, Uncles, friends, and other various relatives. There is so much catching up to do. It has been just over two years since I have seen some of my family and there are members of Ricks birth family that he has never met. This is truly going to be an adventure. We are looking forward to this trip with great anticipation. This is a once in a lifetime experience and we are so blessed to have this opportunity. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged us to do this as well as the life events that have put us in the position to make this possible.

Only two more weeks!!!!!

Packing almost finished

2010-08-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Almost finished with the packing, talked with friends, itinerary semi set....only about 4 weeks left to wait....hurry up September.

THE SHOPPING HAS STARTED

2010-08-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Lists and plans have started...getting things together that we may need and not overloading the truck!!!...LOL

First Aid Kit is now assembled and ready to go....fire extinguisher purchased.

Some clothes bought...now I have to return a couple of shirts..forgot hubby has to have pockets for his cell phone.

The weather here today is so perfect..slight breeze blowing and in the shade it is about 75 degrees. I took the card table, the phone and the laptop outside and I am enjoying the fresh air.

We are really getting anxious to go. Rick has started counting the number of days that he has left to work.

We keep adding stops along the route...hope we will be back by Christmas...LOL

July is over...hurry up September

2010-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

We have spent the last week deciding if we want to do an RV or the motel/restaurant route. There are pros and cons to each option. After climbing in and out of about 50 travel trailers and motor homes, evaluating mileage, price of food and motels, cost of renting the RV (we dont own one) and all the other factors I believe we have decided we are going to motel it all the way to Myrtle Beach SC and home.

There have been numerous additional stops and sites added to the trip, We may need the entire 8 weeks to complete it. Our poor Garmin is confused already.

Packing has started....Socks and underwear are packed, decisions made about what we need to buy and we have checked the average temperature in the major towns we are visiting during the month of October.

Any suggestions from friends who have traveled for a long distance are more than welcome.

Until later....
Rick & Roseanne

Getting Anxious

2010-07-25T13:33:00.001-07:00

We are getting excited as the time is getting closer. Just about 6 weeks before we are ready to leave.

Now to start doing some shopping and some preliminary packing. Yes I will start packing soon...just a bit obsessive to make sure we have everything we need. Hay at least I can be organized here...lol.

Family and friends have all responded and are awaiting our arrival. We purchased a new laptop to enable ease of postings at night. Our goal is to document each day and make a permanent record of this adventure.

The Beginning

2010-07-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Rick & I were talking one day about what to do for a vacation. He has worked since he was a young boy and never taken a vacation so hence the name. We both have relatives all over the United States, so that was a logical start.

The plan here is to document where we go and what we are doing for the 6-8 weeks of our travel. We are fortunate enough to have family in town so our home and cars will be protected and the house will not be empty. (Dont even think about trying to rob our house, the dog shows no mercy to intruders)