Four of the Blue Angels at take off and the Six in Flight
A close up of the F/A18-Hornet
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The last of Robertsdale, AL and Florida
Mar 28 … Wed - We have dense fog this morning. Later this morning we will be heading to our next stop at a Corp of Engineer park out of Montgomery, AL. The trip is about 170 miles from here. We are stopping at a truck shop first to get our Crossfire Tire System installed.
Mar 27 … Tue - Got up early and drove to the Pensacola Naval Air Station to watch an 0830 Blue Angel “practice” session. They go through their full show routine and what a show it was. I highly recommend seeing them anytime anyone has the opportunity to do so. Their official web site is http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/. There you can find their schedule and history of their existence. It is absolutely amazing what they do with those F/A 18 Hornets. That afternoon, we had the cousins and their kids out to the motorhome for burgers. Unfortunately, we won’t see them again for awhile.
Mar 26 … Mon - A laundry and pool/hotub day. Hiked the trail on the Styx River.
Mar 27 … Tue - Got up early and drove to the Pensacola Naval Air Station to watch an 0830 Blue Angel “practice” session. They go through their full show routine and what a show it was. I highly recommend seeing them anytime anyone has the opportunity to do so. Their official web site is http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/. There you can find their schedule and history of their existence. It is absolutely amazing what they do with those F/A 18 Hornets. That afternoon, we had the cousins and their kids out to the motorhome for burgers. Unfortunately, we won’t see them again for awhile.
Mar 26 … Mon - A laundry and pool/hotub day. Hiked the trail on the Styx River.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
More from southern Alabama & Pensacola
Mar 25 … Sun - We went to church services in the park. It’s a hot one today so we will hang out in or near the motorhome. We got enough sun yesterday.
Mar 24 … Sat - We drove back to Pensacola and met Sheila and family at the Blue Angel RV park. We rented a very nice pontoon boat and we all spent 5 hours out on the beautiful Perdido Bay. We ate lunch after parking on a small island where we saw Dolphins swimming in the area. The weather was almost perfect with plenty of sun and temps around 75 degrees. We really enjoyed the day with them.
Mar 23 … Fri - After breakfast on the patio at Sheila and Jeremy’s, we drove back to Spanish Fort and picked up our motorhome. Back at the rv park this time we set up at a different site in hopes of getting a better satellite signal. Although not perfect, the picture is better.
Mar 22 … Thurs - The day started early again taking the mh back to Spanish Fort and the Cat repair facility. After dropping it off, we drove into Pensacola to the one and only mall in town. Dixie was shopping for new eye glasses so we went to several stores. Later, we went to the National Museum of Naval Aviation located on the Pensacola Naval Air Station base. The guided tours done by former Naval aviators was, to say the least, an unforgettable experience. They provided a wealth of first-hand knowledge about the planes and their experience flying them, some during times of war. We thoroughly enjoyed everything the museum had to offer.
Later, went to Dixie’s cousins house after getting the key from her neighbor. They were on their way back from Disney World and arrived home about 9 p.m. We had dinner outside on the patio while watching a beautiful sunset.
Mar 21 … Wed - Another beautiful day weather-wise so we took a hike along the Styx river. Went to the pool again this afternoon.
Mar 20 … Tue - Took the mh into Spanish Fort for service. The Cat service center found not one but two oil leaks around the engine. They fixed one but the other one was a two day job so we’ll do it all over again on Thursday. We’ll stay with Dixie’s cousin Shelia and family in Pensacola. It’s only about 40 or so miles to their house.
Mar 19 … Mon - With sunny skies and temp around 75 we did some laundry and went to the pool. Mike used the hotub twice due to an aching back. It helped a great deal.
Mar 24 … Sat - We drove back to Pensacola and met Sheila and family at the Blue Angel RV park. We rented a very nice pontoon boat and we all spent 5 hours out on the beautiful Perdido Bay. We ate lunch after parking on a small island where we saw Dolphins swimming in the area. The weather was almost perfect with plenty of sun and temps around 75 degrees. We really enjoyed the day with them.
Mar 23 … Fri - After breakfast on the patio at Sheila and Jeremy’s, we drove back to Spanish Fort and picked up our motorhome. Back at the rv park this time we set up at a different site in hopes of getting a better satellite signal. Although not perfect, the picture is better.
Mar 22 … Thurs - The day started early again taking the mh back to Spanish Fort and the Cat repair facility. After dropping it off, we drove into Pensacola to the one and only mall in town. Dixie was shopping for new eye glasses so we went to several stores. Later, we went to the National Museum of Naval Aviation located on the Pensacola Naval Air Station base. The guided tours done by former Naval aviators was, to say the least, an unforgettable experience. They provided a wealth of first-hand knowledge about the planes and their experience flying them, some during times of war. We thoroughly enjoyed everything the museum had to offer.
Later, went to Dixie’s cousins house after getting the key from her neighbor. They were on their way back from Disney World and arrived home about 9 p.m. We had dinner outside on the patio while watching a beautiful sunset.
Mar 21 … Wed - Another beautiful day weather-wise so we took a hike along the Styx river. Went to the pool again this afternoon.
Mar 20 … Tue - Took the mh into Spanish Fort for service. The Cat service center found not one but two oil leaks around the engine. They fixed one but the other one was a two day job so we’ll do it all over again on Thursday. We’ll stay with Dixie’s cousin Shelia and family in Pensacola. It’s only about 40 or so miles to their house.
Mar 19 … Mon - With sunny skies and temp around 75 we did some laundry and went to the pool. Mike used the hotub twice due to an aching back. It helped a great deal.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Southern Alabama
Mar 18 … Sun - Another chilly morning but it warmed up quickly. The sun is shinning bright and it looks as though it will be a beautiful day. We rode bikes around the park and plan to putz around the motorhome today.
Mar 17 … Sat - Woke up to 36 degrees…a bit chilly! Drove about 40 miles south to the gulf. We decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s day at a famous roadhouse called “Florabama”…..named as such as it is on the Florida/Alabama border. It sits right on the beach and the view was spectacular. It still suffers from hurricane damage as it is built a bit rustic. We listened to the live band and had some corned beef and cabbage!
Mar 16 … Fri - Had lunch at a Subway and later to Walmart in Foley, AL. A real exciting day.
Mar 15 … Thurs - Woke up to rain this morning. Luckily we have comp wifi service so we took the time to file our income taxes online. Walked a nature trail along the Styx river this afternoon.
Mar 14 … Wed - This morning we got the motorhome out of the storage facility and made the short 33 mile trip to Robertsdale, AL and the Styx River Resort. The park is not bad other than the fact that the interior roads are very narrow. And did I mention trees? Where we’re parked we can’t pick up the satellite signal however the local stations from Mobile and Pensacola are good off our antennae. There are worse things in life.
Mar 13 … Tue - The trip back to Pensacola went very well. We were worried about the flight from Houston as it was full. We were late arriving from MSP as it had been raining in Houston. Luckily there were some misconnects so we were able to board with no problem. We didn’t have a lot to eat today but who can’t go without a meal now and then. Sheila met us at the airport and we spent the night with her and the kids.
Mar 17 … Sat - Woke up to 36 degrees…a bit chilly! Drove about 40 miles south to the gulf. We decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s day at a famous roadhouse called “Florabama”…..named as such as it is on the Florida/Alabama border. It sits right on the beach and the view was spectacular. It still suffers from hurricane damage as it is built a bit rustic. We listened to the live band and had some corned beef and cabbage!
Mar 16 … Fri - Had lunch at a Subway and later to Walmart in Foley, AL. A real exciting day.
Mar 15 … Thurs - Woke up to rain this morning. Luckily we have comp wifi service so we took the time to file our income taxes online. Walked a nature trail along the Styx river this afternoon.
Mar 14 … Wed - This morning we got the motorhome out of the storage facility and made the short 33 mile trip to Robertsdale, AL and the Styx River Resort. The park is not bad other than the fact that the interior roads are very narrow. And did I mention trees? Where we’re parked we can’t pick up the satellite signal however the local stations from Mobile and Pensacola are good off our antennae. There are worse things in life.
Mar 13 … Tue - The trip back to Pensacola went very well. We were worried about the flight from Houston as it was full. We were late arriving from MSP as it had been raining in Houston. Luckily there were some misconnects so we were able to board with no problem. We didn’t have a lot to eat today but who can’t go without a meal now and then. Sheila met us at the airport and we spent the night with her and the kids.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Montana
Mar 12 … Mon - Repacking for our trip back to Pensacola tomorrow.
Mar 11 … Sun - Went to church and then drove back to Great Falls. The weather is warm but very windy! Went out to dinner at Borries, a great local restaurant. Ended the evening watching the DVD of ‘World Trade Center’.
Mar 10 … Sat - We moved the items we had stored at Dixie’s sisters house to the storage room in town. Didn’t realize we had so many boxes. Enjoyed another great family dinner and visit.
Mar 9 … Fri - While Dixie went to Turner for a haircut appointment, her dad and I drove about 20 miles to Harlem. Doug’s wife, Fran was working at the annual Harlem Seed Show. We had lunch there after looking at the many works of art that was on display. Tonight, Dixie’s sister and brother-in-law Steve, made a wonderful dinner of spareribs and chicken with lots of wine.
Mar 8 … Thurs - Today was a cool and windy day so the day was mostly spent indoors. Dixie managed to get everyone's hair cut. Later, we drove about 12 miles to the town of Turner for dinner and Lenten service at the Lutheran church.
Mar 7 … Wed - Another beautiful day in paradise, aka Montana. Today we drove the 3 hours to Hogeland, MT where Dixie’s brother and sister and their families live. The town is about 70 miles north of Havre and about 12 miles south of the Canadian border. Great to see everyone - the 3 nephews are growing up fast.
Mar 6 … Tue - A beautiful sunny day in Great Falls, Mt. Temp about 60 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We went with Dixie’s parents, Dick and Florence, to several local stores for a bit of shopping. We’ll be driving to Hogeland tomorrow afternoon.
Mar 11 … Sun - Went to church and then drove back to Great Falls. The weather is warm but very windy! Went out to dinner at Borries, a great local restaurant. Ended the evening watching the DVD of ‘World Trade Center’.
Mar 10 … Sat - We moved the items we had stored at Dixie’s sisters house to the storage room in town. Didn’t realize we had so many boxes. Enjoyed another great family dinner and visit.
Mar 9 … Fri - While Dixie went to Turner for a haircut appointment, her dad and I drove about 20 miles to Harlem. Doug’s wife, Fran was working at the annual Harlem Seed Show. We had lunch there after looking at the many works of art that was on display. Tonight, Dixie’s sister and brother-in-law Steve, made a wonderful dinner of spareribs and chicken with lots of wine.
Mar 8 … Thurs - Today was a cool and windy day so the day was mostly spent indoors. Dixie managed to get everyone's hair cut. Later, we drove about 12 miles to the town of Turner for dinner and Lenten service at the Lutheran church.
Mar 7 … Wed - Another beautiful day in paradise, aka Montana. Today we drove the 3 hours to Hogeland, MT where Dixie’s brother and sister and their families live. The town is about 70 miles north of Havre and about 12 miles south of the Canadian border. Great to see everyone - the 3 nephews are growing up fast.
Mar 6 … Tue - A beautiful sunny day in Great Falls, Mt. Temp about 60 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We went with Dixie’s parents, Dick and Florence, to several local stores for a bit of shopping. We’ll be driving to Hogeland tomorrow afternoon.
North Bend, WA
Mar 5 … Mon - We all drove into Seattle today today to see the 'Grossology Exhibit at the Pacfic Science museum. Had a great family dinner at Red Robin on the warf, then off to the airport to catch Alaska flight to Great Falls, MT.
Mar 4 … Sun - The day was spent painting the living room and stairs hallway. It looks great! Adriana and Dillon helped us with the trim and also got a swip or two at rolling. Later that evening, we had pizza and wine for dinner. After dinner, we played a few games of Bingo. Everyone was tired after a long day of painting so bedtime came early.
Mar 3 … Sat - At Micheala and Tim’s house in North Bend, WA, winter was still very much present as several inches of snow was still present. We spent the day visiting with them and their two children. We helped Micheala do some paint “prep” of her living room because Sunday we would help her with the job. Later, we took a long walk (in the snow) around the neighborhood. That evening they took us out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant. The food was excellent!
Mar 4 … Sun - The day was spent painting the living room and stairs hallway. It looks great! Adriana and Dillon helped us with the trim and also got a swip or two at rolling. Later that evening, we had pizza and wine for dinner. After dinner, we played a few games of Bingo. Everyone was tired after a long day of painting so bedtime came early.
Mar 3 … Sat - At Micheala and Tim’s house in North Bend, WA, winter was still very much present as several inches of snow was still present. We spent the day visiting with them and their two children. We helped Micheala do some paint “prep” of her living room because Sunday we would help her with the job. Later, we took a long walk (in the snow) around the neighborhood. That evening they took us out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant. The food was excellent!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Trip to Fort Bragg & some time in Pensacola
Mar 2 - Fri - Put the motorhome in a storage facility this morning and then headed to Dixie’s cousin Sheila’s house. She took us to the Pensacola airport to catch a flight to Houston. However, here we are again hanging out at an airport. The flight at noon was full due to the weather in the area yesterday. We are trying for the one at 3p with the hopes to make a connection in Houston to Seattle. We hope to get to Micheala's sometime tonight!
Mar 1 - Thurs - Since we’re leaving for Seattle and Montana tomorrow, we discovered we needed another piece of luggage. Sheila took us to the Post Commissary because of the large selection and excellent prices. We went to their home for dinner this evening. It rained most of the day.
Feb 28 - Wed - Sheila and Jeremy and their kids came to visit us at our RV park this afternoon. Later, we decided to go to dinner. We drove the 20 or so miles to Foley, Alabama to have dinner at Lamberts. It was a fun family restaurant with home style cooking. The portions were huge and they toss hot rolls to you. The waitress walked up to me with what looked like a pitcher of tea. She pretended to stumble toward me and I thought the tea would spill over the table on me. I jumped back but the laugh was on me because the pitcher of tea was fake. The kids loved it!
Feb 27 - Tue - Paid a visit to Dixie’s cousins Sheila and Jeremy Pittman who live very near the Pensacola Naval Air Station which is a short distance where the Blue Angel RV park is located. We had dinner with them and Dixie’s other cousins in the area, Paula and Bob Cox. Dinner and the visit was great!
Feb 26 - Mon - Because the commuter flights were booked to capacity, we decided to go the airport for a 0615 flight. The only problem with that was the fact we were 1 ½ hour drive from the airport. We decided we had to get up at 0245 to be ready to leave their house by 0330. Even after getting slightly lost getting to the freeway, we got to the rental drop off at 0510 and at the airport gate by 0530. The flights were all on time and we arrived back in PNS by about 1130. The weather in the Florida panhandle is beautiful with sun and temps around 75 degrees. We enjoyed the beach on Perdido Bay just a few yards from the motorhome.
Feb 25 - Sun - A cool rainy day so we decided to take in a afternoon movie. The movie was The Bridge to Tarabithea. It was good except for a sad twist that none of us saw coming. That evening, we all went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday.
Feb 24 - Sat - Took a long morning walk with Katherine and the grandkids. Later, played board games and generally spent some “quality” time with the kids since we had not seen them since October last year. That evening, Brandon prepared a wonderful dinner of “Barbara’s” spaghetti w/salad and wine.
Feb 23 - Fri - Off to the PNS airport for the flight to Houston and connecting to a flight to RDU to visit the kids and grandkids. We arrived in RDU at about 1400 and by 1440 we were on the road to Fayetteville, NC. Brandon’s promotion ceremony was at 1630 and we pulled into the parking just about that time. The ceremony was conducted by Col Charles Flynn who spoke highly of Brandon as well as Katherine, his wife. We are very proud of them and their unselfish service to our country. Afterwards, everyone at the ceremony went to a local restaurant/bar where tradition called for Brandon to purchase drinks for everyone. Brandon’s mother, Claudia, had traveled from Seattle to be with him for the weekend as well.
Mar 1 - Thurs - Since we’re leaving for Seattle and Montana tomorrow, we discovered we needed another piece of luggage. Sheila took us to the Post Commissary because of the large selection and excellent prices. We went to their home for dinner this evening. It rained most of the day.
Feb 28 - Wed - Sheila and Jeremy and their kids came to visit us at our RV park this afternoon. Later, we decided to go to dinner. We drove the 20 or so miles to Foley, Alabama to have dinner at Lamberts. It was a fun family restaurant with home style cooking. The portions were huge and they toss hot rolls to you. The waitress walked up to me with what looked like a pitcher of tea. She pretended to stumble toward me and I thought the tea would spill over the table on me. I jumped back but the laugh was on me because the pitcher of tea was fake. The kids loved it!
Feb 27 - Tue - Paid a visit to Dixie’s cousins Sheila and Jeremy Pittman who live very near the Pensacola Naval Air Station which is a short distance where the Blue Angel RV park is located. We had dinner with them and Dixie’s other cousins in the area, Paula and Bob Cox. Dinner and the visit was great!
Feb 26 - Mon - Because the commuter flights were booked to capacity, we decided to go the airport for a 0615 flight. The only problem with that was the fact we were 1 ½ hour drive from the airport. We decided we had to get up at 0245 to be ready to leave their house by 0330. Even after getting slightly lost getting to the freeway, we got to the rental drop off at 0510 and at the airport gate by 0530. The flights were all on time and we arrived back in PNS by about 1130. The weather in the Florida panhandle is beautiful with sun and temps around 75 degrees. We enjoyed the beach on Perdido Bay just a few yards from the motorhome.
Feb 25 - Sun - A cool rainy day so we decided to take in a afternoon movie. The movie was The Bridge to Tarabithea. It was good except for a sad twist that none of us saw coming. That evening, we all went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday.
Feb 24 - Sat - Took a long morning walk with Katherine and the grandkids. Later, played board games and generally spent some “quality” time with the kids since we had not seen them since October last year. That evening, Brandon prepared a wonderful dinner of “Barbara’s” spaghetti w/salad and wine.
Feb 23 - Fri - Off to the PNS airport for the flight to Houston and connecting to a flight to RDU to visit the kids and grandkids. We arrived in RDU at about 1400 and by 1440 we were on the road to Fayetteville, NC. Brandon’s promotion ceremony was at 1630 and we pulled into the parking just about that time. The ceremony was conducted by Col Charles Flynn who spoke highly of Brandon as well as Katherine, his wife. We are very proud of them and their unselfish service to our country. Afterwards, everyone at the ceremony went to a local restaurant/bar where tradition called for Brandon to purchase drinks for everyone. Brandon’s mother, Claudia, had traveled from Seattle to be with him for the weekend as well.
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