Wednesday September 27, Day 71
Starting trip meter: 14655
Starting time: 10:45 AM CDT
Starting Location: Fort Worth, Texas
After polishing off a BOB (Breakfast On a Bun), we reloaded the van, and stopped at Karen and Larry’s to say goodbye to them and Tyler before we started down the highway. This time Tyler warmed up to us a little more, and we delighted in seeing him play and chase the rainbows created by the crystals hanging in the sun. Tomorrow he starts his third chemotherapy session, and we pray to God that it will help to heal him, and that he will not be too sick from it.
We spent the evening with friends, Bill Hatfield and Teresa Wade who live in Linden, Texas. Since we arrived in town earlier than expected, we stopped to visit with Bill’s mother, Bonnie, who had recently moved to a nearby nursing home. She was very happy to see us. Later we all went to Vaughn’s for catfish. It was a delicious dinner, and we ate a lot. Thank you Billy and Teresa.
Today’s weather: Another beautiful day. 75/58
Miles driven today: 280
Today’s Pictures
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- Little Tyler loves to be walked.
Thursday September 28, Day 72
Starting trip meter: 14935
Starting time: 7:30 AM CDT
Starting Location: Linden, Texas
Awoke early, had coffee with Bill and Teresa and left for the highway. Passed the 15,000 mile mark on our trip just as we were crossing the state line into Louisiana. It does not seem possible to us that we have actually driven that many miles. Taking each day in small segments, it adds up, but has not seem to be a struggle at all. We have enjoyed it so much. In fact, we are having a difficult time dealing with knowing that it is soon going to end and we will be back home in a completely different routine. Who knows? We might just stop over long enough to do our laundry, check our mail, and head out again!
We found a great camp site at Shepard State Park, 40 miles west of Mobile, AL, in a small town called Gautier, Mississippi. It appeared to be a relatively new park, and we were the only ones camping in the RV area when we first arrived. It had everything that we liked, large spaces, lots of trees overlooking the marsh and streams, big picnic table, fire pit and all of the wood that you could ever want. Prepared our dinner, tried to finish up our wine, (almost, but not quite), saved our last 4 marshmallows for desert, and took our showers so that we could sit around the campfire and enjoy our last night.
A slight kink in our plans occurred while we were taking our showers. We had a visitor. Not only did he make a mess of our trash bucket, but he had been up on the table, turned over our candles, and had eaten our marshmallows! Major disappointment.
During the night we awoke to footsteps on the roof of the van. Nothing we did seemed to have any impact on the critter, he just continued to make himself at home and enjoy the trash bucket which Barney had placed up there. Eventually, we saw that it was a raccoon, which we had assumed, and we gave up and went back to sleep. The irony of all of this is the fact that we have had to be so concerned with bears during our entire trip, that we had let our guard down a little. Normally, we would have everything secured in the van, or bear proof containers. Actually, it was a fun way to remember our last camping experience.
Today’s weather: Not a cloud in the sky. Cool this morning but warming up fast as we head farther south. 82/53
Miles driven today: 518
Today’s Pictures
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- Teresa and Bill at their home in the piney woods of east Texas.
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- Before the coon got to our stuff at our Gautier, Mississippi camp.
Friday September 29, Day 73
Starting trip meter: 15453
Starting time: 8:30 AM
Starting Location: Gautier, MS
It had to happen someday, and today is the day. Our last day of the trip. It makes us sad to even talk about it. This has been the most wonderful vacation either of us have ever had.
It was such a joy to share it with our friends and family. The web site was not planned before we left home, but because Carl asked Barney to input scores to the JAGA site, the night before we were to leave Jacksonville, he installed the software required to be able to do it. We have so enjoyed hearing from everyone who has been following along with us.
A rainbow welcomed us back to Jacksonville. This ‘bow’ is for you Tyler.
It is nice but also sad to be home.
Trip summary coming soon.
Today’s weather: Mid 80s/Mid 60s
Miles driven today: 465
Today’s Pictures
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- Tyler, here is another ‘bow’ for you. It was raining about 15 miles west of Jacksonville making a nice ‘bow’ for little Tyler.
