Dec. 27, 2019

We have settled in here at the RV Resort and are loving every minute. 

Several of us participated in decorating the Resort for Christmas, as always, a fun time had by all. 

This years social calendar has been full with Italian Night, Cookie Exchange, and a big Christmas Dinner. 

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We have enjoyed our nightly gatherings 

around the fire.

We are very blessed to have our health, good friends, and family nearby.

Nov. 1, 2019 - Ocala, Florida

Our summer travels have come to an end.  We left Ocala, Florida on June 1, 2019 and returned November 1, 2019.


Our trip was filled with priceless moments with old friends, new friends, and family.

Highlights included crossing Lake Michigan on the S.S. Badger (a coil fueled ferry), Yellowstone National Park, Moab, Grand Canyon, and so much more. Visited 9 National Parks. We ventured where the bison roam and prairie dogs & coyotes live.


Russ got to spend his 70^th birthday in Saint Joseph, Mo. which included a Sturm Family get-together, and the birth of his 4th grandbaby.  

2019 STATS

• ·         Trip Days: 155 days
• ·         Total Miles Traveled: 7700
• ·         States visited (some more than once): 21

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NATIONAL PARKS: TOTAL 9

Arches National Park	Canyonlands National Park	Rocky Mountain National Park
Badlands National Park	Grand Canyon National Park	Yellowstone National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park	Grand Teton National Park	Mt. Rushmore National Memorial

NOTABLE SITES

Visits to: 


Black Hills, Badlands, Bear Country, Bear Butte State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, City of Deadwood, Hot air balloons in Albuquerque NM, Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, Mount Rushmore, Needles Highway, Royal Gorge Bridge, Old Faithful Geyser, Pikes Peak, Sedona, Sioux Falls, SPAM Museum, S.S. Badger Ferry crossing, Spearfish Canyon National Byway, Sturgis SD pre-bike rally, Wall Drugstore, and so much more.

We are already planning our 2020 adventures. 

October 10, 2019 – North Ft, Myers, Ft.



The unseasonably cold weather forced us to leave Saint Joseph, MO a couple of days early. We managed to stay one day ahead of the rain and cold weather.


We spent a week at UpRiver RV Resort in North Fort Myers, Fl. UpRiver just added a new section of ‘super sites’. We were the 1^st customers to stay on the sites and the staff came out to take pictures and greet us. Very nice park.

Back to traffic

Back in Gator country--- GO GATORS!

UpRiver RV Park - North Ft. Myers, Fl.

September 12, 2019 - Saint Joseph, MO.


 Saint Joseph, MO. is where the kids, grandkids, and great grandbabies all live. We celebrated Russ 70^th birthday and the birth of Rachels 1^st baby during our month long stay. Memories…priceless.

Russ with his daughter and his two great grandbabies.

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September 7, 2019 – Branson West, Mo.



Leaving the big mountains behind we headed to Branson West., MO. for some family time. The open roads and windmills offered up beautiful views.

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  Branson Treehouse Adventures RV Park

Local Fire Department Flying Old Glory on 9/11

August 29, 2019 – Pikes Peak



Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in North America.

When you enter the Ranger decides if you can driver you vehicle to the top (summit) or if you need to take one of the shuttle vans. We were lucky enough to get a pass to drive all the way to the TOP!

We drove to the summit via the Pikes Peak Highway, a 19 mi road. The road has a series of switchbacks, treacherous at high speed, called "The W's" for their shape on the northwest side of the mountain. It was perhaps the scariest road we have every driven. Hard to believe there is an annual motor race, called the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

There are several visitor centers on Pikes Peak, some with a gift shop and restaurant. These centers are located at the 6-mile and 12-mile markers of the toll road, plus one at the summit itself. When you drive back down the mountain the Rangers are at these locations and check the temperature of your brakes. If they are hot, you are asked to pull over for 20 minutes. Yes we had to pull over and give our brakes a rest.



 The Summit House sells special high altitude doughnuts, frying up to 700 per hour. The doughnuts collapse or go mushy if transported to lower altitudes.

August 26, 2019 – Royal Gorge Bridge



The Royal Gorge Bridge located in the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park near Canon City, Co.

The bridge crosses the gorge 955 feet above the Arkansas River. The bridge held the “highest bridge in the world” until 2001. The bridge still remains the “highest bridge in the US”. Total length of the bridge is 1,260 feet, 18 feet with, and is 150 feet tall.

The entrance to the bridge is about 4 miles off the main highway. Locals assured us we would have no problem with our 40” RV towing a truck. Lets just say we sure were glad we didn’t pass a tour bus or another RV. We unhooked the truck to come back down.



 



The day we went it was very windy, and yes, the bridge does move in high winds. 

When you buy your ticket they suggest you ride over then walk downhill to the bridge. Excellent advice.

Open air concerts

August 17, 2019 – Albuquerque, NM



Home to HOT AIR BALLOONS which take to the beautiful sky every morning.

August 14, 2019 – Grand Canyon National Park



From Flagstaff, AZ we spent a couple of days visiting the Grand Canyon & Sedona.


Sedona, AZ

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GRAND CANYON.. Yes it is as pretty as everyone says.