Doing what you're good at

See Judy.
See Judy shop.
Shop.Shop. Shop.

But she got some really beautiful turquoise jewelry from this woman. This area in Santa Fe is reserved for Native American artisans (or their immediate family) to sell authentic crafts that they have made. The quality is policed by a committee, and the individual vendors get their spot through a daily lottery. (Only about 1 in 10 vendors gets a spot each day.)

Stairway To Heaven

Writing today from sunny Santa Fe. Jeff and I had a full day exploring the city which is the second oldest in the US. St. Augustine, FL is the oldest in case you were wondering. We took an open air tram tour around the city and some residential areas and it was very informative and also very cold. Our driver was knowledgeable and funny which made it easy to learn. We decided that you need at least a week here to see all the museums, historical sights, eat in all the right places and SHOP!

Our tour took us around the old plaza which is the center of town. One side is the Governor's Palace which we visited later and the other three sides are shops and cafes. There are food vendors around the plaza who pay rent and are selected for a year by lottery. Alongside of the Governor's Palace is a covered area with Native American vendors who don't pay rent and charge no sales tax.

We saw churches and miles of art galleries on Canyon Drive as well as museums on the hill overlooking the city and some magnificent homes built up in the mountains. After the tour we visited the Loretto Chapel which has "The Miraculous Staircase." This Santa Fe landmark astonishes visitors who gawk at the circular staircase to the choir loft which has no means of support. Jeff just sat and looked at it for a long time. It was too much like physics class for me to figure out, but beautiful woodwork.

After some shopping and eating we went inside the Governor's Palace and I went on to see St. Francis Cathedral. We got home around three to spend some time with Ziggy and rest. While I was napping Jeff went out to get Chinese food for dinner. After that he went to the supermarket and I did laundry.

Santa Fe is an interesting city which attracted artists after the railroads passed them by. Keeping the town looking a certain way means lots of rules like all homes and buildings have to be built in the Santa Fe "style." This means adobe look, tannish paint (40 shades to choose from) and a flat roof. The photo above shows the Scottish Rite Temple which has been pink since before the 1915 law. It is the only colorful building in town.

We gotta get out of this place

I think one of the most interesting experiences on this trip is meeting different people from all over the country. One theme keeps popping up over and over again. People in the rest of the country are, as a whole, much nicer than people from the northeast (present company excepted, of course).

From sales clerks who truly want to help you and campground hosts who are really pleased to see you to everyday people who really mean it when they say, "Have a nice day," people seem to be much more pleasant away from the northeast. Part of the tradeoff, of course, is that everything is also more laid back. You don't want to be in a hurry - especially in the south.

But the whole experience makes me want to re-think my plans for living out my retirement years. I think we are so inured to rudeness (or to be less negative - a lack of kindness) that we take it for granted that all people are that way. I'm not completely convinced that it's not a red state vs. blue state phenomenon. But I'm am going to make a real effort when I get home to be more pleasant - and mean it!

You have my permission to remind me.

Home, Home on the Range

This morning we drove on historic Route 66 from Montoya to Santa Rosa, NM. The road runs right next to the interstate, but still it is neat. We turned north toward Santa Fe and decided on the way to visit the old gun slinger town Las Vegas. Even Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders came here. Not much is left so we headed out to see Ft. Union which was the largest supply depot in the territories.

The place was so desolate that it was hard to believe that it had been an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail. During the Civil War the Confederacy sent troops here, but they were easily defeated by the Union forces who continued to control the fort. Jeff and I were concerned about the signs saying not to go off the paths as there were rattlesnakes. Luckily we didn't see any snakes, but we did see a Prong Horn Antelope. The ranger said they are the only antelope that lives outside of Africa. We saw a few more of these antelopes from the road.

We were riding at a higher altitude and kept the windows open which was very comfortable. Santa Fe sits at 6400' and the city is all adobe style architecture in tans and browns. We found our campground and later went to the Centro to have dinner and walk around. Looking forward to exploring tomorrow.

Get Your Kicks on Route 66

Jeff and I drove along Route 66 today and following that road of legend made us feel very lucky to be traveling. We left our campground and visited the Route 66 Museum in Elk City, OK. They had lots of old cars and business items and things that were found along the route. One room was devoted to Popeye (the name of our RV) memorabilia including a pin ball machine. We even went to a drive in movie showing The Blob. When we left we saw a field with horses and two zebras.

We continued west which brought us back to Texas and had lunch in Amarillo at the Big Texan Steak Ranch. See Jeff's blog for a description.

Later we turned off the road to see the Cadillac Ranch. As you can see from the photos, this is a dirt field with Cadillac cars planted in the earth. It is right off the highway and the fun here is the graffiti that is spray painted by the visitors. Very bizarre, but worth a look. We also saw the largest cross in the Western hemisphere and some very fancy rest areas with picnic pavilions and great lookouts.

As we climbed to higher altitudes (about 4000') the weather got a little cooler and the scenery got greener with some interesting land forms and hills. We decided to spend the night in Tucumcari, NM. This is a place Jeff knew from the song Willin' which he sang to me. So here we are and they have a heated pool and that was refreshing after a long day.

That's a lot of bull!

Sounds great. Eat a 72 oz. steak (with all the trimmings) in one hour and it's free. Otherwise it'll cost you $72. Not too bad. I've polished off some pretty big meals in my time.

Now take a look (2nd picture) at what a 72 oz. steak looks like. That's 4-1/2 pounds! To make a long story short, I didn't try. Not only do you have to eat it in one hour, but you are on a special platform (think boxing ring) with just you, a big table, and a large digital timer behind you so everyone can keep track of how you are doing. No pressure!

In excess of 20,000 people have tried, and only about 4,000 have done it. The record is by a professional wrestler who finished in 9-1/2 minutes!

I can't imagine finishing this meal without becoming violently sick. Brian summed it up nicely. Even if you win, you lose.

Here a state. There a state.

The map on the side of our RV is starting to take shape. We make a ceremony of adding each new state to the map, usually at the official welcome center on the Interstate. It's really exciting to watch it grow.

By the way, did you know that our RV is named "Popeye?" (We even have the name on the door.) Popeye is from an old Stan Freeburg bit. It is the boat that George Washington used to cross the Delaware. Popeye (the boat) had a striped (2 syllables) awning as does Popeye the RV.

Oklahoma, OK

Well we hated to leave Ft. Worth, but it was time to take to the highway again. The Waage's made a beautiful brunch and I took a very long shower and then we headed north to Oklahoma City. The day was stifling hot and the city was almost deserted. The only folks around, like us, were visiting the Oklahoma City National Memorial - On American Soil. This is the story of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in April, 1995 which killed over 160 people.

On the grounds of the former federal building is a reflecting pool with two large walls on either side. On the adjacent lawn are the "chairs" - one for each victim. There are large chairs and heartbreakingly smaller chairs for the child victims. Next door the museum follows the day of the bombing in chronological order ending with a memorial room of photos and mementos of each victim.

Afterwards we drove west through some rolling hills. We found Oklahoma to be prettier than expected with lots of green grass and trees. We passed the Chickasaw Nation Casino and later the Cherokee Nation grounds. We saw a Sinclair gas station complete with dinosaur on the sign and the cheapest gas price was 2.53. There were oil wells and a wind farm with lots and lots of windmills. We saw lots more cattle and horses with babies and even a few longhorns. The day became very windy and Jeff was struggling to stay on the road. We did break the 5000 mile mark since we've owned the RV.

Route 40 parallels what is left of Route 66 and we hope to do some exploring tomorrow. We finally stopped in Elk City to spend the night. The campground is so-so and they expect thunderstorms. Tonight is the first time we lit up the stove and had a real home cooked dinner.

Until tomorrow.

Cherish

Today was meant for relaxing with dear cousins, telling stories about old times and sharing lots of laughs. We had a beautiful day sitting around the pool, swimming and lots of food. Marlene and Bob served us delicious wild salmon that Bob purchased recently at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Marlene cooked up some terrific potato salad and more. Celeste and Arnie joined the party and brought some yummy appetizers and desserts. It was fun to get Ziggy in the pool and even Winston (the cat) took a short swim.

Well our time in Texas is about over and we need to get on the road again. I will cherish the time spent here. The photos above are Erica, Jessica & Bailey Waage; Judy with cousins Arnie & Marlene; Ziggy and Bailey hanging out together.

Ziggy's dirty little secret

Ziggy has a secret. It is very embarrassing and it is not widely known. She doesn't like to swim.

Now those of you who remember Peeve may remember that she couldn't pass a puddle without trying to jump in. But not Ziggy. She doesn't know she's a water dog. Not only doesn't she like to swim, but she's not very good at it either.

But we'll keep this a secret. Don't tell anybody.

Abraham, Martin and John

Friday in Dallas/Ft. Worth is hot, humid and lots of traffic. We navigate the highways and arrive at the beautiful home of our wonderful tour guide #1, Celeste. She shows us around the house and pool and then drives us downtown to see the sights. Our first stop is The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. This is the former Texas School Book Depository which chronicles the assassination and life of JFK. Walking through the exhibits brought back many memories of my early teen years. We also visited a neat little park with an entire herd of longhorn statues.

Celeste drove us around Dowtown Dallas and we met Arnie for lunch at the Taco Diner. Jeff is actually having Tex-Mex food two meals in a row. Luckily they had a hamburger on the menu for the gringos. Arnie, wonderful tour guide #2, took over for the afternoon shift and showed us some areas with truly amazing homes/estates. We visited the Lamplighter School, where Arnie is the head, and I wish every child could learn in such a stimulating environment.

More eating as we met up with daughter Faith for dinner. It has been many years since we saw her and fun to spend some time together. Faith is doing development work for Habitat for Humanity. Now we drive back to Ft. Worth, which is actually pleasant without traffic and both Waage daughters, Erica and Jessica, are here. The gals are both finished with college and out in the working world. Erica is teaching in Austin and Jessica is doing sales in Dallas. It is great to see all three of these young women as beautiful, accomplished adults.


I have to thank Marlene & Bob for so many things. They are letting us stay in their driveway, feeding us, providing bathrooms and laundry. But most of all they are enjoying having Ziggy as a guest. She has full run of the place and even helped Bob mow the lawn. Jessica has brought granddog Bailey with her - a 5.4lb. Yorkie. Ziggy never knew she had so many cousins.I am pleased that Ziggy is getting along with her much smaller relatives as she can sometimes be such a bully.

To finish off the day, Marlene and Bob took us out for ice cream. We decided to sleep in the RV tonight as it is a bit cooler and a slight breeze.

So I said, "Jack..."

OK, I know it's tacky, but what the heck.

Today we went to the Texas Book Depository in Dallas whence Lee Harvey Oswald (allegedly) shot JFK in 1963. It was surprisingly moving.

Ft. Worth (where we are staying) is known as Cow Town. To us in the Northeast there is not much difference between Dallas and Ft. Worth (or, for that matter, Richardson, Irving and all the other cities in the megalopolis known as Dallas-Ft. Worth). But once you are here you begin to realize that Dallas and Ft. Worth are very different. Ft. Worth feels like a big small town. Dallas is a big, crowded city.

For all the horror stories you hear about the traffic nightmares in Los Angeles, they have nothing on the ones you find here. You simply don't drive during rush hour if you don't have to. (I may have to eat my words in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.)

Bob and Marlene Waage have been most gracious hosts. Not only have they welcomed us into their home, but they have included Ziggy as well. Today she helped Bob mow the lawn.

Thanks also to Arnie and Celeste Cohen who gave us a great tour of Dallas today. Arnie is the Head of the Lamplighter School - a pre-K to 4 private school. It is one of the most beautiful educational facilities I have seen.

It's nice to spend a couple of days without traveling. We may just spend an extra day here.

Open up for a little pussy

Shame on you! The picture is of Bob and Marlene Waage's cat, Winston, opening the door by himself.

Today I was wearing one of Harvey's "New Jersey - Other places Suck Worse" t-shirts. I didn't realize he had ever been to Texarkana.

We had some extra time today, so we traveled some of the "blue highways" - back roads a little off the beaten path. We saw lots of young animals - mostly cattle and horses. There was a large Rubbermaid plant and seemed to be a lot of logging going on.

We stopped at a local restaurant where I had a really good 1/2 lb. hamburger with bacon and mushrooms for $4.50! And it was followed up with a killer piece of chocolate cream pie.

Tonight we are going to try to sweat it out in the Waage's driveway. We can't use the a/c because their power circuit won't take it. It shouldn't be too bad, though. It's 10:30 at night and the temperature is already down to 88!

The Yellow Rose of Texas

Jeff and I enjoyed sleeping late this morning and taking Ziggy for a walk on the campground's nature trail. We finally rolled out around 11 and headed toward Dallas/Ft. Worth. We decided to take a back road and see some of the countryside. What we saw were lots of cows with calves and horses with their colts. We pulled over to take a closer look at one herd of cows and they all looked back at us. They became very protective of their young and eventually began to run away. We city slickers had caused a stampede and we never got out of the RV. We had lunch at a small cafe where Jeff got a 32oz. diet coke for $1.40 and a good burger too.

The day became very hot and we realized that we were having some problems with our A/C. I started making phone calls and finally found a place to do service on our unit. It is about an hour north of Dallas so we headed there and then decided to wait and have the unit fixed later. So we went south through rush hour traffic and ended up in Ft. Worth at the home of my cousins Marlene & Bob Waage.

This is Marlene and Bob's 8th home and the second time they have lived in Texas. Their house and neighborhood are beautiful and we feel very comfortable staying here. The best news is they have a swimming pool in their backyard and Ziggy fell in and then realized how refreshing it was to take a dip. She also met Winston - her first cat friend and they are starting to form a relationship.

Marlene and Bob took us out to get a look at Ft. Worth and we got to see the Stockyard area. We had dinner at Joe T. Garcia's, a popular Mexican restaurant. They have only two items on the menu, fajitas and enchiladas. Your choice of chicken or beef. The food was fabulous and I enjoyed every bite. Jeff (who hates Mexican) was a good sport and ate all of his fajitas. After seeing more of the city we came home and now it is bedtime. Tomorrow we are going sightseeing in Dallas with my cousin's Celeste and Arnie Cohen.

Hail to the Chief

Today was about William Jefferson Clinton, the man from Hope, AR. We crossed the mighty Mississippi and entered Arkansas. It is flat and unremarkable until you get to Little Rock. This capital city is situated in the middle of the state and it is cute. They have developed a nice area along the waterfront and we wished we had time to do some exploring.

The Clinton Presidential Library is adjacent to the Riverwalk and the property is on the Arkansas River. It is a large stainless steel building resembling a train. Three floors of information on the former president are arranged in an orderly way and glass walls and ceilings give lots of light. Floor two had an exact replica of the White House Cabinet Room while floor three housed the Oval Office. Well informed docents filled in colorful facts. We enjoyed the huge electronic displays that gave information for each year of the Clinton presidency with lots of photos. Other areas showed planning and execution of state dinners and other special events.

Jeff and I really enjoyed a special exhibit of movie & TV cowboys. It brought back great memories of lots of our youthful heroes.

We traveled on for most of the day and we are staying overnight in Texarkana, TX. We're at a cute KOA with a nature trail and friendly staff. At 8pm each night they show the move "The Long Trailer" with Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz. They are newlyweds who set up housekeeping in a 41' trailer. We sat outside with two other couples and found it dated, but still funny. We even got to bring Ziggy who made friends with everyone.

Graceland

Paul Simon said it all. Memphis is Elvis and Graceland is his memorial. It is unbelievable and yet not what I expected. The mansion and grounds are lovely, but the area has become tired and commercial. The furnishings are so 70's and who wants to remember shag carpet?

Jeff and I had left Nashville early and drove west on Route 40. We stopped at the Loveless Cafe for breakfast. I read that it is famous for biscuits and smoked meats. It did not disappoint. The day heated up well into the 80's and we arrived in Memphis.

Our campground was directly across the street from Graceland and behind the Heartbreak Hotel. One street was aptly named Hound Dog Way and we stayed on Shook Up Alley. After visiting Graceland, Elvis's cars and airplanes the afternoon was quite pleasant considering the sweltering heat. Ziggy and I relaxed in a shady area next to our RV while Jeff napped in the A/C.

Ziggy has been an interesting travel companion so far. The first two days were hard for her and she stood the entire way. She kept making circles between the couch and visiting us up front. We continuously asked her to get back and she got very nervous. So we gave up on the discipline and she decided to behave beautifully. She occasionally visits, but mostly looks out her window from her vantage point on the couch. Of course she sleeps right in the middle of our bed so Jeff and I arrange ourselves around her.

As the sun began to lower in the sky we set off in search of Beale Street and ribs. Decided a good way to view the area was a horse drawn carriage ride. We found Chester and Ken near Beale Street and they took us for a ride around downtown and the Mississippi Riverbank. Chester is a very old Belgian Draft Horse. Ken says they can’t calculate his age because it predates carbon dating. He was quite a character but did give us a pleasant ride around the city while Ken filled in all the history.

Beale Street is lively with neon signs and blues music drifting out to the street. We were on a quest to find the Rendevous. I had read that they had the best dry ribs in Memphis so we walked several blocks and into an alley to find it. The entryway next to a few dumpsters wasn’t impressive, but the inside was. Downstairs were a few hundred people eating ribs and drinking beer. What an operation! You place your order and the waiter walks into the kitchen, picks up the paper plate load of pork and brings it to your table. Jeff was very satisfied and I enjoyed really good chicken nachos complete with barbeque sauce.

It's a nice place to visit, but...

Think tacky -- no REALLY tacky. Add in the most gawdy Christmas decorations you can think of. Stir in a drunk interior decorator. Add just a soupcon of creche scene. And finally a dash of gawking geeks. You now have some impression of Graceland - Elvis Presley's home.

It's one of those things that you have to see - once! It's a blend of plain old mid-sixties design and nouveau riche excess. It is a tribute to an admittedly great and influential artist with spin that would make Karl Rove proud.

P.S. When was the last time you saw a grave marker with a copyright notice?

See the USA in your Chevrolet

Today's title is a tribute to Nashville, Tennessee native Dinah Shore. Our RV is built on a Chevy chassis and has a Chevy engine.

We started the day by driving to Whitwell ( the middle of nowhere is kind) to see the Paper Clip Project. The website instructed us to stop by the police station and pick up an audio tour. The officer on duty gave me a tape player and a key to the lock. I thought "just like at home" and we drove to the middle school. There was the train looking just like in the movie. It is so small in person and hard to believe so many people were crammed in to be transported to the death camps. Standng inside was eerie. Outside was beautiful landscaping and butterfly sculptures and more butterflies painted on the sidewalks. Earlier visitors had left stones, candles and addresses from all over the US and Israel in a journal.

Two couples from Philadelphia (small world) were there and some 8th grade boys were cleaning and trimming the bushes. They were anxious to chat with us and asked us about the mezzuzahs on the doorposts. It was a special experience and worth the trip.

We drove on toNashville and found a big city with modern skyscrapers. Made our way to the Jellystone campground - yea I'm embarrassed - right near the Opryland Hotel. With 2800 rooms in one continuous building, this is the world's largest non-casino hotel. Pretty impressive!

We hurriedly booked ourselves on an afternoon Gray Line tour and left to see the sights. As Jeff mentioned we saw the Country Music Hall of Fame and would have liked more time there. They had one of Elvis's Cadillac Limos and a 1962 Bonneville that had tooled leather everywhere including a saddle between the front seats. All the handles inside and out were pistols and there was a chromed rifle mounted on the trunk. Just a little glitzy.

The tour took us through several impressive city parks and into the original Grand Ole Opry. It is a beautiful building. We had a delicious dinner and you can check out Jeff's rack of ribs above. Now it's time for bed. Tomorrow we go to Graceland.

Thank God I'm a Country Boy?

This morning we went to Whitwell to see the Paperclip Project (see photo above). I'm sure that Judy will be filling in a lot of detail, so I'll leave that to her.

This afternoon we took a city tour of Nashville. One of the stops was the Country Music Hall of Fame. Judy and I were looking forward to this about as much as our next dentist visit. Much to our surprise - we LOVED it! There were terrific displays and great examples of older country music and its roots. Included among these were such greats as Ray Charles (a whole special exhibit), Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and the Everly Brothers to name just a few. There were also a WHOLE BUNCH of people we had never heard of but whom had obviously been successful. It was great fun.

Tonight we had dinner at a place called Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que. My hands may not be clean for days, but boy were the ribs good!

Tomorrow it's on to Memphis and Graceland.

Driving me crazy

Judy had to get me off her back. She decided to drive the RV this morning. She did just fine.

It was great for me because a few times on Friday I drifted to the right and hit the noise strips by the side of the road. She was determined that that wouldn't happen to her. Yeah, right!

So anyway, now Judy has driven the RV, and now she understands how easily it can drift if your attention drifts just for a second.

We are camped for the night in Chattanooga, TN. We ran out to Steak 'n Shake a few blocks away for dinner and realized we were in Georgia! I'm so confused...

Pardon me boy - Is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

It's Sunday, 6pm and we are safely settled at the Holiday TRAV-L-PARK in Chattanooga, TN. Yes, they do have a good size choo choo in the playground. It has been an uneventful day of driving and seeing more lush scenery and mountains.

Yes folks, I drove for two hours this morning. That solves the age old question of whether or not Judy will drive the RV. We have seen hundreds of RV's on the road. It is amazing to see so many people sucking up so much gas. The lowest price we saw today was 2.59.

Not much wildlife that was alive today. Lots & lots of road kill. We did see rabbits and squirrels, but didn't need to leave home for that. One great moment was a young calf running through an open field. I hope he doesn't end up as a veal chop. We have seen some gorgeous water towers. One in VA was painted up with apples and another was artistically done with colorful stripes.

We are chillin' now and then will go out for a gourmet dinner at our very favorite place - Steak 'n Shake. That is worth a drive to the south or midwest. Tomorrow we head to Whitwell to view the "Paper Clip Project" and then on to Nashville.

Hit the Road Jack...

Well here we are in Natural Bridge, VA at a lovely campground and sitting by a bright fire amid shady trees. We got up at 7am and left before 9. Barb and Rick came over to say goodbye and take photos of us driving off. We headed west on the PA turnpike and spotted an eagle (with its prey,a black snake) along the shoulder near King of Prussia. Our first wildlife sighting!

We cruised through MD and WV quickly. Jeff enjoyed a southern style lunch at a WV rest area - stuff from McCaffrey's deli. We drove south on I-81 in VA. This is such a friendly state as signs proclaimed "no RV's" at each rest area. The scenery, however, is beautiful. We are driving parallel to Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley and gorgeous mountains are all around us. We're cruising with the oldies station bringing us the songs we love and red wildflowers dotting the sides of the road. We pass a Revolutionary War re-enactment with hundreds of tents and lots of folk in period costumes. Gas costs 2.79 gal. and we have a chipmunk right under our RV (Second wildlife sighting). I don't count domestic/farm animals or road kill.

The best news of the day is the campground has a restaurant that delivers dinner to your site. I had crab cakes and they were pretty good. This is my idea of camping - no cooking and no clean up.

A safe, successful first day. Tomorrow we head south to Tennessee, home of Davy Crockett and Elvis.

Roughing it?

You have to picture this scene. It is an absolutely gorgeous spring evening in the Shenandoah Valley. We are at a beautiful wooded campsite. We have just finished our dinner that was delivered by a local restaurant. (OK - gourmet it wasn't, but we didn't have to cook.)

It is now about 7:00 PM as the sun is getting lower in the sky. And Judy and I are sitting outside at a picnic table - each blogging on our own laptop with a WiFi Internet connection. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

I'm sure that Judy will have lots of details about our first day's adventures, so I'll leave that to her. Ziggy is having some trouble adjusting, but she'll be fine.

But we really are roughing it. We just found out our site doesn't have cable TV. Damn!

BTW - Judy still hasn't driven the RV.

Tomorrow - "The sun will come out tomorrow..."

Tomorrow we take off on our wonderful adventure. We'll be up early and looking for good weather as we head south. We'll miss all of you and promise to come back with loads of stories and photos to share.

Be well and remember to make comments here or send us e-mails.

Love and best wishes.

Judy

Just a few more days...

Hi friends,
Well we are chomping at the bit to get started. Jeff is still working on the RV doing the fine tune-up things. I have finished putting the kitchen together (I hope to eat out alot) and am now selecting clothes and toiletries. You might think I was going to the moon as anything we need on the road is readily available. But I am known for taking much too much stuff and don't want to tarnish my image. I have already put a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves in the closet. I am always cold and won't have Brian along to steal his gloves.

So that is it for now. I just had my hair cut & colored (really?!?!?!) and have my manicure & pedicure set for Thursday. With those essentials done - I am ready to rock 'n roll. One of our first stops is Graceland and one of the last is Cleveland's Rock 'n Roll Musem. In between we'll be seeing Love, a new Cirque du Soleil show featuring Beatles music in Las Vegas.

We'll write from the road and look forward to lots of wonderful experiences.

Love to all of you.

Judy

Almost ready

Thanks to Rick for these pictures of what we look like in travel mode.

More than just a paper clip

The newest addition to our agenda is Whitwell, Tennessee.

Recently Judy and I saw the movie Paper Clips. This is a story about a middle school in Whitwell that tried to comprehend the enormity of the holocaust by collecting 6,000,000 paper clips. Without going into detail (you should see the movie yourself), they succeeded -- and then some!

On our travels through Tennessee we are going to stop in Whitwell and look at the final results.

RSS Feeds

If any of you want to use an RSS feed to view this site (if you have to ask, you don't!), the link is feed://feeds.feedburner.com/TravelsWithJudyJeff

Well here I go as a first time blogger. I always have lots to say, so this seems a perfect forum.

It is three weeks until we leave on our cross country adventure. Jeff is busy planning the route and having the RV made ready. I am tending to closing up the house and mundane chores that need to be done. Big decisions like what type of flowers to plant that will survive without any care (or rain) and asking friends to drive by and pick up newspapers or flyers left in the mailbox. I also add the color to our travels by finding the kitschy (sp?) things to do that make us laugh and become delightful stories.

I will put all your minds at ease by telling you that I WILL drive the RV. I have been behind the wheel for a test drive and I am prepared to log many more miles at the helm.

So welcome to all visitors to this blog and we look forward to your comments and suggestions for interesting and awesome places to visit on our trip.