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Week One: Orange
County to San Francisco
The
week started off great, with our season kick-off down at
the Mark and Brian morning show! The Team had a great time,
and the ribs and brats earned rave reviews from everyone
at the station. Within hours of the broadcast, the website
was buzzing with fans joining the Pep
Squad, reserving their cookbooks,
and submitting recipes.
The
next day, we packed up and hit the road! It's still hard
to believe we won't be heading home again until Christmas!
We
made it as far as Bakersfield, stopping for the night at
the Bakersfield
Palms RV Park.
Drove
from Bakersfield through San Francisco, to the Olema
Ranch Campground in Marin County. We spent
the evening prepping for Sunday's tailgate party.
Game
Day! We headed into Frisco early to get a good spot in the
RV lot. We were some of the first to arrive, and were able
to set-up front and center. Which was great, until it was
time to leave. By the time the path was clear, it was too
late to brave the winding roads of Marin.
So we spent the night in the parking lot with some of the
49ers most die-hard tailgaters!
Made
our way downtown and had chowder on the wharf before heading
back to camp for a little downtime.
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Week
Two: San Francisco to Seattle
Took
off in the gray mist of morning to make the long haul to
Portland. Jason stopped in "town" for a cup of
joe (it turns out that you can't brew and drive, as he learned
our first day out when he fried our coffeemaker!), but was
disappointed to find nothing was open. Still, somehow we
managed to log more than 700 miles and reach our next campground,
the RV
Park of Portland, where a clean and comfy campsite
was waiting for us conveniently just off I-5.
Portland
to Olympia... Nice, quick drive through some of the most
beautiful cities of the Pacific Northwest. The Olympia
Campground was waiting for us, snuggled into
a dense Olympic forest. It was the perfect place to spend
our "days off" preparing for Saturday's Cougar
and Sunday's Seahawk tailgating events!
Our
neighbors and our hosts were so friendly, and full of questions
about the Tour. They promised to follow us online, and are
looking forward to receiving their cookbooks in January!
In
Seattle, we had fun visiting old friends and making new
ones, got in a couple of poker games (sorry about taking
your $$ guys!) and discovered that the ol' Cougar
spirit is just as strong on this side of the Cascades.
And,
in keeping with our tradition, Seattle
delivered uncharacteristically blue skies for us during
our entire stay, just as it always does. (We're beginning
to think that whole "rain" thing is just a story
intended to keep outsiders away from this beautiful city!)
Check
out the pictures from the game...
you'll see what we mean! |






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Week
Three: Seattle to Minnesota
Blazed
across 2/3 of the country (and another 6 states) through
some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable.
Through
the Rockies in the Idaho panhandle, beneath
the Big Skies of Montana, past the grazing
elk and sprawling ranches of Wyoming and across the rolling
plains of South Dakota, and finally coming
to a rest in the fertile farmland of Minnesota...
All
the while I couldn't help but hear the tune "America
the Beautiful" inside my head.
We
sampled Rocky Mountain Oysters and fished
the Little Bighorn River, we followed in
Custer's final footsteps and shopped at
the famous Wall Drug. We had "Breakfast
with the Presidents" at Mt. Rushmore,
and stopped by the Crazy Horse Monument
to see history in the making.
And
at the end of each day we had a great campsite run by friendly
people waiting just down the road for us to call home. Even
when our days didn't end until well into the night!
Laurie,
Lana and the gals at Grandview Campground
offered us their hospitality and an incredible
sunset at thier place in Hardin, Montana. Just down the
highway from the Little Bighorn Battlefield
and minutes from the best trout fishing river in the world,
it was the perfect place to experience Big Sky Country.
The
only thing that could come close to the sunset in Hardin,
Montana was the breathtaking view of the moonrise over Rapid
City, South Dakota from our campsite at the Lazy
J RV Park. Perched on a hill overlooking the
city, our site featured a vista you'd pay millions for back
home in So Cal. Just a short drive from Mt. Rushmore and
Crazy Horse Monument, with all the conveniences of the city
close by, the Lazy J is a great place to stay while exploring
South Dakota's Black Hills.
Our
last (and longest) leg this week landed us at Kiesler's
RV Resort after midnight. We pushed through
the night, stopping only briefly to say hello to our favorite
resident of Blue Earth (how could we not stop to
show the kids the Jolly Green Giant?) and
pulled into Kiesler's well after closing.
We
were glad we did! A helpful night watchman found our reservation
and showed us to our site, making sure that we were all
hooked-up and settled in before leaving us. When we woke
the next morning we found ourselves in a great, family campground
with a fun, community atmoshpere and every convenience and
activity imaginable. We were happy to have a day with no
driving, and took full advantage of the camp store, cafe,
and laundromat!
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Week
Four: Minnesota to Washington
Busy
week again, lots of miles, lots of states:
Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and D.C.
We
left Kiesler's
on a blue-sky fall morning, making it hard
to leave the sparkling lake ringed by rustling trees.
On
our way out of Minnesota, we passed a billboard along the
highway for the Spam Museum.
Yes,
Spam. As
in the canned meat. Who could resist?
We
stopped an snapped a few pics, but were sad to find the
Museum was closed (Monday). We'll definately add that to
our list of return trips!
By
the end of the day, we had passed through the Chicago area
and made our way back out into the countryside, and back
in time it seemed. Quaint, rural Amish town Shipshewana
would be our home for the night. In the morning the sun
came up over the Shipshewana
South Campground, as we visited with our camp
hosts and watched the horse and buggies clop down the road.
We
took the scenic route through Indiana and Ohio, following
State Routes past small farms and charming old houses and
down Main Streets lined with "mom & pop" shops.
...each
scene that unfolded more picturesque than the last...
We
spent the night at Countryside
Campground, a hilly, treed
cluster of campsites in Mogadore, Ohio.
The
next day, the Pro Football Hall of Fame
lay just minutes away in Canton. It was not on our itinerary
for the day, but we couldn't help but stop buy for a quick
peek. Can't wait to return in a few weeks, when we can spend
more time!
It
was a long day of driving, and not the easiest place to
find (thanks to bogus directions from Streets and Trips!)
but when we finally arrived at Chestnut
Ridge Campground in West Virginia it was worth
it. The scenery was spectacular at this State Park, where
they have bluegrass concerts in the summer and sledding
in the winter.
We
could have stayed a week, fishing in the pond and exporing
the dense forests. But the remote location made for a poor
work environment... no phones or internet!
In
the morning, we decided to push on to D.C. The quick drive
to Cherry
Hill allowed us a chance to catch up on some
work before heading into the district for a "quick"
drive-by tour!
Billed
as "the closest RV campground to Washington D.C.",
Cherry
Hill proved to be the place to stay
while visiting our Nation's capital. Far more than a "campground",
this was a full-service resort. Besides recreational facilities
that included two swimming pools, sauna, and spa, miniature
golf, and an arcade, Cherry Hill has it's own restaurant
and a cafeteria, TV lounge, a huge laundromat and a store...
but the greatest thing they've got going are their daily
seminars that help travelers plan their excursion into the
city, and the convenient bus depot where you can purchase
passes and catch the metro right on site. Couldn't be easier!
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Week
Five: Washington to St. Louis
It
was a good thing that the drive from D.C. to Gettysburg
was so short, because as it was we didn't get into our campsite
at Drummer Boy Campground
until dusk.
We
got caught up in the history of the amazing place, and spent
most of the afternoon wandering around battlefields that
still feel like they're inhabited by the men who fought
and died there nearly 150 years ago.
It
is not a thing that can be rushed. There are woods
to be explored, rocks to be climbed, trails to be hiked,
and views to be seen.
There
are monuments to be read, cannons to be touched, and the
voices from long ago whispering in the winds that blow through
reddening leaves.
There
are lessons to be learned.
And
at the end of the day, as the sun dipped nearer the horizon,
we left this quiet place for a wooded campsite just outside
of town, where it was easy to imagine the sound of a lone
drummer boy echoing through the trees.
It
could be the tunnels carved straight through the surrounding
mountains, or that this West Virginia mining town perched
anongside the Ohio River once boasted the world's longest
suspension bridge, but on our second time through we had
to confirm that "We LOVE Wheeling!"
We
spent the next night at the Cross Creek
Campground in Delaware Ohio, and wished we
could have stayed longer. They were gearing up for their
annual "Haunted Hayride", which
from the looks of things promised to be a good time!
At
our next stop, Sundermeir RV Park
in St. Charles, we took advantage of their wide-open, paved
spaces to reorganize our trailer (aka "the booty").
After weeks of grabbing prizes and give-aways, it had become
a jumbled mess. Our fellow campers really enjoyed strolling
by to check out all the cool cooking gear from Camp
Chef. |






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Week
Six: St. Louis to Detroit
After
a great game in St. Louis, we spent a couple
of days exploring some great sites around the area.
We
stopped by the famed St. Louis Arch, to
try and get a picture of the Tour Coach in front of it.
But the thing is so huge we couldn't get much of it into
the photo!
Then
we headed east to check out the ancient Cahokia
Mounds, which features the largest prehistoric
earthen construction in the New World. A World Heritage
Site (like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt)
we couldn't pass it by without stopping to see it and wonder...
Why?
We
extended our stay in St. Charles an extra
day (perhaps, in part, because of the hospitality of our
camp hosts Carolyn and Jim and the proximity of their great
Pub & Grill, Beef Eaters!)
The
Sundermeir RV Park was
a great place to stay while we explored historic old downtown
St. Charles (accessible by trolley from
the campground) and ventured north on our pilgrimage to
Hannibal.
As
a couple of English majors, we couldn't wait to pay homage
to one of our favorite American writers by visiting his
hometown. We toured Twain's Boyhood
Home and caught grasshoppers on the banks of the
Mississippi, as tourists boarded riverboats that looked
just like the ones from his stories. A tiny town that somehow
didn't grow much despite the international fame of its favorite
son, our afternoon in Hannibal was a quiet
step back into a much simpler time.
On
our way out of town, we stopped for a photo with the statue
of the town's most famous fictional residents, Tom
Sawyer and Huck Finn.
Our
excursion forced a long drive the next day, all the way
to Shipshewana, IN.
But
it was worth it.
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Week
Seven: Detroit to Philadelphia
Sunday
after the game, we tried to drive to our campground, Woodside
Lake Park, past Cleveland, Ohio. But after
a long weekend of some great tailgating, we were wipe out.
And as the sun started to set and our stomaches started
to grumble, we gave up and pulled off the highway in Sandusky.
It
was as if we tripped and fell into heaven. Cold
Creek Trout Camp with its quaint little lodge,
Adirondak clad dock, and outside bar beside a raging bonfire,
beckoned us to come, sit down and visit with the locals.
And
that's exactly what we did. Manager Mike,
and owners Lance and Cindy
extended the kind of hospitality that seemed to match their
vintage camp, where Lance promises it will be "1950
forever".
In
the morning, we spent some time fishing from their docks,
and though we didn't have much luck it was perhaps the best
way to spend a Monday morning that we have ever found.
We
spent the day driving around Lake Erie,
catching glimpses now and then and having to remind ourselves
that immense expanse of water is a lake!
By
that evening, we were at our campground, Sleepy
Hollow Lake Campground in
Akron, NY, just outside Buffalo. Set amongst
woods glowing with fall colors, it was hard to imagine the
place buried in white just a few weeks from now.
In
the morning we made a short drive to Niagara Falls,
which despite seeing them so often in photos and movies,
still amazed us. The sheer volume of the water, dropping
over the edge with such sudden ferocity, takes your breath
away.
Our
next stop was in Mexico, PA, not far from
the campus of Penn State. We stayed at the charming Buttonwood
Campground, where they have the coolest train
to play on!
We
wrapped up the week at 81/80
RV Park in Drums, PA. Joe
and his staff made sure we were comfortable, even helping
out with some maintenance repairs before sending off on
our way to Philly Friday morning. |



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Week
Eight: Philadelphia to New York
Giants
Our
sightseeing day in Philadelphia was spoiled
by heavy rains, and after waiting in line to get through
security to see the Liberty Bell, we made
a hurried tour of our nation's birthplace.
The
weather, combined with a city much more suited to the horse-drawn
carriages that line its cobbled streets than to
our 36' RV, prevented us from seeing as much as we'd hoped
to see before getting too cold and too wet to continue.
But
the sunshine that arrived for the game allowed us a second
chance, and we took advantage of a beautiful Sunday afternoon
to visit some more of Philadelphia's rich historic treasures,
including stopping by the Edgar Allen Poe
house to see what he had hiding in his basement (and floorboards!)
Our campsite at Timberlane,
just across the river in New Jersey, was
convenient and close to make our multiple trips into Philadelphia
as easy as possible.
After
leaving Philadelphia, we drove north, to spend the week
exploring New England. We used Normandy
Farms in Foxboro Massachusettes
(home of the Patriots!) as our base while
we took day trips to Salem and Boston.
The
weather, again, proved uncooperative, as a nor'easter
blew in to spoil our sightseeing fun and strip all the trees
of their spectacular fall foliage.
We
were happy to be staying at Normandy
Farms, where we could take refuge from the
storm inside their immense lodge, complete with separate
lofts for adults and kids filled with games, couches, televisions
and fireplaces.
In
the evenings, we warmed up and relaxed in the indoor heated
pool, spa, and sauna. It was easy to see why so
many people love to spend thier vacations at this wonderful
campground resort all year 'round. We can't wait to go back
again next year!
On
Friday, we left the quiet countryside of New England for
the dazzling lights of New York City, and
went to sleep that night at Liberty
Harbor RV Park in Jersey City
beneath the watchful eye of Lady Liberty, whose torch could
be seen glowing across the water from the windows of the
Tailgating Tour Coach.
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Week
Nine: New York Giants to Green
Bay
Busy
week, lots of driving, with great places to stay along the
way.
We
stayed in Jersey Monday to spend Halloween in New York City,
even though we knew we had a long drive to Green Bay waiting
for us.
We
took the morning ferry from Liberty Harbor to Pier 11, then
walked and took the subway the rest of the day.We tried
to cram in as much as we could, and still there is so much
we didn't get to do. But the people were fantastic, going
out of their way to help us.
Highlights
of our day included Wall Street, Rockefeller Plaza,
Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis Island, Times Square, and
the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade.
We
woke Tuesday morning completely exhausted by our day in
the city, and almost glad to have a whole day's drive ahead.
That evening, when we pulled into our campground in Milton,
PA it seemed a whole world away. Shangri-La
on the Creek, all dressed up in autumn colors,
offered a welcome rest. And we had fun playing on their
awesome Pirate Ship playground!
The
next day we drove to Streetsboro, OH to Woodside
Lake Campground, which was technically closed
for the season. Still, they were kind enough to let us stay
for the night and use their restrooms and showers, since
we were without water.
We
soon learned that most campgrounds in the midwest have shut-off
their water in the couple of weeks since we were last in
the area, and finding somewhere that was still open and
where we could hook-up the RV proved to be quite a challenge.
Eventually,
we found Sky
High Campground in Portage, WI, where they
cater to hunters during the Fall. While their hookups were
shut-off too, they did have great little cabins available
with bathrooms and kitchenettes. And our neighbors, while
they didn't have any luck hunting the morning that we were
there, did share with us some venison sausage they'd had
processed from last year.
Our
campground for the weekend was Pine
Grove Campground near Shawano, about 40 miles
west of Green Bay. With a rural country setting, the campground
boasts two small lakes, ducks and deer and dense forests
all around, and one of the coolest playgrounds
we've seen!
We
spent hours climbing, spinning, and swinging despite the
cold, grey weather. Then warmed up around our campfire while
cooking pizzas in our Rome Pie Irons.
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Week
Ten: Green Bay to Chicago
The
short drive to South Bend allowed us to take our time at
Pine Grove before heading out of the Green Bay area.
We
spent the morning catching up on business, arranging with
El Monte's Roadside Assistance to schedule
some maintanance and repairs on the Tailgating Tour Coach,
and exploring the campground, which recently added this
lakeside cabin to its' variety of camping accommodations.
We
drove as far as the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
in Milwaukee, where we had a clean, convenient place (with
full hook-ups!) to rest for the night.
In
the morning, we drove to Elkhart, IN to have the Coach serviced
at Total Value RV. The people were great,
and everything went smoothly. We waited the afternoon in
their comfortable waiting room while the work was done,
and by evening we were settled into our KOA campground
just outside South Bend.
The
closest campground to Notre Dame University, it was a quiet
oasis of rustling leaves and rustic Kamping Kabins... until
the weekend approached. (Then this little village started
to fill, car by car, to capacity.)
In
the evening, we walked down the road to the Granger Tap
to watch some football and drink some beer with a handful
of locals, then spent the night listening to the winds howl
through the trees in the campground.
The
next morning, we decided we'd had enough of the cold, and
hopped on a plane to Bermuda!
Just
kidding, of course.
That's
the sand dunes at Indiana Dunes State Park, on the southern
tip of Lake Michigan. And though the sand was soft and white,
the water blue and the sun bright in a clear sky, there
wasn't a bikini in sight...
Because
it was COLD! Not just chilly, the kind of cold that hurts
your eardrums and doesn't leave your cheeks for at least
a half hour after you go inside.
But,
it was also beautiful. We didn't expect the waves -- actual
surf -- and the vast expanse of water that seems to go on
forever.
Until
you look, very hard, and can spot on the horizon, rising
out of the pink glow of the setting sun, the outline of
what might be a mythical city, like Atlantis, or El Dorado,
or... Chicago.
We
watched how the slanting rays of the sun scribble across
the sloping dunes, and searched the foaming waves for a
glimpse of the legendary Diana of the Dunes, a ghost said
to haunt these shores and swim in the waters nude.
But
it seems that she, too, thought the day was too cold for
swimming. We left for our campground again without meeting
the dunes most famous resident, but understanding better
why a person might have a hard time leaving the place, even
after death.
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Week
Eleven: Chicago to Atlanta
We
were excited to be in one of our favorite cities, with it's
great history and amazing sights. On driving into the downtown
area, we could already taste the deep-dish from
Pizzeria Uno!
On Sunday after the tailgate, we were anxious to get a view
from the Sears Tower Skydeck. So despite
the locals warnings about the building swaying on windy
days, we headed over. When we got there, we found that the
Skydeck had in fact been closed down due to the high winds,
so we had to wait until Monday.
On
Monday we left Paradise
RV Park and headed back into the city. The
winds had died down, but they'd been replaced by a thick
grey cloud cover that threatened rain. We decided that with
such poor visability, we'd wait until night in hopes that
we'd at least be able to see the city lights.
So
we spent the afternoon taking advantage of one of Chicago's
greatest treats, a Free Day (usually on Monday or Tuesday)
at the many museums and cultural attractions.
We
visited the Adler Planetarium (for FREE!) and saw the current
Liberty Bell Lost Spacecraft exhibit, which included a USAF
Flight Simulator ride.
Then
we walked down to the Shedd Aquarium (for FREE!), where
we watched, up close, with only a handful of others visitors
as the trainers fed and played with the dolphins in the
Oceanarium.
We
chatted with the beautiful beluga whales, who were as friendly
and playful as a bunch of puppies. We saw penguins and turtles
and fish and corals, and when they finally pushed us out
the doors for closing, we hopped on a city bus for a quick
trip over to the Sears Tower.
This
time, the Skydeck was open, and we went
straight up without having to wait in any lines at all.
Despite the rain, the view was spectacular, and we had fun
learning some things we didn't know before about Chicago,
it's history, and the people who made it such an interesting
city.
The
rain discouraged us from going very far to find dinner,
so we grabbed a pie just across the street at Giordano's.
It's not Uno's, but it was good, and the server was great.
The atmoshpere was very "Chicago", and on this
night it was a quiet place to unwind after a very busy day.
On
leaving Chicago, we headed south for our next tailgate party
in Atlanta. The drive took us across three states in two
days.
Having
spent alot of time already in Indiana, we blew on through
and didn't stop until we saw a sign off the side of the
highway for Lincoln's Birthplace.
Can't
drive past that, now, can you?
So
we stopped to see the legendery humble abode of this country's
16th President, amid the rolling hills of the Kentucky countryside.
The
log cabin (which inspired one of the greatest toys ever!)
has been reassembled inside a "monument" built
through local efforts and funded entirely by private contributions
(averaging 36 cents each) from citizens and schoolchildren.
The
Birthplace is a National Historic Site, and is currently
being rennovated with new museum exhibits in preparation
for the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth.
The
entire day, as we made our way through Kentucky and into
Tennessee, we listened to weather reports of severe thunderstorms
and tornado watches that seemed to be "chasing"
us.
As
we did a quick tour of Nashville, driving by the honkytonks
on Broadway and Music Row (among other famous Nashville
sites), we grew increasingly nervous and headed for our
campground. Traffic was heavy with people leaving work early
to beat the weather home, and we arrived at River
Road RV and Horsecamp just as the rain and
the wind started to kick-up. We spent the evening watching
the tornado watch reports on tv, and hoping that Chapel
Hill didn't come up on the lists.
The
next morning, we were happy to see clear skies, and headed
south again toward Atlanta.
Along
the way we just had to stop for a tour of the Jack
Daniel's Distillery. The oldest registered distillery
in the United States, it's still operating on the same land,
drawing water out of the same spring, and using the same
methods as they did when Jack Daniel himself started making
his whiskey at the age of 13.
With
only 6 master distillers in their entire history, and employees
who work at the distillery not for years, but for generations,
you can almost smell the history in the air, hanging between
the Tennessee hills and mingling with hints of sourmash
like the scent of baking bread.
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Week
Twelve: Atlanta to Dallas to Tampa
Bay
Nearly
2000 miles and 4 tailgate parties in one week... Whew!
No wonder we're tired!
We
left early Monday morning for our killer drive to Dallas
for Turkey Day, blazing through Birmingham, Jackson, and
Shreveport along the way.
We
spent Monday night at Springridge
RV Park in Clinton, MS and
made it to All
Seasons in Arlington, TX by Tuesday night.
We
had a chance to enjoy the warm weather, unwind by the campfire
and prepare for our big Turkey Cookout
hosted by the great people at All Seasons.
We
cooked six turkeys; two in the Keg
Roaster, two in the Ultimate
Turkey Roaster, and two on the Turkey
Cannons. They were all amazing, and everyone
loved sampling the different flavors which included one
seasoned with coffee and cinnamon, one cooked with Sunkist
soda, chili, garlic and lime, and one with beer and
Frank's RedHot.
While
everyone had their favorite, Jay liked his Frank's Turkey
cooked on the Keg Roaster the best. Karen,
on the other hand, was sold on the Turkey Cannons.
The turkeys turned out so moist and beautiful... and the
best part is you don't have to turn the bird over to brown
it all around!
After
sharing a great meal, we had fun giving away some products
and giveaways from our sponsors in door prize drawings.
We
met some fantastic people and enjoyed all the park's amenities,
especially the great private shower rooms each with a sink,
toilet, bench, counters... it was almost like home!
The
next day when the tailgate was over, we returned to the
campground briefly to clean up and gear up for our even
longer drive back to Tampa Bay for Sunday's game.
We
got a jump on the drive and made it to Shallow
Creek Campground in Kilgore, TX that night.
The next morning, we watched the sunrise over the immaculate
campground and adjacent golf course before heading off on
the road again.
On
Friday we made it as far as the Gulf
Pines KOA in Milton, FL. We enjoyed a round
of mini-golf and a complimentary newspaper (delivered to
our site by golf cart!) in the morning, then drove the final
leg through Tampa to our campsite at Hide-a-way
RV Park in Ruskin, FL.
Even
though it was dark when we arrived, we were happy to find
the swimming pool still open. After so many days of driving
such long hours, it was a great way to burn off some energy!
While
the week was our toughest yet, it was well worth the drive
to Dallas for Thankgiving to be a part of a great NFL tradition!
(And,
we're glad to have it behind us!)
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Week
Thirteen: Tampa Bay to Carolina
Our next stop turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the Tour. We had planned a stop in Charleston, South Carolina for the history, Fort Sumter and all... but never did we imagine what a uniquely beautiful, interesting, and vibrant city we would find.
On the drive into Charleston alone we already started to fall in love. Driving down US 17 was like driving through a book of postcards, with a spectacular new view around every corner. We settled into our campsite at Oak Plantation, a spacious campgound graced by majestic oaks dripping with spanish moss, and poured over a pile of tourism pamphlets. Plantations, museums and gardens, historic forts and dungeons and even a slave market... we immediately wished we had planned to spend more time!
So the next morning we ventured into historic old Charleston to get a taste of what it had to offer.
We found a city oozing with old Southern charm. Horse drawn carriages wind through the narrow streets past homes reminiscent of New Orleans' French Quarter. An open-air marketplace stretches out for blocks, featuring handwoven baskets and culinary delights!
Unique, seafood restaurants, taverns and art galleries keep the atmosphere lively, with tourists and locals filling the sidewalks even during the mid-day workweek.
A stroll through Waterfront Park takes you past two distinctive fountains in which visitors are encouraged to wade, splash and cool off.
It was definitely hard to leave!
We drove on to Rivercreek Campground near beautiful Lake Lure, North Carolina. Though we were there during the wrong season to enjoy their summetime tube floats down the adjacent river, owner Joe had arranged for a sampling of local fun.
We visited Chimney Rock , a granite outcropping that defines the local landscape. An elevator inside the rock takes visitors to an observation deck on top, where the views of the rolling Carolina hills are breathtaking.
A series of catwalks and staircases wind between and around the rocky cliffs, and a series of trails take you to the base or the top of a cascading waterfall (which was the film location for the movie Last of the Mohicans.)
The next morning, we had Breakfast with Santa at Coffee Crumbs, then wandered through the local shops in Chimney Rock before making our way over to Lake Lure (the film location for the movie Dirty Dancing), where they were gearing up for their annual Christmas boat parade and bonfire.
That night on the beach, we drank coffee and tried to stay warm around the raging fire, while visiting with both locals and tourists. Then everyone joined in singing Christmas carols as an impressive fireworks display lit up the December sky.
Following the festivities, we wandered into the historic Lake Lure Inn and Spa, where Shayla gave us the unofficial ghost tour!
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Week
Fourteen:
Carolina to New Orleans sponsored
by... (sponsor
this leg)
With a weekend "off" between games in Carolina and New Orleans, we decided to spend a week exploring Florida.
Cyndi and Lance, our hosts at Cold Creek Trout Camp in Sandusky, Ohio, had invited us to visit them at their winter home in the Keys. And who needs to be asked twice?
From Carolina, we headed down to St. Augustine. Toni, the bartender from the Atlanta Falcons game, had insisted that we could not miss "the oldest city in America."
Establshed by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565, St. Augustine has been continuously occupied ever since. During that time, it has been under Spanish, English, Confederate, and United States rule.
We attended Mass at the oldest Catholic parish in the United States, then visited the " oldest house". A small, coastal community that has endured repeated seiges by pirates, occupations by armies, and political upheavals, St. Augustine has managed to maintain its quaint character.
From there we went to Orlando, quite the opposite of "quaint". We stayed at the Orange Blossom RV Park in Apopka, at least a little removed from the bustle, and had the greatest dinner at their newest nightspot, The Captain and The Cowboy. A big old house that's been converted into an upscale restaurant, it has a killer bar with live music, private dining rooms for intimate parties, and a creative menu boasting the best of surf and turf! (And on top of that, they've got their own ghosts!)
The next day we ventured into the amusement park mecca of Orlando, where we spent a day at Univeral's Islands of Adventure. A very cool park with something for all ages, it was all decked out for their Grinchy holiday celebration.
We continued south, through Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and stopping for the night just before heading out into the Keys.
Isla Oro campground in Anaranja was bustling with snowbirds, and nearly every site was twinkling with Christmas lights. As we walked through the park that evening, passing by the bingo tent, and numerous card games being played in screenrooms across the campground, we started to feel as if we'd left the country.
We realized that no one was speaking English. They were all speaking-- FRENCH???
This confused us for a while, until we started noticing all the license plates on their cars were from Quebec!
The next morning, we headed out into the Keys. A drive that is as unnerving as it is amazing, you just can't shake the strange realization that you're driving you car out into the middle of the ocean.
With hurricane damage still visible all along the way, it's hard to imagine being out on these tiny dots of land when Wilma blew through.
When we reached Lance and Cyndi's on Summerland Key, we came to understand the true force of the storm. Somehow, it had lifted their son's large, inground spa from his neighboring yard, swept it between their two houses, and redeposited it in the front yard.
Despite being in the middle of massive reconstruction and recovery projects on their properties, they spent the afternoon with us by the pool and took us out on a boat to check their crab traps. Then they prepared for us the Key West classic, stone crab claws with a mustard lime sauce, which Lance promises "will change your life."
From there, we drove on out to Key West, a place so far out between the Atantic and the Gulf of Mexico, that you're closer to Havana than to Miami.
And it feels like it. An artsy, barefoot kind of town, it's mostly bars and seafood restaurants. The preferred mode of transportation is the motorscooter (of course, no helmet) and the footwear of choice is the Kino sandal (also known as Key West work boots).
We were fortunate enough to land in this eccentric little spot on the biggest night of the year (which had been rescheduled due to the hurricanes). It was the last night of their annual Fantasy Fest, a Mardi Gras / Carnival type event they ususally hold at Halloween.
We spent the day partying with "The Mayor" and the rest of our neighbors at Boyd's Campground, giving away great stuff from our sponsors and watching, one by one, as people started to change into their costumes. Then we hopped on one of the free shuttles into town.
During the Fantasy Fest Parade, people of all ages walk up and down Duvall street wearing little more than body paint and beads!
We joined in the fun, carrying our bucketfull of Chaser and Frank's boxer shorts along the parade route, giving them away along with tattoos and beads, of course!
The next morning, things were quieter in town. People rode bikes through the streets and talked over coffee at sidewalk cafes. We stopped by Hemingway's house to see his famous six-toed cats, found the end of US-1 at Milemarker 0, and went for a walk on the beach near the southernmost point in the United States.
We left the Key (reluctantly!) and headed west through the Everglades.
Somewhere along Highway 41 we caught our first glimpse of an alligator, lazing in the sun in the grass beside the road. We were so startled by the sight of it, we turned around and went back for another look.
Little did we know that by the end of the day, we would have counted more than 60 gators spied from the windows of the Tailgating Tour Coach, swimming or sunning in the swamps alongside the road.
Still, when we got to Everglades National Park, we had to stop and explore awhile, for a chance to see them up close. Standing on the deck outside the visitors center, we could see the dark shadow of a gator sleeping on the bottom. We hoped, if we were patient enough, that eventually he would come up and say hello. And he did. Only a few feet away, he swam up and settled into the grass, watching us as closely as we were watching him!
From there we continued on to Sarasota, where we stopped at the most incredible RV resort with over 1700 sites and the friendliest staff! Sun n' Fun had an Olympic-sized swimming pool and two spas, plus a separate kiddie pool with fountains. A poolside bar served cocktails and munchies, while a full-service restaurant served breakfast, lunch and dinner inside.
There were shuffleboard bocci ball, and tennis courts, mini-golf and pitch n' putt courses, a woodshop and lapidary, computer lab and business center... all with activities and classes scheduled through the Activities Director.
You would really have to try hard to get bored around there!
We left the fun and the sun behind as we headed for the Emerald Coast. We had booked a site right on the beach at Camping on the Gulf in Destin, and had visions of sipping Coronas on the sand while resting up before our final push through the end of the season.
By the time we arrived, however, the weather was looking pretty nasty, and when we went to bed there was talk of a tornado watch in the area. The waves, only about 20 feet from our campsite, were growing bigger and angrier, and before long the rain was blasting us from the side.
All night long the RV rocked from side to side, and several times we woke up not entirely convinced we were still on land. In the morning, the storm had let up a little, but we decided to move back off the beach in between some fellow campers the next row back. There, at least the wind was less severe.
By mid-morning, the storm had passed and things had calmed down considerably. The waves still crashed against each other angrily, but by evening the sun set over the Gulf in a clear sky.
In the morning, it rose again over an even calmer Gulf, and as the day went on the waves gradually got smaller and smaller until they were barely swells.
For a few hours that afternoon, we worked on the legendary white sand beaches, looking out at the clear waters of Florida's Emerald Coast.
From Destin we drove on to New Orleans, and witnessed at last the true extent of the forces of Nature, and the strength of the Human Spirit.
We saw boarded up buildings, mountains of debris, mud-covered streets and crumbling walls.
Yet only blocks away in the French Quarter , shops were open and restaurants were busy, vendors sold their wares in the open air marketplace and hotel rooms were occupied. Life was trying to get back to normal, and Christmas decorations hung in jolly contrast to the surrounding streets.
Our visit was brief. In a city of displaced residents, campsites are hard to come by. RV parks that were once filled by tourists and snowbirds have become home to those fortunate enough to get a site.
Most have had to relocate out of the area altogether.
And so, like the Saints, we headed North to Baton Rouge, and found a site available at the KOA.
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Week
Fifteen:
New Orleans to Arizona sponsored
by... (sponsor
this leg)
After leaving the campus of LSU following the Saints' tailgate on Sunday, we drove down to River Road, an area between Baton Rouge and New Orleans famous for it's many old plantations.
We stopped to tour the Laura Plantation -- who could resist a sign like that? Nothing like the grand, pillared mansions we had pictured, this was a working house, one built for practicality and function.
A creole sugar plantation, still in operation until the 1980's, it was acquired and restored as a historic attraction, but was recently all but destroyed by a fire.
It is currently being rebuilt, and should have been completed this December, if the hurricanes had not stolen all their workers.
Still, with a rich history documented by the last of four geneations of women to head up the sugar cane operation in her memoir, Memories of the Old Plantation Home, the Laura Plantation offers an intriging glimpse into 300 yeas of life along the Mississippi.
As we left, we spotted many of the traditional Christmas Eve Bonfires in varying stages of construction. Families build these triangular wooden structures all along the top of the levee, then set them on fire on Christmas Eve to light the way for Papa Noel.
Towering above us in their strange, symmetrical glory, they were an unmistakeable reminder to us that Christmas Eve was very near, and home was still very far away.
We hit the road again and headed west, toward the other temoprary home of the Saints, the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas.
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Week
Sixteen:
Arizona to Orange County sponsored
by... (sponsor
this leg)
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