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Bakersfield & Home Tomorrow
March 6th
55 Degrees
Cold and windy last night. We left the Las Vegas area at 9am.
Traveled south-west on I-15 to Highway 58 near Barstow.
Continued through the Mojave Desert to Bakersfield.
We’ll be spending one night at a local truck stop and continuing on to home, by noon tomorrow.
Had a great time on this excursion – Next trip is in May for 4 weeks along the Oregon Coast.
TOTAL MILES ON THIS TRIP: 7,123
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NASCAR Race
March 5th
56 Degrees
After breakfast, we drove the 20 miles to the Las Vegas Speedway.
The Las Vegas Speedway was first opened in 1972 and has been modernized several times since.
The 1.5 mile track, with it’s 20 percent banking, regularly sees speeds nearing 200mph during races.
Our seats were at ‘turn 4’ and we had a view of the entire racetrack and pit areas.
We had a great time at the raceway, and were even surprised in finding our Rocklin neighbor and his brother at the race.
Tomorrow, we leave for the Bakersfield area.
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In-Camp Day
March 4th
60 Degrees
Had a quiet day in camp today.
After lunch, we went to the local mall and Bass Pro Shop to ‘window shop’ and go out to dinner.
Was cool and windy today.
Tomorrow we attend the NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Speedway.
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Las Vegas, NV
March 3rd
62 Degrees
We left our desert campsite at 10am and traveled north on Highway-95, through Parker, briefly into California through Needles and north through Boulder City, into Las Vegas.
Out in the middle of the desert, we saw wild burros, left over from the 1800’s silver mining days.
Drove from Arizona, over the Colorado River into California, then into Nevada today.
We arrived at the Oasis RV Resort at 2pm.
Our reason to go to Las Vegas this trip, was to see the NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Speedway on Sunday.
We’ll be staying in Las Vegas for three nights.
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Camel Races Anyone?
March 2nd
60 Degrees
We had rain, heavy at times late yesterday afternoon and evening.
Was down to 38 degrees last night – was dark and quiet in the desert.
After breakfast, we ventured the few miles into town. Clear and warmer today.
In 1856, Hadji Ali “Hi Jolly” came to Quartzsite from Arabia, with a shipload of camels to be trained for desert transport. The experiment failed, but Hi Jolly stayed on for 30 years as a packer and scout for the US Army.
Jolly died in Quartzsite in 1902 at the age of 74. Markers and photographs of Jolly are throughout Quartzsite and the town still has a camel festival and camel races each January, in Jolly’s memory.
Normally during January and February, there are several large events in Quartzsite – the largest two are the outdoor RV show and the rock & mineral show.
During this time of year, with most RV’rs getting ready to leave towards home up north and Canada, only a few flea market vendors remain.
We walked the booths and had dinner at the local pizza parlor and of course an ice cream cone after dinner.
We leave for Las Vegas tomorrow.
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Quartzsite, AZ
March 1st
54 Degrees
We left the Buckeye area at 11am.
Today is a short 100 mile drive west on I-10 to the desert town of Quartzsite.
Quartzsite is the RV ‘boondocking’ capitol of the world.
‘Boondocking’ is camping without hook-ups such as water, electricity – and living off your self-contained RV’s power & water.
During the winter months, Quartzsite swells from a normal 3,000 residents, to over 700,000 winter RV residents (fleeing the northern snow states).
There’s everything out here camping, from small vans, ‘hippy buses’, group RV’rs and million dollar motor coaches.
When camping on the hundreds of square miles of nearby Bureau of Land Management lands (only a few miles from Quartzsite), it’s first come – camp anywhere.
The soil is mostly compacted sand and rock, so it’s safe to drive onto, even with a heavy RV.
There’s a small fee for camping over the first 14 free days. The area is so large, this rule is rarely, if ever enforced.
We had sprinkles in the afternoon and arrived in the Quartzsite area at 1pm.
Picked our desert campsite far away from other campers, a few miles north of town.
We’ll be in Quartzsite for two nights.
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In-Camp Day
February 28th
64 Degrees
Spent the day in camp.
Tomorrow we leave for the Quartzsite, Arizona area.
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Spring Training
February 27th
64 Degrees
Donna woke up this morning and announced that she wanted to go to baseball ‘Spring Training’!
Just 20 minutes down the road is a major league baseball spring training camp (Goodyear Ballfield) and there just happened to be a 1pm game between the Texas Rangers and the Cincinnati Reds today.
We had great seats behind home plate, very reasonable tickets with our ‘senior discounts’ and free parking … even the ballpark food was priced right.
Perfect clear weather in the mid-60’s and the Rangers won 11-2.
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Rain & Snow Today
February 26th
59 Degrees
Woke up to strong winds, heavy rains and light snow falling. Hooking up the trailer wasn’t fun in the cold falling snow.
We left the Benson area at 10am and traveled west on I-10 towards Tucson.
Once on I-10, the snow became heavy at times, but no ice on the pavement.
Once into the Tuscon area, the snow and rain stopped and the sun came out.
Took the Gila Bend Bypass west on I-8 and north on Highway-85 to Buckeye (west of Phoenix).
We’ll be spending three nights at the Leaf Verde RV Resort.
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Tombstone, Arizona
February 25th
72 Degrees
After breakfast, we drove the 30 miles towards Tombstone, Arizona.
On the way, we discovered the small ghost town of Fairbank, along the San Pedro River.
Fairbank was a thriving railroad town (three separate rail lines) between 1881 and 1966.
After exploring Fairbank, we continued on to Tombstone.
Tombstone is a historic wild-west town, founded in 1879 as a silver mining town.
Within two years of its founding, although a far distance from any other metropolitan area, Tombstone had a bowling alley, four churches, an ice house, a school, two banks, three newspapers, and an ice cream parlor, alongside 110 saloons, 14 gambling halls, and numerous dance halls and brothels.
In the early 1880s, smuggling and theft of cattle, alcohol, and tobacco across the U.S. / Mexico border about 30 miles from Tombstone was common.
The Mexican government taxed these items heavily and smugglers earned a handsome profit by sneaking these products across the border.
Tombstone was well known for gunfights and of course the “Gunfight at the OK Corral”.
By 1890, with fires and a decrease in mining profits, most Tombstone residents left for other areas.
We explored the old 1878-1884 ‘Boothill Graveyard’ and walked the streets of the town.
Tomorrow we leave Benson for the Phoenix area.
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Cavern Tour
February 24th
68 Degrees
After lunch, we walked the 5 minute path from our campground, to the entrance to the Kartchner Caverns.
We learned about the cavern history and walked the underground paths among numerous cave formations and cavern rooms.
Tomorrow is a trip to Tombstone.
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A Short Move
February 23rd
57 Degrees
The strong winds calmed last night, but on and off snow showers continued.
Nothing stuck to the ground, but there was still a light dusting of snow on the hills behind our campsite.
After breakfast, we moved our campsite about 10 spaces away, until Sunday.
We had to split up the two campsite locations when making reservations last summer, due to taken vs open spaces at the time.
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Snow In The Desert
February 22nd
36 Degrees
We had a cold and very windy night last night.
Sprinkled on and off during the day, but the 50+mph wind gusts continued.
We were able to get in a couple of walks between rain showers.
About 2pm, we noticed that the winds calmed, but snow started to fall – nothing sticking to the ground, but a dusting in the nearby hills.
The forecast tonight is calling for near freezing temperatures and a chance of more light snow.
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Sierra Vista, AZ
February 21st
55 Degrees
After breakfast, we drove 20 miles south from our campground to the town of Sierra Vista, AZ.
This area was part of the Gadsden Purchase of 1854 and Fort Huachuca was established in 1877.
At the end of the Apache Wars in 1886, with the protection of the fort and the completion of the Southern Pacific and El Paso & Southwestern railroads, the San Pedro Valley and Sierra Vista began to be populated by American settlers.
The first business that opened just outside the east gate of Fort Huachuca was a saloon and “house of ill repute” which opened in 1892.
By 1917, the Overton Post Office was established along with a sawmill. The small town continued to grow, along with the current Army base.
Sierra City is currently 152 sq miles and has a population of 45,000, including the army base.
The base is home of the US Army unmanned drone training center and Army Intelligence training.
After a quick security / background check, we entered Fort Huachuca and visited the base museum. We learned about the area and the bases long history.
We next visited the base US Army Military Intelligence museum.
Returned back to Benson for dinner with good friends Kipp & Miriam.
Big storm due to hit tomorrow!
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Down Day – Chores
February 20th
64 Degrees
We grilled a couple of steaks last night while it was sprinkling. Good thing we have a awning on the trailer.
After breakfast this morning, we drove the 10 minutes into Benson.
Filled one of our empty propane tanks, did laundry and other chores in town.
After lunch, we enjoyed the sunshine on a park walk.
We’re watching the local weather forecast closely – may have strong 60+mph winds and a dusting of snow Wednesday & Wednesday night.
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Kartchner State Park & Caverns
February 19th
52 Degrees
Last night was clear and dark – the park is a ‘Dark Sky Park’ with no outside lights allowed after dark – great for nighttime star gazing!
We had sprinkles off & on last night and early this morning.
After breakfast, we walked the nature trail from the campground to the cavern visitor center.
In 1974, two amateur “cavers”, learned of a rumor that there may be an undiscovered cave in the hills west of Benson.
They explored many holes on the rocks, but eventually found a small hole, emitting strong blasts of air from underground.
They spent hours enlarging the hole in order to squeeze inside – they soon discovered many large undiscovered caverns and rooms.
The land owner (Kartchner) was later contacted (who was a teacher) and he was shown the caverns. His family decided to keep the caves a secret.
The land owners and the two “cavers” contacted the state to ask that the area be made a state park. Luckily the governor at the time was also a geologist, and agreed.
The area and caverns were soon made an Arizona State Park, named after the Kartchner Family.
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Benson, AZ
February 18th
72 Degrees
Windy 40mph winds last night, but above freezing.
We left Lordsburg at 11am and traveled into Arizona.
Continued west on I-10, then south on Highway 90, south of Benson.
Arrived at the Kartchner Caverns State Park at 1pm, which is only about 30 miles north of the Mexico border.
We visited the caverns two years ago, and discovered a beautiful campground in the park, with hook-ups, spacious sites and free WiFi.
We’ll be staying at Kartchner State Park for 8 nights.
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Lordsburg, NM
February 17th
48 Degrees
After a cold night and morning (17 degrees), we left the Van Horn area at 10am.
Traveled west on I-10 for about two hours, then through the El Paso area.
Drove through one of the several Border Patrol inspection stations along our route.
As you approach a station, there are a series of cameras along the highway. It appears they capture your license plate and a computer can tell if your car has been near/over the border…. if so, your stopped for a search.
Continued west into New Mexico, through Las Cruses and Deming.
There was still scattered snow on the ground near Deming, from a storm a couple of days ago.
Arrived at the New Mexico Welcome Center in Lordsburg at 3pm.
This welcome center is off the interstate, quiet, has a large parking area for Rv’s and free WiFi all night.
We’ll be spending the night here in Lordsburg.
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Van Horn, TX
February 16th
42 Degrees
We left Ozona at 10am and continued west on I-10.
Stopped at Fort Stockton for lunch, fuel and groceries at the local Walmart.
It’s much colder today, than the past several weeks in the south-east.
Continued west to the Van Horn RV Park.
Forecast low tonight is 17 degrees!
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Ozona, TX
February 15th
83 Degrees
Was foggy, yet warm when we left the Luling area at 9am.
Continued west on I-10 through San Antonio, Junction and Sonora.
Severe tornado warning weather is forecast for the Louisiana area tonight – luckily we passed through that area two days ago.
Arrived at the Ozona Welcome Center at 2pm.
We left the trailer in the RV parking area and walked the few blocks to the Ozona History Museum.
The 1926 structure was the only stone building in town at the time, and housed the old town hospital, then later turned into the county courthouse, before becoming a museum in 1958.
We walked the three floors of area artifacts, county exhibits and 1800-1900s Texas family history.
Was 83 here today, but a cold front is rolling in tonight – forecast of just 32 degrees in the morning.
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Luling, TX
February 14th
83 Degrees
We left the Beaumont area at 10am, to the start of sprinkles.
As we got into the Houston area (60 miles later), the rain became a downpour.
With the rains and typical heavy Houston traffic, it was a challenge to make it west out of town unscathed.
Continued west on I-10 through Katy and Columbus.
We are back into oil & gas country, in this part of Texas.
Arrived in Luling at the Patriot RV Park at 2pm.
We’ll fuel up, go out to dinner and get groceries this evening.
Tomorrow we leave west to Ozona, Texas.
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Beaumont, TX
February 13th
74 Degrees
We left the Atchafalaya Swamp area at 10am and continued west on I-10.
Traveled through Lafayette and the Lake Charles area.
Entered Texas and continued west. The weather is drier and a little warmer here in east Texas.
Arrived in Beaumont at 1pm.
We’ll be spending the night at the Gulf Coast RV Park.
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Atchafalaya Swamp, LA
February 12th
65 Degrees
We left the Bagdad area at 9am and continued west on I-10. No rain and clear weather today.
Drove into Alabama and through the Mobile area.
Continued through Mississippi, into Louisiana, through Baton Rouge and over the mighty Mississippi River.
Today’s trip distance was 300 miles, which is our self-imposed upper limit for a day (we’re in no hurry traveling with the RV).
Arrived at the Atchafalaya Swamp / Louisiana Welcome Center at 3pm.
We’ll be here one night among the alligators and other swamp reptiles.
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Bagdad, FL
February 11th
55 Degrees
Rained on & off most of the evening last night and was very humid.
We left Lake City at 10am and continued west on I-10 along the Florida ‘panhandle’.
As we drove west, the rain continued most of the day and the temperature dropped from the low 70s to the mid 50s.
Arrived at the I-10 Rest Area near Bagdad, Florida at 3pm.
We’ll be here for one night.
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Lake City, FL
February 10th
83 Degrees
We left the Savannah area at 10am and traveled south on I-95, into Florida, and continued to the Jacksonville area.
Took I-10 west to Lake City.
Had on and off thunder showers most of the day, very humid (85+%) and 83 degrees outside.
We’ll be at the Lake City RV Park for one night.
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Savannah River Cruise
February 9th
74 Degrees
We returned to the Savannah waterfront area, walked the streets and had lunch by the river.
At 1pm, we caught the Georgia Queen for a narrated river cruise, learning all about the local history and wildlife in the area.
Savannah is the third busiest seaport in the United States.
We cruised past the dock areas, old civil war Fort Jackson, journeyed along the South Carolina border and along the old Savannah waterfront.
Tomorrow we leave towards home, via northern Florida. Light rain is in the forecast.
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In-Camp Day
February 8th
80 Degrees
Since Donna & I are getting over colds (most likely from the Disney crowds), we decided to stay in camp today.
After lunch, we picked up our truck from the local Chevrolet dealer – Hydrocarbon Injector (whatever that is) all fixed!
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Tybee Island
February 7th
70 Degrees
After breakfast, we drove to the far side of the Savannah area to easternmost point in Georgia, to Tybee Island.
In 1520, the Spanish laid claim to what is now Tybee Island and named it Los Bajos. It was at the northern end of the Guale missionary province of Spanish Florida.
During that time the island was frequented by pirates who used the island to hide from those who pursued them. Pirates later used the island’s inland waterways for a fresh water source.
We visited Fort Pulaski on the island, which is now a National Monument.
During the Civil War, the Union Army placed siege batteries along the north coast of Tybee Island that aided in their successful bombardment and capture of Fort Pulaski in 1862.
Civil War canon ball holes can still be seen in the eastern exterior walls.
Next we visited the old Tybee Lighthouse in the downtown area.
We had an early dinner at the famous Tybee Island Crab Shack, where the locals have been eating since the 1930s, right on the water.
We both had a ‘Southern Boil’ dinner with shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage.
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Down Day in Camp – Truck Repair
February 6th
70 Degrees
We had a ‘check engine light’ come on the dashboard a couple of days ago.
Since we carry a small vehicle computer scanner on our trips, knew it was an exhaust sensor fuel issue.
Made an appointment this morning near our camp to have a dealer do the repairs.
Donna stayed behind in camp for chores, laundry, etc.
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Savannah Downtown Trolley Tour
February 5th
64 Degrees
After breakfast, we hopped on the Savannah Trolley that picks up and drops off right in our campground.
Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia.
A strategic port city in the American Revolution during the American Civil War, Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. It is Georgia’s fifth-largest city.
The narrated trolley circles through Savannah once every 90 minutes and has 15 hop on/off stops, with a trolley arriving every 20 minutes to each stop.
We walked the Savannah streets, visited many historical sites, including the old city cemetery and the waterfront area.
Even found Chippewa Park, where the movie Forrest Gump was filmed (the original bench has been moved to the Savannah History Museum).
After lunch, we visited on one of our stops, the old Georgia Central Railway Yards. Built in the mid 1800’s, the shops and depot ran until the 1970’s.
We learned that the reason the shop floors were all made of thick wood blocks, was to soak up oil and if a cast-iron part was dropped, it wouldn’t break on the wood, like on a concrete floor.
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Savannah, GA.
February 4th
55 Degrees
We left the St. Johns area of Florida at 10am.
Continued north on I-95 through the Jacksonville, Florida area and into Georgia.
Arrived at the Red Gate RV Resort in Savannah at 1pm.
During the American Civil War, the land that is now Red Gate Farms, served as an encampment for Confederate soldiers.
Later in the war, the land became occupied by Union soldiers after William T. Sherman’s “March to the Sea”.
Many confederate and union artifacts have been recovered on Red Gate Farms.
Years later, the Spanish American War began, and a powder magazine used to house ammunition was built on land adjacent to what would become Red Gate Farms, and the magazine keeper’s house was built on the land.
Today, you can still see what is left of the powder magazine nearby, and the keeper’s house still stands on Red Gate Farms.
We’ll be staying in Savannah for six nights.
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Palm Coast, Fl.
February 3rd
56 Degrees
We left our Disney World camp at Fort Wilderness at 11am.
As soon as we left, it started raining, heavy at times.
Took Interstate 4 northeast and connected to Interstate 95 near Daytona Beach.
Continued north on I-95 past Ormond Beach and Fort Matanzas, arriving at the I-95 Rest Area near Palm Coast at 1pm.
The day was much cooler in the 50’s, than the past two weeks have been.
We’ll be spending the night here and continuing to Georgia tomorrow.
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Last Day in Disney World
February 2nd
78 Degrees
Since today is a ‘day off’ from the parks, we didn’t have to rush to beat the crowds.
Had a leisurely morning in camp. After an early dinner, we took a shuttle to the Swan Hotel and again visited the Disney miniature golf course.
We had so much fun last time playing last Sunday, had two more free tickets and silly Donna wanted another ‘slim’ chance to beat me.
Had a great time golfing in the warm evening weather.
During our stay at Disney, Donna’s ‘Smart Watch’ calculated that we walked 287,000+ steps = 127 miles between the parks (not counting the buses, water taxis or air tram transportation).
No wonder we’re tired at the end of the night!
Tomorrow we leave the Disney properties and head north towards the Jacksonville, Florida area.
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Hollywood Studios
February 1st
83 Degrees
Left camp at 7am and traveled by shuttle bus to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Hollywood Studios opened in 1989, as the Disney-MGM Studios (Theme) Park, and was the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World.
Spanning 135 acres, the park is dedicated to the imagined worlds from film, television, music, and theater, drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
In 2018, the park hosted 11.2 million guests, ranking it the fifth most-visited theme park in North America and the ninth most-visited theme park in the world.
As usual in the evenings, we ‘hop’ to the Magic Kingdom to walk the park and enjoy the lights and less crowds.
Tomorrow is a ‘day off’ from the parks.
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Epcot
January 31st
84 Degrees
Left camp at 7am and traveled by shuttle bus to Epcot.
Epcot was originally conceived by Walt Disney during the early development of Walt Disney World, as an experimental planned community that would serve as a center for American enterprise and urban living.
Known as “EPCOT”, an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, the idea included an urban city center, residential areas, industrial areas, schools, and a series of mass transportation systems that would connect the community.
After Walt Disney’s death in 1966, the “EPCOT” concept was abandoned as the company was uncertain about the feasibility of operating a city.
In the 1970s, Disney, Inc. began developing a second theme park for the resort to supplement Magic Kingdom, as that park’s popularity grew.
The new park reprised the idea of showcasing modern innovation through avant-garde edutainment attractions, as well as the addition of a world nations exposition.
The newly designed park, featuring two sections—Future World and World Showcase—opened as EPCOT Center in 1982.
In 2019, Epcot hosted 12.4 million guests, ranking it as the fourth-most-visited theme park in North America and the seventh-most-visited theme park in the world.
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Magic Kingdom
January 30th
87 Degrees
We walked the 4-5 minutes to our Fort Wilderness Campground lake and took the water shuttle taxi to the Magic Kingdom at 7:30am (that’s 4:30am home time).
The Magic Kingdom opened on October 1, 1971, as “Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom”, the first of four theme parks at the resort.
The 107 acre park is represented by Cinderella’s Castle, inspired by the fairy tale castle featured in the 1950 film.
In 2019, the park hosted 20.9 million visitors, making it the most visited theme park in the world for the thirteenth consecutive year and the most visited theme park in North America for at least the past nineteen years.
Evenings after dark are our favorite times to visit the parks. The cooler temperatures, park lighting and the nighttime feeling can’t be beat.
Tomorrow is back to Epcot.
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Disney Golf Day
January 29th
83 Degrees
Last night, we had dinner at the Trail’s End Restaurant, which is right here in the Fort Wilderness Campground.
Was a great dinner of cornbread, salad, three meats (chicken, beef brisket & pulled pork), potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob & three desert combinations.
Woke up to much warmer / humid (60%) weather today.
After breakfast, we took a Disney shuttle to the Swan Hotel. On the property is the popular Disney Miniature Golf Course.
Normally we wouldn’t have thought of golfing today, but we had two free coupons and decided to use them.
Had lots of fun on the challenging 18 hole course – and it sure beats the easy Roseville Sun City ‘Old-Folks’ Course!
After golfing, we traveled over to Disney Springs. It’s on a large lake and has many canals to explore by riverboat shuttles.
Tomorrow we’re back to the Magic Kingdom.
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Swamp Air-Boat Adventure
January 28th
66 Degrees
After breakfast, we drove about 25 miles south of camp to Lake Tohopekaliga.
Lake Tohopekaliga is one of the larger lakes in Florida and is bordered by swamps — and alligators!
The Boggy Creek Airboat Complex teaches about local swamp life, Indian culture and of course all about gators.
We departed the Boggy Creek Dock on a powerful V8 airboat. Our guide Patrick, took us into the swamp areas and alligator nesting habitats.
Alligators hunt underwater and rest on floating vegetation, like a large waterbed. Until they grow over three feet in length, they are easy prey for larger alligators.
Adult alligators in the region can grow to 13 feet and 800 pounds!
We had a great time out on the water and saw lots of alligators and other swamp wildlife.
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Animal Kingdom
January 27th
65 Degrees
Today’s adventure is at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
After a short shuttle ride, we arrived at the animal preserve at 8am.
Animal Kingdom is the largest theme park in the world, covering 580 acres. The park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and was the fourth theme park built at the resort.
The park is dedicated and themed around natural environment and animal conservation, a philosophy once pioneered by Walt Disney.
Tomorrow is an off-day from the Disney resorts – we’ll be going into alligator territory.
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Hollywood Studios
January 26th
64 Degrees
After a full 15+ hours at the Magic Kingdom yesterday, we had a good night’s sleep in camp.
Rained a little before morning, but clear today and cooler.
Took a Disney shuttle to the Hollywood Studios at 8am.
Enjoyed the park and at sunset, we transferred to the Magic Kingdom until closing at 11pm.
Tomorrow is a visit to the Animal Kingdom.
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Magic Kingdom
January 25th
88 Degrees
We took a boat shuttle from our campground to the Magic Kingdom at 8am.
Was warm today, but we had a breeze and low humidity. The next few days are forecast to be cooler.
The Magic Kingdom is somewhat like Disneyland, but spread out and at least four-times the size. The Haunted Mansion, Main Street, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. are at both parks, but in somewhat different locations.
A rain / lightening storm is due sometime tonight, but will be clear / cooler for the next few days.
We stayed for the Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary Fireworks Display.
Tomorrow is the Hollywood Studios Park.
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Epcot
January 24th
75 Degrees
We took a Disney shuttle bus to Epcot at 9am.
Epcot is built on a large lake and each area around the lake represents a different country or the world’s special features.
Rode several rides and explored every inch of the park – must have walked 10+ miles.
Tomorrow is the Magic Kingdom.
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Walt Disney World Arrival Day
January 23rd
72 Degrees
Lightening and thunderstorms rolled through or camp about 8pm last night. We also visited the campground clubhouse where I was able to beat Donna at a game of pool – a rare feat!
We left Lake City at 10am and traveled south on Interstate-75. Clear and sunny today.
Passed the Gainesville area and just south of Ocala, we connected with the Florida Turnpike to the Orlando area and into the Disney property.
Arrived at Walt Disney World at 1pm.
We’ll be staying in the Fort Wilderness Campground for 11 nights.
Walt Disney opened Fort Wilderness in 1971 with 800 campsites and 409 cabins.
There’s also two restaurants, two heated pools, horseback riding, fishing, walking trails, boating, etc. on the property.
The lake-side campground connects to other Disney areas by boat through the Disney waterways or shuttle buses.
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Lake City, FL
January 22nd
75 Degrees
We had some overnight rain and lightening last night and downpours during the first half of today.
Left the Milton area at 7am and traveled east along the “Florida Panhandle” and continuing on I-10 through the Tallahassee area. We are now in the ‘Eastern Time Zone’ for the next three weeks.
Arrived in Lake City, in the far north part of Florida, and at the Lake City RV Park at 1pm. Warm, humid and thunderclouds in the area.
We’ll be using this stop to get fuel, groceries and do laundry.
Tomorrow we arrive in the Orlando area and Walt Disney World!
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Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
January 21st
53 Degrees
Had some rain & lightening last night and cooler temperatures in the area. Lightening and heavier rains in the forecast for the today.
We left the Louisiana swamp area and continued east on I-10 at 9am.
Drove along the Gulf Coast, over the mighty Mississippi River and through Baton Rouge. Rained on & off most of the day and cool.
Near New Orleans, we took The I-12 bypass, as to not drive into downtown New Orleans and then entered Mississippi, drove through Alabama and into Florida.
Continued east through the Pensacola area and arrived at the I-10 Santa Rosa Rest Area, near Milton, Florida at 3pm.
This large modern rest area will be our stop for the night.
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Atchafalaya Swamp
January 20th
62 Degrees
We left the Beaumont area at 11am and traveled east into Louisana and through the Lafayette area.
This area is mostly low lying swamp area, with the I-10 Interstate raised above the water.
We arrived at the Atchafalaya Swamp Rest Area at 2pm. This large quiet parking area is separated into auto, RV and trucker areas, and has a beautiful welcome center with 24hr free WiFi..
We’ll be here overnight and traveling into Florida tomorrow.
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Beaumont, TX
January 19th
72 Degrees
We left Luling at 9am and continued east on I-10.
Drove through the Houston area, which is one of the busiest stretches of our cross–country trip.
We’ve now dropped down south to along the Gulf Coast area.
Continued on I-10 and arrived in Beaumont at 2pm. We’ll be spending one night at the Gulf Coast RV Park.
Beaumont is the largest Texas city west of the Louisiana border, founded in 1838 as a farming and lumber area.
Things changed in 1901 with the ‘Spindletop Gusher’ proving that large areas of oil were under the city.
Tomorrow were off to the Atchafalaya Swamp area of Louisiana.
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Gonzales, TX (Daytrip)
January 18th
80 Degrees
We had a quiet night in camp, with fog / rain this morning for an hour.
After breakfast, drove about 15 miles south to the small town of Gonzales.
Gonzales was one of the earliest Anglo-American settlements in Texas, founded in 1825. The original settlement was abandoned in 1826 after two Indian attacks.
It was rebuilt nearby in 1827. The town remains today as it was originally surveyed.
Gonzales was also the site of the first cannon shot against the Mexican Army in 1831. Later, 32 men from Gonzales rode to the Alamo to help to defend the fort.
We walked the streets and visited the old 1885-1974 jail, city history museum, the War for Texas Independence Memorial and walked the downtown streets.
Gonzales is full of old turn of the century Victorian homes.
Tomorrow we head east through Houston and onto the Beaumont area.
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Luling, TX
January 17th
78 Degrees (Humid)
After a quiet night, we left Ozona at 9am and traveled east on I-10 through the San Antonio area.
This area is known for natural gas and oil fields. There are thousands of oil pumps and above-ground gas/oil tanks.
We arrived in Luling at the Patriot RV Park at 2pm. This is the park we were stranded at in 2021 during the ‘Big Texas Blizzard’ for over a week.
Luling was founded in 1874 as a railroad town and became a rowdy center for the cattle drivers on the Chisholm Trail.
As oil grew in importance in the 1930s and 1940s, the railroads that helped form the town declined and largely pulled out of Luling. Oil is still a big part of the local economy.
Contempt of the law by the cowboys helped Luling become known as the “toughest town in Texas”. After the great cattle drives ended in the late 1880s, Luling quieted down to a town of about 500 and cotton ruled the local economy.
After setting up camp, we drove the couple of miles into town. Had dinner at one of our favorite BBQ ‘rib-joints’ called the City Market.
After dinner we walked the old town and explored old Zedler’s Mill. The mill started in 1874 as a gristmill and sawmill, and became a cotton gin in 1884.
In 1894, the cotton gin provided power from the dam’s water-wheel to the nearby town of Luling. The mill closed in 1960.
We’ll be staying in Luling for two nights.
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Ozona, TX
January 16th
74 Degrees
We left the Van Horn area at 10am and continued east on I-10. The winds were light, compared to yesterday’s gusts.
Stopped at Fort Stockton along I-10 for fuel, lunch and groceries at the large Walmart store in town.
The I-10 rest areas in Texas are like small museums, unlike the west coast’s 1950’s era stops.
Arrived in Ozona Texas at 4pm. We’ll be staying in the quiet Ozona Welcome Center parking area for the night.
Ozona was founded in 1891 as ‘Powell Well’ and in 1897, it was renamed “Ozona” for the high quantity of its open air, or “ozone”. The area is know for it’s hunting.
We visited the Welcome Center and walked a couple of blocks to Ozona’s ‘downtown’ and town square.
Tomorrow, were off to the Luling Texas area.
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Sunset & Sunrise in West Texas
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Van Horn, TX
January 15th
68 Degrees
We left Lordsburg at 5:45am due to a forecast of a strong wind storm east of us all day today.
Continued east on I-10 through New Mexico and passed through Deming and Las Cruces, dropping south to the Texas border and the El Paso area.
We stopped at the Las Cruces Rest Area and visited the Roadrunner Monument, overlooking the city. It’s made out of old car parts, tires, rubber shoes, old NAVY helicopter parts and other recycled items. The locals have named him “FLOWER”.
I-10 through El Paso parallels the Mexican border, sometimes only 100 yards away to our south. Due to being a Sunday, traffic was light.
East of El Paso, was a US Border Patrol Inspection Station. Since we didn’t have that “illegal alien’ look, we were waved through the check-point.
It’s been a very windy day today, with sustained winds at 45+, and wind gusts to 55+ mph.
At least the wind is from the south-west, so most of the day we had a ‘tailwind’ and not a full force cross-wind, which would make driving more difficult in a high profile 5th wheel trailer.
We continued east, until we arrived at the small town of Van Horn at 1pm.
Since there’s not much out here in this part of Texas, we always stop at the Van Horn RV Park when traveling through.
We’ll be spending one night in Van Horn and continuing our journey through Texas tomorrow.
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Lordsburg, NM
January 14th
74 Degrees
We left Buckeye at 9am and took the ‘Gila Bend Bypass’ around heavy traffic of Phoenix and met back up with I-10 south of Phoenix.
We traveled through Tucson and Benson and into the Sonoran Desert. This area is Cochise Indian Territory, well known in western movies and books.
Continued east along I-10 and into New Mexico. We’ll be spending the night at the Lordsburg Welcome Center, just east of the border.
The weather all day was bright, sunny and warm – perfect for traveling.
Tomorrow we enter the BIG state of Texas.
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Buckeye, AZ:
January 13th
78 Degrees
We left the Needles area at 9am and traveled south on Highway-95 along the Colorado River to Blythe and Interstate-10.
Shortly after connecting to I-10, we drove over the Colorado River and entered Arizona. This part of Arizona is known for their 25’+ high Saguaro Cactus growing in the desert.
Continued east to Buckeye, which is just west of the Phoenix area.
We arrived at 4pm (now in Mountain Time) to the full-service Leaf Verde RV Park.
After three days of ‘dry-camp’ traveling, this gives us the opportunity to dump our tanks and take on fresh water.
Tomorrow, we head into New Mexico.
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Needles, CA:
January 12th
60 Degrees
We left the Bakersfield area at 9am and traveled east on Highway-58.
Drove over the Tehachapi Mountains with clear roads and no snow, then dropped into the Mojave Desert.
This area is known for the large Twenty Mule Team Borax mines, Edwards AFB and several airline ‘temporary parking lots’, where unused planes are stored in the dry desert climate.
We stopped for lunch near the Boron Rest Area (rest area was closed) and continued east to Interstate-40 and the Essex Rest Area, just west of Needles.
We’ll be spending the night in the large rest area lot and traveling into Arizona tomorrow.
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Bakersfield, CA:
January 11th
60 Degrees
We left Rocklin at 9am to light rain and breezy weather.
Drove through Sacramento to south-bound Interstate 5. Lots of water from the recent California storms & flooding.
Stopped for lunch south of Tracy, at an I-5 rest area. Miles & miles of winter green rolling hills.
After lunch, continued on I-5, to Highway-46 and to Highway-99 to just north of Bakersfield at 3pm, where we’ll be spending the night at the Flying J Truck & Travel Center.
Tomorrow we travel into the Mojave Desert to Needles, CA.
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Starting in January 11, 2023, we’ll be leaving for a cross-country trip to Florida, the Southern Carolina coast, an extended stay in the south-west desert areas and a NASCAR race – Lots of new adventures on this nine week excursion.
Rocklin Roamers 