tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53107079323493873942024-02-07T15:37:56.512-07:00At Home on the HighwaysJoin our adventures as we travel the USA in our motor home. This blog should have been started at the beginning of our journey, but one must begin somewhere. Time permitting, I will attempt to recount our many experiences since we began full time RVing several years ago.Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-75712586649234374302017-05-04T21:12:00.001-07:002017-05-04T21:12:39.978-07:00Green, green grass of home...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMRUtRcKO8V86EWp5tPDp6YRAdXNlvQ3pOoMap4wMBmVgt0ywu_OoMHYkazAQkc4t_clBUHjXUHdMzXrHevP5AfUEH1ubknd3bKCRVRGoPtAFtB5N06JXwgt9eLGiqAqm-vL5ZiYVCKCY/s1600/IMG_3211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMRUtRcKO8V86EWp5tPDp6YRAdXNlvQ3pOoMap4wMBmVgt0ywu_OoMHYkazAQkc4t_clBUHjXUHdMzXrHevP5AfUEH1ubknd3bKCRVRGoPtAFtB5N06JXwgt9eLGiqAqm-vL5ZiYVCKCY/s640/IMG_3211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Home for the remainder of May at Worlds of Fun Village, Kansas City, Missouri </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It was great sleeping at the rest area near Grainfield, Kansas. We had the entire picnic loop to ourselves with the semi-trucks parked in the lot behind us. In fact, it was so cool and so quiet, and we were all still adjusting to the time change, that the dogs let us sleep until nearly 8 a.m. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQE8-uN2kaHc-DAU-9GgHW7PVdcWoHUbcAmx_jzBC7mmI9pKferICvepylWMavaq5OOnJdgg5HyrK2XJ8kxejV3bdUwEG61aknmVNajPBdcMgQbbsErCyUrddC0oX4-WY7LuDiWsSvYp_/s1600/IMG_2928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQE8-uN2kaHc-DAU-9GgHW7PVdcWoHUbcAmx_jzBC7mmI9pKferICvepylWMavaq5OOnJdgg5HyrK2XJ8kxejV3bdUwEG61aknmVNajPBdcMgQbbsErCyUrddC0oX4-WY7LuDiWsSvYp_/s640/IMG_2928.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cleaning the road salt from the windshield in Greenfield, Kansas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We had hoped to get on the road early, but by the time we had walked the dogs, eaten breakfast, cleaned the salt from the windshield, and caught up on email, we didn't get on the road until around 10, and had nearly 340 miles to cover since the wind had delayed us the prior day. We hoped to reach our campground in Kansas City before rush hour, or by 5 p.m. at the latest, when the office closes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjULpDMBLWXYZ-Vqt1RmW10AuzEjAPa3CrhUKKVSeFZbc5RgPPmzecQXIkacvGn8bfstfZg-QBw67HebgAWHwh79C-Jlsm3hC_ii-CEqZC4VfuPgHSX3Hj3WmkA2FhBphiNq_9TP5ws-ZZ/s1600/IMG_3030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjULpDMBLWXYZ-Vqt1RmW10AuzEjAPa3CrhUKKVSeFZbc5RgPPmzecQXIkacvGn8bfstfZg-QBw67HebgAWHwh79C-Jlsm3hC_ii-CEqZC4VfuPgHSX3Hj3WmkA2FhBphiNq_9TP5ws-ZZ/s640/IMG_3030.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjfNVG9c1yAXtIUmaCpZUprNL7Bj9OS_wpdsVpeB7iuYgKbhU5W2FBoSg-VL24P07xGz65pnGtqSD7NBE4rkoW_ZbVaJk6g1z-vj6b22nIM_5SMIZMAmkxpKWKE2KUhoGyljIUKSY8U8j/s1600/IMG_2946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjfNVG9c1yAXtIUmaCpZUprNL7Bj9OS_wpdsVpeB7iuYgKbhU5W2FBoSg-VL24P07xGz65pnGtqSD7NBE4rkoW_ZbVaJk6g1z-vj6b22nIM_5SMIZMAmkxpKWKE2KUhoGyljIUKSY8U8j/s640/IMG_2946.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4i5f5hepbJxLICJFX34FZb7NmbtkJuSKJWtvpff6gszjvxnuz5yoxGP5PIsa1z7TQ_s6S8Mn7nerDwsZG3zvo1vzuX1w5z3Zj1mPX2z9qXZAgVEaZ-xUTOK0Q0TbK2sLexehAlEal9ML2/s1600/IMG_3049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4i5f5hepbJxLICJFX34FZb7NmbtkJuSKJWtvpff6gszjvxnuz5yoxGP5PIsa1z7TQ_s6S8Mn7nerDwsZG3zvo1vzuX1w5z3Zj1mPX2z9qXZAgVEaZ-xUTOK0Q0TbK2sLexehAlEal9ML2/s640/IMG_3049.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fG-OzpRMk_kHTtDOQja1xjqklbvhn9Y_a4uL86vKzW3C3t6LGts5vmIFppM4vssU300Rvv9bKrZNjxMCVyQT1zuzfuCTLATWUgzU-E8PcswLrSWnITYhsMN3nJumvZLtKuAcYjAWjjlB/s1600/IMG_3093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fG-OzpRMk_kHTtDOQja1xjqklbvhn9Y_a4uL86vKzW3C3t6LGts5vmIFppM4vssU300Rvv9bKrZNjxMCVyQT1zuzfuCTLATWUgzU-E8PcswLrSWnITYhsMN3nJumvZLtKuAcYjAWjjlB/s640/IMG_3093.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXR4ZPSSzKFqO8YRu0NjRIVAKQ3_yaAJ26g-ffPtTkYGLtZxiixjQtHIQMS54HuVscMyN-XonoMx9pbsuDh9IM_sa6IWeFxeAg4swId7eVUWD_4z42qWdMTe3Y7q7RBVc2yT49AinwkjX/s1600/IMG_3053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXR4ZPSSzKFqO8YRu0NjRIVAKQ3_yaAJ26g-ffPtTkYGLtZxiixjQtHIQMS54HuVscMyN-XonoMx9pbsuDh9IM_sa6IWeFxeAg4swId7eVUWD_4z42qWdMTe3Y7q7RBVc2yT49AinwkjX/s640/IMG_3053.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It was interesting to watch the change in scenery. We started out with some snow here and there on the ground on the relatively flat high plain. Oil pumps and windmills at first dotted the landscape. Gradually we began to see more hills, more trees, dirt roads, farm equipment, grain elevators, cattle, barns, grain silos and rolls of hay. Before long, we noticed how green were the fields and trees, and occasional ponds turned into streams and lakes. The highway cut deep into the limestone and flint hills and the fields are plowed and awaiting their crops.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1js3ERQUg-iNyLFJkauHa8h46nz4ovcFs_OznCZVgsP97zX4vbfI_hQ4RVMc31YnHbJvgGHDa0AjpjJB59v1nCUCjsUb7u8iBcC-o1fv_451cirQVpfp23U-vYPKpLK9Kg0ACluH8iaJ/s1600/IMG_2999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1js3ERQUg-iNyLFJkauHa8h46nz4ovcFs_OznCZVgsP97zX4vbfI_hQ4RVMc31YnHbJvgGHDa0AjpjJB59v1nCUCjsUb7u8iBcC-o1fv_451cirQVpfp23U-vYPKpLK9Kg0ACluH8iaJ/s640/IMG_2999.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfzxJp1uaTMNVzI9hnDJLYVKYRUxS2kgfBC4yUj0-4ZqKIfoOFsuakjhOfHmUhFlz0zjgA_1UVV4wxC5K2zbV8i554k1UENqccK2i4uBzGg0P2439XliHX0W-kpD9UexIyEoxzDl3jYTh/s1600/IMG_3084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfzxJp1uaTMNVzI9hnDJLYVKYRUxS2kgfBC4yUj0-4ZqKIfoOFsuakjhOfHmUhFlz0zjgA_1UVV4wxC5K2zbV8i554k1UENqccK2i4uBzGg0P2439XliHX0W-kpD9UexIyEoxzDl3jYTh/s640/IMG_3084.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneiAQr76K-hVmBz6hShRz92WD8mIUy7gGrXZ_Tzbo56RzhuT_cx1bc5Bc5apAjQQZIoNcaKDCTjwX8XGDmYVXvAsW-ToFNLpIKM98y4aalRpHtmZW7EE6aY9Fvz0YmEv-5sthLHhTilDc/s1600/IMG_3032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneiAQr76K-hVmBz6hShRz92WD8mIUy7gGrXZ_Tzbo56RzhuT_cx1bc5Bc5apAjQQZIoNcaKDCTjwX8XGDmYVXvAsW-ToFNLpIKM98y4aalRpHtmZW7EE6aY9Fvz0YmEv-5sthLHhTilDc/s640/IMG_3032.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX__Vbw7So_PurIMLMg_3ncaqUUg4Quah-pUvXWRYzlZmWmkUMephpDyq948debKkf2mdorWzSZsxizAj3Y89Lfm2faId55yHevt82PpIo7DYPBA3rOrbBBDMRNtnsME1PaIyYZm7pfK9/s1600/IMG_3201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX__Vbw7So_PurIMLMg_3ncaqUUg4Quah-pUvXWRYzlZmWmkUMephpDyq948debKkf2mdorWzSZsxizAj3Y89Lfm2faId55yHevt82PpIo7DYPBA3rOrbBBDMRNtnsME1PaIyYZm7pfK9/s640/IMG_3201.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Valerie captured a few barn photographs, but with the sun shining there is lots of glare on the windows which interferes with her fun. Also she was driving and missed photos of the buffalo and hay roll which someone had made into a snowman. Signs indicated we had entered 'The Bible Belt'.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHCu7Zc12WdsWNM0YXHNLfn8oNppdOa5dI1VINJEHSdszs5L3ycN5M3YwtVbtHw1pgNe7eBfE_oFdJXO_ifsEqxlE4BUTZeohjliWV9lXtLEcqO1H0SMDsg7cI9RmydUDCCgottxPXIpX/s1600/IMG_3071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHCu7Zc12WdsWNM0YXHNLfn8oNppdOa5dI1VINJEHSdszs5L3ycN5M3YwtVbtHw1pgNe7eBfE_oFdJXO_ifsEqxlE4BUTZeohjliWV9lXtLEcqO1H0SMDsg7cI9RmydUDCCgottxPXIpX/s640/IMG_3071.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG06yXfnx-XaX_bbTfo8sRP_7zNWnhJURUAlHbl2knhov9I3knV51rTSeF0ZsWo2AgFjcFIaFn0veettaOqzbiRPOFWoJHuHF0YDcpVFJMEXmQc0GiNt_Gj_HZ36jpcSWbX_rk1-b0FHF/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG06yXfnx-XaX_bbTfo8sRP_7zNWnhJURUAlHbl2knhov9I3knV51rTSeF0ZsWo2AgFjcFIaFn0veettaOqzbiRPOFWoJHuHF0YDcpVFJMEXmQc0GiNt_Gj_HZ36jpcSWbX_rk1-b0FHF/s640/IMG_3011.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We again fought the wind and the occasional construction zone. The cost of the Kansas Turnpike on I-70 was $7.50 with our five axles. We had heard there was lots of flooding in Missouri. As we approached Kansas City, GPS wanted to send us through the city and then north, but we opted to head north on I-435 and cut across east on Highway 152 (Barry Road), to get to our destination, Worlds of Fun Village with the least traffic.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuIBzj5H23ZHd96dofpnaVfAbYTtQxyS0ruLBEr6qle82ocFQgfLX08LC1q3Z0nH23ob4LIqtYpbTtij87aV8hyRrpp2Uodyna0ldwG5lr_a_mKNXRBP8yfR-ZszSGD0xfoJUDRkba7cq/s1600/IMG_3137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuIBzj5H23ZHd96dofpnaVfAbYTtQxyS0ruLBEr6qle82ocFQgfLX08LC1q3Z0nH23ob4LIqtYpbTtij87aV8hyRrpp2Uodyna0ldwG5lr_a_mKNXRBP8yfR-ZszSGD0xfoJUDRkba7cq/s640/IMG_3137.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH9cpfKPl7m3RG3jTAH7656bX2UkhzeMbEg0dt5Y_sYDmOWW6C-7LevPtWDMd9rr7IukaxO-TUKdR0QAkLqalGCYxAjYm9ssHoLunk0iJNawoG_IKMTdAPjyi97RvLpEujqjuX1J5ebZp/s1600/IMG_3040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH9cpfKPl7m3RG3jTAH7656bX2UkhzeMbEg0dt5Y_sYDmOWW6C-7LevPtWDMd9rr7IukaxO-TUKdR0QAkLqalGCYxAjYm9ssHoLunk0iJNawoG_IKMTdAPjyi97RvLpEujqjuX1J5ebZp/s640/IMG_3040.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> George washed the windshield for the second time, and together we put up the exterior sun shades. The Gorilla Tape held for the most part, and we'll need to get a technician out right away to replace our slide covering. Until then, we're living without our biggest slide-out. We're a little tired from the trip and will need to head to the store in the morning. The weather right now is perfect. But Kansas Citians will tell you if you don't like the weather to wait ten minutes. We're here for a few weeks, so we'll just wait and see!</span><br />
<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-70791802910399881652017-05-03T21:45:00.000-07:002017-05-03T21:45:06.509-07:00Blowin' in the Wind ...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CJzmTmXepiuwqBrwvyotNuc33SNP0OrVsMb8HnPWW0JDMoO3-Lv9balOE9Byw10gAxfCUJ0cBvXVwgWwwk9YGqlPpglpUmLGBHjAoN1gdlMKkceqmgP15Me9HtTvV_ZNsfsWImOoXCGc/s1600/IMG_2854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CJzmTmXepiuwqBrwvyotNuc33SNP0OrVsMb8HnPWW0JDMoO3-Lv9balOE9Byw10gAxfCUJ0cBvXVwgWwwk9YGqlPpglpUmLGBHjAoN1gdlMKkceqmgP15Me9HtTvV_ZNsfsWImOoXCGc/s640/IMG_2854.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snow, rain, sunshine, clouds and high winds as we headed across the prairie on I-70 Eastbound</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Wednesday, May 3rd, we hitched up the car at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, Colorado, as the skies spit a mix of rain and snow and temperatures hovered around 37 degrees. We planned a two-day drive, 629 miles, to Kansas City.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We filled 81 gallons of diesel at a cost of $201 at the Flying J in Aurora, which was not an easy task, our card not reading at the pump, which was slowwww in the rain and snow flurries! And then we had to pay an additional $6 as George apparently stopped and started the flow and it wouldn't allow us to charge it on the same card. Two machines were out of Diet Coke syrup. Oh well, we probably actually hit the road around 10:30 a.m.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNHQodOjvztLgM8g5J8TsL3nII3fH5S8i6s7NPe06mWy_MLpQb3jFQ6wUN8pHRhK1AN9h7xW09MJVXCM1LiKSCHQ1zLC4N-hi5J16nsRV5VtP5aCazfhYuH2ET5S1yiwMqixJKUw4o_Kb/s1600/IMG_2844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNHQodOjvztLgM8g5J8TsL3nII3fH5S8i6s7NPe06mWy_MLpQb3jFQ6wUN8pHRhK1AN9h7xW09MJVXCM1LiKSCHQ1zLC4N-hi5J16nsRV5VtP5aCazfhYuH2ET5S1yiwMqixJKUw4o_Kb/s640/IMG_2844.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Deer Trail Rest Area on I-70 Eastbound</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> George was ready for a break fairly soon after driving through Denver in the rain and snow with construction and traffic tie-ups. Valerie checked the All-Stays app on her phone and let him know it was over 40 miles to a rest area. Next thing she knew he was pulling up an exit ramp for a quick driver change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> At the next opportunity, Valerie pulled into the Deer Trail Rest Area to check the tires and walk the dogs. Just as she re-entered the highway, she heard a thumping noise similar to a noise we've heard in the past during extremely windy conditions, which turned out to be the TV antenna mounted on the driver's side roof. George woke up and checked and he raised it slightly which seemed to affect an improvement.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn41ognXuevrgS0w7m9-lPhDjH3bcQ2oLxOAiT2cJMRnvScB-Ebs1hDQvGu4UK42RvpH5VKph-bnMipAj3fi0B5cAPpvUW8l7Ur4KHn8i6lgeqnRqCyeTGAMk4qCHJWzztPWCwCJ1DZWez/s1600/IMG_2872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn41ognXuevrgS0w7m9-lPhDjH3bcQ2oLxOAiT2cJMRnvScB-Ebs1hDQvGu4UK42RvpH5VKph-bnMipAj3fi0B5cAPpvUW8l7Ur4KHn8i6lgeqnRqCyeTGAMk4qCHJWzztPWCwCJ1DZWez/s640/IMG_2872.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's causing that noise?<br /></span></td></tr>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0VOfU-H0MArks-uHBy8JMBv4WDYSrWMmCbcNwPqdkfodnEaJH532dda4EHQvt1Uo918pYfspNdzeZl_0FsvMU5lvILKawYp25lFZe6PxDc71cPjHe_2lsNFPaZpEkJWc5N73wePrftUQ/s1600/IMG_2878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0VOfU-H0MArks-uHBy8JMBv4WDYSrWMmCbcNwPqdkfodnEaJH532dda4EHQvt1Uo918pYfspNdzeZl_0FsvMU5lvILKawYp25lFZe6PxDc71cPjHe_2lsNFPaZpEkJWc5N73wePrftUQ/s640/IMG_2878.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="font-size: small;">The ladder and Gorilla Tape to the Rescue<br /></span></td></tr>
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</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> We drove awhile longer and felt a wind gust and heard a strange sound and continued along the route. We stopped at the Kansas Welcome Center near Goodland, Kansas. The winds were intense on the driver's side of the coach and an unfamiliar flapping noise was obvious. George asked Valerie to run out the front slide on that side and bring it back in while he watched from outside. Western Kansas has some nice picnic areas where we were able to circle around to get the wind blocked and tried running the slide out and back in without interference from the high winds.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWCn5Ri7rBcxMfxATlCyvjzEMOcZptrCae6l_JEp2wdYUxaaeESpvlMXM8L3h35i_B5VFvx0DuzwdCbQyoJZOcOvnHm-DR8FCHxKKE6o3nNxHGRptqRGK0pg8_KVsJSKWbcKkEzb9TVZK/s1600/IMG_2837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWCn5Ri7rBcxMfxATlCyvjzEMOcZptrCae6l_JEp2wdYUxaaeESpvlMXM8L3h35i_B5VFvx0DuzwdCbQyoJZOcOvnHm-DR8FCHxKKE6o3nNxHGRptqRGK0pg8_KVsJSKWbcKkEzb9TVZK/s640/IMG_2837.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kansas!</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Valerie went out to take a look and immediately noticed that the guard for the slide topper was completely gone! George got out the ladder and the Gorilla Tape and went to work securing the fabric to prevent the wind from creating further problems as we drove down the highway. We waited and worked until the wind diminished and headed back out to make up for the lost time.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDYMu8dIGcXP2IDWADpVBQ0j1N2TFwhUNQasFt9wM70gaNLlgq-nHUcRLn-zRB9GQZtTPmB043TNyrMW4Ji2KvWVCUcTiLrLvkwgZgodJgEz5H8Eg1_f6qT27oVavU8ySMMDJ7BRVZ6xf/s1600/IMG_2892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDYMu8dIGcXP2IDWADpVBQ0j1N2TFwhUNQasFt9wM70gaNLlgq-nHUcRLn-zRB9GQZtTPmB043TNyrMW4Ji2KvWVCUcTiLrLvkwgZgodJgEz5H8Eg1_f6qT27oVavU8ySMMDJ7BRVZ6xf/s640/IMG_2892.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There must have been a good bit of snow lately.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> We lost an hour entering Central Time Zone and pulled into the rest area near Grainfield, Kansas just before sundown. George got the dogs walked, we had dinner and caught up on the news. Temperature is supposed to drop down to around 35 tonight. Hopefully we can get an early start and the wind will cooperate tomorrow.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPc31o4bso_6FhLHmXfYDBgdklLeQbQzyGUltc3QfG0T90J2Puvoj1rmTIxevhTXdfQv5BA9mY2P2pqTRjSesDDF3eA-QcYdtXHVBZxtWeCg8R_tiCox1ZraljdWMsATiiLTsyu-pM2AI/s1600/IMG_2920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPc31o4bso_6FhLHmXfYDBgdklLeQbQzyGUltc3QfG0T90J2Puvoj1rmTIxevhTXdfQv5BA9mY2P2pqTRjSesDDF3eA-QcYdtXHVBZxtWeCg8R_tiCox1ZraljdWMsATiiLTsyu-pM2AI/s640/IMG_2920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time to relax and unwind for the night at the rest area in Grainfield, Kansas </span></td></tr>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-16357684552074434532017-05-02T21:38:00.000-07:002017-05-02T21:38:24.218-07:00A Last Minute Tour of the State Capitol<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ApFnGHFTQ8VcUpT9ATqIih933gUNdGAjBswqMJTh691yfJGcFUs0FYcwb3ps_nPJ8I1J1vIkgTbdnYhYREpEu8fOU9JDIFJmXEeenwmCtApnMpHTibpt2I2J9_tvt98Jpr2MWuZKnbKS/s1600/IMG_2781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ApFnGHFTQ8VcUpT9ATqIih933gUNdGAjBswqMJTh691yfJGcFUs0FYcwb3ps_nPJ8I1J1vIkgTbdnYhYREpEu8fOU9JDIFJmXEeenwmCtApnMpHTibpt2I2J9_tvt98Jpr2MWuZKnbKS/s640/IMG_2781.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colorado's State Capitol Building in Downtown Denver was completed in 1901.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our sightseeing agenda was somewhat dampened by the late spring snowstorm and business and family travels, but the snow was all gone by Tuesday morning, and Valerie was looking to get one more sight under our belts before we head out for Kansas City tomorrow. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih97Z3iY1PxIIFHqXOFUJZSumRhluNgwVqbayU4igaR5ElFHoTjL6eorMwpyViA86XpFiZ3ASX1AwUjTfYX3RyGOE_G-kkgqEbFnLjtZICEwhYa4Tb2wndx3asf9U0OjXphaBaeYjsNrOh/s1600/IMG_2710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih97Z3iY1PxIIFHqXOFUJZSumRhluNgwVqbayU4igaR5ElFHoTjL6eorMwpyViA86XpFiZ3ASX1AwUjTfYX3RyGOE_G-kkgqEbFnLjtZICEwhYa4Tb2wndx3asf9U0OjXphaBaeYjsNrOh/s640/IMG_2710.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Capitol Rotunda</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"> A favorite tour of ours when in capital cities is State Capitol Buildings. Valerie researched and learned we could not easily take the light rail without connecting with a bus, and that parking could be a problem during the week. She began to look into touring the Denver Mint, only to find it was closed on Monday and Tuesday this week. So, we printed off a list of parking options and took off for Downtown Denver and the Capitol Building, approximately a 20 minute drive from where we are staying.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyjUF7eIgQ9jNuIQBBmEX1u6mLxnr6-wFqBX0UXRmDFtyXTB4Ws-n6p9A4RDd7AskR-rqnyK1_XhM40fUaFS7bQ3E9We8_16kuJ_UQICR6Bc2qVSMtXhW0wjXOmmehHynmAio20z4jPF6/s1600/IMG_2656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyjUF7eIgQ9jNuIQBBmEX1u6mLxnr6-wFqBX0UXRmDFtyXTB4Ws-n6p9A4RDd7AskR-rqnyK1_XhM40fUaFS7bQ3E9We8_16kuJ_UQICR6Bc2qVSMtXhW0wjXOmmehHynmAio20z4jPF6/s640/IMG_2656.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View of the Senate from the third floor gallery.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJIMCnEVzrt2Hf7gbbyFPtLASl614NXB8JOi4Cr41tj49xMuNZsJwMcON2stZFlqzNJFzzmDDcMcJcEB-h6dufzDLUiKOBiu1b5ODqSL2gxJqCSgHx2gzVcu0vfEpxuuOe4B0M5CMdevK/s1600/IMG_2692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJIMCnEVzrt2Hf7gbbyFPtLASl614NXB8JOi4Cr41tj49xMuNZsJwMcON2stZFlqzNJFzzmDDcMcJcEB-h6dufzDLUiKOBiu1b5ODqSL2gxJqCSgHx2gzVcu0vfEpxuuOe4B0M5CMdevK/s640/IMG_2692.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lots and lots of brass adorns the staircases and other fixtures.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Without too much difficulty, we located a metered space that was actually marked handicapped and free with our temporary permit. We walked a few blocks, our belongings were screened at security, and we signed up for an hour-long guided tour by a delightful and knowledgeable volunteer named Trish. Free tours are available for walk-in groups of less than 10 people starting on the hour between 10-3 Monday through Friday. We had a small group of five, which was a really good size, both for hearing the tour guide and getting around the structure.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E6jwk1pCXtCLOxRJsxzV2VxaL9RQe-GycmrwPrJBJmhMmOLrcco3S7PmR2Zqt3vssdDctCgXWkt1-QOvHFSbhvleN1larwrT8-yIueaxsfI_hY09u7TzmcY9tsevSJ0Qql7jmd-bgciM/s1600/IMG_2718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E6jwk1pCXtCLOxRJsxzV2VxaL9RQe-GycmrwPrJBJmhMmOLrcco3S7PmR2Zqt3vssdDctCgXWkt1-QOvHFSbhvleN1larwrT8-yIueaxsfI_hY09u7TzmcY9tsevSJ0Qql7jmd-bgciM/s640/IMG_2718.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photo of the old stairway up into the Rotunda is no longer in use.</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9ROTZ1w9MrLG3z_80t4cDXtjxacGdOIuuzhRkYpV_wejcY4EZCdwyINxUBojjjwXo0pBbDHrzAYFyBinizOWooDFN-H4bMChJXEVrghpoYU26_v1s40MApbxpaWWQOMr1JAkdUSAp0Pk/s1600/IMG_2763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9ROTZ1w9MrLG3z_80t4cDXtjxacGdOIuuzhRkYpV_wejcY4EZCdwyINxUBojjjwXo0pBbDHrzAYFyBinizOWooDFN-H4bMChJXEVrghpoYU26_v1s40MApbxpaWWQOMr1JAkdUSAp0Pk/s400/IMG_2763.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The stairway we actually climbed.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> We learned a lot of the history of Colorado, it's prominent and key figures, much information about the Denver area, as well as the construction of the state's beautiful Capitol. Legislature was in session, and we observed the House of Representatives electronically voting on bills, but the Senate was apparently on lunch break or in recess during our visit. Here's a link if you're interested further information or photographs: <a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-history-colorado-state-capitol-denver" target="_blank">https://www.colorado.com/articles/colorado-history-colorado-state-capitol-denver</a>.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsBuPwtGZo3F3LXXFxRplKIFKFuK-75MfSFLhAaEw8a_Og3o1Ejlh1eFNSVZ95eN5qDp03YJObgRN1IFjJitSlguqajYhCsrrcbEJxEInm9n-cn8BL0dU33N_OJxVOdWxamxdpyjrYwam/s1600/IMG_2761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsBuPwtGZo3F3LXXFxRplKIFKFuK-75MfSFLhAaEw8a_Og3o1Ejlh1eFNSVZ95eN5qDp03YJObgRN1IFjJitSlguqajYhCsrrcbEJxEInm9n-cn8BL0dU33N_OJxVOdWxamxdpyjrYwam/s640/IMG_2761.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A glimpse of the original stained glass from the back side on the stairs.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> It's a bit of a climb up into the rotunda, but well worth the spectacular views of the city and Rocky Mountains in the distance from the circular outdoor walkway. On our way out, we stopped on the 13th stair of the West Wing which is marked with the official location of the 'Mile High,' after which Denver is nicknamed. Tired and hungry and wanting to get ahead of rush hour traffic, we headed home to our two little Shelties.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34Kqj5BCATgbnC2KYhC6fZmdBblUbDd5Om9dMyG_LLfbOP_POGy5Kr_vRjuTbrIyQ37eJJzw9r_6qC8NCcbW_0cUAsbds6Ob0NZfvVVMAkS590JtNtD9vcE3FEdXiU_G-Uzfzxfn14zG5/s1600/IMG_2750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34Kqj5BCATgbnC2KYhC6fZmdBblUbDd5Om9dMyG_LLfbOP_POGy5Kr_vRjuTbrIyQ37eJJzw9r_6qC8NCcbW_0cUAsbds6Ob0NZfvVVMAkS590JtNtD9vcE3FEdXiU_G-Uzfzxfn14zG5/s640/IMG_2750.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking west from the Rotunda, the City and County Building with the Rockies in the background.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuZaWsoWPERSFXkUrzjrwtH1fIztK8gfig37iH7fxy1RDGu02JSs5Q2n-Kez78y338G6CEAn7n6ho45-zxQaMyEMpeT_GMb4wOOZ83BeSztItMorTabki7CdeSEJTXHc31ybbWBAsSvNi/s1600/IMG_2742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuZaWsoWPERSFXkUrzjrwtH1fIztK8gfig37iH7fxy1RDGu02JSs5Q2n-Kez78y338G6CEAn7n6ho45-zxQaMyEMpeT_GMb4wOOZ83BeSztItMorTabki7CdeSEJTXHc31ybbWBAsSvNi/s640/IMG_2742.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception undergoing renovations to the east.</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsZFTgFPpzxKqMsDftEHRIsUx9y_5G9n4xef0z7t436FUl3NYXp8AsPDvJ87SzTBeKW8PzzoGG9I5YmXfqzF_bV6_7uwHPlaL348uf5scHzey6zqJ3NiWpgC_pGH-pKo7JAIe2c7oaNtM/s1600/IMG_2766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsZFTgFPpzxKqMsDftEHRIsUx9y_5G9n4xef0z7t436FUl3NYXp8AsPDvJ87SzTBeKW8PzzoGG9I5YmXfqzF_bV6_7uwHPlaL348uf5scHzey6zqJ3NiWpgC_pGH-pKo7JAIe2c7oaNtM/s400/IMG_2766.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">State Flag and rock back from the moon</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Rain is predicted for tomorrow and it's turned a little colder again. George discovered the replacement windshield wiper we purchased at Camping World is the incorrect part, so he did his best to repair the failing one until we can return it for the one we need. We have our audio book all ready to play to help pass the time on the road. We'll plan on driving two days to arrive in Kansas City.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNECopZE8Fgq1-9pqFO8uAS3Gnjq92QCOFYzJ9NR79-xn22xF4UGO51cMeIPZD2IKIjbbkX6raVSKUcPjvXBUfmqegxIQpjEFVMAy1bZozfMnRh2yPxIlJYfwOiEkPC4dNWr0OAokgrYX_/s1600/IMG_2776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNECopZE8Fgq1-9pqFO8uAS3Gnjq92QCOFYzJ9NR79-xn22xF4UGO51cMeIPZD2IKIjbbkX6raVSKUcPjvXBUfmqegxIQpjEFVMAy1bZozfMnRh2yPxIlJYfwOiEkPC4dNWr0OAokgrYX_/s640/IMG_2776.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Official Mile High Marker on the 13th step of the West Wing</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sVDS1iMPIHPJeLCKTXZhcvP9Hq4jB8nxkRJMT8FQRQs7jzfSgX17sdwgQRoUn7ctoz2cY55pyKkD5A1zzk5Vpmhyphenhyphenc56_5JMEr3wNaZ_RR4R31P90oKREI5y8TZ98RUKgb3vU6YLxUsQr/s1600/IMG_2798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sVDS1iMPIHPJeLCKTXZhcvP9Hq4jB8nxkRJMT8FQRQs7jzfSgX17sdwgQRoUn7ctoz2cY55pyKkD5A1zzk5Vpmhyphenhyphenc56_5JMEr3wNaZ_RR4R31P90oKREI5y8TZ98RUKgb3vU6YLxUsQr/s640/IMG_2798.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colorful car ride home. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Whatever the dogs do when we're away, it apparently tuckered out our little Zara. At least the bed should be nice and warm for us. Look out, Kansas City -- Here we come!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBF8yEojlF3XetAv8Bv55ov6Yylcx5M3SKpDqX88FfHmhv-6bD8FhiLkHnovjVQlsDF4XXDWzQP66kPzTr7c7dmP34pFORhr54Lw1K2-86WA6t1Tb5lMfFtNbX12Tfqse18Y2xcoPoTCl/s1600/IMG_2815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBF8yEojlF3XetAv8Bv55ov6Yylcx5M3SKpDqX88FfHmhv-6bD8FhiLkHnovjVQlsDF4XXDWzQP66kPzTr7c7dmP34pFORhr54Lw1K2-86WA6t1Tb5lMfFtNbX12Tfqse18Y2xcoPoTCl/s640/IMG_2815.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good-night, Princess Zara!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-1518309193554837462017-05-02T02:24:00.001-07:002017-05-02T02:24:31.423-07:00Almost Good-bye to Golden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1A0nVXFsotsLdjx_BGgomWXlGYdcRj1LkiGRm65lfTmzn1t-Ky-0iE7htDwOpDD8ljzOUXr2uSd1x9nCesmok73i32fVXd44huk6MZMcswTVmT91KQS8G4lIEoKNKv5IH4vhEgKgX30L2/s1600/IMG_2601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1A0nVXFsotsLdjx_BGgomWXlGYdcRj1LkiGRm65lfTmzn1t-Ky-0iE7htDwOpDD8ljzOUXr2uSd1x9nCesmok73i32fVXd44huk6MZMcswTVmT91KQS8G4lIEoKNKv5IH4vhEgKgX30L2/s640/IMG_2601.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Flame juggler/cliff diver at Casa Bonita in Lakewood, Colorado</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Monday, May 2, with temperatures in the 40's overnight and climbing steadily into the 50's, the snow was nearly melted by mid-morning. George hurried over to the Subaru dealership in nearby Lakewood to get the warning indicators checked out. Apparently some 'gunk' had built up in the engine which was flushed and the car is now good to go again. Customer service even sent him home with some beautiful carnations for Valerie.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSBgaKaCU8FZZ3Jwk-O8mj8GHCGz-b3Oh4B_0VUw2VZV4yuEAxPrpoQ2ZrXaazdwsGGGJ_L52pL276D5cjtxhXQYcquKW9snajNOrm7_cKZXoKJUGuODxXcCti9X17t1y_F4wtzRh73On/s1600/IMG_2543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQSBgaKaCU8FZZ3Jwk-O8mj8GHCGz-b3Oh4B_0VUw2VZV4yuEAxPrpoQ2ZrXaazdwsGGGJ_L52pL276D5cjtxhXQYcquKW9snajNOrm7_cKZXoKJUGuODxXcCti9X17t1y_F4wtzRh73On/s640/IMG_2543.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Valerie accompanied George on his next run to Camping World, conveniently located just a few miles from the Dakota Ridge RV Park where we have been staying, for a replacement windshield wiper blade for the Monaco. We bit the bullet and paid the $63 nightly rate (even with our Good Sam discount) to extend one night while we wait on completion of an embroidery project we dropped off late last week.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdgxrNfCPjww9xseOl10qGr3aolo-rMmuFZhfkN-JwmEjy1aMlSXyuZA-zVSH3VQw_y8zhEf7eHcmj-X-KT-qfNOsZAxlIJ94N3dpj3ejLs24rE0TlvJ76N7oNmJ-JcbAHERpEVdE2Y4a/s1600/IMG_2546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdgxrNfCPjww9xseOl10qGr3aolo-rMmuFZhfkN-JwmEjy1aMlSXyuZA-zVSH3VQw_y8zhEf7eHcmj-X-KT-qfNOsZAxlIJ94N3dpj3ejLs24rE0TlvJ76N7oNmJ-JcbAHERpEVdE2Y4a/s640/IMG_2546.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> George has been craving a Smash Burger ever since he saw one when we arrived, so we stopped for a late lunch and shared a barbecue bacon cheese since we anticipated dinner out. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJuCMPRuQCDkymdpjXbbcY3PvGAQu5pEx4M8ZEz5aXVs7SoZR3RGgNG7Xjj5SSZvlhBARjOF6c0gG1VBMKFKsh3tVC2YTfmqQO7L55GSJd40_DdrGQOXFfFC2kge7RsL9w3lmo4Z9qfEX/s1600/IMG_2552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJuCMPRuQCDkymdpjXbbcY3PvGAQu5pEx4M8ZEz5aXVs7SoZR3RGgNG7Xjj5SSZvlhBARjOF6c0gG1VBMKFKsh3tVC2YTfmqQO7L55GSJd40_DdrGQOXFfFC2kge7RsL9w3lmo4Z9qfEX/s640/IMG_2552.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9hE1jJHOr7DeH7P7_VpIB30PWiGO1LhVQUptHZOZQ3-NCf-7PXxsF4gq5gfKFZamz-9DHE_n-k9iDGvtaU-poR36X5f3EEsChA_l7LWlR_IzibPL_jxVnYfRcVgiWmoDjoDzt_TdrnlT/s1600/IMG_2566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9hE1jJHOr7DeH7P7_VpIB30PWiGO1LhVQUptHZOZQ3-NCf-7PXxsF4gq5gfKFZamz-9DHE_n-k9iDGvtaU-poR36X5f3EEsChA_l7LWlR_IzibPL_jxVnYfRcVgiWmoDjoDzt_TdrnlT/s640/IMG_2566.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Valerie's daughter had recommended a place, also in Lakewood, Casa Bonita, <a href="http://casabonitadenver.com/" target="_blank">http://casabonitadenver.com</a>. It turned out to be a fascinating place with a 30' waterfall, cliff divers, musicians, a gift shop and an arcade. There are a couple of 'Gringo' items on the menu, but Mexican was the primary fare, served with complimentary sopaipillas and fresh honey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> They require everyone over 2 years of age to purchase a meal, so of course, we over ate. There are no to go boxes, probably since many of the menu items are all you can eat, but they did provide some foil so Valerie could take home nearly half her fajitas. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j8lcONvU93e1wOt4WfQFeLO7m4ADuIrSnxFNhBgUY4pcEiNO7tsGf5J-2TDgCR3qMEZPmQgPShyphenhyphen5dJJsdErG6VfH2R3XzHw_yFd2g6QX16cDEjGi6gkqPLshfGAo2kJAfrzw2LIyR-nI/s1600/IMG_2599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j8lcONvU93e1wOt4WfQFeLO7m4ADuIrSnxFNhBgUY4pcEiNO7tsGf5J-2TDgCR3qMEZPmQgPShyphenhyphen5dJJsdErG6VfH2R3XzHw_yFd2g6QX16cDEjGi6gkqPLshfGAo2kJAfrzw2LIyR-nI/s640/IMG_2599.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The restaurant was beautifully decorated and it was nice that we visited on a Monday when the long interior lines were almost empty. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The shows alternated every fifteen minutes or so, and we were entertained in a delightful atmosphere while we dined. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC1JyKqGYPChNbDVLfuqHsSrN1KO5Y-O-yV_ZvelSzNNndQxNKMgGKhgmcR9Owyf9kIVqTNET1sx96YunBQBgV6wyzY6wCTtg3jvNzEjogjZ71L4h565B0BrtfnSsFbm_40-1Ceeb9t_B/s1600/IMG_2591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC1JyKqGYPChNbDVLfuqHsSrN1KO5Y-O-yV_ZvelSzNNndQxNKMgGKhgmcR9Owyf9kIVqTNET1sx96YunBQBgV6wyzY6wCTtg3jvNzEjogjZ71L4h565B0BrtfnSsFbm_40-1Ceeb9t_B/s640/IMG_2591.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikz5Og7N1n1VpC_O-14mg6GTXWknMV9v77G-ATuYyG9tbuZnU4FB02Bo1kRAWxvpqVQR2ix5snftrO9yT32r_u7QYvq-uGYFKo2IVXOPqwf-ADdF25pw9JAeBnPopaS438VJmowDpmTS1k/s1600/IMG_2632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikz5Og7N1n1VpC_O-14mg6GTXWknMV9v77G-ATuYyG9tbuZnU4FB02Bo1kRAWxvpqVQR2ix5snftrO9yT32r_u7QYvq-uGYFKo2IVXOPqwf-ADdF25pw9JAeBnPopaS438VJmowDpmTS1k/s640/IMG_2632.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp-HlQPp1HNSIdj-oZRXGvIHjW7ZvDFFCp2rXBxzAPjxACwi4Xih7EgJeFJNpfJaFF7TBtAbR0am5bfP304WkbjCiPZIfoouGcrCU2gXLYUJVm4WgvOB44KAyKAdgGMnPe-fbQIf5UEvz/s1600/IMG_2594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpp-HlQPp1HNSIdj-oZRXGvIHjW7ZvDFFCp2rXBxzAPjxACwi4Xih7EgJeFJNpfJaFF7TBtAbR0am5bfP304WkbjCiPZIfoouGcrCU2gXLYUJVm4WgvOB44KAyKAdgGMnPe-fbQIf5UEvz/s640/IMG_2594.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Hard to believe we will be back on the road day after tomorrow.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKLNeFkfZtGVRurWLC0CKnuD1m3UZtc76Dx02lbWGNcwsb_8Zx4wK0xeDGAp0114QOYazPleU7NzgLVsXQdRE0gteP6vI5j6mL9ugSGiF2EIRXLUnwf-m3sGyGG1t8I1Bi-C6xSDzIG3w/s1600/IMG_2596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKLNeFkfZtGVRurWLC0CKnuD1m3UZtc76Dx02lbWGNcwsb_8Zx4wK0xeDGAp0114QOYazPleU7NzgLVsXQdRE0gteP6vI5j6mL9ugSGiF2EIRXLUnwf-m3sGyGG1t8I1Bi-C6xSDzIG3w/s640/IMG_2596.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-5848082404282804322017-04-30T22:44:00.000-07:002017-04-30T22:44:40.063-07:00Thawing and Getting Out<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4EfWIk4MGECZB_gaw9LIJVlDEoFVyqOi3-uM1cRLItkHosayVEA-pzw0imUog_zxOb-QcmcAWLVYtt0n8HCzKHWekGCannvyHU_Nuy2E0V0yrDHgr-NrzhbShxtC1wODBi-9o6PdHGrj/s1600/IMG_2463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4EfWIk4MGECZB_gaw9LIJVlDEoFVyqOi3-uM1cRLItkHosayVEA-pzw0imUog_zxOb-QcmcAWLVYtt0n8HCzKHWekGCannvyHU_Nuy2E0V0yrDHgr-NrzhbShxtC1wODBi-9o6PdHGrj/s640/IMG_2463.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, Colorado</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We awakened to blue skies and a chilly 31 degrees in Golden, Colorado this morning. George walked the dogs and slipped on a frozen spot, but fortunately did not injure himself. The sun came out and temperatures began to climb. The trees suffered the weight of the heavy snowfall, and lots of icicles hung from various parts of RVs around the park.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-XXVhRT70axPW9m792Ojc8VVKJAHvvNAAjM5uQIHaDb7ZmOEkZ5UCc8ME7T6fPSNJF8XAZfImU2Z6a2TBXOq8UxRTQbvzMcMyAiQLfdcBUA2xw_PWbIFpfT_XAoMfkFuI_9v4vMLyiOm/s1600/IMG_2460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-XXVhRT70axPW9m792Ojc8VVKJAHvvNAAjM5uQIHaDb7ZmOEkZ5UCc8ME7T6fPSNJF8XAZfImU2Z6a2TBXOq8UxRTQbvzMcMyAiQLfdcBUA2xw_PWbIFpfT_XAoMfkFuI_9v4vMLyiOm/s640/IMG_2460.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heavy snow wreaked havoc on the trees.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikevvCo-AbaSZEbz9Mgr4GrHu4tUWRstd54rRwzEpfxPfHNzXqwrcRPklKT1DdPrAvDYdr3bsJwjCX8jcHFqPzNv8ZOEEB3h6vj7-dlMWj58Ym4jrVG7J4F-hOs3IQDYbCQInUpZzYVp5T/s1600/IMG_2465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikevvCo-AbaSZEbz9Mgr4GrHu4tUWRstd54rRwzEpfxPfHNzXqwrcRPklKT1DdPrAvDYdr3bsJwjCX8jcHFqPzNv8ZOEEB3h6vj7-dlMWj58Ym4jrVG7J4F-hOs3IQDYbCQInUpZzYVp5T/s320/IMG_2465.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Mid-morning Valerie noticed the electrical power was out. We scrambled around and finally figured out the culprit -- the battery cut-off button near the entry door must have been accidentally bumped when bringing in the dogs at some point. Shortly after 1 p.m. we checked above the slide-outs and decided after nearly 44 long and all too cozy hours, we could finally deploy our four slide-outs and have a lot more room to spread out.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazAgAixl00n_-2Or0x-uXp5zylsCuLBtanegFvr_Phjh2jTeBzP3a_qhnHipKkMTjN4n8Lou9etA7oaRAoJNDquPa6bjqjB45IFHaC469nJhOoNQa9G_3IiA_kWUwWkcMt-UghyphenhyphenStJpxu/s1600/IMG_2467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazAgAixl00n_-2Or0x-uXp5zylsCuLBtanegFvr_Phjh2jTeBzP3a_qhnHipKkMTjN4n8Lou9etA7oaRAoJNDquPa6bjqjB45IFHaC469nJhOoNQa9G_3IiA_kWUwWkcMt-UghyphenhyphenStJpxu/s640/IMG_2467.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Icicles everywhere!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The car required some scraping, and we did suffer a small leak once the slides were put out, apparently from the heavy snow melting off the roof. But, with temperatures reaching the mid 50's, it didn't take long for most of the snow to melt away.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR1YeBnAwjn8VC_rUQvqvVxNAWTCQcxfbdCZwgz7r4WC6JLgScoH1MvXO_-8XTnpSR1ntjKPfOaR_5EhHYG2lbIs2fsH_Af7Su8pSqUVB6eikxcAAMwr_j6kFMKDfFXWCbIOv_Ykc12xV/s1600/IMG_2475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR1YeBnAwjn8VC_rUQvqvVxNAWTCQcxfbdCZwgz7r4WC6JLgScoH1MvXO_-8XTnpSR1ntjKPfOaR_5EhHYG2lbIs2fsH_Af7Su8pSqUVB6eikxcAAMwr_j6kFMKDfFXWCbIOv_Ykc12xV/s640/IMG_2475.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Going, going......</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIbBpcG30qVLtIFiiVWTTRrY83eQY1eQ8kvNoeu-LgiY4V-kRUUAx4dcReV-61SJuX6QFOPWzkJOgLZj_3BXVxPiCQz5RSL5BOwifDyKelXeiwxaeKTnW6FRAO-XOWObmhqVWS9M2hcRY/s1600/IMG_2473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIbBpcG30qVLtIFiiVWTTRrY83eQY1eQ8kvNoeu-LgiY4V-kRUUAx4dcReV-61SJuX6QFOPWzkJOgLZj_3BXVxPiCQz5RSL5BOwifDyKelXeiwxaeKTnW6FRAO-XOWObmhqVWS9M2hcRY/s320/IMG_2473.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> We took off for a dinner meeting with instructor, Asher Haun, and his wife, Sylvia. Asher has done a great job teaching for the RV Driving School for several years in nearby Fort Collins. We enjoyed great conversation and dinner at Outback Steakhouse in Longmont. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The plan was to stop in Boulder approximately ten miles away to exchange some items with Valerie's daughter. We didn't get far out of Longmont until the 'Check Engine' light came on in the Subaru along with the flashing 'Cruise' light. George stopped and checked the gas cap and added some oil, but the indicators persisted. Looks like we will need to get the car in for service before we head out.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3GGM-YBCqiqVAhmAsLGTXyg04N7Lqb8e8Ht5XWSQ1YQJ0HZNvYx8WZ_t4sOYfwJUMZIqpaIn8H5VSeWmpyErZQK2-yrn_bGApXpPyp2ffPN91OM49_fv6lnC6FHDxW7x4MKW_fmyEXB-/s1600/IMG_2487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3GGM-YBCqiqVAhmAsLGTXyg04N7Lqb8e8Ht5XWSQ1YQJ0HZNvYx8WZ_t4sOYfwJUMZIqpaIn8H5VSeWmpyErZQK2-yrn_bGApXpPyp2ffPN91OM49_fv6lnC6FHDxW7x4MKW_fmyEXB-/s640/IMG_2487.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Downtown Denver</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Current temperature is at 46, so it doesn't look like we'll need to be concerned about water freezing. We can rest comfortably tonight. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOnkHI2oXSf4eLFWX9s_rde7o5fMQQcjZZVtyqjMDBkXhJytHW08BnXnPQxNQBKWiTHAdnyEXpuoRIlCTEx1oIE-iC9UtSRFGsK_gX2Ux_xIJD5hF9swlyUrD0aWFomxFBfJDi9hFfgeA/s1600/IMG_2497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOnkHI2oXSf4eLFWX9s_rde7o5fMQQcjZZVtyqjMDBkXhJytHW08BnXnPQxNQBKWiTHAdnyEXpuoRIlCTEx1oIE-iC9UtSRFGsK_gX2Ux_xIJD5hF9swlyUrD0aWFomxFBfJDi9hFfgeA/s640/IMG_2497.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After dinner with Sylvia and Asher Haun in Longmont</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-33692149218174670862017-04-29T20:38:00.000-07:002017-04-29T20:38:35.857-07:00Winter Storm Advisory! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjur0LMZ6ujT35_omQrlawRHtkbe7htoy_gtJL96UWeK2lOuza1D5nd9IhKa9LCLJCp24Ug23DnKc5lIcABQIS8lsMoccCvY6AmLV7czhK4pGh_27DKem2J5oe6bEmxHr0hWiXTHg5HpNR4/s1600/IMG_2424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjur0LMZ6ujT35_omQrlawRHtkbe7htoy_gtJL96UWeK2lOuza1D5nd9IhKa9LCLJCp24Ug23DnKc5lIcABQIS8lsMoccCvY6AmLV7czhK4pGh_27DKem2J5oe6bEmxHr0hWiXTHg5HpNR4/s640/IMG_2424.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View from our front window at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, CO<br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We travel with several weather apps that alert us to unfavorable conditions. Friday morning, April 28th, we were more than a little surprised to receive notification that a winter storm advisory had been issued for our area, predicting snow to begin by 6 p.m. that evening and lasting through the night until 6 p.m. on Saturday, with accumulations of 8-15 inches! </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8_1v9JeIEQoTp8GxakUtRl5OI-1VyCsh1VF1Ys7vwM64J3qtMt-BHz8kQVJ8sJW9SZ6hFBmFUaDnAvvXkaZJZBMFnYOPyjhzewlD-AuosgyqIhybGT3PyVH6UAMw1A7Vm0pIj1m-88_C/s1600/IMG_2371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8_1v9JeIEQoTp8GxakUtRl5OI-1VyCsh1VF1Ys7vwM64J3qtMt-BHz8kQVJ8sJW9SZ6hFBmFUaDnAvvXkaZJZBMFnYOPyjhzewlD-AuosgyqIhybGT3PyVH6UAMw1A7Vm0pIj1m-88_C/s640/IMG_2371.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The clouds Friday afternoon confirm that the warning is indeed real.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> While we had experienced a dusting of snow here several days earlier without much concern, 8-15 inches certainly got our attention! George began to bring in the grill, propane tank, table and chairs, while Valerie determined that we needed to pick up a prescription and several items from the grocery store, so we headed out for the local Walmart to prepare for the next couple of days.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdSZywPIwZplYBfYKgvcQAhjIJaJeBYpZyGJukoMSlozv7L5rUEBO26m9Vypmnkq6SMoo9VJr4bMm4NtBfLvehxNGWlB2hr-qDukRuxNkULtEM7zX2JJpIdROQ5y_7vPgyg1cDvcrEbTm/s1600/IMG_2375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdSZywPIwZplYBfYKgvcQAhjIJaJeBYpZyGJukoMSlozv7L5rUEBO26m9Vypmnkq6SMoo9VJr4bMm4NtBfLvehxNGWlB2hr-qDukRuxNkULtEM7zX2JJpIdROQ5y_7vPgyg1cDvcrEbTm/s640/IMG_2375.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snow began around 3:30 p.m. on Friday</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> By the time we finished at the store, the clouds began creeping over the Rockies, and we noticed the advisory had become a warning and the eta had been advanced to 4 p.m. We ate a late lunch and hurried out to remove the sun screens, thinking we may possibly leave on Sunday and we wouldn't want to put them away wet. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vgtUid7renTi_IvOUpnpjO2d0SbR0RxwpHWhBf26q4FX3VKcy_YZMVvm7ycoUGqyhLEvO8ok5GLuQn2Du8v8NGPjmToZxqikmswmcXmFKV5Lq9b1Mj36tFtsc7hoYCwCIEw6Mdpi_zNI/s1600/IMG_2414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vgtUid7renTi_IvOUpnpjO2d0SbR0RxwpHWhBf26q4FX3VKcy_YZMVvm7ycoUGqyhLEvO8ok5GLuQn2Du8v8NGPjmToZxqikmswmcXmFKV5Lq9b1Mj36tFtsc7hoYCwCIEw6Mdpi_zNI/s640/IMG_2414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">How quickly spring turned back to winter again!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Valerie took a look at the clouds and decided to get the dogs out early for their 4 p.m. walk. Let's just say we <i>almost</i> made it back before the sky began spitting white chunks at us around 3:30. We got the dogs dried off, pulled in the four slide outs on the Camelot so as not to potentially damage the slide toppers. We also pulled in the retractable step at the front door, which tends to ice up and get slippery when it's cold.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7OwBd574idf2NNPmhPoZTC3w03sfn8DQpYDrtnTYsbedwXKLCMS8ukzf4BitOQZqFBQ593vdNmZLYfcipngvU8NBmHy19zGQMEH6BPj3_N_7GN7Lnui1PGENIQim2ylk-TDA_I5phmsi/s1600/IMG_2420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7OwBd574idf2NNPmhPoZTC3w03sfn8DQpYDrtnTYsbedwXKLCMS8ukzf4BitOQZqFBQ593vdNmZLYfcipngvU8NBmHy19zGQMEH6BPj3_N_7GN7Lnui1PGENIQim2ylk-TDA_I5phmsi/s640/IMG_2420.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Monaco next door followed our example and pulled in their slides.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It didn't take long for the greenery to become cloaked in a blanket of snow. We take turns walking our two Shelties, which are not at all accustomed to the white stuff. The long hair on their chests, under-bellies and front legs seems to gather significant snowballs as they attempt to walk through it. The other 'adult' catches them with towels, and Valerie has even gone so far as to put them into the shower and attack the snowballs stuck to their fur with the blow dryer.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PLW7XbgvQHxlOv8z4RXW56w884SL1PYfrAQFVgxjLsBrSxYu2a_YS3Oc25IKlTcErAxTDILFfw2QPXnu7IXY8xAyxx93tHoVzygQJEXUPcuvF4om4oK_9n11lAQ5KU4m_B9vtHCXjpvt/s1600/IMG_2426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PLW7XbgvQHxlOv8z4RXW56w884SL1PYfrAQFVgxjLsBrSxYu2a_YS3Oc25IKlTcErAxTDILFfw2QPXnu7IXY8xAyxx93tHoVzygQJEXUPcuvF4om4oK_9n11lAQ5KU4m_B9vtHCXjpvt/s640/IMG_2426.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The dogs are walking a little 'heavy' with snowballs stuck to their fur.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> With the slide-outs retracted, we do not have access to all of our clothing drawers, but we strategically placed our critical items, i.e. clean underwear and socks where they could be reached with or without slides in. They say to expect the unexpected, but neither of us was prepared with snow boots, although we have managed to dry our shoes between dog walks.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKEkghSG5-46x0Zuxo9H8cmqKomx4zNcpoYECzothTPx8Y75c0fSjCCaQi2ORk3j6HjnzMoLopRus8loXUV0Ij5YV9LtuJFjZ6Am4IFiMVD3Hgez-IVnr7zu3jzyPT35urqURRidge_yz/s1600/IMG_2429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKEkghSG5-46x0Zuxo9H8cmqKomx4zNcpoYECzothTPx8Y75c0fSjCCaQi2ORk3j6HjnzMoLopRus8loXUV0Ij5YV9LtuJFjZ6Am4IFiMVD3Hgez-IVnr7zu3jzyPT35urqURRidge_yz/s640/IMG_2429.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hopefully the snow will melt soon since we're not sure we even own a scraper!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> It's been a long day in tight quarters. Our satellite TV dish is recording our favorite programs, there's work to do and books to keep us entertained. It's still snowing slightly, but highs for tomorrow are expected to reach the low 50's with rain. Hopefully we have survived the worst of it and can push the slides out and shake off the cabin fever tomorrow. For tonight temperatures remain in the 20's. Seems like time to go cuddle up in bed and watch a movie.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cJ6fsscYjaYZjTnTf83IMyjyW0gRAc53EtBdOKzG3RZrkz3W54B762Ew2OWIJ_sUH8opLobeb_YhCxrjnZZSav8ZjmLImHooZj6K-A98zyXCrIMXg5pCwV-faw63tAXEUPVKaPIcp6MP/s1600/IMG_2445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cJ6fsscYjaYZjTnTf83IMyjyW0gRAc53EtBdOKzG3RZrkz3W54B762Ew2OWIJ_sUH8opLobeb_YhCxrjnZZSav8ZjmLImHooZj6K-A98zyXCrIMXg5pCwV-faw63tAXEUPVKaPIcp6MP/s640/IMG_2445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A penny for her thoughts!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-31011241387761973442017-04-28T23:37:00.000-07:002017-04-29T08:50:19.495-07:00Lots to See, Do, and Celebrate<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7g7uKPZQxxpkoxoEuarWH-sh0M0P-fAPnKEqj4pOqXLacciYk5ByqM0ORNXoGi3HiQcvvu9WdxYCyTFjyyYqtfppO5wF_DpIvQkOMJnhfRqXU8WieKnDFnn_XmIlwVCfeXdYZS1BjPSow/s1600/IMG_2225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7g7uKPZQxxpkoxoEuarWH-sh0M0P-fAPnKEqj4pOqXLacciYk5ByqM0ORNXoGi3HiQcvvu9WdxYCyTFjyyYqtfppO5wF_DpIvQkOMJnhfRqXU8WieKnDFnn_XmIlwVCfeXdYZS1BjPSow/s640/IMG_2225.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Flatiron Mountains from the beautiful drive between Golden and Boulder</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> It's been another busy week, driving back and forth between Golden, Boulder, and the Denver International Airport. We've made more than one 'wild goose chase' trying to take in some open houses. Home prices were somewhat shocking, considering they were nearly double what we encountered in Phoenix. And, while we did find one model patio home in Broomfield had a good deal of appeal, we were informed that there is a waiting list with a clear indication nothing would be ready for at least a year. So we're more than discouraged at this point.</span></div>
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<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbN2cvYt_nUXkmvOQ2DNzF-q9WzUF3acyelgeHsw8cnFIaAsf_ljPtEcHXA21ybuJ05bBG40B_P1ixxGgIt83jKlO5h2n4WW0CubB3AXDxdsVL5w6QfEvkwJWykKlZdZK3-ipaIWAC83/s1600/IMG_2156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbN2cvYt_nUXkmvOQ2DNzF-q9WzUF3acyelgeHsw8cnFIaAsf_ljPtEcHXA21ybuJ05bBG40B_P1ixxGgIt83jKlO5h2n4WW0CubB3AXDxdsVL5w6QfEvkwJWykKlZdZK3-ipaIWAC83/s640/IMG_2156.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Downtown Denver -- State Capitol Dome</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> Sunday, April 23rd, we decided to grab breakfast out at the nearby Denny's and drive into the city to attend the 12:30 p.m. mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. We allowed ourselves plenty of time because we had read that parking was limited and the neighborhood was not the best. The website left some confusion around parking with an indication we could park at 'Hall' weekends only. So, while the basilica was difficult to spot due to being almost completely encapsulated in scaffolding, the parking lots across the street indicated 'no free parking any time,' so we drove around the corner and parked along the street. </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufch-kZfPgpexemby3rAp3fi6_vk8rQq8y7iPVNey9rQjgCxb4d9yjByqewqVkgociQy1WtKoTEXyKvLibEYw-w8xe1TVMzi4SCwmXfM9StKzmoHJtbPrGexCdtzDUrUZ4u_YwpBb9wg6/s1600/IMG_2170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufch-kZfPgpexemby3rAp3fi6_vk8rQq8y7iPVNey9rQjgCxb4d9yjByqewqVkgociQy1WtKoTEXyKvLibEYw-w8xe1TVMzi4SCwmXfM9StKzmoHJtbPrGexCdtzDUrUZ4u_YwpBb9wg6/s640/IMG_2170.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception exterior is being renovated</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It was a beautiful day. The trees were beginning to turn from buds to leaves, and the State Capitol Building's dome, among some other interesting structures, was visible along our walk. With the exception of a homeless man sleeping in an alleyway, we did not find the surrounding area at all uncomfortable. We crossed the street, walked beneath the scaffolding entered into a French gothic work of phenomenal beauty. The 75 stained glass windows are considered not only to be the most in any church in the United States, but of the finest quality. Our cell phone cameras did not really do justice to the interior, and the scaffolding undoubtedly affected the amount of light getting in through the stained glass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> To see the Basilica without scaffolding or to learn more about its history and architecture, the website is <a href="http://www.denvercathedral.org/" target="_blank">http://www.denvercathedral.org</a></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99UG4TN2whj7BdjPejgA0EvZhHNHG44Fz3tQmkSN7VnJHUD75TRuwWS22UyetyRzLWwiSJOV0_Ys_V3AtnmP1-wFU8ipYHSXLjYA2wkpnaQgQv2AlMfn-GDbky2dZU4ONtwnyqQ4h-a2o/s1600/IMG_2174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99UG4TN2whj7BdjPejgA0EvZhHNHG44Fz3tQmkSN7VnJHUD75TRuwWS22UyetyRzLWwiSJOV0_Ys_V3AtnmP1-wFU8ipYHSXLjYA2wkpnaQgQv2AlMfn-GDbky2dZU4ONtwnyqQ4h-a2o/s640/IMG_2174.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sanctuary Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Denver</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plenty of Confessionals but where are the sinners?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJdQbHTKOrDq88sprFy1x8xfz2KXeREYlD1Hq6BEj5EsxGgZSaystljQU7ksQ5og2rOwEQXeNfRpZEig0C2LVExbm1Pw1rWJiRYm0WzuPXf1SxmzALPbV7TZpjM9N10eOm0FCJSaTSlEc/s1600/IMG_2196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJdQbHTKOrDq88sprFy1x8xfz2KXeREYlD1Hq6BEj5EsxGgZSaystljQU7ksQ5og2rOwEQXeNfRpZEig0C2LVExbm1Pw1rWJiRYm0WzuPXf1SxmzALPbV7TZpjM9N10eOm0FCJSaTSlEc/s640/IMG_2196.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Awesome sounding pipe organ</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Valerie & Yasmine in Golden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Sunday evening Valerie met a friend, Yasmine Chapman, formerly from Kansas City, who has recently returned to Denver, which she considers home. They enjoyed a wonderful visit and nice happy hour specials at the Table Mountain Hotel Restaurant and Cantina in old downtown Golden.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Table Mountain Downtown Golden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Monday, April 24th, Valerie made a late night run to the airport to pick up her daughter who had spent several days working at her original Modern Point Acupuncture practice in the Twin Cities. Valerie spent the night at her daughter's in Boulder returning on Tuesday to Golden for some much needed rest.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMP43KnnhEkoS0Uh6qdqkn1h1ZfS9A8_8Y_nKY9-b3DwyDur712wkZ5-Eu0NDw5PhuVhPemaMvFE2wR027Lc6-Xe3W4bGOeJlxp8Ro59Uzfjm0XhnuuJdCdkBkQG6p8RVQZkypjNRN_k3/s1600/IMG_2163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMP43KnnhEkoS0Uh6qdqkn1h1ZfS9A8_8Y_nKY9-b3DwyDur712wkZ5-Eu0NDw5PhuVhPemaMvFE2wR027Lc6-Xe3W4bGOeJlxp8Ro59Uzfjm0XhnuuJdCdkBkQG6p8RVQZkypjNRN_k3/s640/IMG_2163.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Later on Tuesday, the temperature dropped, the clouds came in, and by evening we received a light dusting of snow. By noon the snow had melted, and George worked from the rig while Valerie ran several errands. We are practicing the mastery of traffic roundabouts, which seem to be abundant in the area. Several of them would be absolutely impossible in the RV, but the Subaru manages to get us through.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjNbCL7APZqlMvipYk3uXpQ3dVcSH3PKCZOZh7f5ijtwwTqYQmtYzr3lywV0VCwtokF8a8PTCPVj5iHvcsLEg2CVTUXigI4zNu2qKBqVGqBd2MS2oepdqPiKI0FjKAuWWkV_u9GgaaIEd/s1600/IMG_2239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjNbCL7APZqlMvipYk3uXpQ3dVcSH3PKCZOZh7f5ijtwwTqYQmtYzr3lywV0VCwtokF8a8PTCPVj5iHvcsLEg2CVTUXigI4zNu2qKBqVGqBd2MS2oepdqPiKI0FjKAuWWkV_u9GgaaIEd/s400/IMG_2239.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Thursday we celebrated George's birthday. Our intent was to see the movie </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">Gifted</span></i><span style="font-size: large;">, but we managed, with the help of GPS, to arrive at the wrong movie theater and had planned to meet Valerie's daughter for lunch, so there were not many other options but to watch the other 1 p.m. show, </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">Boss Baby,</span> </i><span style="font-size: large;">which the grandkids probably would have enjoyed, but the birthday boy chose to sleep through. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEpfvJbx1PZ0EF4HDu73WpXMPxONr03tVJLBYgohQKMIcT1Rzib2r7X0r4-LmdQydt9eIUNOH1Q6zKR2xi2A_TigUVr-P4s2RJbGtw85dtpv2kNH9gnEaMNjosNTA0GCftYImc1CsPvxi/s1600/IMG_2279+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEpfvJbx1PZ0EF4HDu73WpXMPxONr03tVJLBYgohQKMIcT1Rzib2r7X0r4-LmdQydt9eIUNOH1Q6zKR2xi2A_TigUVr-P4s2RJbGtw85dtpv2kNH9gnEaMNjosNTA0GCftYImc1CsPvxi/s640/IMG_2279+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater<br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-bHR6BpKq7an68SJgtx0ZCNgSB16SdtEX2jAVw6CIDcelk6zby_bsyxy40h4M5nvdqX7cyXqf5DYAsqWjdTaKMKHVI0rR-SluLAdiNs7NyZ6gk1uYTU_cjCV5Lu_fT3iljGJUi5C6jsq/s1600/IMG_2288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-bHR6BpKq7an68SJgtx0ZCNgSB16SdtEX2jAVw6CIDcelk6zby_bsyxy40h4M5nvdqX7cyXqf5DYAsqWjdTaKMKHVI0rR-SluLAdiNs7NyZ6gk1uYTU_cjCV5Lu_fT3iljGJUi5C6jsq/s640/IMG_2288.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cut out rock entrance into Red Rocks Park in Morrison, CO</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyJAmM1kow6aUwQ7Kjgh6xpaDjfMWNeDE1KVlj871KqAvl1cgEVa-JBeg5AIuZMbPT-_IHGxUD-DDr9ZeNkq9IxRr-oNidbRm-JbksVHHOOPa0ewuMs0khqAO_zKRe7nkYHCK_eKzNC6P/s1600/IMG_2266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyJAmM1kow6aUwQ7Kjgh6xpaDjfMWNeDE1KVlj871KqAvl1cgEVa-JBeg5AIuZMbPT-_IHGxUD-DDr9ZeNkq9IxRr-oNidbRm-JbksVHHOOPa0ewuMs0khqAO_zKRe7nkYHCK_eKzNC6P/s640/IMG_2266.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amphitheater at Red Rocks Park (Downtown Denver visible upper left)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitW0OONPhZvIXjwMBZmvamChjUndg06bIFj0IMM9KyfjTXfoDeoMUXR0jXXkJBJCZhNHdWZgio_jzYraVCaOFGGYucnwqCOK1JluCYdpEh3rKcPnJd-R3kvaFo4TW1qWbNkiZsh5RU8CLe/s1600/IMG_2270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitW0OONPhZvIXjwMBZmvamChjUndg06bIFj0IMM9KyfjTXfoDeoMUXR0jXXkJBJCZhNHdWZgio_jzYraVCaOFGGYucnwqCOK1JluCYdpEh3rKcPnJd-R3kvaFo4TW1qWbNkiZsh5RU8CLe/s640/IMG_2270.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scenic Red Rocks Park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQNSPtWtuQVQA85r5PO5t35YEuMtgHbZ2DzrLE34SDOM1KCMLxV-8GT0yXJgMhesAgSaWEjOFXqXqxf88qiRF89mrn2Zo-7PS3lz6pdOlGv4qFgSFTv6Yc6nVo_j-HaSEf3p58w4_g0-y/s1600/IMG_2302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQNSPtWtuQVQA85r5PO5t35YEuMtgHbZ2DzrLE34SDOM1KCMLxV-8GT0yXJgMhesAgSaWEjOFXqXqxf88qiRF89mrn2Zo-7PS3lz6pdOlGv4qFgSFTv6Yc6nVo_j-HaSEf3p58w4_g0-y/s640/IMG_2302.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful sunset at Red Rocks Park</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> After the movie, we met up with Lindsay at Mimi's Cafe, where George enjoyed some of his favorite foods -- french onion soup, a patty melt, and they provided a complimentary piece of cake. After lunch, Lindsay and Valerie took the Shelties out to nearby Forsberg Iron Spring Park to run off some energy. Lindsay drove us out to another nearby attraction, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater in nearby Morrison, for some spectacular views! <a href="http://redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology" target="_blank">http://redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidp9CHnUfCHRqNJ31tbuS3fHZWRtkARObG9WFCXVNQIQCAk4JaPBiZzW1mIkBu9VO9ukNTohyphenhyphen9UZFQgvryUCQyA6k1VQvz588vrOBtfRWmSLlgZpflApqwy7gECntzgVSgeirOt1fXAV9D/s1600/IMG_2360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidp9CHnUfCHRqNJ31tbuS3fHZWRtkARObG9WFCXVNQIQCAk4JaPBiZzW1mIkBu9VO9ukNTohyphenhyphen9UZFQgvryUCQyA6k1VQvz588vrOBtfRWmSLlgZpflApqwy7gECntzgVSgeirOt1fXAV9D/s320/IMG_2360.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Of course, George's birthday could not be complete without ice cream, so we stopped on the way home at the local Dairy Queen. Happy birthday, George!</span></div>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-40355473321869342522017-04-21T16:36:00.000-07:002017-04-21T16:36:19.300-07:00Back to Sticks and Bricks ... Our Evolving Exit Strategy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Always a gorgeous view to the west!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We enjoyed a wonderful Easter on Sunday with Valerie's daughter and her friend in nearby Boulder. She prepared non-traditional steaks and salmon on the grill, and she almost tricked George into eating a bite of sweet potato. We will be seeing more of Lindsay, a practitioner of Oriental medicine, who can hopefully help with some of our aches, pains, and ailments. If you're in the Boulder or Twin Cities area and in need of treatment, she is the person to see! <a href="http://www.modernpointacupuncture.com/" target="_blank">http://www.modernpointacupuncture.com</a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Valerie's Easter dinner</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">While we would normally stay at the Elks Lodge in Boulder, they advised they did not yet have water available for several days, and possibly indefinitely. Due to our early April arrival, we would be staying somewhat longer term in need of sewer, so that prompted us to reserve a few weeks at the Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, about 20 miles away. The drive between Golden and Boulder is quite scenic, so we are taking in the beauty that Colorado has to offer along the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> A couple of months ago, we shared with family and some business associates that, after some serious soul-searching, we were planning to end our full time RV adventure after roughly ten years of exploring this magnificent country. We have met the most fascinating people, seen the most awesome sights, and the wonderful memories and photos will remain with us for the remainder of our lives -- mostly good, but certainly many challenging times. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Flatiron Mountains </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Although we had not really planned on an exit strategy going into our full-timing decision, recent experiences weighed into our need to reconsider a return to the 'sticks and bricks' life. More than one of our friends have experienced health-related issues which have necessitated long-term stays in unfriendly environments, which we are fairly certain we would not endure as cheerfully. Additionally, the coach is aging and requiring more upgrades, while the dogs are aging and requiring more frequent veterinary care, and we are feeling the need for better continuity with our own growing lists of doctors and specialists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Originally, we discussed a two-year transition, but recent health events have convinced us that now is probably a good time for us. We have seen most of what we originally set out to see, and we intend to continue to travel -- but most likely in something smaller after a return home to get our ducks back in order.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our site is on the right at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, CO</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> But now there are so many things to consider. First and foremost is where will we locate? Without much thought, we looked at a few homes in the West Valley outside Phoenix. We often have enjoyed mild sunny winters in the Desert Southwest, and property is reasonably priced with lots of senior communities and amenities, which would be fabulous. One house fit our needs perfectly and, had we not slept on the matter, we would probably have made an acceptable offer the following day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Our initial thought was to place an emphasis on climate, access to health care and air travel. But after considering Phoenix, we decided that family was a most important consideration, especially since we would hope to avoid another move, possibly ten or twenty years advanced in ages. And did we really want to entertain the possibility of burdening our kids with traveling thousands of miles to deal with helping to move us or deal with our property? Could we survive harsh summer heat or cold winters? What else should we consider?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It keeps coming back to <i>family</i>. Minneapolis offers lots of family but, without hesitation, it's a big NO -- high taxes, brutal winters, the state bird (aka mosquitoes). Oklahoma City -- a little family, moderate climate, but direct flights out somewhat limited, recent earthquakes are a bit scary, and frankly, it seems somewhat isolated and even bordering on boring. Maybe Michigan? -- No, far too cold and too far away from the rest of the family. Greater Denver/Boulder, we are presently investigating. It does offer some active senior communities, along with socials and activities with which we've been accustomed while at resorts during our travels. We absolutely love the scenery, their extensive light rail, train and bus system, but again the cost of living seems a bit prohibitive. And, we would add that the weather is delightful, (except that today it's cold and blustery, and will probably be snowing on the motor home before the night is over).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> That leaves Kansas City, which is by no means ideal, but probably makes the most sense. We have lots of family in the area, it's centrally located, and we can get into the car, along with our two dogs, and within a day's drive visit kin folks in several directions, or just minutes to visit young grandchildren. Property is somewhat reasonably priced, and Valerie is quite familiar with the area. We will have the occasional blizzard, ice storm, or a tornado to dodge, and the humidity with which to suffer throughout the summer months -- although they say it's good for the skin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The good news is that we don't have to be in a hurry. We will live in the RV and prepare it for sale, until we make that all important decision, so that we only have to think about moving once for now. It will be like starting over, since we unloaded most of our material possessions all those years ago, and the remaining ones we had stored a couple of years later. Valerie is confident that, if and when we settle on the right place, we can get by with a bed and a couple of bar stools until we gradually add to the needed furnishings as our budget and time permits.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Forsberg Iron Spring Park in Golden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> As much as we look forward to the next stage of our lives, the decision is definitely bittersweet. We have been so blessed with good health, great friends, great experiences, and great family! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> So, we've been busy with business, checking out the local opportunities, and exercising the dogs. We'll conclude with wishing everyone safe travels and a fabulous weekend. And do feel free to share your ideas and/or thoughts with us!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The dogs' favorite running place!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-18292032656644130162017-04-15T21:49:00.000-07:002017-04-15T21:49:13.585-07:00Discovering Denver<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUhGwcZfY6tsHH8LUY1cwGaXaDx-2GDOkusVgu0LfOR-EMbBGjt89_1peEul7TEDyULrK0c9SvfF3N57opfNy6xxhSTAHJJnFlA4YlgIWcD19AnPh7O-qFpQrOFaFN4uTztGeOwJqjvH-/s1600/IMG_1972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouds filtering the sun on Highway 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful sunset in Golden, Colorado on Thursday</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Thursday, April 13, was a day for catching up on laundry now that the drain from the washer was repaired. We also had personal and Driving School business to catch up. It was also time to plan some exploring. We had been advised that the wind could suddenly kick up without warning and did indeed need to pull in the awning. Some clouds came in and we closed up the coach. Otherwise, the weather was perfect, along with a beautiful sunset.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valerie's happy place</td></tr>
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Valerie had been longing to eat at a favorite restaurant, The Black-eyed Pea, so we decided that since we needed to get out for some shopping, to stop in the Lakewood location for dinner. They have a great senior menu with lots of variety at reasonable prices. Unfortunately, they closed most of the restaurants with the exception of a very few in Colorado and Texas years ago.<br />
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Friday, April 14, we caught Denver's RTD light rail W train at the nearby Jefferson County Government Center. The day pass was $9 or $4.50 for seniors, and parking at this particular location was covered and free. We rode approximately 45 minutes, past both the Rockies and Broncos' stadiums, to the Union Station stop and walked another 5 minutes or so along a tunnel with numerous bus stops, and up to the actual refurbished 100 year old terminal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Union Station Terminal in Denver</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Crawford Hotel at Union Station, Denver<br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Exterior of Union Station - in orange neon letters it says 'Travel by Train'<br /></td></tr>
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There was a hotel, The Crawford Hotel Denver, and a number of shops. We arrived around lunch time, so we stopped at Acme Delicatessen for a quick bite. George wanted to ride the A train out to the airport, just to see more of the city, so we hopped aboard one of the trains that departs roughly every 15 minutes for another approximately 45 minute ride. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EmXE5zRTrZfrtP0SPP3Zrq7IYZiMkZ7w-H27RkKo8omxcBdSWjsglpNzDr5dHxj2cxFKZB-itBc8OWA0Zg3YIdoxomzY1DZ4RW5x5J3ZANieKg8tfXVDp5yarLdQ20FVp_RCOOIlCFgq/s1600/IMG_1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EmXE5zRTrZfrtP0SPP3Zrq7IYZiMkZ7w-H27RkKo8omxcBdSWjsglpNzDr5dHxj2cxFKZB-itBc8OWA0Zg3YIdoxomzY1DZ4RW5x5J3ZANieKg8tfXVDp5yarLdQ20FVp_RCOOIlCFgq/s640/IMG_1944.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse of the Denver skyline from the window of the A Train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We spent some time around the airport, built in 1995 and covering more area than any other in the United States, and enjoying some art and sights we missed when we've been scurrying through security to catch a flight. A lot of controversy surrounds some of the dark imagery depicted in the many murals, with some even believing the airport's shape forms a swastika as seen from the air.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0Ne-w0eooi1UhkOrt5eXIiCkp74FQV295hJSiSGjuEDQ9pAqjjn2AktF5xoC_9Gj9kfkILm-iggxNJiuuyK6l29WZd1Z-R4W7CSmD3yEggCK9T3M0Ier9IcMB8LsAzowyOsqwk_SnyHp/s1600/IMG_1881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0Ne-w0eooi1UhkOrt5eXIiCkp74FQV295hJSiSGjuEDQ9pAqjjn2AktF5xoC_9Gj9kfkILm-iggxNJiuuyK6l29WZd1Z-R4W7CSmD3yEggCK9T3M0Ier9IcMB8LsAzowyOsqwk_SnyHp/s640/IMG_1881.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching DIA on the A train</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7XIm44r0a0FyQKW7sl4ywCvomHWaRu3Qj9Yd_-0jqQQC5yYl_w2GIQBdPOza1RQHGIK32ymlQ12PdR9Sa6Gt76KOejTuwOAhVAQAA5jqU-QIgAqgiXUaeRLo48_cFobfxreffXSqnIDx/s1600/IMG_1903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7XIm44r0a0FyQKW7sl4ywCvomHWaRu3Qj9Yd_-0jqQQC5yYl_w2GIQBdPOza1RQHGIK32ymlQ12PdR9Sa6Gt76KOejTuwOAhVAQAA5jqU-QIgAqgiXUaeRLo48_cFobfxreffXSqnIDx/s640/IMG_1903.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The really long escalator at Denver Airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Lots of pictures were taken along the train routes, the train station, and at the airport, and we'll just put some of the better ones here. We would have done more exploring, but fearful that the trains may begin to fill up late afternoon, we decided we needed to get home to the dogs. They are always happy to see us.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7nqH7aRtN7tsU_rr15pvIrKuhVI_LYldZlOkH9nADMuopjbGQYwueTCGWJimEY2DPUdQ5R8nNLD7CoR2FboUelozCQn7Jo0iiMWgKUWlrOS5QUeWDs1sWL7GdeotM4wOv6RARdxEOh4A/s1600/IMG_1897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7nqH7aRtN7tsU_rr15pvIrKuhVI_LYldZlOkH9nADMuopjbGQYwueTCGWJimEY2DPUdQ5R8nNLD7CoR2FboUelozCQn7Jo0iiMWgKUWlrOS5QUeWDs1sWL7GdeotM4wOv6RARdxEOh4A/s640/IMG_1897.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the most welcoming art -- may be a matter of opinion?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Saturday, April 15, was a slow day. We made plans for more exploring and a visit with Valerie's daughter in Boulder on Sunday. We fought our way through an extremely busy Costco store in Littleton for some things we needed, and George picked up a few pair of reading glasses at the Dollar Tree.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcKBoOc3Iriz15aO1-sw9ESht95637ksuvCgcu5lmFwAaXTNaw4-Uv_3guUv6TTcge2qwo-dcw8_Q_9HoizmYunwjRb_-g6cL5g1A3OyBfIL0yt5OUQLOo1WenGfToz5xpukZ73IdNnAG/s1600/IMG_1975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcKBoOc3Iriz15aO1-sw9ESht95637ksuvCgcu5lmFwAaXTNaw4-Uv_3guUv6TTcge2qwo-dcw8_Q_9HoizmYunwjRb_-g6cL5g1A3OyBfIL0yt5OUQLOo1WenGfToz5xpukZ73IdNnAG/s640/IMG_1975.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warning murals along the tunnel to the busses and trains</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Valerie spent some time getting the two Shelties groomed and their teeth brushed, and we relaxed to social media and television. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSwcFDdOx9cpGUeCvcQZIyDXCYhYOteH0ncezHt3mOX38d3fX-CKQwaC7FD60X-KrpnbD2TuToWGFirOT1c50mmwuhRJRqCj4ucFN0tU0J8_IPb5lM2D-VAbIvJO4LgAeeRkFgXhKFFP_/s1600/IMG_2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSwcFDdOx9cpGUeCvcQZIyDXCYhYOteH0ncezHt3mOX38d3fX-CKQwaC7FD60X-KrpnbD2TuToWGFirOT1c50mmwuhRJRqCj4ucFN0tU0J8_IPb5lM2D-VAbIvJO4LgAeeRkFgXhKFFP_/s640/IMG_2008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many pretty sights along the return trip</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21j5amEaTtTgXOtDoM5jccrbos_5nhfXUa3kCJjAp9cNtLWuBvhwuaXwXZndGon676_Dnkpy0RbuNmkQM2r2An3XLzGC-NpIp3ln2yi8TgHmIAzXDq8ovIK3KuYvhRmOF2ni4GkIwnPDt/s1600/IMG_2029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21j5amEaTtTgXOtDoM5jccrbos_5nhfXUa3kCJjAp9cNtLWuBvhwuaXwXZndGon676_Dnkpy0RbuNmkQM2r2An3XLzGC-NpIp3ln2yi8TgHmIAzXDq8ovIK3KuYvhRmOF2ni4GkIwnPDt/s640/IMG_2029.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jefferson County Government Center W Train Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We wish all our friends and family a safe, happy and blessed Easter!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aOO01wXbTzAIY26nxkMBR4bvHZPq2KOHKHUKLKPZdrBKpfRnMOPVgTX54tSvXJFFH-7QLVnlgNu8hx1plR1fT4Ydbdlt8ZXhz3TjR3HkmSIn8I882dmh-QSd7ppxCz6s-loaARctguZf/s1600/IMG_2040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aOO01wXbTzAIY26nxkMBR4bvHZPq2KOHKHUKLKPZdrBKpfRnMOPVgTX54tSvXJFFH-7QLVnlgNu8hx1plR1fT4Ydbdlt8ZXhz3TjR3HkmSIn8I882dmh-QSd7ppxCz6s-loaARctguZf/s640/IMG_2040.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring at Dakota Ridge RV Park</td></tr>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-89195056066024976632017-04-12T23:35:00.001-07:002017-04-12T23:35:59.564-07:00Acclimating to Altitude and Attitudes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nFJ6yLHVw54JHgRjh-ztLGod29GimfwawgbG7Q60rIkv6GUqzFFKH5Ax3ZPmVphWwrKPQh-g6zRon52z8CFbGQuOItu3U1x3A92JF7TglRZr-XYAmJxmn12S5121O6G6Jk2QQvBqlJv7/s1600/IMG_1759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nFJ6yLHVw54JHgRjh-ztLGod29GimfwawgbG7Q60rIkv6GUqzFFKH5Ax3ZPmVphWwrKPQh-g6zRon52z8CFbGQuOItu3U1x3A92JF7TglRZr-XYAmJxmn12S5121O6G6Jk2QQvBqlJv7/s640/IMG_1759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Morning walk around Dakota Ridge RV Park</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Without the use of our kitchen sink, we started the day with breakfast out, followed by a trip to the post office, and the pharmacy. We were also looking for a car wash, and happened upon Octopus Car Wash, which appeared to be doing a good business, so the Subaru got a much needed bath.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZB-olCC7Te3TxS2rxlRWF7T8qT2o3vSDWCh18d8CBGoryEitsQjGHblcRLlC5bU0wQX0u27ePgcFkD9lP4gxuFSXa3a5ah4YX5TlKlv-qd_QoRTuEFXKqSw-mNYqgPyROWPSct_GCGED/s1600/IMG_1743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZB-olCC7Te3TxS2rxlRWF7T8qT2o3vSDWCh18d8CBGoryEitsQjGHblcRLlC5bU0wQX0u27ePgcFkD9lP4gxuFSXa3a5ah4YX5TlKlv-qd_QoRTuEFXKqSw-mNYqgPyROWPSct_GCGED/s640/IMG_1743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Octopus Car Wash</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Locals seem friendlier than many places we have visited, and the weather couldn't possibly be better -- sunshine, gentle breeze, low humidity -- and later a gorgeous full moon rising above the mountains! </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dsHJktGdFAB5DNnMkWocr325PSyNEXRe3yEaVZ6w1PmXjgtAR2XLL25VaVvefKmjFDAxm6CHgoIEkDiLcQK69HSGhWj_fSgvvSp1Ym-BIi41ccMsvP0eCQo22CJU8pel17OodfriTmof/s1600/IMG_1762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dsHJktGdFAB5DNnMkWocr325PSyNEXRe3yEaVZ6w1PmXjgtAR2XLL25VaVvefKmjFDAxm6CHgoIEkDiLcQK69HSGhWj_fSgvvSp1Ym-BIi41ccMsvP0eCQo22CJU8pel17OodfriTmof/s640/IMG_1762.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luke with Golden Mobile RV to the rescue while wet bays are being aired out from yesterday's leak</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> While we were en route to breakfast, George received a call from the RV technician with whom he had left a message yesterday, who advised he did not work on drain pipe but only fresh water pipes and suggested we call Golden Mobile RV & Diesel Service. The good news was that they would be out to hopefully help us this afternoon.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVuc_RqTXc03b2Kji9BqRQZovpSZdo90TirgWSWdxSDcYaPtfLtpsXlT4kD6n8YXO9DvFSCBhsLqWme79sa6BNCbXhsOfzRtN4nPyTGORQDg_Nthfwn-jrO1Zy-P4KGNXzOz-vzdslPce/s1600/IMG_1764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVuc_RqTXc03b2Kji9BqRQZovpSZdo90TirgWSWdxSDcYaPtfLtpsXlT4kD6n8YXO9DvFSCBhsLqWme79sa6BNCbXhsOfzRtN4nPyTGORQDg_Nthfwn-jrO1Zy-P4KGNXzOz-vzdslPce/s640/IMG_1764.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Boulder</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Now that we have a mailing address for a few weeks, George was able to order rack cards to restock our supply. He also responded to calls and email messages while Valerie walked the dogs and moved the car out of the way for the technician. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADES5w0m96BeCKKLerF8PIQ0ytQqeHH3wuRlKQxFqLVCki1oIQDlrJvahPItgWN6ioCfL8nwGjuV9iVAqjrPlU5Jprg2_8Vrj8oVq0WWssZmdFJ3GHhJthfkd-1y3X4mzc4v3NnllLohv/s1600/IMG_1766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADES5w0m96BeCKKLerF8PIQ0ytQqeHH3wuRlKQxFqLVCki1oIQDlrJvahPItgWN6ioCfL8nwGjuV9iVAqjrPlU5Jprg2_8Vrj8oVq0WWssZmdFJ3GHhJthfkd-1y3X4mzc4v3NnllLohv/s640/IMG_1766.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The tulips are in bloom!</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> During her morning walk, Valerie's body indicated that it was struggling for more oxygen in the thinner air. We're all drinking more water, and Valerie has noticed a few fleeting headaches which she attributed to the altitude in the Mile High City.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-146KoYlWhmKB5McMryjbnJ_O94Ky8q-fJf-AoQMl3fQEfT7g0G7iPaxRTxEa-VEHpJWXm90E431B5CPx2dWSOMVr3FPfxttKyC_hWgaIXUUZ2DXJARNMy6hnzfUmzNE3f63Eg7PoTOM6/s1600/IMG_1773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-146KoYlWhmKB5McMryjbnJ_O94Ky8q-fJf-AoQMl3fQEfT7g0G7iPaxRTxEa-VEHpJWXm90E431B5CPx2dWSOMVr3FPfxttKyC_hWgaIXUUZ2DXJARNMy6hnzfUmzNE3f63Eg7PoTOM6/s640/IMG_1773.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Luke pulled up to repair the water drain which leads from the kitchen sink and Splendide washer/dryer combo just as Valerie was leaving to drive up to Boulder to see her daughter. Apparently the pipe was an easy fix with a little glue, (time will tell after it dries), <span style="text-align: center;">while Valerie struggled with the Kenwood car radio, which kept needing to be reset.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TXwFHXn33PQOABUJJMx-raXfkD1QIO9jhNbV2sdF0wUr0LJLh9P-MYG9WFl2_Xi3PsxBjrTJ19IDrpufaXdaNpIjTj47eS8UbQxOtDXtX4xHiCada0trB1-d-R6tJ0Cx4jGymTI9ShJA/s1600/IMG_1780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TXwFHXn33PQOABUJJMx-raXfkD1QIO9jhNbV2sdF0wUr0LJLh9P-MYG9WFl2_Xi3PsxBjrTJ19IDrpufaXdaNpIjTj47eS8UbQxOtDXtX4xHiCada0trB1-d-R6tJ0Cx4jGymTI9ShJA/s640/IMG_1780.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moonrise!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> George stayed behind for a planned radio interview with Alan Warren for the RV Show USA, <a href="http://thervshowusa.com/" target="_blank">http://thervshowusa.com</a>, while Valerie enjoyed a visit with her daughter, Lindsay, at the West End Tavern in Boulder. </span>Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-77334832289798130882017-04-11T22:16:00.000-07:002017-04-11T22:16:31.882-07:00Double Trouble! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o6heiTdcUH0dtRVU7vh5_03Cm-oykn3rHiV1qHmT-dyjcxrpD5PGyQiylnCszIVHjEZvnMHaL2rYELtSh7Xw8HjfWSnL7em7tKnsbNjO6A71vhIzC2c8hqMB5JfI37vW4b0NWo74SP0b/s1600/IMG_1610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o6heiTdcUH0dtRVU7vh5_03Cm-oykn3rHiV1qHmT-dyjcxrpD5PGyQiylnCszIVHjEZvnMHaL2rYELtSh7Xw8HjfWSnL7em7tKnsbNjO6A71vhIzC2c8hqMB5JfI37vW4b0NWo74SP0b/s640/IMG_1610.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I-25 Northbound with gorgeous mountain views</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Tuesday, April 11, 2017, we awoke to a chilly 42 degrees in Trinidad, Colorado, after listening to fierce winds late into the night. At one point we discussed getting up and pulling down the roof-mounted DirecTV satellite and pulling in the one slide-out we had extended to get around the bed. We apparently were too tired and too cold, so we fell asleep and hoped for the best. The Walmart parking lot was otherwise fairly quiet.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cviaMNS7xEcP7XVNjcjcTobFPNT4BtvqM0V8Cu2ALrtioTNc7cleYXGr36ELb-7sPlzwrvvFLvhhmtcCy04KjOmNzxDu1EjG-nl7igJOufkz8vUultt2XNtNHo5FVTqFHjZ5mDX4UOct/s1600/IMG_1606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cviaMNS7xEcP7XVNjcjcTobFPNT4BtvqM0V8Cu2ALrtioTNc7cleYXGr36ELb-7sPlzwrvvFLvhhmtcCy04KjOmNzxDu1EjG-nl7igJOufkz8vUultt2XNtNHo5FVTqFHjZ5mDX4UOct/s640/IMG_1606.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wooden barns are sadly being replaced by metal buildings</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Since this store had no restaurant, we turned on the generator and brewed coffee, walked the dogs, and prepared to start the last leg of our trip to the Denver area, roughly 245 miles. George checked the slide topper and satellite, then washed the windshield so Valerie wouldn't complain that she couldn't get good photos through the bug carcasses which had collected during the previous day's drive.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4yuVfgK2u_BkU9zprq12bCaSe1_xtpwesoT3eq7Q44hYu0PsBv00JYHfE-iM9510ViqCz143v4Dc67rl2sE-Y7yK7h6fUiuPGICj1NKCnNeTGEYlcrrHVad8gIic3j3cBhmUnT31hD8x/s1600/IMG_1642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4yuVfgK2u_BkU9zprq12bCaSe1_xtpwesoT3eq7Q44hYu0PsBv00JYHfE-iM9510ViqCz143v4Dc67rl2sE-Y7yK7h6fUiuPGICj1NKCnNeTGEYlcrrHVad8gIic3j3cBhmUnT31hD8x/s640/IMG_1642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Is someone building a miniature Stone Henge replica?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Valerie did her final walk-around inspection after George prepared the RV and the car for the road. As she re-entered the rig, the low air alarm sounded and continued, indicating we were not good to go. George checked the cables to the car to see if there was a potential problem with leakage at the connections, and we sat, idling the engine and recalling that we had encountered this problem once before during cold conditions. Finally, after 15-20 minutes, the gauges began to rise and the alarm silenced. George suspects one of the compressor valves may be sticking. We will definitely need to get that checked out.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1ZyEPrO7YFLvmhaHz8929na6c-dfAS9_i0WMRKZYF-i2gRdFbEkkLKd4DUFC7gSY_xiwODfmKEO8Rm69MtIzjhIAbmPuaTucVhAmle0gAWzv_uXwVV6TYZBnHp1YBE6EQg6FXeqxRQv5/s1600/IMG_1681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1ZyEPrO7YFLvmhaHz8929na6c-dfAS9_i0WMRKZYF-i2gRdFbEkkLKd4DUFC7gSY_xiwODfmKEO8Rm69MtIzjhIAbmPuaTucVhAmle0gAWzv_uXwVV6TYZBnHp1YBE6EQg6FXeqxRQv5/s640/IMG_1681.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Artificial mule atop this one</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The trip north on I-25 was fairly easy. Today we had an audio book to pass the time. We didn't encounter much traffic until we reached Pueblo. We stopped at the Pinion Rest Area for lunch just beyond there. George got a quick nap and the dogs got another walk.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44IiaPxIcnq5G6AT3NkljL7PHjXxWegOSkBDa0Vm2TwwQTuCALMu89gYdqMuXislwui7MA2izmVHZSkArZygOERTnKhK4DRFEA4OjSjyPZ8HjD13qJ_bjuWvPMl08ijHyVVJidydDAmtz/s1600/IMG_1660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44IiaPxIcnq5G6AT3NkljL7PHjXxWegOSkBDa0Vm2TwwQTuCALMu89gYdqMuXislwui7MA2izmVHZSkArZygOERTnKhK4DRFEA4OjSjyPZ8HjD13qJ_bjuWvPMl08ijHyVVJidydDAmtz/s640/IMG_1660.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fields full of lined-up cars south of Colorado Springs</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We passed through Colorado Springs and traffic continued to build. The campground options for a three week stay near Boulder became limited due to 14-day restrictions, lack of full hook-ups, and one option uncertain when they would turn on their water, so we opted to spend the extra money and stay at Dakota Ridge RV Resort in Golden. We got checked in and escorted to our pull-through site.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M4TPQlzZTJxFc78KNIowyYq2twfydPSqgwXX0v2UEchkgXxostOZNrk1-FW5RpNoQn6d5ZH0mW9W_73DedRTpc-cRRpYeKu4HS4yQaUKUi4IirfLRA9jYGdjvjOXKMwdGtjjtsFELxkk/s1600/IMG_1658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M4TPQlzZTJxFc78KNIowyYq2twfydPSqgwXX0v2UEchkgXxostOZNrk1-FW5RpNoQn6d5ZH0mW9W_73DedRTpc-cRRpYeKu4HS4yQaUKUi4IirfLRA9jYGdjvjOXKMwdGtjjtsFELxkk/s640/IMG_1658.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pinion Rest Area provided a welcome break!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
George got the sun shades up with Valerie's help, and Valerie started a load of laundry in the Splendide, turned on the television and began washing a few dishes in the kitchen sink. Just as her phone was ringing, there was a knock on the door by our neighbor letting us know that water was leaking out of the side of our coach. Valerie apparently didn't hear the water over the water, because it was also leaking onto the kitchen floor. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmM9uan0h-SxOldiXUeyl1pT4G9QUj8AnBAVBnU33Xb8YaosL1qrNBk2ZGgDdMMtbv6BtdSdJPRQC4Gum9pIfsJRYJFtG38mrbm15C5RMb1_AB5SvKxNQF4tLXoFGjxxF1EiKmZACvN5n/s1600/IMG_1728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmM9uan0h-SxOldiXUeyl1pT4G9QUj8AnBAVBnU33Xb8YaosL1qrNBk2ZGgDdMMtbv6BtdSdJPRQC4Gum9pIfsJRYJFtG38mrbm15C5RMb1_AB5SvKxNQF4tLXoFGjxxF1EiKmZACvN5n/s640/IMG_1728.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View from our window at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, Colorado</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Interestingly, Valerie had expressed concerns over a good amount of what appeared to be water below the rig before we left Albuquerque on Sunday, and George had noticed a smell, but we dismissed it as just condensation, although it had not rained and there was little humidity in the air.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm-TNHtR_6VxbM03EIxyDQpzYjM_1CYYLe-I4eY3faT9OtgY3rAJq2KzzUXs3ncVKfmtBzlHPB18ad6r47owfDvXGz9ZGYyZn1iqI_8g_cZrI93omVhpO2pmeALxmSrFOUFwNUb9bYb2M/s1600/IMG_1732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihm-TNHtR_6VxbM03EIxyDQpzYjM_1CYYLe-I4eY3faT9OtgY3rAJq2KzzUXs3ncVKfmtBzlHPB18ad6r47owfDvXGz9ZGYyZn1iqI_8g_cZrI93omVhpO2pmeALxmSrFOUFwNUb9bYb2M/s640/IMG_1732.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not a good sign!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now we have lots of dirty, wet towels, and the storage bay below will need to be aired out during daylight hours tomorrow. George discovered the culprit to be a broken drain pipe which empties water from the kitchen sink and the washer/dryer combo, and left a message for a call back with a local service tech. Hopefully we'll get an early fix, or the wet laundry will need to be attended to first thing in the morning, and Valerie dumped the remaining dish water down the toilet and gets out of washing any more dishes in the meantime. Paper and plastic and this needed fixed yesterday!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblZ5oXXtZ8dW-qRyXJQpMTsWqUT0PbtOo-LrhQZ0nY_5J1Cx4HF-VFZ7X-b45BGPmGd8KrZe_08iopLWhmmhXhY0CzgG4x72KfYbKZGPrKg6IwkIdtFFIperWh7WwPMmPcOFEB5Z-eGzF/s1600/IMG_1733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblZ5oXXtZ8dW-qRyXJQpMTsWqUT0PbtOo-LrhQZ0nY_5J1Cx4HF-VFZ7X-b45BGPmGd8KrZe_08iopLWhmmhXhY0CzgG4x72KfYbKZGPrKg6IwkIdtFFIperWh7WwPMmPcOFEB5Z-eGzF/s640/IMG_1733.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Water everywhere! What a mess!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-60161445184486830202017-04-10T22:54:00.001-07:002017-04-10T22:54:36.167-07:00North to Colorado<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvonn95Z2pFnMxITEutUcGG7EO8jvjHxsIHLdArB88nNtmEdq36LwAHRgVidbHD8zB5l-XUpawAU7IjvGn-wWs1RnoonHbldyCckJp8io-YatrQAKGNR-ZemDzdZSwg9SSdaByRlTHeF4/s1600/IMG_1549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvonn95Z2pFnMxITEutUcGG7EO8jvjHxsIHLdArB88nNtmEdq36LwAHRgVidbHD8zB5l-XUpawAU7IjvGn-wWs1RnoonHbldyCckJp8io-YatrQAKGNR-ZemDzdZSwg9SSdaByRlTHeF4/s640/IMG_1549.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traffic was light on I-25 between Albuquerque, NM and the Colorado line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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April 10, Monday, we left American RV Park around 11 a.m. and stopped at the next exit for fuel at the Flying J. Diesel was $2.579 with our Good Sams card. We started off with a clean windshield, but didn't manage to plan for an audio book, so the drive seemed longer than it actually was.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIhW5BpxlngvAov7Xn82_OoTmltmmpbAgFf8aqJwUIpyVyekjJE9Tu16_PMCiNgCXk4wCdRHvB47uxSmYpQM6V8GD_Lwmo7MIlydZYg1ia7lNGGruIG8OR59I2bPvhFgrU7xBGrg7Ol0J/s1600/IMG_1509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIhW5BpxlngvAov7Xn82_OoTmltmmpbAgFf8aqJwUIpyVyekjJE9Tu16_PMCiNgCXk4wCdRHvB47uxSmYpQM6V8GD_Lwmo7MIlydZYg1ia7lNGGruIG8OR59I2bPvhFgrU7xBGrg7Ol0J/s640/IMG_1509.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When Valerie is not driving, she is looking for barns.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoEFXb6g8b3tBh32Ppf2xDt3-UD7ctq6Ofj9neEQebeDLpwGld8BL-81lfjtbBLuhX_nPcqQNFy-Gaymx9fiE5tDCPLrvSi_y-NIpzFivAKkSUfUhVtU_5rT3IblH3CEDNKlpkiH6Nvqg/s1600/IMG_1522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoEFXb6g8b3tBh32Ppf2xDt3-UD7ctq6Ofj9neEQebeDLpwGld8BL-81lfjtbBLuhX_nPcqQNFy-Gaymx9fiE5tDCPLrvSi_y-NIpzFivAKkSUfUhVtU_5rT3IblH3CEDNKlpkiH6Nvqg/s320/IMG_1522.jpg" width="320" /></a> A few miles east on I-40, George drove north on I-25. We stopped at La Bajada for a quick safety check and Valerie took over up through Santa Fe and Las Vegas.<br />
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George was rested and Valerie was ready for a break when we discovered a pull out for a quick driver change. The weather and the scenery were great, and we encountered very little construction today. <br />
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By around 3:30 p.m. it was time for the dogs to go out, so we stopped at the Thaxton Rest Area and made plans to stop at the Walmart in Trinidad, just across the border into Colorado and less than 40 miles away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBKXYGXVKZrGQEvEXT69Fg66qNgufFa47G-E4iw6ngF1qQzRtEXeR6oz4nCmTyO1Wo5RDWw7SqCHHHBxAVYuB-h2BGT7G7ywbeokAvE_cIa7c1XJI8OpHbuLtgZ9UqPojCZ1glibLV5lR/s1600/IMG_1547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBKXYGXVKZrGQEvEXT69Fg66qNgufFa47G-E4iw6ngF1qQzRtEXeR6oz4nCmTyO1Wo5RDWw7SqCHHHBxAVYuB-h2BGT7G7ywbeokAvE_cIa7c1XJI8OpHbuLtgZ9UqPojCZ1glibLV5lR/s320/IMG_1547.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
There were miles and miles with nothing but a few cattle strewn here and there, so Valerie had the camera ready, just in case she had an opportunity to capture a barn photo or two.<br />
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Just as we drove through Raton Pass, we were thinking it had been a fairly easy drive, we looked up to see the 'Flagger' sign and another indicated we should be prepared to stop between mile markers two and five. We sat for several minutes, but nothing like our experience on Friday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoxrR4FGD5pYHHeoP4Cl9qZpBi7TnFIFfk2KRBmhYC17RRz6FGuzQI9GbSgkoAe_T0Rxz0iFNvFdGyer2xV_Y-11Kz9w5CPA7uUpJ4E9oHrVo06XQKlB2J9kauUDVrp9sN10M29qx7-VM/s1600/IMG_1574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoxrR4FGD5pYHHeoP4Cl9qZpBi7TnFIFfk2KRBmhYC17RRz6FGuzQI9GbSgkoAe_T0Rxz0iFNvFdGyer2xV_Y-11Kz9w5CPA7uUpJ4E9oHrVo06XQKlB2J9kauUDVrp9sN10M29qx7-VM/s640/IMG_1574.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACx0FBpyy3erNHqmhPw8MWNj4lXL3mzm335iBwokTezhOq7pvhno3b6juRw2oe93BCywcZHS-p3MV1ouAP-mYfVWwZWpQO76a-pUM8sUAsnVPeIGODeQRp9h7p1rWbhKq1Zg4cF0Bx6pz/s1600/IMG_1578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACx0FBpyy3erNHqmhPw8MWNj4lXL3mzm335iBwokTezhOq7pvhno3b6juRw2oe93BCywcZHS-p3MV1ouAP-mYfVWwZWpQO76a-pUM8sUAsnVPeIGODeQRp9h7p1rWbhKq1Zg4cF0Bx6pz/s640/IMG_1578.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We arrived at the Walmart Store shortly after 4 p.m. There were already several RVs in the parking lot, and we found a spot directly in front of the store at the farthest end near the outer road parallel to I-25. We were surprised to see beautiful snow-capped mountains behind the store and some snow still piled in one corner of the lot. The wind was howling out of the south, and we obtained permission to stay the night. George was unfortunately unable to get a prescription filled until our next stop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYeJlrqCnW2PTkEvNJHJq_TN8VYeRHrCvTX3f_e9KOO0koV3DyPK-GIspOEuf9jPznMZ009Mdz84NSz6uwEH2ZSb5w5HUE2zuFDL-Fo0GnJbyfLlbwQ31Bwsqe8L19LyNJhepmld_nX2A/s1600/IMG_1580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYeJlrqCnW2PTkEvNJHJq_TN8VYeRHrCvTX3f_e9KOO0koV3DyPK-GIspOEuf9jPznMZ009Mdz84NSz6uwEH2ZSb5w5HUE2zuFDL-Fo0GnJbyfLlbwQ31Bwsqe8L19LyNJhepmld_nX2A/s640/IMG_1580.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
So, we are just across the Colorado/New Mexico border, and conveniently located right next door with a new hotel across the street, is a store called Cannaco, which we learned is a recreational marijuana store. But we decided we'd just work and watch TV, and hopefully wake up rested to complete this journey.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl4k_8iDRLXKXuAgCd3tttgMYhZvn6EoOq9f3OK2LmSR4Bdy9g5yCwFdo0Oj3ymIntAefAT35HnAnQQH54Ow9NBGEw7aCTKmbIaqILZaTAMuPD4y3PUJ1o-mrRe0Q5cneF61gD9qSlc8G/s1600/IMG_1586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl4k_8iDRLXKXuAgCd3tttgMYhZvn6EoOq9f3OK2LmSR4Bdy9g5yCwFdo0Oj3ymIntAefAT35HnAnQQH54Ow9NBGEw7aCTKmbIaqILZaTAMuPD4y3PUJ1o-mrRe0Q5cneF61gD9qSlc8G/s640/IMG_1586.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Temps are expected to drop into the upper 30's tonight, so we'll layer blankets and turn on the heat in the morning. We look forward to settling in somewhere near Boulder tomorrow for the next couple of weeks.<br />
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-8615645639569046712017-04-09T23:52:00.001-07:002017-04-09T23:52:09.426-07:00Albuquerque Trolley Tour <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8XpIJJeqDG8LHcYZ5CJKO2i-DFEvXNULu_bRea_SDGmdXDtKDr5Vk_GFCQP-OYYSKuPQ198-2Ex8ICXGVRrsfAigdF8L-WojB2Riit13WG7xdH75XvfwOU8pEJl3Yd76FXuxjYfITPaD/s1600/IMG_1153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8XpIJJeqDG8LHcYZ5CJKO2i-DFEvXNULu_bRea_SDGmdXDtKDr5Vk_GFCQP-OYYSKuPQ198-2Ex8ICXGVRrsfAigdF8L-WojB2Riit13WG7xdH75XvfwOU8pEJl3Yd76FXuxjYfITPaD/s640/IMG_1153.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful day to ride the trolley!</td></tr>
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Sunday, April 9th, and it seems as though we didn't get much sightseeing done in past years when we stopped in Albuquerque. Those prior visits took us primarily north or south of the city, so we decided to take a recommended open air trolley tour to get a good overview and learn some history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFhuLtD4xDa8hc83EcrQ3FO-25SfIqx6pAxyi6HT9d3crjzKs3LTXZJ2hImhM0LcPvC1WtAIDxH6rU3fMNJLmOMq5xXTuaQMO1QF7t7_kTRHKYKt4Oly4EqtrltRfpSpOahDUad0-mDAI/s1600/IMG_1204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFhuLtD4xDa8hc83EcrQ3FO-25SfIqx6pAxyi6HT9d3crjzKs3LTXZJ2hImhM0LcPvC1WtAIDxH6rU3fMNJLmOMq5xXTuaQMO1QF7t7_kTRHKYKt4Oly4EqtrltRfpSpOahDUad0-mDAI/s640/IMG_1204.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiHuLLHeC4LzigtebkliJpnrvBfRhBUp48Go4v18iIzQBZmeoiDnwfwUKBWZKf5pumDS_UI4REjRKZz6CiNYboGxyRWLQulgaGoRmXdIeK3TZw-gAjC3EX3qkAQhK9mUlpKHGTpXPJQeg/s1600/IMG_1233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiHuLLHeC4LzigtebkliJpnrvBfRhBUp48Go4v18iIzQBZmeoiDnwfwUKBWZKf5pumDS_UI4REjRKZz6CiNYboGxyRWLQulgaGoRmXdIeK3TZw-gAjC3EX3qkAQhK9mUlpKHGTpXPJQeg/s640/IMG_1233.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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We purchased two tickets online for roughly $74 for a two-hour ABQ Trolley Company's Best of ABQ City Tour. We chose the 11 a.m. start since it works better for leaving the dogs behind. We met at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town. It was a sunny day with quite a bit of wind for the open air trolley ride, but we brought jackets and water, along with our cameras. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMHKSRFY1JVgYF1cGVs_V8pzCXLlUNfv3P7wHuwqxDid_wrXP3zwV5QVmkWxKyo9LydeSBuERnWWT35qTJ5NW_m1lzeUgwJL3eGn_4wGfKSAQx0jdUkZ7F0cyjfG5xaqLA-bhinRKVUVg/s1600/IMG_1305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMHKSRFY1JVgYF1cGVs_V8pzCXLlUNfv3P7wHuwqxDid_wrXP3zwV5QVmkWxKyo9LydeSBuERnWWT35qTJ5NW_m1lzeUgwJL3eGn_4wGfKSAQx0jdUkZ7F0cyjfG5xaqLA-bhinRKVUVg/s640/IMG_1305.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12fSYksH3hRRbyPtmdzCPIg9lJdGFH-Lh8Cp2eFpFQoE3g3chyd3BVBCbmf6OQ8LlKm3eppalLIFYyirZSaXTzf-9DicSL42AtIdPLD92g4A30dq9N9aqbVZ4_4094ZzlY3A8Abm4Jgwf/s1600/IMG_1353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12fSYksH3hRRbyPtmdzCPIg9lJdGFH-Lh8Cp2eFpFQoE3g3chyd3BVBCbmf6OQ8LlKm3eppalLIFYyirZSaXTzf-9DicSL42AtIdPLD92g4A30dq9N9aqbVZ4_4094ZzlY3A8Abm4Jgwf/s640/IMG_1353.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Our tour guide was Blake, who provided a wealth of information. And, Jesse, our driver, received George's compliments on a great job maneuvering through some fairly tight spots and construction. There were several stops where we had the option to hop off and hop back on in a couple of hours, at least until 5 p.m., but again, we had concerns over leaving the dogs unattended for too long. Next visit we'll know where to go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfNo6DmP-6m3fmlbsjF6INdl-_IikWxaU4XEapVj4FQ_XllK-N0R8xgigImp-7kFmu3SKfdCv03iAOR2C1wqyRTdoVfnnN19xzjs75dzG-tbupOXGOnCMXGX7F_VqiojH7J8-Mfohes4d/s1600/IMG_1359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfNo6DmP-6m3fmlbsjF6INdl-_IikWxaU4XEapVj4FQ_XllK-N0R8xgigImp-7kFmu3SKfdCv03iAOR2C1wqyRTdoVfnnN19xzjs75dzG-tbupOXGOnCMXGX7F_VqiojH7J8-Mfohes4d/s640/IMG_1359.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aw8qHFOF4ijsvtjsSWcLTv_0O4HqOGdDhduIYxJLb0W5F6D8FBKxWcDoJGoraXKtQtN-fJLl0_A_XjbXDL5xS8X7cOBrp84aiFwQF2lXuHM0QnZGUaZgCnoeuHFbL1dELKr34B_mt0qk/s1600/IMG_1362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aw8qHFOF4ijsvtjsSWcLTv_0O4HqOGdDhduIYxJLb0W5F6D8FBKxWcDoJGoraXKtQtN-fJLl0_A_XjbXDL5xS8X7cOBrp84aiFwQF2lXuHM0QnZGUaZgCnoeuHFbL1dELKr34B_mt0qk/s640/IMG_1362.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Valerie exhausted the battery on her cell phone camera, and George got a few shots, although it was often easier said than done, shooting photos from a moving vehicle. The trolley took us through the Downtown, University, Country Club, Nob Hill and Old Town areas, where we saw lots of sights and learned lots of facts about Albuquerque. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM8EhRIpN7tvH4uLNRrm-Y4Ocan2iaq8Tn_NwAP8epNhqazoDfN6eI6dEX3ygdCqrUGWsAN1gBbimAk8xduboDHlqYQh5tMjGq2ltQuS42u9z_Pt_07mc1p9y5KjEV3CrhTE9zbk9Df2P/s1600/IMG_1441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM8EhRIpN7tvH4uLNRrm-Y4Ocan2iaq8Tn_NwAP8epNhqazoDfN6eI6dEX3ygdCqrUGWsAN1gBbimAk8xduboDHlqYQh5tMjGq2ltQuS42u9z_Pt_07mc1p9y5KjEV3CrhTE9zbk9Df2P/s640/IMG_1441.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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All in all, it was a great day and a wonderful experience. So much diversity in the architecture! What stood out that we observed and learned was the many colorful murals, that lots of movies and TV shows are filmed here, if you want to try the green and red chili on your food to ask for 'Christmas', that the sun shines most days, that Bill Gates got into some traffic troubles here early on in his career and that Route 66 intersects itself right here in Albuquerque!<br />
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Rested and relaxed, tomorrow we start the two-day drive towards Denver! <br />
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-25805167841355045112017-04-09T22:53:00.000-07:002017-04-09T23:10:25.660-07:00Slowing Down to a Gallup <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the Twin Arrows Casino in Flagstaff -- First snow we'd seen in awhile!</td></tr>
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Friday, April 7, we were the last of maybe eight or nine RV's leaving the RV lot at the Twin Arrows Casino east of Flagstaff. High winds had been predicted and we had lots of phone calls and emails to return before heading out with a great tail wind. We finally hit I-40 around 10 a.m. George indicated we were probably getting almost another mile to the gallon on our diesel fuel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bEkMLLgLtpK6WMW7ZuSzS_gFyriRJpDVlUJKjFp_SCuJa86-YDfCfmymaoyla3bX7HgUWG1DSWPCLX68k_E_c89ogS7jbwcxwSPnVd0L05M8eH-oPSMxc7e7JPNY-eMp2a6LkYHxxt6Q/s1600/IMG_1119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bEkMLLgLtpK6WMW7ZuSzS_gFyriRJpDVlUJKjFp_SCuJa86-YDfCfmymaoyla3bX7HgUWG1DSWPCLX68k_E_c89ogS7jbwcxwSPnVd0L05M8eH-oPSMxc7e7JPNY-eMp2a6LkYHxxt6Q/s640/IMG_1119.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windy day and we're all alone in the RV parking lot</td></tr>
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As we'd made such good progress on Thursday, and prefer not to travel during the weekends, we set our sights on somewhere near Albuquerque to spend the weekend before heading on towards Denver. Everything was fine until we approached Gallup, New Mexico, where accident traffic diverted us off of the interstate through their business area -- miles and miles and miles -- at a turtle's pace. Valerie had called ahead for a reservation at the American RV Park in Albuquerque, and indicated we would surely be there before 7 p.m. to be escorted to our site.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoCT7dghEF_Id7dyneBpzNg5zoKFKPMlqxFMByFiIFiNGFawyAOAebvM0P9bVSCvyCt0_3fLazeTDb2TtEBEpWXjAJxBGwNSaK3-FFBbIYKEgPcNEJXMEdV_8dsgquZGI4oLBkOFCRKQl/s1600/IMG_1132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoCT7dghEF_Id7dyneBpzNg5zoKFKPMlqxFMByFiIFiNGFawyAOAebvM0P9bVSCvyCt0_3fLazeTDb2TtEBEpWXjAJxBGwNSaK3-FFBbIYKEgPcNEJXMEdV_8dsgquZGI4oLBkOFCRKQl/s640/IMG_1132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastbound on I-40 with nothing but the wind at our back</td></tr>
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For two long hours we sat in Gallup, and after the first hour, now watching the traffic moving again on I-40 eastbound and wishing we had started out a little later. We approached some extremely narrow lanes in the business district and finally made our way back out to the highway where we were moving again!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzd41OXpLS8_CApQZuEt6VfGt0I7-fzYLYjbObzDhgKUDgLxzHzQQBVln1__c9DWoXAfxBDjRuxStisjcgVhW7RJZqIqocWw76FpnX-BH_PjwavV5us08YCnzA9A9H5dQcI-FtXfo-5rE/s1600/IMG_1136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzd41OXpLS8_CApQZuEt6VfGt0I7-fzYLYjbObzDhgKUDgLxzHzQQBVln1__c9DWoXAfxBDjRuxStisjcgVhW7RJZqIqocWw76FpnX-BH_PjwavV5us08YCnzA9A9H5dQcI-FtXfo-5rE/s640/IMG_1136.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diverted off the interstate -- at least we had trains to watch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqQjv9vNAv2SemSdNsqa-KLF4fIMv2pqBfDKdrI5zILhqsoEr5fb7w2lvb6oj3veewnZ9-75opZ0Tjyzuy9l2IBY1PhHEq-fKe7JcSkuy1m68X7VeN2V-XfWGNIm0NBK9UK5NU8rmXV9Y/s1600/IMG_1137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqQjv9vNAv2SemSdNsqa-KLF4fIMv2pqBfDKdrI5zILhqsoEr5fb7w2lvb6oj3veewnZ9-75opZ0Tjyzuy9l2IBY1PhHEq-fKe7JcSkuy1m68X7VeN2V-XfWGNIm0NBK9UK5NU8rmXV9Y/s400/IMG_1137.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back-in site at American RV Park in Albuquerque</td></tr>
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We traded off drivers, despite Valerie's injuries, as George has been fighting severe allergies for the past few weeks and was feeling drowsy. With the time change leaving Arizona, we were now nearly three hours behind schedule and really don't like driving after dark. We still should have had ample time, but encountered a lane closure for road work west of Ancoma which slowed us down another hour.<br />
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As we entered the campground at around 6:50 p.m., there were two or three rigs ahead of us, which we learned had experienced the same difficulties we had encountered. Exhausted and ready for a day of recovery, we got parked and walked the dogs. After this rough 292 mile experience, we may add Fridays to our list of preferred 'no drive' days.<br />
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Curious to know what caused such a tiresome delay, Valerie found the following news article which indicated a law enforcement officer shooting was involved. Might be a really good thing we got a late start on Friday! <a href="http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/new-mexico-state-police-suspect-wounded-in-i-40-shooting-gallup/4448239/" target="_blank">http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/new-mexico-state-police-suspect-wounded-in-i-40-shooting-gallup/4448239/</a><br />
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Saturday, we took advantage of the complimentary breakfast at the campground, located the local Wal-mart for supplies, caught up on some business and laundry, and planned for some sightseeing on Sunday.<br />
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-35217836741276468302017-04-09T22:02:00.000-07:002017-04-09T22:02:46.273-07:00The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhIJEyYORUNa9HnI7_K2KBCm2vNBg2frLEXp5Hfx1w7xuTv7PINLNnKj-QXL_rVhe81nUBi-xRgMl6VKqfggCwn-JF8Yk7MzUR7is_wigc7ZAiPR_Pcpv_SnVLZckq-ZJJYvqLBLtSySi/s1600/IMG_1012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhIJEyYORUNa9HnI7_K2KBCm2vNBg2frLEXp5Hfx1w7xuTv7PINLNnKj-QXL_rVhe81nUBi-xRgMl6VKqfggCwn-JF8Yk7MzUR7is_wigc7ZAiPR_Pcpv_SnVLZckq-ZJJYvqLBLtSySi/s640/IMG_1012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp Verde Grades, north of Phoenix on I-17</td></tr>
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We headed out from our site at The Palms RV Resort in Yuma, Arizona the morning of April 6, 2017, only to realize we had neglected to clean the front windshield for the best possible view. Westbound on I-8, Valerie's phone rang. "Did we just pass you on the highway?" the voice at the end of the line inquired. As it turned out, friends Jim and Nancy Strahle were headed for Yuma, and couldn't miss the RV Driving School decal on the front of our motor home. We've met so many fun and interesting folks during our travels, and we had met Jim and Nancy as they were just beginning their adventure when we stopped for a cup of coffee in Kansas City a couple of years ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDFJ9UbxVjcFPRJnTmFNju2vD0G8xZcCVLTWtAAl2oOlB03aPMsEMn9lAPF5wC0eHgR-Mrph1ur3F561dzH0bKcx_Z4u1-OxctoU-zcw0uq7Kedyi_MKWMzcBuKE-NzTfC0vGjS35PDU_/s1600/IMG_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDFJ9UbxVjcFPRJnTmFNju2vD0G8xZcCVLTWtAAl2oOlB03aPMsEMn9lAPF5wC0eHgR-Mrph1ur3F561dzH0bKcx_Z4u1-OxctoU-zcw0uq7Kedyi_MKWMzcBuKE-NzTfC0vGjS35PDU_/s640/IMG_0973.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palo Verde trees blooming everywhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoajsyv9YuiVn98VC5Y40c7pfGmGLYyz50xwmgqAScoQZa0490g1EJlBctza_UQnckpoI864nAIeWUXmyct8pZuLa959VG5CgGh4FeO98xYLdBilRdHeux41yX5lVfuZDYNDHWvwZmirj/s1600/IMG_0994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoajsyv9YuiVn98VC5Y40c7pfGmGLYyz50xwmgqAScoQZa0490g1EJlBctza_UQnckpoI864nAIeWUXmyct8pZuLa959VG5CgGh4FeO98xYLdBilRdHeux41yX5lVfuZDYNDHWvwZmirj/s640/IMG_0994.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many Saguaro Cacti in the hills</td></tr>
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After a fueling stop where we also got the windshield cleaned off, GPS took us from there to I-10 to I-17 where we headed north, saying good-bye to the Valley of the Sun after several months and we ascended into the mountain scenery, more colorful than past years, when we have left typically mid-March. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD3oYjEs3twYYa1S9MP5UComnMM7xU4ERPJGEKuSaAfCiw6tIrTSsVwfeWDpF8jGGVmrOavTz237kM6Mpz0VmdZItn_tF1noWuYtKeiQyOJE5mXrehXxovk-Qg4w6Tr2BVGvy6uLBOgUU/s1600/IMG_1028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD3oYjEs3twYYa1S9MP5UComnMM7xU4ERPJGEKuSaAfCiw6tIrTSsVwfeWDpF8jGGVmrOavTz237kM6Mpz0VmdZItn_tF1noWuYtKeiQyOJE5mXrehXxovk-Qg4w6Tr2BVGvy6uLBOgUU/s640/IMG_1028.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful high desert scenery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUY8UIerZgYpvewEgmZhjc2HcjqUz4Ati616nY4N1YId4xxD4Jfhofj44uqYsHqWlvXtdP92n14nbOWqlOCbnHz3lajXoVAkl6Itnt3RqXzsW8zXjLCC7-kbmzq6gXG-d9C6qtz2b9UAe/s1600/IMG_1056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUY8UIerZgYpvewEgmZhjc2HcjqUz4Ati616nY4N1YId4xxD4Jfhofj44uqYsHqWlvXtdP92n14nbOWqlOCbnHz3lajXoVAkl6Itnt3RqXzsW8zXjLCC7-kbmzq6gXG-d9C6qtz2b9UAe/s640/IMG_1056.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Run-away truck ramps are a reminder not to burn up the brakes </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZogiARZ6q0CxApJo9DPrCeufIMkEHXm-avzlM-zKSLYMY0peCOwa2QSuIs3AaTF4F9EBLORbrrXqtw-iAB0P9lbmfTAUWlTnaty9N7UgSmAuyRsjFCUVt66dlv4mnDJ3jTyiFikgsDbYd/s1600/IMG_1070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest area where Valerie lost her footing</td></tr>
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George did all the driving with a late morning nap, and we decided to stop at a rest area to walk the dogs just south of Flagstaff late afternoon. That's where Valerie, finding herself with two dogs in more rugged terrain than they had grown accustomed to over the winter months, took a nasty fall onto some jagged rocks. She managed to hang onto the dogs and attempted to call for help, but George had turned his phone off. With injuries to her right hand, forearm and backside, she managed to get herself up and safely back to the coach.<br />
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We headed east on I-40 in Flagstaff and decided, after 380 miles, to stop at Twin Arrows Casino to get something to eat and a good night's rest. We drove past the semi-truck parking lot to where a fair number of RVs were parked on the east side of the casino and settled into our spot. The casino was beautiful inside and they were offering prime rib at the Grand Falls Buffet Monday through Thursday for $13. It did not disappoint, and everything was delicious!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70-0pCfOxozJcStKEKLh0TuZbaXC7g6uBoQmaraoQvUTPERgSiFKNGIVeKGkNMGHdksHWZi0Go24oyQa6ZrbA7WG38Yci1GD6x5Snt8R_9UmSjyT19YmsoANScaksxm0xRDEAtrCt1iq0/s1600/IMG_1083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70-0pCfOxozJcStKEKLh0TuZbaXC7g6uBoQmaraoQvUTPERgSiFKNGIVeKGkNMGHdksHWZi0Go24oyQa6ZrbA7WG38Yci1GD6x5Snt8R_9UmSjyT19YmsoANScaksxm0xRDEAtrCt1iq0/s320/IMG_1083.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful chandelier inside Twin Arrow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Gum5lMbJ-XezBc8ZYGOjfAnZ9nhkOh8okoe3SwYj1xtja0-fbLbW8hpli5nyhfpDBoE4FzvQ85m-L4aXOFxqIwvcyodgRkA-9nPKCc4SVr4vGrT3sXJuPtMqJSSnDy83n09D1Sd91SB/s1600/IMG_1081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Gum5lMbJ-XezBc8ZYGOjfAnZ9nhkOh8okoe3SwYj1xtja0-fbLbW8hpli5nyhfpDBoE4FzvQ85m-L4aXOFxqIwvcyodgRkA-9nPKCc4SVr4vGrT3sXJuPtMqJSSnDy83n09D1Sd91SB/s320/IMG_1081.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;">Prime rib at the Grand Falls Buffet<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MSneokWVTMkFcv0LIuEO8TtGFTWV7AJ462nVu7lrL2m197qZb8-RXTypVuXj_HjJ4zUk0r5i50nAQfZClymTd5MBMJ55aQukXnW1WrFqyIoCqsWDjUByUDJob-osO9ljTc32rSYcmB7C/s1600/IMG_1116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd5Vxzk7UR2RPFEukzAyTOXZwUfAlaerLzxzalzCC2Vc7Y18sl4JbBSx4OX63dX0itUMDhCH4uja8eJTxbdbJ3kZnLKKWLe77K7aurHIZXiGhT_ZbRhS5CS4VNB86_cnqshlK7H7-dOhQ/s1600/IMG_1100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></td></tr>
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Tired from a long day, and because we are not much into gambling, we returned to the coach and and attempted to get to bed and to sleep early. Valerie found enough bandages to cover the worst gouges in her hand, and quickly learned that attempts to roll onto her right side were not the best idea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd5Vxzk7UR2RPFEukzAyTOXZwUfAlaerLzxzalzCC2Vc7Y18sl4JbBSx4OX63dX0itUMDhCH4uja8eJTxbdbJ3kZnLKKWLe77K7aurHIZXiGhT_ZbRhS5CS4VNB86_cnqshlK7H7-dOhQ/s1600/IMG_1100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd5Vxzk7UR2RPFEukzAyTOXZwUfAlaerLzxzalzCC2Vc7Y18sl4JbBSx4OX63dX0itUMDhCH4uja8eJTxbdbJ3kZnLKKWLe77K7aurHIZXiGhT_ZbRhS5CS4VNB86_cnqshlK7H7-dOhQ/s320/IMG_1100.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valerie's right arm</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MSneokWVTMkFcv0LIuEO8TtGFTWV7AJ462nVu7lrL2m197qZb8-RXTypVuXj_HjJ4zUk0r5i50nAQfZClymTd5MBMJ55aQukXnW1WrFqyIoCqsWDjUByUDJob-osO9ljTc32rSYcmB7C/s1600/IMG_1116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MSneokWVTMkFcv0LIuEO8TtGFTWV7AJ462nVu7lrL2m197qZb8-RXTypVuXj_HjJ4zUk0r5i50nAQfZClymTd5MBMJ55aQukXnW1WrFqyIoCqsWDjUByUDJob-osO9ljTc32rSYcmB7C/s320/IMG_1116.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valerie's right hand</td></tr>
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It was all worth the adventure, and tomorrow we were aware that we needed to keep an eye on the possibility of high winds, but it would surely be a better day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzG8Xuogb99GAufR49Kxbf1RKepSHf5iDW_9dntjYXDwR16XxjiiF7LSV8Eg84BAwcTARMeMd_VC1f9Pa4sRg8gzzWnvIQXOvLuCTljTSactFCMqjsLwNgeKIHeZVTYp0ZjBQiKF3rpZB/s1600/IMG_1120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzG8Xuogb99GAufR49Kxbf1RKepSHf5iDW_9dntjYXDwR16XxjiiF7LSV8Eg84BAwcTARMeMd_VC1f9Pa4sRg8gzzWnvIQXOvLuCTljTSactFCMqjsLwNgeKIHeZVTYp0ZjBQiKF3rpZB/s640/IMG_1120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-5846678231585904112015-07-22T06:25:00.003-07:002015-07-22T06:25:27.418-07:00Adapting to our Schedule and Surroundings....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sTAAEOpC5hJ01MxhROLzLp9ovnGijMj5VTdSIjfccs8SVgIC1uvlRlNW7gfUzNBTkgRYokbqcCYyJLjDzfFY3Bt2lFSggG_c0fQ8NrsOxdatXvlbaubd0n04z9RYeMjUJJzDzY1jkzBL/s1600/IMG_6211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sTAAEOpC5hJ01MxhROLzLp9ovnGijMj5VTdSIjfccs8SVgIC1uvlRlNW7gfUzNBTkgRYokbqcCYyJLjDzfFY3Bt2lFSggG_c0fQ8NrsOxdatXvlbaubd0n04z9RYeMjUJJzDzY1jkzBL/s640/IMG_6211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dakotah Meadows RV Park at night</td></tr>
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It's been a busy week! George met with the doctor that will be performing his cataract surgeries next week and the following week, Dr. Thomas Samuelson, with Minnesota Eye Consultants. There were numerous patient forms to complete. He picked up five different eye drops from the pharmacy, and has been following a strict schedule of use in preparation. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KDa5nA2FWmIgNWB_4_zi9DSoq3CCWQcpA68GUibs2XWstuwTrjXr5I53We1AWJJ2cKW7A0gbOvRSyPSSZhRpkGcv6O6nVIJlvxGuFFxui1EdHMN0PK_RCEjTqwOjbmI8FjIzVQ2-_Une/s1600/IMG_6109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KDa5nA2FWmIgNWB_4_zi9DSoq3CCWQcpA68GUibs2XWstuwTrjXr5I53We1AWJJ2cKW7A0gbOvRSyPSSZhRpkGcv6O6nVIJlvxGuFFxui1EdHMN0PK_RCEjTqwOjbmI8FjIzVQ2-_Une/s640/IMG_6109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mdewakanton Dakota Shield -- the buffalo skull is a symbol of the Sundance altar, the arrowhead and ax represent tools to safeguard and provide for their people as they hunt food, the tipi symbolizes the meeting of the Dakota tribes, the pipe is for communication between man and a higher power, and the feathers represent the seven council fires.</td></tr>
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We are still facing several issues with the motor home, and received a recommendation from the campground here at Dakotah Meadows for Steve Voldt of Northern RV, to check out our damaged slide topper and our ongoing electrical and slide out issue. We are still looking for a craftsman to re-configure a cabinet below our kitchen sink as well as some cabinetry in the area of our TV sets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhQT9ySuij308fdNg-8x40cthZyqG0N9n_haUz8BYj0_heVR2B0488vLnbat6bpoE0Y9UuvVCOtJ2EKKAVJRlQlayng1fWRduJRXQxm51kaxYROehmLelCFhTY63Pd6x2XRXiQ0XwUscY/s1600/IMG_6100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhQT9ySuij308fdNg-8x40cthZyqG0N9n_haUz8BYj0_heVR2B0488vLnbat6bpoE0Y9UuvVCOtJ2EKKAVJRlQlayng1fWRduJRXQxm51kaxYROehmLelCFhTY63Pd6x2XRXiQ0XwUscY/s640/IMG_6100.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBreBEIIy3BjGGmLVmA8ojrNGsZirUutflthSq5sa3_HyRW6Y1FUZsJfquEYzKPi7yN2YtMMVKcycr4jN4H74vL78dNDO2au07LZg7eckEynP_pRJhoAXwfEg6whTWTYURen46zroxHqKc/s1600/IMG_6102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBreBEIIy3BjGGmLVmA8ojrNGsZirUutflthSq5sa3_HyRW6Y1FUZsJfquEYzKPi7yN2YtMMVKcycr4jN4H74vL78dNDO2au07LZg7eckEynP_pRJhoAXwfEg6whTWTYURen46zroxHqKc/s640/IMG_6102.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Valerie is still working on raising her good cholesterol, so she signed up for a special month's membership at the Dakotah Sport and Fitness Center, which is within walking or biking distance, and also owned and operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, <a href="http://dakotahsport.com/" target="_blank">http://dakotahsport.com</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKmTpX2uyjtFfuUK4alJ_YbbT5iucb4AkG0z1CjHg7qkfv4zHDHqj0I0r2F3YFsT-rYR2NxjvT3t6LefsZ6Ynvb6LQpD4V93ORIcEViHc1cFzWss3Qkyy210qNyzyh__Ro38jBlo6ShvQ/s1600/IMG_6067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKmTpX2uyjtFfuUK4alJ_YbbT5iucb4AkG0z1CjHg7qkfv4zHDHqj0I0r2F3YFsT-rYR2NxjvT3t6LefsZ6Ynvb6LQpD4V93ORIcEViHc1cFzWss3Qkyy210qNyzyh__Ro38jBlo6ShvQ/s640/IMG_6067.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying out the carpet in the corner of the leaking slide, or maybe just cooling off the dogs</td></tr>
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We took advantage of the excellent lunch buffet at the casino on Tuesday last week. The food was great, and Valerie picked up informational sheets and is determined to figure out the Bingo games and schedule, which appear to be fairly complicated.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquY-ny6V2Ap_BT1_Izl-tPkX1GlC8YVPxqxq67WD-h4oyY9EwjyKBZyp5uolmu5yXNttcy1HfqcE-ylvpSA04dDLJl2Mpo_dwDyDuKX-6ZPihFPDadZTqhn6GJ8wz9LP1Cgz-GkodoznB/s1600/IMG_6129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquY-ny6V2Ap_BT1_Izl-tPkX1GlC8YVPxqxq67WD-h4oyY9EwjyKBZyp5uolmu5yXNttcy1HfqcE-ylvpSA04dDLJl2Mpo_dwDyDuKX-6ZPihFPDadZTqhn6GJ8wz9LP1Cgz-GkodoznB/s640/IMG_6129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouds approaching over the golf course</td></tr>
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The weather has been hot and humid with more and more rain! Late on Friday, George had already gone to bed and Valerie decided to check the weather, since we had secured our drop on the big awning after they mowed the grass earlier in the week. The forecast looked entirely clear, but she happened to look out the window just as lightening divulged a wicked black cloud looming across the prairie. We managed to fight against the wind and get the awning mostly in as it began to rain, and rain hard for a long time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAqbN__mk0bo_myoh3-yE1Ajtxrg2JBCfleLdnSxvLNhhYe-Mphjopyfc8INjM1Trg6VOO8Vgskd5JVoxRq8Jh090_SvKrvMuUD3j-bY6Cd_KGed3Uefr0UoiQ9PhsGzHMcjgDLOl4OkD/s1600/IMG_6138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAqbN__mk0bo_myoh3-yE1Ajtxrg2JBCfleLdnSxvLNhhYe-Mphjopyfc8INjM1Trg6VOO8Vgskd5JVoxRq8Jh090_SvKrvMuUD3j-bY6Cd_KGed3Uefr0UoiQ9PhsGzHMcjgDLOl4OkD/s640/IMG_6138.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting bus parked at Walmart in Shakopee</td></tr>
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We learned that many folks took shelter and tornado sirens sounded just a little further north of us, and one of our neighbors was not as lucky with their awning. The Shelties seem to believe the fans were in place for their comfort. We understand that it will be at least a two week wait on the replacement fabric for the slide toppers. It's been a stormy summer!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMQHlb9Z3i_83eLDi3CUwzRA3a_bI4aL3n81yLFiV3N8pWLX7A7Cf8Saj_3fmWD3rd6HMEtuz2xcF9BLo-2XErZVnTCsAJQoHxPwiVPCsYdbIFPgVodwRoF8l4KgRAAANrz9gzSH8Z6eR/s1600/IMG_6146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMQHlb9Z3i_83eLDi3CUwzRA3a_bI4aL3n81yLFiV3N8pWLX7A7Cf8Saj_3fmWD3rd6HMEtuz2xcF9BLo-2XErZVnTCsAJQoHxPwiVPCsYdbIFPgVodwRoF8l4KgRAAANrz9gzSH8Z6eR/s640/IMG_6146.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our neighbor's storm-damaged awning</td></tr>
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George tried out our new compact, Element grill, which fits easily into the bays, and he was very impressed. Valerie was missing her smoothies and found a single serving MyBlend blender by Oster, to replace the larger blender she gave up in the move last year. Valerie fights the ice maker in the refrigerator on a semi-regular basis. This last time, it decided to take a bite out of the dish cloth which had remedied the same issue a couple of weeks ago. Together, with the help of a small pair of scissors, we got it to let go, and our fingers are crossed that we will again get ice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCtvzbyO3mHVrQ6wxdWjogNcmlueU2A1iHoFL5OH6Qq20ykMYSiTWMPWZdymGxjuNfdyPxVyOVe3dvvwASh2JdJZVpM6ge-BRkz_TsKdhJQ3nlCeOKvS6S7g7bSY5JELKkgRjcVGIE0N4/s1600/IMG_6156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCtvzbyO3mHVrQ6wxdWjogNcmlueU2A1iHoFL5OH6Qq20ykMYSiTWMPWZdymGxjuNfdyPxVyOVe3dvvwASh2JdJZVpM6ge-BRkz_TsKdhJQ3nlCeOKvS6S7g7bSY5JELKkgRjcVGIE0N4/s640/IMG_6156.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family! -- Kathy, Alicia, and Bob -- (Photobombed by Max and another photographer's hand)</td></tr>
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George's daughter, Kathy, and her husband, Bob, hosted a fun family get-together on Sunday afternoon. We all ate well, shared memories, and the dogs and grand-dogs all got along.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnYeSih6k5lqkwUoppDKYWwyrl56OYE1ZrPphRY10jQDhaNn4MGsVolIyqWwbSLdCt5aGNMReE8iAz9hcv-QfTex58TUkl0XdkZmkQdHnTYdI6fnibKXku4w9b6RF4s0_6qQ3_7uyDCKq/s1600/IMG_6176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnYeSih6k5lqkwUoppDKYWwyrl56OYE1ZrPphRY10jQDhaNn4MGsVolIyqWwbSLdCt5aGNMReE8iAz9hcv-QfTex58TUkl0XdkZmkQdHnTYdI6fnibKXku4w9b6RF4s0_6qQ3_7uyDCKq/s640/IMG_6176.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sydney has worked very hard to be held all afternoon, so nap time is now!</td></tr>
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Monday we enjoyed a great meeting with RV Driving School instructor, Jon Bjonfald, and his friend, Laurie. We learned that the Steak House at the casino is closed on Monday and Tuesday, so we made do with the buffet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi435cpy2cpvra9PfVRP5rwTck606hh097_LRLUk6TmWQgr0ZjSwil-HzNgF4_TwCYnAwrfR_FfLoDkTXaIdgTTpGb20Z32KIN_i_F_btlJI9mVRqKP9CobmZb8T1OmnRwtgTSZdKVBDLi3/s1600/IMG_6151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi435cpy2cpvra9PfVRP5rwTck606hh097_LRLUk6TmWQgr0ZjSwil-HzNgF4_TwCYnAwrfR_FfLoDkTXaIdgTTpGb20Z32KIN_i_F_btlJI9mVRqKP9CobmZb8T1OmnRwtgTSZdKVBDLi3/s640/IMG_6151.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George's new Element propane grill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DuXNNVDJXL0KDvR2cd4kiy8c5JGEX5mq6gkJdzjjxx-OHTrHsYkI3_XZ8i5LvQz-E_Oa3qDm0uvtRS-1tvoqp7sOztXP74mqGSzGMH427mUtq-935eZoouWDg_CgkNEuug5WDPRv4xbk/s1600/IMG_6154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DuXNNVDJXL0KDvR2cd4kiy8c5JGEX5mq6gkJdzjjxx-OHTrHsYkI3_XZ8i5LvQz-E_Oa3qDm0uvtRS-1tvoqp7sOztXP74mqGSzGMH427mUtq-935eZoouWDg_CgkNEuug5WDPRv4xbk/s640/IMG_6154.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valerie's new blender</td></tr>
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We got the go-ahead for George's surgeries following his physical yesterday morning, so positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated. We're looking forward to a relaxing weekend with the Rib Fest <a href="http://www.mysticlake.com/midwestribfest.php" target="_blank">http://www.mysticlake.com/midwestribfest.php</a> and lots more family time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEaIQ5exe4roK-d0jujPUUUjRdTwM4Z2oWFpVy0tfl0j25vsybFBo0TIeavF6Y3hcjRd3ekxHL5vEyh5wrOjt9DipRpLLrWAlemlUHKTrhasWW5hKauL2BC3A10M4P_eZJB7JSKwoC6B4/s1600/IMG_6235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEaIQ5exe4roK-d0jujPUUUjRdTwM4Z2oWFpVy0tfl0j25vsybFBo0TIeavF6Y3hcjRd3ekxHL5vEyh5wrOjt9DipRpLLrWAlemlUHKTrhasWW5hKauL2BC3A10M4P_eZJB7JSKwoC6B4/s640/IMG_6235.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jon Bjonfald and Laurie at the Mystic Lake Casino Buffet</td></tr>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-16435467757334977942015-07-13T00:13:00.002-07:002015-07-13T00:13:36.118-07:00Dog Days of Summer...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4cIqeBfQ3v4iDUfI1hLe0pZiHYTsGxs4scC54eYe7aolB4Tz6aPjN55bV7MRn38SuTn15z3beaVBPhCMT7e-iyA8Trw6rpFUyQVL_bfOq-v-a2qv3XXhk0DD6Ih5f_sU35y9pffMd1vU/s1600/IMG_6015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4cIqeBfQ3v4iDUfI1hLe0pZiHYTsGxs4scC54eYe7aolB4Tz6aPjN55bV7MRn38SuTn15z3beaVBPhCMT7e-iyA8Trw6rpFUyQVL_bfOq-v-a2qv3XXhk0DD6Ih5f_sU35y9pffMd1vU/s640/IMG_6015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful flowers on the casino property</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCx-7cYc3oUouu_pBaFrHs9z_QfRWCM1DEO8usxRuxYsyxSbdS5oIULlKdSkwjbl5z6_qAkAXoZ3hYn7ei1Ql2ey_96yfUaMUSfBE4geOeU7bJhoyLh9erWVRdgheGKDcJZ-RwSzlhMf9/s1600/IMG_6013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a> </div>
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Some days things just don't go as planned. The local church schedule was not convenient as we generally like to eat breakfast our prior to attending a late morning mass on Sunday. The casino has restaurants, but we opted for the only other place we could find nearby, a Perkins Restaurant, in Shakopee.</div>
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The parking lot at Perkins was full and they told us it would be a ten minute wait. Valerie headed for the ladies room and came back surprised to find that George had already been seated. There was a large party seated nearby and the server seemed anxious to get our order in, but we needed a few minutes to look over the menu.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fitness Center is fabulous with an indoor pool </span></td></tr>
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We waited and waited, and when our server began to deliver meals to the large table beside us, we let her know we needed to order. She quickly took it and disappeared. We noticed a couple of parties that had been seated after we were and had received their food and finished. George got up to look for our server who advised him everybody's food was late because the kitchen was backed up. We waited some more and discussed walking out. We opted for talking with the manager since we hoped our food would be out any moment. All in all, we were seated for over an hour and our entire meal was comped, but it certainly put a crimp in our plans.</div>
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George had taken apart the air conditioner vents to clean the filters and realized he needed a bucket and Valerie wanted to hit the pet store to get a a change of food for the dogs, since their appetites have greatly diminished lately. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Princess Zara forgives Valerie and apparently approves of her new food</span></td></tr>
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The intense heat and humidity seems to have followed us north. Valerie wanted to check out the fitness center across the street that is part of the casino complex, so we stopped and took the tour. Upon our return it was just too hot to work outdoors or do much other than work at our computers or nap, so we opted for both.</div>
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Valerie brushed out the dogs, cleaned their teeth, and filed down their nails early in the evening after it began to cool down. They are not fans of grooming, but are happy to receive their treats as rewards. They both approved of the taste of new food mixed with the old boring stuff, so they had a fairly good day, as dog days go.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The late-night knock on the door...</span></td></tr>
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Valerie took a power walk and George walked the dogs, and it was suddenly late. George had gone to bed, Valerie was finishing up some work when she heard thunder above. She looked out to see flashing yellow lights and security knocking on the door of the rig next to us. Our door was next, and we were being warned that a severe thunderstorm with high winds was expected and that the shelter was open if we wanted to make use of it. </div>
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It was already 11:45 p.m., and the excitement was about to begin. The winds howled against the big slide out which suffered a torn cover, rocking the coach, while torrential rains pelted the fiberglass. The storm awakened George, along with a stomach ache, just in time to discover the slide out was leaking. Between the two of us we found enough towels and a couple of bins in which to catch the rain droplets. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlOHXIXAgqwTd3m6GLru7nGGtjCK3Xe2TAzBvHofM2gijojhg9bGcq60bRftgYGjBLwSuxXJx8wiOAejkUSMOYxqP-TPLPben1to8LG-V61tyjU7vGyZ3Vbc0ujjY3zZdZLXk50ov1Wz0/s1600/IMG_6055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlOHXIXAgqwTd3m6GLru7nGGtjCK3Xe2TAzBvHofM2gijojhg9bGcq60bRftgYGjBLwSuxXJx8wiOAejkUSMOYxqP-TPLPben1to8LG-V61tyjU7vGyZ3Vbc0ujjY3zZdZLXk50ov1Wz0/s640/IMG_6055.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Water leaking in through the slide out<br /></span></td></tr>
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The heaviest rain and wind has subsided. We have fans on the wet spots, and hope that this is the end of the heat, high winds, and rain for awhile. We have had enough weather excitement this summer! It's now 1:30 in the morning, and the dogs wish we would go to bed so they can get some sleep. That seems like a very good idea. </div>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-26199459435537417952015-07-11T19:34:00.001-07:002015-07-11T19:36:30.857-07:00Setting Up and Settling In...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev4KKfRVQDwhIOsE0e1roWryyKhDIs9NmGkaP6ZAce_VvH8h-L2OKvFvQFb0Km0yut5KQCJG3KPWf0iYWwnJeiUcPIGQqpX9yRmOmrPqH4a0IgPG42PIiSJIBO6X8cGzVgrI8OUz1_9XI/s1600/IMG_5998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev4KKfRVQDwhIOsE0e1roWryyKhDIs9NmGkaP6ZAce_VvH8h-L2OKvFvQFb0Km0yut5KQCJG3KPWf0iYWwnJeiUcPIGQqpX9yRmOmrPqH4a0IgPG42PIiSJIBO6X8cGzVgrI8OUz1_9XI/s640/IMG_5998.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dakotah Meadows RV Park in Prior Lake, Minnesota</span></td></tr>
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Today we attempted to catch up on business and get things organized after battling the heat and rain while in Missouri for the past several weeks. The sun rises early in Minnesota, and so did our Shelties.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyLEzPruMhORB67rGwAAs9KKgPwTqUuVLlyE2SrC1N5aSZwFia7cETRVPtELysGXY7MY0jCiI0DBNz_XoQJhSbjOS7fHca3oSiiAOPNas05cdYblFkocQrd1ct92yGGEGI_CxLfzksupx/s1600/IMG_5951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyLEzPruMhORB67rGwAAs9KKgPwTqUuVLlyE2SrC1N5aSZwFia7cETRVPtELysGXY7MY0jCiI0DBNz_XoQJhSbjOS7fHca3oSiiAOPNas05cdYblFkocQrd1ct92yGGEGI_CxLfzksupx/s640/IMG_5951.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our site, B-5, for the next several weeks at Dakotah Meadows RV Park</span></td></tr>
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It was cooler and we had a good night's sleep so we began to put the sun shades on the Camelot. It's a bit of a project and goes more smoothly if we attack it together. George had directed Valerie into our site yesterday and she didn't realize he had backed us in as far as possible and the hitch was just above the grass at the rear of the coach. The concern was that the mowers may get too close with their equipment and cause damage, so we left everything in tact and crept forward several feet just to be sure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMlvIcCfJsb6Tm32XtvhpXMjNYNguPI_1I-6arXfEeOGjTKQ7GERuJrT1q6GL776D22Y2SIYxVkOCdqKCvYT5ERzcK265i6GTNfPmIoFC745TFlzUIuMEJ4JnLDiwjTwqy7x616LINoDC/s1600/IMG_5968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMlvIcCfJsb6Tm32XtvhpXMjNYNguPI_1I-6arXfEeOGjTKQ7GERuJrT1q6GL776D22Y2SIYxVkOCdqKCvYT5ERzcK265i6GTNfPmIoFC745TFlzUIuMEJ4JnLDiwjTwqy7x616LINoDC/s640/IMG_5968.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sam's Club free health care screening area near the pharmacy in Shakopee, MN</span></td></tr>
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One concern for full time RVers is medical care, and we have found lately that Sam's Club offers monthly health screenings at most locations -- usually on the second Saturday of the month. They say that membership is not required to take advantage of these. The registration process is a bit tedious, requiring us to fill in the bubbles below every letter and number we write in, but most of the screeners we have encountered have been quite professional and have offered excellent counseling on cholesterol, HDL, blood pressure, and body fat, and glucose, among others items of concern. So we took off for the Sam's in nearby Shakopee mid-morning and participated so we can monitor our progress from month to month.<br />
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While out and about we decided we had the energy to wash the Subaru, so we cruised into the car wash at the nearby Holiday service station, even though rain threatened. (Just be forewarned that Valerie has a strange propensity to become bored and take photos while inside car washes).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKk8Wr1VptiFoYtq5DtGQ0QcSItDjMjMVxue8Ci4cpvQwoRee2ynyNDjvVQsIdAPC5VBlbkw0lBlIAhk5U3TN8qrwFSUt6gJHEYDT-qloIESCOFtB1NjIqVvl-SxFxTs-I-BUVE6CmLK2/s1600/IMG_5982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKk8Wr1VptiFoYtq5DtGQ0QcSItDjMjMVxue8Ci4cpvQwoRee2ynyNDjvVQsIdAPC5VBlbkw0lBlIAhk5U3TN8qrwFSUt6gJHEYDT-qloIESCOFtB1NjIqVvl-SxFxTs-I-BUVE6CmLK2/s640/IMG_5982.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Inside the Subaru inside Holiday car wash in Shakopee, MN</span><br />
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When we returned, it was time to begin arranging and re-arranging. George worked inside the bays on the coach and Valerie sorted out duplicate state maps and the few books we keep on board in case we find ourselves in a dead internet zone and need direction or help deciding upon a campground during our travels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdCYUiGiQNFRQSUabGXXipyPHgwWg4umEet_lwUn-oiDpDjmpl7G1ydhiU-Mw6JP9HaeJ1Wk-9Y0uCK4hEJITwqXEKSBU0zbo8J4gOZstATD1ffbwcpNAISxaMHfCvNYFZxRKdBJCMfwp/s1600/IMG_5994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdCYUiGiQNFRQSUabGXXipyPHgwWg4umEet_lwUn-oiDpDjmpl7G1ydhiU-Mw6JP9HaeJ1Wk-9Y0uCK4hEJITwqXEKSBU0zbo8J4gOZstATD1ffbwcpNAISxaMHfCvNYFZxRKdBJCMfwp/s640/IMG_5994.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tossing the duplicate or outdated maps and travel guides </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1px0RDlCxL60PLXGIZlPj0eXNXvEqDrfaVMcGku9hcZGwEOD_GNaenHp-5zywIXFwCx5XNVC5OC9GOFH34Y3JdyKDnN2gaUA3jNxulbQ8GgE7iRQuQf_FTo6We8UXmMjNvrFyr7qz3RK/s1600/IMG_5986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div>
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Valerie did quite a bit of walking around the campground and photographing some wildlife and wildflowers and made progress on catching up with laundry after a few days on the road.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5gAlARml-2qWwBJ-YSKEGzHoICD7C5b4DYnmCzFMfrx0lyKiXUv3S8ca5nlLz3t-oQBESXgf0nDVGotqscdnuYw2aX7DgkFHHxbvq3NlK6PccPbSsU7S-FOZ57ppwlDz_mB3XX3HqoMX/s1600/IMG_5990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5gAlARml-2qWwBJ-YSKEGzHoICD7C5b4DYnmCzFMfrx0lyKiXUv3S8ca5nlLz3t-oQBESXgf0nDVGotqscdnuYw2aX7DgkFHHxbvq3NlK6PccPbSsU7S-FOZ57ppwlDz_mB3XX3HqoMX/s640/IMG_5990.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1px0RDlCxL60PLXGIZlPj0eXNXvEqDrfaVMcGku9hcZGwEOD_GNaenHp-5zywIXFwCx5XNVC5OC9GOFH34Y3JdyKDnN2gaUA3jNxulbQ8GgE7iRQuQf_FTo6We8UXmMjNvrFyr7qz3RK/s1600/IMG_5986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1px0RDlCxL60PLXGIZlPj0eXNXvEqDrfaVMcGku9hcZGwEOD_GNaenHp-5zywIXFwCx5XNVC5OC9GOFH34Y3JdyKDnN2gaUA3jNxulbQ8GgE7iRQuQf_FTo6We8UXmMjNvrFyr7qz3RK/s640/IMG_5986.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Tonight we will be tearing apart the bed before we crawl in as we seem to have picked up biting critter of some sort in Kansas City. We both have marks to prove it, and George volunteered to model one of his. Seems like we get a new one or two every day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8H7cu6-J9E5UUaqs7ZG_eI1ltd73rrIaFC5-UCdvLlhLFUCt9NhcnMgTtRSoOVNqy2VSkX_UQ85soDQAR8c7lmuUOha-VI-2p3X8KGrs1eNca9w6r6qet0il7nw8564D6dSBReo1sbnPW/s1600/IMG_6005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8H7cu6-J9E5UUaqs7ZG_eI1ltd73rrIaFC5-UCdvLlhLFUCt9NhcnMgTtRSoOVNqy2VSkX_UQ85soDQAR8c7lmuUOha-VI-2p3X8KGrs1eNca9w6r6qet0il7nw8564D6dSBReo1sbnPW/s320/IMG_6005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One example of our extremely itchy insect bites</span></td></tr>
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So, what better way to close this evening than with that familiar childhood expression -- "Good night. Sleep tight. And <i>don't let the bedbugs bite</i>!"<br />
Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-76737019363119039282015-07-10T21:09:00.000-07:002015-07-10T21:09:34.037-07:00On the Road to the Twin Cities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjdKI14TdRQbXizwQIo4kPkZbUW5M7N9ztTncrul0hwrCPyLepVUOkNnXlJtSCgHCXFGaXRkVtxIieXc7RP083rrm470uNLAzsIr8HdQc6ydQSU34L63Zd2Y4roh5TDf1kuTrB6Nudy09/s1600/IMG_5933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjdKI14TdRQbXizwQIo4kPkZbUW5M7N9ztTncrul0hwrCPyLepVUOkNnXlJtSCgHCXFGaXRkVtxIieXc7RP083rrm470uNLAzsIr8HdQc6ydQSU34L63Zd2Y4roh5TDf1kuTrB6Nudy09/s640/IMG_5933.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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We took off this morning after two nights at the Lakeside Casino RV Park in Osceola, Iowa. Our day started with the usual walk of the dogs and then we headed over to the Casino for a hearty breakfast.<br />
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It didn't take long to prepare the Camelot for the road and we stopped up the hill at the Pilot, which had nice RV lanes, where we could fuel for the remainder of our trip up I-35 to the Twin Cities.<br />
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George had some emails and calls to return, so we stopped at a rest area where we walked the dogs and Valerie took the wheel. The scenery consisted of corn and more corn fields -- all at least knee-high by the Fourth of July. We passed through several areas of construction, but otherwise it was a smooth drive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopyesq8u99d_SSpUkjFyCbidjENjK8jiGHVpKmx6jVbhK9uA_8pS0BhYe8aGukUcVYP1ix43ywH8BSMTcrlIi__8mCEQl5KOE5k4UdXbvwH5SthwPrd9r7aRsp_yST-VDuCMPs3yhyZR5/s1600/IMG_5938+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopyesq8u99d_SSpUkjFyCbidjENjK8jiGHVpKmx6jVbhK9uA_8pS0BhYe8aGukUcVYP1ix43ywH8BSMTcrlIi__8mCEQl5KOE5k4UdXbvwH5SthwPrd9r7aRsp_yST-VDuCMPs3yhyZR5/s640/IMG_5938+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Our Shelties Captain Charlie and Princess Zara found a cozy spot next to the couch below the air conditioner vent.<br />
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George finished his work and a nap and returned to the driver's seat, and it wasn't long until we crossed into Minnesota and then arrived at Dakotah Meadows RV Park at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake. We took advantage of the RV Wash and cleaned the worst of the dirt from the rig, parked and decided we needed to make a run for supplies.<br />
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After a quick trip through Sams Club and Walmart, we stopped for a quick dinner at Chipotle Mexican Grill in nearby Shakopee. It's been a long day, the weather is pleasant, and we're off to bed. Looking forward to several weeks here and catching up with friends, family and business associates!<br />
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-10111257017338097082015-07-09T21:07:00.000-07:002015-07-09T21:07:33.061-07:00Rain, Rain, Go Away!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sky on our way to take shelter during the second tornado warning at Blue Springs Elks Lodge</td></tr>
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It's been a busy year and the blog has suffered the consequences and again fallen behind. At this point, rather than attempt to catch up with six months of events, we will just start with now. Valerie will attempt to add photos we have taken, along with a few comments, on our Facebook pages for those of you who follow them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZkVpqrlLoSBHox8z97tyb-fcgy1lMqm6LHaSN7baohYO_kFJA7A78-KMtKlZNbyQVxkMRG21jTKH5Wuabxt-OxIl2CdJX8V0cbXyFX1y5-dNWnBfBQGiTplS5ygz2qJ_b8M0-JKpiJfw/s1600/IMG_6116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZkVpqrlLoSBHox8z97tyb-fcgy1lMqm6LHaSN7baohYO_kFJA7A78-KMtKlZNbyQVxkMRG21jTKH5Wuabxt-OxIl2CdJX8V0cbXyFX1y5-dNWnBfBQGiTplS5ygz2qJ_b8M0-JKpiJfw/s400/IMG_6116.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoyed dinner with friends Jim and Pam MacArthur in Missouri</td></tr>
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We left Kansas City yesterday after several weeks visiting Valerie's family. We stayed at the Elks Lodge in Blue Springs before and after a two weeks' stay at Lake Jacomo Campground in Lee's Summit. The weather was hot and humid and it stormed much of the time. Twice we were awakened in the night by high winds and rain, and twice we took shelter when the tornado sirens went off. The kids got moved, despite both of their kids being sick on moving day, and we took in lots of T-ball and barbecue.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_LKh3CLsJgUWah7KCdykRKhSgVFlsS8_Toch2MTQh8xJB4NoYRipBFyHUnllYqDYflrhKuGK8Eq7xyfOsT2EwVasDlmBQUZq1-02q__yEhTOo3YAchoKYbbZqyBnAK-1-w0aZq18F92E/s1600/IMG_5859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_LKh3CLsJgUWah7KCdykRKhSgVFlsS8_Toch2MTQh8xJB4NoYRipBFyHUnllYqDYflrhKuGK8Eq7xyfOsT2EwVasDlmBQUZq1-02q__yEhTOo3YAchoKYbbZqyBnAK-1-w0aZq18F92E/s640/IMG_5859.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storms, storms, and more storms in Kansas City</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqebXhC4rG39Pg2ShOP_Lp0eQIkkHb_wHIPUzUzGFCHViJ-u55LmFxyfkKl9psQ_O9_tdgFisMLihXltc082D_5i1OiJK7thTj0iI2M-99tZEkZaGXDMEkTY8bbPTm3qP3_I06prtDm17Q/s1600/IMG_5927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqebXhC4rG39Pg2ShOP_Lp0eQIkkHb_wHIPUzUzGFCHViJ-u55LmFxyfkKl9psQ_O9_tdgFisMLihXltc082D_5i1OiJK7thTj0iI2M-99tZEkZaGXDMEkTY8bbPTm3qP3_I06prtDm17Q/s400/IMG_5927.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George at Summit Custom Cabinetry installed a new drawer</td></tr>
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Our plan was to take off fairly early on Wednesday morning, when we received a phone call from a contractor whom George had provide an estimate on making a new drawer for a void space in the Monaco, about which we had all but forgotten.<br />
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The fact that it was pouring down rain necessitated us taking the rig to his shop to install the drawer which he had mostly prepared. This was supposed to take about an hour and it was a bit of a difficult back-in, but we managed.<br />
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Valerie went out for sandwiches for lunch, and once the job was finished and George began to move the coach out to hitch the car, Valerie noticed that the entry step had not retracted as it was supposed to do. After attempting to get the step to retract so that we could head on towards Minnesota, George decided to go out in the rain and disconnect the power and force the step up with nylon ties in the contractor's parking lot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBsb21G3T-oK_ay7KZAeYBNWsAUkn3jLrUKecbnvtAyDkn22DrQTsk9LSFL6skWbZeTNW7peqGqEtON_jqoWN3ybwDRK-DMK6bsRjVXEP3CHfaz65t9cTYmQ4Sf9ZGwYnUayvD047gZ7z/s1600/IMG_5897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBsb21G3T-oK_ay7KZAeYBNWsAUkn3jLrUKecbnvtAyDkn22DrQTsk9LSFL6skWbZeTNW7peqGqEtON_jqoWN3ybwDRK-DMK6bsRjVXEP3CHfaz65t9cTYmQ4Sf9ZGwYnUayvD047gZ7z/s400/IMG_5897.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George disconnected the entry step to retract it</td></tr>
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We finally got on the road around 4 p.m. and headed up I-35. George started the drive and Valerie took over about half way to Osceola, Iowa, were we stopped at Lakeside Casino RV Park. The turns are a little tight and the pavement of many sites is broken, but for $20/night it's good to have full hook ups for a night or two. We've stayed here before and have really never understood how the shuttle works, so we walked over after parking the rig. <br />
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The registration desk clerk at the casino walked us over to the gift shop so that we could pay by credit card. The gift shop clerk was full of information and led us to believe we could get player cards downstairs and $5 free play and, since we have the RV Plus Pilot card, that we could get half price off the buffet. We walked further down into the casino and got all registered, spent our $5 in the slots, and headed back up for dinner. <br />
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Dinner was delightful and they ask you to pay on your way out, but with our half price discount, we were not expecting the cashier to ring up $36.36. We questioned and were told that we needed to take the Pilot card back downstairs and get a coupon for half price. Valerie walked the distance back to the coach to get her card so we could both receive half off.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzFtt-fJQxUNNFh_WJ0wzPFogCH1gLgVlohivOBP7cS04WMywCGR3S76vbJJnF1NR_K1s5L73F6Wa2SIywR_d20IK_EAfaFWyZXJuMSK9a8_ThdSF_LGZdr4VHqqoGsgxFFGtmhW7pBqB/s1600/IMG_5920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzFtt-fJQxUNNFh_WJ0wzPFogCH1gLgVlohivOBP7cS04WMywCGR3S76vbJJnF1NR_K1s5L73F6Wa2SIywR_d20IK_EAfaFWyZXJuMSK9a8_ThdSF_LGZdr4VHqqoGsgxFFGtmhW7pBqB/s640/IMG_5920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geese at Lakeside Casino RV Park in Osceola, Iowa</td></tr>
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We were then disappointed to learn that we needed to have CDL licenses to take advantage of the half price buffet. Anyway, we paid more than expected and ate more than we should, but we enjoyed a comfortable night's sleep and awoke to sunshine! <br />
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Our reservation at Dakotah Meadows in Prior Lake Minnesota actually begins on Friday, and so we called to see if our site might be available if we came in today. But it seems that it will be occupied until then, so we decided to stay here and catch up on some work and give everyone a chance to rest up for the remainder of the drive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The sun is shining at the Lakeside Casino RV Park in Osceola, Iowa</td></tr>
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Valerie walked over to pay for another night, carefully watching her step as there is goose poop everywhere! Plan for tomorrow is to eat breakfast at the casino, fuel up at the Pilot up the hill and head towards Minneapolis, where George is preparing for cataract surgery on his eyes, and we look forward to time with his family and friends, and to meet with the RV Driving School's instructor in Savage.<br />
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Hoping for moderate weather in Minneapolis! Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-59242982755319473262015-01-14T23:27:00.000-07:002015-01-14T23:31:37.933-07:00A Hug-filled Escape to Quartzsite <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IFL7y12vTZsuQlgmeQgm9UHrgN0o-NZ19MYu5y60GcuXSUjVcclvH4nJope4JN2WXZ_6lP1UoZt7F01WDQ8kQiFsNsGs-acdWKQvDiiFnxZiwWVt-67eWt4MnHOD3VoyVgAmp1yAuf7z/s1600/IMG_1539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IFL7y12vTZsuQlgmeQgm9UHrgN0o-NZ19MYu5y60GcuXSUjVcclvH4nJope4JN2WXZ_6lP1UoZt7F01WDQ8kQiFsNsGs-acdWKQvDiiFnxZiwWVt-67eWt4MnHOD3VoyVgAmp1yAuf7z/s1600/IMG_1539.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Escapees estimates approximately 400 attendees at their first Quartzsite happy hour!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We joined the Escapees RV Club the first year we became full-timers, and we are so glad we did! We have learned so much and met so many kindred spirits who always greet us with a hug. Today we took a gorgeous drive about 75 miles north on Arizona Highway 95 past the vegetable fields and the Yuma Proving Grounds to attend one of two Escapee Happy Hours in Quartzsite. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjvKKVAXqr4qq0hGGODw0AMveJvX2RyrHZGzrR5Tmhh3hGLs4BtmaMJvwkCCzs6BBi6XhTYtErGhXC7BRBhP_c0uud6Z3WKKDi58mOFkbnpyrcOcyTvN5qZyE1XAL6dTELiZhInJFgCGx/s1600/IMG_2681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjvKKVAXqr4qq0hGGODw0AMveJvX2RyrHZGzrR5Tmhh3hGLs4BtmaMJvwkCCzs6BBi6XhTYtErGhXC7BRBhP_c0uud6Z3WKKDi58mOFkbnpyrcOcyTvN5qZyE1XAL6dTELiZhInJFgCGx/s1600/IMG_2681.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yuma County grows 90% of the winter vegetables consumed by the U.S. and Canada</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsPbxEQvZOZfx3BQn9VEuO63uvE54zuUoF1MuaeQDJNyFlssx9F8dlE0cEdaytiGA9T2TO8IBCEm6gA1XeHdZNTYW8_yzTNJfusFVB2Wnl7lPTfG5vUFI56egeImxKW8YzO7rig92LAwA/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsPbxEQvZOZfx3BQn9VEuO63uvE54zuUoF1MuaeQDJNyFlssx9F8dlE0cEdaytiGA9T2TO8IBCEm6gA1XeHdZNTYW8_yzTNJfusFVB2Wnl7lPTfG5vUFI56egeImxKW8YzO7rig92LAwA/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yuma Proving Grounds is a large Army installation about 30 miles north of Yuma.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Apparently, we didn't look suspicious and quickly passed through the Border Security check point in the northbound lane.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvwSSMQ4ZHGKk4v-q6Q40rA9p8sMuByup0fttU3glgvgz7OLWtKBvwA519cAKxw7csJvuADRjpGmWaFYgERgGo1jlBCD1tlIueHokpKgL2-EXsM6S9GtVQh001d9iei6mCT_K5U5gnplf/s1600/IMG_2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvwSSMQ4ZHGKk4v-q6Q40rA9p8sMuByup0fttU3glgvgz7OLWtKBvwA519cAKxw7csJvuADRjpGmWaFYgERgGo1jlBCD1tlIueHokpKgL2-EXsM6S9GtVQh001d9iei6mCT_K5U5gnplf/s1600/IMG_2619.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thankfully, there was not a long line at the Border Security check point.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaAy6tTiJpygt6SO7nhBpO2rPsYDoGkBbaVoVmc_emq4qeVZBkEHRkdGxuyiLuCdewhgY5yI5SSzNYeXPuv53b455U3l7C7RJtg5vgO7JFqwu54o_X8P0EHcJYbIhliIjBfOHJc3GpmOb/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaAy6tTiJpygt6SO7nhBpO2rPsYDoGkBbaVoVmc_emq4qeVZBkEHRkdGxuyiLuCdewhgY5yI5SSzNYeXPuv53b455U3l7C7RJtg5vgO7JFqwu54o_X8P0EHcJYbIhliIjBfOHJc3GpmOb/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" height="352" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Quartzsite, located on I-10 in the Sonoran Desert, is the RV Boondocking Capital of the World. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Hugs were abundant, and there was music, great food, great conversation and numerous reunions with friends we have made over the years. There will be a second get-together tomorrow, but Valerie has a dental appointment in Algodones, Mexico, so we won't be able to attend.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMziQtVxH9Dy2K1QOD2wnL5smYjeHOkcP-V7IH8NS1riOkPvGsNGOWIFzZtLzImJn7deHQd1LU4O0jrZFzmZNrTkW0I4h7oM0vvuy8ORsES9co56ZqtxewKw7yPcnrG6du09K-CTJhHfW/s1600/IMG_1559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMziQtVxH9Dy2K1QOD2wnL5smYjeHOkcP-V7IH8NS1riOkPvGsNGOWIFzZtLzImJn7deHQd1LU4O0jrZFzmZNrTkW0I4h7oM0vvuy8ORsES9co56ZqtxewKw7yPcnrG6du09K-CTJhHfW/s1600/IMG_1559.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Former RV School owners, Dennis and Carol Hill, pose for the camera. Check out their travel blog http://rvdrivingschool.blogspot.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We anticipate that we'll have more time to socialize with Escapee friends next week during the RV School's annual Quartzsite gathering. Preparations are well under way, and we are looking very forward to lots of hugs and campfire stories out under the stars in the Arizona desert.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5ZfrvDTIAfUin-q8CXH3kEUAMo4cxQppWGTi5XbW2KHIblsDLuiGNyVY8w5hSKBtxOxGsl0yBC8F1F4sWW9gYoVYiFawMXlnhvDbuu0MSRnymZo81cFveX6RhgXLPsiB-ZR2W_PuI65D/s1600/IMG_1580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5ZfrvDTIAfUin-q8CXH3kEUAMo4cxQppWGTi5XbW2KHIblsDLuiGNyVY8w5hSKBtxOxGsl0yBC8F1F4sWW9gYoVYiFawMXlnhvDbuu0MSRnymZo81cFveX6RhgXLPsiB-ZR2W_PuI65D/s1600/IMG_1580.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Village People impersonators -- or wannabees, are having a GREAT time!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZESMicqFT6-gqb2_BJdztsguNN_rOjaRPwRpwLFqKY7Ld2YmbO3w_P6HU199sKCe80-kZGwCL-ITCBYUy0XyaiLSQI-iD25hNM-LU-ZIdAoWz4dt5AiGYz8r9-8gZUv_eC6UVBjsIVm6/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZESMicqFT6-gqb2_BJdztsguNN_rOjaRPwRpwLFqKY7Ld2YmbO3w_P6HU199sKCe80-kZGwCL-ITCBYUy0XyaiLSQI-iD25hNM-LU-ZIdAoWz4dt5AiGYz8r9-8gZUv_eC6UVBjsIVm6/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Check out Escapees.com and their special membership deals! </span></td></tr>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-68638414700173586592015-01-04T00:30:00.000-07:002015-01-04T00:46:01.032-07:00Day Tripping South of the Border<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74k4QoGBk7TlHlrpiPHrv6s1pL422bt9Od7aUtae3LG1-L5ZPof-HmW6zp0JI3mUDG-a8ItAhGBP-4Dcs69dsdEcB_Cc39BRXscRCIZHv0gGSQbiWoUU4G6gDSKtTAjovOc8OvvuVBNaH/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74k4QoGBk7TlHlrpiPHrv6s1pL422bt9Od7aUtae3LG1-L5ZPof-HmW6zp0JI3mUDG-a8ItAhGBP-4Dcs69dsdEcB_Cc39BRXscRCIZHv0gGSQbiWoUU4G6gDSKtTAjovOc8OvvuVBNaH/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the more interesting pinatas displayed outside a Mexican merchant</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The last time we crossed the border into Mexico was the winter of 2008 while visiting the Rio Grande Valley. At the recommendation of Valerie's sister we visited a dental clinic and had our teeth cleaned and some dental work done at a fraction of the cost of dental care in the States.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoo3PwRxS6m6fSXALLRvN32zC901iMgX_uNQx5btssPBbvaq2rOFKE57GA_gwUKsXgdtTVfsWHE-86bSYaeI0-gU90D5vOkMlsr3y_aqDY7sSi-mLOEM4C2CHAlVCQFn0oqciXONDhLbBm/s1600/IMG_2514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoo3PwRxS6m6fSXALLRvN32zC901iMgX_uNQx5btssPBbvaq2rOFKE57GA_gwUKsXgdtTVfsWHE-86bSYaeI0-gU90D5vOkMlsr3y_aqDY7sSi-mLOEM4C2CHAlVCQFn0oqciXONDhLbBm/s1600/IMG_2514.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Driving West from Yuma on I-8 en route to Los Algodones, Mexico</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Many of our friends in the Phoenix area and other full time RVers have given us the names of dentists from whom they have received good care in the small town of Los Algodones, Mexico, just south and west of Yuma. And Valerie was eager to get an appointment due a recently broken crown. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfVZhdYP1EKJA_7GAvKJB4lexZKVLkr5Pz7Nh-3xCAKZgBbO7nFMkb7LOZxVKxPAt2IAYk97Ipu3BGTUzJdzLNkWvtu-1w-WuIgQnl_dJoLiQfjRkuGCgQKn14rrcT9wbGEWCX4OA3T-s/s1600/IMG_2516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfVZhdYP1EKJA_7GAvKJB4lexZKVLkr5Pz7Nh-3xCAKZgBbO7nFMkb7LOZxVKxPAt2IAYk97Ipu3BGTUzJdzLNkWvtu-1w-WuIgQnl_dJoLiQfjRkuGCgQKn14rrcT9wbGEWCX4OA3T-s/s1600/IMG_2516.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Eva Urena's office at 4th Street and B Avenue in Los Algodones, Mexico</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The frustration became selecting one of numerous dentists to which we had been referred. Valerie spent time doing extensive research on the internet and decided upon Dr. Eva Urena based upon another full time RVer's research and personal experience and then wavered back to a friend's recommendation. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDQ3O-pXd0UhcRNYjfXg3h3KDvqERSTcGDJkUYZbZJNFrK2vWqBPwkohqSuushF8SncJ3QsoVb7nyy29GPIL4ub6EMuFV0DEzmF2zsUgsuhfZ7kJHcyo_g6x84ZtD3gW3RUdPFjqSWwdg/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDQ3O-pXd0UhcRNYjfXg3h3KDvqERSTcGDJkUYZbZJNFrK2vWqBPwkohqSuushF8SncJ3QsoVb7nyy29GPIL4ub6EMuFV0DEzmF2zsUgsuhfZ7kJHcyo_g6x84ZtD3gW3RUdPFjqSWwdg/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of several colorful courtyards in Los Algodones</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> As fate would have it the phone number for the friend's recommendation was not working (actually it was later learned to be the incorrect number) and she had difficulty finding his listing among the hundreds of practicing dentists from which to choose. Dr. Urena had a website and her qualifications were readily available with internet searches, so we made an appointment for Friday morning.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE01l71vXjUyrHY9FWP16ROjJiZDxNZm0EEeHVrzOAXPEjy8eM2vu0ogRBzzz627V_DyKWKSpR98cCUvwONk1aEHvsC1UUXmYgVLEGGrQw530kr6rtX2Z5dJshvjrreGBooCMHGViGHoCT/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE01l71vXjUyrHY9FWP16ROjJiZDxNZm0EEeHVrzOAXPEjy8eM2vu0ogRBzzz627V_DyKWKSpR98cCUvwONk1aEHvsC1UUXmYgVLEGGrQw530kr6rtX2Z5dJshvjrreGBooCMHGViGHoCT/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A good place to warm up inside Paraiso Restaurant </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The next issue of confusion was the time zone. We had 9 a.m. appointments, but was that Yuma's Mountain Time or Pacific Time, which we would enter as we crossed the border into California before dropping south to cross the border? Dr. Urena's office had emailed us excellent directions in preparation for our visit, along with payment options and was quick to respond to our question that all appointments are based upon 'Arizona' time although they are physically located in Pacific.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UlqGE5AwHlL7kgANVt9hpIv9Jy2J4D8Xhqlfmndqi6HzBpPWtPo1QjLy2EablPUcjIKRLrvFX7Bqq3o2_6kD9ALyXVjYRs4kGzfmpTGs2pgvuomHUQIOD_9cscTzWdPI0jdi2JrKXyDQ/s1600/IMG_2524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UlqGE5AwHlL7kgANVt9hpIv9Jy2J4D8Xhqlfmndqi6HzBpPWtPo1QjLy2EablPUcjIKRLrvFX7Bqq3o2_6kD9ALyXVjYRs4kGzfmpTGs2pgvuomHUQIOD_9cscTzWdPI0jdi2JrKXyDQ/s1600/IMG_2524.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not sure why there was money attached to the ceiling</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> It's approximately a 30 minute drive from where we are staying at The Palms in Yuma to the International Border Crossing at Andrade, California. From Interstate 8 we dropped south at exit #166 on State Route 186 approximately 2 miles and parked the car in the Quechan Indian Tribe's large parking lot for $6 for the day. We walked across the border into Los Algodones and four blocks to the dentist's offices, bombarded by requests to see different dental or optical clinics and to purchase merchandise from sidewalk vendors.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Valerie's scrambled eggs served with bacon, refried beans, salad and tortillas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> We arrived early, filled out brief paperwork, and were put right at ease. Another couple in the waiting area had also read favorable reviews and driven over 140 miles from the California side. We paid $35 each for cleanings, and Valerie made a return appointment for two crowns that need replacing. We found the office clean, the staff professional, cordial and fluent in English, and we did not feel pressured into procedures or added expenses we did not need. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnSCxx93-hSLN7JLbQxMGQUWUe1ce-kJzqV-fvc5PbIBT5kt4Uvtcxrl9NWzdG9GAFV5o5soboTK7vuB7Pic3_0Kbr_PpNKq5lx26dPXp03rbGDpxCxJA3zAQFd1lQuPyB3JEVhx-r-2F/s1600/IMG_2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnSCxx93-hSLN7JLbQxMGQUWUe1ce-kJzqV-fvc5PbIBT5kt4Uvtcxrl9NWzdG9GAFV5o5soboTK7vuB7Pic3_0Kbr_PpNKq5lx26dPXp03rbGDpxCxJA3zAQFd1lQuPyB3JEVhx-r-2F/s1600/IMG_2529.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Purple Pharmacy operates on both sides of this intersection</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Our next stop was at the Purple Pharmacy and Liquor Store to check prices for medications, and George was looking for a good deal on Kahlua and vodka. We were advised that regulations had recently changed and that we could not buy alcohol before 11 a.m. It was a crisp, cold morning and although we had not intended to eat there, we asked for a restaurant recommendation to get in out of the cold until we could purchase all that we wanted.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNa-4l0yAjhdkNCnZyvkJn04L32l6fuqEbMcvKFf22Cc2eoJV2a6NYZBwbfmkpjPa4OQng05uOLM0p6LCJyd453j0JxwY1cs1C6x9Coeo7GHpEdRRDgy8_I2e3-V-kSBZrO6YAi8qRqID/s1600/IMG_2534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNa-4l0yAjhdkNCnZyvkJn04L32l6fuqEbMcvKFf22Cc2eoJV2a6NYZBwbfmkpjPa4OQng05uOLM0p6LCJyd453j0JxwY1cs1C6x9Coeo7GHpEdRRDgy8_I2e3-V-kSBZrO6YAi8qRqID/s1600/IMG_2534.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Can't beat these prices!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Valerie ordered breakfast and George ordered lunch at Paraiso. The bill came to $13 which we paid and returned to the pharmacy. We bought one of Valerie's prescriptions, for which she has been paying $275 for 60, which was $6 for 100. George's Kahlua was $8.99 for the 980 ml bottle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The line for customs to return to the US was not long, thankfully, as the wind was still quite chilly despite the abundant sunshine. We split up the alcohol so that we each had under one liter exempt from taxes and had our passports in hand. There were strict rules, i.e. no photography, no entering the building until told, and George was told to keep moving rather than wait for Valerie.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqp8prxAerLCe-LDIczgPlEGpZYPasDxKKJrm86NQePH3mCiL5H_NE0Gz0iK__lrFQNxE9mZ_xzNpa2OCEHcwp252XAUh5KzvMh1p3SM0oPlOQawcebLcN2K3qw_aIW5Wwep2TdzZOuio/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqp8prxAerLCe-LDIczgPlEGpZYPasDxKKJrm86NQePH3mCiL5H_NE0Gz0iK__lrFQNxE9mZ_xzNpa2OCEHcwp252XAUh5KzvMh1p3SM0oPlOQawcebLcN2K3qw_aIW5Wwep2TdzZOuio/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Los Algodones, Mexico - Home to over 350 practicing dentists</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkLs88-WyhIiSUyoi6eDhbL8DqmzbS04tYIVsudEtx3gZ1gZhm2E9qhlljEUXIDDZXubnQhezXqrnk832JuHmnMbxgG6itgy-PK1sCGIWL16mU8PzfLBXmVqMIUGdI9ZP11tyzZTJAdxa/s1600/IMG_2531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Overall it was a good experience. There were a couple of armed guards not real apparent on the Mexican side. We will return next week to have Valerie's dental work completed with another visit to the pharmacy and liquor store. Hopefully, the day will be a little warmer.</span>Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-90122430833581132962015-01-01T00:57:00.001-07:002015-01-01T00:57:56.815-07:00Farewell to 2014<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-DG5vS1RZ0CWbTrVkpss8ZUYPPxNvuZovuy5cnfs0LuHbUFztgmhRQWyaJYFolmZnJKPWvpT4OWytFHWfOvAetkmaSkb936tUJnAO3bUh3A5ZdsGFiHAvUL1zViuGgCfDEu93C3UEvc/s1600/IMG_3131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF-DG5vS1RZ0CWbTrVkpss8ZUYPPxNvuZovuy5cnfs0LuHbUFztgmhRQWyaJYFolmZnJKPWvpT4OWytFHWfOvAetkmaSkb936tUJnAO3bUh3A5ZdsGFiHAvUL1zViuGgCfDEu93C3UEvc/s1600/IMG_3131.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year 2014!</td></tr>
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We rang in 2014 with friends and fellow campers at Meridian RV Resort in Apache Junction, Arizona. Although we took great pride in having bought our 'last RV first,' we found the RV with the floor plan of our dreams, a 2007 Monaco Camelot, at a nearby dealer. We spent a good bit of time admiring it on the lot, but were unable to come to mutually agreeable terms.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQrVDjkqVR-edD0IkqfaPZcZOuzApfZmOHy_i_60X0DMmVnjbWRz9RE86SOIKpHbrprKcBSsWYbf_lhPsj5MeaENQ89iQwTa2cZsr3dB_9nOrCJE8t7xNVtKm55oR-4AG28Y0J_MrGm72/s1600/DSC00782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQrVDjkqVR-edD0IkqfaPZcZOuzApfZmOHy_i_60X0DMmVnjbWRz9RE86SOIKpHbrprKcBSsWYbf_lhPsj5MeaENQ89iQwTa2cZsr3dB_9nOrCJE8t7xNVtKm55oR-4AG28Y0J_MrGm72/s1600/DSC00782.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annual RV School Quartzsite gathering in the desert is always a great time!</td></tr>
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Late January took us to our annual Quartzsite, Arizona gathering on BLM land in the desert. What a great time we had with many of the RV Driving School's instructors, former students and friends of the school!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iqqfj_YxT8nfotST2DmqK8gp8GFgLkcHKWQqSHrDkX8fbvKs3rys2phCQ1xe7a3-3p2bF6hg-591yjb-OcWu7JCfgaHkcHnPPstakEbl9e4KKJve0OOeICAhfrwXYvbFugdAWF_y964R/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iqqfj_YxT8nfotST2DmqK8gp8GFgLkcHKWQqSHrDkX8fbvKs3rys2phCQ1xe7a3-3p2bF6hg-591yjb-OcWu7JCfgaHkcHnPPstakEbl9e4KKJve0OOeICAhfrwXYvbFugdAWF_y964R/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Congress Boot Camp Team<br /></td></tr>
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From Quartzsite, we took the familiar drive up to the annual Escapees' Boot Camp in Congress, Arizona in early February. We always enjoy these events, sharing information with new RVers and spending time with the staff.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George with J.D. Jenkins, our Las Vegas instructor</td></tr>
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Our next stop was Las Vegas, where we spent two weeks just catching up on business and meeting up with instructor, J.D. Jenkins, and some long time friends. And we couldn't miss the opportunity to fly out to Michigan to celebrate George's brother and sister-in-law's 50th wedding anniversary.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0RnplgpWn6MPJ1BX1p9AbSQY0oncaytidluszOXDtDzEYqkPGTR3jrOcx9N_NaW9N-IPwrIhFgSJ4Jwv-8FqnRC-vHMAs4qE7i3N9wTOXnVEEfg-wtgADtc92eXszxt_5wi0rp1SFfjM/s1600/IMG_3810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0RnplgpWn6MPJ1BX1p9AbSQY0oncaytidluszOXDtDzEYqkPGTR3jrOcx9N_NaW9N-IPwrIhFgSJ4Jwv-8FqnRC-vHMAs4qE7i3N9wTOXnVEEfg-wtgADtc92eXszxt_5wi0rp1SFfjM/s1600/IMG_3810.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congratulations on 50 years together, Jack and Helene!</td></tr>
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The weather was still cool, but we took I-40 stopping in Winslow, Arizona with a quick sightseeing trip to the Meteor Crater, which we had driven past on numerous occasions. We made an overnight stop at the Walmart in Edgewood, NM and then stopped for a couple of days in Amarillo, Texas to catch up laundry, followed by a brief stop in Oklahoma City, and two more Walmart overnights in Van Buren and Forest City, Arkansas.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meteor Crater near Winslow, Arizona</td></tr>
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We stopped just east of Memphis in West Memphis, Arkansas and parked along the Mighty Mississippi River at Tom Sawyer's RV Park for several days, followed by more Walmart nights at Alexander City, Alabama and Jacksonville, Florida. Early March we settled for a month to conduct business and visit family at the Water's Edge RV Park, In Okeechobee, Florida, with a trip to Orlando for the Winnie Gators' Rally.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzxwaK1jjSDgQEmtnTwAph0hcfNcOeTmZZfJi3v_RoCigh8SwXUi8I7uZZaBN2yqGA5iU083OxEZI5uUA_neRNOwY2_9GIKvA3j6T_zDxpy9SHQ9Izp93Ehz0MPw2w9gXlBg1nLFFQ7id/s1600/IMG_4451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzxwaK1jjSDgQEmtnTwAph0hcfNcOeTmZZfJi3v_RoCigh8SwXUi8I7uZZaBN2yqGA5iU083OxEZI5uUA_neRNOwY2_9GIKvA3j6T_zDxpy9SHQ9Izp93Ehz0MPw2w9gXlBg1nLFFQ7id/s1600/IMG_4451.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many hours spent relaxing under the Tiki Hut in Water's Edge RV Park, Okeechobee, Florida</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog parade judging at the Winnie Gators Rally in Orlando, Florida</td></tr>
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Early April we headed north through Jacksonville to Ashland, Virginia and Cherry Hill RV Park, just outside Washington, D.C. in Maryland. We did a good bit of sightseeing on our way to meet with Harrisburg, Pennsylvania instructor, Ray Casselberry, and his wife, Barb.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhm5vZqujoFLRtd6UAM4UCDHcyRoqY3xU7XN-E7TCpqeLxMp_JKnsjCPcCe0KtV9qT3KAbvT-d9Sdu9anBOTaRL3UL1W0AifnG-GzU4SC2j9f1jojbGISABact5VAPl5uacDZrt2Q1bt-/s1600/DSC01641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhm5vZqujoFLRtd6UAM4UCDHcyRoqY3xU7XN-E7TCpqeLxMp_JKnsjCPcCe0KtV9qT3KAbvT-d9Sdu9anBOTaRL3UL1W0AifnG-GzU4SC2j9f1jojbGISABact5VAPl5uacDZrt2Q1bt-/s1600/DSC01641.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No better time to visit D.C. than when the cherry trees are in bloom</td></tr>
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While in Harrisburg, we took a day trip out to nearby Hershey and stopped in Shanksville, Pennsylvania to see the Flight 93 Memorial, before heading out to Goshen, Indiana for another Escapees Boot Camp and the yearly rally, Escapade, in early May.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The site where United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania September 11, 2001</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6jEn_hm8ytqddmRIvNoc76oOEEBaVnlJf9lat-YytDync0tDuenZXfR4Nw8faQP1dwrMhbP6rbUbNRsaCZIyL74Ylb7t3Q8BYyFECw3to8i8_sgffRJqSpTuXSVDE-wEl5nGrqHJ1LV6/s1600/IMG_6916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6jEn_hm8ytqddmRIvNoc76oOEEBaVnlJf9lat-YytDync0tDuenZXfR4Nw8faQP1dwrMhbP6rbUbNRsaCZIyL74Ylb7t3Q8BYyFECw3to8i8_sgffRJqSpTuXSVDE-wEl5nGrqHJ1LV6/s1600/IMG_6916.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner with several RV School instructors and spouses at Das Essenhaus in Middlebury, Indiana</td></tr>
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Our next stop was Kansas City to meet with instructor, Matt Genasci, and his wife, Dee. We stayed at Lake Jacomo Campground for two weeks then moved to Worlds of Fun Village north of Kansas City to attend Valerie's family reunion in nearby Odessa. In the meantime, George had re-established negotiations with Auto Boss RV in Phoenix, which accepted the offer we had extended in January. George hopped on a plane and flew to Phoenix to finalize the deal, and we were soon on our way south in the heat of the summer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqCtO4_Iw9RYEzcBSgFrXZbVmsZ3jUkzQ8zRKh-bcyOcIlltcqq-TNg-SOWFO-FenoeJGeAO4MURUchBxjnQcg9FVS7_I4lJaBLTU3nbij2hfIM6Ciyt3OwPCYUJsazSv2mseF8lf5oNj/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqCtO4_Iw9RYEzcBSgFrXZbVmsZ3jUkzQ8zRKh-bcyOcIlltcqq-TNg-SOWFO-FenoeJGeAO4MURUchBxjnQcg9FVS7_I4lJaBLTU3nbij2hfIM6Ciyt3OwPCYUJsazSv2mseF8lf5oNj/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" height="368" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family reunion in Odessa Missouri </td></tr>
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We left Monday, June 16, stopping at Walmart in Pratt, Kansas. Tuesday we stopped in Tucumcari, New Mexico at Mountain View RV Park. Wednesday we stopped in Flagstaff at the Twin Arrows Casino and made our way to Phoenix on Thursday afternoon to pick up our new-to-us coach. We spent the first night in the Camelot at the dealership and moved the next day to nearby Viewpoint RV and Golf Resort where we parked the rigs side-by-side for several days. It was HOT -- nearly 106 every day, and we, (especially the dogs), were quite anxious to get back on the road north.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvXwUAVEHCRxhGLGEk1p0LxhSeelBWygpxFmp0fJ99rtChumE3MVI57A6gyclEq5vq7KauWfagZNGIvd0bn7QyzaKrTvZjc71vEguLwwUlJ3VyhRNNw35bN6TPRfrQw2bk12vMgqoH6KK/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvXwUAVEHCRxhGLGEk1p0LxhSeelBWygpxFmp0fJ99rtChumE3MVI57A6gyclEq5vq7KauWfagZNGIvd0bn7QyzaKrTvZjc71vEguLwwUlJ3VyhRNNw35bN6TPRfrQw2bk12vMgqoH6KK/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" height="596" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy in our new home -- the Camelot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNKo1hRb5WxvIWfU9wluIHk0RwezP8uHuO8wZe3HKP319msiBLquUfMULNpkdf8renVPL7TIQZ8JhdXM9ZlYErlRa2vh8A5iQIWtsglJtBwUXMxtn8l4kR-4BM6ncxSpQ7iUsnQm4BJ2U/s1600/IMG_0896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNKo1hRb5WxvIWfU9wluIHk0RwezP8uHuO8wZe3HKP319msiBLquUfMULNpkdf8renVPL7TIQZ8JhdXM9ZlYErlRa2vh8A5iQIWtsglJtBwUXMxtn8l4kR-4BM6ncxSpQ7iUsnQm4BJ2U/s1600/IMG_0896.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troy and Betty Hanson</td></tr>
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Following stops in Camp Verde, Arizona, Ancoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo, Colorado, we arrived in Colorado Springs to meet with instructor Troy Hanson and his wife, Betty. We then moved north to Boulder and Longmont with the hope to meet with instructor Asher Haun and his wife. Valerie's daughter, Lindsay, lives and works in the area and was helpful in keeping us delightfully entertained. </div>
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Lindsay accompanied us to the Twin Cities, where she has a second office, from Longmont. George has been recruiting an instructor in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with the hope of offering lessons here. He met with a couple of people while were at Mystic Lake Casino for visits with his son and two daughters. </div>
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It was about this time issues with the motor home began to snowball, and combined with family responsibilities and travels, Valerie fell behind on our blog. It looks like now is the right time to let it go and resolve to do better in 2015.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George's family gathered in the Twin Cities</td></tr>
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August we headed south to Des Moines. We enjoyed a day at the Iowa State Fair as well as some of the local tourist attractions -- Bridges of Madison County and John Wayne's birth place in nearby Marion.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iowa State Fair</td></tr>
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We spent another two weeks in Kansas City, followed by a week in Columbia, Missouri and then headed for Ann Arbor, Michigan. We met up with George's twin nephews, Jim and John, and caravanned down to the RV-Dreams Rally in Goshen, Indiana. It was our first educational rally with Howard and Linda Payne, and we were impressed with the quality of the seminars and the social event planning behind the scenes. We look forward to participating the their fall rally in Sevierville, Tennessee.</div>
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After a return to Michigan to take care of some business, Anderson, Indiana seemed like a good stop-over so Valerie could fly back to Kansas City. We stayed at Timberline Valley RV Park. It was a bit of a challenge getting the Monaco parked there, but a nice park, nevertheless. </div>
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The time for our long awaited service appointment arrived, and we had a long list of items which needed to be addressed at Allied Recreation Group facility in Decatur, Indiana. With the weekend and the wait for parts we spent a rainy week with early morning appointments getting repairs done on the Monaco.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEiGm88gArKzby3R8FRUWg8U2m78ckYhP_u2VAI3EJRNVlhsYgg3Qhb7ZHGBpNsL0IN-Ia_iUiS37Y0Ow196K6jiF8u0WdeVSHN_4_2-Y1Rgov-gepINiQ2bY3V2tDhYLVyystrGQAqJz/s1600/IMG_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEiGm88gArKzby3R8FRUWg8U2m78ckYhP_u2VAI3EJRNVlhsYgg3Qhb7ZHGBpNsL0IN-Ia_iUiS37Y0Ow196K6jiF8u0WdeVSHN_4_2-Y1Rgov-gepINiQ2bY3V2tDhYLVyystrGQAqJz/s1600/IMG_0140.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great times at the RV-Dreams Educational Rally in Goshen, Indiana</td></tr>
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We left Decatur mid-October and headed south as it began to get colder. We spent two weeks back at Tom Sawyer's RV Park in West Memphis, with the hope to catch up on business between rallies. We found time to do some sightseeing after we were joined by George's nephew, Jim and his wife, Terry.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guys at Brewer's Auto Body Shop in Memphis re-attaching the door which broke off our engine compartment</td></tr>
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After a Walmart night at Sikeston, Missouri and Bryant, Arkansas, we stopped at M & G Engineering in Athens, Texas to get the air braking system connected onto the Subaru. George really enjoyed learning more about the company and it's founder, Leon Meadows.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQDkBopGM-7M9UJWwGbyQjwbtWukJVKIAPQmy21lhvA8TbhcVgIGDgPoXFHiMMR01KdXWhmTpgPIi9EZGZGY77xnFYOQg5l6oM0Jvq7GZpZR4z-bchfsq_RMZdXXnSiFSdc27IerPrftv/s1600/IMG_1485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQDkBopGM-7M9UJWwGbyQjwbtWukJVKIAPQmy21lhvA8TbhcVgIGDgPoXFHiMMR01KdXWhmTpgPIi9EZGZGY77xnFYOQg5l6oM0Jvq7GZpZR4z-bchfsq_RMZdXXnSiFSdc27IerPrftv/s1600/IMG_1485.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner with instructors Greg Pyke and wife, Rosemary, and Glyn Carson and wife, Diane</td></tr>
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Livingston, Texas and Escapees' headquarters was our next stop for the annual Boot Camp, which again became two Boot Camps on consecutive weekends. We especially enjoyed time with instructors Glyn Carson and his wife Diane, and Greg Pyke and his wife, Rosemary. Boot Camp director, Mark Nemeth and former RV School owner, Dennis Hill and his wife Carol hosted delicious dinners for the staff. Thanks, guys!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZsoBYacsWDBFhvXTO8z3GCcMiiAOgMWwx3z0FNh9aDWfw8sV2rKGa1kVZRYxY1jvcKN3R8NemrUJGV97upkxXoDNhgpY40ld9wVyH6rmJHppXBYhuIZas4fpn8GfOisg34MSEKc_JgsJ/s1600/IMG_1902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZsoBYacsWDBFhvXTO8z3GCcMiiAOgMWwx3z0FNh9aDWfw8sV2rKGa1kVZRYxY1jvcKN3R8NemrUJGV97upkxXoDNhgpY40ld9wVyH6rmJHppXBYhuIZas4fpn8GfOisg34MSEKc_JgsJ/s1600/IMG_1902.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving dinner with Lynne and Carl Bynum</td></tr>
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From Livingston with stops in Kerrville, Fort Stockton, and Anthony, in Texas, and Benson, Arizona, we arrived in Mesa, returning to Viewpoint RV Park for a week for some doctor visits and other business. We enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner as guests of friends, Lynne and Carl Bynum in Tempe. </div>
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We had decided to try a different location this winter and moved south again to Yuma. Valerie flew to Kansas City for a pre-Christmas visit with her son and his family and George flew to Minneapolis to spend Christmas with his family and for a doctor visit in preparation of cataract surgery. We quietly rang in 2015 at The Palms RV Resort.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George and family in the Twin Cities</td></tr>
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It's hard to believe we've been on the road for so many years. There is much we still hope to accomplish -- many more roads to travel and much more country to see. We value our families, friends and acquaintances who cheer us along on our journey. Safe travels and wishes for health, prosperity and happiness to all of you!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying gorgeous sunsets at The Palms in Yuma</td></tr>
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<br />Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-84763893909001867662014-12-26T23:29:00.002-07:002014-12-26T23:29:55.358-07:00A Month in Minneapolis ... Twin Cities Time!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmSRdI3j7uoZvm4HrhqYiNGGXmGoTGOZmkCdYBnhYZWiMLMGC7KtdxF55tQAPJinaWtMKKAbB8sNs5pYtSStUrMhyGunB3cSdZn2dat-9I0svMZ6LaDvW5_qOV-IfYJYLd8SA_OEDmXtk/s1600/IMG_9125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmSRdI3j7uoZvm4HrhqYiNGGXmGoTGOZmkCdYBnhYZWiMLMGC7KtdxF55tQAPJinaWtMKKAbB8sNs5pYtSStUrMhyGunB3cSdZn2dat-9I0svMZ6LaDvW5_qOV-IfYJYLd8SA_OEDmXtk/s1600/IMG_9125.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dakotah Meadows Campground in Prior Lake, MN</td></tr>
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We stayed at Dakotah Meadows RV Park at the Mystic Lake Casino on the southern edge of the Twin Cities in Prior Lake, Minnesota from July 7 until August 12. George lived here for many years and had lots of business to attend to as well as lots of family to visit. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George's two beautiful daughters, Patti and Kathy, are happy to see us!</td></tr>
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The casino has lots of activities and concerts going on. We missed most of the events, with the exception of the Rib Fest, as we were quite busy working, getting further settled into the Camelot, attending to some maintenance issues, and spending time with family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun evening including dinner at Mystic Lake Steak House with the Lukeharts, Lee and Janet</td></tr>
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They say that Minnesota has two seasons -- winter and road construction! With family in every direction, we found detours on top of detours and we were apologetically calling in late for several occasions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68M0A5fUVqhkctZNPu1Lxj_x4LwsPU2r0KFQ3EYc2OPCkyaPyNP9Zhs-eNAGVqP46vbtqZhrunAvQQWOioDZUFfnTIjlriKbzjQEsNI24rrsz2t8AKao3vGvSY2EHslVUEFI0e-3yxVvL/s1600/IMG_0922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68M0A5fUVqhkctZNPu1Lxj_x4LwsPU2r0KFQ3EYc2OPCkyaPyNP9Zhs-eNAGVqP46vbtqZhrunAvQQWOioDZUFfnTIjlriKbzjQEsNI24rrsz2t8AKao3vGvSY2EHslVUEFI0e-3yxVvL/s1600/IMG_0922.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Remembering Mary Lou, George's wife of forty years, at the tree planted in her memory in French Regional Park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BApd4w153OvMqPeZQEK_3iZbCE5DjiAtUyjchSfG-8SwZ_29r1mISPGfhM-poiPXur3wB-dsujDHl0XGaxCxzRod9oaTGigU80tm0C6Qab3wWlhBlIKNqYSnFBi3QmDb7exjLnoidGC0/s1600/IMG_9032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BApd4w153OvMqPeZQEK_3iZbCE5DjiAtUyjchSfG-8SwZ_29r1mISPGfhM-poiPXur3wB-dsujDHl0XGaxCxzRod9oaTGigU80tm0C6Qab3wWlhBlIKNqYSnFBi3QmDb7exjLnoidGC0/s1600/IMG_9032.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer found this teeny-tiny frog</td></tr>
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Friends and full-timers, Lee and Janet Lukehart, were also in the park, and we greatly enjoyed spending time together. Lee has assisted the RV Driving School so much with improvements to our database. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at the steak house inside casino (after learning it would be an hour and a half to two hours' wait for the seafood buffet) before their departure.<br />
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George's former classmate, Greg Walsh, and his wife, Kathleen came out for a visit, and we met George's sisters and brother-in-law for dinner as well.<br />
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Tom's Mobile RV Service technicians came out to the park and assisted with some of our issues -- rewiring the driver's seat chair so we could turn it around, reattached a loose air intake tube in the engine compartment, and made some observations for further needed repairs. George replaced two chassis batteries to get our engine started and will probably replace more later.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCvxzspnqa-zh5IVIEAukUI173bUmgSdp_k4_5rLUH7cHDX1PQflT9vA917QW2yWWk8h1gz1uwZYwXeTwlDMzWPm6gtPDv-4HHM5bHOcDY9Cw0KBjkdKzBY2fMFnViYF-kVuTRTQ9oc1z/s1600/IMG_9042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCvxzspnqa-zh5IVIEAukUI173bUmgSdp_k4_5rLUH7cHDX1PQflT9vA917QW2yWWk8h1gz1uwZYwXeTwlDMzWPm6gtPDv-4HHM5bHOcDY9Cw0KBjkdKzBY2fMFnViYF-kVuTRTQ9oc1z/s1600/IMG_9042.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner hosted by George's in-laws, John and Judy Rys, with Jim and Joanne Spevacek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwCYzLa4o5f5f7fov4oftcuWfM6Rj247HzntH41xINbr1Kovw0_-5ze85Jdw4RaR4dcNfCrpgw6iarxGjzaZjRkbzZ23N0SUHNrx-OdH0k1o-iDTQP8I6NCsSGq5elY1PJKZ8IZllnQDz/s1600/IMG_8982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwCYzLa4o5f5f7fov4oftcuWfM6Rj247HzntH41xINbr1Kovw0_-5ze85Jdw4RaR4dcNfCrpgw6iarxGjzaZjRkbzZ23N0SUHNrx-OdH0k1o-iDTQP8I6NCsSGq5elY1PJKZ8IZllnQDz/s1600/IMG_8982.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George treated by Lindsay at ModernPoint Acupuncture </td></tr>
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCvxzspnqa-zh5IVIEAukUI173bUmgSdp_k4_5rLUH7cHDX1PQflT9vA917QW2yWWk8h1gz1uwZYwXeTwlDMzWPm6gtPDv-4HHM5bHOcDY9Cw0KBjkdKzBY2fMFnViYF-kVuTRTQ9oc1z/s1600/IMG_9042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a> We contacted a couple of mattress companies to help us decide how to rectify the excess length which prohibits us from pulling in the rear slides without raising the storage compartment door beneath it first. Valerie never was able to find a satisfactory number on the Select Comfort, so we continue to look for a good permanent remedy to this annoying obstacle.<br />
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Fleetwood RV in Decatur, Indiana has us scheduled for the larger service items following the RV Dreams Educational Rally in Goshen, which we are eagerly anticipating <a href="http://www.rv-dreams.com/rally2.html" target="_blank">http://www.rv-dreams.com/rally2.html</a>. Valerie is currently scheduling appointments for private lessons in the area for early to late September.<br />
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We will post some photos of our month-long stay here with captions, but will not bore you with the details, especially since we have lots of catching up to do on this and Valerie's other blog. Our next stop is Des Moines, where George agreed to meet a newbie (novice RVer) at the dealership, where the timing just happened to be right, as we planned to drop south into Kansas City.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5SYf4I-jsWZ5voOZadb5wQjfmnlrAqpcfU3OSwH0lejtK9iaRCW9qUfWHQaSpx10wrhp0OB0Puy1xLEESKtcpYpB82w9hbtAC4z9woP1GlA-2IdDq_l7a2T4T04oSLlG3hViD_Ih3N52/s1600/DSC03024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5SYf4I-jsWZ5voOZadb5wQjfmnlrAqpcfU3OSwH0lejtK9iaRCW9qUfWHQaSpx10wrhp0OB0Puy1xLEESKtcpYpB82w9hbtAC4z9woP1GlA-2IdDq_l7a2T4T04oSLlG3hViD_Ih3N52/s1600/DSC03024.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandson, Max, entertained us in his role as Danny Zuko at the Ames Center in a production of <i>Grease</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkd5rOlmw1gYz0USGoHzMxJLvohwQr90uG51r0T3jVn1WCKTbr3Ta47BnndB0FfMvuXfzsayokcl9wnOBeeu_Az-nY1MaN0ums6LMsX1SvRgaXIJs8cWh8IK1E9rq83tfkRkquY6EdzJq/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkd5rOlmw1gYz0USGoHzMxJLvohwQr90uG51r0T3jVn1WCKTbr3Ta47BnndB0FfMvuXfzsayokcl9wnOBeeu_Az-nY1MaN0ums6LMsX1SvRgaXIJs8cWh8IK1E9rq83tfkRkquY6EdzJq/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed <i>Grease</i> so much we returned for a second night to the Play's the Thing Productions' performance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQQMGNan-F6M240pe-9KIjqwU807AR8KixgaRfxRDsJ0VX8YRuRvF8PhyphenhyphenDY8LWYaK3bzJmlCsTAQaSX_j2vxzVUnNYhILph4nwjwxYw6YFPRTHbhgNhoRNTk4PGtc0rsYd-6oE27i8ngi/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQQMGNan-F6M240pe-9KIjqwU807AR8KixgaRfxRDsJ0VX8YRuRvF8PhyphenhyphenDY8LWYaK3bzJmlCsTAQaSX_j2vxzVUnNYhILph4nwjwxYw6YFPRTHbhgNhoRNTk4PGtc0rsYd-6oE27i8ngi/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner with the family</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBksRGXe8OmSkVEsvLB1ccmb05BQEPk7WHCXWWVVfzqxAgFOOUS_S5lZDgUZT2qCCgg4t1na2JIPPC0HQVuH_l9Mc-DXmLCqmKE1t3kSUjKWr3BdrWbcTpXb6ioRnavbFqCWxB1jruQTn-/s1600/IMG_9238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBksRGXe8OmSkVEsvLB1ccmb05BQEPk7WHCXWWVVfzqxAgFOOUS_S5lZDgUZT2qCCgg4t1na2JIPPC0HQVuH_l9Mc-DXmLCqmKE1t3kSUjKWr3BdrWbcTpXb6ioRnavbFqCWxB1jruQTn-/s1600/IMG_9238.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy day walk across the bridge to the Polish Festival<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMwv7Mw7zGIZ2AP1oZsk8hlR0jUHCrmUzZVLRBRcZ0GDZJqhX_Kt1m-yeCS-77op1myA_tF8JgeB_RBcNoUPZnCxH7ZT8EBDnyrfYitrXw6usyH8aoC_opFdBkgWdUGLh82I51eZzSraQ/s1600/IMG_9237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMwv7Mw7zGIZ2AP1oZsk8hlR0jUHCrmUzZVLRBRcZ0GDZJqhX_Kt1m-yeCS-77op1myA_tF8JgeB_RBcNoUPZnCxH7ZT8EBDnyrfYitrXw6usyH8aoC_opFdBkgWdUGLh82I51eZzSraQ/s1600/IMG_9237.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pedal pub looks like fun</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathy and Patti looking for Uncle John</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7ywIaO42IcXsjlY_jm8kDDebX2ejhBlp8s61Que-hhLyiFLAXPh77DEnKBtS3Ho0xMhVbl8FPSu0FUkzGYub0Qy4zFi0eQhCZ-214FSMEYWz2bDJO16DVHhA-rcKMGScUy45TF9A-lFA/s1600/IMG_9278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7ywIaO42IcXsjlY_jm8kDDebX2ejhBlp8s61Que-hhLyiFLAXPh77DEnKBtS3Ho0xMhVbl8FPSu0FUkzGYub0Qy4zFi0eQhCZ-214FSMEYWz2bDJO16DVHhA-rcKMGScUy45TF9A-lFA/s1600/IMG_9278.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids performing 'the Chicken Dance'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0o3GArCmgpP5X4mJhQAJXvGSFmwl8tunOEBrhPTmAzGzRHZdMax_yLEmPMX-Z5NR8YS4r2mjqSXP4B5ytWZose6dU7g4sdxaRN3VofS7ju4tTAfujzSm_ckH0joxMu6vQNfSCEgw1x2dq/s1600/IMG_9018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0o3GArCmgpP5X4mJhQAJXvGSFmwl8tunOEBrhPTmAzGzRHZdMax_yLEmPMX-Z5NR8YS4r2mjqSXP4B5ytWZose6dU7g4sdxaRN3VofS7ju4tTAfujzSm_ckH0joxMu6vQNfSCEgw1x2dq/s1600/IMG_9018.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mark's Catholic Church in Shakopee</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5m-buw3eHALSZJRiF85MB_AjtjCEY5NLGY_z2TPhNHoWjPP2DSekdJ_aFAttRyjyUXVGICOEtxWpOXn7KeSP2N7k4KD9omwT5JLBc_bsTLmY3p2iM-dqWH0hSoZWjz7nz2ktOU9dMnes/s1600/IMG_9047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5m-buw3eHALSZJRiF85MB_AjtjCEY5NLGY_z2TPhNHoWjPP2DSekdJ_aFAttRyjyUXVGICOEtxWpOXn7KeSP2N7k4KD9omwT5JLBc_bsTLmY3p2iM-dqWH0hSoZWjz7nz2ktOU9dMnes/s1600/IMG_9047.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rib Fest 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHLXa4RDu5IBr4OPHWjRD2kfrLJjWI9MFo6QtSwFakgNxDH2gXUE4C9BTSB71JMm9gv2cKCsMQRlbt-9Nnsx63i0ViinfTuxlbfVjXm5dnLotAoKZdZeikzSp8i2vuyaXDGFuvnaxAPkd/s1600/IMG_9195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHLXa4RDu5IBr4OPHWjRD2kfrLJjWI9MFo6QtSwFakgNxDH2gXUE4C9BTSB71JMm9gv2cKCsMQRlbt-9Nnsx63i0ViinfTuxlbfVjXm5dnLotAoKZdZeikzSp8i2vuyaXDGFuvnaxAPkd/s1600/IMG_9195.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow over the Camelot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S4mfIKfJD6MM5qkmemqQSoZQhCOJY4ljyLTLIKFkBC2JqXCkuRAeNht6dRFwrZ8T0AQ-4EQcNeHag3VXe7ofFg0DZ7rOJdFiLgwAU2bXVTYVqmHLXnxgPbdQcO0LNCrp1Ap7p0SiXepn/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S4mfIKfJD6MM5qkmemqQSoZQhCOJY4ljyLTLIKFkBC2JqXCkuRAeNht6dRFwrZ8T0AQ-4EQcNeHag3VXe7ofFg0DZ7rOJdFiLgwAU2bXVTYVqmHLXnxgPbdQcO0LNCrp1Ap7p0SiXepn/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Camping Weekend</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhwzTd1tXl2yeruENrwznwclbEJwIDrANGpZ2oijE5G-VaqlxULDOLnNDZS8_TT9UkH-qQ_bxhvw7XqstzcCahd1ewRjrWA7hIg4FwWFJwpqLH0DSUlrwyGRQ8jCl52CR8Vx-xfvkwz5U/s1600/IMG_9007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhwzTd1tXl2yeruENrwznwclbEJwIDrANGpZ2oijE5G-VaqlxULDOLnNDZS8_TT9UkH-qQ_bxhvw7XqstzcCahd1ewRjrWA7hIg4FwWFJwpqLH0DSUlrwyGRQ8jCl52CR8Vx-xfvkwz5U/s1600/IMG_9007.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand-dogs Tucker and Sailor are loving it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-GILlav54WumEdII0Jd-_Cqe2TLlQzmGw6twgAj7TX6krj2PgUEAGB7CrnKcOfjiCJZR7M4t8jGcW19hlUMucRv5dzPQLlTVBHW2AWLqUi8Hxd-V47sBcLIVzZ-ZmYQrrS2tNwDQvRXD/s1600/IMG_9087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-GILlav54WumEdII0Jd-_Cqe2TLlQzmGw6twgAj7TX6krj2PgUEAGB7CrnKcOfjiCJZR7M4t8jGcW19hlUMucRv5dzPQLlTVBHW2AWLqUi8Hxd-V47sBcLIVzZ-ZmYQrrS2tNwDQvRXD/s1600/IMG_9087.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tucker and Pippa have an occasional friendly dispute</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55lMeFBESkEZcwVk2E4TvHdIQxMGPydXRCYedrpetmaGwFk9EPE3W802V75OCvDiSIWmFEoKiqhnsksocTLEjhwrcAX2-yrMQ1qIky5VJQqS2_pWJuP6jKCFXFzog87aHuC4AuqBwh48s/s1600/IMG_9103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55lMeFBESkEZcwVk2E4TvHdIQxMGPydXRCYedrpetmaGwFk9EPE3W802V75OCvDiSIWmFEoKiqhnsksocTLEjhwrcAX2-yrMQ1qIky5VJQqS2_pWJuP6jKCFXFzog87aHuC4AuqBwh48s/s1600/IMG_9103.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday boy all smiles after the McCartney concert</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEPw1vG22e82D0yC1z3IzpErkREZguroDbjWq5tsP_EcB2xr7SCqosAaeBYTGeEo-9H21CmZyNqwvBWxIL3Q2eLi5BLbD0_lKiMkBh9N4UmXwFtuC1p0uqoIeXpq0lw0iKKM7l2HbVe-r/s1600/IMG_8993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEPw1vG22e82D0yC1z3IzpErkREZguroDbjWq5tsP_EcB2xr7SCqosAaeBYTGeEo-9H21CmZyNqwvBWxIL3Q2eLi5BLbD0_lKiMkBh9N4UmXwFtuC1p0uqoIeXpq0lw0iKKM7l2HbVe-r/s1600/IMG_8993.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Mystic Lake and the Dakotah Meadows Campground</td></tr>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5310707932349387394.post-10041956161735989792014-08-16T01:37:00.003-07:002014-08-16T01:37:47.682-07:00Longmont and Across the Great Prairie...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL91VJthgSDYbm_VNGB1hpG5AR2O8_9B0Ly6HDnbRiJVuvGD4EglYGV5amHl9PHssAkTfV2fkJNXWxj6yCDeuJIsROR1o4_qkwkSFneGdTDq8Lh4TynOkZ9x299tsC-VPGe4Xzps0dpjQ/s1600/IMG_8797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL91VJthgSDYbm_VNGB1hpG5AR2O8_9B0Ly6HDnbRiJVuvGD4EglYGV5amHl9PHssAkTfV2fkJNXWxj6yCDeuJIsROR1o4_qkwkSFneGdTDq8Lh4TynOkZ9x299tsC-VPGe4Xzps0dpjQ/s1600/IMG_8797.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Vrain State Park just outside Longmont, Colorado</td></tr>
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While in Longmont, we enjoyed a pull through site with electric at nearby St. Vrain State Park. There were beautiful views of the front range mountains and some nice walking trails. Our site was right on a lake with a covered picnic table.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOe7-CiT2q-O63KLY7sbdOxT-1qQqYDD741Wf1KMVLzxoFcrMuPqxGu1D8F5NlwqVa3ywhX8_Fyp0L57Wkp_jPh_L0gbK6YVXVqHIRAFWLIRwCFMz-yZp_SBqHyRcahql53hzMzZXRakQ/s1600/IMG_8758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOe7-CiT2q-O63KLY7sbdOxT-1qQqYDD741Wf1KMVLzxoFcrMuPqxGu1D8F5NlwqVa3ywhX8_Fyp0L57Wkp_jPh_L0gbK6YVXVqHIRAFWLIRwCFMz-yZp_SBqHyRcahql53hzMzZXRakQ/s1600/IMG_8758.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Camelot lakeside at St. Vrain State Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFKyh4GvV2-eIOOL-u1MfuCpJ6kUICAcvTkfwKRZ5eVCeToTgktJ58QVrlHlEJMsd2PNy7CAt67QiJDqYlUzasRIzCUxT8qMHeJFkeIGcGJLngYsFyCzhGrCcBcBtTJYYN5Og_WxkYVeA/s1600/IMG_8789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFKyh4GvV2-eIOOL-u1MfuCpJ6kUICAcvTkfwKRZ5eVCeToTgktJ58QVrlHlEJMsd2PNy7CAt67QiJDqYlUzasRIzCUxT8qMHeJFkeIGcGJLngYsFyCzhGrCcBcBtTJYYN5Og_WxkYVeA/s1600/IMG_8789.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a little hazy, but you can see the Front Range if you look closely.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCa93CNLiIQQec_ijeYvFeGYpbYa6ajG5JyhACRTyMypWkJnUQC2_YcFwMe983yRYlDZkX1Wv2HJ6ob2_iG3TmynrKWgDrmnXGvYEbtOaxoWM3pj20uYroVIQFDHbDlsNlIygl98CdNlQ/s1600/IMG_8777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCa93CNLiIQQec_ijeYvFeGYpbYa6ajG5JyhACRTyMypWkJnUQC2_YcFwMe983yRYlDZkX1Wv2HJ6ob2_iG3TmynrKWgDrmnXGvYEbtOaxoWM3pj20uYroVIQFDHbDlsNlIygl98CdNlQ/s1600/IMG_8777.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty wildflowers along the trail...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtrvpct0DbIL66Z4yto6Wjie6HWvKvsiNgGGk2WjIr4JQPBArkSYudJN8w-XbUvZAqP-9H2Qnt6R-84xzdDrdXnANtYMpGwugKF9m1wp9oe9EawcGiwC5PBlD0EkxWzdTZvdeGtc4ak-U/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtrvpct0DbIL66Z4yto6Wjie6HWvKvsiNgGGk2WjIr4JQPBArkSYudJN8w-XbUvZAqP-9H2Qnt6R-84xzdDrdXnANtYMpGwugKF9m1wp9oe9EawcGiwC5PBlD0EkxWzdTZvdeGtc4ak-U/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucile's Creole Cafe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHuXUiOiSuT-rcoBfkB_291E9luDqTmh2p6NSZPL-ZteNRAuP4tiBBi-RuBwK9KIkLut1Ct4xERLlA91wdgfVbJQ24iP8i3CYBLJIST0GNuFm8EqOOeY8UeGPX9nW3RAIzTrH2LIm7EPrh/s1600/IMG_8754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHuXUiOiSuT-rcoBfkB_291E9luDqTmh2p6NSZPL-ZteNRAuP4tiBBi-RuBwK9KIkLut1Ct4xERLlA91wdgfVbJQ24iP8i3CYBLJIST0GNuFm8EqOOeY8UeGPX9nW3RAIzTrH2LIm7EPrh/s1600/IMG_8754.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't notice until it was too late -- "No Cruising" in Longmont</td></tr>
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Although we did not spend much time in Longmont, we found some nice restaurants and an interesting downtown area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X5EuoA_5dW1bKHsHl9g89R0ggMvwJcwXKPBaviYsTOb4UJCYMdXP-389g_KWnmMDsV-XgNqNhRvZHQhOdcdeFrMZxbGH974KARTUk5E2nZwgUKOq6JqNujV0T1p08wlBm98esDuavTuK/s1600/IMG_8756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X5EuoA_5dW1bKHsHl9g89R0ggMvwJcwXKPBaviYsTOb4UJCYMdXP-389g_KWnmMDsV-XgNqNhRvZHQhOdcdeFrMZxbGH974KARTUk5E2nZwgUKOq6JqNujV0T1p08wlBm98esDuavTuK/s1600/IMG_8756.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful downtown Longmont</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oBVCY_Ce2NstWOIiIzhaRAxmMMwSYmc_Q6gAyhNtBzHWjf2HxKCgXWe5d6DX33eiJYjSunCVb5wzg2PkHR3yj7FtFyQZ17gCWhc0Uvyn5-PR_435c_2WJnZNLI0BbaDAq3bGFyKBpnzx/s1600/IMG_8751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oBVCY_Ce2NstWOIiIzhaRAxmMMwSYmc_Q6gAyhNtBzHWjf2HxKCgXWe5d6DX33eiJYjSunCVb5wzg2PkHR3yj7FtFyQZ17gCWhc0Uvyn5-PR_435c_2WJnZNLI0BbaDAq3bGFyKBpnzx/s1600/IMG_8751.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting sculpture on the way into Longmont </td></tr>
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We took off Sunday afternoon, July 6, with Valerie's daughter, Lindsay, on board for Minneapolis, where George needed to recruit an instructor and had some lessons to teach. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UTLKfB-QgavlmgTu6QV4s2FKYTSQsT-WXNxcnsWX8qBKuSD2D56LDb4IrRI0ijCOQxOYOfKVN1x1JrOT5WAS2IwhAfpYeu39uJsRDEmZWux44egTsU58-4oPN7PGadDCncYDUr2t_fSw/s1600/IMG_8919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UTLKfB-QgavlmgTu6QV4s2FKYTSQsT-WXNxcnsWX8qBKuSD2D56LDb4IrRI0ijCOQxOYOfKVN1x1JrOT5WAS2IwhAfpYeu39uJsRDEmZWux44egTsU58-4oPN7PGadDCncYDUr2t_fSw/s1600/IMG_8919.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile after mile after mile of prairie!</td></tr>
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We put on a lot of miles, stopping for the night at the Ogalalla rest area in Nebraska. We got a good night's sleep and an early start on a second long day, hoping to make our destination in the Twin Cities by Monday night. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBZSBsdoYVTtfTQm7OELXX6rYiZYe4FZLbROH2bUi2dBn5y5P7CInc7fPzF-uF3ENtTps9ArsmctmJcJ5CHIWFjyiMkcE_eMxf905USrM-snRpeAfpsu1Z-SWgYAwu-1Z7-TPIyAmSK7X/s1600/IMG_8931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBZSBsdoYVTtfTQm7OELXX6rYiZYe4FZLbROH2bUi2dBn5y5P7CInc7fPzF-uF3ENtTps9ArsmctmJcJ5CHIWFjyiMkcE_eMxf905USrM-snRpeAfpsu1Z-SWgYAwu-1Z7-TPIyAmSK7X/s1600/IMG_8931.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valerie captured a couple of barns.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMwMfEaHBGYDsqaVvYhyphenhyphend9MIaEuCRsZWfbrnqYfZtPfhnJIAyxNJtS8JXTBzQ-jDjlZQ9Xd46Uc9w01ESPMUQdBy3EsMfua6W-OMi9lTrNlYUfBXu1-YC4YcBn3IItMZyVexOuGyDiQL6/s1600/IMG_8938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMwMfEaHBGYDsqaVvYhyphenhyphend9MIaEuCRsZWfbrnqYfZtPfhnJIAyxNJtS8JXTBzQ-jDjlZQ9Xd46Uc9w01ESPMUQdBy3EsMfua6W-OMi9lTrNlYUfBXu1-YC4YcBn3IItMZyVexOuGyDiQL6/s1600/IMG_8938.JPG" height="470" width="640" /></a><br />
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The trip was long and uneventful. Lindsay got behind the wheel and drove around a rest area but was not comfortable driving on the highway. We arrived safely at Dakotah Meadows RV Park at the Mystic Lake Casino, where we had reservations for the next month! We said good-byes to Lindsay, until we had an opportunity to visit her Twin Cities office before she left to return to Boulder.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jg5JmlXtvBap7lM7_IbQkI8-oZ1Fcc14i-mRvEU7ZUEdJhN4rcIu-yKGR_GhycgZKoacn_kcVO-ra5GI2GwbhoxzDBAwHoTNxAqmbQ2M9BvQ4qIqC1wStdaw6M8w1Rnmhw-bVNSUC8oQ/s1600/IMG_8934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jg5JmlXtvBap7lM7_IbQkI8-oZ1Fcc14i-mRvEU7ZUEdJhN4rcIu-yKGR_GhycgZKoacn_kcVO-ra5GI2GwbhoxzDBAwHoTNxAqmbQ2M9BvQ4qIqC1wStdaw6M8w1Rnmhw-bVNSUC8oQ/s1600/IMG_8934.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, Lindsay drove the Camelot!</td></tr>
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Valerie Maylebenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905944355979877528noreply@blogger.com0