Delayed in Muskogee…

I’m writing this from the Country Inn & Suites in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where we’re spending a second day and night, an unplanned situation made possible by the nasty winter storms currently sweeping up through eastern Texas and into parts of Oklahoma. And we have found how spoiled we are as residents of Illinois, where the streets and roads are plowed and salted as needed during storms. Not so in this part of the nation! I do not wish this to be a complaint-filled post, so I’ll leave it at that.

Why am I way out here in Oklahoma, you may ask? We started our annual February vacation early yesterday morning, pulling out of our driveway in Aurora, Illinois, right at 7 a.m. Central Time. Our planned ten-hour drive was to this spot in Muskogee, with the intention of continuing our westward drive to the Austin, Texas, area to spend a few days there with my wife’s nephew, who works for the University of Texas. 

We are keeping our fingers crossed that the brunt of the storm comes and goes today and things clear up enough at some point tomorrow so that we can get back on the road. We’re content to stay in today, and the good folks here at the motel are providing a comfortable stay. The hot breakfast was delicious, and there’s plenty of coffee to enjoy throughout the day.

After the weekend, our plan is to continue the next leg of our vacation, driving to Florida. With the current change in our plans now, things are pretty much up in the air, with everything dependent upon the weather situation.

Right now, my wife is working on her genealogy research across the lobby here from where I’m writing this, and we have the whole area to ourselves. One unfortunate thing, however, is that the desk manager came over and changed the TV from The Weather Channel to Judge Judy! Oh, well, I guess we can’t expect our luck to be flawless all the time. And I have my ear buds in, listening to a radio show from Champaign, Illinois, so I don’t really hear what “wisdom” is emanating from the TV!

Now, I think it’s time for another cup of the hot coffee and to get this posted and hope that this weather situation decides to cooperate with us and blow itself out in the next twenty-four hours, so we can get on with this vacation! Plus, it would be more encouraging if they would plow and clean the streets and road. Ugh!

Trail’s end…

Writing now from northern Illinois, and looking back to our wonderful mid-July trip out on a stretch of the Oregon Trail in Wyoming, I still smile at the many moments and memories forged in that three-day adventure.

Our final day dawned as crystal clear and bright as the previous two had. And this morning’s breakfast didn’t disappoint, either. We weren’t sure how far we would travel on this last day, but we would find out that some beautiful, open country lay ahead. Morris told us that our part of the trip would be finished by lunch time.

Leaving camp, we headed out once more and followed the rugged trail through private land and that of the Bureau of Land Management. We encountered more Mormons making their summer handcart journey. Everyone was friendly and eager to stop and watch as our horse drawn covered wagon rolled along nearby.

Grandson Jack once again spent most of the morning riding Taz, and brother Matt was invited to ride up on the driver’s seat with Morris. After a time, Morris turned the reins over to Matt, who drove us over more original ruts of the Oregon Trail.

Before we realized it, the morning had run on toward lunch time, and as we arrived at another of the many fence gates, Morris announced that our part of the trip was finished.

It was one final lunch out in the great wide open, breathing in the terrific air and basking in the glorious high plains sunshine. Then, it was time to load our trail backpacks and various other things we’d had along with us into the pickup that would haul us back to the remote spot where our car was parked.

And it was as simple as that! It seemed that no sooner had our adventure begun, that it had just as quickly come to an end. Fond farewells to Morris and our other traveling companions occurred and then we climbed into the pickup that Randy would drive to get us to the cars.

It felt good to unload and put our belongings into our car. We pointed the car back toward Casper, where we would be spending the night before heading out the next morning to Devils Tower, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore.

With a sense of accomplishment, we all relaxed and smiled at the notion that we’d be showering and putting on clean clothes for the first time all week!

 

Back home and the song of the open road…

I’m writing this and looking out into a foggy world, punctuated by a heavy drizzle that seems to be trying to do its best to get rid of the existing snow that is leftover from the last two weeks’ storms. And it’s a bit depressing at the moment since we spent the last three weeks in warm and sunny climes such as Florida, New Orleans, and Memphis.

I know it’s only late February, and this weather is typical for northern Illinois this time of the year, but I was beginning to get awfully comfy and content with those temperatures that hovered in the 80s down there in Dixie!

Siesta Key Beach

(24 hours later…)

Up early today to take our Malibu in to have the right-rear tire checked to see why it has been losing air. Since the tires aren’t that old, there probably is some slow leak or nail causing the problem.

Driving through thick fog for the second straight day made for a slow trip to Firestone, about 20 miles away from home. As it turned out, the good Firestone folks couldn’t find anything significantly wrong with the tire, so they cleaned and sealed (whatever that entails!) and aired everything up and told me to “keep an eye on it.”

OK. Not a problem. So I’m hoping that this is the extent of any further issues regarding the Malibu’s right rear tire. We shall see.

Now, at this writing, it’s 55 degrees, and the fog has  finally cleared. I can actually see way out past the water tower and on across the sodden and barren fields which lie there rather ugly with all of the snow gone.

About an hour ago, I strolled out back and filled the bird feeders. Afterwards, I had even thought about grabbing a chair and sitting out on the driveway for a while. Just then, the wind kicked up and a steady blast of rain started to beat down, squelching any further thoughts of having a “sit” outside in the mild temperatures. Perhaps tomorrow.

Things are slowly returning to normal after three weeks away from the norm. We’ve spent the past couple of days sorting through mail and taking care of those domestic chores that we were free from thinking about over the past few weeks. Even with accomplishing much these past two days, there’s still plenty to do in the days ahead.

And soon I’ll be doing my civic duty once more, serving as an election judge for the upcoming election in March. I’ll also be working a few days at the early-voting polling place beginning next week. That part of the experience will be something new, so another adventure lies ahead.

Our travels are finished for the time being, but I will be making a trip out to Ohio sometime in March to visit my mother. By that time, I’ll be ready to once more listen to the song of the open road!

Sunset at Punta Gorda Pier-Harpoon Harry’s

Beignets, a river boat cruise & Preservation Hall-Day 3

In a post back in January, I wrote about our upcoming road trip/vacation to New Orleans, followed by our continuing on to Florida for a few weeks, beginning on February 19. (Read it here). We returned home to Illinois on Monday, March 13, after logging over 4,000 miles. The next several posts are highlights and summaries of our adventures and experiences in the Crescent City and in the Sunshine State.

Day 3

Tuesday, February 21

This morning I found out what a beignet is! Seems as though ever since we signed up to go on this tour to New Orleans, that was what everyone familiar with the city and the culture there had talked about most often: “Can’t wait to have some beignets!” I had been told that there was quite a bit of powdered sugar involved, and I was curious to find out.

Anyway, after breakfast, once we all loaded up on the bus (yes, our car would remain parked at the hotel for the remainder of the New Orleans tour), we made our way into New Orleans, through morning traffic on unfamiliar highways and byways, past the Superdome and other city landmarks, en route to our daily drop-off spot on the corner of Front and Bienville streets, just outside the French Quarter and right alongside the Mississippi River.

Photo: sweetsavant.com

The pleasant morning weather welcomed us as we strolled down Decatur Street toward the green and white striped awning where the famous Cafe DuMonde French Market Coffee Stand awaited, directly across from the famous Jackson Square. Even from a distance, we could tell that the place was packed and a line had formed outside the wrought iron fence surrounding the place.

Getting a table was first come, first serve, so we were immediately on alert. While we waited, we chatted with a friendly couple from San Diego and ended up sharing a table with them. As soon as we “claimed” an open table, a young girl cleared the mess of powdered sugar and splashed coffee from the previous customers and then took our order. A few minutes later the beignets and coffee arrived, and the four of us quickly tied-in to the fried dough squares under mounds of confectioner’s sugar! They were the perfect complement to the hot café au lait chicory flavored coffee served there.

Photo: yelp.com

 

After twenty minutes or so of indulging in powdered sugar delights and tasty coffee, as well as good conversation with our San Diego companions, it was time to brush ourselves off of the powdered sugar and make way for other hungry folks waiting. We bid farewell to our table mates as they were on their way in another direction, and we set off to explore the French Quarter on our own.

We spent the next several hours walking about various streets of the French Quarter–in and out of the many shops– and ending up on the famed Bourbon Street. By this time, it was time to find somewhere to eat lunch, so we wandered back up to Decatur Street where we’d earlier passed a restaurant named Cafe Maspero, and we had thought it looked like a good place to eat.

Neither of us was disappointed in our choice, as we had a tasty seafood lunch. Afterwards, we walked over to the Natchez Steamboat Wharf to wait to board for our afternoon river cruise. This was an excellent time to “people watch” and sit in the shade and listen to the loud calliope located high atop the Natchez. The atmosphere was wonderful, helping us become immersed in New Orleans culture and lifestyle, especially as we set off down river for a two-hour cruise a short time later.

Once back at the wharf, we walked the short distance back to Decatur Street to the Crescent City Brewhouse for our evening’s meal. Each meal with the tour group provided us with opportunities to get to know each other, and it was one of the great rewards of being on this trip

Once again, the service and the food were excellent! Carolyn and I both had a catfish selection, followed by a Cajun specialty: bread pudding. Yum!

After the meal, everyone was free to spend more time in and about the French Quarter. Some of us decided to head toward St. Peter Street where Preservation Hall is located. Just as its name says, Preservation Hall was established in 1961 “to preserve, perpetuate, and protect traditional New Orleans Jazz.” (http://preservationhall.com/hall/) To get tickets for the 8 p.m. show, we had to wait in line beginning at 7. In the meantime, we had a couple of cold beverages in Pat O’Brien’s next door to Preservation Hall, and we enjoyed the “dueling” pianos while we awaited the 7 o’clock hour.

As the evening turned out, the seemingly long wait, and the $15 apiece for tickets, were well worth it. Even though we were crammed into a very small and well-worn “hall,” the music that the Preservation Jazz Band All-Stars provided was beyond wonderful. And, as in all good performances, time flew right on by and the show came to a close. 

We found our way out and enjoyed a brisk walk several blocks back to where the bus awaited to haul our tired selves back to the hotel. Our first full day in NOLA had been packed with lots of good things, and we looked forward to what the next day would offer. I drifted off to sleep that night with songs such as Tailgate Ramble pleasantly rambling around in my head!

On to Metairie, Louisiana-Day 2

In a post back in January, I wrote about our upcoming road trip/vacation to New Orleans, followed by our continuing on to Florida for a few weeks, beginning on February 19. (Read it here). We returned home to Illinois on Monday, March 13, after logging over 4,000 miles. The next several posts are highlights and summaries of our adventures and experiences in the Crescent City and in the Sunshine State.

DAY 2

Monday, February 20

Refreshed from a good night’s sleep and a tasty breakfast, we were on the road once more shortly before 8 a.m. Our ultimate destination today would be our hotel in Metairie, Louisiana, but en route we would pass by many unfamiliar names of towns and cities. It’s always fun to venture through previously un-traveled areas, and this was, indeed, new territory for us!

Most of the morning we rolled through Arkansas and discovered a McDonald’s that provided free coffee. Can’t argue with that. Soon after, approaching Memphis, we crossed over the bridge on the Mississippi River into Tennessee, but only for a brief time as Mississippi loomed just ahead.

Cities with names like Jackson, Grenada, and McComb began to appear on the green Interstate signs as we continued south toward Louisiana. We figured that it would take us most of the afternoon to click off the Mississippi miles before arriving at the Louisiana Welcome Center where we planned to snap a picture of the Louisiana welcome sign.

What made things even better was the beautiful weather that had decided to settle in with us. I had donned shorts and a short-sleeve shirt, which would be my standard “uniform” for the duration of the trip. Long pants have never been my preferred choice of attire!

True to form, one mile after leaving Mississippi, we came to the I-55 Welcome Center near

Photo: Louisiana Dept. of Culture Recreaton & Tourism

Kentwood. One of the nicest Welcome Centers we’ve experienced, this one provided a wonderful break from all of the miles driven and the ones still remaining. Plus, the good folks there offered free coffee!

After a walk around the beautifully landscaped area and a coffee break, we resumed our “push” southward to Metairie.

By late afternoon, we were getting close. The landscape had become swampy and rather desolate looking. I-55 ended by joining up with I-10 East, and we were now driving on a 23-mile long elevated stretch of highway that skirted around Lake Ponchratrain. It was a never-ending scene of water and vegetation, a perfect outdoorsmen’s paradise!

Photo: DSchwen.com

This road led us right into Metairie and the Ramada, just off Exit 228. Carolyn and I checked in, again ahead of our fellow travelers who we’d meet up with at the restaurant in a while. For now, though, we were content to get settled into our room, walk around the hotel, and be out of the car for a while.

We looked forward to meeting the tour group at Piccadilly’s Restaurant, a short distance

Piccadilly”s Restaurant

from our hotel, and to relax with a good meal.

Day 2 certainly had been a good one, and the “real” touring would begin in the morning as we’d pay our first visit to the Crescent City.

The road trip south-Day 1

In a post back in January, I wrote about our upcoming road trip/vacation to New Orleans, followed by our continuing on to Florida for a few weeks, beginning on February 19. (Read it here). We returned home to Illinois on Monday, March 13, after logging over 4,000 miles. The next several posts are highlights and summaries of our adventures and experiences in the Crescent City and in the Sunshine State.

DAY 1

Sunday, February 19

We left Cortland, Illinois, just before 8 a.m. and headed out Rt. 38 to I-39 for the first leg of the journey south. Today’s destination was Dyersburg, Tennessee, where we would meet up with the bus tour group at the Grecian Steakhouse restaurant before checking into the Sleep Inn hotel for the night.

We had lots of fog for quite a while until we got closer to Springfield. Despite the fog, the temperatures were rather mild as we continued on through  St. Louis and down through

Approaching the famous St. Louis Arch

Missouri to Arkansas and then into Tennessee.

There were no issues along the way, and we enjoyed the many rural sights of Arkansas and crossing into Tennessee. We also made a stop at the Tennessee Welcome Center near Reel Foot State Park to pick up some pamphlets and other information about Elvis and Graceland for Grandson Matthew’s school presentation that he’d be doing in a few weeks.

Before long, we arrived at the hotel and checked in. Right about that time, we heard from Scot, the tour company owner who was on the bus, that they would meet us at the Grecian Steakhouse, conveniently located right off the interstate in Dyersburg, within the hour. Good timing!

The restaurant was a large smorgasbord with plenty of choices, which we enjoyed immensely. As such, I found the restaurant’s name quite curious. At any rate, we all had plenty to eat. Then it was back to the hotel for the night.

Up early on Monday, Carolyn and I had the complimentary hotel breakfast and then hit the road once more for New Orleans, another long eight-hour drive. As before, we pulled out before the tour bus did, giving us another head start on the day—another sun-filled one at that! And we both looked forward to enjoying all of the new places along the way we’d pass by on our way down I-55.

I’m still here…

We have had a wonderful trip–New Orleans to Fort Myers, Florida.

My plan to post nightly updates went by the boards, so I’ll get all my eager readers caught up in the days ahead. Just wanted to share a brief post right now to let one and all know that I haven’t been kidnapped by the crazies!

Stay tuned…

 

Summer reading…my list

Last week I mentioned that I’ve been doing more reading than writing, and though I should probably feel guilty, I really don’t. I guess it’s because I don’t always have much to say, but I always have the desire to read. And so my mornings usually are given over to reading in the peace and quiet of the cottage on Magician Lake.

Although I enjoy fiction, my tastes have really turned more toward non-fiction, specifically biographies and history. I like to keep a pattern of alternating between the various types, following a biography with a good thriller or mystery.

So far this summer, these are the books and authors I’ve finished and enjoyed, in one way or another:

1. Stealing America-(Dinesh D’Souza) – An intriguing work that explains a lot of things about the current state of the Democrat Party.
2. The Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball-(Charles Fountain) – For baseball fans who enjoy the history of the game, and for a White Sox fan such as I, this is a wonderful book that provides so much background of the circumstances that helped create the most notorious scandal in the history of Major League Baseball, the Black Sox scandal of 1919.
3. Sycamore Row-(John Grisham) – Another fine legal tale from Grisham that is a sequel to his first successful novel A Time to Kill. The main character, Jake Brigance, is once again caught up in a very strange case that keeps one turning the pages to see how the whole thing will turn out.
4. The Edisons of Fort Myers: Discoveries of the Heart-(Tom Smoot) – I bought this book on our trip to Fort Myers, Florida, where we visited the Edison-Ford Estate in March. It was a fascinating work that explained how Edison came to Fort Myers in the first place and his love of the community, making this his winter home for many years.
5. Papa: Hemingway in Key West-(James McLendon) – This is another book I picked up on our recent Florida trip, specifically in Key West. Hemingway’s life and times in Key West and how the “Papa” myth grew is explained in this nice little book. Makes one want to dash on down for a cold drink at Sloppy Joe’s!
6. Night-(Elie Wiesel) – This very small—but extremely powerful—book has rested on my home bookshelves for quite a long time, with my having every intention to sit down and read it. Ironically, when I packed this in with the other books to take up to the cottage, I had no idea that the author would pass away shortly thereafter. This is Elie Wiesel’s recounting of the horror that came to his family and other Jews during the tragic Hitler years, before any kind of help in the form of liberation eventually materialized. It is the story of perseverance in the face of hopelessness and inhumanity. Rest in peace, Elie Wiesel! Your story shall not be forgotten, nor any of those people who suffered.
7. Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty-(Charles Leerhsen) – Another biography and baseball book about one of the game’s greatest players, yet historically misunderstood. The book enlightened me as to the misconceptions I have always held about Ty Cobb, who was cast as a racist and overall mean person on and off the field. Leerhsen provides clear evidence that just the opposite was actually the true picture of Cobb.
8. The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindberg, and the Epic Age of Flight-(Winston Groom) – The author has interwoven the stories of these three Americans who showed uncommon courage and never backed down from the challenges they faced in the world of aviation. It seems as though when faced with daunting adversity, each of these Americans ratcheted up his inner fortitude and met the challenges head on.

There are still several weeks remaining, and I do plan to devote much of that time to my writing. But there are still more books to read and enjoy as well.

What's next to read?

Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training-(Charles Fountain) Yep, another baseball book, but what can I say? There’s always room for books about baseball in the good, old summertime! Can’t wait to get to it.  🙂

What are some of your favorite summer reads this year?

Out of Florida & off to “Big D”

One Good Thing…

It’s time for the weekly  post of a feature I’ve chosen to title “One Good Thing.” Each weekend, I’ll post something about what has been good to—or for—me during the week.

The end of a long day calls for a cold drink!

As all things do, our time in Florida drew to a close on Monday, and we were on to the next stage of our marathon journey, logging many, many miles between Fort Myers and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Having our comfortable hotel ready and waiting upon our arrival made for a relaxing evening.

We were up and out the following morning, en route to Dallas, Texas, where we would spend the rest of the week. The drive up through a great portion of Louisiana to Shreveport took us through large stretches of open land. The sunny weather we’d grown accustomed to all week in Florida had changed to gray and overcast for our travel. It would turn very angry later on as we entered East Texas.

A couple of heavy downpours, with solid sheets of rain and wind, forced me to pull over on the interstate to wait for it to lessen and clear up enough so I could see where I was going. At last, we drove out of it the closer to Dallas we were, and the sun actually made an appearance to welcome us to the area.

As always, we had our little friend, the Garmin, working wonderfully to get us to places with which we were quite unfamiliar. The only glitch was when she instructed us to take a certain ramp in the heart of Dallas that was no longer available due to massive road construction. Fortunately, we found a quick alternate route that took us exactly to where we needed to be.

Once more, we found our hotel reservation to be all in order and we couldn’t have been happier with the location to all that we had planned for the days ahead. The first-floor room was comfy and well maintained.

Now we were ready for our son and his family to join us, flying in from Chicago on Thursday evening. We would all be going to the Chicago Blackhawks hockey game against the Dallas Stars Friday night.

Waiting for our Hawks to take the ice in Dallas.

But first there was an important tour to take. We made the short drive into Dallas and went to the historic site of the JFK assassination and hopped aboard a trolley for a one-hour, fully narrated tour of the events of the tragic day in Dallas.

Our driver, Mike, was outstanding and made everything about the trip interesting, and he clarified much of what I’d only ever read or heard. Being there at the actual site, driving the route of Kennedy’s last motorcade on that sad day in 1963, when I was an 8^th grader, was quite stark and surreal. I could almost feel myself back on that November day, when life as we knew it changed forever. (More on this in a future post)

Oswald’s view on November 22, 1963

After Mike’s tour brought us back to where it had begun in Dealy Plaza, we headed to the JFK 6^th Floor Museum in what was the infamous Texas Book Depository. We enjoyed the audio self-guided tour of the exhibits, full of vital information about the whole event, culminating with a visit to the actual sniper’s nest Oswald had created in the corner of the 6^th floor. I must say, it was very moving to be exactly where the greatest crime in American /World history took place!

To say that the whole tour was sobering, would be an understatement. By afternoon, we were ready to head back out in the direction of our hotel where we could find a nice place for lunch and to make plans for our remaining time in Dallas.

The museum in the Texas Book Depository

Once our son and wife and grandkids arrived, there were many laughs and fun times. Our trip wound down, and they would be flying back on Sunday, well after Carolyn and I would be pulling away for the long thirteen-hour drive back to northern Illinois.

Some final thoughts on this marvelous trip will be the subject of my next post once I’m back on home turf.

Until next time, that’s one good thing…

On the road…(pt.1)

On the beach

Last week I wrote about our plans for driving to Florida and then on to Dallas. And I’m happy to report that it has been a wonderful start to all of that.

Leaving last Friday morning, we had a terrific drive to Nashville, stopping by Metropolis, Illinois, enroute, for a quick view of the famed statue of Superman.

Metropolis’s claim to fame

Despite very heavy traffic–thanks to Friday rush hour and various road construction–we arrived safe and sound to our hotel right next to the Nashville Airport and were quite pleased with our accommodations.

Nothing like a good cup of hot coffee to soothe the rankled nerves after an eight-hour drive!

Carolyn ready to tour the Carnton House.

Saturday we were up and out early to drive down to Carnton Plantation in nearby Franklin, Tennessee. For anyone who has read Widow of the South, that’s where it all took place.

It was quite impressive, to say the least, and the weather couldn’t have been any better!

That evening, we took in the Grand Ole Opry, something we had enjoyed doing three or four times many years ago. Not only was it relaxing and lots of fun, but it reinforced my belief in the importance of traditions.

Ready for the Opry!

And whether or not one is a country music fan (I am), there is no doubt that what the Grand Ole Opry represents is a mighty strong tradition that should be around forever.

On the road once more Sunday morning, we pointed the Chevy Equinox southeast and set off for Saint Augustine, Florida.

As usually happens, though, we were slowed up in the traffic congestion of Atlanta. Patience and a calm attitude were in order, and we finally made it out of that mess without being delayed too much.

Saint Augustine, Florida, offered us better weather than we could have dreamed of. We spent most of the day riding along on the Red Train Tour, one of those hop on-hop off deals.

Not only did we re-learn the historic significance of the oldest city, but we met some very nice people along the way.

Leisurely strolling through the many streets that are chock full of shops of just about every genre, we found the time passed pleasantly and it was a most delightful day.

A canopy of live oaks and Spanish moss near the Fountain of Youth

 

Vilano Beach

After we’d had enough of it all by 4:30, we were ready to get in our car and leave the historic Old Town behind and drive over the big bridge out to Vilano Beach and get up close and personal with the Atlantic.

Then, it was a short drive north on A1A for a delicious seafood dinner at an oceanside restaurant called the Reef.

Without a doubt, it offered great food, wonderful ambiance, and a fantastic ocean view well worth the visit.

We wrapped up our first day in Florida with a quick drive over the Bridge of Lions and out to the famous lighthouse.

We were just in time as twilight held off long enough for us to snap a picture of the old structure that’s been standing there since 1857.

By that time, we were ready to call it a day and head back to our hotel and relax and think about the next leg of the trip: a short drive down to Titusville to spend the next night with friends where we used to live.

To be continued…