Happy New Year!  Let's hope 2023 will be a fantastic year and everyone can try to get back to a normal routine after what the last 3 years have been to disrupt everyones lives.

Before I can move on, I wanted to make a post of where I had the pleasure of going before the Christmas festivities began.  I drove a group of young men and women to Sarasota Florida.  Yes, I had been there before but it was on a tour and we weren't in the area for 24 hours.  This time, I was with the Gardner-Webb University swim team.

Having been around many sports as a photographer for the past 35 years, I was surprised to learn that many collegiate swim teams travel in December to the warmer climates to train in the outdoor facilities.  Yes it makes sense but I had never heard of it happening.  

It was a hard gig for the week.  Waking up early, taking the group to the pool at 6:30am, return to the villas after 2 hours and then back to the pool at 12:30pm.  Once they were done each day around 3pm, that was the end of my day.  What a life you say, but take a look at where they/we were staying.  Right on the beach of Siesta Key, FL! 

I grew up on the water and this was a refreshing week even though the sand felt more like flour than the sands of the North Carolina Crystal coast but it held magnificent sunsets! 

The evenings I tried to venture out and explore.  I am not the type of motorcoach driver that will just go driving in the bus to see what I can see.  But I do carry alternative transportation with me most times in the form of a Segway scooter.  This was an excellent way to go out and see some of the island and go into the village for dinner. Before you ask, yes, I did take the Segway to the table with me!  

All in all, it was a great trip with a wonderful group of college students who were very courteous and engaging.  On to the next adventure in the new year!

 Today I was able to drive a 1 day tour to the beautiful Biltmore Estate.  I was working along side the fabulous Mrs. Nikki (aka Mrs Christmas). We departed the Christain Tours campus before 8am and headed West towards Asheville NC.  It’s a gloomy day, rainy and overcast but the mansion did not disappoint!  Hope you enjoy, I sure did!

It's been way too long in many ways.  Too long since my last post, too long since I last camped and traveled for leisure.  It's time!
Last fall we ventured into buying out first pull behind travel trailer.  The excitement was overwhelming and I spent most of the winter wanting to get in and go.  Then the Coronavirus hit and all things changed.  The plan was to go out in mid spring and get a feel of the the camper.  Those plans were halted when most all campgrounds and parks closed and we have spent the last 11 weeks at home.  Not working, not traveling just like the rest of the world.  It has given me time to thoroughly go through every system on the camper and make sure it I understood how it all works.  I also installed solar and batteries for off grid camping.  If you haven't tried it, you should. 

Now, the country and our state is beginning to open up slowly.  We have booked several campgrounds and I can't wait to get going.  Safety is always on my mind and keeping my family and myself safe is first.  I can't think of a safer way in getting away than taking your home with you.  Keeping our distance from others and hiking and exploring.

Stay tuned...

So many things cross my mind while driving across this wonderful country we call home.  I'm fascinated by all the surroundings, the hills, mountains, lakes, streams, rivers, washes.  Washes?  Yes, I said it, apparently, in New Mexico and other states that I may have missed, what we call a dried up creek or stream are called washes or dry washes.  Obviously they are the same but there are signs all over, just about every bridge out in the desert hills.  And yes, some were even a little wet. 
Another funny thing I noticed was that in about 5 or 6 states, whenever I saw a deer crossing sign, someone had places a big sticker behind the deer's behind that said "Woofoo"  or at least that's what I think it said.  I saw it enough but the eyes just aren't that fast anymore!

Another thing that caught me kinda funny was that when you enter the Texas panhandle, you won't see a rest area for over 80 miles!  And when you do, you'd better stop because it's the only one off of I-40.  Then when you get to Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, you will see "rest areas" with no facilities, just garbage bins and sometimes picnic tables.  Do they really think you can stop in the middle of nowhere and not have to go?  It beats me on that one!  Also, I passed 2 fairly new rest areas with facilities but they were both closed.  Have we just completely run out of money to hire a couple people to watch over these places?  You know, vending machines alone could help pay the bills!
And finally, after I crossed over into Oklahoma, I was driving through the wind turbine fields, I saw the sign " Hitchhikers may be escaping inmates"!  I have never even thought that could be the case but that one phrase has kept me laughing for a couple days now!
I hope you have enjoyed reading my journey across the country.  By the time you read this, I should be back home with my family and friends!  Shh, if you read this ahead of time, my kids don't know I'm coming yet!  ;)  It has been fun writing about all the encounters along the way and I look forward in going back to reread some as well.  Til the next trip, safe travels to everyone!

One of the last destinations I had planned to see was the Petrified Forest National Park.  I had heard of the park and read about some of the things that were there but I had no idea how vast and extensive the area was.  I entered from the lesser known south entrance and proceeded into the park without much knowledge other than the map they gave me at the gate. 

Let me stop here and say how much I am a fan of the National Park systems Annual pass!  This pass that I paid $80 for has gotten me into every single national park I have entered for free.  Yes I know I bought the pass but it has paid for itself and then some.  Today's park for example was to have been $25.  Grand Canyon was $35 for each side and Yellowstone was $30.  I have been to other lesser know parks too so the savings is invaluable.  This pass not got me in but if I had my family with me, they would have been included too for the same pass!

Ok, back to the Petrified Forest NP.  This place is so barren and full of mounds and hills.  The "forest" has long been gone but you can see the remnants of the trees everywhere!  Some look like they were cut for cord wood many millions of years ago and left laying on the ground.  It was mesmerizing! 
There were many places to turn off the main path and go trail hiking for a bit.  I could have explored the area all day.  Then I came to the painted hills area that was like nothing I have ever seen before.  Now throughout this whole trip, I keep seeing things that amaze me and this didn't disappoint.  Hope you agree!  Next up... Eastbound and down!