Life at 55 mph

The good, the bad, and the ugly

2011-06-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

The story: One RV, three years on the road, 80,000 miles, 48 US states, 5 Canadian provinces, and 3 months in Mexico.

The good: I have met some of the most wonderful people on this trip, strangers who became instant friends. I have met many of you along the way and even those I didn't get to meet, were a constant source of information, advice, encouragement ... and the occasional driveway. The kindness of strangers has been one of the most pleasantly surprising and uplifting experiences about this trip.

The bad: The only repairs the rv required were new breaks, new tires, and regular oil changes. I didn't have any moving violations, but did get 3 parking tickets in different states. And had two very minor accidents, there was some damage to the rig but everyone involved was ok, no injuries.

The ugly: Every good thing must come to an end and after three years, I am now on my way home. Now that my bucket list is complete, I shall be home in a couple of days. I am going home in time to celebrate my 50th birthday with my kids. So I will go home and sit around to wait for someone to make me a grandma - which is the very last item on my bucket list.

The end: To say it has been an amazing trip would be a huge understatement. There are just no words to express the meaning of this trip and how it has changed me. And I want to say a great huge big thank you to all my readers who have followed my blog and 'traveled' with me everywhere I went. Thank you for the advice, encouragement, and friendship you have provided me every mile along the way.

THANK YOU and enjoy YOUR trip!!!

The Schwartz House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (click here for more info)

2011-06-05T00:00:00.011-04:00

The other coast of Lake Michigan: Neshotah Park in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (click here for more info)

2011-06-04T00:00:00.015-04:00

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park in Empire, Michigan (click here for more info)

2011-05-28T00:00:00.002-04:00

Every time someone asks me what is the most beautiful place I've seen on this trip, I always answer: Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan. Today I had the opportunity to visit Sleeping Bear a second time. The weather was completely different from my first visit - you can see the pictures of my first visit by clicking on the title of today's blog. That day I only had a disposable camera. This was back when I first started traveling alone.

Today was such a misty and foggy day that you could hardly see Lake Michigan down below. Luckily it wasn't too terribly cold but it was very windy. As I was walking, the wind kept pushing me in a different direction than I wanted to go. I was hoping for better weather but as much as I love this place, I'm glad I got to see it under two very different conditions. Foggy weather is a different kind of beauty all of its own.

The Bradley House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Kankakee, Illinois (click here for more info)

2011-05-22T00:00:00.020-04:00

The Warren Hickox House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Kankakee, Illinois (click here for more info)

2011-05-22T00:00:00.005-04:00

The Frank Lloyd Wright House Walk in Oak Park, Illinois (click here for more info)

2011-05-21T00:00:00.011-04:00

Today was the 37th annual House Walk, featuring interior tours of eight private homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries, plus entry to three public buildings designed by Wright: Home and Studio, Unity Temple, and the Robie House. I had already visited all three in my previous visits to Chicago, so today I just toured the eight private homes and here they are (unfortunately interior photography is not allowed):

The Affleck House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (click here for more info)

2011-05-19T00:00:00.033-04:00

The Smith House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (click here for more info)

2011-05-19T00:00:00.005-04:00

The Duncan House by Frank Lloyd Wright at the Polymath Park Resort in Acme, Pennsylvania (click here for more info)

2011-05-15T00:00:00.005-04:00

Grant's Tomb in Riverside Park, overlooking the Hudson River, in Manhattan, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-13T00:00:00.007-04:00

Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-08T00:00:00.017-04:00

Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-07T00:00:00.013-04:00

Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s House in Seneca Falls, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-07T00:00:00.008-04:00

Susan B. Anthony’s House in Rochester, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-07T00:00:00.007-04:00

The Zimmerman House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Manchester, New Hampshire (click here for more info)

2011-05-05T00:00:00.005-04:00

Wildflour Cafe in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (click here for more info)

2011-05-03T00:00:00.011-04:00

I have been reading about green smoothies and really wanted to try one. I finally had my first one yesterday at a place called Catch A Healthy Habit in Fairfield, Connecticut. I had the Green-Ya-Colada, which is spinach, banana, orange, pineapple, and coconut oil.

I am now officially h-o-o-k-e-d!

Today, I had my second green smoothie at Wildflour in Rhode Island. Here I had the Rainforest, and it had spinach, banana, mango, orange juice, and coconut water. It was fantastic!

Culinary Arts Museum in Providence, Rhode Island (click here for more info)

2011-05-03T00:00:00.008-04:00

east coast girl returns to the east coast

2011-05-02T00:00:00.027-04:00

In late November 2009, I left the east coast. I got on Route 66 and went to explore the west coast. As I'm sure you can tell from my blog here, it was a great adventure. But I have to say, I was pretty excited about returning to the east coast and once I started heading this way, realized how much I had missed it.

But I guess the east coast didn't miss me .... since I've been back, I've had a few 'realizations':

Gas is in the $4.29-$4.89 range.

I had to pay over $40 in tolls in just two days. They totally cleaned me out. I only have a single, lonely dollar bill left in my wallet.

The roads are absolutely awful. How bad, you ask? They're so bad, screws are falling out all over the place. I found one on the floor near the bathroom door and have no idea where it came from. I found another screw in the middle of my bed and I don't know where it goes.

And to top it all off, I had a severe allergy attack today. I had no allergies the whole time I was on the west coast. Today I have been totally miserable. Sneezing non stop and it seems someone just opened a water faucet in my nose. My head feels like a balloon. No energy. Complete misery.

But, the sun will shine tomorrow and it will be a brand new day! I am certainly looking forward to that!

New York City Bike Tour (click here for more info)

2011-05-01T00:00:00.005-04:00

As I drove around today, I was surprised by the NYC Bike Tour. The city closes down 42 miles of roads and thousands of people ride their bikes around New York City. Lucky for me, I was going in the opposite direction!

Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York (click here for more info)

2011-05-01T00:00:00.004-04:00

The Ardmore Experiment: Suntop Homes by Frank Lloyd Wright in Ardmore, Pennsylvania (click here for more info)

2011-04-30T00:00:00.003-04:00

Pope-Leighey House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Alexandria, Virginia (click here for more info)

2011-04-28T00:00:00.010-04:00

99,999

2011-04-25T00:00:00.014-04:00

Going east somewhere in Illinois ... or was it Indiana ... I made a quick stop at a rest stop and for some reason, looked down at the odometer. Here is a picture of what I saw: 99999.

As soon as I got back on the highway, the odometer turned to 100,000. When I started this trip, Bella had 28,300 miles on her. She has been a very loyal and trustworthy companion. Bella, home is where I park her.

Amana Colonies in Amana, Iowa (click here for more info)

2011-04-24T00:00:00.005-04:00

Kaleidoscope Factory in Pomeroy, Iowa (click here for more info)

2011-04-23T00:00:00.015-04:00

Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon, South Dakota (click here for more info)

2011-04-20T00:00:00.009-04:00

The adventure continues in Bowman, North Dakota (click here for more info)

2011-04-19T00:00:00.034-04:00

Looking at a map on my way east, I saw that Bowman was a good place for me to stop in terms of location along my route and driving distance. I knew it would be cold, so I looked up a campground in Bowman, because I figured it was best to have electricity and not have the pipes (and me) freeze.

As I approached Bowman in the late afternoon, the weather started to get nasty. When I got to the campground, it was completely covered in snow and not a living soul in sight. What is a cold camper to do?

I went into town but couldn't find the police station or the fire station. I stopped at a convenience store and they kindly gave me the non-emergency number for the police. I called them and their only suggestion was for me to go to the local truck stop - about a half a mile away - and ask if I could plug in.

Well, you and I know the chances of that, but it was snowing and I was cold, so I was willing to try anything at this point. I went to the truck stop and filled up the tank, just in case I had to use the generator tonight. The manager said all their circuits were maxed out but he said some of the hotels around here may have a place to plug in.

He took out the yellow pages, got on his smart phone, and started calling motels for me. Every place he called was full already, but he didn't give up. He kept calling until he found probably the very last available 30 amp hookup in town. And it was mine!

It was $10 for the night and just around the corner, so I didn't have to drive far. Which is a good thing because the roads were covered in at least a foot of ugly brown slush. This was not a pretty sight and as I discovered, not something I enjoy driving in. Bella looked brown, she was covered in this brown slush almost all the way to the roof. She had icicles hanging everywhere. And here she is, in the snow ... again ...

More sad news (click here for more info)

2011-04-18T00:00:00.002-04:00

After the kind of day I had yesterday, I didn't think things could get any worse, but as these things happen, Alcatraz took a turn for the worst during the night at the emergency vet hospital. He went into cardiac arrest and our wonderful kitty passed away at 2 am last night. I am writing this with tears in my eyes and have no words to describe my sadness or sense of loss. It is hard for me to believe I'll never see him again but I am consoled by the fact that Alcatraz is not suffering any longer. Thanks to everyone who has offered words of encouragement and support.

Frank Lloyd Wright cabin and house at Alpine Meadows Ranch in Darby, Montana (click here for more info)

2011-04-17T00:00:00.127-04:00

Sad news in Hamilton, Montana (click here for more info)

2011-04-17T00:00:00.126-04:00

After 2 years and 10 months on the road, after 70,000 miles, after 48 states and 2 foreign countries (Canada and Mexico) .... Bella had her first accident today.

I was leaving Hamilton and heading south to Darby, where I had an appointment to see a Frank Lloyd Wright building.

As I approached the town's main street and stopped at the corner, Mr. H in the car behind me thought I was turning left. But I turned right (south to Darby) and there he was, between me and the curb.

I heard the loud crash and had no idea what the noise could possibly be. I immediately pulled over in the right lane and got out but I couldn't find anything. Then this Mercury Grand Marquis stopped behind me. Mr. H got out and informed me I had hit him. I had no clue how it could have happened, until he explained that he thought I was turning the opposite way.

We exchanged our info and called the police. They were there in no time, talked to both of us, and took pictures. Now we have to wait for the report and then the insurance companies will take it from there.

Mr. H is a well known senior citizen of Hamilton as I could tell from all the people that saw the accident and stopped to talk to him. Mr. H was on his way home from church and wearing a suit, most of his friends were too.

No one was hurt. Mr. H's car had quite a bit of damage to the driver's side headlight (see first pic below) and Bella has some long scrapes on the passenger side, and quite a bit of plastic parts torn and broken around the storage compartments and the rear tire. The 'house' door doesn't open or close properly now.

When it rains, it pours (click here for more info)

2011-04-17T00:00:00.125-04:00

When I called home to tell my daughter about the accident and to get her fax number for the police report, she also had bad news for me.

She had spent the day at the emergency vet with Alcatraz, our family cat, who is very sick. He has diabetes and had fluid in his lungs. They put him in an incubator immediately. The vet thinks Alcatraz will be ok as long as he is put on a restricted diet and gets two daily shots of insulin for the rest of his life.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how upsetting this is to all of us. Alcatraz is a very special cat with tons of personality, actually he thinks he's a dog. Alcatraz chose our family. He showed up one day in our backyard and wouldn't leave until we adopted him. He is precious to us and everyone who meets Alcatraz falls in love with him. He even has his own page on Facebook, which you can see by clicking on the title of this blog entry.

We are just so grateful our Alcatraz will be fine, with proper care, and all the love we have to give him.

Wisdom, Montana (click here for more info)

2011-04-17T00:00:00.124-04:00

After leaving Darby, I headed east on MT-43, a pretty lonely road and a very scenic drive, with lots of beautiful country.

On a long, flat stretch of road that followed a river down below, I thought I saw something red move ahead by the side of the road. As I got closer I saw a figure climbing up towards the road, wearing a red sweatshirt, and I moved into the other lane as not to hit them. As I passed them, I saw their vehicle down below by the river and saw skid marks on the road.

I immediately stopped and parked by the side of the road. I grabbed my cell phone and went to see how I could help. The car in front of me had also seen the accident and turned around. They got there before I did.

The driver of the car offered to take the girl in the red sweatshirt back towards Wisdom, the town I had just passed, where she said her parents live. She was a very young girl, not even 20 years old - would be my guess - wearing neon light green nail polish, and she was very shook up. She seemed ok, at least physically, and I thanked the driver for stopping and taking her home.

I offered to call anyone she needed me to, but they informed me I was in the Big Hole, where there is no phone service of any kind.

Then I heard on the radio that 45 people died in the recent storms from Oklahoma to Virginia.

I honestly don't think I could handle one more bit of bad news today. My nerves are frazzled, I am exhausted, and I am tired of crying today. I know the sun will shine tomorrow and I send a prayer to the girl in the red sweatshirt and to all the families of the victims of the storms.

A guardian angel in disguise (click here for more info)

2011-04-17T00:00:00.123-04:00

When I called to make the appointment to see the Frank Lloyd Wright house at Alpine Meadows Ranch, the owner told me they were closed for the off season, but that I could talk to Mike, the ranch manager, to see if he could give me a tour.

When I called Mike, he graciously agreed to show me the place on the date and time that was convenient to my travels through Montana, which happened to be this Sunday afternoon.

I left early to give myself plenty of time to get there in case I got lost (easy for me to do) and on the way to the ranch, is when I had my accident. I called Mike to tell him why I would be running late, and it turns out he had just driven right by the accident and saw my RV, but of course, had no way of knowing it was me.

Mike said no problem, to just let him know when I was on my way. After the police were done collecting all the pertinent info and taking pictures, I called Mike to let him know I was coming. He offered to drive to the main road in his pickup truck and meet me there, so I could ride with him to the ranch, and not have to drive Bella the two miles to the ranch on the narrow dirt road. Believe me, when I saw the condition of the road, I was very glad I didn't have to drive Bella there.

Mike not only showed me around and answered all my questions about the place, but he inquired about my accident and patiently listened as I babbled and rambled nervously, since I was still pretty shook up. Mike, whom I believe is a guardian angel in disguise, proceeded to show his wings by doing the following:

- Mike gave me some much needed therapy. He told me to go with my feelings, not deny them, to feel sad if I was sad, feel angry is I was angry, but that I needed to deal with my feelings and not hide or fight them. He told me not to make any big decisions in the next 24 hours and all sorts of other wonderful things, that were exactly what I needed to hear.

- Mike offered to fix my turn signal, which the police officer noted was not working while taking down the accident info. Mike said he couldn't send me back on the road with that blinker not working. The auto parts store is closed on Sundays, so we ended up going to two different places to get two different size bulbs. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried, the blinker could not be fixed, and there was no mechanic available this Sunday afternoon.

- Mike would not accept payment for the tour of the ranch, which the owner had indicated to me that I should pay directly to Mike. Not only would he not accept payment for the tour, he wouldn't even let me pay him for the two packets of bulbs he got for me.

As I'm sure you can tell by now, Mike is an extremely kind and generous soul and I am very lucky to have met him on this day, of all days. Even though I was a complete stranger to him, he treated me like an old friend. I'm sure there are many other things he could have done with his Sunday afternoon that did not involve watching me break down and cry. But Mike truly didn't seem to mind.

He made sure to give me good directions to make sure I knew where I was headed, so that I wouldn't get lost. Later, he called and left me a voicemail, just to check to see how I was doing.

Angels walk amongst us, we just can't see their wings.

Center of the Universe in Wallace, Idaho (click here for more info)

2011-04-16T00:00:00.001-04:00

Wenatchee National Forest in Washington (click here for more info)

2011-04-15T00:00:00.004-04:00

Freshwater Bay in Port Angeles, Washington (click here for more info)

2011-04-14T00:00:00.012-04:00

RichArt's Ruins, The Art Yard, in Centralia, Washington (click here for more info)

2011-04-11T00:00:00.016-04:00

Tulip Fest in Woodburn, Oregon (click here for more info)

2011-04-10T00:00:00.011-04:00

Shoe Tree in Northern California (click here for more info)

2011-04-09T00:00:00.025-04:00

I had planned to go see the famous shoe tree on Highway 50 when I was traveling the Loneliest Road in America, until I read that some pranksters had cut down the tree on new year's eve. Today on my way north on 395 in California, I was surprised to see another shoe tree. This must be a 'new' one given the limited number of pairs of shoes hanging from it. I decided to stop and make my own shoe contribution.

Tule Lake Japanese War Relocation Center in Tulake, California (click here for more info)

2011-04-09T00:00:00.024-04:00

Highway 50 in Nevada, the Loneliest Road in America, follows the path of the Pony Express (click here for more info)

2011-04-08T00:00:00.007-04:00

On the way west from Ely across Nevada today, the weather would not make up its mind. There would be blue skies with plenty of sunshine, then it would get foggy and rainy, then it would snow, and then back to sunny skies. Ice kept forming and then melting from the windshield, again and again. There was no telling what kind of weather was waiting around the next bend on the road.

And yes, it is a pretty lonely road. You can go for miles and miles and not see another car, or any sign of life, for that matter.

Sand Mountain on Highway 50, in Fallon, Nevada (click here for more info)

2011-04-08T00:00:00.006-04:00

Bella camping in the snow in Ely, Nevada (click here for more info)

2011-04-07T00:00:00.094-04:00

Getting to Ely, Nevada today was quite the adventure, but the kind of adventure I never want to repeat.

I left Utah - after getting an oil change - with a full tank of gas and headed to Ely, Nevada, planning to travel west on Highway 50, known as the Loneliest Road in America.

Shortly after reaching Highway 50, I got caught in a snowstorm. Snow was coming down so fast and hard that it was hard to see the road. After a few miles of debating what to do, I saw some buildings along the side of the road, and decided to stop .... and I got stuck in the snow. Bella would not budge.

I told myself everything would be ok. I had plenty of water, food, heat, a bathroom, and my bed with my pillows and my blankies. If I had to spend the night stuck in the snow, I would be ok.

After a little while, I heard the snowplow go by and thought it would be great to be able to follow it. So I decided to try again and this time Bella moved .... right into the middle of the road where she got stuck again. Now, I was sitting perpendicular to the road, completely blocking one lane, with snow coming down and visibility close to nil. Someone coming down the road might not be able to stop by the time they saw me.

I tried my phone and it had no service. I tried my air card, and lo and behold, I was able to get online. I started looking up websites in Ely to find email addresses of anyone I could, to let them know where I was and to ask for help. And then I planned to cross my fingers that someone would think to check their email in the middle of a snowstorm.

While I was on the computer, I noticed a pickup truck go by and then stop. A good samaritan by the name of Pat came to help. The snowplow guy was getting ready to close down the road because of Bella being stuck on the road, and Pat said he would try to get me out. I had stopped right in front of Pat's in-laws.

Pat said he would get their tractor, get behind Bella to lift her and push me out. He thought he could go below the bumper and not damage it, but that was always a possibility. I told him to go for it.

He went to get the tractor, got behind Bella, and pushed and pushed and pushed .... and nothing happened. I wasn't going anywhere. I heard him stop and I thought he had given up, that Bella was really stuck. But he tried again from a different angle, and after what felt like forever, he got me out !!

I thanked Pat and got back on the road to Ely. It was still snowing hard, the snowplows couldn't keep up with the amount of snow coming down. After a few miles it started to get dark, so I drove the last 30 miles or so in a snowstorm in the dark. The wipers were covered with ice and not much help, it was hard to find a clear spot to look out so I could see the road. I had to go so slow I thought I'd never make it.

But I did, finally. I went straight to a casino in Ely that I knew had rv spots with electric at $15 per night. I had to back up into my spot, and almost got stuck in the snow again. When I got out to plug in the electric, my legs sank into the snow almost to my knees. Once I got back inside, every time I opened a cabinet or cupboard, all kinds of stuff would fall out. Nothing was in its place any more from all the pushing and shaking with the tractor. Thankfully, nothing broke.

I can tell you I was one tired puppy by then. I plugged in my electric heater, took my shower, ate my dinner, and spent the night safe, warm, grateful, thankful, and snug as a bug in a rug.

There you have it, my first adventure on the Loneliest Road in America. Do not try this at home :-)

Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona (click here for more info)

2011-04-05T00:00:00.025-04:00

Antelope Canyon, also known as The Corkscrew, is an underground slot canyon. The first two pictures are of the "entrance", where you have to lower yourself to go down into the canyon. From there, you twist and turn through tight corners and descend several stairs along the way, to get to the other end.

Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River in Page, Arizona (click here for more info)

2011-04-05T00:00:00.024-04:00

The Wave in Coyote Buttes, Marble Canyon on the Utah/Arizona Border (click here for more info)

2011-04-04T00:00:00.015-04:00

The trail head for the Wave is in Utah, but the actual Wave is in Arizona, so you cross state lines while hiking there. This was a 6 mile hike, round trip, that took 5 hours, over some very rough terrain and climbs, including limestone, slickrock, and soft sand. My legs felt like rubber and my feet hurt so much I thought my toes would fall off. But as you can see from the pictures here, it was all worth it!

Beer Can Castle in Antonito, Colorado (click here for more info)

2011-04-02T00:00:00.020-04:00

Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado (click here for more info)

2011-04-02T00:00:00.019-04:00

Bishop Castle in Wetmore, Colorado (click here for more info)

2011-03-29T00:00:00.023-04:00

San Isabel National Forest in Colorado (click here for more info)

2011-03-29T00:00:00.007-04:00

Camp Amache Japanese War Relocation Center in Granada, Colorado (click here for more info)

2011-03-27T00:00:00.009-04:00

Mount Rushmore with fake celebrity heads in Branson, Missouri (click here for more info)

2011-03-21T00:00:00.007-04:00

World War II Japanese Relocation Camp in Rohwer, Arkansas (click here for more info)

2011-03-20T00:00:00.011-04:00

World War II Japanese Relocation Camp in Jerome, Arkansas (click here for more info)

2011-03-20T00:00:00.007-04:00

Village Bakery in West, Texas – a small Czech town in the middle of Texas, famous for their kolaches – (click here for more info)

2011-03-19T00:00:00.009-04:00

Texas Plaza in Decatur, Texas (click here for more info)

2011-03-18T00:00:00.026-04:00

Lady Bugs and Big Art in Saint Jo, Texas (click here for more info)

2011-03-18T00:00:00.011-04:00

Combine City in Canyon City, Texas – aka Cadillac Ranch in Tractors – (click here for more info)

2011-03-17T00:00:00.007-04:00

We have a winner! (click here for more info)

2011-03-05T00:00:00.020-05:00

I left San Felipe around noon today. I would have loved to stay longer, but responsibility calls and it's time to get back to "life".

I had the most marvelous time in Baja. The weather was wonderful, the people were warm and friendly, and the food was amazing ... and of course, I loved just being on the beach, and within walking distance of everything I needed. It was a very nice vacation, and much needed. It was perfect.

No one actually guessed the exact date of my return, but the closest guess was March 3, so Jo is our lucky winner!

Jo, I will email you the gift certificate code and enjoy your prize :-)

(And if anyone would like to host a giveaway on their blog or website, just send an email to Sean at CSNPromoTeam@csnstores.com - he is looking for more people to do giveaways.)

Carnaval in San Felipe, with parades during the day and fireworks at night (click here for more info)

2011-03-04T00:00:00.005-05:00

Bella gets a bath! (click here for more info)

2011-03-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

Today Bella finally got a much needed bath. The campground manager's son, and his friend, came to wash Bella for me and get her shining again. They only charge $2 per foot here (it's more expensive in the states) and they did a great job. Now Bella looks like a clean lady again and I'm a happy camper!

(Reminder: there is still time for you to enter the contest in which you get to guess when I will return to the states and win a gift certificate if you're right. Read my next post and just leave a comment to enter.)

Two months in Mexico! (click here for more info)

2011-02-17T00:00:00.077-05:00

Where does time go? I can't believe I've been in San Felipe two months already. It feels like I've been here just a couple of weeks, not a couple of months!

I've had a wonderful time here, relaxing, enjoying the nice, warm weather, and the beautiful beaches. I am teaching a couple of new online classes, so it's been nice to have uninterrupted time to get my work done.

And while surfing the web, I stumbled upon a new category of blogs for me. I usually read the travel blogs of my friends who are also having their own adventures while traveling the US. But now I have discovered there are tons of wonderful blogs out there about my other passion: food and cooking.

So I have recently spent quite a bit of time exploring and learning from these blogs. These bloggers are a united community who use their blogs to connect with others, and share not just recipes but also ideas and goals. They use their blogs to throw link parties, to do fundraising for some great causes, to keep each other informed, to make new friends, and stay in touch with old ones.

They also do giveaways on their blogs, sponsored by companies who select them. And I am very excited to share with you that I have been selected by CSN Stores to host my very own giveaway for my readers!

CSN will give one of my readers a gift certificate for $25 to spend on their website. CSN is not just one store, it is actually a collection of 200 stores, so you can find pretty much anything you need .... or want :-)

For example, CSN has a great office furniture store so if you need something for your home office (or your RV office) you could spend your $25 gift certificate there if you're the winner of this giveaway! Or you could spend it at any of their other stores, the choice is yours.

To enter, you must leave a comment for this post, telling me two things:

First, if you are a follower of my blog, please tell me how long you have been a follower. If you're not a follower, please become a follower today and mention in your comment that you did.

Second, try to guess the date and time that I will return to the states. I don't know yet when that will be, but when I do, I will look at the entries and the person whose guess is the closest to the actual date and time, will be the lucky winner of the $25 gift certificate!

(Hint: I have not decided when yet, but I can tell you that I will be going back to the states some time in March - next month! :-)

So leave me a comment - I love comments - and you could be the winner of my very first and exciting giveaway!

Now for the small print:
1. To leave a comment, click on "comments" below.
2. The gift certificate only covers merchandise, not shipping.
3. The contest is open to residents of both Canada and the US.
4. If you would like me to notify you if you're the winner, please leave your email address in your comment (if you're worried about spam, you may use the word "at" instead of the "@" in your email address, and the word "dot" instead of the period).
5. If you rather not include your email address in your comment, make sure to check back here frequently so you can read when I post who the winner is. If the winner doesn't reply by the stated deadline, the gift certificate will go to the next closest guess.

Friends in San Felipe (click here for more info)

2011-02-06T00:00:00.043-05:00

Today I was sad to say goodbye to my friends Brian and Paul. They came from Quartzsite about two weeks ago to check out San Felipe because they'd never been and knew I like it so much here. Turns out, they liked it a lot too.

I had a great time with them while they were here. We went out to dinner every night and we made it an adventure to try a different place every night. We had some great seafood.

At some of the smaller places (think 'hole in the wall') the three of us could have fish tacos and lemonade for about $10 total. Good deal and delicious tacos. The idea for the fish taco was born in San Felipe, and they are very proud of that fact here.

This is a picture of their campsite, near mine. Paul is on the left with his pickup camper, and Brian is on the right, with his van. And that's Brian's dog, Dina, always keeping an eye on everything we did.

(You may click on today's blog title to see Brian's blog about their visit to San Felipe and his pictures.)

One month in Mexico! (click here for more info)

2011-01-17T00:00:00.006-05:00

Today I have been in San Felipe a whole month! Where does the time go? It feels like I've only been here a week or so. I am all settled in and very comfortable in a campground with full hookups, right on the beach.

I now know my way around and have found everything I need is within walking distance (very *short* walking distance - which is good because if you know me, you know I don't like to walk :-) .

On another note, today I received an email from Cirque du Soleil, with a survey and a thank you for attending their first ever Cirque Week in Las Vegas last November. You can see my pictures of the event by clicking on the title of this blog entry.

Cirque Week was a full week of backstage demonstrations, seminars, meet-and-greets, Q&A sessions, and behind-the-scene tours of all seven of the Vegas shows. Along with a goodie bag, it was all included in the Cirque Week package deal.

They also sent me a link to tons of pictures of these events, which you can see here: Cirque. You will see many pictures of the audiences at the events, but if you keep scrolling, you will be rewarded with pictures of the theaters, makeup demonstrations, costumes, artists, and you can see some of the stages in action. Yes, the stages at Cirque du Soleil are part of the cast. They're incredible.

You can also choose the events on the menu to the right of the pictures, to view them by individual dates. The events that took place that week and that you'll see in the pictures, were as follows:

Monday - welcome reception

Monday - tour of the state of the art sound system (with over 6,000 speakers) at the Beatles' LOVE theater at the Mirage

Tuesday - a dress rehearsal of Zumanity at New York, New York

Wednesday - an acoustic musical performance by Viva Elvis musicians at Aria

Wednesday - meet and greet with Criss Angel at his show Believe at the Luxor

Thursday - a tour of the 360-degree rotating stage at Ka at the MGM Grand

Friday - an underwater and backstage tour of O at the Bellagio

Saturday - Cirque creative and technical panel

Sunday - Mystere costume display and Taiko Drum demonstration at Treasure Island

I love Cirque du Soleil so I wanted to share that with you and I hope you'll enjoy it ... and until next time, I send you greetings from a warm and sunny beach in Baja, Mexico!

New Year's Day in San Felipe (click here for more info)

2011-01-01T00:00:00.073-05:00

San Felipe is a very peaceful and quiet town ... until there's a reason to celebrate. There was plenty going on last night. New year's eve was quite busy and noisy around here. From my cozy and warm motorhome, I enjoyed listening to the people, the loud music, and firecrackers everywhere. I was even able to hear the countdown to midnight from the nightclub next door, where they had a huge party going on till the wee hours of the morning.

The rest of the time, you never hear a sound. It is a great place to get some rest and relaxation, which is exactly what I've been doing ... and working very hard at it by the way :-)

Actually, I have traveled so much and driven so many miles in the last couple of years, that is is very nice to finally be able to stay in one place for a while. It is also nice to have the time to get my work done without having to get up and go all the time.

The very best part is spending this time at the beach. Just being at the beach makes me extremely happy and San Felipe has such beautiful beaches, it is just paradise. I've been here a while now and the view still takes my breath away every time I step outside.

All that to say what I'm sure you've already noticed: that I haven't posted much lately. I spend my days chilling, relaxing, meeting the neighbors, walking on the beach, and yes, working too from time to time. It's great for me but not for the blog. I will probably be back in the states some time in March, and plan to get back to posting more regularly then.

Here are some pictures I took today of some boats in the water, which I hadn't had the opportunity to take pictures of yet. I absolutely loved that boat you'll see in the last three pictures, which was on the sand. There were also some kids flying a kite on the beach but they couldn't keep it in the air long enough for me to take a picture. Still, it was fun to watch them and hear their giggles. Happy new year everyone!

Christmas Day in San Felipe (click here for more info)

2010-12-25T19:33:00.007-05:00

Last night there were fireworks and a lovely Christmas Eve parade in town. Vehicles with loud sirens were covered in Christmas lights driving all over town. These were regular cars, pickup trucks, and golf carts, all covered with different colored lights. I couldn't take pictures because it was dark so I decided instead to take some more pictures today of the gorgeous San Felipe beach on a lovely Christmas day. Here you go, enjoy!

El Malecon, San Felipe (click here for more info)

2010-12-19T00:00:00.009-05:00

Downtown, San Felipe (click here for more info)

2010-12-18T00:00:00.010-05:00

San Felipe, Baja, Mexico (click here for more info)

2010-12-17T00:00:00.033-05:00

This is my first trip to Mexico. I got to San Felipe today, which is about a two hour drive after crossing the border, on a very good road and straight all the way. Crossing the border was easy and only took a few minutes. When I first got here I spent part of the afternoon driving around to get to know the town and checking out the different rv parks to be able to choose the right one for me.

The beaches are absolutely gorgeous. The weather is wonderful, sunny and a bit breezy. The highs are in the 60s and the lows are in the 50s. The Mexican people are very friendly and helpful. The kind of place where you can stay a while, which is exactly what I plan to do ....

The Official Center of the World, Felicity, California (click here for more info)

2010-12-10T00:00:00.009-05:00

Ajo, Arizona (click here for more info)

2010-12-09T21:08:00.001-05:00

Zion National Park in Utah (click here for more info)

2010-12-02T00:00:00.007-05:00

The first ever Cirque du Soleil Week in Las Vegas, Nevada (click here for more info)

2010-11-29T00:00:00.007-05:00

Cirque Week is a whole week full of shows, activities, and behind-the-scene special events. The week started with a welcome reception where I took these pictures, since cameras are not allowed at the shows. I will only be here for three days because there are only three shows I want to see. I came to see Mystery, KA, and O. I can’t get enough Cirque!

You might remember that I was here less than a month ago to see LOVE, the Cirque show about The Beatles. You can see those pictures *here*.

The Hoover Dam in Arizona and Nevada (click here for more info)

2010-11-28T00:00:00.020-05:00

Ghost town of Chloride, Arizona (click here for more info)

2010-11-28T00:00:00.019-05:00

Holiday River of Lights Boat Parade in Laughlin, Nevada (click here for more info)

2010-11-27T00:00:00.020-05:00

Since I don’t know how to take pictures of distant, lighted, moving objects at night, these blurry shots is what I ended up with, sorry. But I can tell you that it was a pretty parade with each boat playing a different Christmas song, and the boats were creatively decorated. The people on the boats sure seemed to be having a lot of fun too.

Quartzsite, Arizona (click here for more info)

2010-11-27T00:00:00.019-05:00

Serendipity allowed me to finally get to meet in person some of my online friends and fellow travelers. I was delighted to camp with them in Quartzsite. I got to check out their awesome rigs, share a great cup of coffee, and meet their sock monkey families.

Thanksgiving at The Slabs in California - lots of food, good friends, nice weather, and a great day to be thankful for so many blessings (click here for more info)

2010-11-25T00:00:00.020-05:00

Desert View Tower and Mystery Cave in Jacumba, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-22T00:00:00.018-05:00

Julian, California – small and quaint mountain town, famous for their apple pie, and what a wonderful mouth-watering smell that is that follows you around town (click here for more info)

2010-11-22T00:00:00.017-05:00

Queen Califia's Magical Circle Garden in Escondido, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-21T00:00:00.018-05:00

Swamis Beach in Encinitas, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-20T00:00:00.016-05:00

Boat Houses in Encinitas, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-20T00:00:00.015-05:00

The Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-18T00:00:00.013-05:00

Bottle Garden in Riverside, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-16T00:00:00.011-05:00

Graber Olive House in Ontario, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-15T00:00:00.028-05:00

The Eames House in Pacific Palisades, California - Case Study House #8 (click here for more info)

2010-11-15T00:00:00.027-05:00

Skeletons in the Closet in Los Angeles, California – the gift shop of the LA County Coroner's Office (click here for more info)

2010-11-15T00:00:00.026-05:00

Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, California – designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, who was also an architect (click here for more info)

2010-11-14T00:00:00.024-05:00

Watts Towers in Los Angeles, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-14T00:00:00.023-05:00

Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village in Simi Valley, California (click here for more info)

2010-11-14T00:00:00.022-05:00