on the road to ...

... Sedalia and the Escapees RV rally starting the 15th. For us however, "on the road" can mean a multitude of things. For now it means just that a couple of days here, a day there, and perhaps a couple days that leads to a couple of weeks in other places - our typical mode of travel.

We stayed in Big Cedar a couple of weeks and enjoyed exploring SE Oklahoma and SW Arkansas. Oh what a beautiful area of fields, valleys, mountains and above all, green. I do get so tired of the browns and beiges of the drought and SW summer normal colors.

I am now back in saddle of my bicycle, extending my riding more each time I hop on. It is a hard slog after being off for so long and getting so out of shape with having a car and driving everywhere. While in Peace Corps I walked and road public transportation (which means walking even more). I did ride in Panama but it was only to go into town, a ride of no more than 3 miles when I did it. As I often had to carry things, my bike was out of the question. But now I am back into it ... oh my aching legs, shoulders, arms, wrists, and butt.

We also got the tandem up and running - that is another story. It felt so good to get back on that one. Once on it I quickly recalled one of the downfalls of riding the "Rear Admiral" position, NO cooling draft comes my way until Danny gets down onto his aero bars.

Thanks to a friend on one of the quilting blogs that I belong to, and the fact that we are going to be in Missouri, Danny and I have decided to initiate ourselves back into touring on the tandem. We are going to ride the Katy Trail after we attend the rally and classes. We still have planning to do and make a decision on the week that we will do it in, but hey, the main decision to do it has been made. http://www.bikekatytrail.com/ We are hoping to post as we ride by using the MiFi but as we will be camping some days, that might not happen.

On to Tulsa where we visited Alf, Stacey and the Boys. All are doing well and enjoying life. The drive up from Big Cedar, although only 200 miles give or take, was breathtaking. i think that I could actually live here if we could find something on a lake. The green and trees are my undoing along with the mountains. Oh they aren't at all like the Rockies or the Alps or the Andes, but still they are as beautiful as any of them. Of course having the ticks is a big worry and the mosquitoes do drive me batty when I am out, but other than that, it is great. While in Tulsa we managed to visit a wonderful bike shop where I replace my disintegrating helmet and gloves. So now I am in top form, safety-wise. 

Our next leg took us into the far SE corner of Missouri where we stopped at the George Washington Carver National Monument: Another stamp for my book. Here we learned so much more than the "discoverer of almost 300 uses for the peanut". He was a scientist, educator, humanitarian, and above all he had a deep sense of purpose that his Creator led him by. He only patented three discoveries of which one was for pigments that are now found in the basic Crayola as he didn't want his discoveries to be "held by a minority" but available to those on the lowest part of humanity. His Agricultural Pamphlets were translated into many languages and became the Bible of Ag in many developing Third World companies, used by many NGO's. A truly humble, gentle man, but a man with a stubborn streak that led him to great things. He was born a slave, managed to educate himself when it was denied to him, and spent man years teaching at Booker T. Washington's Tuskagee Institute in Alabama as head of the Ag department. He was also a renown painter having earned Honorable Mention at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair.

 As a sickly young boy he spent many hours becoming one with nature and nurturing his love for botany, a love that would guide him for the rest of his life.

There are many sayings posted around the world regarding education that are his quotes - we saw them in Nepal in the schools, in Panama, and in Colombia, to name just a few. 

A truly great man ...

Feeling humbled and thoughtful, we continued on to Fort Scott, KS.

Labour Day Weekend ...

Labour Day Weekend, 2012 ... we are stopped in a small place called Big Cedar, in SE OK where our landlord suggested that we attend the big Choctaw Nation celebrations (PowWow). So on Saturday over we went, after our visiting friends from DFW left to return home. Driving over to Tuskahoma the traffic was sparse, not suggestive in any way of the immensity of what is supposed to be a HUGE celebration.

As we drew into Tuskahoma, we had no idea where to go but I was sure that there would be signage of some sort to follow. No sooner had I said this than we saw a roadway sign with large orange blinking lights (you know the kind, the "road repair up ahead" type of sign powered by solar panels) telling us to turn at the next right. Two cars ahead and three cars coming in the opposite direction all turn the same way. Yes, we must be in the right place.

As we slowly drive onto the the Choctaw Nation's land, all we can say is, "We are late!" There are cars parked everywhere. Parking signs say "Parking Lot 13, 14, 15, 10, etc" with attendants at every corner for all 4 ways. With temperatures soaring into the 100's, there are huge cooling units at each corner offering water and a cool-down to one and all. There is even a huge water tank that one can douse oneself in. We follow directions that are given before we can stick our head out the window to ask - we end up parked a very long ways from the festivities that can be seen as we drove through the area.

Loading up with water, sunscreen and bug repellent, we lock up the car and head for the road. Wow, along comes a golf cart and asks if we want a ride. Asking where we want to go, we say the exhibition hall. As the women drives, she gives a very pride-ful history of the Nation (3rd largest in the "nation")  and explains the workings of the festival. Everything is free except food and midway activities and rides, including the concert with Martina McBride and Ricky Scaggs that evening. Turns out, we were being transported but the "elder" car - a system set up to transport all the seniors. Everywhere we looked, they were there, whistling people around. There was also the usual tractor-pulled hay wagons with seats ferrying people from the parking lots to the main events.

Us, along with the anticipated 125,000 attendees jostled and weaved from ac place to ac place. (Temps over 100F) We saw the craft hall - lovely traditional Indian crafts, quilts, leatherwork, beadwork, furniture, paintings, textiles, and ... you pushed and shoved your way through the crowds to just see let alone buy anything. It was air-conditioned and many people were there for that reason alone. Imagine, if you will, coming in when the gates opened in the am to set up your chairs or claim your seats for the evening concert and sitting there all day in soaring temps. You too would head for the ac buildings as often as you could leave your space safely. Then to the midway looking for corn - not to be found but we did find deep-fried pickles, a favorite of mine, and an ac building with health exhibits and booths. The most amazing thing however, was the big sign in front listing the calorie count of fair foods and the entrance booth giving away free ice cold oranges and apples as a healthy alternative. AND the building has AC and we also run across a real neat bicycle tour for next May (2013). Could not sign up but they were taking names to send info to on how to sign up and when.

Then over to the museum, another ac building. It is a new, very modern but historic looking building  with a wonderful statue in front of it.   They are indeed a very proud nation, having overcome adversity and looking to the future while learning from the past, which is established within the museum.

As the heat beats down and I become hotter and hotter even with the wonderful interludes in the ac buildings, we finally have to leave. It was a wonderful experience, one that I wouldn't have missed for anything, if only from the historical part. The festival was very well organized and one that they enjoyed offering to the community at large. Can we find anything more to enhance this? Only time will tell.

Oklahoma

It is hard to reconcile the picture that one has f Steinbeck's Oklahoma "Dustbowl" with it's swirling red dust blowing over the forlorn landmass, with the rarity found as own travels through Eastern Oklahoma today. (from http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/mutimedia/dustbowl/big/usda19.jpg )

One thinks of flat landmasses of red dirt, which are still definitely found, and not the rolling green hills and mountains with winding picturesque highways and country roads that we have found. 

Traveling north out of Nacogdoches, TX we traversed the whole of Highway 259, up into Oklahoma. We had reservations at Big Cedar RV Park with no preconceived ideas as to what the area looked like other than the "lovely green rv slots with full hook-ups" as seen on their website. As we crossed into Pklahoma, it didn't look much different from the piney wooded areas that we had come through in NE Texas. The deeper we traveled however, the more the vistas changed. The route took us into an area of mountains with landscapes covered in beautiful large green trees, interspersed with the ocassional burned out field, green fields with buildings that could have been, and probably were, built 50+ years ago and in full need of paint and possibly even renovations.  

 as well as grazing livestock.  The speed limits were decreased but you were well compensated by the vistas.

The area is in the Quachita National Forest, which is home to many hiking, mountain biking and ATV trails; the main one being the Ouachita Trail, possibly the longest trail in Arkansas and starting in Oklahoma. The main downfall of all of this is the heat, humidity and ticks found in abundance at this time of year. The roads are not flat by any means but they will be good training as I get back on the bike again. Danny is enamored with the hiking and mountain bike possibilities. 

Reading the many roadside signs, we discovered that this area indeed probably was a "dustbowl". in the 1920's it had been completely denuded by logging operations and abandoned. In the 1930's the federal government bought all the land back, putting it into national forest. It was during this time also that the homesteaders failed, leading to the mass migration of the Depression.

Our RV pad is quiet and set amidst the natural beauty of the valley between two distinct mountain ranges. We are close to the Talimina Scenic Drive (and we all know what that means - hills!) and Queen Wilhelmina State Park on the ridgecrest of the drive. There is also Runestone State Park where we revisited yesterday. This is an interesting place as it links early scandinavian explorers/settlers here in the USA to earlier times before Columbus. In fact, recent archeological findings based on language - runes" - place the time of occupation somewhere between 600 and 800 a. d. If interested, look up

http://www.exploresothernhistory.com/heavener1.html and http://news.nationalgeogaphic.com/news/2010/11/101123-native-american-indian-vikings-iceland-genetic-dna-science-europe/%5D . We stopped for lunch at what looked like a dive, an old railway passenger car, but turned out to have excellent service, fantastic food, and no greasy food smells - "Southern Belle" restaurant. 

"But wait, there is more ..." we were planning on leaving Tuesday after Labour Day (who wants to be on the road Labour Day weekend?) but we discovered a State Fair and an upcoming craft exhibition and sale. Definitely worth a visit. The craft exhibition not until the week after the Ladbour Day weekend so we extended our stay. This area no doubt has a good cross section of many crafts, not that I am buying, but definitely worth it for ideas and the pure enjoyment of the experience.

Did you know that Hwy 259 was inaugurated by President Kennedy in October, 1961? Heck, I am sure that he did many things like that, but this is just up the road from us: all with plaque, monument and green space on the highway. 

This represents things that one finds all over America and Canada that are worth more than a cursory glance as we speed by. We love to stop at them as we pass them by and increase our trivia knowledge. Someone, somewhere said that this is a good way the lessen the chance of Alzheimers; that and learning another language.

We came for a few days and we are staying for a couple of weeks. Now that is a true definition for "taken by surprise!" The area is full of surprises and we are enjoying all of them and our time here.

If anyone is even slightly close in the area, come and visit. It is a great place to be.

continuing saga of Texas State Parks ...

Aaaah, finally, hopefully a break in the weather. It has rained off and on with burst of radiant sunshine and increasing temperatures for the last three days. Tonight the temperature was 71 deg F with a humidity of 91%. The humidity more than makes up for the temperature with results that it is still unbearable when outside for long periods of time. Long range forecast? More of the same? We shall find out as the days progress.

We are still roaming around the Texas State Park system, experiencing and comparing them. Amongst other things, they all offer at least one geocache and more in surrounding areas. The lakes a beautiful, if a bit lower than normal. The water temperatures are a bit higher which results in what? More mosquitoes? hmmm not sure but there is a general regional warning out for West Nile Disease (mosquitoes that come out during the day). The areas have been exceedingly dry but hopefully this rain that we have had will allow for a good soaking and reduce the fire hazard. The park is full this weekend, but not many out and about, I guess because of the rain and thunderstorms.

If the temperatures and weather continue like today (and how likely is that? After all, this is Texas!) we will head north towards Sedalia, MS where we are scheduled to attend another RV rally. This time we are registered to gain some of our required classes for the Red Cross Disaster Volunteer certifying system as well as enjoying the fun associated with a rally. Hoping to meet up with some friends there as well. Anyone else going? If so, drop us a line ...

Reflections

As I re-read some of the travel posts, I am more and more aware that often the posts are more informational rather than travel oriented. This is not what I meant for this to be. The focus will be changing as I continue from here on in.

As we ramble around Texas bearing up but barely, under the heatwave here, people delight in informing me that this summer is not as hot as last summer. For me however, I wasn't here the whole summer and this is this summer and for me, it is HOT and humid. I am relegated to staying inside except for small bursts of activity. Driving in the car to see things is great as there is ac in the car, and more than not, at the places that we are going to visit. And hopefully, the end is in sight...

Even though we are now back in the USA and enjoying ourselves as we re-immerse into American culture and ways of life, we find ourselves continuing to look back on our time in Peace Corps. It was a time when we felt active, maybe too active at the specific time, a time that offered us self-satisfaction and fulfillment, and a time of interesting experiences. It is definitely hard to leave that behind and look for something new and exciting. This is our goal of the day, of the week: find something that offers the same and even more.

Texas State Parks/Geocaching/HEATwave ...

We finished up our whirlwind tour of Europe with Brooke with a further 2 weeks of exploring the South of France by ourselves. We, of course, traveled by train first to Albi, where we explored the first of many cathedrals, chateaux, fortified castles and restaurants. Then on to Arles, again by train, this time however we had a mix-up in our tickets. Here we also added bicycles as a form of transportation. From there to Avignon, and then back to the Loire Valley and cooler temps. We experienced heat waves without a cloud in the very blue skies, in the areas of Southern France but as soon as we headed north, rain and cool temperatures which continued until we left Paris for Dallas.

Arriving back in Dallas towards the end of June, we entered a sauna for sure - triple digits and high humidity. I felt like I was back in Panama &/or Colombia and experienced the accompanying leathery. This time, however, I don't have to go out in it if I don't want to. YEAH!!!!

So now we are back in the RV and visiting and experiencing Texas States Parks until after July 4th celebrations. Then we will head over to Arkansas where we have done very little exploration. If the heat continues as it is now, I won't be out doing any bicycle riding now long distance walking/hiking. Tried today with the walking/geocahing - out for 1 1/2 hours and took 5 hours to get my core temperature back to some semblance of normal. So there we have it, the summer, as long as the temps are like they are now now, will mean living inside for me. My sewing machine, Miss Betsy will see a lot of me, although it sure looks funny sitting in the RV. Also might get some needlework done. AND, Danny will be out enjoying the countryside by bicycle and walking/hiking.

We are exploring the possibility of taking a bicycle tour this fall or next late spring. Where is still up for discussion. As for travel, not much more unless it is to Mexico. Our friends in Paris gave us a good recommendation for a town to look at in Central MExico as a possible retirement place. We shall see.

Europe on a shoestring?

Can anyone "do" Europe on a shoestring these days? From our humble travels that we are currently doing, I think NOT. Today we are in Brussels, Belgium, tomorrow to Bruges and having just come from London, ENgland.

We arrived with our wonderful GD in London ready for an adventure and a good time. We knew that things were expensive but had no idea as to just how expensive. Three versus two can really make a difference. One of the first thing we have come across is that the hotel rooms over here are done "per person" not necessarily per room. Travels all done by the Tube and local buses, we found the best deal to be the Oyster card. Put money on, swipe, travel, and replenish when used up. Buses $1.35, underground $2.35 per zone. Not bad considering the alternative - taxi. We took the 'Hop on, hop off" tour bus which gave us 2 days of free on and off. All good ways to travel and travel we did, between the buses, undergrounds and feet, we saw more in 3 days that I ever thought that we would, and this with a sick GD who wanted to rest ll the time.

We rode the London Eye, saw the Lion King play, took a cruise on the River Thames, as well as all the walking tours. We didn't get in to see the various venues, like, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower of London, THe changing of the guards, etc. There is too many things to do and one must make choices.

The we took Eurostar speed train through the Chunnel to Brussels. Here we also did the "hop on, hop off". A good way to see the city in a short amount of time. We did the pre-requisite eating of waffles-chocloate-frites & mayonnaise. And we WALKED!!!!!

Tomorrow Bruges, Thursday to Paris, again by high-speed train.

So there we are, doing a quick and fast Tour, seeing as much as we can, and having a blast!

More later, photos to come up here shortly.