November 1999
Greetings from Tucson......  

Finding time to spend updating the web site has been difficult.  You may or may not know that since getting back to Tucson, I set up a new business on the (Internet) selling products that Au-tomotive Gold, Inc. makes and other innovative stuff designed for RVs and especially Prevost bus conversions..  www.auto-stuff.com

It was a long summer and lots happened.  I met a sweet lady named Sandy and we've been together since May 1999.   Traveling with her has been great fun and, for one thing I've decided to (sell the house), so we can continue to travel full time. 

The new bus (Grizz), is great and living in it full time will be wonderful.  As I get older, material things (toys) aren't as important, and giving up the house and garage full, will be fine with me.  As a matter of fact, it's a pain in the butt to refurbish the house every time I return.  Even though my brother Rick, does a great job of looking after it, there's still considerable stuff that needs doing every fall.  Things seem to deteriorate when not used.

Well finally the workers are getting the house together, the web site (auto-stuff) is almost completed and now there's time to get this site reworked.  Sandy and I are looking over the collage of photos we took all summer and will start scanning them this week to place here on the site.

Over the summer we spent a little time in New England, but most of the summer was spent traveling across, up and around Idaho and Oregon with some time in Kentucky and Montana.  Many miles we covered alone and Sandy had to make a return trip to Indiana for medical reasons.  However, after seeing this part of the country several times, it is obvious that I'd take Montana and Idaho over the other states (because of weather).

After leaving the Ohio river area visiting with Sandy's family, we went to Pennsylvania  to see some of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture on the winding back roads.  Haha! some fun driving a 66 foot long (bus) towing a car in that area.  Since it was all Sandy's idea, I wanted to kill her.  However, since we ran into the best restaurant of the entire summer in that area (veal parmesan, the biggest and best piece of veal we both ever had).   From there we stopped in Gettysburg to visit some friends  (Gordon and Lindy), and got into the tightest RV parking space I've ever had to maneuver into.  Boy, those old campgrounds just aren't built to handle buses.  We had a wonderful time touring the battlefields and all.   And....of course we ate well there, too.

Next on to Newport RI where we ate.  Lots of sea food and by now I'm gaining weight.  We loved the area (topography, weather, and such), but boy-oh-boy the attitude of the natives is pretty hard to take, especially for Sandy who is a southern gal.  We would have spent more time there if the people were nicer.  The campground there in Middletown is small, but very convenient to the (beach), and the downtown wharf area.  Can't beat the (seafood)!  If you're in the area don't miss the Johnnycakes over in Little Compton, and be sure to see the high-flouting' Rhode Island chicken, statue. Don't miss it, this (Rhode Island Red chicken), put Rhode Island on the map.  LOL

Leaving there alone (Sandy headed to Indiana to visit with her family and the local medical (facility) , I headed to Iowa to the FMCA International Rally.  It was hot as hell and just plain miserable.  Met some nice people and left for South Dakota to Wall Drug Store.  You have to see this place--it's a wonder of the world--been on all the big TV shows.  Sturgis South Dakota is the home of 'the' major summer HD motorcycle rally.  I missed it by a week, but got to see a lot of HDs on the highway and stops.

Billings Montana next and the Yellowstone River KOA (campground), there in Billings.  Been there--done that (see last years story for photos).  Montana is big and now they have a day-time speed limit just like the other states.  Bummer! Missoula Montana next and met some very nice people Todd and Karen who invited us to the Country Coach rally in Eugene Oregon (I was headed that way).  Met up with them in Coeur d'Alene Idaho a week later.  At which time, Sandy rejoined me........

Jeeeeez... it's December 13th, already!  Here I am alone again--Sandy is in Indiana visiting with her family for the holiday, to return on the 29th.  It's kind of lonely here after having her around for 7 months.