Redding, CA

We spent 3 nights in Redding. Friends, Rick & Bev, showed us around the city and took us up the mountain to Burney. They spent 30 years in this beautiful mountain town and now make Redding their winter home. We had wonderful chinese food in Burney with Bev & Rick's daughter & son-in-law.

Redding is a beautiful city. The Sundial Bridge is amazing. It leads to the city's river walk which goes on for miles. Royle & I walked it for 1+ miles to the fish passage. If you are going thru Redding, you must make a stop to see this bridge and park. There is even and I-5 exit leading you to it.

Photos here are: Royle with Rick and Bev on the patio of their new home, a view from the highway leading to Burney, Sundial Bridge and a photo along the river walk.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN - 2010/2011

We left our lot at beautiful Latitude 49 RV Park on 10/11 and only traveled as far as the Tulalip Casino in Marysville. We wanted a short day and they have RV parking with long sites - very good place for overnight parking. Today we will head to Woodburn, OR where we plan to spend 2 nights with trips to Costco and the outlet mall, located right next to the RV park where we will be staying.

We plan to spend the last week of Oct. and the month of November at Desert Hot Springs and Indio, CA (Western Horizon Resorts). Then on to Yuma for the month of Dec.

HOME AGAIN FOR THE SUMMER

Quite a trip home trying to beat the bad weather, including snow. We did make it to the FMCA Rally in Albuquerque. It snowed in Santa Rosa so we spent an extra night there. I-40 was closed for a few hours the morning we had planned to leave. Spent 5 days in Albuquerque and then headed west towards Bakersfield, Lodi, and then west to Highway 101 because of snow storms in the Shasta and Siskiou mountains. We were trying to get home by 4/3 so we could spend Easter with the kids. Marcy and kids met up with us at the rest stop north of Fife. David rode with Royle and I rode in the car with Marcy & Hailey. Steve is doing so much better so he and Debbie were able to come for Easter dinner. There were 7 of us in our coach but it all work out well. I so enjoyed seeing them all again.

Hope you all have a wonderful summer and maybe we'll meet up with you next fall/winter.

ON OUR WAY WEST - TODAY IT IS DALLAS/FT.WORTH AREA

After our month in Foley, AL we spent 2 weeks at the River View RV Park in Vidalia, LA, across the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS. We toured the southern portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway, toured the Civil War Military National Park in Vicksburg, MS and toured 2 of the many mansions in Natchez. According to one of our mansion guides, prior to the Civil War, Natchez had more millionaires than anywhere else in the States. Cotton Plantations brought in the money according to our guide. Now we are making our way west. We are in the Dallas area for 2 nights - KOA Park, exit 449 off I-20. Then we will be making our way to Albuquerque, NM where we will spend a few days at the FMCA Rally and then head north and try to get thru the snowy mtns.

For those of you following our son's health problems, he is expecting to be released from the hospital on Monday. He will continue with antibiotics via a stint. When his surgeon returns (he has been out of town during Steve's week in the hospital), he and Steve will decide the next step - sounds like amputation but we will see, that may change again.

Here are some photos of our time in the Natchez area: Illinois Memorial at the Vicksburg Civil War Military Park and a couple of mansions/halls we toured.

LEAVING FOLEY, AL

First of all, I wanted to give an update on our son, Steve. The surgeon did not want to amputate because of the good blood flow to Steve's foot. Therefore, he ended up just cutting away bone and infection in the foot and was able to save the leg. Steve is feeling optimistic and we are all hoping he begins to feel better.

This morning we are heading to River View RV Park in Vidalia, LA, across the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS. We will be there for 2 weeks and plan to tour more of the Natchez Trace.

On Thursday we went to the Bellingrath Home and Gardens, located southwest of Mobile, AL. The Bellingrath money came from Coca Cola distribution. The house was built in the early 1900's. These photos show the back side of the house (the river side), the gardens and the river dock.

NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM

We went to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL - only about 20-30 miles from our park in Foley, AL. We really enjoyed this museum. The museum is free! That doesn't happen very often. They also have IMAX shows which cost $8/each. We saw the Hurricane on the Bayou and Storm Chasers. Both were very good. I would highly recommend this museum if you are ever in the area.

Our son, Steve, is having amputation surgery on 2/23. Surgeon is cutting at about mid-calf on left leg. He has had an infection in his foot for several years. He thought it had healed but it came back again last fall so all his doctors believe it is best to amputate. He almost made that decision years ago when the infection didn't heal but then all signs showed it had healed. The bones are all broken in that foot and x-rays and all other tests just show pictures that look like mush. Therefore, impossible to see infection. Steve is a juvenile diabetic, has had this disease for 38 years. We all believe he will be better off, and feel better, with prosthetic but it is still very difficult for me to see him go thru this surgery.

FOLEY, AL

The weather here has been awful. Cold, rainy, even a snow forecast for this morning but it is just rain, rain, rain. We thought we would be going to the beach to walk but it has been too cold for that. We made it one day, see photo of Gulf Shores beach - so beautiful. I have been doing a lot of reading. I usually get my daily workout done inside the coach and I try to get a bicycle ride in each day but usually so cold that I don't last long. Oh well, I am sure it will be warmer as we move further west. Locals here say this weather is out of the norm - been hearing that all winter.