Class C cruising

[Desert_Captain]

We are in Brinkley, Arkansas roughly 1,400+ miles out of Tucson over the last 3 days. Great trip but had 25-35 mph winds all day Thursday. We went north (instead of east), all the way up 77 picking up I 40 east in Holbrook and made Albuquerque the first night. Got to Clinton Oklahoma last night and Brinkley this afternoon.

Running with cruise contol at the V-10's happy place of 62 mph/2100
rpm we are averaging 9.5 mpg - at $3.39 to $3.45 a gallon for regular. Switched the trans fluid to full synthetic and it is running 10 degrees cooler.

Weather is great but we passed the aftermath of the tornado that took out a section of I 40 about 20 miles west of Little Rock. The destruction wrought has to be seen to believed. Many must have died. The grim remains of at least half a dozen RV's littered the shoulder, not much more than twisted chassis'. Two strip malls were utterly destroyed, saw a king sized bed 50' up a tree, no telling how far it traveled to get there. :E

[_en_Plain_Air_]

Sorry about the potholes. I 'fall into' them too ! Glad you had such a good time in our wonderful town.

[Desert_Captain]

Wishin' and Hopin' wrote:
Wow. What a great trip. Makes me want to hit the road NOW. Hope you liked Annapolis. That's my home town -

Annapolis was one the highlights of the trip. Toured the Naval Academy and all of downtown before having one of the best meals of the trip upstairs at Buddy's. Parking at the Navy Marine Corp Memorial Stadium and taking the shuttle made it sooo easy. you folks really need to get to work on those potholes though... only DC was worse.

:B

[_en_Plain_Air_]

Wow. What a great trip. Makes me want to hit the road NOW. Hope you liked Annapolis. That's my home town -

[Desert_Captain]

We got home to the S&B here in Tucson early this afternoon. The trip was 61 days, 22 states and 7,360 of the most amazing miles I ever could have imagined. Still a little overwhelmed by it all but over the next couple of days I will break out the hard numbers/costs incurred.

After two great weeks up in Michigan and a brief return stop at the Nexus Factory for a minor repair we headed down to Jefferson City Missouri where we spent a couple of days with my cousin. Jefferson City was an unexpected treat as we toured the state capitol and museum. My cuz gave us the complete tour of the area which included 2 nights at the friends and family RV park in the driveway of his lovely 10 acres.

Next stop was Kimberling City just west of Branson Missouri on Table Rock Lake. Our snowbird friends from Tucson have a condo right on the lake and a 25' Cobalt (Chevy 454), tucked under their community dock. We spent 4 nights in their condo with adjacent parking for the coach. Table Rock Lake is incredible with 750 miles of shoreline, the water was 82-84... and we took full advantage. A trip into Branson, which much like Quartzsite, must be seen at least once (to be believed). We caught the Legendz show at the Dick Clark Theatre and even got a round of golf in at the Troon Payne Stewart course.

After four days of too much fun we headed up into Kansas dodging a very nasty front that brought tornados to eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. We managed to doge another massive thunderstorm by hiding out in Pratt Kansas the next morning before continuing on to Dalhart Texas. Three consecutive days of 25 to 35 mph winds got old fast but the coach handled these trying conditions without complaint (unlike the driver). The wind stayed with us all the way to central New Mexico. South, down I-25 to Socorro and then west on US 60 to Greer in the White Mountains for a couple of days of wind down time at the Hoyer CG which is located at 8,400'. The last 200 miles to home were gorgeous but uneventful.

Tomorrow I'll go to work on what is one very filthy Class C.... oh boy. What a great trip!

:B :B :B

[Desert_Captain]

Time for an update... After upstate NY we spent 3 nights in central PA at a couple if very nice Cg's and continued west through Ohio ending up in Elkhart. The folks at Nexus welcomed us warmly and did a couple of minor upgrades. Visited the RV Hall of Fame/Museum which was a hoot.

Got to visit with my 92 year old aunt in IN before moving up to southwestern MI where we have been for the last 10 days. Yep, more free RV sites at the Friends and Relatives RV park right on a couple of gorgeous lakes. Got to play with my grandad's 75 year old tractor, boat rides on the lake, even got in a round of golf.

We have one more minor mod for the folks at Nexus scheduled for next Tuesday and then we are headed down to Jefferson City MO to visit yet another cousin and then down to the lake below Branson for a week of fun on the water and golf courses with our snowbird friends from Tucson.

Then it will be home to Tucson, about 3 or 4 easy days seeing the sites. We are 5,000+ miles down the road so far with another 2,500 to go And every one of them gas been great. What a country!
:B

[Desert_Captain]

Our two weeks in New England were awesome. Had 8 free days at the in laws 32 acres in MA and then up to Old Orchard Beach Maine for the Memorial day weekend. Spent the last couple of days in Newbury/Newburyport with my old hs/college surfin buddy. They have 14 acres right on the Parker River Wildlife Refuge. The property has been in her family since 1635! Another gorgeous free rv site and we even got in a round of golf yesterday.

Currently in upstate NY southwest of Albany, probably be at the Finger Lakes area tomorrow on our way to Elkhart to visit the Nexus factory for a couple of minor mods.
:B

[pnichols]

Boy ... Desert Captain ... you're sure a long ways from any desert way back there!

Continue enjoying the excursion. Before school is out is probably a good time to be there.

[Desert_Captain]

Off the road for the last week as we are staying at my brides sisters place in Whitinsville MA. They have 32 acres, 6 of which are a secluded pond deep in their woods. We have the nicest site of the trip, full hook ups, gorgeous view... For free. :B

We have reservations (Thursday through Monday), at the Old Orchard Beach RV park in Maine. From there it will be a couple of days in southern NH visiting my high school/college friend and then we head west to the Nexus factory in Elkhart Indiana for a couple of minor mods to the coach. Lots of friends and relatives to see in the area and we'll take a liesurely pace camping along the way.

The trip just continues to get better everyday with too much fun, food and lots of fine folks.
:C

[Desert_Captain]

Rolled into DC (after 5 incrdible days on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah Nation Park, Skyline Drive), this morning at 11, parallel parked alongside of the Washinton monument and spent two hours exploring on foot. Gorgeous day, blue skies with temps in the high 70's. Took in the war memorials, the wall, Lincoln memorial etc., what an AWESOME! experience.

We are at the Cherry Hill Rv park north of DC, very nice (can you say Cha Ching!?). Off to Annapolis for the day tomorrow.:B

[PghBob]

Desert Captain:

I'm sure you will enjoy Annapolis, we always did. Be careful with the RV around the "Old Town" / waterfront area. Narrow, Colonial America roads in places and not a whole lot of parking spots.

Bob

[crasster]

Sounds fun, we are planning on going up that way!

[Desert_Captain]

We are at the Stoney Creek cg about 100 miles north of Roanoke VA, very nice as is the weather (still). Spent three days running north on the Blue Ridge Parkway, awesome does not even begin to cover it. Stone Mountain SP, just east of the BRP, in northern NC was very nice. Lots of wonderful folks and great scenery. Headed over to Annapolis on Sunday as we continue to cruise north.
:B

[donrebyct]

Desert Captain, the RV chassis you saw in Mayflower are all that remain of Mayflower RV. I believe reports said they had around 50 new RVs and 15 customer RVs in for service. All destroyed!

The storm also killed 15. The good Lord was really looking over the area when it hit to keep the death toll so low. As you can see, destruction is widespread and complete. The authorities are saying 328 homes were destroyed in the state by the strong EF-5 tornado.

The town of Vilionia was hit 3 years and 2 days earlier by an EF-2 tornado. I sure wouldn't rebuild there.

FYI, I live in Little Rock.

[Bobbo]

We've been to Brinkley many times. We frequently camp at Village Creek State Park between Wynne and Forest City. We (spelled "DW") like to go antiquing in Brinkley, and the other small towns around.

Of course, living in Memphis, it is close to home for us.