We're Back on the Road Again!!!

Hi All! We're back and truckin' back out west to see the central and northern parts. We have been able so far to avoid the midwest and the flooding and terrible weather. Here's what we have been doing since the last entry!

Barb had a wonderful time in Ireland (her first time across the big pond) with Ronni (her college room mate). The trip came at a perfect time and it was so relaxing with a lot of laughs and shopping!!!!! We even saw a few rainbows but no leprachauns.

Bill and Matt learned a lot at golf school and had a good father-son trip.

Our plan for spring was to go back out west but Barb needed to see family before an extended trip away so we took some time - parked the Conestoga wagon in Louisville and headed out by car (smart idea with gas prices going up). We did spend a few days with the Mabreys and were able to go to Julie's kindergarten graduation before we left which was great. Grandad Wolford would have loved to have had an ear or four of corn with his great-grandchildren.

Our time with the Lossings were spent at Hilton Head in a rented house for a week and then we went back to the cabin in Fancy Gap for the Memorial Day weekend. We celebrated Mia's 5th birthday at the beach and had fun in a place we have fallen in love with. It was also the first time Jonathan had seen and been in the ocean. Since Hilton Head, Beth and John have moved to Cary, North Carolina and are now working on getting settled in.

From Fancy Gap we drove to Pinehurst, North Carolina to visit Dillon and Bill Roberts (Barb's cousin). We had the super deluxe GrayLine tour with Bill driving and Dillon giving all the details and history. It is a beautiful area and I can see why they have been there for sooooo long!! We also were able to visit with another cousin of Barb's, Vikki Wonnell Priest and her mom. They both looked wonderful and Vikki cooked a delicious breakfast for us. We tried to catch up in a very short time. Thanks for all the North Carolina hospitality to all of you!

Philadelphia was the next stop to visit with the Porters (Barb's sister) for some talking, shopping and golf. We had a wonderful evening with our niece, Julie, which was one of the highlights of this trip. We look forward to many more evenings like it. Come and ride with us Julie!!!! Patsy and Barb also took the train into New York to visit with Jeff and Corey and their new pup, Molly. Was a treat strolling around the city with Molly (her leg is in a cast and she was not allowed to walk on it) -- had lunch at an outdoor cafe and she was very pleased to sit and watch all the dogs go by. Thanks for a fun day!

Then on to western PA to visit Bill's mom and golf with the 'brothers three'.

Back to Louisville to see Trish, Rick and kids --spend a day at Churchill Downs, pick up the RV bus and move west. But wait we had one more Kentucky stop and that was at Prizer Point on Lake Barkley to visit with Nancy and Jim Tackett, the friends who actually got us started camping in a tent many, many years ago. We had a wonderful visit with them and Trish, Rick and the kids came for the weekend so there was a lot of swimming and fishing by all.

Now finally "westward ho the wagon" and we were on our way to Memphis to visit Graceland, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Reminiscing and feeling "young" again but then again "very old." He really was a good ole boy!

From Memphis to Hot Springs, Arkansas. A very unique city with Bathhouse Row being the highlight. Barb enjoyed the 'healing waters' of a mineral bath, massage and pedicure in one of the original ones, Buckstaff Bathhouse. Interestingly Bathhouse Row is part of the National Park System.

We found a wonderful surprise at the Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs. Besides being an exquisite garden and grounds to roam through on a beautiful afternoon, we discovered this absolutely inspirational chapel in the woods. Anthony Chapel is six stories made of wood and glass (and surprisingly air-conditioned). It seats 160 and the setting under the trees beside a creek with a stone bridge. Absolutely awe-inspiring!!!

Oklahoma City was the next stop. We visited the memorial site of the bombing and it has been so well done to remember what happened there. The museum was excellent in re-creating that awful event and the events after including putting all the clues together to bring the bomber to justice. As we were leaving the site and passing by the Survivor Tree (a 90+ year old American Elm which survived the bombing) we heard singing. A church youth choir from Plano, Texas were on their way home after a trip to Chicago and back - they were singing under the tree - what a special ending for a very heartbreaking time of remembrance!




The Children's Garden at the memorial site was very special with a wall of tiles of drawings from children all over and then chalk boards in the bricks for children to come and write on during their visit.

An overnight stay in Amarillo and then a couple days in Santa Fe. Sadly we left our camera in the RV and missed taking many photos. Santa Fe is a beautiful southwestern town and well worth visiting. Pretty small by state capital standards, with no sky scrapers and a well used town square with lots of gallerys and unique stores and adobe buildings and homes in many southwestern colors. A picture opportunity we will have to revisit was an adobe McDonalds.

We are now in Colorado but that will be the next blog! We 're having a good time - the only thing that would make it better is if we could bring you all along! Love you all. We'll be back soon!