Home Again
Teri and I drove home from Detroit Wednesday. Was a good ride. We hit a rain storm just north of Cairo. Also took a 10 mile detour just north of Benton, Il. On our way up we saw that they were working on the southbound lane. Traffic was coming to a dead stop and was backed up for almost ten miles. We had the gps so we plotted our way around it. Worked great. As we traveled south we could see the traffic stopped dead on the interstate.
We did a little fuel milage checking on this trip home. We are retired so why should we be in a hurry? The advertized mileage on the Vibe is 30 mpg hiway. I knew I could beat that by a long ways. We have a scangauge on the Vibe. It calculates a lot of measurements and will help the driver save fuel by watching how he or she drives. From the Mi/In state line we drove 64.5 mph without air conditioning. Did not need it as it was cool. Drove to Terre Haute that way, right through Indy. We got 37 mpg. Filled up at Terre Haute and turned the ac on. Dropped the speed to 62. We got 35 mpg on the button. Those are good figures. I do wish it would get that kind of mileage at 70 mph but it will not. What a difference a few mph makes on this car. I enjoy driving for mileage but do not like all those folks passing me.
On the motorhome we have no computer so I drive using a vacuum gauge. That is a great way to optimize fuel mileage on an older vehicle, especially a motorhome.
Well, that's about it from here. Was a great trip and we got in a lot of very good visiting. Hope to take another ride somewhere very soon so stay tuned. Thanks for the visit. We always enjoy company.
Dan
Romeo, Mi.
Here is downtown Lansing. We stopped to order my birth certificate. Was 26 bux if we went in person and twice that via internet or phone. Since we were passing through anyway we just detoured off the interstate and stopped in.
Here is the building that holds all vital statistics. I put enough change in the meter for 27 minutes. We were in, up to third floor, had the form filled out, and back in the car in 12. I thought that was pretty good timing. They mail me the certificate. The fella at the window was very professional and had a great attitude. I wish all of my past employees had treated folks so nice.
Used the gps and we were back on the road in no time at all. Rained off and on all the way to Romeo. It has actually showered every day that we have been here. Today looks like a bright and sunny day.
We have found some place to go every day. Maybe after lunch today we will head out again. My aunt enjoys getting out. She will be 90 this Sept. but don't tell I mentioned it. She can easily pass for 20 years, or more, younger. When I was a kid we lived only 2 blocks from her and I spent a good bit of time at her house.
Well, just wanted to let you know where we are and how we are doing. Will hit the road Wednesday morning, heading back to Mo. Romeo is a very nice and clean village. I always enjoy coming up this way.
Catch you a little later,
Dan
Monticello, In. Car Show
Downtown was blocked off for the Tues. evening show. I guess this happens frequently in the summer. Some pretty neat rides. Take a look.
Sr. Citizen Discount
Hey, it was a happy birthday. We traveled all day. In Logansport, In. now with no Verizon. I drove to town and hooked on an open router. Got to stop at a car show yesterday in Monticello, In. Got lots of good pictures that I will put up when we get to Romeo, Mi. There should be Verizon service there. Seems like I had a good signal there last year.
The 2 boys and I had a great evening last week. Got a few pictures of us eating ice cream when I get to where I can up load them.
There is also no relaying stations for our tracker here. So, it left us out on the road. MAybe when we get over near Ft. Wayne, in the morning, it will pick us up again. We plan to stop in Lansing to get proof that I was really born as a live baby back in 54. Seems that we lost my birth certificate when we were in Az. back in the winter. I can not renew my driver's license without a birth certificate, how stupid. Do I look like a terrorist? Been in the system all of these years and I have to prove who I am.
Well, It is drizzling rain here. I better get back to the ranch.
Thanks for checking on us and ride along Thursday if you have time.
Dan
Home Alone
And no camera. Oh wow, it has been a week since I was here. That is way too long.
Teri is at camp again this week and staying in the GMC. I have been home by myself but that is all changing this afternoon. I will have 2 grandsons, one almost 2 and one almost 4, spending the night. This is going to be fun. I can not get both of them into car seats in the bug so I am going up to camp and stealing Teri's Vibe. Tonight we will all 3 go back to camp and visit with the folks while watching the skits. There are lots of toddlers there this week, with their parents, so this will work out great. I will have the smallest one, Rylan, all day tomorrow. His dad, Chris, cut off the end of his left middle finger last Saturday. He has a doctor's appointment, in St. Louis, Friday so I get the smallest child while the other two go other places. Yesterday I got to take his older brother and sister, Colsyn and Marci Claire, to the "resting home" to visit elderly folks. "Resting" is their term. After we left we went to a local drug store and had ice cream cones. They are 4 and 6. Today is Colsyn's 6th birthday so we celebrated yesterday with ice cream. Neat little soda fountain like old times. So, I have been and will be busy. Pray for me for tonight. At least both are pottie trained. That is a big plus in my book.
I got the new seats in the bug. That was no easy undertaking and it was hot Tuesday when I did it. A friend of mine cut the brackets for me and that afternoon I installed them. It is like riding in a totally different car. Seats help make a vehicle in my book.
So, there you have it. Teri is gone, the grass got mowed and we had a storm last evening, dropping about 3/4 inch of rain. Oh, we did go to St. Louis last Thursday and picked up our 12 year old grandson, Tyler. He is at camp with Teri this week and loving it. We will take him home next week and then continue our travels up into Michigan. Ride along with us. I will give you plenty of notice.
Thanks for checking on us. All is well at the Gregg house. Just busy as most retired folks are.
Dan
GMC Motorhome Friends
Rob and Helen pulling into our drive yesterday afternoon. They live in Sydney Australia and come here every year where they keep a nice GMC motorhome to travel the states in. Came to us from Memphis.
Friendly Rob. Most GMCers that attend the GMCMI gatherings know Rob. He is one friendly fella. Helen, his wife, is in the background. What a nice couple they make. We were honored that they chose to stop and see us.
Helen and Teri sitting out in the driveway last night. We sat out there until 11 pm. It was a nice evening for visiting outside.
Rob checking into the net.
This morning, after we had the breakfast that Teri fixed, we headed up to the stars and Stripes Museum. They have so much stuff in there. It is a great place to visit, especially if you are a veteran.
This sits out front of the museum, swoosh swoosh.
All good things come to an end. Helen and Rob leaving us about 1230 pm.
They are heading to the St. Louis area from here.
And, away they go. It was so good to get to visit with Helen and Rob. They have many more places to visit and folks to see. I wish they could have stayed longer. They are great company.
Teri and I had planned to take them to Lambert's, in Sikeston, for supper last night. We found out that Dennis, in Memphis, had told them about Lambert's being a must visit resturant so they stopped on their way here for lunch. No worry, they got some of Dexter's most famous food, bbq.
So, they travel north. We hope it stays cool for them on their journey. Come back when you can. Also, others coming though our area, call and stop by. We enjoy visiting friends, especially GMCers. No friendlier group of motorhomers exist.
Dan
Bringing in July
We hope that everyone had a great Fourth. Teri and I stayed home and visited with each other. Saturday night we watched fireworks from our couch, out the front window. It was great. Fireworks shows were all around us. About 230 am, we were fast asleep. Here comes a loud bang at our front door. We jump up and then sounds like gun fire. Got outside and someone had set an entire pack of fire crackers off on our porch. I don't know why we were targeted but we were. Did not take me long to go back to sleep. Teri walked all over looking for whoever it was. No luck. I have not pranked anyone so I don't think it was anyone we know. Must have been kids walking down the street or it could have been the neighbor behind me. Just Saturday morning he was telling me how he sewed grass seed in the other neighbor's garden at 2 am. I got a feeling it was him.
This morning Teri and Gloria went up to the camp to help with lunch. I drove the bug up a little later and helped them out. Good crop of kids up there this week. We will probably go back a day or two and help more this week. Teri will be there all week next week and plans to sleep in the GMC. I'll take it up Friday and set it up for her. I may sneak up there a time or two as I love sleeping in the coach. Our grandson from Indiana will be up there as a camper. We are to meed his family in St. Louis Friday. They are on their way home from a month in Arizona. Better them than me. Not too interested in being out there again in June. Way too hot.
Just behind the kitchen, Teri found these blackberries. Nothing to compare with those in the Northwest but they look pretty tasty for our area. I'll pick a few later this week when we are back up there, just to keep the snakes from getting all of them.
Sometime this week we have friends from Australia coming for a vist. They are in the states and have a GMC coach that they leave over here. So, you can see, we are busy this week. Teri goes back to the doctor, in Cape Girardeau, tomorrow afternoon also. We will really be scurrying around. Hope our company comes Wednesday. That is our "free'est" day this week.
Everyone enjoy the week. Monday is one of my favorite days.
Dan
Clean Bill of Health
Whew, glad that is over with. Had to drink that gallon of , well, you know what and how it works on you the night before the test. Had a doctor's appointment last week and it had been almost 4 years since I hat this test. I told him lets get it over with so he set me up. One small item was removed so I am good for another three years. Teri tried to take a picture of me drinking from the jug but I told her I was in no mood for such jest. Cholestrol and everything is good so I have torn up the icecream this week. Of course I had to fast for 2 days so needless to say, yesterday, I really worked on a half gallon.
Today is the 3rd. Seems all of the buisnesses are closed celebrating the 4th. Makes no sense to a retired guy but when I worked I was right in there getting a paid day off with everyone else. Teri and I have no plans for any big celebration. Maybe I can find a car show somewhere to go visit.
Been sitting here working on my lesson for Sunday. I am filling in for the preacher in his adult class. The lesson is on the "falling away". Very interesting subject that I had not given a lot of thought to until now. Am anxious to see what the others have to say about what that is in reference to.
We have a grandson from Indiana coming next week. The family has been in Az. for a month and will drop him off on their way home to Indiana. Teri and I are excited and anxious to have him for a few days. Will be one on one time with him. He is 12 years old and will attend camp with Teri. I will take the motorhome back up there and she will sleep in it this session. I hope to sneak up and help her some. I enjoy sleeping in the GMC.
Well, hope eveyone has a great 4th of July weekend. Travel safe.
Dan
