ON THE ROAD AGAIN through KY, TN and AK !!

On the road again as of November 8th. However, before leaving we did some final visits and dinners out with friends and family. We went to Mentor and met up with Audrey's cousins and siblings for dinner at a steakhouse. We crowded eight in around a table meant for five or six, but it worked for good conversation!! My pictures are not the best because of the lighting, but are memories non the less. We spent a few days with Audrey's sister at her new condo and did some shopping. Only one store per day since it was so soon after Audrey's surgery, but got some Christmas gifts to wrap and leave behind when we head out to the southwest.

Audrey got in one last day of scrapbooking with friends, followed by dinner with the Goodchilds and Howells. After all we had to have the new drapes for the living area delivered by seamstress, Patti H. They are so-o-o nice and will look great when we get them in place!!

We finished with one last dinner with our children and grandson, breakfast with Gary's sister and our last Sunday in church with our friends.

On the road again!!

Our first stop over was in Dry Ridge, KY in Walmart's lot. The next morning we enjoyed driving through horse country and the weather was getting warmer and great!! These appropriate murals were painted on the outside wall of a stadium. Looks like great work to me! As we began our second day out we knew that we were going to have to begin earlier in the morning and stop earlier in the afternoon because of the afternoon sun as we headed south and west!! It was tough on the eyes!! But the warmer temperatures were great. Enough so that Gary had on shorts!!

Bill and Esther we thought of you when we saw this trailer refueling in TN. Is it like yours?

After spending the night in another Walmart in Jackson TN,

we crossed over the Mississippi into Arkansas and saw that the colored leaves were very much still on the trees. Wednesday night we checked in to J and J's RV Park just outside of Hot Springs AR, planning to spend two nights.

It was a nice small campground and were met near the entrance by a couple running a radio controlled car.

But the second afternoon we were closed up inside with the air conditioner on because a lady decided to do her duty of burning leaves on the sight right next to us. The leaves were huge and they covered the ground, and I know the job had to be done. But you would think that it could have been done when there was no one parked nearby! You could also hear, very well, when the seed pods dropped on the roof of the motorhome because of their size! I believe the tree was an Empress.

Needless to say, the smoke was tough on Gary!!

We did have a good time earlier in the day though, touring around Hot Springs!!

We first passed the Bath House Row before our trip up Hot Springs mountain in the National Park to the lookout tower.

The road up through the park was definitely a switchback trail of hair pin turns.

Thank goodness that traffic traveled only one direction on these roads!!

This was the view from half way up the mountain, as well as you could see because of the trees.

From the tower you could see the half way pull off below,

and the city below that. While in the tower there was much information posted to be read about the city's history. It was all very interesting!

This view shows the amusement park out near the campground we were in. The city also boasted a history of Casinos and horse races. There is one remaining casino dating back to 1904. We were tempted to go in for a little fun, but decided that the $20 would better serve us in our pocket rather than theirs!!

While in the tower we viewed a video on the life up to his presidency of former President Bill Clinton. He grew up in this town and was an exceptional student with a 4 point grade average. He was known to be a teacher's favorite because of his intense desire to learn and his leadership abilities. It is a known fact that his favorite eatery is this small BBQ restaurant on one of the side streets, where they actually smoke the meat on sight. McClard's is a third generation business and is still Clinton's favorite when he is in town. Notice the many pictures of prominent people on the walls, including the president!

Gary was not able to finish up his pork, so he took it home for the next day. But before we left we watched another patron get what we thought was delicious looking sundaes, and we knew that we would have to come back for them another time!!

And we did so that evening!! Only to find out that they were not sundaes, but peach and blackberry cobblers topped with a huge scoop of ice cream. Delicious!!! More than enough for one meal!

Friday we were back on the road again and driving on in to Texas!! So far we have been ending our days by 1 pm at the latest, and not bothered by the sun! It has been very relaxing and we have not felt pressured to make any certain destination!!

Did you know that William Jefferson Clinton was formerly known of as William Jefferson Blythe?

---His natural father died before he was born in an automobile accident. He later changed his name to Clinton, which was his stepfather's name.

Or did you know that he dated very little in high school?

His extended education included Oxford University in England and Harvard here in the states. (Gary says that's where he got his liberal ideas! Do you suppose that Gary might be right??)

Take care and see you on down the road.