Trip to New York 2008

I was hired to work at the Niagara Falls Grand Island KOA in 2008.  I was pretty excited to be going there as I had never been to New York State before or worked at a KOA.  I was to be the first workamper to arrive.  When I left Mexia on March 24th I traveled Hwy 84 over to Hwy 79.  I was only going about 100 miles as I planned to visit with Lori, Brad and Garrett and spend the night with them.  I was able to park my rig in front of their home in Whitehouse.  Ellie and I had a nice visit with them.  Ellie always loved visiting Lori as she lived with Lori for awhile when Lori was in College!  Lori spoiled Ellie!  The next morning I was able to get an early start and took the loop around Tyler then I took 271 up to Mt Pleasant.  From there I got on Interstate 30.  I would spend most of the day on I 30.  I decided to get beyond Little Rock before stopping for the night.  So I took I 40 out of Little Rock I spent the night at T Ricks RV Park at Hazen Arkansas.  It is a very small RV park just off the interstate.  You register at the T Ricks convenience store. The sites are pull thrus and easy in and out. 

After a long day of driving I was happy to stop for the night.  Ellie and I were almost alone when I checked in but by night fall the park was pretty full.  The next day I took I 40 all the way to Jackson Tennessee.  From there I took 45W up to Humboldt then on 79 to Clarksville  Somewhere along 79 I saw the pink elephant!  I can't remember for sure which small town it was in.  No I had not been drinking ( I don't drink anything stronger than a Dr Pepper).  There really was a large statue of a pink elephant.  Sorry now that I did not get a picture!  From Clarksville  I headed to Russellville still on 79. From there I took 68 toward Bowling Green.  I spent the night at the Bowling Green KOA. It is really nice.  I don't always stay at KOA's when I travel as they are a little too pricey for me.  However when you travel early in the year you have to take what is available.  I had a nice campsite and the doggie run was great.  It even had an outdoor chess set.

It is a good thing that when I left Bowling Green I did not know what the day would bring.  I would have stayed in bed and pulled the covers over my head!  Well maybe not but it would have been tempting! This day would find me driving on the interstate.  I took I 65 up to Louisville and then I 71 up to I 75 then I 75 through most of Ohio.  The interstate in Kentucky left a lot to be desired.  Lots of big holes!  It was a bumpy ride.  I took the loops around the big cities! I am not a City gal and I don't like city traffic!  I had planned to stop at a campground for the night but alas the one I planned to stay at gave me the creeps!  So I drove right back out of it and headed on up the interstate.  Sometimes you just get that feeling that you shouldn't be there!

I was really tired so I stopped at the next roadside park to look for another open campground.  I could not find one in Trailer Life or the Passport book.  So decided to keep driving and look for one that was not listed or even a WalMart!  A little before 7 p.m. my niece Lori called and said where are you Aunt Joy?  I always check in with family when I get off the road and they were beginning to worry as I had not called.  I told her I was still driving as I had not been able to find a place to park for the night.  She called Lisa who got on the Internet to search for a campsite for me!  Lisa had no luck finding anything either.  By this time I was nearing Akron and I told Lori I was going to pull into a Cracker Barrel that I had seen a sign for.  Well I was really glad to see that Cracker Barrel sign!  I exited and was able to pull into the back parking lot.  I went in the store and asked them if they knew of any campgrounds that were open in the area.  They said no but if I wanted to stay on their back parking lot for the night all I had to do was ask the manager!  Yea, I said bring him on please.  He was really nice and said it would be fine as long as I did not block the drive.  They also told me that they had just received a truck and that the truck driver was staying too.  So I would not be alone on the parking lot.  I went out and repositioned the trailer and called my nieces to let them know I was set for the night.  Then I went back in the Cracker Barrel and had a mighty fine pork chop supper!  I did not have the most restful night but it sure was nice to be off the road. 

The next day I took hwy 44 up to Interstate 90.  Then interstate 90 all the way to Buffalo New York.  It was a fairly easy drive.  I enjoyed driving slowly and going through the little towns on Hwy 44.  Then after I crossed over into Pennsylvania it started  snowing!  It was a pretty dry snow!  It would just bounce right off the truck.  I called Ginny at the Niagara Falls Grand Island KOA to see if I needed to get Propane before I arrived and to give her a heads up that I was on my way.  I had stopped at a Flying J to fill up the truck with gas and there was a propane fill station right there!  So I got both gasoline for the truck and propane for the trailer!   I was really excited to be getting to near my destination. I took the east loop around Buffalo then took 190 to Grand Island.  It was really easy to follow the signs right to the KOA.  I was thrilled to meet my new boss Ginny.  She helped me fill my fresh water holding tank as the water was not turned on yet in the employee section of

the park. 

The employee section of the park was a large area behind a wooden fence. It had been set aside to have the sites up graded however the work had not been done yet.  The up grades were set for a future time.  So it made a really neat area for the workampers to have their own space.  For a good while I was the only one there! Ellie loved it as it was like having her own private yard.  There was still some snow on the ground when I arrived. However, that night we got bunches of snow!  This is what it looked like the next morning!

It was about 10 days before I could hook up to water. Then I had to run water hoses across the road to the sites along the fence!  Water was turned on in stages in the park. I was just happy to have a home for the season!

The end of 2007

I wish I could say that I enjoyed working for Sees Candies in 2007.  Alas that just was not so.  I had to leave Branson about 10 days before I had planned in order to take the job with Sees in Baton Rouge Louisiana.  Leaving all my friends in Branson was tough.  Bless their hearts they threw me a going away party!  I hated that I had to leave early. 
I took hwy 65 south into Arkansas and followed it all day. I spent the night at The Pine Grove RV Park in Lake Village. 

I really liked this RV park.  Not only was it in a pecan grove it was across the street from a lake. It also had nice long pull thrus!  Before I got there I had to stop and use some duct tape on my trailer.  I noticed in my drivers side mirror that one of the fenders was flapping.  I was afraid that the wind would rip it off.  Got to love that duct tape!  Other than that the day was pretty uneventful which is how I like my driving to be! 

The next day I followed 65 down to Natchez Mississippi.  From there I took 61 to Baton Rouge.  As I got to Baton Rouge I had to use one of those loopy turns to get on US 190/Airline Hwy.  Well my GPS did not like that turn and lost it's mind!  After that I was praying for stop lights!  It took me a few stops before I was able to get it back on track!  I managed to make it to the KOA in Denham Springs with no more problems.  It was more expensive than I usually had to pay at the KOA but I just did not have any other options.  I was also not real happy to be 13 miles from the mall I would be working in.  But sometimes you just have to take what you can get and pray for the best.  My campsite was ok but under the trees so my satellite did not work!

There was an elementary school right next door.  I did not have to worry about sleeping in as the school bell would wake me.  It was kind of fun watching the

little kids play!  Ellie wanted to play with them. 

Right after I got set up I went inside and turned on the microwave to fix a fast meal.  Well smoke started coming out of the breaker box under the refrigerator!  Uh Oh!  NOT GOOD!  I went up to the office and they recommended a mobile repair guy.  He came out and had to replace a section of burned wire behind the breaker box.  

I was really excited about another season with Sees, even though from experience I knew it would be hard work.  Unfortunately I was the assistant team leader and the team leader and I did not communicate very well.  I managed to hang in there and kept my commitment but it was hard.  I did the best job I could do but it never seemed to be good enough.  As it got close to Christmas it got really hard to find a parking place!  I usually had the late shift which was okay with me but that meant I had to take any parking place I could find.  Usually I was way out in the far reaches of the lot.  At closing it was a trip out to the truck! 

One good thing about being in Denham Springs was I was close to a friend from my time in Yellowstone.  Mary Core lived just one more exit down the interstate.  It was so good to see her and meet her family.  I even went over and had Christmas Dinner with Mary, her  husband and some of their friends. 

I worked late the day we closed the kiosk because we wanted everything ready to be shipped back the next day.  I was suppose to stay until after it was all picked up but my cousin Margaret Ann had died and I wanted to get home in time to go to the service. 

I decided not to take the interstate.  So I took US190 over to US171 to DeRidder.  This is really a neat way to go across Louisiana!  I enjoyed seeing the small towns.  I was so excited to finally get back to Texas!  I could have stopped and kissed the ground when I crossed the Sabine River!  I stopped at the Whispering Creek RV Park for the night.  It was nice and the lady who checked me in was helpful.  I asked her where I could get my truck inspected as the inspection sticker was way out of date.  She recommended a repair shop and off I went.  They were really nice there and in less than 30 minutes I was legal again!  I went on into Newton and stopped at the Dairy Queen and bought myself a meal.  After driving most of the day I don't want to cook!

The next day it was on to Mexia.  I took US 190 to Woodville then US 287 into Crockett!  I felt like I was almost home because this is where my Grandmother use to live.  I decided to take Hwy 7 to Centerville and then Interstate 45 up to Buffalo.  Then 164 to Personville and hwy 39 into Mexia!  I was "home" at last.  I got there in plenty of time to make my cousin's funeral.  It was great to see everyone but I wish we had been meeting for another reason.  I was glad I was able to be there.  With my lifestyle I seem to miss a lot of things I would like to attend.  Most times I just can't get there in time!

I spent the rest of the winter sitting in Johnny and Carol's driveway.  I was bored so I wrote my book!

Branson 2007

I was thrilled in 2007 to go to Branson to work at America's Best Campground. I was a little apprehensive as this would be my first time to work at a campground. While I had visited Branson a few times over the years I had not had the chance to spend more than a few days there.


On my way to Branson I spent my first night at Lori & Brad's house in Whitehouse. It is always nice to be able to spend time with my family. There is not room in their driveway for my RV so I have to park in the street. Thankfully they live on a pretty quite street. I left Whitehouse early in the morning. I took US271 up to Mt Pleasant and then I-30 Out of Texas. I spent the night at the Hot Springs KOA. Then I took Hwy 7 up to Harrison Arkansas. This highway is very very twisty turny! I loved driving it! It is very beautiful country. I stopped at a roadside park and took a few pictures of the redbuds in bloom.

Most likely I will not travel this road again as there are other roads through the area that are not as challenging. However on this beautiful spring day I really enjoyed it.

I made Branson by the middle of the afternoon. The sign out in front of the America's Best Campground park said welcome Joy Ethridge. I was excited to be at my new home for the season. When I walked in the door I said " I am Home". Michelle and Ruthie were at the front desk. They welcomed me with open arms! I had stayed at this RV park once before on my trip home from Adventureland. It was nice coming to a place I was somewhat familiar with. Ruthie called Dennis to come and help me get into my site. I was glad he offered to park my rig as it had to be backed down a road. He did an excellent job getting it in. Well after he almost put it in the wrong site the first time!  Bless his heart I gave him a hard time about that but he took it well.

My home in Branson.

While he was parking the RV I had a chance to meet Judy and David.  I would be working in the office with Judy for the season.  She was great at teaching me everything I needed to know working an RV park front desk. Between her and Ruthie I picked up on the computer system fairly quickly. 

 All of the people working at America's Best will always have a special place in my heart.  They still feel like family and any time I can get to the area I will stop in to stay a few days.  This is a very busy park and holds a lot of RV rallies.  Michelle is the rally co-ordinator.  She does a great job!  There is a lot to do in Branson and Michelle makes sure all the rally people have the opportunity to see and do the best.  They also hold pancake breakfasts and have hillbilly parties. 

Jim working hard!

Sue (no she is not really that big!)

Ruthie, guest & Michelle

Aren't they cute?                            

Jim & Sue own the park and they are very  hands on with the breakfast and parties.  Jim heads up the cooking.  This park does not have a huge staff and everyone helps out where needed.  Ruth and Dennis live on site and wow do they go above and beyond in providing service to the guest.  This park has won the Welcome mat award from Good Sam every year.  There is a good reason for that!  Making sure the guest have a great stay in Branson is job 1 for all the staff.  We sold show tickets at the front desk as well as regular RV park duties.  Most of the tickets were discounted and selling the tickets on site was a great benefit for the guest.  One of the perks of working there was we got to go to most shows for free!  We usually were able to take one guest with us for free also.  Ruthie & Dennis's daughter Denise started working at the park in May.  While there was a big generation gap, Denise and I really enjoyed going to shows and working together.  Sometimes Denise's husband Trevor was able to join us but most times it was just the 2 of us.  We had some fun times visiting shows....most we really enjoyed however a few we left at intermission.  I will always have fond memories of the times I spent with Denise. 

One of the good things about being in Branson is some of my family came to visit me!  Johnny & Carol came several times and I managed to get them in all but a few of the shows totally free. They planned their visits so they were there on my days off and we managed to get 3 shows in per day most days they were there.  Add a little shopping to the visit and some good eating and we had grand times together!

Lori, Brad & Garrett also came to visit.  They rented one of the cabins in the RV park.  It was just perfect for the 3 of them. 

They were a little concerned that Garrett would not behave in the shows.  But he was great I never saw him sit so still before.  People around us even said he was the best behaved little guy.  He was a little ansy before the show started but once it started he said as still as a statue!  It was great having them visit.  I love it when my family comes to see me!

I will always have fond memories of Branson and my time there.  My favorite show was Clay Cooper's Country Music Express.  Hmmm that was strange as I am not that great a country fan.  I must say Clay and Tina Cooper have good hearts and it shows!  Any time I am in Branson I will return to see their show again.  Bob, Vicki, Rosalie and Larry (Adventureland friends) visited me at different times and I took them to the show and they all loved it.  It was also one of the shows I took Johnny and Carol to see.  Everyone was delighted.  Bob and Vicki had never been to a show in Branson and they weren't sure they wanted to go.  I insisited they had to see it and they were glad they went. Here is a link to the website www.claycooper.biz/

There are lots of other great shows in Branson that one was just my favorite.  There are also great places to eat.  One of my favorites was Mel's Hard Luck Diner.  All of the wait staff sings!  It is one of those places everyone should go.  The food is good and you get entertained while you eat.  They opened the Titanic exhibit the year I was there.  While I did not expect to enjoy it I did!  It was very interesting.  Of course no stay in Branson is complete without a trip out to Silver Dollar City.  It is a very unique park.  Nothing like your typical amusement park.  This is the only place I have ever been on a rollercoaster and rode sitting backwards!  Lisa made me do it!  It was fun!

I had such a good time working and living in Branson you might ask why did I leave.  Well, the answer is there are still new places and faces to see!  Someday I might go back to work in Branson but for now there are just too many new adventures to have.  God is still leading my travels and when he says it is time to return to Branson I will be ready! Until then I will keep traveling where he leads!

Until next time God Bless!

End of 2006

I spent the last couple of months in 2006 working for See's once again. This time I worked at the Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville, Texas.  I stayed at the Sandy Lake RV park in Carrollton.  I planned my trip up to Carrollton for a Saturday thinking the traffic would not be so bad.  I did not take the direct route on I45 to I35.  I used  I20 over to 12 and then hit I35 north of Dallas.
I had no problems with heavy traffic until I hit I35.  I don't know where all those people came from but as I made the merge I was surrounded!  I only had to go a couple of miles before my exit and believe me I had a death grip on the wheel. The Sandy Lake RV park is in a fairly quite area.  About have of the park is mobile homes and the other half RV's.  While it was nothing fancy it served the purpose.  I was happy to be only 4 miles from the mall and the trip was an easy one on back streets.  One thing I really enjoyed about being at Sandy Lake is I got to visit a lot with Lisa's family.  I even got to keep the girls while Lisa and Butchie had a night out to go Christmas shopping.  Several times I met Lisa and the girls at the Grapevine mall which was almost half way between her house and my rv park.  They even met me and took me to Chuckie Cheese to celebrate my birthday.  We had a wonderful time....I really have not had to many chances to celebrate birthdays.  Well, I have had plenty of Birthdays just no celebrations.

I worked with Lois and Carroll that year.  A wonderful couple.  I had met Carroll at Adventureland but don't remember ever meeting Lois.  It was a pleasure working with them.  We had a really good kiosk location right in the middle of the mall.  The only downside to our location was that your store room was a good distance from the Kiosk. I discovered Panera Bread near our Kiosk.  I had a lot of wonderful Potato soup there!  All and all it was a wonderful season. 
We had Christmas at Lisa's house that year so I did not have to go far to be with my family.  It sure is nice to spend Christmas with everyone.
I planned my trip out of the Dallas area for New Years day.  One of the best days of the year to travel.  There was no one on the roads early on New Years day!  I spent the next couple of months sitting in Johnny & Carol's driveway.
Then it was on to Branson!

Vacation! Yellowstone to Texas

I consider myself on vacation when I am between workamper jobs.  The beauty of it is my "vacations" can last a lot longer than the typical persons vacation. 
As I left my season at Yellowstone it was a beautiful fall day, September 25, 2006.  I could not have asked for better weather to travel.  I was leaving the the same way as I had arrived by the south entrance.  I wanted to see the Tetons one more time!  I don't think I would ever get tired of looking at them.  I pulled off at the first pull off I could find to enjoy the sight one more time! 

The Aspen had turned a beautiful gold and the lake had a low hanging cloud over it. There was hardly any traffic on the road so I had plenty of time to meander and enjoy the trip.  When I reached Moran Junction I took a left toward my destination for the day of Riverton, Wyoming.  I was a little concerned as I would be going over Togwotee Pass a high of 9658 ft. It was a beautiful drive and the pass was easy!  I was in the Wind River range of the Rocky Mountains. After I went down the other side of the pass the road began to level off.  By the time I reached Dubois I was out of the mountains....it was kind of sad to leave them behind.  I had decided to stay a the Wind River RV park in Riverton.  This RV park is only 38 spaces but they are all pull thrus.  There are also storage units on the grounds.  When I told the man checking me in that I was coming from a season of working in Yellowstone he would not let me pay for my site!  He said if it were not for the tourist going and coming from Yellowstone and the Tetons he would not have any business.  It was his way of saying thanks by not charging workers going and coming from there!  Wow!  How blessed I was...I stayed 2 nights and he would not take any payment from me.  I made sure he knew how much I appreciated his generosity!  I did my laundry while I was there just to make sure I put at least a little something in his pocket!  It was a nice clean quite park and I would stay there again even if I had to pay! 

From there I took US 26 to Casper.  The weather was not as pretty on this day.  I ran into rain before I reached Casper.  I had no complaints about the road.  It was a good wide two lane for the most part with very little traffic.  I stopped and got gas in Casper.  At Casper I got onto I 25 the traffic was really heavy for awhile.  One of the reasons I don't like interstates is heavy traffic!  Once I got out of Casper the traffic thinned some.  I left the interstate at exit 92 and headed toward Scottsbluff on US 26 again.  The weather was still overcast and windy.  I decided to stop for the night at a Passport America park between Fort Laramie and Lingle.  It was the Pony Soldier RV park. Well, after talking to the lady who checked me in I decided to spend another night there so I could go see Ft Laramie!  I had not even realized there was an actual Fort in the area until I passed through town.  This was turning into a really neat trip!  Wow Ft Laramie is worth going to see!  I was amazed to learn how large it wasback in the day!

 

The enlisted mens barracks!

Officers quarters.

Jail cell!  I wouldn't want to spend time here!

In my opinion Ft Laramie is one of the best of the forts I have seen....maybe I will have to try to see all the rest one of these days!  It is certainly worth a vist.  I was blessed with really beautiful weather on the day I visited the Fort.  I love traveling in the "off" season when the kids are back in school.  Most of the attractions are usually pretty quite!

The main reason I had decided to take this route home to Texas was I wanted to see Scottsbluff.  While I passed within 50 miles of it on my way to Yellowstone I did not think I had time to go there.  I had always wanted to see Scottsbluff.  It was one of the landmarks pioneers looked for as they traveled west.  I was a little concerned when I turned off Hwy 26 unto the road leading to the National Monument as there was road construction.  Pulling a trailer through road construction is not always easy and when it is on a fairly narrow 2 lane road it can be an adventure!  I was borrowing trouble as I turned before the road really narrowed down for the construction.  Wow Scottsbluff is really something to behold.  I could not get it all into one picture!

Okay this is still not all of it but I think you get the idea!  I wanted to go to the top but alas I was pulling the trailer and you can't go to the top with a tow.  I still had over a hundred miles to go so I decided not to take the time to drop the trailer and go to the top.  Hey you have to save something to see next time, right?  I got back on Hwy 26 and followed it all the way to North Platte.  I could have gotten on the Interstate at Ogallala but decided not to.  I enjoyed the drive through the little towns that you don't see from an interstate.  Once again I stayed at the Holiday RV Park in North Platte.  I called Dot and she and Katie decided to come up to see me the next day.  We enjoyed the visit once again.  So I ended up staying 2 nights in North Platte also. 

When I was breaking camp in North Platte I noticed an older couple in a class B motorhome getting ready to leave also.  Later that day I saw them pass me.  I pulled over at a roadside park but was not able to stop and noticed them again.  Between Kearney and Gibbon I ran across the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument.  Okay now this is just plain odd!

Never could figure out what the purpose was!

I tried for another roadside park as Ellie and I really needed a break. Well when we pulled in the only spot we could find was to parallel between a couple of eighteen wheelers!  Well there was no on there to tell me I couldn't do it so I put it in there between them!  Whew, we needed that break.

Shortly after getting back on the interstate that little Class B passed again.

I had planned to spend the night at the Double Nickel Campground, a Passport America park, near Waco, Nebraska. As I pulled in I discovered the little Class B there.  When I got in line behind the older couple at the desk the man turned to me and said "weren't you in the RV park we stayed in last night?"  I told him yes I was.  Well, it seems I really impressed him!  He went on an on about how well I handled my rig!  He wife finally pulled him out of the office.  This is a neat little park right off of a golf course!  I ended up spending 2 nights here also.  It sure is nice not to have a set schedule!  I was heading to Omaha to visit with a friend of mine from Adventureland days.  I was not enjoying Intestate 80 it very bumpy.  Well at least it seemed that way with my rig.  I went through road construction in Lincoln and after that some people pulled up next to me on the interstate and said I had a pipe hanging down on the rear of my trailer.  UH OH!  Well I don't usually stop on the side of the interstate but I could not see an exit in sight so I pulled over to the edge.  Well, when I got out and looked I discovered that the end cap to my sewer hose storage in the bumper had come off and my hose had dropped out and came loose as I stopped.  I had to walk back to get it...can't litter!  Kind of scary out there on the side of the interstate but I was glad it was just a hose and not really a pipe!  My destination on this day was Offut AFB famcamp.  As the ex spouse of a retired Air Force reservist I am entitled to use these.  Well I got to the camp ok but then I needed to go pay the fees on base....I could not go in the back gate because I did not have a sticker on my truck.  So I was told to go to the main gate on the other side of the base.  When I got there I was told I needed to go to a gate I had passed on the way to the main gate!  I was able to get a pass there and get to the Rec building to pay my camp fees!  Finally I was all set.  I asked if there was a short way back to the Famcamp and was told yes, take a right out of the parking lot.  Well, low and behold the back gate was only about 1/2 a mile away!  Gee, if I had known I could have walked that far! 

I stayed there several days and Margaret and I had a good time catching up!  Then it was back on the road heading to Texas.  I took US 75 out of Omaha and headed south.  I spent the night at the Crossroads RV park near Lyndon, Kansas.  It also was a Passport America park. When I checked in the man asked me if I was going to a womens rally as he had several other single ladies come through in the past week headed to a rally.  I discovered that my cell phone did not work in the area.  A little bit of a problem since I call one of my family members every evening to let them know I have arrived at my destination for the night.  I had Wifi service and was able to get in touch with Lisa so all was well!  It was really a nice campground if a little off the beaten path!  Ahhh the joys of traveling the back roads of America!  The next day was overcast and I ran into rain in Tulsa Oklahoma!  I managed to get lost there too!  There had been an accident and a truck was hanging off one of the bridges!  It was near where I needed to exit so I missed my turn.  I had a GPS on my computer and it was able to get me back on route.  For awhile I thought I was going to end up going to Oklahoma City!  Not where I wanted to go! I spent the night at McAlester, Oklahoma that the Super 8 & Valley Inn RV Park.  It is a nice enough park but I won't stay there again as there was a cattle barn right behind it!  Those cows bellowed all night!  The Indian Nation Turnpike is a great road if a little pricey!  I took it to Hugo and then 271 to Paris Texas.  Back in Texas at last!  From Paris I took Hwy 19 down to Athens then 31 to Corsicana and 35 down to Richland where I took 14 down to Mexia!  Then Back "home" to Johnny & Carol's driveway.  I had most of a month to visit before I had to be in Lewisville, Texas for my See's candy job.

More Later!

Yellowstone 2006

It was May 18, 2006 when I entered Yellowstone National Park from the south.  I got a giggle because the lady that check my pass looked at me and looked at my rig and said are you alone?  Well, Duh!  The south entrance into Yellowstone had only been open a few days so I guess she had not run across any other single ladies traveling alone yet. Wow, how gorgeous the views were.  I had to pull over the first chance I got to climb up on a snow bank and take a picture.

Well ok it was more than one picture!

Well, after all I am from Central Texas we just don't get snow like this!          

This was one of those times when I really wished I had someone with me!  A person to drive while I gawked would have been nice!  Besides these kinds of

adventures are always more fun with someone else to ooohh &  ahhh with.

Don't get me wrong I had FUN!  As I drove along I was able to go pretty slow because I had no one behind me.  Wow Yellowstone in any season is pretty awesome but when the snow is still on the ground it is spectacular!  I had to stop several times while driving from the south entrance to the west entrance.  I had planned to stay several days at West Yellowstone before going to work at Grants Village.  The second stop on my way through the park was at Lewis Falls....I just had to stop!

Then I came upon Lewis Lake and it was still frozen!  Wow!

Okay I admit it I love taking pictures and seeing new places.  I guess I have the right lifestyle for that.  Although I would like to travel even more!  Moving every 5 months or so is not a bad way to see the country.
As I was climbing the continential divide I was so enjoying the scenery.  It was a beautiful sunny day and hardly any traffic on the road.  So I was able to go slow and enjoy God's handiwork.  It seemed like around every curve there was a new vista to behold.  I had been to Yellowstone several times before but never at this time of the year.  I never got to drive there before either!  It was an adventure.  After I passed the old Faithful area I started seeing Buffalo (American Bison).  All of the rivers and streams were running high and the buffalo were crossing some of them.  It seemed that there were buffalo everywhere.  I later learned that the buffalo spend the spring in the west side of the park and migrate to the east later in the year. 

Look Twins!

I will never forget that trip into Yellowstone...how blessed I felt to experience it.  When I arrived at West Yellowstone I was charmed by this unique small town.  I pulled into the Grizzly RV Park and was made to feel welcome. My site was wonderful.

Got to love those pull thrus!   Ellie and I were pleased with a nice spot to stop for the night and a great area to walk her!  Never did have a picnic on the table but it was still too chilly!  The next day I got a call from Bob and Vicki, Adventureland friends) .   They were in the area and wanted to meet up with me.  I arranged for them to get the site right next door to me!  It was so nice to see them again.  They had their neighbors from Caldwell with them.  Well low and behold I knew him from our days of owning Whites Home and Auto in Hearne!  Small world huh? 

We all had a great time catching up!

In the workamping world you just never know when you will run into a friend.

We had a good time doing a little exploring in West Yellowstone and had a nice lunch together.

On Monday morning I went to orientation for my job with the Yellowstone General Stores and they set out to explore the park.  Around noon we were released to go to our homes for the season.  I had been assigned to Grants village mainly because they had an abundance of campsites for employees.  When I got there I was a little nervous about backing into my site.  The man that directed me to my sight was nice but had no experience helping back a travel trailer.  Well it was a little tight...a beautiful site but not easy to get into.  I did a fair job of getting backed in...did not hit anything.  When I got out of my truck....there were my friends. They said they were in the area and just happened to see me come by.  They were a great helping me get all straight and settled!

Wow, how awesome...God put them right where I needed them!

I must say it was a pretty place to park.   I did have to go back to West Yellowstone to the RV park and buy and extenstion cord for my electrical hookup..  I thought 30 feet would be enough cord but alas it was not!

While working in Yellowstone I worked in the store at Grants village in the Grill area.  I must say working a fast food counter is not high on my list of fun jobs.  I would much rather have been out in the gift shop.  I did survive and now if I ever need a job at McDonalds I have a good reference.  The work was not really hard but I found the split shifts we worked tiring.  One week we worked the early shift and the next week the late shift. Both shifts had about a 3 hour break in the middle!  The wierd shifts are the main reason I don't plan to work for Yellowstone General stores again.  I did make some neat friends there and have fond memories of our time together. 

At Yellowstone the staff was about half workampers and the other half was foreign College Students.  I nearly always took some of the students with me when I went sight seeing.  It was nice to have someone to run around with.

They really appreciate someone taking them around the park as they had no transportation of their own.  They all flew in to Bozeman and then were picked up and brought to Yellowstone by a company employee.

In July, Johnny, Carol, Lisa, Butchie, Bethany and Sarah came to visit me.  Carol did not want to stay in the park because she was sure a bear would get them.  But alas money talks and I was able to get them a really good rate in the employee campground!  Besides they would be close by and not have to drive 50 miles one way to a campground outside the park. 

I sure did enjoy their visit.  We had a good time touring the park as a bonus!

Awww aren't they a cute family?

Johnny & Carol at a table in the Grill.

I had fun being everyones tour guide. It sure was hard to see them go.  The picture on the front of my book Yes, You Can Full-time RVing for the Single Person was taken as they were leaving.  I did nothing to doctor the picture It really looked like that!

I hurried ahead so I could take their picture as they made the turn out of Grants Village.  Johnny & Carol are in the lead.

Over the Summer I had a number of visitors to my campsite that were not of the 2 legged variety.  I really learned to look before I came walking up or out the door!

I had a pretty good bunch of Elk that loved my yard!  The year before some of the workers were chased by elk so I was pretty cautious around them.

This one wanted to say hello!

I will always have fond memories of my summer in Yellowstone.  I made more new friends and had a great time in an awesome park.  Everyone should take the time to visit this National treasure.  I could write another book just on my time there but I won't!

My next blog will be about my trip to Texas from Yellowstone. 

God bless and take care!

Looking forward to Summer 2006

I had a little trouble finding a job for my second summer of workamping.  I had learned my lesson during the summer and knew better than to put a situation wanted ad in Workamper news.  I put an ad in the magazine for a winter position. This may work well for couples but not for single females.   I was really kind of mad and disappointed that what I got was responses from single men...and they were not offering work!  I did not have a lot of workamping experience.  I did respond to several ads in Workamper News and was excited to hear back from the Teton National Park Association.  They said they would be calling me about a position working in one of their bookstores.  I could not even dream of not getting the position with my years in retail and as a Librarian!  What a perfect fit that job would be.  Well....long story short they hired a couple instead!  Bummer!  I still would love to work there but until there are two working people in my RV it is just not going to happen.  Then I applied to work at a store in West Yellowstone.  The guy seemed really interested in hiring me,we talked on the phone several times, but I could never get a definite decision out of him.  So I decided to apply with the Yellowstone General Stores.  They responded quickly and hired me right away.  Then almost immediately I got a phone call from someone in Colorado with a job offer...wouldn't you know it right after I committed to work in Yellowstone!  That Awesome Applicant on Workamper News does work. 
I must say it was a relief to finally have a position secured for the summer.  I was also beginning to get excited about the trip.  It is always fun to plan the trip from one job location to the next.  One of the good things is I am usually traveling in the "off" season.  That can also be bad because not all the campgrounds are open. 
I planned this trip so I could go up through McCook Nebraska.  My sister-in-law Dot was living there at the time.  I hoped to stop in for a visit...I don't see her and her family nearly often enough. One other thing I had to do was go by the Ford dealership in Granbury.  I had discovered that I did not have the "key" to unlock my spare on the truck.  When I called them they said they would remove the locking device for me if I would bring it in.  Well I arrived with trailer in tow and my dog.  They were super nice after I went and got the used car salesman and he explained that he had promised they would fix the problem.....he had forgotten to tell the service department I was coming.  I asked them if they wanted me to drop the trailer in the parking lot.  They said no that it would fit in their shop.  Cool that saved me some work!  Everyone in the dealership made a fuss over Ellie.  She loved the attention.  Within an hour we were back on the road!  I had a good day on the road with no problems.  I spent the night at a little campground at the Best Western in Childress, Texas.  I never seem to get out of Texas on the first day!
My second day on the road I went up US highway 83.  It is a really good 2 lane road. I went through the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma and into Kansas.  I spent the night at the High Plains RV park in Oakley Kansas.  When I was setting up I discovered I could not get my electrical cord out more than a couple of feet.  I finally went up to the office and asked if they knew anyone that could help me.  The nice lady behind the desk said yes let me give Bill a call.  He said sure after he got off work he would be over to help me.  So since I had some time to kill I walked over to the antique store nearby to browse.  That little place is cram packed with goodies but alas I have no place to put any of it!  I got back to my trailer shortly before 5 and a few minutes later here comes Bill....he was the guy running the antique store!  He managed to pull the cord out of the back of the wooden box that housed it.  Then we were able to pull it out the side of the trailer.  Well, I learned a new trick and the nice man would not even accept any payment!  I was thrilled to be able to plug in.  That evening I walked the RV park and discovered water running out of a motorhome.  I went up to the office and reported it.  I am sure the motorhome owners were not going to be happy when they got back to a swamp!  I highly recommend the High Plains RV park to anyone traveling through the area. 
The next day I made it to McCook before noon.  I was able to park my rig in the Dollar General parking lot.  Dot and C.D. came and picked me up and we had a nice visit.  After I left I went up US 83 to North Platte and spent the night at the Holiday RV Park and Campground.  The next day I spent driving on I 80 to Rawlings where I spent the night in a Passport America park.

Then it was on to Jackson.  I went I 80 to Rock Springs then took US 191 up to Jackson.  I had to stop at Farson for an ice cream break.  I had stopped at the Wyoming Visitors Center in Cheyenne and the man behind the counter said they had the worlds best ice cream in Farson.  Okay...I can't say it is better than BlueBell but I had to give it a try didn't I?  I spent the next several days at the Jackson South KOA.  I had a spectacular view of the Tetons from my site!

WOW the Tetons are beautiful.  I had a wonderful few days visiting the park and enjoying Jackson.  There was still snow piled up around the Jenny Lake store and the creeks and rivers were running pretty full.  What a beautiful time of the year to travel through the area.   

                           

You just can't find prettier country than this!  I also saw lots of elk and moose in the area! 

My next blog will be about my time in Yellowstone!