My couple of days in Atlanta were nicely filled with the Aquarium and Stone Mountain as well as some personal care (haircut, manicure/pedicure) and eating in restaurants we don't have in Melbourne.
I chose to use the MARTA system (train) to get downtown Atlanta and it's good that I did since it was on a 'football' Sunday and traffic was unbelievable as well as the parking fees!
Their Aquarium is not exactly what I expected (was thinking more outdoor viewing) but well worth going to visit anyway.
Stone Mountain was a place I had never gotten to even though I had been to Atlanta several times in the past. It is a beautiful park and I enjoyed a 'Duck' ride (big bus that goes into the water and is a boat) as well as the aerial tram up to the top where I walked on top of the granite mountain itself.
Today I am home 'recovering' and I expect that will take several days. I have things to put away, mail (oh, my god, do I have mail) to go through, house to take care of (a month without cleaning will require much time to 'catch up'), and a body to get back to 'normal'. I hardly know what day it is yet.
So, for those who have been following my journey, it is over for now.

Atlanta arrival

After a lovely day at the Biltmore Estate yesterday, we arrived in Atlanta today. The sun is shining and it is definitely the south type of weather.
I am looking forward to the Aquarium tomorrow. The room we are in is very nice with a refrigerator, microwave and coffee pot and a king sized bed that my 'kits' can not get under. This morning was not fun getting Goldie out from under the middle of the bed (fortunately not a king sized) and took longer for us to get going but it's a short trip compared with others we've done and the arrival today was actually before 2pm.

From Niagara to Charleston, WV

On Friday, in Niagara Falls, I did the American side that is mostly in the State Park. I took tons of pictures, did the Maid of the Mist, ate lunch overlooking the Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls, did the Cave of the Winds, although there is no longer a cave there (room caved in) and it is mostly just a wet time at the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. I went to their Discovery Center that is about the geological information of the area and even went into the aquarium (very small). The trolley that goes around the park is the best because it really shows off our Park and the drivers give information as you go.
On Saturday, the weather wasn't so great but Diana (my friend from Santa Fe) who was in Buffalo came and spent the day with me. We walked over the Rainbow Bridge and did the Maid of the Mist on the Canadian side. The views of all the falls from that side are more spectacular for sure! We had lunch by the Canadian Falls and by the time we walked back over the bridge had time to just glance into the Park. As we headed to the hotel, the rain started.
Sunday was my travel day to Cleveland and my 'rest' day (got a massage and replaced my cell phone that finally died after I dropped it once too many times).
Tuesday was travel to Charleston, WV and weather certainly did not shine on me for these couple of days. I went to their Discovery Museum and Planetarium and was unable to do much outdoor stuff.
Tomorrow it is off to Asheville, NC and the Biltmore estate.

Niagara Falls

I am now in Niagara Falls and after settling into the room, I took a helicopter ride over the falls! It is spectacular and awe inspiring.
My day in Schenectady, NY was a 'rest' day for me since there really isn't that much to do there. I drove around their historic area but that didn't take very long and even though it didn't rain, it wasn't the greatest day.
Today I had clouds and sunshine for the drive here and then just sunshine and it is predicted that the weather will be beautiful for the next few days. I am busy planning which activities I really want to do and I know that the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds are on the top of the list.

About to leave Portland, Maine

I am about to leave Portland, Maine after being here for four nights. I did the sightseeing I wanted to do which included a trolley and boat tour (really beautiful scenery) went to LLBean and the multitude of outlet shops in Freeport, and even did some indoor mall stuff. I really only needed two full days here, but having three was OK too.
I am hoping to get the van loaded before the rain starts but anticipate driving all day in the rain to Burlington, VT and probably won't get out of rain until Tuesday when I head out again. I can't really complain about the weather since I've missed the really bad stuff and am grateful that I decided to leave a week earlier than originally planned. Had I left when I thought, I would have been right in the middle of the heavy rain and flooded areas of North Carolina and Virginia.
As usual, my cats know this is a 'different' morning but there aren't too many places they can hide so getting them loaded in the carriers shouldn't be too hard.

sunshine in Portland

My weekend was rainy but on Saturday I got to Deptford, New Jersey without a problem. The cats, of course, love the Towneplace Suites with it's kitchen cabinets to play with and room to 'hang out'. I spent part of the time with my niece (in law), her parents, great nieces and nephew and it is always great to see them.
On Monday, I headed to New London Connecticut. It was cloudy but didn't rain until I got there. It was a smaller room but worked OK for the two nights we were there. I did get to visit the Mystic Seaport on Tuesday morning because the rain held off until about 11:30am.
Yesterday (Wed.), we headed north and because I got off the interstate for a bit, it took longer to get here (Portland, Maine) but -NO RAIN!
It is not supposed to rain until Saturday so I will try to get the outdoor sightseeing mostly done today and tomorrow. I am heading to the waterfront and intend to finally get my seafood, outside on the water.

Virginia

I arrived in Chesapeake ,Virginia and even without printed directions (I did stop once to ask but I was only around the corner from the hotel at that point) I managed to find this Towneplace Suites. The cats are loving the fact that they can get under the bed and I will not be so happy about that tomorrow morning when I have get them into carriers -there is not enough space under the bed for me to even crawl so it will be a challenge.
My plan for today is to head over to the beach area where there is an Aquarium and I can get some fresh seafood for lunch. It is supposed to be a very hot day so I'm thinking the Aquarium might be a good place to stay cool.
Tomorrow we'll head up to New Jersey where I will get to see my grand nieces/nephew and niece in law.

Day 3

I have arrived in stormy Wilmington, NC after a lovely couple of days in Charleston, SC. On Monday, Sue came and spent the day (slept over) sightseeing with me. We did a carriage ride and some walking but the heat was really bad and we needed to go back to the hotel to rest before we could go out for dinner back in the historic area of Charleston. We certainly can't complain about our eating for the day what with lunch in an Irish Pub and dinner at a place that gave us so much food I didn't eat it all and there was no thinking of dessert.
I am lucky that I had some rotisserie chicken and cole slaw left over (from my dinner Sunday nite) so that I could eat tonight because the rain is so bad that the streets flooded and I was not about to get back in the van. My alternative would have been the Outback Steakhouse that is right across this parking lot. I am hoping that it will be clear enough tomorrow for me to do some sightseeing in Wilmington that also has a great historic area downtown and I'm not that far away. Apparently they have a free shuttle that you can use to go around the area once you have parked your vehicle and I will do that unless the weather is really good and I can do a tour (carriage or trolley).
My cats are doing very well and I'm attributing that to them being older. They had a really good time in Charleston where we had a separate bedroom and full kitchen so there were lots of cabinets that they could 'bang' doors and get into and they chose to do alot of it during the night! In order to leave today, I retrieved a few of them from inside cabinets and drawers but they are doing well while in the cage in the van.

2006 trip start

I am finally about to leave on my 2006 road trip. I have packed most everything (much easier to pack for the cats than me) and today will put it all in the van. The sky is cloudy so it is a slight bit cooler and that's a good thing.
My first stop is Charleston, S.C. (tomorrow) and Sue will join me on Monday morning for sightseeing. Tuesday I'll be heading for Wilmington, N.C.
The laptop is ready for the journey so there will be entries along the way.

New thoughts

I am now thinking I might drive north this summer instead of west. If the weather doesn't get better up north soon, I might not go anywhere. Even the midwest is having strange weather patterns. It is really too soon to make any committment but I have gotten all the new AAA books and new maps. I'm thinking I might just go stay in one place for a few weeks (doing day trips) and then move to another for a few more weeks. With gas prices so high compared to last year, it might be wiser to do it in a better way this time. I'm also waiting to see how my cats health holds up since as they get older, I'm not sure I can do the travel with them as easily.
In the meantime, I enjoyed my weekend in the L.A. area when I went to my nephew's wedding. It was good to be with some family again and I had fun.
I am off to South Carolina to visit with my friend Sue (Karen and Lynne are coming too) and that will be fun too.

planning for next trip

I am starting to think about my next 'long' trip across the country to see things I didn't get to on the last trip and get to my nephew's wedding in California. I have already started a list of cities to go to/through and get to the destinations I want to stay in for more than one night.
I am thinking I will be able to go across the lower part of the country this time (no hurricanes) and get to San Antonio first. Then I'll head north and west so I can get to Salt Lake City and then Seattle, Portland and down into California. I'd like to see those redwood forests and Yosemite. In the spring, it is said the falls in Yosemite are fantastic since the snow is melting from winter.
Will keep you posted on the latest as it happens.

the 'rest of the trip'

From Albuquerque, I drove to Shamrock, Texas
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (saw the Memorial there)
Little Rock, Arkansas (met evacuees there)
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
I got ambitious from there and figured distance and time wrong so I drove 14 hours to get home on Tuesday night (in the rain and dark when I got to Daytona).
I am still recovering although I have put most everything away now. I have a dirty house to clean and magazines to go through (I did the mail).
It was worthwhile, although very tiring, trip around our country and I am glad I did it.

7660.20 miles covered

ACTUAL Trip August 28-Sept.27, 2005

Bainbridge, Georgia Shamrock, Texas
Tupelo, Mississippi Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, Missouri Little Rock, Arkansas
Council Bluffs, Iowa Lawrenceburg, TN
Keystone, South Dakota
Mitchell, South Dakota
Sheridan, Wyoming
Gardiner, Montana
Pocatello, Idaho
Ontario, Oregon
Cascade Locks, Oregon
Klamouth Falls, Oregon
Reno, Nevada
Ely, Nevada
Cedar City, Utah
Tusayan, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque

Due to Hurricane Rita, I will be skipping San Antonio and heading east from here tomorrow. Being on I-40 should keep me from getting any really bad stuff although I'm sure I will not avoid rain completely.
I have had a fantastic trip! From Yellowstone to the Columbia River Gorge to Crater Lake and Reno (won $25- for a non-gambler that's good) and then the Grand Canyon and Sedona (my favorite place). I've seen some beautiful country and it is nice to know we have some great National Forest areas that are protected and will be around for a while without development or 'progress' changing them.

Six days on the road

I arrived in Keystone, South Dakota today after leaving Mitchell, SD this morning and since I gained an hour, it was too early to get into my room. I had some lunch and drove up to Mt Rushmore to see how far it is and it is only two miles. I finally got into the room at about 1:30pm and got the cats settled. It is the smallest room I've had but still has a refrigerator, microwave, queen bed (they can get under it), a small table with two chairs and a built in type of dresser. I have to use dial-up for internet but, at least, it works where I couldn't get connected two days ago in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
I will be here for two days and am looking forward to seeing Crazy Horse and the Presidents on their respective mountains tomorrow. The weather is perfect so I can't complain and the stores are all having end of summer sales that are really good. I will buy things tomorrow now that I have browsed the Keystone stores and am pretty sure of what I want to buy that I can use and will be souvenir's too.

Bainbridge, Georgia

Here we are at our first stop of the long road trip. It was not a difficult drive at all . I was going up I-95 but when I got around Daytona it started pouring, so I cut off on FL 40 and headed west to Ocala where I picked up I-75 to I-10 and then from Tallahassee north to here. This town is about 20 miles north of the Florida state border.
The room is nice and the bed has those wood sides on the bottom which will make the loading (pet) easier since they can't get under the bed. Goldie is the hardest and since this is a king bed, I am glad I won't have to struggle as much in the morning.
I am pretty sure that I am ahead of Hurricane Katrina and even if I get some rain in the next couple of days, it won't be a hurricane for me.

Home from Santa Fe

I got home from Santa Fe on Tuesday night and it really was a smooth trip even though flying out of Houston is not great since it takes a minimum of 30 minutes from the gate to take-off.
Anyway, the time spent out there was fun and it really is pretty and dry (weather wise).
My new fireplace will not be installed until October. They couldn't get here today but were going to come tomorrow so that it could get done before I leave for my 'road trip'. With a storm (about to be Hurricane) Katrina heading into Florida and predictions of heavy rain and some wind here too, the fireplace installation is now scheduled for October. I could just envision the mud and dirt if they could even try tomorrow but I was told they probably wouldn't be able to do it in that type of weather anyway. So I will leave town for my next trip and do it when I get back.

Santa Fe

Here I am in Santa Fe enjoying my visit with my friend Diana. We walked over every inch of the Indian Market yesterday -a very huge art show of Native American goodies and my poor body knew it last night. I slept very well.
Prices are a little too high for my pocketbook, but some of the work was magnificent.

Santa Fe

Well I'm off to Santa Fe this afternoon but this time it will be in an airplane without the animals. I am going to spend a few days with my friend, Diana, at her 'new' house where she hasn't spent much time due to her job that kept her more in California and didn't give her much time to empty boxes and put the house together. She hasn't had a chance to explore in the town and so we are looking forward to fun exploration of Santa Fe and I'm anticipating the beauty of the scenery. She tells me that she is happy there and that makes me happy!
My beautiful Silver Fluff (mostly Maine Coon) developed an infection over the past weekend and although she responded to antibiotics, I did take her to see the vet who pulled a few teeth yesterday (not even the cause of the problem) that were rotten. She is eating again after a couple of days of not being interested, so that's a good thing and will get her antibiotic until I get home. With very few teeth in her mouth, it is not difficult to give her a pill and Donna (my great friend/neighbor) will take good care of her.
When I get back from Santa Fe, I will be getting a new (replacement) fireplace and then I can get ready to get 'on the road' again. My plan for the trip is almost finalized- I had to leave a few things off to balance out the cost of the this fireplace thing- and the weather in the direction I'm going is already cooler so I will have to pack the right clothing for all kinds of weather.
Until next time--from another location--

Hot summer

Only another week left in July and I'm wishing for cooler weather to start now!
I've been out in the zoo in the afternoons when it is so hot I can't believe how there are visitors at all but I guess when you are sightseeing (we do get lots of tourists in Melbourne, Fl), you do all you can even if it's hot.
I'll be flying out to visit Diana in Santa in only a little more than three weeks and I'm looking forward to that trip. Even though it is hot there too, Diana says that because the humidity is low, it just doesn't feel that bad and she has even left her windows open several nights (it does cool off there at night).
Then, when I get back from Santa Fe, I'll get the van packed and will be off on my next road adventure. I fully expect to be gone a minimum of six weeks and I intend to see as many National Parks and beautiful country as I am able.