Saturday, October 27, 2012

SPENCERPORT NY TO SPRINGFIELD OHIO…A RAIN SOAKED DAY:((

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THIS PHOTO PRETTY WELL SUMS UP OUR DAY

Didn't hear any rain on the roof during the night so figured we got off lucky for our early morning start. No such luck. Opened the door to a steady drizzle & everything was wet & dripping. Little did we know we would spend the next 6 hours driving in a steady rain. We are both early risers so were up somewhere shortly after 5 & quietly slipped out the Coleman Avenue driveway into the rain soaked darkened morn.  It was 6:35 a.m.

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No destination in mind so we just kept plodding west for as long as we felt like driving, which turned out to be just short of 9 hours.  Long distance driving has never bothered me so for the most part, I don’t mind the grind.  A couple New York State toll roads kicked us for $19.20 but hey, we probably saved that in gas by simply not trying to avoid them. Rains were heavy at times but traffic was light & moving well. It is one of the reasons I always prefer to begin long journeys on a Saturday morning. Saturday & Sunday gives us 2 full days with lighter traffic, no rush hours, & fewer trucks on the roads & highways. And, construction is usually shut down for the week-end. That was a huge bonus today as we breezed our way through some major construction zones along the 4 lane highways & Interstates. Had it been a week day with construction going on, there would have been some major delays for sure.

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A RAIN SOAKED PIT STOP AT A REST AREA TODAY

There is also an advantage to driving a Motorhome on rainy days.  Like a truck, a Motorhome driver sits much higher off the road than car drivers.  That height puts the driver above all the watery spray coming off surrounding vehicles making visibility ahead much clearer.  That sometimes happens with low ground fog as well & explains why trucks are able to move quicker than the low fogged in cars around them.

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A tip of my hat & a quiet 'thank-you' to AA co-founders Bill Wilson & Dr. Bob as we swung around Akron, Ohio this afternoon. Akron is where Alcoholics Anonymous took root back in the mid 30's.

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One gas stop in rain soaked Painesville Ohio & one stop at an even wetter soaked rest area nearby carried us all the way from Spencerport NY to Springfield Ohio just northeast of Dayton. Found us a nice Cracker Barrel just off I-70 & called it a day about 3:30. We kind of make it a tradition on our first day on the road to wind things down with supper at a Cracker Barrel. We have a ton of food on board but, tradition is tradition, & besides, after a long day on the road, it’s just nice to get out of the vehicle & go sit somewhere else for awhile:))

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OUR OVERNIGHTER SPOT IN SPRINGFIELD OHIO, & WE EVEN HAVE A TREE (notice our new Cracker Barrel flag pole on the back of the rig:))

I like the old time looks & ambience of Cracker Barrel.  And, the warmth & smell of burning Hickory in that big old stone fireplace gets me every time.  Today walking in, I heard Hank Williams his very self, up there in the rafter speakers a beltin out, 'Praise the Lord, I Saw The Light'. Now, how's that for a real howdy doo welcome:))  Kelly had a Pork BBQ something or other & I had myself a conglomeration of stuff off the breakfast menu that had a couple eggs, a mess of biscuits & buns, some of that gritsy stuff, gravy, & a swoosh of potato casserole.  Definitely not the normal healthy breakfast I am accustomed to, but boy oh boy, did it ever yummily taste like we were back in the good old U.S. of A:))

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Sunshine finally broke through a heavy cloud cover about 5:30 this afternoon. Maybe we will have a clear driving day Sunday. After today's deluge of water, that would be nice.  I think we did about 450 miles today.  And, how fortunate we are to have such a great traveling companion in Pheebs.  She is just no trouble at all.  Our little Spooky Pants is just the greatest:))  

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NOTHING LIKE A GOOD OLD GAME OF TOYS AT THE END OF A LONG DRIVING DAY 

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Senior Ads seen in a Florida newspaper.....…………..

MINT CONDITION:  Male, 1932 model , high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves. Isn't in running condition, but walks well.
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LONG-TERM COMMITMENT: Recent widow who has just buried fourth husband, looking for someone to round out a six-unit plot.  Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.
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SERENITY NOW:I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean,
yoga and meditation. If you are the silent type, let's get together, take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.

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WINNING SMILE: Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a
dedicated flosser to share rare steaks, corn on the cob and caramel candy.

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BEATLES OR STONES? I still like to rock, still like to cruise in my
Camaro on Saturday nights and still like to play the guitar. If you were a groovy chick, or are now a groovy hen, let's get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.

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MEMORIES:  I can usually remember Monday through Thursday. If you
can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let's put our two heads together.
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FOXY LADY:Sexy, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty, 80's, slim, 5'4' (used to be 5'6'), searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion. Matching white shoes and belt a plus.

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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
- OUR PHOTO ALBUMS - .
https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295/
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

18 comments:

  1. You've very lucky with the 'Pheeberator'. Jackson gets antsy and we have to stop to let him stretch his legs about every 2 - 3 hours. It's a pain sometimes.

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  2. You're in Gordon's old stomping grounds now. He has cousins living in Springfield. We've eaten at that Cracker Barrell too. Safe travels to the southwest!

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  3. Looks like Pheebs has adjusted already No rain in Bayfield today Actually got some sun late in the dayHave agood driving day tomorrow Happy Trails and your little house is waiting for you

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  4. Costs us more to stay at Cracker Barrel than if we stayed in a campground. Jim just has to have both dinner and breakfast there.

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  5. I don't think they have Cracker Barrels in California. I've never been to one. Something to look forward to in our travels. But then I try to avoid fatty foods so I don't know what I would order!

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  6. Well, it looks like you outran Sandy, which has the largest maximum diameter of any storm to date at almost 800 miles (next largest was Isabel in 2003 at 575 miles). And you know things are serious when the CANADIAN hurricane center is issuing warnings for Canada, including your home area of Ontario (high winds). Boy, you guys really timed it right on this one. Safe travels. Beautiful weather out here, BTW.

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  7. We've never seen a Cracker Barrel Rest either, sounds like our kind of place though. Glad you've missed the
    hurricane.

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  8. Whew, that's a lot more miles than I like to put down in a day. Especially in rain. Have eaten at Cracker Barrel but didn't know you could over night there. Sounds nicer than Wal-Mart camp. Especially with good food. Guess you won't have to eat breakfast there as you already did.

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  9. glad you landed safely after all those rainy miles!..enjoy a good night's sleep!!..onward to the next stop!

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  10. Cracker Barrel is a nice overnighter, but the breakfast is enough to cause your cholesterol to spike 50 points.... Of course I always get it just the same.. You should be well beyond Sandy now...

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  11. Sure is nice that you were able to make that many miles on a rainy day, and end up with a great meal at Cracker Barrel. Your timing does look good, so keep doing what you're doing. Pheebs looks happy! Sleep well tonight.

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  12. Glad to hear you made some good miles and are well away from Sandy. Don't forget to take down your new Cracker Barrel flag before you pull out. It could cause you trouble with some under-passes!!

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  13. That is the way to do it, hit the the road and make steady safe progress. Your dog sounds like a great travel partner and you did not let him eat Cracker Barrel, so he should be good tomorrow. My older brother always has to eat there on road trips. It is just too much good food for me, can't leave anything on the plate you know. I saw a Class A with his TV antenna up on I-95 yesterday, But I agree you had better remember to take down that Cracker Barrel flag before you start out. Safe travels to you.

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  14. Hey Al, nice trip and even in the rain....but I believe my "lamps" on my roof at the "Arch" in Nebr were prettier than your flag pole.....:-)

    Anxious to see where you end up tonight,,,,maybe Arkansas,,,?? We'll see !

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  15. You made some good time today with an early stop and nice meal. Enjoy Sundays journey and be safe out there.

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  16. "A couple New York State toll roads kicked us for $19.20 but hey, we probably saved that in gas by simply not trying to avoid them."

    Google Maps indicates that a No Toll route would have added 19 miles but also added 47 minutes to travel time. So increased gas cost would not be a concern to me. The increase in time would not be a concern either since I would not do the long days that you do.

    As you know, I hate Interstate Highways so I would have elected to do the no Interstate route per Google. This would have been 6 miles shorter but would require 2 hours and 58 minutes more time. For me that would not be an issue because I would do it two days rather than your one.

    Keep on motoring!

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  17. That rain is all your fault, after all it was you who just washed your motorhome and Jeep! ;c)

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  18. We love Crackerbarrel, but never Cracker-docked it...Their potato breakfast casserole is THE BOMB! Travel safe!

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