2 Trailer Family

Well, another day getting the Mobile Scout ready for sale. I have an appointment at PPL on Monday. We will see what they say.

Started the cleaning of the Avion. Looking for tires. Choices and no answers. Radial or Bias? Lots of plus's for Bias; but limited choices.

More work tomorrow on both.

UTI today

Michael and I went to UTI to finish some paperwork and for orientation. They went over what is expected, grading, etc. He has to go back tomorrow to complete registration and visit each of his classes and teachers. He is going to sign up for a part-time job. 18 straight months of school and he will be finished, on my money.

Our new to us trailer is home!

We left the morning and drove up to Longview. The couple we are buying from had emptyed the Avion and washed it for us. It looks good. We checked it over again and I got lessons on a few things, we hooked up and headed for home. Tires are 9 years old and have lots of cracking in the side walls. We took it slow coming home and made it with no problems. The trailer pulls great. Lots less air drag than the Mobile Scout.

Going to do a detail cleaning on it before moving in. First I have to get the MS cleaned up and ready to show. 2 trailers, so much to do.

Katy, TX

Sitting here in the house, feet propped drinking a Dr. Pepper. Long day driving, but once you get on the road and home is within reach, it is hard to stop. We had a great trip and are waiting for the time we can take longer trips with no deadline to get home. But, school and work call and its back to the grind starting Monday. And mounds of clothes to wash.

Trailer is unloaded, but dirty. Lot of cleaning needed. Will work on that the next few days. Next trip, Pecan Park near San Marcos Labor Day weekend. Hope there is some water in the river.

Mobile, AL

We left Daytona Beach this morning just heading toward home. No plans other than stop when tired or when we saw something we wanted to do. Made great time until rain around Tallahassee. Hard blinding rain. Rained all the way passed Pensacola. I did not want to stop and set up in the rain, so we continued on to Mobile. We are at the same park we stopped at on the way east.

Clean park, gravel sites, but really nice people. $20/night and to check in all you do is sign your name on the tablet. They ask no other info. Ellen cooked a new chicken & rice recipe, and it is good. She has lemon squares in the over now. On the road again tomorrow.

Daytona 500 Experience

Entrance to exhibits.

First thing we did was take the tram to tour the track. It stopped for us to take pictures between turns 3 & 4. Lake Lloyd in the distance in the infield.

The shot below is taken from the tram on the move. The tram only stopped twice for us to take pictures, the rest we had to take on the move. We are on the lane below the yellow line, the only flat part of the track. This again is in between turns 3 & 4. From yellow line to the white line, the track is 30' wide. From the yellow line to the top of the wall is a rise of 44'. You have to drive at least 90 mph to stay on the track on the banking.

Caution light in turn 4 below.

Front straight looking toward turn 4.

Below is the 2009 Daytona 500 winning car. When you win the race, you loose your car until the next year. Note the bugs all over the front of the car. It is brought from the track to the exhibit as is after the race.

Just an exhibit inside with actual cars and trucks.

Saw a great 3D IMAX movie about NASCAR racing. Also so a movie about Richard Petty's 200 win. Michael and I raced 10 laps in the simulators against 5 other drivers and the rest of the cars driven by the computer. I finished 5th and Michael finished 12th. I was 1st of the simulator cars and Michael was 4th.

Ellen stayed at the trailer with the dogs. She wanted some down time and is not into NASCAR anyway. Went out for pizza after we got back and then to the pool.

Orlando to Daytona Beach

Before leaving Orlando this AM, Michael went down to the lake and took a few photos.

Below are pictures from the Encore Sunshine Park at Daytona Beach. Nice place, grass sites, full hook up. Great facilities.

After we got into the pool and cooled off for a while, we drove over to the Beach. We had asked at the office for directions to a beach that allowed dogs. It was a little farther from the campground, but not bad. Jess does not like the waves rolling in or getting wet. We walked the beach for a while and came back to the park.

Atlantic Ocean is clear and blue. Michael wants to move down here. Off to the Daytona Speedway tomorrow.

Orlando - Day 6

Well not pictures today. We have walked so much since we have been here that my knees are giving me problems. I elected not to go back and to rest my knees. Ellen and Michael went and spent the afternoon. Before they left, I cooked hamburgers out on the grill. Ellen fixed some Ranch Beans and we enjoyed a great lunch together. They talked about having a good time. I stayed with the dogs and saved the $20 kennel fee. They were much happier here than they would have been in the kennel. I visited with campers, talked with my Mom by phone, watched an old movie and messed around.

Tomorrow we move to Daytona Beach. Around a 100 mile drive, so it will not take long. Looking forward to the speedway.

Orlando - Day 5

Our site from the rec hall.

Camp ground to the north of rec hall.

Catus by rec hall.

Another shot of catus.

Pool area.

Adult pool with workout room behind.

Another day of just relaxing. Swam for a while and talked with members at the pool. Stayed at pool until Ellen said she was hungry. We went back to the trailer and I grilled some steaks and Ellen added some baked potatoes that she had cooked in the crockpot. We made a run to WalMart to pick up some things we were low on. Came back and another one of the black clouds blew in and lower the temp. No rain, so Ellen and I took Bonnie and Jess for a long walk around the park. We found the lake we had been told about. I wished that I had the camera with me, maybe I'll go back tomorrow and get a few pics. I guess we will head back to Universal tomorrow and do a few of the wet rides we didn't get on yesterday. We will wear our swim suits.

Orlando - Day 4

Images from Universal Studio.

These are the aliens working the consol in the Men in Black training center. Fun ride shooting aliens.

We went to the Fear Factor live show. They had 10 visitors to the park that wanted to be on Fear Factor. They put them through stunts just like on the show. One girl had her head put into a box and the dumped scorpions on her head. She sat there through it all. They had 2 of come up and the mixed fish heads, guts, soured lumpy milk, worms, and other stuff in blender and poured a glass for each. The girl got all of her's down before the guy. She won a plastic Fear Factor cup. Crazy.

We went to the animal show. Trained dogs, birds and a pig did different things just like they would in a movie. They demostrated how the film some of the scenes with the use of a blue screen. We avoid the wet rides today. Going to take Saturday off and just laze around.

Orlando - Day 3

Bonnie and Jess are enjoying their down time.

Ellen and Michael just inside the entrance to Universal Adventure Island.

Michael still lost.

Michael and I after the Popeye River Raft ride.

Ellen and Michael after the Popeye River Raft ride. None of us had a dry thread on us. Sure felt good as hot as it was.

Michael at entrance to Jurassic Park. Still wet.

This is the end to the Jurassic River Boat ride. You get wet on this one, but not like the Popeye ride.

Had a great time at the park today. Food is costly, but the drinks are expensive. Rained while we in the Sinbad show. Hot and steamy afterwards. Walked around some more and the big coaster was not running, we guessed due to the thunder and lighting. We left and went back to trailer and took naps and watched movies during the rain. We will get up tomorrow and hit the Universal Movie theme park.

Orlando - Day 2

This is the Rec. Hall here at Thousand Trails, Orlando. Really nice building with pool table, dining hall and ball room. Rec. Host is here also.
There is another smaller building in back with workout room and pinball room. Also back there is a large adult only swimming pool, family swimming pool and 15 person hot tub. Behind that are the horseshoe pits, shuffleboard and minature golf course.

These 3 shots are of our campsite. We have lots of room and a good view. Next camper over is at least 35'.

Michael liked the big cranes that are around here. Our neighbor said they hang around wanting to be fed. He told if you do, you will not get rid of them and they will get unhappy and peck you.

Today was a down day. Never got into the truck. Ellen made strawberry muffins this morning. They were great with my coffee. She put on a roast with potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker. Really made the trailer smell homey. We put on our swim suits and went to the pool and swam and laid around. Sat in the hot tub for a while and then back to the pool. Talked to lots of nice folks. We came back over to the trailer and ate that pot roast. Enough left for another meal. Took it easy in the cool and watched a movie.

We then went back over and checked out clubs and golf balls and play a round of minature golf. Michael can drive the ball, but not put a bit. Ellen did good, but I was low score. We had a great time. We went into rec hall to play some pool, but the table was in use, so we elected to wait until another time. Ellen and I took the dogs on a long walk around the park and talked with more people.

We have showered and cleaned up and sitting here watching "America's Got Talent". Off to Universal tomorrow.