As Jeff packs the last into his backpack… Fudge tags along.
Home it is!
Well ate the Buc-ee’s cinnamon roll and headed out.
Unfortunately we had to make a bathroom stop in New Mexico… I had to sloan extra 20 minutes there. 🙁
Found a dog friendly restaurant in Wilcox AZ
Hit a QT in Tucson and wow. That the AZ gas prices are ridiculous. That was a buck 20 more expensive then anything in all the other states.
Since my timing stank. We took I-8 to Buckeye to miss rush hour traffic.
It is good to be home. The pool is warmer than the gulf was. Maybe try this weekend. The cat missed us. She has been trying to keep our attention ever since we walked in the door….
Well that’s all for this trip.
Can you drive across Texas in one day?
Well short answer yes. We are 886 miles closer to home. 383 left to go.
Easy but long drive. Had to stop one last time at Buc-ee’s. Picked up a breakfast because I think we will miss the one the hotel makes.
We end the day in the same hotel and same room as our first night on this trip.
Head West Young Man!
Woke up and quickly packed the truck. Headed over to the guest house. We forgot to use the bacon for the burgers so heated up a lot of bacon. So instead of jerky -BACON!
We rapped up the encounter with chatting about the next one and a group photo. One of the guys one of the girls.
Well re-ordered the packaging so we can fit the humongous cooler to take back. Then after many hugs and great to meet you in person, we jetted out.
For those who don’t know Sherwood Adventure got hired last minute on Saturday morning, for the Christian Hunters Association Elk Seminar. So we need to be back to AZ on Friday.
A quick bite at Subway then humming Willy Nelson – We are on the Road Again!
Next stop? Of course Buc-ee’s (you would think my phone would not mark that as a miss-spelling by now.)
Then off to our favorite seafood spot in Alabama.
We then drove to Lake Charles LA. A total of 630 miles today. Only approximately 1,200 to go
An Ordinary Extraordinary Day
Woke up refreshed. Had the the same breakfast as yesterday. Beef jerky and Fruity Pebbles. Washing it down with a Mt. Dew. (I hope my doctor doesn’t see this)
We headed over to another part of the property for a snack lunch and a session of affirmations. This is one of the things we teach. Get together and write down what characteristics of God you see in other people. You then introduce yourself and read what people have written about you. Once done we all cheer and chant the persons name and celebrate them.
Quincy was first and was trying to look cool and uninterested. The vail was thin and we could see the smile underneath. It is a powerful process.
We had some free time so… NAP! Only an hour but it was sweet!
Headed back for a dinner by the one of the family members that owns this property. He makes a grill that has a place to sit around and cook and chat with friends. ( this post is not sponsored ) Gather Grills is a wonderful concept. Chatted about if the wheel on the bottom would make it back to AZ if we just roped one to the hitch ball. Figured that was a bad idea.
Started with veggies and sausage. Then wings and steak. Another course of mushrooms and pork loin. Finished up with grilled pineapple.
The conversation moved indoors, because of bugs. Had a relaxing evening.
Back to the tent to pack so we can be ready to roll after tomorrow’s shenanigans.
ps. the title of the post is a song by Daniel Amos. Look it up!
Something Fishy is Going on!
Rough night sleep. Odd dreams.
Got a quick breakfast of beef jerky and a Fruity Pebbles cereal bar and went to the lake right outside the tent to do some fishing. Both Quincy and I caught one. Mine got to shore and my line got caught in a branch and he got away. Well we were not going to keep it anyway so no problem. Quincy got one that kept a hold of the bait until it got to surface and it said – hey that’s air I’m letting go. I guess that fish knew it was wet.
We were on lunch duty and the flys found the small hole that we didn’t on the hot dog buns. Off to Piggley Wiggley. Decided the hamburgers needed slaw and baked beans.. Well silly me says “I don’t need a cart, I’m just picking up buns,” Then ooh pickles as well…. dropped the buns. Now two trips to the counter I have all in bags.
While looking for, and not finding, live bait at, an other store. I got a call. “When should I start the charcoal?” I gulped and responded to the other guy on the lunch team. “I’m not good with charcoal. I hoped you were.” Nope he is a gas grill guy. Well maybe now we decided.
We cooked the 30 burgers made slaw and beans and the group was happy. Time to play.
The only thing Quincy wanted to do was to take a boat out and fish! He grabbed a deep cycle battery and carried it to the boat, then found me a life jacket. I haven’t seen him that motivated in a long time.
Well we trolled around the the lake and I got a bass (not that low gutiar)
We still have no reason to keep it but it stayed long enough to get a picture. Quincy said he knows why people like doing this, it is enjoyable. We should get a boat, he suggests in a round about way. I said “You need to tell mom that! I can’t!”
Well the boating went well, then the supposed to be responsible adult realized. We didn’t use sunscreen.. We’ve been out here for an hour. Wait! This battery has only about and hour of charge.. That is why we are getting slower. Good thing we got a paddle. Hate to be in Schmidt‘s boat without a paddle.
Long rowing story short, two lobsters came back ashore. Well at least we had a picture of a fish and a plan to get the wife to let us buy a boat.
The supper crew forgot the s’mores makings and my wonderful soulmate seemed to know how much I like saying Piggley Wiggley and volunteered me to pick up the makings.
Had dinner then time for the talent show. What talents can the Schmidts show. How about a silly dance to a song thats chorus goes “I feel stupid when I’m dancing / I don’t dance as cool as you!”
Unfortunately we did not win the covenanted banana trophy.
After a bon fire Quincy caught a toad.
He found a small drink umbrella and Alisa and I sang in unison, “Hello my darling. Hello my honey. Hello my ragtime doll.” The older Schmidts laughed at ourselves.
Back to the tent. We have new neighbors tonight. They are a bit loud and up late. I’d go over and give them a piece of my mind. But these are a navy seal team here for target practice…. I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.
Finally to Final Destination!
I dragged myself out of bed at 9 am. Showered opens the blinds to let sunlight hit the rest of the clan, and took Lucy for a walk. Found a dime in the ground by the abandoned part of the hotel.
All the soda machines are out of commission, sadness ensues.
Get all loaded and off to Waffle House. I’m ready for hash browns with everything (but gravy) —-Delicious, even Quincy couldn’t finish, that is a first for a teenage boy!
We need to do some shopping. We are responsible for food Monday lunch. So Sam’s club here we come. Burgers / buns / fixings and ice. Now to find the gluten free buns and hotdogs. Hit a Kroger. Like normal the self-checkout knows my feelings about them and glitches. They can’t help it. Only 20% of them can operate normally when they learn of my disdain for them.
Now finally to Strange Farms.
This place is gorgeous!
Had dinner, kids played at the beach and adults chatted.
Going over the schedule, my memory was right. We are on our own for breakfast… We did not bring anything. Finally a good reason to go to a Piggly Wiggly … so much fun to say.
Now I am writing this at sunset with frogs singing. Relaxing. Soon will retire to the Glamping Tent.
Bye Bye Beach!
Had a quick breakfast and headed to the beach to return a shirt that did not fit. Some how with a buy one get one free with the return we still paid another $20. How did that work?
The gal from the hot pepper shop said Lucy was welcome to come in. So we decided to check it out. Her plan worked we left with the buy 3 get one free special. Dang that is a good BBQ sauce.
Off to visit Alisa’s brother. What in the distance. A Buc-ee’s and we were asked to bring chips.. Guess we have to stop!
I really haven’t had a rant yet this trip. Well here we go….
So when traveling we are a bit dependent on apps to show us where a hotel is. To be sure it is where we want I use the map section of the application. Well found a hotel that looked like it was really close to the brother in law’s house. Sweet. The page said Warner Robbins and 3.3 miles away from the place we are visiting. Book it Danno!
Turns out it was not 3.3 miles but 33 miles in another town! What? Looked back at the app and map. Same thing. That stinks. An extra 30 minutes to tomorrow’s drive. Ugg!
Priceline, why is this so hard? Do you have a QA department? Do they all live in Colorado and celebrated 4/20 too much before the last release?
End rant!
Had a great time at Steve’s house and got back to the hotel at 1:30 in the morning. Good thing tomorrow’s check out time is 11am!
Life is a beach!
Made that special breakfast for Quincy. Yummy just like grandma made.
A really late start today. Needed sleep. We learned of a dog friendly beach that the locals like. We decided to try it out. Really small waves. Lucy was still not going into the water. But it was fun watching the pelicans fishing.
Saw rain was coming so we retreat to a covered shopping area that Lucy could join us. An hour and $100 later we need food.
It was suggested by the shop owner to try the loaded nachos at Salty Sue’s. Wow really good, Pulled pork, sweet BBQ and some kind of white cheese.
Back to dog beach. Spent the rest of the day there.
Heading back, Alisa wanted a smoothie. The menu was more healthy than I want while on vacation. So I head to the ice cream shop next door. That was delicious not nutritious!
Get back to the bungalow and pack as much as we can because there is an early check out.
Dog Days!
Well fun. The occupant of the other half of this building apparently goes to work at 2 am. His headlights lit up the room Lucy is sleeping in…. Guess what… Ugg
Once actually awake, walked Lucy while others slept. After 1/4 mile I returned and sat on the porch and relaxed. Noticed the neighbor across the street is just sitting on his front porch. Nice to know I’m not the only one.
Well no free breakfast at this place, what will I do without a DIY waffle! I finally get the Schmidt clan into the car for a early lunch.. Cause it was 11 once we got there… This place was right next to the grocery store so did a little shopping. I decided to introduce Quincy to the special breakfast my Grandma used to make when I spent summers at her house. Maybe I need to make a recipe book to share with all the Schmidtlings. A few years the older kids learned her lemon meringue pie..
Dropped the food of and time to head to the beach. Hey that neighbor is still on his front porch… odd
Fudge was excited. He could finally work on that tan.
Lucy was not exactly excited about the water trying to attack her. It kept trying to grab her paws and pull her in. She was not having any of it. Even the treats could not convince this “water dog” to enjoy the water.
Quincy on the other hand went out farther than Alisa was comfortable with. My blissful time of enjoying my feet in the waves, my butt in the sand and my eyes closed listening to the water mingling with thousands grains of crushed shells and coral, came to an abrupt halt.
I walk out to where the young Schmidt is bobbing with the waves to keep momma happy. She was convey that the pelicans would adopt him as one of their own.
End the night with pizza. On the way out Alisa pondered out loud, “does that guy do anything other than sit on his porch?”
This place was really close. Ordered the deep dish. I have to say this one was unique. A paper thin crust with cheese only on the outer 1/3 of the ring and enough sauce for 7 pizzas in the middle.
The clan leader, last night, saw a glow mini golf that he recognized the artwork for. I have to see this company’s work close-up. Hey we’re playing mini-golf tonight!
After coming back from behind on the front 9, I remain with only one loss…
We get back an try to play a new game, we quickly realize the engineer and the one with a minor in mathematics are both too tired to do math… Guess we’ll call it a night!