Month: November 2025

You know what was one of the most wonderful things about being home after four weeks? It was sitting in a regular armchair! Hadn’t done that during the trip and it was a simple pleasure that I immediately enjoyed upon setting foot in the house.

We really pushed it driving the last leg. Even Hudson was excited. When we got within about 10 miles of the house He woke up, started sniffing the air as if he smelled familiarity, and got up in the shotgun seat to look straight out the windshield, something he hadn’t really done the whole trip. He knew we were close, and when we finally pulled into the driveway, he LEAPED out of Fred the RV and into my wife’s arms (practically tearing out her knee and knocking her over) and then started running around the yard yelling, “Home, Home, Home!” (Well not exactly, but I’m sure he was THINKING that!)

It really was the trip of a lifetime. I did it this way because I wanted Hudson to accompany me and I wasn’t comfortable flying him on a plane, especially with the air traffic control/government shutdown problems. I’ll admit the slog to get to The West was long, both ways, but all in all MORE than worth it! I have stories and photos enough to fill 30 scrapbooks, but all the photos and anecdotes in the world couldn’t begin to describe what Hudson and I saw and experienced, really.

Suffice it to say that if ever you have a chance to see our country the way we did, TAKE IT!

And for those of you who were interested enough to follow our journey here, THANKS for your patronage and friendship! May God bless you, and May God bless America.

Grumps Out…

So from Milton, WV I headed northeast back to the place where I made my first stop – Bellefonte/State College, Pennsylvania. A good deal of the day was spent in West Virginia and I now know why the University’s mascot is “The Mountaineers”. West Virginia is ALL mountains. Not 12,000 ft mountains, like out West, but ups and downs nonetheless. And because of the fall foliage, it was a beautiful drive (I was finally BEHIND the storm that plagued the East Coast in prior days).

Last night on the road before returning home. It was sad, exciting…a mix of emotions. I must admit that the prior four or five days since leaving Monument Valley and Mesa Verde was rather anti-climactic after such wonders as we saw in the National Parks and Monuments. But it was also gratifying to see the huge granaries, the rolled hay, the cattle and horses and sheep and goats that make up the foundation of our Breadbasket.

And the people. On the one hand I can attest to the obesity problem in our country. Sad, but it’s true. It’s not that EVERYONE is overweight, but there are far too many who are.

On the other hand, the heartland of our country is comprised of the happiest, friendliest, most helpful and convivial people I’ve met anywhere in the world. And 100 miles from the East Coast, there are far more conservative/traditional roadside posters than there are “No Kings” nonsense. There was virtually NO talk about the government shutdown. The license plate on Fred the RV was from California but people were relieved to find I wasn’t from there and the American flag on my baseball cap and on the dashboard of the RV caused me to immediately become accepted by them. (I think they would have still been “yes ma’am, yes sir” polite had I really been from California, but I think wearing the flag is a marker/symbol in the heartland that I was glad to be showing).

Tomorrow…the home stretch.

PS, no trick or treating occuring in the RV Park!