Hello and welcome to Mike and Donna's retirement adventures.
After many years of working and taking care of family, we decided to look for adventures in other places.
Donna's retirement came at the request of her former manager (little Hitler) on 9/27/21 after 18 years with the IT vendor at the San Diego Convention Center. Mikes retirement began 46 years to the day, after high school on 3/18/22.
We have always liked cars and driving; we love to travel. We decided life on the road could be a new challenge/adventure for us.
In August (2021) we ordered a new home: An Airstream 30' Classic and a new Dodge RAM 2500 Diesel truck to tow it.
On Friday December 2, 2022, we finally took possession of it.
Have fun following us down the road.
May 11 – 14 Clifftop, West Virginia (near New River Gorge National Park) Babcock State Park
We’re starting to sound like a broken record, but man oh man you just can’t beat these state
parks! They are beautiful all across this country. This one was no exception – it’s HUGE
and had all of the amenities including laundry. Yes – we have to “adult” every now and then
which includes having clean sheets and clothes – LOL!!!
The drive to get there was clear, green, and towards the end, a VERY skinny road. Here
we go again – both looking at each other – hoping that NO ONE comes the other direction
as where the heck are we supposed to pull over just a tad??? Um….no…….that was after
the downhill “8% truck grade” and the sharp curves every 10 seconds!
Within the campground is the well-known (around here) Glade Creek Grist Mill – a fully
functional replica of the original Cooper’s Mill, which once stood on the grounds. Absolutely
stunning waterfalls everywhere…..there are over 16 different trails to hike, with overlooks into the River Gorge….wow just wow!!
This park is close to the New River Gorge National Park which was on our bucket list.
OMG!!! Just breathtaking………………………………………………………………..the bridge
is taller than we could have ever imagined. Its 3,030’ tall…..
We had one good day to site see then it rained the entire next day. We were glad to see
what we came here to see.
“Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong, West Virginia”.
We realize we are fortunate to be able to travel as we do. We’ve seen some rather
Interesting places as we forge across this beautiful country…often times in VERY rural
areas.
May 8 - 11 New Matamoras, Ohio (near Marietta)
Leith Run Campground in the Wayne National Forest
Camping on the Ohio River – Wow!!! A small, quaint, quiet park with only 19 sites.
Watching the barges go by, with supplies we all use every day, was simply amazing and
peaceful. Getting off the grid so to speak, we’ve learned so much about how some of our
supplies get from here to there….
The drive to get here was…..well……another gorgeous canvas of green………lots of
bridges and construction, even a nuclear power plant……Mike handled the roads like we’ve been doing this forever!!
A bucket list for Mike on this part of the trip was to visit Marietta, Ohio where he spent some of his childhood years. We drove by his old house and neighborhood in the suburb of Devola, stopped at the Locks and Dam down the street where he went fishing with his dad and brother Steve many years ago.
Then we headed to the town of Marietta, had a bite for lunch and
poked around a bit more. A small quaint town and pretty neat.
We took an 8-mile hike on a marked trail through the Wayne National Forest – started at the
campground. Saw some very interesting things along the way. Who knew that there would
be water pumps that look just like oil well pumps in the middle of nowhere????
May 5 - 8 Olive Hill, Kentucky
Grayson Lake State Park
The drive to this park from the previous one was another gorgeous day of scenery. Our
GPS (Gwendolyn) said hey – I’m going to re-route you on a REALLY scenic drive and boy
did she ever!! After getting off the main road, we meandered thru a road fit for ONE vehicle
– not two. Very narrow – no shoulders and wouldn’t you know it, a little bit of construction to
add to the white knuckled excitement after arriving……we were ready for……………..some dinner and
drinks!!
It’s Cinco de Mayo!!! And the sweet little town of Grayson had one great Mexican
restaurant. We had to drive into town after setting up camp anyway – as we ran into an
issue that was new to us. The water spigot hook up was WAY OVER THERE…..and OVER
THERE, we need a MUCH LONGER water hose.
The next day turned out to be simply gorgeous so we took a long hike around Grayson
Lake. We knew rain was coming the next day so today was the day!! We hadn’t hiked in
warm weather in quite a long time – we were prepared but man oh man were we pooped
when we got back…..but…..since we were still in “horse” country, we paid tribute to
Kentucky and watched the Kentucky Derby.
And so it goes – the next day it poured and we had quite the thunderstorm. Something we
both love and didn’t get much of living on the West Coast. Those cracks of thunder sure do
reverberate through the Sandman though!
One of the campsites had a large group of campers that enjoyed expressing their first amendment rights all weekend.
April 30 – May 5 Richmond, Kentucky (near Lexington)
Fort Boonesborough State Park
Did someone say Kentucky Derby? What??? Well…little did we know that this was THE
week!!! But we’re not “horse” peeps so why would be know about the biggest race of the
year – happening near where we were??? LOL….
Mike’s youngest brother David and his family live in the area. Hence the reason for our trip
here, since we’ve not seen them in way too many years. They picked us up for dinner
Monday night and took us to a neato local restaurant to catch up.
Again it being Kentucky Derby week and what else do you do in Kentucky?
The Bourbon Trail!!! We had no idea how MANY people love doing the Distillery tours and now they all require reservations, we did the closest one that had a tour available.
It was awesome! It’s the only one in the state that is both a brewery and distillery – Lexington
Brewing and Distilling Company.
Wednesday Dave and Robin picked us up and we went on a hike in a beautiful area that ended at a
waterfall. Then off to lunch in the cute little town of Berea. Oh and if you’re ever looking for
really cool wooden toys and some kitchen things, David makes them by hand and has his
wares for sale in several Artisan shops, and in his etsy shop – “Kazwoodcraft”.
Golf? What??? Just kidding – mini golf at the campground…we hadn’t played in several
years – fun afternoon on a nice sunny day.
When Daniel Boone and his men reached the Kentucky River on April 1, 1775, they quickly moved to
establish Kentucky’s second settlement – the site still known as Fort Boonesborough. The fort has been
reconstructed as a working fort complete with cabins, blockhouses and
furnishings. 18th century life skills and period craft demonstrations bring history to life.
A ball cap and coffee cup from the USS Daniel Boone, a submarine Mike worked on while in the Navy.
April 29 - 30 Cave City, Kentucky
Cave Country RV Campground
This was a quick overnight stop on the way to our next destination. A very nice place – clean – and we did laundry – Yayyy!! Some beautiful scenery along the way to include a replica of the Washington Monument in Fairview, Kentucky. It was completed in 1924 and resides in the Jefferson Davis State Historic Park. It was added to the National Historic Register in 1973.
April 28-29 Metropolis, Illinois
Fort Massac State Park
We just can’t say enough great things about State Parks – they seem to get better and better! We had another nice site with a small view of the Ohio River. After arriving, we took a long walk around the campground and down to the river. Such beauty in the most amazing places that we never knew existed.
April 27-28 Pocahontas, Arkansas
Davidsonville Historical State Park
What a beautiful, quaint, quiet park. We wished we could have stayed longer. Driving in the rain most of the day was no fun and we were pretty pooped by the time we arrived – no sightseeing – no time. Our site was across the street from a very nice lake with a walking/biking trail along side. We’ll have to keep this one on the list to come back someday!
April 18-27 Branson, Missouri
Indian Point – Table Rock Lake Army Corps of Engineers Campground
Welp – we didn’t move far – a few miles on the other side of Table Rock Lake – to yet another beautiful place by the lake to lay our heads for a week and continue to enjoy the area.
But………before arriving – our Sandman needed a bit of warranty work done at a local dealership in Springfield, MO. So, off we went 40 miles in the opposite direction for an early morning appointment, we had arranged before arriving in Missouri. 5 hours later, with everything fixed, we headed to the campground. All is good!!!!!
The scenery in the area and not much traffic (at least not what we were used to in So Cal), made the drive all that more pleasant.
Continuing our stay in the area, we had more sightseeing and things to accomplish.
But….what is up with the weather here? We had a beautiful week of high 70’s and then another massive thunderstorm with tornadoes rolled thru. No damage thankfully! But the
Temperature dropped about 30 degrees…burr!
Again, bundling up, we explored a bit more of historic downtown Branson and the outlying areas. Another day we drove about an hour to explore Springfield. We took a jeep ride through the “Fantastic Caverns” which didn’t disappoint….wow such beautiful stalactites and stalagmites!!! The cave was discovered in 1862 by John Knox looking for his lost dog. He kept it a secret for 4 years because of the civil war. Over the years visitors paid to enter but because of limited light sources they couldn’t go very deep. In 1867, 12 local women from The Springfield Athletic Club volunteered to document the cave, even signing their names on the walls. Over the years the cave was used as a Speak Easy and even a recording studio for many bands, and then the music was played on the local radio station. The tour is a ride in a jeep drawn tram and in some places everyone has to duck down to avoid the rock ceiling.
Another bucket list item for Donna was to visit the High School her father graduated from, prior to joining the Navy in 1939. Her grandmother taught at Drury University, across the street from the High School.
Oh – and have you ever been to the World's Largest Toy Museum??? Well…..it just happened to be right here in Branson. Wowzer – toy overload…..
To end our fantastic time in Branson, our previous neighbors for 18 years in California –Ross and Jamie Hesseling, met up with us for a couple of days. They own property there and planned a short vacation so we could hang out.
We HAD to stop at the Headquarters of Bass Pro Shop. Wow – Wow – Wow – it was HUGE!! It’s the granddaddy of them all for sure!! We did more sightseeing, ate yummy food and went to Top of the Rock – another property owned by the same person who owns Dogwood Canyon and Bass Pro Shops – Johnny Morris.
The highest elevation near Branson, with uninterrupted views of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. Top of the Rock is nestled among some of the most breathtaking scenery in Missouri. Part of the experience is a 45-minute golf cart drive through a cave, covered bridges and waterfalls with a stop for a beverage at the Bat bar. Sunset ends the evening with a bagpiper and a cannon blast next to the chapel.
April 10-18 Branson, Missouri
Table Rock State Park
Our relatively short drive from the previous campground was gorgeous. The rolling hills were filled with blooming trees, flowers, green pastures, and shelf rocks. Stunning scenery!!
Missouri itself offers an abundance of things to do, the “Show Me” state. Branson specifically, seems to be the center of a tourist mecca with a plethora of whatever you need or want to do. It’s there! We rode our bikes, did a couple of nice hikes, and poked around.
Historical Branson and what is called “the strip”, visited the College of the Ozarks, rode the Branson famous “Mountain Coaster”.
We spent the day at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, a rugged landscape that has been left untouched and, with just a little imagination, you can travel back to a time when European settlers first entered the area or, even further, to explore the mark that Native Americans left on these Missouri hills and hollows. Today, the park includes a fully functioning mill, restaurant, conservation center, bike barn, a treehouse built by Animal Planet's Treehouse master's and a horse stable facility. We took a guided tram ride through the park. Johnny Morris CEO of Bass Pro Shops owns the land. Every turn was more breathtaking the last.
We have been partaking in way too much local food – LOL! Good stuff here!! Oh well….we’ll walk or ride off all those extra calories……
The first highlight of this portion of the trip was a tip we received from a volunteer at the Table Rock Army Corps of Engineers visitor center (very nice place FYI). He spotted Mikes camera and knew with that equipment, he wasn’t your ordinary tourist. He told us of a small park in town that had a large Bald Eagle nest. So….we headed there and hit gold…..Mama, was in the nest – Daddy showed up with more nesting material and food………and then…….we saw one of the baby’s head pop up. Wowzer! What a fantastic moment!
The second highlight was a tip from our camping neighbor who’s lived in this area all his life. He told us of a “must do” hike. We headed back to Arkansas (about an hour’s drive) to a place called Hawksbill Crag. It’s noted on the web as one of the top 10 hikes in the US and number 1 in Arkansas. It did not disappoint! The hike was scenic and when we got to the Crag (a large rock that overhangs a valley), the views were breathtaking!!! The only other hike we can compare it to was when we lived in San Diego, we hiked “Potato Chip Rock”.
April 8-10 Mountain Home, Arkansas
Dam Quarry Army Corps of Engineers Campground
Gotta say – these COE campgrounds do not disappoint! Yet another beautiful place to park
our heads for a few nights. Our site backed up to the White River which was a spillway
below Dam Quarry. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery as the Redbuds and Dogwood
trees were in full bloom.
The sights and sounds of the boats going up and down the river fishing was soothing to say
the least. Sitting out in the nice weather enjoying an adult beverage was something we
hadn’t gotten to do much, but spring has finally sprung! We took a few nice long walks
around the large campground and poked around a few waterfalls. The water being SO
clear enabled us to see marine life and blue herons fishing along the river banks.
Dam Quarry MK
Dam Querry (7) MK
Dam Querry (70) MK
Dam Querry (143) MK
Dam Querry (213) MK
Dam Querry (359) MK
April 5-8 Pine Bluff Arkansas
Willow Beach Army Corp of Engineers Campground – Terry Lock and Dam
After Mike’s white-knuckle drive in the rain and tons of construction on the highway, we
were glad our drive from the previous park wasn’t a long one. After setting up in the rain,
we were both ready to partake in an adult beverage. We both had a good sleep!! We
had a very nice site with the water behind us and in front of us across the main road.
willow-01
willow-02
willow-03
We took off the next day for Little Rock to visit a few places that were suggested. Not the
best of site seeing we’ll admit. We poked around the River Market District downtown for a
short time. The weather was cloudy, windy, and cold so we didn’t walk the River Trail which
we were looking forward to…..next time…..We drove to the “Big Dam Bridge” which is the
longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in the US.
We stumbled upon the area in Little Rock that had been hit by the most recent tornado.
Just devastating to see…..and we thanked our lucky stars because that was the tornado
that missed us!!
willow-05
As we were driving back to our campsite, we noticed a Bass Pro Shop – hey let’s go!
Neither of us had been to one before – what fun!
At the end of our day, we were treated to a wonderful sunset.
willow-04
April 2-5 Bismarck Arkansas
DeGray Lake Resort State Park
Wow – this place was just Wow – HUGE – and had every amenity you can think of (except
laundry). We had a super nice site that backed up to the woods and had a clear few of the
lake from the front. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t the best while we were there. We
kept a close eye on things as massive storms were due to roll through our area. The night
we arrived a huge thunderstorm rolled through – which was the start of things to come.
DeGray-01
DeGray-02
DeGray-03
The next day was cloudy – a bit chilly – and again a chance for storms. We took a chance on
the forecast which was clear for the day and headed off to Hot Springs.
We first visited the famous Anthony Chapel and the Garvan Woodland Gardens. Pictures
don’t do justice as to how truly beautiful the Chapel and the Gardens are!!
DeGray-05
Anthony Chapel (35) MK
DeGray-06
Anthony Chapel (11) MK
Anthony Chapel (52) MK
Anthony Chapel (79) MK
Then we headed to the cute town of Hot Springs – had some lunch – enjoyed walking the streets and going
through the Hot Springs National Park. The National Park has done a wonderful job at
preserving the sites.
The displays were exactly as it would look back in the day. It seems like this was the place to be seen and get healed by the water.
Hot Springs
Hot Springs (1) MK
Hot Springs (19) MK
Hot Springs (39) MK
Hot Springs (44) MK
Prior to leaving, we drove up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower that
has a 360 degree view of…………you name it…………everything!! Donna is not thrilled
about being that high up in an open tower but she did it
DeGray-04
And then………….here come the storms again. This time the Park Ranger came around to
every camp site making sure we knew where the safe shelter was and that we were
prepared should we need to evacuate as the tornado watch was looming over us. We were
as prepared as we could be. Phones dialed in to the weather channel with alerts popping
off every few minutes. The HAM radio tuned into the local weather. We listened to the
thunder for hours – watching the lightning all around us. The rain sounds pretty cool from
inside our Airstream!!!
Thunder
We delayed our departure the morning we left as it was pouring rain with lots of lighting and thunder it was best to let
this set of storms go by before we broke camp. We waited for a small break but alas it
didn’t last very long. We broke camp in the rain – drove to our next destination in the rain –
set up in the rain – and both of us looked like drowned rats by the time it was all said and
done – LOL!! But………….we arrived safe and sound!!
March 31- April 2 Pittsburg Texas
Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
Where in the world is Pittsburg Texas? Well……it’s off the beaten path but another
gorgeous park. We made a short stop to break up driving days. We took several hikes around the
grounds which were mostly along the lake banks so the views were gorgeous! The honeysuckle was in bloom and as always, beware of leaves of three.
It was finally warm enough again that we could wear T-shirts and shorts – unfortunately short lived –
But nice while it lasted – LOL!! Our last stop in Texas……………..
BobSadlin03
BobSadlin02
BobSandlin01
Bob Sandlin SP (4) MK
Bob Sandlin SP (29) MK
Bob Sandlin SP (31) MK
March 28-31 Ennis Texas
The Range - Vintage Trailer Resort
On our way to Ennis we stopped at a truck wash to clean off the dust, dirt, and now pollen, 4 months on the road. We were a bit nervous to be hanging with the big boys but a
good word from fellow Airstreamers, THIS was the place to go – Blue Beacon. And….they
were right!! The Manager knew exactly the special care needed to wash an Airstream.
Both Journey and The Sandman got a wonderful spa treatment. While in the lot
next door drying them both off, the Manager came over to ensure we were happy with the
spa treatment. Now that’s what we call good customer service!!
Truck Wash02
Truck Wash01
On to….The Range – Vintage Trailer Resort – where an Airstream family purchased land
and turned it into an Airstream only paradise!! There are spots to rent and
restored vintage Airstream trailers to glamp in for a weekend. We had a beautiful pull thru
spot perfectly situated to enjoy the woods, visiting goats from the neighbor a mile away, The
Barn (where food is served on the weekends), the 67’ Globetrotter restored into a bar,
multiple fire pits, and the lake where you can fish from the bridge. It was quite the place
and we enjoyed treating ourselves for a few days – even free laundry – Yayyy!!
We met Jay and his family visiting from Jackson, Ohio. He asked about our Airstreams name Sandman. We explained how we came up with the name. The next day as he was fishing with his son, he told us that his whole family listened to the song by Metallica the night before and they all strongly approved.
The Texas wildflowers were in full bloom. Part of the Bluebonnet Trail was near The Range
so we took full advantage of the drive to enjoy the beautiful countryside.
Ennis01
Ennis02
Ennis03
Ennis04
Ennis05
Ennis06
Ennis08
Ennis07
Bluebonnet (143) MK
Bluebonnet (146) MK
Bluebonnet (115) MK
Bluebonnet (158) MK
Bluebonnet (236) MK
March 25-28 Waco Texas
Speegleville Army Corps of Engineers Campground
Finally we had summer weather. Green leaves on the trees and grass. We had the best campsite to date. A spot overlooking the lake, warm sunshine and steaks and burgers cooked on the outdoor grill. This is what we have been waiting for. We opened all the trailer windows and let in the fresh air. We met up with our friends Shawn, Kate and their son Carter for a great Mexican dinner.
IMG-2985 (1)
IMG-2986
IMG-2988
IMG-2989
PXL_20230326_125651772_3
PXL_20230328_011134280.MP_2