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April 25, 2022

Judy and Lyle leave Gulf Waters RV Resort for the last time as owners of a lot.  We love this place and hope to be back as renters for part of next season.  Before leaving we needed several mechanical issues tended to by Scott at SW Florida RV Service in Alva.  We've used Scott for a number of years because his knowledge of Newmar coaches is outstanding.  He is fair and reliable.  

The title of this page is the Long Way Home to Michigan.  We plan to visit the Hill Country of Texas, travel north to Colorado to visit Lyle's family, then cruise across the plains to Michigan for the summer.  

We will update this page as we roll along, and we hope you ride with us.

April 27, 2022

Finished service earlier than expected on Monday.  Made it to Paradise Oaks RV Park in Bushnell, FL for the night, then on to Pensacola area tonight.  Great roads (I-75 and I-10).  We did acquire thousands of love bugs today.  Removing them is a science.  Water alone doesn't work, water and Dawn dish soap works wonders.   Heading to Lafayette, LA tomorrow, with hopes of Cajun cuisine.

April 29, 2022

For the record, very few love bugs today!  However, this blog constitutes a rant by Lyle.

We encountered heavy traffic on I-10 in Lake Charles, but no issues in Louisiana.  Texas was an issue.  Lots of construction.  Again, not a major problem.  Except that the lane dividing markers/paint were almost none existent.  That left drivers in both lanes guessing about where to be--at 60 miles an hour or more.  After more than an hour of this crap, we ran out of most of the construction north of Houston.  The only damage was to our nerves.  It took awhile to  "come down" once we arrived in Schulenberg.  

One of Judy's plants seems to have quickly adapted to life in the coach.  The dipladenia is traveling on the sofa, properly secured.  Judy saw a shoot had grown and wrapped itself around one of the sconce lamps. 

May 1, 2022 

Arrived in Fredericksburg, TX before noon with plans to use it as a base to visit 

Hill Country.  Google Maps took us past Luckenbach, but did not check to see if Waylon, Willie and the Boys were there.  Future radar suggests a strong storm here tomorrow morning.  Hoping it will wash off the road grim from earlier today.  

May 5, 2022

Finally, a nice rain complete with thunder and lightning, but from a direction that did not wash the back of the motor home!

Yesterday, Lyle's brother Tom and sister-in-law Linda drove to Fredericksburg from Austin to show us around Hill Country.  It was great to see them after more than two years.  Good visit.  Downtown historic Frederickburg has about the right amount of touristy things and it retains the flavor of what many small town shopping areas used to be.  Lots of photos over the last few days, including photos that prove Lyle is easily amused.  

In addition to downtown Fredericksburg, we made a pilgrimage to Luckenbach, TX--a day ahead of thousands of motorcyclist for their annual event.  Stopped at one of many dozens of wineries for a tasting.  Pretty tasty.  A tad expensive.  Toured the LBJ Ranch and stopped at the Fredericksburg Pie Company,.  Of course, we bought pie!


May 17, 2022

We spent the day cleaning  the road grime off of the motor home.  Looks almost new! 

Lyle's sister, Sharon, drove from Fort Collins, picked us up, and went on to a western suburb of Denver for lunch with their nearly 100 year old aunt Leota Hettinger and a group of cousins.  Wonderful to see her/them.  Aunt Leota looks wonderful and it totally with it at 99. 

Driving to Transwest RV Service this afternoon for, hopefully, a quick check on a slight oil leak from one of the drive axles.  Then, back to Superior, CO for the twins graduation Thursday.  Graduation party on Friday, then we head east toward home.  Lyle is scheduled to appear with Bob Sirrott on WGN's 100th anniversary Thursday (8:48 CST).  Welcome WGN listeners to our travelog!  Thanks for taking time to follow along!

May 20, 2022

Graduation was on a football field in Boulder--sunny and very windy, but nicely done.  Two and a half hours of sitting on hard bleachers was taxing to our backsides.  Last night, Erik and Joanna had a graduation/birthday party.  Erik smoked a brisket, while Joanna, Judy and Joanna's mother provided sides in great abundance.  It started snowing about 1 p.m. yesterday--heavy, wet snow, at least six inches of it. Temps overnight got down to freezing, but the propane furnace in the motor home kept us toasty.

.Turns out we were lucky to get only six inches of snow.  Some areas south and southwest of Denver logged 20 inches.  Thousands without power!.  

We are on our way back to SW Michigan for much of the summer.  Tonight (May 22) near Newton, IA.  Most expensive diesel yet at $5.49.  Should have filled up near Omaha for $5.09.

May 10, 2022

Nice drive from Childress to Dalhart on U.S. highways and "farm to market" routes.  One exception was a rock thrown by a passing truck, chipping the windshield of the coach.  Hope repairs will be done today.  

It was clear we moved into wheat country (grain elevators dot the landscape)

Update on chipped windshield:  Juan stopped by with the equipment and the resin to fill the chip.  It is still visible, but not likely to spread/crack.  Hope it is good to get back to Michigan.  By the way, insurance covered the repair, but as part of his service, Juan also cleaned the windshiield that had two days of bugs.  Dalhart is treating us well! And we are parked in the shade of a big tree, taking the sting out of 90 degrees.

While the Lyle watched the windshield repairs, Judy took a couple of loads of laundry to the RV laundromat AND found a new source of used books there.

May 11, 2022

Dalhart TX to Colorado City, CO on U.S. 287 and I-25.  We were a little slow going up Raton Pass, but the main issue of the day was severe cross winds, which continued after we parked for the night.  We did get our first glimpse of snow capped mountains from the RV park (left)

May 15,2022

Our visit in Superior, CO with Lyle's family is a welcome respite from the "road".  Erik, Joanna, Shannon, twins Owen, Drew, dogs Rainy and Juneau plus Joanna's parents Denny and Chris Stidham who came in from Northbrook, IL.  The occasion is the twins' graduation from high school.  

May 9, 2022

The 5 plus hour drive on U.S. Highways from Fredericksburg to Childress, TX got progressively hotter.  By the time we arrived at the RV Park (not one of Lyle's best choices) it was 106 degrees!  The air conditioners in the coach are busy, so we are comfortable inside.  Tomorrow, we head farther north, but not much relief from the heat.  Oh, and its windy, really windy.  The only tree (sapling) near us was nearly bent to the ground by the winds. Guessing a wind burn will come before a sunburn.   Middle photo below:  We're heading into a dust storm, visibility dropped to near zero for a short time.  Lower left:  One of the many county court houses we passed by.  

The Texas White House during the term of LBJ located on the Pedernales River near Stonewall, TX.  To the left:  The pastoral view LBJ saw from his ranch home..

May 7, 2022

One hundred degrees was the forecast today here in Hill Country.  Our refuge was in the World War II Museum.  A reminder of the horrors of war and the heroes who served in the Pacific Theater, including Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, a native of Fredericksburg.  It is an extraordinary historical visit.  There was only one small bit of humor that we saw in the posters (right). Below: Plaza of the Presidents who served in WWII--from FDR to George HW Bush.

A picture is worth a thousand bugs!.

Repurposing!

Two of Fredericksburg's historic churches--Holy Ghost Lutheran (outside view) and St. Mary's Catholic (stunning interior)

 Motorhome Experiences of Judy and Lyle Dean Lebsack

May 8,2022

The spring bloom season in Hill Country peaked before we arrived because of the drought and hot weather.  Lyle's brother, Tom, suggested a drive to Willow City (country roads).  Along the way we found some remaining wild flowers in bloom and are sharing them here.