Elvis, Graceland and Grand babies!

It is time to go home soon--as you can see from the picture--too many snacks!

We went to Mission San Jose which was SO interesting.  This was one of five Catholic missions that protected the indians from Apache raiders, educated them in Spanish and Latin and converted them.  It was a whole community.  Lots of artists painting this famous area.
We left San Antonio with happy memories!  We were taking some of our grocery bags out to the car Thursday night--under cover of darkness.  There was a pan handler on the way to the RV that usually asks for money--but he took one look at us and just shook his head!  Maybe he was thinking of giving us a dollar!  Ha!

Buckhorn Saloon

Mission San Jose

San Antonio to Columbus route goes right through Memphis so we stopped at Graceland.  It was so much fun.  What an amazing talent and generous person Elvis was.  Some one gave me an extra ticket on the way in so only had to pay for one ticket.  Saw his personal planes and multiple cars and home.  We were very glad we stopped.  Elvis lives!

Graceland entrance

At Graceland with earphones

Graceland living room

Sunday we arrive back in Cincinnati where we started seven weeks ago.  We left with one little face looking out the door as we left and we arrive to two beautiful grand babies!  I am staying for two weeks with Carrie, Nate and the girls.   Pete has to head home to take care of the RV, grass and leaves.  He will be back for Molly's baptism in two weeks.

C, Anna Grace, Bailey

C, P, Anna, Molly

 Pete and I are happy to be home but what a wonderful adventure it was.  Verizon phone and internet service were terrific 90% of the time---and we used them everyday to keep in touch.  We live in such a beautiful diverse country.  Pete and I are already planning our next adventure out west!

Thank you for coming with us on this adventure!  It was so much more fun sharing it with you!

Statistics:

Total cost for 7 weeks  $4129.00
Total miles 7000
Gas cost $1371 --33% of total expenses
Food costs $988--24%
Campgrounds $250--6%
Entertainment  $800--19%
Misc $722--17%
Gas average about $3.20 per gallon
Gas mileage was 15 miles per gallon.
Gallons gas used 470

We'll see how we do next trip!

San Antonio is TERRIFIC!

Arrived at Wyndham timeshare on the River Walk and it is such a great location!  We hauled all our bags of food, everything in the refrigerator, clothes and Bailey's paraphernalia discreetly into the hotel in plastic grocery bags--very classy!  This room is two stories with a spiral staircase with the bedroom and bath upstairs and a jacuzzi on the balcony!  Time to get the desert dust out of our bones!  Bailey even looks a different color with the Sedona red sand in her fur!

We took a trolley tour today around to 10 regions of the city and surrounding area.  You can get on and off.  We stopped at the Market Square (all Mexican crafts).  There was a really neat restaurant there that has Christmas decor all year.  We met the founder's grandson who explained the mural in the restaurant.  It is huge and they had an artist there adding more faces to it.  These are all important Latinos.  See the two "DOG WHISPERERS"--Pete is one of them--just not the Latino part.

San Antonio Market

Dog Whisperer

Mia Tierra decoration

Also stopped at San Fernando Cathedral--second oldest functioning cathedral in U.S.  Beautiful "All Souls' Day" display in front of the church.  Gorgeous altar and all this built 90 years before the Alamo. Cremated remains of three Alamo heroes on display in the cathedral ... Davey Crockett, Sam Bowie, and the military commander Col. Wm Travis.  The Alamo was right near to hotel and we did guided audio tour there.  Free to go in and nice movie there.  We had seen the IMAX movie about the Alamo the night before so we had greater appreciation for the battle--well worth it.

San Fernando Altar

The Alamo

The River Walk is so AMAZING!  It is almost 15 miles long.  In the city area, it is LINED on both sides with restaurants, hotels, waterfalls and people!  We had the best Mexican food at Casa Rio, the first restaurant on the River Walk after its construction, as we sat right next to the water (San Antonio river).   Later we took the $6 river barge tour twice, once at night and then during the day--about 35 min and beautiful.  There is a picture below of the barge SWEEPING debris out of the river--quite ingenious we thought.  It always looked perfect.  Wednesday we took shuttle over to Guenther house for great breakfast with 6 inch cube of great cinnamon roll.  Mr Guenther founded Pioneer flour company and we took a tour of his home.  It turns out there is a lot of money in grinding flour!  We walked back to hotel on Riverwalk.  We stopped at the other Wyndham Cascada to check it out--right on Riverwalk, out a bit from the central city, better parking near front door for RV and less traffic around that area. When we return we may stay here next time.  (Writing this done so we'll remember!)

Riverwalk

Riverwalk

Cleaning river

Riverwalk crossover

Casa Rio on Riverwalk

Tonight we had Texas BBQ ribs at County Line BBQ--very good--lots of food!  We split a dinner and still took home doggie bag!
Tomorrow we are going to see some missions and eat some more Mexican food!  One more day to enjoy this amazing journey!

To our faithful readers---just so you don't go into WITHDRAWAL--want to warn you that there will probably be  no more blog entries until we get home as we will have long days driving the 1200 miles home.  We will be able to sum up all we have learned on this expedition!  We are anxious to get back to our grand babies and meet Molly!  Good times are ahead!

On to New Mexico and Questions from our Readers!

After leaving Sedona a short drive to Show Low, AZ camping at lakeside and walked a trail along the shore. Up the next morning and watched OSU vs Purdue compliments of the Big Ten Network and our android phones connected to the flat screen tv in the camper. The game started at 9 am our time so we watched it in sleeping bags while eating breakfast in bed!  Somehow Pete has managed to watch ALL the OSU football games on this trip!

Another short walk and off to New Mexico where we stayed at a BLM campground called Datil Well. Was a stop on the cattle drives of yore as there was water available. Had a nice hike and a beautiful sunset.  This camp site was $2.50 for seniors--hardly pays to live at home!  I lost my good sunglasses on the trail and Pete went back the next morning and found them--just a little bent (probably mountain lion pawed them---in the area per the trail sign)--but fine.  We're back in business!  Pete, my hero!

C hiking Pinion-Juniper trail Datil Well

Campfire at Datil Well

Sunset Datil Well

QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS:  So far we have over 700 views on our blog!  Here are some answers from your many questions.

What do two active and HAPPY seniors eat while camping in a very small vehicle?

 Well, you would be surprised.  We eat very well.  We have had roast chicken, green beans, corn--spaghetti and carrots--sausage with onions and peppers, chile, BBQ ribs, beef brisket, stroganoff,
and stew---all of these I made ahead and froze in those food saver suction bags.  We buy those grocery roasted chickens, frozen veggies, fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, and yogurt along the way.  Occasionally Marie Callender cooks for us also.  Breakfast is sausage, eggs, bacon, bread, cereal with fruit, yogurt--but not all at once.  I brought a slow cooker, skillet and sauce pan---NONE of which we have used!  It's all done with the magic of the microwave!  If these microwaves are deadly, then we've probably lost a few good years!  :)  We also have a LOT of snacks--it's takes energy to be retired!

What do well-dressed seniors have in their camping/Wyndham wardrobe?

We each have four tee shirts, four long sleeved tee shirts, 2 pair of jeans, dressy jeans, fleece jackets, sweater, windbreakers and down vests.  Sandals, tennis shoes and our new hiking shoes that we really needed on this venture.  We wore everything that we brought except one nice outfit each.  Never needed to jazz ourselves up much!  You might notice that we have the SAME clothes on several days in a row--that is NOT your imagination--just easier and then we do a load of wash at the next Wyndham.  Even Bailey gets a wash once in a while so it is all good.  She gets a lot of trail dust on her.

We will try to answer more questions on a later blog.  Arriving in San Antonio tomorrow!  Today Molly is one week old and she and Anna are doing great!