Keeping in touch with Jim

I spent yesterday evening enjoying some hiking around White City (the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns) and this morning I spent in the caverns WOW, it was everything everyone said it would be. Then I took the 10 mile drive through the scenic desert drive. The altitude at the caverns is about 4,600 feet and the valley below is at about 3,200 feet. It was 88 degrees when I hit the road heading north toward Albaquerque. The sun was intense and so was the wind but it was so nice to be out of the cold, wet, windy weather. The drive up to Albaquerque was mostly into the wind and the highest altitude was right about 7,000 feet. This time, the new(er) van did much better than the old '83. The air conditioning was a plus too. Where to next? I'm really not sure. I check out the map in the morning and I will either make a decision or just follow my nose. Happy traveling !!!

80 degrees today and 90 tomorrow. Do I miss the Oregon rain? Noooooooo. Not one bit. I've been on the road for three weeks now and other than a couple of days the weather has been mostly cold, windy and/or rainy. Driving from Shreveport to Carlsbad I was fighting a headwind the whole way but later today the wind died down and it is warming up. Tomorrow morning I will visit the caves and a few other sights in the area. Then, depending on the weather, I will decide on where to go next. The sky is clear tonight and there are a bazillion stars out - BTW, it's a full moon night - ahooooooooo!!!!

I got out of Florida and Georgia just in time and it looks like I will take to weather with me as I head toward Shreveport, Louisiana and then on to Carlsbad, New Mexico. This morning in Gulfport, Mississippi it is mild and I might hit a little rain along the way but it should be mostly sunny. The area around west Texas and New Mexico looks good for the next several days. I'm looking forward to a few more days of camping. That is all :)

What a wonderful week in Florida. I didn't get to see as many people as I wanted but those I did see were very kind and gracious hosts. My dear friends George and Janet Williams put up with me for 4 days and and still said they were happy to have me :) My visit with Suzanne and Marc was short but very pleasant. I finally got back to visit my fraternal grandparents (Fox) grave in Clearwater and almost didn't find them. The folks at the cemetery were very helpful and found it was just a data entry error in their new system. Now I am on my way back to Shreveport to visit mom's grave and most of the family plots have been documented for my genealogy work. I'm looking forward to visiting Carlsbad Caverns as I make my way back home through the southwest. The medications I got for the tooth have taken away 99% of the pain and I should be able to have it worked on when I get back home. All in all, it has been a good trip so far.

On Saturday I made my way to Atlanta and met Margie and Mason at aunt Ivy's apartment at the care center for a final clean-up, move out, of the things that remained. Sunday we spent sorting those things that should go to family and things that would go to "donations". We spent the night in the apartment and finished Sunday morning. I made my way through southern Georgia and into Florida, stopping at cousins homes to drop off those items I had promised to deliver and then made my way to visit Marc and Suzanne in Tavares, FL. I slept very soundly and today is a "rest day". Tomorrow I will make my way to St. Petersburg, to visit the cemetery where my maternal grandparents were laid to rest. I need to document the location with photographs and GPS data as I have done with other family locations so they are available for genealogy research.

Gumbo, catfish and hush puppies, key lime pie .... it seems that a big part of my journey is food related and I am enjoying treating myself to some of my favorites treats. Mmmmmmmmm ... Friends and family ... it is always good to spend some time with them and these last five years has been a joy of catching up and sharing. It is much easier for me to come here than it is for them to visit me and that works just fine for me. Sometimes I just need to get away from the norm and this is one of the best excuses to make that happen. Exposure ... not photographic related but personally. I enjoy exposing myself to new people, places and situations. I enjoy seeing how I react to some of these new experiences. Most often I am pleasantly surprised by others reaction to me. I am constantly reminded of the serenity prayer: God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to know the difference.

I spent two nights at the Mill Creek RV park in Elkmont, Alabama which is owned by my friends Mason and Margie. Margie has been a dear friend to my aunt Ivy for many years and she has shared many photos and stories with me about the family. They are wonderful hosts and good friends. I look forward to being able to visit them any time I pass near their park.