You've heard that song....

"I've been everywhere" - well, that's what I feel like after 3 days on the road. I've been to AZ, TX, LA, MS, AL and now FL. Weird to drive through 3 states in one day, but that's what I did today.

But I will back up. Finally got out of Kerrivlle, TX on Sunday morning. Still lightly raining and very cloudy. Got through San Antonio early in the morning but hit Houston about 2 p.m. - even on a Sunday, lots of traffic, and with rain, lots of fender-benders. ARGH. Overnighted on the west side of town and drove out of that great, big, wide state and into, out and through Louisiana and just inside Mississippi where I spent last night at the Bay St. Louis Marina and RV Park on the Gulf Coast. This lovely little spot was totally whipped out during Hurricane Katrina and now has new owners who are doing their best to bring it back. Almost all of the RV sites are for long-term boaters who come down for the weekends to fish and hit the casinos.

Arose at 6 a.m. and to my surprise - sunhine! This was the first sunny day since I arrived in TX a week ago today. Continued eastward through Mississippi, Alabama and into Florida. Tonight I am a 'Tallahassee Lassie.' Really pretty park, most of it completely filled. Each site has a big tree and picnic table.

Someone emailed about what it costs to spend the night in a nice park - ranges from $23 - $38. That amount includes full hook-up, which is electric, water, cable TV and sewer dumping facilities. Cheaper than a hotel unless you take in the cost of what the gas costs to get here.

I did learn a few things on this drive. I don't like going over high bridges spanning lots and lots of water and tunnels are a little scary as well. The views from those bridges were magnificent, if I took my eyes off the road in front of me for 2 seconds. Most states have fairly good highways, AZ being the worst and LA 2nd. Otherwise, the ride is smooth. It's fun to stop at a park or rest stop for lunch - stretch, walk around and even take a small nap. Most interesting part of the ride was in Louisianna crossing the Atchafalaya swamp and bayou. Just the thought of the people who plunged into these waters to build the 18-mile spillway across this snake and alligator-filed waterway amazes the imagination.

It's cocktail time and time to kick back and enjoy a relaxing night - that is, if the kids next door quite down when the sun goes down!

Until next time....take care of each other.

ReAnn

Whew - Driving Winnie Sure is Fun?!

I woke and began my check list to 'unhook' Winnie from a campsite and prepare for my first day of driving. Thanks to Al, who helped me put together a list of what I had to do to 'decamp'- making sure my hoses were detached, TV antenna down, steps in, all those little things that you don't want to leave up, down or connected when you pull out of your campsite, all went well and I was on I-10 heading East by 8:30 a.m.

What's it like driving a big, square box down the highway? Hard! There have been wind advisories in the southwest for several days and though it has died down enough to drive, big semis make their own wind. The first time one of these big rigs went screaming past me (did I mention I am driving at the very staid and easy pace of 55 mph on an interstate who's speed limit is 75?) I screamed and grabbed the wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

I held on to the wheel for dear life most of the day, and pulled into the first rest stop I found, just to breathe and stop my knees from shaking. Got a lot of chuckles from RVers parked next to me when I explained why I was just standing next to the door and taking deep breaths. They assured me that I would be up and running with the big boys with a day or two - NOT! I also filled the gas tank - all 55 gallons worth. Sure hope as I cross the country the price of gas will drop from the $1.89 a gallon I paid.

I stopped at almost every rest stop along the way and you will see from the pictures that Winnie and I have been traveling across the a little bit of Arizona and into New Mexico - all desert, sage brush, flat and brown except for some amazing rock formations. Winnie, and even the big rigs, were dwarfed by these huge, red rocks. I kept expecting to see Indians or John Wayne come riding into view.

Made it all the way to Demming, NM for the night. All of 187 miles from Tucson. Al had suggested this RV park. When I questioned why I should stop after such a short drive, he just laughed and said - you'll be ready! And was he right. The stress just wears you out and I was so happy to see the exit for Roadrunner RV Park. Of course, had completely forgotten that though Arizona never changes it's time, New Mexico 'sprang back' last night and I had lost an hour when I crossed the state line.

So here I am, all snug and plugged in, watching 60 Minutes, having a nice glass of wine, getting ready to install my new printer and thinking about what to eat for dinner. Tomorrow I'm going to hope to go about 300 miles - which at my great speed is only a 6-hour drive. But I look at this way - I'm not chugging through as much gas as those who are flying by me at 75!

Thanks for everyone who emailed me and said they were glad to be 'on the road' with me. I appreciate it and for those who asked, the Cruiser got traded in on Winnie. I just couldn't imagine towing a car behind the coach before I learned how to drive the coach.