A Quick Catch Up to Now!

I really wanted to catch up on the blog a bit better, but time is running short and I'm just not going to be able to.  We have been working as gate guards in South Texas since February 22 of this year.  We are leaving here on September 10th, which is less than 3 weeks now (thank God), and we have a lot to do to get ready to hit the road again. 

Randy has changed the oil and filter in the motor home and in the generator.  He tried to get a new air filter for the motor home but the auto parts didn't have one for it so he just blowed it out good and put it back on, we'll pick one up along the way.  There are still some things he wants to do like spark plugs and such just to make sure she is in top shape for the road!

We are also starting to do some spring cleaning in the rig.  Randy cleaned the ceiling yesterday since he is taller than me, and we are getting started on the cabinets and walls.  Every nook and cranny will be scrubbed, it is so dusty here and there is a lot of spots unseen that I'm sure dust and dirt is accumulating!

We are sooooo ready to leave here and take a vacation before heading to Kansas for our 4th year at Amazon!  Usually we go to Amazon around the middle to the end of August, but this year we won't be starting until October 15th.  We're taking a 5 week vacation to Saguaro National Park, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Balloon Festival!  This will be our first trip this far west and we are very excited!  I will be writing post with pictures, so tune in!

There's not a lot down here in this part of Texas to see or do, and we can't go anywhere together because someone has to be here to monitor the gate at all times, but I took a couple pics of our surroundings.  I hope you enjoy them because frankly I'm getting sick of looking at them! LOL!  But seriously, I'm getting sick of the same 'ol dreaded scene from my window.  We are ready to hit the road!

Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom

We have lots of ground squirrels

Horned toad

Road Trip and St. Louis, Mo.-August 2011

We left Pennsylvania to go work at Amazon.  Working in an area that has a lot of things to do and see is awesome, but I have a saying "It's all about the road trip!", so we try  to take a route we have never been to see places we've never seen.

We were passing through Indianapolis, Indiana around dinner time, so we decided to go about 20 miles north of there to Carmel to eat at a place we had seen on The Travel Channel.  We love going to places we have seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives or Man Vs. Food.  I can't remember which show we seen Jersey's Cafe on but we had to stop in.  The food was great, and I had some of the best cole slaw I have had to date.  You could buy it by the pint or quart, and I would have except we were having refrigerator problems and it would've spoiled.

 

We decided to stop in St Louis, Mo. on our way to Coffeyville this year.  We didn't have enough time to see everything we wanted to see only a couple days and not a full 2 days.  A good reason to go back someday!

After getting set up at the campground, we went to the Anheiser Busch Brewing Company to take a tour.  They gave us a tutorial on how beer is brewed and a tour of the stables,bottling plant and such.

It was very interesting, and afterwards we enjoyed a couple complimentary beers!

The next day we went to the Gateway Arch!  It was a bit higher than I imagined it would be.  I was very nervous riding up to the top of it, the elevator inside is very old and you can tell it.  As your going up it jerks and makes clanking noises!  Once you get to the top it is such a great view!

St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium

That night we went to eat at a place we seen on Man vs. Food called Pappy's Smokehouse!  If you're ever in St. Louis I recommend going, it was awesome BBQ.  We had the ribs and brisket, and make sure you get the deep fried corn on the cob!  We will definitely be going back there again next trip!