tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74970737248661068212024-03-13T21:43:39.611-04:00Driving our motorhome in Mexico and USAEvery year we spend about 6 to 8 months traveling in the USA and Mexico, and I will record the most interesting things of our trips.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928037627036746142noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497073724866106821.post-59450975733010909822014-10-16T20:44:00.002-04:002014-10-16T20:47:17.489-04:00Halstead, Kansas<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We have been into a very miserable weather since we left home, for a
week we had nothing but foul conditions, raining, windy with threats of
tornados and very cold, we were coat right in the middle of a very large cold
front moving East and in the Midwest of our country North until today, October
15 is the very first day that we have a very nice and sunny day. We are in the
State of <st1:state w:st="on">Kansas</st1:state>, in the vicinity of the City
of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Halstead</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">This little town of
about 2000 peoples consists of a wonderful blend of small-town friendliness,
safety, and "family", while also providing access to services and
amenities normally associated with larger communities, one reason is the vicinity
of a town called Newton about 10 miles east has restructured itself within the
past few years, even has a Walmart now! <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Founded largely by Russian Mennonite immigrants, the City of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Halstead</st1:city></st1:place> was incorporated
in 1877 and named in honor of journalist Murat Halstead. With the hard red
winter wheat (Turkey Red) they brought from Russia, the Mennonites established
Halstead as a farming community, and built the Bernard Warkentine Mill (and as
to day still there) at the confluence of the Little Arkansas River and Black
Kettle Creek. A famous "pow wow" between the frontiersman Kit Carson
and the Native American Chief Black Kettle had taken place some years earlier unexpected
at this same confluence.<span class="apple-converted-space"> About 10 years
ago on one of our trips through the country, we found ourselves on a campground
about 5 or 6 miles away from Halstead, and being as nosy as we are, we ended up
roaming around this old little town and talking to people here and there, all
of the sudden we were invited to a Ice Cream Social programmed for next day
(will be Sunday) and of course we accepted the nice invitation. Sunday come
along and we went to the park were the event was taking place, when we got
there we found ourselves surrounded by about 250 to 300 people who were
tremendously nice, treating us like we have been members of the community for many
years. The home made ice cream was delicious and the towns people were the best
hosts that we can remember, during the conversations we found out that
particular site was famous because of the filming of the famous 1956 romantic
comedy-drama ‘PICNIC’, which stared William Holden and Kim Novak, Rosalind
Russell, Susan Strasberg and Cliff Roberson. If I remember correctly (I’m
dating myself now) the picture was nominated for many academy awards and I
think it won two of them the same year. We made lots of friends that afternoon,
and we were invited to “really” visit the town next day chaperoned by the
President of the Chamber of Commerce, who happened to be the Real Estate Broker
of the town. Next day we saddled up on Willie, and to the town we went. We were
introduced to the town history and shown some of the points of interest, and
some the houses that were built around 1850s, two in particular called our
attention to the point that we made an offer to buy one of them, (by that time
we were kind of tired of Las Vegas) but the owners came back with a counter
offer that we didn’t like, so two or three days later we left for greener
pastures. We were about a thousand miles away, when we received a phone call
from the Broker and she said that the owners had changed their minds and
accepted our offer for the house, but by then we were too far away all ready, and
as it happened we had changed our minds too, so we decided not to buy the
house, we still think it was a good decision, one of the reasons for our
decision was that the closest Hospital was about 35 miles away in Wichita and
the other was that this beautiful little town is right in the middle of what is
known to be the infamous Tornado Alley. Now remember this is……On my view only….<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928037627036746142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497073724866106821.post-12162299026277579562014-09-29T14:23:00.000-04:002014-09-29T14:38:12.286-04:00Pictures of our little town<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’d like to share some pictures from our little town
and the area around it. This is the main street going into town.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPp9lin8Ndd7JhKnZAbIyyLJIynIhf3DM99Rnwye1zBMSaaA-VA4YoUNk3DS1qGaO4Krt45hfZ7qRLm2bW-nHPMSznDoXgfa1RKEQQUQgFi4CkMz_ttTI_o8fdhJ90CxWvuiT36A_CAP0o/s1600/main-st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPp9lin8Ndd7JhKnZAbIyyLJIynIhf3DM99Rnwye1zBMSaaA-VA4YoUNk3DS1qGaO4Krt45hfZ7qRLm2bW-nHPMSznDoXgfa1RKEQQUQgFi4CkMz_ttTI_o8fdhJ90CxWvuiT36A_CAP0o/s1600/main-st.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">More of the main street and some of it’s quaint
stores.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3utUI9f5lo4vVEAymqGNUXyaup4qLBtJeFAo3nDbdsaPRDjuDAAu8gO5RyimLrxbLdEUdw3dE0JZf5kuFULlHKkntHg3WsvZyMnlkPLL64wPIW4yX2j20g_Kb-2wtI7zYG-IR3m4Bnn9/s1600/moremainst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3utUI9f5lo4vVEAymqGNUXyaup4qLBtJeFAo3nDbdsaPRDjuDAAu8gO5RyimLrxbLdEUdw3dE0JZf5kuFULlHKkntHg3WsvZyMnlkPLL64wPIW4yX2j20g_Kb-2wtI7zYG-IR3m4Bnn9/s1600/moremainst.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now we’re at the only light in town. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogzniK-dAtwHBo1IIxqdXC3DWNbEwslKP25SA7UFLAvHQ5QFAxiZUV0NXdAzwueBa14j_iK0H4M3dslpLD8OSzo5jZPufSf9873fo3tp5Bu9L-HVQDzJWAfv1EiSe4yR1aVypdElCa87v/s1600/maincorner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogzniK-dAtwHBo1IIxqdXC3DWNbEwslKP25SA7UFLAvHQ5QFAxiZUV0NXdAzwueBa14j_iK0H4M3dslpLD8OSzo5jZPufSf9873fo3tp5Bu9L-HVQDzJWAfv1EiSe4yR1aVypdElCa87v/s1600/maincorner.jpg" height="356" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Visitors</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> – love the
sculpture.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPOecuO6W3PBVyfwt8J7v3FfJpNuSCKKN332We5hSu97RjOVmxf7NDgzODS1GROPqNjOWI_BenCwlXbLZseE_UW3XwrcUjnpXBntIAmfEx3UFuf6Sh7B2n1qNChNWU6xAVlwlB69EnPB-/s1600/wideleaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPOecuO6W3PBVyfwt8J7v3FfJpNuSCKKN332We5hSu97RjOVmxf7NDgzODS1GROPqNjOWI_BenCwlXbLZseE_UW3XwrcUjnpXBntIAmfEx3UFuf6Sh7B2n1qNChNWU6xAVlwlB69EnPB-/s1600/wideleaves.jpg" height="336" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A bigger view of the leaf sculpture </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSMdhDjooEQyiHQ-2UWadGhbRJtaHnwEoc04zqV9Nx4rbx4vYA4bi2vKhypQ2VrZu5Gv1eDDdz3hpClUvDh7MW9MqjkejKD-zmdxD35Wyj_eY42moXSVQUBUCGwOnfdF-R6kJUcC3eeFA/s1600/leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSMdhDjooEQyiHQ-2UWadGhbRJtaHnwEoc04zqV9Nx4rbx4vYA4bi2vKhypQ2VrZu5Gv1eDDdz3hpClUvDh7MW9MqjkejKD-zmdxD35Wyj_eY42moXSVQUBUCGwOnfdF-R6kJUcC3eeFA/s1600/leaves.jpg" height="380" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After we turn the corner there are more shops<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-eBUSuRDmcBgjP24b3JVJoB9fqVhzS6MRTFGEbfBMzrhkvZ3zYm1EQJMKHnBVH3GADKwzrFbgsLlOpVpRVSMM2ydJ7FzIJNuNHmHsoDixTc56NP4uANiUeO0TYbLT8RiyyFF1xFPW-nJ/s1600/sidestreet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-eBUSuRDmcBgjP24b3JVJoB9fqVhzS6MRTFGEbfBMzrhkvZ3zYm1EQJMKHnBVH3GADKwzrFbgsLlOpVpRVSMM2ydJ7FzIJNuNHmHsoDixTc56NP4uANiUeO0TYbLT8RiyyFF1xFPW-nJ/s1600/sidestreet.jpg" height="544" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And this pretty sidewalk is one street further.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here are some pictures of the changing leaves</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmsc0NDwnwMAaYYdvOGxYTK5qho1bqdiBp-ZCZFdBRY0fstdy-h2Cl9AFRHNyKO2zi-PupUgNSYr9V0_cTZlCWv4dXSBCPIx0sidW-OZL8cos7HkvuTOhA6Ctlj0jxOQ1OKYc93CPjPfC/s1600/yourtree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmsc0NDwnwMAaYYdvOGxYTK5qho1bqdiBp-ZCZFdBRY0fstdy-h2Cl9AFRHNyKO2zi-PupUgNSYr9V0_cTZlCWv4dXSBCPIx0sidW-OZL8cos7HkvuTOhA6Ctlj0jxOQ1OKYc93CPjPfC/s1600/yourtree.jpg" height="564" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite trees</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928037627036746142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497073724866106821.post-73661438789824482492014-09-29T08:08:00.002-04:002014-09-29T08:43:05.437-04:00LITTLE BIT ABOUT US<h2>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Before we start our 2014-2015 trip I would like to
tell you a little bit about us, Bill and Carol, we are very happily married
couple, God willing will have our 50 years anniversary this coming January first
2015. Out of our marriage, come five good looking and smart (like their mother)
boys. We reside in <st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>, where we had several Fine Jewelry stores; the
most important would be the one in <st1:street w:st="on">Rodeo Dr.</st1:street>
Beverly Hills, and the rest of them in the surroundings of the Los Angeles
area. When we retired we moved to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Las
Vegas</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Nevada</st1:state></st1:place>, we
live there for approximately seven years. After retirement we decided to start
traveling around this beautiful country of ours in our 40 foot diesel motorhome
and towing “Willy” the Jeep. On one of the trips to the East coast, we discover
a beautiful little town in the Midwest call <st1:city w:st="on">Nashville</st1:city>,
(not the <st1:city w:st="on">Nashville</st1:city> of <st1:state w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:state>)
in the southern part of the State of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What fascinate us about this quaint little town was,
that the heart of the population in it, is composed of very talented and well
known artists and because of the wonderful
productions of these fine artists, (painters, sculptors, etc.) the little town
of about 950 people, it is known all around the artistic world. What can I tell you…we fell in love with the
little town, and the friendly people in it!! <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Almost two years went by before we found a house that
we thought was perfect for us; it is perchd on top of a hill of 940 feet high, this
hill it is supposed to be the highest point in Indiana, the rest of the State
it is very flat. The home is surrounded by over 5 acres of all kinds of trees
and about 4 miles from the center of town and it feels like living in the
middle of a park.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">After remodeling and adding this and that, the house
ended up to be a 3 story home with about six thousand square feet of living
space plus lots of decks surrounding the dwelling and from them we have a
magnificent view of the surroundings . Our kids thought we were foolish for
getting such big house, on our age, they said, we were supposed to be
downsizing not the other way around. What can I tell you! In a way they were
right, but we like it, and it has all kinds of room for all our hobbies, big
stained glass space, huge (Carol’s) quilting area and jewelry making section
and Bill’s wood carving shop and leather manufacturing space, and a one
thousand foot garage-shop with any kind of wood working tools that you can
think of.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">So here we are, leaving in peace surrounded by good
neighbors lots of friends, and lots of birds of all colors and kinds, deer,
turkeys, squirrels, possums, raccoons, etc, but regrettably in the winter gets
very cold here and snows, BBBBBRRRRR!!!, so usually by the beginning of October and after we watch the splendor of the trees changing color, we saddle up
in our motorhome and leave for warmer climes, usually the west coast of USA and
Mexico, where after many, many years of going there we have made lots of good
friends. So we are raring to go, departure day have been selected by October 7,
I will get Alfy and Willy </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">loaded and ready, and will be on the road again, and I
will describe to you all about our adventures on this trip, so please keep in
touch and tell your friends about my blog please.</span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928037627036746142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497073724866106821.post-11020543403342989262014-09-25T07:38:00.001-04:002014-09-25T07:38:33.480-04:00Writing the book.... <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For several years I’ve been pushing (bugging) Carol about
writing a book of our fantastic motorhome trip in 1978 to <st1:place w:st="on">South
America</st1:place> with our family. Was a wonderful adventure that changed
all of us the way we look at our lives, and I thought it was worth sharing with
everybody in the world. So without thinking of how much work was involved into
writing and publishing a book, I plunged ahead into the project. It took about
a year of our time but we did it…! My
wife had lots of notes and comments about the trip on her dairy, and many
letters that she had writhen to my Mother in Law during the progress of the
trip for over a year, I added my on thoughts and experiences and some of the
kids recollections, and stared writing <u>THE</u> book. A number of times
during the process, the wish that I had never stared, really crossed my mind, but
the selfish inclination went away and the project went on, and as of today, a
reality, the book is finish and published, and it is available in hard copy and
E-book format for anybody who wants to read it, and hope enjoy it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The book title is, ALL THE WAY TO <st1:country-region w:st="on">ARGENTINA</st1:country-region>,
it is the story of a family of seven driving a 24 foot motorhome, from <st1:city w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>
following the <st1:street w:st="on">Panamerican Highway</st1:street>
all the way to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Argentina</st1:country-region> and
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>.
Our motorhome, according to our knowledge, was the first ever to cross the
Panama Canal in to <st1:place w:st="on">South America</st1:place>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> This reality brought
about some funny and not so very funny experiences during the </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Adventure. All of us learned something every day, and most
important our kids did too, leaving for everybody the good feeling of accomplishment
and unforgettable life understanding.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12928037627036746142noreply@blogger.com0