Follow the Hilleys as they Travel

Nice sunny morning. Overnight low 54F and high 76F.

Usual coffee and bagel. Watched Fox News.

Made calls about slide out problem. Haven’t heard from HWH yet. Got a different technician at Winnebago. He had a procedure to remove cylinder. He sent some drawings. I forwarded them to the mobile RV mechanic.

Carrol and Roxanne went into Fort Worth to the doctor. Carrol’s congestion diagnosed as allergies and possible virus.

Checked out what Winnebago tech told me. Looks doable. I still need more info from HWH about the cylinder.

About 3:30PM played ball with Joy.

She takes time outs under the motor home

At 5:15PM we went to Bowie for anniversary dinner. There is the Largest Bowie Knife on US-81

It is 14′ 5″ long

We went to downtown Bowie to look for a place to eat

The north side of the main street has a raised sidewalk and stairs from street parking

Checked out The Rack, pool hall and pub and decided against it. It was tournament night.

We picked Bela’s on East Wise Street

It was comfortable

We both had the Pasta Sampler

We both enjoyed it

Bela’s is owned by a Korean man named Kim. We told him it was our anniversary and asked him to take our picture

He brought us Tiramisu to share for our anniversary

Went to Walmart and picked up family size Stouffer’s lasagna to have with Carrol and Roxanne tomorrow

Found our way back to motorhome and Watched FBI and NCIS New Orleans

Beautiful sunny day. Overnight low was 47F and high today was 70F.

Bought a new coffee at Walmart yesterday, Lavazza.

Made it and toasted the David’s bagel I got at Walmart. $1.54 compared to the 99 cents in Arizona.

Got text from Mobile RV Mechanic. He got here at 10:15AM. Very competent mechanic, however, after 3 1/2 hrs, we hadn’t made any progress.

Finally played ball with Joy at 4:00PM.

At 6:00PM drove up to house for dinner. Cathy and Joy walked up earlier.

Carrol and Roxanne have two beautiful Red Bud trees

We had rotisserie chicken and spinach salad for dinner with a glass of Riesling. French Silk Pie and Raspberry Brownie ice cream

Cathy and I helped Roxanne fix her washer agitator which had come apart.

Deer in the back yard tonight

Watched Criminal Minds, the news and Fox News.

Overcast this morning turning to mostly sunny. Overnight low 59F and high today was 81F.

Watched Fox News and Mueller Report discussion.

Made coffee and bagel

My Cradle Point Router quite yesterday, so configured HooToo Trip Mate to replace it

It is about 2″ square. It has been working all day.

At 1:00PM watched NASCAR Cup race from Martinsville, VA. Brad Kesolowski won both stages and the race. Kyle Busch came in third.

Drove in to Bowie to get diesel and get the Equinox washed. Got bagels, rootbeer, coffee, wine and French Silk Pie at Walmart. Got Equinox washed at Lone Star Super Wash.

Carrol BBQ’d Italian sausages. We had the sausages with green beans and fruit salad for dinner. We had ice cream and pie for dessert.

Watched the Duke vs. UCF basketball game. Duke won 70 to 50. Watched Alaska House Building and then the Oregon vs. UCI basketball game. Oregon won 73 to 64. Carrol got an MBA from Oregon. Finished night watching Fox News.

Cloudy this morning. Overnight low 61F and high today 74F. We had hard rain at about 10:00AM for about 2 minutes. About 2:00PM we had light sprinkles.

Made Peets coffee and toasted a bagel. Watched Fox News.

Joy and Cathy saw some turkeys walk by in the morning.

The Xfinity race from Martinsville was on OTA Fox. I was able to get 4.1 FOX from Fort Worth. Was great until 25 laps to go. Had to switch to my phone. Kyle Busch won the first stage and the race, his 201.

Joy and I walked over to the big tank

Cathy took our clothes down to the house to wash.

Joy and I walked down to the house at 5:00PM

We passed the windmill

And the turkey feeder

Watched James Bond Casino Royale.

Carrol had opened a bottle of Apothic Red Blend.

Apothic Red Blend

I really enjoyed it. It is a blend of four red wines. Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Apothic Red Blend

I had a pulled pork sandwich on Multigrain Ciabata, potato salad and fruit salad. The pulled pork from Leeper Creek BBQ

During dinner some turkeys showed up

And some deer

We watched Minnesota vs. Michigan State basketball game Michigan State won 70 to 50.

Went back to motorhome and watched Fox News.

Another nice day, overcast changing to sunny through the day. 40F overnight and 75F today.

Usual coffee and bagels. Made La Llave coffee, Cathy and I both like it.

La Llave Espresso

Watched Fox News. Played ball with Joy. Carrol stopped on his way back from getting mail. Joy likes the Gator they use on the ranch.

Called in my prescription for Metoprolol to Bowie Walmart pharmacy.

Roxanne came down on the Gator and talked with Cathy sitting at our outside table. They decided we should go to Bowie Walmart at 2:00PM.

Watched TV and played ball with Joy.

At 2:00PM Roxanne stopped by in pickup and took us to Bowie.

Walmart is right off US-287

It is a nice Super Center

With a Murphy Gas that sells diesel

Picked up prescription, wine, beer, chips and cookies. Got a 6 pack of Revolver Blood and Honey. Very tasty beer.

It is brewed in Granbury, TX

Roxanne and Carrol picked us up and we went to Decatur, about 20 miles south for dinner. We ate at Casa Torres

I had a Victoria beer

And beef tacos

Cathy had Shrimp Poblano and shared two with me and one with Carrol

When we got back, I called my brother Pat. He told me the NDSU vs. Duke game was on CBS. We went up to Carrol and Roxanne’s and watched the second half. NDSU lost 85 to 62. Still impressive they were in tournament. It was a 4 point game at half time. Second half started with Duke making a 9 to 0 run.

Cathy bought Carmel Pecan ice cream. All but Joy had a dish. Joy loves it here.

Went back and watched Fox News and Gold Rush.

Nice sunny morning. Down to freezing last night and mid 70’s today.

Made coffee and bagel. Got every thing packed up and ready too go. Pulled in the bedroom slide. Then pushed the switch for living room slide. Nothing. Checked the fuses, all good. Checked the battery connection on solenoid by removing nut and all good. Put cables back and tightened the nut, the stud broke out of solenoid. Got out the books and tried the manual method. You turn a threaded rod on each end to pull it in. The hex head on end of rod broke off. Called the manufacturer, HWH in Moscow, IA. Told me about two solenoids I didn’t see.

Will need a mobile mechanic to help. Called three, one might be able to come on Monday. All were named Mike.

Went to Leeper Creek BBQ for take out. Got sausage links, pulled pork, ham, ribs and smoked chicken.

Ate with left over potato salad and cole slaw. Carrol brought out a bottle of wine.

Watched Las Vegas Flip.

Nice sunny day. Windy & cool. Overnight low was 43F. High today 69F.

Made coffee and bagels.

Checked road conditions in Nebraska. Will take US-81 to Yankton, SD.

Played ball with Joy.

Joy & Cathy went up to the house.

I did some reading. I am just finishing a book, “Foolish Odessey” by Neil Hawkesford. About building a 38′ catamaran by himself.

About 12:30PM Cathy called and said they were headed to Walmart in Bowie. Bowie is pronounced booie. They dropped Joy off and picked me up. I bought a 1.75l bottle of Liberty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon for $5.95 and a 6 pack of Hopadillo IPA made in Houston.

Went back to motorhome and played ball with Joy.

About 4:00PM went up to the house. It is a very nice house built 14 years ago

Carrol built a windmill

They have a turkey feeder

And a peach tree

There is a small tank behind the house

Joy and I played ball on back side of house

Went in for wine and dinner. Dinner was left overs. Brisket, beans, hot dish and potato salad. Both Carrol & Roxanne swear we stayed at the Sunset RV Park. Neither Cathy nor I remember it.

Watched Fox News.

Nice sunny day. Low overnight 46F and high today was 70F.

Had coffee and bagel. Took Joy for a walk.

Cathy and Joy walked up to Carrol & Roxanne’s house.

I cleaned up the motorhome. Then started looking at road closures on our route back to Buxton. It looked problematic in Nebraska.

Our friends Jim and Betty offered to let us spend the night at their house in Edmund, OK. It is a bit a half day drive from Sunset, TX. Talked to and emailed with Jim. Decided to stay here one more day. This should help as most roads were reopening tonight in Nebraska.

Joined everyone at the house. Enjoyed wine, cheese, salami and crackers with Carrol.

Cathy went back to motorhome with Joy. Later I returned to motorhome and played ball with Joy.

We returned to the house for dinner. BBQ brisket, beans, potato salad and wine. We finished with ice cream cake for dessert.

Went back to motorhome at 10:00PM. Watched House Hunters International and House Hunters. Locations were Budapest and Minneapolis.

Left Sam’s Club at 8:45AM after making coffee and eating Krispy Kreme. We had a neighbor overnight. It got down to 38F overnight.

Took 20 minutes to get to I-20. Texas has strange Interstate ramps, some are bi-directional with short merging lanes

Stopped at Rest Area to walk a bit.

Stopped just short of Abilene at Flying J. Gas was $2.209. No propane

But an address where to find it

A lot of traffic and construction

Stopped again at an interesting Rest Stop

It Had rain water collecting roofs

And displays inside

Were trying to by-pass Fort Worth by taking a local road FM51, turned the wrong way we thought and had to drive 5 miles before we could turn around in a church parking lot

Then into traffic and confusion in Weatherford.

Found our way back to I-20 and then US-287

Carrol and Roxanne met us in Alvord and guided us to their place

We are now parked by their shop

Had dinner and conversation at their house

Watched Fox News

Clear sunny morning. It got down to 32F overnight. Less windy today.

Made coffee and toasted bagel. Walked Joy. Started Equinox. Pulled in slides and raised jacks.

At 10:00AM took off on I-10 for El Paso. At noon got to Flying J on edge of El Paso. Wanted to top off propane, but found this

Pulled up to pump and filled with gas

@ $2.299

Talked to the guy next to me dumping. Had been in El Paso a week. It was cold, wet and snow yesterday. They were from New York on way to AZ and CA

Stopped at Welcome Center for map

Refinery next door had a Spanish look

Headed east on I-10 through El Paso traffic. East bound at speed limit, west bound backed up

Marty Robbins “El Paso” came on Willies Road House on XM as we drove through El Paso

Climbed through Guadalupe Mountains. Got to MM 100 and lost another hour. A couple miles down the road at Van Horn we were going to stop at Dairy Queen. It is now being made into a McDonald’s.

Drove on to junction of I-20 and went left onto I-20

Stopped at Rest Area to walk a bit.

Listened to NASCAR Fontana race on XM Radio. Kyle Busch won. It was his 200th NASCAR win, trying Richard Petty.

Drove on to Odessa. Walmart said we could park on gravel between Walmart and Sam’s Club. It was surrounded by curbs. Parked in Sam’s Club lot. Manager gave us permission.

Almost any kind of restaurant in walking distance, we chose Panda Express

Watched Mediterranean Life