We wake today to sunshine, a welcome sight.

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We survived to drive into and out of New Orleans!  We left the Civic
Center in Thibodaux on Friday, forgot there was an event scheduled for
the weekend and we had to be out, rather than Saturday.  Lucky for us
the New Orleans French Quarter RV Resort had a spot available for us.
It was a privately owned spot with no discount, cost us almost as much
Friday night as the two nights we reserved for the weekend - but it
was available.  Our drive in WAS going quite well until Cindy's
computer locked up half way to New Orleans from Thibodaux.  You see
Forest has his GPS and Cindy uses her computer with Streets and Trips
along with maps open on mapquest and google maps.  You might think
this is over kill and maybe it is, but Cindy feels better to have all
of the resources in use.  So when the computer locked up, we were not
yet to the interstate, she had to shut it down and fire it up again.
As our luck goes, there were 9 updates that began to install delaying
the shut down.  By the time everything was downloaded, the computer
shut down and fired back up, we were just about a mile from our exit
off of the interstate into the French Quarter.  Good thing the GPS was
working for Forest and Cindy had made notes of our splits and exit
number.

The staff at the New Orleans French Quarter RV Resort had given us
directions to take the first right off of the interstate off ramp and
then an immediate right to the resort.  Well we missed it!  That first
right looked like a turn into a parking lot so we passed it, didn't
see their sign which was behind the bench for the bus stop.  SO we
took the very next right and saw a sign for the resort.  As it turns
out, that first missed right IS down a small street between parking
lots.  Well as it goes, you can see the resort from the interstate and
once you get there it is easy to understand the directions.  We just
missed the turn.

The resort is very nice and very convenient to the French Quarter.  It
is a gated park with roomy paved sites.  The resort has a hot tub and
pool, laundry and private shower rooms.  We were comfortable walking
into the Quarter during the day but would not do it alone after dark.
It is very easy to get a cab if you want to take that option.  Anyone
who has been to the French Quarter in New Orleans knows there are tons
of eating and drinking options.  We opted for Johnny's PoBoys on St.
Louis Street on two occasions while we were there.  The food was
excellent.  Seating is very crowded and there is a never ending line
of people waiting to place their order at the counter.  The food was
worth the wait.  I think you will find the same for most restaurants
in the French Quarter.

Scott joined us Saturday evening.  We cooked dinner for him and he
spent the night with us.  He was up at 3:30 AM so that he could have
his breakfast before his 7 AM start of the Rock-N-Roll Marathon.  This
was Scott's first marathon (and he now says his last marathon).  We
cheered him on 4 times along his 26.2 mile route and saw him at the
finish.  We are so proud of his accomplishment.

Thankfully the weather in New Orleans on Sunday was very good for the
marathon.  BUT Sunday night a storm came through including hail.
Monday morning was still rainy with the threat of more stormy weather
predicted for the afternoon.  We pulled out of the French Quarter
Resort about 9:30 AM to beat the weather back to Thibodaux.  And the
storms did roll in Monday afternoon followed by sunshine and a double
rainbow before sunset.  So happy the weather forecast for the rest of
the week is clear and cool.

Tomorrow we get to pick up Ella from school at noon!  That'll make our day.
Then Thursday we drive the coach to Paincourtville.  Cindy's family has some
property very next to her mom and today I put in a 50amp plug so we can park there
for a few days. We will plan to return there each winter and stay from Thanksgiving
through February or so.Our plans are to leave Monday for Monroe where we'll visit
a friend for a couple days, then head to Dallas to visit other friends.  Then westward HO!

mile 3

Cindy even ran!

Mike and Jessica came to cheer Scott on

Finish Line!  Not looking too bad after 26.2 miles

Time for an update

Golden Acres Ranch was pretty neat.  Beautiful piece of property just north of Monticello, Florida.
We visited with Bobbie and Fred the owners and learned quite a bit about raising goats, sheep, and chickens.  Then we rode around with Bobbie and helped her feed her herds.  I found it interesting that they have big dogs in each pasture with their animals.  Really big dogs, Great Pyrenees.
After a peaceful night's sleep we moved over to Falling Waters State Park.  A small, quiet park with an actual waterfall. 
We then headed out and met Julie and Harry (Cindy's cousins) in Crestview for a 3 hour lunch and visit.  They took us to "Jesus Chicken" as they call it.  Really good fried chicken with a Christian theme.  We really enjoyed visiting and are planning a cruise with them in the next year or so.
Then we stopped at Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, AL for a few days.  We decided to let the rain pass us by then headed home on Thursday.
We got into Thibodaux on Thursday afternoon and pulled into a spot at the Civic Center.  As the lady said "we're not a campground!"  This is more like camping at a Walmart with full hookups.  There is a playground, tennis courts, and a small baseball field.  So people and kids are coming and going all day and night.  Last night the fire truck showed up and had a training.  They parked about 50' from us and ran the diesel on high idle for a couple hours while they proceeded to wash down the parking lot.
About the same time the water line we're connected to broke.  Broke as in someone broke off one of the faucets and a steady stream of water was flooding the grounds.  The maintenance guys worked on the leak for a few hours then knocked on the door to say they would finish tomorrow.  Not a problem since we always carry at least 50 gallons of water.  We can hold 150 gallons but don't like to travel with that much extra weight.  Today they finally got the leak fixed then as they were turning on the main valve it broke.  So they got an air compressor and jackhammer and started breaking concrete.  But we finally have water again at 3pm!
Yesterday I removed the steps from the coach to I can replace them whenever I have some help.
Then resealed a couple of marker lights, and installed an antenna on the roof for our Wilson Sleek amplifier for our cell phones and wifi.
This morning Cindy and I took down the valences and headboard in the bedroom and recovered them.  Now we just have to order a couple of new shades to replace the old curtains and our bedroom will match the quilt we bought a few years ago from an Amish shop in Pennsylvania.
Well it's raining again, making me wish for the desert again....
We get to pick up Ella from school today and play for a while, yeah!
Then Saturday we move to the French Quarter RV Resort until Monday.  Scott is running the marathon on Sunday and we want to be there to cheer him on.  So if we gotta drive to New Orleans why not take the coach and spend a couple nights?
Anybody that knows me knows that I HATE to drive in the city.  Cindy usually drives whenever we go to NO or Baton Rouge.  By her choice since I drive her crazy if I have to drive.  So wish me luck driving the coach there. 

We enjoyed a nice, quiet week in Cedar Key on the coast with our
friends (Clarke & Elaine) from California.  We parted ways last
Saturday when we headed on to Silver Springs which is inland just
outside of Ocala.  This was a very nice park but quite different from
the one at Cedar Key.  We spent a couple of days riding the RZR on
some trails in the forests, had a couple of days with rain and spent
some time shopping in Ocala.  We were in search of a new recliner for
the coach.  The old Lazy Boy we used this fall was not going to last
much longer so when we were in this winter and emptying the house, we
switched it out with our office chair for a temporary fix.  We decided
on the recliner we wanted after measuring our "space" and a lot of
chairs and after sitting in several recliners.  Now the task is
finding the chair we want in the color that will work for us.  No luck
with the color in the three stores we visited in Ocala.  Forest
emailed and called several furniture stores along our route home in
search of the Lazy Boy we decided on.  A furniture store in Lake City,
FL has the recliner we want and maybe the color we want.  Now the
search continues.

SO...  yesterday we got everything ready for our morning departure.
This morning after coffee and breakfast we unplugged and headed out
about 9AM.  Lake City is about 1 1/2 hours from Silver Springs.  We stopped
at the last rest stop before our exit and unhooked the truck.  I drove
the truck to the store and Forest followed in the coach.  It was an
easy drive from the interstate to the store.  Forest was able to turn
the coach around in the parking lot across the street from the
furniture store and park in that parking lot, thanks to the business
being closed.

It is our lucky day!  The George Etheridge Furniture Store in Lake
City had the recliner we were looking for in a color we liked.  In no
more than 15 minutes the bill was paid and the recliner settled in to
its new home.  Wheels rolling again with our new purchase in place,
next stop ...... lunch at the first rest stop on I-10 westbound.

We will be stopping at a sheep and goat farm in Monticello, FL for the
night.  Tomorrow we will continue on to Falling Waters State Park in
Chipley, FL for the night.  This state park has the tallest water fall
in Florida, hope the water is falling.  Monday we plan to stop in
Crestview to join Julie and Harry for lunch.  Then we will continue on
to our next stop in Summerdale, Alabama for a couple of nights.  Plans
are to arrive in Thibodaux on Wednesday.

Hope all is well with everyone!

And now for some pictures from Forest:

no idea who Big Ed was but he was truly loved!

a couple more from the Cedar Key cemetary

Falling Waters State Park, the waterfall drops 100' into the sinkhole below.

then disappears only to resurface somewhere unknown.

 

Rzr'ing

We packed up and left Cedar Key on Saturday around 11am.
Really enjoyed this campground and getting together with Clarke and Elaine.  We met a few new friends and will plan to meet up with them as we travel around.  The people here were really friendly and the sunsets were incredible.
We moved a whole 75 miles, took almost 2 hours!
Pulled into Wilderness RV Resort for a week in the gated class A only section for half price thanks to our Passport America membership.  This campground is very nice with huge sites.
Yesterday we took the RZR riding in the Ocala National Forest.  Had fun running the trails in the loose sand through the woods.
Today we went to a different place in the ONF.  Even more fun, even got Cindy to drive!  She might have even enjoyed it.
No pictures didn't want to take my camera out in all the dust, but here is a track of our trail riding from today:

Ocala Trail Riding