Circle be Unbroken

Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

It suddenly came to me, as we were making a Westward turn onto Interstate 90 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota last Friday (April 29^th) that we had just completed sort of a Really Big Circle… with numerous smaller “swirls” in between… in the two and a half years since we’d left our, then, new first Grandson, Jonah (and his parents too) in Colorado, and headed East on our GREAT RETIREMENT TRAVELS, a period in which we lived full-time in the 5^th Wheel for much of that time.  

Orange Tiger Kitty, Briscoe, King of the 5th (or so he thinks!)

For it was, indeed, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after a few days touring the natural and man-made wonders of that State…. Mt. Rushmore, Black Hills, Badlands…  back in the late summer of 2013… that,  to me at least, we officially headed East on a long anticipated Grand Tour of this Great Country (and a little bit of Canada as well). 

And then, just last week, we were back in Sioux Falls, turning West this time on Interstate 90 on our way back to Oregon.  It had been quite a ride, and continues still (more on that, as well as the “Trip to Hell and Back” to Iowa that preceded our latest return, in later posts)

So these are the raw numbers on our really big, make that “Ginormous”, 2 ½ year Circle (with numerous Swirls)  of the Country:

Took a Left off I90 in Sioux Falls on   9/12/2013, headed North and then EAST.  Took a left onto I90 in Sioux Falls on 4/29/16, headed WEST.

In between those two opposite direction turns in Sioux Falls, we traveled   31,530 miles with Bertha towing the 5^th to/through:

States/Provinces in order (some states visited more than once… HOME stays Capitalized): 

South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Ontario, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, New Mexico, ARIZONA, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, OREGON, Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, ARIZONA, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, OREGON, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, ARIZONA, California, ARIZONA, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and South Dakota again at the end of the Ginormous Circle of the USA.

Whew, gotta catch my breath after that.  But here are a few pictorial highlights from our grand tour:

 

Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Lake Itasca, MN

Niagara Falls

Live Maine Lobster at a "Pound"

Cheers Bar, Boston

Beautiful white sand beach at Biloxi, MS

Saturday morning live Cajun Music, Fred's Lounge, Mamou, LA

Real Texas BBQ, No sauce, none needed, deep smoke flavor Pleez!

Luckenbach

Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Sprgs,Arkansas

For every trip, or any period in time, there has to be a few down moments.  Most of ours were equipment related, but also TWO VERY PERSONAL LOSSES. I’ve commented on many in previous posts, and will elaborate on the latest in the anticipated “Hell and Back” post to come.  Here is a brief summary (not all inclusive, the old memory dims over time):

  

 Two Flat Tires on the 5th  (In Texas, and Colorado)

   One Tire Blowout (at Freeway speed in Missouri), also on the 5th

   Entire Wheel falling off, and another nearly falling off (in Oklahoma and New Mexico),               yes, 5^th Wheel  again.

   Broken water pump, trailer brake failure, leaky roof, all on the 5^th.

   Rear bumper on the 5^th peeling off, a self (that would be Moi!) inflicted wound..

   And finally, on a much more PERSONAL, and IMPORTANT, level, the loss of our Mother’s, Mine in March 2014,   Elaine’s in August, 2015

My Mom, Beth Ventura, with her big brother, David, Fall, 2012

Aug 2015, Grandson Isaac says hello and goodbye to his Gr Grandma, Mavis Jones

 Re: the equipment problems, here are a few folks who helped us at various times that make my personal HONOR ROLL for service (to us) over and above the call of duty:

1.           unknown “Good Samaritan” who took it upon himself to call a nearby tire dealer in rural Missouri and arrange everything for our getting a new tire and continuing our trip after our blown tire.

2.       .    Discount Tires in Broken Bow, OK, for coming 20 miles out to our RV Camp to deal with our first wheel (falling off) problem;

3.          The Father/Son team of Will and Will from Lone Star Services, Seguin, Texas, who came out to fix both our trailer brakes and water pump problems.

4.          Mike’s Auto Repair in Ely, Arizona, who diagnosed and replaced problems with Bertha’s (the Chevy Diesel) fuel filter just recently after we lost power while attempting to pass a couple Semis north of Tucson, AZ.

5.          Joey and his crew from Big Rig Truck and Trailer Repair in Santa Rosa, NM who replaced our 2^nd problematic Wheel just last month as we were heading from Arizona to Iowa.