Epilogue or should I say Epiblog?

Yes friends, we are now back home for the first time since May 24th. Our good friends Jim and Neil have been looking after our place during our absence. They also have been managing our mail, no small task, I might add.

It was a wonderful trip although it did have some hair-raising moments. One that I recall was just squeezing through the Canadian Customs booth with only inches to spare. Our rig is more than 120” wide mirror-to-mirror. Another was the last 20 miles from Winslow to Flagstaff in 40 mile an hour winds. We experienced violent though short thunderstorms in Michigan and New York, although it was Asta that suffered the most.

We got to meet with many old friends, and met some new ones in the various campgrounds where we stayed. Campgrounds are a wonderful place to meet fellow travelers. The rigs they drive run the gamut from plop-up trailers to Prevost Buses that cost far beyond my budget. Yet despite these economic inequities, the people inside are friendly and get along well with one another.

Many campgrounds have entertainment nightly during peak seasons, and it is wonderful to sit and enjoy the music as the sun slips below the horizon. Our last night on the road was at River Breeze RV Park in Ehrenberg, AZ. Our hosts had arranged a potluck BBQ with the park throwing in Ribs and Chicken. They also arranged for Karaoke Entertainment. It was slow at first, but gradually more people got up and attempted to sing. At this late juncture in our lives, I never thought in a million years that we would play bingo or attend a Karaoke session – and enjoy it.

Although Jim and I are not ready to become what is called “Full Timers”, we met many couples that were, and seemed to really enjoy the experience. We love our condo in Palm Springs too much to make the plunge, but we can see the experience can be very rewarding as one travels to country and meets new friends.

Check the Blog from time to time, as we will update as things happen in our lives. On the horizon is a cruse to the Mexican Riviera in December, and a short trip in the RV next February or March to Laughlin and Las Vegas. Until such time, I bid you all a due – stay safe and well.

Tom Nottingham
Jim Price
And Asta

Our 2004 Pace Arrow in KOA at Little Rock, AK. One of the Nicer Spots with Redwood Table and Camping Area.

My College ID Badge from 1966 

Tom Donovan 

Stage at Grand Old Opry 

Our Long Trip Home

We left the Eastern Shore of Virginia for our home in Palm Springs on August 25. Our route took us up through Washington, D.C. and then west to the Shenandoah Valley. We then turned southwest until we reached the I-40 for the long trek across the Southern Midsection of the country. Our first major stop was Nashville, TN.

One of our favorite KOA campgrounds is in Nashville. Only a mile from the OpryMills Hotel, The Grand Old Opry, and the Opryland Mall, it is a perfect location, and a wonderful place to stay. An old college friend drove up from Birmingham, AL to visit with us.

I have known Tom Donovan for more than 35 years. We attended Rochester Institute together in the early 1960s. We lost touch for some years, but started communicating once again while I was working in Hollywood. A graphic artist, Tom is currently working in the Cellular Phone industry. We spent most of our three days together catching up on old times. Tom is one of the few persons that I still communicate with that was in my class of 1968.

We obtained tickets to the Grand Old Opry for the Saturday night performances. The Grand Old Opry is not only the home of Country Music, its shows are live broadcasts on cable and of course WSM radio in Nashville. The two-hour show consisted of two live radio shows, and one live television performance. Live radio streaming is available from their web site.

Since live radio on this scale is indeed rare these days, I found the whole process most interesting. With over 4,000 people in the audience, the shows moved along fast with excellent talent. Even if you are not a fan of Country Music, the Grand Old Opry would hold you spellbound for the duration. The evening culminated in the unscheduled appearance of Loretta Lynn. She held the audience (mostly VFW conventioneers) in the palm of her hand as she sang “Coal Miner’s Daughter”.

On Monday morning, we started west once again with stops in Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, and Ehrenberg. We arrived back in Palm Springs Sunday Morning of Labor Day Weekend. All and all it was a successful trip lasting more than three months. We enjoyed seeing all of our old friends and relatives once again. A quick note, while in Virginia, Jim’s mom had a bout in the hospital. I am happy to report that Hazel Price made it through with flying colors.
Our thanks to all that put up with our travels, and looked in on the Blog from time to time to monitor our progress. It was a great experience. We dodged three Hurricanes, a few tropical storms, high humidity, one of the wettest years on record, and 100+ temperatures in the southwest. Gotta’ love summer in the US.