Hi Sweetie!
Up before dawn this morning, quick breakfast, finished packing up, loaded the horses, and was on my way a bit after 7:00. Through the Ag Checkpoint at 7:15, the rest was clear sailing except for a couple of slowdowns around Atlanta, the usual. Found diesel at a growing chain called QT, they’re giving Flying J and Pilot a run for their money, finally. Ever since those two merged, their prices have gone way up. They’re typically 60 cents more a gallon than everyone else, but the QT was just $3.39, best price I’ve seen in a long time. A little tricky getting into the aisles, and there’s a big truck section in the back, but the line was a mile long! Only stop I had to make, though, and the rest was super easy. Got off the freeway onto US 411 which was a perfectly serviceable road with hardly any hills, and, of course, the road surface was fantastic as soon as I hit the TN line, as always! TN had the best roads! Was delighted that I arrived at 2:30, plenty of time to get set up. Took me nearly an hour, though, to find a good spot and get into it. I wasted about half that trying to swing into a pull-through, but it just wasn’t level enough, so I ended up moving to a back-in, which was just wide enough to get in. I parked near a spigot, which, after I got all set up, discovered wasn’t working, so I called the Forest Service, they said they’d send someone out in the morning. Thank goodness I filled my truck’s water tank half full yesterday! Had to fiddle with the jacks, though, put the generator on to get enough voltage to it. There’s still a problem with the electrical system on this trailer, but it will take a real electrician to figure it out. The battery has never charged when the truck is plugged in like it should, and I don’t think both batteries are getting to various power points, but that’s another project, and I’ve been working around it all this time, no need to worry about it now! Finished setting up, got the horses settled in and put their winter blankets on, because it’s supposed to get down to 42 degrees tonight, and they’ve barely got their summer coats in! Flash jerked his head up unexpectedly and conked my forehead, now I’m getting a pretty good bump there. Ouch! Anyway, I have every intention of taking a quick shower and going to bed right around dark, and to read rather than watch TV, figure it will be warmer in bed. Going to be tough getting up in the morning with the chill! Just getting used to 50’s at night, not quite ready for 40’s! Daytime will be gorgeous, though, so I’m a very happy camper! Remember, May 1 is my personal independence day, third anniversary this year! Hard to believe! Well, I’m just going to finish my tea, take my shower and crawl into my nice warm bed (with a wool cap on), and recover from this long day! Love you, babe! Good night!

Hey Sweetie,
I can’t believe I spent the whole day communicating about these brakes, and at the end of the day, I barely made any progress. Every new person that got involved kept going back to the same remarks, things that I had asked about from the very beginning! Very frustrated! By the time it got to 4:30 and I get a call from someone in California, who informs me that the ONLY guy who could give me an answer had probably already left for the day, I was LIVID! And if the answer from him is that there are no replacement parts, then I should get new axles put on, because they claim their axles only have a 5-10 year life span. That sounds ridiculous to me, but that’s the best he could offer. And, of course, there’s a 4-6 week wait for new axles. But I’m stuck. So the end result, after all of that, was that the mechanic is going to come back tomorrow and try to cannibalize whatever parts he needs from the new brakes to get me back on the road. So the whole day was wasted and I’m back to where I started. Meanwhile, Sheila and Dave are leaving in the morning, and Deb will be gone early Monday morning, so I’m going to be pulling out of here on my own. If I get stuck, I’m in trouble! I’m actually thinking about trying to move out of this spot on Sunday to harder ground, so at least I can be sure of getting out early on Monday, now that I’ve decided I have to drive straight through to TN. It’s 400 miles to Lost Corral, which I don’t normally like to do that much, especially to a place I haven’t been to before, but it’s mostly freeway, so I’m just going to have to tough it out. At least when I get there I’ll be back on schedule and I should be able relax a bit. Meanwhile, I’ve found a place where I can leave Apollo while I’m on the Shore-to-Shore ride, and got a few other minor logistical things accomplished, but I missed another day of riding (and will again tomorrow, and probably Sunday, too!), so we’re behind on conditioning now. Very frustrating day. At least I won one of the games of Farkle tonight, and relaxed to a fun Sandra Bullock movie. Ready for shower and bed! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hi Babe,
Well, I had high hopes today that I would be leaving tomorrow, so I packed some things up, did another load of laundry, got caught up on my bookkeeping, and generally got the place picked up. Lined the truck up, did as much as I could. Time kept passing and I was getting more and more discouraged about the mechanic getting out here. He and a young apprentice finally arrived, right around 5:00. They got started, but 45 minutes later he came to tell me the parts didn’t fit, that the holes didn’t line up. He showed me what he was looking at, and sure enough, they weren’t right. We discussed trying to cannibalize the new parts to make them fit, but didn’t have a sure solution. Finally, I just checked the parts website again, and sure enough, they sent the wrong parts. Grrrrrr! The number on the part came up as a similar but not identical brake assembly, so now we’re back to square one. Being that it’s Thursday, even if they ship the part overnight tomorrow, and even if the mechanic could get out here on Saturday and put them in, I still wouldn’t be able to get out of here until Monday, since I won’t drive on Sunday. I’d already half made the decision to drive straight through to Lost Corral in TN, even though it’s 400 miles. A bit longer than I usually like, but it’s mostly freeway driving so it won’t be taxing, just long. If I have problems when I get there, it will be more challenging, but hey, that’s what life is all about, right? At least I’ll be able to get in a couple more days of riding here, having a more firm schedule. All this sitting around waiting has been driving me nuts! Plus there’s rain in the forecast for most of the weekend, with clear skies on Monday, so hopefully that will be my travel day. Not making any bets on anything right now! Anyway, heading to shower and bed after my tea. Good night, my darlin’! Love you!

Hey Darlin’,
Had a terrible night’s sleep, could NOT get to sleep for anything! It was after 2:30 when I finally nodded off. Then I kept waking up remembering things I had to do before I leave here, and I knew I’d never remember them so I started a list on my phone. By the time I got out of bed at 8:00 it was a pretty long list! So I spent the day doing all that, a lot of computer work, printing out my Coggins and Travel permits, changing my reservations at Mammoth Cave, writing back to a student from my last workshop, etc., then I spent some time flushing out the black water tank. It was past mid-afternoon by the time I got everything done. Played Farkle after dinner, won one, lost one. Started watching a Johnny Dep movie but couldn’t stay with it, he was just too over the top trying to play a more subtle character. Switched to another pretty boring movie about an artist that goes to Norway to paint a barn, not much to say about that one either. Getting to bed early tonight, though, after last night! The brake parts came, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that the mechanic can come tomorrow and put them on, should be fairly straight-forward, I hope. I’ll have to get everything packed up tomorrow if I’m going to leave on Friday. I hate moving camp on Friday, I only hope my usual spot is open, because there aren’t a lot of spots there where I can fit! Anyway, ready for my shower and bed. Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie,
Had some trouble getting to sleep last night, so ended up sleeping past 8:00 this morning, but I woke up in the rare mood to do housework, so I spent pretty much the entire day doing a deep clean and lots of laundry. Did all the layers of bedding and blankets and pillows, which took most of the time, pulled all the carpeting out and mopped all the floors, took down and cleaned all the lighting fixtures, pretty much did the whole living quarters part of the trailer from top to bottom. A good job done! Of course, now I’m exhausted, which is fine, hopefully I’ll have less trouble getting to sleep tonight. Taking my shower early so my hair will dry, but I’ve still got laundry going, so not quite yet. Glad to get it done, though, it was overdue. Won’t be long out of bed! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hiya Darlin’!
Despite promises to be here no later than 10:00, the mechanic was not here on time. When I contacted him, he said it would closer to 12:30, so another morning shot to hell. It was close to 1:30 when he finally texted that he was on the way, but 2:30 by the time he got here. Sigh. Well, they got to work, frustrated by the soft surface they had to work on, took them a bit to get it jacked up and the first wheel off. Found a wiring problem that may be contributing to the problem, discounted a couple of things it might have been, the pads aren’t in bad shape, but the adjusters were busted somehow, still don’t have the full understanding of that yet. Of course, all the parts are obsolete now, but he managed to find a guy that had some, and I offered to go pick them up in Lake City, which I did. Of course, by now it was too late in the day to do anything, so they left, with plans to finish up in the morning. I picked up the parts and discovered a feed store right next door, so I picked up some coastal, which I needed to do anyway, and stopped at Walmart to pick up a few things, though it turned out to be nearly another $200. I can remember when we used to live on about $300-350 a month on groceries! Sure can’t do that now! Got back after 6:00, put everything away, had dinner, watched a RS and a nice little rom/com with Tony Spano in the Napa Valley, settled down for the evening (no Farkle tonight!), ready for shower and bed. Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hiya Darlin’!
Well, sorry to say the mechanic never made it today. I waited until nearly noon before I contacted him to find out when he would be there, and he finally answered 3:30, but by then I thought it was too late to take a ride. Can use a break from that anyway, though I would have taken a short ride on Apollo if Sheila wanted to go, but she was in packing mode and kept busy all day. Linda left in the afternoon, so the place is clearing out. So I ended up mostly reading, enjoying the perfect weather. Though the temps apparently got high, it was hardly noticeable because of all the shade around, a nice change from practically everywhere I’ve been camping in the last year and half. I’ve definitely decided to go to Lost Corral after getting extensive reports from a woman on one of the Facebook groups, and she even told me about a train ride that leaves a stone’s throw from the campground and does a day trip out and back to north Georgia, going through a lot of forests, and is considered one of the few remaining passenger trains that goes through areas that are relatively unchanged since the railroad was built in the 1800’s. It also is the only train east of the Mississippi that loops around it’s own tracks, which sounds like an interesting trip. I reserved a seat in the Dome car, so I’ll have a great view of everything. It’s about a nine hour trip, though about two hours is at a little town at the end, with restaurants and souvenir shops and the usual stuff. Sounds a bit like that train we took out in the Black Hills! I don’t remember ever hearing about this before, but I figured it was worth doing while I was right there. Anyway, the rest of the day was uneventful, until we started a game of Farkle, without Linda this time, so it was just the four of us, and once again, luck was on my side, I got a lot of good rolls early and ended up winning both games, although in the first game, Deb got ahead of me when she went out, but I managed to pass her on my last roll again. They all think I need to buy a lottery ticket! Anyway, the mechanic didn’t show, so the day was otherwise shot, but he’s promised to be here before 10:00 in the morning, so hopefully it will get done tomorrow, and I might still have time to ride in the afternoon. I hope he can get the parts we need! Otherwise, I may have to stay a few extra days to get it done. Hope not! Otherwise I’ll be playing with the domino effect on my plans for awhile. Anyway, watched a fun movie called Game Night, ready for shower and bed! Love you, babe! Good night!

Hi Darlin’!
Didn’t take long to pack up, it seemed it didn’t rain again last night, but it was cloudy and threatening when we got all loaded up and heading out, just after 8:30. Ran into rain very quickly, though, darn it! I hate driving in the rain, and for a minute on the radar it looked like I might sneak through a break, but instead, I was full on in tropical depression downpours for over two hours. Stopped at a small truck stop for fuel, turns out my Flying J card was good there, but it wasn’t actually a Flying J, and the diesel price was about 40 cents cheaper than at the Flying J, so it was a good choice! Finally broke out of rain north of Daytona, and it was nearly clear skies for the last hour of the otherwise uneventful drive. Arrived at Sheila’s at exactly 2:00, and then the excitement began. Last time I was here I got stuck, but they apparently put down a bunch of limestone gravel after I left and they thought that solved the problem. At least, no one else got stuck. Of course, I didn’t realize that the new surface actually made the site a tiny bit higher, and I didn’t get enough steam up to run up the slope (it was tiny!) and I ended up getting stuck again! We tried using the track mats again, but that didn’t do it, then we hooked up Deb’s van and that didn’t do it, then we added Sheilas 4×4 to the line-up, and we FINALLy managed to pull it forward enough to get out of the hole. Once I got the truck disconnected, but put the tracks down right where they’ll need to be when I hook up again, so hopefully we won’t have the same problem. Took us 90 minutes to get that all done. Got my hookups done and started a load of laundry, then ran into the Walmart for a few odds and ends and to get fuel, which was another 60 cents cheaper than my previous stop (so about a dollar difference between truck stops and Walmart. Go figure.) I managed to make a quick dinner, got in another load of laundry, then joined the gang for some Farkle, a dice game they all love to play here. It’s a lot of fun, and we had a good time. The first game I ended up somewhere in the middle of the pack, but on the second game, I was over 4000 points behind (the goal is 10K), and I was the very last person to have a chance to beat Linda, the leader with 10,250, and incredibly, my last series of rolls actually put me in front! I made over 4000 points and won the game! Rare, but it happens, obviously! It was just getting dark, I played with Lola for a few minutes to hopefully tire her out enough to sleep tonight, and put the light blankets on the horses, since it’s going down to the mid-40’s tonight, and they’re winter coats are all but gone now. Made some Sleepytime tea, going to have some ice cream, watch a Remington Steele, take a quick shower and head to bed on fresh sheets! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hi Sweetie!
At long last, I’m FINALLY back on the road again! Yay! It didn’t take me long to pack up, since I’d done so much already. Brother Karl and his friend Randy left this morning, too, just before the rain started. Unfortunately, I didn’t get out before the rain, but I did manage to outrun it. Jeff’s girlfriend Karen, who got in last last night, had just enough time to say hello and good-bye before I headed out. Only had to go about 75 miles to my first stop, St. Sebastian River Preserve, where I have a vet appointment tomorrow to get me the paperwork I need to get out of the state. Arrived about 11:30, got the horses squared away in their stalls, which fortunately are half-covered so they have someplace to stay dry. There was actually some sunshine this afternoon for a short bit, then the rains finally caught up with us, though it didn’t last for too long. Did some reorganizing, got Flash’s bridle fixed with the new headstall that I ordered the other day, it’s a much lighter leather, but it might actually suit him better, being the little horse that he is. Settled down for the evening, getting back into the swing of things. I’ve been spoiled with having electricity and water, so I’m having to get back to my more primitive ways, conserving water and power. Ran the generator for less than an hour, though, and it fully charged the batteries. Will be interesting to see how long these new batteries last on a charge now. At least with the rain it stayed cooled, but the forecast is saying mid to upper 80’s starting on Friday, hopefully it won’t get too bad. Vet will be here in the morning, so I’m going to have an early night. It’s so quiet here, and thankfully, cool, so I’m looking forward to a good night sleep. Love you, darlin’! Good night!

Hey Darlin’,
Another good night sleep, fed the horses (but forgot Lola because I skipped breakfast), headed out for labs now that I have insurance again. My appointment was for 10:10, arrived at 10:00, wasn’t taken in until 11:19! Why do they make appointments and then make you wait for an hour? Must be a better way, but they haven’t figured it out yet, apparently. Stopped at Walmart again because I forgot to get a case of drinking water yesterday, then got busy as soon as I got back to the trailer. Packed up everything I could, got the truck lined up so all I have to do is drop it on the hitch, just have water and drain hoses and the electric cord to unhook and I’ll be ready to go! SO looking forward to getting back on the road! The gypsy in me has been crying out for MONTHS!! Anyway, finally settled down for the evening, time for my shower and bed! Good night, babe! Love you!