Wednesday, June 17, 2021

Abundant Sunshine, Temperature 91 Degrees

US Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum

We’re going back a couple of days to our time in Fayetteville, NC. Remember I said we had found two special places we wanted to investigate? The one, which I shared several days ago, was the NC Veterans Park.

The other museum was right across the parking lot from it.

This museum is immense. Their website suggests that you allow two to three hours to visit it. Trust me, if you want to do it right you need to allow one to two days. Suffice to say, the best I can do in one or two blogs is just skim the highlights. Let’s get started.

The entrance walk to the museum is lined with large monument stones

representing many of the Airborne

and Special Operation Groups. A total of thirty three monuments line the walkway.

Standing tall in the center of the approach.

The museum opened its doors on August 16, 2000. For over twenty years it has told the story of those who fought valiantly to protect the liberty we cherish so much.

Entering the lobby.

On the one wall.

Time to enter the main Exhibit Gallery.

The Gallery is laid out in such a way that it transports you through time. The first exhibits highlights the the conception and formation in 1940 of the United States Parachute Test Platoon. One interesting note, the first paratroopers had no standard issue helmet. Instead, they borrowed helmets from the local football team!

Moving through numerous exhibits we come now to WW II.

There is so much more here at the museum but time and space does not permit me to cover it all. For me the museum was not just a walk through history. Rather I, for one, came away from the museum with a deep appreciation for all those who sacrificed so much in the past so that I can live the life I do today. So many went and so many never came home to wives, families, and friends. I owe them such a deep debt of gratitude for the freedoms that are mine today.

If you are ever in the Fayetteville area of NC I encourage you to take the time to visit the museum. It’s a visit you will never regret.

Another day has come to a close on The Road of Retirement. As a side note we went and visited several other RV parks today.

This will be our home when I am up here for treatment. It is only fifteen minutes from the treatment center on the outskirts of Jacksonville.

Meet Danielle who is in charge of reservations. Yes, this is the way she always dresses! She is the most friendly person you could ever meet.

This will probably be our site. It is satellite friendly, level and looks good.

Just a general view of one part of the park.

Time to get ready to roll tomorrow. Have a good night.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Remember, take time to stop and smell the roses and live each day that God gives you to the fullest.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Tuesday, June 15 2021

Abundant Sunshine, Temperature 91 Degrees

Travel Day, Leg Four, Going Home

Three States, 403 Miles, Seven Hours Drive Time

Just a brief update on where we are.

I decided to find out just how long a travel day I would be comfortable with. Thus, we decided to eliminate the next stop on our route home and go straight to Florida.

We started in North Carolina but soon enough

we rolled into and through the state of South Carolina and then into

and through the state of Georgia and finally we rolled into

the state of Florida. We had traveled through three states and by the time we reached our destination for the night had rolled up 403 miles, and been on the road for just about seven hours. All I can say is, never again! I now know my own limits and it is about four to five hours travel time max.

This is where we are for Tuesday and Wednesday. We leave on Thursday.

We rolled into our site and I was just able to get the electric hooked up and then the heavens opened up.

This is our site. It is grass, sort of level, FHU, satellite friendly. This is where we were going to spend the two to three months when I was undergoing treatment. However, we are reconsidering our decision to stay here. First, they do not allow you to use your own waster/dryer.

Then, too, sites are tight. You are, literally, on top of your neighbor. What’s really bad is that my sewer is in my neighbor’s site underneath their back awning.

Time will tell what we are going to do. We’ll spend Wednesday looking at other RV parks – not many in this area with decent ratings so we’ll go visit a few.

That was our travel day on The Road of Retirement. Though it was a long day it was a perfect day in that there was not one blip, no oh-no moments the whole way. I like a trip like that. Thank you Lord for a safe and uneventful trip.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Remember, take time to stop and smell the roses and live each day that God gives you to the fullest.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Abundant Sunshine, Temperature 84 Degrees

NC Veterans Park

We awoke to an absolutely beautiful day. The kind of day that is not meant to be spent indoors. Indeed, we were not going to. We discovered two intriguing sites in Fayetteville that we just had to investigate. I’ll share one with you tonight and the other tomorrow night.

First things first, virtual morning worship with our home congregation, The Colts Neck Reformed Church. Unfortunately, some gremlins crept into the transmission and so the worship service ended up being in two parts. However, we were able eventually to see both parts, hence the whole worship service.

Worship over, it was time to go sightseeing.

This was our first stop today. In 2008 the North Carolina Legislature approved a bill for the construction of the park. The North Carolina Veterans Park held their ribbon cutting ceremony July 4, 2011. This ceremony was to officially open the park and to commemorate veterans from all branches of service.

I have been to many Veteran’s Parks as I’ve traveled this great country of ours and I can only think of one other that can match this one for its beauty and grandeur.

From The Soils Of North Carolina You Left Your Families And Homes With Purpose To Serve Your Country…The People Of North Carolina Honor Your Service And Welcome You Home

Oath of Service Wall

Pride and Purpose Tower. It is a steel and granite tower rising from a pool of water. It symbolizes the service members readiness to defend at all times.

We Shall Go Forth And Be Ready To Sacrifice Our Lives and Fortunes To Secure Her Freedom and Safety

There was also a Visitor’s Center which was supposed to be opened today. Guess what? It wasn’t just locked and shuttered, it had a heavy steel chain and lock through the door handles! That sure says closed to me! And maybe that’s why they did it, they wanted to make sure everyone got the message that it was closed.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Veterans Park. What an honor it was to walk and remember all those that have given so much for our country and the freedoms we enjoy today. Such a shame that there are so many today in so many places who want to tear it all down. My heart cries inside of me whenever I think of it.

That was in part our day on The Road of Retirement. We also visited a another museum, all 59,000 sq. ft. of it but more about that tomorrow. All in all it was an absolutely wonderful day that God blessed us with. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it we are two of the most blessed and fortunate people on the face of the earth.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Remember, take time to stop and smell the roses and live each day that God gives you to the fullest.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Overcast, Occasional Rain Showers, Temperature 73 Degrees

Travel Day, Leg Three, Going Home

If I said that today was a most unusable day that would be a definite understatement.

We were of the mind to get on the road between 9 and 10 am. So we planned accordingly. Thus, come 9 am we had slides in, jacks up and were ready to go.

The first surprise came almost immediately. We began to pull out of the park and as we did so we were looking directly at Route 95 South. It was completely stopped. Nothing was moving. Time to check Waze. Better late than never. It showed several accidents within the first couple of miles of where we would be getting on.

Time for an alternate plan. That being, we proceeded to the TA Truck Stop at the exit where we would be getting on and made ourselves comfortable in their parking lot. We waited for 45 minutes, checked Waze again which this time showed all accidents were cleared and so we were on our way.

We were happily motoring down Route 95 when the next surprise came. I heard a beep and immediately we began to slow down. What? I checked the gauges and all appeared to be in order. I applied power, Elvira responded and we were back in business. Of course with no clue as to had happened. Then a bit later it happened again. But I now had an idea what was happening. The cruise control, for some unexplained reason, was dropping out. I hit resume and all was good again. One more item that needs to be addressed when we finally make it home.

The surprises, though, were not over. We pulled into a rest area for a two minute break. OK, time to go. I eased back on to Route 95 and the check engine light began screaming at me. What? A minute later it went off and we’ve had no issues since. One more item that needs to be addressed when we finally get home.

Crossing into North Carolina. I guess these two actually wanted to make sure they were really entering the state.

We had one more episode with the cruise control and then we were at our exit and heading to our new home.

I caught this picture just as were turning into the resort.

I already liked the look of our new home. It is really neat, well taken care of and so peaceful.

Ms. Barbara went into the office to register. Would we be able to get a satellite friendly site? They tried but could not guarantee where they were putting us would work.

Our new home for the next three days. It is a pull-thru, level, with FHU. Did you notice, though, what is raised and working on the roof? Yup, our DISH antenna. But in order to get it to lock onto the necessary three satellites I had to pull all the way to the front of the site which left me

with one whale of a long sewer run! Let’s see, maybe twenty four feet?

By the way, speaking of campground crowding

this poor guy took his dog to the office to request a pull-thru site but the wait was a bit too long!

That was our travel day on The Road of Retirement. It was a day full of gremlins, in fact it has been a trip full of gremlins. The shower door, no TV, issues with the brakes, problems with the one slide, and then the new issues today. In a way we’re both sort of glad we didn’t head out west this year. We have some things to attend to when it comes to Elvira before we make that trip. Be that as it may, we are here, we had a safe trip, and we have TV! Thank you Lord for looking after us once again.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog.  We always appreciate your company, your comments, and your suggestions. Remember, take time to stop and smell the roses and live each day that God gives you to the fullest.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!