Six-Month Tour

Mom bouncing back after surgery

We arrived back in Tuscaloosa, AL about six months after we left on our westward journey for the summer of 2018.  It was good to visit with my mom who was recovering from some surgery and tell her about all the things we had seen on our trip and give her a few gifts we picked up along the way.  She remembers traveling to some of the same places when she and my dad retired and traveled the country in their motorhome.  

Mom and Dad enjoying their motorhome

On the way back from Utah, we stopped off in Colorado and spent a few nights exploring the area around Creede, CO.  We had camped at a small NPS campground in a pop-up camper back when our sons were little then again when they were teenagers.  Each time, we took a photo at the same spot.  We hiked to the now closed for the winter campground and took an “Empty Nester” photo with the same backdrop.  

They grow up so fast...Empty Nesters now.

From Colorado, we stopped off for a night in Kansas just to say we camped there and earn our sticker. OK, enough about Kansas.  Next, we headed to Oklahoma to visit some old friends. We met with Mike and Kathy Houlette in OKC and had a great Mexican lunch with them.  Mike owns a metal fabrication business there and we have worked together over the years designing custom off-road accessories.  I told Mike I wanted to add a electric winch to my Jeep Grand Cherokee, but with the tow bar set-up nothing was compatible.  We started looking at it and decided we could design and fabricate a front receiver hitch that would be compatible with the tow bar set-up.  With a receiver hitch up front and one in the rear, I could use a portable winch from either end of the vehicle.  In a few days, we had a prototype built, then adjusted it to a final product and had it powder coated.  It works great and is hardly noticeable when the winch is removed.  Mike asked me to work on updating his web page, so I am working on that.  For now, you can find his business at: www.custom4x4fabrication.com.

Receiver hitch up front provides mounting point for a variety of accessories

We also had time to have dinner with Ed Wright an old Air Force buddy who is still in the area.  It was great to get a chance to talk with Ed and catch up on the areas of the USAF where I use to work.  He even suggested I go by the new Air Force Flight Standards office near Tinker AFB and say hello.  I did and was happy to see more old friends and people I served with still working hard to keep America free.

From OKC, we traveled to Red Bay, AL on our way to Tuscaloosa.  We didn’t need anything major, just wanted to pick up a few parts and get a couple drawers fixed.  So in six months, we covered over 8,000 miles and were blessed not to have any major mechanical issues.  We have been very happy with our 2007 Tiffin Allegro Bus.  

The summer of 2018 is over; but, we were able to see our great country and camp in states we have never been to before.  We want to do it all again.

Thanks for keepingupwiththejonesrv!