Spring 2019 trip east

We left North Ranch on Wednesday 5/8/19 and took Vulture Mine road south out of Wickenburg down to I-10. East on I-10 then south on AZ-85 to Gila Bend where we stopped at Holt's Shell to fill the coach with diesel. Then I-8 east to Casa Grande where we rejoined I-10 east to Benson where we stopped for 2 nights at Butterfield RV Resort, 270.9 miles.
While at Benson we went over to SKP Saguaro RV Park to visit with Michigan friends that stay there.

Friday 5/10/19 we took I-10 east 175.7 miles to Escapees Dream Catcher RV Park in Deming NM to stay 2 nights. We had planned to visit  friends but by the time we got setup they were not home.  Saturday morning Carole was to tired to visit anyone.

Sunday 5/12/2019 was a long 347.3 miles up NM-26 to I-25 to US-380 to US-54 to Santa Rosa RV Park in Santa Rosa NM for one night/

Monday 5/13/2019 was a shorter day 168.1 miles by I-40 to Overnight RV Park in Amarillo TX.

Tuesday was another 188.9 easy miles across I-40 to Wanderlust Crossings RV Park in Weatherford OK for one night.

Wednesday was 188.1 miles I-40 to US-81 to the KOA in Wellington KS.

Thursday was 270 miles up I-35 to I-435 to I-470 to I-70 to Great Escape RV Park in Higginsville MO

Friday was 207.9 miles to Granite City / St Louis NE KOA for 3 nights to visit with son Mike and family.

Monday was 292.5 miles on I-70 to I-465 to I-69 to Anderson / Muncie KOA in Chesterfield IN.

Tuesday was 220.7 miles on I-69 to I-469 to US-24 to I-75 to Camp Lord Willing RV Park where we will spend the summer until the end of October while Carole continues her treatments for Lung Cancer.

Ride thru the mountains.

We are still here in Arizona for another week and a half and it is getting very hot,  So yesterday we took a drive up into the mountains to get out of the heat for a few hours.

We left North Ranch and headed north on AZ-89.
thru Yarnell, Peeples Valley, Kirkland Junction, Wilhoit. and Prescott National Forest
to Prescott
East on AZ-69 in Prescott thru Prescott Valley where we stopped for gas.
East on AZ-169 at Dewey
North on I-17 to AZ-260 Southeast thru Camp Verde, Coconino National Forest, Tonto National Forest
South on AZ-87 thru, Strawberry, Pine, Payson, Rye, and Sunflower
West on AZ-202 at Mesa
North on AZ-101 at Tempe
North on I-17
Stopped for dinner when we got off  I-17 at AZ-74
West on AZ-74
Northwest on US-60 to Wickenburg.
North on US-93
North on AZ-89 back to North Ranch and got home just before 9pm.

Easter dinner

Easter dinner at Jim & Maralyn's with Dwayn Sharp & Jan Tenpenny, Chris & Neal Campbell, Mary Pelley & Jane Corchane.

 Jane & Chris were in the house when I took the picture, didn't realize it until after.
If you click to enlarge the picture you can see part of our Motorhome parked on the other side of the garage.

Patton Family favorite desert

Escapees annual National Rally

Escapees Escapade March 17-22, 2019
Pima County Fairgrounds
Tucson Arizona

We arrived at the fairgrounds on Friday March 22.  We were to man the table for Great Lakes Chapter 6 on what is called the "Row".  The Row is where Chapters, BOFs (Birds of a Feather), and member owned Co-Op RV Parks have tables to tell rally attendees about our various groups.
More explanation and pictures -> Escapade 2019
We had a great week seeing old friends we have not seen in a few years and making a few new friends.  We went out to dinner a few times with our friends Vic and Taree Schrubb.  The Lifetime Member dinner Wednesday evening we sat with Vic and Taree and with Wayne and Beth Roberts who are former Escapade Directors.  We worked some of the Escapades Wayne and Beth Directed, great people.

More pictures and info about our time on the "Row" are on the Great Lakes Chapter 6 page.

Arizona Sunsets

Some of the sunsets we have had here at North Ranch so far this winter.

2018 travel timeline

Fall 2018 trip west

We left Harbortown RV Resort in Monroe MI on Friday October 12 and drove down I-75 to US-24 west to I-69 south 206 miles to Anderson/ Muncie KOA in Chesterfield IN for the night.

Saturday we took I-69 south to I-465 around Indianpolis to I-70 west  244 miles to Cedarbrook RV Park in Mulberry Grove IL for one night.

Sunday October 14 we drove I-70 to I-270 west to MO-370 78 miles to 370 Lakeside Park in St Peters MO for 3 nights to visit our youngest son and family in O'Fallon MO.

We modified our route after visiting our son in Missouri.  We had planned on heading south and west from there and spending a few days in Livingston TX to visit with some friends but the rain and flooding in south and west Texas had us decide to stay north to avoid it.

Wednesday October 17 we traveled I-70 west 181 miles to The Great Escape RV Resort in Higginsville MO for one night.

Thursday October 18 we drove I-70 west to I-435 south around Kansas City to I-35 south 270 miles to KOA Wellington KS for 1 night.

Friday October 19 we took I-35 south to US-81 south to avoid Oklahoma City to I-40 west  226 miles to Elk City/Clinton KOA near Elk City OK for 1 night.

Saturday October 20 we traveled I-40 west 194 miles to Walnut RV Park in Vega TX.

Sunday October 21 we took I-40 west to I-25 south 265 miles to Isleta Lakes RV Park in Isleta Lakes NM south of Albuquerque.

Monday October 22 we drive I-25 south to NM-26 230 miles to Deming NM to stay 3 nights at Escapees Dream Catcher RV Park to visit Greg and Kathy Reed. While there we drove down to Polomas Mexico to the Pink Store to get some medications for Carole and the 4 of us had dinner there.

 In the campsite next to us was our friends Tom & Becky from Escapees Ohio Chapter 36

Thursday October 25 we took I-10 west from Deming 179 miles to Escapees SKP Saguaro Co-OP RV Park for 4 nights for Carole to rest up.  While there we had a chance to see and visit with several friends.

 The view out our windshield

Monday October 29 we drove I-10 west to the I-17 bypass around downtown Phoenix back to I-10 west to Loop 303 north to US-60 west to US-93 north at Wickenburg to AZ-89 north 241 miles to Escapees North Ranch RV Park near Congress AZ for the winter.

 Typical of many of the sunsets here at North Ranch 

map of the trip

2314 miles and 304.2 gallons of Diesel for $1016.52

  19 days, 11 travel days, 17 nights $585 in camping fees