Tucson, AZ

Aaron Weisgerber's Going Away Gathering

I can’t believe that it’s been over 2 months since my last blog.  We enjoyed our time in Bend catching up with friends and eating good food and drinking the best beer in the US.

On October 2^nd we left Bend to head toward Tucson where we will stay at Desert Trails for at least 3 and probably 4 months.  Of the two or 3 places we stayed last year, this was our favorite and we made some good friends.  Plus, there are tons of activities:  yoga, bocci ball, card game nights, bingo, and free music one or two times a week, just to state a few.



Storm Pooper and Party Pooper

From Bend, we made it to Lakeview, OR for one night’s stay.  We then headed on to Sparks, Nevada for 3 nights because Mike wanted to show me Virginia City.  Little did we know that we would pick the weekend where they had their annual outhouse races.  It was quite a site (http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com/events/world-championship-outhouse-races.html). 



Sam's Town Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

After Virginia City, we stayed one night in Hawthorne, NV.  Not much to say about this park because it was pretty much in the middle of nowhere.  The next day we headed to Las Vegas at Sam’s Town RV park.  I had never been to Las Vegas so it was my one-time experience.  So, now I’ve been there and done that.

 

 

 

 

 

Every once in a while during our travels, we run into some very unique/whacky little places. 

White Hills AZ Gas Station



White Hills, AZ Gas Station

Route 66, Seligman, AZ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob and Momi Dean, Prescott, AZ

Jerome, AZ - Stairs from one street to another

Our next stop was Willow Lake RV Park in Prescott, AZ.  I honestly wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone, but it was the only place available in town.  We stayed here 9 days so we could catch up with our friends, Momi and Bob Dean.  We enjoyed a number of escapades.  Downtown Prescott was actually pretty cool and they have their own Brewery.  The biggest surprise we encountered during our visit was the town of Jerome, located between Prescott and Flagstaff.  Its claim to fame is “America’s Most Vertical City” and “Largest Ghost Town in America”. Founded in1876, the town sits at 5,200 feet in elevation on Cleopatra Hill and during its hay day (1920) it had a population of 15,000 people.  The town mined mostly copper but had both gold and silver veins as well.  At one point, the miners were blasting so near the town that several buildings collapsed or slid down the hill.  Today it’s still quite a happening place.  They have a really good rock band, Llory Mcdonald and Combo Deluxe. Most of the city’s current residents are artists or hermits.  It was well worth the visit.  If you enjoy ghost towns, I recommend visiting their website for more information (http://www.azjerome.com/jerome/).

 

Jerome Hotel now owned by a private individual, Jerome, AZ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonoma, AZ - Red Hills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Prescott, we bee-lined it down to Tucson and started our wintering 12 days early (October 20^th).  We’ve had a good year of traveling, but it’s nice to spend some time with the same ground under our feet.

So, for the time we are settled in here, I’ll not be doing any more blogs but will likely post pictures straight to Facebook.

 

Until later…

We're In Bend!!

We stayed at Pocatello, ID for a couple of days, mostly just to rest between the miles.  While we were there, our refrigerator died.  At around 3 am on the 14^th, I heard the refrigerator beeping.  I went to see if maybe we’d lost power, but saw that it was giving an error message.  I tried turning it off then back on to no avail.  Later that day we started smelling ammonia.  We knew that this was the death knoll for working part of our refrigerator.  We called Big Country RV to arranged to have it looked at once we got to Bend but they couldn’t fit us in until the middle of September.  So, I ended up calling Accurate RV Mobile Service in Bend.  They took all our information and asked us to call as soon as we got to the Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort (formerly the KOA next to the rodeo grounds) and let them know our site number.  Billy showed up at the time he said he would on Wednesday.  He took all our information and told us he should know something in a few days.  The next morning he called to say all the warranty papers had been approved by Good Sam and they should have the rebuild parts next Monday.  He scheduled our repair for next Tuesday.  I would highly recommend Accurate RV Mobile service for anyone needing work on their RV.  So far we have been very pleased.

In the meantime, we had a great time visiting Mike’s son and his family in Boise for 3 days.  We hadn’t previously known about the Freak Alley in Boise.  This alley gives people an opportunity where they  can legally paint graffiti on the walls. We also got to see for the first time Todd’s office.

Freak Alley

Freak Alley

Freak Alley

Tyler Rossman in Freak Alley

Alissa and Katherine

Todd, Alissa, Katherine and Mike at Todd's Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are off to a jump start in visiting with Bend friends.  The afternoon we arrived in Bend I got a call from my good friend, Mindy.  She asked me if I knew that Mike Wurtz, one of my former co-workers, had taken a new job.  I said no.  She told me there was a group gathering to congratulate him and wanted to know if Mike and I would like to go.  Of course we said yes.  It was fun to walk into Mavericks and see the look of shock on everyone’s faces since no one knew we were in town. 

We also got to surprise our former Sundance neighbors, Larry and Terry Scott, by stopping by their business, B&D Glass.  We had a really good chat and plan to get together for lunch or dinner. 

Yesterday morning we decided to take a walk along the river and ran into another former co-worker, Valerie Beese.  She was so surprised to see us.  I’m sure we’ll be getting together as well!

We will be here until September 30th so our plans here will be full of catching up with friends.

Until later and until we have more news, we wish our friends and family well!

Drier Air, Cooler Temperatures

It sure feels good to head back to the drier climates and cooler temperatures. 

August 7^th and 8^th, we had two great days visiting with Mike’s high school buddy, Joel and his wife, Diana.  Joel went all out to provide us with a place to park.  He had to seriously trim some trees and had one of his friend help rig 50 amps so we could plug in and keep the air conditioner running.  Bear especially enjoyed himself because he could freely roam the property and have some good rolls in the grass.

We had no idea we would be visiting this town during their annual Strasburg Days.  On Saturday, there was a fun parade at noon and fireworks at night.  For the size of this town, they really put on a good show!


Parade

Parade

 

Parade

 

 

 

 

Fireworks

Fireworks

 

Fireworks

 

On Sunday, August 9^th, we headed to Laramie, WY.  The drive on Hwy 287 that Joel suggested from Ft. Collins, CO to Laramie was beautifully scenic.  I took some pictures from the motor home while Mike was driving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wyoming Territorial Prison from inside the walls

Wyoming Territorial Prison from outside the walls

On Monday we visited the Wyoming Territorial Prison.  Built in 1872 and operating until 1902, this prison held outlaws including Butch Cassidy.  The conditions under which the prisoners were held were unimaginable.  An eighteen thousand two-level prison with no indoor plumbing, this place could never be heated more than 20 degrees more than the outside temperature.  Considering that the elevation is 7,165 feet and that the winter temperatures can drop as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit it’s hard to imagine being incarcerated here.  Our guide told us that in the winter, the worst inmates were on the lower level where it was coldest and in the summer would be swapped to the higher level where it was hotter.  As well, they only had chamber pot as latrines so in the summer you can imagine the stench on the upper level would be the worst.  Inmates were only allowed to be on their beds at night and only had 1 small bench on which to sit during the day.  Each week they were required to bathe in a wooden tub.  The water wasn’t changed between inmates, so you can imagine the ugly water for the last inmate.  During the years of operation there were 12 women sentenced here.  The women had their own area on the upper level but were treated the same as men albeit they weren’t required to shave their heads upon being processed.  All were required to work.  Some of these chores included kitchen duty, farming, cutting ice blocks from the Laramie River for the railroad during the winter, brick manufacturing, furniture building, cigar making, candle dipping, shoe repair, taxidermy and broom making.  One particular inmate was quite the wood worker.  He built a beautifully engraved table all from wood scraps for the prison warden.  Below is a picture of just one corner of the table and the side.  It was encased in Plexiglas so the side picture has some reflection in it.

Top corner of the table made by a prisoner






Legs of the table made by a prisoner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ivinson Mansion

We attempted to visit the Ivinson Mansion and Museum but since it was a Monday, it was closed.  For some history on this sight you can visit http://www.laramiemuseum.org/historyofivinsonfamily.html  .

On Tuesday, we headed further west to Rock Springs, WY.  We picked this spot because it was a good stop over point on our way to Boise.  So far, we haven’t seen much to do here, but we may take a drive later this afternoon.  There is supposed to be an area just north of us where you can see wild horses.

Tomorrow we stop over in Pocatello, ID.  This is just another stopping point on our way to Boise.  Then we head straight to Bend, OR where we’ll stay until October 1^st.  We are really looking forward to catching up with friends while there!

Until later, our best to friends and family!

 

Westward Ho!

August 4, 2014 

We had an enjoyable visit in Nevada, MO for 3 days.

Here we enjoyed some history at Fort Scott, established in 1842.  It was built with the intent of being a permanent Indian frontier where soldiers kept the peace between settlers and natives of the area.  It was named after General Winfield Scott where soldiers were train to fight on horseback and on foot.



Layout

Fort Scott soldiers fought in the Mexican-American War between 1846 and 1848 serving in New Mexico and California.



Officers Quarters

Fort Scott was also involved in the Civil War.  During this time the state became known as “Bleeding Kansas” because of the great deal bloodshed between the groups of pro-slavers, free-staters and abolitionists.  When the fort was sold in 1855 because it original intent was not necessary and the Civil War unrest reached Kansas, the barracks became divided.  One of the former officer’s quarters was turned into a hotel for free-staters.  Directly across the square in one of the barracks was turned in a hotel for pro-slavery men. A lot of local strife erupted during this time.  By 1859, hundreds were terrorized throughout Kansas in the struggle over slavery.

Barracks

After Lincoln was elected President and after the civil war began, Kansas became 34^th State and during the middle of the Civil War, Fort Scott was re-established and enlisted Kansas’ first “Colored Infantry”.  At the end of the war, Fort Scott was closed. 



Impressive stables

In the 1950s a group of citizens fought for federal funding to restore the fort.  In 1978 it became a national historic site.  Many of the buildings needed to be reconstructed but those buildings look and feel as authentic as the buildings that actually survived.  It was quite an impressive feat and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

 

 

Mike at the fort's well

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Town of Fort Scott

Old church

The town of Fort Scott is very quaint with many old buildings and churches.



Harry S. Truman's Birthplace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also took a trip down to tour Harry S. Truman’s birthplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On July 31^st, we headed to Mulvane, KS just south of Wichita where we had 3 fun-filled days with Marty and Bill Crane, our neighbors during last winter down in Tucson.  They were very gracious and allowed us to park on the pad next to their garage where we had full hookups.  I can’t remember the time I laughed so much because of all the fun and jokes.  While there, we were FINALLY able to find the chair we had been looking for to fill the “empty” spot in our rig. I have Marty to thank for this because I didn’t think such a chair existed and she’s the one who spotted it for me.  Thank you, Marty!!

 

Front Street Recreated

Today we’ve concluded our visit at Dodge City where we visited Boot Hill Museum and Cemetery.  It’s said that the term “give them the boot” referred to burying someone who died in a shoot out.  The museum is actually a recreation of Front Street during the 1870s and 1880s where the likes of many a shootout would be judged and convicted by Wyatt Earp with the help of his sidekick Doc Holliday.  There was even a reenactment of a fist fight ending in a shoot out at high noon.  I must admit it was very corny but fun to watch.

Tomorrow we will “get out of Dodge” and resume our westward journey.  We’ll stop briefly in La Junta, CO then onward to Strasburg, CO where Mike’s high school buddy lives.

We hope all our friends and family are well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain View, MO

So, you may be wondering, why would the Rossmans stop in Mountain View, MO?  Well, first of all it was on our way westward and also because it is listed as one of America’s most Scenic drives and part of the beautiful Ozarks in the Mark Twain National Forest. 

Summersville Mill

The first stop was Summersville Mill.  This mill was constructed in 1886 as a grist mill.  It was restored in 2009.  It is currently open only for specials events so we only snapped a picture of the outside.  If interested in more information, see https://www.visitmo.com/summersville-mill.asp.   

I’ve never been in one place that had so many streams bubbling up out of the ground.  The Ozarks have the nation’s biggest number of springs.  The calmness of the surface of the Blue Spring belies the fact that it produces more than 85 million gallons of water per day.   There is was a cave nearby that we didn’t visit because we had Bear with us and it was far beyond too hot to leave him in the Jeep. 

Blue Spring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alley Springs Mill

Alley Spring Mill was built around 1890 and used the waters of the spring to grist mill. The building is overseen by the national forest and we were able to go inside the mill to learn about early grist milling practices.  This was probably one of the most scenic of the mills we visited.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rocky Falls

We didn’t realize that Rocky Falls was a huge “locals” place.  When we arrived there, it was standing room only.  Kids and adults alike were romping in and around the falls on a day that reached nearly 90 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were surprised at how much elevation the Ozarks have.  At one point my altimeter registered 1,100 feet.  Several times as we crested one of these “hills, we pulled over to take in the views of the sceneries below.  The views were breathtaking.  I can imagine that in the fall when the leaves change, this drive is probably bumper with people doing their annual “leaf peeping” (a northeastern term). 

A View from the Top

We are now staying in Nevada (pronounced ne-vay-da by the locals).  We will be visiting Harry S. Truman’s birthplace and Fort Scott. 

Until later, we wish you all well.

Katherine Rossman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading Back West

We ended up spending a little more than 4 weeks in Nashville. 

Family Photo

We started out with a private memorial at my father’s gravesite.  He passed away last March and is now situated in a plot next to my mother near Huntsville, Alabama.  We had an opportunity to visit with my sister Debbie several times and also to have dinner with my brother, Jerry and his wife Sandra.  I have Debbie to thank for pointing us to some of the more interesting sides of Nashville. 

I have to admit that my expectation of music on lower Broadway was a disappointment.  There were more honky tonks that you can visit in one night.  We chose to go early in the evening on one night and the places were already hopping.  My disappointment came in the lack of original songs that were played.  Basically everyone sounded the same. 

Corey Jackson at Tootsies

 

We did manage to go “The Listening Room” where we heard 4 song writers play/sing their songs.  The night we were there, it was four guys playing and singing their original songs.  No country here… more pop, rock and blues.  The most enjoyable part was hearing the writers talk about how they came to write their song.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryman Auditorium Back Stage

We also visited the Ryman Auditorium and took the back stage tour.  The original use of the building was as a church.  Interestingly, this church was built with pews set up in a circle around the preacher who stood at center stage.  When the building was converted to be used for entertainment, they halved the building.  In essence, the back half began to be used for the back stage and dressing rooms were added.  Also, there was a second tier of seats added that the original church didn’t have.  I would highly recommend this tour if ever in Nashville.  It’s much more that just about country music.

 

 

Statue of Athena inside the Parthenon

We visited The Parthenon.  This is a full-scale replica of the one in Athens, Greece.  It was originally erected for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition.  It was only supposed to be a temporary structure for the exhibit, so it was made of wood lath, brick and plaster.  It eventually became an eyesore.  In 1920, the city authorized that it be reconstructed but with permanent materials and was reopened in 1931.  It is quite something to see.  I was most impressed with the structure of Athena inside on the upper level (the lower level is fine art).  The gold gilding contains 8 pounds of 23.75 carat gold.  This was also well worth the visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Historic House, Franklin, TN

Historic House, Franklin, TN

The town of Franklin will take you back in time.  We took a walking tour to see and read about the historic homes in the town.  I’m sharing just a couple that we found most interesting.  Plus the downtown was very quaint with a lot of shops and restaurants.  It reminded me a little of Bend except it had a town square in the middle, a very traditional Southern “thing”.

Before leaving Nashville KOA North, we got a rock chip in our new windshield we had just replaced.  Because of the heat, it immediately split and was not repairable. We had two replacements in less than a month, a very costly but unavoidable expense.

On July 20^th we uprooted and started heading west.  Our first stop was Paducah, KY.  Why Paducah?  Just across the board north of Paducah is a scenic byway in Illinois, Shawnee National Forest.  There we made stops at Garden of the Gods, Cave-in-Rock State Park that we could access due to the flooding of the Ohio River, and the Illinois Iron Furnace.

Garden of the Gods, Shawnee NF



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cave-in-Rock Path into the Swollen Ohio River

 

Illinois Iron Furnace, Shawnee NF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downtown Paducah

The downtown area is very active.  It has a great history museum and a number of good restaurant and pubs.  The town touts 3 breweries. We were surprised that most eateries had musicians play in the evening.  Most of what we heard was blues. On the last day we were there we visited Paducah Beer Werks and talked to the bar tender.  When we mentioned the blues he said that he writes and plays music when not tending the bar.  He told us that Paducah has quite a plethora of songwriters and musicians for a town of 25,000 people.

 

 

As of two days ago, we landed in Mountain View, MO at Ozarks RV Park.  But we’ll save this visit for a later date.

Until then, we wish all our friends well.

Katherine and Mike