Silver Dollar City...

This is the amusement park that has been a part of Branson for decades - not your typical amusement park.  Oh, it has some rides, but it is more about the live music entertainment and unique 1880 crafts (glass blowing, leather work, furniture making).  There is a "theme" that changes regularly; in the past, we have been here when they have been celebrating "Harvest Fest," or "Music From Around The World," or other themes.  Currently, the park is celebrating Southern Gospel Music.

One change we noticed as we pulled in: they used to have free parking.  They still do.  Not particularly close to the entrance gate.  That would now be "Preferred Parking"... for $15.  I would prefer that they didn't charge for that.  There is a shuttle that takes you from stops throughout the various parking lots to the entrance.

The park opens at 10:00.  In the past, we have gotten there shortly after 9:00 and have gone to Molly's Mill Restaurant in the park for a breakfast buffet, and then head into the park when it opens.  This morning, by going in just as the park was opening, we had Molly's pretty much to ourselves.

After eating, I said to Joan, "I am stuffed - we probably want to avoid any 'puke rides' for now."  Of course, the first thing we came to was one of their roller coasters...

Yeah, we did.  The crowd was really light - we walked right up to the coast to get on.  No line.

We watched one of the glass blowers giving a demonstration...

We discussed our timing: kids are already in school, the autumn bus tours haven't kicked in, yet.  Using the park newspaper that includes a map and a schedule of the entertainment at the various venues, we decided to check out some of the gospel groups...

Yep, there's the crowd.  Fortunately, it is a good size auditorium for our first show and we had less than a 5 minute wait to get seated.  Southern Gospel isn't my style, but like listening to some country music in Nashville, I can appreciate any music when it is well done.  Every concert we saw today was outstanding...

The above were all in different venues.  We walked around the park, taking in the sights...

And, stopped for some funnel cake.  More music, another ride ("a runaway mine car"), then went to the saloon to see something other than gospel music...

It's a hokey, but funny, bit with dance hall girls, a goofy guy, and a gun slinger.  And, they sell root beer floats at the bar.

We walked around a bit more, then decided to call it a day.  Heading out...

The guy who has the concession selling whatever that is came out and told me, "No photographs!  I am the artist and I don't want you copying my work!"  I let him know that I was just photographing my wife as we walk out... his response: "Well, you can take photos somewhere else - you don't need to take them here!"  Not the usual friendly manner we've come to expect here.

We decided to take the long way back to the RV park, driving what was at one time, the only road through town.  A new road to get there...

Whoa!  19% grade?  That is steep...

There was some discussion about how to photograph that road.  One of us knows how to get the shot and is willing to explain it to the other one of us who thinks she knows how to get the shot...

;-)

Onto the old road through the touristy stuff, we were impressed by how they have updated the roads and how all the businesses look good.  Since it is a lot of the same stuff as in the more modern looking Pigeon Forge, Branson has to keep up.  It looks good around here.  Touristy, but decent.

Trust...

There is a certain amount of trust that goes into any transaction.  Service is a biggie.  I'd be lying if I said we haven't had our share of service problems.  This morning, we are in for an oil change, an emissions recall (change in computer programming), and tire rotation...

We stop for service at this Ford dealer (Campbell Ford, Ozark, MO) when we are in this area.  We trust them.  We bought our HitchHiker here.  They did all the installation with the hitch on Big Red, and made sure it was perfectly level, with our normal load.

In fact, the gentleman that heads up their RV sales department came out to visit with us while they are working on the coach.  (Our sales experience here when we bought the HitchHiker was still the best with any RV we've bought over the years.)  Oh, another positive here: we can stay with the motorhome; most places have you give them the keys and want you to go away.  Anyone traveling extended time in an RV will tell you how reassuring it is to stay with the coach.

In fact, I am writing this from my "work station" (aka the dinette) while they are working on us.

When they are done with us, we will get down the road, with a plan to spend some time in the Branson area.  With all the "new" places we have been this summer, Branson feels very familiar for us.  We'll kick back, relax, and decide how we want to head back to Texas... when the timing is right.

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On edit:

The service went as expected, and we were out of there in one hour and 15 minutes.  On the road to Branson...

There are some serious up and down grades between Ozark and Branson.

We checked into the park (where we usually stay when in Branson) and went to our site to get settled in.  Except, the power turned on and off.  I went to the office to let them know there was an issue with this site; the lady offered to switch us to a different site, but it was smaller - "We'll just hang loose until your maintenance guy can check it out."  That wait turned into almost the same as our service this morning... he replaced the breaker and the electrical connection.  All is good, and we settled in.

For the record, we do use a surge protector device that also monitors for high or low voltage, reverse polarity, and an open ground.  Not an inexpensive unit, but it has protected us from electrical damage in the occasional RV park that has had an issue.

Roam, sweet home...

Swaying palm trees...

Traveling across Missouri today.  You don't really expect to see palm trees in Missouri.

It was a lovely drive today, mostly wooded rolling hills...

We did come across this...

At first glance, it might look like a semi-trailer storage lot.  Nope, those are Coke Machines.  A LOT of Coke Machines.  Stacked two high.

We stopped for lunch at a Mickey D's...

Most of them don't have large vehicle parking, like this one - sure makes it convenient for RVers and truck drivers.  Yes, we deserved a break today.

We do share the road...

It was a 4-lane Federal Highway most of the way today.  You have to push 'em hard to get the horse and buggy up to 65 mph.  ;-)

We are getting an oil change and tires rotated tomorrow, so planned to be near the Ford dealer today.  We know this place: it is also where we bought our HitchHiker 5th wheel.  There are two RV parks nearby, we picked the closer...

It isn't fancy, but the price was reasonable, and did I mention: close?  Just across the road from where we will get service done.

Since we were in early, after taking Izzy for a walk, we took the Honda to gas up where we had stopped a half hour earlier with the motorhome... the price had gone up 16¢ per gallon.  Blame it on the hurricane.  Because they can.

One of the Tracker Marine manufacturing plants is nearby.  We called to see if they offer factory tours, but didn't get an answer.  It is close enough that we decided to stop and check.  From the highway, there is a big sign on the building - from the other side, no signage; not even on the door to their offices.  I went in.  Nope, they don't give tours.  The very nice young lady said it was because of "safety issues."  Almost every RV manufacturer gives tours.  Same with guitar makers.  Even big breweries.  Oh, well.

Close by Tracker Marine, I have seen this place several times when we've been in the area...

Yes, this place makes... tropical palm trees.  In Ozark, Missouri.  The guy in the shop was a delight and showed us around.  He sells these all over the country.  He said, "People often ask us: 'Why aren't you located in Florida?'  Think about it - they don't need palm trees in Florida.  We make them so people everywhere can enjoy them!"

One of his best sellers is a palm tree that is plumbed with a shower head high and low - "These are great by the pool or when you come off the beach!"  Smart.  Another great seller...

A hammock with the trees as supports.  These look good and they are virtually indestructible (made with steel liners inside).  My first thought was: no trimming!

;-)

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I visited with a neighbor today - she said our house and dock are fine; no hurricane related problems on our island, other than a few palm tree branches that blew down.  Ohhhh... (see the photos above).

Watching the situation around Houston unfold with the flooding is heart-wrenching; so many people have lost everything.  Besides cash donations, the Red Cross and Salvation Army can use all kinds of clothing.

We are going to stay in this area for a few days to see how things sort out in eastern Texas - that would be our route to head for home, but we will be watching the situation to see how best to get home in the next couple weeks.

4 states and crossed the Mississippi River twice!

It was a rainy start to the day as we got ready to hit the road.  Looking out our windshield, you can see an example of "compact RVing"...

A RoadTrek campervan with a Smart Car as the toad (towed vehicle) - yeah, that should fit in any campsite!

This next part reads like a Dr. Seuss book:

Wet road...

Dry road...

Narrow road...

We had discussed a quick face-to-face with C-Brat friend, Pat Byrd.  With the rain, we decided it would have to be another time.  As we rolled by the city where Pat lives (Take the Last Train to Clarksville), the rain was at its heaviest.  We both agreed on "see you down the road."  Pat goes most places by motorcycle these days, and it would not have been pleasant out there.

About that "4 state day" - we were leaving from Tennesee, rolled into Kentucky...

Took a left at Paducah, eyeing a place to get across the Mississippi River...

Lots of barge traffic...

Joan was shooting and said, "Oh, I missed the Illinois sign!"

Nope - it was just in there!  And, just in case it wasn't...

We were only in Illinois for a minute or so, then another bridge...

Looks like we're crossing the Mississippi again... um, that bridge looks a bit steeper...

And, here we are, state number 4 for the day, and into Missouri...

Knowing that much of southeast Texas is flooding, we are choosing to take a more northerly route back.  We may have to go west quite a ways to get beyond Austin, and then start trekking south.  We will be keeping an eye that direction.

Still no word how our house/dock did, but I am going with: that is better than someone calling us to say, "Oh, what a mess!"  The power is still on, interior temperatures and humidity are normal.  Should be good.

We are settled in for the evening at a park in southeast Missouri...

Decent park - full hookups, quiet.  We'll make it a quiet evening, then head west again in the morning.

Vocabulary...

Nothing to do with my intent for this title, but in doing research, I found that women use approximately 20,000 words per day.  That's about 13,000 more than the average male.  It may be because of the Foxp2 protein - woman have more of it in their brains than men.

If you were able to sit down and do a vocabulary test with your cat, you would find the typical housecat understands 25 to 35 human words.  I don't know how researchers determine this.  In the past year or two, Izzy and I have come to understand each other's words more.

Going back to our first cat, Smoke - she absolutely understood: food, treat, ice cream, cheese.  She apparently had no understanding or regard for the word "no."  One wood that would bring her running: "body-slam."  Yes, really.  We had a little morning ritual where she would hop up on the bed and wait for her body-slam, where I would pick her up and gently put her on the bed on her back.  She would hop up and raise a front paw, signaling me to do it again.  Even into her elderly years (I was very gentle).

When I would ask her where she wanted to go when we were traveling, the answer was always the same: "Vegas."  No idea why, but I could understand that coming from her.  She wasn't a gambler and we rarely took her to see any of the shows, but she was a big fan of the white tigers with Siegfried and Roy.

Molly was like no other cat I have ever seen.  She understood everything I said, and I understood most of what she said.  Really.  I would say, "What shirt do you think goes best with these pants?" and she would reply, "Go for the blue one - I think that one's my favorite."

No, I am not kidding.  We didn't speak the same language, but we both understood.  The only English word I ever heard her say was: "No!"  And always when I was about to put her in her carrier.  She did not like that carrier, being the free spirit she was.  But, I understood her cat-talk.

When we first got little Izzy, the only thing she said was: "Eeeeeeeeee!"  No "Meow," just that one vowel.  I wondered if it had something to do with the E Entertainment Network, but she showed no interest in that.  She is now 9 years old and has been patiently working with me.  I understand when she wants to go outside or is ready for her next meal.  No question about it, her favorite English word is: "Chow"... it will snap her head around every time.  When we're walking, she definitely understands: "This way" and "That way."  And to her, "Home" means we are heading back, whether it is to the motorhome, the boat, or the house.

Joan thinks Izzy may be slow to process what we are telling her.  I think she is very bright, but it is like talking to a teenager... they hear what you are saying, but they just don't care.

One way to determine the intelligence of an animal is with problem-solving exercises... put something under a blanket and see if they know to go there to find it, or if they think it just disappeared.  Not always easy with a cat, because - unless it is food - they don't care where you put something.  Walking on a leash is another way... if they get tangled up with their leash wrapped around something, you can assume your kitty isn't the brightest bulb on the tree.

What?  Your can't doesn't walk on a leash?  Well, that is a you problem, not a cat problem... it may take some patience, but cats are curious and like to see what is going on in the world around them.

We didn't consider walking Smoke on a leash, because if you put anything around her waist, she would freeze, then fall over.  While entertaining when you have company over, we didn't push it.  When we got Molly, she had been a "free range cat," and used to walk by me all the time before she was ours.  When she became officially ours, we put a collar on her, hooked a leash to it, and walked just like we had been.  Really, there was absolutely no learning curve.  She just liked to be where we were.

It took more patience with Iz.  At 9 years old, she walks great now, but it wasn't always that way.  She likes to be outside and is quite content at times to just sit outside with us (always on a leash, except on our deck at home).  Izzy is generally quite good at not getting her leash tangled around anything.  She knows when we are walking to not go around the other side of the tree.  She won't go under low stuff (like a chair), understanding that I can't do that.  I don't rush her, and we enjoy our strolls.

Today, I was sitting with her outside.  The site we are in has a picnic table on the cement patio.  I put out a length of leash and she walked around the far side of the table, then came back in through the table legs.  I watched to see what she would do... she looked at the leash, saw where it was getting caught, and then walked back around, untangling herself.

Yep, I think my little furry girl is pretty darn smart.  She has been patient with my training, but will on occasion need to come over and tap me on the arm to let me know it is time for "chow."

;-)

The photo above is a file photo from home - here's one from today out on the patio...

A day off...

When we first retired, I had a friend ask, "If you aren't working, do you ever get 'a day off'?"

When traveling like we've been doing, we occasionally take a day for "not doing much."  It isn't the same as a day to get work done, things like laundry, grocery shopping, maintenance around the coach.  Today will be that kind of day.

Yesterday was a not doing much kinda day.  We had walked our feet off touristing around on Friday.  Saturday was "easy treat day" as far as I'm concerned... we were up and about and went to one of my favorite breakfast/lunch places: Waffle House.  It isn't fancy dining, but they serve up good food and do it fast... assuming it isn't so packed that you have to wait to get a seat.  Our timing was good - within 10 minutes of sitting down, there were people waiting.  But, the service was good and fast, and the food was tasty.  Joan and I both asked for something other than the standard menu and our waitress said, "No problem, Hon - I'll have it right out for you!"

Some Izzy and guitar time under the awning.  We talked about touring the Grand Ole Opry and the Opryland Hotel, but the parking lots were packed.  Joan said, "You know what is close by, don't you?  Bass Pro!"  The woman knows how to make me smile.  :-)

We did spend time on-line and watching the situation unfold with Hurricane Harvey.  Southeast Texas is taking a major hit, and this storm is just sitting there, dumping more and more rain.  Moving very little, the rain bands are inundating Houston and a large area around that.  Predictions are for 40 inches or more before it moves on.  One of our favorite coastal towns, Rockport (where we used to sell photographic art in one of the galleries) has been hammered.

My heart hurts for all the people affected... Houston is the 4th largest city in the nation, and flooding is pretty widespread there currently.

We will hit the road again tomorrow, keeping an eye on Harvey's direction, as it is still a tropical storm.  When we first bought the HitchHiker and were in Missouri traveling with it, we wound up in the remnants of what had been two different hurricanes (Gustav and Ike) that blew through that area.  Don't need a repeat of that.

Kinda like Sturgis, but...

... without the motorcycles.  And, instead of biker types, it was more like mass quantities of brides and bridesmaids having bachelorette parties.  And, instead of black t-shirts and jeans, it was short-shorts, tank tops, and cowboy boots.

Today, we went to downtown Nashville, to get the "Broadway experience."  Joan was told: "You don't get the real Broadway experience unless you are down there late at night, especially on a weekend."

Well, one other thing I wanted to do downtown was tour the Ryman Auditorium - an historic event venue in downtown Nashville that was once the home of the Grand Ole Opry.

Rather than hunt for a parking spot, we took a shuttle from the RV park to downtown.  Pretty slick: they pick you up at the park and drop you off a block off of Broadway.  They will pick you up, on the hour, at the same spot.  Waiting for the shuttle...

Turned loose in downtown...

The girls in this wagon (being pulled through downtown by a tractor), were drunk and dancing.  I'm only assuming a bachelorette party...

After lunch, we walked to the Ryman Auditorium for a tour...

The tour started with a nice A/V presentation, telling about this history of the Ryman and the resurgence just days before we was scheduled to be torn down...

A lot of music and entertainment history in this place...

Us on stage...

Like everything we've come into contact with here, there is quite a bit of pandering - each venue trying to sell you something.  Yes, I know that's another way they make money.  I was surprised when I went to use the men's room and they were selling t-shirts in there that said, "I Peed In The Ryman!"

Yes, that's a joke.  ;-)  Until someone with a Nashville venue reads this.

Back on the streets...

While it may not show in these photos, the bars were packed... room to walk on the sidewalks, though.  I can imagine it only gets worse after dark.  I was surprised at the number of places that have bands playing in their front window... well, if there was glass in the window - so much sound blasting out of each place as you walk by (or in).  Some places had more than one band playing (one on each floor).  The sheer volume of the sound was sonic overload...

It wasn't all drunk people wandering about.  We saw a Segway Tour roll by, and plenty of guys with guitar cases or gig bags...

And, did I mention: lots of bars...

A guy rolling by on a powered unicycle...

Occasional street musicians...

A topless bus full of guys...

Maybe a bachelor party?  Maybe we could fix these guys up with the girls in the wagon being pulled by a tractor.  There seemed to be groups of guys trying to woo groups of girls as they moved in packs from bar to bar.  Maybe this is more like Mardi Gras in New Orleans than Sturgis?  Spring Break on SPI?  Well, I was influenced by the volume of the sound.

We were told that Tootsies Orchid Lounge is the original honky-tonk in Nashville...

The band in Tootsies playing on a stage the size of a postage stamp...

There is one extra person on the stage - the girl in the middle...

Yep, wearing a short veil - that would be the soon-to-be bride.  Not really adding to the music, but she did get several shots passed to her up on stage (while she sang into a beer bottle).

Late afternoon, and we had as much fun as we could take... we weren't going to make it until "after dark for the real Broadway experience."  ;-)  This was enough.  It was tough work just getting out of that place... I'm guessing they may have exceeded their occupancy limit a bit.  I am not particularly claustrophobic, but was a bit more "chummy" than I care to be with hundreds of drunk people that I have just met.  ;-)

Back to the designated spot for the shuttle - they were dropping more people off and picking up those of us who were done.  Hours earlier, we had that same, "Hey, this is gonna be fun!" looks on our face as those people just getting off the shuttle.  ;-)

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On the hurricane front back home: Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 with the eye coming over the top of Rockport.  Early reports are telling of a LOT of damage, with winds in excess of 130 mph.  This is being called "the strongest hurricane to hit Texas since the 1960s."  The rain with this storm is expected to be over 30" in that area.

All the forecasts for our local area had been overstated, and it appears that 40 to 50 mph winds were as high as it got there, and rain totals so far of less than 2".  We have been mostly spared (the weather alerts have been cancelled), but the area north of us (where it came in) has already been declared federal and state disaster areas... and the current predictions are that the storm will sit over the area for days.