Eclipse 2017

    Well, the day of reckoning is here.  Wow, is it ever.  All the hype is over.  All travel plans have been made to be somewhere parked instead of on the road.  Did you hear, there's a lot of folks out there on the road.  We were able to secure a campsite local to family and we are so glad.  (As the week before developed, our Great-Niece Lindsey started to exhibit signs and symptoms of going into labor.  A lil early there Elizabeth. After almost a whole week in the hospital, Lindsey came home and Elizabeth is calmed down).
Thanks to our Great-Nephew Hunter, we now have our special glasses.   Since this day is supposed to be sunny and warm, appropriate clothing has been donned.  Oh, and did I mention,  Abby has been walked, watered, fed, she's ready.  May not look like it, but this animal is totally prepared for all Encounters of the Third Kind.  She's at her guard post and ready.

Coffee is done, one cup drank, lets get that second one, sit down and get this show on the road.  Did I mention we have special glasses?   Throughout the morning I knew I wanted to take pictures.  But not just any photo would do.  Oh No!  Not owning any high speed, high cost filters, I came to the conclusion I would take photos of the photo takers.  Some had high speed aspirations, most just enjoyed the camaraderie of friends and family.  Some with libations, and some just trying to open their eyes from the previous evening.  (Yeah, there were those people too).

I'm ready!

These guys came in the night before, stayed for the eclipse, then left.

This was an opportunity to catch up with old friends locally.

Nice folks behind us.  Oregon State fans!!!

Some were really into it.

Most were just glad the day was finally here and we could spend it with friends.

You have your chair, I have mine.

    One family really caught my eye.  Just how to get young and old involved together.  Yeah, there's those special glasses we have to wear, but those lil guys need another draw.  Something that sets them apart from everyone else.  This Mom nailed it.  Introducing the Eclipse Invaders of the RV Park. Complete with Uncle Bill, Mom, Dad, and the nameless Eclipse Invaders.

This Mom made it special for her guys.  AWESOME!!!

    And after the long wait, at about 10:17 PST, it happened.  The Moon was in front of the Sun and Earth was thrown into darkness.  It got eerily dark.  Street lights came on as did all solar lights in the park.  What kind of world this.  Dogs and Cats started displaying signs of another world.  Was this a prediction or are we thrown into another dimension?  We found ourselves living behind the dark side of the moon.  "Hello Hello, is anybody out there".  This is so cool!

    As we waited for the totality, I wondered what it would look like, but I never imagined....... It got totally dark.  I mean, no light!!!

Total darkness!!!!  Solar lights on.  Are you kidding me?!

Not to worry, Guard Dog still at the ready!!!

Looking for the right angle and sun illumination.  This guy is totally into it.

Even Katie got into it. 

Street lined with photo takers and onlookers and fans.

WOW!!!  Everybody had special glasses.

 

Eclipse 2017

    So, for around two hours, we were blessed with another great example of why a single event can bring everyone together.  People cheered.  Hooping, hollering, and general "carrying on" could be seen and heard.  Old, young, Moms and Dads, lil guys, people of all ages.  This was a good morning to go WOW!!!!

Downside of Fulltiming

    You've done everything according to the Rules of the Sacrament of  Fulltiming.  No one can tell you anything cuz you've been there, done that.  You've played by the rules and did everything "they" said to do.  Don't do that, or make sure you do this.  Sometimes, your brain just needs another glass of wine.
    Well, I have hit that line in the sand.  Yes, my slide has stopped working like it "potta."  No, how could this happen you ask.  Well, where do I begin.  It started about 6 months ago when, like so many other free wheelin', God fearin Americans, I visited Quartszite, Arizona for that fix that we Free Willy  Americans long for,,,,the great outdoors of the desert.  Now I must point out that I'm not alone.  Yeah, there were a half million other seekers of the way with me.  But,,,, I digress.
    In Coburg, Oregon, you find an REV dealer that fixes everything.  Yep, that's their pledge.  If you have these kinds of motorhomes, we got you covered.

   So yours truly calls a month ago and gets an appointment for Monday.  So, like others, I wait.  Some clean, others wash and fix broke "stuff", others watch the tube, and others park and wait for the magician to fix it.

     One very nice woman was trying to teach FIDO to fetch.  I watched, and I watched.  In the end, it was time for another drink, and she gave up as did FIDO.

    And then, there was the couple that had found the "Fountain of Youth."

    These two were incredible.  In conversation, he was drafted in the Army in 1962 and sent to Viet Nam.  While there, he was wounded and later evacuated back to the United States.  His wife (bless her sweet heart), was so proud of him and was glad someone would highlight his life.  What he told me is an example of who is out there living the dream.  This guy has lived a full life and just won't slow down.  She was a sweetheart.  God Bless em.

    So, in the end, Princess Grace of Monaco, Frogger, Katey, Abby, and myself, wait for our appointment.  I check in at 06:00 and then wait......and wait......and wait.
    God Bless all!!!

Cooperstown, NY and the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum

    We took a beautiful drive down past a gorgeous lake to Cooperstown, New York and the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum.  Cant begin to tell you how nice the drive was from our camp site (which in and of itself is beautiful and serene).  The town of Cooperstown is quite overtaken with tourist and trinket shops everywhere and on every corner.   However, once you get off Main St, there are some beautiful homes.      

We parked next to this infamous ballfield named after Abner Doubleday who many say started baseball but records indicate otherwise.  Abner Doubleday was a Civil War hero and did hail from the Cooperstown area .

As you walk down Main Street, you find yourself standing in front of several stores with names that ring of days gone by.

 





These two stores contained so much baseball "stuff" and were side by side.  One had exactly the same as the other.  But cool nonetheless.

 

As you enter the museum, you pay and start the tour on the second floor.  Every nook and corner has a display of both present and days gone by.



   

 





 



 After walking around the second floor for what seemed forever, we went up to the third floor and started another journey down Major League Baseball as it has evolved thru today.  Many of the exhibits are changed yearly and some had been displayed for years.  In addition to Modern Major League Baseball, there was an area set up displaying women in baseball during WWII and the early Korean War.

 

 



And of course, where would we be without the antics and costumes of the team mascots.



 

 And who doesn't remember the Pine Tar incident and George Brett.

 

Of course, the most World Series won have been by the New York Yankees.

 







After the third floor, you head down to the first floor and the Hall of Fame Gallery where you find bronze plaques of every player inducted each year since 1936. 

 

 



 JD, here are your heros.

 

 

After about three hours of walking around this beautiful old building, it was time to leave.



 

National Corvette Museum

    Today we checked off an important Bucket List item:  The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green Kentucky.  This is right across the road from the Corvette Plant and is very accessible to the public.

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   ( Depending on how much you want to spend, you can also tour the plant right across the road).

    We arrived about 11:30 and were on our way home about 2:30 so it does not take long to eat a burger and tour the museum.

    Here are several photos of our tour.  

Only three Corvette Gibson Guitars built like this and Billy Gibbons owns two.  This is the third.

This was a very nice patriotic display to veterans.

The Corvette name is derived from the WWII Canadian Warship

In 1953, the only color available was white exterior and red interior.

    When you walk around it becomes really clear this is an American Icon. Not built to compete with any other known car except two seaters from Europe.  It was General LeMay who wrote Chevrolet and other auto makers to build cars that would keep servicemen busy and occupied.  What I found amazing was the beginnings.  Zora Dunkov is considered to be the father of the Corvette, but he was not on the original design team.  The honor goes to Harley Earl.  Zora did attend one of the first track showings of the Corvette and wrote a letter expressing his views of the car.  He stated the exterior was a showstopper, but the motor was lacking.  Zora was offered a job on the design team as a Design Assistant.  Throughout the years, Zora only owned one Corvette which was given to him.

    Of course, in April 2014, the devastating sink hole that swallowed up several cars.

This ZR1 could not be restored.

This white Corvette was only found after total removal of all other cars.  None of it showed above the water and debris.

Both the ZR1 and the millionth Corvette below were sent back to be rebuilt after being recovered.

   

    We ended the tour exiting through the store. 

    Bill, this is for you.  Thought you'd appreciate this.

  

    One last Corvette.