#67 Feb 2015 How we travel!

When we pack up and head for a new destination we have a reservation in the next city. We look at a map of the state to get a general idea about what roads we will travel. Once we are on the road I enter the park into the GPS and off we go. We have discovered that the GPS directions into the park are not always accurate. We phone ahead to confirm directions to the park but we don’t usually have problems with the highway instructions.

February 12th was our 43rd anniversary. A few days before that Ralph was browsing through old email addresses and found Don's. Ralph sent an email, Don responded and it was if the years disappeared.

Ralph was Don’s best man, then a year later Don was Ralph’s best man. We were close friends with Don and Ivy for many years but as sometimes happens we drifted apart. We have had occasional contact but not seen one another for a few years.

Don went back to the beginning of our blog and caught up with our lives. He asked the following question.

So I am enjoying poking around your blog.
I note Ralph still rated ahead of the GPS in the early days of your retirement- I wonder if that still applies :)
Don

This was my answer.

Don,
The questions should be - Who does Ralph listen to - LINDA or the GPS?? Both are female voices.

A few days ago the GPS led us into unreasonable territory. I reviewed the next turns and they didn't seem to be taking us directly to our destination. I changed one parameter and let it re-calculate. Ralph kept driving and turning. Driving and turning. I kept asking him to stop and let the GPS catch up to our location. I kept asking him to stop. Ralph kept driving. I kept asking him to stop.

Finally Ralph stopped driving, I stopped asking and the GPS just plain stopped. She had no suggested turns.

I turned off the GPS and we all sat very quietly for a few minutes. Ralph got out and walked around until he could see street signs. I turned on the GPS and it agreed with Ralph about our location. On the road again!

Some days are bigger adventures than others. To answer your question - most of the time Ralph is ahead in the ratings.

Linda

Sometimes all the directions need updating.

The day of our anniversary Jamaica Beach Park was full so we headed for Louisiana.

Pleasure Pier is an amusement park in Galveston. It’s apparently very colourful at night but was not open the weeknights we were there. Only the ferris wheel was lit.

Galveston Island can be accessed by causeway or ferry. We crossed the causeway coming into Galveston but the free ferry was more direct to Louisiana. The ride is only 15 minutes but provides a great view of all the action on and near the water. For the first time ever I sat in the driver’s seat while the RV was in motion – ferry motion but still motion.

It seems everywhere we look there is evidence of the oil and gas industry.

Ships and birds seem to go together.

As we traveled inland the countryside was still very flat. Many, but not all, houses were on stilts even higher than in Galveston. Here there is no sea wall to protect them.

Utility buildings are on stilts as well.

Some bridges are steeper than others.

Just after we entered Louisiana we HIT a hole in the highway that knocked pictures off the wall, broke dishes and rattled us. Later, when we told Al and Gail about that spot they said that was where they lost the hood on their RV. Ouch!

We were into swamps and bayous and miles of causeways above the water.

In Baton Rouge we crossed the Mighty Mississippi River. It is a very impressive working river.