Colorado Trip Aug 2-Aug 10, 2025

    Our trip to Colorado was excellent. 

We encountered a few incidents.

We were headed across the Million Dollar highway, but had to turn around along the way. The Million Dollar Highway is a winding road along the mountain cliffs. Our driver walked up the road to find a place to turn that big bus around. I told him later that if it looked like the back of the bus was going to hang off the mountain, I was going to get and watch him turn it around.

He did a great job. The reason we had to turn around was that a couple ran off the road, plunging 350 feet into the river below. Both were killed, but a girl sitting in the back survived.

The highway was closed for the rest of the day so rescuers could evacuate the people from the canyon. We missed our train ride from Silverton to Durango. Instead, we visited the towns of Ouray and Telluride.

Another day, there was a forest fire, and everyone's phone was going off, alerting us. We did not have to turn around; we were going away from the fire. At the Colorado airport, we follow our guide. He held up a US flag for everyone to see.

We had to go up and down escalators to the tram to our gate. Denver is a huge airport and is growing.

We were gone from Aug 2 to Aug 10.

We rode the Georgetown Loop RR. We rode the COG RR up Pikes Peak. We rode the Cumbura and Totlec RR from New Mexico to Colorado. The train stopped, everyone got off, and ate a buffet lunch. We didn't get to go the entire route because our connecting train was broken. We saw the Cliff Dwellings in Mesa Verde. We saw the Colorado Monuments and several museums along the way. We stayed in first-class hotels and ate delicious food.

2025 June 21, 2025 Nashville Day Trip with BackRoads Tours, LLC

My husband and I stopped for breakfast at Jack's in Athens on Highway 72. 

I ordered a single gravy and biscuit, as well as two peach pies, for later. 

Hubby ordered the big breakfast. 

We traveled to Madison to catch our ride at Gabe's. 

We loaded onto the bus.

To our amazement, the seat where Hubby sat was broken, so we moved a few seats back. 

We heard someone else say their seat was broken. We had a full bus and needed every seat. 

The driver (Floyd) said I could run up the road and catch a different bus.

There were still about six passengers missing, so our group leader said I would stay here while you and the other passengers went to get the other bus. 

Ardmore Rest Area 

Our first stop was at the Ardmore, Tennessee, Rest Area. 

After about an hour, we arrived at our destination (after getting turned around at the Opryland Hotel. 

We finally arrived at the  General Jackson loading dock. Our group leader went to get everyone's tickets. 

There were two bus loads, one from Scottsboro and one from Madison.

Our bus group was going to the show and dinner at 1:30, while the first group's time was at 12:30.

Around 12 P.M., the General Jackson Showboat began traveling down the Cumberland River toward downtown Nashville. 

Hubby and I sat outside where we enjoyed a virgin Pina Colada. 

View of Nashville from the boat 

The Nissan Tennessee Titans Football Field view from the boat. 

I took pictures of the buildings downtown in Nashville and the Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans Football Team. 

On the bank of the Cumberland River, we saw Canada Geese and Kakaik's.

We also saw sites where the homeless lived. We saw lifts from people's homes and businesses leading down to the river below. 

At 1:30 P.M., the second group walked to the dining room on deck one. 

We enjoyed a buffet meal that consisted of chicken, BBQ, macaroni and cheese, carrots, salad, rolls, and apple pie. 

BBQ, Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Carrots, roll, and Apple Pie 

We were entertained by music and songs from the Tennessee Legends. 

Next, we loaded onto our buses and rode to the Opryland Hotel. 

Several people from both buses rode the Gaylord Opryland boat inside the hotel. 

The scene from the boat ride at the hotel. 

The waterfall at Opryland Hotel 

At the Bravo Gelato, I ordered an Oreo ice cream Waffle cone.

Hubby ordered a Mt Dew and a cookie.

Everyone had to be back on the bus at 5:30 P.M. 

We began our journey home. 

The Tennessean Travel Stop Fire Truck

We stopped at The Tennessean Travel Stop, where several enjoyed a meal and others just bought snacks. 

We ate our peach pies and drinks that we had brought with us. 

On our ride home, we saw several rainbows and the sunset.

Sunset 

The Rainbow 

Everyone loaded into their vehicles and began their journey home. 

We stopped at Krystal's and bought burgers and fries togo. 

We stopped at several Dollar General Stores for Mt Dew. 

There was a sale on drinks, and several of the smaller stores were out of stock. 

We arrived home around 10 P.M. 

Photos 

9443-9451 @9:01 A.M. Ardmore Rest Area

9452-9457 10:33 A.M Opryland Hotel outside

9458-9464 @12:18 P.M. General Jackson

9468 @ 4:51 P.M. Opryland Hotel 

690-720 General Jackson downtown Nashville 

722-733 Hotel Boat Ride

9476-9481 @6:51 The Tennessean Travel Stop 

9485-9472 Sunset and Rainbow @6:20-8:16 P.M.

Spirit Coach #452431
driver Floyd 

  

 

2025 May 9, Mystery Day Trip with Backroads Tours , LLC

Travel to Scottsboro: Board the bus by 8:00 A.M. The tour and Admission to the animal park are included at $125 per person. The pickup location is Patches in Scottsboro. 

Tours & Admissions, including lunch, are self-pay 

We will cover the cost of our lunch, and a decadent dessert is also included. 

If you love fantastic food, nature, and exotic animals, this trip is for you. 

We were up by 4:30 A.M., got ready, and were on the road by 5

We stopped at Jack's in Athens for breakfast. 

I ordered gravy and biscuits with Diet Coke

We stopped at McDonald's in Scottsboro for a restroom break

We arrived at our bus location, loaded onto the bus, and began our mystery trip

Our first stop was the Farmers Market in Section, where we bought cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, onions, and cauliflower.

Bama Bucks 

Our next stop was Bama Bucks Restaurant and Exotic Animals.

Our host gave us the history of how Bama Bucks got started,

Our servers took our drink and food order. My husband and I split a cheeseburger and onion rings, and he ordered a salad.

Baby Alligator 

Small animals, including baby alligators, ring-tailed lemurs, and kangaroos, were brought out and shown to us as we ate.

Outside, behind fences, we saw black bears, bison, ostriches, Zebras, kangaroos, emus, lemurs, elk, and camels. 

These family-owned restaurants feature steak, chicken, wild game, seafood, soups, sandwiches, and salads. 

There is a fun menu for children. 

Our next stop was at the Anniston History Museum. 

We began with a reptile show of a small alligator, a large Turtle, and a small screech owl. Several of us walked outside to see the rescued birds of prey. 

We walked through the museum, and there was so much to see,

I bought my grandson a dinosaur necklace and a bracelet for his birthday. 

We loaded onto the bus and began our journey to Scottsboro

We played bingo for prizes on our ride back

We arrived in Scottsboro, said our goodbyes, and began our journeys home

We stopped at Taco Bell in Rogersville for dinner

I ordered two Soft tacos and a Diet Coke.

I saved one of my tacos for breakfast. 

We arrive home between 8:30 and 9 P.M.

8816-8818 8:38 A.M. Section Farmers Market

8819-20 9:56 A.M. Sardis 

8821-8852 10:15–11:18 A.M. Bama Bucks Restaurant Sardis, AL

8853-8889 1133-11:45 A.M. Exotic Farm 

8890-8924 BaMA Bucks Grounds & Group Photo 

8925-8927 1:18-1:21 Anniston History Museum

8928-8946 1:45–2:08 P.M. Animal Show 

8947-8948 2:24 P.M. Outside Raptors 

8949-68 2:35–3:58 P.M. History Museum 

8969 4:03 P.M. Banana Bread

8970-8974 5:45 P.M. Traveling the Tennessee River, Scottsboro 

Eagle Christian Tours Bus Rome, GA #1032

Our Group Photo (Courtesy of Backroads)

2023 Feb 22-24, Amelia Island, Kingsley Plantation, Fernandian Beach, St Augustine, FL. and Fountain of Youth (Diamond Travel ) 5 Days with Anderson Travels, Hueytown, AL

Day 3: Wednesday, February 22

Breakfast in the hotel was a cinnamon roll, sausage, milk, and cranberry juice.

Meet our guide, who is loaded onto the bus for an hour-long ride to Kingsley Plantation, which is located on Fort George Island along the St John's River. Two roads lead to the site: Palmetto Avenue, which is a dirt road that is often in rough condition, and Fort George Road, which is paved but subject to flooding during weather events and extreme tides.

 Kingsley Plantation  and our guide

The birds we heard were House Finch,  Yellow-rump Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throat Warbler, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Boat-tailed Grackle, and a couple of Peacocks.

We had about 45 minutes to tour the house, barn, gift shop, and gardens, and we saw a gopher tortoise there.

Loaded back onto the bus and headed to Amelia Island, where we walked along the sandy beach.

Amelia Island Beach and sand

Loaded back onto the bus and headed to Fernandina Beach, where we walked through the town and stopped to eat lunch at "The Happy Tomato," where Hubby and I split a club sandwich, potato chips, and a couple of bottles of water.

Club Sandwich with Lay's Chips

We walked along the pier, where we saw a great gray heron and heard several grackles.

We saw several House sparrows and a yellow-tailed warbler.

Wall of Gray Butterflies 

Town of Fernandina Beach 

Loaded back onto the bus and headed back to the hotel to freshen up.

Our last stop for dinner was Apple Bees, where I had grilled Chicken, a Caesar salad, and Chicken.

FIESTA LIME CHICKEN

Grilled chicken glazed with zesty lime sauce and drizzled with tangy Mexi-ranch is smothered with a rich blend of Cheddar cheeses on a bed of crispy tortilla strips. It is served with Spanish rice and house-made pico de gallo.

Day 4: Thursday, February 23, 

Breakfast at the hotel is a cinnamon roll, biscuit, and gravy, accompanied by juice.

Loaded onto the bus and headed to St Augustine.

We stopped at the Visitor Center to pick up our guide. Inside the visitor center, we also shopped and toured the museum.

Our tour Guide

We reboarded the bus, and our guide told us about the many historic sites in St. Augustine.

We stopped at Flagler College (the former Ponce de Leon Hotel) and several churches.

Flager College

We rode back to the Visitor Center and were alone for a few hours. 

We walked to St George Street, a pedestrian-only street filled with unique shops and restaurants.

We ate lunch at  St. Augustine Seafood Company. We ordered a shrimp plate with fries, cole slaw, and water. I also bought 2 bottles of their hot sauce to take home to my son. 

Shrimp, Fries, and Cole Slaw at St Augustine Seafood Company

We walked several blocks on St George Street, stopping to take pictures of historic markers and sites.

We walked through the Cathedral Basilica of St Augustine and Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine.

Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine

Cathedral Basilica of St Augustine

We walked into a mall area where we saw several people dressed up like pirates.

I got my picture taken with them a few minutes later.

Me with the pirates

We walked back to the visitor center and did a little shopping. Hubby bought a hat, and I bought a kitchen towel. 

We loaded back onto the bus and headed to the Fountain of Youth.

At the Fountain of Youth, we walked around and stopped to taste the spring, suffer water, watch a show, watch a blacksmith at work, and watch the firing of a cannon.

A couple taking a sip from the Fountain of Youth 

Loaded back onto the bus and rode to Cucina Giovanni for dinner.

It took forever for them to take our orders, and the food was overcooked.

Salad 

Chicken Parmigiana topped with marinara sauce& mozzarella served with Spaghetti. 

Pasta Alfredo with creamy Alfredo sauce 

Cannoli

The salad and dessert were good. We were there too long to enjoy our meal.

Day 5: Friday, February 24, Travel Home 

Packed our bags and took them downstairs to be loaded onto the bus.

Ate breakfast and watched a couple of Scottish men play Amazing Grace on bagpipes.

Loaded onto the bus and headed for Hueytown, AL.

We stopped in Perry, Ga, ate lunch at Fire House Subs.

Club sub 

Small Philly Sub 

Stopped at the Rest Area at Lake Park, Suwanee River Valley, Ga 

Rest Area at Lake Park Suwanee River Valley, Ga 

Arrived in Birmingham around 4:49 P.M.

We loaded our luggage into the car and headed home, which was a 2 1/2-hour drive.

I stopped at KFC in Athens at 7:01 P.M. and went home around 8 P.M.

I had a great trip, but woke up Monday morning with COVID.

 

2022 Oct 9-14, Carnival Ecstasy Final Voyage 5 Days Western Caribbean Cruise Cozumel, Progresso from Mobile, Al

Day 1, Sunday, October 9, 2022 

Hubby took me to my friend's house, loaded our luggage into her car, and began our journey to Mobile.

We stopped at Circle K in Mount Vernon for fuel and restroom breaks.

We stopped at Jack's in Jackson for breakfast of biscuits and gravy. 

We stopped in Demopolis to take pictures of the historic markers and buildings. 

We arrived at the Renaissance Hotel in Mobile around 1:40, checked in, and took our overnight bags to our room 1910.

Our room faced the bay, so we could see the Carnival Ecstasy as she entered port.

History Museum of Mobile 

We walked to the History Museum, located on the corner of Church and South Royal Street, and purchased tickets for both the museum and Colonial Fort Conde, which is situated atop the Mobile Bay Tunnel. We then walked through Mardi Gras Park, stopping to take pictures of the markers and statues.

Mardi Gras Park 

We ate supper at Loda Bier Garden around 5:18 P.M. We ordered a hamburger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onion, and a soft bun with fries at the intersection of Dauphin and Joachim Street.

Loda Bier Garden

The restaurant was crowded, and people were waiting to be seated. On our way back to the hotel, we saw several Oyster Shell sculptures depicting famous Alabama Cultures. Mobile is called the "Big Oyster."

It was getting dark, so we returned to the hotel.

Day 2, Monday, October 10, 2022 

We walked down the street to Chick-fil-A for breakfast. I ordered a free cookie and Lemonade. 

We walked to Cooper's Riverside Park, where several homeless people were sleeping. We also saw our Cruise ship in the bay.

Carnival Ecstasy Cruise Ship docked in Mobile Bay.

Earlier this morning, we had watched the Cruise ship come into the bay.

We returned to the hotel to take the shuttle(about 10 people, including luggage) with several other people to the terminal.

We lined up to be processed with our passports, tickets, and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 

Mobile hosted a farewell party for the crew and captain, featuring girls dressed in Antebellum gowns and live music. Many took pictures with the Cruise Ambassador, John Head, and ship captain Michele Coppola. 

Cruise Ambassador John Head and Ship's Captain Michele Coppola. 

Around 11:00, we were boarding the ship along with many others.

State Room E155 Deck E Muster Station F.

Our first stop was Five Guys, where we ordered a Mushroom burger with fixings and fries. 

We walked around the ship until it was time for our room to be ready. Then, we walked back to the upper deck to watch the boat leave Mobile Bay. It was a beautiful sunset, watching the birds follow the ship, stirring the water as they fed on the fish.

The sun had gone down, and we were headed out to the Gulf, so we returned to our room to dress for dinner.

Dinner at Mobile Bay as we are leaving 

We had dinner at DinnerWinstar Dining Room, where I ordered Grilled Salmon, a Caesar Salad with veggies, and a Shrimp Cocktail. 

Day 3, Tuesday, October 11, Sea Day

Ate a cinnamon roll with nuts and chocolate milk for breakfast.

We had brunch in the Winstar Dining Room. 

Skillet Cake (i.e., ricotta, guava, preserves, marshmallows, and maple butter) with bacon. 

Late lunch of a taco and a slice of German chocolate cake. 

I went to a show (Crimson String Trio)and relaxed on the deck. I also bought Excursion Passion Island and finished reading Matthew. 

Dressed for dinner at iDinnerWinstar Dining Room, where I ordered shrimp cocktail, Garlic Shrimp, veggies, and dessert.

 Day 4, Wednesday, October 12, Cozumel, Excursion to Passion Island 

Breakfast of yogurt with nuts, raisins, and pastry, chocolate milk, and apple juice. 

We waited at Cozumel for the Catamaran to take us to Passion Island.

Took pictures in front of Statues, Jester, Zonkey, Alligator, boat,  Fat Tuesday, and Purta May Cozumel.

Cozumel & Cruise Ship 

Ticket 

Foli MS Carnival Ecstasy all-inclusive Passion Island Catamaran 

operated by Peninsula De LA Passion Folio 56900

Cabin 155 Departs End of the Pier Sign

at 10 A.M. Excursion # 3041391001 

Carnival Adventure

It was about an hour's ride to Passion Island, where we enjoyed three Margaritas, avocado dip, chips, tocos, veggies, and slices of watermelon.

On the island, I saw a couple of Trash Pandas and several long-tailed Grackles.

After a couple of hours, everyone loaded back into the Catamaran.

We began our journey back to Cozumel, passing through customs and then returning to the ship.

The ship left port around 4:00 P.M.

I was dressed for dinner in the DinnerWinstar Dining room, where I ordered a shrimp Cocktail, grilled Flounder, veggies, and a banana split.

Day 5, Thursday, October 13, 2022

Beautiful sunrise at 7 A.M.

Breakfast Yogurt with raisins and nuts, with pastries, and chocolate milk

The ship docked around 8:30 A.M., and we took the bus into Progresso.

Walked through the shopping area to the beach, stopping for a full-body massage.

We saw several birds, a statue, and several murals. 

We had to use the restroom, so we stopped at a convenience store. They said we could use what we bought, so I bought a pair of sunglasses. 

We walked through the flea market, where I bought a bag for $10.00.

We took the bus back to the dock, taking pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Yucatan, Flamingos, Azul Temple, a boat, a cheetah, and a burrito.

Went to Guys for lunch with hamburgers and fries.

The ship was supposed to leave around 4 P.M., but several people were late, so we left Progresso around 5 P.M.

Progresso Yucatan 

We dressed for dinner in the iDinnerWinstar Dining room, where I ordered Ribs, fries, beans, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

Day 6, Friday, October 14, Sea Day

We had a beautiful, cloudy Sunrise. 

Brunch in the Winstar Dining Room of Skilled Cake with linked sausage.

Relaxed on the Lido deck, met several ladies from Georgia, Destin, and Fair Hope, AL, and one from lower California.

At 4 P.M., we attended the Platinum farewell Party, where we enjoyed free mixed drinks.

Recognized a father and son who traveled the most days on Carnival cruise ships.

We listened to Crimson String Trio before going to the Winstar dining room.

Crimson String Trio 

I ordered grilled salmon, veggies, and Carnival Baboloo 50th Anniversary Cake. (a white frosting with three layers of cake. The cake frosting has chewy chunks throughout.)

Carnival Baboloo 50th Anniversary Cake. (a white frosting with three layers of cake. The cake frosting has chewy chunks throughout.)

Day 7, Saturday, October 15, Travel Home

At 8:00 A.M., we stopped at Jack in Jackson for breakfast, including sausage and gravy, and a strawberry pie. We filled up with gas at Texaco and bought Almond Joy and Diet Sprite. 

Carnival Ecstasy Stateroom E155 Deck E Muster Station F 

Hotel Renaissance Mobile Riverfront Plaza Hotel 64 South Water St Mobile, AL 36602

2020 Nov 11-14, Trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (4 days) Dollywood Express Train Ride

Nov 11, Wednesday,  Hubby and I stopped at Cracker Barrel in Spring Hill for breakfast. We stopped several times for restroom breaks on our way to Pigeon Forge. We checked into Park Grove Inn in Pigeon Forge. What a view we could see the ferry wheel on the Island from our room.

Ferries Wheel 

Hubby took a shower, lay down, and took a nap. His stomach was giving him a fit, and he said I think I have a fever. After his nap, we rode to Applewood Farm House Restaurant for dinner.

Apple Barn 

For an appetizer, they brought apple fritters along with apple sauce and jute. I ordered a bowl of vegetable soup with cornbread. Hubby did not order anything but did eat some of my soup. That night, hubby ran a fever and had diarrhea all night.

The Incredible Christmas Store

Nov 12, Thursday:  The Incredible Christmas Store was just three blocks from our hotel, so I walked there while hubby slept. I walked across the Little Pigeon River, stopping to take pictures along the way. I bought a chocolate pretzel at the Christmas Candy Shop. When I returned, hubby was up, so we rode to the Old Mill, where I bought some stone-ground cornmeal and some apple fritter mix. We went to the Disney Store, where I bought Christmas toys for the great-grandkids. We ate lunch at Firehouse Sub and stopped in front of the Dixie stampede for a picture of the tall Christmas tree. We spent the rest of the day at Dollywood 2–9 PM. We rented a cart for hubby; he said he felt too weak to walk. We upgraded our tickets for the next year to $194.20 Our adventures began in the Wildwood Park area for children.

Santa @ Dollywood 

We meet Santa behind glass after we write him a letter and drop it into his mailbox. We watched a couple of shows outside, but all the inside shows were closed. We rode the Dollywood Express Train Ride up the mountain, and there were plastic shields between each seat. We had to get tickets for the last train ride because the virus seats were limited. We stopped at the ice cream shop for some Rockies Road ice cream in a chocolate waffle cone. We returned the cart and walked back to our car.

Eating catfish at Huck Fins

On Nov 13, Friday I ate French toast for breakfast at the hotel. We rode to the Bass Pro Shop in Kodak and then to Katom Restaurant Supplies, where I bought two bottle openers and a thermometer. We stopped at Huck Finn's for lunch, where I ordered a two-piece catfish dinner with fixings. (Fixings include a bowl of white beans, onion, pickles, coleslaw, and hushpuppies) We took the bypass in Gatlinburg and ordered over the Smoky Mountains. We rode through Cherokee out to I-40 back to Sevierville.

Hotel Pigeon Forge, TN

Nov 15, Saturday We began our travel home, stopping to fill up with gas at Flying J. I ate a bagel for breakfast before we left the hotel. We stopped at Five Guys in Spring Hill for a late lunch or early supper. There, we both ordered a fully-dressed hamburger and crispy fries. They have the best hamburgers in town. Our last stop was at Krogers in Lawrenceburg to pick up a few groceries. After that long ride home, we were both very tired.