🚗1981 ~July 1-4, Family trip to Homosassa Springs, Florida

We traveled ten hours to Homosassa Spring Florida to visit relatives.

We traveled to Florida in our new Camel Brown 1980, Chevrolet Malibu, which could seat six people comfortably.

My fifteen-year-old son rode upfront with my father-in-law(who smoked a pipe)and my husband (who smoked cigarettes).

Most of the time the front windows were rolled down, with some smoke going outside while the rest encircled our heads.

My mother-in-law, my two younger sons, my daughter, and I sat in the back.

My four-year-old daughter spent most of her time either on someone’s lap or sleeping in the back window. 

What I remember about the trip was the way the car rode especially through Montgomery it felt like we were in a boat being tossed about by the waves. 

Up and down, Up and down we went!

We were greeted with a warm welcome & teddy bear hugs from the Henson Family.

Mildred had prepared a large meal and we all sat down to eat.

After dinner, we sat around talking while the kids played outside.

When bedtime came my in-laws were given the extra bedroom and we

Slept on quilts, blankets, and pillows to spread out on the living room floor. 

Day 2: Thursday, July 2, 1981

The next day we walked the 14-acre archeological site in Crystal River Park that dates back to 500 BC.

We traveled back in time to the Yules Sugar Mill Ruins the pre-civil war sugar plantation. 

The once-thriving sugar mill owned by David Levy Yulee is now a State Park. 

The park contains a forty-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears, and a cane press.

Indian Camp in the Magic Kingdom

It's a Small World in the Magic Kingdom

Micky Jamming Parade Magic Kingdom 

Ferry Boat at the Magic Kingdom 

Group Picture at the Magic Kingdom 

Day 3: Friday, July 3, 1981

We spent all day Friday at the Magic Kingdom.  

We rode on Hwy 44 over to I-75 to I-4 to Disney World. 

At the Magic Kingdom, we stood alongside rails to watch the Magic Carpet I MAX ride which made my youngest son seasick. 

We visited the 20,000 Leagues under the sea in Tomorrow Land.

We watched the colorful Macaws  in the Enchanted Tiki Room singing, in “The Tiki, Tiki, Tika Room.”

We climbed the giant treehouse of the Swiss Family Robinson in Adventure Land. 

We walked into the Haunted Mansion watched a show and  took a ride-through tour in Omni moving vehicles called “Doom Buggies.”

We walked through a long corridor to take the Pirates of the Caribbean boat ride, which told a story about a band of pirates.

We took a Jungle Cruise boat in Adventure Land, which simulated a cruise down the Asia, Africa, and South American rivers.

We watched the Country Bears Jamboree Show, which is audio-animatronic, figures singing Country music.

In Liberty Square, we visited the Hall of Presidents. 

We rode a boat in “It’s a Small World”  where dolls sang and danced in different languages around the world. 

We rode the Space Mountain Roller Coaster.

We rode the Ferryboat to the Magic Kingdom. 

We purchased passport tickets that had holes punched in them with a large string attached.

The tickets were collected at the gate and retained by Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

Disney was working on building EPOC, it opened in 1982.

Day 4:  Saturday, July 4, 1981

We rode to Cape Kennedy/Cape Canaveral, where we took the KSC bus tour and visited the museum.

During the KSC bus tour, we got an up-close view of the space shuttle launch pad, we saw the 363-foot-long Saturn V moon rocket. I took pictures of the kids in front of the Space vehicle. 

We walked through the Space Museum where we saw the US Astronaut’s Hall of Fame and Early Space Exploration. We walked through the Robot Scouts exhibit of unmanned planetary probes. Each of the kids climbed up and put their face inside one of the many spacesuits for a picture. 

We also saw the rocket garden with early space flight rockets Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.

What a visit with the Henson Family, they showed us how to have fun at the Magic Kingdom and we learned the history of space travel at Cape Canaveral.

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Lora at Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Mike, Ronald, Andy, Lora, and Little Bill at Cape Kennedy Space Center 

Day 5: Sunday, July 5, 1981

The travel home was long but not too eventful considering eight people were riding in a six-passenger car. 

My four-year-old daughter rode most of the way home lying in the back window of our 1981 Malibu.

Life is an adventure and we definitely had an adventure.

🎄🎄🎄🎄1965~ Christmas Holiday trip to Chicago, Illinois

Winter of 1965 my Dad, Uncle Harry, Vicki, and I traveled to Chicago, Illinois in a 1961 Green Plymouth.

I can still see my dad driving through Nashville, Tennessee. 

It was the Christmas holidays, everywhere we looked we saw twinkling lights, manger scenes, and homes beautifully decorated. 

A warm glowing feeling came over me as we passed through other smaller towns that was also beautifully decorated for the holidays.

The drive took about ten to twelve hours, there were not many direct highways or interstates from Florence, Alabama to Chicago, Illinois. 

I  don’t remember the route that we took, but I do remember going around a lot of curves and squealing tires. 

It was late at night everyone had fallen asleep except dad, who was doing the driving. 

We had come to a place called Turkey Run in Indiana,  it was an area known for lots of curves on the road. 

Dad came upon the curves too fast, the tires squealed as we started around the first curve. 

The sound of the squealing tires woke everyone up, we stayed awake for the rest of the trip. 

Early the next morning we crossed the Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge into Cook County Illinois, I can still remember that awful smell of sewage as we crossed the bridge. 

Kingery Highway Cal-Sag Bridge (Copy from the Internet)

There was a song playing on the radio as we crossed the bridge into Chicago, 

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

It is funny the things you remember from your childhood.

Aunt Betty lived in an apartment on the fourth floor, there were no elevators, we had to walk up and down four flights of stairs.

We had a great time visiting our cousins, their friends and playing cards on the stairway.

I can still hear the laughter of my cousin's friends Iggy, and Freddy as we played tag.

I had a kind of crush on Iggy. 

Our stay was a short dad and Harry had to get back to work.

My dad is an adventurous person, he never plans anything.

My dad can fix anything, he is a great mechanic, he never worries about his car breaking down when traveling.

I am adventurous like my dad, usually after a long winter, and spring is near I get the urge to travel. 

It doesn’t have to be a long trip but a trip it must be!

I am waiting for my next adventure.

Song by the Vogues

“Five o’clock World” by the Vogues in 1965 a single, which reached #4 on the charts.

Up every mornin’ just to keep a job

I must fight my way through the hustling mob

Sounds of the day poundin’ in my brain 

While another day goes down the drain (yeah, yeah, yeah)

But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

And there’s a five o’clock me inside my  clothes

Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah, yeah)

Hey!

Tradin’ my time for the pay I get

Livin’ on money that I ain’t made yet

I’ve been goin’, tryin’ to make my way

While I live for the end of the day (yeah, yeah, yeah)

‘Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows

No one owns a piece of my time

There’s a long-haired girl who waits, I know

To ease my troubled mind, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)

Hey!

In the shelter of her arms, everything’s ok

When she talks, then the world goes slipping’ away

And I know the reason I can still go on 

When every other reason is gone, (yeah, yeah, yeah)

In my five o’clock world she waits for me

Nothing else matters at all

Cuz every time my baby smiles at me 

I know that’s it’s all worthwhile, yeah

(Scat:oh-de-lay-ee-ee, yeah)

🚗2000 ~July 14-17, Trip to St Louis, Missouri

Day 1: Friday, July 14, 2000 

On Friday, July 14, I drove to Saint Louis Missouri traveling through Illinois my granddaughter was traveling with me.

It took us around six hours, my husband said when you arrive in Fenton look for the pink elephant.
We had not traveled far enough to see the elephant so I called my husband on a payphone and said we are in Fenton where do I go next.
I was just a few miles from where he was living but the directions he gave me had me going in circles.
So I called him back and he met me at the gas station where I called him from. I followed him to the RV park with no problems and I never saw a Pink elephant.

Day 2: Saturday, July 15, 2000

It was time to get the oil changed in my husband's Saturn so my granddaughter and I went with him to get the oil changed at Saturn of South County 11157 Lindberg Business Ct St.Louis, Missouri.
While sitting in the lobby waiting to get the oil changed I saw a beautiful blackberry Saturn sitting in the showcase and fell in love with it.
I ask the salesperson Linda if I could test drive the Saturn and she went to get the keys.
I traded my Firebird for a Blackberry LS1Saturn.
I signed all the paperwork but could not officially take the car back home until Monday so I could order the title from the bank.

Later that day we went to the St Louis Arch, we did not go up the elevator to the top of the arch.
We visited the Museum of Westward Expansion that took on a journey into the past where we saw tools, guns, animals, wagons of the explorers, pioneers, cowboys, and Native Americans. 

St Louis Arch

There were animated figures that told the story of Peace Medal diplomacy in the US during the nineteenth century with William Clark, Red Cloud, Chief Oglala, Sergeant Banks, & Charles Barber.

In the interactive Museum, we saw the life of the Cowboys.

We saw the Tipi Plain Indians the nomadic hunters of the buffalo.

We saw the sod house of the earlier pioneers.

We saw the Appaloosa that was a symbol of transportation into the West.

We saw the longhorn steer cattle drive toward the West.

We saw the bison that was hunted and killed for food, clothing, and shelter.

We saw the bear and beaver that was also important during the migration into the West.

For lunch, we ordered hamburgers, french-fried and soda to drink from McDonald's.
McDonald's is located on the Missouri River aboard a boat with a Ronald McDonald statue, smoke pipes and the golden arch M is located on what looks like a wheel.
We parked in the pier parking lot and walked down a ramp onto the boat. The boat was stationed to the pier and we could feel the movement of the boat as we sat and ate.

Mcdonald's Floating on the Missouri River 

Day 3: Sunday, July 16, 2000

On Sunday we all visited Grant's Farm, the former home of the Bush Family, a 281 area farm, a landmark in Grant Wood Village, MO.
In 1800s Ulysses S. Grant farmed part of the land.
We paid twelve dollars to park and were told that we would have to stand in line to ride the tram over to the farm.

We boarded the tram which took about fifteen minutes. On the ride to the park, we saw Axis Deer, American Bison, Aoudads, Black Buck Antelope, Galloway, Highland Cows, Pere David Deer, Red Deer, Wapiti, Watusi, and Zebra.

When we disembarked from the tram we walked to the Bauernhof, a German word for the farmstead, which was a nineteenth Century Bavarian farm, stables, and carriage house.

At the Brat Haus, they were serving Bratwurst, Pretzels, and Chicken Strips.

A Bauernhof

It was very hot and when Hannah spotted the mist spray she could wait to get wet and we followed her.

Mist to cool off

Hannah standing in the mist to cool off

Hannah next to Carriage

We are standing next to the carriage

Caution Horses might bite

We stopped to see the corralled 35 mares, stallions and folds Clydesdales.

Clydesdale are18 feet high and weight 2,000 to 2,300 pounds. They are bay in color, with a blaze of white faces; they have a black mane and tail. Their legs and feet are white featherings on all four legs and feet.

Hannah at Grants Farm 

Camels at Grants Farm 

Day 4: Monday, July 17, 2000
On Monday I finalized the paperwork on my new Saturn so I could drive it six hours home.

My granddaughter and I had a great trip, we toured the St. Louis Arch, we toured Grants Farm, and we ate lunch on the Floating McDonald's and I bought a Saturn.

🎢2001 ~ Nov 9-12, Two Days in Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri

Day 1: Friday, November 9, 2001

My husband drove our 2001 Damon Escaper RV through the crowded streets of Branson Missouri to Silver Dollar RV Park.

As we rode through Branson, we saw feet sticking out of a large sign along the highway that said, “Big Feet, Big Laugh.”

We rode past the Country tonight, The Lumber Jack, Legends in Concert “The Brett Family Singers,” and The Remington Theater.

We parked our RV at Silver Dollar City Theme RV Park.

2001 Damon Escaper RV at Silver Dollar RV Park 

We stayed three nights and two days, which included two-day visits to Silver Dollar City Theme park, we went both days from daylight to dark.

The Lumber Jack 

Legends 

To Big Laughs Two Big Feet 

Day 2 & 3: Saturday 10 & Sunday 11, November 2001

The Silver Dollar City RV Park ran a shuttle bus back and forth from the RV park to Silver Dollar City Theme park. 

We were at Silver Dollar City Park from the moment it opened to the minute it closed both days.

We watched all the shows, we traveled inside Marvel Cave, which is also part of the park with no extra cost.

Marvel Cave opened as a tourist attraction in the late 1800s, Silver Dollar City's entrance was built around Marvel Cave.

 Silver Dollar Coffin

Silver Dollar Coffin

 Christmas Trees

Resting on bench 

 Christman Candy Store

The Silver Dollar Frisco

Day 3: Sunday, November 11, 2001 

We travel down several steps and ramps almost 500 feet down to get into Marvel Cave.
After a sixty-minute tour, we were transported out of the cave by a cable car that is pulled out of the ground by a cable otherwise we would have to climb 1070 feet back to the top.

Marvel Cave Group Picture

View of Marvel Cave 

Rock formations still grow today in the ancient surroundings of the deepest parts of Marvel Cave.

Explorers from all over the world have sought out this cave for its size, geological interest, and its suspected marble and gold treasures. 

No treasure except its timeless beauty was found. 

The Osage Indians left stories of their visits to the cave telling of the strange howling noises created by the cave's vast depths and they named it Devil’s Cave.

The tours of Marvel Cave are an adventurous way to learn the cave's history is an hour-long adventure to the earth's dark depths. 

Silver Dollar City Theme park was decorated for the Christmas holidays with a huge green reef around the entrance “Silver Dollar City” topped with a large red and gold bow.

“This was a great place to take pictures.”

Inside the park, we saw the Silver Dollar Post Office, Feed & Fix it Shed, Large saw blade with writing on it, old train steam engine, 1877 Steamer, & Silver Dollar Coffins made to order.

We saw Huck Fins River Blast and listened to Southern Gospel music at Echo Hollow Amphitheater.

I sat on a bench with different writings: Buy your Grains at Sullivan’s Mill, Fresh bread baked daily.

Dine in the Mine all you can eat buffet. Stock you Wagon General Store, and Visit Grandfathers Mans…

Silver Dollar Entrance at Christmas

Christmas Tree and Packages 

Family Group Singing 

Filling the air was the smell of hot chocolate, marshmallows being roasted, peanuts being parched and the freshly made Cotton Candy.

After dark, the park comes alive with thousands of Christmas lights and a Christmas parade riding down Main Street

In the parade, we saw Ragged Ann and Andy, the gifts of Christmas, with Silver Dollars Cities Train leading the way.

We saw the Ginger Bread House, a Snowglobe filled with snow falling down around Frosty.

We saw a Jack-n-the-box.

We saw Joseph, and Mary holding the Christ Child Jesus with a star shining brightly above them.

The Gifts of Christmas Silver Dollar City Parade

Silver Dollar Parade 

There was the lighting of the five-story special effects Christmas tree, every hour on the hour after dark. 

We heard the songs of Sleigh Ride, Joy to the World, Jingle Bells softly playing throughout the park coming from stores, trees, & Christmas Carolers.

In the Living Nativity area, we watched the celebrated musical performance where the Angel Gabriel brings good news about the birth of the Christ Child. 

Day 4: Monday, November 12, 2001 

As we were leaving Branson, we saw Hollywood Wax Museum, Presley’s Country Jubilee, Jennifer’s American Theater, Grand Palace, Radisson Hotel, Old Grand Victorian Hotel, At the Hop 50s, Grand women of Country, (Leona Williams, Margo Smith, Helen Cornelius, Jean Shepard), Christmas Shop, and the Dixie Stampede 

We had a great time, enjoyed the music, the park, the lights, and the weather was cool but not too cold.

Leaving Branson 

Leaving Branson

I would love to go back someday.