*****THE END*****

******THE END******

We all had a great time! It was a dream come true.

We drove over 8300 miles.

We traveled through 13 States.

Had only 2 mechanical breakdowns.

No tickets.

Backed into only 1 electrical outlet at a campground.

Hit only 1 truck backing up.

Had ????? number of arguments-they are still married.

The Gray Hare signing off.........until we hit the road again.

HOME SWEET HOME (Day 71 Aug 23)

We are back in OHIO.

Home Sweet Home

We arrived home Monday evening. We had one last stop for shopping at the Lodi Outlet Mall. Dee had not been to any retail stores or outlet malls in 10 weeks and was having bad withdrawals so John said it was OK to stop to shop.

Dee's grandchildren, Mia and Zach, along with Mom and Dad and all the other relatives surprised Dee and John with the welcome home sign pictured above. I guess they all really missed us. Mia said her grandmother can NEVER go away that long again. They all tracked our progress on the Map on the sign.

The shopping Gray Hare

Drive thru ILLINOIS (Day 70 Aug 22)

Amost HOME! Today we drove through Illinois to Indiana. We camped at the KOA Indy campground. It won't be long now before we are in our own beds.

The anxious Gray Hare

Drive thru MISSOURI (Day 69 Aug 21)

Everyone was anxious to get though Missouri because they knew our destination was another Casino. Early evening we arrived at the River Queen Casino RV Park which is located in East St. Louis, Illinois. We are in another state getting closer to home. This was a very nice campground with a shuttle to the Casino. Pictured is the Casino which was visible from the campground.

Of course, we took the shuttle to do some more gambling. OK we have lost the rest of our winnings. We enjoyed a delicious prime rib buffet - lost our money - and retired early.

The gambling Gray Hare

Good-bye KANSAS (Day 68 Aug 20)

Today Dee is finally going to let me finish the blog. We have been home 3 weeks, so it is about time. Someone told Dee they were left hanging in KANSAS. If you don't know where the Yellow brick road is and are not wearing your red shoes you probably will be stuck in KANSAS........

We continued thru Kansas today and camped in Higginsville, MO. There was a very bad thunder and lighting storm during the night. Dee and I were awake until 3am. It was very nice of Dee to let me sleep in her bed because I was so scared. The people who operated the camp ground said they would come with a golf cart and drive us to the shelter if there were tornado warnings. Luckily, that was not necessary.

The scared Gray Hare

Driving thru KANSAS (Day 67 Aug 19)

We arrived in Goodland, KS and decided to spend the night. The next morning after our great SUBWAY breakfast, we headed East again.

Dee and John have a friend, Carl Wallace, who was born and raised in Kansas. John called him to tease him that we were in his flat state. We could not believe that Carl was from Goodland where we stayed last night. He said if we had called last night he would have hooked us up with his family. OH! WELL! Maybe next time........

Carl also told us there were 8 Wonders of Kansas. One is The Church of the Plains in Victoria. This two tower catholic church was off of Interstate 70. See pictures.

The Church was beautiful inside and out. Dee lit a candle for her mother and thanked her for keeping them safe on their trip.

The religious Gray Hare

Driving thru COLORODO (Day 66 Aug 18)

Today we drove 330 miles east though Colorado. Yes, we are continuing our journey home. The first part of the drive before Denver, was beautiful mountains with great views of the Colorado River.

After Denver the terrain became very flat. John said "This is not flat. Wait till we get to KANSAS."

We saw this Rabbit Valley and Dee stopped to check it out. Thank goodness it was a dirt road and Dee did not want to drive it with the RV. I was once again afraid I might be left behind. I think they thought it was another sanctuary that would take good care of me. I really am no bother. I think I am good company for them.

The good companion Gray Hare

Driving thru UTAH (Day 65 Aug 17)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Dean Nicolozakes We are having fun on John's nephew's birthday.

We our continuing our journey East on Interstate 70. We are still experiencing the beautiful mountains of UTAH.

The homesick Gray Hare

UTAH Scenic Drive Route 12 (Day 64 Aug 16)

One of the best ways to see Bryce Canyon County is to drive the Scenic Byways and Backways. We enjoyed the Scenic Byway 12 as we headed East. Yes, we are coming HOME. At one point on this drive, we reached an elevation of over 9000 ft. There was a sighting of SNOW on the side of the road. This made us HOMESICK.

This drive was long, but absolutely beautiful and breath taking at times. Please remember if you ever travel this way......THERE ARE NO GAS STATIONS IN UTAH

After traveling about 4 hours on the beautiful Scenic Byway 12, we reached Interstate 70, which is also very picturesque and I do mean really beautiful. As it was getting late, we checked our Next Exit Book to find a campsite. The next site was 60 miles away in Green River, Utah. Not bad. As Dee drove, enjoying the scenery, she realized we were low on gas. She asked John to check and see which Exit had gas services. OH! NO! 60 miles away in Green River. So our ride was not only breathtaking, it was down right scary. We did make it............When we filled up with gas. We took over 29 gallons in our 30 gallon tank. Those two dummies forgot the rule:

NEVER LET THE TANK GO BELOW HALF

The scared Gray Hare

BRYCE CANYON Utah (Day 63 Aug 15)

Today we finally arrived at Bryce Canyon. We got a late start as everyone was tired from the drive yesterday.

Look at me, I am going to make sure I get out of the RV to see this beautiful National Park. (Enlarge picture to see me in RV window).

John and Dee decided to camp in Bryce Canyon. Good news-$7.50 Bad news-no hookups

Poor Dee (no wi-fi).

We did survive. Weather was perfect. No air or heat was necessary in the RV. We enjoyed our beautiful campsite and Bryce Canyon.

We enjoyed miles of carved pinnacles of stone - called hoodoos - which radiate in oranges, golds and peaks as the sun rises over Bryce Canyon. The colors are equally beautiful as they constantly change with the sun throughout the day. Again, pictures do not do this Canyon justice.

The amazed Gray Hare

UTAH Best Friends (Day 62 Aug 14)

Today we visited Best Friends. It is the Nation's largest animal sanctuary. It is in the spectacular scenery so often seen in the old Western movies.

Dee first heard about the sanctuary from a gal she met at a party last summer. She had just returned from volunteering at the sanctuary. She raved about her experience. The only thing Dee remembered that it was out West. Dee and John met a family in Kanab who come from Boston for a vacation to volunteer each year. This time they adopted a cat. They also raved about their experiences. It seems volunteering at Best Friends has become a popular travel adventure experience.

This was a very enriching experience for all of us, We were told on the tour that they have 400 bunnies. I was afraid Dee and John might leave me there.

The scared Gray Hare

P.S. For more information about this great place, check out their web site:

www.bestfriends,org

REST (Day 61 Friday Aug 13)

FRIDAY THE 13TH

Today we all needed a rest after all the sightseeing we did with Dee's family. Dee talked to them today and they all arrived home safely and exhausted.

The picture is the office at the Hitch-n-Post where we are staying in Kanab. It was a cute adorable place decorated with a lot of "junk."

Dee and John tried to spend the day relaxing, It seems the RV or scooter always needs some attention. A wire had broken of the scooter when we were in Vegas. We were lucky to find a man who worked from his home to help us. We backed into his repair yard and 10 minutes and $20 later we were on our way. The scooter is good to go again.

Did we mention it was FRIDAY THE 13TH?

When John was putting things into the extra storage area, the bolts broke loose on the cover. OH! NO! Dee said "time for a nap."

After their nap and when it had cooled down, they accessed the situation. An older couple had just pulled into a camp site near them. Dee struck up a conversation with them and told them what had happened. Old geezers know a lot and are always willing to help. The solution was DUCK TAPE!

We are now held together with good old duck tape. Of course, only Dee would have TEAL duck tape to match her RV.

The coordinating Gray Hare

ZION NATIONAL PARK (Day 60 Aug 12)

Today, everyone except me, visited Zion National Park. Yes! Left in the RV again.


The Mormon pioneers thought of Zion as a haven of natural beauty resembling natural temples. A visiting minister struck by the magnitude of the canyon, gave many of the towers and cliffs biblical names like Great White Throne, Angels Landing, and the Three Patriarchs. The Three Patriarchs Peaks pictured here are: Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.


Dee, Chris and Jim enjoyed a hike to the Weeping Peak. It was a very hot day and drips from the sandstone felt wonderful. Weeping Spring feeds the hanging garden of ferns and mosses at Weeping Rock. Seeps and springs are part of a pattern in Zion Canyon. Hanging gardens flourish along the Emerald Pool Trails and Riverside Walk.

It is easy to view the park on trams. You can get on and off at will to take pictures and hike as much as you want. The drive to the park was very picturesque on winding dirt roads, some under construction and two very dark tunnels to navigate. This was a very strenuous drive so Dee chose to take the long way back to our campsite. It took about 1 1/2 hours. It was better to have paved roads. Yes! The ride back was much more comfortable. We parted with the rest of our group after dinner, as they were flying home this evening from the Las Vegas airport.



It was a great day and we were sorry to see our traveling companions leave. We will miss them. It is back to Dee and John alone with me.



The forgotten Gray Hare

GRAND CANYON North Rim (Day 59 Aug 11)

You probably remember Dee, John and the Gray Hare have previously seen the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Today with Jim, Judi, Lori, Chris and their children we will explore the North Rim. We are lucky to be able to see both.

See me pictured with Jim, the famous family photographer. Dee said she can't wait to see Jim's pictures when we get home. Dee knows he will share his pictures for Dee to use in her scrapbook because he loves all of us so much...........Dee and John were happy to share these experiences with everyone.

The Grand Canyon is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. It has 277 miles of river and covers 1.2 million acres of land. People have often been moved to tears by the Grand Canyon's remarkable beauty. Time, erosion and the different rock layers have carved and created a visual rainbow palate.

Now you probably want to know which Rim is better. They are both great and each has its own good points. When Dee first viewed the expanse of the canyon on the South her breath was taken away. The South also has trams to take you from site to site. The North is less populated and does not have a tram for transportation. There is more driving from site to site, but well worth it. Dee thought the hiking and photography opportunities were better on the North.

Thank you Jim for doing the research and planning our journey today.

The bonding Gray Hare

UTAH Coral Pink Sand Dunes (Day 58 Aug 10)

Today we caravaned with Dee's brother, Jim, his wife, Judi, and with her daughter Lori's family from Las Vegas to Kanab, Utah. Our journey today took us through three states. Nevada-Arizona-Utah

Lori and Chris are the proud parents of Arin, who tied the knot yesterday. I know the family tree is a little confusing at times. They are all still trying to figure where the Gray Hare fits in.

Anyway, we are now in Kanab, Utah. The plan is to see the North side of the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

This evening we drove to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Jim, who is our family photographer, wanted to get some pictures at sunset.

Sand dunes are created by three factors: sand, high winds, and a unique influence upon those high winds. At Coral Pink Sand Dunes, a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains causes this unique influence. Wind is funneled through this notch, increasing wind velocity to a point it can carry grains of sand from the eroding Navajo sand stone.

This phenomenon is know as the Venturi Effect. After the wind passes through the notch and into the open valley, wind velocity decreases, depositing the sand.


Notice picture of John hiking the sand dune.


The sandy Gray Hare

8-9-10 WEDDING (Day 57 Aug 9)

Arin and Lexie were married today on

8-9-10. Arin is Dee's sister-in-law, Judi's grandson. He and Lexie were married in a Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. It was a beautiful wedding with all the traditional trimmings. White bridal dress and shades of blue were the colors. Lexie's grandfather, who is an ordained minister, married the happy couple.

The reception was also at the Wedding Chapel. It was complete with delicious food, champagne, and wedding cake. Dancing, throwing the bouquet and garter were all part of the event.

Notice, I am not at the wedding. Dee said I did not have the proper attire for a fancy wedding. Left in the RV again. Dee-this is really getting old. I was however promised carrot cake.

After the wedding reception we all gathered at the Luxor Casino lounge for one last celebration.

Dee and John said their good-byes and decided to try their luck one last time. (Sounds like a typical gambler to me.) HEY! DEE WON $255 DOLLARS AND I GOT MY CARROT CAKE!

The satisfied Gray Hare

LAS VEGAS STRIP SUNDAY (Day 56 Aug 8)

Today we went to meet Jim and Judi at the Luxor Casino. Very big and fancy compared to our Sam's Town Casino and campground.

Dee, Judi, and Judi's daughter, Lori walked and shopped the strip. I did not go as it would have been too much hopping for me, They said it was very hot-I am sure it was over 100 degrees. But remember, IT IS A DRY HEAT. I want to tell you, it is still HOT. They said they still had a good time. They were gone for 3 hours. SHOPPING! SHOPPING!

See Dee with picture of Statue of Liberty made out of jelly beans. This is Dee's favorite candy. They are great to help keep you awake while driving. I like them too, because rabbits and jelly beans do go together.

At the rehearsal dinner that evening we met the bride and her family. They are ranchers from the Colorado Springs area. There were about 20 of us. After a few hours and a few beers everyone was getting to know each other. Everyone is looking forward to the Wedding on 8-9-10.

The left out Gray Hare

JIM & JUDI ARRIVE (Day 55 Aug 7)

For those of you who do not know, we are in Las Vegas to loose John's money and to attend the wedding of Dee's sister-in-law, Judi's grandson. Arin and Lexie will wed on Monday at the Vegas Wedding Chapel. See picture of Drive-thu-Chapel.

The bride and groom and family are staying at the Luxor Hotel. We hope to see them all on Sunday.

John and Dee spent the evening doing laundry and going back to the Casino. Sam's town had a lazier and water show in the lobby of the hotel. The lobby is an indoor courtyard with a rock terrain landscape. Pretty neat. Lots of places for a rabbit to hide among the animals lurking inside.

The tired Gray Hare

LAS VEGAS (Day 54 Aug 6)

Well! We finally made it to Las Vegas. We had a nice and safe drive from Kingman, AZ after the RV was repaired. It took us about 3 hours. It was interesting going through the Hoover Dam area. They are in the process of constructing a huge bridge over the Dam.

We found our RV Camp at Sam's Town Casino. We are pleased with everything, especially the price. Five days for $79.00 is a good deal. But remember, the money you save will probably stay at the Casino. So far, Dee and John have not reported any big winnings to me.

At Sam's Town RV Park we are camped on Mary's Court. It seems Dee's mom is watching over us.

Notice Dee's favorite store, Wal-Mart, can be seen from our campsite.

The broke Gray Hare