Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Kerrville, TX Delivery

Pick-up:
We had surprisingly good roads with only scattered patches of snow/ice sticking to the surface or drifting across as we traveled North to Forest City to pick up a View to deliver to Kerrville, Texas. Sunny, blue sky with a few scattered clouds, 9 degrees with a northwest wind to blow us south!
It was a fast hook-up. Strange to see the lot nearly full of motor homes waiting for drivers to deliver. This unit is identical to one we delivered earlier. A small units with a diesel engine, 12 mpg, sticker price of $100,000,one slide-out on the side, not a lot of bells & whistles but compact with everything necessary.

View from the Windshield:

Interesting snow sculptures made by the wind on the drifts in the ditches. Tracks in the median were evidence of “off road” driving the last two days of ground blizzard conditions. We counted 49 cars “parked” in various positions in the median and ditches mainly on either side of the Hwy 20 interchange. We encountered some slippery lanes in that area, too!

The time seems to pass faster as we listen to the audio book,”John Adams” by David McCullough, one of favorite history writers.

Snow cover was nearly all gone in the Kansas City area.

We had the privilege of watching a magnificent sun rise over the snow covered Iowa landscape and an equally beautiful sunset over the brown silhouettes of the Flint Hills in Kansas.
Good Job God!

I'm a "happy camper"--found peanut butter cup flavored cappuccino at our coffee stop!

Texas countryside after leaving the Interstate

  • West from Georgetown is a large golf course with estates for sale (prices advertised from $600,000 to #2 million!)
  • This is called "hill" country. Very narrow, shallow ditch even along this 4 lane road. Short trees with multi-trunks and green leaves. Green grass. Cactus and yucca growing wild. Many ranch entrances with elaborate, stone walls. Most of the entrances have a long, curving, gravel drive back through the trees hiding the buildings from the road.
  • Pastures with flocks of sheep and goats, emus, deer, horses and cattle.
  • Supper at a local restaurant in Johnson City serving a great fried chicken to rival KFC! Breakfast at a local restaurant in Stonewall (named for Gen. Stonewall Jackson)serving delicious sausage. Fun to listen to local conversations.
  • Approximately 40 percent of all Texas peaches are grown in this area. Orchards and fruit stands line the road.
  • This area is also noted for its vineyards. Called the Tuscan Valley of Texas! Signs for BBQ and wineries are interspersed with the fruit stands selling peaches.
  • Former President Lyndon Johnson's ranch and National Historical park are located in this area, too.
  • Kerrville, our destination, is believed to have the most ideal climate in the nation! We found it cool & damp, with 58 degrees and clouds. One employee stated that she was from Indiana and had felt colder in Texas than she felt back home! But there was no snow and we did not have to wear our winter coat, gloves & ear muffs.

Fredericksburg
, Texas

Information learned at Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site:
  • The Nimitz family immigrated to Texas in 1842 from Germany because of the cheap land available.
  • The family built a hotel as a way-station to land that was further west, later it served as a stop for stage lines and included a bar and theater. A one-story building had a second and third story added in such a way to give it the appearance of a steam boat.
  • Chester W. Nimitz was born in 1885 after his father died. His mother moved into the hotel with his Grandfather after he was born and later married is uncle.
  • While in Annapolis when "off duty" he shared "Texas Tall Tales" he learned from his Grandfather.
  • He first served on the battle ship, USS Ohio. Then he was assigned to the 1st Submarine Flotilla in Groton, Connecticut. This experience convinced him of the dangerous fire threat and inefficiency of the gasoline powered engines. The Navy sent him to Germany to study diesel engines. (probably at Damiler/Benz!) While giving demonstrations of the new engine his ring finger was caught, but the ring saved his hand. His career in navy was saved by this ring!
  • He supervised the building of the port and fleet at Peal Harbor, but declined the offer of Admiral because he knew there were others with more rank.
  • He did take over the fleet after Pearl Harbor was attacked and served in the Pacific during WWII.

National Museum of the Pacific War:


We consider ourselves "museum experts" after all that we have toured over the years, but this one was way more than we could handle in a day! Your admission ticket is good for 48 hours for a reason! They advertise that it is set up to be confusing because war is confusing! We learned names of islands in the Pacific that we had never heard of!

We suggest that you go to the tour of the Pacific Combat Zone before the George Bush Gallery. This display will give you a "feel" for what the battles were like and for the weapons used.

Bits & pieces of Information from Museum:


A capsule of world history on the wall of the gallery, simply written with pictures.It was interesting to see that WWII started with the seeds of conflict between China/Japan/US in the 1800's.

A special room with sound & pictures give you the feel of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Personal experiences of those put in the Japanese Interment Camps during the war.

A PT-09, one of 3 Packard V-12 engines used to power the PT-09 , an Avenger plane set on the deck of a mock-up aircraft carrier,and a quonset building used as a hospital on a base.

Before the stock-market crash in 1929 Henry Ford stated: "It is well that American people do not know about our banking system. If they did there would be a revolution."

There are audio clips from the soldiers who fought telling their experiences.

We watched the movie, "The Bridge over the River Kwai", but learned that the real River Kwai had 2 bridges. One was metal and easily destroyed and the other a wooden one that took longer to hit!

On the home front Victory Gardens were planted to supply the foods that were not available.

There were road signs stating: Victory Speed 35 miles. This was to conserve gasoline.

Because everything was needed for taking care of the armed forces people at home were allowed a ration of gas, tires, sugar, etc. This controlled inflation as well as consumption by limiting a demand for products. All manufacturers made items for the armed forces instead of appliances, cars, etc.

The gas was rationed because of a shortage of tires. If you did not have gas you could not wear out your tires! Rubber was imported from SE Asia, which was under the control of Japan. Synthetic rubber was invented as a result.

Headed back to Iowa:

A two-thumbs up for the restaurant, Mamicita's, in Fredericksburg. Excellent, authentic Mexican food. Fun to watch the little white balls of dough go through the machine and end up warm, tasty tortillas!

Days Inn in Wichita,Kansas gets special mention for their super breakfast, too.

We knew that we would have to drive in some snow somewhere along the way home. It started in Emporia, Kansas and extended to south of Des Moines, Iowa. Very little traffic made it an easier drive. When we reached the Iowa border we were making our plans on how to get to one of our daughters for an over-night stay, then we drove out of the snow/slush/ice and on to dry road.

A fast 5 day delivery adventure!

Thanks for traveling with us,

Prairie Schooners.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Delivery to Calera, Alabama Journal

Pick-up & Delivery:

Winnebago has increased production of motor homes to meet new sales. Bennett Drive Away has been under pressure to get them moved. We drivers have been watching the severe winter weather in all directions, BUT we did find one we could deliver without driving through sleet/freezing rain & snow!

Calera, AL is south of Birmingham on Hwy 65. South & warmth?? The forecast did indicate that we might be doing some “dodge the weather” driving on the way home.

The winter weather drive to Forest City to pick up our unit included snow covered, partially snow covered, slush, ice, an accident causing us to turn around and take another route (was good because we found an alternative better road to use after pick-up), and some vehicles in the median!

This unit is a “tiny, 24 ft,Itasca, Navion with a $116,000 sticker price. Very compact reminding one of a doll-house for adults. It does have a bed with a memory foam mattress. It is in the back of the unit. The extension slides out the back instead of the side! Because drivers are not allowed to run the generator it will be like sleeping in a cupboard tonite—very cozy here on the Walmart lot in Bloomington,IL.

15 mpg gas mileage, easy to keep warm, and easy in and out of stations makes up for the lack of room.

We started with cloudy, hazy sky, a temp of 9 degrees & a 15 mph tail wind driving through deep snow covered landscape (even the trees had a layer of snow clinging to their branches). Crossing into Illinois with sun shining, blue sky ,32 degrees hardly any snow cover and still our tail wind!

“Recalculate”
Our map-quest search before we left gave us a route, but the Drive-Away route was different. Because we’ve been this way we chose a simpler different route that will be acceptable with safe places to park for the night!

Dining:
The Fiesta Ranchera restaurant across the street from Walmart served a tasty economical meal. I had the Polla Ranchero, a chicken breast covered with cheese served with rice, beans & lettuce salad in a small taco shell. Papa Jim had a sampler plate with 5 small enchiladas covered with lettuce & sour cream. Freshly made crisp chips were served with a spicy salsa.

Day 2:
A long day of driving through various landscapes starting with the length of Illinois ranging from acres of flat farm ground, grain elevators dotting the countryside, fertilizer trucks spreading product, areas of businesses and manufacturing, oil wells. The haze gave way to blue skies and sunshine!

Into the rolling hills of Kentucky with snow dusting the ground in the forests making a contrast to the stark gray/black tree trunks and barren branches. Water seeping through the rock cliffs along the highway became frozen waterfalls. Across the flooded Ohio river with a tug and several barges working their way upstream. Past an open pit coal mine. First green fields of winter wheat sighted in southern Kentucky.
Into Tennessee—green grass in the ditches and the large green southern pines are a welcome sight for these 2 winter-weary travelers!

Gertrude, our Garmin voice did a fantastic job of directing us through Nashville, TN. We have had some “not fun” times navigating that city in the past! She proved herself and will definitely be a part of our travels in the future. (Thanks, Laura, for showing me how to use her)

It is Flying J for out night’s stop. They were all out of their ground chicken with apple sausage, but the charcoal grilled country ham was delicious. The southern spicy biscuits & gravy were excellent. A breakfast for our supper was comfort food for us tonight.

Listening to Focus on the Family's Radio Theater of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" helped to make the interstate miles pass by quickly. Lewis uses the negative to teach the positive.

Also listened to the music on the Reader's Digest Music Album "Timeless Inspiration." It includes information on each of the songs in a small booklet with the CD's. Interesting to note that many of our hymns were written in the 1800's! "God Be With You Until We Meet Again" was written by a pastor studying the origin of the word "good-by." The dictionary indicated that the word was short for "God be with you." He wrote the song to be a musical benediction!

Meredith Wilson's mom taught Sunday School in Iowa when he was a boy. Her weekly benediction to the class was "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You." In the 50's Wilson was the director of the radio program, "The Big Show" broadcast on Sundays. He was asked to provide a closing theme song. Remembering his Mom's good-by phrase he used it to write this song.

It was raining when we arrived at the dealer. Good to have the salt washed off the vehicles, but not pleasant to unload and unhook. A fast, efficient delivery set-up!

Mercedes-Benz Museum & Plant Tour

We headed west. While looking through our Alabama Official Vacation Guide we discovered that Mercedes-Benz factory and museum was in Tuscaloosa. (travel hint: pick one up or order on line for the state you are visiting. It is full of places to see, as well as restaurants and motels in the area.)

All we had was the address. Gertrude Garmin to the rescue! She got us there in time for the factory tour plus looking through the museum. Some of the motor homes we deliver have a Mercedes Diesel engine.

Interesting facts from the Plant tour:

We put on our earphones and safety glasses, boarded a bus at the museum and entered through tight security into the modern and clean factory.
  • Since it is several miles from a town/city they have a bank, restaurant, day care, exercise room,and travel agency located on site for the "team members"(employees). (no pictures of plant allowed!)
  • This is the only Mercedes-Benz plant in the US.
  • They ship the finished cars all over the world.
  • Robots,that resemble our grandson's lego creations, do welding on the bodies and painting. The rest of the assembly is done by people (team members).
  • Ultra-sound is used to test the welds.
  • Each car has 3 coats of paint but only uses 1 gal paint per car.
  • All the motors are made in Germany and imported for use in the factory.
  • We saw cars being manufactured with right-hand steering wheels for overseas.
  • Areas for a complete quality control included testing even for inside noise & vibrations from various types of roads.
  • It was a 2 mile walking tour. The "team members" have 3-wheeled bicycles with a platform on the back to use to go from one area to another because of the large plant. This saves time for them. We did not get to use the tricycles!!!
  • No free samples!!!

Interesting facts from the Museum:


  • Gottlieb Damiler invented this motorcycle in 1885. A most uncomfortable ride with the motor mounted between your legs!

  • In 1886 Carl Benz and Gottlieb Damiler lived 60 miles apart in Germany. They never met nor exchanged ideas, yet both reached the same goal in the same year by introducing to the world the first gasoline powered car.


  • Carl Benze made his car from a 3-wheeler. His wife, Bertha, was the first woman to drive a car when she took her 2 sons on a 100 mile trip to visit relatives!


  • Gottlieb Damiler mounted a gasoline motor on a 4 wheeled carriage. He invented a boat with motor and a gondola for powering an airship.


  • Following Damiler's death in 1900, an Austrian, Emil Jellinek took over the company. He insisted that the company be named for his daughter, Mercedes. In 1926 the two companies merged forming the Mercedes-Benz Company.
  • In 1902 a chassis cost $8,400 to $14,500 depending on whether you got a model that would run 35 or 70 mph. Plus a touring body that cost from $1500 to $2075 depending on the style.
  • William Steinway, the piano magnate, became interested in manufacturing the cars in the US because there was a 45% import tax.
  • In the mid 90's, the German automaker joined with a Swiss manufacturer of watches and developed the micro-compact "Smart" car.
  • Of course, you put men and cars together and you will have a race. Mercedes-Benz has been winning races since the 1800's.
Back to the Prairie:

The next miles were driven in fog/ rain/snow combination. We met the expected storm system! Gertrude led us through Memphis traffic and "hard-to-see" weather. As we went north the rain continued. Rivers were bankful, fields were shiny with mud and water puddles.

Pizza Hut delivery allowed us to stay put in our motel room in Hannibal, Missouri.

We finished our last miles with blue skies and sunshine the next day.

Thanking the Lord for another safe traveling adventure!

Prairie Schooners