More to this life: And We're Off!

We finally got on the road for this Grand Adventure and have been driving for four days. There hasn't been a lot to report on unless driving around weather and replacing batteries interests you!

This morning, we're in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. The temperature this morning - 47 degrees!

Here's the rundown of the last few days.

Tuesday - True to Ogles fashion, we DID NOT get away on time, The culprit this time was the new auxiliary braking system taking longer than estimated to get hooked up and adjusted correctly.

We stopped for the night in Jackson, TN, - 150 miles short of my goal for the day. But, wait, we're on vacation - we don't have to have a schedule - so that's okay. Actually, I'm still working on that schedule part. I like planning and then staying with the plan, but the rest of this crowd - not so much. They like to be all "que sera sera".

We found this really great local restaurant to have dinner! Patty's was great! It was so good that we went back for breakfast on Wednesday morning. Part of our adventure is finding this type of place - the local places when possible and not the usual suspects (aka Cracker Barrel).

It can be a challenge because not everywhere has a place to park a 50' combo like Alice and Harvey. But we find it worth it if we can.

So dinner it is!

Wednesday - 5/27

And breakfast at Patty's! But only after the nice people at the campground boost the battery on the CR-V so we can get going. The question keeps going in my mind - why was the battery dead? I'll soon find out.

Back on the road - through Memphis - through Little Rock - through Fort Smith - and then finally we stopped in Sallisaw, Oklahoma for the night. Almost dark. Hate getting to the campground this late!

Thursday - 5/28

A monsoon opens up on eastern Oklahoma! Guess who gets to break camp in the pouring rain?

AND the battery is dead again! I know I turned everything off. Boost the battery.

Off to Auto Zone. The bad news - there's a dead cell in the battery. The good news - it's still under at least the pro-rated portion of the warranty. And the good folks put it in for us in the pouring rain!

Back on the road - did I mention that we're "behind schedule"?

Driving through "Tornado Alley" can be interesting. As we approach Oklahoma City, the weather is starting to look ominous. Bring up the radar and the trusty co-pilot starts watching what's in our path. Severe thunderstorm warning and several cells moving right toward where we need to go. Prayers go up and we watch as the cells turn from our path and then "just die off"! It won't be the last time this happens.

Just past OKC - Dinner at Sid's Diner in El Reno was awesome!

Home of the Onion Burger - another local gem! Saw the sign and stopped on a hunch that it might be good. It was!

Listed in Southern Living April 2015!

Made it to Clinton, OK for the night. Before dark.

Friday - 5/29
UP and at it! Today is lunch at the Big Texan! Weather is great for the morning - low around 50 and feels great!

Amarillo - The Big Texan! For those of you not familiar, they're known for their 72 oz steak challenge. If you can eat all of the steak, the salad, the baked potato, and the shrimp cocktail within 60 minutes, it's free. If not, you get to pay $72! Check it out here!

This guy (a truck driver) took them up on the challenge. And we have a winner!(?)