massachusetts | On The Road With Jim And Mary

Lexington, Kentucky – Day 2

May 13, 2013

The motorhome is still parked at the Keeneland Horse Race Track at Lexington, Kentucky.

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

The X marks our parking site at the track in the below Google Earth image. You can read about Keeneland by clicking their official website link…
http://www.keeneland.com/

Even though it is not racing season, there are still horses here which we got to see yesterday morning. I took so many photos that I’ve decided to show the photos taken in the stable area today. Race track photos can be seen tomorrow.

The day started with a delightful sunrise…

Then to the track kitchen for breakfast. Since it was a Sunday morning traffic was light…

The people walking the horses to cool down after an exercise run are called Hotwalkers. The people taking care of the horses are called Grooms. As a teenager back in New England I did both jobs over a three-year period part-time at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts, Rockingham Park in New Hampshire and Lincoln Downs in Rhode Island. Wandering around the stable area brought back lots of long-ago memories…

I just cannot resist photographing patterns…

Returning from an exercise run…

Many thanks to Greg Burchell of Crossroads Stables for allowing us a close-up opportunity…

Tomorrow you get to see the horses get their morning exercise and some of the Keeneland grounds.

Enjoying beautiful thoroughbred horses is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Kentucky. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: travel, photography, rv, rving, RV travel, massachusetts, rhode island, Suffolk Downs, new hampshire, kentucky, lexington, keeneland track, horse racing, thoroughbreds, linciln down, rockingham park

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America The Beautiful

October 27, 2012

The terrible accident we survived happened five months ago today, May 27th.

About 10 days ago I got to feeling well enough to finally stop wearing my elastic chest bandage, taking ibuprofen and icing my chest twice daily. My right rib cage remains slightly swollen and somewhat tender to the touch. I need to maintain a constant awareness not to physically over exert myself. I remain with a constant mild burning sensation in my right rib cage area. I’m wondering when, if ever, it will finally leave me.

Mary remains at home in California tending to medical issues. Some believed to be related to after effects of the accident.

If you missed the Blog entry about the accident, here’s the link. If you want to understand the full scope of the accident you’ll need to read the Blog entries for the following several days…
http://wp.me/pDCku-4Eh

In the meantime, I’m in my second day here at Sumner Lake State Park in New Mexico.

We have a brief cold front moving though the area. Yesterday’s high temperature was only 48 degrees so I stayed inside most of the day playing with the computer and came up with this 1:58 minute video. It was 30 degrees at 5:00 AM this morning.

The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

Enjoying our beautiful country is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: accident, america the beautiful, arizona, california, canyon de chelly, colorado, florida, georgia, Louisiana, massachusetts, mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, oregon, pennsylvania, photography, rv, rving, tennessee, Texas, travel, united states, west virginia

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50 Years Ago Today…

April 11, 2012

50 Years ago today I received an honorable discharge from the United States Navy. At that time I was serving as a Radarman Petty Officer Third Class aboard the U.S.S. Boston CAG-1. It was the World’s first heavy guided missile cruiser and home-ported in Boston, Massachusetts.

I found the below photo of the ship online when it was docked at Genoa, Italy on January 27, 1962. I was serving on board at the time on my third and final Mediterranean Sea cruise…

To see other photos of the ship and read about its history, click this link…
http://navysite.de/cg/cag1.htm

Here is the only photo I have of myself from those days. I remember it was taken in 1961 when the ship was in Amsterdam, Holland. I would have been 20 years old at the time…

Here’s a photo of me that Mary took of me a couple of months ago while we were in Tombstone, Arizona…

What a difference 51 years makes in the way a person looks. How has the 50 years since my discharge gone so rapidly?

All things considered…I’m glad I’m still around to have my photo taken.

I’ve had a blessed life…most of it in a traveling capacity. I’ve been many places, have met many people and lived through many experiences.

I’m most pleased that I still enjoy good health so that I may continue to travel as a full-time RVer. I cannot think of a finer way to spend my golden years!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: amsterdam, arizona, boston, genoa, holland, italt, massachusetts, mediterrian sea, photography, rv, rving, tombstone, travel, u.s.s. boston cag-1

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Step Back Into the 1950′s in Bisbee, Arizona…

March 16, 2012

We arrived in Deming, New Mexico four days ago. Mary departed three days ago for home to tend to taxes and other business. I’m at Rockhound State Park in Deming, New Mexico waiting out a forecasted very windy coming Saturday through Tuesday. Prior to arriving in Deming there was so much to see and do I didn’t get to Blog about it. Here is one now…

———————————————————–

Back when I was a teenager in the 1950′s, my family was quite poor and we lived in a trailer park in Revere, Massachusetts. Despite not being wealthy, I remember the 1950′s as probably the best decade ever to be a teenager. All that Doo-Wop music!

In Lee’s Trailer Park, where we lived, I remember there was a trailer that looked much like this one. It was the largest in the park out of about 50 trailers…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view...

The inside looked like this…

No, these are not photos that I took back then, but photos I took recently when visiting Bisbee Arizona. It’s called the Shady Dell Trailer Park and has a definite 1950′s theme…

At Shady Dell there are about 18-1950′s vintage trailers all restored to original condition. Here for about $100 a night you can sleep in a 1950′s vintage trailer while visiting the area.

To see the other 28 photos I took, click this link…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/ShadyDellTrailerParkBisbeeArizona

Here’s a link to their website where you can see more of the Shady Dell Trailer Park…
http://www.theshadydell.com/

Stepping back into history is one of my very favorite things to do in my full-timing RV lifestyle.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: 1950's. trailer park, deming, doo-wop, massachusetts, Music, New Mexico, photography, revere, rv, rving, shady dell, travel

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A Long-Time Friend Visits…

June 16, 2011

Yesterday my friend of 60 years, Al Penta, stopped by the motorhome for a visit. I’m at the Thousand Trails RV Resort in Monroe, Washington and he lives on a peaceful 5 acre property overlooking the Skykomish River. It’s only a couple of miles from my campground and a place where he has lived for 30+ years. He came by bicycle…his favorite mode a transportation. In the below photo, he’s entering the motorhome…

The black patch-like device near his left eye is actually a rear-view mirror that attaches to his glasses so he can see vehicles approaching from the rear. The small black antenna on the left shoulder attaches to a radio device that allows him to talk with other bikers riding with him. Did I tell you he’s been an avid bicyclist for many years? He’s 70 years old and in great condition. Prior to retirement 5 years ago, he walked a mailman’s route for 30 years.

Al and I met in the 5th grade at the Liberty Grade School in Revere, Massachusetts in 1950. It’s no longer there…the land is now a condo parking lot.

We were both in the U.S. Navy…on different ships. In 1960 our ships were operating together and we pulled liberty together in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After that, we lost track of each other for 20 years.

In 1980, I moved to Washington State for employment reasons. I needed to hire some specialized skills, so I flew back to New England. Having a few extra minutes, I drove through our old neighborhood and saw an older woman sweeping leaves in the driveway of Al’s house. I stopped and re-introduced myself to his mother and she told me he was living in Washington State. She gave me his address and telephone number and upon return to Washington State, I contacted Al. We were just 100 miles apart! We got re-acquainted and our friendship continues to this day. I was quite the coincidence that we both ended up in Washington State, 3,000 miles from our childhood days.

16 years ago when I retired and sold my home, I went to the Department of Licensing to change the address on my driver’s license and vehicle registrations. All I had was a post office box address… I no longer had a house. I was told…”No post office addresses allowed…you’ve got to have a physical address!” “But, I don’t have one”…I said. “Use a friend’s address”…I was told. Graciously Al has allowed me to use his home address and today, 16 years later…it still appears on my driver’s license and vehicle registration.

We get together every time I return to this area. One of the primary joys of the full-time RVing lifestyle is to visit with old friends. It’s always fun to reminisce about the last 60 years and yesterday we did more of that!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: bicycle, mailman, massachusetts, Monroe, photography, puerto rico, revere, rv, rv resort, rving, skykomish river, thousand trails, travel, u.s. navy. san juan, washington

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2010 Year In Review…

December 31, 2010

Jim says:

2010 was a great RVing year for me. Here’s some on the places I visited, things I did and people met along the way in the about 17,500 miles…

* Arizona
Yuma with a walk-in to San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora Mexico
Apache Junction
Old Tucson Film Studios in Tucson
Biosphere 2, in Oracle
Chiricahua National Monument deep in Apache Country for three days

* New Mexico
Deming with a walk-in to Palomas, Mexico

* Texas
Big Bend National Park for three days
Judge Roy Bean Museum in Langtry
National Museum of the World War II Pacific War Museum at Fredericksburg
Luckenback, population 3
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park at Stonewall

* Louisana
Fred’s Lounge in Eunice
Jean LaFitte National Preserve at Barataria
Mardi Gras in New Orleans for two weeks
Battle of New Orleans site at Chalmette
The mouth of the Mississippi River at Venice
Pilot Town, an island ten miles into the Gulf of Mexico
Bayou Terrbonne to Houma marshlands
Mandalay National Wildlife Preserve and Bayou Black Swamp tour
Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center at Thibodaux
Mr. Charlie Oil Rig Museum at Morgan City
The Oldest Rice Mill and Birthpace of Cajun Country at New Iberia
Tabasco factory and the Annual great Gator Race at New Iberia
Rice and Crawfish country in Crowley
Jean LaFitte Nation Historic Park at Lafayette
Martin Accordion Factory at Lafayette
Saints Football Team Parade at Opelousas
Historic Town of Washington
A visit at the home Greg Girard, famous Louisiana Author at Catahoula
The Great Atchafaylaya Swamp
Louisiana’s Angloa Maximum Security Prison 25 miles from St. Francisville
Civil War Battlefield at Port Hudson
State Capital Building at Baton Rouge
The Last Wilderness Ultimate Swamp Tour
Nottaway Plantation at White Castle
Laura Plantation at Vacherie
Bayou Segnette State Park at Westwego

* Mississippi
Beauvoir – Last Home Of Jefferson Davis, Biloxi,
U.S. Highway 90 and Hurricane Katrina Ground Zero damage area

* Florida
National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola for three days
Blue Angels Precision Flaying Team at Pensacola
Historical Museum at Pensacola
Fort Barrancas at Pensacola
Gulf Islands National Seashore

* South Carolina
A week-long visit with my friends Bob and Judy Michaud at Summerton
Santee National Wildlife Refuge at Summerton

* North Carolina
Asheville
Cherokee Indian Museum at Cherokee

* North Carolina and Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

* North Carolina and Virginia
Blue Ridge Parkway

* Virginia
Skyline drive
A visit with Mary’s stepdaughter and her family at Front Royal

* West Virginia
Harpers Ferry National Park

* Pennsylvania
Gettysburg National Military Historic Park
Hershey Chocolate Factory at Hershey
Dutch/Amish Country in Lancaster County
The Covered Bridge Tour of Lehigh County

* New Jersey
A visit with my friends Jim and Ginnie Palumbo in Wayne
Thomas Edison National Historical Park at west Orange
A visit with my cousin Simone and her husband Pat in Bergenfield

* Connecticut
A visit with my cousin Diane and her husband Bob at Hebron
A visit with my son Jim and his family at Ivoryton
Katherine Hepburn Museum at Old Saybrook
Nuclear Submarine Nautilus and U.S, Navy Submarine Museum at Groton
United States Coast Guard academy at New London
Ivoryton Playhouse and The Buddy Holly Story
The largest casino in the United States at Foxwood
Mystic Seaport
Amistad Exhibit at New London

* Rhode Island
Millionaire “Summer Cottages” at Newport

* Massachusetts
A visit with several different cousins and their families at New Bedford
Whaling Museum at New Bedford
The Island of Martha’s Vineyard for one week
Chappaquiddick Island
A week on Cape Cod including Hyannisport and Provincetown
Sandwich Glass Museum at Sandwich
A visit with old school friends at Revere
The first public beach in the United States at Revere
97th Annual Portuguese Feast/Festival
Lowell’s Boat Shop at Amesbury
Newburyport
Manchester
Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center and Fisherman’s Memorial
Rockport

* New Hampshire
Portsmouth

* New York
U. S. Army West Point Military Academy

* Michigan
Henry Ford Museum at Dearborn
Motown Music Museum and Ford F150 Pickup Assembly Plant Tour in Detroit

* Indiana
RV Museum at Elkhart
Fleetwood Motorhome Factory at Decatur
Workhorse Chassis Factory at Union City
Little Italy Festival in Clinton

* Nebraska
High Plains Museum at McCook

* Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
Museum of Northwest Colorado at Craig

* Nevada
National Automobile Museum at Reno

In addition those identified there were many other smaller museums, numerous restaurants and other experiences during the about 17,500 miles of 2010.
Whew! It was quite a year!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

Posted by ramblinmanjimj

Filed in Uncategorized ·Tags: 2010, arizona, california, colorado, connecticut, florida, indiana, Louisiana, massachusetts, mexico, michigan, mississippi, nebraske, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, New Mexico, new york, nroth caroina, pennsylvania, photography, rhode island, rving, south carolina, Texas, travelrv, Virginia, west virginia

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RV Trip Favorite Photos #303-306

November 13, 2010

Jim says:

While Mary and I are taking care of business here at her home…there is little “new stuff” to Blog about daily. So I’ve decided to share with you some of my favorite photos from our recent 298 day, 16,000+ mile RV trip around the United States.

Since scenery and people snapshot-type photos require little special photography skills…and being limited by the abilities of my digital camera…I none the less took some photos that I really liked. They are presented in no special order of favoritism. If you desire to see more associated photos and information about this area, you will need to find this date in the archive files of this Blog.

Today’s photos were taken at New Bedford, Massachusetts on July 30, 2010……