Road Trips Archives - Big Guy Tiny Trailer

Year Nine of Retirement

Year nine of retirement in 2025 was another good one, but it has become clearly evident that we are getting older. My husband had a second knee replacement and I had my first Mohs procedure for skin cancer. Despite some challenges, we still managed to have some really good times.

Time at Home

We did not do our typical winter trip to a warmer climate. Our trip last year included some pretty cold weather, so we decided to enjoy our home instead. We also had a big summer cruise planned, so time at home seemed a good idea.

January brought a nice accumulation of snow. It was lovely, but it did not last long.

Snow for year nine of Retirement — Snow came to the South

In February, we visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham. The museum highlights the city’s past and the part that it played in the Civil Rights Movement. I was familiar with a lot of the information in the museum because I grew up in the city, but I did learn a few things. It is definitely worth visiting.

There are three covered bridges in nearby Blount County and we visited them all on one warm and sunny April day. Lunch at Charlie Bs topped off the excursion.

Blount county covered bridge at year nine of retirement — Blount County Covered Bridge

Another activity when we are at home is ballroom dancing with our Vikings Dance Club. In October, our club’s dance theme was Happy Days. While at home, we managed to also attend two or three other dances. It is always fun hanging out with this group.

The most important time we spend is with family. All three of our children were together at our house in July. Sadly, one son-in-law couldn’t make it. It was wonderful seeing them all together. We saw grandchildren and great grandchildren individually, but not at the same time.

A Knee Replacement

I have always said that I did not want to spend retirement sitting on the porch, but it can be wonderful in short stretches if the weather is nice. However, we spent a lot of time on the porch and at home this year.

Year nine sitting on the porch — Sitting on the porch

My husband’s knee became very painful and, consequently, his second knee replacement was done in early June. It went well overall, but as anyone who has had it done will tell you, it was no walk in the park. The entire summer was spent rehabbing it and going to physical therapy. We also had to cancel our cruise. I am very happy to say that overall he had a great outcome and now is in much less pain and is able to be much more mobile.

Road Trip to Mississippi

A short trip to Mississippi occurred in February too, and because it was very cold, we did not take our camper. We stayed at a hotel in Jackson for a couple of nights with our pup.

The State Capitol

State Capitol buildings are an interest of ours and we have visited many of them. So, we took a tour and learned a lot about the building and how the state conducts its business. Above all, it is a gorgeous building inside and out.

Year nine at Mississippi State Capital — Mississippi State Capital

Vicksburg National Military Park

We took a day trip to nearby Vicksburg to check out the military park. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but bitterly cold. I learned so much about that portion of the Civil War.

Year nine of retirement at the Vicksburg military Memorial — Walking one of the battlefields

Big Trip of Year Nine of Retirement

Right before my husband’s knee surgery, we flew to California for a few days. The trip included three cities to visit two presidential libraries and one National Park. Because we were there in late May and early June, the weather was incredible for the entire eight days. See my post, California and Stops in Four Citiesfor additional details and photos.

The Reagan Library in Simi Valley

We flew into Burbank, rented a car, and drove to Simi Valley for our first stop. Two nights there allowed us to check out the area and to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Semi Valley is beautiful and the library is on an incredible piece of property, high on a hill overlooking a picturesque valley.

The Reagan Library Sits on a Beautiful Hill

Ronald Reagan led an extraordinary life and I learned a lot about him. The library was impressive, but the tour of an actual Air Force One was the most memorable part.

Year none of retirement at the Reagan library in Simi Valley, California — Boarding Air Force One

The Nixon Library in Yorba Linda

Yorba Linda was another really nice city and the Nixon library was very interesting and unique. The centerpiece is a beautiful rose garden with an elegant fountain. The property is a venue for weddings and such. There was a wedding taking place while we were there.

The library is on the actual property that the Nixons lived when Richard was a boy. The house is one that his father built. Additionally, Richard and Pat Nixon are buried on the property.

Joshua Tree National Park

The third stop on our trip was Twentynine Palms, California. An entrance to the Joshua National Park is nearby. The area is in the Mojave desert and the air was super dry.

The desert has its own brand of desolate beauty. The distinctive-looking Joshua trees were interspersed throughout the park. There is a high part in the park where you can see for miles and miles and right below lies the San Andreas’s fault. It was incredibly beautiful!

Though it was a desert, there were many interesting plants there and rock formations.

The area is classified as dark sky site, meaning they’re very few lights. We went back into the park to watch the sunset and to see what we could see in the dark sky. It was fun until a very large coyote walked up, just a few feet from where we were. We hightailed it back into the truck.

Retirement Year Nine Camping

Despite the knee issues, we managed to do a good bit of camping, most of it with our Southeastern camping group. Our first trip in March identified that my husband had a serious problem with his knee as he was very challenged to do even a small amount of walking.

By September, he was doing much better and we were ready to try camping again. He had to really limit his walking, but he did a great job.

We also did a solo trip in September to Gulf State Park. I think the walking he did on these camping trips helped to get his legs stronger and to make his knee more mobile.

Year nine of retirement at Gulf State Park in Alabama — Gulf State Park in September

While at Gulf State Park, we visited Spanish Fort, which is in the Mobile area. We have lived in Alabama all our lives, but neither of us had ever been there. It was a good day trip.

We were back with our group in November at Skidaway Island. We did more hiking and went on a birding walk with some friends, which was very interesting. My husband was able to do much more walking.

Our last camping trip of the year was in December at Cypress Glen with our Camping group. It was another fun trip and for the first time in the wild, we saw an armadillo. He didn’t seem to mind me taking his picture.

Year Nine of Retirement in Conclusion

So, retirement year nine was a mixture of challenges with the knee and just getting older in general for both of us. But, it was a great year because we didn’t have any major issues and had a lot of opportunities to see our family and friends. We also had some fun traveling! Looking forward to year ten!

SW Trip, Stop #2 Sea Rim State Park in Texas

Sea Rim State Park was a new experience for us—no showers and a pit toilet.

Anticipating Sea Rim

Sea Rim was our first experience in a Texas State Park. It was chosen because it was along our southwest path and near Houston, where we have relatives. The ratings were good and I booked it without thoroughly researching. The day before we were to camp there, I read reviews from several sources. Three things that I read concerned me:

There were no indoor showers. Only outdoor showers for removing sand.
Allegators were prominently mentioned in the reviews. Sightings were numerous! Late night treks to the restroom concerned me.
Mosquitos were mentioned as being vicious. I had naively thought that since we were traveling in the winter, we would not have significant problems with them.

We adopted a stoic attitude, recognizing that not all of the time spent on this trip will be comfortable and there will be challenges. I told my husband I was going to be “pioneer woman”.

Camping at Sea Rim

It actually was not as bad as I feared. Our son told us that when he had been camping with no showers, they used baby wipes. I had stowed some towelettes designed for just that purpose from when my husband was in the hospital so we had a solution for the lack of a shower.

Campsite ar Sea a Rim State Park — Site # 4

Though it was about 2 p.m. when we arrived, it was amazingly foggy. The sun was shining, but it barely showed through the fog. It looked very “other worldly.” Our campsite was simple as it was for only one night. It is a very long drive into Sea Rim through oil well facilities with little or no commerce and restaurant options were non-existent. My big guy cooked a nice meal for us. It was pleasant and bugs were not bothering us at that time.

We walked over the boardwalk to the beach and it was even foggier there, but it felt good to have the salt air blowing in us. It was so humid that my hair remained damp the entire time we were outside.

Foggy View of Gulf of Mexico — Foggy view of the gulf

Woman on a foggy beach — A foggy walk on the beach

We enjoyed our afternoon. We did not see a single alligator, which was fine by me, though my husband would have liked it.

An Evening with Mosquitoes

As soon as it was almost dark, the mosquito army arrived and we were under siege. At least two dozen managed to make it into our cabin and we were killing mosquitoes for at least an hour. I have identified about eight bites and my husband got quite a few too. Most unpleasant!

On the plus side, the temperature was comfortable and were fell asleep to the sounds and smell of the sea. The restroom was close and not bad, though it was what is described as a pit toilet. It was basically a building with a men’s and women’s toilet over a pit about six feet deep. Surprisingly, it did not smell bad. The facility was clean and well-maintained. I did look out for alligators as I made the trek.

After the Fog Lifted

The next morning, most of the fog had lifted and it was a beautiful, sunny day. This remote park was lovely if you don’t consider the mosquitoes. The ranger did say that they were very bad when we arrived.

Campsite at Sea Rim — Ready to go to Austin

Boardwalk at Sea Rim State Park — View of the marsh and boardwalk

The next stop is McKinney State Park in Austin and it has showers. Yea!

Road Trip–A Wedding and the Alamo

We built a fairly elaborate road trip around a wedding we were attending in Houston. The teardrop was considered for the trip, but June in Texas would be very hot and we wanted to be in town for the many festivities. Our road trip focused on the cities of Lafayette, Louisiana; Houston, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas.

Road Trip, Houston

Everyone loves a road trip! However, this one began with some difficulty. We drove straight through to Houston and on a longer path because of a tropical depression in the Gulf. It was almost 12 hours in the car and a record for me, however, we were not as exhausted as I would have imagined. That night, we went out for dinner at the famous (with Houston family members) restaurant, Los Tios.

The next day some family members took us on a tour of Houston. It was my first trip to Houston and it was greener and far more attractive than expected. We spent most of our time in the downtown museum district. There were enormous live oaks everywhere, which are my favorite trees.

Road Trip Houston — With Our Hosts under Live Oak Trees

We rode a train around an enormous park in the area and visited the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural Science. I have visited many museums around the world and have never seen so many dinosaurs in one place. The Museum of Natural Science was very impressive.

The Wedding

The rest of our time in Houston was spent on wedding activities. Firstly, there was a bridesmaid’s brunch the next morning and then a rehearsal dinner that night. The wedding was the next evening and it was beautiful. The bride and groom were so happy! The reception was at River Oaks Country Club and included an awesome band, delicious food, and an open bar. There were also Star Wars characters and light sabers, which the bride arranged as a surprise to the groom. We had breakfast with family the next day and then were on our way to San Antonio.

Road Trip, San Antonio

Our hotel in San Antonio was on the outskirts of town. We knew we wanted to see Riverwalk and the Alamo but did not realize that the Alamo was in the same area as River Walk. It would have been much more convenient to have stayed at one of the Riverwalk hotels. If we go again, we will do that.

We took a Uber to Riverwalk that first night because we were not familiar with the area and wanted to be able to have a couple of drinks. Riverwalk is so very cool! We had a nice Italian dinner at Paesanos and took a boat tour.

The Alamo

Our next day was all about the Alamo. Only a portion of the original is still standing and sits right inside a heavily commercial area. The Alamo played a very important role in Texas history, therefore, it was interesting to learn more about it. Two famous Americans, James Bowie and David Crockett, died in the battle there. The grounds behind the Alamo were incredible. We took a guided tour and also explored it on our own.

Botanical Garden

We went to the San Antonio Botanical Garden the next morning and it was a beautiful place. I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to San Antonio. As it was raining, we rounded out the day with lunch at a local Mediterranean restaurant and a movie.

Road trip San Antonio — Botanical Garden

Leaving San Antonio, we had lunch with our cousins in New Branfels, where their longtime vacation home is located. It is a quaint resort town with cool restaurants and interesting shops. I could see why they love to spend time there. Our lunch was in an old building that was once a post office. The food and company were outstanding!

Road Trip, Lafayette

Traveling home, we stayed a couple of nights in Lafayette because we wanted to break up the drive. Also, we wanted to check out the sights. We toured Avery Island, the home of the multi-generational family business that makes Tabasco Sauce. We were able to view the manufacturing process and receive free samples. One of the earlier family members established Jungle Gardens, a large Botanical Garden and bird sanctuary for the Snowy Egret, a bird that was in danger of extinction. It has flourished in the sanctuary. We also saw an alligator, an armadillo, and some deer.

Lastly, we ended the day with a movie (Wonder Woman) because it was raining and dinner at Bon Temps Grill. Both were very good!

Road trip Tabasco factory — Avery Island Tabasco Sauce Factory

So we had a great time on this road trip to Texas and Louisiana and are looking forward to our next trip, which will be in our Tiny Trailer. Furthermore, you can follow us at Retirement and teardrop camping!

Happy Trails!

Road Trip–Searching for Harper Lee

This post is not about teardrop camping. Instead, it is about a road trip to try out our new convertible. Monroeville, Alabama was our destination, a city with deep literary roots.

Harper Lee

First of all, I have always admired Harper Lee and her incredible book, “To Kill a Mockingbird” (TKAM). So when we were ready to take a road trip in my husband’s new car, Monroeville was the destination.

We chose Monroeville because it is near and a place I have always wanted to visit because of its association with Harper Lee. So, a few facts about TKAM:

Pulitzer Prize winner
First book published by a Harper Lee
40 million copies sold
Voted #1 on many lists of must reads
Academy award winning movie adaptation
Translated to over forty languages
Voted best novel of the twentieth century
Taught in many schools in and outside the U. S.

(Can you tell I’m a fan?)

Storyline of the Book

Lee wrote about “small town middle-class southern life” and Monroeville was her home. Her father was the inspiration for Atticus Finch and Monroeville became the inspiration for the fictional town of Maycomb. Another famous writer, Truman Capote, was her childhood friend who was portrayed as Dill in her novel. I so loved the novel that going to the birthplace of its creation was very exciting for me.

Traveling to Monroeville

However, my image of riding down the highway with the top down on this first road trip with the wind blowing in our faces did not match reality. It rained off and on the entire trip to Monroeville and that first day in town.

We arrived in time to have lunch at a popular restaurant, The Prop and Gavel. It was at this restaurant in 2015 that Harper Lee received published copies of her second book, “Go Set a Watchman” from her U.S. and U.K. publishers. The decor is dedicated to aviation and the legal profession, an odd, but interesting combination. We had Barrister Burgers with sweet potato chips, voted one of the “Top 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.” They were quite tasty.

It was too late to go to the Monroe County Heritage Musem after we had lunch and checked into our motel. Fortunately, our innkeeper had copies of “Walk Monroeville II”, which has a lot of information and history about the town and sites referenced in Lee’s books.

The Town of Harper Lee

So we began the tour late that afternoon. Most stops on the tour were at or near the courthouse. Its lawn was beautifully landscaped with many references to Lee’s books. The sculpture below is “A Celebration of Reading”, by Birmingham sculptor, Branco Medenica.

Every year in April and May, there is a TKAM play. However, we just missed seeing it. Act I is in the Otha Biggs Amphitheater, which is on the courthouse grounds. The set has the houses of Atticus Finch, the Radleys and Mrs. Dubose. My Big Guy is below in front of the set.

Harper Lee book TKAM set in Monroeville — Set for Act I

It was interesting to me that the Alabama Bar Association has erected a monument to Atticus Finch: Lawyer – Hero. This plaque is on the courthouse grounds.

Plaque dedicated to Harper Lee character Atticus Finch — Alabama Bar Association Monument to Atticus Finch

We also checked out the sites a few blocks from the courthouse where Lee and Capote grew up. Capote spent his summers in Monroeville with his cousins. Lee’s old home has Mel’s Dairy Dream in its spot, which is referenced in Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman”. A plaque dedicated to Truman Capote’s life is next to Mel’s. But, there is nothing but a stone wall from the original house of Capote’s cousins. Note the dark sky in the photographs because the rain was rolling into the area again.

Mel’s Dairy Dream, former site of Harper Lee’s childhood home

Former site of Truman Capote’s childhood home, next door to the former Lee home

We had a milkshake at Mel’s and headed back to our motel to beat the rain. Consequently, we had ice cream for dinner. We’re seniors–it’s allowed. Our evening ended with a movie and a bottle of wine.

The Courthouse

After a very good breakfast at the motel, we headed to tour the old courthouse. It did not disappoint! Built in 1904, it stands majestic in the center of town. It was in danger of being torn down several years ago, but was ultimately preserved. There were exhibits for both Lee and Capote. It also has rooms set up as they would have looked in the 1930s, the years depicted in TKAM.

Courthouse in Harper Lee town of Monroeville — Old Monrobills County Courthouse

The courtroom looks just like the one in the movie because the movie version was based upon it. So it was a most gratifying end to our tour at the courthouse. Anyone familiar with the movie can see the striking resemblance. There is a second story overlooking the main floor, just like the movie and the book. You can almost see Scout looking down from the second floor. The courtroom is where Act II of the annual play is performed, with members of the audience as jurors.

Harper Lee courthouse — The View from Above

The trip to Monroeville gave me a much stronger understanding of Harper Lee and her hometown. In a sense, I found her, but in many ways she is even more a mystery.

Controversy

In recent years, controversy has surrounded another published book by Harper Lee, “Go Set a Watchman”. But, I must admit it is a little hard for me to reconcile the two books in my mind.

It is my understanding that the town is divided over the second book and some legal action that occurred in the later years of Lee’s life. She died in 2016 at 89 years old. Therefore, questions have been posed as to whether Harper Lee in her late 80s had the mental capacity to authorize the publication of the second book.

Consequently, the controversy adds to the mystery of Harper Lee, the brilliant writer who only wrote one book in her lifetime with her second publication being a draft of her first novel. But, she was a very private person, who remained silent to the public for most of the time after TKAM was published. However, I find her fascinating. If you have not read the book (TKAM), you are really missing something. There is also an audio recording of the book by Sissy Spacek that is excellent. She was wonderful as Scout!

Goodbye Harper Lee

Finally visiting Monroeville, I am even more of fan of Harper Lee.

Returning home, in contrast, we had sunshine for the most of the trip. So we were able to have the top down on the car. Such fun! We have another road trip coming, then it will be back to our Tiny Trailer.

If you are a camper, there are several campgrounds nearby. Don’t miss Monroeville if you find yourself going through southern Alabama. You don’t have to go in a convertible. Follow us at, Retirement and teardrop camping!

Happy Trails!