Just got back from ....

[BrotherMick]

Hi all..... Been gone for eight days traveling the world ( well, it seemed that way ). I put on 3000 miles driving to and from Kansas
with stops before and after. My wife and I took our 15 year old granddaughter with us. It's amazing that 15 year olds are still willing
to vacation with their grandparents. I guess it's because we are just soooo awesome. lol.

We left SC last Wednesday and drove thru GA, AL, and spent the night in Vicksburg, Miss. We crossed the Mississippi River the next
morning and went thru LA, into Texas and wandered the streets of Dallas for a short time. Raegan ( my granddaughter ) just wanted
to be able to say she was there. Then we continued on to Oklahoma City and spent the night there. Our timing sucked because that
day they had a record heat wave of 112 degrees ( but the humidity was low ). I couldn't visit OKC without stopping at SGT. GRIT'S.
Of course, everyone knows that that is the place to go for anything Marine Corps related. Their catalog's sub-title says, "If we don't
have it, Chesty wouldn't want it". If you've never checked them out, go to Grunt.com. We drove from there to the little town of Ottawa,
KS where I was meeting my two brothers and two sisters for a Memorial Service for my brother-in-law. I hadn't been in that little town
in 45 years, since my Freshman year in college ( at Ottawa University ). We spent Friday eveing, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning
with family there and left before noon on Sunday heading to St. Louis. Spent the night there and visited the Arch. Left there Monday
morn heading for Lexington, KY going thru southern IL and southern IN. Tuesday ( yesterday ) we went to the Kentucky Horse Park to visit
some of the retired race horses. Raegan just loves horses, so the was a "must" for the trip to be successful. Then we left there around noon
and headed to Nashville ( one of my favorite places ). We checked into the hotel and because Grandma was tired of walking, Raegan and
I went downtown Nashville to walk around. We went down Second Ave. past the Wild Horse Saloon and ended up in a western wear shop.
Of course I needed a new pair of western boots and their sign said "Buy one pair, and get two pairs free". Sooooo, since Raegan has been
wanting a red pair of boots, I bought myself two pair and her pair for the price of the most expensive one. Hers were $300, and mine were
$300 and $190. So I got the three pair for $300 plus tax. Not too bad, I guess. This morning we visited the Opryland Hotel and then got
out of town and headed home.

Didn't see Dorothy or Toto while in Kansas, but it sure is good to be home. Would have loved to have had Dorothy's Ruby slppers to shorten
that trip home though. lol. Total of about 3000 miles and about 48 hours of driving. I'm too scared to figure the gasoline cost and hotel room
costs. Gas prices when I left here Last week ( Aug 1 ) was $3.09 and is up to $3.28 here now. The most expensive was in Kentucky at $3.87.
There was absolutely NOWHERE lower than our prices here in SC.

Boy, Is it good to be home..................

[DOCWILLEY]

Sounds like you had a great trip Mick.Thanks for sharing.

[Marine_wannabe]

Which way did you leave from Nashville?

[BrotherMick]

Which way did you leave from Nashville?

East on 40 thru Knoxville and Ashville, NC and then south to Greenville, SC.

How far did I miss you by?????

[Marine_wannabe]

Well if you went through Crossville about 2 miles lol

[kmarier2001]

Wow....sounds like quite a trip, Micky. Sorry about your Brother In Law, though. I always loved to go places with my Grandparents too. I guess its probably because Grandparents spoil you and don't yell at you as much! Great deal on the Western boots! You're quite the shopper! Glad you had a good trip and made it back safely