The Wheels on the Trucks go...

round and round...round and round...

Yep, thought it would be an exciting 100 laps, but they just went round and round...

 WHAT? Who is this? ROB HORNADAY, JR!

He should have come in in the top three...a terrific driver...but the cards were against him. He'd get outside and do some great drafting...pushing several to the front positions, then not having anyplace to pop into for himself. He was in 4th, when this accident happened forcing 'another' green-white-checkered' try at finishing.

This most exciting part of the 100 laps was the last 20+ laps, as they really tried to get ahead...one time even trying 4 across...doesn't work...someone gets squished out, and we have another caution.

We did the Midway this morning, and I finally found a motorcycle that would be fun to drive...LOL! Bought tees for the g'kids...signed up to win a couple cars...moseyed around. Then lunch...reading...nap...circle of new friends to gab...traded a Chevy shirt I won for a Dodge shirt...then off to those "wheels that go round and round".

Daytona Memories

Yesterday was a free day, except Norman had to be back by 4-ish for a Good Sam provided happy hour...LOL...We headed over to the peninsula aka Daytona Beach and picked up a few geocaches on our way to the southern tip, the little town of Ponce.

This is the the Ponce de Leon lighthouse with a memorial to our Armed Service Personnel. Norman climbed to the top and took some great pictures all around. The following pic is one of them. Me? Well, I don't climb towers very often, because I have a heck of a time coming back down...usually with my eyes closed.

We had a wonderful lunch on the inland side of the peninsula along the Halifax River. Norman/Dad had a trigger fish sandwich. It was yummy!

We stopped along the Atlantic coast at a couple places, but forgot to put our feet in the water. So I guess we'll have to go back. Most of the areas along this section of the coast folks can drive their cars. Sure a lot handier to not have to carry all your stuff to a spot in the sand.

Today was the Nascar Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Dual. Two races to finish the line-up for the 500 and to allow a few drivers, who had not qualified, to get into the 500. The following picture shows the trucks and the garages for the '500' race drivers.

 Before the races people can pay to go into the infield for a stage show, see into the garages (not go in), be in the grass area for introduction of drivers and to sign the checkerboard or the double yellow line. We'll be going in Saturday and Sunday. Sunday the big entertainment is Lenny Kravitz. I don't know how long Norman will stay and listen to him...lol. But we'll look around and when allowed to enter the grassy area, I want to sign the checkerboard.

This is the view from our seats. We're in the second row from the top. It's so high and steep, we couldn't see the bleacher seats we had used last week. What is very nice...we can see the whole track!

 See the headphones the fellow has on. We were told we needed earmuffs for the races, because they are so loud. It's really true! But then we couldn't hear anything...like the announcers. So we rented a small tv/scanner and two headphones. They dampen the sound of the cars, we can hear the announcers through the scanner part, listen to the pit crews talk to the drivers, even re-play wrecks. They are so worth the money.

Tonight we had a "water party". We hooked up a hose to a faucet across the street. Then each of us added our own hose in turn and filled our tanks with fresh water. It took a couple hours to do all our coaches. Then we flagged down the poop patrol truck and got our grey & black water tanks emptied.

OK...busy day again today...I've had my shower, done this blog, now I'm going to see what everyone else has been up to on facebook and play a game for a little bit.

BTW...it got up to 87 today. Thank goodness it was also partially cloudy and kept us from getting sunburned. But the coach got very warm, and we're having to run the a/c.

Monday & Tuesday

We did our own tour on Monday, then a paid by Good Sam tour of the grounds on Tuesday.

I LOVED THESE! They're huge...did not turn...but who cares. They are a display in support of the COPD foundation. The pinwheels are among the displays outside the buildings.

Dale Earnhardt...ol' #3...We did a geocache challenge here the next day. The challenge was to wear t-shirts that said "Dale Who?" and get our picture taken before a race. We cheated a bit and just held up signs. Boy oh boy, there were some folks upset with us...LOL

Well, yes, we did do a couple geocaches here. This one is hung from the middle of the "Welcome to Daytona Beach" bridge.

Chasing seagulls in an empty parking lot...what else?...hee-hee

Danica's garage...#5...the window has a space at the bottom, which can be opened for autographs.

 It's a big open garage with most of the cars inside...covered...darn it.

In the foreground is most of our group. We have the top four rows in the third white section from the tower. They used to belong to Winston before they pulled out (no smoking rule doncha know).

And we laid around some...did a little grocery shopping...camera battery went ka-poop and had to buy a replacement...happy hours with some of the group

A couple in our group is on their very first RV trip, and within two days had to pull out, find a dump site for their tanks and get fresh water. I remember those days! They are learning about dry camping quick.

If we're careful we'll make it until we pull out. Otherwise it will cost us $40 to have our tanks suctioned out. We could get them filled for another $40, but we're having a water party tomorrow night. Adding our hose to the others in our group and then to the 'one' faucet in the corner and filling tanks. Now that should take most of a long night...lol

Saturday the 18th @ Daytona

A very busy day which began at 7a and ended after 11p. I'll tell it mostly in pictures.

This is the view from the front of our coach.

We saw absolutely beautiful (unaffordable) driver's coaches to this going into the tunnel to the infield. Every bay was looked into, and the bomb dogs were present. Now what do you suppose this guy was going to do with the couches and the other junk?

Old race car parade next to the beach this morning

 Got yelled at by a cop, when I stood up in the seat of the pickup to get this shot of Richard Petty. Then he laughed and said, "I had to do that. My boss is right over there."...LOL

Shopped for t-shirts

Free hot dog lunch because we own a Toyota...hmmm, my new Danica hat

The Arca series...Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200...70+2 laps which had a terrific ending right in front of us as the leaders ran out of gas and stopped wherever on the track...These folks run real low budget...family and friends form many of the pit crews.

Venza pace cars today

 Nascar Sprint Cup Series...Budweiser Shootout...75+2 laps

Little Big Town was the Pre/Post concert and sang the anthem...fireworks as the drivers were introduced...25 cars...or the 25 all but 3 were involved in spectacular crashes and only 13 finished.

Toyota trucks paraded the drivers past the stands

It's the Budweiser Shoot-out, of course the Clydesdales were here

 

pitting

 And the winner is Kyle Busch after being involved somewhat in all the crashes and his own. Proved he's a pretty great driver!

Kennedy Space Center

Yep, we made it yesterday to the Space Center. This is a tourist attraction now totally supported by the dollars we spend. AND it cost mucho bucks...lol..The Kennedy Space Center is located on Merrit Island, which also has wildlife refuges on each end helping to make it quite secure. We saw a couple turtles and lots of gators in the ponds.

At the Space Center they have many displays and explanations of all that has been accomplished with the dollars spent on the rockets and shuttles...take for instance the advancement in cell phones and GPSrs. Norman is playing one of the games available. He's trying to dock into the space station. He did pretty darn well. Me? I crashed every time.

We paid for an advanced tour over to parts of Cape Canaveral, which is an Air Force base. We drove past many of the installations and had them explained. Norman was particularly interested in transporter below, because the tracks were made in Oakland, OR.

 This is the Vehicle Assembly Building, where all the parts are put together before the launch...transporter...platform...orbiter (shuttle). This is a temporary stop on the tour, because many changes are happening, since the space program is going private now.

 This is the only operational launch site for a shuttle right now.

 

I had a very nice lady take our picture on the Cape, but unfortunately, she was short and also couldn't see the picture before it was taken...lol...Norman lost the top of his head. And, drat it all, it turned out to be a nice pic of us.

A great full day...We could have spent a couple days here.

This, That & T'Other Plus Girl Fun!

One of the couples we pal with in Yuma does Cowboy Shoots...competitions...pistols, shotguns & rifles. This year we finally made it to a shoot and watched for a bit. Everyone dresses in costumes of a certain period and has period names. This is Diamondfield Jack and Celia Fate.

This could be a fun hobby, and I intend to introduce a couple people to it. Perhaps they would find it fun.

They wear the ammunition needed for a round, but also have a cart carrying lots of spare ammo and extra weapons for the rest of the day(s). It's not a cheap sport.

We're doing 'breakfasts in the desert' again. Great group of folks and super delicious food. This month even chocolate dipped strawberries showed up along with cinnamon frybread made fresh on a campstove...yum!

We got together (we being us and two neighbor couples) at the local gun club and shot everything we owned. And we even tried out each others' weapons. It was great fun, even though I couldn't hit the side of a barn with a pistol...lol...NOT! I think we'll be going more and practicing.

This is a local geocacher ready to ride off into the bombing range for a little fun. It was a tad bit windy that day, so she wore the goggles and found out she can't wear the goggles and her ballcap at the same time...hee-hee. Had a lot of laughs with the 'gal-pal'...repaired a string of caches, which were in bad shape...checked out all the beautiful flowers blooming now in the desert...visited with the border patrol...laughed and snacked...and really did find some new/old caches, which had eluded us before.

Back in the Sunshine

We've heard since buying our first quad, there was a way to get through the hills NE of us to one of our favorite places to go for breakfast or lunch...mmmm, love their burgers.

The day after getting back from the holidays at home, we joined this group of folks who took us to Ligurta. And we remembered to turn on the GPS and track the way. Now we're planning another jaunt for lunch with our own little group and follow the GPS 'tracks'.

I liked this pic of some of the quads going along a ridge, so you get to see it.

When Norman and I have visited old cemeteries, we try to show respect for the families, nationalities or religions. We've brought flowers...placed small stones on Jewish headstones...and here is my man placing pennies on crosses of Mexicans, who passed away in the very early 1900's.

For Christmas I received a light-weight buff for protecting my hair under the helmet. It worked pretty well, but was especially good to pull up over my mouth and nose for all the dust we were kicking up.

I do have to work on protecting my hair a little better...wish I had a personal stylist...lol.

Feeling pretty puny all week...about half the folks coming back from the holidays at home arrived with nasty colds. I've downed lots of stuff and doing pretty well now, but didn't get pictures of the Rose Bowl party...or the great block long yard sale.

We've lots of football this week. I can't say the teams I cheered for all won...drat it! And now we're watching the Steelers finally tie the game...go Troy!! But, why don't they get rid of Rothlisberger? He's good, but also can really stink!

Today we went to the geocaching breakfast put on once a month. Then we found a few caches before the wind and dust picked up, and we headed home. This was an easy find...but a fun one!