5th Wheel Adventures

07/17/2025

Yes; I went there. I needed to see what all the excitement (hub-bub, talk, recommendations, and finger pointing - painting?) was about. What was it you say? It was Cadillac Ranch just off the interstate west of Amarillo, TX.

It looks rather unassuming as you drive by it on the highway looking for a place to park. Yes, it can get rather crowded at times! You have a short walk to get there as it's in the middle of a field. Don't forget to bring your own cans of spray paint or you can purchase some (probably) overpriced ones and other souvenirs from the local vendor conveniently parked nearby. There's probably more paint on these cars than there is metal left after all these years!

07/13/2025

It may not be the tallest now but it was three years ago when I drove past!

From the RoadsideAmerica web site:

"100 truckloads of parts were needed just to assemble the crane to raise this rotating titan, which tops out at 653.5 feet above the flat West Texas Wind Corridor (Most wind turbines rise less than 500 feet). It's as if you took the Gateway Arch in St. Louis -- the tallest monument in the U.S. -- and stood it in the middle of the Texas Prairie. Except that the Turbine is even taller.

The GW 3S Prototype (its official name) began spinning in May 2018, part of the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility at West Texas A&M University. Unlike most turbines, which are clustered in wind farms, this one stands alone. 80 cement mixers worth of concrete were needed to anchor it, part of a lengthy list of superlatives involved with its construction. Visitors can't climb it, but they can look at it, and to take a photo of all of it you'll have to stand about a half-mile away."

07/03/2025

Spent a few days at Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas a couple of years ago. Doing something a little different this time: rather than sharing individual photos, I decided to put them into a short video for sharing. Hope y'all like this format. I'll be playing with this some going forward with other locations.

A few images in video format showcasing Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas.

07/02/2025

I've taken pictures of Swallow Tail Kites before and I even have a photo of one eating in flight (I think that's what they normally do). However, I've never seen one take a drink before! I've seen swallows do this multiple times (they're really small and I've been unsuccessful getting a photo of one flying along and getting a drink - they're FAST) but this is a first for me.

I barely had time to grab my camera and swap lenses to my telephoto. I was only able to shoot through my dirty window though (I really need to tell the owner in no uncertain terms to WASH THE WINDOWS!) And I was in such a hurry that I didn't even manage to adjust the telephoto to, well, telephoto range. So these were all shot at 60mm rather than at 600mm. Extreme editing and massive zoom into the image in editing has degraded the image some. But here is a pretty cool sequence of a Swallow Tail Kite getting a drink of water!

06/11/2025

Well, it looks like my RV will be finished on Monday and I'll be able to pick it up on Tuesday and bring her home. Yea! Getting ready to start another (short) year of RVing and exploring more of this wonderful country!

06/08/2025

In the realm of Roadside America and all of the gems they show you to check out as you travel, we found this pretty cool rock garden over in Grapevine, TX a couple of years ago. We managed to figure out how to get to it with a little help from my nephew who lives in the area.

"GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
THE LARGEST DISPLAY OF PAINTED STONES IS 24,459, AND WAS ACHIEVED BY RON OLSEN AND THE CHRIS PENNY FAMILY ALONG THE PARR PARK ROCK ART TRAIL IN GRAPEVINE, TX ON 9/8/2021. THE TRAIL WAS STARTED TO SPREAD JOY DURING THE PANDEMIC."

This was a pretty cool find and there were so many cool looking rocks to view. I'm in awe of the talent of the folks who took the time to paint their favorite images on the rocks they left for the growing collection. Here are a few of the rocks that I noticed. Enjoy!

06/03/2025

A new visitor for my backyard. They've been staying here for nearly 4 hours now not getting into the pond but just sitting by the edge of the water.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

05/13/2025

Well, good news on the RV front. It appears the insurance company agrees with the shop about what's needed to fix my axles and leaf spring hangers. Just got notified that I'm being sent a check (less my deductible though) from the insurance company. Once I get that I need to get a bank check issued to the shop doing the work. They said it may be ready by the end of the week though I haven't heard back recently to verify this. I did tell them no hurry as there's no pressing time issues we're facing. Once I get a prospective pickup date, I'll call the RV factory and see if I can get a new date to bring it into the service center.

05/11/2025

This is kinda how I feel today after a couple of days of rain.

"Can somebody please turn off the water?"

04/28/2025

Continuing on with adventures in RV living...

I made an appointment with the factory service center for some work that I believe they're better suited to perform including inspecting the frame for flexing and cracking issues. I was going to take a slow 3-day drive up to the service center (1000 miles total) and found something that stopped me in my tracks at my first overnight. The hangar that the leaf springs attach to has broken welds on one side of the hanger and is now hanging at an angle. I don't think it's safe to drive on it until it's fixed.

I contacted one mobile RV tech who responded yesterday (Sunday!). They said they can't do the repairs and gave me a couple other contacts I can try this morning.

RV Life - it's always an adventure!

03/29/2025

And to finish out the RoadAmerica attractions we visited while in Mississippi, here is a stuffed longhorn steer...

The stuffed longhorn steer was a notable attraction at the Boomtown Casino’s food court in Biloxi, Mississippi. This large taxidermy display, affectionately named Warren, served as a unique centerpiece, symbolizing the hearty meals offered at the casino’s dining area. Visitors often stopped to admire Warren and learn about his history from the accompanying placard. Some patrons even believed that leaving money at Warren’s feet would bring good luck in the casino. 

However, as of January 2024, reports indicate that Warren has been removed from the premises, and his current whereabouts are unknown. The reasons for his removal have not been publicly disclosed. 

For those interested in visiting, Boomtown Casino is located at 676 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39530. It’s advisable to contact the casino directly to inquire about current attractions and dining options. 

03/29/2025

Ever wanted to see what a German U-boat looks like? In this somewhat unique Roadside America attraction, this is a replica of a German U-boat.

Attached to a trailer on the front lawn of the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum is a 45-foot-long replica of the U-166, the only N**i submarine sunk in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II.

The replica was built by Universal Studios, and eventually used in the 2000 Hollywood film U-571. It was subsequently purchased by a collector in Florida who kept it for a few years before trading it to the Museum for one of its real boats.