Camping, Princess Style

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I'll add my thanks to everyone else's!  I enjoy this so much every year and dream of doing the same.  I know most folks like to follow the sun, but I wonder if it would be possible to follow the Autumn?  😁

 

The problem I have with that is that I want to delay leaving until the last possible moment...you know, after the leaves fall off the trees here, after I've finished personal business, after Election Day...and by then the Autumn has already progressed far to the South. My parents did it one year, but weren't bloggers. Maybe you should take the challenge and do it?! 😁

 

 

3 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Bedouin tuna noodle casserole uses camel milk. Where did you get the camel? Also my recipe, inherited from my twelfth great grandmother calls for a cup of sand. Did some pink Arizona sand come along for the ride home?

 

3 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

Actually, he could never get his Bedouin guides to eat the stuff although they'd eat any two of the components together. Here's one discussion about it. But I like your assumptions! 😄

 

Here's what we had tonight. I've never tried using the corkscrews or elbows for this dish, but it's what we had. They worked out well. He says the elbows were the only thing they ever used in the Egyptian desert, so I guess we're getting closer to (his) tradition.

 

 

I had a protracted telephone call with a long-lost friend who called while the pasta was cooking. I thought the pasta would end up overcooked. If it did, we couldn't tell it tonight. At any rate, we won't care whether the leftover pasta was overcooked!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I'll add my thanks to everyone else's!  I enjoy this so much every year and dream of doing the same.  I know most folks like to follow the sun, but I wonder if it would be possible to follow the Autumn?  😁

 

Where do I sign up?

 

[Katie Meadow]

1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Where do I sign up?

 

North to south leaf-peeper tours have undoubtedly been mapped. Start in Maine and work your way down into the Carolinas. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

28 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

North to south leaf-peeper tours have undoubtedly been mapped. Start in Maine and work your way down into the Carolinas. 

 

I pictured Patagonia.

 

[liamsaunt]

I always enjoy reading about your travels.  Thanks for sharing your adventures again.  

[Katie Meadow]

8 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I pictured Patagonia.

 

Best start packing asap then.

[Porthos]

As always,  thank you for sharing your travels and your food adventures. 

 

When you were near my Sweetie and I, I was sad that the flurry of pre-surgery appointments for my Sweetie's back surgery made trying to see you undoable. Surgery went well, 7 1/2 hours worth, and she's home. Rehab/healing will be on the order of months. 

 

Again, thank you.  I look forward to this every year.

[Smithy]

Beans for breakfast. 

 

 

Cooper's beans, to be specific.

 

We're in Llano, TX!

 

 

We had 4 long days of travel, covering something over 1300 miles. This is the first stop where we've opened out and had all available room again, going from this:

 

 

to this:

 

 

There isn't an obvious difference in the kitchen area, but if you compare the "living room / sitting" area you can see that with the Princessmobile closed up we have to use a folding table in front of the easy chairs. When we're opened out, the back area through the doorway stops being a garage (look carefully at the doorway in the left picture) to a full-blown dining room. (Sorry about the light imbalance. I shot that right-hand photo before the sun started shining into the room.)

 

 

This has been a trip already of firsts and mosts: warmest days before we left (it was above 60F on our departure day); latest departure hour (09:30 rather than our usual 08:00); 4 solid days of driving into a strong headwind; most things forgotten! Among the things we (that would be 'I') forgot to pack:

• our silicone ice cube trays, still sitting in the home fridge with ice in them and awaiting placement in this freezer;
• all quarter-sheet AND eighth-sheet baking pans;
• broiler pan with a grate (and I need it tonight!);
• my darling's electric pepper mill;
• the 6" diameter silicone lid for covering bowls - I have other sizes, but this one is most used and got left behind;
• parchment paper and Pam;
• 11" cast iron griddle that I keep in the oven for temperature control and bread-baking;
• detergent sheets I've been experimenting with: no plastic jug, just an envelope full of sheets that dissolve in the laundry;
• maybe half of the charging cords for our electronics (I'm still looking for them); and
• 2 stainless steel nonskid, nontip dog bowls.

Some of these things can easiy be replaced along the way. Some can, if necessary, be forwarded by our house-sitter. But it's a sign of just how disorganized we were this time around. Things tossed willy-nilly into any cranny we could find, because the garage was packed early and access to storage hatches was blocked. Too many of a few things. (I think we have enough shampoo and conditioner to last the full 6 months!)

 

What happened was that I worked much later into our preparation time than normal, and that took precious time away from packing and planning. in addition, we're slower than we used to be, as are all our friends. Finally, we have a full-time housesitter this year whom we trust, but is new to the house and had to be shown where everything is and how to take care of it. 

 

The headwind cut our fuel mileage immensely, and added to the general noise level on the drive down.  I don't think the wind was ever less than 25 knots; sometimes, it was a crosswind rather than a direct headwind, and we were singing about the trailer "rockin' and a-rollin', rockin' and a-reelin'." We still won't name her Barbara Ann. That wind continued all the way to Llano, where despite the 80F+ weather we had to keep the doors and windows closed the way we could actually put things down and keep them in place!

 

One reason we pushed so hard was to get ahead of storms that were to go through the country along our way. Our haste paid off. That night, after one of several road-trip dinners and considerable beer, we sat out enjoying a light show playing out to the northeast near Mineral Wells, TX, where we'd spent the previous night. The rain and tornadoes in our wake made us glad we'd kept going. It was a grand light show from where we sat.

 

 

The beer made it even better.

 

 

This cup is from my favorite local brewery at home. There was a festival earlier this year for which they made special aluminum cups to give away, and I scored several. Aluminum isn't a great cold retainer, but the cups are a festive reminder of a fine, fun evening in August.

[blue_dolphin]

Yay!  We're on the road again!

 

[Smithy]

Road food. As I noted, we headed out the door later than usual and had no interest in making sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. When we stopped at a convenience store for fuel, I went inside and grabbed breakfast sandwiches: sausage, egg and cheese on biscuit for him, croissant for me. Not wonderful, not bad. (The bottom photo in this collage is of another sandwich, not the convenience store version.)

 

 

In preparation for the trip he had cooked a ham and I'd cut it into slices for sandwiches. (We'd also made a couple of dinners out of it before leaving, and we have plenty for more dinners and sandwiches.) I'd also bought a selection of sliced cheeses, and some salami, and more of my favorite breads than I really should have. (But we won't be able to get these brands when we run out!)

 

Here's a typical pair of sandwiches. He says they should just have Miracle Whip, mustard, meat and cheese. Hooey, I say: they also need greens and pickles -- and in my case, mayo rather than Miracle Whip. I leave off the pickles for him because they're messy, but I made sure he got some greens anyway. I stinted for him; my sandwich had more!

 

 

I had bought two packages of commercially prepared empanadas as a quick meal before leaving, and then forgotten them when I needed them. We ate one package's worth on the road.

 

 

This was when I discovered that I'd forgotten to pack the quarter-sheet pans, Pam and parchment paper!

 

 

We were very unimpressed. The other package is chicken. I don't have much hope for it, but we'll see how it goes.

 

The other road-food dinner has a back story.

 

I came home one night to the distinctive smell of SCORCH in the house. It's a different smell than food merely burning, or an electrical fire, or wood smoke. The smell was even stronger upstairs. "It wasn't my fault!" he yelled. "The stove malfunctioned!" He had set a pot of chili on low and gone downstairs "for no more than 15 minutes" to tend the fire and play Solitaire on the computer. When he'd come back up, the chili was scorching. So was my beautiful, prized RevereWare stainless Millenial (or Centennial or Designer or whatever the line was) 8-quart stockpot: to the point that the aluminum disk had actually come unsoldered from the base of the stainless steel pot! I've had that pot for more than 30 years! My father picked it out for me! It was my favorite!

 

Well, what could I say? I had done the same thing about 20 years ago to the pot's big sister, which I'd bought as a companion piece to Dad's gift. We cleaned up the stove. He picked out most of the scorched bits. We ate the chili that night, but had plenty of leftover, by design. We've been eating on it since. 

 

 

The tiny scorchy black bits actually add an interesting flavor and crunch.

[BetD]

I was wondering if the Northern Minnesotans were soon to hit the road (and hoping so!)  So glad you have arrived safely.

[Okanagancook]

I always enjoy your adventures.  Thanks for sharing.

[FauxPas]

Wheeeee! I love being able to come along for the ride - and the stops!  🙂

 

[Shelby]

Hello!  So glad you missed that storm.  We got over 2" of well needed rain--they actually predicted 1-3" of snow for us over that night but it didn't happen.  Very windy.  I bet driving was difficult to say the least.

 

Ugh.  I'm sorry so many things were left behind.  I surely would have forgotten a lot more though!  I'm glad you have a full time house sitter--that would ease my mind greatly if it was someone I fully trusted.  Did you take all of your cats?

 

 

[Katie Meadow]

Wow, time is speeding up. It seems like you just got back. Happy trails!

[Smithy]

@Katie Meadow, it feels to me like we were barely home! My darling would tell a different story. 😄 He's been agitating for months to get going. He noted, when we had a cold snap and snow in October, that maybe we should leave Oct 1 and come home on Memorial Day. I said something to the effect of "have fun, I'll catch up" and the discussion ended. For now.

 

Breakfast this morning, since I've run out of Cooper's pinto beans for the moment: Keto Nut Granola, over yogurt.

 

 

We discovered the Keto granola thanks to my darling's daughter who is gluten-intolerant and lactose-intolerant. She gets it at Costco. Once I found out how good it was, we made a run to Costco on her membership and I bought enough (maybe) for the winter. My darling and I are both lucky enough not to have food intolerances, but this is crunchy and delicious and not too sweet. Yes, I can make granola but no, I rarely do.

[kayb]

Glad to know you made it through the storms! 
 

Let me know if you go to the glassware place this time!

[Smithy]

1 minute ago, kayb said:

Glad to know you made it through the storms! 
 

Let me know if you go to the glassware place this time!

 

Thanks! I think we'll be bypassing Columbus this time, but if we change our minds I'll certainly let you know!

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, Shelby said:

Hello!  So glad you missed that storm.  We got over 2" of well needed rain--they actually predicted 1-3" of snow for us over that night but it didn't happen.  Very windy.  I bet driving was difficult to say the least.

 

Ugh.  I'm sorry so many things were left behind.  I surely would have forgotten a lot more though!  I'm glad you have a full time house sitter--that would ease my mind greatly if it was someone I fully trusted.  Did you take all of your cats?

 

We've never had such bad wind that we felt we needed to pull over, but we've been happy to wait at a camping spot a day or two extra until storms passed. Fortunately, the truck is heavy-duty enough that it manages the trailer well.

 

As for the things left behind: they're just stuff. I can do without, have them sent, or find replacements. I've started a list for our housesitter to send along when she sends the first mail! 

 

I will be going to pick up pecans in an hour or so. I'd intended to do it on bicycle and stop by my favorite reuse and kitchen stores to see about replacing some of the stuff I forgot if possible. The skies have OPENED UP! Here's the view outside our window. Those are little fountains in the runoff channel.

 

 

I can't put off the pecan picking-up, but I'll hope for better shopping weather tomorrow.

 

Tuna sandwiches for lunch today. I mixed mayonnaise and hard-boiled egg with tuna, then split it into 2 batches. Miracle Whip for his, more mayo for mine, along with capers and pickle juice. No photos, unfortunately, but we were both happy.

[Porthos]

Yay for your new travels and adventures.

[FauxPas]

It's been a long time since we've had an update, @Smithy. Hope to hear some details soon and hope all has gone well! 

[Smithy]

SNZZKTKKkk ** oh sorry, someone talking to me? Let me wake up!

 

All well here, thanks for asking. There's been a lot going on, including a couple of great food blogs here and here. But we're well, and since you ask I'll throw in a couple of teasers.

 

 

 

There are miles and weeks to go before I arrive here, though. 🙂 Thanks again for asking! I'll start catching up.

[Shelby]

8 hours ago, Smithy said:

SNZZKTKKkk ** oh sorry, someone talking to me? Let me wake up!

 

All well here, thanks for asking. There's been a lot going on, including a couple of great food blogs here and here. But we're well, and since you ask I'll throw in a couple of teasers.

 

 

 

There are miles and weeks to go before I arrive here, though. 🙂 Thanks again for asking! I'll start catching up.

I've been wondering about you too!  107F. YUCK.

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

I've been wondering about you too!  107F. YUCK.

 

That was the internal meat temperature on my makeshift smoker! 😄 Believe me, I wouldn't be staying here if it was that hot outside!

[Kerry Beal]

Hey 107 is better than Minnesota!