Columbia and Branson, MO

Friday, May 17
Alaska Bound! Yes, we did finally return from our California trip of summer 2012. Now we are on our next adventure, heading to Alaska via:

• Columbia, Missouri
• Banson, Missouri
• Pryor, Oklahoma
• Dallas,Texas
• San Antonio, Texas
• Savanna,Illinois
• Fairbanks, Alaska

 More on those stops to come.

We left Alexandria, on the 17th headed to Columbia, MO to visit daughter Tamryn and son-in-law Mac. Our first overnight was at an Ohio Walmart parking lot. Nice and quiet and safe next to two big rigs. We arrived Saturday just in time for dinner. Sunday morning we headed out to a small Farmer's Market & Craft Fair and met some of Tamryn's friends. Stocked up on homemade pickles and rhubarb jam.

We spent some of our day in Columbia helping one of Tamryn's friends, Penny Burton, install her MFA Thesis Exhibition, Fight or Flight. Penny had made thousands of hand made paper cocoon shapes which were attached to10 foot high "trees" as well as a swarm of hatched critters swarming just above our heads.

 

 

 

 

We worked the glue guns attaching the cocoon "babies". Just wish we could have stayed long enough to see the installation finished.

A visit to Tamryn's studio was like entering a small gallery...filled with inspiring work. She has had a busy year of papermaking, felting, screen printing, stenciling, mold making, and stitching.


We had fun visiting with Tamryn, Mac and granddog Cave. Knowing that we would soon see them again when we reach Pryor, OK, it wasn't hard to say goodbye.

Monday, May 19
We arrived in Branson, MO for our first International Corporate Roadtrek Rally, celebrating Roadtrek's 40th Anniversary. One of 250 Roadtreks at the Rally, we were happy to see a number of familiar faces to include friends we had met at our first Roadtrek Rally last fall in Sherkston, Canada.

From left to right:
Mary Ann and Tom Stibbe, OH
Yours truly and Mel
Diane and Dave Bancroft, MN
Kathie and Mike Inniger, OH

Our breakfast and dinner meals were served under the big tent where we also enjoyed evening entertainment. One night we were bussed to Dolly Pardon's Dixie Stampede--an evening with a stampede of buffalo, racing pigs, horse back riding feats, long horned steer roping, and ostrich riding babes. 

Roadtrek brought the latest models down from their factory in Canada, as well as representatives from the various companies that provide parts and pieces. Mel attended sessions with the service reps and picked up a few tips.

No trip would be complete without a tech fix.
Mel seized the opportunity to help Mary Ann with computer problems. Problem fixed!

We look forward to meeting up with our Roadtrek friends at a future Rally or perhaps they will show up on our driveway sometime soon.  Friday morning we took off for our next destination, Pryor, OK.