Michigan to Texas and Beyond.....

monster • Jul 13, 2008 10:22 pm
We're headed South to be in Texas (Plano area) by 9th August. We're leaving on the 2nd, need to be back by the 17th, are stopping chez zippyt on the way out and will most likely hit Louisiana on the way home. We're not adverse to a detour, anyone else fancy a visitation? PM if you don't want to post details here, noobs need not apply -we have young kids and will only be visiting known pervs ;)
monster • Jul 27, 2008 11:40 pm
we're leaving in 5 days, a couple of takers so far, any more?
Sundae • Jul 28, 2008 6:24 am
I wish!
All I can say is take lots of pics and I wish I was going with you.

PS - who's looking after the beautiful kitties and can we have some pics of them to be getting on with while you're gone?
monster • Jul 28, 2008 11:35 pm
The kitties are going to stay with their momma and bro. and yes, It's just a time issue. I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. Or is that hours to sleep befiore I go miles? but I'll get some pix up. they are huge now.
monster • Aug 5, 2008 11:46 am
We're in New Orleans :D
Sundae • Aug 5, 2008 12:03 pm
How's the weather?
Hot I imagine....
monster • Aug 5, 2008 8:39 pm
it's hot and wet
...that's nice if you're with a lady, but....

currently (tent) camping in the swamp after visiting the cemetary then taking an airboat ride through the swamp ...a swamp campsite with internet access and free electricity. how cool is that? :D
monster • Aug 5, 2008 8:46 pm
:D
HungLikeJesus • Aug 5, 2008 8:52 pm
You have a wood-powered laptop?
monster • Aug 5, 2008 9:02 pm
those are just in case radar or tw show up
Clodfobble • Aug 5, 2008 9:07 pm
Your water-to-beer ratio seems a little high... hopefully the other 5 beers are just out of the shot.
HungLikeJesus • Aug 5, 2008 9:20 pm
I think that's moonshine, not water.
xoxoxoBruce • Aug 5, 2008 11:35 pm
A bottleaxe saw the Cellar?
zippyt • Aug 17, 2008 10:39 pm
Monster , Beast , and kids came to for the nite on their way home ,
Cool folks , Monnie is a Dynamo !! , Beast is cool , Hebe their oldest is a Cool Little girl , Hector is Fun , and Thor , well his Name FITS !!!
Image
Image
Monster , Image
And Yes Her Hair IS that Purple , Blue , and Red !!!
Dude at the liquer store was Fascinated !!!!
Fun Visit , Cool folks !!!
Clodfobble • Aug 17, 2008 11:38 pm
Ah man, zip got his up before me, that's what I get for procrastinating... I'll get my photo of their visit off the camera soon, I swear. Just as soon as Mr. Clod stops playing his computer game for thirty seconds.
lumberjim • Aug 17, 2008 11:41 pm
Clodfobble;476783 wrote:
Ah man, zip got his up before me,~snip~


this out of context quote is brought to you by Miller Light.

Tastes great, Less filling.
Sundae • Aug 18, 2008 6:38 am
Brialliant! Thanks very much.
C'mon Clod - now you have to write an essay in order to draw even with Zip :)
Clodfobble • Aug 19, 2008 11:47 am
Here it is! Proof that I'm as cool as zip!

The Beestmonster family were a very lovely bunch, and their kids are lots of fun! Hebe was especially nice with the Minifobette, she's got maternal insticts brewing already. We got a picture of all the Dwellarkids together, but that one's on Monster's camera so you'll have to wait until they finish their travels.
Chocolatl • Aug 19, 2008 12:42 pm
Your fobblebaby looks like something very alarming has just happened off screen.
Shawnee123 • Aug 19, 2008 1:32 pm
Great pic, guys!
monster • Aug 19, 2008 1:33 pm
yeah, Thor happened :lol:

We're home, but just catching up... I'll get round to it, honest.....
HungLikeJesus • Aug 19, 2008 10:03 pm
Yeah, fobblebaby's head is about to start spinning.
monster • Aug 20, 2008 12:34 am
So wait... we live in the cold, cold north and ms Fobble lives in nasty hot south and yet we look like the skin cancer magnets... we who use maximum SPF sunblock because the tan thing does not work with our goth image.... Clod, you need to get out, more, gal
Sundae • Aug 20, 2008 9:55 am
APPLE CHEEKS on the 'Fob!
Made for piching.

Yup, in a Spot the Brit picture I would be betting on Clod :)
But y'all look gorgeous - now, how bout moar words please?
HungLikeJesus • Aug 20, 2008 11:34 am
Clone thread:
Michigan to Taxes and Beyond...
barefoot serpent • Aug 20, 2008 4:48 pm
Michoacán a Tejas y contrabando...
Elspode • Aug 20, 2008 11:50 pm
I am green with envy. I got hosed out of my Zippy trippy this month. You guys all look like you had some big fun.
monster • Aug 21, 2008 2:45 pm
Ms Fobble and the Zipster are two lovely people -gracious hosts putting up with our dirty feet and noisy brats. Poor old CF, we camped out in the Texas Hills the night before, so turned up late at kiddy nap time with stinking filthy feet and clothes and she still let us in. And she has a cream carpet. And Zippy grilled us delicious steaks, let the kids run riot in the pool and watch his hugeass TV, let us sleep in ther spare room, do our laundry and he still respected us in the morning. And not forgetting the lovely Carol who wasn't able to join us in the evening, but still made yummy potato salad and blueberry muffins for us.

Thanks all, we really enjoyed meeting you! More pics soon, honest
monster • Aug 22, 2008 8:22 pm
ok, here's a couple more meet-up pics....

we introduced the fobblets to the beestmonsterlets. One family was very much more well behaved than the other. :rolleyes:

Then we got a chance to see Zippyt's cock. Very upright and proud it was too.
monster • Aug 22, 2008 8:55 pm
So, we headed straight south for New Orleans. Took a few days and the odd train museum to get there, but here's what we found:

(the rain was Tropical Storm Edouard)
monster • Aug 22, 2008 9:17 pm
As darkness fell, Edouard moved on and we investigated Bourbon Street. We found a cool voodoo store, and had a lovely dinner of local (ish) food). Next day we took a drive through the not-so-touristy bits, then explored the cemetary xontaining the alleged tomb of the "voodoo queen", then after a quick drive-by of the garden quarter, we moved on....
monster • Aug 22, 2008 9:23 pm
Cemetary.. Marie Laveau's tomb, and the rest...
TheMercenary • Aug 23, 2008 2:10 pm
Great pics. Mr Monster never looks very happy.
classicman • Aug 23, 2008 2:38 pm
looks like it was a good time!
monster • Aug 23, 2008 10:17 pm
he's just sultry..... "lol"

Mr. Monster = Beest, btw.
monster • Aug 23, 2008 10:18 pm
That was only the first day and a half..... I have way more to torture you with ...eventually
xoxoxoBruce • Aug 24, 2008 12:45 am
TheMercenary;477765 wrote:
Great pics. Mr Monster never looks very happy.
Well in that last picture, he's in the Big Easy, on Bourbon St.... with a wife & three kids. :haha:
monster • Aug 26, 2008 10:41 pm
:lol: I should get some more pics up
Sundae • Aug 27, 2008 4:50 am
Those are wonderful!
Moar pls!

It looks like the right age to take the kids to see things as well. They certainly don't look as if they're being dragged along unwilling - they seem to be having the time of their life!
DanaC • Aug 27, 2008 7:28 am
Brilliant. This thread just made my day :) Great pics. Y'all look like youhad a spiffing time:)
monster • Aug 28, 2008 10:31 pm
SG, the sprogs love to roadtrip. We started the second summer here, when Thor was about 9 months. we take loads of fun stuff to do in the car and we rarely drive for the whole day -we like to stop and see stuff on the way. The educational philosophy of their school is very field-trip based, so when they get on a topic and they can say, oh yes, I went there and saw that, they get more involved in their lessons because everyone wants to hear. Also, that background helps them to enjoy new places and make the most of them.

Also we're like kids -we hate Stately Home type things and we don't linger anywhere. Places like Mount Rushmore (the 4 presidents carved into the rock), take 30 minutes tops. You sort of feel that because it's such a landmark it deserves more time, but once you can get over that and realize "yup there it is. smaller than i thought cool. ok what else is there to see/do round here" is OK, roadtrips rock. We've seen about 36 states in some detail and we've been year 7.5 years
monster • Aug 28, 2008 10:55 pm
So after the morning in NO with the tombs, we headed out to the swamps to take a boatride and see some gators. it's about $20/head to crowd onto a large pontoon type thing with a squillion other tourists. Unfortunately, there weren't a zillion other tourists, so the company put us on the $80/head airboat for the same price...... Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :lol:

The intra-coastal waterway runs through there, so the first pic is of an airboat and a monster of a barge thing (we think to do with oil production) being pushed and pulled by three tugboats.
monster • Aug 28, 2008 10:56 pm
a gator nest... and some intrepid explorers
xoxoxoBruce • Aug 31, 2008 3:06 pm
monster;479029 wrote:

Places like Mount Rushmore (the 4 presidents carved into the rock), take 30 minutes tops. You sort of feel that because it's such a landmark it deserves more time, but once you can get over that and realize "yup there it is. smaller than i thought cool. ok what else is there to see/do round here" is OK, roadtrips rock.

I strongly agree with that philosophy. There is all kinds of information available, especially in the days of the internet, on all the major, and many minor, attractions. The when, where, how, who, why, of each, can be had at any time and don't really matter when you're there seeing it in person. What matters then, is the perspective, the surroundings, and the feeling it conveys. When it's made it's impression, hit the road, because there are plenty of cool sights between the attractions, that you'll probably recall with fondness, for years to come.

Places like Yosemite, Yellowstone or The Grand Canyon, can change dramatically with the light, throughout the day. But if you can't find things to amuse yourself while that happens, it can be boring, especially for kids.

Too many restrictions, perceived obligations, and lack of flexibility, can ruin a road trip.:thumb:
Sundae • Sep 1, 2008 5:50 am
Bless you for explaining to us furriners what Mount Rushmore is (yes, I knew, but I like your attention to detail).

Your eldest son does look so like Calvin. I know he doesn't have braces in the cartoons, but he would have had when he got old enough.

I love the pics and I love what you're doing. Keep it up. Oh and I'm coming out to join you next summer. I don't mind travelling in the boot, honest. And you can sneak me into motels at about 23.00 - I'll just sleep on the floor and eat leftovers.
FStop • Sep 1, 2008 10:18 am
Ah. I recognize that graveyard. That's the one that was in the 'Acid' scene in "Easy Rider"..