Elementor #1579 – Michelle and Mike Travel Adventures

Photo Gallery

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Perkeys & Watermelons in Cave City, Arkansas

August 3, 2022

Cave City Watermelon Festival

So many watermelons at Perkey Farms

Check out the Perkey Farm sticker!

Cave City Arkansas is home to the sweetest watermelons in the world!

The watermelon stand at some of Mike’s newly discovered relatives’ house!

They must have an official registered grower license to be official

The other Perkey watermelon stand. The Perkey-Wooldridge farm

Hmmmm…..this was considered a small watermelon!

Will this fit in our fridge??

It truly was the sweetest!

Neatly cut up, packed and ready to eat!

The Great Passion Play

July 26, 2022

The Christ of the Ozarks

65 feet tall

In Eureka Springs, AR

Christ of the Ozarks statue

The Holy Land is inside these walls

Marketplace in Jerusalem

An Olive tree like the one that Jesus’ Crown of Thorns was made out of

Along the Holy Land Tour, this was a woman at the well.

The Tabernacle

The Arc of the Covenant

Mike talking with Moses

Inside the Tabernacle

The Inn in Bethlehem where Mary and Joseph were told there were no rooms

Jesus’ mother Mary

Jesus walking on water!

Peter’s boat behind us

The Last Supper room

Jesus’ tomb

A piece of the Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall piece

The Cross Prayer Garden

In the Bible Museum

The set for the Passion of the Christ outdoor drama

Christ of the Ozarks at dusk

The Great Passion Play

Amazing!

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

July 23, 2022

Us in Eureka Springs, AR

Mike walking in Basin Springs Park

It is very hilly here

Historic hotels and buildings are everywhere

Natural springs come out of the rocks

Unique art is everywhere here

Beautiful landscape on a small hike

A natural spring

They say the springs have healing powers

A typical street

Houses are built right on the rocks!

Town Center on Main Street

Our delicious charcutiere

A small fawn in the park

Branson Adventures

June 18 - July 18, 2022

Mel’s Hard Luck Cafe in Branson, Missouri

At Mel’s Hard Luck Cafe, the waiters and waitresses take turns singing as they walk throughout the restaurant

Hughes Family Music Show

Hughes Family

The Haygoods Show

Upside down guitar player entering the stage on a wire!

Catherine Haygood playing the fiddle

Haygoods

The World’s Largest Toy Museum

Mike entering the museum

There were rows and rows of cases of matchbox cars and cars of all types and sizes!

Cars and McDonalds Happy Meal toys

I remember having this one!!

Bionic Man and Bionic Woman!

More Bionic Woman

I had this small round radio. Mine was white. It was my first radio when I was about 8 years old in the mid 70s. It was only AM back then!

Did you all have one of these?? We did!

I had the koala!

Thousands of tiny toys!

Strawberry Shortcake! Wonder if they still smell good??

Charlie’s Angels. Where is Jacklyn Smith??

I loved making Shrinky Dinks! They had many cases filled with all the different kinds.

Remember Chinese Checkers? My family gave up playing it with me when I was little. Apparently I would usually bump the board and all the marbles would get messed up. They thought maybe I did it on purpose since I was usually losing! Haha!

I still have those Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy puppets.

Mechanical banks. My grandfather, Charles Rabenstine, designed the pinneaple bank in the back and created the mold for it in his foundry factory he owned. It was to commemorate Hawaii becoming the 50th state of the United States of America!

My children had this tape player.

Fisher Price toys

The Fisher Price dollhouse

More toys

I remember all the Fisher Price “little people” but never saw the “little people” dog that huge!

Remember this silo had all the pieces in it to set up a farm?

In the basement of one of the toy museum buildings, there is a huge room with model trains set up and they were all working. It was fun to watch!

I loved Barbies AND I loved the roller skate!

Awesome distillery in Branson Landing

US after doing the free Moon Shine taste testing! Still standing!

Some of the buildings’ unique architecture and design in Branson

Pasghettis Italian restaurant in Branson.

Back to Harrison, Arkansas

July 14 - August 20, 2022

You can buy strange things in the grocery stores around here!

Our campsite in Harrison, AR

Gotta enjoy a good campfire on a hot night in Arkansas!

I use an app called iNaturalist that Kirk introduced me to to identify interesting wildlife that we meet up with. This one was identified as a Green Stink Bug!

This Black Racer snake paid us a visit to our campsite!! Luckily it didn’t stick around long!

We get a lot of interesting bugs at our campsite including this inch worm.

Baby goats at our campground

Lots of squirrels play in the woods behind our RV

A baby praying mantis!

It’s been quite hot and humid in Harrison. However we have a lot of shade so it’s not too bad!

Colorado Trip Adventures

July 1 - 14, 2022

Historical Fargos Pizza with Gary, Lisa and our nephew Owen and our niece Charlotte

Fox Run Regional Park

Trevor, Nicole and their “baby” Sadie

We hiked in Fox Run Park with Trevor and his fiance, Nicole

Sadie (Trevor & Nicole’s dog)

Kitty (Trevor & Nicole’s cat). We have a lot of “Grand Pets!”

I made this picture slate for Trevor & Nicole in honor of their engagement. We went to eat at Texas Roadhouse

Garden of the Gods Trading Post in Manitou Springs

Our 5th Anniversary!!

Through this gate is where we got married at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post

July 8, 2022

Happy Anniversary to US!

Balanced Rock at Garden of the Gods

A view of PIkes Peak while driving through Garden of the Gods

Ice Cream from the Old Colorado City Creamery

We saw Top Gun! Great remake of a classic 80s movie!

The Roadhouse….where we saw the movie.

The last of our indulgences on our anniversary. The Mountain High Mudpie at Red Robin.

Waiting in the long line at the ticket house to drive up to the summit of Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak Highway

We rode with Mike’s brother, Gary. He did a great job navigating those windy roads!

Pikes Peak views

The beautiful spot where we stopped

Taking some time to think about their dad, Johnny Perkey, and their brother, Greg Perkey

A gorgeous day on Pikes Peak in rememberance of Mike’s dad and brother

Mike, Michelle, Angie, Gary, Trevor and Nicole

Trevor & Nicole

Michelle & Mike

Mike, Gary, and their mom, Angie

Angie with her sons, Mike and Gary, and her grandson, Trevor

In a small gift shop along the Pikes Peak Highway as we drove back down

The best Moonshine!!

Double rainbow in Colorado Springs

Dinner out with Quin & Brice

Dinner and drinks at the Lazy Dog

Brice & Quin at Lazy Dog

Quin & Brice with their car outside of Lazy Dog

Beautiful sunset in Colorado Springs

A visit with Nicole, Ryan and Ethan at their house

Grandma, Grandpa, and Ethan….he is having a slight meltdown!

Grandpa and Grandson

A view of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs

Historic Ivywild School where there are restaurants and Bristol Brewing Company.

Grizz sees us coming to visit!

Quin & Brice’s house. Before and after pictures of their front lawn and patio they put in themselves

Quin is in love with his new sod!!!

Quin grilled for us

Mom and Quin sitting on the bench that used to be Quin’s great-grandparents, Betty and Charlie Rabenstine’s from PA

Grizz & Neil (Big and Little!)

Quin out in front of their house

Grizz enjoying some water from Mike’s water mug!

Using Quin’s tools to check the tire pressure and fill them up!

Facetime with Megan and Garrett in Texas and Kirk in San Diego! Gotta love how technology can connect all of us at once!

Mike with his mom’s dog, Shadow, who loves a lot of attention

July 4th in Colorado Springs

July 4, 2022

Annual party at Quin and Brice’s house

Quin, Brice, Michelle, Mike

Quin and Brice’s 4th of July party at their house in the Ivywild area of Colorado Springs

US! 4th of July

Neil (Quin & Brice’s dog) getting some mac and cheese from Mike

Grizz (Quin & Brice’s other, much larger dog!) thinking he might get some food too!

Melissa, Brice’s mom hanging with the doggies

Grizz giving kisses!

Quin and his friend, Tanner Pressel

We have known Tanner since he as born 26 years ago! He recently moved near Quin from Pennsylvania.

Our 2nd party of the day….Our Great nephew Owen’s 3rd Birthday party

Owen opening his gift from us at his house in Colorado Springs

Trevor and Nicole trying to take pictures but the dogs kept getting in the way!

Mike always gives some lovin’ to Cooper, Cory and Allison’s dog

Grandpa Mike playing with Ethan while his daddy, Ryan, and Mommy, Nicole, watch

Charlotte and Owen having fun with sparklers while their dad, Cory supervises

Aunt Michelle and Charlotte watched the fireworks together

Mike comforted Cooper during the fireworks. We could see the Flying Horse fireworks show from Cory and Allison’s backyard

Owen got this really fun car for his birthday. He is taking his sister on a ride!

Ethan's 1st Birthday - Colorado

July 3, 2022

Ethan Michael Dozier is ONE!

Mommy and Daddy (Nicole and Ryan) and baby Ethan

Happy 1st Birthday Ethan!

Opening presents is fun!

Curious George Jack in the Box from Grandpa Mike and Grandma Michelle

Stuffed puppy from Uncle Trevor & Aunt Nicole

Great Grandma Angie, Great Uncle Gary, Great Aunt Lisa, Cory, Allison, and Ethan’s cousins Owen and Charlotte were also there to celebrate!

Owen

Nicole and Trevor and Owen

Great Uncle Mike and Great Aunt Michelle with Owen and Charlotte

Ethan loves his party hat!

Mommy and Daddy and Ethan

Time for Smash Cake!!

YUMMY!

Getting some help from his mommy!

Charlotte enjoying some cupcakes (or just the icing!)

Big cousin Charlotte showing Ethan how the Jack in the Box works

Cousins! Ethan, Owen, and Charlotte

Cousins Owen and Ethan share a birthday! 2 years apart on July 3rd!

Great Grandma playing with Ethan

Grandpa and grandson playtime

Cousins having fun together

Owen using Uncle Mike as stair steps!

Cory having fun with the kids

Grandpa & Ethan

The happy family on Ethan’s first birthday!

Buffalo National River Arkansas

June 25, 2022

Buffalo National Park

Annual Elk Festival in Jasper

Emma’s Junk store on main street in Jasper

Jasper, Arkansas

Apparently Jasper is home to the State Basketball Champs in 1960!

The Ozark Mountains

The Cliff House Inn

We had a delicious lunch and then the Company Comin’ Pie!

Arkansas Grand Canyon!

General Store in Ponca, Arkansas

Check out the sign on the door!

Cave City, Evening Shade & Batesville Arkansas

June 20, 2022

Cave City, Arkansas Home of the Sweetest Watermelons!

The cemetery where a lot of Perkeys are buried

Grave marker of John Robert Perkey

Mike thinking of his grandparents

Old town jail in Cave City

Local businesses with the Perkey name!

Watermelon farmers

Evening Shade Main Street

Gas station where Mike’s grandfather worked

There is a natural spring in here

Batesville, Arkansas

Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

June 16, 2022

Us at the Gateway Arch National Park

In the car that will take us to the top

Mike looking down from the top of the Arch

Brian at the top of the Arch

The Mississippi River

630 feet in the air!

The top of the Arch

St. Louis

Ken at the top

These are the doors to the pods you get in to ride to the top

Cool name of the restaurant we ate in

Branson, Missouri

June 14 -15, 2022

At Dick’s 5&10

Donna & Ken outside of Dick’s 5&10

Brian on the street corner in Branson

Michelle’s mom, Donna in Brian’s RV

Lunch at Picking Porch

Rick Thomas Magic Show

WonderWorks Museum

Mike proving his strength!

Brian & Michelle playing the giant piano

Mike trying out the Bed of Nails! He said it actually hurt!

Michelle’s celebrity look-a-likes at WonderWorks

Mike & Brian testing out some high voltage electricity!

Astronaut Ken

Speed competition at WonderWorks

Sight & Sound theater where we saw “Jesus”

Mike & Michelle with the Lion & the Lamb

Ken (Michelle’s dad)

Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner show

At Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Show

Our dinner we had to eat without utensils!

The Stampede

Bison!

Closing out the night at Dolly Parton’s Stampede

Harrison, Arkansas

June 13 - September 20, 2022 (Our home base for awhile)

Hot Springs, Arkansas

June 8 - 13, 2022

Our campsite: Hot Springs KOA

Hot Springs KOA

Mike’s always fixing something! Our blind fell off the wall!

Hot Springs is located in the Ouachita Forest

Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas

Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park

Bathhouse Row

One of the original bathhouses

Very historic!

Inside one of the bathhouses

Old gymnasium inside one of the bathhouses

We took a trolley tour of historic Hot Springs

Where President Bill Clinton went to High School

Old Army Hospital

View of the Ozark Mountains

Finally…..we see the Ozarks!

Fresh mountain water!

Our trolley stopped so we could fill up!

Natural hot springs

The water is very hot!

Mike feeling the hot water

Our lunch spot….Grateful Head Pizza

Restaurant is built into a hillside

The first bottled water company is from Hot Springs, Arkansas

History about the 1st Bottled water company

Cool parking garage built into the side of mountain

YUM!

Fun artwork!

Beautiful Ozarks

In Hot Springs National Park

It was Biker Fest in Hot Springs (ummm….it was pretty loud!)

Cool bike show that we got to see though!

Hot Springs Mountain Tower. We went up it (in an elevator!)

View of Hot Springs from the Mountain Tower

The Ozark Mountains!

Us at the top of the Mountain Tower

Veteran Memorial Park

Crystal Ridge Moonshine Distillery

We lucked upon this awesome place in Hot Springs!

Tour of the moonshine distilling process

Us after taste-testing about 15 flavors of moonshine! Haha!

Garvan Woodland Gardens designed by University of Arkansas

Beautiful Gardens

Glass Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs

Absolutely breath-taking! Anthony Chapel

Amazing botanical gardens in Hot Springs

Natural Amphitheater in Garvan Woodland Gardens

Beautiful!

It was HOT while we were there!

The Start of Our Adventure

May 12 - May 27, 2022

We sold our house in Colorado Springs on May 13, 2022

Our new truck and RV!

Official Moving Day!

We are ready to go!

Bye Pikes Peak! See ya next time!

Our first Diesel Stop – OH MY!

Our first meal in the RV

First repair only 100 miles from the start of the trip!

Inside our new home!

Texas Photos

May 27 - June 8, 2022

Redbud RV Resort in Hutto, TX

Family Picnic at the campground!

All set up in Hutto TX!

Texas is not complete without a stop at Buc-ees Gas Station!

Here’s our buddy Bucee!

This is our stuffed Bucee!! He is our “Mascot!”

It’s a gas station/rest stop on steroids! These are only 1/3rd of the gas pumps!

Megan and Garrett in their house in Hutto, TX

Megan and Garrett’s house, Hutto TX

Troyanne and Jimmy gave us these awesome shirts! (Garrett’s grandparents)

You can adopt a Hippo in Hutto! (They are everywhere! It’s the school mascot.)

Downtown Austin. Colorado River

Family dinner at County Line BBQ in Austin, TX

Wedding Prep! 3 Generation Manicures! Mom (Michelle), Daughter (Megan), Nana (Donna)

Pedicure Time! Amanda, Megan, Michelle, Nicole

Welcome BBQ! Celebrating Megan and Garrett!

The Welcome BBQ at Hutto Pavillion. Siblings & Significant Others: Kirk & Karisma, Quin & Brice, Megan & Garrett

Catered by Pok-e Joe’s Smokehouse. Mike & his brother Gary getting some chow!

Michelle’s friends came to celebrate Megan who they have known since she was born!

The Perkey Family came a big distance to celebrate with Megan and Garrett

Garrett and some of his family

Garrett, Megan, Cheyenne (Garrett’s sister) and Alec (Cheyenne’s husband and Garrett’s best man)

Michelle Friends: Amy, Jen, and Shari

The Malm kids and significant others: Kirk & Karisma, Megan & Garrett, Quin & Brice

Michelle with Garrett, Quin and Kirk

Of course….Texas shaped waffles!

The day after the wedding at Torchy’s Tacos. The happy newlyweds!

Amanda, Kirk, Karisma

Megan and her grandparents, Ken and Donna

Garrett and Megan saying goodbye to Amanda before she headed back to Washington.

Amy and Kevin having tacos with us before heading back to North Carolina.

Kirk and Karisma

The Malm Family

Amazing Friends!

Megan and her half sister, Emma

Shari, Michelle, Megan, Jen, and Amy

Garrett and Megan with Emma

Dinosaurs growling!!

Garrett, Emma, Megan, Kirk, Karisma, and Uncle Brian

Texas State Capitol

Looking up into the dome

Looking down to the veranda

Mom and Kirk in the capitol

US! (In the TX Capitol)

Inside the TX Capitol

In the Capitol of Texas

Shari and Chuck at the Museum of the Weird

Kirk and Karisma held captive by King Kong in the Museum of the Weird!

Kirk at the Museum of the Weird

Shari and Michelle being silly with King Kong!

Michelle’s parents rode in her brother Brian’s new RV to Texas and then continued on for 2 more weeks! Brian was the driver and tour guide!

Brian and Michelle’s mom in Brian’s RV.

Family and friends at The Texan!

Saying goodbye to Nana and Pakey after a great wedding week!

Megan putting away wedding decorations

Megan, Garrett and their baby Flora

Packed up and ready to leave Texas

An awesome time in Texas for the wedding!

Megan and Garrett Wedding Photos

Dripping Springs, Texas - June 5, 2022