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2026 West Coast Loop

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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
GPS Adventures: Now Featuring Downtown St. Louis
June 7 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F
Aside from one “creative” missed exit that sent us exactly where we didn’t intend to go, we eventually found ourselves right in downtown St. Louis. Of course, there was a big game at the stadium, so our GPS kindly routed us alongside all the game-day traffic. Surprisingly, it was more entertaining than stressful, and we made it safely to DraftKings RV Park.Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Dry Skies & Bumpy Roads
June 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
We left Nashville after a slow, easy morning and headed northwest. The forecast called for scattered showers, but somehow we managed to thread the needle and stayed completely dry all day.

That said, we made up for the lack of rain with an abundance of road construction. Let’s just say the interstate provided plenty of “character building” in the form of bumps, lane shifts, and surprise pavement changes—so no rain, but definitely no shortage of adventure either.Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🏓 Pickleball + Laughs + Açaí = Perfect Day 🏓
June 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F
Jake and I met up with Dylan and Chris for some fast-paced pickleball action… and a whole lot of laughs! 🤣😂🤣

Chris showed up wearing his new birthday tee that says: “I’m this many pickleballs” with 70 pickleballs printed on it. I told him he’s now officially qualified to help his grandkids learn to count. 😄

After all the action on the courts, I grabbed one of our favorite post-play treats from Açaí Addiction… YUM!!!! 🍓🥥🔥

Good friends, good rallies, and a very “educational” t-shirt = pretty great day! 🏓💛Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🚵 Lock 4 Ride 🚵
June 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
While Jake and I hit the pickleball courts, Don hit the trails!

It’s been a long time since he’s ridden at Lock 4, and he was pleasantly surprised to see how much the trail system has grown. The trail builders have clearly been busy—there were so many new lines on the west side that he hardly recognized parts of it.

It’s always great to return to a favorite spot and find that it’s not only being maintained but continues to evolve and improve.

Looks like everyone found their happy place today! 🏓🚵😁Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🎶 CMA Fest – Night Concert 🎶
June 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
After a great meal at Lagniappe, we headed downtown for the CMA evening concert—and what a lineup it was!

We got to see artists including Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Shaboozey, and many more. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, we ran into John and Christy, who just happened to be seated a few rows away from us. What are the odds?!

We were also so glad Jake was able to join us for the evening and share the experience. Great music is even better when you get to enjoy it with family.

A little bittersweet moment, too. This will be the last concert Don and I attend in the current stadium. By the time we’re back for CMA Fest again, it will have been torn down to make way for the new stadium that’s already under construction.

🎤 Night’s Lineup:
• Jo Dee Messina
• Blake Shelton
• Scoot Teasley
• Shaboozey
• Maggie Antone
• The Red Clay Strays
• The Band Perry
• Keith Urban
• Cody Johnson

Another fantastic night of music, memories, family, and surprises in Nashville! 🤠🎶❤️Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🌶️ Finally Tried It! 🌶️
June 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
We grabbed Jake and headed to dinner at a place we’ve wanted to try for years. Lagniappe Bayou Kitchen (pronounced lan-yap) is only about a half mile from our RV park in Goodlettsville, but somehow we’d never stopped.

This low-key hole-in-the-wall was absolutely worth the wait!

Jake had the blackened salmon with Gouda mac & cheese, Don enjoyed the chicken & andouille sausage gumbo, and I had the BBQ brisket tacos. Everything was fantastic. Great Cajun food and definitely worth a stop if you’re passing through the area.

And for today’s bonus photo…

Irritated… 😾

Someone is officially done with RV life and ready to go back homeRead more
TravelerI LOVE Lagniappe, especially their gouda mac and cheese and bread pudding (I haven't eaten there in the 3 years I have been tracking my daily macros of carbs, fats, and protein, though! It might have to remain a part of my personal history!).
6/13/26Reply
TravelerJake had the Mac & Cheese and it was delish! Glad you had an opportunity to try it! 💕
6/13/26Reply
TravelerPoor Jack!!!
6/13/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
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CMA’s
June 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
What a way to kick off CMA Fest!

We spent the afternoon soaking up all the music, energy, and excitement downtown Nashville. One of the highlights was getting into Ole Red and catching several artists perform. Then came the announcement of a “surprise artist” … and let’s just say the crowd went wild when it turned out to be Jason Aldean! Seeing him perform up close was pretty amazing!

After that, we joined the sea of cowboy boots and country music fans wandering through downtown before making our way to the waterfront. We wrapped up the day listening to some of country music’s top up-and-coming artists with the Nashville skyline as our backdrop.Read more
Traveler Looks like he’s saying, “Hi Walkers!” 🤣😂
6/14/26Reply
TravelerSo fun!!
6/14/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🏓 Full Circle Moment 🏓
June 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
After being introduced to pickleball by my good friend Deanna in January 2020, I was instantly hooked! By May, I had introduced a couple of ladies to the sport, and later that November, I became a certified instructor.

My little group of two grew to 8, then 16, and before I knew it, there were more than 150 players in the group before I stepped away in September 2022.

While in the Nashville area, Deanna invited me to join her and several other players at a nearby church for some games. Several former players came out, along with a few friends from the civic center I used to play with and some new faces I hadn’t met before.

It was such a joy to reconnect, share the court again, and see so many people still playing and loving the game years later.

Sometimes you don’t realize the impact of something you’ve started until you come back and see it still thriving. My heart is full. ❤️🏓Read more
TravelerWhat a great legacy you created!
6/13/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
From the Bike Shop to a Lakeside Evening
June 3 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
An Evening with the Blossers

We ran into Mike at the bike shop a few days earlier and decided it was time to reconnect with him and Kendall. We enjoyed a relaxed happy hour on the patio, catching up over drinks, followed by a lovely dinner at the club. The evening wrapped up with a nightcap overlooking the lake—simple, easy, and just right.

(We were so busy living in the moment that we totally forgot to take very many photos!) 😊Read more
TravelerThat food looks amazing!!
6/10/26Reply
TravelerIt was delish!!!
6/13/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Pickleball, Sunshine & Smiles 🏓 ☀️ 😊
June 3 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
Sometimes all you need is sunshine, pickleball, and great company. Thanks to everyone who joined us today at Peay Park—what a fantastic time! ☀️🏓😊

Don and Jake arrived fashionably late, just in time to miss all photographic evidence and avoid any responsibility for how competitive things got. 😂🤣😂Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Bike ride time! 🚴🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️
June 2 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
A quick stop at Biker’s Choice for a few more modifications for Beth—new tires and a new seat!

With the upgrades complete, we headed out with Jake for a test ride on the Hendersonville Greenways.

Perfect weather, smooth trails, great company, and 15 miles in the books. I’d call that a successful test ride! 😊🚴☀️Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Jeep Window Repair
June 2 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
We replaced the windshield just a few months ago before leaving Florida, and it cracked during the first leg of our trip. A quick repair, and we’re good to go!

🤞 No more issues for the rest of the trip! 🤞🚙💨Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Pre-CMA Fun - Music, Margaritas & Midtown 🎶🍹
June 1 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
We joined Cody and Andrea in Midtown to enjoy some of the live music leading up to the CMA Awards. After strolling around the area, we had a delicious dinner at Nacho Daddy—the nachos were outstanding, and the margarita flight was a fun treat!

We then headed to Losers for an incredible night of music featuring Riley Green, Rhett Akins, and Cassidy Daniels (“Heart-Shaped Necklace” from Dutton Ranch). The energy and atmosphere were fantastic.

Losers tends to draw a younger crowd, so I had to laugh when a young woman came up to me and said, “You are so adorable… cute as a button!” 😂 I’ll happily take that compliment!

As we were leaving, we spotted one of Nashville’s new Waymo self-driving cars picking up passengers and cruising down the street. After seeing all the “Waymo fail” videos online, it was fun to see one in action!Read more
TravelerAlways a blast with y’all! 🩷
6/14/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Dinner by Chef Doug & Exciting News
May 31 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F
Chef Doug outdid himself once again! We enjoyed a wonderful evening with the Praskach family, featuring pork porchetta, a fennel and blood orange salad, and a chilled crab and corn velouté.

The soup was completely different from anything we’d had before—served cold, yet sweet, rich, and incredibly flavorful. Every dish was delicious.

We wrapped up the night with a few games of Swoop, plenty of laughs, and another great memory made with good friends. ❤️Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Bourbon, Burgers & Swoop!
May 30 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F
Did someone say bourbon… er, I mean grill out?!? 😆🥃🍔

Enjoyed a great evening at the Ivies' place with the Stilwells and Jake. The night began with a highly scientific bourbon-tasting session amongst the men, during which they carefully evaluated a variety of samples and reached the unanimous conclusion that bourbon is, in fact, quite good.

From there, we moved on to the cookout, where any reasonable limits on hot dog and burger consumption were promptly ignored. An impressive assortment of sides only added to the excess, ensuring that everyone left the table questioning their life choices and waistband elasticity.

To cap off the evening, we introduced the group to Swoop!. What started as a simple card game quickly evolved into spirited competition, questionable strategy, and enough laughter to make it a perfect ending to a fantastic night.

Our only mistake of the evening? We somehow failed to take a single group photo. With all the food, bourbon, and fun, not one person thought to document the occasion. An absolute epic fail and a missed opportunity to preserve evidence of the night's shenanigans!Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🎉Celebrating Delaina!🎉
May 29 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 77 °F
Double Dogs with the Thompsons to celebrate Delaina’s birthday! 💐🍾💐

After dinner, we headed back to their house for some virtual golf and plenty of laughs. One of the evening’s highlights was checking out the hummingbird feeder camera, which captured what appeared to be the world’s largest and strangest hummingbird. 🤔😂

Great food, great friends, and a wonderful way to celebrate Delaina’s special day!💞Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
⛳️Three Courses, A Challenge Hole, & Lots of Laugh
May 28 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F
This afternoon was all about quality family time as we checked out a fun new activity: PopStroke Golf! ⛳️🏌️🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️⛳️

We had an absolute blast playing all three 18-hole courses—one outdoor round and two indoor rounds. They also had plenty of other activities, including table tennis, Jenga, foosball, shuffleboard, live music, a restaurant, and an ice cream shop. We enjoyed a great lunch, drinks, and even some ice cream! The food and drinks (especially the coconut margarita!) were amazing.

To make things even more exciting, we all got a hole-in-one—and Jake got two! 🎉⛳

Don won two rounds, and Jake and I tied for first in another, which meant heading to the “Challenge Hole” to determine the champion of that round. Guess who won that one? 🤔🏆

Overall, it was a fantastic day filled with fun, laughter, a little friendly family competition, and GREAT memories together. 💕

End of the day BONUS photo: Jack’s face when he realizes Jake isn’t going anywhere anytime soon!Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🏓 Nashville Pickleball Shout-Out 🏓
May 28 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F
One of the highlights of my time in Nashville was getting to play pickleball with a great group of ladies at Pickleball Kingdom on May 26, May 28, and June 2.

Not many photos were captured, but I had an absolute blast on the courts. These ladies were competitive, welcoming, and a whole lot of fun to play with. I hope our paths cross again the next time I’m in town!

A shout-out to Tamara R., Darolyn P., Rusti Q., Carol W., Jenny M., Jennifer B., Jennifer M., Jennifer L., Sherrie W., Sara R., Virginia E., Rochelle M., Macey C., Tara F., and Nelly C. Thanks for the games! 😊🏓

Action shots courtesy of Darolyn. Thanks for making it look like I knew what I was doing out there! 😄📸🏓Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🍽️ Dinner, Dessert & Defeat 🍰♠️
May 27 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F
🎂 Late Birthday Celebration for Jake — Better Late Than Never! 🎉

We gathered at Jake’s and somehow managed to pull off a delicious salmon dinner with Caesar salad, broccoli, and rice. For a brief moment, it actually looked like we knew what we were doing in the kitchen—and it was delicious!

After dinner came ice cream cake, some thoughtful gifts, and then a game of 5-Crowns.

Jake absolutely dominated the game and claimed the victory, while Don proudly brought up the rear with a score so impressive it probably deserves a trophy of its own. 😂🏆Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
The Face You Make When Jake Shows Up 😂
May 25 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F
Jake and Jack reconnect … & Jack was absolutely over the moon! NOT! 🤣😂🤣
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Grand Ole RV Resort
May 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
Not in our usual spot this time—too much rain in the forecast and we don’t want to float away! 😝

Once settled, we met Jake and his friends @ Dos Margaritas Bar & Grill. 🌮
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
⛈️ Not-So-Smooth in Chat ⛈️
May 24 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 73 °F
Hit by the 🌧️⛈️🌧️ in Chattanooga … got us! 🌧️😅

Then a trucker nearly did too on the descent of The Monteagle grade on the southern edge of the Cumberland Plateau!
TravelerYikes! Glad you made it safely!
5/27/26Reply
Traveler💕
5/27/26Reply
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
🌈 Smooth Sailing 🌈
May 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F
If you’ve ever driven through Atlanta, you know this was practically a miracle! 😝
No storms. No backups. No chaos.
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
No Cookies. No Pizza. No Warning. 😂
May 23 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 82 °F
Tonight’s stop: L & D RV Park in Forsyth, GA — our halfway point between FL & TN.

After all these years, Don switched us from our usual KOA stop … and I didn’t even find out until we were almost there! 😂

So no cookies, no pizza, and honestly, it’s not any easier getting in or out either. Apparently he’s very committed to helping me watch my waistline. 🤣

Jack looked out the window when we arrived like, “Ummm … where’s the lanai?” 😹
His second look said, “Not 5 months of this again…” 😂Read more
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2026 West Coast Loop Traveler
Dark Clouds and High Winds 💨
May 23 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 77 °F
One more storm before we land for the night. ⛈️
High winds, sideways rain, and a reminder that hydroplaning is not an Olympic sport!
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