Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
POSTSCRIPT “TO A TRAFFIC JAM”…
So it’s been a whole year…. Three hundred sixty five days on the road and that translates to: 17,889 miles, 1,255 gallons of diesel, (for those inquiring minds, that’s 14.25 mpg at an average of $4.21 per gallon), four oil changes, one fuel filter, one set of windshield wipers, one set of tires and shocks, forty gallons of propane, eleven states, thirty-nine RV parks, four hotels, seventeen national parks/monuments, over 25,000 photos (gotta love digital technology) sixty museums, three submarines, one aircraft carrier, three fish hatcheries, thirty five restaurant reviews, countless bottles of wine, beer, ales, port, vodka, rum, scotch, rye, cognac, absinth, assorted liqueurs, and a large bottle of Advil.
But these stats only tell part of the story…
Over the past twelve months we have had the privilege to meet and interact with an amazing variety of people. In the eleven western states we met local residents and travelers from all over the world. They shared with us the wonder of the landscapes, the energy of the cities and the quiet of the countryside. But more important they gave us part of themselves with their travel stories, family anecdotes, clever jokes, tales of the economy, and general discussions about… well just about anything. We had adult conversations and some not so adult exchanges. (FYI we’re talking adolescent humor here, usually fueled by the list-o-libations above, not serious altercations.
Speaking of the economy. (And this is purely
subjective and anecdotal.) The signs of the past recession are everywhere. Small businesses closed and a high percentage
of For Sale signs in the downtowns while across town the Wal-Mart parking lot
is packed. Businesses offering multiple unrelated services from one location
like Haircuts and Home Alarm Security Services, Hardware and Mini-Mart
etc… Half finished upscale housing
developments and Price Reduced banners slapped on residential For Sale signs.
But there are also the dreamers, the entrepreneurs opening new businesses, expanding
successful companies and revitalizing old establishments. This speaks of the resiliency of the American
people.
We have gained a better understanding of our Nation’s
history and the ancient civilizations that preceded us; and how this fits into
the history of our planet. The
Geological time line is clearer in our minds and we have witnessed the power of
nature. All in all it’s been a pretty
good year.
And to set the record straight: Dave and Dimples are still in love and so are
Chris and Karen… yeah it’s been a really good year!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
MONKEY HEAD IN BEND…
After an uneventful drive north to Bend, Oregon we land at
the Crown Villa RV Resort. The spaces here are huge and level with beautiful lawns
surrounding the sites. Wi-Fi is great
and we can continue researching everything we need to know for our upcoming
Alaska adventure.
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| Monkey Rock |
Downtown we discover Navidi Oils, a wonderful shop selling gourmet olive oils and vinegars. They
offer fused extra virgin olive oils, which are created when herbs or fruits are
pressed with the olives. (As opposed to
infused oils where the flavor is added after pressing.) The flavors are amazing and we stock up on an
assortment of 2 ounce bottles of oils and balsamic vinegars for the reasonable
price of $5 each. We also stop at A Good Drop Wine Shop and procure a couple of bottles of local Pinot Noir.
The weather here is typical for Oregon. (Translation: RAIN…
everyday…) It’s a good excuse to catch a couple of movies at the local
Cineplex. Both Iron Man 3 and Star Trek into Darkness are fun and stay true to
the franchises. Shopping is also a good rainy day activity and we pick up some
smaller sized clothes at the local outlet center and a couple of ThermaCELL personal mosquito repellant devices from the Sportsman’s Warehouse. Since there are no mosquitos currently
hovering around our heads we’ll have to get back to you as to their
performance, but we’re pretty sure these will be invaluable in Alaska, where
mosquitos are reported to be the size of small poodles LOL.
 |
| Crooked River Smith Rock |
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| Rock Climber Smith Rock |
Between thundershowers we head over to Smith Rock State Park for a little hiking and photos. We hike
along the Crooked River teaming with waterfowl to our left and athletic climbers
inching up the shear rock walls to our right.
As the trail begins to climb up Misery Ridge (aptly named) to the Summit
of the rock we see the famous Monkey Rock from Planet of the Apes. It feels
good to be out and using some of the muscles that have been resting through the
winter.
We really love this area and the town of Bend, but we have a
date in early June with the Ferry in Bellingham so we need to move on…
k
Saturday, May 11, 2013
RENO, REDDING AND ROCKS (MOLTEN ROCKS)…
Working our way North, we stop at The Topaz Lodge Resort andCasino. They have a small RV Park here and it’s a perfect spot for
an overnight stay. The next morning we
head on to Reno. Here we stay at the
Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. (Hmmm we seem to be setting a trend here… but hey, it’s
Nevada and we all know what Nevada is famous for LOL.)
We spend time with our ever-gracious local relatives and get a surprise
visit from a cousin from the Chicago area who arrives in Reno for business. We all enjoy the Atlantis Casino
Toucan-Charlie’s Friday Seafood Buffet, which is touted as the best in the area. (We whole-heartedly
agree with this!) After a few days in
the Biggest Little City in the World, we head westward back to Northern
California.
 |
| Cow Creek |
In Palo Cedro, we have a lovely grass site under the
towering oaks a few hundred yards from Cow Creek. This park is so exclusive that, well… you
have to be us to stay here. Thanks
Auntie J & Uncle G for a wonderful visit!
 |
| Kool April Nites Parade |
Although most of our time is spent visiting with family we
do get out a bit. We venture to nearby
Redding for the “Kool April Nites” classic car parade and go back the next morning for the
pancake breakfast and car show. Chris
also takes advantage of the time to make a few repairs & improvements to
Dimples so she’s road ready for Alaska.
One highlight of our stay is the purchase of 2 Bio-Mats. We first learned about these devices when Chris had a massage
back in Arco, ID last summer. And low and
behold Uncle G has one that he generously offers to let us tryout. After a few days of enjoying the therapeutic
effects and fighting over who gets to sleep on it, we bit the bullet and bought
one for each of us. Since installing
them on our bed, we both sleep better, and wake feeling really refreshed and
definitely more limber. We enjoy these
so much that I have signed up to be a distributor. So if you are interested in the Bio-Mat or want to learn more about it, drop
me a line ;^)
After over three weeks of family fun we need to get back on
the road before we overstay our welcome.
Our first stop on the northward trek is the Lava BedsNational Monument. The Campground is pretty empty and we find a nice spot with
views of the surrounding mountains.
We’ve been to this park a few times in the past and it’s nice to see the
improved visitor and nature center.
 |
| Petroglyphs Lava Bes N.M. |
Our first outing is to the petroglyphs. These are much older (4,500 to 2,500 years
old) and definitely more primitive than the petroglyphs in Vernal, Hovenweep
and Chaco Canyon. It’s interesting to compare them although we have no idea
what any of them represent.
 |
| Tule Lake |
We drive around Tule Lake checking out the variety of
waterfowl. In some places the air is thick with clouds of mosquitos. (Might be
nature’s way to prepare us for Alaska this summer?)
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| Medicine Flag Captain Jack's Stronghold |
Captain Jack’s Stronghold is the most historically thought-provoking area in
the park. As we walk The Stronghold Trail
through the rough lava, it is easy to see how fewer than sixty Modoc Warriors
held off the 20 times larger and technologically superior force of the U.S.
Army with for nearly five months. But there is no happy ending to this tale.
Here the cultural identity of an entire people was lost… so settlers could
graze a few cows.
 |
| Icicles Heppe Ice Cave |
The weather has been sketchy with heavy thundershowers every
afternoon. A trip to the lava beds is not complete without a bit of spelunking
and down under we can escape the rain, so into the depths we venture. The Heppe Ice Cave is adorned with ice
crystals and icicles. In Merrill Cave our hands stick to the metal rails as we
descend to the bottom that used to be covered with a small frozen pond. We also
stop and hike up to the rim of the Mammoth Crater.
At the end of our third day here we return to camp to find
that 40 eighth graders and their 20 chaperones have invaded us!
It’s time to get back on the road… Next Stop… Bend, Oregon…
k
Friday, May 10, 2013
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