Our last post: 5/1-5/15 “Happy Trails to you!”

 

 Buddy discovers smores! We enjoyed the first campfire of this trip on 5/14 at Lake Siskiyou–just outside of the city of Mt. Shasta in northern California. 

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Well, honestly, it’s hard to keep up this blogging while you’re traveling. We have been having a great time seeing new places and visiting with family. There have been plenty of things I could write about and photos to share on this blog, but I’ve just been having a good time living the life day to day. This will be our last post. We’ll probably be home by May 25.

Since Las Cruces (NM), we have been to Tucson (AZ), Surprise (AZ), Palm Springs (CA), Escondido (CA),  Simi Valley (CA), and Lake Siskiyou (CA).  In Tucson we visited with Randy’s cousin and his wife. Sure enjoyed that. In Escondido we saw Marsha’s brother Jim and wife Laura. Sure enjoyed that. In Simi Valley, we hung out with Marsha’s sister Gail and husband Dan.Sure enjoyed that. We also went to the Ronald Reagan Library and boarded a retired Air Force One. Enjoyed that, too!

As I write this, it’s about 70 degrees in northern California at Lake Siskiyou. I’m sitting outside at a picnic table under 100-foot high pine trees. Several deer roam the park and a little black and white woodpecker clings to the outdoor faucet occasionally, in search of random water droplets. 

Temperatures ranged in the 90s and low 100s in Tucson, Surprise, and Palm Springs. We cooled off in swimming pools when we could. I’ve gotten some color and am enjoying the SUNSHINE on my soul.

We had originally planned to go through the San Francisco/Sacramento area to visit with more family, but after driving some of the CA freeways we decided against this. We really don’t do freeways very well with our truck/trailer combo. We also were thinking we’d go home via the Pacific Coast in northern Calif and Oregon, but changed plans and opted to stay in the sunshine. We’ll be going through Bend OR on our way home. We’ll be surprised, I’m sure, at how it’s changed since we lived there in the early 1980s.

There’s SO much to see out here!    

No, it’s not a wild pig. It just looks like one. It’s a javelina (“hav-uh-LEEN-uh”). It grunts like a pig and lives in small herds. This one we saw at the Tucson desert museum and zoo, a great facility.  Randy’s cousin said wild javelinas come down from the mountainsides and into neighbors’  landscaped yards. They root-up any plants they want.     

Here's another desert critter--a roadrunner. This one darted across a par 3 golf course we played in Palm Springs. Also there was a family of ducks--mama and 8 young ones, just as comfy and confident as could be as they waddled across the green and across the cart path...

 

 

 

RV parks often include the word "resort" in their title. Many shouldn't. This one definitely earns the right! This RV resort in Palm Springs was the most expensive ($60/night) of the many places we've stayed, but it was an oasis in 100 degree heat. Our waterfront spot had beautiful views of palms, mountains, abundant flowers, and chemically-enhanced greens. We lounged at the pool, played the par-3 course, rode bikes, ate well, read books, and schemed how we could get back here next winter!

 

Randy golfs at Palm Springs RV "resort". Okay, it was only a par 3 course, but he was a good sport about it. I, personally, liked it!

 

Escondido hosts "Cruisin' Grand" every Friday night for many months of the year. Folks come from far and wide to show their classic cars and cruise Grand Avenue. Here I am with my brother, Jim Wynn, who lives in Escondido. We cruised Grand and talked about cars our folks had. Our dad loved classic cars and had a few over the years.

 

At Cruisin' Grand in Escondido, this '57 (?) Ford station wagon was outfitted to bring back memories! Randy and I reminisced about car rides with our families in station wagons... My family even went cross-country in a wagon with 5 kids AND grandma, but that's ANOTHER story...

Here's the view from the shoreline of Lake Siskiyou. That's Mt. Shasta in all her glory!

The campground at Lake Siskiyou is terrific. Truly. It's just that they feel strongly about no pets at the beach....

 

As Roy and Dale (Evans) Rogers used to sing, "Happy trails to you---'til we meet again!"

Thanks for your interest in our travel blog….. Marsha

 

4/26-4/30: Las Cruces and White Sands National Monument (New Mexico)

 

South of Albuquerque--on the way to Las Cruces--is Elephant Butte State Park. A large lake attracts fun-seekers from all over. We got one of the last campsites there and paid $14 for a roomy spot with electricity. Just beyond our picnic table was an expanse of desert where three cottontail rabbits and ten Gambel's quail poked the sand in search of evening food. Here, I caught three of the critters on camera.

 White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

About 50 miles northeast of Las Cruces are approximately 300 square miles of  white sand dunes. Yes, there are other places where white sand is found, but this sand is rare. It doesn’t contain quartz, as most sand does. It is pure gypsum, a mineral found in the surrounding mountains. Gypsum is used to make the building material sheet rock (gypsum board). The mineral is water soluble and decomposes when water touches it. The gypsum of this area becomes “trapped” in the Tularosa Basin at the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert. Very little rain falls here. Wind blows. The gypsum begins to break down with rain, but the wind blows it all about until it is the consistency of sand. Huge dunes are everywhere in this region. 

 

The dunes are constantly changing because of the wind. The only plants that can survive in this harsh habitat are ones that grow quickly enough not to be buried. Most of the animals are nocturnal. As we drove the 16-mile loop (with air conditioner on), our eyes hurt from the glare of the sun on white sand.

 

This ISN'T a parking lot at Snoqualmie Pass. These AREN'T snow sledders. They're young people out to get a tan (or burn) and sled down the dunes on plastic saucers!

 Las Cruces

 

We really liked the Las Cruces area and learned quite a bit about the many crops that are grown here: alfalfa, cotton, chiles, pecans, and more. Here, a pecan orchard is being flooded in order to irrigate it. We hadn't seen this technique of irrigating before so we asked about it and took this shot. We also came upon a school football field that had been intentionally flooded...

 

What a treat for us to reconnect with friends from years ago! We met Jerry and Barb 20 or more years ago. They owned/operated an insurance claims adjusting business in Las Cruces and Randy co-owned/operated one in the Pacific Northwest. For a few years we saw one another at national conventions. Then we lost touch. We weren't sure they were still in the Las Cruces area and we hadn't done any checking before we left home. When we got into town, we did some research and sure enough; they lived there still and they were home! We did some serious catching up over a few days. Barb fixed the most delicious Mexican food we've eaten. Jerry coached us on the agriculture of Las Cruces. We learned much about chiles and pecans. He nurtures a big vegetable garden that includes chiles, and they have several acres of pecan trees. They showed us around Las Cruces and the area. What a treat!

One place Jerry and Barb took us to was Chope’s…

Just outside of Las Cruces, along the Rio Grande River, are many small towns and many large parcels of land where crops of all kinds are being grown. One town, La Mesa, is known for its popular hang-out and eatery, "Chope's." We ate some pretty terrific Mexican food here.

Sign on the wall at Chope’s:

LOST DOG–3 legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, tail broken, answers to the name of Lucky.

 

That’s all for now.  On to Tucson, Phoenix,  and vicinity.   Happy Trails to you…….Marsha

4/21-4/25: Santa Fe, Tent Rocks, The Turquoise Trail (New Mexico)

Upon leaving  ”The Rally” and Albuquerque, we drove to New Mexico’s capitol, Santa Fe. Did you know Santa Fe is the oldest state capitol in North America? We didn’t either. It was founded in 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta. This area is rich in history. Traders and settlers from Missouri poured into the area in the early 1800s–by way of the Santa Fe Trail.

There were many RV parks in the area and the one we stayed in turned out to be just right for our tastes–not all concrete, big enough spaces, quiet, reasonably priced, and conveniently located. It had been a “trailer park” originally, and now is part mobile home park and part RV park. We were on a city bus line and took the bus into Santa Fe for $1–all day pass. Such a deal! We walked the city all day and went into the State Capitol building, many art galleries, several churches, and a few museums. It was a long day, but well worth our time!

The streets of Santa Fe are lined with art galleries and shops of all types. Tucked back in a cul de sac is a delight to the eyes, a "garden" of lifelike sculptures. There must be 60-100. This sculpture of a Native American dancer is life-sized and stands at the entrance to the garden.

 

Once inside the garden, sculptures of children are everywhere. Such detail!

 

Sculptures--children playing in sandbox

 

This one's fun! The experienced fisherman at left hasn't caught a one, even though he's got lots of equipment. The young fella alongside him has several fish on a string and another one on the line!

While in the Santa Fe area we took a side trip to see Tent Rocks National Monument. We’ve been to enough of our national monuments to know they are often “diamonds in the rough.” Often the drive TOWARD them is nondescript. You drive and drive and wonder, “What could be so unique to cause the government to preserve this area?” Then you make the final turn, or reach the crest of a hill and see what all the fuss is about.

In this case, Tent Rocks came into view after driving many miles off the highway, paying a few dollars at a lonesome pay station, then driving about 10 miles on a washboard road. We couldn’t drive faster than 5 mph in places. The fastest we traveled on this road was 15 mph. It took a lot of time and much jarring to get to the place we could begin to see these special rock formations. It was a hot day. We had water and we were planning to do some hiking to get better views.

See for yourself….. This country has some beautiful natural wonders to explore…

We took the longer, steeper trail that went through rock fissures and required we climb up, up, up.

 

 

The top of the trail: a 360 degree view of the vast lands around.

 

From a high vantage point we looked down on the tent-like rock formations.

 

 

 

 

Randy stopped along the trail, looked up, and this is what he saw...

 

Buddy "experiences" cactus at the beginning of the trail--Tent Rocks National Monument.

 

After visiting Santa Fe and vicinity, we headed south down “The Turquoise Trail” –back toward Albuquerque. From there our destination was further south to Las Cruces, NM, to see what that area has to offer. The Turquoise Trail is the name given to the road that winds through mountain regions between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Many mining towns once bustled here.

 

Cerillos ("ser-ee'-yohs") NM once boomed. Green turquoise is mined here still, although the town has only a few businesses and not many residents. This business is a petting zoo, mining museum, and trading post--all in one.

 

In the museum portion of the building was this diorama, depicting prehistoric inhabitants doing some mining. .... (Yet another use for "Ken" dolls. I wonder what they used the Barbies for...)

 

That’s all for now. Happy Trails to you…… Marsha

What IS an RV “rally” anyway? Why do people go to these?

We found some answers to these questions from Wed., 4/15 through Mon. 4/20 in Albuquerque, NM.  A “rally” is a gathering of people who like to RV. Rallies come in many shapes and sizes.  A group chooses a desirable location and plans some activities, then invites others to attend. This one, sponsored by the RV club Good Sam, is one of the largest.  We learned about it in a travel magazine. We don’t very often choose to go to events that attract huge crowds, but we did this time. We were itching to get on the road and we were oh-so-tired of the cold and dark of the Puget Sound. Since we’d never been to Albuquerque (and it’s usually SUNNY there), we made our plans.

  For one fee we camped for 6 nights—along with 2,500 other RV rigs and about 5,500 people—in the city’s huge Balloon Fiesta Park. It’s named this because each October  thousands of people gather here for 10 days of events that have to do with hot air ballooning. Organizers of this rally did plan some activities that had to do with hot air ballooning…

 

Although the weather was COLD with sleet and snow on Friday, things began to warm up on Sat. and Sat. eve about 6 hot air ballons put on a show for us. Our rig was parked about a football field's length from this "balloon glow."

 

Early Sunday morning, several hot air balloons took paying passengers for short rides. This one is landing just down the row from us. (We didn't choose to take such a "side trip." Maybe another time...

Before we left home, we tried to envision what such a gathering would be like. We  liked the idea that we could walk to hear live entertainment each evening, be in a golf tournament together, attend a few seminars about travel, and take side trips to discover some recommended sights. We were skeptical about the close-in “camping” in a big park—for days. Yes, we’d have electricity (organizers had arranged for quiet generators), but we’d need to come with our water tank full. We knew there would be a crowd, but we had no idea how many rigs of so many configurations there could be. We wondered if we’d meet some interesting people we’d like to keep in touch with….

 

A few classic "trailers" (not "recreational vehicles") were on display at the rally.

 

 

ASSESSMENTS–In a nutshell:

Entertainment—Held in a big, permanent-type tent structure.

1)    Neil Sedaka,(“Breakin’ Up Is Hard to Do” , “Calendar Girl” , etc.) was very good. Good voice still and works the crowd. Well rehearsed show w/good band and female singer. Included video to add variety. Audience sang along often,

2)    Rita Coolidge ( I think her claim to fame is that she was an item with Kris Kristopherson for awhile. She has written/sung songs on her own also.) Disappointing. We left after 3 songs.

3)    Osmond Brothers (3 of them—no Donny, no Marie). We’re not fans so we chose not to go.

4)    Papa Doo Run Run—group of 6 guys that have been a band since early 60s. Had one hit of their own (“Be True to Your School”) and play covers of Beach Boys, Beatles, Roy Orbision, etc. They were entertaining. many clapping and singing along.

 

Seminars and Vendor Displays—

Not too many of the seminars interested us and some that did began too early. We did learn about “birding” as a hobby and taking the Al-Can Highway through British Columbia into Alaska.  We breezed through the many displays that sold everything from awnings, generators, cookware, chamois cloths, dehydrated food dips, RV park memberships, one-person golf carts, etc. etc.

There was ONE vendor, however, that caught Randy’s eye—the one selling rub-on tonic for miraculous scalp rejuvenation and  “almost overnight” hair growth. 

 

(Bet you can figure out a caption for this one...)

 

Golf Tournament, Scramble format—

Can you say, “32 degrees for the 8 a.m. shotgun start?”

Can you say, “Strong winds, sleet, snow even?”

Organizers had planned for weather that would be typical for mid-April. This included an outdoor barbecue after golf—for lunch and prizes. We were SO cold! There was nowhere indoors to warm up so people bundled up in jackets and blankets and sat in the “shaded” (even cooler) area for another 90 minutes.

 

Our foursome DID win the tournament–low gross, 8 under.  Randy and I were paired with a couple who are  “fulltimers” and golf quite a bit. This means they live in their motorhome year-round, and they quite consistently put the  ball close to where it’s supposed to be. Randy is a good golfer, as many of you know, so the “winning team” had 3 good golfers on it. Randy told me later that I DID contribute to the win.  I guess I helped because I often putted first (and missed). This allowed the others to “read” the lay of the land and offer up a better way…..

 

It was so cold I bought a pair of gloves in the pro shop before we went out. Notice the baseball cap on top of the flapping hood. It helped hold the hood on during wind gusts.

 

The view (at times) from our golf cart window. Low 30s--and that's not the score!

 

Meeting People—

Except for the nice couple we met golfing, we didn’t meet people. Such a large gathering doesn’t lend itself to this, in my opinion.

Dogs—

LOTS of people who RV have dogs. Some have 3 per unit.

Imagine….LOTS of people in one place and lots of dogs on leashes.

One group of travelers who were parked behind us had 5 small dogs between the two RVs. They brought their own corral for “Precious” and her four, small canine friends. Well, Precious and friends must have LOVED the rally because they yipped often (with glee, I suppose).  Drove Randy nuts!

Pet Owners Who “Call” Their Spouses—

We believe some couples have become so used to calling their dogs, they now call each other the same way. We observed the guy behind us (the one who rarely left his RV site) bellow, “CAR-OL!”  “CAAAR-OL!”

Things to Do and Places to See near Albuquerque—

There are too many to list! Lots of history, rock formations, culture, great food!

 

On Sat. we decided to check out the Old Town part of Albuquerque. It turned out to be a great day to do this because the city was celebrating its 303rd birthday. In this photo children who have been studying flamenco dancing perform for an appreciative crowd.

 

Buddy makes it to Old Town Albuquerque. Here, a fella has set up a contraption that holds all kinds of odds and ends that can make sound. He's listening to his own kind of music...

 

Just outside of the city of Albuquerque is the Petroglyph National Monument. Acres of land have been preserved so we can see this evidence of civilizations who lived before us. There are thousands of these "rock writings" throughout this area and they vary in size. The bird-like image on this rock is about 18" tall. It was hot the day we walked a few trails to look for examples. The more we looked, the more we found.

 

Buddy makes it to the Petroglyph National Monument. Boy, are there a LOT of National Monuments out there to see!

 

 

 

 

 

It's fun to look for critters and see how they're different from what we have at home. This lizard could fit into an adult's hand--that is, if the grown-up WANTED it there... We saw this in the parking lot of the nature center located along the Rio Grande River in Albuquerque.

 

We're not the only ones who need to soak up some sun. How many turtles can you count? These were at the nature center, too.

 

 

 

That’s it for now.

Happy Trails to you…..  Marsha

 

Heard of these? “Petrified Forest Nat’l Park” and “Painted Desert”- east of Flagstaff, AZ, on Hwy 40

 

 

We wondered how special the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert could be. We hadn’t heard about them. Our travel books don’t feature these. Well, they’re WELL WORTH the slight detour off Hwy 40. See for yourself from the photos here.

NOTE: After we drove through the National Park, we continued toward Albuquerque, NM, through the Navajo Nation reservation. We turned on the radio and were surprised to find a local station with the  DJ telling local and national news in Navajo. This was followed by music–”Amazing Grace” being sung in Navajo.

Isn’t traveling fun?!

 

 

 

Fossil found at area of Petrified Forest, AZ

 

 

 

 

a view from the Painted Desert

 

 

 

Along the drive through the National Park sits this car. Also here is a marker that notes Route 66 went through this area...

 

 

 

 

The Painted Desert Inn, a national historic landmark. Built in the 1930s by the Conservation Corps, it was later purchased to be used as an inn. The owner sold it to the US gov't to be preserved for history's sake. Inside you can see refurbished, rustic furniture used when serving guests meals. The kitchen is also on display. It's a quick in and out there. No public bathrooms are there, but you can get a drink of water from a fountain. While we were in the gift shop area of the inn, we observed a well-mannered family with many young children. They were speaking French. In the parking lot we saw a 24-foot Class C RV with a sign in the window stating, "7 children around the world." Imagine....

 

 

 

Buddy makes it to the Painted Desert in northeastern Arizona!

 

 

 

Happy Trails to you……..   Marsha

A joyous Easter: sunshine, great church service, and return to GC (with views!)

You know, you just can’t do anything about the weather. Our Saturday train trip was enjoyable, but we were disappointed we didn’t see the GRAND Canyon. If you haven’t seen it, do put it on your “bucket list.”  A person can’t see such majesty too many times. Following here are photos taken on Easter Sunday, April 12. Because we have a separate vehicle (reliable Ford F150 truck), we can drive distances without being as concerned about logistics and gas mileage. By the way, we bought gas in AZ for $1.99! Prices fluxuate, but isn’t this better than last year at this time?

Randy did some research on his trusty Blackberry and found the Community United Methodist Church in Williams, AZ, had services at 10 a.m. We hurriedly decided to make it and threw on clean, casual clothes and drove there. It was still very cold… What a delight! This white, clapboard building has hosted congregations of believers since the 1890s. The pastor (in his 50s) was quite charismatic. This old-world Lutheran girl felt great all morning long! There were about 120 folks worshipping and they pulled out all the stops:  old hymns played on an upright piano, pews to sit on, 2 praise songs with acoustic guitar accompaniment, an infant dedication, 6 new members joining the church, a short to-the-point sermon—even an altar call. That morning the congregation had enjoyed a pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt for the kids. This did my heart good and reminded me to make the effort to seek out churches when we travel.

After church, we did a little housework in the RV and drove to the Grand Canyon, about one hr. away. We saw the Grand Canyon IMAX movie –just outside the entry to the national park. Then…….we drove into the park and saw the magnificent views.  We strolled the rim and marveled once again. This time we took advantage of the bus service that drives all around the South Rim and stops at different spots. We sat back and enjoyed the vistas from the bus. When our long bus ride was over……it was dark…..and we were about 1/4 mile from where we’d parked our car in the daylight.  Not good planning! No flashlight! We did make it and drove an hour back to Williams in the dark….but the stars shined brilliantly and The Big Dipper was situated just so that it looked like a question mark.

Back home in the Puget Sound area we rarely see stars, and when we do they aren’t as bright as they are at 7000 feet!

As the song goes, “…and I say to myself, ‘What a wonderful world!’”

 

 

Buddy makes it to the Grand Canyon...

 

 

To help put this in perspective, look closely here. Those specks on the ledge are people--scores of them. The vast canyons extend beyond and below...

 

Happy Trails to you…… Marsha

More photos of Lodi CA to Lk Havasu AZ

 

 

 

Storm clouds and wind followed us as we headed southeast on Hwy 99 from Bakersfield CA. The beautiful Tehachapi mtn range brings oohs and ahhs to motorists.

Hundreds of wind turbines whirl along the Tehachapi mtn range.

Lake Havasu City, AZ, was an oasis after snow, rain, wind, dust, and cold. It was 80 degrees the two days we spent here. Went for a swim at the RV park where we stayed. (Tight quarters there.) This park, Rotary Park, is huge and is used by lots of folks. Bocce ball courts, swimming areas, miles of walking paths.Sun felt great! Another view of Rotary Park, Lake Havasu City, AZ

It was Spring Break time while we were at Lk Havasu. Boats of all kinds came through this channel near the infamous London Bridge (in background). We couldn't believe two speedboats we saw--made just for "posing" we think. There must have been six speakers pointing out to anyone within three miles. We heard bumping bass and Hip Hop, whether or not we wanted to.

Photos: Snowy trip to Grand Canyon

 

 

On Sat. 4/11, we took the tourist train from Williams, AZ, to the Grand Canyon. It had snowed in Williams the night before but predictions had been for the cold system to "blow over" and it was thought the GC would be spectacular on Sat.--with dustings of snow along the rim. Of course, no one can promise this.... It wasn't snowing when we left Sat. morn from Williams but it DID snow and sleet at the GC all day! The gift shops were especially busy. People wanted to be where it was warm. We did, too!

 

Every so often on Sat., we could see just a bit of the canyon. For the most part, the canyon was in one huge cloud all day. We had been here before and knew what we were missing. We felt badly for people who had this day as their one chance to see it...

 

We're dressed in our warmest clothes for 30 degrees at the Grand Canyon, April 11, 2009.

 

A strolling cowboy sings to us on our train trip. (He was quite good and CDs were available for $10.)

 

Look closely. The train has stopped. A bandit on horseback has ridden by. Two cowboy bandits have entered the train, asking for our valuables. I told them Randy was my valuable, but they weren't goin' for it. They moved on to the next car...

 

Following right behind the bad guys is the town marshall. We're safe now. (No DVDs were available--at any price.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos: Ashland to Lodi

 

Our home away from home–overlooking Emigrant Lake, OR, near Ashland.

 

Heading south down I-5, we stop to take in Mt. Shasta. It's sunny today!

 

Still heading for warmth, we travel south on I-5 through vineyard and nut orchard country. It's all about agriculture as we go south on Hwy 99 through central California. It's windy and many dust storms buffet our truck and trailer...

 

Carefully planted in perfect rows are acres of trees along Hwy 99 in central California. We could recognize citrus, date, olive, and nut trees.

Some photos from first part of trip

 

Wow! What a beautiful county park just 6 miles from Ashland, OR--Emigrant Lake. This place must really be busy in the summer. The RV park is part of the county park. The park is wheelchair accessible and even features a water park with tube-like structures. It's quite amazing. All sorts of boats appeared: rowing clubs, sailboats, motorboats. Lots to see and do here and just a short drive into Ashland. We knew a good thing when we saw it and stayed two nights--Sat. 4/4 and Sun. 4/5. We saw Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, Sat. night. Lots of violence, deception, witchcraft--kinda like the stuff on tv and movies...

I’m learning by trial and error how to blog and am having trouble figuring out how to insert photos in the correct order. Good luck following this. There’s only so much time away from living that I’m willing to devote to this new endeavor.  Good luck trying to follow these random entries and photos. Thanks for your interest. 

Happy Trails to you….. Marsha

 

 

This is "Buddy"--our traveling companion, a gift from Marsha's work team at World Vision. This was taken the afternoon we left, Thurs. 4/2/09. It snowed in Maple Valley that morning and it rained hard off and on for two days after, as we traveled down I-5--toward the sun...

For $20 on Fri. 4/3, we stayed just off I-5 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Roseburg, OR. We had a grassy spot, electricity, water--and a horse arena in our backyard. On Sat. morn we watched many equestrians get ready for a competition. Then we walked to the excellent Umpqua Valley museum--well worth the stop.