Aug 29th - Sat - Oakhurst
One of my purchases on Thurs was a set of cardboard boxes with lids to use to organize some cabinets so we got at it this morning. It is amazing how much stuff accumulates over 3 years - and amazing how long it takes to sort it out and decide what to do with it - Toss? Store where it makes more sense? Put it back where it was? Of course we ended up needing a couple of specific storage containers so went shopping and found them at a thrift store.
In the afternoon we got our BBQ propane tank filled and did a couple loads of laundry at the park laundry closet. Can’t call it a laundry room as there is just enough room for 2 washers & 2 dryers - but it was clean, inexpensive and got the job done.
Aug 30th - Sun - to Hanford
There is no direct way east from Yosemite except through the park which is a very windy, narrow road that climbs to 9900 feet and we did not want to experience it pulling the 5th wheel. So we decided to go south and go to Sequoia National Park which is not too far. On the internet, we found that the Hanford Fairgrounds has camping for $10 and Terry had seen an RV show advertised there so thought we would check it out. We missed the sign for RV camping in the fairgrounds so turned around in a parking lot to head back. As soon as we were on the street again, Terry noticed that the 5th wheel looked crooked - we had a flat tire nearly off the rim. We had a wide shoulder to pull onto, we were on the right side of the rig, we were in the shade and our new jack worked great - certainly could have had worse conditions to change a tire. When we didn’t get an answer at the first tire shop that we called we remembered it was Sunday and tire shops probably would not be open so we went to the fairgrounds and got a spot to stay.
We had some lunch and then walked to the RV show. It was just one large dealer so there wasn’t too much there. Next to it was a swap meet. As we started through the few tents still there, we noticed an open tire shop across the street. Of course we had to walk clear to the end of the fairground fence (in 100+ heat) to get there and then they did not have our tire size.
Back to the rig where we got out chairs to sit out in the shade - still very hot. Terry decided to wash the rigs and was halfway done with the 5th wheel when the camp host finally showed up and said we couldn’t wash rigs - then changed her mind and charged us $5 for washing. And it cost $20 to camp, not $10 as indicated on the website. Still cheap for California.
Into the air conditioned rig for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Aug 31st - Mon - to Newberry Springs CA
The first tire shop did not have the tire that we needed but the second shop had 2 that were special ordered and the customer never picked them up - how lucky is that? They were able to get one mounted right away and we were on our way about 10.
We decided not to go to Sequoia Ntl Park but to just head for Colorado and maybe find a little cooler weather. Of course we have to get out of California and through Nevada or Arizona and then Utah to get to Colorado. We are at Twin Lakes RV park (PA) which was advertised as having shaded sites backing up to a lake. As we drove in, a sign said “no swimming”. The small lake is more like a very large, plastic lined swimming hole. We did get one of the only shaded spots as there are very few other campers.
On the drive today, 5 fire trucks and a fire captain vehicle passed us but not with lights on. Shortly after, we saw smoke rising behind a mountain and a huge smoke plume moving across the horizon. I looked at the map and concluded that the fire crews were going to help with the LA fires. On the news this evening, mention of a town and another look at the map confirmed that some of the fires are not that far from where we were driving.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Aug 26th to 28th - Oakhurst
Aug 26th - Wed - Oakhurst
When we left Isleton we had to put air in one of the 5th wheel tires. When we arrived here, it was low again so we knew we had to do something but had just not figured out what. Keeping in mind that most of this small town is hills, the chance of pulling our rig into a tire shop is slim. Luckily, a neighbor had a heavy duty bottle jack which he was happy to let us use. Unfortunately, he was leaving today so we got up early to put on the spare so we could get the leaky tire fixed. The tire shop put THREE plugs into tiny holes and there were more holes so Terry ordered a new tire. It was the front tire so don’t know how it could have gotten holes without the back tire being affected.
A trip to the grocery store used up the rest of the morning and then we got to work on a project that has been waiting for time and a picnic table. We needed the picnic table so we could spray glue maps of the US and Canada to a folding cardboard backing. Then we took different color highlighters and marked our routes for each year. Of course, even though we had roads highlighted on two atlases, we could not remember exactly which line belonged to which trip so I had to constantly refer to my blog and the job took a long time.
We went to the nearer casino to take advantage of a $8.99 steak & seafood buffet which turned out to be just OK. We also entered a free senior slot tournament. At first Terry was quickly building points but didn’t end up with enough to win anything. The slot machines took some money before we left.
Aug 27th - Thurs - Oakhurst
I spent time on the computer this morning and then put a picnic lunch together. We drove to Bass Lake, took the road on the non-public-access side of the lake and then returned to the side with many federal day-use areas. Stopped at one and enjoyed our lunch in the shade as it was still hot today. The lake is beautiful and had lots of boats pulling skiers and tubes. Didn’t go swimming as the boat wakes were churning up lots of sand near the shore.
Continued driving after lunch and then turned around and came back to town. We stopped at a liquidation type place on the way back and bought a few items that we just couldn’t live without. Also picked up the new tire for the 5th wheel.
Our neighbors Dennis & Ginger went to Yosemite today and returned shortly after we finished dinner. They came over and we spent the rest of the evening with them. There is a fire in Yosemite (planned burn got away!) so the fantastic view from Glacier Point was obscured by smoke. I showed them our pictures so they could see what it really looks like. Ginger did get a great picture of the sun in the middle of clouds of smoke.
Aug 28th - Fri - Oakhurst
We took our coffee next door and chatted with Dennis & Ginger as they got ready to leave this morning. Then we drove south to Fresno (48 miles) and bought a bottle jack so we can change a tire on the 5th wheel without building a ramp or borrowing a jack from a neighbor. The hills are really dried out everywhere. A lot of farmers work up a dirt strip beside the road to serve as a fire break should some idiot throw out a cigarette. Water really makes a difference as there were also some HUGE vineyards & orchards.
We had to pass the Table Mountain Casino on our way back so we stopped for the special senior price on the buffet - need some exercise after all the food lately!! Ended up spending several hours on the slot machines (very hot again so the AC is wonderful) and came out $5 ahead. BBQ dinner and then inside to watch TV & read.
When we left Isleton we had to put air in one of the 5th wheel tires. When we arrived here, it was low again so we knew we had to do something but had just not figured out what. Keeping in mind that most of this small town is hills, the chance of pulling our rig into a tire shop is slim. Luckily, a neighbor had a heavy duty bottle jack which he was happy to let us use. Unfortunately, he was leaving today so we got up early to put on the spare so we could get the leaky tire fixed. The tire shop put THREE plugs into tiny holes and there were more holes so Terry ordered a new tire. It was the front tire so don’t know how it could have gotten holes without the back tire being affected.
A trip to the grocery store used up the rest of the morning and then we got to work on a project that has been waiting for time and a picnic table. We needed the picnic table so we could spray glue maps of the US and Canada to a folding cardboard backing. Then we took different color highlighters and marked our routes for each year. Of course, even though we had roads highlighted on two atlases, we could not remember exactly which line belonged to which trip so I had to constantly refer to my blog and the job took a long time.
We went to the nearer casino to take advantage of a $8.99 steak & seafood buffet which turned out to be just OK. We also entered a free senior slot tournament. At first Terry was quickly building points but didn’t end up with enough to win anything. The slot machines took some money before we left.
Aug 27th - Thurs - Oakhurst
I spent time on the computer this morning and then put a picnic lunch together. We drove to Bass Lake, took the road on the non-public-access side of the lake and then returned to the side with many federal day-use areas. Stopped at one and enjoyed our lunch in the shade as it was still hot today. The lake is beautiful and had lots of boats pulling skiers and tubes. Didn’t go swimming as the boat wakes were churning up lots of sand near the shore.
Continued driving after lunch and then turned around and came back to town. We stopped at a liquidation type place on the way back and bought a few items that we just couldn’t live without. Also picked up the new tire for the 5th wheel.
Our neighbors Dennis & Ginger went to Yosemite today and returned shortly after we finished dinner. They came over and we spent the rest of the evening with them. There is a fire in Yosemite (planned burn got away!) so the fantastic view from Glacier Point was obscured by smoke. I showed them our pictures so they could see what it really looks like. Ginger did get a great picture of the sun in the middle of clouds of smoke.
Aug 28th - Fri - Oakhurst
We took our coffee next door and chatted with Dennis & Ginger as they got ready to leave this morning. Then we drove south to Fresno (48 miles) and bought a bottle jack so we can change a tire on the 5th wheel without building a ramp or borrowing a jack from a neighbor. The hills are really dried out everywhere. A lot of farmers work up a dirt strip beside the road to serve as a fire break should some idiot throw out a cigarette. Water really makes a difference as there were also some HUGE vineyards & orchards.
We had to pass the Table Mountain Casino on our way back so we stopped for the special senior price on the buffet - need some exercise after all the food lately!! Ended up spending several hours on the slot machines (very hot again so the AC is wonderful) and came out $5 ahead. BBQ dinner and then inside to watch TV & read.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Aug 23rd to 25th - Oakhurst CA
Aug 23rd - Sun - to Oakhurst CA
Freeway part of the way today and then into 2 lane roads in hills as we headed south & east. We are at the High Sierra RV park in Oakhurst which is south of Yosemite National Park. After a late lunch we explored the town a bit, filled up with diesel (California prices have been a bit of a shock - down to $2.87 here) and picked us some groceries. We put away the groceries and went to check out Chukchansi Casino about 12 miles south.
We drove on a narrow, windy road (Hwy 41) through treed hills with a couple of small communities hugging the road. So we were very surprised when we turned off the highway, went up and around a hill and saw a huge casino with a 7 story hotel (400 rooms) and 7 restaurants.
We did so-so on the slots until I finally won a small bonus when I was down to 5 cents on a machine. I tucked some away so Mr. Gambler wouldn’t want to play (lose!) it all and we ended up earning enough points on our cards to each get a “free” T-shirt.
Back to the rig for a BBQ dinner. Hot weather but cooling in the evening. Not many other campers in the park, mostly longer term residents up on a hill.
Aug 24th - Mon - Oakhurst (Yosemite)
Oakhurst is 22 windy miles from the southern entrance to Yosemite NP. Just inside the park is the road to Mariposa Grove with huge sequoias. The parking lot at the grove was full so we had to take a shuttle bus for the 2 mile trip. We took a walk of nearly a mile to the Grizzly Giant (tree) and the Tunnel Tree which had a tunnel cut through it in 1895 and is still alive.
Then a 35 mile drive - more narrow and windy - to Yosemite Valley. We stopped at Tunnel View for pictures of two of Yosemite’s best known peaks - El Capitan and Half Dome. In the valley we stopped at a picnic area for lunch. We were almost finished eating when a small bear wandered into the section where we were sitting. It was heading towards a couple who didn’t see it so we got their attention and they immediately grabbed their stuff and left the table. The bear was smart enough to head right to their table to see if anything was left behind.
Yosemite is known for scenery, hiking and climbing. Since we are not big on the last two, we made the loop around the valley and headed back south a bit before taking the Glacier Point road. Less than a mile down the road there was road construction with possible ½ hour delays. I think we waited 20 minutes and then only moved down the road a bit because the line was back to the main road. Shortly afterwards we started through several miles of one lane traffic - about 30 miles total to Glacier Point. Another walk to incredible views of Yosemite Valley and the surrounding mountains. A young man beside me told his friend that he thought it was more impressive than the Grand Canyon. As amazing as the view was one viewpoint that was hacked out of solid rock right on the edge of the canyon.
Luckily it was late enough when we headed back that the road crews were done for the day. We decided to get fried chicken for dinner and had the greatest lady at the deli counter. She did not have any chicken breasts so was trying to convince us to get something else. She gave us each a sample of the chicken strips - they were old but she could make fresh ones in 7 minutes! - then gave Terry a sample of a thigh which were on special - 4 thighs & 4 drumsticks. Terry said he would take the special if he could get all thighs. So she ended up giving us 6 thighs & 2 drumsticks. We can have fun even in a grocery store!
Aug 25th - Tues - Oakhurst
We enjoy watching the HGTV channel on TV and indulged ourselves this morning with a few episodes. Nice late breakfast, a walk around the park, clean the truck a bit and then off for a drive which took us to Table Mountain Casino (!) south of here. Another large complex in the middle of nowhere except there were some very nice homes around a golf course right across the road. I had some luck again and covered our initial outlay with some additional to keep playing. When my luck ran out, Terry started doing OK. We finally left about 5 and it cost us $5!
Before I finished making dinner, Terry invited new neighbors to have a drink so we sat and chatted with Dennis & Ginger until it was time for them to start dinner. A few minutes later, Ginger came back to tell us to have a look at a new rig that had set up in the park. It was a huge bus with 3 rows of little windows in the back half. There were a lot of people sitting at tables near it so we figured each little window was a sleeping alcove. Terry & Ginger took cameras and went to investigate. It was a tour group of 23 people from Germany. Terry invited some of them to come see our living quarters after dinner and come they did. I expected just a few but most of them have not seen the inside of a 5th wheel so they got their first view in ours. We really enjoyed talking with some of them for quite a while and found out that they are 3 days into a 2 week trip which starts & ends in Los Angeles.
Freeway part of the way today and then into 2 lane roads in hills as we headed south & east. We are at the High Sierra RV park in Oakhurst which is south of Yosemite National Park. After a late lunch we explored the town a bit, filled up with diesel (California prices have been a bit of a shock - down to $2.87 here) and picked us some groceries. We put away the groceries and went to check out Chukchansi Casino about 12 miles south.
We drove on a narrow, windy road (Hwy 41) through treed hills with a couple of small communities hugging the road. So we were very surprised when we turned off the highway, went up and around a hill and saw a huge casino with a 7 story hotel (400 rooms) and 7 restaurants.
We did so-so on the slots until I finally won a small bonus when I was down to 5 cents on a machine. I tucked some away so Mr. Gambler wouldn’t want to play (lose!) it all and we ended up earning enough points on our cards to each get a “free” T-shirt.
Back to the rig for a BBQ dinner. Hot weather but cooling in the evening. Not many other campers in the park, mostly longer term residents up on a hill.
Aug 24th - Mon - Oakhurst (Yosemite)
Oakhurst is 22 windy miles from the southern entrance to Yosemite NP. Just inside the park is the road to Mariposa Grove with huge sequoias. The parking lot at the grove was full so we had to take a shuttle bus for the 2 mile trip. We took a walk of nearly a mile to the Grizzly Giant (tree) and the Tunnel Tree which had a tunnel cut through it in 1895 and is still alive.
Then a 35 mile drive - more narrow and windy - to Yosemite Valley. We stopped at Tunnel View for pictures of two of Yosemite’s best known peaks - El Capitan and Half Dome. In the valley we stopped at a picnic area for lunch. We were almost finished eating when a small bear wandered into the section where we were sitting. It was heading towards a couple who didn’t see it so we got their attention and they immediately grabbed their stuff and left the table. The bear was smart enough to head right to their table to see if anything was left behind.
Yosemite is known for scenery, hiking and climbing. Since we are not big on the last two, we made the loop around the valley and headed back south a bit before taking the Glacier Point road. Less than a mile down the road there was road construction with possible ½ hour delays. I think we waited 20 minutes and then only moved down the road a bit because the line was back to the main road. Shortly afterwards we started through several miles of one lane traffic - about 30 miles total to Glacier Point. Another walk to incredible views of Yosemite Valley and the surrounding mountains. A young man beside me told his friend that he thought it was more impressive than the Grand Canyon. As amazing as the view was one viewpoint that was hacked out of solid rock right on the edge of the canyon.
Luckily it was late enough when we headed back that the road crews were done for the day. We decided to get fried chicken for dinner and had the greatest lady at the deli counter. She did not have any chicken breasts so was trying to convince us to get something else. She gave us each a sample of the chicken strips - they were old but she could make fresh ones in 7 minutes! - then gave Terry a sample of a thigh which were on special - 4 thighs & 4 drumsticks. Terry said he would take the special if he could get all thighs. So she ended up giving us 6 thighs & 2 drumsticks. We can have fun even in a grocery store!
Aug 25th - Tues - Oakhurst
We enjoy watching the HGTV channel on TV and indulged ourselves this morning with a few episodes. Nice late breakfast, a walk around the park, clean the truck a bit and then off for a drive which took us to Table Mountain Casino (!) south of here. Another large complex in the middle of nowhere except there were some very nice homes around a golf course right across the road. I had some luck again and covered our initial outlay with some additional to keep playing. When my luck ran out, Terry started doing OK. We finally left about 5 and it cost us $5!
Before I finished making dinner, Terry invited new neighbors to have a drink so we sat and chatted with Dennis & Ginger until it was time for them to start dinner. A few minutes later, Ginger came back to tell us to have a look at a new rig that had set up in the park. It was a huge bus with 3 rows of little windows in the back half. There were a lot of people sitting at tables near it so we figured each little window was a sleeping alcove. Terry & Ginger took cameras and went to investigate. It was a tour group of 23 people from Germany. Terry invited some of them to come see our living quarters after dinner and come they did. I expected just a few but most of them have not seen the inside of a 5th wheel so they got their first view in ours. We really enjoyed talking with some of them for quite a while and found out that they are 3 days into a 2 week trip which starts & ends in Los Angeles.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Aug 20th to 22nd - Corning, Isleton CA
Aug 20th - Thurs - to Corning CA
A long, for us, drive today. 6 hours of I5 freeway - flat, lots of orchards. Corning’s claim to fame is olives so we assumed most of the miles of orchards were olive trees. We got set up in a mostly empty PA park and went to a nearby Safeway for groceries. After dinner we called friends Claude & Val and enjoyed our chat with them.
Then we HAD to go check out Rolling Hills Casino which was only 3 miles away and promised some free play on a new player’s card. My $5 free play lasted quite a while but not my own $20 after that! Then I watched Terry play & play & play. When he was back down to $20, I was getting tired and said that when he got up to $40 it was time for us to leave. He was doing great on a machine (after dropping to less than $10) when he reached $40 and then we both enjoyed seeing him reach $80+. Back down a little (of course) and then a final $5 after cashing out and we actually walked out ahead! Not exactly high rollers but we enjoy it.
Aug 21st - Fri - to Isleton CA
Past many more miles of orchards and huge hay fields on I5 again today. Uneventful stretch right through Sacramento on the freeway and then west on Hwy 12 to the Sacramento Delta. We drove 3 miles on a levee road to reach the Lighthouse Marina & RV park. It is actually a membership park but Campclub USA members are welcome. Most spots are shaded but we selected a spot in the sun as many of the tree limbs would have hit our roof and it was not supposed to get too hot.
Part of the reason that we picked this spot was to make a trip to the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield. We left right after having lunch as the factory does not operate on the weekend. We had to wait over ½ hour for a tour which “under whelmed” us. Terry likes jelly beans so we bought 5 two pound bags of Belly Flops (irregular jelly beans at a very reasonable price) for future munching.
We barbequed for dinner and then went to the clubhouse for bingo at 7. It was free with small prizes to select from. We sat with a man who is a member here and enjoyed chatting with him. Terry selected a multi-tip screwdriver when he got a Bingo. It was pretty slow so we left before it was over at 9.
The weather ended up much warmer than forecast as the expected Delta breezes did not materialize.
Aug 22nd - Sat - Isleton
Had a nice chat with Aunt Jessie this morning before sorting the laundry and checking out the laundry room here. It left a lot to be desired (3 washers and I had 5 loads) so we drove to Rio Vista where we had passed a laundromat yesterday. Nice & clean & empty so we were done in no time. On the way back we detoured through Isleton which is a tiny, historic town.
Pretty hot again today - too hot for much activity and there are lots of camping kids so the pool was out. We relaxed in the shade or inside in the AC until after dinner when it was cool enough for a walk around the park. I discovered a “library” and exchanged some books.
A long, for us, drive today. 6 hours of I5 freeway - flat, lots of orchards. Corning’s claim to fame is olives so we assumed most of the miles of orchards were olive trees. We got set up in a mostly empty PA park and went to a nearby Safeway for groceries. After dinner we called friends Claude & Val and enjoyed our chat with them.
Then we HAD to go check out Rolling Hills Casino which was only 3 miles away and promised some free play on a new player’s card. My $5 free play lasted quite a while but not my own $20 after that! Then I watched Terry play & play & play. When he was back down to $20, I was getting tired and said that when he got up to $40 it was time for us to leave. He was doing great on a machine (after dropping to less than $10) when he reached $40 and then we both enjoyed seeing him reach $80+. Back down a little (of course) and then a final $5 after cashing out and we actually walked out ahead! Not exactly high rollers but we enjoy it.
Aug 21st - Fri - to Isleton CA
Past many more miles of orchards and huge hay fields on I5 again today. Uneventful stretch right through Sacramento on the freeway and then west on Hwy 12 to the Sacramento Delta. We drove 3 miles on a levee road to reach the Lighthouse Marina & RV park. It is actually a membership park but Campclub USA members are welcome. Most spots are shaded but we selected a spot in the sun as many of the tree limbs would have hit our roof and it was not supposed to get too hot.
Part of the reason that we picked this spot was to make a trip to the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield. We left right after having lunch as the factory does not operate on the weekend. We had to wait over ½ hour for a tour which “under whelmed” us. Terry likes jelly beans so we bought 5 two pound bags of Belly Flops (irregular jelly beans at a very reasonable price) for future munching.
We barbequed for dinner and then went to the clubhouse for bingo at 7. It was free with small prizes to select from. We sat with a man who is a member here and enjoyed chatting with him. Terry selected a multi-tip screwdriver when he got a Bingo. It was pretty slow so we left before it was over at 9.
The weather ended up much warmer than forecast as the expected Delta breezes did not materialize.
Aug 22nd - Sat - Isleton
Had a nice chat with Aunt Jessie this morning before sorting the laundry and checking out the laundry room here. It left a lot to be desired (3 washers and I had 5 loads) so we drove to Rio Vista where we had passed a laundromat yesterday. Nice & clean & empty so we were done in no time. On the way back we detoured through Isleton which is a tiny, historic town.
Pretty hot again today - too hot for much activity and there are lots of camping kids so the pool was out. We relaxed in the shade or inside in the AC until after dinner when it was cool enough for a walk around the park. I discovered a “library” and exchanged some books.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Aug 17th to 19th - Florence to Canyonville OR
Aug 17th - Mon - Florence
After breakfast we went to Old Town in Florence which is an area of shops & restaurants. The day started out cool but I was wishing that I had worn shorts before we were finished strolling up & down the main street of Old Town. On the way back to the RV park, we took a drive in a sand dune recreation area but did not stop to walk to the top of the dunes since the wind was blowing again by then.
Back at the park, I did some long overdue inside cleaning while Terry washed the bugs off the 5th wheel and dry washed the truck. We actually could have washed the 5th wheel in the park but we were just not motivated enough.
Aug 18th - Tues - to Canyonville OR
Another short trip today. We stopped at 7 Feathers casino to get a players’ card which would give us a discount at their RV park. Then to the RV park to get a spot for a couple of nights, get set up and have lunch. It is a beautiful new park which, with Good Sam & players’ club discounts, ended up costing less than the park that we stayed at in Florence.
The weather was very hot so we checked out the indoor pool. The water is cool enough to be refreshing. Then back to the casino for a while. A shuttle runs from the RV park across the highway to the casino but we made the short trip in the truck to fuel up on the way. Back for a late dinner and TV.
Aug 19th - Wed - Canyonville
There are huge areas of gorgeous scenery in the Pacific northwest and we spent several hours enjoying some of it today. We made a circle tour with Crater Lake as our destination. We stopped for a great breakfast at Union Creek and walked along the Rogue River gorge just past the restaurant. Next stop - Crater Lake. It has the most incredibly blue water that I can recall in a lake. The weather was clear & (too) hot so the views were wonderful. We missed a viewpoint that I wanted to stop at because of some road construction but we were glad that we made the trip.
The 109 degree reading in the truck prompted a stop at Dairy Queen in Roseburg on the way back. Then a cooling dip in the pool back at the RV park. We are parked to have afternoon shade so we sat out and ate dinner out again this afternoon.
After dinner we were startled by a loud bang that appeared to be behind our 5th wheel. When we went to investigate, I noticed that a tire on my bicycle was flat. Sure enough, the inner tube had exploded. Terry put in a new tube and as he was inflating it, the new tube pushed past the tire and also exploded. Maybe “universal size” tubes are not the answer.
After breakfast we went to Old Town in Florence which is an area of shops & restaurants. The day started out cool but I was wishing that I had worn shorts before we were finished strolling up & down the main street of Old Town. On the way back to the RV park, we took a drive in a sand dune recreation area but did not stop to walk to the top of the dunes since the wind was blowing again by then.
Back at the park, I did some long overdue inside cleaning while Terry washed the bugs off the 5th wheel and dry washed the truck. We actually could have washed the 5th wheel in the park but we were just not motivated enough.
Aug 18th - Tues - to Canyonville OR
Another short trip today. We stopped at 7 Feathers casino to get a players’ card which would give us a discount at their RV park. Then to the RV park to get a spot for a couple of nights, get set up and have lunch. It is a beautiful new park which, with Good Sam & players’ club discounts, ended up costing less than the park that we stayed at in Florence.
The weather was very hot so we checked out the indoor pool. The water is cool enough to be refreshing. Then back to the casino for a while. A shuttle runs from the RV park across the highway to the casino but we made the short trip in the truck to fuel up on the way. Back for a late dinner and TV.
Aug 19th - Wed - Canyonville
There are huge areas of gorgeous scenery in the Pacific northwest and we spent several hours enjoying some of it today. We made a circle tour with Crater Lake as our destination. We stopped for a great breakfast at Union Creek and walked along the Rogue River gorge just past the restaurant. Next stop - Crater Lake. It has the most incredibly blue water that I can recall in a lake. The weather was clear & (too) hot so the views were wonderful. We missed a viewpoint that I wanted to stop at because of some road construction but we were glad that we made the trip.
The 109 degree reading in the truck prompted a stop at Dairy Queen in Roseburg on the way back. Then a cooling dip in the pool back at the RV park. We are parked to have afternoon shade so we sat out and ate dinner out again this afternoon.
After dinner we were startled by a loud bang that appeared to be behind our 5th wheel. When we went to investigate, I noticed that a tire on my bicycle was flat. Sure enough, the inner tube had exploded. Terry put in a new tube and as he was inflating it, the new tube pushed past the tire and also exploded. Maybe “universal size” tubes are not the answer.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Aug 14th to 16th - Oregon coast
Aug 14th - Fri - to Lincoln City OR
We said goodbye to Billy & Lauri and headed south on the beautiful coast Hwy 101. We had planned to go to Waldport but made one of our last minute changes and ended up just south of Lincoln City at the Chinook Bend RV park on the Siletz River.
After setting up and having lunch, we headed back to Lincoln City and the Chinook Winds casino (of course!). We were not doing too well when Terry’s brother Skip walked up. He & Kathy and Kathy’s brothers & families are vacationing nearby. I knew they were on the coast somewhere but wasn’t sure exactly where they were. Skip was doing well on the slot machines and told us about the “Jaws” machines that we had not tried. Well, Terry ended up making our money back with enough extra to keep us going until we had a late dinner at the seafood buffet.
Aug 15th - Sat - Lincoln City OR
We walked about a mile on a trail along a dike and through a field at the RV park before going for a drive. We stopped at Depoe Bay, browsed through touristy shops, watched activity in the harbor and unsuccessfully looked for whales. We stopped at view points as we continued on to Waldport to check out a PA park - don’t want to stay there! We also stopped at an RV park where we have stayed and rented boats for crabbing. It has been totally redone and, as far as we are concerned , is way too pricey and the laid-back charm is gone.
On the way back we stopped at WalMart which turned out not to be a Superstore so also stopped at Fred Meyers. It was barely warm enough to sit outside for a while as long as we stayed in the sun. The RV park is near a mountain so the sun was down just after 6. We didn’t have lunch so had an early dinner and were able to finish cooking on the BBQ before the sun disappeared.
Aug 16th - Sun - to Florence OR
A beautiful day to continue the drive south on 101. We didn’t have a destination in mind so ended up stopping at Three Rivers Casino for a few hours. Had a great buffet brunch - but it cost too much!! I wanted to explore the area a bit so we stopped at an RV park just south of Florence. Not the best fit for us as most of the rigs are toy haulers with rigs to ride on the dunes.
We went for a walk on/in the sand dunes. The wind was really blowing and we were being sand blasted so didn’t go too far. Checked out Woahink Lake across the road - one fisherman on the dock that the wind was causing to bob enough to cause seasickness. The RV sites are separated by trees & shrubs that break the wind a bit so we sat out in the sun for a while. Then a lazy evening of TV & reading.
We said goodbye to Billy & Lauri and headed south on the beautiful coast Hwy 101. We had planned to go to Waldport but made one of our last minute changes and ended up just south of Lincoln City at the Chinook Bend RV park on the Siletz River.
After setting up and having lunch, we headed back to Lincoln City and the Chinook Winds casino (of course!). We were not doing too well when Terry’s brother Skip walked up. He & Kathy and Kathy’s brothers & families are vacationing nearby. I knew they were on the coast somewhere but wasn’t sure exactly where they were. Skip was doing well on the slot machines and told us about the “Jaws” machines that we had not tried. Well, Terry ended up making our money back with enough extra to keep us going until we had a late dinner at the seafood buffet.
Aug 15th - Sat - Lincoln City OR
We walked about a mile on a trail along a dike and through a field at the RV park before going for a drive. We stopped at Depoe Bay, browsed through touristy shops, watched activity in the harbor and unsuccessfully looked for whales. We stopped at view points as we continued on to Waldport to check out a PA park - don’t want to stay there! We also stopped at an RV park where we have stayed and rented boats for crabbing. It has been totally redone and, as far as we are concerned , is way too pricey and the laid-back charm is gone.
On the way back we stopped at WalMart which turned out not to be a Superstore so also stopped at Fred Meyers. It was barely warm enough to sit outside for a while as long as we stayed in the sun. The RV park is near a mountain so the sun was down just after 6. We didn’t have lunch so had an early dinner and were able to finish cooking on the BBQ before the sun disappeared.
Aug 16th - Sun - to Florence OR
A beautiful day to continue the drive south on 101. We didn’t have a destination in mind so ended up stopping at Three Rivers Casino for a few hours. Had a great buffet brunch - but it cost too much!! I wanted to explore the area a bit so we stopped at an RV park just south of Florence. Not the best fit for us as most of the rigs are toy haulers with rigs to ride on the dunes.
We went for a walk on/in the sand dunes. The wind was really blowing and we were being sand blasted so didn’t go too far. Checked out Woahink Lake across the road - one fisherman on the dock that the wind was causing to bob enough to cause seasickness. The RV sites are separated by trees & shrubs that break the wind a bit so we sat out in the sun for a while. Then a lazy evening of TV & reading.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Aug 11th to 13th - Long Beach
Aug 11th - Tues - Long Beach
Lazy morning and then we went to the Ocean Park Eagle’s Club to play bingo at noon with Billy & Lauri. We arrived early - just after 11 - to get a table. Terry won a game and it paid $125. It cost $25 for both of us to play until nearly 4 and Terry splurged $10 of his winnings on pull-tabs which returned a whopping $1.
After bingo we drove north on the peninsula to Oysterville and then looped back to explore Jack’s grocery/everything store in Ocean Park. Next into Long Beach with a stop at a “museum”/gift store.
The guys aired up the bicycle tires while Lauri & I each made dinner. After dinner we got together for a few games of Sequence which the women won in a tie breaker.
Aug 12th - Wed - Long Beach
It rained last night and was cool & cloudy this morning so we and Billy & Lauri decided to go to Astoria which is only about 15 miles away. We went to the Columbia River Maritime Museum which is very nice. After an introductory film, you can check out 6 sections including fishing, ship wrecks & the dangers of the “bar” and the Coast Guard. You can also explore a retired lightship which is a floating lighthouse.
We stopped at a liquor store and then went to Costco for a couple of items and lunch. It was such a small Costco that the snack counter was outside with no seating - but we had our hot dogs anyhow since we were all hungry.
On the way back we drove to Cape Disappointment and walked to the North Head lighthouse. Shortly after we got back we all went for a bike ride. There is a wonderful paved trail through the grass covered dunes between Hwy 101 and the beach. We rode about 9 ½ miles.
A short break and off again for the Eagle’s Club in Ocean Park - this time to listen to very good and very bad karaoke and to have a hamburger & fries that we had been told was a very good meal for $4 (not so good!).
Aug 13th - Thurs - Long Beach
Nice weather for bike riding today so that is what we did. This time we went farther north on Hwy 101 before heading to the trail in the dunes and then went farther south than yesterday. The trail winds through the little hills of the dunes and is a great ride. We went into town on the way back and then had to backtrack to a grocery store. We stopped for a beer & lunch at LBT (Long Beach Tavern) and ended up riding 15 miles.
Lauri & I both did a couple loads of laundry before I made dinner for all of us. After dinner we looked at some of our favorite jokes which I then copied onto a disk and set up on Lauri’s computer.
Lazy morning and then we went to the Ocean Park Eagle’s Club to play bingo at noon with Billy & Lauri. We arrived early - just after 11 - to get a table. Terry won a game and it paid $125. It cost $25 for both of us to play until nearly 4 and Terry splurged $10 of his winnings on pull-tabs which returned a whopping $1.
After bingo we drove north on the peninsula to Oysterville and then looped back to explore Jack’s grocery/everything store in Ocean Park. Next into Long Beach with a stop at a “museum”/gift store.
The guys aired up the bicycle tires while Lauri & I each made dinner. After dinner we got together for a few games of Sequence which the women won in a tie breaker.
Aug 12th - Wed - Long Beach
It rained last night and was cool & cloudy this morning so we and Billy & Lauri decided to go to Astoria which is only about 15 miles away. We went to the Columbia River Maritime Museum which is very nice. After an introductory film, you can check out 6 sections including fishing, ship wrecks & the dangers of the “bar” and the Coast Guard. You can also explore a retired lightship which is a floating lighthouse.
We stopped at a liquor store and then went to Costco for a couple of items and lunch. It was such a small Costco that the snack counter was outside with no seating - but we had our hot dogs anyhow since we were all hungry.
On the way back we drove to Cape Disappointment and walked to the North Head lighthouse. Shortly after we got back we all went for a bike ride. There is a wonderful paved trail through the grass covered dunes between Hwy 101 and the beach. We rode about 9 ½ miles.
A short break and off again for the Eagle’s Club in Ocean Park - this time to listen to very good and very bad karaoke and to have a hamburger & fries that we had been told was a very good meal for $4 (not so good!).
Aug 13th - Thurs - Long Beach
Nice weather for bike riding today so that is what we did. This time we went farther north on Hwy 101 before heading to the trail in the dunes and then went farther south than yesterday. The trail winds through the little hills of the dunes and is a great ride. We went into town on the way back and then had to backtrack to a grocery store. We stopped for a beer & lunch at LBT (Long Beach Tavern) and ended up riding 15 miles.
Lauri & I both did a couple loads of laundry before I made dinner for all of us. After dinner we looked at some of our favorite jokes which I then copied onto a disk and set up on Lauri’s computer.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Aug 7th to 10th - Monroe,Rochester,Long Beach
Aug 7th - Fri - Monroe
I’m liking this RV site more & more!! Barb made breakfast before we left for a trip to Mt. St. Helens. Larry thought it would be a couple of hours but the GPS said 3 hours. We hit some slower traffic on I5 but not bad. Unfortunately, we picked the wrong day for this trip. Mt. St. Helens was cloud-covered and we didn’t even bother to drive another hour (after the 3 hours) as we would not have been able to see the crater or anything else. We had packed a lunch so we enjoyed it before heading back.
We experienced a lot more slow traffic on the way back as it was 4:30 when we were near Tacoma. I saw the “Welcome to Tacoma” sign and was amazed at how much time had passed before we saw the Tacoma Dome. I had put a roast in the crock pot before we left so we just had to make veggies & salad for another yummy dinner. I even surprised Barb & Larry by producing freshly baked brownies for dessert.
Aug 8th - Sat - Monroe
Fresh baked muffins - thanks Barb! - for breakfast this morning. The weather was still cloudy & cool but no rain was forecast so we went golfing at nearby Blue Boy GC. It is a short 9 hole course and the only course that I have seen with a rock formation & plants in the middle of a green. Terry was helping Larry find a ball that he hit into a hedge and ended up finding a dozen other balls.
Barb invited another couple - Russ & Judy - to join us for dinner which we were able to enjoy on the patio after putting on light jackets.
Aug 9th - Sun - to Rochester WA
We made a quick trip for groceries before enjoying another breakfast cooked by Barb. We left about 10:30 for the hour and a half drive to the Lucky Eagle Casino at Rochester. This is our parking spot when we visit our son & family as we cannot turn around in their yard to get back out their LONG driveway.
After registering for our RV site, we had to spend some time in the casino where I came out a few dollars ahead. Then it was time to start dinner. Dean, Jennifer, Victoria & Cameron arrived just before 5. The sun had come out and we were parked beside the only picnic tables by the RV spots so we could chat & eat outside. Grandson Cameron (7 years old) has grown out of his incredibly shy stage. He is a store-house of obscure animal facts and has an amazing repertoire of large words which he uses correctly. He helped carry everything outside for dinner so he & I got to spend time together which I really enjoyed. Our beautiful granddaughter Victoria is 15 and into texting like all other teenagers.
They had to leave early as they are looking after horses for friends so we returned to the casino for a while. Just could not leave with money in our pockets!!
Aug 10th - Mon - to Long Beach WA
We packed up and then went to the casino for a nice breakfast that was paid for by points on our player cards. Unfortunately, it was Senior Day and we had to take advantage of some free play. Took us a long time to lose it and a few more dollars.
We left at 1:00 for the 2 hour drive to Long Beach where we are meeting friends Billy & Lauri who we met in New York and are also full-timers. Billy called about 2 to find out where we were and to tell us that Lauri was making dinner for us. What great friends we have!
We drove past many acres of trees that were broken off or blown down by a sustained wind several years ago. They are being cleaned up by a logging company but there are still places where you can see the damage.
It sprinkled for most of the drive and then rained when we were checking in & setting up at the Sand Castle RV park. We had a good time catching up with Billy & Lauri and having a great dinner.
I’m liking this RV site more & more!! Barb made breakfast before we left for a trip to Mt. St. Helens. Larry thought it would be a couple of hours but the GPS said 3 hours. We hit some slower traffic on I5 but not bad. Unfortunately, we picked the wrong day for this trip. Mt. St. Helens was cloud-covered and we didn’t even bother to drive another hour (after the 3 hours) as we would not have been able to see the crater or anything else. We had packed a lunch so we enjoyed it before heading back.
We experienced a lot more slow traffic on the way back as it was 4:30 when we were near Tacoma. I saw the “Welcome to Tacoma” sign and was amazed at how much time had passed before we saw the Tacoma Dome. I had put a roast in the crock pot before we left so we just had to make veggies & salad for another yummy dinner. I even surprised Barb & Larry by producing freshly baked brownies for dessert.
Aug 8th - Sat - Monroe
Fresh baked muffins - thanks Barb! - for breakfast this morning. The weather was still cloudy & cool but no rain was forecast so we went golfing at nearby Blue Boy GC. It is a short 9 hole course and the only course that I have seen with a rock formation & plants in the middle of a green. Terry was helping Larry find a ball that he hit into a hedge and ended up finding a dozen other balls.
Barb invited another couple - Russ & Judy - to join us for dinner which we were able to enjoy on the patio after putting on light jackets.
Aug 9th - Sun - to Rochester WA
We made a quick trip for groceries before enjoying another breakfast cooked by Barb. We left about 10:30 for the hour and a half drive to the Lucky Eagle Casino at Rochester. This is our parking spot when we visit our son & family as we cannot turn around in their yard to get back out their LONG driveway.
After registering for our RV site, we had to spend some time in the casino where I came out a few dollars ahead. Then it was time to start dinner. Dean, Jennifer, Victoria & Cameron arrived just before 5. The sun had come out and we were parked beside the only picnic tables by the RV spots so we could chat & eat outside. Grandson Cameron (7 years old) has grown out of his incredibly shy stage. He is a store-house of obscure animal facts and has an amazing repertoire of large words which he uses correctly. He helped carry everything outside for dinner so he & I got to spend time together which I really enjoyed. Our beautiful granddaughter Victoria is 15 and into texting like all other teenagers.
They had to leave early as they are looking after horses for friends so we returned to the casino for a while. Just could not leave with money in our pockets!!
Aug 10th - Mon - to Long Beach WA
We packed up and then went to the casino for a nice breakfast that was paid for by points on our player cards. Unfortunately, it was Senior Day and we had to take advantage of some free play. Took us a long time to lose it and a few more dollars.
We left at 1:00 for the 2 hour drive to Long Beach where we are meeting friends Billy & Lauri who we met in New York and are also full-timers. Billy called about 2 to find out where we were and to tell us that Lauri was making dinner for us. What great friends we have!
We drove past many acres of trees that were broken off or blown down by a sustained wind several years ago. They are being cleaned up by a logging company but there are still places where you can see the damage.
It sprinkled for most of the drive and then rained when we were checking in & setting up at the Sand Castle RV park. We had a good time catching up with Billy & Lauri and having a great dinner.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Aug 2nd to 6th - Spokane to Monroe
Aug 2nd - Sun - Spokane
Lazy morning with coffee and the newspaper. Skip & Kathy were coming home and I decided to make dinner for all of us so we went for a few groceries & lunch. When we returned, Skip and his friend Pat were there. Skip & 11 other men had been on a golfing & fishing trip to Canada so he & Pat were cutting & vacuum sealing salmon. Kathy returned home from her “girls’ weekend” about 4:30 and we had the evening for dinner and catching up.
Aug 3rd - Mon - Spokane
We finally had the time and a bunch of Kathy’s CDs so we could load music on Terry’s MP3 player. Those little things are amazing. It has 8 gigabytes of storage and it took 1.6 GB (and several hours) to load 307 songs. I also loaded Picasa on Skip’s computer and gave him a crash course in using it.
We went to Bill & Georgia’s for dinner. It had cooled down enough to eat out on their beautiful new patio. Then we moved inside so we could see the cards & board for one of our marathon sessions of Sequence which the women won.
Aug 4th - Tues - Spokane
Skip left early to run errands so Kathy made breakfast for her & us. We decided that we needed a speaker system for our MP3 player so we could listen to music other than on ear buds. First we made an appointment to get our transmission fluid flushed and then shopped for speakers. Went to visit EllaMae & Don where Terry tried out the speakers. Turned out a cable listed on the package was missing and we couldn’t use it so he took it back to Big Lots where they opened a couple of others and found the cables missing in them also. Terry got his money back and returned to EllaMae’s just in time to go for the transmission flush.
But it just wasn’t his day! They got the truck up in the hoist and said “Oh, this is an Allison transmission and we can’t do it”! This is the same place that put new brakes on the truck a few days ago.
We stopped for a few groceries on the way back to S&K’s where they made us a wonderful dinner. Kathy had bought some “flameless” candles (an LED light in a wax shell) so, since the temperature had cooled down below 90, we moved outside to enjoy the candles, more wine and the great view.
Aug 5th - Wed - to Leavenworth WA
We had an 8:30 appointment to get our 5th wheel brakes worked on this morning. After checking out the wiring and pulling the tires it was determined that the best thing to do was replace all the brakes. We also needed one tire as for some unknown reason just one tire had worn through to the steel belts on one side and Terry had noticed it when we were packing stuff to leave Skip & Kathy’s. The tread on that tire and the others is still fine. The brakes were supposed to be delivered at 11. They called us at the casino at 11:30 to say they thought we needed new leaf springs. We had to go back there so Terry could show them two of the old springs that we kept when they were all replaced last year in New Jersey. When we left for lunch at 12:30 they hadn’t stated putting it back together.
We finally got on the road at 3:30 and decided to take Hwy 2 to Leavenworth. Nice drive through lots of wheat fields and then a long hill down to the Columbia River. We made the mistake of staying at the KOA in Leavenworth without asking the rate first - $50.50, no sewer and parked away in the back in “the meadow”. Won’t do that again.
Still hot all day. It was 91 at 6:30 when we arrived in Leavenworth.
Aug 6th - Thurs - to Monroe WA
Did some cleaning before leaving at 10:00 to visit our friends Larry & Barb who we met a couple of years ago in Alaska. It should have been an hour and 45 minute drive but about 25 miles from Monroe there was an accident on the highway. A semi had taken a curve too fast, pushed a large section of concrete barriers several feet towards the river and tipped a load of very smelly sludge. The tractor was off the road but the trailer was on it’s side in the middle of the 2 lane highway. Shortly after we stopped (3rd in line), vehicles came through from the opposite direction by driving partly on the grassy shoulder. Just as we were about to move, the police showed up and stopped all traffic because there was slippery brake fluid on the road and “there wasn’t room to drive past” even though a huge commercial bus had gone through there minutes earlier.
An hour later the trailer had been moved slightly so it was only blocking one lane and we got to go. Luckily, our side moved first. I counted about 300 vehicles lined up for 3 miles waiting to go west. Unfortunately, we had to drive through the sludge spilled on the road so when we stopped for fuel just down the road we cleaned off the front of the 5th wheel before the splatters dried completely.
Barb had lunch waiting for us which we enjoyed outside. The weather is much cooler but comfortable with long pants for the women and shorts for the hardier (!) men.
The guys took the truck to a car wash to get rid of the sludge behind the wheels and in the wheel wells. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting, had a great dinner and retired to our home parked in the long driveway.
Lazy morning with coffee and the newspaper. Skip & Kathy were coming home and I decided to make dinner for all of us so we went for a few groceries & lunch. When we returned, Skip and his friend Pat were there. Skip & 11 other men had been on a golfing & fishing trip to Canada so he & Pat were cutting & vacuum sealing salmon. Kathy returned home from her “girls’ weekend” about 4:30 and we had the evening for dinner and catching up.
Aug 3rd - Mon - Spokane
We finally had the time and a bunch of Kathy’s CDs so we could load music on Terry’s MP3 player. Those little things are amazing. It has 8 gigabytes of storage and it took 1.6 GB (and several hours) to load 307 songs. I also loaded Picasa on Skip’s computer and gave him a crash course in using it.
We went to Bill & Georgia’s for dinner. It had cooled down enough to eat out on their beautiful new patio. Then we moved inside so we could see the cards & board for one of our marathon sessions of Sequence which the women won.
Aug 4th - Tues - Spokane
Skip left early to run errands so Kathy made breakfast for her & us. We decided that we needed a speaker system for our MP3 player so we could listen to music other than on ear buds. First we made an appointment to get our transmission fluid flushed and then shopped for speakers. Went to visit EllaMae & Don where Terry tried out the speakers. Turned out a cable listed on the package was missing and we couldn’t use it so he took it back to Big Lots where they opened a couple of others and found the cables missing in them also. Terry got his money back and returned to EllaMae’s just in time to go for the transmission flush.
But it just wasn’t his day! They got the truck up in the hoist and said “Oh, this is an Allison transmission and we can’t do it”! This is the same place that put new brakes on the truck a few days ago.
We stopped for a few groceries on the way back to S&K’s where they made us a wonderful dinner. Kathy had bought some “flameless” candles (an LED light in a wax shell) so, since the temperature had cooled down below 90, we moved outside to enjoy the candles, more wine and the great view.
Aug 5th - Wed - to Leavenworth WA
We had an 8:30 appointment to get our 5th wheel brakes worked on this morning. After checking out the wiring and pulling the tires it was determined that the best thing to do was replace all the brakes. We also needed one tire as for some unknown reason just one tire had worn through to the steel belts on one side and Terry had noticed it when we were packing stuff to leave Skip & Kathy’s. The tread on that tire and the others is still fine. The brakes were supposed to be delivered at 11. They called us at the casino at 11:30 to say they thought we needed new leaf springs. We had to go back there so Terry could show them two of the old springs that we kept when they were all replaced last year in New Jersey. When we left for lunch at 12:30 they hadn’t stated putting it back together.
We finally got on the road at 3:30 and decided to take Hwy 2 to Leavenworth. Nice drive through lots of wheat fields and then a long hill down to the Columbia River. We made the mistake of staying at the KOA in Leavenworth without asking the rate first - $50.50, no sewer and parked away in the back in “the meadow”. Won’t do that again.
Still hot all day. It was 91 at 6:30 when we arrived in Leavenworth.
Aug 6th - Thurs - to Monroe WA
Did some cleaning before leaving at 10:00 to visit our friends Larry & Barb who we met a couple of years ago in Alaska. It should have been an hour and 45 minute drive but about 25 miles from Monroe there was an accident on the highway. A semi had taken a curve too fast, pushed a large section of concrete barriers several feet towards the river and tipped a load of very smelly sludge. The tractor was off the road but the trailer was on it’s side in the middle of the 2 lane highway. Shortly after we stopped (3rd in line), vehicles came through from the opposite direction by driving partly on the grassy shoulder. Just as we were about to move, the police showed up and stopped all traffic because there was slippery brake fluid on the road and “there wasn’t room to drive past” even though a huge commercial bus had gone through there minutes earlier.
An hour later the trailer had been moved slightly so it was only blocking one lane and we got to go. Luckily, our side moved first. I counted about 300 vehicles lined up for 3 miles waiting to go west. Unfortunately, we had to drive through the sludge spilled on the road so when we stopped for fuel just down the road we cleaned off the front of the 5th wheel before the splatters dried completely.
Barb had lunch waiting for us which we enjoyed outside. The weather is much cooler but comfortable with long pants for the women and shorts for the hardier (!) men.
The guys took the truck to a car wash to get rid of the sludge behind the wheels and in the wheel wells. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting, had a great dinner and retired to our home parked in the long driveway.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
July 30th to Aug 1st - Spokane
July 30th - Thurs - Spokane
We went to Terry’s Mom’s house this morning and arrived in time for breakfast - good timing! Don had something wrong with his back and could not stand upright to walk so I drove him to his doctor appointment at 10. The doctor diagnosed a sciatica problem and prescribed some pain pills which we got on the way home. Terry went to Blue Crick RV to talk about the brakes on the 5th wheel. They tested the brake controller and figure it is OK. We have an appointment on Wed morning so we will be here longer than we thought.
After we had lunch at EllaMae’s, we went shopping for a few items. We hit every store we could think of on this end of town looking for a metal letter tray to match one that we already have. We haven’t had ours for long but it appears that they are no longer available. We returned to S&K’s to drop off our purchases and make a salad for dinner. Back to EllaMae’s for a nice dinner made by Terry’s sister Cindy.
July 31st - Fri - Spokane
I finally found some ripe peaches yesterday so we enjoyed them for breakfast. Terry puttered around on the 5th wheel and I worked on the computer before we went back to EllaMae’s. Terry was going to mow the lawn there but Cindy had beat us to it and was almost done. We did some weeding and then took off on our continuing search for a letter tray. We finally found a couple that are not the same as the one we had but will work. Back to S&K’s to relax and have dinner.
Aug 1st - Sat - Spokane
We stopped in to see EllaMae but she & Cindy were out shopping so we came back to S&K’s where Terry cleaned the bugs off the 5th wheel and I entered expenses on the computer. In the early afternoon we went to the Coeur d’Alene Casino. I had a run of luck and was able to cover Terry’s losses, our dinner and bring back a few dollars. We often split a very good, very large country fried steak at the casino. They changed their menu to offer a smaller portion (suitable for one) at a lower price. It is an ample dinner with a large Caesar salad, rolls, meat, mashed potatoes, a small biscuit & gravy - all for $6.99. Eat your heart out Canadian readers!!
Very hot today. Spokane broke a record at the official airport weather station at 101.
We went to Terry’s Mom’s house this morning and arrived in time for breakfast - good timing! Don had something wrong with his back and could not stand upright to walk so I drove him to his doctor appointment at 10. The doctor diagnosed a sciatica problem and prescribed some pain pills which we got on the way home. Terry went to Blue Crick RV to talk about the brakes on the 5th wheel. They tested the brake controller and figure it is OK. We have an appointment on Wed morning so we will be here longer than we thought.
After we had lunch at EllaMae’s, we went shopping for a few items. We hit every store we could think of on this end of town looking for a metal letter tray to match one that we already have. We haven’t had ours for long but it appears that they are no longer available. We returned to S&K’s to drop off our purchases and make a salad for dinner. Back to EllaMae’s for a nice dinner made by Terry’s sister Cindy.
July 31st - Fri - Spokane
I finally found some ripe peaches yesterday so we enjoyed them for breakfast. Terry puttered around on the 5th wheel and I worked on the computer before we went back to EllaMae’s. Terry was going to mow the lawn there but Cindy had beat us to it and was almost done. We did some weeding and then took off on our continuing search for a letter tray. We finally found a couple that are not the same as the one we had but will work. Back to S&K’s to relax and have dinner.
Aug 1st - Sat - Spokane
We stopped in to see EllaMae but she & Cindy were out shopping so we came back to S&K’s where Terry cleaned the bugs off the 5th wheel and I entered expenses on the computer. In the early afternoon we went to the Coeur d’Alene Casino. I had a run of luck and was able to cover Terry’s losses, our dinner and bring back a few dollars. We often split a very good, very large country fried steak at the casino. They changed their menu to offer a smaller portion (suitable for one) at a lower price. It is an ample dinner with a large Caesar salad, rolls, meat, mashed potatoes, a small biscuit & gravy - all for $6.99. Eat your heart out Canadian readers!!
Very hot today. Spokane broke a record at the official airport weather station at 101.
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