June 14th - Thurs - Soldatna
Yesterday evening Larry said there would be a minus low tide today and we all decided to go clamming. So last night Terry & I went shopping (after the others had retired for the night) and got a clam shovel, rubber boots for Terry and none for me as they did not have small sizes.
This morning we all got fishing licenses and Clem, Marlene, Terry & I got waders as they were only a dollar more than the rubber boots and they had small sizes. Then we all drove to Clam Gulch and tried our luck - not so good. The razor clams that we did find were mostly very small. But we had fun and waded through the water “because we could”! We had all packed a lunch so we found a picnic area and ate. We stopped at quite a few places to check out possible fishing spots and to get prices for charters - out of our budget.
Had such a strenuous time that we relaxed the rest of the day!!
My Dad had surgery again on the 12th to try to supply blood to his legs. He is doing well. Warm feet and a discernable pulse in both feet.
June 15th - Friday - Soldatna
We went exploring/sightseeing with Clem & Marlene today. We went to Kenai and visited with Dalbert & Linda who we met in Dawson Creek & Whitehorse. They are working at an RV park for the summer. We continued to the end of the road north of Kenai (past Nikiski), stopping for pictures and to check out fishing streams. Lunch in Kenai before heading back.
After a short break, we took off again to Kenai Landing about 10 miles out of Soldatna. It is an area that used to be a cannery. Two large buildings are now shops and a restaurant/bar. We had to check out the bar (Alaska Amber) before coming back to the inevitable Happy Hour(s).
Larry & Barb went on a guided salmon fishing trip today. Barb caught a 12 lb King - the only one caught by the 4 people in their boat.
June 16th - Sat - Soldatna
Terry & Clem used a discount coupon and went on a guided salmon fishing trip this morning. They had to be there at 5:30 am for the trip that started at 6. At 6:02 Terry had a fish on (King) and by 6:05 he had the 16 lb fish in the boat. The daily limit for King salmon is one so he had to spend the rest of the 6 hours watching the others try to catch fish - which they did not do. We split the salmon with Marlene & Clem. We ate some for dinner tonight - very good. Clem & Marlene left for Seward right after the guys returned.
Exciting time at the laundromat this afternoon! Actually, I took our computer along and put captions on pictures so I can get more on the internet tonight.
We were planning on going to Homer tomorrow for a couple of nights and then someone staying here told Terry that it was “like California” with no parking and full RV parks. So Terry thought we should just do a day trip which is what Larry & Barb were going to do. While Terry was paying for another night here, I was reading brochures and thought there was more to see & do in Homer than we could do in one day. So we discussed it with Larry & Barb, made a couple of phone calls, and we are all going there tomorrow with our rigs to stay for a couple of nights. Here we go again with changing plans!!
Continued beautiful weather - 75 today. Changed into shorts this afternoon.
We sat and chatted after dinner with a couple from California who pulled in beside us today. Don’t know if we will have wifi in Homer so want to get caught up tonight.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
June 8th to 13th - Palmer,Whittier,Soldatna
June 8th - Fri - to Palmer
We did not see all of Mt McKinley (Denali) on our bus tour so we stopped several times on the way to Palmer to try to get a better view. But the clouds hung around all the way so only got another picture of part of the mountain.
We arrived at the RV park in Palmer about 3, Clem & Marlene were here and set up. Larry & Barb and Terry & I made a quick trip to nearby Wasilla for booze and groceries. Happy hour, dinner and another Happy hour(s) rounded out the day.
June 9th - Sat - Palmer
Barb & I needed to do laundry and since the RV park has only 4 washers and dryers (dryers outside in a lean-to), we decided to all (6 of us) go to Palmer to do laundry and watch a parade for “Colony Days”. The parade started late and was longer than we thought it would be so it was 2:00 before we headed for Hatcher Pass and some lunch. The scenery was great and we stopped several times on the way back to get pictures of Susitna River that ran alongside the road. Because we had such a late lunch, no one had dinner. We just sat outside, fought the mosquitoes, had drinks and snacks and enjoyed our Buddy burner. Anyone reading this who does not know about our Buddy burner and wants to know, send us an email or a comment on the blog.
June 10th - Sun - Palmer
It is so nice that Larry has a truck (Chev, of course!) with a bench seat so all 6 of us have been able to ride in one rig.
We all went to Anchorage today. Spent an hour at an outdoor “craft” market and then found a park to eat our picnic lunch. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm with a slight breeze.
Then we went on a tour of the Musk Ox farm just up the road from Palmer. The musk ox are not terribly fond of the warm weather so they were mostly lying in the shade of trees and we didn’t get very close views of them.
Marlene, Barb & I went on a nice walk to a nearby lake before sitting in the sunshine to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. It was warm enough while I was cooking dinner to turn on the air conditioner.
June 11th - Mon - near Whittier
Our plans to all leave by 9:00 this morning got a little derailed. Clem & Marlene were putting in their slides and raising the front jacks to hook up when they lost power to the slides and jacks. We all tried to figure out what could be wrong (owner’s manual, testing all power, etc) but to no avail. So we helped them move slides and jacks manually and they said for us to go on while they tried to make an appointment at an RV service center. Larry & Barb and we had to get propane which happened to be right beside an RV service place. So Terry went and spoke with a technician and he told Terry that it probably was a fuse on the battery. We drove back to the campground to find Clem & Marlene gone as it was after check-out time. We got them on their phone and Terry told Clem what he had found out. A ways down the road we got a call from Clem saying they were on the road and not too far behind us as we had waited for Larry & Barb to get some groceries. It was the battery fuse and Clem was able to temporarily fix it with a wire.
We are staying at a government campground just out of Whittier. It is lovely - treed, large spots, widely spaced, fewer mosquitoes than Palmer and firepits. While dinner was cooking, Terry & I went for a 1 ½ mile (one way) bike ride on a beautiful concrete/boardwalk/asphalt trail alongside a river that went to a lake and a visitor center. We all sat around a fire after dinner.
June 12th - Tues - Whittier
Larry & Barb and Terry & I went on a boat cruise out of Whittier to view glaciers and wildlife this afternoon. The short trip to Whittier is interesting - it includes a 2 ½ mile, one-way tunnel that is shared by the railway. It costs $12 round trip for a car/truck, $35 for an RV. Clem & Marlene followed us to Whittier and we all checked out the shops, etc before we left on the boat.
The weather was nice for the trip. Overcast but no rain - better color in the glaciers and not so much glare in pictures. Again, we didn’t see much wildlife - lots of nesting gulls on a mountain side, a couple of eagles and some sea otters. Saw only one small piece of ice fall off a glacier.
After dinner, we again sat around a fire.
June 13th - Wed - to Soldatna
We all went to a Wildlife Conservation Preserve this morning. Started out with a couple of really scrawny looking moose, no bears to be seen, wood bison way off in the bush. Then a guy came by on a 4-wheeler and “woke up” the animals. I think they recognize the 4-wheeler as the deliverer of grain and all come running. So we went back and saw the bears, the wood bison (huge animals), all the elk, more bears, deer and a couple of owls.
Uneventful drive to Soldatna on the Kenai peninsula where we are staying at an Elks club “RV park” (parking lot). We have 110 electricity, no water hookups but you can use a hose to fill your tank. The price is right at $13 a night and we can get wifi in our rig. We all stopped at Fred Meyer on the way in where there is a dump station.
Took it easy this afternoon - went driving and grocery shopping with Clem & Marlene and then I got a haircut and Marlene got a shampoo/blow dry which she promptly redid when she got back! The guys were in the Elks bar when we got back - paying for the RV spots and picking the local brains for fishing info.
We did not see all of Mt McKinley (Denali) on our bus tour so we stopped several times on the way to Palmer to try to get a better view. But the clouds hung around all the way so only got another picture of part of the mountain.
We arrived at the RV park in Palmer about 3, Clem & Marlene were here and set up. Larry & Barb and Terry & I made a quick trip to nearby Wasilla for booze and groceries. Happy hour, dinner and another Happy hour(s) rounded out the day.
June 9th - Sat - Palmer
Barb & I needed to do laundry and since the RV park has only 4 washers and dryers (dryers outside in a lean-to), we decided to all (6 of us) go to Palmer to do laundry and watch a parade for “Colony Days”. The parade started late and was longer than we thought it would be so it was 2:00 before we headed for Hatcher Pass and some lunch. The scenery was great and we stopped several times on the way back to get pictures of Susitna River that ran alongside the road. Because we had such a late lunch, no one had dinner. We just sat outside, fought the mosquitoes, had drinks and snacks and enjoyed our Buddy burner. Anyone reading this who does not know about our Buddy burner and wants to know, send us an email or a comment on the blog.
June 10th - Sun - Palmer
It is so nice that Larry has a truck (Chev, of course!) with a bench seat so all 6 of us have been able to ride in one rig.
We all went to Anchorage today. Spent an hour at an outdoor “craft” market and then found a park to eat our picnic lunch. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm with a slight breeze.
Then we went on a tour of the Musk Ox farm just up the road from Palmer. The musk ox are not terribly fond of the warm weather so they were mostly lying in the shade of trees and we didn’t get very close views of them.
Marlene, Barb & I went on a nice walk to a nearby lake before sitting in the sunshine to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. It was warm enough while I was cooking dinner to turn on the air conditioner.
June 11th - Mon - near Whittier
Our plans to all leave by 9:00 this morning got a little derailed. Clem & Marlene were putting in their slides and raising the front jacks to hook up when they lost power to the slides and jacks. We all tried to figure out what could be wrong (owner’s manual, testing all power, etc) but to no avail. So we helped them move slides and jacks manually and they said for us to go on while they tried to make an appointment at an RV service center. Larry & Barb and we had to get propane which happened to be right beside an RV service place. So Terry went and spoke with a technician and he told Terry that it probably was a fuse on the battery. We drove back to the campground to find Clem & Marlene gone as it was after check-out time. We got them on their phone and Terry told Clem what he had found out. A ways down the road we got a call from Clem saying they were on the road and not too far behind us as we had waited for Larry & Barb to get some groceries. It was the battery fuse and Clem was able to temporarily fix it with a wire.
We are staying at a government campground just out of Whittier. It is lovely - treed, large spots, widely spaced, fewer mosquitoes than Palmer and firepits. While dinner was cooking, Terry & I went for a 1 ½ mile (one way) bike ride on a beautiful concrete/boardwalk/asphalt trail alongside a river that went to a lake and a visitor center. We all sat around a fire after dinner.
June 12th - Tues - Whittier
Larry & Barb and Terry & I went on a boat cruise out of Whittier to view glaciers and wildlife this afternoon. The short trip to Whittier is interesting - it includes a 2 ½ mile, one-way tunnel that is shared by the railway. It costs $12 round trip for a car/truck, $35 for an RV. Clem & Marlene followed us to Whittier and we all checked out the shops, etc before we left on the boat.
The weather was nice for the trip. Overcast but no rain - better color in the glaciers and not so much glare in pictures. Again, we didn’t see much wildlife - lots of nesting gulls on a mountain side, a couple of eagles and some sea otters. Saw only one small piece of ice fall off a glacier.
After dinner, we again sat around a fire.
June 13th - Wed - to Soldatna
We all went to a Wildlife Conservation Preserve this morning. Started out with a couple of really scrawny looking moose, no bears to be seen, wood bison way off in the bush. Then a guy came by on a 4-wheeler and “woke up” the animals. I think they recognize the 4-wheeler as the deliverer of grain and all come running. So we went back and saw the bears, the wood bison (huge animals), all the elk, more bears, deer and a couple of owls.
Uneventful drive to Soldatna on the Kenai peninsula where we are staying at an Elks club “RV park” (parking lot). We have 110 electricity, no water hookups but you can use a hose to fill your tank. The price is right at $13 a night and we can get wifi in our rig. We all stopped at Fred Meyer on the way in where there is a dump station.
Took it easy this afternoon - went driving and grocery shopping with Clem & Marlene and then I got a haircut and Marlene got a shampoo/blow dry which she promptly redid when she got back! The guys were in the Elks bar when we got back - paying for the RV spots and picking the local brains for fishing info.
Friday, June 08, 2007
June 4th to 7th - Fairbanks, Cantwell, Denali
June 4th - Mon - Fairbanks
We spent time this morning checking out the coupon book online. Unfortunately, we paid full price for a couple of attractions here in Fairbanks but I’m sure it will more than pay for itself.
We picked up the discount book and took advantage of one of the offers by going to the Dredge #8 site. In addition to a dredge tour and gold panning (again!), there were several buildings to explore - warehouses, bath house and living quarters now with informational displays.
We met Max & Eva and Max’s son David at the Salmon Bake which is a buffet. It was a lovely day and we were comfortable sitting under the trees for dinner. The food was good but not exceptional - salmon, halibut, cod and prime rib along with the usual salad bar, beans, etc.
We heard from Clem & Marlene this evening. They had some trouble with their truck and their 5th wheel and are in Whitehorse. We told them that we will carry on to Denali/Cantwell and meet them in Anchorage which will give them some time in Fairbanks.
June 5th - Tues - to Cantwell
Left for Cantwell this morning - 27 miles south of the Denali Park entrance. We are staying in a PA park where Larry & Barb (met in Fairbanks) are staying. The Parks Hwy that we drove today had some rough sections and one slight construction delay. By the time we got set up it was time to join Larry & Barb for happy hour.
June 6th - Wed - Cantwell
Finally pulled out the golf clubs this morning and went to Black Diamond golf course in Healy with Larry & Barb. It is advertised as a “unique” 9 hole course. Should always be warned by that word! The fairways were pretty much mowed pastures and the grass on the greens was an interesting mixture of grasses mowed by an ordinary lawn mower. Halfway through the first hole we all agreed that we were not going to keep score. But the sun came out and we had fun.
We stopped at Denali for shopping and a late lunch. Since we didn’t really want dinner, I made some crème brule and invited Larry & Barb over for dessert.
We heard from Clem & Marlene late this afternoon. They are in Anchorage! There obviously was miscommunication between Clem & I when we spoke on Monday. We paid here for 3 days so now they are waiting for us!
June 7th - Thurs - Cantwell
We all went on a bus tour of Denali park today. We went 63 miles into the park (private vehicles can only go 15 miles) and it took 8 hours! This was the less expensive, less structured tour - take your own lunch and water as there is nothing to purchase on the drive. The driver told us a lot about the park, history, animals, flowers, etc on the ride. There were several scheduled stops and we stopped for any animal sightings which were not as numerous as everyone hoped. We saw 5 or 7 grizzlies (may have seen one sow & cub going in and coming out), 3 cariboo, a nest of nearly grown ravens, many Dall sheep too far away to see legs without binoculars, rabbits, ground squirrels and various birds. The scenery was wonderful and anyone checking out pictures once I can get them posted will probably get tired of mountains!
We spent some time with Larry & Barb going through maps, books and pamphlets trying to figure out where we want to go and what we want to see. We are going to Palmer (37 miles from Anchorage) from here - another PA park. Spoke with Clem again. They are not happy with their RV park in Anchorage so they are going to meet us in Palmer.
We spent time this morning checking out the coupon book online. Unfortunately, we paid full price for a couple of attractions here in Fairbanks but I’m sure it will more than pay for itself.
We picked up the discount book and took advantage of one of the offers by going to the Dredge #8 site. In addition to a dredge tour and gold panning (again!), there were several buildings to explore - warehouses, bath house and living quarters now with informational displays.
We met Max & Eva and Max’s son David at the Salmon Bake which is a buffet. It was a lovely day and we were comfortable sitting under the trees for dinner. The food was good but not exceptional - salmon, halibut, cod and prime rib along with the usual salad bar, beans, etc.
We heard from Clem & Marlene this evening. They had some trouble with their truck and their 5th wheel and are in Whitehorse. We told them that we will carry on to Denali/Cantwell and meet them in Anchorage which will give them some time in Fairbanks.
June 5th - Tues - to Cantwell
Left for Cantwell this morning - 27 miles south of the Denali Park entrance. We are staying in a PA park where Larry & Barb (met in Fairbanks) are staying. The Parks Hwy that we drove today had some rough sections and one slight construction delay. By the time we got set up it was time to join Larry & Barb for happy hour.
June 6th - Wed - Cantwell
Finally pulled out the golf clubs this morning and went to Black Diamond golf course in Healy with Larry & Barb. It is advertised as a “unique” 9 hole course. Should always be warned by that word! The fairways were pretty much mowed pastures and the grass on the greens was an interesting mixture of grasses mowed by an ordinary lawn mower. Halfway through the first hole we all agreed that we were not going to keep score. But the sun came out and we had fun.
We stopped at Denali for shopping and a late lunch. Since we didn’t really want dinner, I made some crème brule and invited Larry & Barb over for dessert.
We heard from Clem & Marlene late this afternoon. They are in Anchorage! There obviously was miscommunication between Clem & I when we spoke on Monday. We paid here for 3 days so now they are waiting for us!
June 7th - Thurs - Cantwell
We all went on a bus tour of Denali park today. We went 63 miles into the park (private vehicles can only go 15 miles) and it took 8 hours! This was the less expensive, less structured tour - take your own lunch and water as there is nothing to purchase on the drive. The driver told us a lot about the park, history, animals, flowers, etc on the ride. There were several scheduled stops and we stopped for any animal sightings which were not as numerous as everyone hoped. We saw 5 or 7 grizzlies (may have seen one sow & cub going in and coming out), 3 cariboo, a nest of nearly grown ravens, many Dall sheep too far away to see legs without binoculars, rabbits, ground squirrels and various birds. The scenery was wonderful and anyone checking out pictures once I can get them posted will probably get tired of mountains!
We spent some time with Larry & Barb going through maps, books and pamphlets trying to figure out where we want to go and what we want to see. We are going to Palmer (37 miles from Anchorage) from here - another PA park. Spoke with Clem again. They are not happy with their RV park in Anchorage so they are going to meet us in Palmer.
Monday, June 04, 2007
June 3rd - Fairbanks
June 3rd - Sun - back to Fairbanks
Took our time returning to Fairbanks and finding the PA park that a couple that we met in Dawson City (Max & Eva) told us about. The park is halfway between Fairbanks and North Pole. We are staying here at least a couple more days - hopefully will hear from Clem & Marlene soon.
The outline maps of the US and Canada that we have on our slide are sized to fit together but the Alaska portion was not to scale (too small). So we took the Alaska fill-in map to Office Max and had it enlarged so we could attach it to the Yukon where it belongs. Terry is happy now!
We went walking around the RV park after dinner and ended up talking with 2 couples traveling together - one from Texas and one from NY - for a long time. They told us about a discount/2 for 1 book for Alaska that we will have to check out.
The park we are in is kind of run down but has wifi at each site and we can pick up many TV channels with the antenna - good for passing some time while we wait. Max & Eva are here and we are going to dinner with them tomorrow at the “Salmon Bake” in Pioneer Park.
Took our time returning to Fairbanks and finding the PA park that a couple that we met in Dawson City (Max & Eva) told us about. The park is halfway between Fairbanks and North Pole. We are staying here at least a couple more days - hopefully will hear from Clem & Marlene soon.
The outline maps of the US and Canada that we have on our slide are sized to fit together but the Alaska portion was not to scale (too small). So we took the Alaska fill-in map to Office Max and had it enlarged so we could attach it to the Yukon where it belongs. Terry is happy now!
We went walking around the RV park after dinner and ended up talking with 2 couples traveling together - one from Texas and one from NY - for a long time. They told us about a discount/2 for 1 book for Alaska that we will have to check out.
The park we are in is kind of run down but has wifi at each site and we can pick up many TV channels with the antenna - good for passing some time while we wait. Max & Eva are here and we are going to dinner with them tomorrow at the “Salmon Bake” in Pioneer Park.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
June 1st - 2nd - Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs
June 1st - Friday - Fairbanks
Went to Pioneer Park this morning. It is a theme/amusement park right in Fairbanks - very nice. There are a couple of rows of old log buildings that have been moved in from other spots and are now shops. The origin of the buildings is displayed on each one. There is a sternwheeler, an aviation museum, a native museum, a kids playground, miniature golf , an art center, square/round dance building and a little train that circles the site. There is a huge “salmon bake” restaurant complex - all you can eat. It includes a huge water feature, old mining equipment, separate buildings for cooking/seating/beverages/dessert, wood carvings, raised gardens and gift shop. The weather was gorgeous!
We went on the Discovery III paddle wheel boat cruise this afternoon. It included 2 bush plane take off/landings (one on floats, one on wheels on a sandbar), a sled dog compound with Susan Boucher’s daughters and a salmon drying demo. These were all done on the shore (while we were on the boat) with microphones on the participants. Then we disembarked at a native “village” and were taken in groups to 4 different displays/talks of northern culture. After time to wander around, take pictures and ask questions, we got back on the boat for the return trip. The narrator was very good, the whole thing was very well organized and it was well worth doing.
We met a couple on the boat (Larry & Barb) and asked them over for a drink. They are from Monroe, WA and are staying in a different RV park. While we were sitting outside in the wonderful sunshine, a couple that we met briefly at the RV park in Dawson City stopped by. We had given them some tickets that we did not have time to use. By the time everyone left, we were barbequing dinner at 9:00 which doesn’t matter since the sun is still high in the sky.
June 2nd - Sat - to Chena Hot Springs
Did laundry this morning before we left for Chena Hot Springs. It is a 60 mile drive with the first 20 miles pretty bumpy. When we got there, we found that the RV accommodations left a lot to be desired. No electricity or water and primitive (rough, uneven), small spots for $20. Swimming was $10 each and ice museum $15 each with an extra $15 for their Appletini in the ice bar. We decided that since we had already experienced the hot springs at Liard that we would not stay there. So we tried a little gold panning (no luck!!) on the way back to a government campsite where we got a very nice spot for $10. Scrounged through the woods for enough firewood for the night. Could have purchased firewood for $5 for a small bundle but that would be too easy. The camp host here is from Vancouver, WA.
Mosquitoes are becoming more plentiful, especially here in the woods. Mostly warm and sunny today with a couple of very brief showers.
Went to Pioneer Park this morning. It is a theme/amusement park right in Fairbanks - very nice. There are a couple of rows of old log buildings that have been moved in from other spots and are now shops. The origin of the buildings is displayed on each one. There is a sternwheeler, an aviation museum, a native museum, a kids playground, miniature golf , an art center, square/round dance building and a little train that circles the site. There is a huge “salmon bake” restaurant complex - all you can eat. It includes a huge water feature, old mining equipment, separate buildings for cooking/seating/beverages/dessert, wood carvings, raised gardens and gift shop. The weather was gorgeous!
We went on the Discovery III paddle wheel boat cruise this afternoon. It included 2 bush plane take off/landings (one on floats, one on wheels on a sandbar), a sled dog compound with Susan Boucher’s daughters and a salmon drying demo. These were all done on the shore (while we were on the boat) with microphones on the participants. Then we disembarked at a native “village” and were taken in groups to 4 different displays/talks of northern culture. After time to wander around, take pictures and ask questions, we got back on the boat for the return trip. The narrator was very good, the whole thing was very well organized and it was well worth doing.
We met a couple on the boat (Larry & Barb) and asked them over for a drink. They are from Monroe, WA and are staying in a different RV park. While we were sitting outside in the wonderful sunshine, a couple that we met briefly at the RV park in Dawson City stopped by. We had given them some tickets that we did not have time to use. By the time everyone left, we were barbequing dinner at 9:00 which doesn’t matter since the sun is still high in the sky.
June 2nd - Sat - to Chena Hot Springs
Did laundry this morning before we left for Chena Hot Springs. It is a 60 mile drive with the first 20 miles pretty bumpy. When we got there, we found that the RV accommodations left a lot to be desired. No electricity or water and primitive (rough, uneven), small spots for $20. Swimming was $10 each and ice museum $15 each with an extra $15 for their Appletini in the ice bar. We decided that since we had already experienced the hot springs at Liard that we would not stay there. So we tried a little gold panning (no luck!!) on the way back to a government campsite where we got a very nice spot for $10. Scrounged through the woods for enough firewood for the night. Could have purchased firewood for $5 for a small bundle but that would be too easy. The camp host here is from Vancouver, WA.
Mosquitoes are becoming more plentiful, especially here in the woods. Mostly warm and sunny today with a couple of very brief showers.
Friday, June 01, 2007
May 27th to 31st - Yukon to Alaska
May 27th - Sun - to Dawson City
We left the Alaska Hwy for the Klondike Hwy to make a loop to Dawson City. Still a good road but had to slow down and watch for frost heaves and gravel patches. The only wildlife that we saw was 2 swans in a small pond. There were some interesting mountains with odd bald patches but otherwise the scenery was not as spectacular as we have seen. The highway climbs to the Miners Range which is, according to the Milepost, “plateau country of the Yukon, an immense wilderness of forested dome-shaped mountains”. The highway starts following the Yukon River after a while.
We are staying in an RV park just out of town so we checked out the town after setting up. Had to pay a short visit to the “casino”! The park advertised cable TV (needed when it is raining!) and wifi. When we got back we discovered that we received 2 TV channels (badly) and no wifi. Surprise - the wifi is only available after June 1st but we did not think to ask when we checked in and they certainly did not let us know.
May 28th - Mon - Dawson City
Started out rainy today so we went into town to wander around. We spent about an hour in the museum. On the way back to the rig for lunch, we drove up a hill called Midnight Dome. It has amazing views of Dawson City, the Yukon River valley and the goldfield areas.
After lunch we stopped by Claim 33 to visit Darlene who is a friend of Cecile & Alan’s. We chatted with her a while and she showed us around the place. Then we continued on to a tour of Dredge #4. It was a great tour of an incredible piece of machinery. We tried a little gold panning at the city’s free claim but the water in the creek was pretty cold and it is hard on the back having to lean over so far to not stand in water so we didn’t last very long at that.
We took in the 8:30 show at Diamond Tooth Gerties. OK but not great. Spent just a few dollars in the slot machines and called it a day. Actually, we could literally “call it a day” for a while - the sun was still up just after 10.
May 29th - Tues - to Tok
We started the day with a ferry ride across the Yukon River. It is part of the Alaska highway system so it is free. It is a very small ferry and made Terry slightly nervous. We ended up being the only rig on the ferry and everything went fine. There is no “dock” on shore. The landing ramp is just set down onto a graded section of the riverbank and off you drive.
Part of the highway that we drove over is called Top of the World Highway and it lives up to it’s name. You drive along the top of a mountain ridge for a long ways and have amazing views on both sides of the road. You cross into Alaska about halfway through and have to clear customs. The agent asked us NOTHING about what food items we had so all my clearing out was for naught.
The road surface got worse after we crossed the border. It was dirt in places, not even gravel. There had been rain so some parts were a little muddy which made both vehicles a mess.
There have been large forest fires along this road. I took a couple of pictures but it is hard to capture miles of entire mountains charred by fire.
We stopped at Chicken, AK for lunch. Funny little place but we had a good lunch. They have no electricity or sewer system but while we waited for lunch to be prepared I checked our emails on a computer in the café.
We finally got cell phone service in Tok but no internet access at our RV site. Could have connected in the laundry room but it was pretty cool in there so figured I’d wait.
May 30th - Wed - to Fairbanks
Not a long drive today so we took our time getting on the road. It was so nice to have cell phone service again that we spent some time on the phones. We stopped at several pullouts to take pictures and have lunch. The Alaska Hwy and the Klondike Hwy both have lots of “large double-ended pullouts” that are identified in the Milepost magazine. The magazine includes information about photo opportunities, trails and amenities at each pullout.
We are staying at a nice RV park - in town but it is wooded and has a river running along one side. It has a wash station with a high boom for RVs so we cleaned up both rigs before parking and setting up. There is a Fred Meyer store nearby so we filled in some of the groceries that we used up before crossing the border. The RV park is associated with a motel which has individual cabins along the river as some of the rooms. When we were taking a walk we ended up talking with a couple from Ohio staying in a cabin and then they walked over a bit later to chat some more.
Wildlife watch: 1 fox
May 31st - Thurs - Fairbanks
It rained overnight and was a little cool this morning. We made the obligatory visit to North Pole, AK but browsing the gift shop that is mostly Christmas ornaments kind of loses it’s appeal when your Christmas tree is a foot high and permanently decorated! We did mail a couple of CD’s from there so they will have the North Pole postmark.
Checked out downtown Fairbanks and tried to get to the visitor center but there was no parking lot beside it and after 2 loops through one-way streets we gave up.
We went on the El Dorado Gold Mine tour in the afternoon. A little train takes you through a “permafrost” tunnel where a guy talks about old mining procedures and shows you a stack of prehistoric bones. Then he demonstrates an old rocker box as you continue through the woods. You end up at the main building where there is a working sluice box lined with benches for the visitors. A couple who have mined in Alaska for 25 years take you through this mining procedure. They run water through a flume, dump a bucket full of dirt & gravel in the hopper and run it down the sluice. Then they pick up a section of the sluice at the top, divide the gravel into 5 gold pans and employees pan out the gold. They all had gold in their pans and one had a very small nugget. Next everyone gets a small bag of paydirt and you move to the panning area where we all got a bit of gold. They weigh your gold and put a current value on it ($13 for both of us) in a large gift shop. They also feed you fresh baked cookies and coffee - went back for seconds! There was a trough of water in front of the gift shop with pans of gravel that you could just pan for free. Most people that we saw were getting nothing but I got 2 more little flakes.
There will be no sunset today! It sets just after midnight, so technically it is setting tomorrow!
We left the Alaska Hwy for the Klondike Hwy to make a loop to Dawson City. Still a good road but had to slow down and watch for frost heaves and gravel patches. The only wildlife that we saw was 2 swans in a small pond. There were some interesting mountains with odd bald patches but otherwise the scenery was not as spectacular as we have seen. The highway climbs to the Miners Range which is, according to the Milepost, “plateau country of the Yukon, an immense wilderness of forested dome-shaped mountains”. The highway starts following the Yukon River after a while.
We are staying in an RV park just out of town so we checked out the town after setting up. Had to pay a short visit to the “casino”! The park advertised cable TV (needed when it is raining!) and wifi. When we got back we discovered that we received 2 TV channels (badly) and no wifi. Surprise - the wifi is only available after June 1st but we did not think to ask when we checked in and they certainly did not let us know.
May 28th - Mon - Dawson City
Started out rainy today so we went into town to wander around. We spent about an hour in the museum. On the way back to the rig for lunch, we drove up a hill called Midnight Dome. It has amazing views of Dawson City, the Yukon River valley and the goldfield areas.
After lunch we stopped by Claim 33 to visit Darlene who is a friend of Cecile & Alan’s. We chatted with her a while and she showed us around the place. Then we continued on to a tour of Dredge #4. It was a great tour of an incredible piece of machinery. We tried a little gold panning at the city’s free claim but the water in the creek was pretty cold and it is hard on the back having to lean over so far to not stand in water so we didn’t last very long at that.
We took in the 8:30 show at Diamond Tooth Gerties. OK but not great. Spent just a few dollars in the slot machines and called it a day. Actually, we could literally “call it a day” for a while - the sun was still up just after 10.
May 29th - Tues - to Tok
We started the day with a ferry ride across the Yukon River. It is part of the Alaska highway system so it is free. It is a very small ferry and made Terry slightly nervous. We ended up being the only rig on the ferry and everything went fine. There is no “dock” on shore. The landing ramp is just set down onto a graded section of the riverbank and off you drive.
Part of the highway that we drove over is called Top of the World Highway and it lives up to it’s name. You drive along the top of a mountain ridge for a long ways and have amazing views on both sides of the road. You cross into Alaska about halfway through and have to clear customs. The agent asked us NOTHING about what food items we had so all my clearing out was for naught.
The road surface got worse after we crossed the border. It was dirt in places, not even gravel. There had been rain so some parts were a little muddy which made both vehicles a mess.
There have been large forest fires along this road. I took a couple of pictures but it is hard to capture miles of entire mountains charred by fire.
We stopped at Chicken, AK for lunch. Funny little place but we had a good lunch. They have no electricity or sewer system but while we waited for lunch to be prepared I checked our emails on a computer in the café.
We finally got cell phone service in Tok but no internet access at our RV site. Could have connected in the laundry room but it was pretty cool in there so figured I’d wait.
May 30th - Wed - to Fairbanks
Not a long drive today so we took our time getting on the road. It was so nice to have cell phone service again that we spent some time on the phones. We stopped at several pullouts to take pictures and have lunch. The Alaska Hwy and the Klondike Hwy both have lots of “large double-ended pullouts” that are identified in the Milepost magazine. The magazine includes information about photo opportunities, trails and amenities at each pullout.
We are staying at a nice RV park - in town but it is wooded and has a river running along one side. It has a wash station with a high boom for RVs so we cleaned up both rigs before parking and setting up. There is a Fred Meyer store nearby so we filled in some of the groceries that we used up before crossing the border. The RV park is associated with a motel which has individual cabins along the river as some of the rooms. When we were taking a walk we ended up talking with a couple from Ohio staying in a cabin and then they walked over a bit later to chat some more.
Wildlife watch: 1 fox
May 31st - Thurs - Fairbanks
It rained overnight and was a little cool this morning. We made the obligatory visit to North Pole, AK but browsing the gift shop that is mostly Christmas ornaments kind of loses it’s appeal when your Christmas tree is a foot high and permanently decorated! We did mail a couple of CD’s from there so they will have the North Pole postmark.
Checked out downtown Fairbanks and tried to get to the visitor center but there was no parking lot beside it and after 2 loops through one-way streets we gave up.
We went on the El Dorado Gold Mine tour in the afternoon. A little train takes you through a “permafrost” tunnel where a guy talks about old mining procedures and shows you a stack of prehistoric bones. Then he demonstrates an old rocker box as you continue through the woods. You end up at the main building where there is a working sluice box lined with benches for the visitors. A couple who have mined in Alaska for 25 years take you through this mining procedure. They run water through a flume, dump a bucket full of dirt & gravel in the hopper and run it down the sluice. Then they pick up a section of the sluice at the top, divide the gravel into 5 gold pans and employees pan out the gold. They all had gold in their pans and one had a very small nugget. Next everyone gets a small bag of paydirt and you move to the panning area where we all got a bit of gold. They weigh your gold and put a current value on it ($13 for both of us) in a large gift shop. They also feed you fresh baked cookies and coffee - went back for seconds! There was a trough of water in front of the gift shop with pans of gravel that you could just pan for free. Most people that we saw were getting nothing but I got 2 more little flakes.
There will be no sunset today! It sets just after midnight, so technically it is setting tomorrow!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
May 24th to 26th - Yukon
May 24th - Thurs - Watson Lake
Decided to stay another day so we could get caught up on laundry and internet/computer stuff. Most campers left the park this morning so we had the laundry room to ourselves, both for laundry and to access the internet since wifi did not work at our site. We put up our sign at the Sign Post Forest. Weather was lovely.
Rigs started coming in again at 3:00 and included Dalbert & Linda who we had met in Dawson Creek. It was nice enough to sit outside and chat for a while after dinner.
May 25th - Friday - to Whitehorse
Started out cloudy but cleared up to make a beautiful day for a drive. We stopped at Rancheria Falls and walked along a trail/boardwalk to the waterfall - great break. I made lunch in a rest area just out of Teslin and then we stopped at a gift shop in Teslin that has some really wonderful animal mounts in “natural“ settings. We were stopped for a while for a bridge resurfacing project not far past Teslin. Checked into an RV park (2 spots down from Dalbert & Linda!) and then explored the town a bit before dinner.
May 26th - Sat - Whitehorse
Stayed a second day as we thought there would be lots to do here. Would have been if the weather hadn’t turned cool, windy and rainy. Boat rides don’t look too interesting in such weather. We did some grocery shopping and tried to find a couple of light bulbs for the 5th wheel. Then we visited the info center and discovered that we cannot take some of the groceries that we purchased into the US (Alaska). Will have to plan meals to use any forbidden items. Weather cleared enough to check out Miles Canyon.
I spent HOURS today figuring out how to put pictures with captions onto a CD to send to some people who do not have high speed internet access to view our pictures. Finally figured it out and got the CDs created.
A couple pulled in beside us late this afternoon in a motor home pulling a small jeep. They had come up via the Cassiar Highway and did quite a bit of damage to their jeep (broken headlight, 2 broken “fog” lamps, rock chips in the windshield, rocks in the radiator) by rocks thrown from the motor home tires on gravel patches on hills. We plan to take the Cassiar Hwy on the way back!
Decided to stay another day so we could get caught up on laundry and internet/computer stuff. Most campers left the park this morning so we had the laundry room to ourselves, both for laundry and to access the internet since wifi did not work at our site. We put up our sign at the Sign Post Forest. Weather was lovely.
Rigs started coming in again at 3:00 and included Dalbert & Linda who we had met in Dawson Creek. It was nice enough to sit outside and chat for a while after dinner.
May 25th - Friday - to Whitehorse
Started out cloudy but cleared up to make a beautiful day for a drive. We stopped at Rancheria Falls and walked along a trail/boardwalk to the waterfall - great break. I made lunch in a rest area just out of Teslin and then we stopped at a gift shop in Teslin that has some really wonderful animal mounts in “natural“ settings. We were stopped for a while for a bridge resurfacing project not far past Teslin. Checked into an RV park (2 spots down from Dalbert & Linda!) and then explored the town a bit before dinner.
May 26th - Sat - Whitehorse
Stayed a second day as we thought there would be lots to do here. Would have been if the weather hadn’t turned cool, windy and rainy. Boat rides don’t look too interesting in such weather. We did some grocery shopping and tried to find a couple of light bulbs for the 5th wheel. Then we visited the info center and discovered that we cannot take some of the groceries that we purchased into the US (Alaska). Will have to plan meals to use any forbidden items. Weather cleared enough to check out Miles Canyon.
I spent HOURS today figuring out how to put pictures with captions onto a CD to send to some people who do not have high speed internet access to view our pictures. Finally figured it out and got the CDs created.
A couple pulled in beside us late this afternoon in a motor home pulling a small jeep. They had come up via the Cassiar Highway and did quite a bit of damage to their jeep (broken headlight, 2 broken “fog” lamps, rock chips in the windshield, rocks in the radiator) by rocks thrown from the motor home tires on gravel patches on hills. We plan to take the Cassiar Hwy on the way back!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
May 22nd to 23rd - Liard Hot Springs, Watson Lake
May 22nd - Tues - to Liard Hot Springs
There were only a couple of towns in B.C. that got snow last night and Fort Nelson was one of them!! Took our time leaving to let the snow melt off the roads. When we got on the road, there was not a cloud in the sky - beautiful!
We forgot to put more water in the 5th wheel so we stayed in a private RV park across the road from the Hot Springs. It is so early in the season for them that their sani-dump was still frozen and unusable. We drove through the provincial campsite - the spaces are large and mostly angled so you can park a big rig without problems. Would definitely stay there if we were up that way again.
Really enjoyed the hot springs. We got there late so the attendant said we could use the hot springs tomorrow without paying again.
Wildlife Watch: 1 moose; 6 cariboo; 1 deer; 20 Stone sheep
May 23rd - Wed - Liard Hot Springs to Watson Lake
Went for a soak in the hot springs before I made a nice breakfast. We met a nice couple in the park (Milo & Marie) but they are going to Skagway first so we won’t see them again unless we cross paths somewhere down the road.
Another lovely, sunny day. The scenery is wonderful, always changing. Only about 150 miles to Watson Lake so an easy driving day.
We checked out the info center and the Signpost Forest before we checked into an RV park. It is a gravel park in the middle of town and there was one rig in it when we drove past coming into town. When we got in about 3, there were 3 other rigs. Then rigs started coming in steadily until about 6.
We needed a couple of grocery items and walked to the only grocery store in town. One look at the prices and we only bought what we had to have now. Hope the prices are a little lower in Whitehorse. At $8.00/lb, we won’t eat many baby back ribs!
We did not have a sign for the Signpost Forest but the RV office just happened to sell sign “blanks”. So we got out the Dremel that Terry had to take with us and made a sign. There are over 61,000 signs as of Sept 2006 - crazy place.
After a nice steak dinner on the barbeque, we went to the Northern Lights Centre (planetarium) and watched a 45 minute presentation - first on stars & the universe and then the northern lights.
The long daylight hours are starting to mess up our sleep clocks. Don’t feel like we should be going to bed at 10 when it is still full light out. On June 21st there will be 21 hours of daylight.
Wildlife Watch: many buffalo - one large herd with 8 calves, several singles or twos; 2 black bears; 1 grizzly with 2 cubs; 1 cariboo
There were only a couple of towns in B.C. that got snow last night and Fort Nelson was one of them!! Took our time leaving to let the snow melt off the roads. When we got on the road, there was not a cloud in the sky - beautiful!
We forgot to put more water in the 5th wheel so we stayed in a private RV park across the road from the Hot Springs. It is so early in the season for them that their sani-dump was still frozen and unusable. We drove through the provincial campsite - the spaces are large and mostly angled so you can park a big rig without problems. Would definitely stay there if we were up that way again.
Really enjoyed the hot springs. We got there late so the attendant said we could use the hot springs tomorrow without paying again.
Wildlife Watch: 1 moose; 6 cariboo; 1 deer; 20 Stone sheep
May 23rd - Wed - Liard Hot Springs to Watson Lake
Went for a soak in the hot springs before I made a nice breakfast. We met a nice couple in the park (Milo & Marie) but they are going to Skagway first so we won’t see them again unless we cross paths somewhere down the road.
Another lovely, sunny day. The scenery is wonderful, always changing. Only about 150 miles to Watson Lake so an easy driving day.
We checked out the info center and the Signpost Forest before we checked into an RV park. It is a gravel park in the middle of town and there was one rig in it when we drove past coming into town. When we got in about 3, there were 3 other rigs. Then rigs started coming in steadily until about 6.
We needed a couple of grocery items and walked to the only grocery store in town. One look at the prices and we only bought what we had to have now. Hope the prices are a little lower in Whitehorse. At $8.00/lb, we won’t eat many baby back ribs!
We did not have a sign for the Signpost Forest but the RV office just happened to sell sign “blanks”. So we got out the Dremel that Terry had to take with us and made a sign. There are over 61,000 signs as of Sept 2006 - crazy place.
After a nice steak dinner on the barbeque, we went to the Northern Lights Centre (planetarium) and watched a 45 minute presentation - first on stars & the universe and then the northern lights.
The long daylight hours are starting to mess up our sleep clocks. Don’t feel like we should be going to bed at 10 when it is still full light out. On June 21st there will be 21 hours of daylight.
Wildlife Watch: many buffalo - one large herd with 8 calves, several singles or twos; 2 black bears; 1 grizzly with 2 cubs; 1 cariboo
Monday, May 21, 2007
May 21st - to Fort Nelson
May 21st - Mon - to Fort Nelson
The weather was lovely when we left Dawson Creek this morning but it changed to scattered clouds, then intermittent showers and now rain. Not snow yet!
Stopped for a couple of photos and to make lunch today but otherwise drove straight through to Fort Nelson. Not impressed with the town - a couple of undesirable RV parks and one just OK where we are. And, probably no fault of the town, diesel is $1.25 a liter - for our U.S. friends, that converts to $5.00 a gallon! And the exchange on money is going against us now. We are getting slightly less than 10 cents on the dollar right now.
We checked out the local museum after we set up here. Quite an interesting collection - one building stuffed with all sorts of displays - animal mounts, old household items, old military items, old signs; a building with old vehicles, most in running condition; a Hudson’s Bay “manager’s” house that was large and fancy for it’s time; a large trapper’s log cabin; and lots of miscellaneous stuff all around the grounds. It was breezy and too cool to loiter very long but it was interesting.
Have wifi at our site so I managed to get the pictures posted that I mentioned in yesterday's entries.
Wildlife seen while driving: 3 moose, 2 bears, 1 coyote and 12 deer.
The weather was lovely when we left Dawson Creek this morning but it changed to scattered clouds, then intermittent showers and now rain. Not snow yet!
Stopped for a couple of photos and to make lunch today but otherwise drove straight through to Fort Nelson. Not impressed with the town - a couple of undesirable RV parks and one just OK where we are. And, probably no fault of the town, diesel is $1.25 a liter - for our U.S. friends, that converts to $5.00 a gallon! And the exchange on money is going against us now. We are getting slightly less than 10 cents on the dollar right now.
We checked out the local museum after we set up here. Quite an interesting collection - one building stuffed with all sorts of displays - animal mounts, old household items, old military items, old signs; a building with old vehicles, most in running condition; a Hudson’s Bay “manager’s” house that was large and fancy for it’s time; a large trapper’s log cabin; and lots of miscellaneous stuff all around the grounds. It was breezy and too cool to loiter very long but it was interesting.
Have wifi at our site so I managed to get the pictures posted that I mentioned in yesterday's entries.
Wildlife seen while driving: 3 moose, 2 bears, 1 coyote and 12 deer.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
May 18th to 20th - to Dawson Creek
May 18th - Friday - to Quesnel
Packed up and left by about 10 am this morning. Stopped on the outskirts of Quesnel to stock up on groceries.
Terry decided to drive to Barkerville with the 5th wheel and stay at Wells. Changed his mind when we saw piles of snow on the roadside and edges of RV parks. So we visited Barkerville for a while and drove back to Quesnel. We hit a tour at Barkerville where the guides acted the part of Barkerville residents in the late 1800’s. They stayed in character the whole time and it was very entertaining.
Stayed overnight in a forgettable RV park in Quesnel.
May 19th - Sat - to Dawson Creek
Beautiful weather today. We stopped in Chetwynd - “Chain Saw Sculpture Capital of the World” for some lunch and to take pictures of the sculptures which are quite amazing. Check out our pictures.
We went to a tire shop in Dawson Creek and got one new tire for the 5th wheel. For some unknown reason, one back tire was wearing very badly. The guy in the tire shop could not tell what the problem was but said the other tires looked like new.
Many people in the RV park where we are staying are heading to Alaska. We invited one couple over after dinner as it is their third trip to Alaska and we wanted to find out what they recommended to see. They have been full-timing for 5 years and are going to work-camp in Kenai this summer.
May 20th - Sun - Tumbler Ridge
We saw an ad for ATV Mud Bog races which we wanted to see today but they were cancelled. So we drove to Tumbler Ridge (60 mi south of Dawson Creek) and then to Monkman Provincial Park (10 mi paved, 25 miles gravel) to see Kinuseo Falls (pictures posted).
Marg said that she thought our niece Katrina (brother Bob’s daughter) lived in Tumbler Ridge. So I left a message for Bob asking for her number. Got the number when we got cell reception again and she and her boyfriend ended up meeting us for a quick visit while we ate lunch. It was really nice to see her again. She has been living in northern BC for many years so she is “all grown up” compared to the last time I saw her.
When we got back we took the obligatory pictures of the “mile 0” signs in town and tried to wash off the worst of the dirt from the truck - rain showers and gravel roads make a terrible mess!
Downloaded pictures from the camera, added captions, updated the blog and now will head over to the RV clubhouse for wireless access to the internet. It is not reaching all sites here.
Packed up and left by about 10 am this morning. Stopped on the outskirts of Quesnel to stock up on groceries.
Terry decided to drive to Barkerville with the 5th wheel and stay at Wells. Changed his mind when we saw piles of snow on the roadside and edges of RV parks. So we visited Barkerville for a while and drove back to Quesnel. We hit a tour at Barkerville where the guides acted the part of Barkerville residents in the late 1800’s. They stayed in character the whole time and it was very entertaining.
Stayed overnight in a forgettable RV park in Quesnel.
May 19th - Sat - to Dawson Creek
Beautiful weather today. We stopped in Chetwynd - “Chain Saw Sculpture Capital of the World” for some lunch and to take pictures of the sculptures which are quite amazing. Check out our pictures.
We went to a tire shop in Dawson Creek and got one new tire for the 5th wheel. For some unknown reason, one back tire was wearing very badly. The guy in the tire shop could not tell what the problem was but said the other tires looked like new.
Many people in the RV park where we are staying are heading to Alaska. We invited one couple over after dinner as it is their third trip to Alaska and we wanted to find out what they recommended to see. They have been full-timing for 5 years and are going to work-camp in Kenai this summer.
May 20th - Sun - Tumbler Ridge
We saw an ad for ATV Mud Bog races which we wanted to see today but they were cancelled. So we drove to Tumbler Ridge (60 mi south of Dawson Creek) and then to Monkman Provincial Park (10 mi paved, 25 miles gravel) to see Kinuseo Falls (pictures posted).
Marg said that she thought our niece Katrina (brother Bob’s daughter) lived in Tumbler Ridge. So I left a message for Bob asking for her number. Got the number when we got cell reception again and she and her boyfriend ended up meeting us for a quick visit while we ate lunch. It was really nice to see her again. She has been living in northern BC for many years so she is “all grown up” compared to the last time I saw her.
When we got back we took the obligatory pictures of the “mile 0” signs in town and tried to wash off the worst of the dirt from the truck - rain showers and gravel roads make a terrible mess!
Downloaded pictures from the camera, added captions, updated the blog and now will head over to the RV clubhouse for wireless access to the internet. It is not reaching all sites here.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
May 15th to 17th - 100 Mile House
May 15th - Tues - 100 Mile
Another trip to town to check the mail - nothing for us. Dolly got a bath and a haircut today - easier to do here in a larger sink. Then I gave Dad a haircut. Terry & Marg fixed a fence section that would allow a coyote to crawl underneath. We had hoped that Terry could see and shot the coyote(s) that has been killing Marg’s lambs but we haven’t seen any since a couple of days after we got here.
Neighbor Joseph joined us for dinner today. He lives in Germany and is here for short visits several times a year.
May 16th - Wed - 100 Mile
Miscellaneous chores today - moved leftover small hay bales to a different barn, fenced off two round hay bales so the sheep won’t eat them over the summer, picked up a couple loads of sticks and swapped forks on the tractor for a bucket. After lunch, time for some gardening before Marg and I went to play golf. We play at a 9 hole par 32 course with wicked slopes but shorter yardage. I shot a 44 so was pleased with that.
May 17th - Thurs - 100 Mile
The power company marked trees last fall that were dead and could fall on power lines so they could be removed before they caused problems. Yesterday a crew came in and cut down the trees on Marg’s property. The property owners are responsible for the trees and limbs once they are down so this morning we cleaned up one tree that was in Marg’s garden area. We hauled the branches to the burn pile, added a couple of bags of burnable garbage and 3 bags of junk sheep fleece and lit the pile.
Marg, Terry and I went to town and our forwarded mail was finally there. So - north to Alaska!!!! - tomorrow.
This afternoon we took a drive to Canim Lake and Mahood Lake. We walked into 2 very pretty waterfalls and then cooked hamburgers over a fire at a campground at Mahood Lake. I wanted to post to our blog before we leave tomorrow so this is it.
Another trip to town to check the mail - nothing for us. Dolly got a bath and a haircut today - easier to do here in a larger sink. Then I gave Dad a haircut. Terry & Marg fixed a fence section that would allow a coyote to crawl underneath. We had hoped that Terry could see and shot the coyote(s) that has been killing Marg’s lambs but we haven’t seen any since a couple of days after we got here.
Neighbor Joseph joined us for dinner today. He lives in Germany and is here for short visits several times a year.
May 16th - Wed - 100 Mile
Miscellaneous chores today - moved leftover small hay bales to a different barn, fenced off two round hay bales so the sheep won’t eat them over the summer, picked up a couple loads of sticks and swapped forks on the tractor for a bucket. After lunch, time for some gardening before Marg and I went to play golf. We play at a 9 hole par 32 course with wicked slopes but shorter yardage. I shot a 44 so was pleased with that.
May 17th - Thurs - 100 Mile
The power company marked trees last fall that were dead and could fall on power lines so they could be removed before they caused problems. Yesterday a crew came in and cut down the trees on Marg’s property. The property owners are responsible for the trees and limbs once they are down so this morning we cleaned up one tree that was in Marg’s garden area. We hauled the branches to the burn pile, added a couple of bags of burnable garbage and 3 bags of junk sheep fleece and lit the pile.
Marg, Terry and I went to town and our forwarded mail was finally there. So - north to Alaska!!!! - tomorrow.
This afternoon we took a drive to Canim Lake and Mahood Lake. We walked into 2 very pretty waterfalls and then cooked hamburgers over a fire at a campground at Mahood Lake. I wanted to post to our blog before we leave tomorrow so this is it.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
May 13th to 14th - 100 Mile House
May 13th - Sun - 100 Mile
We got the fence finished this morning. Marg turned it on and we had current all the way so guess we did it right! Now we can only hope that we fenced the coyote(s) out and not in.
We made a quick trip to town for a few groceries before we went to Al & Cecile’s for a barbeque dinner. Friends Francis & Nicole, George & Pat and Sharon & Kelsey were also there. It was nice enough to sit outside for a drink and most of us put on a jacket and ate outside as well. Nice evening with super friends.
May 14th - Mon - 100 Mile
We are waiting for our mail to be forwarded from Spokane - it includes our new truck license tabs. Marg had to go to the dentist today and checked the mail but nothing for us.
I spent the time while Marg was gone doing some sewing for her. Hemmed 4 new pairs of pants (Marg has lost a lot of weight before and after her knee surgery!), shortened a tee shirt and mended a couple of other pairs of pants. After lunch, Marg & Terry added 4 rows of wire to the fence around the garden to try to keep out deer while Dad & I went to the shop and worked on a wishing well.
We got the fence finished this morning. Marg turned it on and we had current all the way so guess we did it right! Now we can only hope that we fenced the coyote(s) out and not in.
We made a quick trip to town for a few groceries before we went to Al & Cecile’s for a barbeque dinner. Friends Francis & Nicole, George & Pat and Sharon & Kelsey were also there. It was nice enough to sit outside for a drink and most of us put on a jacket and ate outside as well. Nice evening with super friends.
May 14th - Mon - 100 Mile
We are waiting for our mail to be forwarded from Spokane - it includes our new truck license tabs. Marg had to go to the dentist today and checked the mail but nothing for us.
I spent the time while Marg was gone doing some sewing for her. Hemmed 4 new pairs of pants (Marg has lost a lot of weight before and after her knee surgery!), shortened a tee shirt and mended a couple of other pairs of pants. After lunch, Marg & Terry added 4 rows of wire to the fence around the garden to try to keep out deer while Dad & I went to the shop and worked on a wishing well.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
May 8th to 12th - 100 Mile House
May 8th - Tues - 100 Mile
Terry didn’t think we had enough to keep us busy here so he made some more work. He discovered that the ATV with a round bale on a wagon behind it will roll down a slight incline by itself if the brake is not set. If there is a fence in front of it, the fence will lose and have to be repaired. The reason that Terry left the ATV unattended was that he had to open a gate and the donkey tried to slip through before Terry could close it again.
Terry & I went to Logan Lake in the afternoon to visit with friends and then stay overnight with Pat & Rick. We had a lovely evening at Lynden and Charlie’s - Claude & Val were there and we also met some new people.
May 9th - Wed - 100 Mile
Cousin Pat made breakfast for us and we got back to 100 Mile about 11:30. Marg was gone for the day and we were golfing with the ladies group so Terry took me to the golf course and picked up chicken for dinner for him and Dad. Marg & I both won little “junk” items in drawings at golf - think mine will stay in 100 Mile.
May 10th - Thurs - 100 Mile / Williams Lake
Marg had an appointment in Williams Lake at 11:30 so we went with also. We finally found our outline map of Canada to go along with the US map to mark states and provinces that we have visited. Williams Lake has a huge, beautiful tourist information center which Terry & I visited while Marg was busy. We picked up more brochures for our trip to Alaska. I took pictures which I will post when I have speedier internet access.
Marg & I planted some potatoes in her garden and messed around in the greenhouse before doing chores and fixing dinner. I showed Marg pictures on the PC in the evening as her internet connection makes viewing our pictures somewhat painful.
May 11th - Friday - 100 Mile
We ran out of propane sometime during the night so had to go to town for refills. Unfortunately, Marg had to put her nursing skills to use before we went to stitch up a lamb. She has a sometimes disobedient Border Collie (Sage) who will get it into her head to attack a sheep if they all start running and no one stops her right away. Terry was coming back from feeding hay to the cows when the conditions were right and Sage got hold of a lamb and ripped some holes in it’s hide. A shot of penicillin, a bunch of stitches and some lovely purple spray and the lamb was up and around.
After lunch we headed out to add an electric wire on top of a page-wire fence to try to keep out deer and coyotes. We had to staple an insulator to each post with someone on the other side to keep the post from loosening with the pounding. Then we wove wood slats through the page-wire to hold it more firmly and upright. Marg used a “swing saw” (blade on a week eater) to clear tall grasses and brush that was would hit the electric wire. We were all more than ready to shower and go to Francis and Nicole’s for dinner where we were joined by Allan and Cecile.
May 12th - Sat - 100 Mile / Cache Creek
Another unplanned activity this morning. Terry was feeding the cows and the large bale fell off the wagon. He could not get it back on so came back to get the tractor to load the bale on the wagon. Marg & I went back with him and discovered that the reason the bale fell off was a flat tire on the wagon which tilted it enough to dump the bale. We got the bale out of the field where the cows are and took the tire off the wagon so we could get it fixed.
Since we have worked so hard, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to Cache Creek (just over 1 hour drive) to meet Rick and Pat for a game of golf. Unfortunately, the course is very hilly and we had to work climbing hills. We thought we would finish work on the fence but by the time we had lunch and picked up the tire on the way home, there was not enough time for fencing. So Marg & I went to the shop and made a new handle for a pitchfork out of a birch branch. Yes, we could have purchased a new handle for $17 or a new fork for $40 but we figure we had more than $17 worth of fun making the handle!
Terry didn’t think we had enough to keep us busy here so he made some more work. He discovered that the ATV with a round bale on a wagon behind it will roll down a slight incline by itself if the brake is not set. If there is a fence in front of it, the fence will lose and have to be repaired. The reason that Terry left the ATV unattended was that he had to open a gate and the donkey tried to slip through before Terry could close it again.
Terry & I went to Logan Lake in the afternoon to visit with friends and then stay overnight with Pat & Rick. We had a lovely evening at Lynden and Charlie’s - Claude & Val were there and we also met some new people.
May 9th - Wed - 100 Mile
Cousin Pat made breakfast for us and we got back to 100 Mile about 11:30. Marg was gone for the day and we were golfing with the ladies group so Terry took me to the golf course and picked up chicken for dinner for him and Dad. Marg & I both won little “junk” items in drawings at golf - think mine will stay in 100 Mile.
May 10th - Thurs - 100 Mile / Williams Lake
Marg had an appointment in Williams Lake at 11:30 so we went with also. We finally found our outline map of Canada to go along with the US map to mark states and provinces that we have visited. Williams Lake has a huge, beautiful tourist information center which Terry & I visited while Marg was busy. We picked up more brochures for our trip to Alaska. I took pictures which I will post when I have speedier internet access.
Marg & I planted some potatoes in her garden and messed around in the greenhouse before doing chores and fixing dinner. I showed Marg pictures on the PC in the evening as her internet connection makes viewing our pictures somewhat painful.
May 11th - Friday - 100 Mile
We ran out of propane sometime during the night so had to go to town for refills. Unfortunately, Marg had to put her nursing skills to use before we went to stitch up a lamb. She has a sometimes disobedient Border Collie (Sage) who will get it into her head to attack a sheep if they all start running and no one stops her right away. Terry was coming back from feeding hay to the cows when the conditions were right and Sage got hold of a lamb and ripped some holes in it’s hide. A shot of penicillin, a bunch of stitches and some lovely purple spray and the lamb was up and around.
After lunch we headed out to add an electric wire on top of a page-wire fence to try to keep out deer and coyotes. We had to staple an insulator to each post with someone on the other side to keep the post from loosening with the pounding. Then we wove wood slats through the page-wire to hold it more firmly and upright. Marg used a “swing saw” (blade on a week eater) to clear tall grasses and brush that was would hit the electric wire. We were all more than ready to shower and go to Francis and Nicole’s for dinner where we were joined by Allan and Cecile.
May 12th - Sat - 100 Mile / Cache Creek
Another unplanned activity this morning. Terry was feeding the cows and the large bale fell off the wagon. He could not get it back on so came back to get the tractor to load the bale on the wagon. Marg & I went back with him and discovered that the reason the bale fell off was a flat tire on the wagon which tilted it enough to dump the bale. We got the bale out of the field where the cows are and took the tire off the wagon so we could get it fixed.
Since we have worked so hard, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to Cache Creek (just over 1 hour drive) to meet Rick and Pat for a game of golf. Unfortunately, the course is very hilly and we had to work climbing hills. We thought we would finish work on the fence but by the time we had lunch and picked up the tire on the way home, there was not enough time for fencing. So Marg & I went to the shop and made a new handle for a pitchfork out of a birch branch. Yes, we could have purchased a new handle for $17 or a new fork for $40 but we figure we had more than $17 worth of fun making the handle!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
May 6th to 7th - 100 Mile House
May 6th - Sun - 100 Mile
Marg received a phone call yesterday asking if she would judge sheep and grade scorecards at a 4-H judging rally today. And, by the way, did she know of someone else to help her? Guess who her helper was? Marg (will lots of assistance from me!) had to judge/rank four market lambs with reasons for her ranking. Then groups of 4-H kids had to do the same thing and then we had to grade their scorecards. There were other “stations” for kids to judge - horses, cattle, chickens, rabbits, pigs and floral arrangements. They had 20 minutes at each station. It was an interesting experience. We arrived there just after 9 am and were done shortly after 1 pm.
Terry spent some time hunting ground squirrels and marmots while we were gone - thinned out the population some. Later in the afternoon we replaced a broken post at a gate, cleaned up some areas in the yard and finally planted some irises.
May 7th - Mon - 100 Mile
Did some more cleaning in the yard this morning. Last fall a tree broke off and fell on the roof of the chicken house and made several large holes in the aluminum roof. So we (mainly Terry) replaced 3 sections of aluminum. After lunch Marg, Terry & I went to town for some shopping and errands. We had started dinner in the crockpot so Marg & I had time before dinner to transplant some tomato plants into pots in the greenhouse.
Terry purchased a Milepost book and picked up a handful of brochures in preparation for a trip to Alaska. We figure since we are already a ways north in B.C. that we might as well continue on to Alaska. We hope to leave here next week but we want to wait for new license tabs for the truck - ours expire on June 21st.
Marg received a phone call yesterday asking if she would judge sheep and grade scorecards at a 4-H judging rally today. And, by the way, did she know of someone else to help her? Guess who her helper was? Marg (will lots of assistance from me!) had to judge/rank four market lambs with reasons for her ranking. Then groups of 4-H kids had to do the same thing and then we had to grade their scorecards. There were other “stations” for kids to judge - horses, cattle, chickens, rabbits, pigs and floral arrangements. They had 20 minutes at each station. It was an interesting experience. We arrived there just after 9 am and were done shortly after 1 pm.
Terry spent some time hunting ground squirrels and marmots while we were gone - thinned out the population some. Later in the afternoon we replaced a broken post at a gate, cleaned up some areas in the yard and finally planted some irises.
May 7th - Mon - 100 Mile
Did some more cleaning in the yard this morning. Last fall a tree broke off and fell on the roof of the chicken house and made several large holes in the aluminum roof. So we (mainly Terry) replaced 3 sections of aluminum. After lunch Marg, Terry & I went to town for some shopping and errands. We had started dinner in the crockpot so Marg & I had time before dinner to transplant some tomato plants into pots in the greenhouse.
Terry purchased a Milepost book and picked up a handful of brochures in preparation for a trip to Alaska. We figure since we are already a ways north in B.C. that we might as well continue on to Alaska. We hope to leave here next week but we want to wait for new license tabs for the truck - ours expire on June 21st.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
May 3rd to 5th - 100 Mile House
May 3rd - Thurs - 100 Mile
I took the time this morning to catch up and update our blog. Takes a while when I am behind a week. Marg & Terry went hunting gophers but only hit one.
In the afternoon, Terry helped friend Francis haul some building materials in a little trailer. Marg & I used the time to work in the garden - partly prompted by cousin Pat giving Marg some iris corms that she was getting rid of. We were building a rock garden to display a large barn-board bird house so first we had to collect the rocks. Terry was his usual “get things done” person when he got back so we actually got the bird house placement done. But we did not get any iris’ planted as we were interrupted by a neighbor who arrived to pick up some well aged “fertilizer” for his garden.
Dad toured part of the farm in the ATV this afternoon. He is not real happy with his legs - has numbness and thinks he does not have enough strength in them. We have to remind him that he spent a couple of months not getting around much and then 2 weeks in the hospital so he needs to be a little patient.
May 4th - Fri - 100 Mile
Took Dad to the health clinic to get the rest of his staples out and then did some grocery shopping. We were having Francis & Nicole and Allan & Cecile over for dinner. By the time we made lunch and prepped for dinner, we only had time to plant a few iris’ before our company arrived. We played a few rounds of LCR after dinner to finish a very nice evening.
May 5th - Sat - 100 Mile
Went touring “out West” today. Drove over mostly gravel back roads to the Fraser River. We stopped at a picnic/camp area where we lit a campfire and roasted wieners for lunch. We crossed the river and checked out the Gang Ranch (large cattle ranch) and then drove back via Hwy 97 from just north of Clinton.
I took the time this morning to catch up and update our blog. Takes a while when I am behind a week. Marg & Terry went hunting gophers but only hit one.
In the afternoon, Terry helped friend Francis haul some building materials in a little trailer. Marg & I used the time to work in the garden - partly prompted by cousin Pat giving Marg some iris corms that she was getting rid of. We were building a rock garden to display a large barn-board bird house so first we had to collect the rocks. Terry was his usual “get things done” person when he got back so we actually got the bird house placement done. But we did not get any iris’ planted as we were interrupted by a neighbor who arrived to pick up some well aged “fertilizer” for his garden.
Dad toured part of the farm in the ATV this afternoon. He is not real happy with his legs - has numbness and thinks he does not have enough strength in them. We have to remind him that he spent a couple of months not getting around much and then 2 weeks in the hospital so he needs to be a little patient.
May 4th - Fri - 100 Mile
Took Dad to the health clinic to get the rest of his staples out and then did some grocery shopping. We were having Francis & Nicole and Allan & Cecile over for dinner. By the time we made lunch and prepped for dinner, we only had time to plant a few iris’ before our company arrived. We played a few rounds of LCR after dinner to finish a very nice evening.
May 5th - Sat - 100 Mile
Went touring “out West” today. Drove over mostly gravel back roads to the Fraser River. We stopped at a picnic/camp area where we lit a campfire and roasted wieners for lunch. We crossed the river and checked out the Gang Ranch (large cattle ranch) and then drove back via Hwy 97 from just north of Clinton.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
April 26th to May 2nd
April 26th - Thurs - Kamloops
Dad is doing OK. One foot seems to be still lacking some circulation as it is whiter and cooler than the other foot. Took him for a little walk around the ward.
Cousin Pat & Rick came to visit and have dinner with us. As we were preparing dinner, a friend of Marg’s drove by with her trailer to spend the night in the same RV park as us. So we invited her (Jane) and her daughter (Alisha) to join us for dinner.
Obviously we found somewhere to post our log. We went to the library and they had WiFi access. We also took the time to look for coordinates to set up our satellite dish. We have a zip code chart but not postal code chart. We set up the dish with some help from a neighbor and are now getting as many foreign (Japan, Australia, South Korea) channels as US channels! Could have watched a rousing cricket match if we had so desired.
April 27th - Friday - Kamloops and Logan Lake
After visiting Dad at the hospital, we went to Logan Lake (about 45 minutes from Kamloops) to see Pat & Rick. We viewed the house that they are currently renovating, saw my Aunt Adela’s house (Pat’s Mom) that she just purchased and saw Pat’s daughter’s (Morgan) house that they just moved into. Pat made us a great lunch.
Marg left for home from Logan Lake.
April 28th & 29th- Sat/Sun - Kamloops
Dad is doing great. We took him down the elevator and along a long hallway to go outside for a bit. He has been in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks so a breath of fresh air was a treat for him.
We added a couple of visits to the casino to our hospital visits. The first time we both won a bit. We ended up giving it all back but at least it gave us something different to do.
April 30th - Mon - Kamloops to 100 Mile House
Dad informed us yesterday evening that he was being discharged today. We packed up the rig and then picked Dad up at 9. Hooked up to the 5th wheel, dumped the tanks (no sewer hookup at the sites) and took “the back way” to 100 Mile. What I am calling “the back way” follows the Thompson River to Little Fort before joining Hwy 97 just south of 100 Mile. Pretty country and a lovely drive. Arrived in 100 Mile in time for lunch.
Marg had lit a small pile of branches on fire and it jumped to an old downed fir tree and was getting quite hot. So Terry & I ended up babysitting the fire and keeping it contained for several hours.
May 1st - Tues - 100 Mile
Marg had a large (200 lb) bag of wool and some loose wool from sheep shearing that she wanted to burn as there is no market for small amounts of non-premium wool. So we hauled it over to the burn pile, added some diesel and started another fire. Actually, we started with the loose wool and a load of sticks that we picked up. Then Marg harrowed a field while I tossed the bag of wool in a bit at a time. There was another bag of wool that Marg hadn’t decided if she was going to burn. Terry decided that it was going to get burned so he hauled it over. Then Terry & I collected two small wagon loads of sticks to add to the fire and get all the wool burned.
After lunch, Terry and I put grass seed on the field that Marg had harrowed while Marg took Dad to the local doctor to check on his medications. We had a hand crank seeder with a canvas bag that you fill with grass seed. Then I sat on the back of the 4-wheeler and cranked while Terry drove around the field. Yes, I know there are machines to do this!! We had a great start - Terry was in high gear and did not make a smooth start and dumped me off the back of the 4-wheeler. Since I was holding the seeder with both hands, I could not catch myself and have a couple of dandy bruises on my butt and thigh where I hit a platform on the 4-wheeler and a rock.
After Terry harrowed the seeded field again to cover the seed a bit, we went out to the field where Marg had fed hay to the cows all winter. In the field and between trees were mounds of cow sh*t that needed to be broken up and spread around a bit. This is done with the harrow. Pulling half the harrows behind the 4-wheeler allows you to get between the trees where you cannot go with the big tractor. I moved sticks and tossed cow stuff to areas where Terry could drive while Terry drove around the field and through the trees with the harrows. We did a fine job!
The sheep shearer called this evening to say that he could come tomorrow so Marg and I put all the sheep into barns in case it rains tonight. Nothing like shearing wet sheep.
May 2nd - Wed - 100 Mile
Friends Nicole, Allan and Cecile arrived to help us with shearing. This is the first time that I have seen or taken part in shearing and it was quite a production. We had everything organized and it went well. Terry was in charge of keeping a small pen full of sheep so the shearer could reach past a burlap curtain (manned by Allan) to grab the next sheep. Marg & Cecile each grabbed a front leg of the sheared sheep and with a push from the shearer pulled the sheep on its back to the hoof trimming “station”. Marg trimmed the front hooves while I did the back. Rolled them over and out the door. Meanwhile, Nicole was grabbing the fleece and dropping it onto a sheet of plywood on sawhorses where she picked out any big pieces of undesirable material (sh*t), folded the fleece and stacked them against the wall. She also kept the area swept clear of stray bits of wool trimmed from the belly.
Dad was busy sharpening knives for me and came out to “supervise” for a while.
Marg and I had mixed up a crock pot of chili and baked brownies last night and baked some corn bread this morning so we all had lunch after we finished the shearing about noon.
Not surprisingly, we all rested after lunch and Marg iced one of her new knees where she had been kicked by an unappreciative ewe. Marg and I then joined the ladies’ club for 9 holes of golf and dinner. We both kept noticing sore spots and muscles as we were golfing.
Dad is doing OK. One foot seems to be still lacking some circulation as it is whiter and cooler than the other foot. Took him for a little walk around the ward.
Cousin Pat & Rick came to visit and have dinner with us. As we were preparing dinner, a friend of Marg’s drove by with her trailer to spend the night in the same RV park as us. So we invited her (Jane) and her daughter (Alisha) to join us for dinner.
Obviously we found somewhere to post our log. We went to the library and they had WiFi access. We also took the time to look for coordinates to set up our satellite dish. We have a zip code chart but not postal code chart. We set up the dish with some help from a neighbor and are now getting as many foreign (Japan, Australia, South Korea) channels as US channels! Could have watched a rousing cricket match if we had so desired.
April 27th - Friday - Kamloops and Logan Lake
After visiting Dad at the hospital, we went to Logan Lake (about 45 minutes from Kamloops) to see Pat & Rick. We viewed the house that they are currently renovating, saw my Aunt Adela’s house (Pat’s Mom) that she just purchased and saw Pat’s daughter’s (Morgan) house that they just moved into. Pat made us a great lunch.
Marg left for home from Logan Lake.
April 28th & 29th- Sat/Sun - Kamloops
Dad is doing great. We took him down the elevator and along a long hallway to go outside for a bit. He has been in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks so a breath of fresh air was a treat for him.
We added a couple of visits to the casino to our hospital visits. The first time we both won a bit. We ended up giving it all back but at least it gave us something different to do.
April 30th - Mon - Kamloops to 100 Mile House
Dad informed us yesterday evening that he was being discharged today. We packed up the rig and then picked Dad up at 9. Hooked up to the 5th wheel, dumped the tanks (no sewer hookup at the sites) and took “the back way” to 100 Mile. What I am calling “the back way” follows the Thompson River to Little Fort before joining Hwy 97 just south of 100 Mile. Pretty country and a lovely drive. Arrived in 100 Mile in time for lunch.
Marg had lit a small pile of branches on fire and it jumped to an old downed fir tree and was getting quite hot. So Terry & I ended up babysitting the fire and keeping it contained for several hours.
May 1st - Tues - 100 Mile
Marg had a large (200 lb) bag of wool and some loose wool from sheep shearing that she wanted to burn as there is no market for small amounts of non-premium wool. So we hauled it over to the burn pile, added some diesel and started another fire. Actually, we started with the loose wool and a load of sticks that we picked up. Then Marg harrowed a field while I tossed the bag of wool in a bit at a time. There was another bag of wool that Marg hadn’t decided if she was going to burn. Terry decided that it was going to get burned so he hauled it over. Then Terry & I collected two small wagon loads of sticks to add to the fire and get all the wool burned.
After lunch, Terry and I put grass seed on the field that Marg had harrowed while Marg took Dad to the local doctor to check on his medications. We had a hand crank seeder with a canvas bag that you fill with grass seed. Then I sat on the back of the 4-wheeler and cranked while Terry drove around the field. Yes, I know there are machines to do this!! We had a great start - Terry was in high gear and did not make a smooth start and dumped me off the back of the 4-wheeler. Since I was holding the seeder with both hands, I could not catch myself and have a couple of dandy bruises on my butt and thigh where I hit a platform on the 4-wheeler and a rock.
After Terry harrowed the seeded field again to cover the seed a bit, we went out to the field where Marg had fed hay to the cows all winter. In the field and between trees were mounds of cow sh*t that needed to be broken up and spread around a bit. This is done with the harrow. Pulling half the harrows behind the 4-wheeler allows you to get between the trees where you cannot go with the big tractor. I moved sticks and tossed cow stuff to areas where Terry could drive while Terry drove around the field and through the trees with the harrows. We did a fine job!
The sheep shearer called this evening to say that he could come tomorrow so Marg and I put all the sheep into barns in case it rains tonight. Nothing like shearing wet sheep.
May 2nd - Wed - 100 Mile
Friends Nicole, Allan and Cecile arrived to help us with shearing. This is the first time that I have seen or taken part in shearing and it was quite a production. We had everything organized and it went well. Terry was in charge of keeping a small pen full of sheep so the shearer could reach past a burlap curtain (manned by Allan) to grab the next sheep. Marg & Cecile each grabbed a front leg of the sheared sheep and with a push from the shearer pulled the sheep on its back to the hoof trimming “station”. Marg trimmed the front hooves while I did the back. Rolled them over and out the door. Meanwhile, Nicole was grabbing the fleece and dropping it onto a sheet of plywood on sawhorses where she picked out any big pieces of undesirable material (sh*t), folded the fleece and stacked them against the wall. She also kept the area swept clear of stray bits of wool trimmed from the belly.
Dad was busy sharpening knives for me and came out to “supervise” for a while.
Marg and I had mixed up a crock pot of chili and baked brownies last night and baked some corn bread this morning so we all had lunch after we finished the shearing about noon.
Not surprisingly, we all rested after lunch and Marg iced one of her new knees where she had been kicked by an unappreciative ewe. Marg and I then joined the ladies’ club for 9 holes of golf and dinner. We both kept noticing sore spots and muscles as we were golfing.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
April 20th to 25th - On the move
April 20th - Fri - Jackson, WY
We went touring through Grand Teton National Park today. Not all the roads were open and clouds were hanging around the tops of the mountains so it was an abbreviated drive. We drove through snow coming to Jackson so our truck and 5th wheel were filthy. We cleaned them up a bit and then listened to the rain later!!
April 21st - Sat - to Idaho!
Took off this morning to head a little further south in Idaho. Spent some time in a casino just north of Pocatello and I talked to my sister on the phone. My Dad is in the hospital waiting for surgery to correct a blood circulation problem and is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. So we decided to drive to Canada!
We drove to the 10,000 Silver Dollar Bar in Montana - once Terry has a plan and a destination there is no stopping him!
April 22nd - Sun - to Spokane
We had to get rid of some alcohol to get across the border into Canada so we decided to leave it a Terry’s Mom’s place in Spokane. Also wanted to pick up our mail while we were there. So we visited with good friends Bill & Georgia and then spent the night with Terry’s Mom. Our “change oil” message came on in the truck while we were driving on Saturday so Terry looked after that today as well.
April 23rd - Mon - to Kamloops, BC
Took off early today, picked up our mail and drove to Kamloops. Found an RV park fairly close to the hospital. Cousin Pat & Rick joined us for a drink and then we stopped in to check on Dad. He was in good spirits since he finally is scheduled for surgery. Went to dinner with Pat & Rick.
April 24th - Tues - Kamloops
Visited with Dad this morning and passed the time by showing him pictures on our computer. Surgery was scheduled for 2:00 so we did a bit of grocery shopping and came back to the rig. My cousin Bill who works at the hospital called at 6:45 to say that the surgeon had called him to say everything went well. At 8:30 he called again to say that Dad was in ICU and we could go see him. He was wide awake and feeling great.
April 25th - Wed - Kamloops
Sister Marg came from 100 Mile House this morning to spend the day and night with us. Just when we went to see Dad he was being moved from ICU to the surgery ward. So we visited for a couple of hours and then left him to rest. We went grocery shopping as we had invited cousin Bill and his wife Carol for dinner. Marg & I left Terry cooking ribs and went back to see Dad again before we had dinner. When we go back, Bill & Carol were here so we spent a lovely evening eating and visiting.
We do not have internet access so we are going to try to find somewhere tomorrow where we can get connected and post this blog.
We went touring through Grand Teton National Park today. Not all the roads were open and clouds were hanging around the tops of the mountains so it was an abbreviated drive. We drove through snow coming to Jackson so our truck and 5th wheel were filthy. We cleaned them up a bit and then listened to the rain later!!
April 21st - Sat - to Idaho!
Took off this morning to head a little further south in Idaho. Spent some time in a casino just north of Pocatello and I talked to my sister on the phone. My Dad is in the hospital waiting for surgery to correct a blood circulation problem and is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. So we decided to drive to Canada!
We drove to the 10,000 Silver Dollar Bar in Montana - once Terry has a plan and a destination there is no stopping him!
April 22nd - Sun - to Spokane
We had to get rid of some alcohol to get across the border into Canada so we decided to leave it a Terry’s Mom’s place in Spokane. Also wanted to pick up our mail while we were there. So we visited with good friends Bill & Georgia and then spent the night with Terry’s Mom. Our “change oil” message came on in the truck while we were driving on Saturday so Terry looked after that today as well.
April 23rd - Mon - to Kamloops, BC
Took off early today, picked up our mail and drove to Kamloops. Found an RV park fairly close to the hospital. Cousin Pat & Rick joined us for a drink and then we stopped in to check on Dad. He was in good spirits since he finally is scheduled for surgery. Went to dinner with Pat & Rick.
April 24th - Tues - Kamloops
Visited with Dad this morning and passed the time by showing him pictures on our computer. Surgery was scheduled for 2:00 so we did a bit of grocery shopping and came back to the rig. My cousin Bill who works at the hospital called at 6:45 to say that the surgeon had called him to say everything went well. At 8:30 he called again to say that Dad was in ICU and we could go see him. He was wide awake and feeling great.
April 25th - Wed - Kamloops
Sister Marg came from 100 Mile House this morning to spend the day and night with us. Just when we went to see Dad he was being moved from ICU to the surgery ward. So we visited for a couple of hours and then left him to rest. We went grocery shopping as we had invited cousin Bill and his wife Carol for dinner. Marg & I left Terry cooking ribs and went back to see Dad again before we had dinner. When we go back, Bill & Carol were here so we spent a lovely evening eating and visiting.
We do not have internet access so we are going to try to find somewhere tomorrow where we can get connected and post this blog.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
April 17th to 19th - UT,WY
April 17th - Tues - to Jensen, UT
Yesterday we stopped at an RV service place to see about getting a nut welded back onto our rear stabilizer and they said to come by at 9:30 on our way out of town. When we went there, the welder was gone and we were told that he should be back in a couple of hours so we could just hang around and wait! Not bloody likely!!
I think we have been ignoring Wanda’s (GPS) instructions too much as she sent us on a steep road over a mountain - Hwy 139 north from I-70 just over the border into Colorado. It was very scenic though - out of the desert and into green. By the time we hit the tourist information and got set up there wasn’t enough time to do much so we went and checked out nearby Vernal and fueled up - at $3.06.
While we were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine, a guy drove by in a pickup with a welder in the back. He dropped off another guy and drove out past our site. So Terry flagged him down and asked if he could/would weld the nut for us. Not only did he weld it, but he would not accept any money for doing so! He said that life was treating him well and he could do a favor for someone.
Later in the evening it clouded up and we had some lovely displays of sheet lightening and some rain.
April 18th - Wed - Jensen, UT
I guess we are just jinxed! The wind will not stop!
We went to Dinosaur National Monument. The main exhibit is a “dig” with bones left partially exposed. Unfortunately, the building was found to be unsound in July so it is closed. We are not interested enough in old bones and such to go for walks looking for barely visible fossils. Ended up back at the rig deciding on our next stop(s) and doing some reorganizing and a couple of small repairs. Then went out way too often to readjust the satellite dish as the wind kept knocking it out of alignment.
April 19th - Thurs - to Jackson, WY
Long day of driving today. We went to Craig, CO and then north into Wyoming. We could have taken a shorter route through the Flaming Gorge area but it is a very steep, windy road and there was snow all around us last night so we thought we better avoid it. We were going to stay in Rawlins, WY but it was still windy and there was snow and mountains everywhere (duh, we are in the Rockies!) so we decided to head a little west and try to get out of the snow. So, with Jackson, WY know for skiing, you’d think there would be more snow here but there isn’t. And there is no wind! We actually did not think we would get this far but we could not find an RV spot sooner.
We were coming this way to go through Yellowstone as Terry saw an ad for Yellowstone on TV (he thought). Well, when we got our campsite, the guy told us that Yellowstone is not open yet. Back to the drawing board!
Yesterday we stopped at an RV service place to see about getting a nut welded back onto our rear stabilizer and they said to come by at 9:30 on our way out of town. When we went there, the welder was gone and we were told that he should be back in a couple of hours so we could just hang around and wait! Not bloody likely!!
I think we have been ignoring Wanda’s (GPS) instructions too much as she sent us on a steep road over a mountain - Hwy 139 north from I-70 just over the border into Colorado. It was very scenic though - out of the desert and into green. By the time we hit the tourist information and got set up there wasn’t enough time to do much so we went and checked out nearby Vernal and fueled up - at $3.06.
While we were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine, a guy drove by in a pickup with a welder in the back. He dropped off another guy and drove out past our site. So Terry flagged him down and asked if he could/would weld the nut for us. Not only did he weld it, but he would not accept any money for doing so! He said that life was treating him well and he could do a favor for someone.
Later in the evening it clouded up and we had some lovely displays of sheet lightening and some rain.
April 18th - Wed - Jensen, UT
I guess we are just jinxed! The wind will not stop!
We went to Dinosaur National Monument. The main exhibit is a “dig” with bones left partially exposed. Unfortunately, the building was found to be unsound in July so it is closed. We are not interested enough in old bones and such to go for walks looking for barely visible fossils. Ended up back at the rig deciding on our next stop(s) and doing some reorganizing and a couple of small repairs. Then went out way too often to readjust the satellite dish as the wind kept knocking it out of alignment.
April 19th - Thurs - to Jackson, WY
Long day of driving today. We went to Craig, CO and then north into Wyoming. We could have taken a shorter route through the Flaming Gorge area but it is a very steep, windy road and there was snow all around us last night so we thought we better avoid it. We were going to stay in Rawlins, WY but it was still windy and there was snow and mountains everywhere (duh, we are in the Rockies!) so we decided to head a little west and try to get out of the snow. So, with Jackson, WY know for skiing, you’d think there would be more snow here but there isn’t. And there is no wind! We actually did not think we would get this far but we could not find an RV spot sooner.
We were coming this way to go through Yellowstone as Terry saw an ad for Yellowstone on TV (he thought). Well, when we got our campsite, the guy told us that Yellowstone is not open yet. Back to the drawing board!
Monday, April 16, 2007
April 15th to 16th - Moab
April15th - Sun - Moab
Truly nasty weather again today with wind all day. So we packed up all the laundry and went into town to get it done. The RV park only has 2 washers and driers and we had 6 loads so I would have monopolized the machines for half the day. It did not rain until after Terry had barbequed some steaks in the wind.
April 16th - Mon - Moab
Not to always go on about the weather but it does play a large part in the life of people living in an RV where chores don’t take a lot of time!
Actually, it was nice this morning so after I got a haircut we drove a few miles to a tourist attraction called “Hole N’ the Rock”. It was a fun place. In the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s a couple carved into a huge rock to create a diner. Then they continued blasting and drilling into the rock to end up with a 5000 sq. ft. house. We took the short tour of the house and it was quite amazing. The husband died in 1955 and the wife in 1972 so the house has been only a tourist attraction since then. You could not take pictures in the house. It was divided into rooms only by remaining pillars of original rock - no walls except for the bathrooms. Still furnished with original, now antique, items. The whole grounds have fun “stuff” all over and I did get pictures there. Wandered around shops in town for a while and came back to the rig for a late lunch. Just in time - a storm moved through with thunder, hail & rain along with the ever present wind.
Truly nasty weather again today with wind all day. So we packed up all the laundry and went into town to get it done. The RV park only has 2 washers and driers and we had 6 loads so I would have monopolized the machines for half the day. It did not rain until after Terry had barbequed some steaks in the wind.
April 16th - Mon - Moab
Not to always go on about the weather but it does play a large part in the life of people living in an RV where chores don’t take a lot of time!
Actually, it was nice this morning so after I got a haircut we drove a few miles to a tourist attraction called “Hole N’ the Rock”. It was a fun place. In the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s a couple carved into a huge rock to create a diner. Then they continued blasting and drilling into the rock to end up with a 5000 sq. ft. house. We took the short tour of the house and it was quite amazing. The husband died in 1955 and the wife in 1972 so the house has been only a tourist attraction since then. You could not take pictures in the house. It was divided into rooms only by remaining pillars of original rock - no walls except for the bathrooms. Still furnished with original, now antique, items. The whole grounds have fun “stuff” all over and I did get pictures there. Wandered around shops in town for a while and came back to the rig for a late lunch. Just in time - a storm moved through with thunder, hail & rain along with the ever present wind.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
April 14th - Moab
April 14th - Sat - Moab
Guess it is not winter - just spring with something different every day. Clear and sunny this morning with little wind. Ran out of propane halfway through making French toast for breakfast so that was the first errand of the day. Did a quick clean-up on the truck before heading out.
Went to Canyonlands National Park today. It is a HUGE park with 3 sections with separate access. We went to the north section - Islands in the Sky. Some wind but we were comfortable taking walks in short sleeves and long pants. More amazing scenery - totally different from the red rocks of Arches National Park less than 30 miles away.
Sat out in the sun to read, cook ribs and chat with a Canadian (Ontario) neighbor. Cooled off the minute the sun went behind the 5th wheel however. We have WiFi access in our rig which is great.
Guess it is not winter - just spring with something different every day. Clear and sunny this morning with little wind. Ran out of propane halfway through making French toast for breakfast so that was the first errand of the day. Did a quick clean-up on the truck before heading out.
Went to Canyonlands National Park today. It is a HUGE park with 3 sections with separate access. We went to the north section - Islands in the Sky. Some wind but we were comfortable taking walks in short sleeves and long pants. More amazing scenery - totally different from the red rocks of Arches National Park less than 30 miles away.
Sat out in the sun to read, cook ribs and chat with a Canadian (Ontario) neighbor. Cooled off the minute the sun went behind the 5th wheel however. We have WiFi access in our rig which is great.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
April 12th to 13th - Moab, UT
April 12th - Thurs - Cortez
It is winter again! Continued wind and some snow mixed with rain yesterday evening and night. Still windy and cloudy in the morning but we decided to go check out Mesa Verde National Park anyhow. Drove through heavy rain but just before the park the rain stopped and it started to clear. This park is noted for the cliff dwellings used by Indian farmers from 1500 to 700 years ago. They farmed on top of the mesas and build their dwellings in ledges in the cliffs. Scientists think they built in the cliffs to protect them from the winter cold and shade them from the summer sun.
The wind dropped enough that it was pleasant to walk on some of the viewpoints and down to the dwelling across from the museum. It ended up being a lovely day. We figured there were probably fewer visitors and less traffic than there might have been if the weather had been warmer.
April 13th - Friday - to Moab, UT
We listened to the forecasts for storms in the Rockies and decided to move on. Short (138 miles) drive to Moab today. The discount park (CampClub USA) was pretty full but they found a spot for us. Made some lunch and left to explore the town. Decided that we had enough time to go to Arches National Park. It was still windy but had warmed up some so I was able to talk Terry into walking on some trails for better views of some arches. Incredible scenery!! The road climbs very quickly once in the park and then winds around for about 13 miles in the park with the return on the same road.
Hit the grocery store on the way back to pick up something to cook inside - still not nice enough for the barbeque.
It is winter again! Continued wind and some snow mixed with rain yesterday evening and night. Still windy and cloudy in the morning but we decided to go check out Mesa Verde National Park anyhow. Drove through heavy rain but just before the park the rain stopped and it started to clear. This park is noted for the cliff dwellings used by Indian farmers from 1500 to 700 years ago. They farmed on top of the mesas and build their dwellings in ledges in the cliffs. Scientists think they built in the cliffs to protect them from the winter cold and shade them from the summer sun.
The wind dropped enough that it was pleasant to walk on some of the viewpoints and down to the dwelling across from the museum. It ended up being a lovely day. We figured there were probably fewer visitors and less traffic than there might have been if the weather had been warmer.
April 13th - Friday - to Moab, UT
We listened to the forecasts for storms in the Rockies and decided to move on. Short (138 miles) drive to Moab today. The discount park (CampClub USA) was pretty full but they found a spot for us. Made some lunch and left to explore the town. Decided that we had enough time to go to Arches National Park. It was still windy but had warmed up some so I was able to talk Terry into walking on some trails for better views of some arches. Incredible scenery!! The road climbs very quickly once in the park and then winds around for about 13 miles in the park with the return on the same road.
Hit the grocery store on the way back to pick up something to cook inside - still not nice enough for the barbeque.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
April 10th to 11th
April 10th - Tues - to Holbrook
We bypassed Flagstaff again and took I40 east for a ways to a tiny blip on the map called Sun Valley which is just past Holbrook, AZ. PA park, pretty primitive. The wind was really blowing. We drove through the Petrified Forest National Park which is in the Painted Desert. We would have appreciated the scenery more if we hadn’t been afraid of being blown off the edge the few times that we did get out. I got sandblasted once when I stepped out to get pictures. Back to the rig to make use of the satellite dish as the only place we wanted to be was out of the wind.
April 11th - Wed - to Cortez, CO
The wind wasn’t blowing too hard when we left this morning but a weather forecast said it would pick up again. No use staying another day as we had sort of planned to do. We drove to Gallup, NM and then headed north before going back west into Arizona for a few miles and then north into CO to arrive at the Four Corners monument. As the name says, it sits on the intersection of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah. The pictures that I took there are not good - I think some sand got into the lens cover and it did not open all the way. From there we headed to Cortez, CO. We stopped at a huge visitor center and had our choice of a lot of brochures about the area. is cool (46) and breezy - just right for a visit to WalMart where I found the shorts that I have been looking for and a few groceries.
We bypassed Flagstaff again and took I40 east for a ways to a tiny blip on the map called Sun Valley which is just past Holbrook, AZ. PA park, pretty primitive. The wind was really blowing. We drove through the Petrified Forest National Park which is in the Painted Desert. We would have appreciated the scenery more if we hadn’t been afraid of being blown off the edge the few times that we did get out. I got sandblasted once when I stepped out to get pictures. Back to the rig to make use of the satellite dish as the only place we wanted to be was out of the wind.
April 11th - Wed - to Cortez, CO
The wind wasn’t blowing too hard when we left this morning but a weather forecast said it would pick up again. No use staying another day as we had sort of planned to do. We drove to Gallup, NM and then headed north before going back west into Arizona for a few miles and then north into CO to arrive at the Four Corners monument. As the name says, it sits on the intersection of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah. The pictures that I took there are not good - I think some sand got into the lens cover and it did not open all the way. From there we headed to Cortez, CO. We stopped at a huge visitor center and had our choice of a lot of brochures about the area. is cool (46) and breezy - just right for a visit to WalMart where I found the shorts that I have been looking for and a few groceries.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
April 8 to 9 - Prescott, AZ
April 8th - Sun - Prescott
Lots of room in the park so no change of plans today. Not far to travel so we all golfed in the afternoon. We wished that we had put long pants on instead of the shorts that we wore from Mesa. It was cool with the wind that was blowing - I think the temperature was about 70. Went for a bike ride around the park (it is pretty big) before settling in for the evening.
April 9th - Mon - Prescott
Yvonne and Barry played tour guide and we explored Prescott. There is a large “town square” around a courthouse and lots of fun shops to check out in the streets around the square. One place where we had to make a purchase was the ice cream shop! Then we took a ride through a section of town with some very nice houses. Prescott is a thriving town that is growing rapidly. It has much more “green” (bushes, trees) than the desert areas that we have traveled through. Almost the entire town is set on hills.
We stopped to visit the friends of Barry & Yvonne who came to see them in Mesa. Then we picked up some baby back ribs and had a nice dinner here at the park followed by a few games of “dice”. We’ll have to find out or make up a name for this dice game!
Lots of room in the park so no change of plans today. Not far to travel so we all golfed in the afternoon. We wished that we had put long pants on instead of the shorts that we wore from Mesa. It was cool with the wind that was blowing - I think the temperature was about 70. Went for a bike ride around the park (it is pretty big) before settling in for the evening.
April 9th - Mon - Prescott
Yvonne and Barry played tour guide and we explored Prescott. There is a large “town square” around a courthouse and lots of fun shops to check out in the streets around the square. One place where we had to make a purchase was the ice cream shop! Then we took a ride through a section of town with some very nice houses. Prescott is a thriving town that is growing rapidly. It has much more “green” (bushes, trees) than the desert areas that we have traveled through. Almost the entire town is set on hills.
We stopped to visit the friends of Barry & Yvonne who came to see them in Mesa. Then we picked up some baby back ribs and had a nice dinner here at the park followed by a few games of “dice”. We’ll have to find out or make up a name for this dice game!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
April 4 to 7 - Mesa / Spokane
April 4th - remainder of Wed
Here we go again with plans that don’t work out! We did not run into much traffic on the way to the airport so go there earlier than we thought we would. Parking at the airport is a mess and very expensive so I told Terry to just drop me off and we could each get something for dinner. When I got into the airport, my flight was ½ hour late - delayed in Denver for mechanical work. Later, it was reported as 50 minutes late which turned out to be pretty accurate. Landed in Spokane just after 11pm. GOOD friend Bill picked me up and dropped me off at EllaMae’s where I spent the night.
April 5th - Thurs - Spokane
SUCCESS!!! At 1:35 I finally was called for my 1:00 pm appointment, had fingerprints and picture done and a sticker put on my old green card to use until the new one reaches me in the mail. Took less than 10 minutes!
I spent the rest of the afternoon visiting friends and looking after some banking items. Had a good dinner with EllaMae and Don, did a bit of gardening (the weather was lovely) and got to bed early. Drove by our old house - looks pretty much the same, didn’t feel the least bit like I wish I was still there. Terry put his time alone to good use by cleaning the truck & 5th wheel.
April 6th - Friday
Poor Don - my flight left at 5:00 am so he had to get up at 3 to get me to the airport. No delays going back via Salt Lake City. After Terry & I stopped for breakfast, we hit another “swap meet”. I think of a swap meet being somewhere with used items but this is another one where money is “swapped” for all kinds of new items. Huge place, all under cover so it is bearable even in hotter weather like today. Terry got a California duster with an extension handle so he can keep the 5th wheel as clean as he keeps the truck.
We sat around our “buddy burner fire” with our neighbors later in the evening.
April 7th - Sat - Mesa
We took our neighbors (Barry & Yvonne) to the swap meet this morning. We were happy that we went fairly early as it started getting pretty busy by 11. I got a couple of kitchen items and our friends got several things. After we stopped for breakfast we came back to the park and Yvonne & I went to do laundry. We decided that instead of sitting in the laundry room we could wait in the pool. So we came back for our swim suits and the guys joined us in the pool. Makes laundry a much nicer chore!
Tried to make a reservation at a park in Prescott for a couple of days but there was no answer. Barry & Yvonne have a reservation so we are going there as well and hope there is a spot for us.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
April 1-4 - Mesa
April 1st - Sunday, to Mesa
Moved to Mesa today. We are staying at a park where we stayed in December. It is a PA park so the rent is very reasonable for a week and we found the people here very friendly.
Another couple (Barry & Yvonne) moved in next to us later in the day and we talked with them a bit. They had a tee time for Monday and asked if we wanted to join them. They have to call Monday to see if the course has put anyone with them. Found a Costco and picked up a few items. Relaxed in the warm/hot weather!
April 2nd - Monday -Mesa
Our tee time was later today (2:45) so we spent some time in the pool before golfing.
The golf course was a short course - par 3’s and short par 4’s but everyone needs practice on their short game. The course was in great shape. We went out for dinner with Barry & Yvonne to complete a nice day.
April 3rd - Tues - Mesa
Laundry day today. Then a shopping trip for some shorts for me and some groceries. Another hot day so we made another trip to the pool - lots of people doing the same thing. They float around in a circle on swim “noodles” and talk.
Our neighbors met some old friends in Casa Grande and then came back here with their friends just after we returned from the pool. We all ended up sitting under our awning and chatting. The friends just moved to Prescott, AZ so it was nice to get their opinion of the area.
April 4th - Wed - Mesa
Just lazing around waiting for it to be time to leave for the airport - I fly to Spokane today to get the processing completed for my green card. I thought my flight was at 7:37 am but discovered about a week ago that it was 7:37 pm. Oops!! We plan on being at the airport very early so we can miss the ugly rush hour traffic in Phoenix. We will have dinner there and Terry can catch the tail end of the traffic when he drives back to the RV park.
Moved to Mesa today. We are staying at a park where we stayed in December. It is a PA park so the rent is very reasonable for a week and we found the people here very friendly.
Another couple (Barry & Yvonne) moved in next to us later in the day and we talked with them a bit. They had a tee time for Monday and asked if we wanted to join them. They have to call Monday to see if the course has put anyone with them. Found a Costco and picked up a few items. Relaxed in the warm/hot weather!
April 2nd - Monday -Mesa
Our tee time was later today (2:45) so we spent some time in the pool before golfing.
The golf course was a short course - par 3’s and short par 4’s but everyone needs practice on their short game. The course was in great shape. We went out for dinner with Barry & Yvonne to complete a nice day.
April 3rd - Tues - Mesa
Laundry day today. Then a shopping trip for some shorts for me and some groceries. Another hot day so we made another trip to the pool - lots of people doing the same thing. They float around in a circle on swim “noodles” and talk.
Our neighbors met some old friends in Casa Grande and then came back here with their friends just after we returned from the pool. We all ended up sitting under our awning and chatting. The friends just moved to Prescott, AZ so it was nice to get their opinion of the area.
April 4th - Wed - Mesa
Just lazing around waiting for it to be time to leave for the airport - I fly to Spokane today to get the processing completed for my green card. I thought my flight was at 7:37 am but discovered about a week ago that it was 7:37 pm. Oops!! We plan on being at the airport very early so we can miss the ugly rush hour traffic in Phoenix. We will have dinner there and Terry can catch the tail end of the traffic when he drives back to the RV park.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Mar 31st - Camp Verde
Mar 31st - Saturday
We made a big sightseeing loop today. Went through Cottonwood (stopped at Wal Mart) to Jerome which is an old copper mining town. It is advertised as the largest ghost town in the country but people (lots of artists) still live there so I don’t consider it a ghost town. Then through Clarkdale to Sedona. Parking was very tough to find and a parking lot had low clearance so we didn’t want to try it. We ended up on the edge of town for a good lunch. Headed back through Oak Creek. Took it easy the rest of the day and evening.
We made a big sightseeing loop today. Went through Cottonwood (stopped at Wal Mart) to Jerome which is an old copper mining town. It is advertised as the largest ghost town in the country but people (lots of artists) still live there so I don’t consider it a ghost town. Then through Clarkdale to Sedona. Parking was very tough to find and a parking lot had low clearance so we didn’t want to try it. We ended up on the edge of town for a good lunch. Headed back through Oak Creek. Took it easy the rest of the day and evening.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Mar 29 to 30 - Williams, Camp Verde
Mar 29th - Williams
Housekeeping day today. Watched the icky weather and did a load of laundry. I am glad that I only had one load as it was the most expensive laundry facilities so far - $1.75 for a small washer and $1.50 for the dryer for 42 minutes. Same machines that were $1.00 for wash and .25 for each 17 minutes of drying in Quartzsite.
Mar 30th - to Camp Verde
Snowed more last night but the roads were clear. Had to sweep snow off the slides before we could bring them in. Short driving day - hit I40 to Flagstaff (35 miles) and then south on I17 to Camp Verde (53 miles). We are in a nice clean park - near the freeway but below it so the noise is very low. We got the last spot in the park and only got it because Terry is a good driver and got our 36 foot rig into a spot with a 27 foot max designation. We had lunch in town and then went to Montezuma’s Castle nearby. It is a restored dwelling on a cliff face that was used by Indian farmers in the 1400’s.
We purchased an annual pass for national parks and monuments when we went to Zion and we have already recovered the $80 cost. Once Terry is 62 we will be able to get a lifetime pass for $10 - there are some perks to getting older!
The weather was lovely so we wandered around the park and chatted with one couple who is here with a group of people in small van-type campers (Pleasure Way). Then we met another couple on a walk and after standing in the street for a while we asked them over for a drink and took notes on places they had been and recommended.
Housekeeping day today. Watched the icky weather and did a load of laundry. I am glad that I only had one load as it was the most expensive laundry facilities so far - $1.75 for a small washer and $1.50 for the dryer for 42 minutes. Same machines that were $1.00 for wash and .25 for each 17 minutes of drying in Quartzsite.
Mar 30th - to Camp Verde
Snowed more last night but the roads were clear. Had to sweep snow off the slides before we could bring them in. Short driving day - hit I40 to Flagstaff (35 miles) and then south on I17 to Camp Verde (53 miles). We are in a nice clean park - near the freeway but below it so the noise is very low. We got the last spot in the park and only got it because Terry is a good driver and got our 36 foot rig into a spot with a 27 foot max designation. We had lunch in town and then went to Montezuma’s Castle nearby. It is a restored dwelling on a cliff face that was used by Indian farmers in the 1400’s.
We purchased an annual pass for national parks and monuments when we went to Zion and we have already recovered the $80 cost. Once Terry is 62 we will be able to get a lifetime pass for $10 - there are some perks to getting older!
The weather was lovely so we wandered around the park and chatted with one couple who is here with a group of people in small van-type campers (Pleasure Way). Then we met another couple on a walk and after standing in the street for a while we asked them over for a drink and took notes on places they had been and recommended.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Mar 27-28 - Grand Canyon / Williams
Mar 27th - Williams, AZ
We thought it was windy yesterday but it was nothing compared to today. We pulled in our slides before we went out for a while as the large slide that was facing the wind was moving so much. We played “good neighbor” and picked up and folded lawn chairs that were blowing away from a rig across the street When we got back we realized that the large slide was the last one to go out so we put out the other two and left the large one in until the wind dropped a bit. We were happy that the wind dropped until I opened the door to take Dolly out about 9:30 and realized that it was snowing!!! Everything was white and it was still snowing. We had seen a weather forecast and it agreed with our outdoor temperature reading of below freezing.
Mar 28th - Grand Canyon / Williams
The roads were clear this morning with other areas still mostly white but thawing quickly - helped by the wind that was still blowing but not so bad. After fortifying ourselves with fresh doughnuts from the nearby Safeway, we headed out for the Grand Canyon which is 59 miles from here. There were a few skiffs of snow along the way but it turned out to be a much better day than we expected. With our heaviest coats we were OK but I sure as heck would not have wanted to spend hours on a mule riding down the canyon! The film at the IMAX theatre about the history of the canyon was wonderful. We spent about 6 hours with travel and sightseeing. Some more skiffs of snow on the way back and it is just below freezing now (7:30).
We thought it was windy yesterday but it was nothing compared to today. We pulled in our slides before we went out for a while as the large slide that was facing the wind was moving so much. We played “good neighbor” and picked up and folded lawn chairs that were blowing away from a rig across the street When we got back we realized that the large slide was the last one to go out so we put out the other two and left the large one in until the wind dropped a bit. We were happy that the wind dropped until I opened the door to take Dolly out about 9:30 and realized that it was snowing!!! Everything was white and it was still snowing. We had seen a weather forecast and it agreed with our outdoor temperature reading of below freezing.
Mar 28th - Grand Canyon / Williams
The roads were clear this morning with other areas still mostly white but thawing quickly - helped by the wind that was still blowing but not so bad. After fortifying ourselves with fresh doughnuts from the nearby Safeway, we headed out for the Grand Canyon which is 59 miles from here. There were a few skiffs of snow along the way but it turned out to be a much better day than we expected. With our heaviest coats we were OK but I sure as heck would not have wanted to spend hours on a mule riding down the canyon! The film at the IMAX theatre about the history of the canyon was wonderful. We spent about 6 hours with travel and sightseeing. Some more skiffs of snow on the way back and it is just below freezing now (7:30).
Monday, March 26, 2007
Mar 25-26 - Utah to Arizona
Mar 25st - Sunday - Hurricane,,UT
Today we went to Kolob Zion park. It is a much smaller version of Zion with more amazing rock formations. We went on a short (just over a mile round trip) walk for a better view of the Finger Canyons - a series of valleys formed by rivers. We did not get going early enough to go to Bryce Canyon park - will have to go there some other time.
It was obvious that we were in “church” country today - there were very few stores open.
We heard a weather forecast that included 3-6 inches of snow in Salt Lake City so that really reinforced our feeling that we needed to get back into warmer weather.
Mar 26th - Monday - Arizona
Headed south this morning. We just hit I15 and went right through Las Vegas. Then onto I515 and across the Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam). I was disappointed that the parking for RVs was so far up the hill that we were not going to walk back down for a tour.
We stopped at a tourist info center in Kingman, AZ and thought we would continue on to Williams. But it had been windy all day which makes driving tiring so when we saw an RV park a few miles out of Kingman we decided to spend the night. Took the opportunity to do laundry and also have WiFi so have to update the blog.
Today we went to Kolob Zion park. It is a much smaller version of Zion with more amazing rock formations. We went on a short (just over a mile round trip) walk for a better view of the Finger Canyons - a series of valleys formed by rivers. We did not get going early enough to go to Bryce Canyon park - will have to go there some other time.
It was obvious that we were in “church” country today - there were very few stores open.
We heard a weather forecast that included 3-6 inches of snow in Salt Lake City so that really reinforced our feeling that we needed to get back into warmer weather.
Mar 26th - Monday - Arizona
Headed south this morning. We just hit I15 and went right through Las Vegas. Then onto I515 and across the Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam). I was disappointed that the parking for RVs was so far up the hill that we were not going to walk back down for a tour.
We stopped at a tourist info center in Kingman, AZ and thought we would continue on to Williams. But it had been windy all day which makes driving tiring so when we saw an RV park a few miles out of Kingman we decided to spend the night. Took the opportunity to do laundry and also have WiFi so have to update the blog.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Pictures now available!!
You might have noticed a new entry on our blog. Near the top is a heading "Pictures" and a link below it to a web site. Click on the link and you will be directed to a Picasa web site with a couple of "albums". Click on one of the albums and you will have an option to click on "slideshow" to step through the pictures or use the arrows to move to the next picture. Click on the minimize/maximize square box in the upper right corner to show the pictures full screen. Use the "X" at the bottom of the screen to stop showing pictures and go back to the list of albums.
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Mar 20th - 24th - Laughlin & Mesquite NV; Utah
Mar 20th - Tuesday
The RV spot here in Laughlin (Riversite Casino) leaves a lot to be desired. We are in a “less desirable” central area with very narrow spots. The sites have a left and right spot for each number and the right spot is only used when the park is full. Well, we have neighbors left and right so it is really cozy. The Riverside Casino is on the north end of the park and across the street. All the other casinos are south but there is no exit from the park at that end so when you are walking you have to go clear to the north end of the park and then head south to the other casinos. And of course our site is on the south end of the park!! The coupon that we had includes the breakfast buffet for 2 and the dinner buffet for 2. Not a bad dinner buffet tonight.
Mar 21st - Wed
How can a breakfast buffet be bad? Well, this one was! We bought tickets for a boat ride at 2:30 and then wandered down the row of casinos - there is a walkway along the river for a long ways. I mentioned to Terry that we had a long walk back for the boat ride but the time slipped away and suddenly it was 2:15 (when they told us to be there!) so we walked so fast to get back there and made it. The boat went up river to the Davis Dam and then down past all the casinos. The captain told a lot of history as we went so it was interesting. Lovely weather. Went to a different casino for a “2 for 1” buffet and it was terrible!
Mar 22nd - Thurs
We drove to the Avi casino this morning to check it out and take advantage of the 99 cent ham & egg breakfast. Drove back through Bullhead City. Shopped at the outlet mall - looking for jean capris as I had to throw away my old pair as they were falling apart. No luck. There was a wind, rain, lightning storm when we went back to the rig to water & feed Dolly. Pebbles were thrown against the side of the rig. Yet another “2 for 1” buffet for dinner and it was good. Haven’t cooked for 3 days - how unusual! Notice there has been no mention of gambling wins? That is because there have not been any to speak of!
Mar 23rd - Friday
Decided to go along Lake Mead and stay in a campground along the lake somewhere. Well, Terry was not too impressed with what we saw of Lake Mead so we continued on to Mesquite - near the border of Nevada & Utah. Stopped at a casino RV park and they were full so we dry camped in the parking lot along with many other rigs and semis. I actually cooked dinner tonight - what a nice change. We sat and chatted with a nice couple from Alberta until a short rainstorm sent us inside.
Mar 24th - Saturday
We are near Hurricane, Utah, about 15 miles north of St George. We are in a Western Horizon (member) campsite that was in our CampClub USA list of participating campgrounds. So even though we aren’t Western Horizon members, we get the site for half price. Paid for 2 nights.
Went through Zion national park today. Didn’t get going until after noon and did not wear the proper clothes for hiking so just went on a couple of scenic drives. Amazing landscape! I would like to go back and go on a couple of walks but will have to see what I can talk Terry into and how much time we have after going to Bryce Canyon park.
We had breakfast before we left this morning and then did not have lunch. So we stopped at a store on the way back and got a couple of nice steaks to put on the BBQ for an early dinner. Wandered around the park and talked quite a while with a guy from Port Townsend, WA who has been full timing for 5 years.
The RV spot here in Laughlin (Riversite Casino) leaves a lot to be desired. We are in a “less desirable” central area with very narrow spots. The sites have a left and right spot for each number and the right spot is only used when the park is full. Well, we have neighbors left and right so it is really cozy. The Riverside Casino is on the north end of the park and across the street. All the other casinos are south but there is no exit from the park at that end so when you are walking you have to go clear to the north end of the park and then head south to the other casinos. And of course our site is on the south end of the park!! The coupon that we had includes the breakfast buffet for 2 and the dinner buffet for 2. Not a bad dinner buffet tonight.
Mar 21st - Wed
How can a breakfast buffet be bad? Well, this one was! We bought tickets for a boat ride at 2:30 and then wandered down the row of casinos - there is a walkway along the river for a long ways. I mentioned to Terry that we had a long walk back for the boat ride but the time slipped away and suddenly it was 2:15 (when they told us to be there!) so we walked so fast to get back there and made it. The boat went up river to the Davis Dam and then down past all the casinos. The captain told a lot of history as we went so it was interesting. Lovely weather. Went to a different casino for a “2 for 1” buffet and it was terrible!
Mar 22nd - Thurs
We drove to the Avi casino this morning to check it out and take advantage of the 99 cent ham & egg breakfast. Drove back through Bullhead City. Shopped at the outlet mall - looking for jean capris as I had to throw away my old pair as they were falling apart. No luck. There was a wind, rain, lightning storm when we went back to the rig to water & feed Dolly. Pebbles were thrown against the side of the rig. Yet another “2 for 1” buffet for dinner and it was good. Haven’t cooked for 3 days - how unusual! Notice there has been no mention of gambling wins? That is because there have not been any to speak of!
Mar 23rd - Friday
Decided to go along Lake Mead and stay in a campground along the lake somewhere. Well, Terry was not too impressed with what we saw of Lake Mead so we continued on to Mesquite - near the border of Nevada & Utah. Stopped at a casino RV park and they were full so we dry camped in the parking lot along with many other rigs and semis. I actually cooked dinner tonight - what a nice change. We sat and chatted with a nice couple from Alberta until a short rainstorm sent us inside.
Mar 24th - Saturday
We are near Hurricane, Utah, about 15 miles north of St George. We are in a Western Horizon (member) campsite that was in our CampClub USA list of participating campgrounds. So even though we aren’t Western Horizon members, we get the site for half price. Paid for 2 nights.
Went through Zion national park today. Didn’t get going until after noon and did not wear the proper clothes for hiking so just went on a couple of scenic drives. Amazing landscape! I would like to go back and go on a couple of walks but will have to see what I can talk Terry into and how much time we have after going to Bryce Canyon park.
We had breakfast before we left this morning and then did not have lunch. So we stopped at a store on the way back and got a couple of nice steaks to put on the BBQ for an early dinner. Wandered around the park and talked quite a while with a guy from Port Townsend, WA who has been full timing for 5 years.
Monday, March 19, 2007
QZ - Mar 15th to 19th
Mar 15th to 18th, Thurs to Sunday
We went to Palm Springs on Thursday to spend the weekend with Skip & Kathy, EllaMae & Don (Terry’s mom) and Cindy & Tim (Terry’s sister). The guys played golf on Friday & Saturday while the women shopped, lunched and lounged around the pool. Had dinners and drinks at the house and went to a couple of casinos. Watched the (disappointing) new James Bond movie one evening. Great time was had by all.
We women went to the “Street Fair” in Palm Desert on Saturday. It is in a parking lot on a college campus and is open every weekend. All the vendor tents are set up and taken down each weekend. There is an amazing variety of items for sale with a lot of jewelry and golf clothes. I bought a pair of shorts for Terry on Saturday before we cut our visit short because of the heat. Terry wanted more shorts so he & I got up early on Sunday and spent a couple of hours there. Got back in time for breakfast and left about 11. 93 degrees when we got back so unloaded, turned on the air conditioning and hibernated. Terry played pinochle and I spent a nice hour on the phone with Aunt Jessie.
Mar 19th, Monday
Decided to move to Laughlin tomorrow. We had a coupon for an RV park that we got at the RV show here so decided to get going. Very hot and quiet here. Clem & Marlene had left when we got back yesterday and we haven’t heard from them so don’t know in which direction they decided to go.
Weren't going to play pinochle tonight but we had a knock on the door with a request "to come out and play" so we went. Most of the players said they would miss us and everyone hoped we would be back next year. As I said before - you make friends quickly when RVing.
We went to Palm Springs on Thursday to spend the weekend with Skip & Kathy, EllaMae & Don (Terry’s mom) and Cindy & Tim (Terry’s sister). The guys played golf on Friday & Saturday while the women shopped, lunched and lounged around the pool. Had dinners and drinks at the house and went to a couple of casinos. Watched the (disappointing) new James Bond movie one evening. Great time was had by all.
We women went to the “Street Fair” in Palm Desert on Saturday. It is in a parking lot on a college campus and is open every weekend. All the vendor tents are set up and taken down each weekend. There is an amazing variety of items for sale with a lot of jewelry and golf clothes. I bought a pair of shorts for Terry on Saturday before we cut our visit short because of the heat. Terry wanted more shorts so he & I got up early on Sunday and spent a couple of hours there. Got back in time for breakfast and left about 11. 93 degrees when we got back so unloaded, turned on the air conditioning and hibernated. Terry played pinochle and I spent a nice hour on the phone with Aunt Jessie.
Mar 19th, Monday
Decided to move to Laughlin tomorrow. We had a coupon for an RV park that we got at the RV show here so decided to get going. Very hot and quiet here. Clem & Marlene had left when we got back yesterday and we haven’t heard from them so don’t know in which direction they decided to go.
Weren't going to play pinochle tonight but we had a knock on the door with a request "to come out and play" so we went. Most of the players said they would miss us and everyone hoped we would be back next year. As I said before - you make friends quickly when RVing.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
QZ - Mar 6th - 13th
Mar 6, Tuesday
We went golfing at Emerald Canyon in Parker today. It is a very challenging, interesting course. Very narrow fairways - you have to be accurate or your ball is bouncing off a canyon wall, hopefully back onto the fairway. We had a 2:00 pm tee time and we just finished the last hole before it was too dark to play. It was a slow round so we were finishing at 7.
Mar 7, Wed
Slow day today. I played Bunco in the afternoon and Terry spent the time with Clem. They were trying to figure out how to make a wheel chock work on our 5th wheel in order to stop some of the bouncing when someone walks in the rig. Couldn’t make it work so we’ll have to try something else.
Mar 8, Thurs
I spoke to a second level (!) support person at Homeland Security today about my green card. He was so rude! After telling me that I would have to stay in one location until I got my card (they can’t be chasing me all over the country!), he looked at my case and said it was still assigned to Seattle. He said they might allow me to show up on a Wednesday since I had an appointment that I missed and they might just deny the case and make me start over. I got the feeling that if it was up to him the case would be closed. So I wrote another letter to Spokane asking if I could show up on any Wednesday or if they could make another appointment for me. Crossing our fingers!
Marlene dragged out her sewing machine for me today so I could hem some T-shirts. Then we all (us, Clem & Marlene) went to Blythe for some groceries and lunch. We also bought a different wheel chock. It helps but there is still more movement than we like. I think part of the reason is that this site is really level so the rig is not “rolling downhill” onto a chock.
Mar 9, Friday
Terry sent my letter to HS by priority mail to try to get a quicker response. Did laundry before Skip & Kathy arrived. They were side-tracked at a casino so it was just right for sitting outside for a couple of drinks before having dinner. It did get hot today.
Mar 10, Saturday
Golfing at Parker with Skip & Kathy. Hot again. We were glad that we had our water misters with us. We stopped at the casino after golf - I won a bit, but again not quite enough to cover Terry!! Back to the 5th wheel for dinner & drinks.
Mar 11, Sunday
We did a bit of shopping in QZ today. Skip wanted a battery operated fly swatter once he saw ours so we found a couple for him. They also got a couple of spinning outdoor decorations.
Then we went to the Desert Bar. They thought it was very interesting and unique. A stop at the casino again on the way home and had dinner in the buffet there.
Mar 12, Monday
Skip & Kathy left after breakfast this morning. Kathy called later and asked if we could buy another spinner for her so we went out and got it for her. Dairy Queen was calling my name so we had to stop for a Blizzard. We played pinochle in the evening. HOT again (90s)
Mar 13, Tuesday
WAHOO!!!! Got an email today from Homeland Security in Spokane and I have an appointment there on April 5th to complete the processing for my green card. So we spent time on the Internet and booked a ticket from Phoenix. We have paid for the RV site in QZ until the end of March so we can spend some more time here (being bored!) after we get back from Palm Springs and then move closer to Phoenix. We are so excited to actually have a date and be able to do some planning.
Supposed to be in the 90s for the rest of the week and through the weekend.
We went golfing at Emerald Canyon in Parker today. It is a very challenging, interesting course. Very narrow fairways - you have to be accurate or your ball is bouncing off a canyon wall, hopefully back onto the fairway. We had a 2:00 pm tee time and we just finished the last hole before it was too dark to play. It was a slow round so we were finishing at 7.
Mar 7, Wed
Slow day today. I played Bunco in the afternoon and Terry spent the time with Clem. They were trying to figure out how to make a wheel chock work on our 5th wheel in order to stop some of the bouncing when someone walks in the rig. Couldn’t make it work so we’ll have to try something else.
Mar 8, Thurs
I spoke to a second level (!) support person at Homeland Security today about my green card. He was so rude! After telling me that I would have to stay in one location until I got my card (they can’t be chasing me all over the country!), he looked at my case and said it was still assigned to Seattle. He said they might allow me to show up on a Wednesday since I had an appointment that I missed and they might just deny the case and make me start over. I got the feeling that if it was up to him the case would be closed. So I wrote another letter to Spokane asking if I could show up on any Wednesday or if they could make another appointment for me. Crossing our fingers!
Marlene dragged out her sewing machine for me today so I could hem some T-shirts. Then we all (us, Clem & Marlene) went to Blythe for some groceries and lunch. We also bought a different wheel chock. It helps but there is still more movement than we like. I think part of the reason is that this site is really level so the rig is not “rolling downhill” onto a chock.
Mar 9, Friday
Terry sent my letter to HS by priority mail to try to get a quicker response. Did laundry before Skip & Kathy arrived. They were side-tracked at a casino so it was just right for sitting outside for a couple of drinks before having dinner. It did get hot today.
Mar 10, Saturday
Golfing at Parker with Skip & Kathy. Hot again. We were glad that we had our water misters with us. We stopped at the casino after golf - I won a bit, but again not quite enough to cover Terry!! Back to the 5th wheel for dinner & drinks.
Mar 11, Sunday
We did a bit of shopping in QZ today. Skip wanted a battery operated fly swatter once he saw ours so we found a couple for him. They also got a couple of spinning outdoor decorations.
Then we went to the Desert Bar. They thought it was very interesting and unique. A stop at the casino again on the way home and had dinner in the buffet there.
Mar 12, Monday
Skip & Kathy left after breakfast this morning. Kathy called later and asked if we could buy another spinner for her so we went out and got it for her. Dairy Queen was calling my name so we had to stop for a Blizzard. We played pinochle in the evening. HOT again (90s)
Mar 13, Tuesday
WAHOO!!!! Got an email today from Homeland Security in Spokane and I have an appointment there on April 5th to complete the processing for my green card. So we spent time on the Internet and booked a ticket from Phoenix. We have paid for the RV site in QZ until the end of March so we can spend some more time here (being bored!) after we get back from Palm Springs and then move closer to Phoenix. We are so excited to actually have a date and be able to do some planning.
Supposed to be in the 90s for the rest of the week and through the weekend.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
QZ - Mar 2nd - 5th
Mar 2, Friday
Made a trip to Parker for something to do. Skip & Kathy are coming for a visit and we are going to play golf at Parker so tried to make a tee time. They are booked up for a week - only EARLY times or so late that you might not be able to play all 18. We went to the course to see if we could do any better in person and they said we could probably get a decent time on Saturday if we called early tomorrow.
Went to the casino, had dinner and headed home.
Mar 3, Saturday
Dull windy day - pretty much just TV, laundry and pinochle. I set the alarm for 6 this morning so I could call the golf course for a tee time. Skip and Kathy will be coming on Friday and stay until Monday.
Mar 4, Sunday
Trip to Yuma today. As I said before, we are having to go further for things to do - Yuma is 81 miles from here.
We had some shopping to do - shoes for Terry and a jacket for me. I have to nag Terry to get him to shop for shoes so he was very surprised and pleased to find 2 pairs at Kohls (first store that we went to) for a reasonable price. I needed a jacket as I washed mine and the lining shredded. Not many stores in Yuma carry jackets at this time of year but I found one at Ross so we did well with our shopping list. Then a trip to Walmart and Paradise Casino. We had a gift certificate for Applebees so we had a nice early dinner and got back about 6:30. Then I spent a couple of hours on the phone catching up with some friends.
It was windy all day. It gets very dusty in Yuma when the wind blows as there are so many cultivated fields.
Mar 5, Monday
Back to quiet! It was windy again most of the day. It did get very warm. Our door and awning face west and by the time you want shade, the sun is down so far that the awning does not provide shade. So we move the truck beside the mat and sit in the shade of the truck.
Made a trip to Parker for something to do. Skip & Kathy are coming for a visit and we are going to play golf at Parker so tried to make a tee time. They are booked up for a week - only EARLY times or so late that you might not be able to play all 18. We went to the course to see if we could do any better in person and they said we could probably get a decent time on Saturday if we called early tomorrow.
Went to the casino, had dinner and headed home.
Mar 3, Saturday
Dull windy day - pretty much just TV, laundry and pinochle. I set the alarm for 6 this morning so I could call the golf course for a tee time. Skip and Kathy will be coming on Friday and stay until Monday.
Mar 4, Sunday
Trip to Yuma today. As I said before, we are having to go further for things to do - Yuma is 81 miles from here.
We had some shopping to do - shoes for Terry and a jacket for me. I have to nag Terry to get him to shop for shoes so he was very surprised and pleased to find 2 pairs at Kohls (first store that we went to) for a reasonable price. I needed a jacket as I washed mine and the lining shredded. Not many stores in Yuma carry jackets at this time of year but I found one at Ross so we did well with our shopping list. Then a trip to Walmart and Paradise Casino. We had a gift certificate for Applebees so we had a nice early dinner and got back about 6:30. Then I spent a couple of hours on the phone catching up with some friends.
It was windy all day. It gets very dusty in Yuma when the wind blows as there are so many cultivated fields.
Mar 5, Monday
Back to quiet! It was windy again most of the day. It did get very warm. Our door and awning face west and by the time you want shade, the sun is down so far that the awning does not provide shade. So we move the truck beside the mat and sit in the shade of the truck.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
QZ - Feb 24th to 28th
Feb 24, Saturday
Another fun adventure today - we went with Clem & Marlene to the Desert Bar. It is a bar out in the desert north of Parker. It is about 5 miles of narrow, windy dirt/gravel road off the main road through the hills/mountains. There is no signs or advertising for the bar, it is all word of mouth. It would be quite a surprise to come around a corner of the road and see the bar structures if you weren’t expecting it. It is pretty much open air with roofs over the bars and cooking area and an older bar that actually has walls as well. It is only open on Sat & Sun from noon to dusk - from Labor Day until Memorial Day. There is a band and a small dance floor that is jammed. We had a hamburger for lunch and enjoyed a few drinks while we sat in the sun and enjoyed the music.
We figured that we would have to cook dinner when we got home so stopped at the casino in Parker and ate at the buffet instead. When we got back it was quite cool in the rig so we turned on the furnace and discovered that we were out of propane - oops!
Feb 25, Sunday
Terry knew what he had to do first thing this morning - fill up the propane tanks!
Bob & Sue (neighbors from Bellevue) came to visit today. We had a great time chatting. Went to lunch at Brenda and then showed them around Quartzsite. Even with most of the vendors and motor homes gone, it is an interesting sight for newcomers.
Feb 26, Monday
Kind of quiet again. I got my hair cut. Clem & Marlene came over to barbeque for dinner and then Clem made throwing dice look easy and won as many games as the rest of us together.
Feb 27, Tuesday
We were looking at a pretty uneventful day today so after I went for a walk with Marlene we decided to go to Parker for some groceries and to the casino. I ended up ahead again but, again, not quite enough to cover Terry. But it was pretty cheap entertainment for the afternoon. Our bit of luck did not extend to bingo at the club house in the evening!
It was very windy today and tonight. I went out about 10 and took in our “golfer” in the chair. Terry went out shortly after as there was so much noise that he thought a compartment door was open and he brought in our flags. At 11:30 I went back out and took down the wind chimes so I could go to sleep!
Feb 28, Wednesday
Our old friend Chuck Kambouroff came from Phoenix to visit today. He called Monday and said he would be here today or tomorrow. He called at nine this morning and was already here and needed directions to the RV site. Again, we had a great time catching up. He left shortly after we had some lunch .
The wind continues today. After Chuck left we went to check the mail - still no letter for my green card appointment. So we signed up for the month of March as the whole month costs the same as 2 weeks at the weekly rate. We are going to go stir crazy here but we have no choice until we get the letter.
Another fun adventure today - we went with Clem & Marlene to the Desert Bar. It is a bar out in the desert north of Parker. It is about 5 miles of narrow, windy dirt/gravel road off the main road through the hills/mountains. There is no signs or advertising for the bar, it is all word of mouth. It would be quite a surprise to come around a corner of the road and see the bar structures if you weren’t expecting it. It is pretty much open air with roofs over the bars and cooking area and an older bar that actually has walls as well. It is only open on Sat & Sun from noon to dusk - from Labor Day until Memorial Day. There is a band and a small dance floor that is jammed. We had a hamburger for lunch and enjoyed a few drinks while we sat in the sun and enjoyed the music.
We figured that we would have to cook dinner when we got home so stopped at the casino in Parker and ate at the buffet instead. When we got back it was quite cool in the rig so we turned on the furnace and discovered that we were out of propane - oops!
Feb 25, Sunday
Terry knew what he had to do first thing this morning - fill up the propane tanks!
Bob & Sue (neighbors from Bellevue) came to visit today. We had a great time chatting. Went to lunch at Brenda and then showed them around Quartzsite. Even with most of the vendors and motor homes gone, it is an interesting sight for newcomers.
Feb 26, Monday
Kind of quiet again. I got my hair cut. Clem & Marlene came over to barbeque for dinner and then Clem made throwing dice look easy and won as many games as the rest of us together.
Feb 27, Tuesday
We were looking at a pretty uneventful day today so after I went for a walk with Marlene we decided to go to Parker for some groceries and to the casino. I ended up ahead again but, again, not quite enough to cover Terry. But it was pretty cheap entertainment for the afternoon. Our bit of luck did not extend to bingo at the club house in the evening!
It was very windy today and tonight. I went out about 10 and took in our “golfer” in the chair. Terry went out shortly after as there was so much noise that he thought a compartment door was open and he brought in our flags. At 11:30 I went back out and took down the wind chimes so I could go to sleep!
Feb 28, Wednesday
Our old friend Chuck Kambouroff came from Phoenix to visit today. He called Monday and said he would be here today or tomorrow. He called at nine this morning and was already here and needed directions to the RV site. Again, we had a great time catching up. He left shortly after we had some lunch .
The wind continues today. After Chuck left we went to check the mail - still no letter for my green card appointment. So we signed up for the month of March as the whole month costs the same as 2 weeks at the weekly rate. We are going to go stir crazy here but we have no choice until we get the letter.
Friday, February 23, 2007
QZ - Feb 22nd - 23rd
Feb 22, Thursday
We had a long, busy, fun day today. Clem & Marlene picked us up at 8:30 for a trip to Oatman. It is an old mining town about 125 miles north of here - past Lake Havasu City. There is a street of shops and a couple of places to eat. We browsed through shops, watched the gunfight in the street (after a tour bus was “held up”) and had a very good lunch. Then we drove a few more miles to the old mine site and took a tour of the mine. They load everyone on an open “wagon” that was used to transport miners and take you up a road to the mine entrance for a guided tour. Our tour guide was a lot of fun - got across a lot of facts without being dry or boring. The mine started about 1900. There are 145 MILES of main and branch tunnels on 9 or 10 levels in the one mountain. It is all non-supported - just dug out of solid rock. A few braces exist to hold planks on the ceiling to prevent rocks from falling on your head. When we went back through Oatman we saw the burros that roam the town getting carrots from tourists. We stopped at Parker on the way back for a beer and arrived back about 6:30.
Feb 23, Friday
Still no letter from Homeland Security!! We spoke with people at the office about the possibility of staying past the end of February if needed. Our site is not rented after we leave and there are several empty sites so it should be no problem to stay here longer even though we’d like to move on to somewhere new.
I joined the walking ladies this morning and had coffee with them. It was very windy last night and most of today but not too cold in the morning. Seemed like it got cooler as the day went on. Some laundry this afternoon and pinochle this evening.
We got a phone call from our neighbors when we lived in Bellevue. They are in Palm Springs and are leaving on Wednesday. So they are going to drive here on Sunday to see us. We have not seen them for many years so we are really looking forward to the visit.
We had a long, busy, fun day today. Clem & Marlene picked us up at 8:30 for a trip to Oatman. It is an old mining town about 125 miles north of here - past Lake Havasu City. There is a street of shops and a couple of places to eat. We browsed through shops, watched the gunfight in the street (after a tour bus was “held up”) and had a very good lunch. Then we drove a few more miles to the old mine site and took a tour of the mine. They load everyone on an open “wagon” that was used to transport miners and take you up a road to the mine entrance for a guided tour. Our tour guide was a lot of fun - got across a lot of facts without being dry or boring. The mine started about 1900. There are 145 MILES of main and branch tunnels on 9 or 10 levels in the one mountain. It is all non-supported - just dug out of solid rock. A few braces exist to hold planks on the ceiling to prevent rocks from falling on your head. When we went back through Oatman we saw the burros that roam the town getting carrots from tourists. We stopped at Parker on the way back for a beer and arrived back about 6:30.
Feb 23, Friday
Still no letter from Homeland Security!! We spoke with people at the office about the possibility of staying past the end of February if needed. Our site is not rented after we leave and there are several empty sites so it should be no problem to stay here longer even though we’d like to move on to somewhere new.
I joined the walking ladies this morning and had coffee with them. It was very windy last night and most of today but not too cold in the morning. Seemed like it got cooler as the day went on. Some laundry this afternoon and pinochle this evening.
We got a phone call from our neighbors when we lived in Bellevue. They are in Palm Springs and are leaving on Wednesday. So they are going to drive here on Sunday to see us. We have not seen them for many years so we are really looking forward to the visit.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
QZ - Feb 18th - 21st
WARNING - things are quiet and not too exciting right now!!!
Feb 18, Sunday
We spent some time at the coin hunt area in the park to see if the “hunters” missed any coins. Got 25 cents for our time!
Quartzsite is getting emptier of vendors every day. The RV park that we are in still has a lot of RVs but some others are quite empty. What a change from a month ago. We are challenged to find things to do now. Pinochle is a welcome diversion - even if I did get the low score of the evening!
Feb 19, Monday
Woke to rainy and very windy weather today. We sat and watched TV for a while and then decided we needed to go somewhere so we ended up at Parker again. Once again, I won some money and Terry did not. I wish he would snap out of this spell of bad luck! It was still very windy when we got back so we hibernated in the rig and watched the first show of Amazing Race.
Feb 20, Tuesday
We are still in the waiting mode - waiting for the notice from Homeland Security with an appointment date in Phoenix. It is hard to plan anything and kind of drags us down. Today is two weeks since I spoke with the office in Spokane - seems like longer!
I decided that I better start walking before I cannot button my jeans so went for a brisk walk this morning.
The weather was lovely all day so it was a good day to be lazy.
Feb 21, Wednesday
Don’t know how four days go by without posting to my blog! Seems like I just did it.
Another sunny, warm day. I went for a walk again this morning. As I was coming back into the park, a group of women that walk each morning were just rounding the corner and invited me to join them. So I walked a bit more with them. Passed on the coffee and gossip after the walk as Terry would have been wondering where I was when he didn’t see the walkers pass by again.
We had to go “dumpster diving” this afternoon! We received our mail yesterday and Terry accidentally tossed a tax document into the garbage which we took to the garbage trailer this morning. Luckily, he went through the rest of the mail later and realized it was missing. So he actually had to jump into the trailer and find our bag. We did retrieve the document.
Clem & Marlene came by for a chat and we made plans to go to Oatman with them tomorrow.
Feb 18, Sunday
We spent some time at the coin hunt area in the park to see if the “hunters” missed any coins. Got 25 cents for our time!
Quartzsite is getting emptier of vendors every day. The RV park that we are in still has a lot of RVs but some others are quite empty. What a change from a month ago. We are challenged to find things to do now. Pinochle is a welcome diversion - even if I did get the low score of the evening!
Feb 19, Monday
Woke to rainy and very windy weather today. We sat and watched TV for a while and then decided we needed to go somewhere so we ended up at Parker again. Once again, I won some money and Terry did not. I wish he would snap out of this spell of bad luck! It was still very windy when we got back so we hibernated in the rig and watched the first show of Amazing Race.
Feb 20, Tuesday
We are still in the waiting mode - waiting for the notice from Homeland Security with an appointment date in Phoenix. It is hard to plan anything and kind of drags us down. Today is two weeks since I spoke with the office in Spokane - seems like longer!
I decided that I better start walking before I cannot button my jeans so went for a brisk walk this morning.
The weather was lovely all day so it was a good day to be lazy.
Feb 21, Wednesday
Don’t know how four days go by without posting to my blog! Seems like I just did it.
Another sunny, warm day. I went for a walk again this morning. As I was coming back into the park, a group of women that walk each morning were just rounding the corner and invited me to join them. So I walked a bit more with them. Passed on the coffee and gossip after the walk as Terry would have been wondering where I was when he didn’t see the walkers pass by again.
We had to go “dumpster diving” this afternoon! We received our mail yesterday and Terry accidentally tossed a tax document into the garbage which we took to the garbage trailer this morning. Luckily, he went through the rest of the mail later and realized it was missing. So he actually had to jump into the trailer and find our bag. We did retrieve the document.
Clem & Marlene came by for a chat and we made plans to go to Oatman with them tomorrow.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
QZ - Feb 15th to 17th
Feb 15, Thursday
Today was a day for cleaning inside and out. We had Clem & Marlene over for baby back ribs for dinner so there was some shopping and prep work for that. We used our dining table extension for the first time and it is wonderful - elbow room for everyone! Also lots of room to play dice after dinner.
Feb 16, Friday
On the road again - this time to Lake Havasu City. Terry thought there was a Bluegrass Festival going on here but it was at Havasu Landing which is across the lake in California. It is about 100 miles to drive around so we did not go. There was also a boat that you could take across the lake but we decided just to drive back and stop at the casino in Parker.
It was a nice drive. I won a bit at the casino, unfortunately not quite enough to make up Terry’s losses!
Feb 17, Saturday
We spent some time chatting with neighbors this morning after taking part in the park breakfast. I can see why people keep coming back to the same park each winter - you can make friends quickly.
Terry took part in coin and gold hunts with metal detectors today. A club buries coins in a large “desert” area in the local park. Some detectors cannot find gold so on the second hunt they attach gold to nickels so everyone can hunt for it. Terry found $2.80 in the first hunt and 2 coins with gold on the second hunt. Many of the 200 participants did not find any coins on the second hunt. I sat on a lawn chair and met another resident of the park that we are staying in. Each hunt was for an hour. I wanted to see what they were all about before taking part and I wasn’t sure my elbows and shoulders would stand 2 hours of detecting.
Finished the day by doing laundry and then playing pinochle in the evening where Terry won third place.
Today was a day for cleaning inside and out. We had Clem & Marlene over for baby back ribs for dinner so there was some shopping and prep work for that. We used our dining table extension for the first time and it is wonderful - elbow room for everyone! Also lots of room to play dice after dinner.
Feb 16, Friday
On the road again - this time to Lake Havasu City. Terry thought there was a Bluegrass Festival going on here but it was at Havasu Landing which is across the lake in California. It is about 100 miles to drive around so we did not go. There was also a boat that you could take across the lake but we decided just to drive back and stop at the casino in Parker.
It was a nice drive. I won a bit at the casino, unfortunately not quite enough to make up Terry’s losses!
Feb 17, Saturday
We spent some time chatting with neighbors this morning after taking part in the park breakfast. I can see why people keep coming back to the same park each winter - you can make friends quickly.
Terry took part in coin and gold hunts with metal detectors today. A club buries coins in a large “desert” area in the local park. Some detectors cannot find gold so on the second hunt they attach gold to nickels so everyone can hunt for it. Terry found $2.80 in the first hunt and 2 coins with gold on the second hunt. Many of the 200 participants did not find any coins on the second hunt. I sat on a lawn chair and met another resident of the park that we are staying in. Each hunt was for an hour. I wanted to see what they were all about before taking part and I wasn’t sure my elbows and shoulders would stand 2 hours of detecting.
Finished the day by doing laundry and then playing pinochle in the evening where Terry won third place.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
QZ - Feb 14th
Feb 14, Wednesday - HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
Yet another road trip today.
With Clem & Marlene again, we met a group of metal detector enthusiasts for a trip to a ghost town in California. Midland is 21 miles north of Blythe. It was a gypsum mine and produced sheetrock when it was an active town. There are a few people living out there in RVs. All the buildings were razed after hippies started living in them years ago. We ignored many, many nails and bottle caps and dug up miscellaneous other metal junk. It was very windy so the group did not even get together for lunches that we all brought. An amazing sight in a ravine on the edge of “town” was mounds of reject sheetrock covering several acres. Clem pointed out mistletoe growing on palo verde trees - another thing that I have not seen before.
We stopped for a few groceries at Albertson’s in Blythe before heading back.
It is now just after 8 and it sounds like the wind is finally dying down a bit.
QZ - Feb 12th and 13th
Feb 12, Monday
Lazy day - shopped for a couple of things, listened to the music jam at the club house for a bit and played dice with Clem & Marlene. My luck was mostly bad and Clem won both games that we played.
Feb 13, Tuesday
We took a trip to Wickenburg today with Clem & Marlene. After checking with the tourist info we toured the town a bit and then explored the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. I am not a huge museum fan but enjoyed this one. They had amazing examples of belts, horse bridles and quirts made out of horsehair - natural and dyed. Apparently they are knotted and/or braided - just incredible.
Next we went to the Robson Western Museum which is an odd mixture of farming, mining and “old west” stuff. One unique item was a 1912 Mack truck which still ran. There were the usual barber shop, dentist office, grocery store (mercantile) and newspaper office with printing presses. What was unusual was the abundance of items - like 20 or so old manual typewriters lining a shelf in the newspaper office. We had a very good lunch in the café there where, at first glance, we wondered what we were in for.
All in all another fun day.
Terry & I played bingo later but did not win any games.
Monday, February 12, 2007
QZ - Feb 10th & 11th
Feb 10, Saturday
Breakfast again at the club house and then we left for Phoenix with Clem & Marlene. We had called Camping World to make sure they had the GPS unit that was on sale and had them set one aside for us so we wouldn’t be making the trip for nothing. No problems - picked up the GPS unit and, amazingly, nothing else. We stopped at a casino for lunch and played slots for a bit for a small amount of damage to everyone’s wallet.
We played pinochle in the evening and Terry won. There was karaoke going on at the club house so we sat outside and listened a bit after pinochle finished - until the singing got too bad!
Feb 11, Sunday
It was totally cloudy when we got up so we were lazy in the morning. Had bacon & tomato sandwiches for “brunch” and went out to get water and a few groceries. The water here is kind of flat tasting and supposedly “salty” so we buy water for drinking and making ice. It costs 25 cents per gallon to refill containers so we just have 3 plastic jugs that we fill since the store is nearby.
We went for a drive to a little town named Bouse - not too much there. We carried on to Parker and filled up with fuel - $2.39 per gallon for diesel, it went up from $2.29 last time. After we got back we were sitting outside having a beer and looking at brochures that we picked up in Bouse when Clem & Marlene came by. They were going out for dinner to celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary and asked us to join them. So we went to Black Rock Café at Brenda for dinner. Then Clem & Marlene taught us to play a new dice game. I really enjoyed it since I won both games! Just kidding - it was a fun game. It was really windy so we left them fairly early to rescue the lawn chairs that we had left sitting out.
Another good day with nice friends!
Breakfast again at the club house and then we left for Phoenix with Clem & Marlene. We had called Camping World to make sure they had the GPS unit that was on sale and had them set one aside for us so we wouldn’t be making the trip for nothing. No problems - picked up the GPS unit and, amazingly, nothing else. We stopped at a casino for lunch and played slots for a bit for a small amount of damage to everyone’s wallet.
We played pinochle in the evening and Terry won. There was karaoke going on at the club house so we sat outside and listened a bit after pinochle finished - until the singing got too bad!
Feb 11, Sunday
It was totally cloudy when we got up so we were lazy in the morning. Had bacon & tomato sandwiches for “brunch” and went out to get water and a few groceries. The water here is kind of flat tasting and supposedly “salty” so we buy water for drinking and making ice. It costs 25 cents per gallon to refill containers so we just have 3 plastic jugs that we fill since the store is nearby.
We went for a drive to a little town named Bouse - not too much there. We carried on to Parker and filled up with fuel - $2.39 per gallon for diesel, it went up from $2.29 last time. After we got back we were sitting outside having a beer and looking at brochures that we picked up in Bouse when Clem & Marlene came by. They were going out for dinner to celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary and asked us to join them. So we went to Black Rock Café at Brenda for dinner. Then Clem & Marlene taught us to play a new dice game. I really enjoyed it since I won both games! Just kidding - it was a fun game. It was really windy so we left them fairly early to rescue the lawn chairs that we had left sitting out.
Another good day with nice friends!
Friday, February 09, 2007
QZ - Feb 8th & 9th
Feb 8, Thursday
Ken & Jo are leaving tomorrow so we went to lunch at Brenda with them today.
We got a phone call from Nicole & Francis (friends staying in Welton) asking if tomorrow would be OK for them to come to visit. We were going to do laundry tomorrow but figured we better get it done today. While we were doing laundry, we went to chat with Clem & Marlene - ended up having a couple of beers with them while I ran back and forth finishing the laundry. Then I did some prep work for lunch tomorrow - boiled ribs, cooked eggs & potatoes for salad, cut up cabbage for slaw and baked cookies. Luckily, since we had a large lunch, all I made for dinner was a sandwich.
Feb 9, Friday
What a lovely day with Francis & Nicole! They arrived about 9, we sat and chatted and then took them to do a bit of shopping, mainly beads for Nicole’s beading. Had a great lunch and it was nice enough to eat outside. In fact, we were crowded into the shade when we ate. Terry gave Francis a demonstration of the waterless cleaner by cleaning their entire car - took about 15 minutes. We sat in the shade and relaxed before they left just after 4.
Because we put out the awning today we were able to see a dirt line on the underside near the rig so Terry got the ladder out and cleaned it up. We stopped by Clem & Marlene’s on the way back from dumping garbage and BS’d for quite a while. Made plans to go to Phoenix tomorrow to buy a GPS system for Clem.
I remembered that I had written blog entries for 3 days and couldn’t get on to post them so I am catching up now.
Ken & Jo are leaving tomorrow so we went to lunch at Brenda with them today.
We got a phone call from Nicole & Francis (friends staying in Welton) asking if tomorrow would be OK for them to come to visit. We were going to do laundry tomorrow but figured we better get it done today. While we were doing laundry, we went to chat with Clem & Marlene - ended up having a couple of beers with them while I ran back and forth finishing the laundry. Then I did some prep work for lunch tomorrow - boiled ribs, cooked eggs & potatoes for salad, cut up cabbage for slaw and baked cookies. Luckily, since we had a large lunch, all I made for dinner was a sandwich.
Feb 9, Friday
What a lovely day with Francis & Nicole! They arrived about 9, we sat and chatted and then took them to do a bit of shopping, mainly beads for Nicole’s beading. Had a great lunch and it was nice enough to eat outside. In fact, we were crowded into the shade when we ate. Terry gave Francis a demonstration of the waterless cleaner by cleaning their entire car - took about 15 minutes. We sat in the shade and relaxed before they left just after 4.
Because we put out the awning today we were able to see a dirt line on the underside near the rig so Terry got the ladder out and cleaned it up. We stopped by Clem & Marlene’s on the way back from dumping garbage and BS’d for quite a while. Made plans to go to Phoenix tomorrow to buy a GPS system for Clem.
I remembered that I had written blog entries for 3 days and couldn’t get on to post them so I am catching up now.
QZ - Feb 5th to Feb 7th
Feb 5, Monday
Kick-back type of day - visiting neighbors, wandering through some vendor stands (which are becoming fewer) and just enjoying the sunshine. Played pinochle in the evening - Terry is having as little luck with cards as he is at the casino!
Feb 6, Tuesday
I finally got a phone call from the immigration office in Spokane today. They cannot make an appointment as far out as May but they can make an appointment for me in Phoenix!!! Apparently if there is an Arizona address to use to mail the appointment notice, they (Phoenix) can process the paperwork. I wish someone at the help line had known that when I called a couple of months ago. So now I have to wait for the appointment notice and make a trip to Phoenix. If it is after the end of February (when we are scheduled to leave Quartzsite), we will stay somewhere closer to Phoenix.
Ken & Jo were going to Blythe to do some grocery shopping so we hitched a ride and stocked up a bit. Groceries are pretty expensive here and the selection is not large.
We talked Clem & Marlene into playing bingo at the club house this evening - no winners in our group.
Feb 7, Wednesday
Back to Parker today to get some passport type photos in preparation for my immigration meeting. And of course the casino just sucked us in! Also took the opportunity to fill up with diesel at $2.29.
There were a lot of clouds this afternoon but it was clear and starry when I took Dolly out at 9:30.
Kick-back type of day - visiting neighbors, wandering through some vendor stands (which are becoming fewer) and just enjoying the sunshine. Played pinochle in the evening - Terry is having as little luck with cards as he is at the casino!
Feb 6, Tuesday
I finally got a phone call from the immigration office in Spokane today. They cannot make an appointment as far out as May but they can make an appointment for me in Phoenix!!! Apparently if there is an Arizona address to use to mail the appointment notice, they (Phoenix) can process the paperwork. I wish someone at the help line had known that when I called a couple of months ago. So now I have to wait for the appointment notice and make a trip to Phoenix. If it is after the end of February (when we are scheduled to leave Quartzsite), we will stay somewhere closer to Phoenix.
Ken & Jo were going to Blythe to do some grocery shopping so we hitched a ride and stocked up a bit. Groceries are pretty expensive here and the selection is not large.
We talked Clem & Marlene into playing bingo at the club house this evening - no winners in our group.
Feb 7, Wednesday
Back to Parker today to get some passport type photos in preparation for my immigration meeting. And of course the casino just sucked us in! Also took the opportunity to fill up with diesel at $2.29.
There were a lot of clouds this afternoon but it was clear and starry when I took Dolly out at 9:30.
Monday, February 05, 2007
QZ - Feb 3rd & 4th
Feb 3, Saturday
We met a new couple at the park breakfast this morning - Clem & Marlene from Madison, SD. They like to play games and are here for a while so I think we will spend some time together.
We went for lunch with Ken & Jo to the Black Rock café at Brenda. Before we stopped for lunch we drove to Salome to show Ken & Jo some of the countryside. We saw an interesting part of the town where there were individual airplane hangers lining a small runway. A lot of the hangers also had living quarters. Others had mobile homes or small residences in addition to the hanger. On the way back to Brenda we saw some buildings off the road a ways which we were able to identify as more hangers.
We had a nice lunch and browsed through a small “crafty” shop - or, as Ken calls it, “Happy Crap“.
Our park internet source was having a new satellite dish installed so we went to the library to post our blog but could not get hooked up to the Wi-Fi. On the way back, we stopped to talk to a neighbor and he told us about some car races at Blythe. So we walked over and asked Clem & Marlene if they wanted to go to the races with us. They were willing so that’s how we spent Saturday evening.
There were three types of cars racing on a paved 3/8 mile oval - tiny, small and stock. The tiny cars had Briggs & Stratton engines and were driven by 8 - 12 year olds. The small cars had Yamaha engines and drivers 13 and up. Unfortunately, we did not take our camera so don’t have any pictures. The driving was great - hard to believe they were so young. It got quite cool with a slight breeze so we were happy that it turned out to be an evening where every senior attendee received a fleece blanket in a nylon stuff sack. Very enjoyable evening.
Feb 4, Sunday
Beautiful weather - warm even with a slight breeze. Terry went to the classic car show with Ken while I made phone calls. Clem & Marlene stopped by and we sat outside and had a beer - this is what we have been expecting and waiting for in the south for the winter.
Jo & Ken asked us over for an early dinner. When we came back I again enjoyed the warm weather by sitting out and reading. And of course we had to watch the Super Bowl.
We met a new couple at the park breakfast this morning - Clem & Marlene from Madison, SD. They like to play games and are here for a while so I think we will spend some time together.
We went for lunch with Ken & Jo to the Black Rock café at Brenda. Before we stopped for lunch we drove to Salome to show Ken & Jo some of the countryside. We saw an interesting part of the town where there were individual airplane hangers lining a small runway. A lot of the hangers also had living quarters. Others had mobile homes or small residences in addition to the hanger. On the way back to Brenda we saw some buildings off the road a ways which we were able to identify as more hangers.
We had a nice lunch and browsed through a small “crafty” shop - or, as Ken calls it, “Happy Crap“.
Our park internet source was having a new satellite dish installed so we went to the library to post our blog but could not get hooked up to the Wi-Fi. On the way back, we stopped to talk to a neighbor and he told us about some car races at Blythe. So we walked over and asked Clem & Marlene if they wanted to go to the races with us. They were willing so that’s how we spent Saturday evening.
There were three types of cars racing on a paved 3/8 mile oval - tiny, small and stock. The tiny cars had Briggs & Stratton engines and were driven by 8 - 12 year olds. The small cars had Yamaha engines and drivers 13 and up. Unfortunately, we did not take our camera so don’t have any pictures. The driving was great - hard to believe they were so young. It got quite cool with a slight breeze so we were happy that it turned out to be an evening where every senior attendee received a fleece blanket in a nylon stuff sack. Very enjoyable evening.
Feb 4, Sunday
Beautiful weather - warm even with a slight breeze. Terry went to the classic car show with Ken while I made phone calls. Clem & Marlene stopped by and we sat outside and had a beer - this is what we have been expecting and waiting for in the south for the winter.
Jo & Ken asked us over for an early dinner. When we came back I again enjoyed the warm weather by sitting out and reading. And of course we had to watch the Super Bowl.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
QZ - Jan 31st to Feb 2nd
Jan 31, Wednesday
We are definitely into a quieter period right now - waiting for the weather to warm up so we can start moving north.
At least we are getting some exercise with walking around the vendor booths that remain here in Quartzsite. Unfortunately, one of the remaining vendors is ice cream!!
We played pinochle this evening. Very strange evening - there were 32 “sets” out of 48 hands dealt. You have to pay 25 cents for each “set” and then a name is drawn for the money - the person who won the pot got more money than the person with the highest score.
Feb 1, Thursday
Highlight of today was getting my hair cut - VERY SHORT and spiked on top. I liked how a lady here at the park had hers done so I went to her stylist and said I wanted it just like Sondra’s. It will take a little bit of getting used to but I like it. Terry calls it my Tinkerbell hair cut.
Our new satellite cable system had the signal scrambled this afternoon and Terry was not able to find the new codes. Luckily, the salesman is still here in the park. He came over with the new codes and showed us how to program the receiver. All fixed!
We attended a music show here at the park in the evening. It was the “Bost Family Tradition” - dad & mom and 7 children playing what was billed as bluegrass music. The youngest child was a 2 year old boy who spent the time in a pack on his mom’s back as she played the bass fiddle. It was an enjoyable to spend a couple of hours.
Feb 2, Friday
We took a drive today and spent time walking the desert with our metal detectors. We at least found and dug up junk so we are using them correctly. There is an active detecting club here so we are going to participate in some of their events this month.
The weather is still cool at night and is warming up a bit more in the daytime - mid 60‘s. If only the wind would quit we could sit outside more. I have a feeling we might be wishing for wind before long.
The satellite signal was scrambled again today. We spent a lot of time searching the internet and I finally found the new codes. We were able to change the receiver programming ourselves so we are working again.
We are definitely into a quieter period right now - waiting for the weather to warm up so we can start moving north.
At least we are getting some exercise with walking around the vendor booths that remain here in Quartzsite. Unfortunately, one of the remaining vendors is ice cream!!
We played pinochle this evening. Very strange evening - there were 32 “sets” out of 48 hands dealt. You have to pay 25 cents for each “set” and then a name is drawn for the money - the person who won the pot got more money than the person with the highest score.
Feb 1, Thursday
Highlight of today was getting my hair cut - VERY SHORT and spiked on top. I liked how a lady here at the park had hers done so I went to her stylist and said I wanted it just like Sondra’s. It will take a little bit of getting used to but I like it. Terry calls it my Tinkerbell hair cut.
Our new satellite cable system had the signal scrambled this afternoon and Terry was not able to find the new codes. Luckily, the salesman is still here in the park. He came over with the new codes and showed us how to program the receiver. All fixed!
We attended a music show here at the park in the evening. It was the “Bost Family Tradition” - dad & mom and 7 children playing what was billed as bluegrass music. The youngest child was a 2 year old boy who spent the time in a pack on his mom’s back as she played the bass fiddle. It was an enjoyable to spend a couple of hours.
Feb 2, Friday
We took a drive today and spent time walking the desert with our metal detectors. We at least found and dug up junk so we are using them correctly. There is an active detecting club here so we are going to participate in some of their events this month.
The weather is still cool at night and is warming up a bit more in the daytime - mid 60‘s. If only the wind would quit we could sit outside more. I have a feeling we might be wishing for wind before long.
The satellite signal was scrambled again today. We spent a lot of time searching the internet and I finally found the new codes. We were able to change the receiver programming ourselves so we are working again.
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