Gunner's Great Adventure

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Gunner's Great Adventure...Better Late Then Never

Well, it seems so long ago, but I thought I should get this finished. On Friday Sept 7, we headed south to McMinnville as planned. Mr. G buckled safely in is seat and never stopped talking about what he saw out the window the whole trip. He got lots of chances to practice his words, as he took in the sights. Hopefully he didn't learn any new words from grandpa when a not so kind driver cut me off going through Seattle. We made a stop at Camping World in Fife to eat some lunch, stretch our legs and do a little shopping. We arrived at our favorite spot in the Linfield College parking lot in time to set up, and have some dinner. By then it was time for a story and the little guy was sleepy. So was grandpa. It is our custom to cook a big breakfast on the bbg on game day then take a nice stroll across the campus. This time we needed to go to the college store to make sure Gunner had his Wildcat gear. After lunch the little fella conked out, so he and grandma didn't make it to the game until halftime. Mr.G had a blast cheering and high fiving grandpa as the Cats rolled to another victory. After a nice dinner on the grill we enjoyed the evening and got the rig ready Sunday morning travel.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH Headed to Millersylvania Our trip north was uneventful except for one minor hitch. While enroute Chrystal and I both realized we had only packed sweatshirts and the weather was cool. so we found a place to stop and picked up jackets that will stay in the rig. We arrived at Millersylvania State Park early afternoon and got camp set up. The little fella was awesome. He would carefully hold the water hose and power cord handing them to me when I was ready. I let him hook up and turn on the water which turned out to be a fun thing for him to do. Grandma couldn't figure why the water kept going off in the coach, Gunner had figured out how to turn the faucet off and on.

We had a special treat on Sunday night. Our son Jim and his wife Thomasina brought grandaghter Maggie Grace and granddog Barkley for a visit. we had a great time visiting and walking in the park before grilling up some dogs for an outdoor meal. MONDAY-WEDNESDAY Enjoying Millersylvania We had a grand time during our stay, exploring and being a part of Gunner's experience. We watched the birds, saw frogs and dragon flies by the lake, hiked the trails, stomped in puddles, ran in the grass, rolled in the grass, played in the dirt, built campfires and made s'mores. What more could a 2 year old ask for, heck what more could a grandpa and grandma ask for. Millersylvania was a special place to visit, both Chrystal and I had fond memories of going there as kids. The park itself is a great example of a project build by the CCC. As you may remember the CCC is a program started by FDR to help young men learn skills, providing jobs, while building conservation projects across America. hmmmm...the leasons we could learn from the past. Sorry off topic. Millersylvania is a shining example of the 1st class state park system we have in Washington. It was clean the staff was friendly and got a chance to enjoy and share the great outdoors with others. Camping with G brought fond memories of my camping trips with grandma and grandpa Harrel. Each evening grandpa would roll a smoke and take a cup of coffee while I would accompany him round the loop and he would stop to chew the fat with every camper in the park. I of course had my cup of coffee too, but no rolled cig, thanks grandma. I learned to drink coffee at a young age from them. Gunner will get coffee next trip, I decided two was too early. I didn't teach him to spit either(a lesson from grandpa cooper), I better make plans for another trip. We broke camp on Wednesday and headed home arriving tired and smiling. I have added camping road trips with the rest of the grandkids to my bucket list. Happy Trails

Our Grandson's Great Adventure

Cash flow and gas prices have kept us grounded for a while, but today we leave on a new adventure, a mini road trip with our two and half year old grandson Gunner. This will be his first trip in the RV and a big adventure for him. Mr G is and active little fella so grandma and I will get our exersize for sure. Last night we took him out to the rig while we were doing some trip prep and he sat in the seats and the dinette jabbering all the way. While I went through some equiment checks he followed me around and did not stop asking and pointing. He will make a mighty fine, while tiring co-pilot. We will head south to McMinnville, Oregon for a couple days of boondocking and tailgating in the Linfield College parking lot. On Sat, Mr G will see his first Wildcat football game. On Sunday we will head to Millersylvania State Park for a few days before heading home. I won't have internet so I will post pcis an blog when we return. Happy trails.

The Last Leg Home

Prior to deciding how to finish our trip home I decided to research the route recommended by Microsoft Streets and Trips. The shortest route from Madras to Portland and home was across highway 26 around Mt Hood. After checking the Oregon DOT website I nixed that idea because there was snow and ice on parts of the roadway. The ODOT web site was the most helpful of all the state sponsored websites we used. Cameras and weather stations are available throughout much of the state, including travel warnings for weather and construction.

We made the decision to head north on 97 to the junction of 97 and 197, taking 197 to The Dalles, then 84 west up the gorge before crossing the river on I-205 and heading home on I-5.

While 197 was the shortest way to I-84, don't plan on it being the fastest. The road snakes it's way across high planes,climbing over plateaus and into valleys. Many of the climbs and desents featured switchbacks and hairpin curves that required slowing the RV to 20 MPH.

It did however turnout to be a beautiful part of the trip when it comes to the views. At one point we stopped at a pull out and enjoyed views of Mt Adams, Mt Hood, Mt, Jefferson, Mt Washington, The Sisters and Three Fingered Jack all at the same time. I stood and thanked God for the earth he gave us to enjoy.

Along the way you snake slowly down steep declines and sharp curves to find the hamlet of Moupin, OR nestled in a valley and hillside next to the Deschutes River. As we switchbacked up the hill from the river to the towns "main street" shop owners appeared to come out and take a look see at the crazy people in the RV towing small truck who braved the road through their town.

As you come down the last set of curves into The Dalles you are treated to not only a spectacular view of the mighty Columbia, but vineyards and green fields on both sides of the road.

The entire way the sky's were clear and bright, even as we headed west on I-84. As we began to approach Portland we could see clouds on the Washington side of the river, almost as if to say welcome home. Sure enough we crossed over the Columbia and it began to cloud up and rain by the time we reached Olympia.

We arrived home about 4:30 p.m. on Friday March 9 after being on the road since Feb 16. It was a great trip full of relaxation and sunshine.

We made a decision on this adventure to try dry camping, free camping, along with resort camping. Our adventure was successful and we learned a lot. In a coming blog, I will discuss menu's and equipment..Happy trails.

Freestlying the Route

We headed out of Lodi on I-5 planning to spend the night somewhere around Eugene, OR however when we stopped for fuel and lunch in Weed, CA I got this wild idea to change plans and take a different route home, so off we went heading north on highway 97 through central Oregon. I had not been on this highway since I was a kid and it was a treat. We were treated to some of the most amazing scenery one could imagine. Mountains, prairies, and lake shoreline. There was lots of snow along the road until we got to Bend OR. After 12 hours on the road and clear skies the entire way we have settled in to the KOA in Madras,OR for the night.

Our plan is still to arrive home Friday evening, Lord willing.

Happy Trails

Leaving Buffalo Bill's in the Dust

After a windy dusty day and night with wind reaching over 70 mph, I woke up up at 5:45 a.m. to a clear and calm day, So I made coffee fueled up "Old Roxie"and hit the road with Chrystal still snoozing. Heading west on I-15 was an experience, lots of long uphill followed by long downgrades. At the top of one pass we saw Joshua trees with snow on them. At Barstow we stopped for a little breakfast and a shower then headed east on 58 toward Bakersfield. 58 takes you through flat desert then at Mohave you head up across the mountains. A couple of interesting sights include Boron the town known for Borax. Lot's of interesting mining and processing go on there. The highway also passes near Edwards Air Force Base. No secret activity today. As you head out of Mohave the wind farms are a sight.

At Bakersfield we headed north on 99. 99 is no longer the slow road with lots of lights. It is pretty much a freeway all the way to Sacramento. We rolled into the Flying J in Lodi around 6 and settled in for the night, after dinner and dessert of ice cream and fresh baked cookies.

Leaving Vegas in the Rear View Mirror

After staying one night at the Vegas KOA, we decided to leave Vegas and brave some wind. It isn't blowing bad and the strongest winds are this afternoon. So, we will head across the desert and stop when it gets too nasty, maybe Barstow. We did change our route home because of winter snow warnings in central Nevada along 93. So away we go, across 15 to Barstow, 58 to Bakersfield and I 5 home. I will catch you up as I get internet.

Phoenix, Peoria, Mariners Spring Training, My Oh My.

We rolled into Phoenix early in the afternoon on leap day. Our RV park called Metro Phoenix RV Park is located on the north edge of the city limits near the junction of 101 and I-17. It is a clean park with a pleasant mix of travelers like us, snowbirds and a few year round folks. It is also a 55 and over park. It is very clean and friendly, but the wi-fi is spotty and frustrating.. The spots are really large with room for the rig with slide outs and awning and still room for the car. The pool is next to the laudry which was handy. It was also the location in the park we got the best internet. So, lots of reading, swimming and sunning while washing clothes and catching up on e-mail and news at home. In AZ park models are considered vehicles and are plentiful in RV parks. By code as long as there are a certain number of sites for nomads passing through they are RV parks. All in all we really enjoyed the place and even explored the cost of a park model or a snowbird space. If you rent your space year round it is only $250/mo. That would entitle us to make certain improvements to our lot and just back in our rig each winter. Many folks have storage sheds on their lot and even leave cars here during the summer.

I took in an M’s practice session and we attended games Saturday and Sunday. The Peoria Sports complex is spring training home to both the M’s and Padres with each have 6 practice fields and a clubhouse. The main stadium where the games are played seats 11,000. You can watch a game from the outfield lawn for $6.

Phoenix is the home of the Hall of Flame, the largest collection of fire apparatus and memorabilia I have ever seen. Over an acre of equipment under one roof. This museum is a must see.

One of the special side benefits of our time here was the time we got to spend with my brother Jack and his wife Karen. After taking in an M's game we enjoyed a fun dinner at an Irish place in Peoria called O'Sullivan's. We see way too little of them so this was a special time..

The weather has been sunny and in the 70’s every day. Sunny at the game it was I the 80’s. Lots of sun screen and water is a must. Cold beer in the shade doesn't hurt either.

Next stop, Vegas baby!

On to Burro Creek

After being pounded by high winds for 70 miles along highway 93, which is accurately described by other bloggers, as a road that curves through the desert like pulled taffy, we reached Burro Creek Campground. Burro Creek is a very clean BLM campground with water and toilets. The camping fee is a reasonable $14/night. It sits in a canyon well below the road with remarkable views of the surrounding peaks and canyon walls.

Our first night at the camp we were treated to continued high winds and a downpour that lasted all night. The next morning we awoke to calm clear skies and beautiful views. We spent the day hiking and exploring the area around the creek. Humming birds, ducks, Red-tailed hawks and golden eagles were abundant and a joy to watch. We also had quite a population of little lizards around. If you are ever traveling highway 93 through AZ, I recommend a stop at Burro Creek for a night or 2.

After Needles, Then What

We departed Needles on a sunny day with 30 mph wind. Our plan was to drive the old Route 66 to Kingman,AZ, but we were warned that big rigs towing and the winding crooked hiway were not a good mix. So away we went pounded by heavy wind slamming the side of the RV, what a joy. The wind messed with our plans in Kingman as well, we could barely stand upin the wind so the walking tour was out. We did enjoy spending a couple of hours in the Route 66 museum. It was a great history of the “mother road” dating back to the opening of the Beale Wagon Road. Did you know the survey work through much of the desert was done with camels?

The museum also had a touching display of pictures and narration from the dust bowl days. Actual quotes from travelers supported much of the way John Steinbeck described it. Now is a good time to thank my high school english teacher for making Grapes of Wrath required reading..

We drove the section of routes 66 through Kingman, had a little lunch and fueled the rig, hoping to make our next destination without getting bounced around by the wind too much.

A quick side note about Kingman. The Kingman Fire Department was featured in one of the early training movies during my career. The movie will be remembered by any of my followers who work as firefighters; “BLEVE.”

Nestled in to Needles

After leaving Joshua Tree we headed up to Needles,Ca to take on supplies and do the laundry. We traveled east on I-10 to Blythe, CA where we headed north to Needles on 93. 93 is a winding two lane route that follows the Colorado river through the desert. Along the way we received sad news that Chrystal's step dad had past away. It is tough for her to be away from family at this time, but her mom insisted that we complete the trip as the memorial service will be after we return.

We arrived at the Needles KOA on a sunny warm day. The people here are awesome, the park is clean and quiet and the pool was cool. We enjoyed sitting out in our chairs having a brew and jawing with the "old retired" snowbirds across the way. We found a guy to work on the generator, who spent an hour and half running tests and swearing before deciding I had a defective oil pressure switch that he did not have in stock. I did a wire around and we are good to go, but short a 130 bucks in our budget. Cash only by the way.

We are gonna hang here a couple days before heading off to explore some sections of Route 66.

Sunny 78 and I am in my shorts.

Happy trails

Pictures from Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National Park and Beyond

After leaving Mickey and friends behind we headed out across I-10 to Joshua Tree National Park. We chose to spend 4 days and 3 nights in the Cottonwood Springs campground. The campground has toilets and an RV dump. For $15 a night it was very comfortable and quiet. Our campsite was situated so we looked across the desert from our campfire and table feeling like we were all alone. One small challenge for us was the problem with our generator which meant the batteries needed to be recharged each day off the vehicle engine. I troubleshot the generator, but was unable to find the problem. I did discover the the muffler gets really hot and will leave a mark on my hand as a reminder.

We took remarkable hikes through the desert each day and enjoyed the history and natural splendor of the place. Ruins of campsites used by Indians for hundreds of years before prospectors came in and used all the water for mining. The desert plants and wildlife were amazing. We got a chance to interact with a jack rabbit, a couple lizards, and plenty of birds. We even saw a coyote along side the road while we driving.

If you ever have a chance to visit this park I highly recommend it. If you want to avoid the camping fee there is BLM land right outside the park that had about 10 boondockers.

Disneyland, A Magical Time for the Ages

As we wrap up our Disney days and prepare for a trip into the desert, a few reflections are in order. First there is no limit to who can have a magical time at Disneyland. We saw young and old, even almost newborns. Older folks with walkers and wheelchairs enjoying a special time; people who were blind and children with special needs. All with a smile on their face. One of the things on my bucket list is to one day visit this place with each of my grandchildren. To the girls, grandpa even went on the princess rides. Gunner buddy, Disney has cool boy stuff.


This was a special trip for us. When we got to Anaheim in Dec of 2008 Chrystal had her stroke we and spent our time here in the hospital, then later in 2009 I got cancer. Well, we came back and had a grand time.

There is no where like the Magic Kingdom to make your troubles go away at least during the magic days of your visit.

The next leg of our trip will include a stop and few days enjoying Joshua Tree National Park. The park looks like an amazing demonstration of God's natural glory. We won't have Internet the next few days, so I will post when we do.

Happy Trails.

Disney Days Photos

We had a fun relaxing day, capped off by a lovely dinner with a view of New Orleans Square.

Enjoying Our Disney Days

We are having a great three days in Anaheim. Went to see Mickey and the gang Sunday and will go again Tuesday. Today we are hanging and relaxing. Enjoy the pics as I get them posted.



PS. Howard the Mobile RV Dr fixed our furunace. He was very helpful and reasonably priced. The problem ended up being a bad electrical connector.

These are some shots of the new I-5 rest stop operated by the tribes on I-5 on Southern Oregon.
http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20110711/NEWS/110719989

Our Trip South Day Part #2

Thursday

Got gone and on the road around 9:30 a.m. on a nasty rainy day. On this leg of the trip we will be "boondocking". After a stop at Camping World in Fife for a few supplies we trekked south on a rather uneventful trip through Washington and into Oregon. As expected we had NW rain the whole way. We stopped at a rest area in central Oregon for dinner and continued on to Canyonville, OR where stopped about 7:00 p.m. The rest stop is an awesome find,a nearly new spot operated by the Seven Feathers Casino. This is a great partnership between the state and tribes. The rest area is up the hill from the freeway away from the casino activities. It is clean and quiet and uses solar poower which for me is a plus.


We did have a couple minor setbacks; the generator started malfunctioning again and the our furnace decided to quit (brrrr). We will get those looked at later.


Friday

Got up and going around 8:00 a.m. The weather was cool and the sun was out. We had great weather through the mountains with breathtaking views of wildlife including eagles and deer. As Shasta came into view all covered in snow with the sun shining on it I knew we were in for a good trip. Our trip through Northern CA was uneventful, however as a history buff I enjoyed seeing the "State of Jackson" signs. Do your research.

We rolled into The Flying J in Lodi, CA for the night around 5:00 p.m. I decided to tinker with the furnace and generator for a while. The older disabled vet parked next to us had lots of helpful advice, but it still didn't work. on a side note, the gent appeared to be homeless living in his rv in truck stops. I will reserve my political comments about our country failing vets for a different blog. I should add that he seemed to be doing ok, maybe it was a choice.

Saturday

I woke up about 5:00 a.m. so I got up and got us ready to roll while Chrystal slept. Since the generator was stillon the blink I loaded up with a giant cup o' joe from Flying J and got on the road around 6:00 a.m. It is a spectacular day not a cloud in the sky. When the sun came up across the valley it was a huge orange ball of fire in the sky. Our day was so relaxing we made several stops including long stops for breakfast and lunch. Our lunch stop was at great little fruit stand where we enjoyed samples before making our purchase. Coming through LA was a traffic nightmare, but we arrived at our RV park around 4:00 a.m. Anaheim Resort RV Park is a great spot, clean quiet and friendly. We could see the Disneyland fireworks from our RV spot.

Tomorrow we go see Mickey.

Our Trip South Part #1

On Thurs February 16th we headed out on a road trip that will take us down I-5 to Disneyland, then into Arizona where we will wander where our soul leads us, then to Peoria where we will enjoy several days of Mariners spring training and spend some time with my brother, finally we will head back through California to see Chrystal's aunt and uncle before we head home. I will blog as we have the web.