 |
| There were LOTS of open spaces when we came in! |
 |
| Russ says he didn't park as straight as I did (tee-hee)!! |
 |
| It was nice to be in the woods and smell the campfires this morning. |
 |
| We had a nice site and a good night's rest |
October 2014
Day Trip to Oakridge Oct 2014
Monday, February 28, 2011
Where is Therapy? Sitting at Safeway!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Paso Robles to Santa Cruz
Another day, another few miles! We are taking it easy making our way home to Oregon and loving the drive.
We woke up this morning to COLD temperatures.
Luckily, *SoMeOnE” remembered to unhook the unheated water hose after the “other” someone had gone to bed. (It’s okay, he did all the driving yesterday). I suppose that may have kept the hose from splitting but it didn’t help with our city water supply as the water was frozen at the faucet until about 9:00 a.m. Luckily, we had plenty of water in the tank so we didn’t have a problem. We were at the Wine Country RV Park and I highly recommend it if you are near Paso Robles. Very nice, level sites, FHU, and good internet! And VERY quiet.
The clubhouse roof is red tile…looked white this morning. That is not gray ash on the grill, that is frost!
We had a nice drive from Paso Robles with yours truly behind the wheel all the way to Salinas. This rig is a joy to drive. It just tracks right along with nary a wiggle. She likes to run though so gotta keep an eye on the speed.
We were getting hungry by the time we reached Salinas an we wanted to try a certain fast food place – can’t get this at home. I was so proud I had to take a photo of how nicely I parked the rig. And, no, the tree is NOT touching!
This is for my sister, Laila!
Not much of a line but noisy and crowded inside. But WAIT, we don’t have to eat with the unwashed masses…
We can eat in the motor home! Merikay, your day will come – you’ll get the “Therapy” that is right for you!
Sister, I was going to save you a French fry but Russ ate them all. I do have a straw and a packet of catsup for you!
Russ took over the driving from here and we made it to Scotts Valley and met Terry and Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com/ at the local K-Mart. They showed us the way to a local RV park and waited while we got set up and then took us in their car back to their place. Kate shared many ideas and tricks of the trade (so to speak) with me. Kate and Terry have made some very nice modifications in their home and have utilized every nook and cranny for a bit more storage. I will go home with many ideas floating around in my head. Gonna get my tape measure and my tools and get ‘er done! We had such a great visit and really enjoyed seeing some more of Kate’s photography. We had so much to talk about that I forgot to get a picture!!
So we got to meet Dave and Carol on the way down and Kate and Terry on the way home. How much fun is that? Hopefully, we will get to meet a few more of you in the days and months ahead. I can hardly wait.
We woke up this morning to COLD temperatures.
Luckily, *SoMeOnE” remembered to unhook the unheated water hose after the “other” someone had gone to bed. (It’s okay, he did all the driving yesterday). I suppose that may have kept the hose from splitting but it didn’t help with our city water supply as the water was frozen at the faucet until about 9:00 a.m. Luckily, we had plenty of water in the tank so we didn’t have a problem. We were at the Wine Country RV Park and I highly recommend it if you are near Paso Robles. Very nice, level sites, FHU, and good internet! And VERY quiet.
The clubhouse roof is red tile…looked white this morning. That is not gray ash on the grill, that is frost!
We had a nice drive from Paso Robles with yours truly behind the wheel all the way to Salinas. This rig is a joy to drive. It just tracks right along with nary a wiggle. She likes to run though so gotta keep an eye on the speed.
We were getting hungry by the time we reached Salinas an we wanted to try a certain fast food place – can’t get this at home. I was so proud I had to take a photo of how nicely I parked the rig. And, no, the tree is NOT touching!
This is for my sister, Laila! Not much of a line but noisy and crowded inside. But WAIT, we don’t have to eat with the unwashed masses…
We can eat in the motor home! Merikay, your day will come – you’ll get the “Therapy” that is right for you!
Sister, I was going to save you a French fry but Russ ate them all. I do have a straw and a packet of catsup for you!
Russ took over the driving from here and we made it to Scotts Valley and met Terry and Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com/ at the local K-Mart. They showed us the way to a local RV park and waited while we got set up and then took us in their car back to their place. Kate shared many ideas and tricks of the trade (so to speak) with me. Kate and Terry have made some very nice modifications in their home and have utilized every nook and cranny for a bit more storage. I will go home with many ideas floating around in my head. Gonna get my tape measure and my tools and get ‘er done! We had such a great visit and really enjoyed seeing some more of Kate’s photography. We had so much to talk about that I forgot to get a picture!!
So we got to meet Dave and Carol on the way down and Kate and Terry on the way home. How much fun is that? Hopefully, we will get to meet a few more of you in the days and months ahead. I can hardly wait.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Peggy Sue’s Diner
We’ve all stopped at one of these 50’s type diners from time to time and so we couldn’t pass this one by. Located in Yermo, just north of Barstow, California on I-15, this is a fun stop. This diner is right off the freeway, easy off and back on, and plenty of free RV parking. You could probably boon-dock there if you wanted.
We went to Peggy Sue’s for dinner on Thursday night on our way back from Primm. We spent the night at the local KOA and then went back to Peggy Sue’s for breakfast. BTW, I DO NOT recommend the Yermo KOA.
So why did we eat out when we had just picked up our new motor home? We had our rental car so packed for the trip to the factory that we didn’t have room for everything we needed. We have nothing to cook with and no utensils other than plastic forks and paper plates. We figured we could get by on cold cereal, sandwiches, and frozen entrees for a few days. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have found a place for those kitchen items.
So we needed a good hot meal. Thursday night we were tired and hungry and Friday morning we were COLD and hungry. We awoke to temps in the low 40s on Friday morning and when I tried to start the furnace it blew only cold air. Russ tried it several times and NOTHING but cold air. We were able to light a burner on the stove and we ran the heat pump, but we were very disappointed and grumpy after we could not get the furnace to work.
We finally called the factory and they said to bring it back. So back to Montclair – not the direction we had wanted to take. We arrived at the factory and Vince told us he would take a look. He wasn’t gone very long before he came back into the office. “Come here Russ,” he said, “I want to show you something.”
Seems Russ had turned the propane off instead of on but had it not shut off all the way. Enough gas was getting through to light the one burner on the stove but not enough to run the furnace. OOOPS!! This is NOT our first RV but I guess we have forgotten to check the obvious. Oh well, that little side trip changed our plans and we went north on Hwy.101 instead of I-5 and I think it was the best plan. It was a beautiful drive most of the way. We ran into some light rain and snow showers just south of Paso Robles but it wasn’t bad at all. Tomorrow we get to meet Kate and Terry from Cholula Red so it should be a fun day.
Here’s some photos from Peggy Sue’s. Yes, it’s campy and a tourist trap but fun all the same. If you are a boomer, you will enjoy seeing all the memorabilia. I have never seen such a vast collection. This is just a sample.
We went to Peggy Sue’s for dinner on Thursday night on our way back from Primm. We spent the night at the local KOA and then went back to Peggy Sue’s for breakfast. BTW, I DO NOT recommend the Yermo KOA.So why did we eat out when we had just picked up our new motor home? We had our rental car so packed for the trip to the factory that we didn’t have room for everything we needed. We have nothing to cook with and no utensils other than plastic forks and paper plates. We figured we could get by on cold cereal, sandwiches, and frozen entrees for a few days. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have found a place for those kitchen items.
So we needed a good hot meal. Thursday night we were tired and hungry and Friday morning we were COLD and hungry. We awoke to temps in the low 40s on Friday morning and when I tried to start the furnace it blew only cold air. Russ tried it several times and NOTHING but cold air. We were able to light a burner on the stove and we ran the heat pump, but we were very disappointed and grumpy after we could not get the furnace to work.
We finally called the factory and they said to bring it back. So back to Montclair – not the direction we had wanted to take. We arrived at the factory and Vince told us he would take a look. He wasn’t gone very long before he came back into the office. “Come here Russ,” he said, “I want to show you something.”
Seems Russ had turned the propane off instead of on but had it not shut off all the way. Enough gas was getting through to light the one burner on the stove but not enough to run the furnace. OOOPS!! This is NOT our first RV but I guess we have forgotten to check the obvious. Oh well, that little side trip changed our plans and we went north on Hwy.101 instead of I-5 and I think it was the best plan. It was a beautiful drive most of the way. We ran into some light rain and snow showers just south of Paso Robles but it wasn’t bad at all. Tomorrow we get to meet Kate and Terry from Cholula Red so it should be a fun day.
Here’s some photos from Peggy Sue’s. Yes, it’s campy and a tourist trap but fun all the same. If you are a boomer, you will enjoy seeing all the memorabilia. I have never seen such a vast collection. This is just a sample.
Getting into Therapy
Well, we did it! We are officially in Therapy. It has been a busy, exciting, frustrating, scary, and wonderful couple of days. This post may or may not be successful as we have not had very good luck with wifi connections on this trip. But I will try a quick update at any rate.
We picked Therapy up on Thursday. After the walk-through, we literally threw things into the inside and into the bays so our driver could get on the road to Primm, NV. For those of you who do not know, we are Oregon residents and we have no sales tax. California sales tax would have added over $9000 to our cost. The LEGAL way around this is for us to take delivery out of state and then it is an interstate transaction not subject to the state sales tax. If the buyer's state has a sales tax, you pay the tax in California and then recover the difference when you file your state income taxes (I think that's the way it was explained) or you can do the out of state delivery and just pay your sales tax when your register the vehicle in your home state. . In order to be legal, an ICC driver must drive the vehicle to another state before turning it over to the buyer. A notary then meets us and notarizes the transaction as an out of state delivery and we are good to go.
After we finished that business, we turned right around and headed back the way we came and spent the night at a KOA in Yermo. We were a little wary of boon-docking the first night out and wanted to make certain that everything was working properly. Although the KOA promised free WiFi there was none to be found. Don't stay at Yermo KOA!! More about the details of our first trip and first night later...just want to show you some photos of Therapy. NOTE: It is Saturday morning. I worked on this post last night then lost the Internet connection and half my work while trying to upload. I should have used Live Writer!! Anyway...lousy Internet connection again so we will see how this goes.
https://picasaweb.google.com/rwkrecklow/GettingTherapy02#
We picked Therapy up on Thursday. After the walk-through, we literally threw things into the inside and into the bays so our driver could get on the road to Primm, NV. For those of you who do not know, we are Oregon residents and we have no sales tax. California sales tax would have added over $9000 to our cost. The LEGAL way around this is for us to take delivery out of state and then it is an interstate transaction not subject to the state sales tax. If the buyer's state has a sales tax, you pay the tax in California and then recover the difference when you file your state income taxes (I think that's the way it was explained) or you can do the out of state delivery and just pay your sales tax when your register the vehicle in your home state. . In order to be legal, an ICC driver must drive the vehicle to another state before turning it over to the buyer. A notary then meets us and notarizes the transaction as an out of state delivery and we are good to go.
After we finished that business, we turned right around and headed back the way we came and spent the night at a KOA in Yermo. We were a little wary of boon-docking the first night out and wanted to make certain that everything was working properly. Although the KOA promised free WiFi there was none to be found. Don't stay at Yermo KOA!! More about the details of our first trip and first night later...just want to show you some photos of Therapy. NOTE: It is Saturday morning. I worked on this post last night then lost the Internet connection and half my work while trying to upload. I should have used Live Writer!! Anyway...lousy Internet connection again so we will see how this goes.
https://picasaweb.google.com/rwkrecklow/GettingTherapy02#
Monday, February 21, 2011
Not to be outdone!
I took some pictures at the farm, too:
Just trying to remember that it's the journey that counts, and not the destination.
We did have fun on the journey, and finally reached our destination - Ontario, CA.
 |
| This reminded me of Maui. |
 |
| This reminded me more of Mexico. |
 |
| I love hot sauce, hadn't seen this one. |
 |
| The light was too good to pass up. |
 |
| I'm always a sucker for goats. |
We did have fun on the journey, and finally reached our destination - Ontario, CA.
My Turn!
I was going to take the night off but I had such a fun day that I wanted to write about it. Gotta keep the kids up to date somehow!!
As Russ stated in his blog, we had a good night in Coalinga but the smell was just awful. I was glad to get out of there - live and learn!!
We didn't want to go thru LA area traffic so we took the scenic route, cutting over from I-5 to Hwy 99 on 46. Then south on 99 to Hwy. 58, then Hwy 14 to Hwy 138, and south on 138 to I-15 then to I-10 and we are in Ontario, CA. Now if you followed all that, guess I can't get you lost!
On Hwy. 58 we saw a sign that said "Fresh Oranges". Had to stop. It was a touristy farm store but it was fun. The name of the place is Murray Family Farms and it is worth the stop.
Inside the store was an array of interesting produce. I am not a very gourmet cook and I have to admit I don't know what this is or what it is used for but it sure was strange looking.
I found some fresh walnuts that looked too good to pass up and Russ found a jar of...
No, we didn't buy these. We did buy the walnuts, some caramel corn, some huge, yummy looking navel oranges, and a big cookie. We ate one of the oranges for dinner tonight and it was dry and tasteless! See, looks will only get you so far!
The grounds of the farm were spacious and we spent some time just looking around. The weather was perfect...clear and cool.
There was a children's play area called the "Ant Farm", and the requisite cut-out photo ops. Russ is like Shrek...very much an onion. He has lots of layers!
There was also a large petting zoo, but the charge to actually go in and get exposed first hand to E Coli bacteria was $2.00 and we were feeling cheap so we just walked around outside and took pictures through the wire. One enclosure held many beautiful peacocks, but I couldn't get a very good photo because of the danged wire.
This enclosure also had chickens and some other small fowl. However, if vocalizations were any indication, I would say that this lady ruled that yard with an iron fist. While the lesser fowl were relegated to scratching around in the dirt, she made herself at home in the "pond" and directed traffic with an unmistakable air of
authority.
Although we were disappointed with the orange we ate tonight, this is a fun stop and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The grounds are beautiful...
...and there is something interesting for adults and kids alike, no matter what their ages.
Good night all!!
As Russ stated in his blog, we had a good night in Coalinga but the smell was just awful. I was glad to get out of there - live and learn!!
We didn't want to go thru LA area traffic so we took the scenic route, cutting over from I-5 to Hwy 99 on 46. Then south on 99 to Hwy. 58, then Hwy 14 to Hwy 138, and south on 138 to I-15 then to I-10 and we are in Ontario, CA. Now if you followed all that, guess I can't get you lost!
On Hwy. 58 we saw a sign that said "Fresh Oranges". Had to stop. It was a touristy farm store but it was fun. The name of the place is Murray Family Farms and it is worth the stop.
Inside the store was an array of interesting produce. I am not a very gourmet cook and I have to admit I don't know what this is or what it is used for but it sure was strange looking.
(click on photo to read label)
The grounds of the farm were spacious and we spent some time just looking around. The weather was perfect...clear and cool.
There was a children's play area called the "Ant Farm", and the requisite cut-out photo ops. Russ is like Shrek...very much an onion. He has lots of layers!
 |
| The sign says "Eat Your Colors" |
This enclosure also had chickens and some other small fowl. However, if vocalizations were any indication, I would say that this lady ruled that yard with an iron fist. While the lesser fowl were relegated to scratching around in the dirt, she made herself at home in the "pond" and directed traffic with an unmistakable air of
authority.
Although we were disappointed with the orange we ate tonight, this is a fun stop and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The grounds are beautiful...
...and there is something interesting for adults and kids alike, no matter what their ages.
Good night all!!
Beautiful day on I-5 & doves in the morning
Tonight's post is from yours truly, Russ!! Donna has the night off.
We're in a hurry to get into Therapy, so we're zooming down I-5. Not looking for scenery but it was a beautiful day.
Spent the night in Coalinga, CA down wind from a world class stockyard. Fourtunately, that didn't interupt a good night's sleep. I got up early and went for a walk around with my camera. The moon was still showing
the birds were singing,
and the doves were cooing.
I enjoy a quiet morning with the soothing sound of the birds and the peaceful cooing of the doves. That's a wonderful way to start the day. Then the sun came up
and really made my morning complete.
Even the smell of the stockyard faded after that. Now for a great breakfast with waffles, bacon and eggs at the motel, and we hit the road again!
We're in a hurry to get into Therapy, so we're zooming down I-5. Not looking for scenery but it was a beautiful day.
Spent the night in Coalinga, CA down wind from a world class stockyard. Fourtunately, that didn't interupt a good night's sleep. I got up early and went for a walk around with my camera. The moon was still showing
the birds were singing,
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Corning,CA
Thank you all for your comments on yesterday's post. It is really nice to connect with such nice folks and to feel the encouragement we provide one another. I may not make many comments the next few day - but I am reading your blogs. I don't use my laptop alot so typing on this keyboard is a bit of a strain. I brought a USB keyboard with me but probably won't unpack it until we get to Montclair on Monday. Computer connection here in the hotel is slow...I think I am spoiled!!
We made it part-way. We had a fun road trip today and made it from Eugene, OR to Corning, CA. We just don't enjoy marathon, non-stop driving anymore so are making a leisurely trip out of this.
We ran into some snowy weather, but no snow on the road so that was good. Visibility was reduced at times but we made it-no problem.
That's all for tonight...gotta catch some ZZZZZZZs!!!
We made it part-way. We had a fun road trip today and made it from Eugene, OR to Corning, CA. We just don't enjoy marathon, non-stop driving anymore so are making a leisurely trip out of this.
We ran into some snowy weather, but no snow on the road so that was good. Visibility was reduced at times but we made it-no problem.
 |
| 1-5 about 10 a.m. this morning |
 |
| How come I get to drive all the scary parts? |
 |
| Just kidding!!! Piece of cake! |
 |
| Local wildlife at the Klamath, CA rest area |
 |
| I liked the looks of this old knarled thing by the river, and the tree is pretty interesting too!! |
 |
| More wildlife at a park in Yreka, CA |
We stopped at the Weed rest area and ate our meatloaf sandwiches and, boy, did they taste yummy. But the best part of the day was yet to come. We made it to Corning and met up with Dave and Carol. We had a nice visit with them and got to tour their Bounder - very nice coach! Then we went over to the Rolling Hills Casino and stuffed ourselves at their buffet. Dave and Carol clued us in to a great deal. If you sign up for their players club, you get a coupon for a half-price buffet. Well worth it. The RV park there was very nice and is a good stop if you are traveling 1-5.
 |
| Dave and Carol in their RV - so nice to meet you in person |
That's all for tonight...gotta catch some ZZZZZZZs!!!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Almost Ready
The house is in order (as much as it can be!!) and we are about ready to get loaded up. After the housework we did today, we are really looking forward to a break and SMALLER quarters!
One more load of wash to finish then we're packing the bags, loading up the old steed, and riding south at zero-dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Got some left over meat loaf sandwiches and macaroni salad to eat on the road. Not too healthy but I have veggies and fruit too.
Thanks for the comments on my blog yesterday. Seems like we all face the same struggles from time to time. We can be mutual encouragers!!
Take care everyone. We may be out of touch for a few days, depending on availability of WiFi and how much time we have to get on the computer.
♫ ♪ ♫California here I come, ♫ right back where I started from...♫♪♫ (that's true too, I was born in So. Cal.)
One more load of wash to finish then we're packing the bags, loading up the old steed, and riding south at zero-dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Got some left over meat loaf sandwiches and macaroni salad to eat on the road. Not too healthy but I have veggies and fruit too.
Thanks for the comments on my blog yesterday. Seems like we all face the same struggles from time to time. We can be mutual encouragers!!
Take care everyone. We may be out of touch for a few days, depending on availability of WiFi and how much time we have to get on the computer.
♫ ♪ ♫California here I come, ♫ right back where I started from...♫♪♫ (that's true too, I was born in So. Cal.)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Ahead of Schedule - Yippee!
Howdy and thanks for stopping by my blog to Randy and Pam , Ralph and Donna , and Karen . So glad to meet you! Also "Hi" Tim and John.
First I wanted to thank everyone for their positive comments on my post yesterday. The post was from my heart and I appreciated your feed-back...and so did my son! I hope you get a chance to drop by his blog from time to time.
So, as for us old folks, we are AHEAD of schedule. Can you imagine that. When we checked on getting a rental car for our trip to California, we found out it was less expensive to rent for an entire week than to rent by the day. That being the case, we opted for the weekly rental and picked up the car today. I also had plenty rewards points left so got another free hotel night. Why not? We're retired and don't have a schedule...isn't this the way it is supposed to be? The doggies of course begged us not to go but hopefully, this will be the last trip that they cannot go with us. We told them all about the motor home and they are as excited as we are!! The cat couldn't care less.
We won't get to pick up the motor home any earlier but maybe we can sneak in a side trip to Knotts Berry Farm or just a drive to the beach. I'm sure we'll figure out something.
Now I have another one of those "from the heart" posts to make. It's kinda '"sermony" so it's okay if you want to tune out if you don't like that kind of thing. I just need to document this for myself, so I don't forget.
I truly understand the angst Al (Bayfield Bunch) is going through regarding his ranch decision. I have agonized over this decision to purchase a motor home. I start to feel good about it and then I am hit with doubts again. Am I doing the right thing? Will my kids need me when I'm traveling? Should I really spend all this money on just US? What if we get sick? What about the price of gas? What do we do with the house? And the biggie, Do I really deserve this kind of dream?
A few days ago I was pouring my heart out to Russ. I think I can recall every time I yelled at the kids, every time I disciplined them too harshly, every wrong decision we made. I can remember all the wrong things I have done in my life and all the hurts and slights I have visited on others. Surely God is waiting somewhere with a big hammer ready to bop me on the head when I least expect it. Surely I should stay home, help my kids, save for my old age, and on and on. Surely I don't deserve to do something just because I want to!
Usually I talk to my sisters when I get like this, but this time I only talked to Russ. And so I was surprised at the email I found in my inbox the next morning. It was from my sister, Sharon, but I really think she was just the messenger. She said she had a scripture for me: Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 (NLT). I took that scripture and made a print and framed it. It is going in the motor home. Here is what it said:
I think I need to read "The Shack" again and be reminded that God is not sitting "up there" waiting to hit me with a hammer for all my mistakes of the past. That's all taken care of. We are not "wealthy" in any monetary sense of the word. But we are richly blessed that we have been able to work and save and put this deal together. I don't know what my future holds. I don't know what is around the next bend in the road or what adventure awaits. But I know that I am thankful that, for whatever reason, I have been freed to experience this journey. Where it will lead is a big unknown, but I know there is a Plan.
First I wanted to thank everyone for their positive comments on my post yesterday. The post was from my heart and I appreciated your feed-back...and so did my son! I hope you get a chance to drop by his blog from time to time.
So, as for us old folks, we are AHEAD of schedule. Can you imagine that. When we checked on getting a rental car for our trip to California, we found out it was less expensive to rent for an entire week than to rent by the day. That being the case, we opted for the weekly rental and picked up the car today. I also had plenty rewards points left so got another free hotel night. Why not? We're retired and don't have a schedule...isn't this the way it is supposed to be? The doggies of course begged us not to go but hopefully, this will be the last trip that they cannot go with us. We told them all about the motor home and they are as excited as we are!! The cat couldn't care less.
We won't get to pick up the motor home any earlier but maybe we can sneak in a side trip to Knotts Berry Farm or just a drive to the beach. I'm sure we'll figure out something.
Now I have another one of those "from the heart" posts to make. It's kinda '"sermony" so it's okay if you want to tune out if you don't like that kind of thing. I just need to document this for myself, so I don't forget.
I truly understand the angst Al (Bayfield Bunch) is going through regarding his ranch decision. I have agonized over this decision to purchase a motor home. I start to feel good about it and then I am hit with doubts again. Am I doing the right thing? Will my kids need me when I'm traveling? Should I really spend all this money on just US? What if we get sick? What about the price of gas? What do we do with the house? And the biggie, Do I really deserve this kind of dream?
A few days ago I was pouring my heart out to Russ. I think I can recall every time I yelled at the kids, every time I disciplined them too harshly, every wrong decision we made. I can remember all the wrong things I have done in my life and all the hurts and slights I have visited on others. Surely God is waiting somewhere with a big hammer ready to bop me on the head when I least expect it. Surely I should stay home, help my kids, save for my old age, and on and on. Surely I don't deserve to do something just because I want to!
Usually I talk to my sisters when I get like this, but this time I only talked to Russ. And so I was surprised at the email I found in my inbox the next morning. It was from my sister, Sharon, but I really think she was just the messenger. She said she had a scripture for me: Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 (NLT). I took that scripture and made a print and framed it. It is going in the motor home. Here is what it said:
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version, ©2010)
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Our Son, the Trucker!
Today's post is not about RVing but it is about a journey...one our oldest son has been on for almost a year now. I suppose, after all, a blog is about what is important to the author and today, this is what is important to me. When we get that motor home next Thursday, then maybe I can get some RV posts going!!
Last summer John lost his job. He had been working at the Federal Reserve Bank in down town Portland, Oregon for the last seven years. His work consisted of resolving errors in cash letters and finding lost or mis-encoded items and resolving those issues. With the increased use of debit cards, the number of actual paper checks being processed has become fewer and fewer. Eventually, the entire department was closed and the operation consolidated with another branch. Life happens and my son was out of a job.
John is quite an accomplished photographer and so he bought a photo studio. However, the economy today is not one that finds individuals spending a lot of money on professional photography. Besides, with the advent of digital cameras and Photo Shop, everyone's a photographer!! It was not long before it was apparent that was not going to work out.
Now John could have become discouraged at the loss of his dream. He could have been despondent over the loss of capital that he had invested in the studio. But instead, he cut his losses, bought his way out of the lease rather than just walk away from it, and moved on. He has a family to support and he could not continue to pursue his dream to the detriment of his family.
Other than John's military service, most of his career has been in banking in one position or another. But he has always liked driving and he has always liked trucks. I was a little surprised when he decided to go to truck driving school and become a trucker but it kinda makes sense. Quite a change from what he has been doing for many years. What I am most proud of though, is John's positive attitude and his "can do" spirit. He found an industry that is actually hiring new workers and he went for it.
John has started writing a blog on a semi-regular basis. Although it is not about RVing, it is about going down the highway and being positive about life. I'm sure as he gets into longer trips, he will have stories of all the places he visits. I wanted to invite you to stop by his blog and have a look. This is a link to one of my favorite posts of his (although he has others) http://redphotog.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-hat-came-off-and-light-bulb-went-on.html Hope you enjoy it. He had a pretty good post today too...and yes, I AM prejudiced!
Last summer John lost his job. He had been working at the Federal Reserve Bank in down town Portland, Oregon for the last seven years. His work consisted of resolving errors in cash letters and finding lost or mis-encoded items and resolving those issues. With the increased use of debit cards, the number of actual paper checks being processed has become fewer and fewer. Eventually, the entire department was closed and the operation consolidated with another branch. Life happens and my son was out of a job.
John is quite an accomplished photographer and so he bought a photo studio. However, the economy today is not one that finds individuals spending a lot of money on professional photography. Besides, with the advent of digital cameras and Photo Shop, everyone's a photographer!! It was not long before it was apparent that was not going to work out.
Now John could have become discouraged at the loss of his dream. He could have been despondent over the loss of capital that he had invested in the studio. But instead, he cut his losses, bought his way out of the lease rather than just walk away from it, and moved on. He has a family to support and he could not continue to pursue his dream to the detriment of his family.
Other than John's military service, most of his career has been in banking in one position or another. But he has always liked driving and he has always liked trucks. I was a little surprised when he decided to go to truck driving school and become a trucker but it kinda makes sense. Quite a change from what he has been doing for many years. What I am most proud of though, is John's positive attitude and his "can do" spirit. He found an industry that is actually hiring new workers and he went for it.
John has started writing a blog on a semi-regular basis. Although it is not about RVing, it is about going down the highway and being positive about life. I'm sure as he gets into longer trips, he will have stories of all the places he visits. I wanted to invite you to stop by his blog and have a look. This is a link to one of my favorite posts of his (although he has others) http://redphotog.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-hat-came-off-and-light-bulb-went-on.html Hope you enjoy it. He had a pretty good post today too...and yes, I AM prejudiced!
Windows 7 - Literati - HELP!!!
Hello Karen, Welcome aboard. http://naturelover-karen.blogspot.com/ And thanks to all who commented on my veggie post - guess I'm gonna have to try the eggplant!!
If you read Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com/ you know she has been talking about an eReader that downloads library books. We went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and were told they were all sold. Russ finally found one by returning to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and asking for an Illuminati!! I guess it's all in the way you ask... This is a great eReader for under $40. Thanks Kate!
I got it set up last night and downloaded some library books to my desk top. They were listed on the library site as ePub files. Those files come through as .acsm files and, following the directions from the library, I downloaded Adobe Digital with which to read those files. Carol K, did you use this same procedure? After numerous updates to the Literati, it finally showed the correct software version to download library books.
Next instruction from the library was to open my control panel and associate those files with Adobe Digital Editions so the computer would use that program to open those files. In the entire list of file types, I can find no .acsm files so I cannot associate them with Adobe Digital Editions. So I went at it the other way...attempted to open the file, got the error message about Windows not recognizing the file type. I manually browsed programs, found the Adobe Digital and told the computer to always open that file type with that program. Now the Adobe Digital Editions program opens but I get an error saying "E_ADEPT_10 error getting license". Any ideas anyone? I downloaded the program from the Adobe site (it's a free program) so don't know what I am missing. I purchased a book online from Kobo and that worked just fine so don't think it's a problem with the reader. Oh yes, first thing I tried was re-booting the desk top to make sure any changes had been incorporated.
Sorry for this crazy post but just wondered if anyone out there can help. Thanks all.
If you read Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com/ you know she has been talking about an eReader that downloads library books. We went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and were told they were all sold. Russ finally found one by returning to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and asking for an Illuminati!! I guess it's all in the way you ask... This is a great eReader for under $40. Thanks Kate!
I got it set up last night and downloaded some library books to my desk top. They were listed on the library site as ePub files. Those files come through as .acsm files and, following the directions from the library, I downloaded Adobe Digital with which to read those files. Carol K, did you use this same procedure? After numerous updates to the Literati, it finally showed the correct software version to download library books.
Next instruction from the library was to open my control panel and associate those files with Adobe Digital Editions so the computer would use that program to open those files. In the entire list of file types, I can find no .acsm files so I cannot associate them with Adobe Digital Editions. So I went at it the other way...attempted to open the file, got the error message about Windows not recognizing the file type. I manually browsed programs, found the Adobe Digital and told the computer to always open that file type with that program. Now the Adobe Digital Editions program opens but I get an error saying "E_ADEPT_10 error getting license". Any ideas anyone? I downloaded the program from the Adobe site (it's a free program) so don't know what I am missing. I purchased a book online from Kobo and that worked just fine so don't think it's a problem with the reader. Oh yes, first thing I tried was re-booting the desk top to make sure any changes had been incorporated.
Sorry for this crazy post but just wondered if anyone out there can help. Thanks all.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Veggin' Out
Welcome to Rick and Paulette and their two fur babies! http://rickpaulettervjournal.blogspot.com/
I wasn't going to blog this week as it seems I have so much left to do to get ready for our trip. However, I got a recipe from Laurie's blog and I wanted to try it out http://laurieandodel.blogspot.com/ and so I did and I wanted to share it with you all. Scroll down on the left hand side of her page and you'll find a column with recipes listed. Might be some others you'll want to try.
Now, I have to admit, I am not a veggie lover. I grew up with meat and potatoes and meat and potatoes are what I like! But, wanting to live a few more years, I have recognized that I need to expand (or maybe shrink - depending on how you look at it) my horizons. I know that part of this process is to learn that the four major food groups are not meat, potatoes, fresh bread, and ice cream.
And so I have set upon a quest to learn to like vegetables. The newest ones I have learned that I actually enjoy are beets, spinach (cooked and raw), turnips (in stew!), bok choy, and, thanks to Laurie; Brussels Sprouts!! Now, as Laurie said, don't turn up your nose until you have tried it. Her recipe https://docs.google.com/document/d/10YNSaI3nrNfpr24oZMt4MPa588di5e9FToyjMaSJlT8/edit?hl=en&authkey=CJW40r8B# not only DIDN'T make me gag, it was absolutely YUMMY!! Here's what it looked like (before cooking):
It even smelled pretty good while it was cooking, dispelling all my fears of stinky itty bitty cabbages. This dish was quick, easy, inexpensive, good for you, and delicious. What's not to love? But I'm still NOT convinced that eggplant is actually a vegetable...
I wasn't going to blog this week as it seems I have so much left to do to get ready for our trip. However, I got a recipe from Laurie's blog and I wanted to try it out http://laurieandodel.blogspot.com/ and so I did and I wanted to share it with you all. Scroll down on the left hand side of her page and you'll find a column with recipes listed. Might be some others you'll want to try.
Now, I have to admit, I am not a veggie lover. I grew up with meat and potatoes and meat and potatoes are what I like! But, wanting to live a few more years, I have recognized that I need to expand (or maybe shrink - depending on how you look at it) my horizons. I know that part of this process is to learn that the four major food groups are not meat, potatoes, fresh bread, and ice cream.
And so I have set upon a quest to learn to like vegetables. The newest ones I have learned that I actually enjoy are beets, spinach (cooked and raw), turnips (in stew!), bok choy, and, thanks to Laurie; Brussels Sprouts!! Now, as Laurie said, don't turn up your nose until you have tried it. Her recipe https://docs.google.com/document/d/10YNSaI3nrNfpr24oZMt4MPa588di5e9FToyjMaSJlT8/edit?hl=en&authkey=CJW40r8B# not only DIDN'T make me gag, it was absolutely YUMMY!! Here's what it looked like (before cooking):
It even smelled pretty good while it was cooking, dispelling all my fears of stinky itty bitty cabbages. This dish was quick, easy, inexpensive, good for you, and delicious. What's not to love? But I'm still NOT convinced that eggplant is actually a vegetable...
Monday, February 14, 2011
Doin' My Lazy Daze Happy Dance!!!
Okay, it's official! As of February 24th, 2011, we will be owners of a new Lazy Daze motor home. Got the call today and am busy making plans and reservations. So excited, PLUS we have enough rewards points that all hotels on the trip will be FREE...can't beat that. And then no more hotels and worries about BED BUGS <grin>. We will be renting a car and driving down so that we can take "stuff" with us. Not too much stuff, just enough to get us home. We'll be leaving here on the 20th, and taking I-5 all the way to Montclair. If I am out of touch for a few days, that's why!! WOO-HOO!!!
 |
| Not quite like ours but close...same color |
Bishop– Part 4 (last one, I promise!)
Welcome Connie and Tracy http://gypsygmas.blogspot.com/ and
Kelly and Al (Stargeezer) http://thebayfieldbunch.com/ anyone else who happens by.
The promise to not post anymore about Bishop is only good for the next few months! Next time we go back, I probably won’t be able to help myself. We will be in the RV by that time and I will have a whole new perspective on where to stay and what to do.
The quickest way to actually get into the Sierras from Bishop is to take Hwy 168 (Line St.) east into the mountains. This Hwy. is a moderately steep climb, but most RVs should make it with no problem. In just a few miles you begin to climb and soon you can look down on the Owens Valley. It’s clear from this vantage point, how Bishop lies in the heart of the Owens Valley, with the White Mountains to the east and the Sierras to the west.
These photos were taken at different times – notice the difference in the snow on the far mountains.
There are lots of little side roads and places to stop and take pictures. One of the easiest campgrounds to get to is Lower Intake 2. This is a reservoir created by a dam on Bishop Creek. It is a popular fishing and camping area in the summer. All of this area is part of the Inyo National Forest.
The views from this area are outstanding and the mountains extremely rugged. Can you imagine trying to access this area before modern roads and vehicles? Might work if you are a mountain goat.
We were there in early October 2007 and hoped to get some fall foliage shots. However, I think we were about a week too late.
The night before we took this drive, there was an early snowstorm and it was COLD! I think the snow caught some people unawares. I was glad we were just visiting for the day and NOT trying to camp in a tent.
Just a little bit too chilly for comfort. This was at Bishop Creek Campground, a little higher up than Intake 2.
We had wanted to go clear to the end of the Hwy and see Lake Sabrina. Although the road was not closed, we didn’t have chains and the slipping and sliding caused us to turn back. We tried again to see Lake Sabrina in March 2009 and this time, although the road appeared fairly clear, the gate was firmly locked. They were serious about this gate locking. I counted SEVEN locks on that gate.
There’s Russ…pushing the envelope again. Look Ma, no constraints!
With no hope of going farther, we decided to play in the snow a bit. We always travel with a padded garden kneeler which we use when we want to kneel down for low angle shots. But Russ had other ideas.
The road bank was quite steep so Russ decided to put our kneeler to good use.
After “posing” for the above picture, Russ decides he REALLY can do this. This is the result. Pardon my giggles. I was trying so hard not to laugh that I was just squeaking!! The funniest part is when he tries to get up at the end of his ride. Look Ma, no brains!
On the way back down the mountain we stopped to take pictures of an old redwood water pipe. This 54” flow line was first built in 1908, rebuilt in the early fifties, and was finally replaced with steel pipe in 1991. This section has been preserved as as historical item.
Where does all this water go? Los Angeles! In the early 1900’s, William Mulholland purchased hundreds of acres of the Owens Valley for pennies. This was done for the Los Angeles Water and Power company. Mulholland had the foresight to realize that Los Angeles was going to need water someday. All that water going into the California Aqueduct System, gets its start right here in the Inyo National Forest.
This answers the question of why the beautiful city of Bishop has only about 3500 residents. There is no where to live! What homes are for sale are fairly pricey and rental properties are hard to come by. There is virtually no land available for new buildings. Bishop is also becoming more arid and its greenery is shrinking as water is siphoned off and sent to Los Angeles.
Now, there are two sides to this coin. On the one hand, the native Paiute and other tribes, as well as early settlers, gave up much of their land for a very small price. That can never be regained. There are still Reservations in the area and they are, for the most part, impoverished, or nearly so. On the other hand, if the City of Los Angeles did NOT own all the open land, Bishop would likely be much, much different. With its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, Bishop would likely be a sprawling resort town, with high rise condos and eight lane freeways. As it is, it remains one of the most beautiful and quaint little towns in America with none of the hustle and bustle of big resort cities. So, although many Bishop citizens resent Los Angeles, the big city does in a way, protect the uniqueness of the area. Who is right and who is wrong in this relationship? I don’t know. I will leave that to those more politically astute than I am. As for me, I will just continue to enjoy and love Bishop.
Kelly and Al (Stargeezer) http://thebayfieldbunch.com/ anyone else who happens by.
The promise to not post anymore about Bishop is only good for the next few months! Next time we go back, I probably won’t be able to help myself. We will be in the RV by that time and I will have a whole new perspective on where to stay and what to do.
The quickest way to actually get into the Sierras from Bishop is to take Hwy 168 (Line St.) east into the mountains. This Hwy. is a moderately steep climb, but most RVs should make it with no problem. In just a few miles you begin to climb and soon you can look down on the Owens Valley. It’s clear from this vantage point, how Bishop lies in the heart of the Owens Valley, with the White Mountains to the east and the Sierras to the west.
These photos were taken at different times – notice the difference in the snow on the far mountains.
There are lots of little side roads and places to stop and take pictures. One of the easiest campgrounds to get to is Lower Intake 2. This is a reservoir created by a dam on Bishop Creek. It is a popular fishing and camping area in the summer. All of this area is part of the Inyo National Forest.
The views from this area are outstanding and the mountains extremely rugged. Can you imagine trying to access this area before modern roads and vehicles? Might work if you are a mountain goat.
We were there in early October 2007 and hoped to get some fall foliage shots. However, I think we were about a week too late.
The night before we took this drive, there was an early snowstorm and it was COLD! I think the snow caught some people unawares. I was glad we were just visiting for the day and NOT trying to camp in a tent.
Just a little bit too chilly for comfort. This was at Bishop Creek Campground, a little higher up than Intake 2.
We had wanted to go clear to the end of the Hwy and see Lake Sabrina. Although the road was not closed, we didn’t have chains and the slipping and sliding caused us to turn back. We tried again to see Lake Sabrina in March 2009 and this time, although the road appeared fairly clear, the gate was firmly locked. They were serious about this gate locking. I counted SEVEN locks on that gate.
There’s Russ…pushing the envelope again. Look Ma, no constraints!
With no hope of going farther, we decided to play in the snow a bit. We always travel with a padded garden kneeler which we use when we want to kneel down for low angle shots. But Russ had other ideas.
The road bank was quite steep so Russ decided to put our kneeler to good use.
After “posing” for the above picture, Russ decides he REALLY can do this. This is the result. Pardon my giggles. I was trying so hard not to laugh that I was just squeaking!! The funniest part is when he tries to get up at the end of his ride. Look Ma, no brains!
On the way back down the mountain we stopped to take pictures of an old redwood water pipe. This 54” flow line was first built in 1908, rebuilt in the early fifties, and was finally replaced with steel pipe in 1991. This section has been preserved as as historical item.
Where does all this water go? Los Angeles! In the early 1900’s, William Mulholland purchased hundreds of acres of the Owens Valley for pennies. This was done for the Los Angeles Water and Power company. Mulholland had the foresight to realize that Los Angeles was going to need water someday. All that water going into the California Aqueduct System, gets its start right here in the Inyo National Forest.
This answers the question of why the beautiful city of Bishop has only about 3500 residents. There is no where to live! What homes are for sale are fairly pricey and rental properties are hard to come by. There is virtually no land available for new buildings. Bishop is also becoming more arid and its greenery is shrinking as water is siphoned off and sent to Los Angeles.
Now, there are two sides to this coin. On the one hand, the native Paiute and other tribes, as well as early settlers, gave up much of their land for a very small price. That can never be regained. There are still Reservations in the area and they are, for the most part, impoverished, or nearly so. On the other hand, if the City of Los Angeles did NOT own all the open land, Bishop would likely be much, much different. With its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, Bishop would likely be a sprawling resort town, with high rise condos and eight lane freeways. As it is, it remains one of the most beautiful and quaint little towns in America with none of the hustle and bustle of big resort cities. So, although many Bishop citizens resent Los Angeles, the big city does in a way, protect the uniqueness of the area. Who is right and who is wrong in this relationship? I don’t know. I will leave that to those more politically astute than I am. As for me, I will just continue to enjoy and love Bishop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)