GRRRRRRR!!!

Technical problems again today.  Wanted to get my blog up on the Laws Railroad Museum.  I am having trouble with the photos.  I can upload them but when I try to insert them, I get little circles going around and around (wait symbol) inside the boxes which represent the photos.  That means I have no thumbnails so I can't see which photo to insert.  I tried counting the photos as I had uploaded them and inserting them that way.  That will allow me to insert the photos but it's anybody's guess as to which photo I have chosen!  I think I uploaded too many photos at once and will just have to start over.  I am going to resize the pictures as I think that is part of the problem.  I am usually pretty handy around a computer but this has me frustrated. Anyone else ever have this problem?   Guess the museum will have to wait until tomorrow.

Bishop, CA, part 2

Okay, I admit it, I'm obsessed with Bishop.  Whenever I need to go to my "Happy Place" I choose memories of Bishop.  It's been longer than I anticipated for my follow-up to my first post of Bishop.  If you missed it click here http://therapytravels.blogspot.com/2011/01/memories-of-bishop.html to view.  Today's blog is all about the town of Bishop.  Later, we'll travel to some of the close by scenic areas.  Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Laws Railroad museum that is located just a few miles NE of Bishop.


We didn't know about this festival back in 1978



Russ and I haven't camped in the Bishop area, unless you count the night we spent in a parking lot when the kids were little.  We were making a family trip to Disneyland and were going to spend a couple of nights camping in Bishop on the way down.  We were driving a Suburban and pulling a 20' Prowler travel trailer.  What we didn't anticipate was Mule Days, Bishop's Memorial Day celebration and rodeo.  There was absolutely NO WHERE to camp so we parked in the grocery store parking lot, spent a fitful and noisy night and left early the next morning.

Since then we have only been to Bishop in passenger vehicles.  Our favorite place to stay in Bishop is the Creekside Inn.  Although it is right in the middle of town, you can sit creekside and feel like you are camping.  This hotel is reasonably priced although the creekside rooms are a bit on the pricey side.  They serve a great breakfast (included) and the lobby is gorgeous, decorated with Galen Rowell prints.  Galen, along with his wife Barbara were noteworthy photographers and their gallery in Bishop is well worth visiting.  http://www.mountainlight.com/about.html  Unfortunately both Rowells were killed in a plane crash in 2002. If you are ever in Bishop without your RV, I would not hesitate to recommend the Creekside Inn.



 

Right up the street from the Creekside is the REAL reason I come to Bishop (just kidding!).  A Bishop landmark since 1907, Schat's Bakery is the home of the Original Sheepherder Bread...and it is outstanding.  I am not sure who really baked the first sheepherder bread but Schat's registered that name as a trademark in 1938.  They also have wonderful sandwiches and lots of other goodies.

Always busy but worth it!



No this is NOT the bread LOL!

 



It seems that no matter where you look in Bishop, you can see the mountains.  Bishop is a great town for walking and we do a lot of it when we are in town.  One Sunday morning we walked a few blocks to Jack's restaurant for breakfast.  It's a great local place with good food and reasonable prices.   After breakfast we walked back down Main Street (Hwy 395) and then west into the more residential area.  We heard some wonderful singing and stopped outside this little church and just listened. I admit, I couldn't keep from singing along just a bit!! 



Russ and Donna at Jack's



Bishop has some great murals depicting the history of the town painted on the walls of public buildings.  Here are just a few: 

The beauty that surrounds Bishop, in my mind, is some of the best in the world.  The town is small and part of that is because of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.  That's a story for another blog but be aware that the DWP is not held in high regard in Bishop.  One Bishop City councilman recently described the relationship as "LA's imperial foot on our colonial necks."  Much of the rural land surrounding Bishop is DWP land, yet that does nothing to diminish its beauty.  I hope you've enjoyed this quick tour of Bishop.  I guess I am a little over-the-top about the place, but if you are ever on US HWY 395, take a few days to explore the Owens Valley and perhaps then you will share my passion.



At the north end of Bishop looking
towards the High Sierras.  I believe
that is Mt. Tom on the right.



Rural Bishop, just a few blocks from town

Rural Bishop





Just For Fun

Okay, this is another NON-travel post!  I better get that motor home soon or I'm going to have to change the name of my blog.

Anyway, for those days when it is too cold/wet/windy to get out there and actually DO something, here's a show you might enjoy: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/time-warp/time-warp.html  I think it's supposed to be a guy thing but my husband got me watching it and it is a KICK!

These semi-geeky guys film stuff with a high speed camera, which when played back is in super slow motion.  Then they talk a little about the science (physics) behind these stunts.  I really think the science part is just so they can have the show on Discovery Channel but what the heck, it's fun to watch.

Last night we watched four episodes On Demand so, sans commercials, each episode was only about 24 minutes...no big investment of time.  We saw the science behind rock skipping, skate boarding, juggling (with balls, bats, and chainsaws!), fire breathing, dry ice, and more.  And what kind of a show would it be without showing us all how a blender works - grinding up everything from gumballs to an iPhone!

So if you're bored and you have nothing better to do, catch an episode of Time Warp.  I wouldn't necessarily want my very inquisitive grandsons to watch this show!!

We Got the Call...

Well it wasn't the call from the factory telling us the motor home is ready but it WAS an important call...one I have been waiting for for several days.

In preparation for our travels to begin, we have been catching up on all the medical things old (and not so old) people must do.  One of these was my mammogram - okay fellas, you can sign out now if you're uncomfortable.  But you gals will understand the feeling you get when they call back and say, "we need to take a closer look." 

So back for a second mammogram and an ultrasound and sure enough, not one, but TWO lumps.  The next step was a biopsy and then the waiting for the results.  That was the hardest part of the entire ordeal.  But, thank God, I am clean.  Both lumps benign, no sign of malignancy.  What was so scary to me, is I have been down this road twice before when I was younger.  I just wondered if I could really beat the odds once again.  I was pretty resigned to hearing bad news.  And yet here I am again, no cancer, and none the worse for wear.  I just have to have exams every 6 months instead of yearly and that's a small price to pay.

As an aside, I was really, REALLY worried about this biopsy.  Both of my other ones were excisional, and the first was under general anesthesia in the hospital.  The second was under local in the doctor's office and it was terrifying and not very comfortable.  The way they do it now is SOOO much better and so easy.  If you are ever faced with a core biopsy (a little different from a needle biopsy) DON'T WORRY - nothing to it.  Remember to make time for the girls!!!

Okay guys, I'm done, and you can tune back in.  I suppose this is not the best topic for a blog but I am just so thrilled with the results and wanted to share with the gals out there who will understand.  One more hurdle out of the way and we can get on with this thing called retirement! WOO-HOO!  Sorry - no photos LOL!!

P.S. Thank you Russ for being the best husband in the world and for your understanding and support.

Little Oscar

How many of you remember Little Oscar the World's Smallest Chef and the jingle that goes along with it?  Aha, if you remember you must be part of my generation LOL!

Well, I don't think Oscar Meyer still has Little Oscar as a mascot anymore but the Wienermobile is alive and well.  It was at a local grocery store today and Russ went out and took a few photos.  While he was snapping pictures, one of our sons showed up to have a peek too.  Don't know why he didn't get a picture of Josh with this iconic piece of Americana. 

So although this is not about travel today it is about fun.  This doesn't look quite like I remember from my childhood but I guess technology changes everything to one degree or another.

Talk about the tail wagging the dog!!



I guess all dogs like to look out the front windows!



Interesting doors - don't know who the people are.

Okay, all together now... Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener..♫ ♪

Fun Website

Like many modern RVers, I get a real kick out of the old Lucille Ball/Desi Arnez movie, "The Long, Long Trailer."  Some of the mistakes and mishaps represented in the movie could easily be translated into our modern way of doing things.  While researching some trivia about this movie, I came across this interesting site.  Along with some history about early travel trailers, there is a trivia quiz about the movie.  Even if you have never seen the movie, you might enjoy looking at how things were done "back in the day".  Enjoy!

http://www.trailerite.com/index.html

Copy Cat

There is much beauty to be found in the desert

Yup, that's me!  I was so inspired today by John and Judy's blog http://rvlifeonwheels.blogspot.com/2011/01/joshua-tree-part-deux.html that I had to go back and enjoy my memories of Joshua Tree National Park.  Thank you so much for the inspiration and I hope you don't mind me sharing my own memories. 

So here's my little story of that special place.
If you have read my blog about Bishop, you know that is where I spent most of my childhood vacations.  Bishop is in the Owens Valley and, while it is surrounded by mountains, much of the landscape is sage brush and big rocks.  We used to go to a place we called Fish Springs but there was one time we went somewhere else.

Every time Russ and I would go down Hwy 395 I would try and remember where this other campground was.  I could remember big huge boulders and since there are many such places like that in the Owens Valley, that is where I always looked for this campground.  I could even remember the name of the campground, Hidden Valley.

I went there when I was about 9 or 10 years old.  I remember so well the big rocks and the desert setting.  Our family went there with the Kirby family, and I had great fun with the Kirby kids.  One thing I remember is hiking around the campground with Myra, Gene, and Stanley and seeing an unopened bag of potato chips on a picnic table.  No one was around so we discussed it and decided Stanley should go liberate those abandoned potato chips.  Well he did and we climbed up on a big rock to enjoy our booty.  The problem was, we all felt so guilty and were so scared of getting caught, that we couldn't enjoy our ill-gotten gain.

In March of 2009, Russ and I took a trip to Palm Springs.  We were exploring the area and decided to visit Joshua Tree National Park.  To my knowledge I had never been there and was excited to see it.  We got maps at the visitors center and began our explorations.  Soon, things began to look familiar to me.  Somewhere deep in my little 9 year old brain was a memory.  I studied the map and saw a place called Hidden Valley Campground...and I knew.  Fifty-some years later I KNEW: this was the place of the big rocks and the stolen potato chips!

We made our way to Hidden Valley and it was just as I remembered it.  I had found that special campground.  Oh how I loved those rocks.  I still do.  We spent a wonderful day exploring and, for me, remembering and we took a ton of photos.



 



One of the places we loved was the Cholla Cactus Garden.  This is the "jumping cactus".  The spines do not really jump but they come off so easily if you touch one, that it seems as if they do.  You DO NOT want to get cholla spines in your skin.

I set some of those photos to music and have put that video on You Tube.  Here's a link in case you want to watch it.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ffSyxw2RsU  On the video you will see the names 'William' and 'Carol'.  Those are our middle names and there is a story behind why we used those names for that video...but that's a story for another time.  Hope you enjoy!

P.S.  My sister just read this post and reminded me of a photo of the two of us taken during this camping trip.  I was able to find this pciture and although the quality is not the best I wanted it to be part of this post.  This was taken around 1958 or 1959.  I am the girl holding the dog.


Donna and Sharon at Hidden Valley CG
Joshua Tree Nat'l Park (Monument at that time)