by Carolyn | August 11, 2016 · 4:37 pm

Peak Experiences

Crazy Horse Memorial (Work In Progress)

I thought I should blog about some peak nature experiences I have had and then tell you about the latest one. As you read this, I invite you to think about your own memorable interactions with nature. We are always interested in your thoughts so go to the bottom of the blog page and add your comments.

*** Sunset at Desert Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Watching the movement of the shadows, the colors of the rocks changing with the setting sun, seeing the first stars and listening to a Park Ranger reading from Thoreau’s Walden. ***

*** Holding my granddaughter Sarah on my lap at a Fourth of July Celebration at Riverfront Park in Oro Valley, AZ. We all held our breath as a giant bright full moon backlit the top of Pusch Peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Slowly the moon rose as the Tucson Symphony Orchestra hit those first resounding notes of the 1812 Overture. It was more amazing than the following fireworks display. ***

*** Sitting in the warm water of our backyard hot tub at midnight watching the Leonid Meteor Shower. The dark navy blue sky sparkled with speeding comets while we enjoyed the bubbles and drank margaritas. ***

Mt Rushmore

Crazy Horse Scale Model

Crazy Horse Laser Show

My latest peak experience: After a day spent viewing Mt. Rushmore and then the even more magnificent Crazy Horse Memorial, we watched the Legends in Light laser light show projected on the giant sculpture. The images and storytelling illuminated cultural diversity and was an inspiring message, especially now when we hear so much hatred and prejudice. The words of the Lakota chiefs speaking of dreams; the story of Crazy Horse; the continued spiritual life and connection to nature of American Indians; the inspiration of their leaders like Sequoia, Chief Seattle, Wilma Mankiller and Chief Standing Bear – who simply asked the sculpture Korczak to carve a mountain “so the white man will know the red man has great heroes also” – was very moving. I’m a sucker for anything patriotic and tears streamed down my face as Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA”. The audience sang along – an audience of travelers from all over the world – blessing us. A night to remember – and a night to inspire.

***

We arrived in our home state of South Dakota (the 8th state on this trip) on Monday, August 1st. We stayed 7 nights in Rapid City RV Park. It’s great when we can stay a full week – we get a great discount and can settle in a little bit more. We were busy most of the days we stayed around the Rapid City area.

Wild Bill Hickok Grave

Downtown Deadwood

DC Booth Fish Hatchery Fish Car

Our first day we went to Deadwood. We are watching the series “Deadwood” and had just watched the episode when Wild Bill Hickok was shot and buried. So it was with great interest that we went to Boothill Cemetery to see his grave and the nearby grave of his friend Calamity Jane. Deadwood itself was crowded with bikers enjoying the shops and saloons. We went to the Adams Museum which is filled with relics of the old west. We drove to Spearfish and spent time at the historical D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery. Volunteers showed us around the refurbished homes and the special fish train car. It was a great place and we made a note that this might be a good volunteer opportunity in our future.

Custer State Park is immense and totally beautiful. We took Iron Mountain Road – a long narrow, barely 2 lane road with many sharp switchbacks. It is engineered to be a thrill ride, especially as you ride through very narrow tunnels with views of Mt. Rushmore in the distance. Of course, we were on the road with all the motorcyclists that come for the huge Sturgis rally. We also drove the Wildlife Loop through the park and saw bison, pronghorns, deer, wild horses and wild burros.

Our time at Mt. Rushmore included a short hike on the Presidential Trail which winds through the forest and includes the artist’s studio and a close up look at the “great faces”. The monument was more interesting than I expected and I’m glad we went although I still think it was awful to carve giant white faces on a mountain that is sacred to the Native Americans.

At Crazy Horse we spent hours viewing the artifacts, art work and displays at the cultural center. We ate an early dinner at Laughing Waters Restaurant and then waited for the light show that so thrilled me.

The day we spent in Rapid City was great – in the downtown area there are life-size bronze sculptures of 43 presidents. President Obama is not there yet. We wandered into the Geology Museum which is part of the University of Mining. It had amazing displays of dinosaur bones and collections of rocks. Very much worth the time.

Carolyn and Bill

Sylvan Lake

We went back to Custer State Park on Sunday and drove to Sylvan Lake. Our picnic lunch was enjoyed as we gazed at the placid blue water with huge boulders decorating its edges. We took a short hike around part of the lake. We drove through the park along Needles Highway another amazing narrow road that was built

Along Needles Highway

among the tall skinny rock formations. The tunnels on this road were even narrower and with more breathtaking views.

We left Rapid City on Monday, August 8th and arrived at Badlands KOA. Our first night here was pretty scary. We were hit with a prairie wind storm – dry lightning, ferocious winds that shook our RV. We pulled in our slides and rode it out but it was a frightening experience. We only got a little bit of rain.

The weather for the last few weeks has been really hot with a little humidity thrown in. It hasn’t stopped us but some of our hikes have been pretty sweaty. Yesterday we did the Fossil Trail in the Badlands. It’s hard to describe the beauty and desolation of the Badlands. I don’t think you can take a photo that gives you the sense of the immensity of these rocks and the incredible power of nature that formed them. The short trails through the Badlands are designed for people like me – firm, flat boardwalks through the rocks. We got away from nature for a short time to visit the famous Wall Drug – a complex of crazy touristy stores in the little town of Wall. We made sure to drink ice water – the store became a favorite stop on a dusty road when the owners made signs inviting travelers to stop by for free ice water. I also tried the yummy homemade chocolate ice cream!

Free Ice Water at Wall Drug!

Badlands

Today we went back to the Badlands for a few more short trails. The Cliff Shelf Trail was a 300 foot climb – mostly stairs – to bring you right up to the higher rocks. It was really hot with a humidity of 59%. We then went to the Minuteman Missile

Minuteman Missile Silo

Museum where we read the displays and saw a movie depicting the history of nuclear missiles. We ate our lunch at the actual missile silo. That was pretty impressive but inside the chain link fence that surrounds this underground silo, a bunch of cattle had wandered in. They were unhappy because they couldn’t find their way out again and made lots of noise at the human intruders. Finally as we were finishing lunch, a ranger and herder came and got them out.

Well, tomorrow we leave the Badlands and make camp at Heartland RV Park near Sturgis for 6 nights. Doug will be spending most of that time alone as I fly to NJ to spend time with family to remember and celebrate the life of my brother Mike. I’ll leave the blogging to Doug for the next week.

Posted from Interior, South Dakota, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under South Dakota

by Carolyn | July 31, 2016 · 11:03 am

Good-Bye Rocky Mountains; Hello Flat Grassy Plains

Indian Memorial at the Little Bighorn Battlefield

Meriwether at the Truck Center

We started this part of the trip by scheduling routine maintenance on our rig. Our chassis is made by Freightliner so we arranged for a check-up at Rocky Mountain Truck Center in Belgrade. The staff there, especially Angela, were very helpful and hospitable. We didn’t know how long the work would take so we didn’t make reservations for that night. Instead we decided to try boondocking – or dry camping – no hookups. We checked out the local Walmart which was crowded with other rigs. We weren’t too enthused about the Flying J Truck Stop – the generators running all night and the diesel fumes weren’t too enticing. So we accepted the hospitality of Rocky Mountain Truck Center and stayed in their parking lot. We did have electricity but we used our stored water in our tanks. It was a parking lot, so we only opened one of our bedroom slides. It is different to be more closed in but really not uncomfortable. Our first experience with boondocking went well and I’m sure there will be more of it in our future. Sometimes you just can’t get a reservation in a campground; sometimes it just isn’t convenient to keep driving. We are grateful that there are places we can stay like this and take advantage of the kindness of strangers.

View from atop Lewis and Clark Caverns

Madison Buffalo Jump

Natural Bridge Falls

Natural Bridge Falls

While we waited, we got in more sightseeing. The Lewis and Clark Caverns were a great place for a picnic lunch but we didn’t venture into the caverns – the tour through them included duck-waddling, sliding, bending and 300 steps up and 500 steps down. Just couldn’t do it. We did walk the path to the interpretive pavilion at the Madison Buffalo Jump and learned ab out the lifestyle of the Native tribes that convinced those buffalo herds to run to the cliff where they fell over and then, through enormous community effort, the products from hundreds of bison were used to sustain these people. The Crazy Woman Mountains are beautiful. We saw the Crazy Woman Museum and the Natural Bridge Falls Recreational Area. Both excellent places to stop and get another history lesson.

So… big blue sky, puffy white clouds, sparkling rivers, gently sloping mountains, majestic trees, a riot of wild flowers, the sharp scent of pine and cedar, a osft breeze and bright sun – I’m at a loss to keep finding the words to describe this lovely place. Don’t mistake my lack of descriptive vocabulary for taking this scenery for granted. My friend Crystal texted me: do you realize how lucky you are to spend every day in nature? Yes, I do feel a constant sense of gratitude for this amazing opportunity to see this great country from the ground up to the big sky. I never take it for granted; I am never bored by this majesty; I love it and now, Montana gets my thanks for its stewardship, its State Parks and everything else that made this road trip through it so amazing.

Can you find the prairie dog?

Yellowstone River

We landed for the next three nights in Big Timber KOA. On Friday, July 15th we ate lunch at Prairie Dog Town and watched those cute little rodents as they signaled danger (from us) and then continued to visit with each other. We also checked out Montana’s beautiful free campsites at Fishing Access sites. Right on the rivers, these sites are primitive but certainly prettier than camping a few feet from another big rig. We don’t fish but we hope to take advantage of these sites on a future visit. Peacefully sitting by the Yellowstone River – taking a long break from driving and sightseeing – it sounds lovely. Thanks, Montana. These sites are a gift!

Random Road Sign

I thought you (our blog readers) might want to experience another part of our journey – the signs and sights we see along the road as we travel on. So here’s a sample: big horn skulls – beetle-cleaned; a doubled-wide church in Big Timber; the Buck Snort Lodge; Lucky Lil’s Casinos everywhere; a billboard advertising The Testicle Festival near Philipsburg, the Salish word for Arlee “where they distribute things”; the Mickey Mouse Koan; a town called Baaxuwuashee; a one-film movie theatre on Main Street; granaries; feed stores; antler chandeliers, gas, grub and goodies, plenty of Dairy Queens; the Medicine Turtle Trading Post; and endless fields of grain and corn. You’ll also occasionally see us post a graphic of a sign seen along the road. We also crossed the Continental Divide at an altitude of 6396 feet. We like to read the population signs of these tiny little towns and when we can, we wander through their side streets to see the housing and schools and stores that make up small western towns.

Little Bighorn memorial Marker (where Custer fell)

Markers where soldiers fell

Our trip took us next to Hardin, whose motto is A Great Place To Be. We agree. It’s the home of the Fighting Bulldogs and our temporary home at the Hardin KOA was a perfect place to venture out to more historic and beautiful sights to see. One of the most impressive is The Little Big Horn Battlefield, no longer only referred to as Custer’s Last Stand. It now is a remarkable look back into this historic battle. Along the long road through the rolling grassland you see stones marking the exact place where a soldier or warrior fell. The rangers know the details and dramatically reveal them, making you feel like you were there amidst the dust of horses’ hooves, the loud blasts of guns and the blood of men and horses that ran along the ground. It is also now the site of a small but beautiful National Veteran’s Cemetery.

Pompey’s Pillar along the Yellowstone River

William Clark’s signature location

Another day we saw the engineering feat of the Yellowtail Dam and hiked in the Big Horn Recreation area. Another day we saw Pompey’s Pillar, where William Clark carved his name in a rock. After a quick lunch in Billings, we went to Pictograph Cave. The trail took us to a large cave where you can still see the paintings of the people who sheltered in that cave. Our history lessons go back to pre-history as well as just a mere century ago. We had been following the route of the Corps of Discovery, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but soon we turn south to follow a different path through this country.

Lake DeSmet

The five nights we spent in the Indian Campground in Buffalo (the first RV park in Wyoming), included more trips to explore history and scenery. I had to see Fort Phil Kearny. I lived in Kearny , NJ, where a statue of Phil on a horse impressed me every time I saw it in the park. Kearny was a Civil War hero and although he never spent time at this place, it was very interesting to see the fort that protected travelers. Another picnic lunch was enjoyed on the shore of Lake De Smet. I walked along the Clear Creek Trail to the great little town – Buffalo, Wyoming – Forever West. This is our seventh state in our RV. We drove partly into Crazy Woman Canyon one morning but the dirt road got a little too rough for our trusty Honda. Downtown Buffalo has the old Occidental Hotel and some well-done murals. And as one of those murals say, it’s not a one horse town. We also drove and walked around Sheridan which is bigger but still small enough to be charming.

Devil’s Tower

We are now in Mountain View RV Park in Sundance, looking up at Sugar Loaf Mountain from our windows. Yesterday was a highlight of our trip. We went to Devil’s Tower, known by the native peoples as Bear’s Lodge or Bear’s Tipi. It was much bigger and more powerful than I had imagined. It was thrilling to see it from a distance as we drove closer and closer. We hiked the Tower Trail, circling this massive rock. It was a great experience to walk through the Ponderosa pines, see the prayer bundles and ribbons placed in this sacred spot, and look up, up, up to see the different facets of the tower. We marveled at the climbers who slowly made their way up the sheer faces. We finished this perfect day by going to Vore Buffalo Jump, a very different kind of jump. At this one, the native tribe drove the bison into a sink hole. It is an active archaeological dig where you can see thousands of bones where they were found. Amazing!

Today we check out Sundance. We love these western towns where we meet the friendly residents and see the unchanged essence of the west. Tomorrow, we leave Wyoming for South Dakota – more exciting sights to see!

Posted from Sundance, Wyoming, United States.

1 Comment

Filed under Montana, Wyoming

by Carolyn | July 12, 2016 · 5:25 pm

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park was all I had imagined it to be. I had been dreaming of seeing this park for many years. It turned out to be the perfect place for me to be at that moment in time. Almost as soon as we arrived at the RV park in Columbia Falls we heard the devastating news that my brother Mike had died suddenly in Miami, FL.

My first reaction to this sad news was that I was a million miles away. Truly on the other side of the United States. Thanks to my brother Dan’s efforts, I did not have to fly to Florida. We are planning a family get together to remember Mike in August in New Jersey so with Doug’s patient help I have plane tickets for that trip. And Doug did the painstaking work of plotting out our next few weeks so we knew what airport I could fly out of and what campgrounds we could stay in.

Knowing that was taken care of was a relief. But then I had to deal with my grief. I found solace in the beauty of mountains, lakes and waterfalls. I listened to lively birdsong and saw an endless variety of wild flowers. Sometimes life takes a hard turn and this time I landed exactly where I needed to be – in the pristine landscape of glacier-carved mountains.

Our first day in Columbia Falls was very rainy so we just stayed in the RV. Then on Thursday, July 7th we drove the 15 miles to the west entrance of the park. We knew enough to dress in layers and that was smart. We took the shuttle up Going To The Sun Road to Logan Pass. We emerged from the shuttle into a cloud – a wet, cold cloud. It broke a little so we got our first sight of the mountains. We didn’t do much hiking up there. Not only was it cold and wet but one of the trails was closed because of a momma grizzly and her cub on the trail. We took the shuttle to St. Mary’s Lake and took off some layers to hike to St. Mary’s Falls – about 2 miles but an easy trail. We ate our lunch at the upper part of the falls. Even with lots of fellow hikers nearby it was a peaceful, beautiful place to be.

We took another shuttle to Avalanche Creek. The shuttle drives are incredible. The road curves around the mountains so you can see the glaciers – the glaciers that are still there, that is. When the park was founded, there were over 200 glaciers, now there are only a few and they are much smaller. We read that by the year 2020, four years away, there will be NONE left. The evidence of global warming smacks you in the face up there.

We hiked the very easy Boardwalk Trail of Cedars. Another 2 mile trail. The quiet of this forest was lovely and at one point we found ourselves looking face to face with a deer. He stopped and posed for us. Then Doug saw two more. Coming upon wildlife on trails is part of the joy of hiking, but I was starting to get nervous about coming upon a bear. We didn’t and that’s fine with me. By the time we got home we were beat but happy to have experienced that part of the park.

Friday was rainy and cold so we took care of stuff in the RV. We went out to dinner at the Tea Kettle Restaurant – a small place with great food. We built our bowls of rice, sauces and protein and ate every grain of it.

Saturday dawned sunny with just a few clouds so we went back to the park and drove part of the Going To The Sun Road ourselves. We hiked John’s Lake Loop and then the Rocky Point Nature Trail at Fish Creek. The last hike was really beautiful but it rained and we got soaked. I rarely wear a hat but this time I thought it would keep the rain off my face. Instead the wet stuff gathered at the hatband and ran in a steady stream down my face. Regardless, it was a memorable hike. There were wild flowers all through the trail among both giant cedars and new growth pines. We loved it and came home tired and happy and wet. We also stopped by the Lake McDonald Lodge.

Our last day in the park was Sunday – a sunny and warm day! We drove to the North Fork side of the park and decided to take a hike on the Huckleberry Trail. There were trees but mostly new growth and dense low foliage on both sides of the narrow path. It was really pretty but I had a lot of anxiety about bears. We had talked to a volunteer and some rangers about bear sightings and just to be safe we had bought bear spray. The spray is pepper spray and is only used if the bear is less than 30 feet in front of you. As I was walking, singing and clapping my poles together, I started thinking too much about the bear that might be around the next bend on the trail or barreling towards me through the dense growth between the trees. Then I saw a tree trunk with deep claw marks and right next to it fresh bear scat. I should point out that Doug disagrees with me and said it was not claw marks nor bear scat but my fear got the better of me and in spite of the perfect trail and the best weather yet, we turned back to the car.

We headed out to Bowman Lake – on the road less traveled for sure. It was about a 30 miles drive on mostly dirt roads to one of the best views in the park. We ate lunch in a little meadow with the ground squirrels and other small varmints. We then took a short walk to the lake. As we got closer and the trees parted my breath caught as I saw my first glimpse of that lake. The mountains surround it, the water is a calm sparking green and is so pure you can see every pebble by the shore. The view was perfection. Looking at the far mountains you could see how the glacier carved through the mountains and then dug out the lake. So very beautiful!

We finished our wonderful day by stopping at Polebridge where we purchased the world famous (and totally worth the hype) huckleberry bear claws. The perfect end to the perfect day. I’m still very sad and cry a lot but my heart felt peace looking at some of the most beautiful sights in earth. Mike loved the outdoors and I hope he found away to share those moments with me.

We left Columbia Falls and turned back to Jim and Mary’s RV Park in Missoula for a quick one night stay. We are in Camp Three Forks also for one night on our way to Belgrade where we will stop for some routine RV maintenance. I am grateful that I had the chance to see Glacier National Park and grateful for the comfort it gave at this sad time in my life.

Posted from Three Forks, Montana, United States.

3 Comments

Filed under Montana

by Carolyn | July 5, 2016 · 4:01 pm

Going to the “Going To The Sun Road”

We really liked the campground and the area around Missoula. We spent most of the Fourth of July weekend enjoying our pine-scented site. On Sunday we went to Travelers’ Rest. This state park is the one scientifically identified site of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Other locations of the explorers’ journey are basically speculations based on journals. At this site, archaeologists found real proof that Lewis and Clark stopped at this place on their way west and again on their way back east. They unearthed fire-cracked rocks from campfire kitchens, a camp that was set up according to exact military specs, a pewter button and a blue trading bead. They also found traces of mercury in the latrine area which were attributed to Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills which Meriwether Lewis gave to some of the men in the party as purgatives.

West Fork Lolo Creek

Lewis and Clark Camp Site

West Fork Lolo Creek

We happened to have visited on the 210th year anniversary of the groups’ final day at the site. We read all the information in the museum and then walked around the trail through the campsite area. We met and talked to Lewis and Clark enthusiasts who shared their extensive knowledge of this part of the captains’ journey. Travelers’ Rest was a place where people stopped in their travels for thousands of years. It is located at the eastern end of the Lolo Trail in an area the Bitterroot Salish refer to as No Salmon. There are, however, lots of trout in the Bitterroot River and plenty of native roots and other food to sustain travelers on their way. It was a good place to dry game meat and gather their resources to survive a long winter in the Rocky Mountains. If you are anywhere near this amazing place, take time to stop and relive the story that took place here.

Today the trip from Missoula to Columbia Falls was just beautiful. We are on our way to Glacier National Park and the most popular attraction there is the trip up Going To The Sun Road. We are eagerly anticipating driving up it!

We drove about 120 miles today on Route 93 – most of the time on the Flathead Indian Reservation. I can’t help but look upwards in Big Sky Country. So today the clouds started out gray and dramatic but then the sun came out and the bright sky lit up the mountains. Along the way there were signs in both the Native American Salish language and English. Some of the really interesting and obviously descriptive names were: Ravali – The Area of Large Diameter Aspen Trees, Pablo – Forest Tapering to a Point, and Polson – Tipi Poles Above the Water.

Flathead Lake

Route 93 Flathead Reservation

Dramatic Sky

National Bison Range

The Mission Mountain Range

Wildlife Crossing Bridge

Huckleberries are big here and you can get “Huck Pie on the Fly” in the Huckleberry Patch store in Arlee. You can also indulge in huckleberry milkshakes and bison burgers there. In Polson there is the Miracle of America Museum. I haven’t gotten around yet to looking up what the miracle is so if you are curious you might want to investigate that. There is also a museum in Ninepipes and I’m curious about the origin of that name too.

We drove for almost an hour along the banks of the very large Flathead Lake. The Rugged Mission Mountains in the background, the lovely turquoise water, pine trees and charming little towns all made for some great photo opportunities (although the quality isn’t great since I took them as we were rolling down the road).

One photo I didn’t get was actual bison on the National Bison Range outside of the St. Ignatius Mission. The rolling plain was grass-covered and the area was huge. I think the bison may have been camera-shy but they have the perfect place to live in peace and comfort. In nearby Ronan, I saw a sign declaring “This is God’s county.” I found myself thinking that the bison herd would agree.

The geological history of this area is fascinating. The Mission Mountains, which moved from the west and then wound up east of Flathead Lake, were carved by glaciers. The lake is part of a 900-mile furrow that extends from the Yukon in Canada to St. Ignatius. Thinking about mountains moving and ancient glaciers making gigantic trenches is only enhanced by how pretty they look now.

The nickname for Montana is the Treasure State and I hope my photos show you why I think there are treasures everywhere you look in this beautiful part of the country.

Posted from Columbia Falls, Montana, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Montana

by Doug | July 2, 2016 · 4:08 pm

Coeur d’Alene and Big Sky Country

Lake Coeur d’Alene

After visiting the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, ID area for a few days, we closed up our home and moved onto “Big Sky Country” – Montana. We stopped for an overnight stay in St Regis, MT and now we are in a great RV Park (Jim & Mary’s RV Park) in Missoula for the Independence Day weekend. We’d previously found out the hard way that it’s important to reserve space on holiday weekends well in advance!

If you look at our states visited page, you’ll see that we added Montana but not Idaho. Our rule for coloring in a state is that we must have first stayed overnight in that state. Since we drove straight through Idaho (and just the narrow panhandle at that), it doesn’t get colored! And there is so much more to see of Idaho that we just can’t wait to return.

We have experienced quite a change in geography over the last two months. We started with the beautiful and rugged rocky coast of Oregon, crossed the Pacific Coast Range, followed the Columbia River Gorge, crossed into Washington and seeing Mt Ranier in the distance, experienced the absolute beauty of Lake Coeur d’Alene (seen in the above phot0), and then into Montana crossing the Bitterroot Mountains. Soon we will crossing the Rockies and the Continental Divide!

While staying in Spokane, we drove a short hop to Coeur d”Alene to see the gorgeous lake and to have a picnic lunch at a city park bordering the lake. There is a huge resort right on the lake with a marina that has a 3300′ floating boardwalk (the world’s longest) surrounding it. We walked the entire thing including the raised bridge you can see in the picture for the boast to enter and exit the marina.

Lake Coeur d’Alene

World’s longest floating boardwalk – Lake Coeur d’Alene

McEuen Park – Lake Coeur d’Alene

The last day in Spokane we went to Manito Park which consists of several gardens, a conservatory, a lake, lots of open space and trails, and undeveloped areas. We first visited the Japanese garden which was very peaceful and cool (appreciated since it was a warm day!). We then walked to the Rose Garden which had too many varieties of beautiful roses to even mention, and then onto Duncan Garden which was a huge plaza with many colorful plantings of annuals.

Spokane Nishinomiya Garden

Rose Garden at Manito Park

Duncan Garden at Manito Park

After arriving in Missoula, we checked out the downtown First Friday Gallery Walk. The streets were alive with people and the galleries had free food and drink. We crossed the bridge across the Clark Fork River where we saw people cooling off by wading and tubing.

Downtown Missoula

Calrk Fork RIver running through Missoula

Clark Fork River running through Missoula

Last night we heard fireworks from the local farm team ballpark. Early this morning we went to two of the farmers’ markets downtown. We were impressed by the amount of local produce and how artfully and neatly it was displayed!

Missoula Farmers’ Market

We have two more days in Missoula before we head north to Glacier National Park on Tuesday.

Posted from Missoula, Montana, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Idaho, Montana, Washington

by Carolyn | June 27, 2016 · 10:03 am

On the Road (Again)

We left Portland again and again it was very hard to leave our loved ones. This time it was made harder because Paisley was such a cutie and we know that we will not be back for a long time. We got to see almost everyone and that was wonderful. Charlotte and her son Creighton came over one night for dinner. Sophia wasn’t feeling well and stayed home so she is the only family we didn’t get to see. We know we will be going back there but not knowing when makes this leave taking difficult.

One of the highlights of this visit was a short but fun camping trip with Jake, Julie and Paisley (and of course Rosie, their dog). We camped for two nights at Ainsworth State Park. We were right in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge area. The campground was rustic with big tree-filled sites. Jake did a great job of hitching, driving and setting up the pop-up tent trailer. Julie helped but had her hands full with Rosie on the leash and Paisley in her arms. All went well and they are ready to go off on their own in their pop-up. It was great for Doug and I because we love spending time with them, especially Paisley, who loved the whole camping experience and we just love being in the pop-up. Can’t say the same for Rosie who is far from happy living in the great outdoors. One of our days was dedicated to visiting the fabulous waterfalls nearby. Doug and I had been there about 6 years ago and will no doubt go again – driving down the historic road and stopping along the way to hike around spectacular falls is a perfect day of celebrating nature.

So it was hard to turn away from Olde Stone Village. We had beautiful weather in Portland but our first night after that was spent in a drenching rain. We spent just one night in Cascade Locks. After we got set up we never left the RV – why go outside and get wet when we could be dry and cozy inside. So we have no idea what this campground was like. It’s weather like this that makes us really enjoy our fireplace! When originally looking at RVs we laughed at the idea of a fireplace, but we use it all the time. It gives us a gentle heat source and it makes our living area look even more homey.

Then we hit the best weather yet – warm temperatures and bright clear blue skies. We spent the next two nights at Wine Country RV Park in Prosser, Washington. This is a really nice park with wine tastings every evening from local winery’s. There was lots to do in this area so we spent our one day doing a lot. I went to a Fiber Arts Festival and saw beautiful quilts and learned much from the displays of unique yarn spun from diverse animals like yaks and camels and other sources like bamboo. Doug spent that time at a farmers market and then we went to Bill’s Berry Farm where we picked raspberries, blueberries, and Bing cherries. We also stopped for groceries to stock up our pantry and fridge. A fun day!

Our drives have been uneventful and safe thanks to Doug’s planning efforts. We are driving longer these days and if you look at our map you can see that we are traveling relatively fast (for us). I’m trying to do better as a navigator and I’m getting a big kick out of following the map and noting the distance we have traveled. It’s exciting to look ahead to our next big destination. You can see our full travel history here.

Now we are staying at the Spokane KOA. We’ll be here for 4 nights which gives us time to get out and explore. Today we went to Downtown Spokane to walk around the Riverfront Park and see the falls. The park had this cool Radio Flyer wagon sliding board!

Posted from Spokane Valley, Washington, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Washington

by Carolyn | June 16, 2016 · 9:12 pm

Our Stay at Olde Stone Village

This RV park in McMinnville, Olde Stone Village, is about 45 minutes from any of our family’s homes in the area so we are doing a little bit of commuting to get to them. But this park is really nice. We have a corner site which is always nice because of the privacy it offers and the pretty view it gives us. We are across from a gazebo and the pool, laundry and office are close. The park is directly behind the Evergreen Aviation Museum, in fact, there is a walking path to the museum right behind our site. We went to this museum yesterday and really enjoyed it. The big (and I certainly mean BIG) attraction is the Spruce Goose, Howard Hughes’ gigantic wooden plane.

You can walk into it and see most of the inside. The size of it is staggering – it dwarfs all the other reconstructed planes exhibited around it. We saw an IMAX movie called The Hidden Universe. We would highly recommend this museum to anyone who is interested in aviation, history, and space travel. My favorite part was watching a video of President Kennedy giving his famous speech kicking off the space travel program in the early sixties. I remember sitting with my class in the auditorium of my school. It was very exciting for all of us kids to listen to his inspiring speech and to think about the future of flying through space and touching other planets. Other exhibits that were amazing to me were the Hot Shots and the equipment they used to battle forest fires, the scary spy plane, and all the helicopters, including the M*A*S*H helicopter.

We don’t expect to do a lot of sightseeing while we are here. Instead we are spending our time seeing family and entertaining them in our RV. So far Bev, Jenn and Trekker had lunch with us on a rainy day. Barry, Bev and Dad were also over for lunch and on that day we were able to enjoy our outdoor area. This site is large enough to put out our canopy and eat at the picnic table under it. And still have room for our 4 folding chairs. We can also park upto two cars. Some of our sites were so small and narrow that you have no room to extend the canopy or have only a little space for 2 chairs. But it always seems to work out for us that when we are expecting company we have the right site to entertain in.

We babysat for Paisley Jane last Friday.

After helping with a garage project at their house, Julie and Jake went out on a lunch and movie date (first time for leaving their baby). Our little darling was an angel and just smiled and played with us the whole time.

On Saturday, the whole family got together at Dad’s home to celebrate an early Father’s Day and also Brian’s birthday. We all brought yummy food over and enjoyed Barry’s grilling efforts. There were 16 of us, ranging in age from 6 months to almost 94 years old. All of us were on our best behavior and we all loved being together. Thanks go to Bev for getting us organized.

We did a few more things planned for this week and then we go on a pop-up camping trip with Julie and Jake to Ainsworth State Park. We’ll take those few days to help them get used to camping in the pop-up and give us some special time together.

The weather here has been mostly lovely – warm and sunny in between a few showers. So much different from the winter time we spent in the Portland area. I definitely enjoy it more when the pretty trees are set off by a sparkling blue sky.

Last weekend we dashed off to New Jersey for our nephew Jimmy’s wedding. It was wonderful to see him and Rebecca and their adorable daughter Jolene start their lives together.

We had a great time with all my family there and the wedding was absolutely beautiful and lots of fun. It may have been a quick trip but we squeezed in lots of family meals (Thanks, Lisa!) and good times. The temperature there was very similar to the Portland area – even a good rain storm – but Doug and I had a hard time with the humidity.

Now we are starting to plan the rest of the year of traveling. We are heading east but haven’t finalized anything else. We will definitely make reservations for the Fourth of July because it’s always hard to find the right place for a holiday weekend. This is pretty exciting for us because we are about to embark on a long journey, traveling through parts unknown (to us, anyway). This is the dream!

Posted from McMinnville, Oregon, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Oregon

by Carolyn | May 29, 2016 · 6:12 pm

Highway 101

Our journey this month took us straight up Route 101. This highway mostly hugs the coast so as you drive north on the winding road you catch glimpses of the Pacific on the left as you hug the wooded cliff wall on the right. Sometimes it’s a harrowing drive but other times it’s just lovely. On other trips up to Portland we drove on Route I-5 which is beautiful but inland and you have to deal with the wind draft from passing trucks. So we took short hops along this coastal route, enjoying the sights along the ocean and through the Redwoods.

We just stayed 2 nights at Willits KOA and then landed in Eureka. We had some really nice day trips from our base at The Shoreline RV Park. This park was nice but the entrance was oddly situated between a Harley dealership and a gas station. We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a rather disappointing Mexican dinner at Pichango’s. Of course, we are used to really great Mexican food in Tucson. On Friday,May 6th, we drove the 30 miles of The Avenue of the Giants. We stopped a few times to get out and walk on the trails, breathe in the redwood scent, and take in the serenity of the “peaceful Giants”. On the way home we stopped at the Loleta Creamery and indulged in some great cheese. Cheese has been a recurring theme in our travels.

The next day we wandered around the Victorian village of Ferndale – we missed all the big celebrations – Italian Day – Portugal Day and Danish Day – the three major ethnic groups that founded this town. But it was a fun day on its quaint streets. Then we explored our new adopted city of Eureka. We always stop at visitor centers so we can pick up literature and learn about the history of our current home. We had a really great lunch at Cafe Nooner which was featured on Diners, Drive-In and Dives. Guy Fieri grew up in Ferndale and Eureka so he has promoted many of the restaurants there.

After another few quiet days we drove 88 miles to Crecent City Redwoods KOA. We had a nice site that looked out into a grassy cow pasture but the really cool sites were right amidst the giant redwoods. From this campground we took lots of day trips. One of the best hikes was through Jedediah Smith State Park – a quiet awe inspiring trek through giant trees. We alternated our scenery with walks on beaches. We toured a few lighthouses, including Battery Point and Bullard’s Beach. On other days we drove along Bald Hill Drive, saw a coastal radar station, hiked the Lady Bird Johnson Redwood Grove Trail, saw Tolowa Dunes and checked out Crescent City itself which has a historic harbor and Boardwalk. We also visited Rumiano’s Creamery where we took advantage of their discounted prices and stocked up on more cheese. We also bought some European-style butter that they make there which we wish we had bought a lot more of.

On May 18th we drove 127 miles to Coos Bay and checked into Alder Acres RV Park. Another nice place to stay with convenient places to explore. From this home base we did even more beach drives and beach walks. We really liked the little town of Bandon and the beaches near there. One day we drove to the Umpqua Lighthouse. Most of the lighthouses are staffed by volunteers of the Oregon State Park system. We spent a bit of time talking to them and finding out how to volunteer . At Sunset Beach we became Plover Lovers by talking to the dedicated volunteers who save the nesting plovers from Hawks, dogs and people. They were inspiring and now we are excited about future volunteer opportunities. We want to spend our first year on the road just traveling but we definitely want to look into some of these wonderful volunteer positions.

After another short drive on May 26th, we arrived at Lincoln City KOA. The big excitement here was an overnight visit from Julie, Jake and Paisley. We spent the Saturday of our Memorial Day weekend at the Oceanlake area of Linoln City – just sitting on the beach, playing with pretty Paisley and beach combing. The weather was warm and not windy – just right! We even had an ice cream social at the campground.

Today we drove to Depoe Bay, did a little gift shopping and went to the whale watching station. And to my delight we saw a whale! We have spent lots of time staring out into the ocean hoping to see at least one grey whale mother and her calf who are migrating up the coast now. First Doug saw the spout of water and he showed me where to look. She came up out of the water enough to see her back. It was a wonderful sight!

Tomorrow we drive just 50 miles to McMinnville where we are staying at Olde Stone Village RV Park. We will be there until June 23rd which will give us plenty of time to play with Paisley, visit with our family there, introduce them to our new home and see some of the points of interest around that part of the Portland area. More fun awaits us!

Posted from Lincoln City, Oregon, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Oregon

by Carolyn | May 2, 2016 · 9:10 pm

Amazing Mati Arrives!

Once upon a time there were Grandparents who were thrilled to have their one grandchild Sarah. For eleven years they thought it would be nice to have more grandchildren but having Sarah was so wonderful that they thought they were the luckiest grandparents in the world! Then after 11 years, along came Benjamin Oak – Benjo – a smiling incredible little boy with the cutest dimples! One year later Sawyer William arrived with his sweetness and charm. Paisley Jane was born about ten months later with her chubby cheeks and darling personality. Only five months after her our newest miracle came into the world – Matias Willow joined our family. Mati was born on Sunday, April 17 and he is a beautiful baby with long arms and legs, befitting his middle name of Willow. His adorable face has a perfect cleft chin and the hint of dimples too. Now these two Grandparents have five absolutely beautiful grandchildren that fill their lives with joy!

While we were waiting for Mati, we ventured out on some wonderful day trips. We went to Petaluma’s famous Butter and Egg Festival with Becky and Benjo, which had no butter and eggs for sale but was a huge street fair and parade. We all had a great time, but Benjo especially was so happy to visit the fire department, sit on a Harley, and watch his first parade. The next day Doug and I went to the same streets for the Antique Fair, which was also huge and really great. We love pretty Petaluma!

A few days later Doug and I drove the beautiful scenic road to Salt Point and then to the Armstrong Redwood Preserve. The day was perfect – sunny but cool. The stark difference between the rugged coast of Salt Point and the serenity of the giant redwood forest left us filled with awe at the wonder of our planet.

We had a few sleepover nights at Becky and Paola’s so we could spend as much time with them all. We’ll never have enough hours of playing with Benjo. His bilingual vocabulary is way ahead of most two year olds so you can never predict what funny and adorable thing he will say next. He has a very active imagination – driving his “trucks”, building with magnet tiles, cooking in his kitchen or with Paola, and telling us about all his adventures. Mati can’t do all that yet but he is so sweet and cuddly that just holding him was wonderful.

We already missed them as we drove about 100 miles up Highway 101, through rolling green hills and terraced vineyards to our next destination of Willits KOA. We’re just spending two nights at this campground. In a busier season or maybe over a weekend this place would be hopping, but there have only been a few other campers in this large campground. So today was spent quietly enjoying the warm weather here. Tomorrow we get back on 101 to head towards Eureka.

Posted from Willits, California, United States.

Leave a Comment

Filed under California

by Carolyn | April 6, 2016 · 4:38 pm

Pretty Petaluma

Every few days we get to be with Becky, Paola and Benjo and we treasure our time with them. Tomorrow is the due date for the baby and Paola reports that everything is fine but she thinks he will be making his entrance next week.

We’ve had some wonderful times with our family here. On our first Sunday, Becky, Paola and Benjo came to our campsite here at the Petaluma KOA. Benjo liked the animals in the Petting Zoo and played on the climbing structures in the playground. There are lots and lots of children in this place and he fit right in. But the best thing in the world for our little 2 year old was the driver’s seat of the RV. His little legs stuck straight out on the seat but he wasn”t intimidated by the size of the rig he was trying to steer and loved all the buttons and gauges. It was hard to get him out of that seat. Then last week we all went to the Discovery Museum which is located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge.

There was so much to see there and Benjo just had a ball. Everything was toddler appropriate and he ran from one activity to the next. We
were all tired out by the end of the day. On Thursday, Doug and I took the ferry over the bay to spend the day in San Francisco. We checked out all the food and stuff in the Ferry Building and loved the Farmers Market just outside of it. We met Paola and Benjo at their Bart Station and walked to Becky’s office. The walk took about an hour because we had to stop to watch construction sites. Benjo loves the giant cranes, the loud trucks and all the guys in their hard hats. It was great to see Becky’s office and meet her co-workers. Benjo was adorable and strutted around like he belonged there. We walked over to a park and bought sandwiches for lunch. Becky had to go back to work so we walked Paola and Benjo to the Bart Station. I think he must have conked out on the train after a long morning of walking. I can’t imagine how Paola holds up so well – all the walking, picking up and chasing Benjo – and being 9 months pregnant – she’s amazing. Doug and I finished the day with a long walk through Chinatown and then took the ferry back to our car. It was the perfect day except for the traffic – it seems like rush hour lasts all day long here.

In between their visits we are exploring this part of California. Before we got here, we visited Pinnacles State Park. We hiked a little but the trail was a little too hard for me to get to the cave. Even without getting into the cave, we had a beautiful day, wandering on easy trails and searching the sky for condors. We saw turkey vultures but not the California Condor. Pinnacles is the first national park we’ve visited while living in the RV. Spending the day that way reminded us of why we wanted this lifestyle – to see and appreciate the truly wonderful sights all around the country

We are now exploring sights near our campsite. Doing this kind of sightseeing is why we pull our CRV behind the motor home. It makes it really easy to get out and enjoy the little towns and quaint areas. Since we will be in this area until May 1st, we expect to really get to know this part of California.

Petaluma is a vibrant little town with an interesting historic downtown. We did the self guided walking tour one morning, ate our picnic lunch in a pretty park, had a snack at Zazzle’s and then went to Shollenberger Park. This is a wetland preserve right in the middle of a business park but it only takes a short walk to make the buildings disappear. You find yourself in a serene marshland with only the birds and waterfowl for company.

On Tuesday morning we checked out the local farmer’s market and sampled and bought some yummy delicacies. I also went to the Premium Outlet Shops and had a nice time browsing for stuff. I also shopped at the local Lucky’s food store and found it to be well stocked with good prices and very friendly staff.

Today we went to Point Reyes Station, a town of 350 people, little shops, lots of public spaces and Cowgirl Creamery. We grabbed some sandwiches to go and drove the breathtakingly lovely road to the coast. Doug and I often discuss the difference between “bucolic” and “pastoral”. It’s a conversation we have been having for years as we drive through the beautiful countryside. Today’s views were so perfect that I think they were both bucolic and pastoral. I think a bucolic scene needs an old farmhouse with a rundown but picturesque barn. A pastoral scene seems to need sheep, cows or goats. The green rolling hills on the road to the coast included all of the above with a generous helping of wild flowers just to make your heart sigh. (We welcome your comments about “bucolic” and “pastoral. You can be part of our conversation as we travel.)

On the way back we made another stop at Cowgirl Creamery and brought home one of their cheeses – Red Hawk- it’s as soft goat cheese packed with flavor We will be treating ourselves to this cheese tonight. We like that it was made right in the room behind the store. You can’t get more local than that!

Tomorrow, unless baby decides to arrive, we are taking Benjo and Paola to Fairyland. It’s on the lake in Oakland and is what was supposed to have inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland. We are looking forward to seeing Benjo’s face and watch his imagination take off with the wonder if it all.Doug’s doing all the driving right now and will most likely continue to be the primary driver. We are both taking a driving course this weekend but even though I will go through the whole course and get some on the road experience, I don’t foresee me spending a lot of time in the driver’s seat. So I am settling in and getting used to my side of the RV.

The best part of the passenger side is the gigantic window right in front of me, as well as an unobstructed large window to my right. The view is incredible! I often feel bad that Doug has to concentrate on the road, keep steady in spite of the huge trucks roaring by, fight the high winds, and scan the multiple gauges and screens in his cockpit.

Today I marveled at the rolling hills near Pacheo Pass. Yesterday the hills were splotched with California poppies and small yellow and purple flowers. I took some photos as we were passing by, but you can’t really tell how breathtaking the landscape is, especially around the area east of Lebec. We’ve driven a few times on this stretch of I-5 and now we’ve seen the subtle changes the seasons make. Most of this part of the state is farm and orchard land so we try to identify the crops and trees. The weather has been wonderful – cool at night but mostly bright and sunny and warm during the day. The sun on the landscape under the bright blue of the sky makes every glance a postcard view.

So when I can take my eyes off the giant picture screen in front of me, I am also the lead navigator. I say lead because I have a team of two others – the GPS unit in the coach and Google Maps on Doug’s phone. We use both since Google Maps updates us on realtime traffic conditions while the coach one is programmed with the coach’s weight, length, and width and makes sure we don’t take roads that would be a problem for us (like low bridges). I try to beat the other two by stating the upcoming turns before they do. Sometimes we do not all agree and since I am the lead (and also since Doug and I have already gone over the route before we take off) it’s my way on the highway! In addition to the GPS units, I also use a road atlas because I want to see the whole route not just small snippets.

When the route is a straight shot and I need something to keep me busy, I turn to whatever latest crochet project I’m working on. This week it’s a thread crochet sacque (jacket) for the new baby.

One thing that has been a little annoying is that I can’t reach the radio controls from my seat. Doug’s too busy to play with the controls, so I’ve resorted to Pandora on my phone. The volume isn’t loud enough for Doug to hear it well, so I sing along. This is meant to help entertain Doug as he moves on down the highway but anyone who has ever had the misfortune to hear me sing knows that I never hit the right note and rarely know the words, but that doesn’t stop me. For obvious reasons I have to limit this activity.

My seat is super comfy with many adjustments that make it even better. But sometimes it’s too comfortable and with no radio, the hum of the road and the soothing motion of motorhome, I often doze off. That’s a tribute to how much confidence I have in Doug’s driving. Poor Doug. I get to play, sleep, sing, and have fun! So that’s what goes on my side of the coach. Of course, Doug and I keep up a conversation that encompasses all of the above, with many anecdotes about our adorable grandchildren.

If you are trying to track our movements over the last week we have been making lots of small trips. We left Tucson on Saturday, March 12th drove to Quartzsite, AZ and spent one night at Blackrock RV Park. We spent three nights at the Californian RV Resort in the beautiful Antelope Valley. Then a one night stay at Lost Hills RV Park – the closest big city was Bakersfield but the tiny city of Lost Hills consisted mostly of a few truck stops. Tonight and for five more nights we are in Casa De Fruta RV Park in lovely Hollister. Casa de Fruta is a large complex of touristy stores and restaurants. We checked out the rather overpriced fruit stand/store and brought back some treats. These short trips give Doug a break from long hours in the driver’s seat while he’s still getting used to driving this giant rig. And we have a little time to explore and see some sights. We’re finding that closing up the motorhome to get on the road and then opening it up again takes just a little time and effort. We’ve managed well so far and travel days are becoming routine.

Tomorrow we will be visiting our first national park since we started traveling in the RV – Pinnacles National Park. We’ll fill you in on that adventure later.

Posted from Petaluma, California, United States.

1 Comment

Filed under California

Wistful Wanderers

Peak Experiences

Good-Bye Rocky Mountains; Hello Flat Grassy Plains

Glacier National Park

Going to the “Going To The Sun Road”

Coeur d’Alene and Big Sky Country

On the Road (Again)

Our Stay at Olde Stone Village

Highway 101

Amazing Mati Arrives!

Pretty Petaluma

Where are we now?

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Meta