We are still slumming it in Palm Springs, Ca. Oh, the misery! Since the last posting, we've enjoyed some real nice experiences. The main one was our visit to brother Vince & family for a Turkey Day celebration. They're in the San Fernando valley, specifically, Van Nuys. Sister Donna flew out as well, making it a joyous occasion. While in the LA area, we were hosted by good friend Sue Montague & the DiCola's as well. ( we thought we'd spread out the pleasure of putting us up! ) Another neat deal was attending tv tapings of the Leno show, plus an episode of Bonnie Hunt.

John Travolta was a guest on Leno, and Bonnie had the 2 harlem Globetrotters that'd been on the Amazing Race. ( Bonnie wanted me to come on down, but I didn't want to spoil the thunder of the other guests ) We also got to see the building used as the Tara plantation in the classic "Gone With The Wind" movie. It's now an office building on the Culver Studios lot. Really enjoyed all that. In addition, we went to Gladstone's, a great eatery on the beach at the end of Sunset Blvd. We had the opportunity to get together with a couple we'd met in Nevada ( Joannie & I had whooped their butts in shuffleboard, but they tolerate us anyway...) They're planning to visit us here in the deset for a few days this week, so that'll be nice too. By the way, the wind turbines pictured here are only a few of the approx. thousand or so in the area. They generate much energy, but are quite an imposing visual presence. We're really looking forward to our buds the Snyders coming out in Jan. for a week on the beach at Carlsbad, close to San Diego. After that, we'll start heading east, taking our time and trying to stay in the sunny warmth of the southwest and following it eastward. Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas will be on the itinerary, with much to see in those areas. We're hoping that a good tailwind will help out with the fuel mileage along the route. Anyway, will try to update soon. Merry Christmas to everyone and the best of New Years!!

back to the shaky side

It seems a problem to get text & pics coordinated, so here goes another attempt.....The sunset pic is the one that didn't make it onto the last post, taken at the great resort in Pahrump, NV. The 2nd I will soon explain.
Our Las Vegas segment was a good one. We got together with Lancaster buddy Dave Conner, who flew into town during our time there. It was great catching up on Pa. stuff, as well as having a touch of home. We experienced all the glitz & glitter of Sin City, even coming away with the enormous sum of $23 taken from a nickel slot machine. It seems we didn't profit from things overall as we spent 3 times that amount on a trailer repair. Message received, God..... We did see some cool shows, one a variety type, and one hypnosis show. It was pretty funny, but now I cluck like a chicken whenever a siren goe off!
We headed south from there, stopping at a NV/CAL border casino parking lot for the nite. While there, we spotted a poster announcing a Bonnie & Clyde exhibit, hence the 2nd picture here. It was the "death" car, in which the bank-robbing/murdering duo was surprised by the law and after ignoring the order to halt, were blasted into the next world. There were 167 bullet holes in the car itself, many of which pierced their bodies. That pretty much stopped their crime spree. There were also some add'l photos and memorabilia on display that really enhanced the display On the way back east, we aim ( no pun intended ) to find the Loiusiana road where the actual ambush took place. The subject always fascinated me, and Joan also finds the story interesting.
We then headed for Palm Springs, where we stayed at an excellent RV resort as guests whom they hoped would buy a lot from them. But, we've finally figured out how to say no, after a few timeshare presentations that cost us dearly. Anyway, we're now staying with good friends here in the desert whom we met during the short time we lived here back in '78/79. We'll soon go into LA for a Thanksgiving visit with my brother Vince and his family. Sister Donna will be flying in as well, so we're really looking forward to that get-together.
We're soaking up as much sunshine as we can handle, and don't yet miss any of the east coast weather, especially the oncoming winter stuff. We'll update soon !

nevada to cal.

nevada continues

We've been bouncing between Ca. & NV since our last post. One omission from our last was a tour of the Jelly Belly candy factory near Sacromento. Neither of us knew all that goes into that magical little jellybean. It was very interesting, and we had many samples along the way.
On the way south from Tahoe, the landscape changed much with the lower elevations. The mountains got smaller and balder. Still beautiful, but in a different way.
We went from Carson City ( named for Kit C. ), and headed for Yosemite NP. Sadly, it closed because of an early snow. Those that know me even a bit know my aversion to the white stuff and the accompanying cold temps. So we didn't hang around long. We'll do there & Sequoia on trip B in the future.
On the way again, we promptly got a flat on the van, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere. But, after a short delay, our roadside assistance co. came and changed it out. We got it repaired & remounted in a little mining town called Tonopah. It was still cold & windy there, but we spent my b-day evening in a neat casino from which we left $13.75 richer. But we enjoyed Mn. nite football, some good eats, and warmth! So, all was well with the world again. Therein proves that it doesn't take much to make us happy now...
We got to visit Death Valley and it was amazing. That land , tho mostly desolate, has its own unique asthetic scenes. And again, we both tried to envision trekking thru in a covered wagon for days & days & days. It's a very humbling thought and give us great respect for those
hearty pioneers. And what a change from the forested mountains we'd just left. Wow.....

We're now in the best ever camping resort we've experienced yet. It's in the town of Pahrump, maybe an hour out of Veagas. Amenities are xllent, the people are all nice, and the weather has been near perfect. The photo here is a small example of some of the beauty around us.
This morning, we had a bingo experience that humbled me. I mean, there were 80 yr. old ladies nearby that were keeping up better than I was. The #'s were flying, mentally draining my previously fractured, concussion pounded brain. I guess it was the Big Guy's way of tellin' me to stay away from gambling. Message received ( for now, anyway )
We'll be heading for a weeklong Vegas timeshare stop around the end of the month, so the next message we post should include our Sin City sojurn. We're hoping to hookup with our friend Dave Connor there, so that should be fun. Later !

california dreamin'

This post will be on the brief side. We'll try to make it up soon....... Upon entering Cal., we were carefully checked for gypsy moths, then cleared to proceed. The first visit was to Redwoods Park. Those trees are something else indeed, beautiful and stately. From there, we toured the wine country in Sonoma Valley. The scenery was great, with vineyards everywhere, even on the hillsides. The winery mansions and gardens appealed to all our senses. Of course, the wine itself helped accent those senses.
From there, we proceeded up the mountains towards Tahoe, with a stop at Donner Pass. The land is rugged and primitive, and helped envision the tribulations of that group in trying to get over the range. Very moving...( there was a point that Joannie looked at me with hunger in her eyes which made me move away a bit )
Tahoe is magnificent, though suffered an unusual cold snap upon our arrival. Go figure....
When we got to the condo, we had to park the rig across the road for a time, and on one of my trips over, I encountered 2 rather large bears up front & personal. They were going thru some nearby dumpsters, and I managed to avoid being their buffet. Will expand on that saga at a later date.
We found a great sitter for Conrad at a nearby wildlife shelter. Her name is Connie Stevens, and even tho she had a resemblance, it was not THE C.S.
We had a problem with one of the brakes on the trailer that has since been repaired, so we're thankful for heathy binders for the trip down the mountain & beyond . We leave tomorrow for Yosemite, so we'll check in soon. Take care ya'll !

camping with critters

We're now on the Oregon coast, at a great campground west of Salem. Ya'll can see that the place is silly with rabbits. I feel like the original bunny meister. ( or St. Francis?......) Conrad doesn't seem to be bothered by their presence, or they by his. Nature at it's best !

We visited Portland on the way here, and were very impressed. It's a truly green city, with many parks, and everybody rides a bike, it seems. Washington Park is huge, with a great rose garden that Joannie loved.

During that visit, we stayed at an rv park situated in the Columbia river gorge. The scenery was magnificent, with many waterfalls gracing the area. We had a great view of Mt. Hood and the surrounding Cascades. Each mile covered surpasses the last, it seems.

Our next move will be to a state park on the southern OR coast, then into California. We'll post from there ( Good Lord willing... )

the great northwest

Washington state has welcomed us with cool temps ( now coming around nicely ) and warm people. We went to a shindig called "Pig in the Park" in Spokane, held in a riverfront park and full of craft & food vendors, also live music. It was a fun day. Upon leaving that area, we again encountered those fierce westerly winds that make you feel like a trout trying to swim up-stream. And all that while climbing steadily, but a beautiful drive. We did get a flat trailer tire and also had our gas bottle cover somewhat disintegrate along the way. I'm gonna try to piece it back together til we can locate a replacement. (thanks to duct tape & screws maybe) We keep saying "It's all part of the adventure" and have soldiered on.

We stayed at a great park in the mountains east of Seattle for a few days, then headed for Everett. An old friend, Bev Trauger & her husband Dave, welcomed us to the area and we had a great stay & visit. Dave is retired from Boeing, while Bev 's still with them. We toured the grounds on one day, and the actual factory on the following. Man, do they take care of their people! Every amenity imagined, and a few more you couldn't. If I thought they'd take an old codger like me, my app. would be in like lightning. Anyway, the factory was absolutely amaz-ing. They've built a new tour center & gallery, with great displays like engines and other related components. And the tour itself was phenominal, seeing those big planes being built. The latest, the 787, is really neat and quite the bargain! (172 M as opposed to the 747 @303M) I almost took out the ole' VISA card. Can you picture ToJo Airlines? (and those of you who know me might imagine the quality & attire of the stews....) However, Joannie brought me back to reality in a hurry.

We're now camped near a town called Elma, and rode out to the coast yesterday. Between the mountains & the coast, beauty is all around us. More to come later.....

the beat goes on...

We're now in northern Idaho, having spent the last few weeks in Montana, with side trips into Wyoming. During this time, we got to tour Yellowstone NP, camp & tour in the Grand Tetons and many other sites. Cody, WY was a neat old cowboy town and chow was great. We darn near got boots, a hat, & spurs, but quickly came to our senses. ( It's called NO JOB ! )
We've seen some absolutely breathtaking scenery and a huge assortment of wildlife. Joan was ecstatic when she COULD have reached out and touched a buffalo ( she wisely decided not to ) and there've been elk, antelope, wolf, and some bear. At one camp, they posted a grizzly warning and am happy to report we avoided being a bear buffet.
We've had some fantastic drives, among them a route called the Beartooth Pass, with elevations surpassing 10,000 ft. We actually felt like we were on top of the world. Another road was called the Chief Joseph Highway, taken by the Nez Perz tribe in attemting to escape federal troops that were chasing them. We were in awe of what we were passing thru. Words cannot properly describe the beauty of this land.
One of our most memorable experiences was visiting Little Big Horn battlefield ( Custer's downfall ). To be present at such an historial place was quite moving. We were lucky to get there at a great time with fewer visitors around. Very cool....
Am happy to report that vehicles are behaving, Conrad's trooping along nicely, and we're eating quite well on &5.75/day ! Well, maybe just a bit more. Anyhoo, Joannie has not yet left me, and we're kinda likin' this life on the road thing. Who knows what the future holds?
Our next step will carry us into Washington state. More on that later. Will post again soon !

omissions & more

A few oversights from last post......While in the Catskills, we visited the site of U.S Grant's cottage where he wrote his memoirs shortly before his passing. Very moving for an old Civil War fan like me. Previous to that stop was Bennington Vt., home of Hemmings Motor News (fun place) and their Moose Festival. There must've been 35 life-size moose figures painted in various schemes for the annual competition. Cool!! It was a neat town overall and not too busy.
After the previously mentioned NY, Ohio, and Springfield IL experiences, we got to visit an old DiCola family friend near Chicago ( Ken Thomas ). He's frail in condition with a failing memory, but it was a great visit that we're so glad we made. Many happy past memories were enjoyed.
We're presently in N.Dakota, about 90 miles NE of Fargo, visiting our prairie friends Barry & Janel Getz. Barry's from Lancaster, and Janel's family has been long-settled in this area. They're of Norwegian descent, very musically oriented, and warm & friendly in nature. It's been a great time in this remote but peaceful area. What a pleasant change from urban hubub. ( Nasty winters, tho. Brrrrrr.)
Tomorrow, we'll head west with the 1st stop being T.Roosevelt State Park in western N.D. for a few days, then on down to S.Dakota for the Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands stuff plus whatever other sites we amble across. Part of the fun of this trek is the unknown & the unplanned!
Weather has really come around nicely, and we now hope to beat any snow & cold to the Rockies and Tetons! Y'all know us and cold weather blues.
Conrad's travelling well and both Joan & Tom are adjusting nicely. This is what we hoped for, and we feel exceptionally lucky and blessed to have this opportunity. God has been good to us..
Stay tuned and we'll try to keep u updated........

Continuing........ Just previous to NH, we visited Maine. Neat state, the highlight probably being the Bar Harbor area. Quintessential New England for sure. We ate well and saw the sites. The weather, tho, had been more like fall than summer with more than normal rain. It affected, but certainly not ruined, the whole NE experience. Well woth it !

We then headed south thru the NY mountains, a great drive in itself. We went into Corning for a pleasant day into what turned out to be a very quaint town with a rejuvenated center. It was after that when we managed to hook up with our friends Mel & Robin Rhoades who have a mountain house close to Wellsboro. It worked out neat with their schedule and our close proximity. Other than having no power at the house on arrival, it was a pleasant visit.

After that, our buddies the Snyders came up to join us for 3 days in Allegany State Park. We really appreciated the time together and the park was fantastic. ( the beer was good too).

Our next visit was to Cleveland in hopes of getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but the lines were horrendous and there was no place to park the rig. Bummer ! But the town was nice and we saw some other nice stuff. After that we headed down thru Ohio into Indiana where we got to tour the Indianapolis Speedway, which was an amazing facility. The next highlight was Springfield Ill, where we had a great time touring the area and experiencing all the Lincoln related historic sites. It was so moving, and Springfield is such a neat, clean, and very friendly town. The only thing we didn't get done there was have a "horseshoe", a local delicacy that is a sandwhich made up of your choice of meat, french fries w/cheese on, and a spicy sauce. We strongly considered one, but then thought about our arteries and passed it up.

Which brings us to Wisconsin. We went to the "Dells", which are similar to Watkins Glen's beautiful gorges with water falls and scenic views

Rambling Forward

We're now in Wisconsin and much has happened since last post. Delay is due to less access to WIFI. Guess we'll have to get our fix at Starbucks more often!

We had a great visit with Tom's cousin Jeff up in Colebrook NH, up close to the Canadian border. This area is truly God's country. The mountain vistas are fantastic and the folks are all friendly, even to us "flatlanders".

Early stages

Arrived Providence on the 7th. Neat town, but much rain, cool temps, no nearby campgrounds, so hello Walmart ! Somehow lost a trailer wheel trim ring and found a small leak in fresh water tank. No big deal on either. Hope they're the biggest problems we'll have.
Set up camp at Wompatuck State park, south of Boston. Beautiful facility and a great location to base out of. Went into Quincy and visited many historic sites, including the homes of John & John Q. Adams. Quaint N.E. town, but had some tense moments exiting. Tom severely questioned Joannie's navigational skills while attempting to negotiate the high traffic & crazy drivers. Seems we must brush up on gps use and pre-trip planning. We had a chuckle later ( hours later....) about the experience and Joan decided not to fly back to Pa. as she'd previously threstened.
Next day ferried over to a downtown wharf in Boston. The tall ships were docked and we had perfect weather. We walked all over Beantown, and Tom got to re-visit many of the familiar places from his time spent living and going to school there. The rooming house, the school itself, ( located in the North End, with all the related sites and smells of the Italian neighborhood ), Beacon Hill, and the Public Garden & Commons all brought back many fond memories. We even had a cold one at the "Cheers" bar on Beacon St. What a day !
Heading next to Maine, and will post again soon !

Shoving off

Well, we finally got off safely, if not calmly. Things were hectic, so many loose ends to clean up ( and not all got done.... ) Much gratitude to our friends Larry & Barb Snyder for all their assistance and generousity in prepping and sharing their home.
We hit much traffic thru the Poconos, then heavy rains in N.Y. & Conn. We pulled into Tom's cousin Teri's early Fri. eve., in West Hartford. Towing went well tho, with still having the Outback attached when we arrived. Things looking up !!
Having a great visit and re-connection with cousin Teri, who is the most gracious of hosts. She lives in a beautiful area, a gated community with lots of wooded sections surrounding the condos.
We set out for Providence, R.I. tomorrow am, then on to the Boston area by Thurs. am. We'll camp at Wompatuck state park for 4 nites before heading to Maine.
Hopefully will soon figure how to get some pics onto this blog. Stay tuned.......

our adventure

This is our very first blog experience. We'll use it primarily to log & record details about our RV trip around this beautiful country of ours. Hopefully, those we leave behind ( and those whose driveway we may temporarily invade along the way ) can share in our goings-on.

We'll try not to bore or boast, just share. More to come............