Happy New Year, 2012

Wishing all our friends, family, and visitors to this blog a very happy new year. May 2012 be a great year for you.

As we look back on 2011 we realize how much we have done, how much we have seen, and how many miles we traveled. It was an ambitious agenda, to say the least.

One year ago, on Jan 1, 2011, we were at Glamis North KOA, near Niland, California, working on the campground, Pat in the office and restaurant and David building and fixing stuff on the facilities. Exactly one year later, Jan 1, 2012, we find ourselves in the exact same place, albeit in a new home, doing pretty much the same things. Ah, but what happened in between will take a lot of pictures and writing to explain.

January, February, March, April, and May have been fairly well covered in previous blog entries. It's June, July, August, September, and October that have been only marginally explained. Without a long explanation, let's just say that we had a lot of computer "issues" while traveling, and the speed of our travel and the way too busy schedule we kept just didn't make blogging all that convenient. Hope this catches things up for you.

June 2, 2011 - we left Glamis North KOA and headed out for the summer. This KOA closes for the summer and (almost) noone stays here as it gets way too hot. Our first stop was the General Patton Museum, just a few miles east of Palms Springs CA and at the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park, which we also toured.

From Joshua Tree NP, we moved on to sites along old Route 66 which took us to Williams AZ for an Escapees Head Out Program to tour the Grand Canyon and the Williams area. After the Grand Canyon, we headed for Phoenix where Dave, Molly and Annie waited while Pat went to Minnesota for grandson Gregory's graduation.

Dave, Pat, Molly and Annie at the start of Route 66 (in Arizona). June '11

Old Route 66 is mountainous, windy, with steep canyons flanking the narrow roadway. We really needed our smaller, 21', trailer for this road. Could never have done it with a 36'. June '11

Downtown Oatman AZ. Oatman pretty much consists of whatever is on both sides of the highway, and at that only for a few blocks. Can't get lost in this town. June '11

Wild burros sighted along historic Route 66. June '11

Williams AZ, gateway city to the Grand Canyon, south rim. June '11

One view of the Grand Canyon. June '11

Indian hoop dancer performing at the Hopi House, south rim Grand Canyon. June '11

Ancient cliff dwelling near Sedona, south of Williams. June '11

This is in Bodie ghost town, a CA state park. Doesn't belong in this sequence, but I can't find a way to delete it. Live with it. June '11

Some bighorn sheep we saw along historic Route 66. June '11

Oak Canyon, between Williams AZ and Sedona AZ. June '11

Pat flirting with one of the cowboy/gunmen at the Grand Canyon Railroad Station in Williams AZ. June '11

The Tree Project

There was a dead pine tree at the entrance to Chicago NW KOA that looked pretty ugly. Tried to get the owner to cut it down while we were working there summer 2010, but no go. Wasn't ready to cut it. This summer, 2011, I offered to sculpt the stump if the owner would cut the tree. Agreed, and I had a month-long carving project. Results are posted here.

De-barking and prepping the stump

Forming in some detail, after the chainsaw work.

Continuing with the detail work.

Nearing completion. The smaller "branch" has been carved into a squirrel with an acorn-in-a-cage feature.

Completed project. Finish is two coats of boiled linseed oil. Every camper coming to Chicago NW KOA is greeted by this welcome sign.

Back in California for the winter

We're back in California for the winter a the same old KOA, Glamis North KOA near Niland. Looks like the summer here was really HOT. So glad we weren't here. Back to work doing all the usual campground chores; Pat in the office and Dave out fixing things. October 22 the mid-day temp was 110 degrees, so that doesn't mean that fall/winter on the calendar translates to the type of weather we're more accustomed to "up north". But then, that's why we spend our winters here.

In a few days we'll be receiving delivery of our new Cedar Creek fifth wheel. Hadn't planned to replace our Wilderness Advantage just yet, but we went to the Dallas RV show and fell in love with the Cedar Creek. And if you've ever shopped, you would know that you get the best deals during the shows.

This is Mike Hartley, of Funtown RV, in Cleburne TX. Mike showed us how we could afford to buy a new house now in stead of waiting two years. Thanks Mike, now we have something we haven't had for several years - a house payment.

Here's Pat lounging in our new home in front of the 42" flat screen TV.

Yet MORE of our summer vacation

A few words, a few more photos - with any good luck we'll have the entire vacation posted before the summer is completely over. Yea, I know it's already autumn, but we're still on vacation. This post includes some of what we saw at the Grand Canyon and Sedona AZ.

One of the old-time steam engines used to haul the GC tourist train from Williams AZ to the Grand Canyon and back.

Hoop dance at the Hopi House on south rim of Grand Canyon.

This is us, but you knew that, at canyon edge of Oak Valley Canyon, south of Grand Canyon, north of Sedona AZ.

This magnificent home is merely a week-end cottage for Dr. Lasik, of the eye surgery fame.

Our Grand Canyon tour was part of an Escapee Head Out Program centered in Williams AZ. They fed us well.

Some of the entertainment in the passenger cars on Grand Canyon train.

Part of the flavor of the train ride is a "hold up" while enroute.

This is from the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It's truly beautiful.

Come back soon for another chapter of our summer vacation.



More of our Summer Vacation

More from time in California, June 2011.

Dave and Pat at the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco.

Grandson, Noah; Daughter, Lyn; Grandson, Hayden; Son in law, Joe, just after breakfast at Marvin's in Novato.

Following a Marine Humvee up the Sonora Pass, east of Yosemite. If you look closely, and/or enlarge the photo, you should see a Marine pointing his rifle at us.

Pat's a sucker for dinosaurs, even if they are fiberglass. Just a tourist trap in CA.

During the first week of our vacation, Pat flew to Saint Paul for Grandson Gregory's graduation. On left, Grandson, Dominic, and Daughter, Lori. Dave and the dogs spent the week in an RV park near Phoenix until Pat got back.

Pat in the back seat of Lyn's car on the way to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Lyn and Joe's house and backyard in Novato.

Some of the scenery in Marin County, just a few minutes drive (westward) from Novato, which is just a few miles north of San Francisco. Had no idea that such rural beauty existed so close to a metro area with way too many people, too many cars, etc. We could live there.

Next time, I'll try to get our time in Arizona covered.

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation (at least part of it)

Sincere apologies to our followers for the lack of updates. It's been a busy summer, and we have not been without our computer/compatability issues. Finally got some "down" time to catch up on a few things. This post comes to you from Holiday Park on Lake Benbrook near Benbrook, Texas. It's a place we come to, usually, two times a year - at least we have for the past three years.

Except for the seven weeks we worked at Chicago NW KOA, we've been on the road since June 1 and as previously posted, have experienced scenic overload across 11 (count 'em) states. Won't try to cover all the states and/or all the scenes in this one post, but will get you caught up to date within the next few posts that will be made in the next two weeks. Will try to make it worth your while to check back often for the next episode. Today we'll try to cover California.

We try to keep Annie, and Molly, in the back seat, but they love to help drive.

A view of the wind action at the top of Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite.

First National Park to visit this summer - Joshua Tree NP, just a few miles east of Palm Springs. Also the site of the General Patton Museum, a place we will visit again.

As you can see, Joshua Tree NP is rather desolate, but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting.

The sequoia trees in Yosemite are, well, rather huge.

Grandson Noah Everly, #15, Lyn's youngest, with his bb team in Novato CA.

How our little rig compares to a normal semi. Really like the way it tows, and the fuel mileage is great, but we miss the space and comfort of our big rig, which is still waiting for us in CA.

Sea Lions along the California Pacific coast.

View of the Sierra Mtns near Yosemite (east side).

Sonora Pass on east side of Yosemite. The grade is 26% in some parts. Really steep climb. Our big rig would not have been allowed on this road.

On the bridge at Yosemite Lake with falls in background.

View taken from the tunnel entrance on west side of Yosemite.

Yosemite Falls and lake.

Will try to get Arizona and the rest of California posted real soon. Should be worth your time to come back for another look in a day or two.

Finally, back online

It's been about a month since I've been able to get the computer (new) linked up with photos and internet access. Being on the road nearly every day hasn't helped a bit. Since leaving Glamis North KOA on June 1, we've traveled over 5000 miles, covered  7 states, and lost track of all time and dates (almost). This entry comes from Saint Paul, Minnesota (actually, small town of 700 people called Landfall on Tanner's Lake, a place we come to almost every year).

Dave with Annie and Mollie in front of "The Big Tree", still in California

Pat walking among the Big Trees

Dave at Bodie (ghost town)

Dave and Pat on the steps of the church in Bodie CA

One of the many old vehicles abandoned at Bodie

Bodie is in the mountains just NE of Yosemite National Park. One road in, one road out, and it's not much of a road. Last three miles is unpaved, and rough.

This was the gas station in Bodie. Time stopped here in the very early 1900's.

The road to Bodie can be seen behind the sign

The houses, mostly, still have furniture and dishes on the tables, just as the people left things when they abandoned the town. Bodie is now "maintained" in its state of decomposition as a CA State Park. No improvements are made. Interesting place to visit.