HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Nov 10th. Collins & I decided to change our travel plans a bit. We were planning to go further north & stay on Whidbey Island the rest of the month. We planned to store the RV not too far from there at an RV dealership who also had storage space. However, we were able to get a storage spot on a nearby air force base so we’ve decided to stay put until we leave for IL. Since we couldn’t get covered or inside storage we’re going to buy a cover for the RV, & hopefully, all will be fine.

We did take another trip to Seattle & went to the King Tut exhibit. I thought it was really interesting. Collins said he was a little disappointed. He thought they would have more of the gold items found in the tombs. They showed pictures of what the site looked like before they removed anything. It looked like a huge storage shed with stuff just piled inside. At that time, people thought they would need things for their afterlife so they put it all in their tombs.

Collins at the museum

We weren’t allowed to take any pics so nothing to show from King Tut. 

There was another part of the museum that had a butterfly conservatory, so we did go thru that while we were there.  It's amazing how many different colors & sizes of butterflies there are.

We spent the last week getting the RV ready for storage & packing for IL & Panama.Trying to pack for 2 different climates is a real pain. Luckily, we had left a trunk of misc things we usually take on our winter journey in our storage unit in IL. I had also left a few winter clothes at my brother’s house, so it was a little easier. I think I may leave a few more things there when we leave in April.

Nov. 24th we took the RV to the storage lot & got it all covered. I forgot to take a picture before we left. We spent one last night in the Tacoma area & set off toward IL on Sunday the 25th. We planned to take our time & hoped for good weather. Since it had rained most of our time in Washington, we were worried about the trip thru some of the mountain passes, which had already had snow. Luckily for us, Sunday started out dry & we had sunny weather the whole way to IL. 

It took us 4 days to make the 2100 mile trip. We don’t like to drive at night, so we’d usually stop just after dark. Some of the areas already had snow, and the road would start to ice at night, so we decided it wasn’t worth risking an accident to travel a few more miles. Some of the areas were just beautiful with the snow covered mountains. 

We took turns driving & enjoyed the scenery along the way. We arrived at my brother, Rob’s house, late Wed evening. It was good to be back. Snuggles was a good little traveler & spent most of her time in the passenger’s lap. Once in awhile, she would climb on a pillow, set on top of the luggage in the back. I think she was glad to finish the trip also.

Dec1st our 10 yr old granddaughter Katie was in a cheerleading competition. We were able to see her team perform. They did a great job & came in 4th out of 13 teams. 

This was Katie’s first year cheering & I thought she did a great job. She really enjoyed it & plans to do it again next year. 

Pam, Katie, Aaron & Ryan

Becca & Tyler

We also had a chance to watch our 14 yr old granddaughter, Becca, play basketball. I forgot my camera. She’s a freshman this year playing on the Varsity team. Becca is also 5’10 & towers over both of us. 

Another day, we watched 11yr old grandson, Tyler, play basketball. He did a great job & made a few baskets. 










17 year old Danny just got a job & isn’t playing any sports right now. He & his 12 year old cousin, Ryan, both have a love of baseball. They will start practicing soon. Since we were home for a month, we had time to spend with all of the kids & grandkids. Unfortunately, they & teacher Paula didn’t get out of school for break until Dec 21st, so we didn’t get as much time together as I would have liked. However, we did get in some shopping trips, meals & other family time with all of them. Collins & Doug even had time for a few games of chess. 

Becca, Katie & Tyler

I also had my now annual Gingerbread Decorating Day with Becca, Katie, Ryan & Tyler. 

Ryan & Tyler

I was pleasantly surprised the two boys were still interested. They all had a good time & got very creative with their projects.

The girls' finished train

And their house

Tyler & Ryan's finished village
 

We spent Christmas Eve with my brother Rob, his wife Lisa & their family. It has been a tradition with us for quite a few years. They prepared a delicious meal & we all enjoyed our time together. 

Lisa, Courtney, Vicki & Megan

Rob got a new softball glove

Christmas Day started fairly quiet at Rob’s house, since his girls are now in their 20’s. We had a nice breakfast & were able to relax a little before heading to Paula’s for our family gathering. 

Tyler, Katie, Becca, Ryan, Danny

Danny & his dad, Dave

Ryan & Tyler

Pam, Katie, Aaron, Ryan

Pam & Katie

Becca, Collins & Katie

Becca & Katie



Kerry & Doug

Collins & Doug

Dave, Tyler, Paula, Danny & Becca

Pam, Paula & Karen

Becca & Paula

It gets a little chaotic with 13 people, including 5 kids. We all brought food for the dinner, so it made things a little easier for everyone. Before we knew it, the DAY had come & was almost gone. I think everyone had a good time. By that time, we had 6 days left before leaving for Panama.

Dave & Paula

Luckily, we had a chance to spend one last time with the kids before leaving.  We went out for dinner with Paula & Dave & Pam & Aaron.











Pam & Aaron



After we had dinner, we went back to Paula's to celebrate Dave & Collins Birthdays. It was soon time to say goodbye to all of them & the grandkids.

The next day, we were able to meet up with Doug, Kerry & her daughter, Emily for lunch. We had an enjoyable meal & it was time to say goodbye to them. (I forgot my camera)

Snuggles doesn't want to be left behind

Snuggles & Collins take a nap at the airport

Dec 31st arrived bright & early for us. We had an 8 Am flight for Panama. My neice, Vicki, was nice enough to give us a ride to the airport.

GOOD BYE OREGON - HELLO WASHINGTON

Sept 30th  we set our sights for the Columbia River Gorge area.  It was about a 3 hour drive from Prineville.  We couldn’t help but comment over & over how unusual the landscape has been as we’ve traveled thru the Cascade areas, which were formed by volcanoes.  The roadside could look so stark, yet fascinating.  The volcanic rock & ash forms strange mountains & hills.  Many of them have few or no trees, some are gracefully rounded & others so flat it looks as tho someone cut off the tops.   Collins saw a bobcat as we drove along, but there was no where to stop for a picture & too late for me to get to that side to take it.  When we say, “It’s not the destination, but the journey”, that is so true.  I’ve thought about the states we’ve traveled & each offers it’s own landscape.  I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any (well maybe some of the miles & miles of flat, bare land we drove thru in Texas).  

The Columbia River Gorge forms the boundary between Oregon & Washington & is the only navigable route thru the Cascades.  It began forming when the river slowly moved thru the Cascades.   The most drastic changes took place at the end of the last Ice Age, when floods cut the steep, dramatic walls that exist today.  This quick erosion left many layers of volcanic rock exposed.  It is really something to see. 

Our campground was overlooking the Gorge & offered many scenic views.



Horsetail Falls

One day we followed the scenic route along the Gorge.  There are several waterfalls along the way.  We stopped to see 2 of them.  Collins’ opinion is once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen enough. 

Multnomah Falls

 One of them, Multnomah Falls, has a two tiered 620’ drop.  It is the 2nd highest waterfall in the United States, and created by underground springs.  There is a bridge across the first tier, offering a nice view.  We walked to that. 

We also drove to Crown Point Vista House,  which offered spectacular views of the Gorge. 

Lots of Rainbow trout

They also had a fish hatchery along the way.  They started that after they built the locks in order to preserve the Sturgeon & Rainbow trout that followed the River. It was an interesting place.  They had the oldest known living Sturgeon there.  Can’t remember what they said his age was.  I could only get a decent shot of his head – he looked about the size of a small shark.  They sort of look like cat fish.

Another day, we took a drive to Mt. Hood, which is Oregon’s highest peak at  11,245’.   It was really impressive, especially from a short distance. 

We also went into the Timberline Lodge.  It is located at approximately 6000’ at the top of the tree line.  It was constructed during the Great Depression as part of the Works Progress Administration; a program designed by Teddy Roosevelt’s Administration to put people back to work. 

It has huge timbers & a fireplace in the center of the lobby that is at least 3 stories tall. 

Check out these beams

When you look out the back windows, you look right at Mt. Hood.  There is a ski lift for those brave skiers.  Some aerial & exterior shots of the hotel were used in the movie “The Shining”.  We enjoyed our visit. 

As we were driving back, we saw a sign for a lake, so we thought we’d check it out.  It was very pretty & had such a nice view of Mt. Hood in the background.









The Dalles, a town near our campground, had a museum about the development of the towns, dams & locks along the Gorge.  The route along the Gorge was used by the Lewis & Clark Expedition to reach the Pacific Ocean.  The museum was really interesting.  They also had a live Bird show, showing 3 of the birds that are known to inhabit the area.  One was a red feathered Hawk,which I couldn’t get close enough to take a decent picture. 

American Kestral

Another was a very small type of falcon called the American Kestral, & the other a Horned Owl.  I’ve always wanted to see an owl up close.  It looked so “fluffy” & soft, even it’s talons,  I really wanted to pet it, which of course, I couldn’t.  The Hawk was beautiful when you looked at it; the talons are a bit scarey & you just don’t realize the size of their wing span til you see it up close.

We enjoyed our stay along the Columbia Gorge & also enjoyed the unseasonably warm temps while we were there.  It was usually in the upper 60’s to low 70’s daytime & 50’s at night.

Oct 10th we were off to the Portland area.  We’re actually staying a little south west of the town itself in a State Park called LL Stub Stewart.  It was only built 5  years ago & you can certainly tell they took the big RVs into account when laying out this one.  It has nice wide roads & easy back in sites.  We also have our phone, internet & satellite working.  We are happy campers (I use the word campers loosely).

We did make a stop on our way here to get the RV measured for a Bra – yes you’re reading correctly.  We decided to do this for several reasons.  Since we’re going to Alaska next year, we want to be prepared for some of the gravel areas we will most likely travel.  We’re also going to get a full hood & windshield cover for the car.  The other reason for the RV bra, is that it prevents the bugs from getting all over the front of the RV & they are easier to wash off the bra.  I never thought we’d be buying these for our vehicles!   Anyway, we got it made & they came out to the campground yesterday & installed it.

We’ve had rain the past 4 days.  This is the first rain we’ve encountered since April.  It’s highly unusual for Oregon, they haven’t had rain all summer, so they’re happy with this. We wouldn’t mind so much, but we want to tour downtown Portland.  It’s supposed to be sunny Wed, so we’ll try for that.  In the meantime, it’s given us a chance to start laying out the trip to Alaska next year.  That is going to take some planning, so we want to start early.

We finally had a beautiful day on Thursday so we set off for the big city of Portland.  I have to say, they have a great, inexpensive public transportation system.  It cost us $2 each to ride the trains, buses & streetcars for the whole day.  We drove to a town about 20 minutes from the park where we were staying & took the train into the city.

Our first stop was the Portland Japanese Garden.  It was up on a hill so we had to hike up to it, since the bus dropped us at the corner.  It was very peaceful & is said to be one of the most authentic outside of Japan.  The views of the city from there were very nice.

Sand Garden

Most of the Koi were over a foot long

Across the street from the Japanese Garden was the International Rose Test Garden.  They have over 8,000 varieties & luckily, most were still in bloom.  They had every color & size.  The only disappointment was there was very little fragrance to most of them.  Collins & I walked the rows, sticking our noses in the flowers.  Luckily, we didn’t meet up with a bee!

Along our walk, we stopped in the 30th floor restaurant of a tall building for a nice view of the city & the Willamette River.  We did sample a couple of the local brews.

We made a stop at Powells City of Books.  It covers 1 city block & is one of the world’s largest bookstores, with over 1.5 million books.  Interestingly enough, they did not have either of the 2 books Collins & I were looking for.

We also had to make a stop at Voodoo Doughnuts, one of the city’s most unusual culinary destinations.  They have more flavors & toppings than you can imagine.  We got there at 2 pm & there was a line out the door.  Their signature doughnut is shaped like a Voodoo Doll & filled with red jelly.  We passed on that one but did overstuff ourselves on a couple other delights.  We also ended up bringing home huge apple fritters!  And we wonder why we gain weight!!










Collins said it wasn’t on his favorite list of cities we’ve visited, but we enjoyed it just the same.
Since it rained the rest of our time near Portland, we didn’t go to Vancouver, Washington, which was just over the border.  I guess we’ll save that for another time.

We moved on Sat, the 20th to Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria, Or.  This is our last stop in Oregon.  The weather is still rainy & really spoiling my sightseeing plans.  I don’t mind a little rain, but it has rained almost all day for the last 8 out of 10 days.  We’re hoping for a couple decent days near the end of this trip.
Sept 28th.  The weather has been unkind to us.  From Oct. 10th on, we had only 3 days with no rain. 

Luckily, we got to Portland in the sunshine & a couple of days ago we woke to a bright morning & decided to go to Long Beach Peninsula, WA.  This little peninsula is about 28 miles  off the south west coast of WA.  It is said to be the longest beach in the United States & the largest drivable Beach. 

The Peninsula is made up of small fishing towns & tourism.  They also have cranberry fields.  We didn’t get to see them harvest them, but we did stop at a small museum & walked into the field.

To get to the Peninsula we crossed the Astoria – Meglar Bridge with is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.  When we came back, we did a drive thru Astoria, which is another cute, fishing, tourist town.  It is located at the mouth of the Columbia River & a deep water port.  There were several large ships docked in the waters there.

Unfortunately, it rained every day but one while we were in Astoria, so we never made it to Seaside or Cannon Beach.  When I say rained, I should say poured!!!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many rainy days strung together!!  Thank heavens, we moved RV sites while at Fort Stevens.  The first one was all dirt except for the pad.  We couldn’t get out of the RV without walking in mud & puddles.  We moved to another spot that had grass & it was much better.  For anyone heading to Fort Stevens in Astoria, OR, spot H6 is pretty good.  We were even able to get our satellite in that spot.  Saturday, we were sick sitting inside so we drove around Fort Stevens.  They had several batteries used in World War 1.  There was also a small museum located there,so we spent a little while wandering around there.

Our next & final stop for the year is Washington. 

October 28th we left Oregon for Mt. St. Helen’s Washington. It was still raining!! We had decided to make a stop there on our way to Tacoma. The campground we chose was small & not too far off the Interstate. We planned to make a day trip in the car the next day. As we were setting up the RV, the people in the 5th wheel next to us came out & said “we know you”. They had been our neighbors in a State Park about 3 weeks before. They were heading out of Washington & decided to stop to see Mt. St. Helens. How coincidental we would end up in the same place at the same time. If they hadn’t been next to us, we probably wouldn’t have even known they were there. As we got to talking, we mentioned we would be going to Alaska next year. They’re also planning that trip. We sat down later that evening & shared some of the information we had gathered so far. We’ll continue to share as we go along. We’re hoping our paths will cross along the way!

The next day we did go to view Mt. St. Helens volcano. Unfortunately it was still raining most of the day & the top of the mountain was clouded over. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately, it was clear in the valley & you could see where the volcano took out everything in it’s path. 

We saw a rainbow on our way home

The visitor centers were closed for the season, but we still wandered around outside. Even tho we couldn’t see the top of the mountain, you could just make out where it blew & the crater it created. We left that campground the next day.

Oct.30th we arrived at Fort Lewis Army Base RV Park. This is the first military base we’ve been to since July. The RV park is wooded on a small lake. It’s nice, we can’t get our satellite but they do have cable so Collins is happy. It continued raining the first few days we arrived. 

The first clear day, we decided to take a trip to Mt. Rainier. The visitor’s centers were closed but we were able to get to them. The view of the mountain was spectacular! 

From a distance, it looked like it was floating in the clouds. It is covered with snow, but not as much as there will be.

The road to Mt.Rainier

I’m glad we went the day we did, as you haven’t been able to see it since then.












Nov 10th was a sunny but cool (45) day so we decided to make a trip to Seattle. 

Everything I read online suggested taking the Duck Tour so we decided to try it. 

Let’s just say it was different. For those who aren’t familiar with Duck tours, it’s a tour of land & water in an amphibious vehicle. 

We drove around downtown some, then went out on the waters on Union Lake. 

It has a wide variety of Floating Homes, which must have a sewer hookup, House Barges, which have to pump their gray & black water & House Boats, which have to have a motor & be able to move on the water. 

It’s really hard to tell by looking, which are which. 

We were able to see the one used for the movie “Sleepless in Seattle”.  

There were also quite a few very luxurious yachts moored there. Collins & I thought that was the most interesting part of the whole tour.

While we were on the Lake, we passed by an interesting place called Gas Works Park.  It incorporates parts of an old coal processing plant into the park.  They say it is easily the strangest park in Seattle & may rank as one of the strangest in the world.

After our duck tour, we took the monorail to the downtown part of the city. 

From there it was a few short blocks to Pikes Public Market. We were rather disappointed in that. The place was packed & it’s a lot of different booths of products. 

I think most people associate it with the Fish Market & the workers throwing the fish around. 

It was so crowded you could barely see the counters & there wasn’t much room for fish throwing. 

We were going to go up in the Space Needle, but the line to buy tickets was long, it was getting late in the afternoon & the wait to go up, after you got your ticket, was over 40 minutes, so we decided to skip that one. I’ve been told since, that was a wise move, it wasn’t really worth the time. We’ve decided to make a trip back to the city another day to see the King Tut exhibit which is there now.

Before putting the RV into storage, there are some routine maintenance items to be performed.  One of those things, which Collins insisted on doing himself, was changing the oil.  The RV takes about 28 qts of oil. 

Surprise!

After draining the oil, Collins had a bit of trouble getting the filter removed.  It was slippery & full of oil.  When he did, he bumped it against another part under the RV & got a bit an oil bath.  When he came out from under the RV & I saw him, I felt bad for him but I laughed so hard I had trouble  taking this picture.  I told him it looked like he was dying his hair.  Everytime I thought about it the rest of the day, I laughed.  His sweatshirt & shirt were oil soaked so they found their way to the garbage.  Later, he was speaking to a friend of ours, Dan, who works on heavy equipment.  He told Collins next time he does it, put a hole in the filter before removing it.

We'll be there until just after Thanksgiving.  At that point, we'll put the RV in storage & head for IL, where we'll spend the Christmas Holidays before we go to Panama.  I'll make sure to get 1 more post for the end of the year.