tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53569281507550024682024-03-13T08:59:35.728-07:00Stillhowlyntravelsstillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-6691226179694650362017-06-06T11:17:00.000-07:002017-06-06T11:17:29.900-07:00What were we thinking!After sitting for awhile in Petaluma, we decided a road trip was in order. We decided to head for the back roads of Nevada with a stop in Death Valley along the way. Now one would think that after traveling full time for over 20 years we would have factored in two obvious considerations: weather and the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Neither crossed our minds until Sue Malone mentioned it had been 111F in Furnace Creek the first of May on one of their trips. We smartly decided to pass on Death Valley until a more appropriate time.<div>
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So off to Nevada we go.<i> </i>Our first stop in NV was at the Escapee's Pair 'A Dice park in Pahrump. It was 101F! <i>What were we thinking!</i> We stayed one night and headed for Tonopah, thinking the high desert would have lower temps. It was not to be. Tonopah was one of the main reasons we made this trip. Howard was fascinated with the name and thought it would have lots of sightseeing possibilities as well as "maybe. a little piece of acreage we could pick up cheap". Ha! The first obstacle was finding a place to stay. There were 2 Passport America parks that, forgive me for saying, looked more like junk yards. In fact the town was run down and decrepit looking. We finally found a decent RV park north of town. Sorry I don't remember the name.</div>
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The next major obstacle was the realization that the upcoming Memorial Day weekend was upon us and we had made no reservations. Didn't even give it a thought. So we headed to Fernley, NV and started our search for a place to park for a few days. There were 2 Passport America parks. The first one we stopped at was full as was most every park in town. They did make a few calls for us and found the Desert Rose, a Passport America park, had one site left. It was 30' and we said no problem, we could squeeze in. We ended up staying 6 nights at half price ($16.50). Fernley is near I-80, Reno and Carson City. We took a few drives around the area and decided Nevada would probably not be on our list of potential places to settle down. <i>What were we thinking!</i></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com2Fernley, NV, USA39.6079683 -119.251834939.216458800000005 -119.89728190000001 39.9994778 -118.6063879tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-34382318400822013702017-05-13T11:39:00.000-07:002017-05-13T11:46:40.867-07:00Returning to PetalumaLeaving Pismo Beach, we drove to Petaluma where we stayed 5 nights at the Elks Lodge RV parking. We enjoyed a dinner out with family; son Norm, daughter in law Wendy, and 10 year old granddaughter,<br />
Christina, at Dempsey's Brew Pub, one of our favorite local places.<br />
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From Petaluma, we headed to Rocklin (near Sacramento) to spend time with Howard's daughter Stephanie, and son in law Gary. They just moved into a beautiful new house. We miss our cushy parking privileges at their old place in Loomis, but it's great to see them being able to buy their own place. <br />
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It's also Stephanie's 60th birthday party on April 18th, and Gary has a big BBQ planned with lots of friends and work associates invited and it is a surprise. She thought that just one other couple was joining us and was<br />
quite surprised as the door bell continued to ring and more people arrived. While there we stayed at the nearby Loomis RV Park. The park was old with several permanent residents and also quite expensive. It was very convenient to Steph and Gary's place but we're going to have to find another location the next time we visit. Maybe one of the Elks Lodges in nearby towns.<br />
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We returned to Petaluma on April 24th and have been here ever since, once again staying at the Elks Lodge. This is such a convenient location for sightseeing in the Bay Area. San Francisco is 30 miles south, Bodego Bay and the beach towns to our west, and the beautiful Napa Valley Wine country to our east. Tomorrow is Mother's Day and we will drive the car down to Half Moon Bay to be with daughter Terri and her family. They're fixing brunch at their house. Fun times!<br />
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Around Petaluma....</div>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com02105 S McDowell Blvd # A, Petaluma, CA 94954, USA38.2300906 -122.5939068999999813.048673099999998 -163.90250089999998 63.411508099999992 -81.28531289999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-70865970339174605622017-04-28T13:29:00.000-07:002017-04-28T13:29:44.264-07:00On to Pismo Beach<div style="text-align: center;">
March 25 to April 10th:</div>
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With motorhome repairs complete we headed <strike></strike>for Pismo Beach. The North Beach State Park was closed for repairs so we stayed at the Elks Lodge in Oceano. We had several days before the Half Moon Bay family were to arrive giving us ample opportunity to visit our friend Edna who lives in nearby Nipomo.<br />
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Terri, Clint, Liliana, and Damien arrived on the 4th of April for 4 days. As luck would have it the condo they rented was right across the street from the Elk's Lodge. We visited every beach in the area so Terri could look for glass for her necklace creations. She does really nice work.<br />
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The following photos were taken at the Avila Beach pools and hot springs:</div>
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Around Pismo Beach</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Pismo Beach, CA, USA35.1427533 -120.6412827000000335.038885300000004 -120.80264420000003 35.2466213 -120.47992120000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-63951044873383439772017-04-20T13:59:00.001-07:002017-04-21T08:02:26.124-07:00Four days in Bakersfield<div style="text-align: center;">
March 21 through March 24th:</div>
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Dear Reader, this is a post to remind me of where we've been and what we've done, strictly for journal purposes. Not very exciting reading, but serves to let me know for future reference.<br />
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We were originally heading to Bakersfield for an overnighter at the popular Orange Grove RV Park but life had other plans. On the drive over Highway 58 our motorhome started acting up again (this happened once before); cutting out, jerky shifting and it continued on, gradually getting worse. So as luck would have it we ended up at the <a href="http://rvrepairdirect.com/directory/cummins-west-coach-care-bakersfield-ca/">Cummins Diesel Repair</a>. As it was near closing time they parked us with full hookups and said they would get to us first thing in the morning.<br />
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Right on schedule they took us into the bay and started going over the possibilities of just what was causing our problem. It didn't take long. Clogged fuel filters due to getting some bad gas. They were soon replaced and we were good to go.<br />
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Oh no, not so quickly. By the way there is a recall on your air compressor and we need to replace it. That turned out to be one giant task. They had to remove the air filter, the water pump, and the hydraulic pump just to get to the compressor. This was a 2 1/2 day project and necessitated us finding things to do during the day as we couldn't go into the work area or be in the coach. We dined out at all the fast food chains which were conveniently located nearby. We took our Kindles with us and read a bit. One day we drove up to Lake Isabella, a beautiful drive.<br />
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Finally we were done. The fuel filter replacements were the only items we had to pay for. The major task of replacing the air compressor was free for us, just time spent. <br />
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We're now ready to head out and continue our travels to Pismo Beach for a meet-up with the family,<br />
Just another blip when life has other plans for you.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Bakersfield, CA, USA35.3732921 -119.0187124999999934.958707600000004 -119.6641595 35.7878766 -118.37326549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-35215634971356060752017-03-30T13:22:00.000-07:002017-03-30T13:22:33.858-07:00Tucson and a return to Borrego SpringsWe were in Tucson for 2 weeks and for the life of me, I don't know what all we did. We did get the carpet, tile, and ceiling cleaned by Kyle of Complete Carpet Cleaning in Benson. Luckily he comes to Tucson. I would highly recommend him. We did do the mandatory trip to Costco.<br />
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We got together a couple of times with good friends Rodger and Sharon. Rodger does wood-carving and his pieces are beautiful. He gifted me a Kokopelli carving I had been drooling over.<br />
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We met Al for dinner one night at the casino for prime rib. He has been traveling with a SOLOs group. They provide lots of activities for their members. He is always doing something.<br />
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There were a few short walks at Tucson Mt. park. With my sciatica I can't walk very far or stand for any length of time which is seriously a pain in the ass for me. Walking has always been my thing!<br />
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We decided we wanted to go back to Anza Borrego to see the wildflower superbloom. We were not disappointed. Since the temps were high we stayed at an RV park in town as we didn't want to be couped up inside running the generator in order to boondock out in the desert which would have been our first choice.<br />
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We took off early on a Monday morning hoping to beat the crowds. The weekend was gridlock with traffic at all the popular locations. The flowers were at their peak. We even found some cacti blooming up in Glorieta Canyon.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Borrego Springs, CA 92004, USA33.2558717 -116.3750119999999733.0434182 -116.69773549999996 33.4683252 -116.05228849999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-49449516628203263212017-03-12T10:17:00.000-07:002017-03-12T10:17:56.161-07:00Yuma to Ajo We got our couch back from Ricardo, the upholsterer, and it is absolutely beautiful. I am so pleased with his and Arlene's work. They gave us a time frame that fit in with our month-long stay and delivered right on time. I would highly recommend them if you happen to be in Yuma; 928.919.3950.<br />
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After a month in Yuma in an RV park, we anxiously headed to Ajo, and Darby Well Rd. for some boondocking time in this beautiful location. We seem to be repeating years past as we return to our favorite places. The sunsets, the mountain views, the funny gesturing saguaros, the quaint artsy town<br />
all at our fingertips.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Ajo, AZ 85321, USA32.3717248 -112.8607099000000232.264462300000005 -113.02207140000002 32.4789873 -112.69934840000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-91488654113637958862017-02-06T12:18:00.000-08:002017-02-06T12:25:35.010-08:00Anza Borrego to Yuma by way of QuartzsiteOur final days in Anza Borrego were highlighted by the arrival of Canadian friends, Dan and Heather. Not only did they come for a visit, but brought dinner with them. Now that's some super-special friends.<br />
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In Quartzsite we spent a few days boondocking at Hi Jolly BLM just north of town. The big tent RV show opened on January 21 and Howard went down the next day to look for a few products we use on a regular basis. The only vendor he could find was the Orange Oil wood products. He was hoping to find the Dri Wash'N Guard cleaner we use on the motorhome's exterior, plus a water filter, and a few tools. These we can find in Yuma.<br />
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We spent a great afternoon visiting with Nan and John Talley who are parked at La Posa South. Like many of our friends, we first met the Talleys in Anza Borrego two years ago. The following day we all met for pizza at Silly Al's; the Tallys brought Sandie and Jim Dixon, and we invited friend Al, who was parked with the Escapees SOLO group. It was great to meet Sandie and Jim and see Nan and John again.<br />
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On to Yuma! We have a list of projects and repairs needing to be done and Yuma is the perfect locale<br />
with access to all or most of our needs. We decided to stay at an RV park with full hookups for a change and decided on Caravan Oasis in the Foothills area east of town. It is an old park but we thought the monthly price of $535 was reasonable.<br />
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First was to find someone to reupholster our living room couch. Our friend Beth, who lives in Yuma, provided a great rcomendation. Ricardo and Arlene came over with samples and prices. We picked a vinyl beige (Sand) color. Ricardo measured and Arlene soon provided us with a price which we thought was very reasonable. Our 16 year old couch was soon dismantled and hauled away. If we are satisfied with their work we will have our remaining 3 chairs done next year.<br />
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I also found Ron's Mobile Screen Door repair and he came out right away and replaced the old screen that had been damaged by one of the granddogs running through it. We have an appointment with a mobile RV service and repair place. We are hoping they can fix a water leak we have around our slide by replacing the rubber seal. We also need to get our Hurricane heater functioning which has been the source of some not so nice language over the years after dealing with one problem after another. <br />
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By now we are needing some fun. Friends Beth and Chris invited us over for dinner at their new home in the Foothills. We had a wonderful time catching up and enjoyed a great dinner.<br />
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Once we have most of the repair work done, we can concentrate on getting to Algodones for a check-up with our dentist, Dr. Jorge Cortez. We both have issues we need to attend to.<br />
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So no beautiful pictures to share. And not very exciting commentary. We all have these times when things need to be done and not much time for sightseeing. We did drive over to Ogilby Road to check out the boondocking sites. We will definitely go there on our next boondocking outing. Also keeping an eye on Anza Borrego as the wildflowers will soon be blooming. Hoping for a good season after all the rain we have had. And speaking of weather, the winds have died down and we have been enjoying sunny days with highs in the mid 70s here in Yuma.<br />
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Until next time~~~<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Caravan Oasis RV Resort, 10500 North Frontage Road, Yuma, AZ 85365, USA32.6712828 -114.449267099999995.9307163 -155.75786109999999 59.4118493 -73.140673099999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-62293726152462461012017-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:002017-01-06T11:45:22.576-08:00Anza Borrego Desert 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Anza Borrego Desert has been our "go to" place for many years, usually arriving mid-December and staying through the holidays and most of January. This year is no different, however, the weather has been a challenge. We've had every thing from howling, sand blasting wind to rain and very few days of sunny, warm, be outside kind of days. Even the spectacular sunsets have been few and far between but here are a few noteworthy exceptions:<br />
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With the rain comes the greening of the desert floor.</div>
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Now is when we really miss our Jeep Wrangler and all the off road trips we've taken in past years. Our Toyota RAV 4 is 4-wheel drive but not Jeep 4-wheel drive!! Its low clearance and small tires are very limiting to where we can go. But there are still a few possibilities like 17 Palms Oasis and Fonts Point:</div>
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About every 10 days we drive up to the State Park to dump tanks and refill with water.</div>
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Every year we revisit the Brecedo sculptures on display around town:</div>
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With the temps near freezing we are not surprised to see a dusting of snow on our surrounding mountains.</div>
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Sadly our Wave 6 propane catalytic heater died so we're having to order a new one. Our only other heat source is a small electric heater and since we're boondocking we'd have to run the generator in order to use it.</div>
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Another challenge to traveling is being able to find a salon for a decent hair cut. I recently had mine cut and now it's so spiky it looks like a bird on my head. I'll not post pictures of this one!</div>
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Otherwise, all is well. We're not sure if we'll head to Quartzsite or check out the boondocking on Ogilby Road near Yuma when we leave here next week after receiving our heater and some mail that is being forwarded. We thought we might like to see the big RV show but don't like all the crowds, so we might just hunker down on Ogilby Road for awhile.</div>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, USA33.2602214 -116.4343069999999933.1543869 -116.59566849999999 33.3660559 -116.27294549999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-2588893809714683482016-12-20T10:17:00.000-08:002016-12-20T10:24:10.750-08:00Family fun and heading to the desert....Happy HolidaysWe've had a whirlwind of family fun; birthdays, Thanksgiving, and our family holiday celebration since we won't be there Christmas, complete with prime rib and all the trimmings. And the entire family showed up, every single grandchild and their parents!<br />
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After a final trip to Half Moon Bay we took off last Wednesday trying to stay ahead of the storm that was threatening Northern CA. Our first night was at the popular Orange Grove RV park in Bakersfield.<br />
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We continued on Thursday up and over the mountain to Tehacapi. The transmission performed perfectly. None of the jerky shifting we had experienced before. Though headed to Anza Borrego, we decided to stop in La Quinta at <a href="http://www.rivcoparks.org/parks/lake-cahuilla/lake-cahuilla-recreation-area-home/">Lake Cahuilla County Park</a> for a week to take care of some business. We made 3 trips to Best Buy, first to get a computer glitch repaired - it took the Geeks less than 5 minutes to fix and no charge thank you! Next visit was to replace my old Kindle which died a few days before. Got home and discovered it only spoke Portuguese. So back we go to get that straightened out. For now everything seems to be working properly.<br />
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Had a great visit from friends Tom and Carolyn who are staying in Desert Hot Springs for the winter season. They promised to come down to Anza Borrego for a jeep ride. <br />
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We'll have a final trip to Costco to stock up on some staples before we head down to the desert where we plan to spend Christmas.<br />
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The temps have been in the high 60s to mid 70s with one very bad day of sand blasting wind.<br />
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We send our best wishes to everyone for a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Lake Cahuilla County Park, 58075 Jefferson St, La Quinta, CA 92253, USA33.6291086 -116.27773656.8997701000000013 -157.5863305 60.358447100000006 -74.9691425tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-90760146965358399302016-11-03T11:49:00.000-07:002016-11-12T13:15:28.779-08:00Blog block!We had stayed so long in Petaluma that we needed a getaway. Howard took out the map book and zeroed in on Tonopah, NV. I said why in the world would we want to go to the middle of nowhere and his reply, "I just like the name"! Being the good sport that I am and knowing that October is a great month for traveling, I was ready for an adventure. Doing a little internet research was not overly promising. Seems <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonopah,_Nevada">Tonopah</a> is an old mining town approximately half way between Las Vegas and Reno.<br />
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We stayed the first night at the very popular overnight travel destination, the <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/orange-grove-rv-park-bakersfield-2">Orange Grove RV Park</a>. The following day we headed east on Highway 58 up the grade toward Tehachapi. On the way up we noticed that the transmission was jerky when shifting down to a lower gear. We didn't lose power, but it was disconcerting enough for us to look for a place to park and make a few phone calls. We found a Passport America park in nearby Mojave. It just happened to be October 14th, my birthday, and we celebrated at Foxie's diner at the little local airport. I enjoyed a Club sandwich with a glass of Merlot. <br />
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After calling Allison, our transmission people, for a recommendation, we called <a href="http://www.valleypowersystems.com/portfolio-view/bakersfield-ca/">Valley Power Systems</a> in nearby Bakersfield for an appointment. We arrived at 8 am on the appointed day and proceeded to wait 2 hours without seeing a service representative, so we reconnected the car and drove to Sacramento. The transmission did fine the entire way. <br />
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We parked in Loomis at daughter Stephanie's house where we have grand parking facilities with full hookups. We are going to be sorry to leave this place when they move into the new house they have purchased. We stayed for 2 weeks, babysitting Riley the grand-lab while they visited Gary's relatives in Colorado.<br />
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We are now back in Petaluma at the Elk's lodge. The transmission was perfect on the drive from Sacramento so guess we will put that issue on hold for awhile and see how it goes. We will be in and around the Bay Area until mid-December when we head to the desert. Wishing all a Happy Holiday season.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Petaluma, CA, USA38.232417 -122.636652438.1326615 -122.7980139 38.3321725 -122.4752909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-47633526759613331282016-09-22T11:33:00.000-07:002016-09-22T11:33:35.262-07:00Petaluma, back to home territory~~<div style="text-align: center;">
For several months of the year we hang out in Petaluma in Northern California, about 30 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The <a href="http://elks901.org/wp/">Elks Lodge</a> in Petaluma has become "Ground Zero" for us for several years. We're near family, medical facilities, and beautiful places to sight-see.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An artsy rendering of our Petaluma Elks Lodge parking</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a member of an Elks organization like we are, the lodge in Petaluma offers the best RV parking available in the San Francisco Bay Area. There are 18 sites</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> on asphalt with full-hookups for $25 per night, many suitable for larger RVs, with grassy dog runs and overflow parking. Their system now offers reservations making it convenient for planning ahead. </span></div>
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Enjoying the grassy, manicured back yard. There are tables and chairs for afternoon happy hours The doggies love it too!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is an opportunity to enjoy the delights of a beautiful old historic city packed full of great restaurants, regional parks and hiking trails, all within an easy drive to San Francisco to the south, Pacific beaches, and the famous Napa valley wine country.</span></div>
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Ahh...The Golden Gate Bridge...we have about 30 miles to go north to Petaluma.<br />
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Going down...to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/people_maritime_lighthouse.htm">Pt. Reyes Lighthouse</a></div>
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Vineyards offset by coastal hills and clouds at <a href="http://www.greenstringfarm.com/">Green String Farm</a><br />
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The Petaluma Visitor Center used to be the old train depot in 1914...</div>
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<a href="http://www.petalumadowntown.com/welcome.html">Historic downtown Petaluma</a></div>
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<a href="http://cityofpetaluma.net/parksnrec/parks-pages/shollenberger.html">Shollenberger Park</a> has miles of trails and is an easy walk from the Elks.</div>
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There is a 2 1/2 mile loop trail around the lake, part of which lies adjacent to the Petaluma River which is navigable and runs in to the San Francisco Bay.</div>
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A hike at <a href="http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Get_Outdoors/Parks/Helen_Putnam_Regional_Park.aspx">Helen Putnam Park</a> involves a lot of hill climbing.</div>
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Layers of coastal fog and farm land lie to our west as we hike the trails of Helen Putnam.</div>
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Another side of <a href="http://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Get_Outdoors/Parks/Helen_Putnam_Regional_Park.aspx">Helen Putnam Park</a>, groves of old oak abound.</div>
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The Napa Valley for some wine tasting....</div>
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Here we're enjoying a beverage and some fine food at <a href="http://dempseys.com/">Dempsey's Brew Pub</a> with a river view of course.</div>
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Another day and the sun performs perfectly with shadows and colors.</div>
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The pedestrian bridge across the river takes us to Main Street and all the fun stores.</div>
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Tuesday's eastside Farmers Market. There is also a Wednesday evening market in town and Saturday morning at Walnut Park.</div>
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And this lovely bouquet is for you! Thanks for coming...</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Petaluma, CA, USA38.232417 -122.636652438.1326615 -122.7980139 38.3321725 -122.4752909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-42236333496061337012016-09-11T11:41:00.000-07:002016-09-11T12:46:55.428-07:00Post Townsend, WA - Strait talkThe <a href="http://strait%20of%20juan%20de%20fuca/">Strait of Juan de Fuca</a> extends east from the Pacific Ocean between Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula about 95 miles inland to Puget Sound. Port Townsend is bordered by the Bay of Port Townsend and Admiralty Inlet, which intersects the Strait. In other words, we are surrounded by big water and lots of marine activity.<br />
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<i><br /></i><i>The town is a Victorian seaport and arts community. With its maritime heritage, artist spirit, and a touch of urban chic, Port Townsend is an easily accessible base camp to the Olympic Peninsula and beyond. </i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Point Wilson lighthouse at Fort Worden</td></tr>
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We've been coming here every year, same site, since 2009. We had been staying at the SKP's <a href="http://www.rollinrollin.com/evergreen/">Evergreen Coho</a> RV park in nearby Chimacum and took a drive one day to check out Port Townsend. We were drawn to the Point Hudson Marina mainly to see the boats and splendid views. The RV park is nothing special. Most of the full hookup sites are expensive, graveled, and close together. We decided to check in at the office for more information and were told they had two boondocking sites for $20 each per night (since upped to $30). Our site 361, is about 50 feet from the water and entertains us with a constant flow of boat/ship traffic. Never a dull moment though lots of lazy ones.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">An afternoon parade of schooners (insert Howard drooling)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Jefferson County Courthouse - Uptown</td></tr>
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In years past we have done many all day trips to see Seattle, Port Angeles, Sequim, and all the local hangouts. There is RV parking at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Worden">Fort Worden State Park</a> and <a href="http://www.parks.wa.gov/510/Fort-Townsend">Fort Townsend State Park</a> as well as the Elks Lodge and Jefferson County fairgrounds.<br />
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There is a great little local theater that shows currently running movies as well as art and eclectic films, and the best ice cream at <a href="http://www.elevatedicecream.com/">Elevated Ice Cream</a>, both located downtown. There are lots of shopping opportunities from second hand shops to chic, expensive ones. There is Doc's restaurant located here at the marina which we enjoy for the convenience and every type of eating pleasure you can imagine in town.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Victorian downtown</td></tr>
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During our 12 days we hung close to home, not feeling any pressure to do a daily tour as in year's past. We've been catching up on our reading and exercise. And both of us got haircuts (whoopee). A walk from the marina uptown is a long steep hill that gathers momentum as it reaches it's high point in town then starts back to downtown again. Three or 4 outings like this gets the old legs aching and the knees screaming!<br />
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The ferry docks are busy during the summer season with two ferries running about every hour, making for easy travels between Port Townsend and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whidbey_Island">Whidbey Island</a>, about a half hour scenic trip each way. The downtown streets are packed with tourists arriving by small cruise ship or ferry.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The hot dog spot downtown framed by a great mural</td></tr>
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This is what we do most of the time!</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Port Townsend, WA 98368, USA48.117038699999988 -122.7604471999999948.074638699999987 -122.84112819999999 48.159438699999988 -122.67976619999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-54323027311892879862016-08-25T11:13:00.003-07:002016-08-26T11:20:58.361-07:00Anacortes - Gateway to the San Juans<div style="text-align: left;">
Anacortes is known locally as the <i>Gateway to the San Juans</i> because it's a hopping off point for ferry traffic and pleasure boats going to the islands and Canada. For us, Anacortes is a destination in and off itself. It is one of those places, like Port Townsend, that we visit at least once a year. <br />
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We stay at the Cap Sante Marina which also provides dry camping for RVs and great views of the marina and boat traffic. The marina location is centrally located providing an easy walk into the historic downtown, and access to miles of trails for walking and biking. Shopping and restaurants are all easily accessible. We arrived just in time for the annual Art Festival which is a huge event bringing folks from far and wide. Plus there are weekly Farmers Markets providing entertainment and a great selection of sustainable produce. In other words, there seems to be a constant flow of activity in this vibrant seaside community.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hanging out with the girls!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howdy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murals on downtown buildings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Cap Sante marina overlook...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Saturday Farmers Market</td></tr>
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We'll be leaving here by ferry returning to Port Townsend for our annual 2 week stay at our waterfront site at Point Hudson Marina. </div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Anacortes, WA 98221, USA48.512604499999988 -122.6126717999999948.428407499999985 -122.77403329999999 48.596801499999991 -122.45131029999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-83668919422384354322016-08-14T11:04:00.001-07:002016-08-14T11:04:14.211-07:00Cruise blues and other news~~~We took a 7 day Alaska cruise out of Seattle aboard the Norwegian cruise line's ship <i>Jewel</i>. Our accommodations were perfect; a mini-suite with a full balcony. Daughter Steph took care of all the booking and what a good job she did. We had tons of space and beautiful views.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from our balcony ~ Ship leaving Seattle</td></tr>
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The first two days were spent at sea and by the end of the second day as we pull into Ketchikan Howard had full blown gout in his right foot, making walking long distances very painful. There is a lot of walking on a gigantic cruise ship not to mention the shore excursions we planned to do, but alas, it was not meant to be. By the time we got to our first destination, Ketchikan, we were resolved to the fact we wouldn't be doing much more that sitting on our balcony and watching the incredible scenery drift by. Plus we had mostly nasty weather, rain and fog for 6 of our 7 days. The sun came out in Victoria, BC on our last day. Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves immensely, eating delicious cruise ship cuisine, and enjoying a trip of a lifetime. Here's the ship's itinerary:<br />
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<li>Ketchikan, our first stop, has a population of just over 8,000 and is the fifth most populous city in the state of Alaska. Local economy is based on tourism and fishing, hence the title of salmon capital of the world.</li>
<li>Our next stop is Juneau, Alaska's 3rd largest city by population. Anchorage is first with just over 300,00. The Aurora Borealis or Northern lights can be seen on clear nights from August through April, usually over Mt. Juneau. There are lots of shore excursions including whale watching and trips to the Mendenhall Glacier.</li>
<li>Skagway is home to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and to both the White Pass Scenic Railway and Chilkoot Trails, two famous paths in and out of town. </li>
<li>After another day at sea we arrived in Victoria, BC. We've been to Victoria many times and visited Bouchart Gardens, the Empress Hotel, and the beautiful Parliament Building. The downtown and marina areas make for a good walking tour..</li>
<li>Next stop Seattle.</li>
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Along the way we saw ice bergs and glaciers, quaint towns and seaports. There was a lot of fog and rain but our balcony was covered and there were large sliding glass doors to enjoy the views. Sure we missed out on some good shore excursions, but we made the most out of our days, depending on Howard's comfort level. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool, foggy days</td></tr>
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We returned to the Elk's lodge in Port Townsend for a few more days, then decided to take the ferry and spend some time in Anacortes. More on that later. We'll be returning to Port Townsend to our "happy place" at the marina where we have a waterfront view, August 18-30.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Anacortes, WA 98221, USA48.512604499999988 -122.6126717999999948.428407499999985 -122.77403329999999 48.596801499999991 -122.45131029999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-36976270586625792572016-07-17T14:21:00.000-07:002016-08-06T12:37:54.091-07:0021 Years of full-time RVing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yep, this year marks our 21st anniversary of living and traveling full-time in a motorhome. We've had two, a 91 Dolphin MH and the Country Coach we have now, purchased in 2001. Those first few years we did a lot of driving, trying to cram as many locations as possible in a period of a few days. It was nothing for us to drive cross-country a couple of times a year.</div>
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In 1995 we had two grandchildren born, Daniel in Sun Valley, Idaho and Noelle in Redwood City, CA. We were there for both! Oh the joys of being mobile!</div>
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One of our bucket list locations was Zion National Park. The photo below was take on a walk along the Virgin river toward the Narrows. We stayed in the national park campgound, enjoyed summer days, barbecued dinners, and lots of walks. We always put our awning up before we go in for the evening....accept for one night. The day was balmy, no wind. Not good as it turns out!</div>
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About 1 a.m. in the early morning hours we had a loud knock on our door. It was the park ranger saying we had to evacuate immediately. There had been a landslide and the Virgin River was rapidly reaching flood level. We had a mess outside to put away, especially the awning put. We filed in with a bunch of other campers and followed the ranger up to higher ground. The next day we found out the hotel was isolated by the slide and patrons were stranded. Supplies were rapidly running out.</div>
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Our cozy campsite at Zion before all hell broke loose. Notice all the stuff that had to be put away at 1 a.m. when the ranger told us we had to evacuate,</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--g5Bu9TNyfM/VRSNW3KAdjI/AAAAAAAAqDE/lLO9kyAw6royAoOLAwbkybGeq19FgcTpwCKgB/s1600/https%25253A%25252F%25252Flh3.googleusercontent.com%25252FQboEMdwEnxIHpGUtnjGzdzPZZhmuSl_GzyCUmZHNS_Y%25253Ds0-d" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--g5Bu9TNyfM/VRSNW3KAdjI/AAAAAAAAqDE/lLO9kyAw6royAoOLAwbkybGeq19FgcTpwCKgB/s640/https%25253A%25252F%25252Flh3.googleusercontent.com%25252FQboEMdwEnxIHpGUtnjGzdzPZZhmuSl_GzyCUmZHNS_Y%25253Ds0-d" width="640" /></a></div>
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What follows in a series of old photos taken from road trips we visited in the first few years. The pics should provide a lot of laughs.</div>
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At Arches National Park</div>
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At Capitol Reef, we think. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlN5OJhmhfY/VRSMVfkNMrI/AAAAAAAAqCs/_dBApgh-yKIfHopRlL-xkeFzwulSi8dxwCKgB/s1600/https%25253A%25252F%25252Flh3.googleusercontent.com%25252FeE5uhYsfbeu26eflmKwzOwTYIiOS7-CvqiT5IcViYk4%25253Ds0-d" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlN5OJhmhfY/VRSMVfkNMrI/AAAAAAAAqCs/_dBApgh-yKIfHopRlL-xkeFzwulSi8dxwCKgB/s640/https%25253A%25252F%25252Flh3.googleusercontent.com%25252FeE5uhYsfbeu26eflmKwzOwTYIiOS7-CvqiT5IcViYk4%25253Ds0-d" width="640" /></a></div>
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At Bryce Canyon National Park</div>
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At Mount Rushmore</div>
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At Devil's Tower</div>
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Crater Lake</div>
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Campeche, MX</div>
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Admiring the electric in Campeche, MX</div>
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Howard climbs to the top of the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itsa</div>
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I however, did not make it to the top. Too steep and scary!</div>
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Sunset cruise at Acapulco, MX</div>
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Rafting the Salmon River in Idaho with Bill and Carol</div>
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At Glacier National Park</div>
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Tunnels at Custer State Park, in South Dakota</div>
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Mount Rushmore</div>
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Hot springs by the Rio Grande, Big Bend NP</div>
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Hiking at Big Bend</div>
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The marina in Victoria, British Columbia</div>
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Native dances in downtown Vancouver, BC</div>
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Liard River Hot Springs BC, on the road to Alaska</div>
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The London Bridge at Lake Havasu, Arizona</div>
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This is enough for now! I will continue to work toward the present in future issues. Many thanks to daughter, Terri, who spent a lot of time going through boxes of old photos and scanning them.</div>
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Our current location is the Elks Lodge in Port Townsend, very nice for $20 per night. We will be allowed to leave the motorhome here when we go on our cruise to Alaska on July 23rd.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Port Townsend, WA 98368, USA48.117038699999988 -122.7604471999999948.074638699999987 -122.84112819999999 48.159438699999988 -122.67976619999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-12873923168631285762016-06-28T10:11:00.000-07:002016-06-29T07:37:53.026-07:00We've been anchored far too long!It's true, we've been anchored here in Petaluma in a comfy existence that is becoming habit forming, but there is a plan formulating, though. We're spending the 4th of July weekend with family in Loomis, then head out Tuesday for Kaiser Brake and Alignment in Eugene. Need to get our brakes checked out. Part of the ongoing maintenance of an RV. Then we'll continue on up to the Escapees Park in Chimacun, WA and see if we can get a site and store the MH while on our week long cruise to Alaska. Getting pretty excited about that part! After the cruise we look forward to our August annual time at the Point Hudson marina RV parking in Port Townsend. We always get the same site 361 which is right on the water and no hookups. This not only affords us primo boat and water gazing but is $25 compared to $45 per site for hookups.<br />
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I have not been blogging very often since we have been in one place for so long. Thst will change once we start our summer adventure. So please check on us once in a while.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, CA, USA38.481544753463908 -123.4174179844558238.381789253463907 -123.57877948445582 38.581300253463908 -123.25605648445583tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-61968724349425016282016-05-22T10:45:00.000-07:002016-05-22T10:46:51.289-07:00Back in Petaluma..We've now been back in Petaluma for 3 weeks, staying here at the Elks Lodge, getting routine medical stuff done, visiting with friends and family. Food consumption is at an all time high. I need to remember our cruise in 9 weeks, and cut back if I want to fit into my clothes. We've done a little shopping in that regard but have a lot more to do. We're hoping to be able to leave the motorhome in Chimacum at the Escapees Evergreen Coho RV park. We'll drive the car into Seattle and park at the cruise parking lot for the week we're gone.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RV parking at the Petaluma Elks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old railroad deport is now the Visitors center</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic downtown of mid 1800 Victorian architecture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of farm stands and farmers markets</td></tr>
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Our central location allows us to visit with all the family: in Half Moon Bay, Loomis, and of course Petaluma. It also allows us easy access to lots of scenic places like Bodega Bay, Calistoga in the wine country, Lake Tahoe and more. So we're taking a few short trips just to break up the routine.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-9765575548439347452016-04-29T11:10:00.000-07:002016-04-29T11:14:30.437-07:00Pismo Beach getaway...We spent two glorious weeks at the North Beach campground of Pismo Beach State Park. What did we do? Absolutely nothing but stroll the beach, walk into town, visit with our local friend, Edna. Read, shop, nap, and eat....some serious down time, and it felt wonderful!<br />
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We stopped in Half Moon Bay on our way back to Petaluma and spent two wonderful days with our family and youngest grands, Liliana and Damien. Terri fixed her excellent prime rib roast and baked a lemon cake using the delicious Meyer lemons from the tree in their backyard. Again, eating was high on the list.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A special visitor...Liliana</td></tr>
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We have a cruise to Alaska planned for July (23-30) and we both really need to drop several pounds before we go since we know we'll be eating non-stop for 7 days aboard ship, Norwegian Cruise Lines. This will be our first "proper" cruise. Our only other experience was aboard a tall sailing ship (2011) where we departed from Barbados, transited the Panama Canal, and disembarked in Costa Rica. Three weeks of wonderful food, drink, and shore tours. But first, we need to do some major shopping for appropriate cruise wear (whatever that is!).<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Pismo Beach, CA, USA35.130331173565658 -120.6384256895019635.123803173565655 -120.64855368950195 35.136859173565661 -120.62829768950196tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-42434436942962920942016-04-17T11:58:00.000-07:002016-04-17T11:58:32.662-07:00Home territory, around Petaluma.....For the last couple of weeks we've been at our "home" base at the <a href="http://stillhowlyntravels.blogspot.com/2014/05/petaluma-small-city-with-big-personality.html?m=1">Petaluma Elks Lodge</a>. This is our "go to" place for visiting family and sightseeing around the Bay Area. The sites are situated in a parking lot style and go for $25 per night. It's recommended that reservations be made.<br />
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Nearby is <a href="http://cityofpetaluma.net/parksnrec/parks-pages/shollenberger.html">Shollenberger Park</a>, a beautiful bird sanctuary with a great trail system for much-needed walks and jogs. With all the recent rains, the lake is now full of water. The park also borders the Petaluma river which flows through downtown.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shollenberger trail along the Petaluma River...</td></tr>
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We had a wonderful surprise visit from our Canadian friends, Dan & Heather. We first met them in Anza Borrego over a year ago, then again last summer when we visited them at their Sushwap home in British Columbia. We took them over to meet our Petaluma family, Norm, Wendy, Christina, and of course, Annie the Lab. Norm fixed delicious smoked chickens served with a fresh green salad. The next day we showed them around Petaluma and had lunch at Dempsey's. Later Heather fixed a scrumptious dinner of shrimp and pineapple on the barbie. The next morning before they hit the road heading north to BC, Heather insisted on fixing us all a delicious breakfast of eggs Benedict. Eating was definitely the theme of each day!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather, Dan and Howard in Anza Borrego</td></tr>
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One of the good things about our location is easy access to special sightseeing venues. We needed a getaway and decided to drive over to the Pt. Reyes National Seashore on a beautiful spring day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful sight from on top...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blooming ice plant and drift wood along the beach...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a lot of steps!</td></tr>
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So now to bring us current~~We've decided to break up our stay in Petaluma with a series of side trips to favorite locations. Pismo Beach was an easy day's drive so here we are at the North Beach State Park campground. We hope to stay 2 weeks. Good friend Edna lives nearby and there are lots of good restaurants and wineries for our dining and sipping pleasure. Plus there's a beach, perfect for Howard's jogging and my walking toward the pier and into town. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posing amongst the Eucalyptus....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking along the beach towards town...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heron fishing!</td></tr>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-55157749255988948212016-03-29T13:49:00.001-07:002016-04-07T13:15:11.383-07:00Big Bend was a bust!Bad timing and poor planning didn't bode well for getting in to Big Bend National Park. We had been looking so forward to returning to this beautiful park after several years but arrived without reservations in the middle of Spring Break activity. Why, we thought, it can't be that time already. We were only able to get 2 nights at an RV park in Study Butte after driving down to the Visitor's Center and were informed that all the park campgrounds were full. Two days, actually one after all our running around, was not enough to cover the enormity of this park and all its splendor. Out of pure frustration we decided to leave after two days and start the long trek back to the SF Bay Area and Petaluma.<br />
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Murals tell the story of Alpine's past and present.</div>
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We spent a week in Alpine before heading down to Big Bend and enjoyed day trips to Marfa and Fort Davis, and up to the McDonald Observatory. Our mail caught up with us and I got a much-needed haircut!<br />
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Exploring Marfa and Terlingua.</div>
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We just spent a wonderful Easter at daughter Stephanie's in Loomis, east of Sacramento, and our Half Moon Bay family drove up for a couple of days. We are now back in Petaluma planning some getaways for the next few months before our Alaskan cruise in July.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-22765727964569575202016-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:002016-03-04T10:27:01.127-08:00Our final week in Tucson then on the road again~~~<div style="text-align: center;">
Our month at Bar J RV park passed quickly. All of our "fix its" got fixed. Many fine happy hours and dinners were enjoyed with Rodger and Sharon. We even did a little sightseeing along the way.</div>
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Just south of Tucson and near the I-19 freeway to Nogales is the beautiful <a href="http://www.sanxaviermission.org/">San Xavier Mission</a>. We haven't visited in years and a lot of renovation has taken place.</div>
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We did more laundry. The washing machines are free and drying in the warm, dry (very dry) breeze makes for great smelling sheets.</div>
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We got in a couple of hikes at Tucson Mountain Park. The views are spectacular and the cacti are pre-bloom but buds are popping out on the cholla and prickly pear.</div>
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We enjoyed many spectacular sunsets....</div>
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Today, Monday leap day, we packed up and moved on. We are in such a quandary over an itinerary and how far east we want to go. The whole idea is that with fuel prices so low we should plan a year of driving across country to Florida. However the weather gets iffy the further east we go and the desert dryness is begging for a little humidity. We've just decided to take one day at a time, reserving the right to make a U-turn whenever things aren't going our way.</div>
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A good day's drive took us from Tucson to Deming, and the Escapees Dream Catcher RV park, but just for one night. Tomorrow we hope to make it to Alpine, TX for a few days. Need to get both vehicles inspected once we get to Texas, I need a haircut in the worse way, and there's a super restaurant we want to revisit and report on.</div>
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Current location, Alpine, TX; waiting for mail to catch up with us. Then on to Big Bend NP!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0S Wright Rd, Tucson, AZ 85713, USA32.2065568 -111.0257665000000332.2048683 -111.02829850000003 32.2082453 -111.02323450000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-20650719957912968562016-02-17T13:02:00.000-08:002016-02-17T13:02:44.920-08:00On to Tucson for a month of "fixings"....We have committed to staying a month here at the Bar J RV Park, one of our favorite "proper" MH parks at a monthly rate of $425. We have full hookups, a patio with a builtin BBQ stand, and our own Saguaro. Directly behind our site is one of the several washing machine rooms that provide free washes with lots of clotheslines with which to dry. With a steady, warm breeze blowing you can't beat it. <br />
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Our motorhome is entering its 16th year so we expect systems to fail, need repair, or replacement. Such was the case with our old Sharp Micro/convection combo. We were lucky to find one in the catalog at Home Depot, a Sharp Carousel, with the exact same dimensions as the old one. Our friends provided the name of a very reliable handyman. Keith showed up right on time, dismantled the old one, and quickly had the new one installed. Price for labor - $50, which we thought was very reasonable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new Sharp Carousel Convection/Microwave oven.</td></tr>
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Lucky for us our interior cleaning service, Kyle of Benson Carpet Cleaners comes to Tucson. He shampooed and Scotch Guarded carpet, upholstery, and ceiling plus a couple of area rugs. I'm sure we off-loaded gallons of Borrego dust and sand. Our little home is now back to her beautiful old self.<br />
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Next on our fix-it agenda was the mechanic from RV MD who came by to install a new heat sensor for our Magnum Inverter. The inverter tech not only installed the heat sensor but also replaced all the battery cable connections for our 6 battery house bank which were so corroded, even though Howard periodically cleans them. Now we should be in good shape power-wise, unless of course, the batteries have lived their life!<br />
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Otherwise, life goes on as usual, We visit local friends and go for short walks in Tucson Mountain Park. I say short because, like the motorhome entering advanced age, my back is steadily getting worse and walking and standing are very painful. But still we need to keep pushing.<br />
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That's all for now, folks!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Tucson Estates, AZ, USA32.1875769 -111.0909295000000232.079506400000007 -111.25297800000001 32.2956474 -110.92888100000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-57366904536474795472016-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:002016-01-27T10:02:05.992-08:00Desert Hot Springs, CA to Quartzsite, AZWe were ready for a change from Anza Borrego and Desert Hot Springs is about as opposite as you can get. We stayed at Catalina Spa RV Park, a Passport America half price park for a week at $22.50 per night, enjoying the hot pools and getting more RV stuff done.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our corner site at Catalina Spa RV Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hot pool...very hot!</td></tr>
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Howard installed a new toilet seal in our little bathroom and what a job that always turns out to be! Next he worked on our batteries trying to figure out why they're not holding a charge. First he equalized them after a month of voltage fluctuation due to boondocking. We usually stay at about 12.5 but as soon a the solar power turned off, the gauge on the controller fell considerably. They are not holding a charge from solar or running the generator. Narrowed it down to a faulty heat sensor on our Magnum inverter and will have to wait until we get to Tucson to get it to an authorized service center for Magnum.<br />
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We had a great tourist day driving the roads of Joshua Tree NP. Had not been in years and really enjoyed seeing all the rock formations, many with climbers up the rock wall. This was followed by a fun night in Palm Springs, dining at an old favorite Mexican restaurant, Las Casuelas Terraza, which we hadn't been to for many years. It was pretty crazy, especially since it was a Friday night.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joshua Tree NP</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock climbers...look closely</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard cautiously poses in the cholla garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Margaritas at Las Casuelas</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy ceviche tostados</td></tr>
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So now we are in Quartzsite for a few days, once again boondocking, parked north of town at Hi Jolly 14 day BLM free parking. We check the vendors for products we use regularly. Howard found a small 5 watt solar panel that will charge the phones plus charge the car battery when it is being towed. We've had problems with the car not starting after a day of towing, so hope this helps. We plan to leave by Monday at the latest for Tucson.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0La Paz County, AZ, USA33.818079511351691 -114.2052293617187533.711962011351687 -114.36727786171875 33.924197011351694 -114.04318086171875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-62839614650296432442016-01-17T12:00:00.001-08:002016-01-19T12:58:06.352-08:00We're winding down our stay in the Anza Borrego Desert~~~<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W44694fVzuM/VpvuvHug9BI/AAAAAAAAucw/O-XXiSQtHOk/s1600/IMG_20160111_143457698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W44694fVzuM/VpvuvHug9BI/AAAAAAAAucw/O-XXiSQtHOk/s400/IMG_20160111_143457698.jpg" width="225" /></a><br />
This last week we've been winding down our stay here in the Anza Borrego Desert with a final trip to Tito's to get the MH air filter installed and batteries checked, and get togethers with friends who are in the area. Got to play a bit of tourist with Beth and Chris as they stopped by on their way back from the FMCA rally in Indio to see the Brecedo statues. Our Canadian friends, Dan and Heather, arrived just a few days ago. We are happy we got to see them before departure. There was a final dinner last night at Carlee's with Nan and John and lunch today with Carolyn and Tom who took us on a great jeep drive up Coyote Canyon (whew!).<br />
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The weather out here has been "strange", for lack of a better word. We've run the gamut from warm and beautiful, to rain and very high winds, especially a few days ago when visibility was practically nil!<br />
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On Monday we leave for a rejuvenating week at Catalina Spa RV Park in Desert Hot Springs. This park honors our Passport America membership of half price ($22.50) for the entire week. We need a good soaking to rid our skin of all the dust and dryness. See you there.....<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 200 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, USA33.100492 -116.30132677.3537720000000029 -157.7857017 58.847212 -74.8169517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5356928150755002468.post-29858876134260337292016-01-08T13:32:00.000-08:002016-01-08T13:32:05.964-08:00Ho Hum sums it up!We've been out here in the Anza Borrego Desert for over two weeks now and I've taken few photos. Our surroundings just aren't the same, spoiled by years' past. One day it is cold with heavy gusts of wind, then rain showers, mud puddles and snow in the mountains. Clark Dry Lake...isn't. There is water. Today is a brilliant, sunny gorgeous day that gets us outside enjoying the elements. Howard is working on water-proofing the slide before the next major storm blows in. Walks for me have been short, maybe a mile or two, as my back pain is kicking up, but Howard (the elder) still jogs his 4-5 miles barely breaking a sweat!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have very nice neighbors....</td></tr>
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New Year's week was crowded with lots of rigs and groups of 4-wheelers enjoying the many off road tracks and bringing in the New Year. We got together with Nan and John for an enjoyable happy hour complete with pizza and drinks. This week the groups have gone and we have lots of open space in our line of sight.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the first sunset of the new year. See the crowds?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clark Dry Lake....isn't!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is snow in them there hills!</td></tr>
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Funny story! We have friends attending a rally at the Riverside County Fairgrounds where the FMCA show debuts this week. A few days ago we decided to drive up to see all the vendors, possibly find our water filter cartridge, and say a quick hello to our friends, the Panys. It's about an hours drive each way. When we got there we couldn't find any indication of the big show or parking facilities, and when we finally found someone in the know we were told the show didn't start until Thursday! And on that note, we headed for the Costco in La Quinta and spent far more than the cost of a mere water filter!<br />
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We got the car serviced at Tito's in town and discovered we need a new battery. Had been having trouble with the battery being dead when we towed for long distances. We are now awaiting filters for the rig and will take it in Monday to be serviced.<br />
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I'm going to wrap this post up while the internet is sort of working. We are right on the fringe of service for both the MiFi and phone. Not sure where our next stop is. Guess we'll wait and see next week. Until then......Best wishes for the New Year!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Comments are appreciated!</div>stillhowlynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696527643571126874noreply@blogger.com0Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 200 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, USA33.100492 -116.30132677.3537720000000029 -157.7857017 58.847212 -74.8169517