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SEASON 8, EPISODE 17, MAR 23, DAY 88
On the road by 8:30 with grey skies and rain, then In and out of sunshiny and rainy areas pretty much all day. Best drive we have ever had through the Portland and Seattle/Tacoma areas. One minor blip when we decided to skirt around Seattle on the 405 - a tractor trailer with a load of hay stalled/broken down across two lanes. Vehicles were going around on either side, so the backup wasn't too bad.
We reached the border about 3:15pm. Only one lane open; one vehicle ahead of us and one fell in behind while we were awaiting our turn. Sumas was like a ghost town, as many places appear these days. A few extra questions than normal and then we heard those wonderful words "Welcome Home", of course accompanied by instructions to self-quarantine for 14 days. The neighbour had the complex gate open for us and their driveway cleared so we could drive the RV across the ends of our two, to minimize it impeding the road (not like anyone's going anywhere, but...). It took us about 2 hours to unload everything; some stuff simply dumped in the garage, clothing and toiletries dumped on the bed, dry goods all over the kitchen counters, and perishables stored in the fridge. Returned the RV to the storage compound (cleaning will have to wait for another day at least 14 days away) and back home to start our isolation. For all intents and purposes we have been in isolation for the past 5 days inside the RV, but we'll still stick to the 14 days (at least) in the house. Put on some pasta, opened the wine and decided everything else could wait until tomorrow - except the stuff on the bed, so one chore down by bedtime. It was a bit daunting to come out the next morning and see (or perhaps not see) the kitchen counter tops, but we will tackle that and a mountain of laundry today.
So the latter part of the 2020 season has been unusual, to say the least. We miss our Mesa Regal family. We hope and pray that all our family and friends (Canadian, American or wherever) come through this nightmare OK and that common sense prevails in the grocery stores and elsewhere. On that note, I add this bit of laughter which we all need to help us through these tough times. Until next time, dear readers, I so appreciate your support and encouragement and hope I can, in the not too distant future, share stories of a trip across our beautiful country of Canada. Stay safe and healthy.
We reached the border about 3:15pm. Only one lane open; one vehicle ahead of us and one fell in behind while we were awaiting our turn. Sumas was like a ghost town, as many places appear these days. A few extra questions than normal and then we heard those wonderful words "Welcome Home", of course accompanied by instructions to self-quarantine for 14 days. The neighbour had the complex gate open for us and their driveway cleared so we could drive the RV across the ends of our two, to minimize it impeding the road (not like anyone's going anywhere, but...). It took us about 2 hours to unload everything; some stuff simply dumped in the garage, clothing and toiletries dumped on the bed, dry goods all over the kitchen counters, and perishables stored in the fridge. Returned the RV to the storage compound (cleaning will have to wait for another day at least 14 days away) and back home to start our isolation. For all intents and purposes we have been in isolation for the past 5 days inside the RV, but we'll still stick to the 14 days (at least) in the house. Put on some pasta, opened the wine and decided everything else could wait until tomorrow - except the stuff on the bed, so one chore down by bedtime. It was a bit daunting to come out the next morning and see (or perhaps not see) the kitchen counter tops, but we will tackle that and a mountain of laundry today.
So the latter part of the 2020 season has been unusual, to say the least. We miss our Mesa Regal family. We hope and pray that all our family and friends (Canadian, American or wherever) come through this nightmare OK and that common sense prevails in the grocery stores and elsewhere. On that note, I add this bit of laughter which we all need to help us through these tough times. Until next time, dear readers, I so appreciate your support and encouragement and hope I can, in the not too distant future, share stories of a trip across our beautiful country of Canada. Stay safe and healthy.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 16, MAR 22, DAY 87
A bit brisk (around freezing) when we woke up this morning, but on the road before 8 and clear skies and sunshine followed us all the way to Wilsonville, OR. Met up with a grumpy transport driver along the way. Light traffic and we were driving about 60mph in the centre lane of 3 lanes (Robin likes it there because he doesn't have to try and change lanes suddenly for merging traffic or if the lane becomes exit only). The guy comes up on our right and starts blaring his horn. I almost wet myself, and thought maybe there was a problem with the tow vehicle. Nope, he apparently was just annoyed that we were sitting in the middle lane. Chill out buddy; it's not like the traffic is bumper to bumper and there are lanes on either side of us. Some of these guys seem to think they own the roads.
We decided to unhook and gas up before checking in to the RV park. While I was waiting for Robin to fill up the motorhome, I messaged the kids that we had arrived at our destination and that we were going to head out and pick up some groceries to bring home. Alison messaged back that we shouldn't be going in grocery stores. I messaged back to her that we really didn't have a choice, as we didn't have enough food to get us through the several days it would take to get groceries ordered on line (she had told us it is taking a few days now). She messaged back and admitted that they were at that moment half way to our house with food and supplies to tide us over for a few days (including a couple of boxes of 🍷 and some 🍺 for Robin. They wanted it to be a surprise when we got home. Can you say "tears of gratitude😭'? Sorry Graham, but Alison just moved to the top of the list for the time being.
Our last night sleeping in the US for now. I'll be winding up Season 8 in the next couple of days. Usually a bit hectic when we return, getting the rig unloaded and things sorted and/or washed and put away. Until next time, dear readers.
We decided to unhook and gas up before checking in to the RV park. While I was waiting for Robin to fill up the motorhome, I messaged the kids that we had arrived at our destination and that we were going to head out and pick up some groceries to bring home. Alison messaged back that we shouldn't be going in grocery stores. I messaged back to her that we really didn't have a choice, as we didn't have enough food to get us through the several days it would take to get groceries ordered on line (she had told us it is taking a few days now). She messaged back and admitted that they were at that moment half way to our house with food and supplies to tide us over for a few days (including a couple of boxes of 🍷 and some 🍺 for Robin. They wanted it to be a surprise when we got home. Can you say "tears of gratitude😭'? Sorry Graham, but Alison just moved to the top of the list for the time being.
Our last night sleeping in the US for now. I'll be winding up Season 8 in the next couple of days. Usually a bit hectic when we return, getting the rig unloaded and things sorted and/or washed and put away. Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 15, MAR 21, DAY 86
We started off the day with rain and clouds, but the sun came out shortly after we got on the road, and stayed with us for the rest of the day. Wheels were rolling by around 8 and we made it as far as Yreka, CA (northern CA, almost Oregon). Uneventful drive, with significantly less traffic than we are used to seeing on the I5. When we went through Sacramento (state capital) around 11am, you would have thought it was 11pm.
We're definitely not in Arizona anymore - it's supposed to drop down to about -1c tonight. The little heater will be working hard to keep the chill off the rig. We will drive as far as Wilsonville tomorrow (just south of Portland), where we can gas up and hopefully stock up on some groceries to take home, as we will be in almost immediate quarantine when we get there. Then we can just highball through Washington on Monday and be home.
Until next time, dear readers.
We're definitely not in Arizona anymore - it's supposed to drop down to about -1c tonight. The little heater will be working hard to keep the chill off the rig. We will drive as far as Wilsonville tomorrow (just south of Portland), where we can gas up and hopefully stock up on some groceries to take home, as we will be in almost immediate quarantine when we get there. Then we can just highball through Washington on Monday and be home.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 14, MAR 20, DAY 85
Actually on the road today before 7am, and 8 hours later we have stopped in Chowchilla, CA for the night. Clear skies and sunshine, relatively light traffic and all in all a good day. We figure we can make it home in 3 more days. Eight hours can be a long day for the driver, especially if it's day after day. We want to get to northern Oregon by Sunday night, and then we can gas up and bomb through Washington, especially the Northwest corner. It seems to be the hardest hit with the virus. The forecast for snow in the Mount Shasta area hasn't changed, so if we get through there by Sunday, we'll be OK. Just want to get home. Trying not to freak out or obsess, but I WILL feel better when I'm back on Canadian soil.
Supper's cooking and just about done, so until next time, dear readers.
Supper's cooking and just about done, so until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 13, MAR 19, DAY 84
Gassed up, hooked up and on our way by 9:30. Good drive through Greater Phoenix with no traffic jams and no slowdowns. Uneventful drive to Needles, CA for our first night back on the road. On our way down this season, I said to Robin that I wanted to visit Oatman on this trip, in case we don't get back down this way again. From Arizona's tourism website: "You’ve got to see Oatman to believe it. This tiny town is in a rugged area carved out of the wilderness by determined miners and now populated by more wild burros than people." I'd heard of the Oatman burros (who doesn't love a cute little burro?) and all the pictures showed vast numbers of them all over the main street of the tiny town. Well, we saw burros on the side of the road a couple of miles out of town, but we only saw 3 in the town itself. Granted it was late in the day, and I'm pretty sure they've gotten used to the prime tourist time (ie food), and we didn't get there until around 4pm. Regardless, we were able to get up close and personal with a couple of them. Meet Marshall (on the right) and his mom Dusty. The spotted one with its tongue hanging out we saw as were driving through town to leave.
We took a stroll down the main street, but weren't particularly interested in any souvenirs or food, and there was a very cool wind blowing, so it didn't take very long. I was mainly interested in seeing the burros. We did see more off the sides of the road on the way back to Needles.
Early night tonight and hopefully an early start tomorrow so we can put in a lot of miles before we stop again. We are hearing reports of possible snow storms starting Monday or Tuesday in the northern part of California, but we should be able to get beyond there before then. The route we had originally planned to take (through Nevada, Idaho, etc.) is showing very cold temperatures and definite snow over the next couple of days, so we'll try our luck along the I5. Until next time, dear readers.
Early night tonight and hopefully an early start tomorrow so we can put in a lot of miles before we stop again. We are hearing reports of possible snow storms starting Monday or Tuesday in the northern part of California, but we should be able to get beyond there before then. The route we had originally planned to take (through Nevada, Idaho, etc.) is showing very cold temperatures and definite snow over the next couple of days, so we'll try our luck along the I5. Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 12, WEEKS 10, 11 and part of 12 (Mar 1 - 18)
It's been an interesting 2.5 weeks. Two days after getting back from Mexico, I got the cold I've been warding off since we started our journey south. If it's not a cold, then I've developed an allergy to the grapefruit and orange blossoms that are so prevalent around here right now. I'm confident it's not covid-19 as there is no dry cough, no fever and no difficulty breathing – it's simply nasal congestion leading to coughing from the draining congestion. I did lay low for a few days at the start, and eventually made my way back into civilization. But it's been up and down over the past two weeks (or maybe the off-and-on meds have simply masked the intensity), which makes me think it's more likely allergies. It's not debilitating, but very annoying when a coughing jag starts and then just as suddenly ends, to leave me alone for a couple of hours. Not to mention how uneasy it may make other folks. I haven't always been able to avoid everyone, but I always cough into a Kleenex in case it's not allergies. I guess when we leave here and get away from the blossoms, that may be a good indicator.
So nothing overly exciting over the past two weeks, as we have been somewhat social isolating so not attending any park activities (not even all the March Madness Manager's Happy Hours – 25 cent beer and wine). We have had the occasional happy hour with the usual crowd, always tons of fun, and have been still taking our morning walks, but otherwise just relaxing and reading or playing on our tablets at our site.
We had planned to hang in here until the end of the month, but with all the craziness of the covid-19 pandemic and the concerns of our kids, family and friends, we have decided to pull up stakes two weeks early and will be hitting the road tomorrow for our journey home. Although the confirmed cases here are way less than at home, we know these numbers may not be all that reliable and can change very quickly. They have now closed down virtually everything in the park - bar and grill and all meeting and hobby rooms, along with any scheduled concerts or other events as of Monday, all pools and showers as of today. So when our daughter told us yesterday that it was killing her thinking about the possibility of one of us ending up in hospital down here, and no one could come down to see us or help us, it pushed us over the proverbial edge of do we stay or do we go. Many (particularly Canadians) have already left and many more will be following us in the next few days.
A few of us gathered at Mike & Lynn's for one final happy hour. As always, hard to say goodbye for who knows how long. And boy did we get a storm while there. Fortunately, they are in a park model with a large covered carport with tarps around the sides. Lightning, thunder, big winds and lots of rain off and on starting around 4pm and the wind and rain has continued off and on since. So we're on the road tomorrow and hopefully the trip home is quick and uneventful. I'll leave you with a picture of the beauty that is about to explode in this area. Until next time, dear readers.
So nothing overly exciting over the past two weeks, as we have been somewhat social isolating so not attending any park activities (not even all the March Madness Manager's Happy Hours – 25 cent beer and wine). We have had the occasional happy hour with the usual crowd, always tons of fun, and have been still taking our morning walks, but otherwise just relaxing and reading or playing on our tablets at our site.
We had planned to hang in here until the end of the month, but with all the craziness of the covid-19 pandemic and the concerns of our kids, family and friends, we have decided to pull up stakes two weeks early and will be hitting the road tomorrow for our journey home. Although the confirmed cases here are way less than at home, we know these numbers may not be all that reliable and can change very quickly. They have now closed down virtually everything in the park - bar and grill and all meeting and hobby rooms, along with any scheduled concerts or other events as of Monday, all pools and showers as of today. So when our daughter told us yesterday that it was killing her thinking about the possibility of one of us ending up in hospital down here, and no one could come down to see us or help us, it pushed us over the proverbial edge of do we stay or do we go. Many (particularly Canadians) have already left and many more will be following us in the next few days.
A few of us gathered at Mike & Lynn's for one final happy hour. As always, hard to say goodbye for who knows how long. And boy did we get a storm while there. Fortunately, they are in a park model with a large covered carport with tarps around the sides. Lightning, thunder, big winds and lots of rain off and on starting around 4pm and the wind and rain has continued off and on since. So we're on the road tomorrow and hopefully the trip home is quick and uneventful. I'll leave you with a picture of the beauty that is about to explode in this area. Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 11, WEEKS 8 & 9 (Feb 15 - Feb 29)
Beautiful Loreto, Mexico. We were at the Villa del Palmar Resort about 40km south of Loreto itself. Beautiful, remote location on Ensenada Blanca (White Cove) with an amazing golf course (Danzante Bay). Beautiful condo-type units with full facilities, beautiful pools and three on-site restaurants. The most amazing part was spending the two weeks with my 5 siblings and their spouses. We had so much fun, sometimes doing things all together, sometimes in small groups or on our own, and we could relax as much or as little as one might want. The first week we spent a lot of time on the beach getting to know the bartenders (David & Fidel) and soaking up the sun. Awesome watching the pelicans and their "synchronized diving". VIDEO One of them had a particularly bad crash landing, not on the water but on a sandbar just out in front of us. My sister Shelley went to check it out and it seemed he(?) was not well even before the crash land, as his eyes were weepy and he had a bum leg. She managed to get quite close and spent a fair bit of time talking to him and when she walked away, he followed her right up to the sand in front of our loungers. She was able to pet him. She was dubbed the Pelican Whisperer. He eventually flew a short way down the beach. We saw him again the next day, apparently after he had been relocated from the main beach area by staff to a spot a short distance west (or whatever direction it was - northwest maybe). Shelley and I went over to check him out, and he seemed to be worse. She threw him a piece of food and although he tried to pick it up he was completely missing it, so obviously the eye issues had declined further. When she tried to pet him, he flew away (or at least tried to). We decided to leave a little pile of food for him and leave him in peace. VIDEO We didn't see him again after that, and a few short days later some pelican remains were spotted farther down the beach to the east.
Also during the first week 6 of our party (including one female) went out fishing in two boats. They landed 7 yellowtail tuna. Two were left with the boat operators; the others had slabs cut out and filleted for the fishers to bring ashore. A couple of pieces were left with our beach bartenders, and some of it was taken to one of the restaurants and for $13 per person they prepared ceviche and grilled tuna for us for dinner that night, including salad, risotto and veggies. FANTASTIC. The rest went back to the rooms and despite best efforts there was still a fair bit left when it was time to go home. Once again, we offered it to our beach bartenders, and it was gratefully accepted.
The second week we had a couple of windy days which kept us up at the pools and off the beach. This week we went across the Baja Peninsula to a little town called Adolfo López Mateos (about a 2-hour drive) to do some whale watching on the Pacific Ocean. An amazing two hours on the water with lots of gray whales sighted, some pretty darn close to the boats, and a few spotted in the distance breaching. We weren't fortunate enough to be in one of the boats that got close enough to allow the passengers to touch a whale (actually the boats sit pretty still and wait for the whales to approach). We believe it is pretty much females and calves in the bay area itself and close to the bay entrance, with the males further out guarding the entry and doing all the breaching. Exciting times and definitely a highlight. I spliced together a few of the close encounters in a VIDEO. At around the 2:25 mark watch the horizon to the right of the boat off in the distance. A whale breaches and about 15 seconds later another one breaches a bit further to the right. A visit into Loreto itself one day for lunch and a bit of a look-around as well. Cute little town that might be worth checking out for a possible future stay.
Fantastic restaurant dinner and self-created party with the entertainer to finish up our last night at the resort. Some folks weren't moving too quickly the next day. What a wonderful time and what incredible memories we have made reconnecting, reminiscing and sharing. When we're at home, everyone has busy lives and we don't get to spend that much time, if any, together like this. Hard to say goodbye and bring it all to an end. I am truly blessed to be part of such an amazing family. Long travel day with a VERY long trek through LAX to change planes. We arrived back at our home on wheels about 11:30pm on the 29th, exhausted but happy to have made the trip. We now have only 4 weeks left before the wheels start rolling to bring us home.
Until next time readers.
Also during the first week 6 of our party (including one female) went out fishing in two boats. They landed 7 yellowtail tuna. Two were left with the boat operators; the others had slabs cut out and filleted for the fishers to bring ashore. A couple of pieces were left with our beach bartenders, and some of it was taken to one of the restaurants and for $13 per person they prepared ceviche and grilled tuna for us for dinner that night, including salad, risotto and veggies. FANTASTIC. The rest went back to the rooms and despite best efforts there was still a fair bit left when it was time to go home. Once again, we offered it to our beach bartenders, and it was gratefully accepted.
The second week we had a couple of windy days which kept us up at the pools and off the beach. This week we went across the Baja Peninsula to a little town called Adolfo López Mateos (about a 2-hour drive) to do some whale watching on the Pacific Ocean. An amazing two hours on the water with lots of gray whales sighted, some pretty darn close to the boats, and a few spotted in the distance breaching. We weren't fortunate enough to be in one of the boats that got close enough to allow the passengers to touch a whale (actually the boats sit pretty still and wait for the whales to approach). We believe it is pretty much females and calves in the bay area itself and close to the bay entrance, with the males further out guarding the entry and doing all the breaching. Exciting times and definitely a highlight. I spliced together a few of the close encounters in a VIDEO. At around the 2:25 mark watch the horizon to the right of the boat off in the distance. A whale breaches and about 15 seconds later another one breaches a bit further to the right. A visit into Loreto itself one day for lunch and a bit of a look-around as well. Cute little town that might be worth checking out for a possible future stay.
Fantastic restaurant dinner and self-created party with the entertainer to finish up our last night at the resort. Some folks weren't moving too quickly the next day. What a wonderful time and what incredible memories we have made reconnecting, reminiscing and sharing. When we're at home, everyone has busy lives and we don't get to spend that much time, if any, together like this. Hard to say goodbye and bring it all to an end. I am truly blessed to be part of such an amazing family. Long travel day with a VERY long trek through LAX to change planes. We arrived back at our home on wheels about 11:30pm on the 29th, exhausted but happy to have made the trip. We now have only 4 weeks left before the wheels start rolling to bring us home.
Until next time readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 10, WEEK 7, Saturday, Feb 8 - Friday, Feb 14
Forgot to mention on my last post that we (3 couples) went and picked oranges at the same home we picked at last year. Was nice to see Al & Kerry again, and relieve them of some of the orange burden. We tackled a couple of the trees and left the rest, as he said they had family coming that would want to pick. He called John this week to say his neighbour had noticed us picking and wanted to know if we would come and pick some of his oranges. So, we are headed back there later this week. The oranges are so sweet and juicy – rather addictive.
Saturday – no walk this morning, as Ken & Faye had other plans. Robin tackled the laundry and I did a bit of prize shopping for the upcoming 4th Street Valentine Potluck dinner, and tried tracking down a few more neighbours to determine if they are coming or not, and what they want to bring. Robin then headed off for a hike, once I brought the car back. Shortly after his return, we sat out and visited with the new neighbours, Mike & Roni, for a couple of hours before the sun started to set and the air cooled down dramatically.
Sunday – mornings are getting warmer, so back to our 7:30 walks. Being a Sunday lots of folks with dogs. The horse came right to the fence again, when I dangled the plastic bag with the carrots. I finished my second canvas of the street for the potluck dinner – everyone is now accounted for one way or the other. Relaxing day, although there is a change coming in the weather. It started to cloud over and windy by late afternoon. Rain is forecast and even a possible thunderstorm tomorrow.
Monday - usual walk and picked oranges in the afternoon. We went to dinner at Buca di Beppo with Ken & Faye, Bev & Perry and Rich & Karen. Fabulous meal and great company. It poured rain while we were in the restaurant, and we could see lightning to the north on the way home. When we got back to the site, we discovered that the table (which had been moved to the middle of the gazebo) was soaked, with little clumps of hail here and there. That got me thinking that the window on my side of the bed was left open, and the bed might be soaking wet as well, but all was OK. Another downpour around 8:30 and again some time during the night.
Tuesday – a bit mucky on our walk. Headed out for a bit of shopping. Happy Hour at our place, with lots of sun after a full day of off and on clouds. The last of the die hards headed home around 5:30.
Wednesday - rather than our usual walk we decided to head off to the Snowbird Extragavanza at the Mesa Convention Centre (actually, I guess they spell it "center"). Not much to see there in the way of exhibits, but they had entertainment going all day and most of it was pretty good. Started off with comedian Jimmy Flynn (from Newfoundland), who provided lots of laughs. Valdy was the next performer, but we took that opportunity to check out the surprisingly low number of exhibitors. Back to the theatre area for a comedic juggler (can't remember his name – he was OK). Then it was lunch break and the entire hall emptied out to the outdoor dining area they had set up. By the time we got out there, the lineup looked like it was about 5 miles long, so whipped out the phone and discovered a pub just a short block away and off we went. Very slow service (no it wasn't busy as you might expect with the event going on a short distance away), but we had the time to wait. I was most interested in seeing John Wing, a Canadian comedian and the second act after the intermission. I've seen him on TV before and always enjoyed his routines. We returned in time to get the last couple of songs from the musical act, April Wine. They had been billed simply as the lead singer, but he was accompanied by another original member of the band and a fellow who played backup for Rita McNeil. They were VERY good and I wish we'd seen the entire performance. If at some time in the future I see they are performing somewhere that I am, I won't hesitate to attend (unlike some acts that just haven't got it anymore but are stilling touring). John Wing did not disappoint. I think my tears of laughter soaked through at least two Kleenexes. Once we got back home from the traffic jam that was everyone leaving the "extravaganza", we headed to Phil & Paula's new site for happy hour. Another great couple of hours spent with special people.
Thursday we did our morning walk, got pedicures and I got things ready for the 4th St South Valentine Pot Luck. Somehow I managed to get myself "voluntold" by the couple that have been organizing it for several years that they could use my help, and it basically turned out they wanted me to take care of everything. It wasn't too bad (they have a big bin of decorations), but I was responsible for basically MCing and deciding what game we would play after dinner and buying some prizes. I felt it only fair, after the dinner, to tell the previous organizers that we probably won't be back next year. It was a fun evening and once again excellent food provided by all the participants.
Friday after our morning walk we spent the day packing and getting ready to shut down the motorhome for two weeks while we jet off to Loreto, Mexico for a fabulous holiday with my 5 siblings and their spouses. Early night, as we had an early flight to catch.
Until next time dear readers.
Saturday – no walk this morning, as Ken & Faye had other plans. Robin tackled the laundry and I did a bit of prize shopping for the upcoming 4th Street Valentine Potluck dinner, and tried tracking down a few more neighbours to determine if they are coming or not, and what they want to bring. Robin then headed off for a hike, once I brought the car back. Shortly after his return, we sat out and visited with the new neighbours, Mike & Roni, for a couple of hours before the sun started to set and the air cooled down dramatically.
Sunday – mornings are getting warmer, so back to our 7:30 walks. Being a Sunday lots of folks with dogs. The horse came right to the fence again, when I dangled the plastic bag with the carrots. I finished my second canvas of the street for the potluck dinner – everyone is now accounted for one way or the other. Relaxing day, although there is a change coming in the weather. It started to cloud over and windy by late afternoon. Rain is forecast and even a possible thunderstorm tomorrow.
Monday - usual walk and picked oranges in the afternoon. We went to dinner at Buca di Beppo with Ken & Faye, Bev & Perry and Rich & Karen. Fabulous meal and great company. It poured rain while we were in the restaurant, and we could see lightning to the north on the way home. When we got back to the site, we discovered that the table (which had been moved to the middle of the gazebo) was soaked, with little clumps of hail here and there. That got me thinking that the window on my side of the bed was left open, and the bed might be soaking wet as well, but all was OK. Another downpour around 8:30 and again some time during the night.
Tuesday – a bit mucky on our walk. Headed out for a bit of shopping. Happy Hour at our place, with lots of sun after a full day of off and on clouds. The last of the die hards headed home around 5:30.
Wednesday - rather than our usual walk we decided to head off to the Snowbird Extragavanza at the Mesa Convention Centre (actually, I guess they spell it "center"). Not much to see there in the way of exhibits, but they had entertainment going all day and most of it was pretty good. Started off with comedian Jimmy Flynn (from Newfoundland), who provided lots of laughs. Valdy was the next performer, but we took that opportunity to check out the surprisingly low number of exhibitors. Back to the theatre area for a comedic juggler (can't remember his name – he was OK). Then it was lunch break and the entire hall emptied out to the outdoor dining area they had set up. By the time we got out there, the lineup looked like it was about 5 miles long, so whipped out the phone and discovered a pub just a short block away and off we went. Very slow service (no it wasn't busy as you might expect with the event going on a short distance away), but we had the time to wait. I was most interested in seeing John Wing, a Canadian comedian and the second act after the intermission. I've seen him on TV before and always enjoyed his routines. We returned in time to get the last couple of songs from the musical act, April Wine. They had been billed simply as the lead singer, but he was accompanied by another original member of the band and a fellow who played backup for Rita McNeil. They were VERY good and I wish we'd seen the entire performance. If at some time in the future I see they are performing somewhere that I am, I won't hesitate to attend (unlike some acts that just haven't got it anymore but are stilling touring). John Wing did not disappoint. I think my tears of laughter soaked through at least two Kleenexes. Once we got back home from the traffic jam that was everyone leaving the "extravaganza", we headed to Phil & Paula's new site for happy hour. Another great couple of hours spent with special people.
Thursday we did our morning walk, got pedicures and I got things ready for the 4th St South Valentine Pot Luck. Somehow I managed to get myself "voluntold" by the couple that have been organizing it for several years that they could use my help, and it basically turned out they wanted me to take care of everything. It wasn't too bad (they have a big bin of decorations), but I was responsible for basically MCing and deciding what game we would play after dinner and buying some prizes. I felt it only fair, after the dinner, to tell the previous organizers that we probably won't be back next year. It was a fun evening and once again excellent food provided by all the participants.
Friday after our morning walk we spent the day packing and getting ready to shut down the motorhome for two weeks while we jet off to Loreto, Mexico for a fabulous holiday with my 5 siblings and their spouses. Early night, as we had an early flight to catch.
Until next time dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 9, WEEK 6, Friday, Jan 31 - Friday, Feb 7
Friday Jan 31 our morning walk at Gilbert Raparian Preserve, a bit of grocery shopping and a generally lazy day.
Saturday, we took our morning walk back to Red Mountain Multigeneration Park, otherwise another lazy day with pizza dinner at Mike's (and laughs galore).
Sunday's walk was back to the Preserve, with carrots for the horse, but she showed no interest as she chowed down in her trough. Super Bowl watched on the outdoor TV at our place. Another fun time with our Mesa Regal family.
Monday's walk back at the Preserve. Brought carrots again for the horse. A larger chunk in hand caught her attention, and she came over to accept the offering. Bev (widow in the RV behind us) insisted on taking us to Black Angus for dinner. Robin has helped her out with a bunch of stuff and we picked her up from the airport last week after a trip home for a funeral. Wonderful meal and great company and we brought home a delightful chocolate cake dessert for later in the evening.
Tuesday was a cold morning, so delayed our walk by a couple of hours. Tried a different park recommended by another walker, but the roadways around the ponds weren't open – just a short trail to a couple of observation stands. So we found ourselves back at the Preserve (after a stop at Target). The horse came over to the fence as soon as I whistled and held out my hand. Dinner at Doug & Ann's - they smoked a turkey and everyone brought sides and desserts, etc. Another great evening with great friends. New neighbours (Mike & Roni) moved in next door today - here for a month.
Wednesday the wind made it too uncomfortable (cold) to walk. We decided, instead, to drive to Tortilla Flat as Ken & Faye have never been there. I was sniffling and snorting all day. Lunch at Filly's and back in time for happy hour at Doug & Leanna's. Took Mike & Roni along to meet some of their neighbours. Met more new faces and had lots of laughs. Home for an early night to try and shake the cold that was trying to take over my life.
Thursday no walking, line dancing or bingo. Took the day to lay low, spending a fair bit of time in bed in hopes of shaking my cold. It did prove to be the right course of action, as I was back in fighting form by Friday.
Friday, another lovely walk at the Preserve. Relaxed day - Robin went and did some clothes shopping (I know, that's usually my domain) and I canvassed the street for folks that would be attending the annual Valentine's potluck dinner (got roped in by the folks that usually organize it). We broke our boycott and attended happy hour at the patio, mostly because an old friend of one of my brothers was today's performer (plus no one was "hosting" today). We had a brief chat with him before heading back to the rig and he said he would be back in the park on Sunday, so we'll try and catch up with him again then and hopefully have a little more time to chat.
A few more pictures from the Preserve.
Saturday, we took our morning walk back to Red Mountain Multigeneration Park, otherwise another lazy day with pizza dinner at Mike's (and laughs galore).
Sunday's walk was back to the Preserve, with carrots for the horse, but she showed no interest as she chowed down in her trough. Super Bowl watched on the outdoor TV at our place. Another fun time with our Mesa Regal family.
Monday's walk back at the Preserve. Brought carrots again for the horse. A larger chunk in hand caught her attention, and she came over to accept the offering. Bev (widow in the RV behind us) insisted on taking us to Black Angus for dinner. Robin has helped her out with a bunch of stuff and we picked her up from the airport last week after a trip home for a funeral. Wonderful meal and great company and we brought home a delightful chocolate cake dessert for later in the evening.
Tuesday was a cold morning, so delayed our walk by a couple of hours. Tried a different park recommended by another walker, but the roadways around the ponds weren't open – just a short trail to a couple of observation stands. So we found ourselves back at the Preserve (after a stop at Target). The horse came over to the fence as soon as I whistled and held out my hand. Dinner at Doug & Ann's - they smoked a turkey and everyone brought sides and desserts, etc. Another great evening with great friends. New neighbours (Mike & Roni) moved in next door today - here for a month.
Wednesday the wind made it too uncomfortable (cold) to walk. We decided, instead, to drive to Tortilla Flat as Ken & Faye have never been there. I was sniffling and snorting all day. Lunch at Filly's and back in time for happy hour at Doug & Leanna's. Took Mike & Roni along to meet some of their neighbours. Met more new faces and had lots of laughs. Home for an early night to try and shake the cold that was trying to take over my life.
Thursday no walking, line dancing or bingo. Took the day to lay low, spending a fair bit of time in bed in hopes of shaking my cold. It did prove to be the right course of action, as I was back in fighting form by Friday.
Friday, another lovely walk at the Preserve. Relaxed day - Robin went and did some clothes shopping (I know, that's usually my domain) and I canvassed the street for folks that would be attending the annual Valentine's potluck dinner (got roped in by the folks that usually organize it). We broke our boycott and attended happy hour at the patio, mostly because an old friend of one of my brothers was today's performer (plus no one was "hosting" today). We had a brief chat with him before heading back to the rig and he said he would be back in the park on Sunday, so we'll try and catch up with him again then and hopefully have a little more time to chat.
A few more pictures from the Preserve.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 8, WEEK 5, Friday, Jan 24 - Thursday, Jan 30
It's been a relatively quiet, run-of-the-mill week. Planned happy hours 4 of the 7 afternoons. We are starting to stay longer and longer after dark at each of these gatherings, as the evenings stay warmer longer. Started off with a hot dog feast at our place on the Friday, even pulling in folks off the street as they walked by. We took the weekend off, then Monday we gathered at Phil & Paula's; Tuesday at George & Tamara's (new park model owners across the street from us who wanted in on the action). Tamara had prepared salads and had hot dogs and some of us stayed for dinner and well past dark. Wednesday, we took a break and Thursday we were at John & Fran's for pulled pork. We all agreed we should try to get away from the food/meal component every time (it just kind of took on a life of its own). Going forward we hope to keep it to maybe a bag of chips, if someone feels the need. We all agree it is much more fun gathering at each other's places rather than going to the patio. And with each place, there are always a few new faces for that evening who are part of different groups that each of us know.
Our absence from the patio in the afternoons (along with many, many others') is noticed. Paula said she was told by one of the bar workers that the managers asked them to ask Paula to try and get the group back over to the patio. Paula told the worker that once they let us bring in our own water, we may consider it. I'm told that there aren't many folks turning up, and the evening bands are often playing to no more than a handful of dancers (they even closed the grill early one night this past week because no one was there). It's unfortunate, but too many are tired of being treated like wayward children because the odd person here or there ignores the rules, so they treat everyone as offenders. While it's nice to have the bar and grill, a lot of parks don't have those facilities and if Mesa Regal was to just close them down, eventually they would not be missed. Licensing regulations would no longer be a concern (that's the main excuse given), and we could all just pack our own bevies and snacks over to the main pool and patio, like we can at the west end pool. It would also eliminate all the slamming gates from folks pushing them wide open to walk through and just letting them swing shut. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long run.
Our morning walks with Ken & Faye continue. We missed Saturday, with both couples up to something else early in the day. We've been to a few different parks/walking areas over the past week, and we all agree that the Raparian Preserve is our favourite so far, with so many different bird species to see, bunnies all over the place, and easy trails to travel. Not to mention all the dogs (for which we have treats) out walking their human companions. And it's only about a 5-mile drive from our park.
Our absence from the patio in the afternoons (along with many, many others') is noticed. Paula said she was told by one of the bar workers that the managers asked them to ask Paula to try and get the group back over to the patio. Paula told the worker that once they let us bring in our own water, we may consider it. I'm told that there aren't many folks turning up, and the evening bands are often playing to no more than a handful of dancers (they even closed the grill early one night this past week because no one was there). It's unfortunate, but too many are tired of being treated like wayward children because the odd person here or there ignores the rules, so they treat everyone as offenders. While it's nice to have the bar and grill, a lot of parks don't have those facilities and if Mesa Regal was to just close them down, eventually they would not be missed. Licensing regulations would no longer be a concern (that's the main excuse given), and we could all just pack our own bevies and snacks over to the main pool and patio, like we can at the west end pool. It would also eliminate all the slamming gates from folks pushing them wide open to walk through and just letting them swing shut. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long run.
Our morning walks with Ken & Faye continue. We missed Saturday, with both couples up to something else early in the day. We've been to a few different parks/walking areas over the past week, and we all agree that the Raparian Preserve is our favourite so far, with so many different bird species to see, bunnies all over the place, and easy trails to travel. Not to mention all the dogs (for which we have treats) out walking their human companions. And it's only about a 5-mile drive from our park.
On Wednesday we headed out to a trail along the Salt River in Tonto National Park in the hopes of seeing some wild horses. At one point, we got off the actual trail and onto what may be a future trail but isn't yet. Robin eventually looked at his trail app and realized we had veered off, so we found our way back to the right trail and continued the walk. I found it a bit more difficult than the other trails we have walked, because there was a lot of soft sand as well as rocky areas that made for uneven footing and some awkward twisting and turning of joints. It meant I had to keep my eyes on the ground constantly, so couldn't really take in the scenery around me. But I persevered and wasn't too much the worse for wear the next day (although was feeling it once we sat in the car for a while on the way home). We did spot a couple of horses through the trees (I think a couple of young males), but just brief flashes. When we were done, we were all hungry so decided to find somewhere for a late lunch. Faye suggested a brewhouse and Robin found a place called BJ's Brewhouse. Great food, good prices and they had a deal that if you spent $9.95 or more on your entrée, you could take home up to 3 of 4 different fresh prepared and chilled pasta dishes (lunch size) for just $6 each. VOILA – lunch for the next day, and it was really good
No participation in line dancing on Thursday, because of the pulled pork dinner, but did go to bingo with the usual results - NADA. Complete waste of my $2.75. 😒😉
The weather has been up and down this week (relatively speaking), and they are forecasting significantly cooler days early next week, even though it will still be sunny. Regardless, it's certainly better than the almost-continuous rain at home.
Until next time, dear readers.
No participation in line dancing on Thursday, because of the pulled pork dinner, but did go to bingo with the usual results - NADA. Complete waste of my $2.75. 😒😉
The weather has been up and down this week (relatively speaking), and they are forecasting significantly cooler days early next week, even though it will still be sunny. Regardless, it's certainly better than the almost-continuous rain at home.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 7, WEEK 4: Friday, Jan 17 - Thursday, Jan 23
Friday, Jan 17 we picked up Ken & Faye and headed over to the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, in Gilbert (just south of us). Lovely place for a walk and it was a beautiful sunshiny warm day. We decided to resume our early morning walks that we do at home (head out at 7:30am to the nearby McDonalds, have our morning coffee/tea and walk home). However, the McDonalds that sits between our two parks is quite a hike from either side (compared to what we're used to). So for now we'll jump in the car at 7:30 and head to this, or other parks to accomplish our goal. Much nicer scenery, as opposed to walking busy main roads to get to the McDonalds or any other coffee shop between our park and theirs. By the time we returned to our park, it was almost time to head over to 6th street for a chimichanga dinner. There had been one of these last year that we missed out on, and oh my was it ever good and they were huge and stuffed full. The ladies doing the cooking made extra this year, so we ended up with a couple to bring home, which we ended up giving to John and Fran the next morning, as they missed the dinner. Another fun evening sitting among friends enjoying the night air and each other's company.
Saturday, Jan 18 back to the Preserve bright and early for a great walk, coffees/teas in hand. Met lots of dogs, the local Audubon society had a display including live birds - a Great Horned Owl and a Zone-tailed Hawk – and it was a sunny, crisp morning. My jacket was off by the end of the walk (granted I had a sweater on underneath). Back to the park for breakfast and laundry. YIPPEE!! Lazy afternoon reading and soaking up some rays. I finally HAD to put on a sleeveless top, and tomorrow's supposed to be even warmer. Then things got real fun and emotional. Both of our kids showed up tonight to surprise Robin for his 70th birthday tomorrow. Thank you Ken & Faye for picking them up at the airport and delivering them to their dad. Not a dry eye in the house. I could finally relax – first off I didn't have to worry about a slip of the tongue and ruining the surprise (even though I only found out about a week before) and both flights were on time and both kids were safe and sound back on terra firma.
Sunday, Jan 19 - birthday day. The kids wanted to take dad for lunch. We had a late and full breakfast, then it was off to Total Wine. Alison had experienced it last year, and now it was Graham's turn. I wondered how long they were planning to stay when I saw their carts, but thought, hey they can't take back what they don't drink so it stays at our place. BONUS! 👍😃. Walked around San Tan Village for a while then headed off to 12 West Brewing for a bevy and a slice or two of pizza. Alas the pizza place wasn't open, but we all agreed that with the big breakfast and the impending party, we really didn't need any food. Got a chance to have a macaw sit on my arm, and he didn't even scratch me. Then it was party time. What a fun evening, with about 30 of us gathered on the patio, two tables full of food, and sunshine and warm weather. After the sun set we brought out the propane fire pit and kept toasty. Everyone had headed home by about 8:30 and there was just the 4 of us sitting out a while later when a car pulled up. It was Bruce (his wife was done for the day and he had taken her home) and he stayed and visited for about an hour. Finally headed in about 10, which left the 3 musketeers time to hit the hot tub. I stayed behind and got the guest beds ready. A wonderful day for all of us and so proud to be able to introduce our kids to our Mesa family. The kids seemed to enjoy hanging out with all the "old folks" for a few days.
Monday found us headed back to the Preserve for a walk, and then off to downtown Gilbert to check out some breweries. Lunch at Culinary Dropout was good. Then a visit to OHSO for some beer samples. What a great place, with an outdoor area that welcomes dogs. There were dogs about every 2nd or 3rd table, but all were quiet and well behaved. I noticed quite a number of golden retrievers. A fun afternoon, then back to the park for banana split happy hour at John & Fran's. Something a bit different, and oh so tasty. Mike had offered to make his famous pizzas for the kids, so we headed over there around 5 and had a really nice three-on-two visit with him and Lynn (Robin was really tired and stayed home). Alison was eager to participate in karaoke at the patio, so we dropped Graham off at the rig and headed over for about the last 45 minutes. She sang her first song and some folks asked her to sing again right away, but others had their names called. She eventually sang another, and then when time was just about running out the DJ asked her to sing another that he had chosen for her. She was familiar with the song, and he said it was perfect for her voice, and he was right. Love watching my girl perform (and it seems to have been passed on to her girl, who I also love to watch perform).
Tuesday, Jan 21 Graham headed to the airport early for his return home. Overcast and rainy day. We (I, Robin and Alison) headed off to a mall in Tempe for some shopping, then up to Old Towne Scottsdale for a bit of a wander around. Visited Blue Adobe later for a lovely Mexican dinner. Alison flew out Wednesday afternoon. Happy hour at Jim & Colleen's and a quiet evening in. It was so great having the kids here. We figure it's probably been about 20 years since it was just the four of us doing something together. Not that we are EVER unhappy about having the SIL or DIL or grandkids along – just the 4 is something that hasn't happened for a long time, and it was kind of nice.
Thursday, Jan 23 we were off at 7:30am for a walk with Ken & Faye, this time to Red Mountain Lake. They call it a lake, but it seems to me that in Arizona any body of water greater than 50 sq ft is called a lake. After, Robin went off and did groceries while I hit the laundry room with loads of sheets and towels from the kids' visit. Line dancing for me late afternoon (while Robin represented at Happy Hour) and then bingo for me in the evening. Off to bed pretty early. It's been a busy and very exciting week.
Until next time, dear readers.
Saturday, Jan 18 back to the Preserve bright and early for a great walk, coffees/teas in hand. Met lots of dogs, the local Audubon society had a display including live birds - a Great Horned Owl and a Zone-tailed Hawk – and it was a sunny, crisp morning. My jacket was off by the end of the walk (granted I had a sweater on underneath). Back to the park for breakfast and laundry. YIPPEE!! Lazy afternoon reading and soaking up some rays. I finally HAD to put on a sleeveless top, and tomorrow's supposed to be even warmer. Then things got real fun and emotional. Both of our kids showed up tonight to surprise Robin for his 70th birthday tomorrow. Thank you Ken & Faye for picking them up at the airport and delivering them to their dad. Not a dry eye in the house. I could finally relax – first off I didn't have to worry about a slip of the tongue and ruining the surprise (even though I only found out about a week before) and both flights were on time and both kids were safe and sound back on terra firma.
Sunday, Jan 19 - birthday day. The kids wanted to take dad for lunch. We had a late and full breakfast, then it was off to Total Wine. Alison had experienced it last year, and now it was Graham's turn. I wondered how long they were planning to stay when I saw their carts, but thought, hey they can't take back what they don't drink so it stays at our place. BONUS! 👍😃. Walked around San Tan Village for a while then headed off to 12 West Brewing for a bevy and a slice or two of pizza. Alas the pizza place wasn't open, but we all agreed that with the big breakfast and the impending party, we really didn't need any food. Got a chance to have a macaw sit on my arm, and he didn't even scratch me. Then it was party time. What a fun evening, with about 30 of us gathered on the patio, two tables full of food, and sunshine and warm weather. After the sun set we brought out the propane fire pit and kept toasty. Everyone had headed home by about 8:30 and there was just the 4 of us sitting out a while later when a car pulled up. It was Bruce (his wife was done for the day and he had taken her home) and he stayed and visited for about an hour. Finally headed in about 10, which left the 3 musketeers time to hit the hot tub. I stayed behind and got the guest beds ready. A wonderful day for all of us and so proud to be able to introduce our kids to our Mesa family. The kids seemed to enjoy hanging out with all the "old folks" for a few days.
Monday found us headed back to the Preserve for a walk, and then off to downtown Gilbert to check out some breweries. Lunch at Culinary Dropout was good. Then a visit to OHSO for some beer samples. What a great place, with an outdoor area that welcomes dogs. There were dogs about every 2nd or 3rd table, but all were quiet and well behaved. I noticed quite a number of golden retrievers. A fun afternoon, then back to the park for banana split happy hour at John & Fran's. Something a bit different, and oh so tasty. Mike had offered to make his famous pizzas for the kids, so we headed over there around 5 and had a really nice three-on-two visit with him and Lynn (Robin was really tired and stayed home). Alison was eager to participate in karaoke at the patio, so we dropped Graham off at the rig and headed over for about the last 45 minutes. She sang her first song and some folks asked her to sing again right away, but others had their names called. She eventually sang another, and then when time was just about running out the DJ asked her to sing another that he had chosen for her. She was familiar with the song, and he said it was perfect for her voice, and he was right. Love watching my girl perform (and it seems to have been passed on to her girl, who I also love to watch perform).
Tuesday, Jan 21 Graham headed to the airport early for his return home. Overcast and rainy day. We (I, Robin and Alison) headed off to a mall in Tempe for some shopping, then up to Old Towne Scottsdale for a bit of a wander around. Visited Blue Adobe later for a lovely Mexican dinner. Alison flew out Wednesday afternoon. Happy hour at Jim & Colleen's and a quiet evening in. It was so great having the kids here. We figure it's probably been about 20 years since it was just the four of us doing something together. Not that we are EVER unhappy about having the SIL or DIL or grandkids along – just the 4 is something that hasn't happened for a long time, and it was kind of nice.
Thursday, Jan 23 we were off at 7:30am for a walk with Ken & Faye, this time to Red Mountain Lake. They call it a lake, but it seems to me that in Arizona any body of water greater than 50 sq ft is called a lake. After, Robin went off and did groceries while I hit the laundry room with loads of sheets and towels from the kids' visit. Line dancing for me late afternoon (while Robin represented at Happy Hour) and then bingo for me in the evening. Off to bed pretty early. It's been a busy and very exciting week.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 6, WEEK 3: Friday, Jan 10 - Thursday, Jan 16
On the Friday, we started our happy hour rotation at Lance's site. A couple of hours of friends and laughs is a great way to finish up the day before hunkering in for the evening. As we sat around, we got our schedule set up for the coming week. Hopefully everyone remembers which day they signed up for.🤔 It should certainly be easier on the wallet – we always stay beyond the one cheap hour. We did talk, and feel bad about the fact that by not going to the patio, the servers will be missing the tips we provide, and Carolyn, one of the kitchen managers, likes to come and sit with us during her breaks, but we're going to give this a shot. One lady, not in the habit of ranting, relayed that she (among others) had her water bottle confiscated when she went into the main hall for bingo. She could either drink the tap water (not very good and some folks can't drink it for health reasons) from the plastic cups they provide or buy bottled water from the park – supposedly at cost. A lot of UNHAPPY campers around here right now, not to mention all the plastic that will end up in the landfill.
Sunday, a few of us watched the Seahawks get defeated in their attempt to make their way to the SuperBowl. Maybe next year. Monday we took happy hour to John & Fran's and were joined by other folks nearby. Tuesday brought the group to our site and Wednesday to Ken & Cheryl's. The boycott is working (at least for us) in two ways – it's saving everyone money (although we all end up bringing snacks or appies, so maybe not 🙄) and management noticed we hadn't been at our regular table and Carolyn told them why. Unfortunately, Carolyn also quit on Monday (unrelated). It's not good around here right now. Many turnovers in bar and grill management (apparently separate from this park's on-site management, but still under CalAm directive) have created a bit of chaos and static between old and new staff. Tuesday we hosted HH; Wednesday was Ken & Cheryl's turn and Thursday Doug & Ann's. We took the scenic route to get there - I put the right date and time in my calendar, but somehow got the wrong site number, so ended up at the opposite end of 2nd street from where they were. Only problem on Thursday is that they finally brought back our favourite line dance instructor (just announced at the beginning of the week), and her class starts at 3:30, right in the middle of happy hour. I guess we'll be doing Thursday happy hours later now, as at least three of us like to attend her classes. Or maybe we'll have to skip HH that day, go to line dancing, home for a quick bite to eat and then off to bingo 😃
We've been hearing horrible reports about the weather at home, so don't feel so bad about the chilly nights here. We actually had the air conditioner running Wednesday morning. 🥵 Just kidding – Robin was giving the generator a run and decided to give the ACs a run to make sure they're working. Lousy timing, as I had just stepped out of the shower and the vent in the bathroom is blowing cold air on my wet legs.🥶 Ken & Faye, dear friends from the neighbourhood at home, arrived in Mesa Wednesday – staying at a park 2 miles from us. We met up for supper and caught up on the past couple of weeks for each of us.
Thursday we headed to another CalAm park to check out their Country Store – a travelling vendor event that we have in our park every Friday, but the one at this other park has lots more vendors. Robin was looking for more word working stuff he got there last year. I walked away empty handed. Drove around to check out some parks for walking and made a trip to the Skechers outlet. Again walked away empty handed. Tonight I decided to join Paula and Ann for Bingo. Actually had a good time and will probably go again. Haven't done that in years and years (actually more like decades). The electronification(?) of bingo sure makes things go faster. No more sitting around while the verifier (or whatever you call them) calls out all the numbers on the potential winning card. Now they just confirm the last number called is on the card, then the caller punches in the card number and it confirms that it is a winner. Pretty slick.
Sunday, a few of us watched the Seahawks get defeated in their attempt to make their way to the SuperBowl. Maybe next year. Monday we took happy hour to John & Fran's and were joined by other folks nearby. Tuesday brought the group to our site and Wednesday to Ken & Cheryl's. The boycott is working (at least for us) in two ways – it's saving everyone money (although we all end up bringing snacks or appies, so maybe not 🙄) and management noticed we hadn't been at our regular table and Carolyn told them why. Unfortunately, Carolyn also quit on Monday (unrelated). It's not good around here right now. Many turnovers in bar and grill management (apparently separate from this park's on-site management, but still under CalAm directive) have created a bit of chaos and static between old and new staff. Tuesday we hosted HH; Wednesday was Ken & Cheryl's turn and Thursday Doug & Ann's. We took the scenic route to get there - I put the right date and time in my calendar, but somehow got the wrong site number, so ended up at the opposite end of 2nd street from where they were. Only problem on Thursday is that they finally brought back our favourite line dance instructor (just announced at the beginning of the week), and her class starts at 3:30, right in the middle of happy hour. I guess we'll be doing Thursday happy hours later now, as at least three of us like to attend her classes. Or maybe we'll have to skip HH that day, go to line dancing, home for a quick bite to eat and then off to bingo 😃
We've been hearing horrible reports about the weather at home, so don't feel so bad about the chilly nights here. We actually had the air conditioner running Wednesday morning. 🥵 Just kidding – Robin was giving the generator a run and decided to give the ACs a run to make sure they're working. Lousy timing, as I had just stepped out of the shower and the vent in the bathroom is blowing cold air on my wet legs.🥶 Ken & Faye, dear friends from the neighbourhood at home, arrived in Mesa Wednesday – staying at a park 2 miles from us. We met up for supper and caught up on the past couple of weeks for each of us.
Thursday we headed to another CalAm park to check out their Country Store – a travelling vendor event that we have in our park every Friday, but the one at this other park has lots more vendors. Robin was looking for more word working stuff he got there last year. I walked away empty handed. Drove around to check out some parks for walking and made a trip to the Skechers outlet. Again walked away empty handed. Tonight I decided to join Paula and Ann for Bingo. Actually had a good time and will probably go again. Haven't done that in years and years (actually more like decades). The electronification(?) of bingo sure makes things go faster. No more sitting around while the verifier (or whatever you call them) calls out all the numbers on the potential winning card. Now they just confirm the last number called is on the card, then the caller punches in the card number and it confirms that it is a winner. Pretty slick.
Piper and Phoenix are back in the park. Last year Phoenix was just a baby - this year not so much any more , but she still likes to "nibble" on you so not quite over puppy stage yet.
Until next time, dear readers.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 5, FRIDAY JAN 3 - tHURSDAY jAN 9
Settling in, reconnecting with old friends as they arrive or we get a chance to seek them out (Marieanne, Stuart & Jean, Doug & Leanna, Maggie, Bev, Elaine, Jeff & Donna, Dale & Sharon, Bruce & Willie, Bud & Angie) and making friends with new folks as they pull in around us. And of course, the dogs that find their way down our street (on leash, of course, with their human companion). Orson, our favourite white boxer, is back and Debbie says that he recognized our motorhome the first time they went by and was earnestly looking for us. They are in a different part of the park this year (but not too far away), so they don't come down our street every day, but she knows we're here and will bring Orson often.
Saturday ended up with an impromptu gathering at our site for happy hour. 🍺🍹 Started off with Lance & Ursula, as Ursula was leaving the next day. Before long, Jim & Colleen are with us. Mike & Lynn show up. Hawkins Cheezies are passed around – you are welcome, our American friends. John & Fran are on their way back from tennis and return with their chairs and bevies. Jack & Shelly wander over from their park model (thanks for the popcorn, Shelly). Phil & Paula drive by and park their truck. Marv & Linda (two sites over from us) join in. When the sun went down Robin set up the propane fire pit, which kept the folks that were already here toasty and warm, but then the circle grew so Mike took off in his golf cart to get his big upright propane patio heater and bring it back. Also brought a bag of kettle corn with him (thanks). Everyone stayed comfy for the rest of the evening. I think we finally packed it in around 8. So much fun.
Sunday we said goodbye to Ursula. She'll be back in February, but we'll be in Mexico then. Won't see her again until we get back home. 😥 It was also sports day. Off to the patio to catch the World Juniors' Gold Medal hockey game, eagerly watched by a large contingent of Canadian visitors (playing on 3 of the 8 TV's around the patio). Victory for Canada over Russia. 🍁 There were also NFL games going on, so lots of folks cheering on their teams. Shortly after, the Seahawks had a game, but we could pick it up on our TV at the rig, so we headed back there to watch that game. A winning day for our teams.
Lots of controversy in the park this year with a bunch of changes that started last year and have escalated this year. The consensus seems to be that it's not the park managers themselves making the changes, but rather the suits at corporate. One of the biggest things was telling us we can't take our own bottled water anywhere within the gated area that encompasses the main pools and bar. They have a water fountain, and tap water available at the bar for free, along with throw away plastic cups, or buy bottled water at the bar if you don't want tap water. Add to that they cut happy hour time in half and increased drink prices by 50% (at least happy hour prices) and everything is bound to drive a lot of regulars away. Lots of chatter around our table, and it has been noticed that the attendance at happy hour and for the bands at the patio each afternoon seems to have dropped off quite a bit.
The icing on the cake was arriving for happy hour on Wednesday to see this sign on the entrance gate to the patio and bar & grill. This didn't help matters. Now our group is talking about just rotating happy hour between our sites and stop patronizing the bar. Hit them in the wallet, so to speak. And on top of it all, our pad rental fees for the 3 months went up 20% from last year. The park is nice enough, and we don't take advantage of all the facilities, but we keep coming back to see the people we have met. They're like our winter family and we'd miss them terribly, but sooner or later it will come to pass. Probably will happen next year, if we do make our trip across Canada this summer. Upwards of 11 out of 15 months away from home would be just too much for this gal.
Finished up the week with a delicious turkey dinner 🦃 with Perry & Bev (neighbours from home) at their winter place in Apache Junction. Celebrated the three January birthdays – Perry's today, Jan 9th, mine last week and Robin's in another 10 days. They left home mid-October, so it was great to see them again and catch up. Despite less than anticipated weather here, we are all happy not to be home dealing with the weather there.
Until next time, dear readers.
Saturday ended up with an impromptu gathering at our site for happy hour. 🍺🍹 Started off with Lance & Ursula, as Ursula was leaving the next day. Before long, Jim & Colleen are with us. Mike & Lynn show up. Hawkins Cheezies are passed around – you are welcome, our American friends. John & Fran are on their way back from tennis and return with their chairs and bevies. Jack & Shelly wander over from their park model (thanks for the popcorn, Shelly). Phil & Paula drive by and park their truck. Marv & Linda (two sites over from us) join in. When the sun went down Robin set up the propane fire pit, which kept the folks that were already here toasty and warm, but then the circle grew so Mike took off in his golf cart to get his big upright propane patio heater and bring it back. Also brought a bag of kettle corn with him (thanks). Everyone stayed comfy for the rest of the evening. I think we finally packed it in around 8. So much fun.
Sunday we said goodbye to Ursula. She'll be back in February, but we'll be in Mexico then. Won't see her again until we get back home. 😥 It was also sports day. Off to the patio to catch the World Juniors' Gold Medal hockey game, eagerly watched by a large contingent of Canadian visitors (playing on 3 of the 8 TV's around the patio). Victory for Canada over Russia. 🍁 There were also NFL games going on, so lots of folks cheering on their teams. Shortly after, the Seahawks had a game, but we could pick it up on our TV at the rig, so we headed back there to watch that game. A winning day for our teams.
Lots of controversy in the park this year with a bunch of changes that started last year and have escalated this year. The consensus seems to be that it's not the park managers themselves making the changes, but rather the suits at corporate. One of the biggest things was telling us we can't take our own bottled water anywhere within the gated area that encompasses the main pools and bar. They have a water fountain, and tap water available at the bar for free, along with throw away plastic cups, or buy bottled water at the bar if you don't want tap water. Add to that they cut happy hour time in half and increased drink prices by 50% (at least happy hour prices) and everything is bound to drive a lot of regulars away. Lots of chatter around our table, and it has been noticed that the attendance at happy hour and for the bands at the patio each afternoon seems to have dropped off quite a bit.
The icing on the cake was arriving for happy hour on Wednesday to see this sign on the entrance gate to the patio and bar & grill. This didn't help matters. Now our group is talking about just rotating happy hour between our sites and stop patronizing the bar. Hit them in the wallet, so to speak. And on top of it all, our pad rental fees for the 3 months went up 20% from last year. The park is nice enough, and we don't take advantage of all the facilities, but we keep coming back to see the people we have met. They're like our winter family and we'd miss them terribly, but sooner or later it will come to pass. Probably will happen next year, if we do make our trip across Canada this summer. Upwards of 11 out of 15 months away from home would be just too much for this gal.
Finished up the week with a delicious turkey dinner 🦃 with Perry & Bev (neighbours from home) at their winter place in Apache Junction. Celebrated the three January birthdays – Perry's today, Jan 9th, mine last week and Robin's in another 10 days. They left home mid-October, so it was great to see them again and catch up. Despite less than anticipated weather here, we are all happy not to be home dealing with the weather there.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 4, THE REST OF WEEK 1
Wednesday, Jan 1, 2020 A new year and a new decade, and it's off to a rather rocky start on a world basis. Makes me a bit nervous being where we are, but no point in hiding away.
The sun is shining and while it's not toasty warm, it only requires a light jacket when I'm in a shady area. The car and motorhome were filthy, and Robin was about to develop a nervous tick from looking at them, so figured we should get them washed up quick. Car was done at a nearby car wash and fortunately we can wash our rigs on site, so we got on that and between the two of us had it done in about 1.5 hours. Unfortunately, the roof is still dirty, but we can't see it, so it doesn't matter right now. Once the motorhome was washed, we were able to set up the gazebo and get our outdoor living area set up. Robin was then busy re-organizing the outside storage compartments. Eventually headed over to the patio and bar to watch the Oregon Ducks play in the Rosebowl. New neighbours were just heading over at the same time and we got chatting and they are Ducks fans as well, and also big Gonzaga fans (as is Robin, at least for basketball). We sat with them to watch an exciting football game with an excellent outcome (the Ducks won). Back to the rig for a bit of cop drama (on TV that is).
Thursday, Jan 2 Happy Birthday to me, as I start the end of my 7th decade upon this earth. I could say we did nothing special, but the time spent with friends in and out of the park made it all special. We met up for lunch with Rich & Karen (met them in this park last year, but they are at a different park this year a couple of miles away) and had a wonderful visit and great lunch (with plenty of leftovers) at The Hub. So great to see them again, and look forward to many visits with them while we're here. Just wish they were still in this park, a few doors away. When we got back the local gang were already at the patio for happy hour and we joined them. Birthday drinks were bought for me (thanks everyone), but fortunately not as many as last year, so I was able to make it home just fine. Lots of laughs and great camaraderie.
When we arrived, we were disappointed to learn that the City of Mesa (who does the garbage pickup in the park) have changed their recycling program. I guess people just weren't doing it properly and so much recycle stuff was contaminated that it was costing them a fortune. So now the only things they accept in the recycle bins are beverage containers (glass, metal or jugs) and tin cans - all containers empty, clean and dry, of course - and corrugated cardboard. No yogurt containers, no pickle jars, no cereal boxes, etc, etc. I'm finding it a bit hard to just throw these things in the regular garbage.
We've now been gone from home for a week. Missing everyone there, but so good to see the folks we've been missing for the past 9 months or so. Reconnecting with folks on the street and hanging with our snowbird "besties" has been great. More "besties" yet to arrive and more great times to be had.
Until next time, dear readers.
The sun is shining and while it's not toasty warm, it only requires a light jacket when I'm in a shady area. The car and motorhome were filthy, and Robin was about to develop a nervous tick from looking at them, so figured we should get them washed up quick. Car was done at a nearby car wash and fortunately we can wash our rigs on site, so we got on that and between the two of us had it done in about 1.5 hours. Unfortunately, the roof is still dirty, but we can't see it, so it doesn't matter right now. Once the motorhome was washed, we were able to set up the gazebo and get our outdoor living area set up. Robin was then busy re-organizing the outside storage compartments. Eventually headed over to the patio and bar to watch the Oregon Ducks play in the Rosebowl. New neighbours were just heading over at the same time and we got chatting and they are Ducks fans as well, and also big Gonzaga fans (as is Robin, at least for basketball). We sat with them to watch an exciting football game with an excellent outcome (the Ducks won). Back to the rig for a bit of cop drama (on TV that is).
Thursday, Jan 2 Happy Birthday to me, as I start the end of my 7th decade upon this earth. I could say we did nothing special, but the time spent with friends in and out of the park made it all special. We met up for lunch with Rich & Karen (met them in this park last year, but they are at a different park this year a couple of miles away) and had a wonderful visit and great lunch (with plenty of leftovers) at The Hub. So great to see them again, and look forward to many visits with them while we're here. Just wish they were still in this park, a few doors away. When we got back the local gang were already at the patio for happy hour and we joined them. Birthday drinks were bought for me (thanks everyone), but fortunately not as many as last year, so I was able to make it home just fine. Lots of laughs and great camaraderie.
When we arrived, we were disappointed to learn that the City of Mesa (who does the garbage pickup in the park) have changed their recycling program. I guess people just weren't doing it properly and so much recycle stuff was contaminated that it was costing them a fortune. So now the only things they accept in the recycle bins are beverage containers (glass, metal or jugs) and tin cans - all containers empty, clean and dry, of course - and corrugated cardboard. No yogurt containers, no pickle jars, no cereal boxes, etc, etc. I'm finding it a bit hard to just throw these things in the regular garbage.
We've now been gone from home for a week. Missing everyone there, but so good to see the folks we've been missing for the past 9 months or so. Reconnecting with folks on the street and hanging with our snowbird "besties" has been great. More "besties" yet to arrive and more great times to be had.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 3, DAYS 4 & 5
Monday, Dec 30 On the road by about 7:30 again. Forecast was looking good so we headed east to travel the Tehachapi. The roads were clear and no delays, although it was a bit weird to see the usually green hills covered in snow, with the windmills towering above.
Made it all the way to Blue Water RV Park in Parker, AZ. Lost an hour with the time zone change, arriving just as the office was closing up (actually they were about 5 minutes early). The woman went back into the office, assigned us a spot and said come back in the morning and pay. The park is on native land and there is a casino nearby, but we were pretty bagged and decided not to fall victim to the slots' call. Stayed put in the rig for the night. Excited to see everyone tomorrow and be done with the travel part, so didn't sleep that great.
Tuesday, Dec 31 On the road shortly after 8 (after the park office opened and we settled our account). The drive along Hwy 72 was horrible for several miles – shaking and rattling something fierce. Eventually the road smoothed out and things settled down. By about 12:30 we were checking in at Mesa Regal. By 2:30 (after multiple breaks for hugs and chats with folks stopping by to welcome us back) the rig was set up for the long stay and I was napping in preparation for New Year's Eve festivities. The gazebo and patio (outside living spaces) still need to be set up, but that can wait for another day. Besides, the rig behind us is hanging over into our spot where the gazebo would go, but he's pulling out tomorrow and we're in no rush. Off to Phil & Paula's site at 5pm for a lovely pot luck dinner, with crab cakes and salmon as the feature. It's good having friends that like to fish and crab and don’t hesitate to share with others. Such a great evening, with lots and lots of laughs. Robin packed it in around 9:30, but I hung in until about 11 when the rest of the die-hards were also starting to feel the chill. Robin was sound asleep when I got back, and by midnight I was down for the count myself. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!
Until next time, dear readers.
Made it all the way to Blue Water RV Park in Parker, AZ. Lost an hour with the time zone change, arriving just as the office was closing up (actually they were about 5 minutes early). The woman went back into the office, assigned us a spot and said come back in the morning and pay. The park is on native land and there is a casino nearby, but we were pretty bagged and decided not to fall victim to the slots' call. Stayed put in the rig for the night. Excited to see everyone tomorrow and be done with the travel part, so didn't sleep that great.
Tuesday, Dec 31 On the road shortly after 8 (after the park office opened and we settled our account). The drive along Hwy 72 was horrible for several miles – shaking and rattling something fierce. Eventually the road smoothed out and things settled down. By about 12:30 we were checking in at Mesa Regal. By 2:30 (after multiple breaks for hugs and chats with folks stopping by to welcome us back) the rig was set up for the long stay and I was napping in preparation for New Year's Eve festivities. The gazebo and patio (outside living spaces) still need to be set up, but that can wait for another day. Besides, the rig behind us is hanging over into our spot where the gazebo would go, but he's pulling out tomorrow and we're in no rush. Off to Phil & Paula's site at 5pm for a lovely pot luck dinner, with crab cakes and salmon as the feature. It's good having friends that like to fish and crab and don’t hesitate to share with others. Such a great evening, with lots and lots of laughs. Robin packed it in around 9:30, but I hung in until about 11 when the rest of the die-hards were also starting to feel the chill. Robin was sound asleep when I got back, and by midnight I was down for the count myself. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 2, DAY 3
Sunday, Dec 29th on the road by 7:30am with a glorious sunrise. Of course, all those clouds eventually led to cloudy skies, but only for a while. There was light traffic on the road when we left and even though it's California, the road was in pretty good shape. We pulled off the highway around 10am to top up the fuel tank – at the station about 15 minutes. When we pulled back on the highway, suddenly we're surrounded by transport trucks, RV's and cars. But everything flowed smoothly. We've come to the conclusion that each county in CA must be responsible for the highways through their county. As I mentioned, the roads had been much better than I remembered, with only the occasional back-teeth rattle, but the moment we passed a sign reading "Kern County" everything started to shake and rattle. Fortunately, it was not too far to our destination when that started.
We decided to go as far as Lost Hills, about 20 miles north of where we would head east to Bakersfield. Figured that if we ended up continuing south tomorrow, there's no point in backtracking from Bakersfield. Set up for the night at Lost Hills RV Park. No problem getting a spot (even though we didn't call ahead), but if we HAD called ahead we would probably have been advised about a detour to get to the park. The road to the park is blocked off at the main road after the highway exit, which we didn't discover until we tried to make the turn to the park. So drove a little further west and pulled into a gas station to turn around. Headed back and took another street to the east of where we needed to be, but that didn't look like it would get us there either. Of course, I'm trying to check the map and/or call the park, but Robin keeps driving. Suddenly I spotted an exit on the far side of the business we were driving by, that appeared to exit onto the road we needed to be on. Reluctantly Robin headed that way (he couldn't see what I could, I guess) and sure enough on the other side there was the RV park. I was getting ready to pencil in a date with divorce court by this point. Travelling is so much fun!
Today the snow warnings for both major passes have been lifted and while some snow is predicted, it is sporadic and light. So the plan tonight is to try our luck over the Tehachapi (about 400' lower than the Grapevine), although we'll monitor things all the way to Bakersfield and points leading to the summit itself. We hope to get as far as Needles or maybe Havasu or further south tomorrow. It will depend on how the drive over the Tehachapi goes. We'll check with CalTrans and decide in the morning.
Until next time, dear readers.
We decided to go as far as Lost Hills, about 20 miles north of where we would head east to Bakersfield. Figured that if we ended up continuing south tomorrow, there's no point in backtracking from Bakersfield. Set up for the night at Lost Hills RV Park. No problem getting a spot (even though we didn't call ahead), but if we HAD called ahead we would probably have been advised about a detour to get to the park. The road to the park is blocked off at the main road after the highway exit, which we didn't discover until we tried to make the turn to the park. So drove a little further west and pulled into a gas station to turn around. Headed back and took another street to the east of where we needed to be, but that didn't look like it would get us there either. Of course, I'm trying to check the map and/or call the park, but Robin keeps driving. Suddenly I spotted an exit on the far side of the business we were driving by, that appeared to exit onto the road we needed to be on. Reluctantly Robin headed that way (he couldn't see what I could, I guess) and sure enough on the other side there was the RV park. I was getting ready to pencil in a date with divorce court by this point. Travelling is so much fun!
Today the snow warnings for both major passes have been lifted and while some snow is predicted, it is sporadic and light. So the plan tonight is to try our luck over the Tehachapi (about 400' lower than the Grapevine), although we'll monitor things all the way to Bakersfield and points leading to the summit itself. We hope to get as far as Needles or maybe Havasu or further south tomorrow. It will depend on how the drive over the Tehachapi goes. We'll check with CalTrans and decide in the morning.
Until next time, dear readers.
SEASON 8, EPISODE 1, DAY 1 & 2
Slightly different format this year, while I sort out some issues with the web page provider. When you're blogging on the cheap (ie free), they limit you to 10 blog pages, which I have now used up. So until I figure out how to transfer all, or at least one of, those blog pages to a regular page, I'll be just adding one post to the next on a regular page. Hope it works.
So we headed out yesterday, Friday, December 27th. On the road by 7:45am and, as usual, it was raining although very lightly. Never thought I would say I was happy to see the rain, but the night before we opened the front door on the way to bed to see that it was snowing. EEEEK! So rain in the morning was a good thing. Long wait this year at the border. As we always do, we chose the RV lane (not sure if we can maneuver through the Nexus lane) and the lane was SOOOO slow compared to others Not sure if the fellow in the booth was a rookie or simply on a power trip. 45 minutes later, he got spelled off one car ahead of us and when we pulled up to the window, we were simply asked the usual 3 or 4 questions and were sent on our way.
Surprisingly enough, the traffic through Seattle wasn't too bad. However, Portland was a different story. Approaching from the north, we initially noted a lot of traffic headed north and thought OK, they're on their way home (it was around 3pm), but then we hit a bottle neck - perhaps an accident, as emergency vehicles did go by, but we never saw any signs of a mishap. Of course, once we got through Portland itself, then we definitely got caught up in the homeward bound early Friday night traffic. But we soldiered on and went all the way to Salem.
We checked into Phoenix RV Park just before the office was set to close at 5pm. Got leveled up and hooked up to utilities, then took off to T-Mobile to get our phone plans set up. Every year it seems to be something different they offer and although we had tried to get something arranged before we left, what we wanted entailed combining our accounts, which meant one of us would need to change our phone number, which meant we had to go into a retail outlet and get a new sim card. The young lady helping us was really nice, but had only done something like that once before and wasn't sure of the procedure. Unfortunately, customer service was no help to her, but eventually we got it sorted out (we think), but it was pushing one hour before we left the place. Grabbed some supper to take back to the rig, dined and then started flushing winterized water lines and organizing the last-minute stuff that had just been tossed on the bed. By then we were wiped, I was too tired to post our day's adventures (no wifi anyway) and it was an early bedtime.
Saturday, Dec 28th we were on the road by about 8:30, somewhat delayed as we had to put water into the holding tank and top up the gas tank. Left in fog and were in and out of it until about noon, when the sun shone through and stayed. Crossed into California about 2pm and reached JGW RV Park just south of Redding, CA around 4 (to a balmy 62f/15c).
So we headed out yesterday, Friday, December 27th. On the road by 7:45am and, as usual, it was raining although very lightly. Never thought I would say I was happy to see the rain, but the night before we opened the front door on the way to bed to see that it was snowing. EEEEK! So rain in the morning was a good thing. Long wait this year at the border. As we always do, we chose the RV lane (not sure if we can maneuver through the Nexus lane) and the lane was SOOOO slow compared to others Not sure if the fellow in the booth was a rookie or simply on a power trip. 45 minutes later, he got spelled off one car ahead of us and when we pulled up to the window, we were simply asked the usual 3 or 4 questions and were sent on our way.
Surprisingly enough, the traffic through Seattle wasn't too bad. However, Portland was a different story. Approaching from the north, we initially noted a lot of traffic headed north and thought OK, they're on their way home (it was around 3pm), but then we hit a bottle neck - perhaps an accident, as emergency vehicles did go by, but we never saw any signs of a mishap. Of course, once we got through Portland itself, then we definitely got caught up in the homeward bound early Friday night traffic. But we soldiered on and went all the way to Salem.
We checked into Phoenix RV Park just before the office was set to close at 5pm. Got leveled up and hooked up to utilities, then took off to T-Mobile to get our phone plans set up. Every year it seems to be something different they offer and although we had tried to get something arranged before we left, what we wanted entailed combining our accounts, which meant one of us would need to change our phone number, which meant we had to go into a retail outlet and get a new sim card. The young lady helping us was really nice, but had only done something like that once before and wasn't sure of the procedure. Unfortunately, customer service was no help to her, but eventually we got it sorted out (we think), but it was pushing one hour before we left the place. Grabbed some supper to take back to the rig, dined and then started flushing winterized water lines and organizing the last-minute stuff that had just been tossed on the bed. By then we were wiped, I was too tired to post our day's adventures (no wifi anyway) and it was an early bedtime.
Saturday, Dec 28th we were on the road by about 8:30, somewhat delayed as we had to put water into the holding tank and top up the gas tank. Left in fog and were in and out of it until about noon, when the sun shone through and stayed. Crossed into California about 2pm and reached JGW RV Park just south of Redding, CA around 4 (to a balmy 62f/15c).
Our target tomorrow is Bakersfield, in the hopes that we can cross over the Tehachapi. They had to close the highway on Thursday due to snow and black ice. Many motorists were stranded on the highway for several hours until they reopened the road and highway patrol started escorting vehicles in either direction. We'll check on conditions and the weather forecast tomorrow once we arrive in Bakersfield. The other option is to continue south on 5 over the Grapevine, but they had the same problem on that route the same day, with the same end result - stranded motorists eventually moving under escort. Long, slow process. We really want to be in Mesa by New Year's Eve, as there is a group of folks waiting for us and a salmon and crab cake dinner. Last time I looked there were snow advisories again for both passes starting Sunday evening through Monday afternoon. Fingers crossed that any nasty weather will hold off or come and go earlier than expected. There is another route involving secondary roads, that avoids these two passes, so we may have to resort to that, although it will make for a longer drive. We will deal with that when the time comes.
Until next time, dear readers.
Until next time, dear readers.