HOME AT LAST!

 Happy Greetings to our Blog-Buddies for this Road Trip 2011.  

We hope you have enjoyed arm-chair traveling along with us.

 WE ARE BACK HOME IN MISSION VIEJO.  

We're both glad to be back in our cozy Mission Viejo home, although we had a wonderful trip with many memory-making days to think about.  

We were gone 41 days and traveled 5,800 miles in all.  We traveled through CA, AZ, NM, corner of TX, OK Panhandle, KS, NE, MN, SD, MT, ID, NV and back into CA via Highway I80 out of Reno (the very worst of all the roads we travelled).

What a trip we have had.  We experienced rain, wind, hail, snow, heat, cold, sunshine, clouds, and any other kind of weather I may have left out.  The mosquitoes got some of us real good and the remnants of their feasts are still evident.

We've seen hills, valleys, plains, mountains, curvee roads, straight roads, roller coaster roads, bumpy roads, lakes, rivers, streams, cows (lots!), buffalo? Only 1 at a distance!!  We saw lots of horses on the open range.  We saw varied kinds of roadkill . . . deer, skunks, raccoons.  We saw an American Bald Eagle in flight, hawks, orioles.  We saw a total of 6 live deer.  Last week as we traveled Highway 49 from Auburn CA to Plymouth CA, we even had 1 deer run across the road ahead of us.

We got to visit with everyone on our list:  Pat & Bill Curtis in Bullhead City AZ (Tom's Sister); Pearces in Minnesota (2 weeks); Larry & Margaret in Placerville, CA; Mike & BJ Zimprich in Tijeras NM; Jack & Margaret Crist in Modesto and Dave & Carolyn Gilliam in Bear Valley Springs near Tehachapi CA.  What wonderful times we had with each of these folks.  Lots of reminiscing!!

Our Son, Jeff, Daughter-in-Law, Luda and our 2 Grandies, Andrey & Diana drove north to Columbia CA from their home in Fullerton last Monday and camped with us for 4 days last week.  It was really fun and a first for our family to camp together.  Andrey & Diana slept in the trailer with us and Jeff  & Luda had a tent which attached to their Honda Element and that's where they spent their nights.

Andrey & Diana came home with us and will go back to Mom & Dad tomorrow morning as we will return our trailer to it's "bed" alongside their home in Fullerton.

Our trailer performed well all 6 weeks we were away except for 1 flat tire as we approached the campground in Mitchell SD (Corn Palace town) with the Pearces on the way to Mt. Rushmore.

Tom's driving was impeccable with no "close calls" or E-ticket rides along the way.  We arrived home this afternoon safely which is a huge credit to his driving skills.  

God Is Good!  What a good vacation He provided for us this year.  Hope you've all enjoyed each Blog from this trip.  I've had fun writing them.  

No pictures in this final edition.  Sorry!  

Take care now, ya' hear?

 

We've been invaded!

This is Wednesday, June 22nd.  

Greetings from us in Columbia CA. 

Tom & I left our camp spot of 3 nights in Plymouth CA and "trekked" down curvee, narrow Highway 49 on Monday, arriving at the Marble Quarry RV "Resort" in the afternoon.

                                 Here's our "final resting (?) place other

                                 than the Gillliams special spot next Friday & Saturday

                                 nights for this 6-week "Road Trip 2011".

This camp spot is just a few blocks from the Columbia State Park. www.columbiacalifornia.com.   We no sooner got everything set up and guess who came for dinner (and a 4-night stay with us)?  If you guessed Jeff, Luda, Andrey & Diana, then you guessed right!

It's been sooooo good to see them all after a 5-week stint away from home.  They have a Honda Element which has removable back seats.  They have outfitted it with special "tent" equipment complete with a comfortable mattress, made for their vehicle and that is Jeff & Luda's nighttime bedroom.  This has been quite handy with 6 of us here.  Andrey loves his "table" bed inside the air-conditioned trailer (the table drops down and cushions push together to make a bed), and Diana gets the comfy sofa that drops down to make another bed.  Gram & Gramp?  We get the queen-size comfy bed in our own "room".

There is a swimming pool here which has been wonderful for A&D to be able to go swimming and expend some energy in the afternoons.  They both make friends quickly and easily, so their time at the pool has been extra fun for them.

Yesterday, temps soared to a miserable, humid 102 degrees. Today might be a "tad" cooler . . . 100??. . . !  This morning we squeezed all of us into our pickup truck and drove through Sonora (went to Old Town Sonora yesterday & lunched there) and on about 8 miles or so to Jamestown where there is an old steamer train museum.  We checked out the un-airconditioned "gift" shop, found out they wanted $5 each to check out the steam engines, decided it was too hot to do that, left there and found Tom's favorite fast-food lunch spot...Carl's Jr.  (There were none outside of CA that we could find and he was having withdrawals! HaHa!).

Right now 3:30 p.m., they are off somewhere in a Cavern where temps probably dip to about 55 deg.  I opted not to go because I really don't enjoy narrow spots and underground caverns.  So they dropped me off at the nice, AC'd trailer where I've vacuumed inside, swept up outside, was going to read a book but haven't done so yet!!!  Instead, I decided this Blog would be more fun to do.  I've tried to import a couple pictures from my IPhone to my Netbook Picasa program, but without Tom here to guide me I've been unsuccessful.

So, hang on for a bit.  When they get back, I'll hit 'em up (Tom or Jeff) to help me and will try to add a few pics before I send it out. 

Well, thanks to my picture taking, & Tom's importing technique, we bring this picture of the Cavern Cavorters to you as they disembarked from the pickup truck back at camp.  See below!

  Even though Diana didn't want to go there,

and even though she'll never admit it in 

a thousand years,she had a fun time along with the rest of the group, 

as evidenced by her slight smile!

Well, that about covers it for now.  Tomorrow?? Who knows what we'll end up doing, but you can be sure that, other than the heat, it'll be a good day.  Friday morning, we pack up, loadup and head South once again.

Twin Falls, Idaho - June 15, 2011

Greetings Blog Buddies on this 15th day of June, 2011.  

The picture below will tell you what we did & saw on this fine day, albeit be VERY WINDY with temps in low 70s.  This is my picture of the great Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls.  Rising 212 feet above the Snake River as it winds its way on to Washington and the Pacific Coast, it is absolutely beautiful. 

We were told that these falls are taller than the Niagara Falls.  We were also told that in a couple more days,  the volume of water coming over the falls will diminish as "they" slow down the water coming from the dams this time of year in order to provide irrigation water to the farmlands in this area and to make hydro-electric power for the area.





After a light lunch and treat at DQ, and a car wash by kids from Salvation Army having a blast raising funds so they can go to a water park at the end of summer, 

we spent this afternoon back at the trailer.  As I said, it's been windy so sitting outside was quite out of the question today :( .

G'BYE FROM TWIN FALLS, IDAHO!  

Tomorrow?  Winnemucca, Nevada for 1 night.

Catch-you-up-Blog!

 Today, we FINALLY have a good wi-fi signal (none in South Dakota now last night in Sheridan Wyoming.  So here goes!

Well, we can't believe it is already Saturday, June 11th.  My last Blog left you thinking that we would be hooking up our trailers and heading East to Lanesboro MN for overnight and the Pearces would be going on to Chicago for a Navy graduation whilst we relaxed in Lanesboro.  But. . . plans changed some and we "day-tripped" to Lanesboro on Thursday the 2nd of June w/2 vehicles.  After spending an enjoyable time there and lunch, they took off for Chicago and we took off for our trailer-home awaiting us back at Teri & Bob's place.  They returned late Friday night, and on Sunday morning we made the 5 hour (or so) drive West to Mitchell, SD (remember the Corn Palace?) for overnight w/4 of us and 2 trailers!!  And on to the Black Hills of South Dakota the next day (Hill City) located about 30 miles outside of Rapid City) the next day.  We camped at a really nice place until Friday morning.  While there, we visited the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mt.Rushmore, Deadwood SD. 


Friday morning (yesterday June 10th) Teri & Bob & Tom & I hugged each other g'bye until we meet again.

As we headed Northwest on Highway 16 from our campground in Hill City, Tom and I decided to drive through Custer State Park in Custer Wyoming.  A friend had told us that there are herds of buffalo roaming there and we'd be disappointed if we didn't check it out.  Well. . . . . . !  We did!  We actually saw 1 (one) buffalo from a distance in the whole "Wildlife Loop" drive...about 20 miles round trip & a $15 entrance fee.  However, we did see a bunch of donkies blocking the road so everyone had to stop and wait while they came up to our closed windows and checked us out before we could proceed.  I did take a video of them w/my IPhone and discovered after the fact that the video was not running, so we didn't even get pictures of the donkies.  Hmmm!  

Last night we checked into a KOA Campground in Sheridan WYO and the folks there had been to Custer State Park a few days earlier and saw hundreds (100s) of buffalo out there.  That just added insult to our injury!!  Oh well.


Today we traveled about 130 miles to Billings, MT.  Went downtown to their strawberry festival, which was reminiscent of the Fullerton Farmer's Market that we used to frequent on Thursday afternoons when we lived there.  This is a huge city basically in the middle of nowhere.  Here, they have Costco, Sam's Club, Target, Olive Garden, etc.  Once leaving here, we'll be back on the range again in wide-open spaces!


We have seen soooooooo many great things here in the mid-west. . . in MN, fields upon fields of newly-planted corn, soy beans and fields yet to be planted.  


South Dakota is a land of wide-open spaces.  Reminded us of the old cowboy song, "Give Me a Home Where the Buffalo Roam" (even if we didn't see any grazing animals besides cows, nor any wild Indians, although we traveled through the Crow Indian Reservation!).  Lots of American History along the way...to much to write about here. 


Today we drove past the fields of the Little Big Horn battle, and several others which my mind is not recalling at the moment.  But beautiful countrysides the whole way from Sheridan.


Have you ever heard the state of Montana referred to as the "Big Sky" state?  We have, and now we know why - practically a 360 degree view of big sky meeting earth almost all the way today.  Blue sky, white clouds, green prairie grass, cows grazing now and then, road-kill deer now and then.  WOW!  


We watched the storm clouds we heard about this morning on the news actually forming as we traversed across Wyoming and into Montana along I90.  


Of course, this would be more interesting with pictures inserted here and there, but I haven't been able to download them as yet.  Tomorrow, (Sunday 12th) while you're doing whatever is on your agenda for the day, you will find us traveling from here in Billings MT to Dillon MT (or somewhere near there), unless the predicted rain & T-storms in that area call for us to go elsewhere.  Tune in next time and you'll find out where we ended up and where we'll be going after that.

 Until then!


 

so . . . WHATS NEW WITH YOU??

Alright, Blog Buddies!

We're turning the tables on you, as the saying goes.  Today it's your turn to drop us a line!  We've been keeping you posted, but now we want to hear from you! 

A few of you have commented on our Blog entries and a couple have been in contact, but we'd like to know what the rest you've been up to while we've been away. 

Drop us a line at gtwed45@gmail.com.  We look forward to nenws of your comings and goings, even if it's only around home and local "venues."

Happy Writing!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Greetings, Blog Buddies!

This is the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota
that I mentioned in the last Blog edition.
The whole outer facade of this building is made
with corn. . . the cob, the kernals, colored ears
of corn...all that have been dried and stored just
for the Corn Palace.  The design is changed twice
a year.  It's really amazing. . . and not corny at all!

We arrived here in Elysian, MN on Friday afternoon.
When we opened the front door of Teri & Bob's house,
not only were we greeted by them, but Teri's sister from
Pittsburg was there, their oldest Son, Greg and his
family from Los Angeles were here, as well as their son
Jon, daughter-in-law Jody & granddaughter, Esme, were
here, too.  (They live near here in Waseca, MN).  It really
was fun to ge in on their visits here.

Yesterday we traveled to Minneapolis and to the airport
to get Greg & family and Andrea there on time to catch their

flights home.  We had some time to kill between flight times,

and decided to head over to the Mall of America.  Below are a couple

pictures from the sights we saw within the Mall.

All the gumballs & candies you could ask for!  

This big guy was on display at the LEGO store in the Mall.

(Took this especially for Grandson Andrey & Son Jeff!!)



Believe it or not there's a HUGE ferris wheel

in the middle of the Mall of America!!



Today we joined Teri & Bob at their church, followed by
lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Waseca.  Especially
enjoyable since we had not had any Mexican food in over
2 weeks!  It really "hit the spot" as the saying goes.

Almost forgot...how could I???  Yesterday on the way back from Minneapolis,

Teri & I had to pull off the Interstate as we began hearing the

sirens sounding for Severe Weather Warning.  The rain was

incessant, turned into hail and somewhere out there beyond

where we sat in the Target parking lot waiting for the storm

to pass over, it must have gotten somewhat ugly!  Nothing like

these Minnesota storms to keep us on our toes! What a great

way to get the Adrenaline flowing Ha!

This afternoon, between the four of us we have been catching up on our emails,

watching Indy 500, downloading/uploading pictures, writing a blog, watching

boaters go by on the lake out the front window, eating fresh-baked chocolate chip

cookies and just plain old having a relaxing afternoon!  It's a rare occasion that

any of the 4 of us find time to do all of the above on any given day! 

Pearces and we will be hooking up our trailers on Tuesday or

Wednesday when we will travel to Lanesboro MN to camp

overnight there while Teri & Bob travel on to Chicago to attend

a graduation.  When they return the next day to Lanesboro, we'll

all head west toward the Black Hills and beyond.

Well, that's more than enought for today's Blog.  Hope you find/found this rendition enjoyable. 

Until next time . . . .

D & T

Thursday, May 26th, 2011 - At the laundromat!!

Hello again!

FINALLY figured how to get these blogs sent out to you, so now can get busy and catch you up on our travels.

First of all, several of you have called us sharing your concern for our well-being, in light of the severe storms and tornadoes here in the Mid-West.  We want to assure you that, to date, we have been quite safe and unaffected from the weather systems pounding Oklahoma, Kansas and beyond.  While we have experienced small amounts of rain at times, for the most part God has given us sunshine and blue skies and white clouds under which to travel.  We have had more than our fair share of windy weather, however.  In talking with "locals" where we have traveled, we learned that wind is normal for this part of the country.  Tom didn't remember that part of growing up in Columbus Nebraska!  Kids just play and have fun, don't think about the windy weather, I guess!!

When we last left you in Holbrook, AZ, we were hunkering down for the night and then heading east on Highway 40 to Tijeras, NM, just east of Albuquerque NM.  Once settled in in the camp spot, we drove just a mere few miles to Mike & BJ Zimprich's home there.  Mike and Tom, along with Larry & Jack, are OLD friends from way back when...Mike & Tom beginning in 4th grade and all the way through college graduation at Cal Poly, Pomona in 1966.  Over the years, they all "lost touch" with each other.  Then, last year they all found each other again.

We had a delightful visit with Mike & BJ in their absolutely lovely pueblo-style home.  And, oh my!  The reminiscing that went on was never-ending.  Thank you Mike & BJ for dinner and a  great evening of chatter!

Until yesterday, we have "one-nighted" it in each stop that we have made.  Here, we are staying 2 nights for an extra day of rest.  We've averaged about 250 or so miles each day so far.  

A few highlights include the Pioneer Village in Minded NE (just across the border from Kansas).  While I am not a person who enjoys museums very much, THIS one is a must for any of  you who might travel this direction in the future.  I actually was in awe of the fabulous collections of Americana at this place.  Old cars...close to 300 in pristine condition from the 20's forward.  Old sewing machines, washing machines, refrigerators, irons, oil lamps, ladies' dresses, airplanes, fire trucks, you name it!  The collections are housed in 26 different buildings.  There's an old schoolhouse completely furnished, general store, church, etc.  Needless to say this was time well-spent for both of us.


On thru Waco NE overnight.  Visited the place of Tom's birth and first 8 years...Columbus NE.  Visited with a long long long-time friend of Sis Nancy's from her high school days there.  2 nights ago we hotelled it in Yankton SD, and here we are in Mitchell overlooking Lake Mitchell from our campsight.

As I write, we are at the laundromat giving our clothes a fresh outlook on their lives!!  Later, we'll visit the Corn Palace (look it up on the internet for more info.) and this afternoon relaxation.


Tomorrow we will reach our destination after about a 200 mile or so drive to Elysian MN where Teri & Bob say they are anxiously awaiting our arrival.

So, there ends this edition of the T&D Travels saga.  Take care.