Wednesday August 17
Wednesday, August 17, 2005 5:58 PM
After a pit stop at Peet’s for a fill-up, we finally rolled out of Davis at 10:22 AM. Ran around like a freak trying to get everything packed, but made it! At the last minute, we decided that we had to take Hank with us. He was originally going to stay home with Taryn, but after he put his bone by all of our stuff at the front door, we knew we couldn’t leave without him. Both Terry and I had been thinking about taking him, but finally fessed up after the bone incident. Jack has been an AWESOME traveler. As long as he gets to watch a movie, play with his PowerTouch book or sit up front with dad, he’s a happy little man. So glad we exposed him to the road early in life. He was asleep when we went thru Reno, so no stops at Circus Circus. Now he keeps asking, “Daddy, when are we getting to the circus?” “Uh, circus was closed, buddy.”
Stopped in Battle Mountain, NV – Hank’s birth place! Took a picture by the Battle Mountain sign and almost stopped at the Shell station next door to buy fireworks. Fireworks and gas? Who knew?!?
Just pulling into Elko now in search of sustenance. We’re hoping to make it to Twin Falls, ID, tonight. There’s an RV park with WiFi, so looking to get some emails out, including this one. Will try to send some pictures out to everyone later.
We have seen some funny things. Mike and Lew, saw 3 pink flamingoes that someone set up by the Humboldt River. Terry and I laughed. Nice to see that there’s a sense of humor in BFE, Nevada.
Gotta jet and find a dinner spot. Hey to all and will email more later!
Cheers!
11:24 PM (Maybe 12:24 with the Mountain Time change)
Welcome from Twin Falls, Idaho! Yes, Terry drove thru and now we sit side by side with our dueling laptops. Jack is passed out asleep as is Hank. Went through Jackpot, Nevada, the last stop before crossing the border to Idaho. Must be Idaho’s answer to Vegas ‘cause the parking lots for all the hotels were totally full. We’re at a campground on Highway 93, and I mean RIGHT on 93. Little noisy, but hey, we’re not moving anymore. The rig next to us is from Roseville –small world! We’re onto Idaho Falls tomorrow (maybe 2 hours away) to visit a friend of Terry’s that he’s known since nursery school. They’re expecting baby #1 in a couple of months and, of course, I have a Snug Bug to give to them (thanks, Lew, for being an entrepreneur).
Okay, gotta jet and get some sleep. Good night and see you in the AM!
Thursday, August 18, 2005, 9:34 PM (Mountain Time)
Well, of course the little man wakes up at his usual time (6:30). He wasn’t aware that momma and daddy didn’t get to bed until after midnight. Long drive + Hookups=Late Night. Oh well…it’s vacation, right?
Finally was able to see the terrain. Rolling hills, lots of fields and TONS of mobile homes! (I have decided absolutely no mobilehome for the property.) Try to find a decent coffee place in Twin Falls, Idaho. Ack!! Decided to just get the Chevron coffee. Nothin’ like weak coffee, sugar and powdered creamer. Now THAT’S coffee! Convinced Terry to take a detour and check out Shoshone Falls before hitting Highway 84 east. Saw the picture of it on a post card at Chevron and knew we had to visit. The result? Absolutely beautiful!!! Supposedly, it’s the “Niagara Falls” of the west. Its drop is 50’ longer than that of Niagara Falls. Who knew? Got some great pics (thought of you, Mike.) There were some beautiful homes built along the shoreline and the canyon was awesome. Totally reminded me of the canyon in the Chico/Paradise area (Lew, remember?) Imagine that with the rush of the Snake River going through. Cool.
Jack and Hank got to run around the park a while and burn some energy. Again, they’ve both been AWESOME travelers – couldn’t ask for anything better! Very proud momma.
Took us a little over 2 hours to get to Idaho Falls to see Gabe and Amber. They’re due with their first son in 1 ½ months. (FYI – There’s only one campground in Idaho Falls. Just a future reference for you fellow travelers.) Found their house after many attempts. We haven’t seen them since Jack was born. They look great! Gabe gained the freshman 40 (or so), but vows to get back in shape when the baby gets here. I have faith in him… Their house is brand new; 1200 square feet upstairs and another 1200 square feet of basement. They’re finishing it off now and making 2 guest rooms, TV room and laundry room. Basements are weird and cool – just jealous we don’t have the space. Did the dinner thing and Hank played with their dog, Baxter. Got tired of watching Baxter ‘dominate’ Hank (aka. Baxter The Gay Beagle). Lew, they LOVED the Snug Bug – gave them the whole scoop. Left around 8PM and headed to the RV park (NOT a trailer park!) Idaho Falls consensus…way too windy (think Suisun City), way too stinky (potato leftovers. I’m serious!) and way too far away from Nordstrom’s or Nugget Market.
Off to Jackson Hole, Wyoming tomorrow. We’ll leave a little later so the big guy can get some bike time in. We’re on the Snake River, so I’m sure we’ll be doing the “throw the rocks into the water” thing, too. Can’t wait to see and take pics of the Tetons. Keep your fingers crossed that we find an RV park with room for us. We’re traveling on the fly and counting on our karma bank. Terry helped a truck driver reload some fallen materials onto his truck when we pulled over in Nevada, so our bank should be plenty full…I hope. Oh, the lightening strikes at night have been spectacular! (Forgot to mention them earlier.) Just as long as we’re not in their path ;-)
Off to bed and a little “Field of Dreams” with Jack. Remember… if you build it, he will come.
Friday, August 19, 2005, 8:13 PM (Mountain Time)
Finally got a chance to hit the pavement for a run, family style (momma, daddy, Jack and Hank). Forgot we were in the altitude (approx. 5200 feet). Had to slow down the pace a little, but accomplished a couple of miles. Ah, don’t feel like a veal anymore…
When we got back to the motorhome, Gabe met us with a coffee for Terry and me. He remembered our previous discussion about the lack of quality coffee in Idaho Falls. Gotta love your friends! We hung out at chatted for quite a while. Jack and I took off for a little bike excursion, then stopped to throw some rocks into the river. Finally got out of Idaho Falls around 12:20 and headed northeast on 26 towards Jackson Hole. Saw some beautiful sites along the way – rolls of hay, the Snake River, very cool custom homes and only a few cars on the road. Quite a change from the crowded freeways of California, but a very nice change. No complaints.
The classic scene of the day…saw a sign along the highway, just outside of Idaho Falls, that read “Don’t laugh at the locals”. Not more than 20 seconds later we’re at a stop sign and there’s this chick to our right, a table set on the side of the road, dressed to the 9’s in her (ahem) yellow suit and 80’s hair, selling MARY KAY! Are you f***ing kidding me?!? How could we NOT laugh?!? Nice. Idaho rocks, sorta.
Took a lot of pictures out the window of the motorhome. Some turned out, some didn’t. The hazards of the traveling photographer.
Jack slept most of the way (Thank God!) and woke up at 8400 feet. We headed down into the valley and spotted the Tetons to our left. Totally awesome! We made a reservation at the Virginian RV Park in Jackson with hopes of picking up an extra night (fingers crossed all the way). Well, the karma bank has paid off! We’re staying 3 nights in Jackson Hole. Let me just say that this place is beautiful and tres cool, but WAAAAAAY too full of tourists (think Sonoma around harvest time). Jack has hit the wall with the lack of sleep and is very, very, very, very, very whiny. Did I mention he was whiny?!? Poor dude. He’s been so good, he deserves a lil’ whiny time…and momma and daddy deserve another drink ( Rock on and pass the Jack Daniel’s.
Since we’re going to stay a couple of days, we decided to rent a car to get around. Much, much easier to park, plus there’s no ‘hooking and unhooking.’ We’re going to drive up to Yellowstone and the Continental Divide. Don’t know if we’ll make it much further than that. Just looking for a nice day trip (maybe a 1 ½ each way).
So, let me set up another scene. There’s a ‘shoot-em up show’ on the square at Jackson every night at 6PM. We’re all downtown, whining with each step, leash in hand. We decide to check out the show. Hey, why not? Could be very cool, right? Jack’s face is covered in chocolate ice cream (ah, to be 3 again) and Hank is just chillin’. Next thing you know, ol’ Tex shoots off a shot gun that sounded more like a cannon blast. The look of terror on Jack’s chocolate face was shocking. He bit his tongue when Tex shot the blast and just went OFF with the tears and crying. Meanwhile, poor Hank’s tail is between his legs and all four legs are quivering in fear. We have the only kid in the audience screeching in terror. We’ve now become the ‘other’ show. Both Terry and I are trying to calm Jack down while getting Hank out from between our legs. The tears were wiped, Hank was hugged, and we immediately head towards the car. So much for the Wild West.
Hit the pool before heading back to the motorhome for some grub and a movie. Looking forward to getting out for a bike ride in the morning. Seen a lot of street bikes as well as mountain bikes (duh!). Hope all are doing well. Lew, glad you had fun in L.A. Thanks to dad for giving me the background in the flamingoes. Just keeping it in the family.
Enjoying my new cowboy hat. They go well with the Birkenstocks.
Saturday, August 20, 2005, 10:00 AM (Mountain Time)
Just got back from a totally cool bike ride. Several differences between Davis and Jackson that one must remember: no hills vs.hills, no altitude vs. altitude (6200 ft.), no morning chill vs. chilly mornings. Headed out on Highway 89 toward Yellowstone and Teton Park. Passed the Elk Preserve (saw no elk) and was sucking wind something FIERCE going up a hill. But as soon as it crested and I saw the Tetons in the morning light, I knew it was worth the ride. Hung out at the park entrance for a while, saw a hot air balloon and some planes taking off from the airport. Loved the downhill ride! Saw another cyclist heading up the hill – poor bastard! Got back into town and was cutoff by a motorcycle. Hello!! I’m only wearing a BRIGHT YELLOW JACKET! Hit the brakes (didn’t fall) and refrained from yelling any profanities.
Think we’re going to hang out in town today. Jack’s already talking about the swimming pool and hot tub. Don’t think we’ll do the cowboy show again ;-)
Sunday, August 21, 2005, 7:08 PM (Mountain Time)
Forcing Terry out on a ride through the Teton valley. More on that later.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. I did the ride and Terry took hank out for a run. Jack wanted nothing more than to ride his bike around the RV park. So, off we all went! After our excursion, got cleaned up and headed back to Mountain High Pizza Pie in town. Went there yesterday, too. The pizza is very fresh and tremendously tasty. Also, very cool people work there and it’s full of locals. Gotta hang with the locals. Seen lots and lots of “Fat America” poster families. One dude walked so f***ing slow that there was NO WAY he could has any sort of muscle tone. His family slothed along after him. Pity. The vast majority of people in the RV park are over 60. The vast majority of women in the RV park are also grossly overweight. Here’s a glimpse into the typical RV’ers day: sit outside in your folding chair with your ‘drop-kick’ dog, stare at everyone who goes by, eat all food inside motorhome. And don’t forget to wear your muumuu! Okay, now I know what I DON’T want to become.
Took Jack and Terry back to the motorhome for some down time then headed back into town. Walked around the stores (same crap, different store except for some very cool cowboy boots), then it was off to Albertson’s for grub.
Took off for the Snake River as Jack really wanted to swim in the water. Hank, also, needed to burn off some energy. The water was cold (think Lake Tahoe), but that didn’t matter to Jack or Hank. Hank immediately found several dogs to play with, and then proceeded to take a giant crap in the water. Didn’t know dogs did such a thing. I guess when you gotta go… Jack and I waded in up to his belly and threw what seemed like hundreds of rocks into the water. Terry chatted with a local for quite a while about housing prices, growth, quality of life, etc. Nice guy. After the river, it was off to Teton park. Found a great bike trail – Terry’s going to hit it now, I’ll go tomorrow morning. It takes you through the valley towards the Tetons. Not a bad backdrop on a clear, brisk morning. Don’t forget your jacket…
It was a very quiet night filled with lots of good conversation and storytelling. Jack crashed within minutes. Hank was asleep before any of us.
To Yellowstone we go today. Hope to see some wildlife and get some great pics. Till later…
Sunday, August 21, 2005, 5:36 PM (Mountain Time)
Okay, so sometimes plans change…
Terry ended up not going on a bike ride through Teton valley (flat tires, couldn’t find a gas station with the right connector, no bike shops open, blah, blah, blah). So, I head out, park at the lot, and proceed with an awesomely beautiful ride. Highly recommended for all my traveling cyclist buds! I get closer to Teton Village and see parasails gliding their way back from the, ahem, tippy top of the summit (10,4?? Feet up). Couldn’t let the moment pass without finding the landing spot and checking it out. Off I pedaled…
Found the landing spot, watched everyone come in and just KNEW I had to do it. Asked one of the tandem dudes the how’s, what’s and where’s. “Unfortunately, we book days in advance, BUT oddly enough, I don’t have anyone scheduled for the 10:30 slot.” Hey, I don’t have anything going on at 10:30! So off to sign up I went. Put Terry in the slot after me, but he refused to go. I tried, I tried, but the boy just isn’t ready to jump off a mountain. Bummer. It’s already 9:30 and it was going to take me at least 25 min. to get back to the motorhome. Rode my ass off back the motorhome (21 mph), hopped in the shower, threw on some clothes, got the fam ready and cleaned up, then headed out. When we got there, Terry was asking the guys a bunch of questions and proceeded to tell them, “Don’t fuck up.” Terry was a little edgy. At 10:45 I was riding on the tram to the top of the mountain (the tram goes up 4,000 feet in 12 minutes). At 11:00 I was strapping on my gear and helping unfold the chute. At 11:15, I was running down the side of a 10,000+ peak with a helmet on and a man strapped to my back. AWESOME! FUCKING AWESOME! Did I mention it FUCKING ROCKED? We just sailed through the air, making some turns and doing some stomach churning dives and rolls. I knew I was in trouble when he asked, “Do you like rollercoaster’s?” Duh! We hung out in the air for at least 15-20 minutes. He (Matt) pointed out Harrison Ford’s ranch and Dick Cheney’s estate. Plan on egging Cheney’s pad later…wanna go?? We were getting close to the ground and I spotted Jack and Terry. I yelled out to them and saw Jack waving up a storm. Matt then took us on a wild spin in the air. NEVER, EVER have I felt anything like it!!! Talk about a finale! We landed safely (Thank you!) and headed over to have some food and a celebratory beer. All in all, highly recommended for my extreme adventure friends. Tom? Taryn? I plan on doing it again and again whenever I get the chance. And Terry? Well, he says he’ll do it when his disability insurance goes thru…
After the jump and some lunch, we all took a ride on the gondola. Jack, of course, found plenty of rocks to throw. The views were spectacular! Saw some people making their way up a trail, packs totally loaded. They had just finished 5 days in the mountains. Don’t know about you, but that sounds like 4 days too long. More power to ‘em…
Saw TONS of ladybugs and butterflies on the summit. Reason?
Okay, there were two families of Amish we saw after the gondola ride. Question 1: How did they get there? They aren’t “supposed” to use motorized vehicles, so ??? Didn’t see the horse and buggy in the lot. Question 2: The men are wearing hiking boots. Don’t think they made them, so where did they buy them and how did they earn the money? Selling furniture? Raising barns?
A reminder about the “stroking prevert” at the pool…also the stretch marks and gut…
So, no Yellowstone today. We’re unhooking tomorrow and heading to Yellowstone then ??? We’ll more than likely be on the road a lot tomorrow, covering even more miles when Jack goes to sleep. Hoping to get to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, tomorrow night, keeping karma crossed fingers all the way.
And Jackson Hole, Wyoming? Lots of tourists, but well worth the trip. The Tetons are very cool as is the history of the valley. Lots of cyclists, road and mountain alike. Tons of history and some really cool locals. All in all, a Four Star experience…
Monday, August 22, 2005, 7:10 PM (Mountain Time)
So, we’re back in Idaho Falls. Here’s a brief synopsis of our day: we went through Yellowstone. Ta da!! Can I just ask one simple question…aside from the wildlife, what’s the big deal? I mean, we’ve grown up with Lake Tahoe, the Sierras, Mt. Shasta, etc. Nothing new to see, really. We didn’t even stop at Old Faithful. Waaaaaaay too many tourists roaming the area. I remember seeing the geysers north of Santa Rosa when I as growing up, so another stop to see a plume of water wasn’t going to be a big thrill. But we did (FINALLY!) see wildlife – bison and elk. Sorry, kids, but I wasn’t too impressed with the park, though I’m glad it’s protective of the wildlife, unhappy with the abundance of human life. We’re fortunate to live and grow in Northern California. We came out of the park at the west entrance, so we’ve now covered 5 states, including California. Not a bad pace…
Tomorrow we’re hoping to get to Boise via Highway 20 or 84. I’d really like to see Sun Valley, but who knows what’s going to happen. The plan is to have no plan, right?!?
Till tomorrow…
Tuesday, August 23, 2005, 7:28AM (Mountain Time)
Woke up early (don’t know why) and decided to hit the journal. Gabe and Amber came over last night and we hung out and chatted. Amber is due October 4th and the doctor just told her that she’s borderline preeclampsia. Don’t you know I gave her the lecture on taking it easy and staying on your left side! Ladies, remember those moments? Another great visit with them.
Off to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Hailey, Sun Valley and Boise. More later, kids…
Tuesday, August 23, 2005, 10:28 PM (Mountain Time)
Looooong day on the road and in & out of places and things. Gotta hang it up until tomorrow morning…
Wednesday, August 24, 2005, 7:53 AM (Mountain Time)
Wow, yesterday was quite a long day for everyone!
We started in Idaho Falls at 10AM and with all the stops and starts and diversions, we didn’t get to Boise until 7:30PM. Let me see if I can remember all the places we visited…
The first place hit was the army surplus store just south of Idaho Falls. Some very cool stuff including used camo pants and shirts. Had to get a new/used pair of camos – women’s airborne division. Kinda cool. Was tempted to buy the bean burrito, slightly deflated with that ‘just add water’ taste. The next supper club?
We headed west on Highway 20. Since Highway 84 was just a “plethora” of sights, we knew we had to try something different. We were closer to the mountains (Where are all the trees? Just lots of sagebrush.) and closer to some lava flow. We got to Craters of the Moon National Monument after a couple of hours. And what did it look like? For all you Hawaii people, it was exactly like the Big Island, Kona side. I was looking for all the names and advertisements written in white rocks. VERY windy, but very cool to look at. Didn’t stop at the visitor’s center – just wanted to keep moving.
We entered a valley that was totally pretty. Lots of farmland, but not a lot of houses or cars. Felt very, very lonely at times. Made it to the intersection of 74 (75?) north towards Hailey and Sun Valley. Just had to see what all the buzz and excitement was all about. Beautiful, but windy, drive into Bellevue then Hailey. For all you Hollywood buffs (Jen), Hailey is where ol’ Demi and Bruce decided to raise their daughters. Awesomely cool town tucked in between the mountains (where are the trees?). Lots of restaurants, shops, normal looking people. Okay, not TOO normal. You never want too normal, right?
So, further north we went to Ketchum/Sun Valley. Was it going to get even better? Well, the valley got very narrow and we were surrounded by high mountains on either side. Beautiful! The houses were getting more and more hoity-toity looking, hugging the river that flowed from the north. And then we entered the mother of all “Where the Rich People Play” lands. So imagine if you will, East Coast prep/money, LA wannabe’s and Sonoma tourists had an orgy and spewed forth a love child. There you have it, folks, the people who come to play in Sun Valley. You could cut the pretentiousness with a Tiffany knife. Ick. Jack was almost asleep (and VERY, VERY cranky), but decided to give him one last treat before nighty-night. We stopped at Rocky Mountain Chocolate for some ice cream and watched the Louis Vuitton’s saunter by. I must admit, the lady who worked in the ice cream store was kind enough to bring Hank a white chocolate covered dog biscuit. Thank you, nice-lady-who-doesn’t-fit-in. Finished the ice cream then headed to the tourist trap to get the usual tourist crap. Final thoughts? Extremely beautiful town, extreme gotta-be-seen’s. I’ll take Jackson Hole ANY DAY!
Back we went through Hailey and Bellevue and caught 20 West. Damn, it took a loooooong time to get to Highway 84, but the ride was worth it. In the meantime, Jack had thrown the mother of all fits and we knew the poor kid needed to get out and run, Forrest, run. So what better place to wear out your kid while eating crappy pizza? You guessed it…Chuck E. Cheese! Let me tell you, the kid was on overload to the nth degree. He went from each machine yelling, “I want to play this! No, I want to play this!” He wouldn’t have anything to do with the ol’ Chuck E. The Rat himself. Jack didn’t even get to his pizza. He happily ate 6 slices back in the motorhome and drank his soda (Soda? Hey, it’s vacation!). Off to the next RV park we went. Okay, so, it’s next to the fairgrounds (carnie city?) and it has that sardine feel. ‘Forty-something year old guys on their BMX bikes coming back to the trailer with their gas station coffee’ dot the park. At least there’s a running/biking trail that goes along the river.
While taking Hank out for the morning duty (doodie), 3 rather large and frightening helicopters flew overhead. Two of the three had missiles attached on either side. Ah, I forgot that President Bu(ll)sh(it) is in town today to talk to the peeps of Boise. Gotta avoid that traffic trap. Damn, forgot my water balloons!
Hopefully off for a run with the fam this morning. Jack’s a little resistant, but momma needs to get out. Till later…
Thursday, August 25, 2005, 8:10 (PST)
Welcome to Bend, Oregon! Okay, our day yesterday…
After much resistance, the fam got out for a run along the river. Now acclimated to the elevation and was able to squeak our 3.5 miles. Ahhhh, much better…
We’re convinced that we are in Carnie Land, the place where fair carnies go to live. The Western Idaho State Fair is going on next store and all the carnies have been filing out to hit the fairway and yell at all the fairgoers. So, what did we do for fun? Went and visited the carnies on the fairway, what else? Jack needed a day of Jack stuff, so off we went to the fair. Fortunately, there was a section of lil’ guy rides. Unfortunately, he was a couple of inches too short for the bumper cars. He was VERY sad. We did find a really cool driving track just for kids. They were cars with a gas and brake, and the kids got to drive by themselves. Well, almost by themselves. Terry had to join Jack on the ride…you should’ve seen this hulking man squeeze himself in this miniature car. Riot! Total riot! Jack just grinned from ear to ear as he drove around in circles, almost hitting the center median but not caring. He just dug being able to drive. We also went on a kid’s rollercoaster. Let’s just say he was less than impressed. He didn’t utter a word during the entire ride – not a scream, not a yeah, nothin’. Poor kid was a little frightened.
We were successful in wearing him out. Back in the motorhome by 2PM, Jack back to sleep by 2:30PM. On our way out of town, Bush’s helicopter-cade was flying out of town. It dumped him off somewhere in a sportsman’s gaming area. Don’t know if he’s the hunter or the prey…
Long drive through Oregon to get to Bend. Lonely, lonely stretch of highway, but some beautiful sights to see. Saw a huge ol’ fire outside of Boise. Planes overhead trying to put out the flames. Hope no one got hurt. Stopped in Burns for some grub. I don’t recommend stopping in Burns for grub. A New York steak, medium equals a thin piece of beef well-done. Lil’ tough to chew…
We have landed in the Four Seasons of RV parks, the Crown Villa RV Resort. This place rocks!! I’m talkin’ slips done in pavers, green grass, bistro set for each slip, weight room, the works. Think we’ll stay here 2 nights and head to the property tomorrow. The area is Tahoe-esque, so we’re renting a car to go check it out. Lots of outdoor activity, so hoping to get a ride in before we leave.
Gotta jet and get some physical activity in. Till later…
Friday, August 26, 2005, 8:27 AM(PST)
Yesterday as kind of a ‘throw away’ day as Jack and I were POOPED OUT! Tried to go for a fam run, but had to start walking as the ol’ body didn’t want to go. Bummer. Guess that’s what happens when you don’t sleep very well and wake up waaaaaay too early.
Rented a car and went into downtown Bend. Very, very cool town – possible moving place in the future. Ended up eating at a pub grill (seems to be the only places we eat on this trip). Gotta get off the burger and fries diet when we get home.
Fortunately, Jack took a long nap, but it wasn’t enough. We went bowling last night to burn off some energy and get out of the box. When we left, Jack REALLY threw the mother of all fits. Is it bad if we lock him in one of the side cabinets? No, really, is it bad?!?
Didn’t wake up until almost 8AM and Jack until 8:30AM. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for better attitudes today. Gotta fill up that karma bank again…maybe one of the ol’ ladies here in the park needs help crossing the street…
Don’t forget about the funky spring shoes (male and female). Also, seen a few 60-something’s with ankle tattoos. Just a little glimpse into the future of our generation, only we come with piercings, too (
Hate to leave Shangri La, but need to push on to Crater Lake and then to the property in Mt. Shasta Forest. Can’t wait to stay on a piece of land (bigger than our tiny Davis spot) that we actually own. Cool feeling. Let’s just hope the bears aren’t too hungry. Jack and Hank will love having the run of the place. Plus, it’ll give Terry and me a chance to talk about what we want and don’t want to put on the property, affordability being the MAJOR consideration. Remember, no mobile homes…
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10:39 AM
And so another friend has passed. Ivan. Am I supposed to know why? I feel like I should having played out this scenario many times before. I know that I’m supposed to learn from it, but I still don’t really know why it happens. It can’t be as simple as a learning experience. Try and explain that to his wife, Vanina, and his unborn child. Learning experience just does not cover grief and sorrow, nor does it cover time. I still have Ivan’s Batman glass, an original, in my cupboard. I almost screamed when I saw Terry using it a couple of weeks ago. “Don’t use that! I’m saving it for Ivan to give to him when he comes home.” Funny, I didn’t know he was going Home instead. Can I take it to him when I finally go Home? I don’t plan on that happening for quite some time, so I’ll just hold on to it for him a while longer…
Remember when we had the rental car that time in the city? Me, Terry, Tom, Ivan and one other person were doing the usual weekend city thing – bar, drinks, Watcha?, being friends. On our way home from Wherever, S.F., Terry insisted on slamming on the brakes at every single stop sign. Little did we know, Ivan almost pulled a party foul in the car. He didn’t mention it until a while later. That was his style – don’t ruin the moment. Class. The cool guy who wasn’t trying to be cool. Ivan, the master roller. Cheers to a friend who made our lives fun and our memories priceless. Maybe that’s what we’re supposed to learn. Don’t be afraid to have fun, experience the unknown, travel to the unknown, love your friends. Truly love your friends for they are the ones you chose. My strength to Vanina and their child. To Ivan, a really good beer in a really cool glass.
Sunday, September 25, 2005 7:59 AM
Welcome to Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage! Here for the annual RTOA convention. The scape – lots of dry hills/mountains, lots of sand, lots of golf courses and lots of people over 50. TADA!! I guess if year-around sun and heat is your gig, this is your place. Rather windy last night, but got the chance to have a drink with Taryn and then with Terry. Jack was a really good guy for the 9 hour ride down here. A few fits here and there but hey, the poor kid is pooped and has been in the car forever. I think we all deserve a medal.
Taryn is the designated Jack Watcher while we’re doing the schmooze and meeting thing. Thank god for her!! Had a great laugh in the bar with the ‘one-man-band’ aka Trumpet Boy. Thanks, Johnny Cash! Where was your tuba?
Jack is already on his Cliff Bar and apple juice. Gonna have to get him outside and moving to burn off some energy. The kid didn’t get to sleep until 11PM and was up by 7AM. Damn. We’re all gonna need a nap before the cocktail party.
So Keith went and purchased a NEW R1200GS motorcycle. Gotta love Keith – he never disappoints! Can’t wait to be able to ride with Terry and hopefully with all the guys. Tom is supposedly getting a new (used) bike, too. Hope so. A road trip is lookin’ mighty good after we get back from Palm Springs. A ride to St. Helena? Lunch? Just being out? Ahhhhhhh….that will be the reward after this convention. Keep your fingers crossed for a successful trip!
Some key moments in Palm Springs, in no particular order…
Clint Eastwood, Dolly Parton, mechanical bull with no mechanic, silent heroes (Terry, Gary and Me), cocktail night and seeing everyone, putting faces to names and stories, Dusty, waterballoons, the electric slide, the country/western band, someone got fired?, Breastaurant Supply,
November 14, 2005 – The weekend and growing up Jack
This past weekend was busy and grand all at the same time.
After a pit stop at Peet’s for a fill-up, we finally rolled out of Davis at 10:22 AM. Ran around like a freak trying to get everything packed, but made it! At the last minute, we decided that we had to take Hank with us. He was originally going to stay home with Taryn, but after he put his bone by all of our stuff at the front door, we knew we couldn’t leave without him. Both Terry and I had been thinking about taking him, but finally fessed up after the bone incident. Jack has been an AWESOME traveler. As long as he gets to watch a movie, play with his PowerTouch book or sit up front with dad, he’s a happy little man. So glad we exposed him to the road early in life. He was asleep when we went thru Reno, so no stops at Circus Circus. Now he keeps asking, “Daddy, when are we getting to the circus?” “Uh, circus was closed, buddy.”
Stopped in Battle Mountain, NV – Hank’s birth place! Took a picture by the Battle Mountain sign and almost stopped at the Shell station next door to buy fireworks. Fireworks and gas? Who knew?!?
Just pulling into Elko now in search of sustenance. We’re hoping to make it to Twin Falls, ID, tonight. There’s an RV park with WiFi, so looking to get some emails out, including this one. Will try to send some pictures out to everyone later.
We have seen some funny things. Mike and Lew, saw 3 pink flamingoes that someone set up by the Humboldt River. Terry and I laughed. Nice to see that there’s a sense of humor in BFE, Nevada.
Gotta jet and find a dinner spot. Hey to all and will email more later!
Cheers!
11:24 PM (Maybe 12:24 with the Mountain Time change)
Welcome from Twin Falls, Idaho! Yes, Terry drove thru and now we sit side by side with our dueling laptops. Jack is passed out asleep as is Hank. Went through Jackpot, Nevada, the last stop before crossing the border to Idaho. Must be Idaho’s answer to Vegas ‘cause the parking lots for all the hotels were totally full. We’re at a campground on Highway 93, and I mean RIGHT on 93. Little noisy, but hey, we’re not moving anymore. The rig next to us is from Roseville –small world! We’re onto Idaho Falls tomorrow (maybe 2 hours away) to visit a friend of Terry’s that he’s known since nursery school. They’re expecting baby #1 in a couple of months and, of course, I have a Snug Bug to give to them (thanks, Lew, for being an entrepreneur).
Okay, gotta jet and get some sleep. Good night and see you in the AM!
Thursday, August 18, 2005, 9:34 PM (Mountain Time)
Well, of course the little man wakes up at his usual time (6:30). He wasn’t aware that momma and daddy didn’t get to bed until after midnight. Long drive + Hookups=Late Night. Oh well…it’s vacation, right?
Finally was able to see the terrain. Rolling hills, lots of fields and TONS of mobile homes! (I have decided absolutely no mobilehome for the property.) Try to find a decent coffee place in Twin Falls, Idaho. Ack!! Decided to just get the Chevron coffee. Nothin’ like weak coffee, sugar and powdered creamer. Now THAT’S coffee! Convinced Terry to take a detour and check out Shoshone Falls before hitting Highway 84 east. Saw the picture of it on a post card at Chevron and knew we had to visit. The result? Absolutely beautiful!!! Supposedly, it’s the “Niagara Falls” of the west. Its drop is 50’ longer than that of Niagara Falls. Who knew? Got some great pics (thought of you, Mike.) There were some beautiful homes built along the shoreline and the canyon was awesome. Totally reminded me of the canyon in the Chico/Paradise area (Lew, remember?) Imagine that with the rush of the Snake River going through. Cool.
Jack and Hank got to run around the park a while and burn some energy. Again, they’ve both been AWESOME travelers – couldn’t ask for anything better! Very proud momma.
Took us a little over 2 hours to get to Idaho Falls to see Gabe and Amber. They’re due with their first son in 1 ½ months. (FYI – There’s only one campground in Idaho Falls. Just a future reference for you fellow travelers.) Found their house after many attempts. We haven’t seen them since Jack was born. They look great! Gabe gained the freshman 40 (or so), but vows to get back in shape when the baby gets here. I have faith in him… Their house is brand new; 1200 square feet upstairs and another 1200 square feet of basement. They’re finishing it off now and making 2 guest rooms, TV room and laundry room. Basements are weird and cool – just jealous we don’t have the space. Did the dinner thing and Hank played with their dog, Baxter. Got tired of watching Baxter ‘dominate’ Hank (aka. Baxter The Gay Beagle). Lew, they LOVED the Snug Bug – gave them the whole scoop. Left around 8PM and headed to the RV park (NOT a trailer park!) Idaho Falls consensus…way too windy (think Suisun City), way too stinky (potato leftovers. I’m serious!) and way too far away from Nordstrom’s or Nugget Market.
Off to Jackson Hole, Wyoming tomorrow. We’ll leave a little later so the big guy can get some bike time in. We’re on the Snake River, so I’m sure we’ll be doing the “throw the rocks into the water” thing, too. Can’t wait to see and take pics of the Tetons. Keep your fingers crossed that we find an RV park with room for us. We’re traveling on the fly and counting on our karma bank. Terry helped a truck driver reload some fallen materials onto his truck when we pulled over in Nevada, so our bank should be plenty full…I hope. Oh, the lightening strikes at night have been spectacular! (Forgot to mention them earlier.) Just as long as we’re not in their path ;-)
Off to bed and a little “Field of Dreams” with Jack. Remember… if you build it, he will come.
Friday, August 19, 2005, 8:13 PM (Mountain Time)
Finally got a chance to hit the pavement for a run, family style (momma, daddy, Jack and Hank). Forgot we were in the altitude (approx. 5200 feet). Had to slow down the pace a little, but accomplished a couple of miles. Ah, don’t feel like a veal anymore…
When we got back to the motorhome, Gabe met us with a coffee for Terry and me. He remembered our previous discussion about the lack of quality coffee in Idaho Falls. Gotta love your friends! We hung out at chatted for quite a while. Jack and I took off for a little bike excursion, then stopped to throw some rocks into the river. Finally got out of Idaho Falls around 12:20 and headed northeast on 26 towards Jackson Hole. Saw some beautiful sites along the way – rolls of hay, the Snake River, very cool custom homes and only a few cars on the road. Quite a change from the crowded freeways of California, but a very nice change. No complaints.
The classic scene of the day…saw a sign along the highway, just outside of Idaho Falls, that read “Don’t laugh at the locals”. Not more than 20 seconds later we’re at a stop sign and there’s this chick to our right, a table set on the side of the road, dressed to the 9’s in her (ahem) yellow suit and 80’s hair, selling MARY KAY! Are you f***ing kidding me?!? How could we NOT laugh?!? Nice. Idaho rocks, sorta.
Took a lot of pictures out the window of the motorhome. Some turned out, some didn’t. The hazards of the traveling photographer.
Jack slept most of the way (Thank God!) and woke up at 8400 feet. We headed down into the valley and spotted the Tetons to our left. Totally awesome! We made a reservation at the Virginian RV Park in Jackson with hopes of picking up an extra night (fingers crossed all the way). Well, the karma bank has paid off! We’re staying 3 nights in Jackson Hole. Let me just say that this place is beautiful and tres cool, but WAAAAAAY too full of tourists (think Sonoma around harvest time). Jack has hit the wall with the lack of sleep and is very, very, very, very, very whiny. Did I mention he was whiny?!? Poor dude. He’s been so good, he deserves a lil’ whiny time…and momma and daddy deserve another drink ( Rock on and pass the Jack Daniel’s.
Since we’re going to stay a couple of days, we decided to rent a car to get around. Much, much easier to park, plus there’s no ‘hooking and unhooking.’ We’re going to drive up to Yellowstone and the Continental Divide. Don’t know if we’ll make it much further than that. Just looking for a nice day trip (maybe a 1 ½ each way).
So, let me set up another scene. There’s a ‘shoot-em up show’ on the square at Jackson every night at 6PM. We’re all downtown, whining with each step, leash in hand. We decide to check out the show. Hey, why not? Could be very cool, right? Jack’s face is covered in chocolate ice cream (ah, to be 3 again) and Hank is just chillin’. Next thing you know, ol’ Tex shoots off a shot gun that sounded more like a cannon blast. The look of terror on Jack’s chocolate face was shocking. He bit his tongue when Tex shot the blast and just went OFF with the tears and crying. Meanwhile, poor Hank’s tail is between his legs and all four legs are quivering in fear. We have the only kid in the audience screeching in terror. We’ve now become the ‘other’ show. Both Terry and I are trying to calm Jack down while getting Hank out from between our legs. The tears were wiped, Hank was hugged, and we immediately head towards the car. So much for the Wild West.
Hit the pool before heading back to the motorhome for some grub and a movie. Looking forward to getting out for a bike ride in the morning. Seen a lot of street bikes as well as mountain bikes (duh!). Hope all are doing well. Lew, glad you had fun in L.A. Thanks to dad for giving me the background in the flamingoes. Just keeping it in the family.
Enjoying my new cowboy hat. They go well with the Birkenstocks.
Saturday, August 20, 2005, 10:00 AM (Mountain Time)
Just got back from a totally cool bike ride. Several differences between Davis and Jackson that one must remember: no hills vs.hills, no altitude vs. altitude (6200 ft.), no morning chill vs. chilly mornings. Headed out on Highway 89 toward Yellowstone and Teton Park. Passed the Elk Preserve (saw no elk) and was sucking wind something FIERCE going up a hill. But as soon as it crested and I saw the Tetons in the morning light, I knew it was worth the ride. Hung out at the park entrance for a while, saw a hot air balloon and some planes taking off from the airport. Loved the downhill ride! Saw another cyclist heading up the hill – poor bastard! Got back into town and was cutoff by a motorcycle. Hello!! I’m only wearing a BRIGHT YELLOW JACKET! Hit the brakes (didn’t fall) and refrained from yelling any profanities.
Think we’re going to hang out in town today. Jack’s already talking about the swimming pool and hot tub. Don’t think we’ll do the cowboy show again ;-)
Sunday, August 21, 2005, 7:08 PM (Mountain Time)
Forcing Terry out on a ride through the Teton valley. More on that later.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. I did the ride and Terry took hank out for a run. Jack wanted nothing more than to ride his bike around the RV park. So, off we all went! After our excursion, got cleaned up and headed back to Mountain High Pizza Pie in town. Went there yesterday, too. The pizza is very fresh and tremendously tasty. Also, very cool people work there and it’s full of locals. Gotta hang with the locals. Seen lots and lots of “Fat America” poster families. One dude walked so f***ing slow that there was NO WAY he could has any sort of muscle tone. His family slothed along after him. Pity. The vast majority of people in the RV park are over 60. The vast majority of women in the RV park are also grossly overweight. Here’s a glimpse into the typical RV’ers day: sit outside in your folding chair with your ‘drop-kick’ dog, stare at everyone who goes by, eat all food inside motorhome. And don’t forget to wear your muumuu! Okay, now I know what I DON’T want to become.
Took Jack and Terry back to the motorhome for some down time then headed back into town. Walked around the stores (same crap, different store except for some very cool cowboy boots), then it was off to Albertson’s for grub.
Took off for the Snake River as Jack really wanted to swim in the water. Hank, also, needed to burn off some energy. The water was cold (think Lake Tahoe), but that didn’t matter to Jack or Hank. Hank immediately found several dogs to play with, and then proceeded to take a giant crap in the water. Didn’t know dogs did such a thing. I guess when you gotta go… Jack and I waded in up to his belly and threw what seemed like hundreds of rocks into the water. Terry chatted with a local for quite a while about housing prices, growth, quality of life, etc. Nice guy. After the river, it was off to Teton park. Found a great bike trail – Terry’s going to hit it now, I’ll go tomorrow morning. It takes you through the valley towards the Tetons. Not a bad backdrop on a clear, brisk morning. Don’t forget your jacket…
It was a very quiet night filled with lots of good conversation and storytelling. Jack crashed within minutes. Hank was asleep before any of us.
To Yellowstone we go today. Hope to see some wildlife and get some great pics. Till later…
Sunday, August 21, 2005, 5:36 PM (Mountain Time)
Okay, so sometimes plans change…
Terry ended up not going on a bike ride through Teton valley (flat tires, couldn’t find a gas station with the right connector, no bike shops open, blah, blah, blah). So, I head out, park at the lot, and proceed with an awesomely beautiful ride. Highly recommended for all my traveling cyclist buds! I get closer to Teton Village and see parasails gliding their way back from the, ahem, tippy top of the summit (10,4?? Feet up). Couldn’t let the moment pass without finding the landing spot and checking it out. Off I pedaled…
Found the landing spot, watched everyone come in and just KNEW I had to do it. Asked one of the tandem dudes the how’s, what’s and where’s. “Unfortunately, we book days in advance, BUT oddly enough, I don’t have anyone scheduled for the 10:30 slot.” Hey, I don’t have anything going on at 10:30! So off to sign up I went. Put Terry in the slot after me, but he refused to go. I tried, I tried, but the boy just isn’t ready to jump off a mountain. Bummer. It’s already 9:30 and it was going to take me at least 25 min. to get back to the motorhome. Rode my ass off back the motorhome (21 mph), hopped in the shower, threw on some clothes, got the fam ready and cleaned up, then headed out. When we got there, Terry was asking the guys a bunch of questions and proceeded to tell them, “Don’t fuck up.” Terry was a little edgy. At 10:45 I was riding on the tram to the top of the mountain (the tram goes up 4,000 feet in 12 minutes). At 11:00 I was strapping on my gear and helping unfold the chute. At 11:15, I was running down the side of a 10,000+ peak with a helmet on and a man strapped to my back. AWESOME! FUCKING AWESOME! Did I mention it FUCKING ROCKED? We just sailed through the air, making some turns and doing some stomach churning dives and rolls. I knew I was in trouble when he asked, “Do you like rollercoaster’s?” Duh! We hung out in the air for at least 15-20 minutes. He (Matt) pointed out Harrison Ford’s ranch and Dick Cheney’s estate. Plan on egging Cheney’s pad later…wanna go?? We were getting close to the ground and I spotted Jack and Terry. I yelled out to them and saw Jack waving up a storm. Matt then took us on a wild spin in the air. NEVER, EVER have I felt anything like it!!! Talk about a finale! We landed safely (Thank you!) and headed over to have some food and a celebratory beer. All in all, highly recommended for my extreme adventure friends. Tom? Taryn? I plan on doing it again and again whenever I get the chance. And Terry? Well, he says he’ll do it when his disability insurance goes thru…
After the jump and some lunch, we all took a ride on the gondola. Jack, of course, found plenty of rocks to throw. The views were spectacular! Saw some people making their way up a trail, packs totally loaded. They had just finished 5 days in the mountains. Don’t know about you, but that sounds like 4 days too long. More power to ‘em…
Saw TONS of ladybugs and butterflies on the summit. Reason?
Okay, there were two families of Amish we saw after the gondola ride. Question 1: How did they get there? They aren’t “supposed” to use motorized vehicles, so ??? Didn’t see the horse and buggy in the lot. Question 2: The men are wearing hiking boots. Don’t think they made them, so where did they buy them and how did they earn the money? Selling furniture? Raising barns?
A reminder about the “stroking prevert” at the pool…also the stretch marks and gut…
So, no Yellowstone today. We’re unhooking tomorrow and heading to Yellowstone then ??? We’ll more than likely be on the road a lot tomorrow, covering even more miles when Jack goes to sleep. Hoping to get to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, tomorrow night, keeping karma crossed fingers all the way.
And Jackson Hole, Wyoming? Lots of tourists, but well worth the trip. The Tetons are very cool as is the history of the valley. Lots of cyclists, road and mountain alike. Tons of history and some really cool locals. All in all, a Four Star experience…
Monday, August 22, 2005, 7:10 PM (Mountain Time)
So, we’re back in Idaho Falls. Here’s a brief synopsis of our day: we went through Yellowstone. Ta da!! Can I just ask one simple question…aside from the wildlife, what’s the big deal? I mean, we’ve grown up with Lake Tahoe, the Sierras, Mt. Shasta, etc. Nothing new to see, really. We didn’t even stop at Old Faithful. Waaaaaaay too many tourists roaming the area. I remember seeing the geysers north of Santa Rosa when I as growing up, so another stop to see a plume of water wasn’t going to be a big thrill. But we did (FINALLY!) see wildlife – bison and elk. Sorry, kids, but I wasn’t too impressed with the park, though I’m glad it’s protective of the wildlife, unhappy with the abundance of human life. We’re fortunate to live and grow in Northern California. We came out of the park at the west entrance, so we’ve now covered 5 states, including California. Not a bad pace…
Tomorrow we’re hoping to get to Boise via Highway 20 or 84. I’d really like to see Sun Valley, but who knows what’s going to happen. The plan is to have no plan, right?!?
Till tomorrow…
Tuesday, August 23, 2005, 7:28AM (Mountain Time)
Woke up early (don’t know why) and decided to hit the journal. Gabe and Amber came over last night and we hung out and chatted. Amber is due October 4th and the doctor just told her that she’s borderline preeclampsia. Don’t you know I gave her the lecture on taking it easy and staying on your left side! Ladies, remember those moments? Another great visit with them.
Off to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Hailey, Sun Valley and Boise. More later, kids…
Tuesday, August 23, 2005, 10:28 PM (Mountain Time)
Looooong day on the road and in & out of places and things. Gotta hang it up until tomorrow morning…
Wednesday, August 24, 2005, 7:53 AM (Mountain Time)
Wow, yesterday was quite a long day for everyone!
We started in Idaho Falls at 10AM and with all the stops and starts and diversions, we didn’t get to Boise until 7:30PM. Let me see if I can remember all the places we visited…
The first place hit was the army surplus store just south of Idaho Falls. Some very cool stuff including used camo pants and shirts. Had to get a new/used pair of camos – women’s airborne division. Kinda cool. Was tempted to buy the bean burrito, slightly deflated with that ‘just add water’ taste. The next supper club?
We headed west on Highway 20. Since Highway 84 was just a “plethora” of sights, we knew we had to try something different. We were closer to the mountains (Where are all the trees? Just lots of sagebrush.) and closer to some lava flow. We got to Craters of the Moon National Monument after a couple of hours. And what did it look like? For all you Hawaii people, it was exactly like the Big Island, Kona side. I was looking for all the names and advertisements written in white rocks. VERY windy, but very cool to look at. Didn’t stop at the visitor’s center – just wanted to keep moving.
We entered a valley that was totally pretty. Lots of farmland, but not a lot of houses or cars. Felt very, very lonely at times. Made it to the intersection of 74 (75?) north towards Hailey and Sun Valley. Just had to see what all the buzz and excitement was all about. Beautiful, but windy, drive into Bellevue then Hailey. For all you Hollywood buffs (Jen), Hailey is where ol’ Demi and Bruce decided to raise their daughters. Awesomely cool town tucked in between the mountains (where are the trees?). Lots of restaurants, shops, normal looking people. Okay, not TOO normal. You never want too normal, right?
So, further north we went to Ketchum/Sun Valley. Was it going to get even better? Well, the valley got very narrow and we were surrounded by high mountains on either side. Beautiful! The houses were getting more and more hoity-toity looking, hugging the river that flowed from the north. And then we entered the mother of all “Where the Rich People Play” lands. So imagine if you will, East Coast prep/money, LA wannabe’s and Sonoma tourists had an orgy and spewed forth a love child. There you have it, folks, the people who come to play in Sun Valley. You could cut the pretentiousness with a Tiffany knife. Ick. Jack was almost asleep (and VERY, VERY cranky), but decided to give him one last treat before nighty-night. We stopped at Rocky Mountain Chocolate for some ice cream and watched the Louis Vuitton’s saunter by. I must admit, the lady who worked in the ice cream store was kind enough to bring Hank a white chocolate covered dog biscuit. Thank you, nice-lady-who-doesn’t-fit-in. Finished the ice cream then headed to the tourist trap to get the usual tourist crap. Final thoughts? Extremely beautiful town, extreme gotta-be-seen’s. I’ll take Jackson Hole ANY DAY!
Back we went through Hailey and Bellevue and caught 20 West. Damn, it took a loooooong time to get to Highway 84, but the ride was worth it. In the meantime, Jack had thrown the mother of all fits and we knew the poor kid needed to get out and run, Forrest, run. So what better place to wear out your kid while eating crappy pizza? You guessed it…Chuck E. Cheese! Let me tell you, the kid was on overload to the nth degree. He went from each machine yelling, “I want to play this! No, I want to play this!” He wouldn’t have anything to do with the ol’ Chuck E. The Rat himself. Jack didn’t even get to his pizza. He happily ate 6 slices back in the motorhome and drank his soda (Soda? Hey, it’s vacation!). Off to the next RV park we went. Okay, so, it’s next to the fairgrounds (carnie city?) and it has that sardine feel. ‘Forty-something year old guys on their BMX bikes coming back to the trailer with their gas station coffee’ dot the park. At least there’s a running/biking trail that goes along the river.
While taking Hank out for the morning duty (doodie), 3 rather large and frightening helicopters flew overhead. Two of the three had missiles attached on either side. Ah, I forgot that President Bu(ll)sh(it) is in town today to talk to the peeps of Boise. Gotta avoid that traffic trap. Damn, forgot my water balloons!
Hopefully off for a run with the fam this morning. Jack’s a little resistant, but momma needs to get out. Till later…
Thursday, August 25, 2005, 8:10 (PST)
Welcome to Bend, Oregon! Okay, our day yesterday…
After much resistance, the fam got out for a run along the river. Now acclimated to the elevation and was able to squeak our 3.5 miles. Ahhhh, much better…
We’re convinced that we are in Carnie Land, the place where fair carnies go to live. The Western Idaho State Fair is going on next store and all the carnies have been filing out to hit the fairway and yell at all the fairgoers. So, what did we do for fun? Went and visited the carnies on the fairway, what else? Jack needed a day of Jack stuff, so off we went to the fair. Fortunately, there was a section of lil’ guy rides. Unfortunately, he was a couple of inches too short for the bumper cars. He was VERY sad. We did find a really cool driving track just for kids. They were cars with a gas and brake, and the kids got to drive by themselves. Well, almost by themselves. Terry had to join Jack on the ride…you should’ve seen this hulking man squeeze himself in this miniature car. Riot! Total riot! Jack just grinned from ear to ear as he drove around in circles, almost hitting the center median but not caring. He just dug being able to drive. We also went on a kid’s rollercoaster. Let’s just say he was less than impressed. He didn’t utter a word during the entire ride – not a scream, not a yeah, nothin’. Poor kid was a little frightened.
We were successful in wearing him out. Back in the motorhome by 2PM, Jack back to sleep by 2:30PM. On our way out of town, Bush’s helicopter-cade was flying out of town. It dumped him off somewhere in a sportsman’s gaming area. Don’t know if he’s the hunter or the prey…
Long drive through Oregon to get to Bend. Lonely, lonely stretch of highway, but some beautiful sights to see. Saw a huge ol’ fire outside of Boise. Planes overhead trying to put out the flames. Hope no one got hurt. Stopped in Burns for some grub. I don’t recommend stopping in Burns for grub. A New York steak, medium equals a thin piece of beef well-done. Lil’ tough to chew…
We have landed in the Four Seasons of RV parks, the Crown Villa RV Resort. This place rocks!! I’m talkin’ slips done in pavers, green grass, bistro set for each slip, weight room, the works. Think we’ll stay here 2 nights and head to the property tomorrow. The area is Tahoe-esque, so we’re renting a car to go check it out. Lots of outdoor activity, so hoping to get a ride in before we leave.
Gotta jet and get some physical activity in. Till later…
Friday, August 26, 2005, 8:27 AM(PST)
Yesterday as kind of a ‘throw away’ day as Jack and I were POOPED OUT! Tried to go for a fam run, but had to start walking as the ol’ body didn’t want to go. Bummer. Guess that’s what happens when you don’t sleep very well and wake up waaaaaay too early.
Rented a car and went into downtown Bend. Very, very cool town – possible moving place in the future. Ended up eating at a pub grill (seems to be the only places we eat on this trip). Gotta get off the burger and fries diet when we get home.
Fortunately, Jack took a long nap, but it wasn’t enough. We went bowling last night to burn off some energy and get out of the box. When we left, Jack REALLY threw the mother of all fits. Is it bad if we lock him in one of the side cabinets? No, really, is it bad?!?
Didn’t wake up until almost 8AM and Jack until 8:30AM. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for better attitudes today. Gotta fill up that karma bank again…maybe one of the ol’ ladies here in the park needs help crossing the street…
Don’t forget about the funky spring shoes (male and female). Also, seen a few 60-something’s with ankle tattoos. Just a little glimpse into the future of our generation, only we come with piercings, too (
Hate to leave Shangri La, but need to push on to Crater Lake and then to the property in Mt. Shasta Forest. Can’t wait to stay on a piece of land (bigger than our tiny Davis spot) that we actually own. Cool feeling. Let’s just hope the bears aren’t too hungry. Jack and Hank will love having the run of the place. Plus, it’ll give Terry and me a chance to talk about what we want and don’t want to put on the property, affordability being the MAJOR consideration. Remember, no mobile homes…
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10:39 AM
And so another friend has passed. Ivan. Am I supposed to know why? I feel like I should having played out this scenario many times before. I know that I’m supposed to learn from it, but I still don’t really know why it happens. It can’t be as simple as a learning experience. Try and explain that to his wife, Vanina, and his unborn child. Learning experience just does not cover grief and sorrow, nor does it cover time. I still have Ivan’s Batman glass, an original, in my cupboard. I almost screamed when I saw Terry using it a couple of weeks ago. “Don’t use that! I’m saving it for Ivan to give to him when he comes home.” Funny, I didn’t know he was going Home instead. Can I take it to him when I finally go Home? I don’t plan on that happening for quite some time, so I’ll just hold on to it for him a while longer…
Remember when we had the rental car that time in the city? Me, Terry, Tom, Ivan and one other person were doing the usual weekend city thing – bar, drinks, Watcha?, being friends. On our way home from Wherever, S.F., Terry insisted on slamming on the brakes at every single stop sign. Little did we know, Ivan almost pulled a party foul in the car. He didn’t mention it until a while later. That was his style – don’t ruin the moment. Class. The cool guy who wasn’t trying to be cool. Ivan, the master roller. Cheers to a friend who made our lives fun and our memories priceless. Maybe that’s what we’re supposed to learn. Don’t be afraid to have fun, experience the unknown, travel to the unknown, love your friends. Truly love your friends for they are the ones you chose. My strength to Vanina and their child. To Ivan, a really good beer in a really cool glass.
Sunday, September 25, 2005 7:59 AM
Welcome to Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage! Here for the annual RTOA convention. The scape – lots of dry hills/mountains, lots of sand, lots of golf courses and lots of people over 50. TADA!! I guess if year-around sun and heat is your gig, this is your place. Rather windy last night, but got the chance to have a drink with Taryn and then with Terry. Jack was a really good guy for the 9 hour ride down here. A few fits here and there but hey, the poor kid is pooped and has been in the car forever. I think we all deserve a medal.
Taryn is the designated Jack Watcher while we’re doing the schmooze and meeting thing. Thank god for her!! Had a great laugh in the bar with the ‘one-man-band’ aka Trumpet Boy. Thanks, Johnny Cash! Where was your tuba?
Jack is already on his Cliff Bar and apple juice. Gonna have to get him outside and moving to burn off some energy. The kid didn’t get to sleep until 11PM and was up by 7AM. Damn. We’re all gonna need a nap before the cocktail party.
So Keith went and purchased a NEW R1200GS motorcycle. Gotta love Keith – he never disappoints! Can’t wait to be able to ride with Terry and hopefully with all the guys. Tom is supposedly getting a new (used) bike, too. Hope so. A road trip is lookin’ mighty good after we get back from Palm Springs. A ride to St. Helena? Lunch? Just being out? Ahhhhhhh….that will be the reward after this convention. Keep your fingers crossed for a successful trip!
Some key moments in Palm Springs, in no particular order…
Clint Eastwood, Dolly Parton, mechanical bull with no mechanic, silent heroes (Terry, Gary and Me), cocktail night and seeing everyone, putting faces to names and stories, Dusty, waterballoons, the electric slide, the country/western band, someone got fired?, Breastaurant Supply,
November 14, 2005 – The weekend and growing up Jack
This past weekend was busy and grand all at the same time.
posted by Adventure Chik at 7:04 AM
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