December 24 to 31, 2015; Celbrating X-MAs, glass repair, New Year Eve

DEC 24, THURSDAY; Christmas Eve

Cloudy and more rain overnight!  We had our usual lazy morning and were finally dressed by 10 am.  Val went to do the laundry and I drove to the nearest Verizon to straighten out my account.  I did some shopping and bought Val a card and a present for tomorrow.  Back home, I left the Jeep at the laundry room and gave her a hand for a while then walked home.

At 3:30 pm, we drove to a restaurant in Gilbert call Pheanico, a Lebanese food restaurant.  We met Aud & Marcel and Mark & his wife Sharon who is Lebanese and ordered food for us all.  I had never tasted this food before and it was delicious.  We had a nice visit and once again had to say goodbye and wished them a Merry Christmas.  We drove home and got into our PJ’s and I called my family back East and my brother in BC (no answer) then we watched the tube for a while.  Aud & Marcel came over for a drink.  We were in bed by 11 pm

DEC 25, FRIDAY; MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sunny finally and windy!  I was up by 8:30 am and Val soon after.  She was very surprised to see a card and a present for her (we usually don’t do that to each other).  I felt she deserved it!  Then we proceeded to have a piece each of tourtiere.  It was delicious!!!  My hat off to Marcel!  I called and talked with my brother in BC and also my son who is spending the day with his friend Kim.

At 4 pm, we all went to the club house and had X-Mas dinner with almost everyone in the Park.  The hall was full to the hilt.  They only problem was that our food table was shared by 24 people and we all think that some people didn’t bring anything!  Anyway, we had fun and that is the main thing.  Afterwards we went back to Marcel and Audrey’s place and Paul and Peggy joined us for an evening of fun and laughter.  I called my family and talked to everyone which was really nice.  After Paul and Peggy left, we got a call from Curt in Alberta and we all chatted with him for a while.  That ended our Christmas evening as everyone was ready for bed.

DEC 26, SATURDAY; Boxing Day in BC but not here!

Sunny, windy with 53*F forecasted and a very cold night!  Val got ready to go out shopping with Sister Audrey, the boys were left behind. But first Marcel went to the grocery store to pick up a few items to make his “c-paille” (??? spelling) an Eastern French casserole.

Marcel and I went to the clubhouse to play pool after I had a short snooze.  The girls finally got back at 6:30 pm (they had a successful day!), picked us up at the pool hall and we went for dinner at a local Pizza joint, sports’ bar type.  It was busy but we were able to get a booth and ordered our food and beer.  Afterwards, we went to our respective homes.

DEC 27, SUNDAY; Glass repair

I was up at 7 am this morning as a glass mobile repairman was coming out to fix the chip in the Jeep’s windshield.  Three quarter hour later and $30 richer, he left, did a good job too.  It is sunny but bloody cold out there, 40*F (5*C).  But it did warm up some by the afternoon.

Audrey had to get a haircut so Val went with her as she had some small stuff to pick up including milk.  Marcel and I ended up at the Pub so that we could watch Seattle being beaten, YUCK!   But the AZ Cardinals won!!  Came home and watched the tube for the rest of the evening.

DEC 28, MONDAY; Preparations

I had a water leak on the connection for the ice-maker so I fixed but first I had to get some parts so we went to town to LOWE’s then to Fry’s and Costco.  I also got an oil change on the Jeep.  We went to TOTAL WINE to get our supply of wine and Bourbon and had lunch at a Pub/Grill in the Mall!  We came home and went to A&M for HH then watched the tube till bedtime

DEC 29, TUESDAY; Nothing to report!

We were up late again this morning which is nice.  A cold night again but the sun is shining right now although it was cool all day!  We did little to nothing today!  Val went to Bingo with sis Aud so we had an early dinner.

DEC 30, Wednesday; another very cold night

Woke up to water lines almost frozen.  The propane truck was here this morning so I filled up the tank; bloody expensive at $3.39/gal.  I should have asked first!  We went shopping for groceries and a couple items including a 2016 calendar.  At 4 pm, we all went to the Patio for HH where there was live music; first time since we’ve been here that we’ve been there!  It was warm enough but when the sun went down, it became quite cold and we called it quit.  Peggy and Paul were also with us and we said our final goodbyes with promises to meet again.  We came home and proceeded to celebrate some more with Aud & Marcel.  I made beans and wieners for dinner with warmed up buns.  We had laughter and fun until 11 pm. Then to bed!

DEC 31, THRUSDAY; our last day in Mesa

Another very cold night with frost on the Jeep this morning.  Val did laundry first thing this morning and I washed the jeep.  In the afternoon, we went to Bud and Judy in CHANDLER and had one last visit before leaving for Mexico.  We had a very nice visit of course, and were there over two hours but finally had to leave to pick up M&A and Bud was getting tired, so it was time to go! 

We drove to Mark’s place in SUNDANCE, south of Phoenix where M&A joined us.  They parked their truck in Mark’s driveway where he is leaving it for the next two-three months while we are in Mexico.  We drove back to Power street to OLIVE GARDEN only to find a 45 minutes wait.  We walked across the street to RE LOBSTER where it was worse: one and half hour wait.  So we drove to a Chinese restaurant on MAIN ST but found this neat place instead called “WHAT THE HELL” Bar and Grill where we had dinner and stayed until 9 pm when the band came on and began to play.  Unfortunately it was “hard rock” which is not in anyone liking so we left after a couple songs.  We got back by 9:30 pm, said our goodnights and were in bed by 11 pm.

LAST DAY OF THE LAST MONTH OF 2015!!!

December 19 to 23, 2015; Apache Junction, GeoCaching and move to Mesa AZ

DEC 19, SATURDAY; Apache Junction

The days are once again warming up to decent temperature, it went to low 70’s.  After another lazy morning, then we went to find a Corporate Verizon store so that we could pay our bill.  Once done, we bought a roasted chicken then went to Aud and Marcel’s place in Del Oro.  Peggy and Paul joined us and we had dinner then walked over the Hall for another evening of dancing to the sounds of a much better Band!  It all ended at 10 pm and after walking back and saying goodnight to everyone, we came home.  Someone left a X-Mas present on our door steps!???  What a nice gesture!

DEC 20, SUNDAY; Visiting family

We met with Audrey and Marcel and drove to uncle Bud and Judy’s place in Chandler/Phoenix.  We had a great reunion as we hadn’t seen them in over 3-4 years.  They both looked fantastic although Bud is feeling his age (77) and has breathing problems.  Judy cooked hot dogs, sausages and hamburgers and we had a feast.  It was fun catching up to news and relive loving memories.  We came back around 4 pm.  It was a warm day so it made the visit even more enjoyable.  Watched the tube then to bed early

DEC 21, MONDAY; Apache Junction

It was cooler today and cloudy with sunny period!  We went to find the UPS drop station to pick up a letter for Val and after a few false destination and a call back to UPS, we finally found it on Inverness in Mesa.  When we got here, we found out that it had gone on the delivery truck; it was supposed to stay back!  Oh well, back tomorrow.  Came home and Val decided to vacuum the house so I went out to read.  Afterwards, I had a two hours’ nap.  Chicken for dinner then we watched some of our recordings.  To bed by 10 pm.

DEC 22, TUESDAY; Geo-Caching and Val’s Visa card

Cloudy and the forecast is for rain today!  YUCK!!!  I am so looking forward to being in San Carlos!  Got an e-mail from sister Therese and responded to that this morning.  We went to pick up Val’s letter that contains her new Visa card then we went Geo-Caching toward Tortilla Flats!  We found 8 in total; we ran out of time J.  The sky was grey and morose all day but we still had a good time.  First we stopped at FILLY’s Restaurant & Lounge, a western style saloon with good food and very popular with Snow Birds and locals alike.  We had a great burger and beer then we went to find our first Cache.  Hwy 88 or Apache trails as it known locally, is a very scenic drive.  The road follows the land contour so there are lots of curves and switchbacks.  The speed limit is 25 MPH and for good reasons.  We finally arrived at TORTILLA FLATS, a small settlement with a population of six, yeas 6 people!  It used to be a very busy place when the Roosevelt Dam was built back in the early 1900’s.  We had a beer at the saloon and some fries, looked around at the building we had forgotten about (we’ve been here a long time ago) then it was time to drive back (4 pm).  Once back at Apache Junction, we went to Marcel and Audrey to pick up the drive with pictures of X-Mas that we had taken earlier.  At home finally, we had a small bite to eat then relax.  Tomorrow we move to Valle Del Oro in Mesa.

DEC 23, Wednesday; to Mesa AZ

Cloudy this morning, it rained overnight!  We left the Park at 10:15 am and we were in VALLE DEL ORO RESORT at 10:30 am; a whole 15 minutes’ drive!  Paid our dues then went to park and set up at Site 935.  We then went to town to check on a glass auto to get a chip repair on the windshield which I got yesterday while going to Tortilla Flats.  No luck so came back to the Park and got a number from Marcel which he had mentioned before and I called him and he will be here Sunday at 8 am.  We then drove to the bank to get some cash then we went to see Glenda and Terry at VAL VISTA RESORT in Mesa.  We had a marvelous reunion with them and finally got to see their new 5^th-Wheel.  After having a drink and catching up to each other’s news, we walked to the Hall’s Happy Hour where we had a couple more drinks and dance to Live Music.  We also met with Al and Brenda and Lyn & Leo, people we’ve known for many years.  It was great seeing everyone.  We then walked back to the March’s 5^th-wheel where we proceeded to devoured a delicious roast prepared by Glenda.  Afterwards, Al and Brenda came over and Terry was a marvelous host, making sure no one was going thirsty.  We also had a visit from Dennis and Gloria, friends of Glenda and Terry and whom we had met before.  Like all good things, it came to an end and we drove home at 9:30 pm. 

It is 10 PM and it is raining!

N  33* 23.494

W 111* 38.526

ALT: 1452’

December 14 to 18, 2015; Repairs in Casa Grande, Mt Lemmon and to Apache Junction AZ

DEC 14, MONDAY; Jeep mirror repaired

Cold, Grey skies, rain and winds greeted us this morning but Val still went to her “Walk away the pounds” exercises; she is a determined girl!  After showering, I went to the garage to have the new mirror installed on the Jeep.  They gave me a ride back to the Resort and while walking around, I went into the card room and ended playing euchre which I hadn’t played since my Army days.  It didn’t take me long to catch up to the way of playing this game which is a game I love playing.  At 3:30 pm, I was picked up and taken back to the garage, settled my bill, went to and Auto Zone to buy a convex mirror then to Safeway for milk and coffee.  Back home, Val had started dinner and I went through our mail which arrived today.  Lots of RV magazines to read. J

DEC 15, Tuesday; Casa Grande

Mid-month already!  Still very cold, only 54*F (12*C) as a high.  27*F (-3*C) when I got up this morning at 7:30 am. Brrrrrrr!  Not much done today except trying to stay warm.  Went for some groceries, lunch at BIG WAH (which means CHINA by the way), then home

DEC 16, WEDNESDAY; TRIP TO TUCSON

We left at 10 am for Tucson Mt LEMMON, a State Park, that I had read about and wanted to see so we did two things: Saw the Park and got a bunch a Geo-Caches along the way!

It was a long drive just to get to the foot of the mountain as we had to go through part of Tucson.  As we drove up the foot of the mountain, the switchbacks started immediately.  We had a fantastic view all the way up.  The drive was absolutely gorgeous and spectacular, especially the VOODOOS and the rocks.  We hit snow at about the 4500-foot level and it got deeper as we went up but the road was bare.  Lot of families out with their kids skidding down small slope (school????).  We arrived at a small village named SUMMERHAVEN, (7800 feet), a beautiful little Alpine Village.  We stopped at a Souvenir boutique but bought nothing but a bumper sticker.  The area had gone through a fire in the recent past as the majority of the trees were burned out and it looked like a lot of the cottages/houses had been recently built or touched-up.  We continued up to the ski hill at the 8200-foot level where the road was closed to points further up and after taking some pictures, finding a couple geo-caches, we turned around and headed back down and home.  By the way, we had lunch on the way up about ¾ of the way up at a side road view point.  We got back at 7 pm, had a quick dinner and in bed early.  Another great day!

DEC 17, THURSDAY; Last day in CASA GRANDE

-28*F again this morning but warmed up quickly to 59*F (15*C).  Val did laundry and I packed our toys and stuff away.  This is our last day in Casa Grande, tomorrow, we moved to Mesa.  I called Mexico Bob and paid for our Mexican Insurance for 3 months.  I sat outside and had the last of my bourbon with sushi as a snack for HH; Val is still at the games room.  She got home soon however to cook dinner then we watched some of our recordings.

DEC 18, FRIDAY; To Mesa,

30*F when I got up this morning so things are beginning to warm up.  We slowly got ready to leave and were on the road by 10:30 am.  We drove north on I-10 to 202, East to HWY 60 and onto Broadway at Apache Junction to our Resort, GOLDEN SUN!  We paid our dues then settled in site A04.  After setting up, we drove to a friend’s place in Chandler where Marcel and Audrey were and listened to Marcel, Mark and Howard jam with Peggy singing!  It was a fun end of the day and afterwards, we all went to a local golf club for dancing.  We left first and drove home; I was tired, getting old I guess!  Straight to bed!

N   33* 24.437’

W 111* 33.519’

Alt: 1647’

We drove 61 miles in one hour and 18 minutes @ an average 47MPH

December 5 to 13, 2015; Casa Grande, visits with Aud and Marcel, Florence AZ,

DEC 5, SATURDAY; Casa Grande

So here we are at our “Home Park”, it is sunny but it was a very cold night. 39*F (4*C), Brrrrrr!  Got the furnace going as soon as we got up!  Temperature is forecast for 75*F, much more gooder!  We called Aud & Marcel and made arrangement to meet them tomorrow and go to the RV Market in Mesa. 

We went to town to our favorite Chinese restaurant, THE BIG WAH, and had lunch for $5 each which includes any special dish, soup and tea.  And the amazing thing is that it is ALL delicious!  We then went to the Mall to check it out and see what’s new, I got a haircut which was overdue.  We stopped at FRY’s for groceries then home for HH and a relaxing evening at home.

DEC 6, SUNDAY; Visit with Audrey & Marcel

We left the house at 9:11 am and got to A&M by 10:10 am after stopping at McDonald for breakfast and coffee for the road and taking a wrong turn at the Junction of highways 202 and 60. 

The plan was to go to the MESA FLEA MARKET but Marcel couldn’t come because of a self-inflicted injury while under the influence!!!  So the three of us went.  While parking, Aud had a slight accident with a parked car; she is not used the width of the truck and hit the car on the right side; we left a note with Aud’s phone number. We walked the whole Market and only bought a pair of binocular for Aud and I.  The Market was very disappointing in terms of what was available for RV’s and auto.  I won’t be going back again.  We went back to Aud’s place and picked up Marcel then went to a local pub/restaurant for lunch and a brew.  We had a great visit and left around 6 pm, to be home by 7 pm.

DEC 7, Monday; CASA GRANDE

Val began the exercise program available here.  She went to “walk off the pounds” and to a pool exercise program.  She just loves this stuff; good for her!

We went to town to get a few things then came home and relaxed.  I did a few maintenance things and Val cleaned the house some.

DEC 8, Tuesday; visit Florence

We went for a drive to Florence today as we had never been there.  It was incorporated in 1886 and was the site of a couple big movies back in the 50’s and 60’s.  It has retained some of its charm but there wasn’t much to see.  We had lunch there and went into a “Saloon” with the long bar and table and chairs; neat!  We were back home by 4 pm, Happy Hour and I got a surprised call from my son, Jeff, whom I had been trying to get a hold of many times.  We had a nice conversation and caught up to his news.  We watched a rented movie in the evening called “SAN ADREAS FAULT”.  Not all that impressive!

DEC 9, Wednesday;

It’s been very warm the last few days and the nice thing above all…NO WINDS!!!

Val went for her morning exercises but missed “walk away the pound”; she slept in!  I went to the Jeep Dealer and ordered a new side mirror as the one on the driver side is broken and shakes a lot when driving; it should be her tomorrow.  I stopped to return the last of our movies and got a couple more.  At 5 pm, we went to the club house for a roast beef or chicken dinner.  We had one of each at $10 each.  It was very good however the turn-out was disappointing: only about ten couples were there; a shame really!  Came home and watched some of our recordings

DEC 10, THURSDAY; Geo-Caching

Val went to her exercises and I took the jeep to the dealership to have my mirror fixed but they had ordered the wrong one so will be back again tomorrow.  We went Geo-Caching today on the south side of the town on a small mountain but first stopped for lunch at our favorite BIG WAH!  We found 6 caches and did a lot of 4X4’ing as we took the wrong turn and ended up in the middle of the desert and had to make our own tracks in a few places.  Makes you appreciate what our pioneers went through, sort of!  We were back home by 3:30pm in time for HH.

DEC 11, FRIDAY; surprise visit

Cooler this morning, only 15*C as a high!  Val went for her “Walk away the pounds” but didn’t go to swim exercises, just too cold.  Audrey and Marcel showed up around 2pm for a visit.  We took them to BUFFALO WINGS for beer and wings and had a great visit.  They left at 9 pm after many laughs.  Marcel was in fine form and Audrey drove home back to Mesa.

DEC 12, SATURDAY; TO MESA

Boy, did it ever rain last evening and overnight!  Even got some lighting and thunder.  This morning, the wind is blowing and it is only 52*F (11*C) by 11 am.  Val made an omelet for breakfast and after cleaning up, we drove to Mesa. 

Aud cooked us a delicious dinner: Sloppy Joe with potato salad and coleslaw.  We went to the Park’s Club House where they had a Western Band and we had a few dances and lots of fun.  We came back to their place where Marcel proceeded to show us his heritage that he found while in Gaspe, Quebec.  It was really fascinating and interesting, especially the pictures and photo-copy documents.  We finally got out of there by 11 pm and drove home, arriving at midnight after stopping for a pit-stop.  The sky was clear and we could see lots of stars.  We were in bed by half past!

DEC 13, SUNDAY; Relaxing day

It was sunny and cold all day; never got above 57*F.  I didn’t get up until 9:30 am and Val a half hour later.  This was football day for me and puzzles at the Club House for Val.  I didn’t even get out of my PJ’s!  We had spare ribs and mash potatoes for dinner then watched our usual Sunday evening favorite programs.  They are forecasting colder weather and storm whit snow warning for higher elevations.

December 1 to 4, 2015: Yuma to Casa Grande, AZ

DECEMBER 1, 2015, TUESDAY; Algodones for adjustments

Sunny and cold (59*F)!  A few neighbours have departed this morning; next will be us on Friday and looking forward to it.  We went to Algodones for a few adjustments and had lunch there; fish and shrimp tacos and they were delicious.  From here we went to Yuma to ALBERTSON to get some groceries then home to put it all away.

DEC 2, WEDNESDAY; To Martinez Lake and visit with friends

Sunny and surprise…WINDY!  It was a cold night, 37*F!  To be fair, it did warm up to 68*F. 

We drove north on Hwy 95, past the turn off to Imperial Dam and we turned off on the Martinez Lake turn off.  As we were driving through the Yuma Proving Ground, we saw a half dozen military parachutists coming down from the sky.  As we drove on, we saw them walking to a make-shift booth where other military personnel were waiting for them. 

We continued on and arrived at Martinez Lake.  What a funky place.  Decorations for X-Mas were all out, we walked around the marina and the grounds then went to the Pub for a beer and lunch.  Very good burgers!  We drove around, took some pictures then went on to the Wildlife Refuge and went in the Visitor Centre and looked at the exhibits.  We went on the road further into the desert and stopped at various points to look at the Colorado river or the sanctuaries created by the river.  We got as far as the PAINTED CANYON, parked and went for a walk up the trail.  It is a one hour walk to go all around but we only did a part of it due to time constraint. 

We drove back to Yuma to Ed & Judy and Reg & Sharon’s place in the Foothills.  We had HH outside then moved inside and had dinner.  We moved back outside to sit by the fire and had a free show of F15 or 18 flying around and chasing each other.  There was some kind of military exercises and it was fun listening to them flying over as it was too dark to see them.  We had a very nice visit but we had to get back as it was getting late.  40 minutes later, we were home

IT WAS A GREAT DAY! (Pictures can be seen at our Picasa Web Site)

DEC 3, THURSDAY; Breakfast at COCOPAH CASINO and packing

Much better today in terms of temperature but it was a cold morning; 45*F at 7:30 am.  We were up early to meet the “gang” at COCOPAH CASINO for breakfast @ 8:45 am, approx. 40 minutes’ drive from here.  Everyone that we know here in Yuma was in attendance.  We had a great breakfast @ $14. For both of us and we could have second if we wanted (it was a smorg.).  It was wonderful to see everyone again.  But as everything else, it had to come to an end and after saying our goodbyes to everyone, we drove to town and fueled the Jeep then went home.  I loaded the kayaks, the bikes, put everything away, and got everything ready to leave in the morning.  We sat outside and looked at how empty this place is!  It is going downhill and this will be our very last time we stay here, for sure!!!

We had dinner, watched the tube for a while then went to bed.

DEC 4, FRIDAY; TO CASA GRANDE, AZ

We had a lazy morning, taking our time to pack the last of the toys, then we headed out by 10:30 am.  We were in CASA GRANDE by 3 pm.  We took I-8 to Yuma, stopped for fuel then headed out.  The ride was quite boring as it is all desert and very monotonous.  We stopped near GILA BEND for lunch and 20 minutes later, were on our way again.  CASA GRANDE RV RESORT, our HOME PARK with WHR, has really been improved since it was bought by an outside business.  There are now new Park Models for rent, the whole place has been revamped and it is over half full now.  Everyone is in a good mood and friendly.  We parked in site 310 and a half hour late, after hooking up and setting up, we were sitting outside for a drink.  We had a nice dinner then relaxed’

We are here for two weeks!

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kyJ9Nbv9lXfs&usp=sharing

We drove 191 miles in 3.5 hrs @ an average 54MPH with an hour stopped for fuel and lunch.  We paid $2.20/gal for diesel.

N   32* 55.261’

W 111* 45.327’

EL: 1361 feet

Novemebr 25 to 30, 2015; Thanksgiving and visits with friends

NOV 25, WEDNESDAY; A day of rest

Windy once again and the temperature is getting cooler; the forecast is for cooler temperature for the rest of the week!  Val checked my wound this morning and all seems well except for my hair being matted in dry blood.  A shower soon fixed most of that.  This was a reading day.  We went for a long walk but it was too windy and dusty to do anything else.  A day of rest!

NOV 26, THURSDAY; HAPPY THANKSGIVING (USA) WITH FRIENDS

The wind is gone and it is cloudy with sunny periods and cooler still than yesterday.  Today, I replaced the screen on the large living room window and did a couple of little repairs in the house.  Val spent most of the afternoon cooking a dish for the dinner tonight.  At 3:30 pm, we left for Dennis and Ruth’s place in Yuma, near the airport.  Ed & Judy and Reg & Sharon were already there when we arrived.  We sat around to chat then more friends of Ruth and Dennis showed up.  We proceeded to do justice to the turkey that Judy cooked and the ham that Ruth cooked and all the fixings.  Everyone had shared in preparing the meal and it was delicious!  We had lots of laughs and good music then R&D’s neighbours came over.  We had a great time and came home by 11 pm.  We really appreciate and Love our friends from home!

NOV 27, FRIDAY; Visit with Charlene and Lynden

Cloudy and cooler but no winds as of 9 am!  We drove to the Foothills in Yuma to shop for some needed items and to pick up wine for the Kirkby’s.  We then drove to the YUMA PROVING GROUNDS and to IMPERIAL DAM where they are spending the winter in the BML lands.  Once again, I forgot to take pictures but they are very well set up with a small wall made of scrap plywood and Lynden made a cooking corner and a fire pit area.  They have a very nice view of the lake created by the Dam and the surrounding mountains.  Charlene cooked a huge and delicious pasta meal with chunks of chicken and sauce and Lynden cooked bacon bits and green beans on the BBQ.  We finished it all!!!  Afterwards, their neighbours, Mike and Donna whom we met before, came over and we had a fire.  It was great and we had a fantastic visit.  We came home via a different and shorter route and were in bed by 10 pm.  A great day indeed!

NOV 28, SATURDAY; Laundry day!

Sunny but cold this morning; 39*F (5*C) and windy once again.  Not much happened today.  Val did laundry, I watched some college football, dealt with Verizon trying to set up an account and talking to those people on the call line is like talking to a five-year-old!  Anyway, I had to drive to town to finally settle the whole thing and picked up milk and chips at the grocery store.  Came home and Val cooked left over ham and squash then we watched a couple movies on the Tube.

NOV 29, SUNDAY; visits friends

Sunny and very LITTLE WIND!!!  Val went for a morning walk and Tai-Chi while I got myself showered and ready to go out.  We went to Home Depot to get a green outdoor carpet (for Mexico) then we went to Jack and Mim’s place in the Foothills, on the East side of Yuma.  We had a great visit with them then at 5pm, we went to LYN’s Chinese buffet and I proceeded to get my fix on Chinese food.  We came and watched “Madam Secretary” and the “Good Wife”.  To bed early!

NOV 30, MONDAY; Another month gone by!

Sunny and no winds this morning; 46*F (8*C) at 9 am.  I washed the windows in both the Beaver and the Jeep then I hooked up the REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO) filters to our water system and filled half the water tank (50 gallons) then switched it to regular filtering.  Val spent most of the day at the clubhouse doing puzzle and I had a snooze.  In the evening, we watched a couple of recorded shows then to bed

November 21 to 24, 2015: Algodones, MEX. and RV open Market

NOV 21, SATURDAY: Algodones, MEX

Hot, hot, hot today and VERY WINDY!  Welcome to Winterhaven/Yuma!  I don’t want to sound pessimistic but this Park is really on its last leg.  It is over half empty, there is very little activities going on, half the buildings are closed and so is the hot tub and the pool.  It’s a good thing our time here is free; I think this is going to be our last time here!

We went to Algodones, Mexico and I got some dental work done.  I have to go back Monday and Val also has an appointment then too.  We also got our MEXICAN VISA while there at $25 US each.  Afterwards, we drove to Yuma and I refilled my phone time with AT&T then we went to Best Buy to price some TV’s.  We checked the theatre for what’s on then stopped at BUFFALO Wings for beer and wings.  At 4pm, we walked back to the theatre and watched SPECTRE (James Bond).  Came home, still windy and warm.

NOV 22, SUNDAY; RV OPEN MARKET

Slept in today; up at 9 am!  We went to the Outdoor RV Market and bought a few items we required for the MH.  I ended up buying a new water pump as the one for our Reverse Osmosis is kaput!  That was an expense not planned on.  We tried to contact Jack and Ed but no one was available so we drove to Yuma downtown and stopped at our favorite Pub and watched football with beer and wings.  We came home around 4 pm and sat outside to enjoy the warm air; the winds have finally abated!

NOV 23, MONDAY; Back to Algodones, MEX.

We have high clouds this morning and no wind.  I got a message from Judy that we are invited to Ruth and Dennis for Thanks-Giving (USA) and of course we accepted.  We left at 10:15 for our 11 am appointments.  We were at the dentist for 4 long hours so we had lunch down there.  Once back home, Val made a meat loaf for dinner then we watched some TV.

NOV 24, TUESDAY: Algodones one last time

Today, we had to go back to Algodones for Val’s follow up and I got some adjustment done while there.  Of course, it took a while so we had breakfast in town then returned.  Finally, it was all done and we headed back to the USA.  We went to the Jeep Dealership about the A/C; they wanted me to leave the vehicle there the whole day after making an appointment just to diagnose the problem so needless to say I told them to take a hike!  We went to MESA RV about the covers for the lights which they didn’t have and I got a recommendation for a garage near here about the A/C so we proceeded to that place.  15 minutes later my A/C was fixed and it cost me $40.  A hole in the wall with hardly any signs indicating the place, they were busy but fitted me right in.  That’s what I call service!  We came home, had HH, dinner then the tube for entertainment.  As I was replacing the water in my CPAP machine and walking off the elevated floor, I banged my head on the lever on the air outlet in the ceiling and gave myself a gash of about a quarter inch which bleed of course.  Val got right into her nurse mode and fixed me up in no time.  It was a bit uncomfortable but the bleeding was stopped.

November 18 to 20, 2015; Borrego Springs and onward to Winterhaven, CA

NOV 18, Wednesday Borrego Springs

I had a horrible dream early this morning; I was running down a street and a Bob Cat appeared out of nowhere and started chasing me and eventually jumped on my back.  Needless to say I was trying to wave it and kick it off but it turned that Val was the recipient of those violent moves.  She woke me up and everything went back to normal!  WHAT A DREAM!!!! 

Anyway, we left at 9:15 am for our Borrego tour.  We went down 111 to Monterey/Hwy74 and headed up the mountain.  First we stopped at the “Welcome Sign” and got a cache then went up the mountain.  Man was that ever tortuous but absolutely breath-taking.  We eventually reached the top at 5000 feet and the scenery changed from rocky grounds to low pines and shrubs and cactus.  We reached Anza Village where we got another cache and turned on Hwy 371.  Here it became flat and high desert country but with lots of horse ranches.  We eventually came down onto Hwy 79 and turned left after picking up another cache.  This became rolling hills and at one point, we took the wrong turn and climbed to 4000 ft. where we got some beautiful vista.  We got to an Indian gate and were told that we were on the wrong road and had to go back!  DARN!!!  Back on 79, we finally found our turn to Borrego itself, Hwy 74.  We slowly climbed and eventually the Valley opened up to us and we got our first glimpse of Borrego Valley and the second look at Salton Sea.  The descend was just as exciting as the climb out of Palm Desert.  Into Borrego Spring we drove; what a neat town, we will have to come back some time soon.  We followed the highway to 86 where we gassed up and continued home.   We arrived back around 5 pm to find we had two new neighbours, one from BC. 

CHECK OUT THE PICTURES ON OUR PICASA LINK ON OUR BLOG!

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kltseZbNIcvg&usp=sharing  (cut and paste on web browser if it won’t open)

NOV 19, THUSRSDAY; Last day in Indio

Val went for her swimming classes and I drove to the RV Store to see if my light covers were in.  No luck!   Came home and took everything out of the jeep and proceeded to wash and clean it inside and out.  Then I loaded everything back in, loaded the biked and the kayaks, tied everything down then I out everything that was out back in the basement of the Beaver and finally…had to beer or two to admire my work!  We had a quiet HH then dinner then watched the last episode of “the BLACK LIST”.  A busy day but we are ready to go!

NOV 20, FRIDAY; Onward to Yuma, AZ

Sunny and hot it was today! 84*F (27*C) We left at 9:15 am and arrived in Winterhaven @ 12:45pm (1:45 pm local time).  We took 86 south to 78 then east and again south on 111 to I-8.  A westerly direction on I-8 took us to PILOT KNOB Resort (I call it the dust Bowl) in Winterhaven!  We registered and paid $42 for the electricity for 2 weeks and no other cost as we are here under R.O.D., one of our membership.  We set up in SITE 121 and Val called the dentist in Algodones and we have an appointment for tomorrow at 10 am.  There were hamburgers for dinner at the club house so we went for that.  Val stayed behind to do some puzzles and I came home to work on the blog.

We travelled 138 miles in 2 hrs and 40 minutes @ an average 52MPH and stopped for 15 minutes to get coffee.

N   32* 44.694’

W 114* 45.843’

Alt: 251 feet

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kSNwYGsgQlpM&usp=sharing

November 10 to 17, 2015; Route 66, chores, Special Visits and College of the Desert

NOV 10, TUESDAY; laundry day

Sunny but very windy, strong at times.  Logged all my caches from yesterday and messaged Louise and Dave who should be in Desert Hot Spring by now!?  It was cooler today so we spent a lot of time inside.  Babe and Ron came over for HH and dinner.  We had a great visit with them and got to play with Zoey their little pooch.  Val made pork chops in a mushroom sauce with potatoes and vegetables.  It was delicious and I think everyone enjoyed it.  We are invited to their place on Thursday.

NOV 11, Wednesday; Bucket list

Today, we decided to drive ROUTE 66 to its end.  Been wanting to do that for a long time!  We drove to I-215 north and got off at HUNTINGTON AVE.  We’ve already done the section from Cajun Pass to here a few years back.  It was a long drove, what with the stop lights and detours but we finally got to Hollywood and Pasadena and drove partly on Sunset Blvd and Santa Monica to the end.  We stopped for lunch in Monrovia at ALONDRA Restaurant in Pasadena, where the theme was the 30’s gangsters.  The food and drink was great.  Things are definitely changed from the 30’s and 50’s.  It is all modern now and what is in the book, no longer exist or has been altered to the point it is hardly recognizable but we did enjoy the drive.  We left at 9:30 am and finally arrived at the Pier at 3:30 pm.  Of course, I chased a couple of caches while here J.  We walked the Pier to the end, looked around, took some pictures and even stood over Hwy 1 and its end/start point.  We would have loved to see more but the sun set and it became dark quickly so we headed back home via I-10 and 60.  We arrived home at 8:45 pm.  A long day indeed but fun.  

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.krDqXoBkhmBc&usp=sharing

The link above is a bit screwy as I didn’t seem to be able to change the route.  From 101 in L.A. we turned NW on SUNSET to SANTA MONICA BLVD.  We then followed Santa Monica part way then over to SUNSET BLVD then back to Santa Monica BLVD.

Anyway, another item off my BUCKET LIST!!!

NOV 12, Thursday; Quiet time at home and visit with Babe and Ron

High clouds and windy this morning.  Val went for her pool exercises then later, for a walk.  I spent about an hour on making reservations until the end of December for our final stay in the USA before heading for Mexico.  I also been trying to set up an account on line with Verizon but having a hard time.  Got to go to a Verizon store here in town.  We went to Babe and Ron @ OUTDOOR RV RESORT on Ramon street for HH at 4 pm and ended up staying for dinner.  We had a delicious Pork Roast cooked to perfection.  They took us for a tour of the Park in their golf-cart then we sat outside for a while under the Heater before having dinner.  Like all good things, time came to leave so we said our goodbyes as they are going back to BC for X-mas holidays until mid-January.  We came home and watched “BLACK LIST”.

NOV 13, FRIDAY; Lucky day!?

Sunny and very warm…83*F!  Val went to her pool exercises and I went to Verizon store about my account.  Went to VERIZON office but still had no success but at least I change the address to the right one and I will get my bills via e-mail.  I gassed up the jeep @ $2.85/gal. then I went to a local RV store and bought a couple item the Beaver needed.  Back home, I read for a while, Val went to the clubhouse for her jig-saw puzzle.  Quiet evening at home.

OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL THE FAMILIES THAT LOST SOMEONE AT THE SHOOTING…. HOW HORRIBLE, and so sad!!!!

NOV 14, SATURDAY; College of the Desert

Sunny and warm!  I guess I should stop bragging, Huh!?  We had hamburgers at the Club House for $3 which included 2 sort of salads then we drove to MONTEREY ST to the COLLEGE OF THE DESERT OPEN MARKET.  Unfortunately, we forgot that they are open only from 7 am to 2 pm so we didn’t have much to look at as the merchants were packing up but I did manage to buy a new hat.  We went grocery shopping at a new market SMART AND FINAL, a bulk store but we still had to go to WALMART to get some items.  We came home and sat out for a drink and new acquaintances that Val met at the Club House, joined us for a drink and a chat.  Paula and Doug are from La Quinta, here in the Valley, but are full timers and their house is rented to friends.  Dinner and a quiet evening at home!

NOV 15, SUNDAY; Visit friends in DHS

Sunny but a bit windy and there are threatening clouds in the West. Quiet morning then we drove to Catalina RV Resort in Desert Hot Spring to visit Dave and Louise.  We spent the day with them catching up to news and had dinner; a pull pork roast with salad, chips and beer.  YUM! YUM!  We had a great visit with them, it had been a while since we saw them.  We got home at 9 am in time to watch “THE GOOD WIFE”.

NOV 16, MONDAY; Chores

It got really windy yesterday and overnight and the temperature plummeted to the mid 60*.  There were lots of black clouds and rain/snow in the mountains.   We were to go BORREGO-SPRINGS Geo-Caching and sightseeing today but we postponed that to tomorrow as the wind is still blowing and it is cool this morning but the sun is shining making more tolerable.  Val got energetic and defrosted the freezer and cleaned it.  Not to be outdone, I washed all the windows inside then went out and washed the rear and driver side of the Beaver then washed the windows and polished the wheel rims on that side.  By the time I quit, it was HH then dinner and a quiet evening at home.  IT got really windy late in the evening and I had to bring in the awning.

NOV 17, TUESDAY; Chores and visits

Sunny and still windy but not as strong.  We had two coaches come in yesterday, one on each side.  One left at 7 this morning and woke us up.  The other at 8:30, a much more civilized hour!  Val went for belly dancing exercises.  I finished off washing the Coach, curb side and the front.  I noticed that there sure are a lot of scratches on the side.  Anyway, Dave and Louise showed up around 3 pm so we had another very nice visit with them then we had dinner that Val prepared earlier on.  They didn’t bring Keenan, their dog, so they had to leave early.  I was in bed by 9 pm

November 6 to 9, 2015; Life in Indio and GeoCaching

NOV 6, FRIDAY; INDIO

I was up at 6:30 am; couldn’t sleep anymore!  It is sunny and promises to be a warm day!  I went to the office and settled our stay, got the rules and activity sheet for Val then I unloaded the bikes and kayaks and the show box.  Slowly settling in.  We went to Costco and bought a few things but when I got to the cashier I found out that they DO NOT use Master Card down here but AMEX so I had to use my Debit Card.  I was not a happy camper!  We won’t be going back to COSTCO while in the USA.  We then went to a VERIZON store to add more data on the MIFI then to WALMART for more groceries.  We also stopped at a restaurant recommended to us by Sid and Vera, called SOUPLANTATION where we had excellent soup and salad and all you can eat for $9.  We came home, put everything away then had a glass of wine outside.  Another warm day which reminds me that the A/C in the jeep quit and the red engine light came on so when I got home I disconnected the battery, cleaned it while at it and after re-connecting everything, the A/C worked and the red light was out!???  Go figure!!!  Dark out there by 5 pm.

NOV 7, Saturday; Indio

Sunny and very warm.  Val went for a routine walk and then for a swim in the afternoon.  I decided to get energetic and washed and polished the front wheels of the Beaver then the Jeep and also washed and polished the tires.  ( I must be bored!! J).  After that, I had enough energy to wash the Jeep’s windows inside and out.  Time for HH then BBQ steaks for dinner.

NOV 8, Sunday; Indio

We have new neighbours right next to us and at 6 this morning, I could hear the woman yakking away and their dog barking.  Thank goodness they left later in the morning!  Slowly getting into the routine:  a snooze for an hour or two, walks around the park, Val doing her jigsaw puzzles and going for a swim.  I put more toys out: Flags on the front, our “BAR IS OPEN” light and worked on the basement clean up.  Cooked fish on the BBQ then watched our two favorite shows on TV (Madam Secretary & Good Wife)

NOV 9, MONDAY; Geocaching.

Slept in sort of this morning.  My left eye is bothering a lot.  It is always wet and sore when I read.  I figure it is all the driving and the sun but time will tell, in the meantime I’m pouring eye drops in.  It did improve some as the day went on.   We decided to go geocaching today and as luck would have it, Babe and Ron showed up while we were gone! We did have a great day though.  We went to the BOX CANYON which is on the way to PAINTED CANYON.  The difference with this Canyon, we drove through finding caches along the way and came out on I-10 at the General PATTON Museum and rest area, about 29 miles from Indio.  Another item off the list!  We arrived home in the dark after stopping for a couple items for dinner.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kQDrDYKaxhu4&usp=sharing

November 5, 2015; Sequoia Park to Indio, CA.

NOV 5, Thursday; Onward to Palm Spring area.

Sunny and cool this morning (7*C) and no bears in the tree!  We were on our way by 8:20 am, west on Hwy 198 then south on 99.  Along 99, the scenery consisted of fields of agriculture, fruits and vineyards.  It is mind-boggling how much there is!  We stopped north of Bakersfield for fuel at a FLYING J @ $2.68/gal.  I use this truck stop because I get 4-5 cents off the regular price with a GOOD SAM card.  We carried on to Bakersfield, and took Hwy 58 over the 4700 feet TEHACHAPI PASS, then remain at elevation of 2500 – 3000 feet until we descended to the COACHELLA VALLEY.  At MOJAVE, we had lunch then turned south on Hwy 14 (4 lanes) then East and South on Hwy 138.  A lot of construction on this part, widening it to 4 lanes by the looks of it (I would not take this route again as there is too many lights and stops).  At CAJUN JUNCTION, we got on I-15, then 215 and finally I-10 to Indio; traffic was very heavy.  The sun was shining and there is no pollution so we have a great view of the mountains and hills.  We arrived at INDIAN WELLS RV PARK at 5:30 pm, a very long day, but this is it for two weeks.  We settled in SITE 124.  It feels good to be here and to have nowhere to go for a few days!  We sat outside with a glass of wine in shorts and t-shirts! 

N  33* 42.228’

W 116* 16.045’

ALT: 6 Feet

We travelled 344 miles @ an average 52 MPH in 6.5 hrs and were stopped for 1.5 hr

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kgVKBqrBC0QE&usp=sharing

November 4, 2015; Visiting Sequoia National Park

NOV 4, WEDNESDAY: SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK

Rain again overnight, heavy at times as it woke me up a couple times.  It is sunny now @ 8 am.  No bears in the tree, I checked!  We headed up to the Park by 10 am; the road had lots of curves but nothing serious.  We arrived at the Park entrance, 5 miles away and paid our entrance fee but had to return a couple miles back as we needed chains even though we were driving a four-wheel drive.  So we did as we had no choice and returned to the Park 20 minutes later and $60 poorer for the rental.  We began climbing slowly while following a small creek then we turned into the mountains and we began a steep, tortuous and long climb to over 6000 feet from 1500 feet.  The views along the way were absolutely a marvel and we kept being reminded of our drives in the Philippines a few years back.  We finally saw the Sequoia trees AND SNOW.  They grow between 5500 to 6500 feet and only in this park of North America.  There were lots and the road wandered between them, up and down.  It was near impossible to drive and sightsee so we stopped a lot.  At one point, the road split because of the Giants and it made a great place to take pictures.  We stopped of course.  We stopped at a museum that was still open and looked around then went on deeper and higher in the Park.  We stopped at the SHERMAN TREE and walked around.  This is the biggest but not the oldest Sequoia tree in the Park and it was beautiful.  There was a nice, well-kept trail to it and of course lots of other Sequoias.  We took pictures and continues on our adventure.  We stopped at LODGEPOLE VISITOR CENTRE which was closed then at the WUSACHI LODGE (7300 feet) which was open and we had a cup of coffee here and walked around a bit.  It was cold but tolerable in my shorts and jacket.  Most of all the side road trips were closed due to the snow and our trip ended at WUSACHI because the road was closed beyond here due to the recent fires and unstable side hills and rock slides.  Too bad because we wanted to drive to KINGS CANYON.  Another time I guess! 

After our coffees, we drove back to the Park Entrance and took more pictures.  We stopped part way down and had our lunch that we had packed up.  The Jeep was in second gear in places due to the steepness and length.  We got back down safely, stopped to returned the chains which we didn’t need and went home!

WOW is all I can say about this day.  It was impressive, inspiring and awesome!  We enjoyed every minutes and miles of this journey.

November 2 and 3, 2015; A day in Mariposa and onward to Sequoia National Park

NOV 2, MONDAY; One more day in Mariposa

WHAT A CHANGE!!!  We woke up to pouring rain and it lasted all day.  We decided to stay one more day as I didn’t feel like driving in this stuff, (we heard on the news that there was an eight cars pile-up).  After a very lazy morning, we went to town and did laundry.  I sent an e-mail to INDIAN WELLS RV PARK and made reservations for Nov 5 to 19.  After laundry, we found the local bar and had lunch and a drink then came home.  The rain finally let off around 3 pm but it is a heavy overcast sky out there and the temperature dropped to the low 60’s F.

NOV 3, TUESDAY; ONWARD to SEQUOIA PARK

Woke up to cloudy sky but no rain although it did rain on and off all night.  We were on the road by 8:30 am and drove back toward MERCED then 99 South to Visalia on HWY 198 where we stopped for a break and McDonald coffees.  We continued on up to 1100 feet where we went through Three Rivers village and found our campground at the North end.  We paid for two nights and settled in.  We got here at 1:30 pm so we went for a short walk around the campground looking for bears as the owner told us they were around and apparently one likes to spent the night in the tree behind our rig…very comforting!!!  Our drive up was cloudy and we got some rain on the way up but it was sunny when we set up.  We went for a drive to the village and check things out and visited a couple other campground and saw two bears; a black and a brown one.  They didn’t seem all that scare of us!  Took a couple pictures then continues our exploration.  We went up to the Park and found a bar/restaurant by the river, very quaint.  We had a beer and wings then headed back down to our little home.  It rained again but when we got down to our campground, the pavement was dry. A quiet evening at home and looking forward to tomorrow.

N  36* 27.527’

W 118* 52.882’

ALT:880 Ft

Yosemite to Sequoia NP - https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kBM7leosjszc&usp=sharing

We drove 165 miles in 3 hrs @ an average 51MPH and stopped for an hour and half.

November 1, 2015; Yosemite National Park

NOVEMBER 1, 2015, SUNDAY; Yosemite Park

WOW, what a fantastic day!  It was sunny and warm all day.  First we moved our clocks back one hour so I was up at 7am new time.  We headed south on Hwy 49 with the Jeep to Oakhurst then north on Hwy 41.  I am glad we took this road as I was planning on leaving this way but not anymore.  It was tortuous and up and down.  Fun to drive with the Jeep but NOT the Beaver.  First we stopped at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, an interesting place where there was an old steam train with rail cars to take people on a one-hour tour however we didn’t go.  At the Park entrance we paid $25 to get in and found that our first stop, the road to MARIPOSA GROVE, was closed due to repairs so we continued on.  We stopped at the Wawona Hotel and visitor Centre, took a look around then back to the road.  The drive to GLACIER POINT Rd was very picturesque but not many places where we could stop to take pictures.  We turned onto Glacier Point Rd and went up and up to 7300 feet and had a majestic view of the valley and the surrounding.  We took dozens of pictures of the area, the famous HALF DOME and the Vernal falls and the Nevada falls.  This whole area was formed by glaciers millions of years ago.  We spent generous time in this area and walked around to explore.  Then we drove back down to the WAWONA Rd (Hwy 41).  From this point, we began our descend to the Village in the Yosemite Valley.  We drove through a one-mile tunnel and stopped on the other side to take pictures of the Valley and the river.  From this point on, the road was one-way so we didn’t have to worry about meeting traffic.  We stopped at BRIDALVEIL FALLS, a very interesting area.  We had to hike up to the view point.  As you watch the water coming down (almost a free fall), the chute would move from side to side and form a veil hence the name.  I even took a short video of it.  We had to park away from the village and walk in.  We had lunch here (very expensive), looked around and walk back to the car.  Time was moving on and we had to get back before dark so we headed out.  We took more pictures of EL Capitan, Lower Yosemite Falls, The Sentinel rock and a few other sites.  The road back was called Northside Drive and El Portal roadway.  Again it was one way but eventually became two ways!   We eventually reached Hwy 140 and Mariposa.  We stopped for some groceries and it was dark by the time we arrived home.  It was a FANTASTIC DAY and I recommend it to anyone.  It is a dream road for motorbikes!!!

October 31, 2015; At Yosemite National Park

OCT 31, SATURDAY; to YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

We were up and away by 9 am on I-5 South!  I-5 from here is very straight, monotonous and boring so we were glad to finally see Sacramento.  Further south we stopped for lunch and fuel then went on to Hwy 120 where we moved East to Hwy 99 south to Merced.  We stopped here at an info centre to get information on Yosemite and Sequoia National Park. From here we headed East on Hwy 140 to Mariposa and camped at the Fairground RV Park. ($30/night with full hook-up and WIFI).  We will here two nights.  It is sunny and very warm outside.  We actually had the A/C on this afternoon while driving.  The scenery coming up here was very scenic and awesome.  Rolling hills and wide open grazing fields which reminded us a lot of Sonoma and Napa Valleys.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kACqirm8D6S8&usp=sharing

N   37* 27.857’

W 119* 56.927’

ALT: 1812 Feet

We travelled 288 miles in 5.5 hrs @ an average 52MPH.  We stopped 1.5 hour for fuel, lunch and info gathering.

October 27 to 30, 2015; Repairs/maintenance, Mt Lassen Volcanic National Park and to Red Bluff CA

OCT 27, TUESDAY; Repair & maintenance

Our home went into the shop by 8:30 am and we left with the jeep to explore Bend.  First we stopped for breakfast at SHARI then we went to find a SUPER WALMART which ended up taken us north to Richmond.  We looked for non-alcohol wine but to no avail so we drove back and stopped at SAFEWAY where we found and bought a couple bottles.  We drove to Bend and stopped at the INFO CENTRE and got some directions on things to see and do around town.  I stopped to gas up the Jeep then we went to the MILL CENTRE, a high-end Shopping Centre and found a movie theatre and ended going in to watch “THE SPY BRIDGE” with TOM HANKS.  It was well done.  We then went back to the Dealership.  I got some good news in that the awning problem was NOT the motor but a loose connection.  The Aqua Hot water system was services and they found a cracked muffler which they replaced.  Sounds like we may be out of her by tomorrow!?  We sat in the lounge for about an hour then moved back into our house.

Bend is a very nice and quaint town with lots to see and do.  It was sunny most of the day and got nicely warm in the afternoon.  It clouded over in the evening.

OCT 28, WEDNESDAY; Beaver Dealer & Service

Light rain this morning.  We were out of the house by 8 am for more final work we hope!  We left in the Jeep and went to find a liquor store and Walmart but first we stopped for crepes at I-HOP!  I bought a 1.75 Litre of Bourbon for 45.95; a $80 value in Canada.  Afterwards, we went to see the “THE DESERT MUSEUM” on 97 south which was absolutely fantastic and very well done.  We listen to two live presentations, one on birds of prey and raptors and the second was on reptiles.  Very interesting and even took a few pictures.  There was a site with an old mill from the early 1900’s.  The exhibits inside the museum were great.  We walked through first an exhibit about the desert animals and plants then one about the First Nation people and finally about a western mining town.  All very well done and worth going to see!  We then drove further south to the NEWBERRY NATIONAL VOLCANIC MONUMENT but unfortunately it was closed but we did see lots of volcanic lava and an old butte that is a dormant century old volcano.  We drove back to town, stopped at a pub near where we are and had a beer and nachos.  All the repairs have been done and we are good to go.  We will settle the bill tomorrow but right now, it’s relax time.  The sun did come out in the afternoon and it turned to be a nice evening.

OCT 29, THURSDAY; Bend OR to Weed CA

A day that began with surprises!  First we were able to sleep in until 7:30 am.  We were out and about by 9 am.  I went to the office and got them to get going on my bill.  While waiting, I went to a gas station they recommended and paid $2.39/gal to fill up.  I went back to the shop, paid my bill and then went back in because the air leak got a lot worse while I was parked there.  The Tech came out, found the main valve at the tank was leaking and took it out to exchange but of course they didn’t have one so they had to go to a local truck shop to get one.  They changed it and I only paid for the part!  We finally left at noon!  We headed south on Hwy 97.  The drive was somewhat boring as the road was straight and there was little to see until we got to Klamath Falls.  We stopped for lunch then carried on driving along the Upper Klamath Lake; huge and very impressive.  16 miles later we entered California and got our first view of Mt Shasta.  IMPRESSIVE AND MAGNIFICENT!  It is a dormant volcano, part of the chain along the Cascade Mountains!  We slowly went from over 5000 feet to 3700’.  We finally arrived in WEED, CA; found our Park for the night, paid our dues and settled for the night.

We travelled 216 miles in 4.5 hrs @ an average 49 mph.  We stopped one hour total for breaks and lunch. 

N 041* 24.035’

W 122* 22.638’

ALT: 3712’

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kcT9E7SDIh0o&usp=sharing

OCT 30, FRIDAY; Weed to Red Bluff, CA via Lassen Volcano National Park

A lazy, sort of, morning.  We left around 9:20 am and headed south on I-5 then took Hwy 89 East and south to Hwy 44/89 where we headed West once again and finally arrived at the entrance to Lassen Volcano National Park.  The drive to the Park was very interesting with forest of beautiful ponderosa trees and colorful aspen.  We slowly climbed to 5000 feet.  We turned into the Park and paid $20 at the entrance.  We stopped at the Info/museum Centre, looked around and read the history of Mt Lassen which erupted in 1912 and again 1916 when it went dormant again.  We drove on and headed up to 8400 feet at the foot of the volcano.  There is a trail here that one can take to reach the summit.  It takes about two hours if you are in shape (That left me out).  We took a few pictures and carried on.  We stopped at the SULPHUR WORKS where we saw a boiling sulphur mud hole and did it ever stunk!!!  The drive around the mountain and to the top was absolutely breath-taking and extremely scenic.  It was hard to drive and look too as there was so much to see.  The switch-back and curves made the drive challenging and the BEAVER took it all in stride.  We had lunch at the south west gate on Hwy 89.  The descend was also challenging but we finally arrived at the bottom.  We went from 8600 feet to 220 feet above sea level in Red Bluff.  We found our PASSPORT AMERICA campground (ONITE), paid $15 for the night and settled down.  It’s been a very interesting day!  It is sunny and a balmy 76*F (24*C)

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.k_CtQP2XjSak&usp=sharing

N   40* 10.635

W 122* 13.506

ALT: 238 Feet

We drove 181 miles at 44MPH average in 4hrs.  We stopped for 2 hrs on breaks and lunch and sightseeing.

October 24 to 26 2015; Departure, entering the USA and to Bend Oregon

OCT 24, SATURDAY; Departure and entering the USA

Cloudy, cold and the sun came out later on.  We were on the road by 9 am.  Honked at everyone as we departed.  We got on Hwy 1 to Salmon Arm where I put $200 of fuel and checked our mail.  We continued on to 97 C then 97 A and finally 97 to Osoyoos.  We stopped in OLIVER and called Jeff one last time then I suspended our phone.  We entered the USA without any hassle and were on our way within 10 minutes.  We drove south on 97 to OMAK where I got my MIFI gizmo hooked up with VERIZON and the cell (509 322 0772) with AT&T.  We went for dinner at Pizza hut then drove to the WALMART parking lot where we are spending the night.  We called Aud and Marcel and texted Jeffrey with our new #.  I also took on fuel @ $2.399

We drove 225 miles @ an average 44 MPH in 5 hrs. 

N  48* 24.984’

W 119* 30.493’

ALT: 936 ft.

 https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kFQiLmNKGIII&usp=sharing

OCT 25, SUNDAY; Omak, WASH to Madras, OR

I was awake at 6:30 am.  It was a cold night with no heat on so the furnace is working double time right now with the generator going.  There must be a half dozen or more RV’s in the Walmart parking lot surrounding us.  We have clear sky and the sun is rising!  We had a quick breakfast, got ready and were on the road (Hwy97) by 8:25 am.  We turned on Hwy 17 south to Soap Lake where we took Hwy 283 to I-90W then I-82 south to Yakima where we got back on Hwy 97 for the rest of the journey.  We stopped in Wasco OREGON for fuel @ $2.46/gal then continued on.  We finally arrived in MADRAS, OR at 5:20 pm.  This is an unusually long day but between Wasco and Madras there were very little villages and nowhere decent to stop for the night.  The drive was gorgeous though with forest, rolling hills, high prairie grass.  We had sun for most of the day except for about an hour when we drove through rain just before reaching Oregon.  We had dinner then read for a while.  I tried BELL TV but no dice so I set up the DISH receiver but had no success in hooking up.  Will have to deal with this in Bend, OR

N 44* 37.203’

W 121* 08.109

ALT 2325 Ft

We drove 375 miles in 7.5 hours @ an average 50 mph.  We stopped a total of an hour and a half for a total day of 9 hrs.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.kS3Gl7VBBoww&usp=sharing

OCT 26, MONDAY; Madras to Bend OREGON

This was a slow, easy morning.  Actually we never left until 11 am and arrived at our destination around noon under sunny sky!  The drive down was 4 lanes most of the way.  Once in Bend, I stopped to find out where the BEAVER DEALER AND SERVICE was located, had to double back to exit 135B and bingo, there it was.  Our first thought was “let’s trade her in”  J The yard is full of new and used beautiful Monaco and Beaver Coach!  We restrained ourselves under stressful duress and went in to the service area and checked in.  We were told to find a spot with power which we did, parked then went into town to buy a few groceries and wine at TRADER JOE for $14 for a 5 litres box, NO TAX ($40 in BC with taxes)!  WELCOME TO THE USA!!!  We also stopped at BATH & LINEN and bought a couple items to replace the old ones then came home and I worked on setting up DISH NETWORK!  One of the Technician came out to give me hand and together we got it working.  Dinner then a relaxing evening.  I also washed the Jeep while in town and cleaned the windshield on the Beaver.  It was a balmy 17*C today

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&authuser=0&mid=zp8Avi7gfbhg.k50k-MzpxrIw