Well – the last few days have been spent dodging BAD weather.  The national news carried a picture of a funnel cloud that was originally shown on the local College Station news – within shouting distance of where we were!  Leaving there – the next stop was Baton Rouge, LA, where a state of emergency was declared due to tornadoes and flooding;-(  Somehow, good karma surrounded us and once the storm passed in College Station it was sunshine the rest of the way for us;-)

So – the campus tours continued and next up was LSU on the banks of the mighty Mississippi – which was particularly mighty as it was at flood stage!!  Louisiana State University had its origins in land grants made by the US government going back to 1806.  Very different from Texas A&M – more like University of Texas, Austin – in that the town was encroaching on all sides of the campus.  Still a beautiful sight, especially with all the welcome blue sky – –

Tiger Stadium from the bridge crossing the Mississippi River into Baton Rouge.

A shot across the parade ground toward the Law School building.

A round of golf on the LSU course was on the agenda.  Due to the condition of the course, it is good that this is NOT where the LSU golf team plays;-(  Giving the benefit of doubt – it is possible the course was under water just a few days before.

Tiger Stadium in the background – Geaux Tigers!

I think we were smiling because we were almost finished with our less than stellar rounds of golf.

Baton Rouge was really just a quick stopover to take in a day of LSU.  Happy we did it, but need to keep moving.

E & G with one more campus under our belt (and one more golf course;-)!!)

Welcome back to the University Campus & Presidential Library portion of the trip;-)

Bryan/College Station is quite a nice area – and home to the VERY LARGE and sprawling Texas A&M campus, which includes the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.  We were struck by how much property was dedicated to the campus – 5,500 acres or 8.5 sq miles – which allows the university to expand within its own grounds without merging into the populated city areas.  This is quite different than what we see in the AZ school ‘sprawl’;-(  All this space made the university grounds really beautiful and impressive.

Before exploring the grounds, we managed a round of golf on the Texas A&M course- –

A very windy day.

Are we done yet? Kyle Field-home of the 12th Man-in the background!

A new day – a new Presidential Library with friends Louise and Bill.  As is true of such a museum, the core exhibit space here tells the story of the life and times of Bush, 41.  Unlike the LBJ library, which highlighted the 60’s, this Bush library highlights international relations, such as the Gulf War and the fall of the Berlin Wall.  There are great replicas of President Bush’s Camp David Office, Gulf War briefings in the Situation Room (interactive) and the Oval Office.

Here we go.

There are also many historical artifacts included in the museum.  Especially this 1944 TBM Avenger, which is the same type of plane Bush was flying when he was shot down during WWII, and the Studebaker they drove from the East Coast to Midland, TX when they relocated – –

The same type plane piloted by Bush when he crashed off the island of Chi Chi Jima.

The Studebaker driven from the East to Midland, TX to start a new chapter in their lives.

The section of the Berlin Wall included in the Museum is quite interesting.  The side pictured below is covered with graffiti, while the opposing side is blank gray stone.   As one might guess – the blank gray stone was the side facing the Russian side where the laws and behavior monitoring were quite stringent and oppressive.

A section of the Berlin Wall.

The Pres ??

A very moving component to this Library/Museum is the burial area for President Bush, Barbara and their daughter, Robin, who died at the age of 3.  As we visited, the one year anniversary of the death of Barbara had just occurred – thus the flowers on her grave remaining from the observance.  And, one can notice that the burial of President Bush is so recent that the grass over his portion of the gravesite has not yet blended in.  All very poignant, since the lives of these individuals – and their deaths – are a very real part of our lives.

The final resting place of the President, Bar and their 3 year old daughter, Robin.

The entire grounds surrounding the Library, Museum and Gravesites are beautiful, tranquil and well thought out.  Between the Library and the graves is a wonderful walkway, pond (where one can catch and release fish as President Bush loved to do) and the Barbara Bush garden.  A very serene setting – –

We sat here for some time – so peaceful;-)

Time to power up and check out the grounds of the main campus.  As mentioned before, they are quite sprawling, so you would never know there were almost 70,000 students – –

The Academic Building – completed in 1914.

A HUGE tradition for Aggies for almost a century was the gathering around a woodpile once a year in November to watch a blaze that symbolized their burning desire to beat the University of Texas in football.  Through the years, a modest woodpile grew into a five-story complex wood stack.  On November 18, 1999, at 2:42 AM, the wood for the bonfire collapsed during construction, claiming 12 lives and injuring 27 others.

The Aggie Bonfire Memorial has been created to celebrate the lives of the 12 young Aggies lost during the 1999 tragedy.  An incredible amount of thought went into the creation of this memorial with much symbolism – 27 granite blocks, representing those injured, connect the 12 portals, representing those who perished, to form a Spirit Ring, which symbolizes the perimeter fence erected around the Bonfire.  Each of the 12 portals is oriented around the Ring in the direction of the hometown from which each hailed.  At the Ring’s center, a black granite marker engraved with the date and time of the collapse marks the exact location of the last Bonfire Centerpole, and is notched with the direction of each of the portals.  There is much more – but that will do for now.  Very moving – –

Bonfire Memorial.

The last of the noted landmarks observed was the Century Tree, one of the first oak trees planted on the campus.  It has grown so large that many of the limbs now have metal braces to hold them up and some have almost grown into the ground.  There are many ‘thoughts’ about this old tree – including any marriage proposal that takes place under the tree will ensure a marriage that will last forever!  We celebrated our 25 anniversary under this tree – what might that mean?!?!

The Beautiful Old Century Tree.

Celebrating our quarter century of marriage under the Century Tree.

Campus and Library explorations completed, eating was on the mind.  Several very good options for dinner in the area include Christopher’s and The Republic Steakhouse – both excellent in terms of food, service and atmosphere;-)  BUT, if you want the old world traditional, one must at least try the Dixie Chicken – –

Our lunch spot – the historical, well worn, Dixie Chicken.

The environment here is quite comfortable – but there is much more to see and do on this trip.  So – perhaps the storm clouds gathering are our cue that it is time to move on-

Bryan/College Station has been informative, moving, delicious and fun to reconnect with Louise and Bill;-)

E & G – thankful for such wonderful things to explore across our country!

Travel days are always interesting.   Questions are numerous: where does one stop for fuel?  where does one eat lunch?  where is a Starbucks? is there a Dairy Queen anywhere near?  It is a great bonus when all questions can be answered in one stop – or at least in one small block or two.  The journey from Roswell to Fredericksburg was a long day, but Big Springs, TX broke up the drive with three out of the four questions answered.

First – feed the stomach, then worry about feeding Mini Magic and getting the SB’s;-)  The Grill at the Hotel Settles did just that.  A historic 1930’s-era hotel, Hotel Settles was brought back from the ashes (and pigeon roosts) to the details of an earlier era.

The lobby of the Settles Hotel.

E&G were delighted to learn that it’s restaurant – The Grill – was also restored and that we could eat where the drummer for Buddy Holly (a local boy) frequented.  This will create a ‘full circle’ story, as one of our stops on the western portion of the trip is The Surf Ballroom in Clearlake, Iowa – the last concert venue before “The Day the Music Died” (Buddy Holly and 3 others went down in a plane accident)!

Gary the Drummer just ate where Buddy Holly & the Crickets drummer, Jerry Allison, ate;-)

Next stop – Fredericksburg, TX and the National Museum of the Pacific War.  What?!?!  You say.  Why in the world is this type of museum in Texas?!?  Well – Admiral Nimitz was from Fredericksburg.  So quite appropriate.

This museum allows one to explore the heroic, triumphant and tragic human story of the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign of WWII.  It tells the story from the early stages of the Japanese aggression in the Asian arena to Pearl Harbor and the aggression toward the US to the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.  As one passes through the galleries and reads about the numbers of soldiers and civilians that were injured and killed – sees the newsreels of the destruction – and hears the audio stories of survivors – the question becomes “Why war?”.   The following panel ‘perhaps’ answers that question.  Or at least makes one think.

The Museum of the Pacific War is a very moving and informative experience.

The museum gallery is 33,000 sq ft of space housing one of the five Japanese midget subs used at Pearl Harbor, a B-25 Bomber, Wildcat fighter, Japanese Float Plane, Admiral’s Barge, Japanese Val Dive Bomber and Atomic Bomb casing.  We saw it all – –

One of the planes from the “Cactus Air Force” on Guadalcanal.

Japanese float plane attack aircraft.

The museum is a fabulous facility, incredibly informative and extremely thought provoking.  One should NOT miss it if in the area – or travel to Fredericksburg just to visit the museum.  It’s worth it;-)

After such a ‘heavy’ day, some light entertainment was in order.  Fredericksburg is alive with music, so it was quite easy to find music pleasing to our old ears in a nice outdoor setting on a warm, full moon night – –

Spent the evening listening to the Time Bandits – –

– – As the ‘bad moon’ was rising over the Nimitz Museum.

Another travel day was in the offing.  But, this one was short and would be broken up with a stop at the University of Texas-Austin and the LBJ Presidential Library, as we are now entering the University/Presidential Library section of our travels;-)

The University of Texas at Austin was founded in 1883 and is now home to more than 51,000 students and 3,000 teaching faculty.  It is ranked among the biggest and best research universities in the country.  Its grounds also include 4 museums – including the LBJ Presidential Library.

Football Stadium – University of Texas-Austin.

Tower of the Main Building at UT.

The Texas Capital from the Main Building with George Washington in the foreground.

The LBJ Presidential Library allows one to experience the life and times of Lyndon B. Johnson and the era of his Presidential administration – the turbulent ’60’s.  Having served in the House and the Senate, Johnson was a great negotiator and accomplished much in the way of legislation during his fairly short time as President.  But – his undoing was a war he inherited and could not beat or win.   The library contains the usual memorabilia, gifts, timelines, replica of the oval office during his term – and very interesting clips from the 643 hours of recorded telephone conversations!  What a way to spend the afternoon – –

We both had a chance to “chat” with LBJ while touring his Presidential Library.

LBJ always had a smile – even when trying to intimidate you!

From the very sobering Museum of the Pacific War to LBJ and a sobering time in the US to lighter times in Fredericksburg and the UT campus, another couple of days come to an end.  Next stop – College Station and more campuses and Presidential Libraries – and DQ’s;-)

See you again soon – E&G, better educated;-)

Tuesday, April 16 – Mini Magic is loaded and E & G were ready to hit the road.  Heading east out of Scottsdale, today’s destination is Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico.  As always – there were surprises along the way!

What the heck is that up ahead?!?!  Ever heard of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Very Large Array?  Perhaps you have seen it and didn’t know it – like in the movie Contact.  It is one of the world’s premier astronomical radio observatories – consisting of 27 radio antennas in a Very Large Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin in New Mexico.  The data from the antennas is combined electronically to give the resolution of an antenna 22 miles across with the sensitivity of a dish 422 feet in diameter.  Roswell is on the agenda for another day – but we felt like we were about to be carried away into another universe now.

Each of these antenna is 82 feet in diameter and weighs 230 tons!  And there is 27 of them!

Wow!  Bring us back to this world – please.  The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge will do just that.  Part of the National Wildlife Refuge System – and established in 1939 – Bosque del Apache provides a 57,331 acre refuge for tens of thousands of cranes, geese and ducks who winter here each year.  During the spring and fall migrations, birds rest and refuel here as they follow the Rio Grande through the woodlands which hug the riverbanks, called bosque.  Unfortunately, we were a little late for the spring migration – the thousands of cranes were gone.  But, lots of egrets were settling down for the night and the sight was still stunning.

Dinner time for this egret at the Bosque Del Apache Refuge.

While this is not peak season for bird watching at the preserve, we did see quite a few egrets on the move.

This had been a fairly long travel day – with lots of fun, interesting, other worldly, beautiful sights.  Time to say good night to this day – –

Morning came fast and it was a cold, rainy day.  BUT – we had sights to see.  So, off to the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site just east of White Sands Missile Range in the Tularosa Basin.  This Basin has been inhabited by humans for 10,000 years or more.  The past residents left traces of their ways of life, including petroglyphs, pottery, stone tools and village ruins.  The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site includes some of the more than 20,000 petroglyphs identified in the area left by inhabitants of a nearby village.  Those people were of the Jornada Mogollon prehistoric Indian culture, of which there are no known modern descendants.  Their rock carvings were created over 600 years ago.  The meaning of these carvings are not known – but they are still quite interesting.

A cold, wet day for a hike, but we just had to see the petroglyphs.

The contours of the rock were used to help create this ‘face’.

Perhaps this depicted the rain coming across the basin – just as it was today?!?

Another squall was coming and our time was running out to get to the International UFO Museum in Roswell before it closed.  So – a quick run down the hill and a beautiful drive (where we almost got snowed on!!) to Roswell.  Then – we were back with the same feeling of yesterday at The Very Large Array – eerie!!

If you don’t remember “The Roswell Incident”, here is a brief reminder.  July 2, 1947, a rancher about 75 miles NW of Roswell heard a loud noise late in the evening.  The following day, while working on his ranch property,  he discovered a huge debris field (a football field wide and 3/4 mile long) of strange looking material, which he takes samples of to the sheriff.  The samples wind up at the Roswell Army Air Field.  A press release is issued a few days later about the recovery of a crashed Flying Saucer on the ranch.  A day later the AP reports that the recovery of a flying saucer was just the recovery of a weather balloon.  HOWEVER, there is much more that occurred and was cataloged – all documented at the International UFO Museum in Roswell.  So – many questions still remain.

Welcome to Roswell NM.

A very interesting couple of days;-)  From out of this world, to the beautiful nature of this world, to hundreds of years ago in this world, back to out of this world!

E & G hoping they are not abducted tonight – but live on this earth to see another day;-)

Only two weeks until Mini Magic heads east!  That means 14 days jammed full of activities;-)  Ten dinners/lunches with family and friends, two rounds of golf, a couple of hikes and all those last minute appointments with the dentist, doctors and most important manicurist and haircut.  Oh yes – AND a quick trip to Las Vegas for one of those 3-day volleyball tournaments with niece Demi – –

Go get it girl!  (And wake up Dad)

A much needed ‘parental cheering section’ bar break between matches.

We also got in one more trip to the Desert Botanical Garden Electric Show with a quick view of the late flowering cacti before dark.  This is really a fabulous light show orchestrated with music using the cacti as the canvas.  Stunning!!

The Continuous Crystal (this does not include any cacti).

The last hike with our new Vi friends took place at Apache Wash – with our destination a horned owls nest.  No disappointments here – –

Our last hike of the season (finally got G in a shot) took us to…

A pair of baby horned owls nested in a Saguaro.

Palm Sunday the family was together to say good-bye and to celebrate Easter and birthdays for G and Andrew.  A wonderful early dinner;-)

A birthday celebration for Gary and Andrew.

And so – we said good-bye to all in Scottsdale (until August).  Packed up Mini Magic and hit the road.  Next stop is New Mexico.  See you around the corner.

E & G ready to go

It seems that only yesterday we were wishing you all a healthy and happy 2019 – and here we are at the 1st of April!  How does this happen?!?

The first three months of the year in Scottsdale are always busy. Even if the Super Bowl or NCAA finals are not in town – the WM Open Golf Tournament draws from all over the world and begins ‘the busy season’.   And we are never left out – have to spend a little time on that infamous 16th hole – –

Early enough to get a seat;-)

Ricky Fowler during practice round – a fan (and E) favorite.

First time at the Open for our friends Cay and Norris.

Rolling into February, the family celebrates LOTS of birthdays – ALL month long, as they range from the 8th to the 27th.

First up – Barb & Demi.

Happy 17th from Grandma!

Dorthy’s turn on the 27th.  She, also, got to celebrate many times over.  First up the party at Belmont Village – –

Happy 87th to the golf watcher!

Then to Barb’s for another party – –

The birthday girls.

All during February, Mom and E got to enjoy a wonderful program at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) for Dorthy’s birthday.  Banner Health has partnered with MIM to create an exceptional program for dementia individuals.  The program is one afternoon a week for 5 weeks for the dementia patient and a caregiver.  It provides time to enjoy music through museum exploration and music activities, utilizing that amazing proven link of music to memory.  It also provided fun Mother-Daughter time;-)

A mother-daughter Musical Instrument Museum outing.

Then the surprise of all surprises!!  All that weird weather this year provided a sight rarely seen in the Valley of the Sun – – SNOW on the McDowell Moutains.  With the entire valley encircled by snow capped mountains, we thought we were back in Salt Lake City;-)

Come On Man – it’s time for Spring training as The Boys are Back in Town;-)  Those first several games were on the chilly side – but it was good to see ‘Those Boys in Blue’!

Our first time at the Cub’s Sloan Park – to see the Dodgers, of course..

March and good weather also brought lots of friends in to visit – especially those from Park City.  Always on everyone’s list of things to see is MIM!  And, of course, G & E are always happy to show off their ‘home away from home’, especially as the museum begins looking forward to its 10th Anniversary next year.

Introducing our friends to The History of the Electric Guitar at MIM.

E & G DO spend a lot of time at MIM as volunteers.  G wanders the galleries answering questions and keeping visitors out of the exhibits and E does tours – primarily STEM tours with 3rd graders – although just qualified to do the Sr. Dementia tours also.

Elizabeth guiding a group of third graders around MIM

And this is a record…huh?  What’s that for?

This year we even broke down and went to the rodeo in Scottsdale.

Scottsdale Rodeo bumps and bruises.

The last week of the first quarter of the year was a fun couple of days with friends – but also a somber time.  We were off to Prescott for a round of golf, a dinner at the historic Hassayampa Inn and to hike the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Trail.  This is the trail dedicated to the 19 Hot Shot fire fighters that were killed in 2013 fighting the Yarnell Hill fire.  The trail is 2.5 miles (1400′ elevation change) leading to an overlook at the memorial of the sight where they perished.  Along the 2.5 miles of trail there are tributes to each of the 19 fallen every .2-.3 mile.  Very moving.  Before reaching the trailhead, we passed by Iron Springs, where we all spent many a summer growing up – –

Humpty Dumpty just outside Iron Springs in Prescott, AZ.

The Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial Trailhead near Yarnell, AZ.

This memorial marks the spot where the Hot Shots lost their lives (from the overlook).

Along the 2.5 mile trail. Be ready for a workout.  Almost 1400 foot climb to the overlook.

Almost every week, we were off on a trail around the Scottsdale area.  These are much less grueling than the Hot Shot trail – but provide great opportunities for wildlife and as spring finally arrived – beautiful flowers!!

A group of Harris hawks looking for breakfast along the Browns Ranch hiking trail.

The wildflowers were abundant along our hike to Balanced Rock in Scottsdale.

Balanced Rock – with friends Cay & Norris.

Ideal day for a hike.

Jumping for joy!

Besides hiking every week – a volleyball tournament for niece Demi was also usually on the schedule.

Volleyball tournaments galore – always seemed to be freezing in these places;-(

And so – the first three months of the year are gone.  And, we will be heading east for the beginning of our summer travels in just TWO weeks!!  Our heads are spinning.

Hope 2019 is treating you well – – More from the road in another couple of weeks – E & G

What a whirlwind couple of months since we returned home mid-October!  Besides all of the activities you will see below – within a 10 day period during this time we listed and sold our townhouse, signed a contract on a “condo” in a Sr. Living Community (Vi Silverstone), sold both cars and bought 1 new Lexus (new Home has only 1 parking spot), sold BIG Magic and bought a new MiniMagic AND MOVED!!  Whew!  By January 1, 2019 – WE WERE EXHAUSTED;-)!!

In between signing contracts and packing boxes, there were holidays to celebrate and typical AZ activities to take in.  This year’s Electric Light show at the Desert Botanical Gardens was one of those events – –

An awesome light show! There until Spring – Don’t miss it.

Next thing we knew, a birthday presented itself followed quickly by Thanksgiving – –

Thanksgiving season with surprises for Demi from Grandma Dorthy;-)

A Great Thanksgiving Dinner at Barb & Andrew’s with cousins Walt & Jan.

A nice afternoon to laze and soak up the sun;-)

Next up – our usual trip to Beaver Creek for the World Cup ski races.  On the way, we decided it was time to check another item off the ‘Bucket List’ and headed to Page and Antelope Canyon on a photography tour.

Checked out Horseshoe Bend just outside of Page before heading to Antelope Canyon.

And now – the main attraction!!  Two cameras and two iPhones were firing away and don’t begin to do justice to the scenery  – –

Here we go – –

Awe inspiring images. We will let the pictures do most of the talking.

The Heart of the Canyon;-)

Sandfall.

Monument Valley?!?!

The ‘Portrait Studio’.

After all the wonder and beauty, it was time to move on to Beaver Creek and the ski races.  Once again, we watched and cheered for our favorite US skier – Ted.

You want what?!?! …

…OK – take my race bib.

The next two weeks were spent madly packing/unpacking boxes and carting them up Scottsdale Road to our new “Home”.  Monday was the move date and by Friday we were joining our new neighbors on a hike at Brown’s Ranch – –

Exercise in the out-of-doors was just what was needed;-)

And – with the snap of the fingers it was Christmas.  Time to open pressies!!

Christmas morning at the beautifully remodeled Biaett – Santorios home.

The Girls;-)

But wait – there was more Christmas.  We were off the afternoon of the 25th to Ridgecrest, CA to see – and celebrate with – the Shoe Crew.  There were LOTS of games played in a very short period of time;-)

Christmas with Heather, Christian, Olivia, Haley and Kira.

Since we were at the entry point to Death Valley NP (and had a couple of days to investigate), we decided to check another item off the Bucket List – another NP.

The trip there was quite exciting!!!  With less than 1,000 miles on the new MiniMagic – we had a blowout in the middle of NOWHERE with NO cell service.  Gary learned very quickly where the spare was, where the tools were and how to change these tires.  We did have a little help from a VERY good samaritan – David – who we are very grateful for.

 Only took three hours to be back on our way.

Next stop – our Oasis in the Desert.  Literally!!

The recently renovated Inn at Death Valley (originally built in 1927).

Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert, Death Valley NP has the dubious distinction of being the lowest, driest, and hottest spot in the US.  And yet, it is surrounded by dramatic hills and mountains, such as 11,000-foot Telescope Peak.  More than 10,000 years ago a vast fresh water lake once filled Death Valley to a depth of 600′.  Today, after thousands of years of dry, hot weather, only crusty salt flats remain.  The landscape is very desolate – but with beautiful colors at sunrise and sunset.

We made it to the sand dunes just before sundown.

Badwater Basin – at 282′ below sea level – is the lowest point in North America.  Today the lake that once existed here is long gone leaving a layer of salt.  Adjacent to the Basin is the Devil’s Golf Course!!  Here, gnarled crystalline salt spires dot the landscape and look like a coral reef run amok.  Devil’s Golf Course be damned!  We had to give it a shot – –

Never did find a decent lie.

Decided maybe it would be better to try the real thing.  We HAD to do it – it is the lowest golf course in the US;-)

Just to say we DID.

Next up – Artists Palette Loop at sunset.  The mineral deposits here have caused swathes of red, pink, orange, purple and green to color the hills – and it all lights up at sunset.

MiniMagic had a prime viewpoint across the valley.

Artist Point provided a colorful Artists Palette at sundown.

One more sunrise and one more spot to watch it from.  Zabriskie Point provides a stunning panoramic view of golden-brown mudstone hills riddled with rills and gullies from the occasional, but intense, times when water rushes down these bone-dry, yet soft slopes.  It is a desolate, unearthly landscape – —

Sunrise at Zabriskie Point.

Home again and one more day of 2018.  Then it was time to welcome in 2019 with many new adventures to come – –

Made it back to our new home in time to enjoy the New Year’s Eve party.

We wish you all a Happy and Very Healthy New Year with all the wonderful adventures and excursions that you might desire.  Keep checking off those “Bucket List” items and generate lots of fabulous memories.  Thank you to all our family and friends that join us along the way, invite us in and make us laugh;-)  We are grateful for all of you!

Much Love from Elizabeth & Gary  xoxoxoxox

One more stop before home – Heather and family in Ridgecrest, CA, and the best RV Park in Ridgecrest – right in their back yard;-)!!

Magic LOVES this spot;-)

Prime time with the granddaughters –

Kira put on a gymnastics show on the trampoline.

Time to show off the rabbits. Grandaughter Heather, friend Noni, and GD’s Kira and Olivia.

Remember that Space X rocket launch from Vandenberg?  Well – we had front row seats for an awesome sight!!

The dark desert sky provided great views of the rocket launch. Photos don’t do it justice.

Then we memorialized the passing of Keith with a balloon launch to let him know we were thinking of him on the day we lost him – –

 Hard to believe it has been 18 years since we lost our beloved son, brother and uncle.

Again – the time passed all too quickly and there was one more travel day until – HOME!!

Back home. Great trip. We were exhausted.

Another fabulous summer.  By the numbers – 140 days, 10,150 miles, 215 hours of driving time and hours and hours of fabulous visits, adventures and memories!!!

Elizabeth & Gary – home again with VERY full hearts;-)!!

AZ is now in site – at least on the calendar. Just a few more stops – all GREAT favorites;-)  The first was Sisters/Bend, OR and the Sisters Garden RV Park.  The grounds are beautiful, peaceful and relaxing.  Magic always has a good spot here and E & G took advantage of the week to catch up on ‘everything’!  A quick trip back to Scottsdale for E while G cleaned every nook and cranny of Magic to get rid of all the AlCan dirt!!

A great spot to get ‘chores’ done;-)

Pleasant view from Magic’s spot.

A couple of rounds of golf were also squeezed in while in Bend – especially one round with friends Rheta and Tom.  But – again – it was time to move on as future tee times were waiting;-)  So, a brief stop in Eugene allowed us to visit a new campground (which was very nice) and another University Campus – Oregon.

A pleasant surprise awaited at Deerwood RV Park in Eugene, Oregon. 

Duck hunting at the OU Campus in Eugene;-)

First day of classes – everyone finding their way around this beautiful campus including us.

Now for REAL golf – 3 days at Bandon Dunes with friends Rheta and Tom.  The first two days were unbelievable.  We have NEVER had such wonderful weather here and we all enjoyed every minute;-)

The course was just waking up on our first morning at Bandon Dunes without a cloud in the sky;-)

Day One at Pacific Dunes.

Great views all around the course – and jackets shed!!

E celebrating her birdie.

Day Two – The Preserve, a 13 hole par 3 course.  FUN!!

The deer at the back of the green found humor in G’s shot that landed in the tall junk behind the trap on the right.

Not all of our shots landed in the fairway or on the green.  There were a few mishaps along the way;-(

E had a little trouble with a couple of sand traps.  She DID get this out!!

AGAIN?!?!  A good “out” from this one, too.

G had his own trap troubles. This “fried egg” was so deep it took two attempts to get out.

What a difference 24 hours can make here.  The third day was all the first two were not – cloudy, windy, damp and cold.  Bragged way tooooo much about the first two days;-(  Still fun though – –

This old snag is host to a colorful vine which has grown all the way around and to the top.

Day Three on the Bandon Dunes course – where is the hole??? 

We managed to survive Bandon Dunes – enjoying the golf and our time with Rheta and Tom.  But – Oregon Shakespeare Festival tickets were calling.  So, we made the 4 hour drive to Emigrant Lake (just outside of Ashland) to our favorite spot and prepared for three days of plays and a day at the SaltMarsh Ranch with friends Priscilla and Steve.  We always enjoy our day at the ranch catching up with each other’s lives and getting updates on all the animals – –

Alfie, one of five Anatolian Shepherds that provide protection for the Soay sheep on the Ranch. He weighs in at around 170 pounds!

Some of Alfie’s charges.

All too soon – it is time to hit the road once again.  So – it’s good-bye to Emigrant Lake, Ashland, OR and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for another year.

The view from our spot on Emigrant Lake;-)

The time in Oregon is always a happy time;-)  The golf and visits with friends make us love the time here.  Just one more week of adventures – don’t miss them.

E & G – happy and sad at the prospect of being ‘home’

WOW!  What a place this is.  The best welcome ever back to the ‘lower 48’.  This area had been on our radar screen since we travelled through the northern part of the North Cascades NP several years ago, but didn’t have time to swing south then.  The North Cascades NP is quite diverse ranging from the glacier covered mountains to the ‘way’ north to the more ‘high desert’ look to the south.  Included is the beautiful Lake Chelan and the village of Stehekin in the southeast corner.  Our first introduction to the area was the beautiful county Lakeshore RV Park and Marina, which became Magic’s parking spot and our home for the next couple of days;-)

A beautiful home for a couple of days on the edge of Lake Chelan.

Not knowing exactly what would be found at the other end, we boarded the Lady of the Lake to take us to the village at the northern tip of the lake – Stehekin, a word based on the Salishan word meaning “the way through”.  Appropriate, as the Stehekin Valley has long served as a passageway for travelers linking Washington’s interior wilderness to the rugged Cascade Mountains.  As we travelled up lake, the landscape changed from desert to forest before our eyes.

Lots of stunning views during our boat ride to the north end of the lake.

Our destination.

The North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin.

The plan for the stay – have a quick lunch at the Lodge and ‘take a hike’ until our return trip (3 hours to explore).  Life at Stehekin is a little slower, which was quite welcome and enjoyed.  The only access to the village is by boat, plane or hiking.  In fact – it was learned on the boat that Stehekin is a major resupply stop for those hiking the Pacific Coast Trail AND the Bakery in town was quite famous with the hikers.  You can guess what that meant to us?!?!  You guessed it.  Eat a very quick lunch and ‘hike’ the 2 miles to the Bakery to see what it was all about.  Along the way there were great sights to see – –

Couldn’t you live in this fairy tale spot??

Enjoyed the contrast of the old and the new.

And, then – there it was.  The best little Bakery in the middle of nowhere;-)  The front picnic tables were full of the PCT hikers sorting their resupply boxes and repacking their backpacks.  They were telling stories of the trail and their experiences as people like us were enjoying their tales and asking dozens of questions.  Living vicariously through them.  The inside was full of the ‘daily boat trippers’ and hikers alike.  The hikers were taking advantage of REAL food instead of the pre-packaged trail meals they had been eating for months (it takes about 4-5 months to do the entire trail from Mexico to Canada!) and WE were enjoying one of the greatest peanut butter pies ever;-)!!!

The Stehekin Pastry Co. 

All of a sudden it was time to reboard for the return trip, so we hitched a ride back to the dock so we didn’t miss the boat – literally!

Many views to enjoy like this one.

There are a few places as we travel around that we just hate to leave.  This was one of those.  E could sit at that Bakery and listen to tales for hours (and eat peanut butter pie!). But – it was time to move on once again, saving more of Lake Chelan and Stehekin for another visit.

On another recommendation, Leavenworth, WA was added to the schedule for a quick look.

Our spot in Leavenworth, WA provided this scene out Magic’s front window.

A Bavarian themed town.  Ah, the unusual places you find wandering North America.

If you are ever in northeast Washington state – check out Lake Chelan and take the trip to Stehekin.  In fact – stay a couple of days in Stehekin to hike the Lake and check out the Bakery.  You will LOVE it!!

E & G still basking in the light of Lake Chelan & Stehekin;-)