How The Westie Was Won

Okay, I didn’t win him. After I pleaded, begged, and told G it was unbiblical for him to not share his dog with me, he allowed Duncan to ride in the RV with me for the last leg of our caravan across Texas together. I doubt that I would own a lap dog myself, but I do enjoy spending time with other people’s dogs, especially this sweet little Westie.

It was so much fun to travel with another couple! Trev and I have traveled from Yuma to New Braunfels before, so it was fun for us to share the things we enjoy about that journey and share in new things with them as well, especially Shakespeare Ghost Town in Lordsburg, New Mexico.

Christy and I agreed beforehand that we would stop to visit ghost towns along the way. A majority of people travel on weekends, so when you see a sign on the highway pointing you to a tourist spot on a Saturday, it’s usually safe to assume they’d be open, right?

As I prepared my camera for what I thought would be a fun place to photograph, our small caravan made its way toward the intended direction. As we approached the turn that lead to the museum, we did a little pause when we saw the rough, narrow, dirt road we’d be traveling on. Yes, there was a small question in our minds as to whether the rigs could handle it, but we’ve been to lots of ghost towns. They’ve all had RV friendly parking lots. We began having serious doubts after we’d committed to taking that dirt road. It was rough on the vehicles and seemed to go on forever. None of us had a clue how far this place was, so I Googled it. I called the number on their website, first, to see how far it was and also to see if we’d be able to turn around once we got there.
Although someone did answer the phone, we were surprised to learn the museum was closed. This is definitely a place you need to check ahead on, as they don’t seem to have the regular hours most museums do. It also didn’t sound all that reassuring that we’d be able to turn around.

Trevor turned in at the spot marked with the “RV Parking” sign, assuming that would be the safest place to turn around. He was wrong. Fortunately, G & C weren’t as gullible and didn’t continue to follow us on the path to no return. They were able to get their fifth wheel turned around pretty easily. Not so with us. But Trev did a good job getting our rig out of there and now the four of us have something to laugh about.

Other memorable moments with G & C include visiting the Alamo, Riverwalk and Monarch Collectibles (built to look like a giant doll house) in San Antonio, and kicking around Gruene, TX. Our favorite places there are Gruene Hall and Gruene General Store, and we enjoyed both the ambiance and great tasting food at The Gristmill River Restaurant.

Sadly, we had to part ways with our dear friends, as they needed to head to Georgia and we went to Corpus Christi.
When we made the plans to visit my brother and sister-in-law, we had no idea spring break began that early in the year. Oh, my! All the campgrounds were full, but we planned to stay on the Navy Base, away from the crazy crowds. We did spend the weekend there, but nothing is easy when you deal with the government. I don’t even want to begin to tell you what checking into the place was like.
The weekend was nice. There were no crowds and generally, life was pretty laid back and easy. And the birds were hilarious! The place was full of Starlings. I wrote about Starlings in my previous post entitled, “The Cutest Sound”. Starlings are from the Mynah bird family. If you repeat the same word to them 50 times a day for 3 days, supposedly, they’ll learn to say the word.

These Starlings seemed right at home on a military base because the sounds they made resembled machine gun fire and the bells and whistles you’d hear on a ship or submarine.
By Sunday we realized the internet signal was pretty bad. It was time to do some serious praying, as we’d checked other RV parks in the area and they were full. The one we did get into was one we’d checked with several times and there was no way we could stay there. At the very moment we needed the place, someone left, so we were able to get in. When we pulled into the place, the first thing they said was, “You guys are living right!” (Right on our knees, that is!)
Unfortunately, between the crowds, traffic, and my brother coming down with something, we hardly got to visit with them before we had to head to Houston.

While Trev attended Microsoft Convergence in downtown Houston, I was able to get into writing my book. Made a lot of changes (such is the life) and am more excited than ever about writing!
Apparently not learning our lesson in Corpus Christi, we planned a day of beach bumming in Galveston one weekend. Our plans fizzled when not long after leaving home, we found ourselves stuck in stand still traffic. We turned around and planned to try again very early the next day. That was a better plan! When we arrived, the beach was nearly empty. We enjoyed this for quite a while. When it began to get crowded, we went to a place called Moody Gardens. What a nice place! We enjoyed the aquarium, a nice lunch at the Terrace Restaurant, the rainforest exhibit, a ride on the paddleboat, and a couple of the movies showing there. We were there for nearly five hours and would have stayed much longer, but they were closing for the evening.

Our stay in Houston’s been quite nice. We’ve met a lot of very nice people we will hate to leave. People think that Houston’s pretty crime ridden. The RV park is safe and it’s right next to a golf course where the only problems we’ve had are with our swing.
I don’t know about outside the gate, except when we’re out and about, the Starlings most mimic the sound of police sirens, so you be the judge.
Trevor recently planned a 7,000 mile adventure for us. We’re looking forward to beginning the journey soon. God willing, I hope to have many new things to share with you.

Some of you have been complaining for a long time that you’re not able to post comments here. I tried changing some settings, so it may work if you want to try again, but most people just email us.
There have also been complaints about there not being any photos of me. All I’ve got to say is I wasn’t photogenic when I was young and cute. Getting older hasn’t changed that!

Take care, you guys! We love you!
Love, Trevor & Roni

What Desert?

It’s hard to believe you’re in the desert when everything around you is lush with green grass, flowers and running water, like it is at Outdoor Resorts Indio in Indio, California.

It’s quite pricey, but it’s a nice place to stay. We were in town to visit mom and dad, so we thought we’d do it just this once. The RV lots are owned, but some owners rent them out. The lots are quite large compared to most places we’ve been and very comfortable. Most of them are decked out with gazebos and outdoor kitchens that include a sink, an oven, a refrigerator, and lots of counter space!

They have a beautiful 18 hole, Par 3 golf course throughout the park. It took us awhile to get up the nerve to golf there, because neither one of us golf and the course is surrounded by RVs upwards of a million dollars. If our ball were to hit any one of those rigs, we would be responsible for the damage. Come on now, if you’re going to park your million dollar rig on the golf course, don’t you think…??? I probably shouldn’t get started on that topic.
We used whiffle balls at first, but after some instruction from my dad, we got the courage to use real balls. And I discovered golf is fun! I kind of want to do it all the time!
I’m a little upset about my 9th grade gym class where I got my first introduction to golf. I could not hit the ball! There was no one on one instruction; no one showed us what we were doing wrong, so I decided then and there, that golf was not for me. I’m now regretting all the years I’ve missed out on this game due to the rash decision I made when I was young.

We finished this year’s West Coast exploration by heading over the mountains and into San Diego one weekend. We had a nice time there, visiting Little Italy, Cabrillo National Monument, Hotel del Coronado, Safari Wild Animal Park and a cute little shopping area called Seaport Village.
Little Italy is mostly restaurants with amazing aromas coming from each one. Believe it or not, we weren’t hungry when we walked through there, so we didn’t eat there.

Cabrillo National Monument was fun. We enjoyed the views of San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, visited the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, saw some Coastal defense relics and checked out the big statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. The lighthouse was cool, and we both liked the winding staircase inside.



Hotel del Coronado was pretty. They filmed a movie called SOME LIKE IT HOT there. It’d be fun to stay there sometime. The place is rich with history, shopping (window) and a gorgeous view out back.

Safari Wild Animal Park is huge, allowing for nice long walks, with several tram ride choices available for animal viewing. These were quite expensive, so we chose the one included in admission.

Seaport Village was cool as well. Lots of nice shops. I especially liked the Tile Shop, because it was filled with beautiful Mexican tiles. I’m thinking it’d be nice to redo the floors in the RV!
We really enjoyed spending time with my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad for teaching us to golf, showing us wine country, introducing us to your friends out at their beautiful ranch, celebrating our birthdays at the country club, taking me along with you, Mom to the Women’s Retreat, letting us teach you how to play HAND AND FOOT and for hanging out with us at the RV resort.

It’s always difficult to leave my folks, but it was time to head out to meet up with Gordon and Christy or “G & C” as we like to call them (they don’t know that yet). Well I guess they do now! We were able to visit with other friends in Yuma as well, before hitting the road with “G & C” to caravan to Texas. We’ve been having a blast traveling with them! Looking forward to telling you about it later. Take care y’all!
Love, Trevor & Roni

Surprise!

Winding up in Surprise, Arizona was quite the surprise to us! It wasn’t a part of our original plan to see the West Coast, but with it being so cold and wet on the northern end of our travels, we really needed a place to dry out. What better place than the desert?

We’ve spent the past two months at Sunflower RV Resort; a place I wrote about in a previous post. We had so much fun with our wonderful neighbors there. We learned how to play a new card game, ”Hand and Foot”, enjoyed visits at each other’s RV’s, and shared in the excitement as one couple got a new 5th wheel and another got a new puppy. Trevor enjoyed the local Italian Pastry Shop with the guys now and then, I was able to do two important interviews as research for my book, and we both spent many hours poring over scriptures with a dear Pastor and his wife who live in the park.

We were blessed when Gordon and Christy came for a visit, staying in a park model at Sunflower for the weekend. It was great to see them and to get some dog time with their sweet little dog, Duncan. I always have trouble with the 10th commandment whenever I’m around Duncan. There’s something about that dog. I think everyone covets him. You can visit Christy’s blog at chuckwagonadventure.blogspot.com. She writes about Duncan’s popularity in a 2011 post entitled, “Desert Dwellers”.

It’s not hard to keep yourself busy in a place like Sunflower. For a small fee, Trevor joined Woodshop, where they have every woodworking tool you can imagine. I was able to learn some things at Computer Club, attend two informative bible studies, and play Bocce Ball with some very fun people, many of them from our home state. With the help of the dear ladies in Pottery Club, Trevor and I learned techniques that enabled us to make items we needed around the house. With the skills we acquired this year, I’m sure we’ll be able to make the same items even better next time!

We did a lot outside the park as well. We hung out at White Tank Mountain Regional Park where we found a cactus I named Treehugger, and where we hiked the Mesquite Trail; a pretty good climb, with nice views.
We visited with friends in town who taught us another fun card game, “Pony Tail”, and we went to Tucson for a weekend to see my bff from grade school and meet her new hubby. They took us to San Xavier del Bac Mission one morning. What a beautiful building! I cannot believe I forgot to bring my camera that weekend!

We took a day trip to visit Payson, Arizona and some of its surrounding areas. For the most part, Payson was shut down for the season, so there’s not much to do there this time of year. A little north of Payson we found Tonto Natural Bridge Sate Park where we enjoyed a steep hike down to the bottom of the bridge. On the way back up, I was glad I’d been doing Tae Bo the previous months! It’s really improved the strength in my legs. Many thanks to Billy Blanks!
From the state park, we headed further north to the edge of the Colorado Plateau. I wasn’t expecting to see snow beneath my feet this winter, but it was fun and it was great to see all the parents out there sliding with their children.

Since we’ve accomplished our mission to dry out, we’ve moved on to a new place, lush with green grass
and beautiful flowers blooming everywhere. And there’s a lot of golf going on here! We’re not golfers yet, but we bought starter clubs at a garage sale in Surprise. Between the greens right here in the park, and my parents nearby willing to teach us, we’re bound to learn something. Can’t wait to tell you all about it next time! Take care. We love you and miss you lots!
-Trevor and Roni

The California Coast

When the winds, rain and falling temperatures moved into Winchester Bay, Oregon, it was time for Trevor to take some vacation time so we could move out. We did enjoy our stay there at Winchester Bay RV Resort. We loved the front and backyard of our temporary home, the excitement of watching the Coast Guard practice their rescue maneuvers out back, and the many opportunities to view sea life, lighthouses, elk, and beautiful coastline as we hiked along the ocean’s edges.

They called us chickens on the day we left, because they’d all heard it was to be extremely cold that night. I call it being smart, like the rest of the campers who bailed out as well. There were only eight rigs left in the park when we left. Unlike many RV parks in the area, Winchester Bay RV Resort is open all year, so if you’re in the area, this is a very nice place to stay.

The skies seemed to clear somewhat as we drove down highway 101 toward California. I can’t tell you enough how beautiful the scenery is along the way.

If you’re into lighthouses, there are two I particularly liked; Coquille River Lighthouse in Bandon, OR and Cape Blanco at Port Orford. There’s a very nice state park at Cape Blanco. A lot of these lighthouses are closed to the public this time of year, including the Cape Blanco lighthouse. Some of the camping areas within the park were closed as well, but not all. There may still be some camping there now, but I’d call ahead if you’re planning to stay there. I have to say, I was really impressed by the fortitude of the tent campers in this park!

The drive down 101 is a photographer’s dream, but it’s amazing how there won’t be a view point in some of the most amazing scenic areas, and then you get to some that are ho- hum in comparison. Sadly, I had to pass up a lot of awesome photo-ops just to keep my driver’s sanity intact. Seriously, you could stop about every five seconds for photos.

Ever since I learned about them in grade school, I’ve yearned to see the giant Redwoods in California. I never thought I’d get to see them, so you can imagine what an awesome experience it was when we got to spend the night on Avenue of the Giants near Redcrest, CA. This is a long, narrow road, lined on both sides by these awesome giants. You really have to watch the road if you’re driving an RV, as there seems to be only inches between you and the big trees.

When we arrived in the area, we checked into Ancient Redwoods RV Park-very nice place and very nice owners. This park was closing for the season in three days after we left so if you’re thinking about staying there this time of year, that won’t work. This RV Park does have a store there that’s open year round, filled with all kinds of beautiful things made from Redwoods. I think they also have a little restaurant there as well; we didn’t wander into that part of the building, so we’re not sure what they serve there. We dropped the RV off in the campground and took the car along Avenue of the Giants. It was so cool to hang out amongst these awesome trees! Since it was near dark when we arrived there, we had to pass up the many hiking opportunities in the area. But we did hear of some cool things to see along the trails. One, was about a grandfather tree so big around, 17 people could hold hands around the circumference of it.

I love how the landscape changed so much along highway 101. We went from beautiful coastal waters, to giant redwood trees, then into Napa, CA, with foothills covered in the fall foliage of their famous vineyards.

While in Napa, we stayed at Skyline Wilderness Park; an interesting park that’d be nice to see in the summer when everything’s nice and green. We took a day trip from there to San Francisco, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge just for fun, got a great view of Alcatraz, and had a picnic lunch at one of the many old forts in the area. It rained a bit during the day, but as I photographed the Golden Gate Bridge, the sun made an appearance, producing a beautiful rainbow into San Francisco Bay. At one point during this display, the rainbow’s end appeared to land right onto the deck of a sailboat tooling around the bay. I tried to get a shot of it, but just missed that perfect shot!

Our next stop was Monterey, CA, where we stayed at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. You can usually stay in a fairground for around 20 to 30 dollars per night, but this one was 40. It’s difficult to get into this place because you need to go through a narrow gate that has a big dip in front of it. The dip tossed a few more dishes out of the cabinets even though they were taped shut (new dishes, yea!!!). It is also located on the edge of a golf course, so you stay there at your own risk of being nailed by a stray golf ball, and having to sign a piece of paper stating as much. But the camp host there is very nice and very helpful.

Once parked, we visited the nearby Cannery Row, the area made famous by John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name. The street was originally called Ocean View Avenue, but was renamed because of Steinbeck’s book. There are a lot of shops, restaurants and people in this cute little area. We had a nice evening there and explored the town of Carmel the next day, with more beautiful beaches and we were able to catch a glimpse of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Out of Carmel, we got on US 1 to continue down the coast toward Morro Bay. US 1 is a long, windy, narrow road, along California’s beautiful coast. If you have to decide between taking this road or 101, take this one at least once. The route is difficult because it’s slow going in the RV, taking many turns at 25 and 35 miles per hour. Since you’re slower than the rest of traffic, people tend to be less than thrilled with you in the lead, so you need to use a lot of turnouts, slowing you down even more. This gets to be annoying for you, but the drivers behind you are grateful.

It does get to be tiring, because you’re doing slow turn, after slow turn, and sometimes it seems like you’re right on the edge of the high cliffs along the ocean and one wrong move….But believe me, it’s worth it! You’ll be so relieved by the time you’re done, but so happy you didn’t pass up the chance to see what there is to see there.

About the time you finally reach a straight, flat, wide road, you get to pull off on a beach near Hearst Castle that’s loaded with Elephant Seals. If you’ve been in areas with lots of seals, you’d think this place would smell pretty bad, but it doesn’t smell at all. We visited this place three times while in the Morro Bay area. You just can’t get free entertainment like this in many places. We heard sounds there, neither one of us had heard before, and saw the cutest things, like these babies all nestled and snug on the beach, while visions of ratfish danced through their heads.

We were so blessed when we arrived at Morro Dunes RV Park. We were told on the phone we’d have a back-in site (not preferred) with no sewer and no TV. I don’t feel human without a daily shower, I had laundry that needed to be done, and I didn’t want to miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…rofl.

We were so blessed upon arrival when we were told about a cancelation, freeing up a pull-thru site with sewer and cable for us! I keep telling you, God is good!

We left Morro Bay on Black Friday and with the help of the holiday and friends on the RVforum.net, we had smooth sailing through Los Angeles. We spent the night in a lush, green, oasis in the desert, called Emerald Desert RV Resort. It was a bit pricey for the night, but we had to check some things out in the area the next morning, so it worked fine as a one-time deal.

We spent the next night in the Quartzsite desert. This is an awesome place to be if you like solitude and free rent. You can stay in short-term areas for free up to 14 days. Now and then we talk about staying here for long periods, but I’d have to get over my daily shower addiction and we might need to add some solar panels to the rig.

Vacation's over, it’s back to work now, so we’re going to stay put in the desert for a while. It’s a sharp contrast to the coastal waters we’ve recently enjoyed, but the desert does have it owns beauty.
We love you and miss you all!
Love,
Trevor & Roni

The Pacific Coast Highway

What can I say about the Pacific Coast Highway? You’ve seen one highway, you’ve seen them all. Just kidding! There’s so much beauty to behold here. But you judge for yourself.
Love, Trevor & Roni

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, OR

Seagull Playing With A Dog Cannon Beach, OR

Outside the Tidal Raves Restaurant, Depoe Bay, OR

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, OR

Heceta Head Lighthouse, 15 Miles South Of Yachats, OR

Cooks Chasm, Lincoln County, OR

Cape Perpetua, 2 Miles South Of Yachats, OR

Sunset At Cape Perpetua

Coos Bay, OR

Umpqua River Lighthouse, Winchester Bay, OR