Saturday, March 16, 2024

Home again


 Got home about 2;30p on Thursday... all safe n sound...  Got everything out of the car in good order.. had laundry to do!!! and a car to clean.  Which i did on Friday, to the car wash... i am sure they used salt on the roads in Utah as it was all over my car... a crusty rime where the water/snow/slush was upended on me.  Some of those summits were seemingly high and NO guard rails... could have just soared out into the wild blue! Stopped at all the view points.. It was great to see things from up so high and it was a great time to move about and not be in one place, driving.. in every place, were there another person, we all interjected how marvelous it all was  'God's Beauty'... Could not help but think of all the pioneers (women) that walked over all of this, and at the break of each hill/mountain to see just more of what you had just been thru and more and more and more to go.. how in the world they did it all.  Such bravery and fortitude!! and this was at a time when things were starting to green up,  what about in the heat of the summer, or the coolness of the Fall with the harbinger of Winter on their heels....

It was good to see everyone and that things were as i left them, and the house was clean and put together (thank you Robin!!)Now i need to get an oil change and get windshield washer fluid into the tank..Arizona by far has the worse roads!!! with Oregon not far behind... Nevada had good roads... less traveled or all of that gambling money??? Lowest gas was at Panguitch near Bryce Canyon @ $3.20 a gal and the most expensive in Burns, Oregon @ $4.26... On the way down i spent the night in Tonapah, NV and on the way back home, in Munds Park, AZ,  (near Flagstaff)  Kanab, UT, and Winnemuca, NV

I went in to see the Grand Canyon, last time i was there was in 1986 with Brian in July... it was very hot!! Also stopped at Bryce Canyon, but did not go to all of the view points as there was snow!!! and i was not at all dressed or had the attire to be traipsing about in the snow!!!  I have a senior pass, so get into all National Parks free... normally it was $35 per car... i think, did not really pay alot of attention to that, as.. i was free.... i got that pass when a bunch of my friends and i took a trip to Hawaii(big island) and got it at the volcano there.  that was about 2000, and it has really served me well every since.. Was able to get into many places when i was in the RV 2010-2011

It was a great trip. i got to visit with old, dear friends and see a lot of different country and come away with the realization that i can do this, i can go and do things. i am still capable...

Take Care all and God Bless

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Bryce


 I drove n drove and drove.. over i don't know how many passes and most looked like this!! Snow and sleet.. ran out of my windshield fluid.. so would have to stop and use my bottled water and wipers.. after going for a long ways and not being able to see, as trucks would throw stuff up and my car looks horrid, they must use salt on the highways....



and who knew Bryce Canyon would be covered in snow!!! i went into the park, stopped at 1st stop, Sunrise Viewpoint... took pics, then got back in car n went to visitor center to stamp my passport n get a t-shirt and left... got there early, thank heavens as there were lines of people on the way!! but i was not dressed at all for snow! only had my tennis shoes... minced my way to the viewpoint

(i can't seem to get a picture of me AND the background.. my niece gets really cute pictures, can't believe she has that long of arms.) must be a setting i am missing. and why is my mouth open?




See... walkway to the viewpoint..very snowy


Red Rock Canyon




So i saw lots. was here when Brian was a junior in HS!!! many, many years ago and lots are NOT as a remembered, lots of changes.  It is just alot more populated, built up, not as wild seeming as i remembered. but still out of the way... There were signs for other places, like Grande Escalante which sounds like a place i would like to see...  Just many more rocks and places unseen... and even driving along there are rocks, formations, sights... it would seem i have all the time in the world, but i did not want to linger, maybe that is just how i travel.. hurry up and get back.. (:

So, am in Winnemuca today from Kanab UT, through SLC.. i NOT get lost and traffic was not bad, it was about noon... But today was the longest day and most all of it was on freeways... so not my fav... but very beautiful

Take Care and God Bless... yay for being home!!!!!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Grand Canyon


 Well, last nite i said i could not get my photos to download, well, tonite i figured it out!  U have to have BOTH the phone and computer logged onto the internet.... HA!

Well... so was apparently worried about my accomodations  being on that hillside and my ability to set the timer on the phone (which i have never had a prob with b4) as i kept waking up every couple of hours.  but finally got up at 7am and out the door at 7:30.. to Flagstaff, only 40 miles... tried putting in phone nearest Starbucks and it was going to send me backwards... so went off the grid again trying to find one, then just trying to find my way to 89... which i did in short order with phone help...  THEN i went right by one, but was in the wrong lane... so was miffed... onward to GC.... and i overshot my turnoff by 14 miles, so had to backtrack... more miffed...

Then to the Canyon... it is a LONG ways off the road...


So stopped at little turnoffs, then the big views... you just can't get it all in  I tried.. i walked and walked..  there were SO many people...


Took this one for Brian, i remembe from when we went there, it is called "wolf and puppy"




Vermillion Cliffs  (sorry this was taken thru the front window, which is filthy..  was really windy)


THEN i was leaving and made a wrong turn.. and headed unknowingly out the southern entrance and needed the eastern one, the one i came in on to continue on the Kanab.. WELL that was a HUGE error.  I discovered my error when i saw a sign for Williams... NOT on my list.... wrong and i had been being SO smug as there was a double line over a mile long to get in (it was about 11 by now) and i had to turn around and go back....thru that line..... it took half an hour.... which was not too bad, really considering the volume of cars... and there was barely any parking.. people were parking on the side of the rode.. i needed to go to the visitors center to get my passport stamped... silly, i know... but i like doing that... and there are so many japanese/chinese people and they have no boundaries of personal space and were honking their horns in the parking lot and not letting people back out.. it was a mess. Hard to believe but in my row, there were no cars looping trying to get a space and got out easily, so that i could then go wait in that line... i had parked in a rv spot, but there was another car in there, so i just abutted them to take up the whole space... not right, i know... but they did... and at least did not get towed or a ticket..

Then back to Cameron and 89.. to Burger King!!! then on. and a pretty uneventful rest of the day... Except when i got to Fredonia and it was small and no motels was a tad worried... but did remember looking that up b4 i left, so was pretty sure it was going to be OK  and it was, La Quinta was right there,  and i wanted a King and all they had was a handicapped room and it is really spacious


Sitting on my bed... going to go heat my soup...

Take Care all and God Bless

Tomorrow to Bryce Canyon and then up 15 to SLC and over on 80 to Winnemucca or Elko  not sure how far i will get

Monday, March 11, 2024

Travel


 Stupid phone or computer won't download my pics from today!!

so will just go forward with what i have.  Had to leave my friends.. it was sad.  do you go to places and wish you could just place yourself there for as long as you want to?  It was a good time.  Never went shopping, really. went to a place to get those iron flowers for the yard and a cacti that is all rusty out of iron or metal i guess. Really nice people there, playing bingo,, happy hour. 

we drove around in the golf cart and people out biking, walking, or dog walking and everyone happy and waves, says something to Carol. Very friendly.. and the weather was warming up.. they uncovered the pool that last day i was there, has to get over 65... they are going to keep an eye out as every once in a while there are rentals avail and am going to try to in march and april next year. would that not be fun to try a new way to look at and do life.  Will have my new doggie by then and should be mostly potty trained  :)

Well my travels today... i was going to take 88 out of Apache Jct and go to 188 and then north to the I-17.. well got 22 miles in... over a horrid steep/winding road the pavement gave out up on the top of one of the passes  and there was a sign saying the road was closed in 2 miles!!! and there were still 20 miles to the 188 pick up! and the road was rough and was going to one lane.. was not on the map at and they should tell people this when they turn on the road, not 22 miles down the road!!! so had to turn around, go back to apache jct and get back onto I60 west to met up with I17 north to Flagstaff and Grand Canyon!!. I was royally pissed... and my timeline was all shot to hell.  was not going to be able to get to GC and out to another town that had a motel b4 dark...  so at 3p i stopped in Munds Park south of Flagstaff because i could not find a motel with a room open in Flagstaff or Cameron which is a small place.. AND  stupid GPS lady or Google got the mileage mixed and it is 4 1/2 hours to GC from Flagstaff NOT Tuscon.. they keep saying it is only 1 1/2 from GC to Kanab, UT  which i find hard to believe... just by looking at the map!!!  BUT when u leave yr directions on it tells you when a speed trap is ahead, and sure enough there would be a policemen in a car.. all set and ready. So getting up early and going to GC hope to get there early and be on my way... going up to Bryce also and then over to I15 i think it is to SLC then get 80 to Winnemuca and up to home....  no more excursions off track :)



And again did not get to go to Organpipe... but here is one that a person had in the park (Highlands).... guess it will have to do for now... Also did not go to Sedona

It is right near here, their motels were very expensive!!! and take more time than what i wanted to spend, can't do it all in one trip.



So fun to ride around in this and see all the sights, even took it over to see Nora which is only a couple blocks away, down the sidewalk :) some of the people have quite fancy ones...

View from living room window... they watch the sunrise over the Catalina's while drinking morning coffee

Take Care & God Bless


Sunday, March 10, 2024

Prepare


 Today we went and got gas for my car and Carol showed me where Starbucks was.Went to Wal Mart, trying to find a Sun Devils t-shirt to no avail.. and got food for my return trip home.  Which i will start tomorrow..

We Played Bingo, where there were 10 games, $38 a game and $76 for the final black out and we won nothing... came close  but no go..

Went to say Good Bye to Nora

Then to Mod Pizza for dinner... and back home to get ready

and that took up my day.. looking into maybe trying to tent a place for Mar-Apr next year.. would that not be fun??

Take Care and God Bless


It's a statue!!!


Carol makes the best kumquat muffins!!!

But the Kumquat Salsa with cream cheese is to die for!!!!

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Sales


 Went to Guadalajara Grill tonite and it was SO good!! They make the salsa a quaq right by the table!


 

We spent the day going to estate sales, there were 4 of them near us.. huge houses, the prices were a bit higher than the ones we have in Bend tho..but still found couple books!

Got pictures of many cacti tho!!

also went to a craft sale here in the park and picked up a couple quilted things ... pillowcase and table runner







and we rode around the park a couple times, looking at all the different house and gardens.. it was fun!

Take Care and God Bless


Friday, March 8, 2024

Visit

Had a GREAT visit with very good friend.. Talked and talked and solved all the problems of the world. Caught up on families


 

Then we went to Happy Hour here and a great time was had by all...These seniors sure know how to have a good time! I think it would be very easy to live here..


Morris and Carol Coville, i have known her all my life.. My mom and dad and hers all lived in Biac Village in Garibaldi.. row homes of defense housing. My dad drove log truck and hers worked in the mill. and the families have vacationed back and forth throughout the years.  We moved on, eventually ending in Redmond in 1961 and hers stayed on the coast for the most part.. Now they are in a senior community in Tuscon and she has her mother is assisted living right near here. It is a wonderful place.


We even had a sunset over the Catalinas tonight..

It was a great day

Take Care and God Bless