LONE PINE TO HOME, VENTURA, CA

Saturday, 5-9-10


For breakfast I fix a can of corned beef hash and fried eggs. Fred is not impressed.


We are heading home. And guess what…the wind is blowing.


Before leaving we check out the Lone Pine Movie Museum. We have driven by it for years and have never stopped. Today we decide to stop and we are glad we did. First we watch a 15-minute movie about the movies that have been made in the Alabama Hills: Gunga Din, Star Trek, of course all kind of westerns, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne. But did you know Iron Man was also filmed in the Alabama Hills? The snow-capped Sierras popping up behind the dark brown Alabama Hills are often used in scenes requiring a backdrop of what would appear to be the Himalaya Mountains. So many movies were filmed here I can’t even begin to name them all.


Next we drive out to the Alabama Hills and take a little side road to “Horseshoe Meadow”. There we find a BLM “Tutter Creek” campground with great camp sites and the Sierras in the distance. Only $5 a night. That’s our kind of camping! We make a note to stay here the next time we are in the area.


We leave town and I drive the boring, tiring, tedious, and what seems to be the never-ending leg to Mojave where we stop to get gas. Fred takes over and drives all the way home while I read our trip journal out loud. We are surprised at how many things we have already forgotten.


We pull into our driveway and it feels somewhat strange. Our cat Prissy is no longer with us and she is not here to greet us. That’s sad. We open the door and the house seems so huge. Do we really need all this space? After all, we have been living in a 12-foot van for 30 days and we did just fine. And do we need all this stuff? How much stuff do two people really need? But it begins to feel good to be home. We turn on the fountain and listen to the familiar sound of water falling as we walk along the path bordered by our plants and flowers. My, so many weeds have popped up in one month.


Everything looks the same but different. We have mixed feelings about being home. Our trip was not what we expected. The weather was not what we had planned. Nothing seemed to flow the way it usually does. But, in spite of all that, we agree we had a great time. There is something so intimate about sharing our little van, something so close about eating together at the campfire, something so loving about sharing chores and making the best of unexpected situations.


We both agree it’s a bonding time, a time for reconnecting. It’s our time to build memories and more intimately share life together. I guess that’s why we named our van “GUD HPNS” - because it’s a good thing.

                             

MONO LAKE TO LONE PINE, CA

Friday, 5-7-10

We have mixed feelings about going home. We are fed up with the weather, but it is now warmer and we feel like we are just now getting into the groove of Vanagon camping. We want to keep heading into the sunset.


Instead, we head south on 395 and stop along the way at “Morning Light Gallery” in Bishop. This is Galen Rowel’s gallery and we always like to stop and look at his photos. He and his wife were killed many years ago in the plane she was piloting but his family has continued to promote his photography. It is a beautiful gallery and all the photographs look marvelous under the special lighting. We are envious of his talent.


Tonight we camp in Lone Pine at the “Boulder Creek RV Resort”, one of the nicest on the trip. The only thing that spoils it is the size – too big and too many huge RVs. But they have a wonderful pool, Jacuzzi, laundry and showers. We set up camp as all the other RVers sit and watch Fred and me maneuver our VW into the space so that it is “just right” for setting up the awning. We try our best not to snap at each other since we seem to be the main entertainment at the moment.


We have picked up a T-bone steak to grill and a wonderful pepper-coated salami log. Both taste fabulous. Hmmm, I wonder why I’m gaining weight on this trip…

Do you see Fred?

                                              

LAKE TAHOE TO MONO LAKE, CA

Thursday, 5-6-10


Our month long trip is winding to an end.


Lake Tahoe shines in the early morning sun as we take a quick drive out to Emerald Bay. As usual the wind is blowing and it is a very cold wind. At Emerald Bay we take a quick look-see at the bay with that cute little island in the middle and we walk over the rocks to take photos of the waterfall. We’re wishing the weather were better as we would like to take a horseback ride around the two small lakes that are adjacent to Lake Tahoe. But the wind blows and blows and it is cold and piercing.


We decide to head back over the Sierras to the little town of Gardnerville on Highway 395 in Nevada. It’s only a 30 minute drive and then we will take 395 all the way home. Besides, Gardnerville has one of our favorite Basque restaurants, the “J T Basque Bar and Restaurant” that serves family-style meals that seem to never end. We should be there just in time for lunch, 12:00 to 2:00.


We wind over the beautiful Sierras, dotted with huge pine trees and still topped with snow. The highway slowly winds down into the flat farmlands of Carson Valley. Gardnerville is just below us.


We make it in time for lunch and go all out with the big Basque meal. First bread and butter, then vegetable beef soup, followed by a leafy-green salad (too much dressing), after which we are given a platter of beans and another platter of lamb stew. We haven’t even hit the main course yet which happens to be Basque Chicken for me and Basque Pot Roast with mashed potatoes for Fred. Oh, and I forgot to mention the platter of French fries that are out of this world. Yes, it is way too much food and we take some leftovers with us. We also decide it is not as good as we remember. Or were we not as hungry? Needless to say, I’m sure we’ll return if we are ever in Gardnerville again.


We head out on Highway 395 towards Mono Lake, CA. In Bridgeport we take a side trip out to Twin Lakes. The sun is getting lower in the sky and we’re hoping for some good photos. There is still some snow on the peaks and some nice reflections on the lake. Fred heads in one direction and I head in another. I see a little bird and discover, according to my Audubon Bird app that it is a “Black-capped Chickadee”. I enter it in my “sightings”. When we are finished I gather up huge pinecones for our campfire in the evening.


Fred wants to camp at the same spot we camped at last time. He remembers a site overlooking the lake but I can’t remember such a campground. We reach the town of Lee Vining and look for the camp site he remembers. Evidently it wasn’t at Lee Vining above Mono Lake. Was it perhaps Lake Topaz? However, we do find a site at Mono RV Resort and luckily get a space with a fire ring. We set up camp, sit under our awning and watch the sun set over Mono Lake in the distance. I hear birds twittering in the nearby sagebrush and resist the temptation to pull out my iPhone.

VIRGINIA CITY TO LAKE TAHOE

Wednesday, 5-5-10

We awaken to a beautiful, sunny day….and WINDY!


We eat breakfast at the little café in the RV park. It’s a breakfast buffet and I tell Fred “no thanks” as the last one we ate in McCall was horrid. But Fred convinces me this one looks “really good” so I cave in. He is right…it is the best breakfast on the trip.


We wander up and down the wood plank sidewalks in Virginia City, mostly window shopping, and stopping here and there to browse inside. Then we drive around town and take photos of old houses.


We leave town heading for Lake Tahoe. Along the way we take a side trip to the little town of Genoa, the first settlement in the state of Nevada. It has changed a lot since we were last here several years ago. A couple big ranches and mini-mansions have popped up, a few housing developments that weren’t here before. But the little town still has its charm. We stop and read some of the historical facts about the emigrants who stopped here as they travelled along the California trail and rested before their arduous trek over the Sierras. Can’t imagine what that must have been like. The ride to Lake Tahoe over the Sierras will take us less than an hour - it took the settlers over a month.


We arrive in Lake Tahoe around 6:30 p.m. and decide to find a room near Harvey’s casino. Fred wants to win at least enough to pay for our trip. Isn’t it nice he isn’t greedy?


We check out several motels near the casino and find it pays to check the rooms before saying “yes”. One room has three inches of water sitting in the bathtub. Another room has huge grease-looking stains on the bedspread. All the motels look past their prime and appear dust covered.


We then luck upon a nice looking Best Western (Station House Inn) near the lake and only a few blocks from the casino. The room is wonderful and I know I will feel cozy while Fred is in the huge smoke-filled casino earning our vacation money. But first we walk to the restaurant next door and have a fabulous meal at LewMarNel’s. Medallions of been and grilled shrimp. The weather is actually quite nice as we walk back to the room. The sun is setting and a warm glow lights up the surrounding pine trees.


I settle in with my journal and book. It is about “women of the old wild west” called The Gentle Tamers written in 1958 by Dee Brown who evidently wrote Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which I’ve never read. The book I am reading chronicles the westward emigration of settlers and the trials and tribulations of those women. What I find most interesting is that women have not changed a whole lot in the past 150 years. We still care about nice clothes, the latest fashion, becoming independent, our families and careers. Yes, many women struggled to have careers in the wild west and managed to carve a niche for themselves: laundry services, bakeries, owning boardinghouses, theatre, and even driving stagecoaches disguised as men, all the while struggling to obtain the right to vote. Did you know the first state to give women the right to vote was Wyoming is 1869? Actually it was still a territory and wasn’t even a state yet. It wasn’t until 1920 that the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Wyoming territory was way ahead of its time.


Anyway, back to Fred winning enough money to pay for our vacation. His game is blackjack and evidently the cards were not in his favor. He returns to our cozy room with less money than he left with. Looks like we’ll still have to pay for our vacation after all.

ELKO TO VIRGINIA CITY, NV

Tuesday, 5-4-10

The wind blew the whole f__kin day - Fred

But along the way we stop in Winnemuca, NV, for lunch and decide to find the best tacos in town. We compare Jack In The Box tacos to Taco Time tacos. Taco Time wins hands down.


The day is a long, windy drive to Virginia City, past flat, dull land with sparse sagebrush and withered plants. We wonder how the emigrants heading to California endured this land.


 We reach Virginia City around 6:30 p.m. We get a great campsite up on a hill overlooking the famous Virginia City graveyard. I know that may sound weird, but it is a fascinating scene as the setting sun lights up the headstones. I had taken a photo of the graveyard several years ago during a rainstorm and it’s still one of my favorite photos.

ELKO, NEVADA

Tuesday, 5-4-10

We decided to head for the eastern side of the Sierras rather than Utah.  We are kind of bummed to be heading home but at the same time it will be great to be back to nicer weather.

Yesterday we drove all day in 20 to 30 mph winds.  If the semi trucks weren’t pushing us to one side the winds were.  Fred fought the steering wheel the entire drive here and was exhausted by the time we arrived.  Thinking we might do a little gambling, we got a room at the Red Lion Inn and Casino in Elko.  But we were actually too tired to move once we hit the room.

It was a long exhausting day and it looks like today may be the same, but hopefully the winds will not be so strong.  We have a long drive ahead of us to Reno and we want to get an early start.

Before I sign off, I forgot to introduce Scruffy who has been tagging along with us since Colville, WA.  He has had quite an adventure and here are some photos:


Scruffy travels on the dashboard:

Scruffy blown out of the van by the wind:

Scruffy & Fred on hike to Kamiak Butte overlook:

Scruffy at Kamiak Butte:

Scruffy in the snow at McCall, Idaho:

TWIN FALLS, ID

Monday, 5-3-10

Two important events today:  First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELANEY AND RAMONA!  And Second: I’ve caught up current with our trip!  Now I can relax and enjoy my blog.  No pressure.

But first I have to set a VERY IMPORTANT FACT straight:  I am not as FAT as I appear in the photos.  Yes, I’ve admittedly gained a few pounds on this trip, but most of my poundage in the photos is due to four or five layers of clothing in an attempt to keep warm.  Or at least I HOPE that’s the reason.

Today we do some laundry and head for Bear Lake in Utah, some really pretty country.  Blog ya later…

MCCALL TO TWIN FALLS, ID

Sunday, 5-2-10

We awaken to a winter wonderland.  The van is covered in snow.  We get our cameras and look for photos but already the early morning sun is melting the snow on the trees.  A large batch of snow falls on my head.  

We head out of town and drive all day heading south.  We are looking for a capsite that is out of the DAMN WIND…but it is futile.  We finally find a campsite in Twin Falls that is off the highway, quiet, has wi-fi and warm showers.  We are tired and ready for a good night’s sleep.

ROSALIA, WA, TO MCCALL, IDAHO

Saturday, 5-1-10

We awaken to rain and more rain.  Fred looks out the widow and chuckles at a local citizen setting up for what must be the weekly Saturday morning swap meet – IN THE RAIN!  I guess locals never let a little rain deter them.  The fella is wearing only a cap and light jacket.  To our amazement several pickups pull up and potential customers hop out to view his goods.  The rain keeps coming down.    

We pack up and the wind again begins to blow.  We don’t mind rain, we don’t mind cold, we don’t mind road repairs, we don’t mind mechanical problems, we don’t mind inconvenience and cramped quarters, but WE DO MIND THE WIND.  It is relentless on this trip and it chills you to the bones.

The weather is not good for photos and we decide it is time to head south to hopefully warmer weather.

We take a scenic side on the Old Spiral Highway to Lewiston, ID.  Then we head down Highway 95 with a side detour on the “Gold Rush Historic Byway, Highway 12 to Orofino.  Along the way we get hijacked by our curiosity and take a side road that follows the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery to the little town of Weippe.  There we stand in the very spot (or so the sign says) where Lewis and Clark met the Nez Perce Indians who helped them survive the winter of 1806.

We stop for lunch somewhere near Grangeville.  We stop at a small tavern for a burger (“taverns” in this neck of the woods seem to make the best ones) and get to watch Super Saver win the Kentucky Derby.

Rain and more rain.  It’s getting dark as we wind our way up the pass toward McCall, Idaho.  Around 6:30 p.m. the rain begins to turn to icey drops and before we know it we are in the midst of snow.  Snow is blowing at us full force.  It is fantastic.  I take a short video and a few still shots as we drive along. 

We reach McCall and all the campgrounds are closed still.  We find the quaint Brundage Inn and the innkeeper gives us the suite, including fireplace and kitchen for $49.50 for the night.  We are the only guests.

MOSCOW, ID, TO ROSALIA, WA

Friday, 4-30-10

We awaken to a gloomy morning, but the weather info says “sunny with clouds” and we once again head back to the Pelouse.  We are hoping for a break in the weather to finally get some good images of this truly breathtaking country.

There is no way to describe how utterly beautiful the Pelouse area is.  Rolling farmland as far as the eye can see – even as far as our binoculars can see!  We get a break in the weather and take some really nice photos.  Even the photos don’t do justice to this magnificent country.

We have decided we will definitely be back for a fall trip.  If you ever get the opportunity to be in this part of the country, you MUST drive through the Pelouse.  And when you are here, you absolutely MUST drive up Steptoe Butte for the 360-degree view.  No words can describe it and hopefully our photographs will at least give you an idea.

We also drive up Kamiak Butte that requires a half-mile uphill hike.  It, too, is breathtaking.  There are yellow daisy-like flowers and purple lupines here-and-there.   The sky is dotted with puffy white clouds and blue skies.  This is another MUST if you are ever in the area.

It’s getting late and time to hunt down a campsite.  These are sparse and far between in the Pelouse, but we find a funky little spot in the small town of Rosalia, population 625.  They have an “RV Park” with 6 sites right next to the railroad tracks.  We are the only ones there and they have instructions on a sign that says to drop our $15 in the strongbox slot.  It’s beginning to sprinkle so we drop in our check and set up camp.

CLARKSTON, WA, TO MOSCOW, ID

Thursday, 4-29-10

We wash laundry before leaving Clarkston around noon.  For some reason we have been searching for “best burger” spots on this trip (because it’s been so cold?) and the same kind lady at the desk suggests the “Burger Spot”.  We discover it is a “roach wagon” that has been pulled up to a window cut out of a newly built square room.  Crazy concept, but the burger is great and the sweet potato fries are wonderful.

We need supplies and check out the newly built WalMart nearby.  It is gigantic.  Never seen so much stuff under one roof.  We wander aimlessly up and down the aisles, delaying our return outside to the cold, windy weather.  We are trying to decide whether to head south to hopefully warmer weather or back to the Pelouse area and hopefully more photography.  We get gas and head for the heart of the Pelouse and the town of Pullman. 

The weather is gray and our photos are flat and dull.  Again, more rain and wind.  Not a good night for camping and we look for a hotel room in Pullman.  We are told there are none available due to some kind of Washington State University golden-oldies reunion.  The closest room for the night is in Moscow, Idaho, just across the border 8 miles down the road.  We get a room at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and collapse for the night.

BOYER CAMPGROUND ON SNAKE RIVER - TO CLARKSTON, WA

 Wednesday, 4-28-10

Neither of us sleeps a wink during the night.  The rain pours down and the leaves on the cottonwoods rattle like bones.  I imagine the Snake River overflowing and carrying us all the way to the Columbia and then out to sea.  It is suppose to rain all week.

Before leaving the area we check out the locks at the Lower Granite Dam. A tugboat is moving a fish hatchery barge.  We wait awhile for the locks to open but then give up and head down the road.  

Today we will drive to the Scablands on Hwy. 26 and to Pelouse Falls.

Our drive takes us through rolling Pelouse hills that fade from bright green wheat fields to pale yellow grass to dark plowed earth.  As the farming fields fade away, we come to the Scablands, rugged rock that has been carved by centuries of erosion.  Black rock that has heated, cooled, and cracked into tall volcanic walls.  We take tons of photos in spite of a light drizzling rain. 

When we finally arrive at the turnoff to Pelouse Falls, we are met by a friendly highway worker in a bright orange vest who tells us the road is closed due to construction. 

We drive on to Clarkston, WA, looking for a warm room, a shower, and a steak dinner.  A billboard announces the local Best Western has a “hot tub” and we plug the address into our GPS.  Once there the kind lady at the desk tells us the best steak in town is at “Bojacks” downtown.  She is right.

BOYER CAMPGROUND

Tuesday, 4-27-10
 

Rain, wind, and more rain.  Spending the day in the campground clubhouse trying to catch up on the blog.  Seems we’ll be home before I ever catch up.  Have we created a monster?  But today is May 1^st as I type this and I am almost current.

I spot a new bird.  Fred says it is a “Killdeer”.  Always a surprise the things this man knows.  Sure enough, Audubon identifies it as a “Killdeer” bird and I log it into my “sightings”.

Wind still blows.  The leaves on the cottonwood trees flutter and twist and rustle.  The rain pours down but between downpours we take a short walk around the marina.  We saw a barge going down river last night and decide we will drive to the dam tomorrow and check out the locks.

Beaver Lodge to Snake River, WA

Monday, 4-26-10

The night at Beaver Lodge is freezing-ass cold, one of the coldest we have ever spent camping.  I have pulled my fuzzy headband over my ears and nose to keep them from becoming numb during the night.  In the morning we warm ourselves with our usual cup of hot mocha mix.  A slight drizzle begins to fall.

As we drive down the highway I call the gas station in Electric City and a very nice man named “Don” says he will mail our gas cap to our home.  We are glad to know it will be there when we return.  In the meantime, the white rag hangs out of our gas tank.

We drive north toward the tiny town of Tiger, WA.  We pass through a forest of pine trees that seem to have some kind of black oozing blight.  The forest looks sickly.

We enter Idaho and drive to Coeur d’Alene – the name French traders gave to the local Indians meaning, “shrewd traders.”  We decide to take a walk along their “floating boardwalk” but discover it is closed and under repair.   Maybe next time.

Again we drive, this time south to Palouse, WA, in the heart of the famous wheat fields of eastern Washington.  Once sand dunes, nature has worked her magic and they are now some of the largest producing grain fields in the world:  wheat, barley, lentils and dried peas.   The entire area is known as “the Palouse” and is widely photographed.  It is getting late and we drive on, looking for a place to camp.

We end up at Boyer Campground on the Snake River.  We are just below the Lower Granite Lock and Dam  (photo below).  The wind is blowing, it is cold, and guess what, it is starting to rain.  I fix my signature dinner:  canned chicken vegetable soup with the last of our crusty bakery bread.

Grand Coulee Dam to Beaver Lodge on Lake Gillette, WA

Sunday 4-25-10

We awaken to a bright sunny day, one of the few on the trip so far  (have I failed to mention all the rain?).  Fred pulls the curtains open and points out a chubby little gray bird eating the blossoms on the neighboring tree.  I grab my Phone and check my new Audubon app I downloaded just for this trip.  We discover the little bird is a White Crowned Sparrow.  During the morning walk we also identify a California Quail, a Brown-headed Cowbird and an American Robin.  Bird watching is new for us so we are giddy with this new found knowledge.

I make blueberry pancakes for breakfast while Fred fries bacon outside on the portable camp burner.

We pack things up and Fred picks a route for the day.  We head north on a scenic byway that meanders along the side of Lake Roosevelt.  But first we gas up in Electric City (clever name, huh).  Our route takes us through miles and miles of winding hills covered with some sort of grain – fields of green and brown.

We stop for gas in Colville.  Fred reaches for the gas cap key and it’s not there.  We look at each other, startled.  I open the door and look at the gas cap….it’s not there!  We have left it 90 miles back at Electric City.  I am now laughing my head off and Fred is not.  I had tried to get him to buy an extra gas cap after we had left it on our Lake Powell trip and also on our Bridgeport trip.  But no, he said this time he, “won’t ever be forgetting it again.” 

He stuffs a rag into the gas tank hole and off we go.  We now look like poor white trash driving down the highway rather than an aging hippie couple!

The sun is sinking into the west and we come upon “Beaver Lodge” on Hwy. 20.  It’s a beautiful spot on Lake Gillette - great reflections and evening light.  We take lots of photos before cooking dinner.  We sit by the campfire listening to the Canadian Geese settling in for the night across the lake.

Lake Chelan, WA to Grand Coulee Dam, WA

Saturday, 4-24-10

We catch the Lady Express for the two-hour ride to Stehekin.  It’s cold outside and we sit inside to stay warm (photo below).  The hills are barren with only a little snow, but we do see a courageous mountain goat clinging to a sharp cliff. 

Once at Stehekin, we board a small bus for a short ride to Stehekin Falls, 312 feet tall.  Like most tall waterfalls, it is very impressive.  Makes one feel so tiny.

We grab a great cheeseburger at the local café before catching the Lady Express back to Chelan.

Our goal for tonight is to camp near the Grand Coulee Dam.  The dam has created a humongous lake, Lake Roosevelt Recreation Area.  Along the shoreline we find Spring Canyon Campground and set up camp.   It turns out to be one of our all-time favorite campsites.  We overlook the lake and the fee is only $5.00.  It blows our minds.  ONLY FIVE DOLLARS?!$%@#!!!??  Unbelievable.  And it’s only $10 during high season.  We decide we should start an app for the iPhone “Our Favorite Campsites”.

We slice some “Jack & Sarah” ham and cook grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.

Sultan, WA to Lake Chelan, WA

Friday, 4-23-10

We have camped on the Skykomish River and will be driving today along the Cascade Loop.  Our first stop is Wallace Falls in Gold Bar.  We hike the trail and are bummed we were too lazy to carry our tripods as the shadows make photography difficult.  We decide not to do the 3-mile hike to the falls as the sun is rising and becoming too harsh for good photos.

We head onward along the Cascade Loop and stop for lunch at the Bavarian town of Leavenworth (not the prison).  We eat at “Munchen Haus” and order the bratwurst and a beer to share.  It’s good but we wish we had ordered the kilbasa.

We stroll along the sidewalk looking at shops and search for an aebelskiver for dessert (a Dutch pancake thingy).  There are none to be found.  Should we move to Leavenworth and open a thriving aebelskiver business?  Perhaps not.

We continue along the Cascade Loop toward the town of Peshastin.  We are surrounded by gnarly fruit trees with profuse white blossoms.  We’re thinking they might be pears.  We take many photos.  There are miles and miles of these white trees.  Finally we decide they must be the famous Washington apples.  Sure enough we finally see clues:  “Apple Annie Motel”, “The Apple Place”, “Tree Top” apple juice processing plant.

Our route takes us along the magnificent Wanatche River, “the most rafted river in the state of Washington.”  There are deep gorges with turbulent white water.

We continue to Lake Chelan and find a camping site at the City Park.  We set the alarm for 7:30 a.m. for a boat ride up the lake to the remote town of Stehekin  on the Lady Express.  The town is accessible only by floatplane or boat, population 150 if you count summer cottage owners.