May 21 to 27:

Saturday:  Parking!

Do you see how wide that parking space is?   I put it right down the middle, and only had one little minor adjustment before it went right in....and the neighbor had taken part of the apron, but I will not let this intimidate me.  Do you see those tire marks? thats the Lake House sliding right into the spot.  Oh yeah CaptDan did a mighty fine job directing, it's a team effort.  About 5 mins after our celebratory high fives the neighbor pulls up in his truck.  After introductions I point out that they might want to give a little more room and he laughs about how his wife just always parks that way, then he sees the tire marks, and start congratulating CaptDan as the best RV parker he has ever seen.  At this point I bring to his attention that I was the parker and he starts exclaiming I am the champion and as another neighbor comes in Randall is bragging on my parking skills....It is pretty awesome to understand how this process works....My but is the back of the wheel, I turn to make my but go the direction I want the wheel to go and it does!  This is why I recommend taking the RVDriving School.

Sunday:  visit with Tina and Roya and collect our mail.  Our realtor had asked for our address in Stockton and while at Tina's we open a box.....what a great gift, the tray and placemats and napkins and a gift card to our favorite camping world.   Thank-you so much Sue!

Next stop Costco: we didn't really think that we would find a replacement door at Costco but, there is this great folding window covers and we talk about it all evening.

Monday: We did some research and find a outlet for the window coverings in Lodi.  So we go on in and talk to the folks about how it works and how much room it needs, and start seriously thinking about this as an option for the bedroom-bathroom door.  We had a little issue with that door before we left Tigard and after taking the door out to repair it and putting it on a scale to find it is 38lbs of wood, we carefully stored it away and figured we would find a solution down the road. After much thought and drawing pictures and trying to come up with any negatives this could bring we shelve the decision. Time to get to Tina's as she is making dinner.  Crockpot lasagna, and it is really good, then we all get comfy for a viewing of Dancing with the Stars.  Thankfully Roya follows  the show and we are going to get to watch the finals.  Tina joins us but only with half her brain cause she will have her finals on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday:   Well after measuring, and remeasuring, and generally just deciding that it would work we decide to order the door.  But first we have to put on a Tri-tip to smoke and I have a potato salad to make.  Tina made a special request for potato salad and a mother needs to fill those requests when possible.  Now I just have to remember how I used to make that salad and go to the store for supplies.  After much cooking and chopping and dicing and more chopping, the salad is in the fridge and CaptDan has the Tri-tip well on its way to perfection.  We can relax a little and reassess the door situation, it will require that we cut into the header above the door opening and do we really want to do that......Yes we really want to cover the opening, and the best part is that we can order this blind with black-out on one side so CaptDan will get to have his dark sleep cave.  We wrap up dinner head over to the blind store, pick out color and find out when they can get it in.  If they call by the 3rd of June we can come get it and pay.  If they don't call by then we will come and pay and Tina will come pick it up and hold it until we return on June 21st.  Good plan.  Back to the Lake House grab food and head to Stockton for dinner with Tina, Roya and her mom.  We had a really nice time and the girls loved the steak and the salad....in fact we left most of the salad with them after we watched the final DWTS and headed home.

Wednesday: The big day has arrived!  Tina is graduating from the Delta College RN Program.  So hard to believe it has been 2 years.  I checked in with her to see how the final went and she got an A  yeah!!  About 5 we go on down to Delta even though Tina said the doors won't open until 6:30.  But first we need a test and find Tea4u and get a really great surprise I had a Grapefruit Royal Tea yummy  CaptDan had a Sweet Pear black tea.   We would never hesitate to stop at this tea shop again.  We catchup with Roya and visit with them and other early arrivals as we wait for the clock to slowly tick on by.  About 6 the crowds are picking up and we are quite content to be sitting at the front of the line.  My daughter in a hat, not a baseball cap mind you, and nurses hat!  The auditorium is pretty full, and after Maureen and Chris arrive I am relaxing.  The ceremony is really nice, and I spend the whole time in tears.  This is a very major accomplishment and I am so proud of Tina.  It's been two long and trying years and she made it to the end.  Now she has a certification test to schedule and then she can begin a new chapter in her life.  Tina Robinson R.N.

Danny Tina and ME

Maureen and Tina

Roya and Tina

Tina and Chris

Thursday:  Pickup Tina and head to Home Depot to look at pavers and pick up supplies for a few small projects at the Condo.  We need to find someone to actually put the pavers in and we will work this out while we are still in the area.

Friday:  CaptDan  got the door frame pulled off and all the broken stucco cleaned out and has the frame ready to go back in tomorrow.  Then he pulled out the old power in the front and after tripping the breaker he cut all the cord and cut the pvc that was buried and figured out what would be needed to add an outside socket to the front of the condo.  Tina and I worked on the back patio and we decided it was time for a run to the dump.  There was just too much stuff to try and add a little to the can every week.  So she and CaptDan finished breaking up the chiminea and bagging the debris and Roya sorted out all the junk in the front and we have our task for tomorrow.

May 14th to 21st  

Saturday:  Tina’s,  we load up all the wall pictures to go to Tina, and the patio set and the ‘home stone’.  We also decide it is laundry day and not every daughter gets to have her mother come home with a bag of laundry to do….Did I say bag?  well we moved a footlocker of clothes and it felt too heavy.  When I open it and smelled mildew I remember this box being under the slide during the rain back in Woodburn.  Obviously we took on some unwanted water and so we just put the whole box in the truck and we’’ll figure it out later.  Tina is just 70 miles down the road.  WE spend a quiet day visiting and treating laundry, and treating more laundry, in the end we salvage about 10 lbs of cloths and leave the other 30 lbs to go in the garbage, no regrets.  and Tina gets to keep the footlocker for her camping gear

Sunday:  Daniel/Sonya/Aiden/Nathan  We had planned a day at the park for Daniel to bring Aiden and Nathan and Sonya and for him to take the bookcases and picture that came down for him.

over to go swimming. And we grilled up some hamburgers.  Those were the best burgers ever. and everyone was happy to go over to the pool.  Aiden had gotten a swim vest since his last pool time and after a little reluctance he warmed up to the idea of swimming and in no time everyone was tossing him around like a hacky sac.  We sent the tired group off and collapsed ourselves.

Monday Pie day.  We should have taken a picture.  Mom told us Machados has the best pies, so we go by and ‘no cherry’  but maybe tomorrow, so we get a Marion Berry. then head over to Moms to see about getting the bamboo screen off her back deck.  

Tuesday:  Pie day part 2. Back to Machados and, “no cherry’  so a mixed berry.  Melanie comes over for a visit and brings Ro and Luci.  These girls take a little warming up to butter but eventually they relax and we have a nice visit.  And a load of yarn is gone, do you know how much yarn weighs?  I am just very glad to see this going to a new home and Mel will see to the distribution of all the yarn to good homes.   Then come 5 we go down to Roseville to RBC (Roseville Brewing Company)  Its share your favorite beer night and we have half a growler of Buttface from the Ram back in Tigard.  I’m thinking if I get really lucky I can score a growler of the Grapefruit IPA before the night is over.  One of the regulars brings in smoked cheese, yummy! and there are snacks to be had.  Dinner at The Draft which is an indoor sports arena and eatery and brew spot.  We were just a bit too late to watch a ball game as the players were heading out as we came in, but the burgers were good.

Wednesday:   Driving School.  From the beginning of this adventure we talked about sharing the driving, but I will admit I felt pretty intimidated by this huge trailer or small house that we were pulling down the road, and I knew I wasn’t going to be parking this monster anywhere.  So I tried to get lessons in Portland before we left but the teacher up there only teaches motor coaches….you know the big greyhound bus sized rigs.  So I knew they had a teacher in the Sacramento area and I got signed up as soon as we arrived in Auburn and today is the day.  Gary Weisz arrived at 9:00 and we had the Lake House all buttoned up and hitched up and ready to go….Well I was a little less then ready, but I was wiling to learn.  I’d had the opportunity in talking with Gary before hand to tell him that downhill really scares me.  I have both feet on the “passenger floor brake” and both hands clenched every time we head down a hill.  He assures me that we will address that before the day is over 4 hrs from now.  So I get the pre-flight checklist and we are buckled in, Capt,Dan and Butter in the back seat and Gary and I up front.  I head out of our beautiful spot with clear instructions from Gary on how to maneuver the beast and how to ease over the speed bumps.  He directs me right to the Auburn airport and I practice making left hand turns in very big blocks around the industrial area at the airport.  After what felt like an hour Gary says we are going to find something more interesting to do and he directs me out and around to some nice back roads until I see a sign reading 12% downgrade…..whooo up.  But I am instructed to drop the truck into 2nd gear and just take it easy,  Go slow and use the brakes to take it 5 mph under where I want to be and let the truck slowly creep back up.  Its a short little hill and I feel all kinds of proud to have made this.  We drive around the back roads for a while and I get quizzed on every underpass….always be aware of bridge heights,  always be aware of those big yellow speed signs because those are “my signs”  A 35 MPH corner is a 30-35 MPH corner for me.  I am too wide, too high, and too heavy to be out on the road.  But I am here and I can drive comfortably and safe.  Gary tells me to head on out to the highway and we hard headed down to Auburn when he tells me to exit on ForestHill road....."you're not taking me out Forest Hill?" I say, and yes, that is where we are going.  Now it is all up and down hills and they are bigger and they are longer and while I feel like I have driven 100 miles it is just about 15 to an old cement plant where Gary can set out cones and I start backing up, first with the cones on the left, then with the cones on the right, then with the cones making a diagonal parking place.  Its really a very interesting process to learn backing up a trailer.....i can see it, and I know that I will eventually get it.  But It is getting on the 1230 and time to head home and learn how to pull through park.  Putting the Lake House back where we were 4 hrs ago and I am exhausted!!! I feel like I have driven for 10 hrs.  Thanks to Gary and see you tomorrows.  We start thinking about food and head over to Sizzler and run into Glenn and Gwen just as the pioneer meeting is breaking up.  We stay and visit for a bit and they come back home with us so they can see the Lake House.  Now Glenn sees why I wanted driving lessons.  We got word from Maureen that Mom's cataract surgery went very well and she is home napping.

  

Thursday:  Driving School part 2  Gary is back at 9 and we are hitched and ready to go.  Another 4 hours but this time we get out on the freeway and I learn to focus on my lane and not the trucks all around me.  Very good advice.  Then its back up to Foresthill and Gary comments that he hasn't had to remind me on speed, or down shifting, or using turn signals....it must all be sinking in.  Back to putting this monster in a park backing up.  Today I ask Gary if I can see this whole process from the outside.  So Captdan gets behind the wheel and he drives and I direct.  This makes it a 50-50 thing, because I need to be able to direct him as well as he directs me.  This process is going pretty well actually and we are told there is no teacher as good as experience, so we are told to just practice whenever possible, and so ends the second day of Driving Class.  Gary Weisz is a terrific instructor and the RVDriving School is something I will recommend to everyone out on the road with an RV.

Oh yeah, and we finally get that cherry pie!  It is the best, except after 4 slices (2 each) the pit count is at 6, that is too many pits.

Friday and our stay in Auburn is drawing to a close.  We go to check in on mom and take 3 boxes to store in her shed.  We are making different decisions every day about what we carry along on this journey and what we leave by the wayside.  This is shopping day, the list of things that have come up over the last 2 weeks needs to be takin care of.  Down the hill to Camping World and we got a fridge fan to prevent cold spots in the fridge.  I got a taller folding step stool so I can reach all the cupboards and some desiccant to take care of the moisture.  Then Harbor Freight for a socket to fit the lugs on the wheel so Captdan can check the torque on occasion.  Then Radio Shack for push on adaptors for the coax so we don't have to deal with old, worn cable connectors.  Costco to fill up the truck and see what the milage is like with 200 miles towing  (8.6mpg)  Then to the Apple store!  I have decided to go Apple.  When I got up in the morning my computer had updated to Windows 10 and I was very unhappy!!  Fought with it for 4 hrs and decided I'm going to Apple, so after a lengthy talk and much comparison I walk out with a new MacBook Pro with a 15" screen and 512GB drive and 16GB memory.  I'm happy....I think!  We assess out stay in Auburn, got almost all the deliveries made, Glenn got a brand new smoker and we told him we want him to practice so there are samples when we come back through.  Daniel got the bookcases, Tina got the pictures and Mel got the yarn, feeling lighter every day.

Saturday and we are up early (well not too early as we are only going 70 miles) and I am driving, this means I am parking also.  we'll see how that goes.

May 7 to 13th.  Auburn.  We arrived at Auburn Gold Country RV park on May 7th, just in time for Mothers day.  So after we got parked, and it is a beautiful site,2 overarching trees to keep our site in shade all day and either side we have 6 ft hedges, and I have to add it is wide enough to park the truck next to the Lake House.
Isn’t this a beautiful spot.  On Mothers day we head down to our favorite Nursery in Loomis, High Hands Nursery and got a gorgeous hanging ball of calibrachoa, all in red and yellow to hang outside moms favorite window.  Then we had over to Raleys to get the ingredients for a Santa Maria Style bar-b-q….without the beans, but Raleys has run out for Tri-tip..so we took a rain check and went back to Auburn and found our steak at Safeway.  Capt Dan got the Traeger out and started it smoking and 4 hrs later we were going to mom’s for dinner.  Now mind you carrying a tray with a freshly grilled steak on you lap is slightly hazardous, all I ended up with was warm meat juice soaking my right pants leg.  The sad part is that was meat juice that should have been soaked up with french bread.  Mom was glad to see us, I think she was sitting at the table with her stick knife none hand ready to go.  We had a great visit and enjoyed all the food right up to the fresh cherry pie that we brought in from Ikeda.  We left mom with enough for a full 2nd meal and headed back to the Lake House.  We only have a 3 mile drive.  When I was getting my pants off Butter was right next to me licking my leg, I’d forgotten about the meat juice, her nose knew right where it was.

Monday we find a local RV shop and see about a new shower water handle, we have been showering at the park showers for 2 weeks now and Capt Dan has a good idea this is a simple fix.  We got the part and some barrel washers (cause these should always be replaced when you work on the plumbing)  A couple of tools, and a reminder to me that (“see I need tools”) about 30 minutes with no swearing and we have a shower with no water leaking down the wall.  Capt Dan is my hero. A nice relaxing day. We checked in on mom, and find she finished her leftovers for lunch, ( guess that tri-tip was a hit!) 

Tuesday is Daniel and Aiden day,  nothing better then a visit from a 2 yr old. 



Aiden wears all three of us out in about an hour,  heck he even wears Butter out.  I want a bottle of that energy.  We take them out to Strings for dinner and just had fun.


Wednesday was RBC  (Roseville Brewing Company)  Before we head down the hill we go over to Tasty Burger, call mom and ask how she likes her burger.  We get 3 to go and join mom for her first tasty burger, and she now knows, its the best burger in Auburn, maybe all northern California.  Then head down the hill to catch up with Glenn and Gwen at their favorite haunt.  Oh and look, its half price night…NICE  I try a grapefruit IPA that is the best summer brew I’v had in a long time, then I try another.  Ethan (1 of G&G.s boys) shows up to join in the visit and that just adds to the fun.  We make plans to go wine tasting in the morning and when they close the pub down we head over to Cafe Delicious, yummy Chili Rellenos!

Thursday Wine tasting in the Shenandoah Valley above Plymouth.  This is a favorite place for Glenn and Gwen and as we approach Plymouth they pull in to a little Deli to order up sandwiches for lunch.  Then off to Sobon Winery.  We are the only guests there and get a great one-on-one tasting with Lone,  lots of laughs and talk of 5th wheels and other rvs and we are loading up a split case between us.   Yeah I know we don’t really need any more wine, but then what does need have to do with anything.  We also get a nice chilled Rose and 4 glasses so we can go out to the picnic area and enjoy the breeze blowing up the valley, and the sandwiches we purchased earlier.  A quick stop at Storey Vineyard and while tasting I get the phone call I have been waiting for.  The house in Tigard is done.  the sale is recorded and the funds are transferred.  I no longer own property in Oregon.  Now I feel like celebrating!  Great time




Friday down to the confluence and a nice drive in the country.  It has been a very long time since I was actually down to the point where the North Fork and the Middle Fork of the American River come together.  We were hoping to find someplace that Butter could get into the water.  Well this wasn’t the place, first of all the rivers are running way to fast for Butter swimming.  The rangers that I talked to let me know there really wasn’t any place for dog swimming.  We started to head for Coloma and katunk!  the “home stone’ had come loose in the bed of the truck.   So we find a place to pull over and decide to head back home and think it is time to make a run to Stockton and start shedding some of the 500plus lbs we had brought down to California.  So back to the park and Butter pouting!  that dog knows how to really pout.


California here we come

May 1st

127 miles and we have crossed back into California.  We stay at Mad River Rapids Rv Park in Arcata.  It wasn't a long drive down the coast but there were a few hills and we have picked up a bit of a shutter in the brakes.  We take it easy our first night, have a really good Mexican dinner and let Chris know we are in Arcata.  I have been looking forward to the chance to meet Chris' girlfriend and we get the chance.  We meet them at the Plaza Grill and get acquainted over a really nice bottle of wine and some steaks.  Picture?  did anyone remember to take a picture?  No.

Two events while at Mad River Rapids:

1.  We got the Lake House Washed.  We had talked about washing her, and we looked into places we could wash her, but it just didn't get done and now 10 months old and the road has been very buggy.  While at Gold Beach we found an RV wash and were going to use it, but when I called Mad River Rapids and asked if they had facilities to wash, they told me we could wash the rig in the park or there was a young man who hires out to wash RVs.  I really liked the sound of this (you did read CaptDans post about his falls).  So the first morning at the Park John come knocking and we agree to a full wash.  That young man showed up with a very tall ladder and all the tools he needed and 3 hours later we had a sparkling clean home. That young man earned his $180 and the best part was we didn't spend 3 days recovering from the process.

2. We take time to meet neighbors.  Some folks pull in across from us and when they start to set up we have to go watch, this is a unique little trailer and we have to see how it goes up.  Jim and Diane are really nice and we just feel like instant friends.  As we chat it turns out that they worked in Aerospace with a classmate and good friend of Dan's, its a small world.  We hope to see them again down the road.

For the RV enthusiasts, this is a TrailManor and it reminded me of a hard side tent trailer, but not.  Jim has to lift inside walls and snaps and Velcro and slide/lift/pull/pop and they get their home set up for a couple of nights and we have a chance to get acquainted.  Jims pride in his trailer is matched by his pride in getting 16-18 mpg.  That is something we will never see.


The next day it is time to deal with the brakes, so we find Les Schwab in Eureka, arrange for some new brakes on the front of the truck and head down the street to get breakfast.  The phone call came in as we finished up, they found a loose hub.  So we walk back to Les Schwab and the hub is really in need of replacing.  Now we walk the other way and find WalMart.  I was looking for some tension rods to help hold the dishes in place.  Its the smallest WalMart and they don't have the size I need.  Oh well we got about 4 miles walking in and 4 hours later the truck is done and CaptDan wants to find a tattoo shop in Arcata to get a very special tattoo in honor of his mom

 

May 4th we pull out of Arcata and head into the heart of the Redwoods 

189 miles and we give the new brakes a test, but more of a test to narrow roads and tight corners.  We dropped of Highway 101 and onto "the Avenue of the Giants".  What an absolutely beautiful drive! The deep shadows, the shades of red and green are breathtaking.  Its been a long time since I was on this road and it wasn't with 39' of 5th wheel behind,  we do find a very wide spot to pull over for a picture, but it also had a big mud hole so we will have to take a hose to the front of our clean home.

We pulled back up onto 101 after about 10 miles, it might be because I was jumping onto CaptDans side of the truck every 90 secs., Some of those old trees are trying to reclaim the road bed, I swear they jumped right out at me.

We did keep the windows rolled down and Butter was sucking in every new smell.

Willits found us ready for some lunch and the exercise of finding a place to park started.  A lumberjacks had a large parking lot, and not a lot or cars, it was 2 o'clock and we figured it was doable.  Had a nice "early bird" dinner and when we came out just the right cars had left and it just took a little jockeying around to get us out and on our way.  The turn off to highway 20 came up and our destination was very near.  Aurora Rv Park and Marina.  Clear Lake proved to be anything but.

This was pretty much what we had for 3 days, the thunder and lightening was pretty impressive on the first day, and we had a little rain everyday.  Butter never minds the rain, especially when she gets to go take a swim.  We just took a somewhat relaxing time here, one afternoon we drove around the west side of the Lake and found a great little shop in Lakeport for Chai and scones.  AWESOME scones  I recommend Angelina's Bakery and Espresso if you ever find yourself in Lakeport and it isn't a Sunday.  We chatted with the server as he was making waffle cones, and we had to take a cinnamon roll for breakfast the next day.  If I had known how good it was we would have taken more then 1.   We did take time to find another hardware store and CaptDan mounted one of our Wine racks.  He took a simple rack from Ikea, fabricated a catch for the neck of the bottle and we now have a travel safe rack for 4 bottles, and another waiting to be mounted down the road. 

We dined out on the last night at the Boathouse grill.  CaptDan says the best fish he has ever had, Red Snapper in a sauce with lemons and capers, it disappeared too fast to get a picture, but I did manage to get one of the strawberry shortcake.

Three days and we are back on the road.  This is sort of the plan, drive a few hours then stay put for three days, after all we are retired.

 

So off to the east side of the Lake and we head into the Valley.  We talked about lunch at our very favorite Mexican Café in Woodland, it really isn't much of a detour and we have some confidence we can find a place to park so we head into Woodland and after circling the block we do find a place to park.  I found this little jewel of a place the last time I took my sister out to lunch as she fought to come back from Chemo.  She lost the fight, and I will always have the memories of sitting here and laughing with Erin and sharing a bowl of chips and salsa.  The Pollo con Mango y Chipotle was just as great as I remember. 

  We finish out our 125 mile drive as we pull into Gold Country RV Park in Auburn.  Now this time we are staying put for a few weeks to visit with family.

 

Oregon Coast

It' time to catch up on our first trip. On April 7th we pulled the Lake House out of storage and move her to Woodburn.  We were set up in the Lake House at Woodburn RV Park for 2 weeks and 2 days.  We spent all that time between the Condo and the Park.  It was chaos for the most part, but in the end we got the Condo on the market, sold and cleared out.  That is not a time I would care to repeat EVER!  As for the condo, it was a great home for 12 years, and in the end the hot real estate market paid off and we got offers after 3 days on the market.  Now we will just wait out the last few weeks until it closes.  As for life in the Lake House, its marvelous.  This was the view on our last ride from Tigard to Woodburn

 

Along I-5 after a quick stop at the Ram for a celebratory Buttface, we are free.  Of coarse we had to take a full day at the park to try and pull together the mess that we would live with until we make it to California. 

 

April 23rd we hitched up and pulled out....we didn't go far on the first run as the Starbucks Chai tea was required to fuel the driver.  140 miles down the road we pulled in at Heceta Beach Rv Park and proceeded to set everything up again.  We planned on a 3 night stay here.  You know what they say about plans.  So we got the jacks down, the slides out, all the utilities connected and I went in to check the plumbing.....ummm the closet door looks very strange.  Checking this out I found that the clothes rod had saged and pulled out of the walls, on further inspection we discover that the clothes pushed forward on the doors and actually pulled the door track off the frame at the top.  Well we begin our education in RV repair much sooner then we wanted to.  Wish I had a picture to show you, no actually I don't, I'd like to forget that time.  We took all the clothes out of the closet and piled them on the couch.  This was just to assess the damage and try to plan the repair.

Butter is helping me assess, CaptDan is busy making the plan.  And that is the pile o'clothes

 

Well 2 days and 5 trips to Copeland lumber and the closet is back together, with screws instead of staples, and the rod has an insert of emt.  Now we decide to extend our stay for 2 days so we can have a little fun time.

Heceta Head Lighthouse, is was an overcast day but we enjoyed the walk up the hill and even got a little whale watching...yes there really are whales out there, it was a mother and calf.  We stopped of at Sea Lion Caves, but decided we really have seen enough sea lions elsewhere: 

 

 

On April 29th we hitched up again and 127 miles later it was time to set her back up at Turtle Rock RV Park in Gold Beach OR.  nice park in view of the ocean, on the bank of a creek and our first walk to the beach we are greeted by

Turtle Rock!

 

We had a little rain, a little wind, took a short drive up the Rogue River, sorted out a few more boxes, and even made a Goodwill drop (the closet is looking better all the time)

on the Rogue River