OK! That's enough snow .... REALLY!

These first two were taken 12/22/08


Christmas day 2008.  I'm sitting in my bedroom on the second floor of our apartment and it is snowing again.  We have already had several inches of snow, then some ice, then more snow.  Even though the measurement in the front yard is only 7 inches it is now packed down and I estimate that we have had at least 14 inches in the last several days.  

Saturday December 27 th - The snow is finally starting to give way to the rain and the air temperature in about 45 degrees.  After over a week of sub-freezing temperatures it actually feels almost balmy.  The sidewalks are still mostly covered in snow and ice so walking is diffucult but it is better than sitting at home doing nothing.

We finally received our fair share of snow ...

Over the last few days it has been snowing off and on but yesterday we got dumpped on. I measured the snow in front of our apartmet where there was no drifting and it was right at 6". Last night there was some freezing rain on top of the snow but today it is just a light snow once again.

Burrrrrr... it's cold out there

Yesterday the cold front moved through and we got our first shot of snow; about 2 inches in most areas. For a while it was near blizzard conditions here on the southeast side of Vancouver, Washington. I was brave enough to stick my camera out the front door for this shot.

Today the wind is still whipping the trees and the snow around but the sky is clear and the sun feels good as long as you are out of the wind. Our high right now is 27° and our low is expected to be about 17°. The cold is expected to stay with us for 7 to 10 days and there is the possibility of more snow on Wednesday and again on Friday or Saturday. I probably won't make an attempt to go out for photos until we get a good dose of snow.

Storm warnings ...

Yesterday the storm started moving in from the southwest. I walked down to the Columbia River and watched it rolling in while a captured a few images. I put my camera away just as it started to rain a bit. By the time I got back home (appx 1 mile) I was pretty wet but I'm happy with the images I got.

This morning I decided to take a walk and get some coffee and treat myself to something sweet so I walked up to my the Pranzo Cafe, again about 1 mile, and the sign across the way at Bally's says the temp is 37°... no wonder my hands are so cold. But it is refreshing... just so long as I have somewhere I can warm up later.

The weatherman is still predicting snow for the next two days ... we'll see.

Here come da fridge ... here come da fridge ...

Weather. Everybody talks about it ... period. Our fall has been uneventful, dryer than usual and temperatures about normal. However, all the news stations are predicting sub freezing weather with a chance of snow down here on the valley floor. Our elevation is only about 500 feet so we normally get very little snow. The last "great snowfall" was in the winter of 1968. When we do get snow it usually only sticks around a few days before a warm front blows in from the Pacific Ocean and brings us back to the mild rainy winter that we are used to. If we do get any accumulation of snow I will be sure to post photos with my next entry. Until then, stay warm, stay safe and be just as happy as you want to be.

November in the Great NorthWet

It has been a while since my last posting, so here is an update.

Since arriving back in Vancouver I have been reorganizing my "stuff" and getting ready for the next leg in my journey. It will not, however, include Old Silverback as it is now ready for the junk pile. It served me well and was a fun ride, much like my old '46 Harley Trike was back in 1992.

I have added to my arsenal the new Nikon D90 with a nice zoom lens (18-105). It is a remarkable camera and I am, once again, in love with photography.

As always, my plans remain flexible and I am just waiting for my first opportunity to skip this cold, wet weather and head for Mexico. It will, I hope, be within the next month or two.

Home again ...

I made it to Crescent City, CA Monday evening and spent a chilly night at an RV park. I left early in the morning heading for Grant's Pass as the coast was very foggy. I arrived in Vancouver yesterday at about 2 pm and spent some time with my grandson Kris and started unpacking the van.
It was a fun time on the road but now it is time for a break before "Round 2".

Anyone up for lunch?

Almost home ...

I had a very nice visit in Santa Barbara but it is time to get home for a few days. I left SB yesterday at about 2 pm and drove straight through San Francisco at about 10 pm on US 101. I made it as far as Santa Rosa where I spent a short night then headed north after breakfast. I am now in Crescent City, CA for the night and tomorrow I will head for Grant's Pass and home via I-5. The weather is cold and damp so I'm passing on the beach route for now. I need to get home and reorganize before I can start leg 2 of my journey.

Wine tasting...

Yesterday was wine tasting day. Ginger and I took in the Firestone Winery and the Wild Heart Winery. Afterward we went to the Cold Springs Tavern for delicious BBQ Ribs and were entertained by Sean Wiggins. She has a powerful style and the fun she has on stage is infectious. There is a lot of history at the Cold Springs Tavern too.

http://www.coldspringtavern.com/

http://seanwiggins.com/

Santa Barbara, CA

Saint Barbara, patron saint of Artillerymen

I arrived in Santa Barbara yesterday at noon and had lunch with our dear friend Ginger Swanson. We talked for a couple of hours and then made our way to the residence she is caretaking for her friends while she is working on her masters degree. Last night we went to her yoga class and by the end of the session I realized that I have slacked off and need to get back to my routine. I really enjoy both yoga and tai chi. Ginger has kindly invited me to stay in the guest room and I have freedom to walk through the grounds which are beutifully decorated with statues, gardens and even an ampetheater. Later today I will take in the beach and view the old mission. This is a lovely area and is know as America's Riviera.

Life in SoCal ...

As I drove down into Los Angeles from the Mojave Desert on Monday I could see the forest fire ahead and to the east of the highway. That night we could see the glow of the fire against the night sky from Don's home in North Hollywood. Fortunately we are well out of harm's way.

I've been doing the "tourist thing" while visiting SoCal. Boyd and Don have been good tour guides and we have had some fine dining experiences. The air is still a bit hazy due to the forest fires nearby but all in all it's not too bad. Tonight I will take Boyd to the airport so he can get back to Portland and in the morning I will head to Santa Barbara for lunch with our friend Ginger. Then I will continue up 101/US 1 (as much as I can) to enjoy the California and Oregon coast line. I'm looking forward to seeing the Redwood Forest and the southern Oregon coast for the first time. I'm also looking forward to getting home to reorganize and spend some time with Jaimee and Kris before I decide what I will do next. There are so many options....

Burrrr ... it's a chilly wind

Lake Havasu to Barstow, CA

Last night in Lake Havasu City the wind continued to blow from the north and was pretty chilly. I left fairly early and drove to Laughlin, NV as once again it was one of my dads favorite places. It has probably changed more than any of the other places I have visited as everything looks pretty new. I gave in to my urge to throw some money at the slots and the result was predictable. No big loss and it was entertaining for the afternoon. I left Laughlin and made it to Barstow and the north wind is still blowing strong and cool so it will probably be a chilly night.

Hot sun, cool breeze ....

Last nitght the wind changed from the southerly to northerly and it is definitely cooler.

This morning I took a drive around Lake Havasu City and there are lots of homes for sale and lots of lots ready to build on. (I found this 3 br 2 ba with a two car garage for $171 k).











(The shot above is looking down on the lake about 3 miles away)

There are shops, chain restaurants and taverns galore to choose from. The three main themes I see are boats, cars and food. There is a ferry to take you across the lake to gamble in Nevada if you want. And lots of sun!!!
There are plenty of active retirees and the lake attracts the 30 something catagory too. During "Spring Break" the place is a zoo (from what I hear tell) but since the lake is about 90 miles long there's enough room for everyone.

Welcome to Quartzsite - The Gathering Place ...

Timeing is everything and I'm about 2 weeks early. Quartzsite is mostly RV Parks that fill to overflowing with swapper, traders and collectors. This is where the Snowbirds gather around Nov 1st and the place is hopping all through the winter months. Right now, it's dead! Today the high temperature was 96 and right now it is 9 pm and 86 degrees. Thank goodness their is a nice breeze out of the south, southwest and it makes it bearable. Tomorrow I'm heading for Lake Havasu and they promise that the temps should be in the 80's.

I want to take a moment to talk about critters. From ants to scorpions, from flys to mosquitos. It seems that no matter where I have gone there have been critters to deal with. I got invaded by Brazillian ants in Florida and just now got rid of the last of them (they had made a home in the insulation lining of my cooler). Mosquitos in Canada and Florida drove me crazy. Scorpions and spiders from Texas to Arizona. Flys in Texas and New Mexico. However, I don't remember any problem critters in Kanab. Maybe it was just another timeing thing. We'll just have to wait and see.

Alpine to El Paso

I left Williams yesterday and headed to Sedona by the SW route. It was amazing coming into the Verde Valley from such a height but I did make it to Sedona. It was, unfortunately, not a good time to visit as there is a major road construction project going on and every time I tried to go somewhere I got caught up in it.

I decided to find a campground and was guided to one that was way up the valley toward Flagstaff. I chose a campsite that was away from most others and still near the outhouse. I was sitting outside the van reading and noticed it was getting cold and thought of going inside when a nice family invited me to join them by their campfire. I jumped at the opportunity and grabbed my chair to join them. Mom is Jamie (and it just so happens that her fathers name is James), son Keegan and daughter Bailey. They were so much fun to visit with and we talked for quite some time. They invited me to join them for breakfast (al la whatever) and in the morning we again had a fun time sharing each others company. They are a wonderful family and they made me feel right at home in a strange place. THANK YOU ALL.

And thank you Keegan for helping me with my redneck fire alarm :)

I went back through Sedona and was going to spend sometime in the art district but there was just no place to park and wound up back in the midst of the construction traffic. I just followed my nose from there and wound up heading south. I missed the turn to Monazuma's Castle so I just kept going toward Phoenix and then headed west until I got to Quartzsite where I am going to spend a couple of days before I head for Lake Havasu.

Another wonderful day ...

Looking back on Kanab

I left Kanab this morning about 10 am and headed south on Hwy 67 toward the Grand Canyon. I did not realize that the pass would go to an elevation of almost 8,000 feet in a fairly short distance (just the sort of thing that Old Silverback does not do well at).

But we made it and then headed down through the Vermillion Hills to the Navajo Bridge that crosses the Colorado River.

I arrived at the canyon at about 1 pm and got some pretty good shots. It was an impressive sight, but the people, Oh! the people!!! I finished my tour by about 6 pm and now I'm in Williams, AZ and thinking about where to go next. So many choices ...

What a wonderful day ...

The trailhead ...

Yesterday's storm has passed and the morning is cool, about 57 degrees. After a light breakfast I hiked into town, through the city park to the trailhead of Squaw Trail. The hike was about 3 hours (1.5 miles and 1,000 feet elevation). Along the way there were really neat designs made with loose stones in traditional and non traditional designs. I believe they were the work of the boy scouts who have just finished a project of identification posts along the way that point out unique features, flora and general information.

Looking down on Kanab (west side) not quite all the way to the top.

The scenery was fantastic all the way up and all the way down. When I got to the top I went over the crest to find I had a view of the Grand Staircase - Escalente. WOW!!

The Grand Staircase - Escalente

When I returned I went to the BLM Visitor's Information Center and met Liz Kolle who was extreemly helpful with information and a great listener. Her suggestion that I write a book about following my father's trail was something I had been thinking about for a while but since I'm not a good writer I will leave that up to my darling daughter Jaimee.

I grabbed a quick lunch at Wendy's and then went to the golf course to play 9 holes. The weather was perfect for it (by now in the mid 70's) and the sun was nicely warm. It is a very nice course and the views are wonderful (I should have taken my camera but it would have taken me too long to get through the game).

It looks as though the rain has scoured the haze from the air so tomorrow I will head back to he Grand Canyon south rim. I have been told that I should not attempt the north rim south of Kanab because the road is in real bad shape. Better safe than sorry, I guess.?.

I am not looking forward to leaving Kanab. It is so perfect in so many ways. I will do more checking to see if this is a possibility for my new "home base". Who knows ...

Utah's "Little Hollywood"

Kanab is known as Utah's "Little Hollywood" due to its history as a filming location for western movies and several television shows. The locals are proud of their heritage and there are placks all along the main drag telling of the many stars who were in westerns filmed in Kanab. My dad always liked to mingle with the crews when they were in town but was never overly impressed with the stars.

This morning I woke to a light drizzle which quickly changed to a steady rain and a cold wind. It lasted until 1 pm but it is still cold and overcast. That has put my hike on hold as it is just not conducive to good photography. The one possible good note is that it may clear the haze in the air and allow me to get some really good photos of the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

My father's trail ...

Kanab, Utah

A big part of this road trip has been to follow my father's trail, or in his footsteps, as it were. I wanted to know why he loved Kanab and now I know. Just like Alpine, Texas it is a small town, full of friendly people and surrounded by beautiful hills with an almost magical quality to them.

This morning it was quite overcast so I took the opportunity to walk around the downtown area. I stopped at Linda Lea's Cafe where I had breakfast and coffe at the "old boy's" table. They welcomed me to sit and chat and I asked about my father's friend Virgil Riggs but nobody knew of him. Then I went down a little side street to the newspaper office but they were all new to the area. Right next door was a little bookstore and the man there knew of Virgil and his wife Gladys. Virgil had passed away several years ago but Gladys still lives in town so I took a walk to her house, unannounced, and introduced myself. We had a nice visit and she had many nice things to say about my dad. The nicest thing she said was that nobody ever said an unkind word about him. She told me where to find the old bakery/cafe that Virgil ran when my dad worked for him. It is now a T-shirt shop but the trim around the door and under the windows are still decorated with the many pieces of petrified wood that my dad picked up along the way. There are also many such pieces in Gladys' garden at her front door.












The old Kanab Hotel is now a photo shop/studio and the owner gave me some tips on places to visit. One such place is the old movie set about 15 miles out of town up Johnson's Canyon. The set was used for some movies before it was used in the early episodes of Gunsmoke.












Above that point is the Grand Staircase- Escalante, and it afforded me some awesome views. I'm afraid that my camera did not do the area justice. There were several times I wish that I had a horse and a pair of wire cutters.






The the afternoon was beautiful but the weather is still a little unsettled so I'll give it a chance to blow over before I leave town and try again for the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Tomorrow I hope to view the north rim which is just south of Kanab.


Behind the famous Parry Lodge (where the movie stars stay) there is an old barn that has been turned into a playhouse and movie theater. Every night at 8 pm they show a movie - FREE. It is always one of the old westerns where at least some of the filming was done in Kanab.

On the road again ...

I got Old Silverback taken care of and I'm back on the road. Since there is a 3,000 foot difference between Sedona and Flagstaff, and the van doesn't like climbing to high elevations, I decided to leave Sedona for another time, and another vehicle. I was on my way to the Grand Canyon but the air is very hazy and clouds are moving in.

I by passed the canyon in favor of a visit to Kanab, UT where my father used to hang out. Once again, visiting a place that he loved, I understand why. It is a beautiful area, a small town and the folks are very friendly. I will probably hang around here for a couple of days as there are lots of great photo-ops. I will return to the area around the Grand Canyon and perhaps the air will have cleared in the next few days.

Sedona will have to wait ...

I started out for Sedona this morning but Old Silverback was giving me some trouble so I limped back to the KOA to check it out and sure enough it looks like I need to replace the fuel filter AGAIN. At least I have a nice quiet place to work on it and plenty of time too. So after the fix I will give it a road test and if it's good then I'll head for Sedona. I must say that I have had very little trouble along the way especially since I have now logged over 12,000 miles.

Another fine site to behold ...

This morning I left Winslow and stopped at the Meteor Crater. It was a very rewarding experience. Much like Crater Lake, the size is deceptive. I don't usually take guided tours because they can be so dry but this time I took the chance and was pleasantly surprised. Our guide was Edwardo and he was not only knowledgeable but also very entertaining. We took a short hike around a small part of the rim and the whole thing took about an hour that was very well worth it.

I spent some more time at the viewing platform that was not part of the tour and then headed to Flagstaff. I found a nice KOA and took an early break from the road. Tomorrow morning I am heading for the Sedona area to see what awaits me there.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about ....

Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park - WOW !!! It took me almost 5 hours to travel the 25 miles from one end of the park to the other. I stopped at almost every view point and there were plenty of them. I got some sun and did some walking. It was all good. I mean, really good. I am looking forward to the Grand Canyon now more than ever.

This is one of my favorite shots. I call it "The People of the Canyon" (Click on the image to enlarge it)

Disappointment ...

http://www.lafondasantafe.com/?s_kwcid=la%20fonda1013481961&gclid=CMyTrualgZYCFQMQswodHjblEA

Disappointment. That's the only word for it. I should have concidered my sources when I took the advice of people saying that Santa Fe was a "must see". Santa Fe reminds me of what happened to Sisters, Oregon only to a much greater extent. It was a beautiful little spot to visit and get away from it all. Now, both places are a big money shoppers haven. Everything caters to the wealthy. I never felt so out of place in all my life. The difference between the "haves" and the "have nots" is over whelming. I'll never go back there again.

One long drive ... and a short putt.

Research. Sometimes it pays off when you do it. Sometimes it pays off when you don't.

I did not do any research on Santa Fe. I only listened to several folks who said that it is a "must see" destination. Had I know in advance that the elevation was over 7,000 feet I might not have attempted it. You see, Old Silverback doesn't like hills and I was honestly just about ready to turn around and go back to Albuquerque, but I pushed on and we made it (it wa like trying to use a putter on a long par 5). I will spend the day in old town Santa Fe, soaking up whatever they have to offer.

The scenery along the way was beautiful and at times you could see for about 20 miles ahead. The air is cool and the sun is warm. It is good to walk around in these conditions.

Alpine to El Paso

I am currently straddling two states; Texas and New Mexico. I'm right between El Paso and Las Cruces. The drive from Ft Stockton to Alpine to here was half boring and half breath-taking.
Miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.

I now understand my fathers fascination with Alpine. The elevation is about 4500 feet and has beautiful hills all around. With the help of Melleta Bell who is theSr. Archivist at the Sul Ross University library I found the old Circle W

It has gone through many changes since the 1950's. It was a shop that sold cactus jelly, then it was an art studio, then it became a residence. It is for sale but I think it would take an awful lot of work to put it into any kind of shape. It was good to go back.
And I did manage to get in 9 holes before I left town.
El Paso is much larger than I thought it would be. At one point on the freeway I was close enough to Mexico to throw a pop can across the border. I will spend the night here and leave early for Santa Fe. I have no idea what to expect from this visit.

Texas is a big state ....

Austin, Texas; I had a very nice afternoon in Austin walking up and down the streets and around the capitol grounds. I even took a short guided tour inside the capitol building. I found the Texas State History Museum but decided to keep that for another day as it is a very large building.

Afterward I met with my old friend from my days in the Air Force, Jose Antu. We had dinner and caught up on what's been happening in our lives these last 39 years. Angie had prepared a delightful dessert for us and we spent the evening chatting away. I stayed the night in their guest room and hit the road early this morning.

I am now at an RV park just outside of Ft Stockton, TX. I am on my way to Alpine, TX where my dad ran a restaurant when I was about 5 years old and I remember it well. I understand that the building is still standing although it is now a store that sells cactus jelly.

From there I plan to head to Santa Fe, NM.

Fishing and playing tourist ...

I had a wonderful stay with Neal and Linda and even got in some fishing. I didn't catch anything but as Neal said "If you caught something every time it would be called "catching" not "fishing".
I bid farewell this morning heading to San Antonio.

Happy second wedding anniversary to a wonderful couple, and a wonderful couple of friends.

I spent the afternoon enjoying the Alamo and the river front walk. This was my first visit to San Antonio since I was in the Air Force in 1966. Much has changed and mostly for the better I believe. The river walk is now wall to wall restaurants and shops but it is much safer than it was way back then(crime wise).



I am staying the night at an RV park on the south side of Austin and will go into the city tomorrow to play tourist again. I hope to be able to join my old friends Jose and Angie for dinner as I haven't seen them since I left Florida for Oregon.