December 2010

We are spending the month of December in Yuma, AZ, Del Pueblo RV Resort. We like this park a lot, our neighbors are very friendly, sites are large. They have 2 pools - one used for lap swimming only (kept at a lower temp) and a smaller pool for lilly-pad type swimming and higher temp. I was using the lap pool but it was so cold for me (I don't move fast enough to stay warm) so I switched to the smaller/warmer pool. I've been enjoying it a lot, usually no one else around so I can move around as much as I want to. I haven't taken any photos of the park yet but want to do that before we leave.

Royle's dental work in Algodones, Mexico has been successful. He was planning on dentures but decided to get caps and bridges instead - a new set of teeth without going the denture route. He is enjoying eating again and he has such a nice smile with those new caps.

For Christmas we signed up for a San Diego harbor cruise. A charter bus left Yuma on 12/25 at 9:15 a.m., and arrived back in Yuma at around 8:00 p.m. The harbor cruise included a turkey lunch with all the trimmings-delicious. It was a 2-hour cruise and weather turned out very nice after all the rain they had been having there. Met some very nice people from various places in the U.S. and all of them spending their winter in Yuma.

A couple we met in Ramona several years ago are spending their winter in Yuma (different park) so we've gotten together with them a few times. So much fun to meet up with people we've met in our travels.

This month has gone by so quickly. We will be leaving on Friday (12/31) and heading for Phoenix area. Plan to spend Jan. and Feb. in Happy Trails RV Resort, Surprise, AZ (west of Phoenix).

Here are a few photos of our San Diego Harbor Cruise.

Thanksgiving 2010

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Lots of storms in the NW and glad we were in Indio, CA.

We spent the day with friends who spend their winters in this park (Western Horizon-Indian Waters). He likes to cook; I purchased the turkey & he cooked it. He de-boned it, stuffed it with dressing, tied it up and baked it. So delicious. Of course, we had lots of side dishes too.

It has been cooler than normal in Indio, down to high 30's at night and mid-60's during the day. On Thanksgiving day it was about 64 with a bit of wind but the wind died down at eating time so we were able to eat outside. It really made it a special day.

Joshua Tree National Park

It was 95 degrees yesterday so we decided to take our air-conditioned car on a tour through the Joshua Tree National Park. I love our Nat'l Parks. Lots of beauty for sure. It is so close to Desert Hot Springs, where we are staying, and just a few miles north of I-10. We'll be leaving Desert Pools RV Park on 11/13 and traveling about 12 miles to Indio, Indian Waters RV Park. Both parks are Western Horizon Resort membership parks.

Here are a couple of photos: The Joshua tree in front of popular rock used for rock climbing, the Cholla cactus, a vew from 5185 ft. elev., Keys View, Mary posing for photo.

Desert Hot Springs, CA, 10-23-11/13/2010

We had a nice drive from Bakersfield (Edison) to Desert Hot Springs. Instead of using the freeway and traveling thru heavily populated areas, we continued east on Highway 58 to Barstow and then took Highway 247 south to Joshua Tree and then Highway 62 to Desert Hot Springs. Highway 62 took us right to the Dillion Rd and Desert Pools RV Park. We will be leaving here for Indian Waters RV Park, Indio, CA, on 11/13.

It has been very warm but cools off at night. The resort has 3 hot tubs, water from natural mineral hot springs, and a very warm pool - almost too warm to swim but I've found that it is cooler if I go in right after the water volleyball time. I think they cool the pool down for the volleyball players.

I posted a couple of photos of the view from our RV site and one of the beautiful pool. Love those palm trees.

Orange Grove RV Park, Edison, CA

We stayed at Flag City RV Park in Lodi, CA on 10/21 and last night at the Orange Grove RV Park in Edison, CA - just a few miles E. of Bakersfield. We have been in this park several times but don't ever remember there being oranges on the trees. This year they are filled with green oranges. Guess we will have to stay here in early April and they may still have some ripe ones on the trees. They say the season in Jan-April. We have been here in May and there were a few old ripe ones laying on the ground. The orange trees line the individual sites and groves surround the park. Here are a couple of photos.

Redding, CA

We spent 3 nights in Redding. Friends, Rick & Bev, showed us around the city and took us up the mountain to Burney. They spent 30 years in this beautiful mountain town and now make Redding their winter home. We had wonderful chinese food in Burney with Bev & Rick's daughter & son-in-law.

Redding is a beautiful city. The Sundial Bridge is amazing. It leads to the city's river walk which goes on for miles. Royle & I walked it for 1+ miles to the fish passage. If you are going thru Redding, you must make a stop to see this bridge and park. There is even and I-5 exit leading you to it.

Photos here are: Royle with Rick and Bev on the patio of their new home, a view from the highway leading to Burney, Sundial Bridge and a photo along the river walk.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN - 2010/2011

We left our lot at beautiful Latitude 49 RV Park on 10/11 and only traveled as far as the Tulalip Casino in Marysville. We wanted a short day and they have RV parking with long sites - very good place for overnight parking. Today we will head to Woodburn, OR where we plan to spend 2 nights with trips to Costco and the outlet mall, located right next to the RV park where we will be staying.

We plan to spend the last week of Oct. and the month of November at Desert Hot Springs and Indio, CA (Western Horizon Resorts). Then on to Yuma for the month of Dec.

HOME AGAIN FOR THE SUMMER

Quite a trip home trying to beat the bad weather, including snow. We did make it to the FMCA Rally in Albuquerque. It snowed in Santa Rosa so we spent an extra night there. I-40 was closed for a few hours the morning we had planned to leave. Spent 5 days in Albuquerque and then headed west towards Bakersfield, Lodi, and then west to Highway 101 because of snow storms in the Shasta and Siskiou mountains. We were trying to get home by 4/3 so we could spend Easter with the kids. Marcy and kids met up with us at the rest stop north of Fife. David rode with Royle and I rode in the car with Marcy & Hailey. Steve is doing so much better so he and Debbie were able to come for Easter dinner. There were 7 of us in our coach but it all work out well. I so enjoyed seeing them all again.

Hope you all have a wonderful summer and maybe we'll meet up with you next fall/winter.

ON OUR WAY WEST - TODAY IT IS DALLAS/FT.WORTH AREA

After our month in Foley, AL we spent 2 weeks at the River View RV Park in Vidalia, LA, across the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS. We toured the southern portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway, toured the Civil War Military National Park in Vicksburg, MS and toured 2 of the many mansions in Natchez. According to one of our mansion guides, prior to the Civil War, Natchez had more millionaires than anywhere else in the States. Cotton Plantations brought in the money according to our guide. Now we are making our way west. We are in the Dallas area for 2 nights - KOA Park, exit 449 off I-20. Then we will be making our way to Albuquerque, NM where we will spend a few days at the FMCA Rally and then head north and try to get thru the snowy mtns.

For those of you following our son's health problems, he is expecting to be released from the hospital on Monday. He will continue with antibiotics via a stint. When his surgeon returns (he has been out of town during Steve's week in the hospital), he and Steve will decide the next step - sounds like amputation but we will see, that may change again.

Here are some photos of our time in the Natchez area: Illinois Memorial at the Vicksburg Civil War Military Park and a couple of mansions/halls we toured.

LEAVING FOLEY, AL

First of all, I wanted to give an update on our son, Steve. The surgeon did not want to amputate because of the good blood flow to Steve's foot. Therefore, he ended up just cutting away bone and infection in the foot and was able to save the leg. Steve is feeling optimistic and we are all hoping he begins to feel better.

This morning we are heading to River View RV Park in Vidalia, LA, across the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS. We will be there for 2 weeks and plan to tour more of the Natchez Trace.

On Thursday we went to the Bellingrath Home and Gardens, located southwest of Mobile, AL. The Bellingrath money came from Coca Cola distribution. The house was built in the early 1900's. These photos show the back side of the house (the river side), the gardens and the river dock.

NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM

We went to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL - only about 20-30 miles from our park in Foley, AL. We really enjoyed this museum. The museum is free! That doesn't happen very often. They also have IMAX shows which cost $8/each. We saw the Hurricane on the Bayou and Storm Chasers. Both were very good. I would highly recommend this museum if you are ever in the area.

Our son, Steve, is having amputation surgery on 2/23. Surgeon is cutting at about mid-calf on left leg. He has had an infection in his foot for several years. He thought it had healed but it came back again last fall so all his doctors believe it is best to amputate. He almost made that decision years ago when the infection didn't heal but then all signs showed it had healed. The bones are all broken in that foot and x-rays and all other tests just show pictures that look like mush. Therefore, impossible to see infection. Steve is a juvenile diabetic, has had this disease for 38 years. We all believe he will be better off, and feel better, with prosthetic but it is still very difficult for me to see him go thru this surgery.

FOLEY, AL

The weather here has been awful. Cold, rainy, even a snow forecast for this morning but it is just rain, rain, rain. We thought we would be going to the beach to walk but it has been too cold for that. We made it one day, see photo of Gulf Shores beach - so beautiful. I have been doing a lot of reading. I usually get my daily workout done inside the coach and I try to get a bicycle ride in each day but usually so cold that I don't last long. Oh well, I am sure it will be warmer as we move further west. Locals here say this weather is out of the norm - been hearing that all winter.

TRAVELS WITH MY SISTERS

We spent the last 3 weeks traveling with my sisters and their husbands. We saw a lot in 3 weeks. They arrived on 1/5 and returned on 1/26. During that time we toured Charleston, SC, Asheville, NC, Savannah, GA, Fernandina Beach (east of Jacksonville, FL), St. Augustine FL, Epcot Center & Cape Kennedy, FL. Amazing how much one can see in 3 weeks with 6 people. We all took a lot of photos, I'll put in just a few here.

1) sisters toasting our last night together.
2) Paula Dean's restaurant in Savannah, GA (from FoodTV fame)
3) goofing off under the "twisted sisters" sign in Fernandina Beach
4) Sticky Fingers restaurant in Charleston
5) All of us at a stop on the Charleston tour bus