Sunday: Drove across border of Calif from Tahoe into Nevada. We drove up to 7300' and then down into the central Sierra Valley. Lots of agricultural fields, even at 5000'.
I didn't know Calif had such desolate territories, with two lane roads to get you across- eastern side, and then into Nevada.
So many places had sign about the Washoe Indians. I had never heard of their tribe. Drove as high as 8138', saw 2 large lakes and then desolate. Then drove 2-1/2 hrs before seeing anything.
Arrived in Las Vegas and stayed at the Sunset Station casino, which isn't on the Strip. They had given us a AAA discount, so the total was $49. When we registered she said they had upgraded us to a suite. Great. Well, it was 800-900 sq feet! Was obviously a business suite, with a large bar, 1-1/2 baths, nice furniture and decor. Too bad we were only there one night. Had a nice visit with our friends, sister and brother-in-law.
Monday
Uneventful drive to my sister's. After dinner we decided to drive home the 2 hours. Good to be gone, but good to be home!
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Saturday-Riding the Virginia-Truckee Railroad
After everyone boarded, the conductor said "Please turn off your cell phones. They affect the navigational system!"
The railroad runs from Carson City, NV. to Virginia City, NV. It is 17 miles between towns, but the rail line is 21 miles. The railroads were built in 1869 because of the gold mines in the area. They soon became very beneficial in hauling goods of all types.
A family owns it now. This engine number 18 starred in the movie Water For Elephants.
Getting to Gold Hill involves a 19% turn. We saw a buck deer and several wild Mustangs.
It took almost 1-1/2 hours to get to Virginia City-this is where the old television show called Bonanza was filmed. The town is full of old buildings, of course, which now house casinos, restaurants, and shops.
We ate lunch in a restaurant called the Sawdust Corners.
We will leave in the morning to drive to Las Vegas. While there we'll have dinner with our friends, Penny and Ray, who were our Air Force friends in 1969 and 1970 and with whom we've stayed in touch. Then the next day to Phoenix and home on Tuesday. It has been a fun 3 weeks!
The railroad runs from Carson City, NV. to Virginia City, NV. It is 17 miles between towns, but the rail line is 21 miles. The railroads were built in 1869 because of the gold mines in the area. They soon became very beneficial in hauling goods of all types.
A family owns it now. This engine number 18 starred in the movie Water For Elephants.
Getting to Gold Hill involves a 19% turn. We saw a buck deer and several wild Mustangs.
It took almost 1-1/2 hours to get to Virginia City-this is where the old television show called Bonanza was filmed. The town is full of old buildings, of course, which now house casinos, restaurants, and shops.
We ate lunch in a restaurant called the Sawdust Corners.
We will leave in the morning to drive to Las Vegas. While there we'll have dinner with our friends, Penny and Ray, who were our Air Force friends in 1969 and 1970 and with whom we've stayed in touch. Then the next day to Phoenix and home on Tuesday. It has been a fun 3 weeks!
Friday, July 25, 2014
Friday in Tahoe area
Today we drove 40 minutes to Carson City, NV. On the way there is a very tall boulder along side of the highway that has a flag on the top. On the fence below are two signs: Support our troops and a yellow ribbon, and All gave some and some gave all.
In town, there is a huge flag on a hill-can't tell if it is made from stones, or what.
We drove around a few blocks to see very old houses and the governor's mansion, built in 1906. My sister and I had planned to go to a tearoom, but it has closed, so the guys dropped us off at a small mall while they went through the Nevada State railroad museum.
Then the others went to a wooden boat show. There were 85 rare boats, dating from the 1920's to the 50's. Not sure on the first photo but the Cris Craft was built in 1930, used extensively for years and finally restored to its present condition.
After looking at all the fine old boats we stopped by one of the locations where folks were displaying their cars for Hot August Nights. Ya, I know its not August yet but this weekend starts the "Big Show."
Tomorrow we head back to Carson City for a day-long steam train ride from Carson City to Virginia City on the Virginia and Truckee RR. Looking forward to that.
In town, there is a huge flag on a hill-can't tell if it is made from stones, or what.
We drove around a few blocks to see very old houses and the governor's mansion, built in 1906. My sister and I had planned to go to a tearoom, but it has closed, so the guys dropped us off at a small mall while they went through the Nevada State railroad museum.
Back to Tahoe. The Nv/Cal state line crosses a street. All the casinos are on the NV side, of course. One casino was built on the line, allowing gambling only to take place in half of it,
Then the others went to a wooden boat show. There were 85 rare boats, dating from the 1920's to the 50's. Not sure on the first photo but the Cris Craft was built in 1930, used extensively for years and finally restored to its present condition.
After looking at all the fine old boats we stopped by one of the locations where folks were displaying their cars for Hot August Nights. Ya, I know its not August yet but this weekend starts the "Big Show."
Tomorrow we head back to Carson City for a day-long steam train ride from Carson City to Virginia City on the Virginia and Truckee RR. Looking forward to that.
Wed. around Tahoe and Thurs on a boat cruise on Lake Tahoe
Wednesday was a relaxing day where we went to a factory stores outlet mall that only has 4 stores remaining and to another shopping area to have an appetizer and beer at a brewery. There is a gondola ride there that cost $41 per person. The cars kept going up and down-99% of them empty. We've also seen larger gondola cars move at the ski slope close to our resort.
The roof of the resort has tennis court, chairs, etc., but it has been a little too windy today to sit there.
Thursday
Relaxed in the condo this morning and then down to the pier to catch the Tahoe Queen-a diesel-powered sternwheeler that was built in Lacrosse, WI. It has 4 timbers called spuds, that drop down instead of anchors, which allows the boat to get into very shallow waters. The water is only 10' deep where she is docked. They never have to tie her down.
While we were waiting to board, Mark Twain walked on board. I said I wanted a picture with him for my book club. He said ok, and I also told him the story about when I was in the 6th grade, my teacher had me read one chapter per morning from Huckleberry Finn. I credit her with giving me confidence to speak in front of people, which I did many times at church, as a liturgist, at large professional meetings, etc. He thought was a neat story and said last year a woman told him her father had been a college literature teacher and asked that a copy of Huckleberry Finn lay on his chest when he was buried.
The Captain and Mark Twain took turns giving us information during much of the 2-1/2 hour ride. I have already written much of it in Tuesday's blog. The coldest part of the water gets to 39 degrees.
None of it ever freezes. The surface temperature around the shorelines can reach about 70 degrees.
A golf tournament just ended and the man who won was a former soldier who lost a leg in Iraq.
The first person to swim across the lake was a woman. It was 12 miles and took her 23 hours. Her pilot boat lost sight of her for several hours during the night! She lost one pound per mile.
The lake basically has no bottom. As I mentioned before, Nevada and California state lines are within the lake. The water flows clear to Virginia City inside lava tubes. Driving distance from Tahoe to V.C. is 42 miles.
We passed a boat camp in Emerald Bay. Campers unload their supplies on the pier, then moor their boat in the water and swim, kayak, or use a dinghy to get back to shore. He said the sites are very nice and each has a bear box. There are black bears in the area, though they are usually various colors of brown. Campers must keep all food and any sweet-smelling items, such as toothpaste, deodorant, etc., in the box.
We saw a few osprey. This one in flight a some in their nests. Their wingspan is about 4'. They build nests in the tops of dead trees so it is easier for them to see the fish in the crystal clear water.
Tom picked out this man on a rock with his powerful lens.
Eagles migrate here from Alaska, though there is winter here. But, I'm sure, much milder than in many parts of the northern state.
Mark Twain moved here in 1861 when he no longer had work on the Mississippi because of the Civil War. The trip took 20 days on an overland stage. He lived with some other men in a timber camp. At that time only about 15 people lived around the lake.
He said "If a man doesn't read a good book, he is no better off than a man who can't."
Nevada's gambling history
The first gambling was a prizefight for which 4,000 people traveled from all over. People decided that if that many would come for a fight, many more would probably come for roulette gambling, to get married, divorced, etc. Gambling was legalized in 1931. Mr. Harrah chased the mob out of the area. Many wonder if some members are in the lake. Jack Cousteau's son once dived in the lake and said people don't want to know what's down there! Harrah once had a collection of 1,400 cars, yet Bill Cosby gave him another one. Tom and Bob toured the Harrah Collection in Reno, which houses some of them.
It was a perfect day with totally blue skies, 81 degrees, and no wind. We've been on boat cruises that were a little more interesting because there was so much on shore to see, unlike on this lake. This is a house that a Scandanavian woman had built from local stone. She had stained glass windows shipped from her country. It took only 6 weeks to build it. It now serves as a tea room. The walk down to it is 1-1/2 miles, and, Mark Twain said, it seems like 5 miles back up.
I should have asked the captain if building isn't allowed around parts of the lake, and didn't find any information on Google.
This is a view of the ski resort near our timeshare. This run is called the gun barrel. This is only about one third of the way up the mountain. Tonight there was a wedding at the top. The man said there are many of them up there in the summers.
The roof of the resort has tennis court, chairs, etc., but it has been a little too windy today to sit there.
Thursday
Relaxed in the condo this morning and then down to the pier to catch the Tahoe Queen-a diesel-powered sternwheeler that was built in Lacrosse, WI. It has 4 timbers called spuds, that drop down instead of anchors, which allows the boat to get into very shallow waters. The water is only 10' deep where she is docked. They never have to tie her down.
While we were waiting to board, Mark Twain walked on board. I said I wanted a picture with him for my book club. He said ok, and I also told him the story about when I was in the 6th grade, my teacher had me read one chapter per morning from Huckleberry Finn. I credit her with giving me confidence to speak in front of people, which I did many times at church, as a liturgist, at large professional meetings, etc. He thought was a neat story and said last year a woman told him her father had been a college literature teacher and asked that a copy of Huckleberry Finn lay on his chest when he was buried.
The Captain and Mark Twain took turns giving us information during much of the 2-1/2 hour ride. I have already written much of it in Tuesday's blog. The coldest part of the water gets to 39 degrees.
None of it ever freezes. The surface temperature around the shorelines can reach about 70 degrees.
A golf tournament just ended and the man who won was a former soldier who lost a leg in Iraq.
The first person to swim across the lake was a woman. It was 12 miles and took her 23 hours. Her pilot boat lost sight of her for several hours during the night! She lost one pound per mile.
The lake basically has no bottom. As I mentioned before, Nevada and California state lines are within the lake. The water flows clear to Virginia City inside lava tubes. Driving distance from Tahoe to V.C. is 42 miles.
We passed a boat camp in Emerald Bay. Campers unload their supplies on the pier, then moor their boat in the water and swim, kayak, or use a dinghy to get back to shore. He said the sites are very nice and each has a bear box. There are black bears in the area, though they are usually various colors of brown. Campers must keep all food and any sweet-smelling items, such as toothpaste, deodorant, etc., in the box.
We saw a few osprey. This one in flight a some in their nests. Their wingspan is about 4'. They build nests in the tops of dead trees so it is easier for them to see the fish in the crystal clear water.
Eagles migrate here from Alaska, though there is winter here. But, I'm sure, much milder than in many parts of the northern state.
Mark Twain moved here in 1861 when he no longer had work on the Mississippi because of the Civil War. The trip took 20 days on an overland stage. He lived with some other men in a timber camp. At that time only about 15 people lived around the lake.
He said "If a man doesn't read a good book, he is no better off than a man who can't."
Nevada's gambling history
The first gambling was a prizefight for which 4,000 people traveled from all over. People decided that if that many would come for a fight, many more would probably come for roulette gambling, to get married, divorced, etc. Gambling was legalized in 1931. Mr. Harrah chased the mob out of the area. Many wonder if some members are in the lake. Jack Cousteau's son once dived in the lake and said people don't want to know what's down there! Harrah once had a collection of 1,400 cars, yet Bill Cosby gave him another one. Tom and Bob toured the Harrah Collection in Reno, which houses some of them.
It was a perfect day with totally blue skies, 81 degrees, and no wind. We've been on boat cruises that were a little more interesting because there was so much on shore to see, unlike on this lake. This is a house that a Scandanavian woman had built from local stone. She had stained glass windows shipped from her country. It took only 6 weeks to build it. It now serves as a tea room. The walk down to it is 1-1/2 miles, and, Mark Twain said, it seems like 5 miles back up.
I should have asked the captain if building isn't allowed around parts of the lake, and didn't find any information on Google.
This is a view of the ski resort near our timeshare. This run is called the gun barrel. This is only about one third of the way up the mountain. Tonight there was a wedding at the top. The man said there are many of them up there in the summers.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
July 22 - Tuesday around Lake Tahoe
We drove all around the lake: 71 miles of shoreline. The line between Nevada and California is within the lake! California has 42 miles of shoreline and Nevada has 292. The average depth is 989 feet, with the deepest section being 1645.
The Panama Canal averages 700' in width and 50' in depth, yet such a canal could be filled by Tahoe's waters and extend completely around the world at the Equator, with enough remaining in the lake to fill another canal of the same width and depth from San Francisco to New York!
Our first stop was at the Tallac Historic Site. There are 3 mansions here. We toured the one that is the museum. In the 1800's a woman owned the lakefront land. Eventually she gave it to her daughter, who had a log home built, "sparing no expense." It is really nice, with a big rock fireplace in the main room. views of the lake from the windows, etc. There is a kitchen, butler's pantry, bedrooms. A "new" Maytag wringer washer, with instruction card, still sits in the laundry room, along with tubs, washboards, etc. The pantry and kitchen still hold all the pans, utensils, etc.
The site was deeded to the Federal Government in 1967. The area is covered with lodge pole pines and Jack pines. Linda and I picked up several of the very large pinecones to have for Christmas decorations. They aren't something we see in southern AZ. This is my sister, Linda, and brother-in-law, Bob.
The next stop was at Inspiration Point on Emerald Bay. It was originally called Eagle Bay because of all the eagles there. It measures 1 x 3 miles. One very tall pine tree had long cones hanging from it and must have been a different kind than at Tallac. They had a wide, very long cone from a sugar pine on display, and maybe that's what that tree was. However, it was out on a ledge and far enough away that we couldn't tell.
All around the lake were small areas with their own names. Town signs listed the altitude and population of each. They ranged from 150, 360, 750, 836. Every parking space taken and people everywhere. The shore is lined with State parks, campgrounds, RV parks, too. Every one looked full and some of the parks had no parking spaces left.
Incline Village is another ski resort. All along the coast were houses down the side facing the lake and others on the high hillside above the road. Some were so beautiful. Many had prow fronts, large decks, many windows. We saw a couple of stone ones, though most were cedar. It is very obvious how fire spreads so quickly in these areas, because everywhere we looked were tall pine trees. (In the 1980's in Spokane, WA., a fire started around a golf course, where there were tall pine trees. The sap turned into balls of fire and flew all across the course, catching other trees and houses on fire.)
We paid $12 as non-residents to enter a State park to have lunch because so many places we passed didn't have any parking spaces left. We ate at a nice clearing in the woods. Watched teeny ground squirrels and a marmot. There was a sign in the bathroom to keep the door closed so bears couldn't come in and get into the trash. The bins outside were the typical metal forest ones with tiny holes on top to put trash through. Then we walked down to the very popular beach. Families and umbrellas lined it in both directions, though Tom took this picture from a less populated area.
Back to the resort for a couple of hours and then to McDuff's Scottish Pub for a nice dinner. They make their own bread and "bread pudding on steroids", pickles, Shepherd's pie with lamb, etc. Tom and I shared a pizza that was good and Linda and Bob enjoyed their meals. We'll go back another night.
The Panama Canal averages 700' in width and 50' in depth, yet such a canal could be filled by Tahoe's waters and extend completely around the world at the Equator, with enough remaining in the lake to fill another canal of the same width and depth from San Francisco to New York!
Our first stop was at the Tallac Historic Site. There are 3 mansions here. We toured the one that is the museum. In the 1800's a woman owned the lakefront land. Eventually she gave it to her daughter, who had a log home built, "sparing no expense." It is really nice, with a big rock fireplace in the main room. views of the lake from the windows, etc. There is a kitchen, butler's pantry, bedrooms. A "new" Maytag wringer washer, with instruction card, still sits in the laundry room, along with tubs, washboards, etc. The pantry and kitchen still hold all the pans, utensils, etc.
The site was deeded to the Federal Government in 1967. The area is covered with lodge pole pines and Jack pines. Linda and I picked up several of the very large pinecones to have for Christmas decorations. They aren't something we see in southern AZ. This is my sister, Linda, and brother-in-law, Bob.
The next stop was at Inspiration Point on Emerald Bay. It was originally called Eagle Bay because of all the eagles there. It measures 1 x 3 miles. One very tall pine tree had long cones hanging from it and must have been a different kind than at Tallac. They had a wide, very long cone from a sugar pine on display, and maybe that's what that tree was. However, it was out on a ledge and far enough away that we couldn't tell.
All around the lake were small areas with their own names. Town signs listed the altitude and population of each. They ranged from 150, 360, 750, 836. Every parking space taken and people everywhere. The shore is lined with State parks, campgrounds, RV parks, too. Every one looked full and some of the parks had no parking spaces left.
Incline Village is another ski resort. All along the coast were houses down the side facing the lake and others on the high hillside above the road. Some were so beautiful. Many had prow fronts, large decks, many windows. We saw a couple of stone ones, though most were cedar. It is very obvious how fire spreads so quickly in these areas, because everywhere we looked were tall pine trees. (In the 1980's in Spokane, WA., a fire started around a golf course, where there were tall pine trees. The sap turned into balls of fire and flew all across the course, catching other trees and houses on fire.)
We paid $12 as non-residents to enter a State park to have lunch because so many places we passed didn't have any parking spaces left. We ate at a nice clearing in the woods. Watched teeny ground squirrels and a marmot. There was a sign in the bathroom to keep the door closed so bears couldn't come in and get into the trash. The bins outside were the typical metal forest ones with tiny holes on top to put trash through. Then we walked down to the very popular beach. Families and umbrellas lined it in both directions, though Tom took this picture from a less populated area.
Back to the resort for a couple of hours and then to McDuff's Scottish Pub for a nice dinner. They make their own bread and "bread pudding on steroids", pickles, Shepherd's pie with lamb, etc. Tom and I shared a pizza that was good and Linda and Bob enjoyed their meals. We'll go back another night.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
July 18 -20 Packwood, WA. to Redwoods country-Reno-Tahoe
Left at 6:30-only 50 degrees! As we drove through the small town, two cow elk were walking in the left lane like they owned it. Tom stopped, and sure enough, one ran right in front of us to get across the highway.
We drove past Seattle, Portland, and Eugene. The skies were so overcast everywhere. Sorry, Portland and Seattle relatives and friends, we are so glad we spent 22 years in Tri Cities, WA., where the sun shines 300 days each year.
From here on it will all be new territory for us to explore. Grant's Pass, Or. Drove through downtown. There were baskets with pretty flowers in them hanging on an old bridge. I've never seen that before. They probably don't ever have to water them. Statues of bears all over town.
On to Crescent City, on mostly narrow, winding roads. It looks like Washington and Oregon with the pine forests, of course, since we're almost to redwood country.
Skies are very overcast over the ocean - 63 degrees at 4:15 p.m. We ate prawns and chips at a seafood restaurant on the ocean. Saw surfers in wetsuits.
Saturday
Ate at 7 and drove a few miles to the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. Saw a few places with fireweed growing on the way (we saw that for years in Alaska). The park was very eerie because little sun shone through the tall trees and moss covered everything and hung from everything. The trees were massive!
Of course there are several more redwood forests further south on the coast, but brochures said this 9500 acre park, started in 1929, has the largest diameter ones, though not the tallest ones. One with the largest diameter is 20' and 340' tall. Many are 500-700 years old. Of course there were a few fallen ones. Some were so close to the road that there was little room on either side of our pickup. No RVs or campers are allowed in there.
It only took one hour to drive through, look up at their massive height, and take some good pictures, so we decided we could visit other parks in the future and would get all the way to Reno today.
Had to drive 80 miles back up to Grant's Pass, Or. to catch I-5. Saved time over trying to take small roads over the mountains. Saw snow on Mt. Shasta, of course.
Drove through the Shasta-Lassen National Forest. 98 degrees. Signs in there for cross country and snowmobiling, of course. It was approx. 50 miles through the forest. Then onto another highway for over 40 miles. All forest-not what I think of when I think of Calif. Gas was $4.13 in this area-not as high as we expected.
Then onto highway 395. It immediately started having rolling hills and sagebrush. The area looks like where that highway travels in Wa and Or.
3148 miles 12 days
Reno
88 degrees. Very cloudy and rain forecasted. By the time we arrived in our 5th floor room, it sounded like a blizzard with the rain and we could see lightning. That night I gambled $12.00, won $2.80, and spent that, too. Those decimals are in the right place!
Sunday
73 degrees and humid
Walked around the downtown part that has casinos, pawn shops, and restaurants. Saw 2 separate arrests within 10 mins. Walked past the Reno Aces ballpark and along the Truckee River.
Took pictures of the old and new Reno signs.
New one
We walked along part of the Truckee River river walk.
A building had a rock climbing wall up the whole side. People started at the top of the red section.
Picked up my sister and brother-in-law at the airport, lunch, guys to Harrah collection car museum, Linda and I walked along the river.
As soon as we left the museum parking lot, it started to rain. And it poured on the interstate. It was slow going in some places. There was an immediate drop from 93 deg to 57 deg.!
The scenery quickly turned to hills and pine trees. One lower hillside had snow. Then we were as high as 7000'.
3:30 arrived in Tahoe. A stoplight was out. Turned into Safeway lot. All the strip mall stores were black and closed. Safeway was almost black, but open, as they had their registers on generators. They were busy. So many resorts here and the restaurants couldn't serve food.
We followed the GPS to the top of a hill, where a sign said only 4 wheel drives with snow tires, or chains, were allowed in the winter It is right next to the ski resort.
Arrived at our timeshare and it was dark. Elevators were on emergency power, thank goodness, since our room was on the 8th floor. We had planned on beer, wine, crackers and cheese for dinner-good thing. It was light until about 8:45 and the power came back on at 9:15.
Monday
Drove around So. Tahoe, walked on a beach, drove back to the Nevada line where we came in last night. Very expensive lunch at a brewery.
Standing on a street corner, watching the many cloud formations.
Time to drive around some more, then buy groceries and go to the Laundromat.
We drove past Seattle, Portland, and Eugene. The skies were so overcast everywhere. Sorry, Portland and Seattle relatives and friends, we are so glad we spent 22 years in Tri Cities, WA., where the sun shines 300 days each year.
From here on it will all be new territory for us to explore. Grant's Pass, Or. Drove through downtown. There were baskets with pretty flowers in them hanging on an old bridge. I've never seen that before. They probably don't ever have to water them. Statues of bears all over town.
On to Crescent City, on mostly narrow, winding roads. It looks like Washington and Oregon with the pine forests, of course, since we're almost to redwood country.
Skies are very overcast over the ocean - 63 degrees at 4:15 p.m. We ate prawns and chips at a seafood restaurant on the ocean. Saw surfers in wetsuits.
Saturday
Ate at 7 and drove a few miles to the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. Saw a few places with fireweed growing on the way (we saw that for years in Alaska). The park was very eerie because little sun shone through the tall trees and moss covered everything and hung from everything. The trees were massive!
Of course there are several more redwood forests further south on the coast, but brochures said this 9500 acre park, started in 1929, has the largest diameter ones, though not the tallest ones. One with the largest diameter is 20' and 340' tall. Many are 500-700 years old. Of course there were a few fallen ones. Some were so close to the road that there was little room on either side of our pickup. No RVs or campers are allowed in there.
It only took one hour to drive through, look up at their massive height, and take some good pictures, so we decided we could visit other parks in the future and would get all the way to Reno today.
Had to drive 80 miles back up to Grant's Pass, Or. to catch I-5. Saved time over trying to take small roads over the mountains. Saw snow on Mt. Shasta, of course.
Drove through the Shasta-Lassen National Forest. 98 degrees. Signs in there for cross country and snowmobiling, of course. It was approx. 50 miles through the forest. Then onto another highway for over 40 miles. All forest-not what I think of when I think of Calif. Gas was $4.13 in this area-not as high as we expected.
Then onto highway 395. It immediately started having rolling hills and sagebrush. The area looks like where that highway travels in Wa and Or.
3148 miles 12 days
Reno
88 degrees. Very cloudy and rain forecasted. By the time we arrived in our 5th floor room, it sounded like a blizzard with the rain and we could see lightning. That night I gambled $12.00, won $2.80, and spent that, too. Those decimals are in the right place!
Sunday
73 degrees and humid
Walked around the downtown part that has casinos, pawn shops, and restaurants. Saw 2 separate arrests within 10 mins. Walked past the Reno Aces ballpark and along the Truckee River.
Took pictures of the old and new Reno signs.
We walked along part of the Truckee River river walk.
A building had a rock climbing wall up the whole side. People started at the top of the red section.
Picked up my sister and brother-in-law at the airport, lunch, guys to Harrah collection car museum, Linda and I walked along the river.
As soon as we left the museum parking lot, it started to rain. And it poured on the interstate. It was slow going in some places. There was an immediate drop from 93 deg to 57 deg.!
The scenery quickly turned to hills and pine trees. One lower hillside had snow. Then we were as high as 7000'.
3:30 arrived in Tahoe. A stoplight was out. Turned into Safeway lot. All the strip mall stores were black and closed. Safeway was almost black, but open, as they had their registers on generators. They were busy. So many resorts here and the restaurants couldn't serve food.
We followed the GPS to the top of a hill, where a sign said only 4 wheel drives with snow tires, or chains, were allowed in the winter It is right next to the ski resort.
Arrived at our timeshare and it was dark. Elevators were on emergency power, thank goodness, since our room was on the 8th floor. We had planned on beer, wine, crackers and cheese for dinner-good thing. It was light until about 8:45 and the power came back on at 9:15.
Monday
Drove around So. Tahoe, walked on a beach, drove back to the Nevada line where we came in last night. Very expensive lunch at a brewery.
Standing on a street corner, watching the many cloud formations.
Time to drive around some more, then buy groceries and go to the Laundromat.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
July 11 Packwood, WA. - near Mt. Rainier
Wednesday
Breakfast with Russ and Kitty and then the 2 hour drive up to Dave and Darlene's.
Drove through Wonderland Campground in Naches, WA., where we'd had a lot for 8 years, eventually with a 5th wheel camper on it. Spent many fun weekends there, and 6 weeks during 2012, when we came up from AZ.
When we arrived at Dave's, we saw John and Linda Cozad's 5th wheel. We wondered why they hadn't been at Carol's, when they had said they would be. We relaxed all afternoon, with we girls playing Rummikub. At 4:00, the 25 or so of their friends arrived for a BBQ. Most had heard Tom play two years ago and were anxious to see what he'd do tonight. He kept them entertained for an hour and a half or so with several funny ones, serious ones and a new one entitled "The Angel Flight", that had most of them in tears. It's about a pilot bringing home the body of a fallen soldier.
Here Dave was talking about on of the songs Tom Plays and sings. The patio is along the side of their garage. They have a nice A-frame home. Since their name is Cartwright, they call their place The Ponderosa.
Thursday
Relaxed in their great backyard, played more Rummikub, and went to the clubhouse to show our Italy slides on the big screen. Back to sit around the back yard, then hotdogs over the campfire in their big pit (it cooled down from the 93 the day before). More music and watching a lone cow elk come into the yard, as she usually does. Their yard backs up to a national forest. Dave has seen more than 50 in those woods when the leaves are gone, and has had 30 in the yard at once. He just leaves them alone. If they started running, their hooves would tear up the lawn. Their house is 3 doors from the golf course and pool.
Here are the Three C's in front of Dave and Darlene's camper: From the left, John and Linda Cozad - he and Dave went to school together in Richland, WA. (Tri Cities). He started at Hanford not long out of school. Had cut part of his index finger off at a food processing plant, so couldn't join the military with that trigger finger partly missing - though he got into Basics and was on the range, shooting with the next finger, when the instructor told him to go get out! Next: Dave and Darlene Cartwright. Dave served in the Marines 20 years. Then us-Tom and Ev Campbell. Tom served in the Air Force 24 years.
Dave and Tom met at the Hanford Patrol Academy classes, where they were older than so many of the class, and had the military in common. They decided we should all get together and Darlene and I hit it off. She immediately told me I reminded her of her older sister, who had passed away. Then they introduced us to John and Linda. We watched our kids grow up, saw grandchildren arrive and grow, had many fun camping trips, and other get-togethers over 22 years, from 1990 through 2011. I taught Darlene how to play Scrabble and she became proficient. Linda enjoys Rummikub, so we always play that together.
We said our good-byes, got lots of neat hugs, and all turned in. We told them we'd leave as soon as we awoke the next day.
Breakfast with Russ and Kitty and then the 2 hour drive up to Dave and Darlene's.
Drove through Wonderland Campground in Naches, WA., where we'd had a lot for 8 years, eventually with a 5th wheel camper on it. Spent many fun weekends there, and 6 weeks during 2012, when we came up from AZ.
When we arrived at Dave's, we saw John and Linda Cozad's 5th wheel. We wondered why they hadn't been at Carol's, when they had said they would be. We relaxed all afternoon, with we girls playing Rummikub. At 4:00, the 25 or so of their friends arrived for a BBQ. Most had heard Tom play two years ago and were anxious to see what he'd do tonight. He kept them entertained for an hour and a half or so with several funny ones, serious ones and a new one entitled "The Angel Flight", that had most of them in tears. It's about a pilot bringing home the body of a fallen soldier.
Thursday
Relaxed in their great backyard, played more Rummikub, and went to the clubhouse to show our Italy slides on the big screen. Back to sit around the back yard, then hotdogs over the campfire in their big pit (it cooled down from the 93 the day before). More music and watching a lone cow elk come into the yard, as she usually does. Their yard backs up to a national forest. Dave has seen more than 50 in those woods when the leaves are gone, and has had 30 in the yard at once. He just leaves them alone. If they started running, their hooves would tear up the lawn. Their house is 3 doors from the golf course and pool.
Dave and Tom met at the Hanford Patrol Academy classes, where they were older than so many of the class, and had the military in common. They decided we should all get together and Darlene and I hit it off. She immediately told me I reminded her of her older sister, who had passed away. Then they introduced us to John and Linda. We watched our kids grow up, saw grandchildren arrive and grow, had many fun camping trips, and other get-togethers over 22 years, from 1990 through 2011. I taught Darlene how to play Scrabble and she became proficient. Linda enjoys Rummikub, so we always play that together.
We said our good-byes, got lots of neat hugs, and all turned in. We told them we'd leave as soon as we awoke the next day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)