CHANGE OF PLANS

May 1st, 2015

In my last blog, I mentioned that we were traveling home to fly out of  SeaTac for my Aunt's funeral. Well, that didn't happen.  The funeral was so soon that  we couldn't  do that. Change of plans, I flew out of LAX to St. Louis.  My brother and I  got to St. Louis within 15 minutes of each other so we were able to rent a car together and drive to Southern IL.   That was last Friday, April 24th. Flew back Tues, April 28th.  Funerals are always a very quick trip. So glad I was able to do it, I had promised myself and my parents that I would be at every funeral of all my aunts and uncles.  Ray and I were on the same flight home.  Denny stayed here because we can't leave the RV in the park without us here, a rule only in the Thousand Trails system.  He had to drive me and pick me up. It is 100 miles each way.  I had always heard that LAX is such a zoo of an airport and driving around L.A. is a mess. HOW TRUE! HOW TRUE!   Denny is not good at directions. I am always the navigator. He made it both ways, YEA Denny!  I was  really worried.  It took us 2 hours to get to LAX, but 3.5 hrs to get home. TRAFFIC!

I lost my phone at the airport.  YIKES!  I discovered it after I  went thru security. They looked all over the x ray machine, over, under and  everywhere.   I retraced my steps, even going out to the curb where Denny dropped me off. No luck.  How was I going to touch bases with Denny about picking me up?  Since I met my brother at St. Louis I was able to use his phone. Finally got   hold of  Denny. I felt really lost without my phone.  I had made arrangements for Denny to stay at the cell phone lot. I was able to take a shuttle there. I was worried that what happens,  if  for any reason,  he isn't there. He could have gotten in an accident or sick etc.   NO phone to use!  Didn't sleep much the night before, but all went well and we connected. 

When  I got home, I checked my email. SHOCK!  TSA found my phone. I was totally amazed. They found it at the security check point. How could that be?  Three people looked all over  but never found it. How could they have missed it?  I was just so happy, I never thought I'd see it again. Now making arrangements for it to be sent home.

We are leaving tomorrow for home. Doesn't seem possible after being 8 months on the road. It takes 3 nights and 4 days of driving, but we plan to visit some friends in Northern CA first.  We should be home May 8th or 9th.  

I will be doing one more blog to summarise all of our travels, how many miles, diesel etc.

  

 It has been a great trip seeing so much of the country we have  never been to and  visiting relatives and friends along the way.  

WILDERNESS LAKES

April 11th -April 22nd.

After leaving Palm Springs, we traveled to Wilderness Lakes RV in Menifee, CA.  This has always been one of our favorite parks.  On our usual travels, leaving the end of November, this is our first  stop  we stay at for 2-3 weeks. Since we went all across the Northern States, we hadn't been here, so we decided to stop on our way home. We are usually here in Dec and there are lots of empty spaces. Not this time.  This place is full, we got one of the few spaces left. WHEW!

We like to go to local wineries for wine tasting ( and buying). There is a large wine area in Temecula, 15 miles south. Beautiful wineries and vineyards that you can imagine are in Italy. 

Look at the size of this limo. It was huge, plus 2 smaller ones behind. Can't imagine how many this holds. We went inside and their 90 people wine tasting.  Luckily we were in another area.

This is a regular size limo that you see most of the time. 

I don't usually buy  knick knacks but I couldn't resist this one.  Only if this were true!

Wouldn't it be nice to drive this car around on a hot day. 

We went to see Diamond Lake Reservoir . It is the largest reservoir in southern CA. Wanted to see  how low it was because of the drought.  As you can see by the pictures, there is a line where the water should be

This is the longest  boat ramp I have ever seen. It is because the water is so low

Ducks and Geese wander all over the park and come right up to you.

Have to wonder about this RV. Notice the white round dome second from the right.  That is their TV reception.  How in the world do they get reception when it is covered with the tree? One of the mysteries of life to us.

I will only publish one more blog. That will be a synopsis of our trip, how many miles, how much diesel  etc. We are leaving for home tomorrow, a few weeks early.  Unfortunately, my Aunt  Laura passed away suddenly.  She is in Texas and will buried in the family cemetery in Kinmundy, IL. We are leaving to go home to Seattle so that we can fly out for the funeral.  She was a wonderful, loving woman. She was almost 91 and still very stylish for her age,  getting her hair done every week and she had just gotten a manicure.  She will be missed.  I am so glad that on this trip, we were able to spend 2 weeks with her in Odessa, Texas  Lots of one on one visiting. 

TWO MONTHS IN THE PALM SPRINGS AREA

Feb 14th to April 11TH

We like the Palm Springs area so much that we usually spend the last few months of our travels here.  We have had a lot of fun relaxing, enjoying the sun, geocaching and visiting friends.  I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone to geocache with here because my two friends that I cached with before weren't coming this year.  Luckily we met Kim and Al  with their orange jeep and we went places we could never have gone with our truck.

I have also been having alot of trouble with my computer, so much so that I  really didn't use it very much. Terry, a cacher and computer expert, came to the rescue.  I had alot of malware on (almost 4000) that he got rid of.  Also helped me alot  with my geocaching questions.  Thank you Terry.

Several years ago we met some friends in Utah.  They are full time RV'ers but also have a house in Palm Springs. Spent alot of time visiting with them. They are muggles (people that don't geocache), but they love looking for them when they are with us.

The best time we have had here is that Darin, Heather, Elissa and Zachary came to visit us. They had never been so they decided to spend the kids winter break here.  It was a highlight of our trip. We had so much fun. 

One day Fred, Linda Denny and I went to the theatre, Dame Edna's Farewell Tour. It was very funny. Bob Hope built the McCallum theatre so Palm Springs would have a world class place for plays, etc. After the show we went to dinner at a mall.  Below is a picture of the canal going thru the whole mall.  Beautiful

  

It was very hot so we sat outside, with a view of the water. When it is hot, they turn on the misters. SOOO cooling.  We sat right under one. it was about 95 degrees. 

This was the mister right above our heads

Another restaurant with the misters on. They are everywhere in Palm Springs. So nice on a hot day.

Here are a couple of unusual RVs.  The back area above the wheel is where they sit out at their table. The flatbed they pull hauls a little convertible car. 

Had to show this because it is so tiny.  Can't imagine staying in one. 

Doesn't seem possible that, after all this time, we will be moving to our last RV park before we head home
we are  moving to our last RV park before we head for home.  

1000TH GEOCACHE !

April 19th, 2015

I had an exciting milestone happen to me. As many of you know,   I have gotten into geocaching the last few years. I  like it because it gets us out to area's we might never have gone.  Denny isn't quite  into as much as much as I am,   but he is very good at finding them.  I  think the last few months he  has been enjoying it a lot more.  We go more  when we are traveling than at home. 

These are just a few cache containers that we have found.  These are so much more creative than some we have found, little nano's.  They are so small, the size of my thumbnail. 

This cache is my very first FTF (first to find).  This cache was put out the day before and I was able to be the first one there.  I have a total of 3 FTF's.  It is quite a feather in your cap to be the first one there.  Lots of people have email alerts for it and  drop what they are doing just  to go find them when they are published.  I was going thru some and just happened to see it. 

CARDBOARD, PLASTIC WINE BOTTLE????????

April 1st

One thing we do on our travels is wine tasting at  local wineries.  We usually drink red, but when it is hot, we like white or a dry rose.  Thought we had lots of white, so we always bought red at the wineries we went to.  I must have always been looking at the same couple of  cases  because we were running out of white/rose.  I haven't bought wine in a grocery store for many years, so not really familiar with any of them.  Bought a very unusual bottle that we had to try. It was hard cardboard on the outside with a plastic sack inside to hold the wine. Suppose to be very "GREEN" as far as recycling goes.  Thought it strange because you can toss the whole glass wine bottle into recycle.  With this bottle, you can recycle the cardboard but still have to throw away the plastic sack and top. Seems like a regular glass bottle is more recyclable than this new "GREEN" one. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK???????

GENERAL PATTON'S MUSEUM AND CABOT'S PUEBLO

March 20th

We also went to General Patton's Museum at the Desert Training Center. Some people say General Patton was the greatest General  that we have ever had but also one of  the most  controversial .  He didn't think any soldier should fight in Europe without training in the desert. He trained all his troops here. It  was interesting, even for me.

The West Coast Vietnam Wall and  the alter of Hero's. It has names of soldiers from all of the wars

The Sherman tank of WWII

Another tank used during the war

This type of tank was used at Normandy beach

Soviet tank used for fire fighting and riot control. Can't imagine this tank going on the streets of a city trying to control the people

We also visited the Cabot's Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs.  It was built by Cabot Yerxa between 1941 and 1950 and was his home until 1955.  He only used materials he picked up in the desert. He walked for miles collecting anything he thought he could use. Desert Hot Springs has natural hot mineral springs. He dug a hole close to his house for hot water. Before that he had to travel several miles to get water.  It is quite the house, but can't quite imagine living there.  It is quite the mish mash of rooms, he just built what suited him as he went along. 

On the property is a wooden carving, part of the Trail of Whispering Giants. it was carved in 1978 by Peter Toth.  He is from Hungary and has built a statue in every state, two in Canada and one in his own country. It  is 43 feet tall. and  made from a 750 year old, 45' tall redwood log. The face is 22' high and weighs 20 tons. The feather is 15'  tall, 4'wide and 1.5 ' thick.  The pedestal (barely visible) , is 5' tall and made from 2000 pounds of  steel and 33 yards of cement.  it extends 4' into the  ground.  I know this sounds like a brochure, but I thought it was interesting.

HOT, HOT, HOT

March 24th

It has been unusually hot  for this time of year.  We have temptures in the 90's for several days now.  Thank heavens for the pool and  air conditioning.  By Saturday, it is suppose to be 100. I hope they are wrong about that.   The usual  temps this time of year are low to mid 80's.  I would love it to be in the mid 80's. Amazing to think that  would feel cool to us.  I would rather have it this way though  than all the weather that has been happening  in the mid west, east coast and down south.  

We have been busy seeing the sights and geocaching.  It is like the rain in the Northwest. If you let the rain stop you, you would never do anything. Same with the heat. Can't let that stop you. We have been desert caching in a 4x4 jeep  when it is in the high 90's.  Just have to plan and take lots of  water.

This is the orange jeep that takes us into the desert. It is higher than most Rubicon jeeps. he had it raised plus it has 37" tires.  Being short, I  had quite a time getting in.  They had a stool I could use, but I said that was for wimps.  I'd d grab the handle at the top, another hand on the head rest of the front  passenger and haul myself up. Sometimes it took me twice, but  I got in.  We have been with them 3 times in the desert, getting about 25 caches each time.  That is 50 times getting in and out each time. it was certainly my exercise for the day, plus all the walking we did.

Typical of where we went

This is Kim, my new geobuddy, owner of the orange jeep.  As you can see, we climbed up rocks and boulders.  The picture above was taken from here.  Can't imagine wearing shorts like she does. When I  first started geocaching, I wore shorts but always got cuts and scratches. 

The desert in bloom

This is the Jumping Chola Cactus.  It doesn't really jump on you, but brush up against it and it attaches to you. See the thorns.  If you don't have long pants on, they are very hard to get out.  There is a barb on the end that digs into your skin.   i know of people that have had to use pliers to get them out. very painful. The reason you are getting a cactus lesson, is that Denny brushed up against one. Luckily he had long jeans on.  Kim had to just use a  twig to get  them off. He had about 10 attached to his jeans. he accidentally tried to brush them off with his hand, so they "jumped" over onto his hands.  he was a lucky guy.  Kim would have been in trouble because she had shorts on.  We have learned to wear long pants on no matter how hot it is.

   

Love 4x4 jeep  desert geocaching,  

BORREGO SPRINGS SCULPTURES

March 15th

Besides seeing all the beautiful desert flowers,  we also went to Borrego Springs to see the metal sculptures. They vary from a few feet  to 20 feet tall.  Amazing to see in the middle of the desert.  They are based on  the fossils  found in the area.  They are built  by Richardo Breceda in Temecula, California. He dismantles them and puts them back together in the desert.   Of course  an extra bonus is that there are several geocaches in them.  We had seen them before but our friends, Linda and Fred Marti  that went with us, never had.  They are muggles (people that don't geocache), but they really have fun looking for them. 

Our friends, Linda and Fred. We originally met them in Utah several years ago.  They are RV full timers, but also have a house in Palm Springs.  

There was a cache here but we had found it a few years ago. You can see how tall this one is compared to Denny

Breceda also added human sculptures a few years ago.  

\

\ The serpents head rising out of the water (desert)

 You can see how long this serpent is. The head is in the far left of the picture. The tail is in the foreground

Such detail in each one

We found a nano cache in these grapevines. Notice it in Denny's hand.  Linda actually found this one.

View of the vineyard and workers.  The vine on the right is where the cache was

This jeep looks like it got stuck on the rocks and couldn't get off

There are 26 sculptures in all.  Great day, good friends