After final preparations were executed we took off eastbound on the I-84 toward Boise, ID. The motorhome was running increasingly rough along the way, and when we stopped at a rest area upon inspection I noticed a few of the spark plug wires which I installed had popped off, I guess I didn't mash them on hard enough..We got back on the highway and later when we exited to get fuel, we ran out of gas while waiting for the light to change at the end of the exit ramp (running on 5 of 8 cylinders will burn some extra gas). Luckily we carry many gas cans so I only had to endure the embarrassment of refueling there in traffic! Well we survived that & parked for the night in a vacant lot close to the gas station.
The next morning we drove over to the Peregrine Fund World Birds of Prey facility. There are hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, kestrels, kites & condors live in cages. They have a wealth of information on raptors & falconry. A lady showed us a turkey vulture (buzzard to you uneducated heathens) up close & personal and later a different lady displayed a Peregrine Falcon. I highly recommend a visit to this wonderful facility. Afterward we drove (in the cold & rain) to the Garden of Eden Truck Plaza in Eden, ID. The next day we ate up alot of miles, winding up just south of Salt Lake City. Still cold, windy & raining. There we found a Sam's Club parking lot & stayed for the night. We have enjoyed being able to watch broadcast tv the last couple of days (we are tv junkies).
The next day we took off south down the I-15 to Scipio, then east on US 50 to Hwy 24where we stopped in Richfield, UT for lunch and supplies at Walmart. While parked there I tightened 2 squealing belts without busting my knuckles..From there we got on the 119 all the way to Torrey, at the gateway to Capitol Reef Nat'l Park. Stayed the night in a vacant lot next to a burger joint.
It was very cold & windy last night (same cold front we've been running from for a few days), but clear & calm this morning. We drove into Capitol Reef N. P., toured the visitor center then drove the 10 mile scenic road which ended at the Capitol Gorge (the road became dirt and narrower so we couldn't drive it). We walked about a quarter mile for many photos, then drove the rest of the park on (paved) hwy 24. This beautiful & interesting stretch has many colorful monuments & canyons, as well as the old Fruita schoolhouse, fruit orchards, the Capitol Dome formation and the Fremont Indian Petroglyphs. We left the park and got on hwy 12 toward Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park, passing through the Grand Staircase/Escalante Monument. Highway 12 in this area is a twisting, turning, up & down adventure but has many spectacular scenic overlooks! Stopped for the night alongside a rest area in Escalante, UT.
Warmer this morning. Went down the 12 to the town of Bryce Canyon (est. 2007), near the entrance to the park. Parked the r.v. & got on the shuttle bus to hit all the highlights out to Bryce Point. The Bryce Canyon (not really a canyon after all) is chocked full of hoodoos, spires, monuments & a huge variety of colors and varied landscapes! After going thru the visitor center (including watching a neat video) we went back to the r.v. to drive the long end of the park 18 miles to Rainbow Point. Plenty more of the amazing features which abound in this great park, including Thor's Hammer & a huge natural bridge. After lunch we got on the 12 to US 89 south toward Kanab. This highway took us through more of the Grand Staircase, Kanab Canyon and the coral pink sand area. We arrived in Kanab and stopped to visit the Little Hollywood of the West Museum--which has some buildings & artifacts from western movie sets done in the region. This tourist trap did not live up to the hype which preceded it; it was just o.k...afterward we found a vacant lot in town in which to spend the night.
Monday morning we took off on the Honda heading south on the Alt. 89. The terrain went from flat desert to mountain tops. We stopped at a pullout to view the colorful Vermillion Cliffs. Continued thru mostly burned forest & got onto hwy 67 south to Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, North Rim. Walked out to many viewpoints then had lunch at the deli near the lodge. We left the visitor center & took a road leading to Imperial Point. Best view ever! At the 8,800 ft. elevation you can see everything well, and the air was clear on this day. We easily viewed features on the other side of the canyon--Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs & mountains 135 miles away. We left the park and headed back to Kanab, staying the night in the same vacant lot in town.
After getting fuel, fresh water & dumping the black/grey tanks we set out on US 89, then hwy 9 toward Zion Nat'l Park. This 12 mile stretch (mostly under vigorous construction) runs thru mountains & canyons with many switchbacks; westbound is all downhill and many one-lane stretches. The highway went through an unlit tunnel (one way) over one mile long! An hour later than we thought we would, we arrived at Zion and after a bite to eat boarded the shuttle bus to the first of many stops: the Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, Angels Landing, The Grotto, Zion Lodge. Zion NP features huge sandstone monuments/cliffs, some of which are among the largest in the world. Took 2 hikes of 1 mile each--1st one along the Virgin River, which created the canyon, 2nd to Emerald Pool with it's blowing waterfall. After seeing a video in the museum theater we left the park. Note: Zion was the least scenic park of the "big 5" of Utah, in our opinion. We then headed south on the 9 and stopped for the night at Walmart (not again!) on the far side of Hurricane, UT.
Wednesday we took off south on hwy 9 to I-15, south toward Las Vegas, NV. After stopping at a Walmart in the city, we decided to find an r.v. park. Got on the I-515/93/95 toward Boulder City and quickly found the $16 per night Roadrunner R.V. Park, where we paid for 2 nights. Later we got on the Honda and rode onto The Strip. Took many photos of casinos & The Welcome Sign, then headed "home". Thought we were going to die from the heat..
Next morning we went on the motorcycle down hwy 93 thru Henderson and Boulder City to Hoover Dam. The facilities and the dam are huge! The tours, parking and admission to the visitor center are pricey, though. The dam is truly a magnificent feat of engineering, and Lake Mead is a beautiful blue. We then came back to the r.v. park, and later in the evening we went back to The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) to see it at night. Saw the volcano at the Mirage and the fountains at the Bellagio (a must-see). We walked many miles, took a thousand photos, then went back to the house, pretty late for us...
Left Las Vegas early this morning, heading south on the 93. Crossed over Hoover Dam into Arizona. Stopped for lunch & wifi at McDonalds in Kingman, AZ, but due to the remodelling taking place, no wifi. Continued east on the I-40 into Williams (gateway to the Grand Canyon & a nostalgic Route 66 town), where we stopped & parked for the night at a roadside park. That evening we walked over to Rod's Steakhouse for a nice dinner. Unfortunately, no tv or wifi at this location...
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Aug 27 to Sept 6, 2010
Greetings from Kanab, Utah! (details to follow, stay tuned)
Sue & I headed south on the I-5 toward Portland, but instead of going through town, we decided to go around Portland via the I-205, to pick up the I-84 east of the city. After fueling up we were headed down the 205 when we saw signs for the Columbia Gorge..we quickly exited to hwy 14 and proceded thru the river gorge area; however, we couldn't see much from this side of the river--too many trees. Well this twisting/turning/up/down road seemed to go on forever. Seeing a sign that said jct interstate 82=138 miles, we decided to find a place to cross the river (rather than get lost somewhere in Washington), and soon we lucked upon a $1.00 toll bridge at Hood River (town). We had lunch at Taco Bell (a familiar setting) then got on the I-84 toward La Grande, stopping to look at a huge dam, the dalles near The Dalles as well as good views of the gorge. A welcome bonus was the delicious grilled steak & chicken dinner Dan & Katherine fixed for us that evening.
On Sunday it was nice out, so we got on the Honda for a joyride. First we stopped at the nearby rest stop for maps & Oregon Trail info, then went onto the 203 toward Union, OR. This old town (1862) has an historic hotel, school and many old houses. On the way back we stopped to see Hot Lake with it's 203 degree water & steam coming off it.
The next several days were spent surfing the web (with much difficulty-weak pirated wifi signal), working on an extension to Dan's workshop, playing video games, watching dvds, playing cards & dominoes with the Austins, doing laundry and going out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
On Friday the 3rd of September we went to the town of Elgin, where Dan works as a machinist at the Boise sawmill. Risking life, limb and his job, Dan led us on a grand tour of the facility. The tour took us through the processes whereby a log is turned into a 2X4 board. The second half of the tour took us thru the plywood making facility, the highlight being a killer machine that takes a log and shaves a thin layer around & around the log 'til theres nothing left but a core not much larger than a broomstick! Seeing what all is involved in the lumber making process, it's easy to see why prices are so high for wood..
The next morning we all got up at the butt-crack of dawn & took off down hwy 82 to the first of many stops along the Wallowa River, for a day-long fly-fishing adventure. Sue and I both quickly caught our first trout using a flyreel, then we moved on to another spot up the river..no one warned us about the treacherous walking conditions along the bank--we got a real workout. At one point the rod separated into 2 halves, one half trying to escape downstream! Well I tracked the pole down, as it snagged on some rocks; it was quite a chase for a few minutes! A little later our spot required us (only Dan & I at this point) to wade across a small fast-moving stream to get to the river. Where I went across, there were several large bulls waiting to greet me--one in particular was giving me the "evil eye"...I survived that encounter and with daylight waning and not much luck (except for Dan) we headed back toward La Grande, where we stopped for dinner at a Chinese buffet.
Sunday was spent shooting pool with Dan at Bud Jackson's Bar & Grill, where I experienced my first order of dry nachos (I wouldn't recommend them, even while drinking beer). Monday was a day for last-day visiting with the Austins, washing the RV and other preparations for leaving tomorrow. Looks like we will be heading back to the Boise area on our way to southern Utah...
Our heartfelt thanks go out to Dan & Katherine for their fellowship and supreme hospitality!
Sue & I headed south on the I-5 toward Portland, but instead of going through town, we decided to go around Portland via the I-205, to pick up the I-84 east of the city. After fueling up we were headed down the 205 when we saw signs for the Columbia Gorge..we quickly exited to hwy 14 and proceded thru the river gorge area; however, we couldn't see much from this side of the river--too many trees. Well this twisting/turning/up/down road seemed to go on forever. Seeing a sign that said jct interstate 82=138 miles, we decided to find a place to cross the river (rather than get lost somewhere in Washington), and soon we lucked upon a $1.00 toll bridge at Hood River (town). We had lunch at Taco Bell (a familiar setting) then got on the I-84 toward La Grande, stopping to look at a huge dam, the dalles near The Dalles as well as good views of the gorge. A welcome bonus was the delicious grilled steak & chicken dinner Dan & Katherine fixed for us that evening.
On Sunday it was nice out, so we got on the Honda for a joyride. First we stopped at the nearby rest stop for maps & Oregon Trail info, then went onto the 203 toward Union, OR. This old town (1862) has an historic hotel, school and many old houses. On the way back we stopped to see Hot Lake with it's 203 degree water & steam coming off it.
The next several days were spent surfing the web (with much difficulty-weak pirated wifi signal), working on an extension to Dan's workshop, playing video games, watching dvds, playing cards & dominoes with the Austins, doing laundry and going out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
On Friday the 3rd of September we went to the town of Elgin, where Dan works as a machinist at the Boise sawmill. Risking life, limb and his job, Dan led us on a grand tour of the facility. The tour took us through the processes whereby a log is turned into a 2X4 board. The second half of the tour took us thru the plywood making facility, the highlight being a killer machine that takes a log and shaves a thin layer around & around the log 'til theres nothing left but a core not much larger than a broomstick! Seeing what all is involved in the lumber making process, it's easy to see why prices are so high for wood..
The next morning we all got up at the butt-crack of dawn & took off down hwy 82 to the first of many stops along the Wallowa River, for a day-long fly-fishing adventure. Sue and I both quickly caught our first trout using a flyreel, then we moved on to another spot up the river..no one warned us about the treacherous walking conditions along the bank--we got a real workout. At one point the rod separated into 2 halves, one half trying to escape downstream! Well I tracked the pole down, as it snagged on some rocks; it was quite a chase for a few minutes! A little later our spot required us (only Dan & I at this point) to wade across a small fast-moving stream to get to the river. Where I went across, there were several large bulls waiting to greet me--one in particular was giving me the "evil eye"...I survived that encounter and with daylight waning and not much luck (except for Dan) we headed back toward La Grande, where we stopped for dinner at a Chinese buffet.
Sunday was spent shooting pool with Dan at Bud Jackson's Bar & Grill, where I experienced my first order of dry nachos (I wouldn't recommend them, even while drinking beer). Monday was a day for last-day visiting with the Austins, washing the RV and other preparations for leaving tomorrow. Looks like we will be heading back to the Boise area on our way to southern Utah...
Our heartfelt thanks go out to Dan & Katherine for their fellowship and supreme hospitality!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Alaskan cruise Aug 20-27, 2010
Hi again,
At 5 am this fine Friday morning we got up, packed our luggage onto Dan's old pickup & headed west on the I-84, then the I-82 to the I-90 westbound, arriving in a Seattle suburb close to 12 pm. Along the way we saw many vineyards, apple & peach orchards, nice canyons, a cheese factory (I'd like to have had the time to tour it) lakes & mountains. Included were Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier. We parked the truck & took a cab to the Pier 91 terminal. Got some excellent pics along the way, including the famous fish market and the Space Needle. We got onto the ship without a hitch; that evening we saw a welcome aboard show, which included a stand-up comic.
The next day, Saturday was mostly spent wandering around the boat--it was kinda cold outside, especially when the sun was hidden..Saw some informative seminars, toured some shops, ate a lot, watched "Leap Year" (chick flick) that afternoon. During a trip outside we saw whale spray off in the distance. After supper at the buffet we watched the comedian/musician Gary Mule Deer perform in the big theater--good show!
Sunday was cool & rainy, which is typical for the west coast I hear. After breakfast we exited the ship in Juneau, AK & went to the tour waiting area, or so we thought. We almost missed our bus, as we were in the wrong place. The short quick ride thru Juneau left us wanting more--the guide seemed to be in a big hurry. The exploration of Mendenhall Glacier though was really neat; never saw anything like it! After our hour was up we went back into town where Sue & I got off the bus and explored Juneau on our own, mostly looking for souvenirs. One notable building was a visitor info center whose front was composed entirely of 9,000 pieces of driftwood. Later that evening back on the ship, we saw the Piano Man show in the theater, performed by the ship's song/dance group. Good show.
Monday the ship docked in Skagway, AK & after an early breakfast we left the ship to tour the town and White Pass. This tour was nice & informative. We toured the old graveyard, saw magnificent scenery and many waterfalls. After crossing into Canada and stopping at the shortest suspension bridge in North America in the Torment Valley we headed back to Skagway. We got off the bus in downtown, going thru many shops, saloons & tour brokers. The Klondike Gold Rush Museum was interesting and showed a cool video of those gold rush days. While going back to the ship we spotted 2 seals in the harbor (or 1 seal in 2 places)--we weren't quick enough for pics. That evening we filled out a few postcards and after dinner we saw the country/western show at the theater. Today we are farther north latitude than we have ever been. If it weren't cloudy at night we might've seen the Northern Lights..
Overnight we sailed to the Tracy Arm Fjord, a narrow strait leading to the Sawyer Glacier. The weather is great this morning! The Rhapsody of the Seas stopped within a half mile of the glacier, then spun slowly 180 degrees. This was for me the best scenery I've ever seen! Hundreds of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains & icebergs of many shapes & sizes. We sighted some whale fins, spouts & tails. Far in the distance I saw a rather large whale emerge and splash down spectacularly like that one on the insurance commercial! In a few hours the weather turned cooler & foggy and the seas got rougher, so no more whale sightings. That evening we attended the Motown show by a group called Spectrum (Temptations, Platters, etc.). Good show.
Wednesday was spent at sea. The weather was pretty decent--sunny but chilly. We walked around a lot, played some games at the casino and watched some of the Little League World Series (a team from Pearland was still in it). That evening we had our first dinner at the Edelweiss Restaurant. We had crab & scallop appetizers then tried the butterfish--it was just so-so. Tonight's show was the ballroom dancing song & dance; it was pretty good.
We went ashore on Thursday in Victoria, B.C., Canada, where we took a bus tour of the city. During the tour we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle, 105 years young. Going thru the castle involved climbing 5 floor's worth of stairs (no elevator). There was alot of original artifacts, decorations and personal items. The upper floors gave a nice view of Victoria in many directions. Next we wound up the tour, then walked around downtown where we bought a sandwich at a 7-11 store. After that we started making our way back to the ship, seeing Chinatown and much of the harbor, as well as the Empress Hotel (one can have "afternoon tea" for a little over a hundred bucks). Back on the ship after stuffing ourselves yet again (that darned buffet) we watched the evening show, the "Farewell Show", which featured a comedy juggler dude.
Early the next morning they made us get off their ship, so we packed up and went back onto the mainland in Seattle, got back to Dan's old blue pickup, it started and we were off on the I-5 south toward Portland, OR...
At 5 am this fine Friday morning we got up, packed our luggage onto Dan's old pickup & headed west on the I-84, then the I-82 to the I-90 westbound, arriving in a Seattle suburb close to 12 pm. Along the way we saw many vineyards, apple & peach orchards, nice canyons, a cheese factory (I'd like to have had the time to tour it) lakes & mountains. Included were Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier. We parked the truck & took a cab to the Pier 91 terminal. Got some excellent pics along the way, including the famous fish market and the Space Needle. We got onto the ship without a hitch; that evening we saw a welcome aboard show, which included a stand-up comic.
The next day, Saturday was mostly spent wandering around the boat--it was kinda cold outside, especially when the sun was hidden..Saw some informative seminars, toured some shops, ate a lot, watched "Leap Year" (chick flick) that afternoon. During a trip outside we saw whale spray off in the distance. After supper at the buffet we watched the comedian/musician Gary Mule Deer perform in the big theater--good show!
Sunday was cool & rainy, which is typical for the west coast I hear. After breakfast we exited the ship in Juneau, AK & went to the tour waiting area, or so we thought. We almost missed our bus, as we were in the wrong place. The short quick ride thru Juneau left us wanting more--the guide seemed to be in a big hurry. The exploration of Mendenhall Glacier though was really neat; never saw anything like it! After our hour was up we went back into town where Sue & I got off the bus and explored Juneau on our own, mostly looking for souvenirs. One notable building was a visitor info center whose front was composed entirely of 9,000 pieces of driftwood. Later that evening back on the ship, we saw the Piano Man show in the theater, performed by the ship's song/dance group. Good show.
Monday the ship docked in Skagway, AK & after an early breakfast we left the ship to tour the town and White Pass. This tour was nice & informative. We toured the old graveyard, saw magnificent scenery and many waterfalls. After crossing into Canada and stopping at the shortest suspension bridge in North America in the Torment Valley we headed back to Skagway. We got off the bus in downtown, going thru many shops, saloons & tour brokers. The Klondike Gold Rush Museum was interesting and showed a cool video of those gold rush days. While going back to the ship we spotted 2 seals in the harbor (or 1 seal in 2 places)--we weren't quick enough for pics. That evening we filled out a few postcards and after dinner we saw the country/western show at the theater. Today we are farther north latitude than we have ever been. If it weren't cloudy at night we might've seen the Northern Lights..
Overnight we sailed to the Tracy Arm Fjord, a narrow strait leading to the Sawyer Glacier. The weather is great this morning! The Rhapsody of the Seas stopped within a half mile of the glacier, then spun slowly 180 degrees. This was for me the best scenery I've ever seen! Hundreds of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains & icebergs of many shapes & sizes. We sighted some whale fins, spouts & tails. Far in the distance I saw a rather large whale emerge and splash down spectacularly like that one on the insurance commercial! In a few hours the weather turned cooler & foggy and the seas got rougher, so no more whale sightings. That evening we attended the Motown show by a group called Spectrum (Temptations, Platters, etc.). Good show.
Wednesday was spent at sea. The weather was pretty decent--sunny but chilly. We walked around a lot, played some games at the casino and watched some of the Little League World Series (a team from Pearland was still in it). That evening we had our first dinner at the Edelweiss Restaurant. We had crab & scallop appetizers then tried the butterfish--it was just so-so. Tonight's show was the ballroom dancing song & dance; it was pretty good.
We went ashore on Thursday in Victoria, B.C., Canada, where we took a bus tour of the city. During the tour we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle, 105 years young. Going thru the castle involved climbing 5 floor's worth of stairs (no elevator). There was alot of original artifacts, decorations and personal items. The upper floors gave a nice view of Victoria in many directions. Next we wound up the tour, then walked around downtown where we bought a sandwich at a 7-11 store. After that we started making our way back to the ship, seeing Chinatown and much of the harbor, as well as the Empress Hotel (one can have "afternoon tea" for a little over a hundred bucks). Back on the ship after stuffing ourselves yet again (that darned buffet) we watched the evening show, the "Farewell Show", which featured a comedy juggler dude.
Early the next morning they made us get off their ship, so we packed up and went back onto the mainland in Seattle, got back to Dan's old blue pickup, it started and we were off on the I-5 south toward Portland, OR...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
