Wednesday, March 26, 2015: On this day, REI in Bend is giving a seminar on backpacking the Sisters Wilderness. We had planned to spend some time in the afternoon before the seminar with Lesa but she had to cancel so Gwen and I found a bicycle rental next to the Deschutes River. We rented a "single surrey" to ride before the seminar. We rode the bicycle path on both sides of the Deschutes River for an hour. The weather was perfect and exceptionally warm for March. We liked it enough to plan for Lesa and Courtney to join us next time in a four person surrey. Click the photo for another view.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015: When traveling, I like to find a comfortable coffee shop to visit. Not the drive-up kind where the "coffee jockey" leans out the window and screams at you for your order because the shop music is so loud (Dutch Bros). I like the kind where you walk in, quietly place an order then find a comfortable couch or over-stuffed chair to relax, read a newspaper or Facebook on your phone, and drink my coffee. I also like a shop which has "specials" because it helps me to make a choice with all the coffee specialty drinks and they are usually cheaper by a few cents. I also like "free WIFI" in the shop too, although there is increasingly a risk to login to "public networks". Today, I took Gwen to the Coho Coffee Company in Redmond. It's a perfect coffee shop for me which meets all my expectations for my kind of coffee shop. This one also serves a small selection of food and bakery items. While I had the latte special, Gwen had a cup of Chicken Noodle soup. Oh! The little flower design in my latte foam is just an extra touch by classy shops which I like too. Click the photo for another view of the shop.

Saturday, March 14, 2015: This is Pi Day which happens only once in a century. It comes from pi = 3/14/15 = 3.1415 then at 9:26 this morning add: 3.141592653

Remember Pi(D) = circumference of a circle

and

Pi x radius squared = area of a circle

So I bought these T-shirts for Ben, Joe, Scott and myself but they did not arrive in time for all of us to be together for the photo. Ben and Joe will get theirs later.

Friday, March 13, 2015: This day my two sons, Ben and Joe, along with Ben's kids came to my daughter's house for cedar baked Salmon. What a meal it was, really good. Just before we arrived, my daughter, Mindy, took this photo of Lucy which should win the "best baby photo" contest. She enjoyed the visit with Chloe and Noah by watching them run and play games. Lucy is still learning to play so it will be several more months before she is playing with them.

Thursday, March 12, 2015: This was a play afternoon with Chloe and Noah after a day at school for the kids. After getting the kids, we went for a hike around the park near their home then off to the playground for time on the play equipment. Click the photo to enlarge. Grandpa's time with the kids is running short. We plan to leave Reno on Sunday.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015: My son Ben and I had lunch together today then he had to go back to work. I chose to hike part of the Steamboat Ditch Trail he told me about. It's a trail with follows an irrigation ditch around the upper hills of Reno so there are great views of the city and many of the "upper crust" residences. I was able to do five miles before going with Ben to pick of the grandkids from school. The photos show an example of the trail and the views I saw today. Click the photo to see a panorama.

Friday, March 6, 2015: While I'm helping Scott with the roofing project, Gwen and Mindy take Lucy shopping for clothes. There is a really nice children's clothing story in Reno where Mindy takes Lucy's clothes she has out grown for a cash reward. The store puts those clothes into their inventory and they are sold to another customer. So Lucy gets new outfits all the time a greatly reduced prices. When she outgrows those clothes, Mom returns them for a cash reward. That's how Lucy stays in really cute outfits at affordable prices. Click the photo to see Mom in the background picking out some summer outfits for Lucy. I think Lucy is more interested in something red.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015: Gwen and I have been discussing the Vitamix blender since I saw one demonstrated in Arizona. The claim is that it replaces many kitchen appliances but I see it only as a blender. As it turns out, my daughter Mindy owns a Vitamix and used it today to make a smoothie from spinach, banana, apple, kale and protein powder. Wow, it was good. I think I'd have to figure out many more uses before I could justify a Vitamix. Maybe I'll go back to Costco and watch the demonstration some more.

Monday, March 2, 2015: This is Gold Ranch RV Park in Verdi with a storm threatening. I-80 is on the east border but we always park well away from the freeway. The casino is easy walking distance for a good breakfast, the other meals are only fair. I'm standing on a mountain overlooking the park. It has some good views and a few trails. You can watch storms coming from the west. Driving time to Reno is only ten minutes. Click the photo to enlarge.

Saturday, February 28, 2015: This last day in Lodi visiting my Mother was spent driving around looking at real estate on the market. We are wanting to get the idea of the market price of some property she owns. This included some "open houses" just for the fun of it.

One benefit of visiting Mom are the photographs I find in the house. This is a photo of my father's parents, Joseph and Mary, probably taken before 1920, they both look very young. I knew both as a child but both died before I turned ten. They owned a small farm in Vancouver, Washington where my dad grew up.

Friday, February 27, 2015: When Gwen and I first arrived in Lodi we learned my sister Dorana liked to entertain with her piano playing talent. I immediately asked if she knew any "Billy Joel" tunes. She said she would learn some "if she had the music". So I quickly checked Amazon Prime and learned I could get 20 "Billy Joel" tunes for only $12 delivered in two days. So I ordered. It was a Friday so I was expecting two day delivery to arrive on Wednesday (shipping on Monday, arriving on Wednesday). Instead, Amazon shipped on Friday and the US Postal Service delivered the music on Sunday. I didn't even know the USPS had Sunday delivery. Maybe only in Lodi, California. So I marked a few of my favorite tunes and Dorana took the music home to practice. It was today when she returned with the music for a Billy Joel concert presented to her favorite brother. Dorana knows I am also a fan of Beethoven so she added some short pieces composed by Beethoven to her concert. This was great fun ... having a private, personal concert.

As the story goes, when Dorana was a young girl she hated piano practice so called her older brother (me) and her older sister to get our help to tell Mom and Dad she did not have to learn to play the piano. Instead, we both told her to stick with it and supported Mom and Dad. Now ... she can play Billy Joel anytime her brother asks for a concert. Click the photo for a larger view to see which tune she is playing now.

Thursday, February 26, 2015: We got a planned visit today from my daughter Mindy, her husband Scott and their daughter Lucy. Lucy is only one year old but she has just learned to walk so for the time she was visiting, she walked Great Grandma's house in circles and from one end to the other. This was all to Great Grandma's delight and Lucy had fun too. This was also the day Grandma got her hearing aids so she was able to hear most of Lucy's sounds and the conversations of Mindy and Scott too. Gwen did a marvelous job with lunch. Click the photo for another view.

I was very grateful to Mindy and Scott for driving from Reno to visit. I remember how difficult it can be traveling with a baby but Lucy was a perfect visitor.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015: The roof needs repair after the sun-room was removed. Jim was the contractor who removed the sun-room, now he is back to make those repairs. This project is only to seal the roof from weather, birds and rodents.

Thursday, February 19, 2015: The sunroom roof has failed so the sunroom must be removed. The sunroom was added on 20 or 30 years ago so my parents have gotten their money from the room. The room came apart in sections. I was able to sell the window sections but the roof had to be discarded. Click the photo to see the last section coming down. Click here to see what's left of the roof. It's on the way to the dump. Mom loves all the light coming into the house but she doesn't like the heat from direct sunlight. We are thinking roll-up shades will solve that problem.

Thursday, February 12, 2015: Time for a five mile hike where part of the hike took me through the Lodi Nature Area. This is a popular location and always seems to have hikers but you must zigzag to get a mile out of the hike. If you click the photo you will see the Mokelumne River which is the northern border of the nature area. Very little water in the river because water resources is trying to keep as much as possible in the reservoirs to the east. Compare this landscape to what I hiked in Arizona and to the Mokelumne River before the reservoirs on my hike last weekend. I specifically hiked the nature area looking for a "back-door way into the area" but did not find it. There are many home backed to the nature area but these all have a private entrance to the area but no public entrance.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015: Do you want some window panels? My parents had this enclosed patio installed many years ago. The roof has finally failed to the point ... the enclosure must be removed. The roof will be trashed but the window panels are looking for a new home. I've listed them in "freecycle.org" and hopefully someone will come get them. If not, I'll look for a Habitat for Humanity Restore and learn if THEY would like these windows.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015: Mom had a doctor appointment today which went well. She had lots of energy so we did a few errands after the appointment too. She has a whole basket full of "get-well" cards but I'm sure the note from her five year old great grandchild is her favorite.

Monday, February 9, 2015: Today was Mom's scheduled visit by the physical therapist. Mom and I made sure to do her assigned exercises before Katherine arrived so we could report that Mom had completed the exercises twice since the last visit. Mom's blood pressure is down, that's a good thing. So Katherine took Mom outside into the sunny day and down the street. I would have taken Mom for a walk around the driveway but never down the street. Now I know better of how to give Mom a challenge. So this was a good day for Mom, she's improving quickly. Click the photo for another view.

Sunday, February 8, 2015: This was a day for church in the morning then a Lodi Community Concert Association concert in the afternoon. Today the feature artist was Rob Verdi with a show title SAXsational. Mr. Verdi was accompanied by the Lodi Community Band. The SAXsational show featured Mr. Verdi playing popular and classic tunes on his collection of historical saxophones. It is by far the best concert I've attended of the concert association. The history of the saxophone was very interesting with historical and rare instruments shown and played. I recognized many of the tunes, maybe one of the reasons I enjoyed the concert so much. Mr. Verdi also had a pleasant manner with the audience and with the band which also added to the excitement of the concert. The audience gave a standing ovation which I've not see at the association concerts before and that earned us an encore. Click the photo for a photo of the program cover.

Friday, February 6, 2015: My sister, Dorana, has joined my on this Friday to walk the streets of downtown Lodi for their "First Friday Art Walk". Many of the stores usually participating in this event are closed this evening due to the weather. We are still able to visit four retail store participating. We "opened and closed" the event because we found so many nice people to talk with. We took all their time in conversation about their art and other events in Lodi. Few others were walking the art event so the artists had the time to talk. I found something special for Gwen, but don't tell her. It was enjoyable spending the time with Dorana. Folks thought we were married but we had to set them straight.

Thursday, February 5, 2015: Today was a busy day for Mom. It began with a breakfast of potatoes, onions, bell peppers and eggs plus coffee. Shortly after breakfast, Katherine arrived to introduce herself. She is a physical therapist and has arrived to teach Mom the proper way to use a walker, get in and out of a chair plus four pages of exercises to bring her strength back. Mom listened well and followed all of Katherine's instruction. I expect it will not take Mom long to regain her strength when she follows Katherine's plan. After lunch, we had a visit from the home health nurse. No doubt this is all the medicare protocol to keep Mom out of the hospital and in her own home as long as possible. When exiting the hospital, the exit nurse arranged for a home health nurse, physical therapist and occupational therapist. With all this help, she will improve quickly.

Monday, February 2, 2015: We have arrived at our destination, my mother's house in Lodi, California. We have made a quick trip to Lodi because Mom has not been feeling well so we'll help around the house until she feels better. Mom has a large enough driveway we can park our trailer. However, we are only a few feet from four lanes of traffic so we'll be wearing ear plugs each night to sleep. Thank goodness, we are only 1 mile from a train crossing so we get to hear a train every twenty minutes. We drove Hwy 99 to get to Lodi. It's a busy, four lane road in rough condition so really rattles your bones and everything in the trailer too. The weather is clear and warm.

Saturday, January 31, 2015: This was a travel day covering a longer distance than we normally cover. We drove from Casa Grande, Arizona where it was raining to sunny Barstow, California, 450 miles. We have visited Barstow before so knew of a restaurant, Idle Spurs, which had an area set aside for free overnight RV parking. After driving through a whole lot of desert, we arrived at Idle Spurs for dinner and overnight parking. It also happens that Barstow is where trains are redirected and cars are regrouped into new trains. That makes for lots of night noises, it's good we like trains.

Monday, January 19, 2015:

Memo to Dale and Gwen from Morgan:

Today you took me on ANOTHER hike on an Arizona mountain trail covered with rocks. I didn't dare step off the trail because every bush sticks me with thorns but the rocks hurt my paws so there is no winning for ME. When you took me for hikes in Oregon, I could drop into creeks or lakes every mile and cool off. THERE IS NO WATER HERE! Even though you carry water for me and dump it on my head if I don't drink, it's just NOT the same. If I was my sister Amika in California, I'd only be walking on a sidewalk and at the end of a short walk, I'd have a lake to jump into. And if in the house, I'd just stand next to the door and bark then the door would magically open for me so I can lay on the cool grass IN THE SHADE (there is NO shade or grass in Arizona). So, here is the deal: If you take me on any MORE hikes in Arizona, I'm going to go live with my sister (even though she is a pest and steals my toys). Click the photo to see what I mean about how awful it is in Arizona. This is your LAST warning! Oh! and I'm taking Annie (the cat) with me! She doesn't like Arizona either ... she told me! I will miss you.

Love Morgan

Saturday, January 17, 2015: Gwen and I traveled to Apache Junction today just to see something we haven't seen before. I was hoping to visit some of the RV parks because Apache Junction is much closer to the parts of Arizona we have been visiting while staying in Casa Grande. But, after entering the area, we were attracted to some "open houses" and began taking tours and learning how Arizonans live in the desert. We never had time to visit an RV park but figured we could call to learn about prices and features. While exploring I came across this Tesla charging station for the Tesla electric car. There is a bank of six with none plugged in. Apparently there are a few in the area. Tesla is building a huge plant outside of Reno, Nevada which will add employment to the area. Click the photo to see the recharging area.

I was surprised with our "open house" tour, first, by the affordable price in a really nice 55+ community. Second, by how comfortable the house appeared next to the desert mountain and how the inside of the house brought in the outside. Third, the whole neighborhood was quiet to the point of looking abandoned. No cars parked on the street or in driveways, apparently they all use their garage.

We finished the day by visiting a special restaurant backup up to the Superstition Mountains.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015: A couple of weeks ago we were watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Cooking channel. One of the cafes they featured was located in downtown Phoenix. We said to each other at the time, "we've got to go there before we leave the Phoenix area". Well, today was that day. The restaurant we visited is 67 miles from our location in Casa Grande but we had more than one reason to go that far so we chose to go early and learn why Guy Fieri liked Matt's Big Breakfast so much. I was expecting to have to wait for breakfast but we were lucky and got seated immediately at the only table available. Guy thought the Belgium waffles were special so that's what I ordered, Gwen ordered the day's special, a ham and jalapeno egg scramble. We weren't disappointed. The food and atmosphere were just as Guy Fieri described. Within minutes of our arrival, a waiting list began to form. By the time we left there were a dozen people waiting. I asked the waitress if the restaurant was this busy before it was featured by Guy Fieri and she told me it was always busy. "We had a loyal following from the very beginning." explained the waitress. Click the photo for another view.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014: Gwen's son, Dave is visiting from Boise, Idaho and with his clever management, gets tickets to the Fiesta Bowl played in the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona. This is our first bowl game and a very SPECIAL bowl game this year because the University of Phoenix Stadium is the location of the 2015 Superbowl in a month. Boise State has qualified to play the Fiesta Bowl for the third year in a row. Their opponent is Arizona, a Pac12 team. It seemed that 3/4 of the stadium was filled with Boise State fans as were everyone in my group. However, I'm for Pac12 so hoping Arizona can pull it off, after all, they are on home turf. Boise surprised Arizona with three touchdowns in the first quarter before Arizona figured out how to play the game. The excitement, sounds and sights are the only reason to attend a bowl game in person, otherwise, you can see the play far better on TV. What an experience to be here in person. Arizona brought the score back to within a one score game with only minute left in play. They had a chance to tie the game but failed to connect on fourth down which gave Boise their third Fiesta Bowl win. The Boise fans came a long way to see this game and were the underdogs ranked at #20 compared to the Arizona ranking of #10. All the fans stayed for the award ceremony. Click the photos for another view.

Thursday, December 25, 2014: Christmas Day, a day to see "The Christmas Story" for about the fifth time ... it never gets old, at least for people my age. After seeing the movie, it was time for the Christmas potluck which included a nice "fire" on the clubhouse TV. The park provided the turkey and ham while everyone else provided the rest of the meal, all good. We enjoyed the time with friends and the good food. Click the photo for a view of the clubhouse.

Monday, December 22, 2014: Santa came to visit here at RoVer's Roost SKP park during our Christmas party. Santa's visit was just part of the excitement. I don't usually like the "game playing" at parties but this time the games we played we a lot of fun with a lot of people participating. We were instructed to bring a $2 gift and a $5 - 10 gift, so two gifts per person. Santa gave out the more expensive gifts but we exchanged the $2 gifts in a game. While in a circle (and this was a LARGE circle) we passed the $2 gifts to the right or left following the words while a story is read to us. A fun way to get a $2 gift. We also played bingo with the names of those attending. Of course, the party included lots of figure food, enough so people left stuffed. Click the photo for a view of the room.

Thursday, December 18, 2014: We stayed home today to catch up on a few things around the trailer and the park. I chose to make a quick hike to a cell tower located 2.25 miles across the desert from the park. I used the tower as a goal point because it can easily be seen across the desert from the park and I knew it was next to a road leading into town. That means I can continue my walk into town, about 6 miles away, or hike back from town when on a shopping trip with Gwen. When you click the photo you'll see what the desert looks like around here. It's much different from what I'm use to in other areas of Arizona. Virtually no rocks in this desert, just dirt and sand. That made for easy, quick hiking to the cell tower and back today.

Monday, December 8, 2014: This day was to have been a boat ride on Lake Mojave in a rented ski boat but the boat rental company would not rent to us because the wind was too high. So we watched the carp in the harbor for a while before making an Italian lunch date.

After Italian for lunch, Gwen wanted to add some "steps" to her exercise so I joined her. While walking the campground roads we got a great desert sunset over the campground. You can see the reflection of Lake Mojave under the sunset. Click the photo for a view of the sunset.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014: Gwen and I read of an Arts and Crafts show at the Mojave Community College, here in Bullhead City, Arizona. The show was small, indoors with lots of jewelry, knitted items and a few displays of pottery. While we were there, the courtyard in front of the library and bookstore was being prepared for Santa to arrive this evening. Click the photo for the courtyard and library entrance.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014: The day begin in overcast and a forecast of 10% chance of rain. By the end of the day, it was raining, so now we know what is mean by 10% in Arizona.

First, I walked to the resort store to ask questions about renting a ski boat on Thursday. I have three friends which will join us on Thursday for two hours of site seeing on Lake Mojave. I had questions and got answers.

Next, we haven't dumped our black water holding tank since leaving Verdi, that's 17 days ago. I believe we could have gone another ten days but Gwen was getting nervous. I hooked up, didn't have to take down the solar panels and towed the 200 yards to the dump station. I emptied all tanks then connected the water filters to try to get better tasting Arizona water into our freshwater holding tank.

After returning and setting up in our campsite, I drove to Smith's market where we had a 10¢ per gallon credit. I was able to get 35 gallons at $3.29 per gallon, the best price we have paid in a long time. Next, I drove down the street and paid $3.35 per gallon for another 25 gallons. All tanks are full and ready for travel.

Now I had a grocery list on my COZI list APP and was able to find most of the items in Smith's but left other's for Gwen. That was easy to do using COZI. I just checked off the items I purchased so when Gwen looked on her COZI list she would see I already purchased those items.

It was overcast all day so no sun. Our batteries were not totally deleted but I didn't want to take the chance so this evening was the first evening we have relied on our (quiet) Yamaha generator for power.

Monday, December 1, 2014: We have been wanting to try the USS Riverside tour since arriving. Today was a calm, warm day so we took the 10:30 cruise on the Colorado River. The tour leaves from the Riverside Casino dock and lasts 1.5 hours taking a slow, narrated tour of the Colorado River area, Bullhead City, Arizona and Laughlin, Nevada history. Like Las Vegas, Laughlin was a desert dream. In this case, it was the dream of one man, Don Laughlin. He purchased an eight room motel then slowly built and expanding into the Riverside Resort and casino that we saw today. He still lives in a penthouse on top of the Riverside tower. Click the photos for additional views.

Sunday, November 30, 2014: Rather than watch pro-football all day, we drove to JC Penney for something special Gwen wanted. Then, at the recommendation of friends, we went to the movie, "Gone Girl". It's a long movie, nearly 2.5 hours but we were on the edge of our seats most of the time. This movie has lots of twists and turns and an ending that leaves you either angry, disbelieving or both. If you like good mystery stories, this movie is for you.

Friday, November 28, 2014: On "Black Friday" I could not resist going to ONE store, Home Depot. They do a great job with bringing in lots of "stocking stuffers" plus other incentives but I'm only interested in the "stuffers". It was plenty busy but I still found items with little customer interest like the Gerber multi-tool in the upper left photo. I also found items which were nearly sold out like the 10" table saw blades, center photo. I also found some surprises like the 1" x 6" x 5' "Kids Growth Chart". This looks like a fun project for the grandkids. I had to pass through the isles several times to make sure I saw everything and to do some crowd watching. I was impressed with this Bullhead City Home Depot. The management had triple the number of employees on duty and everyone of them greeted me with a smile plus holiday wishes. It was as if they enjoyed their job which made me glad I was shopping there. They seemed sincere, unlike the young lady who greeted me a Carl's Jr. Her "Welcome to Carl's Jr.", was as if she had been working there for 12 hours straight and my greeting was the thousandth time she said it. So yes, Christmas came early for me. I bought myself a six pack of pliers, a six pack of odd size screwdrivers, some Milwaukee reciprocating saw blades (that saw is in Oregon), an HDMI cable to connect my computer to the TV (since I forgot one in Oregon) and the growth chart boards. I was tempted with the 10" saw blades but I don't trust cheap saw blades (that saw is in Oregon, too). I enjoyed shopping but had equal enjoyment in talking with the customers and Home Depot staff.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014: First .... a trip into Bullhead City to return items to WalMart then on to Target because we thought Target treated their employees better but learned Target is as bad or worse than WalMart ... go figure. We just have no place to shop ... and be socially responsible at the same time. Next ... to the Post Office ... more packages for the grandkids.

Off to Harrah's for a special birthday gift for Gwen, more than one gift for Gwen. We spotted the pool (only $10 to non-guests) and the north plus south beaches on the Colorado River. While at Harrah's we noticed the giant poster of Guy Fieri. It was advertising an new restaurant coming to Harrah's .... soon. So while there, Gwen "invested" another $5 and came away with MORE than $5. That's never my luck.

Now the fun really begins. I decided to hike from Laughlin back to the campground over Davis Dam. You can see the trailhead at the walking bridge by clicking the lamp photo. I have my hat on backward because the wind was trying to rip it off my head and down the river. I had to take a photo of the lamp post, notice no bulb. It was apparent to me, the bulb was inside the metal housing, the light was reflected off the reflector shield over the lamp. I can see that this would reduce the possibility of vandalism, no bulb to break, there are plenty of rocks in the desert to throw at a bulb. I turned out, the hike was 6.5 miles from the trailhead to our campsite. I may have to do it more than once.

Monday, November 24, 2014: Our day started with a visit to WalMart for a few items we couldn't think of another store that would have them (otherwise, we don't shop WalMart). Then a stop to get propane before going to the post office to mail gifts to grandchildren.

Next came the fun part of the day. We have decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at Harrah's but we haven't been there yet to check it out. Gwen is walking into the entrance in the photo. We started with the "Total Rewards" card because we know the cards will get us a $2 discount on Thanksgiving dinner. They also came with a challenge to get 25 points on the card for a free buffet. We each "invested" $10. I lost my $10 pretty quickly, but Gwen cashed out at $13.72.

Our last adventure was to visit the Outlet Mall for the first time in Laughlin. Click the photo to see my success at finding some grandchildren items. The mall has lots of covered parking which I'm sure is important for 120 degree summer days. I also noticed huge fans in the parking garage to keep stale, hot air moving in a covered garage. After the mall visit, we still had perishable grocery items to buy before going home.

We still had time to see the Ravens defeat the Saints in Monday Night Football.

Sunday, November 23, 2014: Our friends Wayne and Char have gone to Seattle to see a Seattle Seahawks game live. While there, they sent out some photos using Facebook. Fortunately for them, the Seahawks won the game easily. Click this photo, where ARE you Wayne and Char? We spent the afternoon watching the game and looking for their sign.

Friday, November 21, 2014: This is the day we met our friends for our first casino show. This is a group of four entertainers who impersonate "super stars". We ordered our tickets early enough to get on row one, next to the stage. The four superstars are Tim McGraw, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. It was a fun performance but loud in row ONE. Willie took a liking to Gwen so she got his bandana signed "Love Willie". It was a fun time at the Riverside Casino. Click the above photos for additional views.

Thursday, November 20, 2014: At least once each year I get the chance to rant on campers with contractor generators. Last night we had a camper take the space next to us then run the contractor generator much of the evening. They are cheap generators intended to power construction equipment. They run at full RPM no matter the load with virtually no muffling. So this generator drowned out any other noises in the campground. We have a few campers in popup tents nearby so they were probably affected the most. A quality generator will cost twice the price but gives cleaner power, runs at an RPM to provide only what's needed and less than 25% of the noise. A quality generator is also considerate of other campers. Click the photo to see the whole rig.

This day began with repairing the front blind in the trailer. I not only repaired it but added "Frost King" window film which will stop any cold air and condensation coming from that window. Once that was complete Gwen and I drove to Laughlin, Nevada (only about 3 miles from our camping location) to meet with Timber Valley friends, Bud and Anita. We talked for a bit then walked to the Riverside Casino for a late lunch in their buffet. The buffet room is on the Colorado River so it was a great view but the food quality was something we will not return for. It was good to visit with Bud and Anita and we made plans to see a show together tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014: This is an odd photo, one of the small laundry room at Katherine Landing. That's how my day ended, with me in the laundry room. I spent most of the day driving from RV parts stores to hardware stores to Auto parts stores looking for a gas piston to replace the broken one which lifts our bed. I finally gave up and went home to fix my lunch. After a late lunch, I searched the Internet for the right piston without success so I called the first RV parts place I visited and had them order the part for me. That's when ... I did the laundry.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014: Our first day camped in the Alabama Hills. I made a run to the post office to mail letters and to mail the extra set of Pressure Pro sensors I bought at the Timber Valley Yard Sale. My sensors are still working but showing signs of weakness. The batteries are estimated to last 5 years and mine have lasted 6 years. Pressure Pro will give a 30% discount on replacement sensors if the used sensors are returned. They are STILL expensive at $35 each but this system has saved me three times already so I'm thinking the system is worth the expense. After the trip to town, I picked up Gwen and drove her to the Whitney Portal. This is a steep climb from our 4,500 foot campsite to the portal at 8,300 feet. I saw about twenty cars parked at the trailhead so decided to do some hiking myself, tomorrow. I picked up a wilderness permit and learned that only six permits had been issued for today and three for tomorrow. The ranger suggested many hikers must not have picked up a permit. The hike to the summit, round trip, is 22 miles. I won't be hiking that far but I will hike for some Sierra scenery. On the return trip from the portal, Gwen, Morgan and I hiked the "Arch" trail where we saw two arches. I later learned that the main arch (click the photo at right) was used on the cover of a California Scenic Roads magazine. This area reminds both of us of the Joshua Tree National Park. Click the above photo for a wider view.

Monday, November 10, 2014: My two sons and I wanted to be the first to see Interstellar, the new science fiction movie. So we chose an early morning movie time at the newest theater in Sparks, Nevada. The seats were ordered from an APP with seat assignments. I originally wanted to see the IMAX version of the movie but was convinced to the "regular" showing to get better, bigger and more comfortable cushion chairs. It turned out, the chairs were really recliners with electric control buttons. Another first for me in a movie theater. The movie has lots of popular stars but I believe the special effects were the best part of the show. It is three hours long so don't drink much before taking your seat.

Saturday, November 8, 2014: I've never seen 3 to 5 year olds practice soccer. These kids spent 30 minutes practicing soccer skills and learning to obey coach instructions. They all seemed to have fun doing it. The kids had fun telling me about their experience then we played "Go Fish" when we got home.

Thursday, November 6, 2014: Lucy is a great reason to visit Reno. She is my granddaughter and nearly 9 months old. She is growing a personality, loves music and has really strong legs. She also loves her vegetables especially when Mom blends them in the Vita-Master with Almond milk and pumpkin seeds then pours the delicious mixture into a "sippy cup". This is the Dutch-made tow truck I brought to Lucy. I found this truck at a toy store in Bozeman and offered to purchase it if given a 10% discount. The owner refused so I ordered it for 15% less (including shipping) from Amazon Prime (two day shipping). The merchant chose to keep it on her shelf rather than turn it into cash for 90% of the asking price. My daughter Mindy and I assembled it and Lucy began trucking around. Mindy made the pants Lucy is wearing.

After the afternoon visit, I bought wrapping paper for the gifts I'm bringing to all the grand kids.

Click the photo for another Lucy view.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014: I spent the day with my daughter, Mindy and granddaughter, Lucy. We first went to Lucy's music class. How does a baby do music class. We had clapping, singing, dancing and simple instruments. The class meets once each week for thirty minutes. I can see how much the class benefits not only the babies but the moms too. After music class, we went to Mindy's favorite market and our's too, Whole Foods. Where else would you find "Sugar Cane"? We also went to Trader Joe's, another specialty market. After this much running around, it's time for Lucy's nap. I won't admit to a nap.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014: The Baseball world, game 7 was the big news of the day. The San Francisco Giants win the last game, 3:2 on Kansas City home turf. Madison Baumgarner was the winning pitcher and the hero of the game. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Royals get the tying run onto third base through a series of clumsy play by the Giants but the next batter is put out with a fly to third baseman, Sandoval.

During the day, our biggest thrill is a trip to Whole Foods. Click the photo for an nice view of Boise Whole Foods.

Sunday, October 26, 2014: Off to church with Gwen. Then, we visit an almost abandoned mall, even less traffic and more boring stores than our mall in Roseburg. This was another cold windy day so we huddled in our warm trailer watching football and the world series baseball.

Monday, October 13, 2014: We went to a major native American historical location. Before horses the indians depended upon clever manipulation of buffalo herds to get enough materials and food for the whole year. They would trick a large buffalo herd into running off a cliff to their death or injury. This supplied the tribe with enough food, furs, tools and oils to last a year. Click the photo to see where this happened. Once the horse arrived, the indians switched to hunting from the horse. The point is, the buffalo was essential for the indians survival. Here's another view of what the indians saw in this part of Montana.

Thursday, October 9, 2014: We had a lot of driving to do (at least for us), about 300 miles. We continued to follow Lewis and Clark which took us over the LoLo Pass which is the border between Idaho and Montana. We have been here once before but in the summer months when it was much busier. Stopping at the LoLo Pass visitor center I noticed a freshly killed bear on the front of a hunter's vehicle. Apparently it is bear season in Idaho or Montana or both. Here is a photo but don't view if you don't want to see what a freshly killed bear looks like. Our goal this trip is to drive to Bozeman, Montana where we will meet my mother for a family reunion of her cousins. I'm told I was in Bozeman many years ago but I don't remember so this will all be new to me. I'm beginning to learn what is meant by "big sky country". Click this photo for a history lesson about Lewis and Clark at LoLo Pass.

Thursday, October 2, 2014: One last trip to Roseburg on errands before completing the "to-do" list. The Cameo fifth wheel gets closed up today but first, all water lines must be blown out. I connect a Schrader valve adapter to the fresh water inlet then use my air compressor to blow air into the water lines. Gwen opens all the water faucets, one at a time to be sure all water is blown out of each line. Next, I remove the anode rod from the hot water heater and release the pressure release valve allowing all the water in the heater to escape quickly. Now I pull the low-point release valve to be sure all water is drained. Finally, I'm checking the washing machine to be sure no water is trapped. I know there is still water in the "U" traps but there are still warm days ahead which will evaporate that water (tomorrow, for example, will be in the mid-80s). Now I move to all the exterior water lines to make sure all water is drained, Randy, the park manager, will turn the water off at the below ground valve tomorrow.

Next item on the list, turn off the propane. Slides are rolled in then the batteries are disconnected. Everything is locked up and the power turned off.

Now I go to the office and give Barb, our office manager, money to cover the power we have used since the last reading of the meter. Gwen gives Jan a key to our mail box and money to forward mail when needed.

I take down the weather station and prepare it for travel. Last, I remove the coax leading from the satellite dish to the Cameo and reconnect to the Alumascape. I had moved the DISH Network receiver from the Cameo tot he Alumascape earlier in the day. I made sure it was working because the Oregon Ducks are Playing Arizona tonight.

We are pulling out early tomorrow morning.