'24/#23 Nice To Visit, But.....

 It is another cold, damp, day here in Oregon like we were told it would be. Getting the old bodies up and going in the morning is a challenge in these conditions but we are on the move today so, up and at 'em. There is still so much to see and we have enjoyed our adventure but neither of us can see us settling down in this part of the country. Not that we have decided to settle down or come off the road but the ideal location for our forever home has not presented itself.

Today we leave Oregon and head north into Washington. Waterfalls, giant airplanes, mountains, lighthouses,  and the Tillamook creamery. All things on the bucket list now checked off and another state marked off on our map. Yes we have a map to chronicle our travels. It is not one of those big maps you see on the side of RVs with the state stickers filling in as campers go down the road. We opted for something more subtle since our RV is home and not a vacation camper. It stays inside the house for us to enjoy and not so much to let others know about our travels.

Gotta mark off Oregon

There is a break in the weather so we will get things ready to hit the road, but first breakfast. We can't travel on an empty stomach. Oh, look the sun is out! We'd better get out there before the sun is gone ond summer is over! This is me signing off from our home in Troutdale Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#22 Another For The Bucket

 Mary has designated this year's travels as the "Bucket List Tour" since we are going to see many of the things we have just driven past while saying "next time". The list is very long but we are checking things off as we meander around the country. 

Many years ago I had read about Howard Hughes and the Spruce Goose. The list of facts surrounding the design and construction of this first jumbo transport plane boggles the mind. I have said that if I was anywhere near where it was displayed I would make a point to see it. Well McMinnville Oregon is now the permanent home of the Spruce Goose. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is an eclectic collection of aircraft with the Goose as it's centerpiece. Planes and replicas of some original planes cover aviation history from the Wright brothers to F-14s. 

Mary in the blue shirt.

As I said, the Spruce Goose is the centerpiece and also the biggest plane by far in the exhibit. It was impossible to get a picture of the entire plane in a single frame either because of it's length or the height of it's tail. Mary was not as interested in seeing this as it was one of my bucket list items but once in the massive presence of the one of a kind airplane she was hooked. The story behind it's creation is just as amazing as the plane itself and you can read about it on line. Just saying that the fact that it was even built under the government contraints is a story unto itself.

While in McMinnville, also known as civilization, we found a Walmart and did some shopping. We will be back on the road in a couple of days with more items to check off our bucket list. So I will sign off during another rainy oregon day from our home in Tillamook because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#21 We're Not In Florida Anymore!

 Just paraphrasing Dorothy a little. With over eighty years of living in Florida combined we have acclimated ouselves to a warmer climate. Now we are spending over a month in the Pacific Northwest and it is not summer yet. That means overnight temperatures in the low forty's and highs in the mid fifty's. THAT's winter in Florida. Also did I mention that while it is cold it is also damp and it rains at least a couple of times a day. Brrrr!

The point I am making is that while we want to do and see things, getting started in the mornings is ..... let's say a challenge. The heat gets cranked up, I fill myself with coffee, and we try to motivate each other to start showers, breakfast, and getting dressed. Being retired means we don't have to keep to any schedule but we still want to keep the adventure going.

Well we are past the heat and the coffee so it looks like showers and breakfast is coming soon. I will sign off from our home in Tillamook Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#20 The Roads Less Traveled

Just sitting here in Elkton Oregon thinking and decided to share my thoughts. This year is all about the traveling and less about the destination. When we have concentrated on getting from one destination to the next there was no better way to travel than the National Interstate Highway System. Four to eight lanes of traffic with no stop lights or intersections can put mega miles in the rear view mirror in a hurry. The only way to travel faster is by plane and where's the fun in that?

This year we are stopping and seeing things more often and are more likely off the beaten path. By eliminating the calander as our guide we are taking less traveled routes on secondary roads and state highways. Many of these are just two lane roads that go through towns, over rivers and creeks, around mountains, and just generally conform more to the terrain. The Interstate speed limit is usually between 55 and 70mph while the secondary roads can be anything between 65mph down to 35mph in town. 

With these differences we have changed our driving style. Now we plan for 200 mile days instead of 300 mile days. This means finding places to stay more often. We also have to find fuel in places that may not have truck stops. We can fuel up anyplace there is diesel but sometimes the gas stations can get cozy with a 42 foot trailer. We have been known to drop the trailer in a parking lot and just drive the truck to get diesel, but not often.

Well all I can say is that this trip is definetly different than our past travels. I guess we are taking the roads less traveled and sometimes it feels like we are lost but that's OK. This is all part of the adventure. I will sign off while sitting by the river at our home in Elkton Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it, 

Frank and Mary

'24/#19 Pacing Ourselves

 We are in a little campground alongside the Umpqua River in Oregon. My last post was about the snow around Crater Lake and how much different it was than ten days prior at White Sands New Mexico. Well we have another weather change.

We are about twenty miles from the Oregon coast as the bird flies. The elevation here is around 130 feet while Crater Lake was over 6000 feet. We are now in T-shirts and shorts as opposed to arctic wear and dealing with temperatures close to 90 degrees instead of highs in the mid 30's. Oh well, the only thing that stays the same is the fact that things will change. 

The time here in Elkton is going to be a mix of chores, down time, and exploring. Keeping the wheels rolling is tiring and expensive. Those RVers who travel, travel, travel are the ones who get burned out and disillusioned with the lifestyle. We are not on vacation and do not have to cram as much as we can in the time we have. 

Yesterday was shopping and laundry while today we took care of minor household tasks. The AC feels good and we will do some planning for the next few weeks. So I will sign off from our home in Elkton because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#18 Location? Time? Now Weather?!?!

 In my past blogs I have talked about waking up in my own bed and forgetting where I am until that first cup of coffee. This is easily fixed by looking out the window. Then I went on about time zones and the inconsistancy of Day Light Savings in different areas of the country. The clock on our phones or a quick call to a local business can solve that issue.

Now we have more changes to deal with, and I am saying this in a fun way. Ten days ago we were in White Sands New Mexico with temperatures in the  eighties and in the desert. Now we are in Oregon at Crater Lake with temperatures  between freezing and the mid forties and SNOW! It's a good thing we are full time RVers and carry all of our clothing with us. All contingencies from shorts to winter layers would be a bummer to pack in a suitcase.

White sand!

White snow!!!

We have moved on from Crater Lake and are heading toward the coast of Oregon to do more exploring. I will sign off from our home along side the Umpqua River in Oregon because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#17 Thoughts From The Road

 RV travel is different than other types of travel. By plane you show up at the airport and POOF you are at your destination. OK maybe in a couple of hours. By car you drive and find hotels along the way. Car travel can be as much as 500 to 700 miles a day and hotels are usually readily available. Also gas stations are even more plentiful than hotels. RV travel requires a bit more planning.

First of all driving an RV is not the same as driving a car. It is much more fatiguing, both physically and mentally.  It is quite the responsibility to be in charge of sixty feet of vehicle weighing around thirty thousand pounds. Rough roads seem rougher, cross winds seem stronger, and then there is the fact that 30,000 pounds doesn't stop on a dime. All this while cars around you are oblivious to these facts. This usually limits us to around 300 miles each day, so it takes longer to get to each destination.

Speaking of destinations.... RV parks are not as plentiful as hotels nor are gas (diesel) stops where we can fit. RV parks can be quite a ways off the highway, down questionable roads, and not have adequate hook ups for the RV. Poor electrical hook-ups can do $$$$ damage, water pressure can be too high or too low, and the water could just be YUCKY! The navigator, Mary because of my social media ineptness, makes it look easy. That makes it easier for me to concentrate on the actual driving. 

I personally would rather deal with the roads, the weather, and the other drivers than have to deal with the internet, apps, and phone calls. I'm lucky I can get this blog written and posted. The up side to all this is when we get to wherever we are headed we are in our own home, in our own bed, using our own bathroom, eating our own food, and just enjoying the comfort of familiar surroundings no matter where we are. My blog sign off says it all.

We are home in Klamath Falls Oregon because......

Home IS where we park it.....

Frank and Mary

'24/#16 Water Falls and Insanity

 Well Twin Falls turned into an interesting stop. First of all there are the falls. The Snake River Canyon's geological history has created some interesting natural sights like both the Shoshone Falls and the Perrine Coolie Falls. The Perrine Coolie Falls has a verticle drop of almost 200 feet. It is not the tallest waterfall but impressive none the less.

The Shoshone Falls are not as tall but are much more interesting. Again a geological creation from centuries ago. Also lots of pictures of what is refered to as the Niagara Falls of the west. We have seen Niagara Falls and can see the reference.

Between the two falls is the location of Evel Kenievel's failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in 1974. Not much to see but a big mound built for the jump. A few more pics and a moment to contemplate the mind that would consider trying what seems insane to most of us.

Well we will be off for Oregon in the morning so goodbye from our home in Twin Falls Idaho because....

Home is where we park itt,

Frank and Mary

'24/#15 Filling The Bucket

 And the Bucket List Tour continues. While we were in Page we also went to Antelope Canyon. Anybody with a computer knows what Antelope Canyon looks but just doesn't know it by name or location. It is a Microsoft screen saver that could easily be mistaken for a computer generated image. Trust me. It's not! We took hundreds of photos and have been sharing them all over the internet. I tried to get pictures with us in them to prove that it is real. Or maybe that WE are computer generated. HAHA!

We left Page and are in Twin Falls Idaho for a couple of days. We'll see what there is to see and start our trek into Oregon. So until the next blog so long from our home in Twin Falls because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'24/#14 The Bucket List

 If you are following us you know that we are traveling a lot more than we have done in the past. We are seeing things that we wanted to but just didn't have the time. Well now is the time. Mary calls this the Bucket List Tour. Things we wanted to see but didn't for one reason or another. This year..... no excuses.

We are in Page Arizona and the area around here is beautiful. This is the scenery that you only see in movies, TV, or magazines. Well now we are here in front of it in person and the pictures do it no justice. The vastness can not be comprehended in pictography and the colors are surreal. 

Yesterday we went to Horseshoe Bend. This bend in the Colorado River is photographed so much that the photos are taken for granted. Walk the three quarter mile path and stand at the edge of the cliff and it takes your breath away. Everyone takes pictures and it looks like all the other pictures you have seen over the years. We took pictures that no one has taken before. Pictures with US in them.

The walk was worth it and as long as you stay hydrated in this arid climate it was fine. Someone along the way didn't listen and suffered the consequences. She was fine after awhile but it would have been so easy to avoid just by drinking some water.

I will blog more later but will sign off for now from our home in Page because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary