Well, it didn't exactly take us this long to get back home. However, we had internet and TV issues when we returned and while the TV issue was resolved yesterday, it took until this morning to get the internet on both computers up and running. It seems that the storm which hit Reno a couple of weeks ago really did a job on some of our electrical components. Thanks to Charter replacing the DVR yesterday and us replacing the router today, we are now back in the wired (some might say weird) world.
Our trip across Nevada was uneventful. Lots of sunshine and blue skies to welcome us home and we arrived in Reno about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. We'll have to plan another trip to finish up the audio book's last two discs, but that can wait!
Everything was fine (except for the aforementioned "electronic stuff") and it was good to be back home again. The final result of our trip was 8008 miles this time, which beat our last trip by well over 1500 miles. Snowflake got a wash job and a full tank of gas and she's all emptied out. I think the car raised about two inches with everything out of the trunk and back seat. All is well and I think we're going to stick around for a while.
Had a great time visiting everyone (some for the second time in two months, but who's counting). We enjoyed our trip very much, especially since there were no problems along the way. Now all we have to do is wait for the American Express and Master Charge bills to come in so that we can relive our trip!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
West Wendover, NV
Hey, did you know that they have casinos in Nevada? Left Nebraska yesterday with all intentions of staying in Salt Lake City. However, we wanted to get on the west side of SLC so that we wouldn't have to fight the morning rush hour. All the hotels we checked out near the airport were booked solid, so we opted to travel on for another 100 miles and stay in W. Wendover at one of the Peppermill properties. On the next to longest day of the year, we traveled the longest time.
Good day yesterday. Snowflake hit zero oil life just east of Cheyenne, so we thought it might be a good idea to get her oiled and lubed. Luckily, we found a GM dealer who had an express rack and we were in and out in less than an hour. She even got washed! While we were waiting, we looked at the Buicks and Cadillacs - boy, does Snowflake really look good to us.
Immediately outside of Cheyenne, we hit the first major back-up of our trip. There was a roll-over accident on I-80 and they had the interstate closed down. Took longer to go those ten miles than it did for the work on the car. Just glad it wasn't us. Another day of sunshine and beautiful weather, although a little humid (who says we can't find something to complain about. Wyoming is so beautiful with vast expanses and wide open spaces, then into Utah and through the ski area around Park City. When you come down the mountain, the Great Salt Lake and SLC just spread out in front of you. Awesome.
Right now, we are as far to the east of Reno as we can get and still be in the state - about 400 miles to go today, but then we'll be home (what a strange word!)
Good day yesterday. Snowflake hit zero oil life just east of Cheyenne, so we thought it might be a good idea to get her oiled and lubed. Luckily, we found a GM dealer who had an express rack and we were in and out in less than an hour. She even got washed! While we were waiting, we looked at the Buicks and Cadillacs - boy, does Snowflake really look good to us.
Immediately outside of Cheyenne, we hit the first major back-up of our trip. There was a roll-over accident on I-80 and they had the interstate closed down. Took longer to go those ten miles than it did for the work on the car. Just glad it wasn't us. Another day of sunshine and beautiful weather, although a little humid (who says we can't find something to complain about. Wyoming is so beautiful with vast expanses and wide open spaces, then into Utah and through the ski area around Park City. When you come down the mountain, the Great Salt Lake and SLC just spread out in front of you. Awesome.
Right now, we are as far to the east of Reno as we can get and still be in the state - about 400 miles to go today, but then we'll be home (what a strange word!)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Ogallala, NE
Get on I-80, eat, get back on I-80, etc. - you know the drill. From Illinois this morning through Iowa and now we're in the western portion of Nebraska. Beautiful day - second day in a row that we've had sunshine and blue skies. We could get used to this!
Tomorrow, I think we're just heading over to Cheyenne to relax and maybe play golf. That is, if the tornadoes in the area stay away from our path.
We'll see where we go from there.
Tomorrow, I think we're just heading over to Cheyenne to relax and maybe play golf. That is, if the tornadoes in the area stay away from our path.
We'll see where we go from there.
Peru/LaSalle, IL
There's a country and western song about a "town so small you can look both ways and see it all". Well, these two towns can't even have a separate name to identify them! Actually, I think we're in Peru (at least that's what it says on water tower behind us), but everything else is identified by the both names appellation.
Yesterday we took a leisurely drive across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Didn't make much mileage because we were determined to avoid the tollways and also the traffic around Chicago. Took I-80 through the western Pennsylvania mountains and into Ohio, then we switched over to US 30 and then to US 24, finally connecting back to I-80 just west of Joiliet, IL. Kind of nice going through the small towns with their unique architecture, seeing the farms, and local industry. Also get to see the rivers and rolling countryside (but not through Indiana and Illinois - flat, flat, flat). Nice, but slow! From now on, I think we're going to stick to I-80 and make it home. Hey, only about 1800 miles to go!
Yesterday we took a leisurely drive across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Didn't make much mileage because we were determined to avoid the tollways and also the traffic around Chicago. Took I-80 through the western Pennsylvania mountains and into Ohio, then we switched over to US 30 and then to US 24, finally connecting back to I-80 just west of Joiliet, IL. Kind of nice going through the small towns with their unique architecture, seeing the farms, and local industry. Also get to see the rivers and rolling countryside (but not through Indiana and Illinois - flat, flat, flat). Nice, but slow! From now on, I think we're going to stick to I-80 and make it home. Hey, only about 1800 miles to go!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Mill Hall, PA
We're on the way home! Had a great time in Morrisville. Danny was attending several graduation parties, but we got to say good-by to him. Went to Katie's soccer game in Burlington on Sunday, watched the first game and then started our trek back. Tim and Kathy had spent the night in Burlington, but they came over to say good-by before they left for Rochester. Char and the boys also came over. Our only regret is that we didn't get any pictures of all the family before we left (maybe we'll have to Photoshop a family picture). Of course, it started to rain about half-way through the game, but this time people were a little more prepared and had brought umbrellas.
I think Vi is getting used to driving with the windshield wipers going back and forth - hope the wiper motor holds out for our trip back. Started south along the Vermont border with mountain views and Lake Champlain off to our right. Very picturesque area and looks exactly like you'd expect Vermont to look like - meadows, dairy farms, quaint towns, historic landmarks, etc. Crossed into New York at Whitehall which is the birthplace of the US Navy. You figure out how the birthplace of the USN is in a small town in upstate New York! It's an interesting story.
Hit traffic in New York at both Glens Falls and also at some construction along I-87. What's a trip on Sunday afternoon without a few traffic tie-ups? Originally, we had thought about going down to Atlantic City, but we've been gone long enough and decided to just head home. Eventually ended up on I-80 in Pennsylvania. Easy directions from here. Once again, it's get on I-80, eat, get back on I-80, sleep, get back on I-80, repeat for three days and presto, you're back in Reno. Simple, eh!
I think Vi is getting used to driving with the windshield wipers going back and forth - hope the wiper motor holds out for our trip back. Started south along the Vermont border with mountain views and Lake Champlain off to our right. Very picturesque area and looks exactly like you'd expect Vermont to look like - meadows, dairy farms, quaint towns, historic landmarks, etc. Crossed into New York at Whitehall which is the birthplace of the US Navy. You figure out how the birthplace of the USN is in a small town in upstate New York! It's an interesting story.
Hit traffic in New York at both Glens Falls and also at some construction along I-87. What's a trip on Sunday afternoon without a few traffic tie-ups? Originally, we had thought about going down to Atlantic City, but we've been gone long enough and decided to just head home. Eventually ended up on I-80 in Pennsylvania. Easy directions from here. Once again, it's get on I-80, eat, get back on I-80, sleep, get back on I-80, repeat for three days and presto, you're back in Reno. Simple, eh!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Danny's Graduation
Let's see if I can remember the events which occurred over the past few days. Danny's graduation was on Thursday evening and the question during the day was whether it would be held inside or outside because of the weather. Outside was the preferred venue because it allowed more spectators and more flexibility. Finally, at 3:00 p.m., they made to decision to go with the outside lawn at Peoples Academy. We arrived around just before 6 p.m. so that we could get some seats. The ceremony started right on time at 7:00 p.m. - Katie was one of two marshals at the graduation, so she got to participate in her brother's graduation.
We really enjoyed the graduation ceremony. Danny received three more awards to add to the ones he had received earlier at Last Chapel on Tuesday evening. He said he was getting embarrassed going up on the stage, but it was a great recognition of the hard work and efforts he has made while in school. Popular, good-looking, and smart too (did I mention that I was going to brag about his accomplishments?).
Good speaker - he was one of the favorite teachers at the school and he recounted many of the events the graduates had done over the years. Some good analogies for the students and good advice for them. Two of the senior boys performed a duet and the violinist was outstanding. I have to admit that when they were warming up, I fully expected a squeaky performance; however, nothing could have been further from the truth. Concert hall quality and faultless execution!
Afterwards, there were the usual picture taking opportunities and congratulations for all the boys and girls. Later they boarded the bus and headed north to a water park and events center for an all night party. Tom and I picked up Danny when they returned at 5:00 a.m. Originally, there were great plans for the graduates to go out to breakfast after they returned. Danny came home and said he was going to take a power nap. Well, he went to bed at 5:30 a.m. and the power nap wasn't over until about 11:30 a.m. Tom and I had played nine holes of golf earlier on Thursday, so we weren't really great balls of fire either.
Friday evening Tom and Carolyn had a graduation party for their friends and family. Good time was had by all and it was fun seeing a lot of their friends again. Tim and Kathy came over for the party, so we had all our Stames family together for the first time in a long time. The weather even cooperated, although there was a brief period when we had thunder and lightning plus a little rain, but it didn't put a damper on the celebration.
Today we went over to Hartwick and met up with Char and the boys to take a look at a cabin Trevor had in the Vermont woods. It's just what a young man needs, it'll give him plenty of opportunity to work over the years when he comes home from the military. After lunch, we went to a local brewpub with Tim and Kathy which was celebrating its' grand opening. Then we went with Char to Katie's soccer game over in Burlington. She had played earlier in the day and won that game and she also won the game which we watched. Means we'll have to go back again tomorrow because they have advanced in the competition. It's kind of a club soccer tournament and they have a high caliber of girls playing.
We really enjoyed the graduation ceremony. Danny received three more awards to add to the ones he had received earlier at Last Chapel on Tuesday evening. He said he was getting embarrassed going up on the stage, but it was a great recognition of the hard work and efforts he has made while in school. Popular, good-looking, and smart too (did I mention that I was going to brag about his accomplishments?).
Good speaker - he was one of the favorite teachers at the school and he recounted many of the events the graduates had done over the years. Some good analogies for the students and good advice for them. Two of the senior boys performed a duet and the violinist was outstanding. I have to admit that when they were warming up, I fully expected a squeaky performance; however, nothing could have been further from the truth. Concert hall quality and faultless execution!
Afterwards, there were the usual picture taking opportunities and congratulations for all the boys and girls. Later they boarded the bus and headed north to a water park and events center for an all night party. Tom and I picked up Danny when they returned at 5:00 a.m. Originally, there were great plans for the graduates to go out to breakfast after they returned. Danny came home and said he was going to take a power nap. Well, he went to bed at 5:30 a.m. and the power nap wasn't over until about 11:30 a.m. Tom and I had played nine holes of golf earlier on Thursday, so we weren't really great balls of fire either.
Friday evening Tom and Carolyn had a graduation party for their friends and family. Good time was had by all and it was fun seeing a lot of their friends again. Tim and Kathy came over for the party, so we had all our Stames family together for the first time in a long time. The weather even cooperated, although there was a brief period when we had thunder and lightning plus a little rain, but it didn't put a damper on the celebration.
Today we went over to Hartwick and met up with Char and the boys to take a look at a cabin Trevor had in the Vermont woods. It's just what a young man needs, it'll give him plenty of opportunity to work over the years when he comes home from the military. After lunch, we went to a local brewpub with Tim and Kathy which was celebrating its' grand opening. Then we went with Char to Katie's soccer game over in Burlington. She had played earlier in the day and won that game and she also won the game which we watched. Means we'll have to go back again tomorrow because they have advanced in the competition. It's kind of a club soccer tournament and they have a high caliber of girls playing.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Morrisville, VT
We left Stu and Mary Ann's home mid-morning yesterday and traveled up the spine of New Hampshire on I-93. Beautiful mountains and valleys and the Franconia Notch area of NH is very scenic. Although we missed the Lupine Festival, there were plenty of the pretty blue, spikey flowers in bloom along the highway. Of course, we traveled in the rain and through construction, but that seems to be de rigeur for us on this trip. Stay tuned for an accounting of a rare sighting of the sun later in the day (can you contain your excitement at the suspense?). The really nice thing about the day was that it was one of the shortest driving days l- only about two and a half hours.
I meant to write in yesterday's entry that where Stu and Mary Ann live is near Squam Lake. While you may not know it by that name, it is where "On Golden Pond" was filmed. If you saw that movie, you'll know how beautiful the area is. It's one of the few lakes which run east-west rather than north-south. The Golden Pond comes from the way the sun reflects on the water as it rises (the sun, not the water).
Had lunch with Char & the boys and Tom, Katie and Danny in Morrisville.so we all had a chance to catch up and eat (both of which were good). In the evening, we went to Katie's soccer game - she's playing on a community soccer team during the summer and it was fun to watch them play - even if they did lose 4-3. The highlight of the day, however, was that the sun actually came out and shone! Terrible pun - highlight - sun came out (hey what do you expect from a novice writer). Tom and I had gone out in the afternoon and explored along the Lamoille River near the old power plant. Got my exercise for the day. River is really high and running fast (see aforementioned comment about lots of rain on this trip).
Today (Thursday) is the big day for Danny. The forecast is for sunshine and clear weather, so we're all hoping that the ceremony will be held outdoors as planned. After the graduation, the seniors take off and have a drug-free, alcohol-free, all-night party. How would you like to be the chaperone at that party? Of the sixty-six graduates, we heard that about fifty-five of them were attending the party. Pick-up time after the party is set for 5:00 a.m.!
I think today we're going over to Burlington to do some shopping and sight-seeing - may meet Char and the boys over there.
I meant to write in yesterday's entry that where Stu and Mary Ann live is near Squam Lake. While you may not know it by that name, it is where "On Golden Pond" was filmed. If you saw that movie, you'll know how beautiful the area is. It's one of the few lakes which run east-west rather than north-south. The Golden Pond comes from the way the sun reflects on the water as it rises (the sun, not the water).
Had lunch with Char & the boys and Tom, Katie and Danny in Morrisville.so we all had a chance to catch up and eat (both of which were good). In the evening, we went to Katie's soccer game - she's playing on a community soccer team during the summer and it was fun to watch them play - even if they did lose 4-3. The highlight of the day, however, was that the sun actually came out and shone! Terrible pun - highlight - sun came out (hey what do you expect from a novice writer). Tom and I had gone out in the afternoon and explored along the Lamoille River near the old power plant. Got my exercise for the day. River is really high and running fast (see aforementioned comment about lots of rain on this trip).
Today (Thursday) is the big day for Danny. The forecast is for sunshine and clear weather, so we're all hoping that the ceremony will be held outdoors as planned. After the graduation, the seniors take off and have a drug-free, alcohol-free, all-night party. How would you like to be the chaperone at that party? Of the sixty-six graduates, we heard that about fifty-five of them were attending the party. Pick-up time after the party is set for 5:00 a.m.!
I think today we're going over to Burlington to do some shopping and sight-seeing - may meet Char and the boys over there.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Ashland, NH (#2)
Spent a relaxing day with Mary Ann and Stuart - couldn't play golf because guess what - it's still raining. Not a drenching rain, just a soft little drizzle. Their house overlooks the 13th fairway and 18th green and we didn't see a single golfer all day. So even the die-hards were staying home!
In the afternoon, we took a drive around the lake country and did some errands. It's fun driving through the small towns checking out the area and admiring the lakes. Our errands involved finding some hardware, so we toured the local hardware stores - no Home Depot or Lowe's around here! Everyone is friendly and it's a small-town atmosphere (mostly because it is all small towns). Because of the rain and the time of the year, tourists and summer people haven't really flocked to the area yet so it's a very relaxed ambience. Give it a week and some sunshine and the "flatlanders" will be all over the place.
Dinner at the Farmhouse with lots of bikers - it's Biker Week in Meredith, NH. Not quite Street Vibrations, but they enjoy driving the back roads and scenic drives around here. Rain put a little damper on their activities, but hey, a rain suit and some caution and it's all good.
Today we're heading up to Morrisville. Danny's graduation is tomorrow, so that'll be neat.
In the afternoon, we took a drive around the lake country and did some errands. It's fun driving through the small towns checking out the area and admiring the lakes. Our errands involved finding some hardware, so we toured the local hardware stores - no Home Depot or Lowe's around here! Everyone is friendly and it's a small-town atmosphere (mostly because it is all small towns). Because of the rain and the time of the year, tourists and summer people haven't really flocked to the area yet so it's a very relaxed ambience. Give it a week and some sunshine and the "flatlanders" will be all over the place.
Dinner at the Farmhouse with lots of bikers - it's Biker Week in Meredith, NH. Not quite Street Vibrations, but they enjoy driving the back roads and scenic drives around here. Rain put a little damper on their activities, but hey, a rain suit and some caution and it's all good.
Today we're heading up to Morrisville. Danny's graduation is tomorrow, so that'll be neat.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Ashland, NH
We actually had several hours yesterday when it didn't rain while we were driving from Rochester to Ashland - hallelujah! Of course, the rain came back later in the evening and looks like it is going to stay for a while.
Had a good visit with Tim and Kathy in Rochester. We went to the Public Market on Saturday morning - great farmer's market with lots of produce, people and flowers. Fun place to visit - it's just too bad we couldn't take advantage of all the fresh vegetables. In the afternoon, we all went to a birthday celebration for a local brew house which Tim and Kathy like - it was their second anniversary and in the lives of local brew houses/pubs, that's got to seem like a lifetime. It's a testament to their good beer and they brewed several IPA's just for the occasion. That's the beauty of a small brewery - they can make the beers they like!
On Sunday, we went out to Kathy's parents' home in Brockport and Sunday dinner. It was more like Thanksgiving with all the food - turkey with all the trimmings and cherry pie for dessert. Luckily, Sunday was one of those days which didn't have rain and it was a nice cool afternoon - good food and sunshine, what a great combination.
Got an early start on Monday and took the New York Thruway over to the Albany area and then took some non-interstate roads through upstate NY, Vermont and New Hampshire. It's a neat drive because you travel through the Mohawk River Valley for most of the trip. There's a lot of history in that area because of the river and the Erie Canal. Manufacturing and farming was helped along by the easy access to water for both power and transportation.
When we crossed the mountains in Vermont (at least they call them mountains - I keep kidding Tom III that our living room floor is at a higher elevation than the tallest mountain in Vermont), some of the ravages from Hurricane Irene are still visible, but the roads have all been repaired and the homes rebuilt. On US 4, we crossed over Quechee Gorge which is Vermont’s deepest gorge, formed by glacial activity approximately 13,000 years ago. We stopped and walked across the bridge and looked down at the Ottauquechee River, flowing 165 feet below. Good change of pace from sitting in the car!
Arrived at Mary Ann and Stuart's around 5 - in time to have a glass of wine and play some golf. They live on a golf course, so we were able to walk out the front door, take a couple of clubs, and play three holes before dinner. No one else was on the course and we ended up at their back door - good to get the clubs out of the trunk. At least several of them got some fresh air on this trip. As we finished up, guess what - the rain came back and it's still here this morning as I write this.
Had a good visit with Tim and Kathy in Rochester. We went to the Public Market on Saturday morning - great farmer's market with lots of produce, people and flowers. Fun place to visit - it's just too bad we couldn't take advantage of all the fresh vegetables. In the afternoon, we all went to a birthday celebration for a local brew house which Tim and Kathy like - it was their second anniversary and in the lives of local brew houses/pubs, that's got to seem like a lifetime. It's a testament to their good beer and they brewed several IPA's just for the occasion. That's the beauty of a small brewery - they can make the beers they like!
On Sunday, we went out to Kathy's parents' home in Brockport and Sunday dinner. It was more like Thanksgiving with all the food - turkey with all the trimmings and cherry pie for dessert. Luckily, Sunday was one of those days which didn't have rain and it was a nice cool afternoon - good food and sunshine, what a great combination.
Got an early start on Monday and took the New York Thruway over to the Albany area and then took some non-interstate roads through upstate NY, Vermont and New Hampshire. It's a neat drive because you travel through the Mohawk River Valley for most of the trip. There's a lot of history in that area because of the river and the Erie Canal. Manufacturing and farming was helped along by the easy access to water for both power and transportation.
When we crossed the mountains in Vermont (at least they call them mountains - I keep kidding Tom III that our living room floor is at a higher elevation than the tallest mountain in Vermont), some of the ravages from Hurricane Irene are still visible, but the roads have all been repaired and the homes rebuilt. On US 4, we crossed over Quechee Gorge which is Vermont’s deepest gorge, formed by glacial activity approximately 13,000 years ago. We stopped and walked across the bridge and looked down at the Ottauquechee River, flowing 165 feet below. Good change of pace from sitting in the car!
Arrived at Mary Ann and Stuart's around 5 - in time to have a glass of wine and play some golf. They live on a golf course, so we were able to walk out the front door, take a couple of clubs, and play three holes before dinner. No one else was on the course and we ended up at their back door - good to get the clubs out of the trunk. At least several of them got some fresh air on this trip. As we finished up, guess what - the rain came back and it's still here this morning as I write this.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Rochester, NY
I think Vi is getting tired of driving and looking through windshield wipers going back and forth in front of her. I'm not sure whether this rain is very local and just following us along as we travel from west to east, but it's getting kind of tiring! This morning we had some high broken clouds for a couple of hours, but then the rain came back again. The forecast is for it to be nice over the weekend, so we've got our fingers crossed. As it is, it seems we have carried our golf clubs in the trunk for ballast (similar to what we did last month and in January when we went to Florida) - are you feeling sorry for us yet?
This morning we left Elkhart and continued on US 20 through Indiana, but when we crossed into Ohio, we switched back over to I-80/90. The two-lane roads are picturesque and pretty, but hard to make any time when you get stuck behind a truck or farm equipment. Again, the countryside was beautiful. Still some Amish country - it's such an anachronism seeing the black buggies pulled by a single horse. I think we saw more of them this morning than we have in the past - must have been all the Amish men going to work, although we did see one with a woman and her children.
Crossed Ohio and transitioned from I-80/90 to I-90 around Cleveland, passed quickly through Pennsylvania and then entered the really pretty part of New York along the southern tier. We decided not to go through Buffalo, but rather take I-86 along the southern part of the state and then cut north on some back roads up to Rochester. Adding to the rain was the fog (I'm not sure whether it was high fog or low clouds, but the result was the same).
Arrived in Rochester right at rush hour (who says we don't have good timing). We all went to the Tap and Mallet for dinner. It's a neat pub close to where Tim and Kathy live. Would have walked except, guess what, it was raining! Good food and beer and fun watching the people.
This morning we left Elkhart and continued on US 20 through Indiana, but when we crossed into Ohio, we switched back over to I-80/90. The two-lane roads are picturesque and pretty, but hard to make any time when you get stuck behind a truck or farm equipment. Again, the countryside was beautiful. Still some Amish country - it's such an anachronism seeing the black buggies pulled by a single horse. I think we saw more of them this morning than we have in the past - must have been all the Amish men going to work, although we did see one with a woman and her children.
Crossed Ohio and transitioned from I-80/90 to I-90 around Cleveland, passed quickly through Pennsylvania and then entered the really pretty part of New York along the southern tier. We decided not to go through Buffalo, but rather take I-86 along the southern part of the state and then cut north on some back roads up to Rochester. Adding to the rain was the fog (I'm not sure whether it was high fog or low clouds, but the result was the same).
Arrived in Rochester right at rush hour (who says we don't have good timing). We all went to the Tap and Mallet for dinner. It's a neat pub close to where Tim and Kathy live. Would have walked except, guess what, it was raining! Good food and beer and fun watching the people.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Elkhart, IN
Well, I bet you know that Elkhart is the home of the RV/mobile home industry, but I bet you didn't know that over 50% of all band instruments are made in this city. I was wondering why there was a statue of a French horn in a local park, so I looked it up. Who knew?
We left Madison this morning in the rain (what else is new) and promptly ran into road construction on the interstate. Obama's stimulus money must be being put to good use because it seems that no matter where we go, roads are being torn up and reconstructed. Not to say that they don't need it, just not all at the same time!
Since there are alternate roads in the area, we left the interstate behind and traveled on some minor roads, finally getting down to US 30 which we took east across Illinois and into Indiana. It wasn't fast, but it was scenic. It was fun seeing the countryside change from farmland to suburbs to downtown shopping areas. Amazing how large the homes are and how relatively small their lots are. In the older sections of towns like Joliet and Chicago Heights, the lots are bigger and the homes have been around for quite a while. Believe it or not, we actually passed a Harrah's casino in downtown Joliet and didn't stop to visit! We saw a building in Joliet which looked like a medieval castle or old-time armory - turns out it was the Joliet High School.
Did some shopping at a Macy's in one of the malls along the way. It was good to get out of the car and walk some. Took US 30 about half-way across Indiana and then headed north to get on US 6. Arrived at the intersection with US 6 to find that it was closed, so we continued on north to US 20. Decided to stop in Elkhart because we had crossed into the Eastern time zone and lost an hour. Not much sense in continuing on because there were only small towns on US 20, so we were better off staying in Elkhart.
Tomorrow we continue east, heading toward Rochester - should arrive in late afternoon sometime.
We left Madison this morning in the rain (what else is new) and promptly ran into road construction on the interstate. Obama's stimulus money must be being put to good use because it seems that no matter where we go, roads are being torn up and reconstructed. Not to say that they don't need it, just not all at the same time!
Since there are alternate roads in the area, we left the interstate behind and traveled on some minor roads, finally getting down to US 30 which we took east across Illinois and into Indiana. It wasn't fast, but it was scenic. It was fun seeing the countryside change from farmland to suburbs to downtown shopping areas. Amazing how large the homes are and how relatively small their lots are. In the older sections of towns like Joliet and Chicago Heights, the lots are bigger and the homes have been around for quite a while. Believe it or not, we actually passed a Harrah's casino in downtown Joliet and didn't stop to visit! We saw a building in Joliet which looked like a medieval castle or old-time armory - turns out it was the Joliet High School.
Did some shopping at a Macy's in one of the malls along the way. It was good to get out of the car and walk some. Took US 30 about half-way across Indiana and then headed north to get on US 6. Arrived at the intersection with US 6 to find that it was closed, so we continued on north to US 20. Decided to stop in Elkhart because we had crossed into the Eastern time zone and lost an hour. Not much sense in continuing on because there were only small towns on US 20, so we were better off staying in Elkhart.
Tomorrow we continue east, heading toward Rochester - should arrive in late afternoon sometime.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Madison, WI
Well, let's see if you can guess the capitol of Wisconsin. You can take your time and let me know later!
After leaving Livingston on Tuesday morning, we headed through the rain to Fargo. It's always a great trip traveling through the Yellowstone River valley. The river is really running full, but not at flood stage yet (and I emphasize the "yet"). Montana is called the Big Sky Country, but on Tuesday the sky was all covered with clouds and dripping rain. Sometimes I think we should hire ourselves out as rainmakers wherever they are having a drought. Crossed over into North Dakota - we left the Yellowstone River at Glendive to head north to the Missouri River by itself.
Arrived in Fargo during a driving rainstorm which abated after a while. Had dinner at Michelle and Adrian's and after dinner, Karen, Melanie and Melissa joined us for a glass of wine and conversation (OK, maybe there was more than one glass of wine, but who's counting). On Wednesday, we left and originally were headed for Duluth and on through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; however, because that route led through Canada and was a little longer, we decided to cut southeast through Minneapolis-St Paul and then down to Rochester. Since it was the wrong Rochester (we are looking for the one in New York), we continued. Would have been nice to stop in LaCrosse and play golf, but alas the rain gods said that was not to be.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are both beautiful states to drive through - they're so green and scenic at this time of the year. The crops are all starting to come up - it's a good thing they got the crops in because the ground is so saturated now, no wheeled vehicles could travel through the fields.
During today's travels, we got off the Interstate and took some of the US highways to see some of the countryside. Stopped at one of the cheese outlets in Wisconsin and picked up some cheese curds - nice snack.
Arrived in Madison, the capitol of Wisconsin (see, you didn't even have to Google that little bit of information. Should be an easy drive over to Rochester, NY from here - we plan on taking a couple of days and just enjoy the scenery (and also miss the Chicago tollways and traffic). Hopefully, we'll get some sunshine for the rest of the trip.
After leaving Livingston on Tuesday morning, we headed through the rain to Fargo. It's always a great trip traveling through the Yellowstone River valley. The river is really running full, but not at flood stage yet (and I emphasize the "yet"). Montana is called the Big Sky Country, but on Tuesday the sky was all covered with clouds and dripping rain. Sometimes I think we should hire ourselves out as rainmakers wherever they are having a drought. Crossed over into North Dakota - we left the Yellowstone River at Glendive to head north to the Missouri River by itself.
Arrived in Fargo during a driving rainstorm which abated after a while. Had dinner at Michelle and Adrian's and after dinner, Karen, Melanie and Melissa joined us for a glass of wine and conversation (OK, maybe there was more than one glass of wine, but who's counting). On Wednesday, we left and originally were headed for Duluth and on through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; however, because that route led through Canada and was a little longer, we decided to cut southeast through Minneapolis-St Paul and then down to Rochester. Since it was the wrong Rochester (we are looking for the one in New York), we continued. Would have been nice to stop in LaCrosse and play golf, but alas the rain gods said that was not to be.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are both beautiful states to drive through - they're so green and scenic at this time of the year. The crops are all starting to come up - it's a good thing they got the crops in because the ground is so saturated now, no wheeled vehicles could travel through the fields.
During today's travels, we got off the Interstate and took some of the US highways to see some of the countryside. Stopped at one of the cheese outlets in Wisconsin and picked up some cheese curds - nice snack.
Arrived in Madison, the capitol of Wisconsin (see, you didn't even have to Google that little bit of information. Should be an easy drive over to Rochester, NY from here - we plan on taking a couple of days and just enjoy the scenery (and also miss the Chicago tollways and traffic). Hopefully, we'll get some sunshine for the rest of the trip.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Livingston, MT
We're at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park; however, I don't think we're going to head south into the Park (although it would be tempting). We left Edmonds bright and early this morning, but between getting gas, traffic, etc., we didn't get out of the Seattle metroplex until about 7:30 a.m..
The Race for the Cure was great yesterday - a little lower attendance figure than normal. The official estimate was 9,000 participants (although I'm not sure who did the counting). It started off cold and cloudy, but it cleared up by race time. We had about 25 people on the Vi's Guys team - would have had more, however, Maureen, Beth and Kelley couldn't make it because their father was very ill. Our thoughts were with them. Maddy (Madison, who is Amber's daughter and Butch's granddaughter) provided the bright spots of the day. Cute in her little pink tutu - she got a lot of attention when she ran up the hill at the end of the race. We also made it on the Channel 5 News that evening when the Vi's Guys sign was prominently shown. Afterwards, we all went over to Wanda's for breakfast and perhaps, there was also a bloody mary or mimosa or two. Fun time.
Later on Sunday we went down to see Marjorie and Edward in Seattle and then Wanda, Dave and Randy came out to Pete's for pizza and a little poker. All in all, it was a fun visit (but then it's always fun to see everyone in Seattle).
Our trip today was kind of a reprise from Friday when we traveled into Seattle from Pendleton. Hit I-90 and went back over the Cascades and then over the Columbia through eastern Washington into Idaho and Montana. The scenery was just beautiful. As I've said before, there are as many shades of green in Washington as there shades of brown in Nevada! No matter how many times we make that trip, it's always beautiful and you see something different. Today we noticed coming through Butte, MT that there is a huge (90 feet high) statue of the Virgin Mary atop the mountain outside Butte. The most noticeable landscape in Butte is the huge open pit mine to the north of I-90.
Tonight we stopped in Livingston (originally we had planned to stay in Bozeman, but there was no room in the Inn). We had been trying to think of the brewery we had been to on a previous trip to Montana, but were having no success. When we were looking for a place to eat in Livingston, we stumbled upon the place we had been looking for - called the Montana Chop & Rip Shop. They had great local beers and fantastic food.
Tomorrow we head for Fargo and then on to Rochester.
The Race for the Cure was great yesterday - a little lower attendance figure than normal. The official estimate was 9,000 participants (although I'm not sure who did the counting). It started off cold and cloudy, but it cleared up by race time. We had about 25 people on the Vi's Guys team - would have had more, however, Maureen, Beth and Kelley couldn't make it because their father was very ill. Our thoughts were with them. Maddy (Madison, who is Amber's daughter and Butch's granddaughter) provided the bright spots of the day. Cute in her little pink tutu - she got a lot of attention when she ran up the hill at the end of the race. We also made it on the Channel 5 News that evening when the Vi's Guys sign was prominently shown. Afterwards, we all went over to Wanda's for breakfast and perhaps, there was also a bloody mary or mimosa or two. Fun time.
Later on Sunday we went down to see Marjorie and Edward in Seattle and then Wanda, Dave and Randy came out to Pete's for pizza and a little poker. All in all, it was a fun visit (but then it's always fun to see everyone in Seattle).
Our trip today was kind of a reprise from Friday when we traveled into Seattle from Pendleton. Hit I-90 and went back over the Cascades and then over the Columbia through eastern Washington into Idaho and Montana. The scenery was just beautiful. As I've said before, there are as many shades of green in Washington as there shades of brown in Nevada! No matter how many times we make that trip, it's always beautiful and you see something different. Today we noticed coming through Butte, MT that there is a huge (90 feet high) statue of the Virgin Mary atop the mountain outside Butte. The most noticeable landscape in Butte is the huge open pit mine to the north of I-90.
Tonight we stopped in Livingston (originally we had planned to stay in Bozeman, but there was no room in the Inn). We had been trying to think of the brewery we had been to on a previous trip to Montana, but were having no success. When we were looking for a place to eat in Livingston, we stumbled upon the place we had been looking for - called the Montana Chop & Rip Shop. They had great local beers and fantastic food.
Tomorrow we head for Fargo and then on to Rochester.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Edmonds, WA
Yesterday, we left Pendleton, home of the Pendleton Round-up, one of the oldest rodeos in the United States. Not quite as big as Cheyenne's Frontier Days, but close. Went northeast up across the Columbia River into Washington. We stopped at the Tri-Cities area in the southeast corner of Washington and checked out the Costco and drove through the cities. Before we got there, we passed through Umatilla Army Depot which is kind of Oregon's answer to Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. Miles of ammunition bunkers. Later on as we drove up the Yakima River valley, we went through a huge National Guard training area in Washington.
Made the transition from the farmland and high desert of Eastern Washington to the Cascade Mountains and all the forests and rivers in Western Washington. Had lunch in the shadow of Mount Si which is a great climbing mountain and just seems to jut out of the landscape. Beautiful!
Came into Edmonds and settled in at Pete's. We all (Dave, Wanda, Pete and us) went to the Beach Café on the Edmonds waterfront for dinner. They were having their annual Waterfront Festival so it was kind of crowded - but we were lucky to get in the Café with no problem. Today (Saturday) we did some shopping for Marjorie and went up to her Condo in Seattle. Had breakfast with her and then left to run some errands.
Tonight we're going over to Wanda's for dinner and tomorrow is the Race for the Cure. More on that later.
Take care.
Made the transition from the farmland and high desert of Eastern Washington to the Cascade Mountains and all the forests and rivers in Western Washington. Had lunch in the shadow of Mount Si which is a great climbing mountain and just seems to jut out of the landscape. Beautiful!
Came into Edmonds and settled in at Pete's. We all (Dave, Wanda, Pete and us) went to the Beach Café on the Edmonds waterfront for dinner. They were having their annual Waterfront Festival so it was kind of crowded - but we were lucky to get in the Café with no problem. Today (Saturday) we did some shopping for Marjorie and went up to her Condo in Seattle. Had breakfast with her and then left to run some errands.
Tonight we're going over to Wanda's for dinner and tomorrow is the Race for the Cure. More on that later.
Take care.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Pendleton, OR
I think Vi may want to hire a new navigator. Every time we looked at Snowflake's compass today, it read E or NE - not exactly the way to get from Reno to Seattle (for those others who are geographically challenged, the compass should have read NW). However, we had to stop at Fallon NAS and take care of some business. Therefore, we decided to head north out of Fallon, then NE to Winnemucca and took US 95 north to hook up with I-84 in Idaho. Outside of going in a totally different direction than we were supposed to, it was a beautiful drive through some fantastic country. Took a side trip through Lovelock to see one of only two round courthouses in the country. That's also the town where we go in February for the balloon festival and where they have the Lock Your Love chains behind the courthouse.
Out of Winnemucca, we drove up through sand dunes, wide-open spaces and mountains with not a tree in sight. In Northern Nevada, we hit the Owyhee River (interesting story about how it got its' name)* which runs into the Snake River. One of the interesting sights in the mountains there was our seeing cowboys herding cattle to corrals in the canyons. Still need cowboys on horseback to get up in the mountains and canyons - even ATV's are no good in that rough country. Through Oregon where the country is really wide open. It's hard to describe how different eastern Oregon is from western Oregon which is primarily seacoast and well forested because of the heavy rainfall in that area. However, because of the rain shadow effect, none of that moisture reaches the eastern part of the state. The result is a very dry high desert topography. If it weren't for the Snake River and the various irrigation projects, they wouldn't grow much there.
We made a short incursion into Idaho and then came back into Oregon to travel NW (finally) up to Pendleton. Because of the irrigation from the Snake River, that part of the country has many and varied crops, including potatoes, apples, wheat, alfalfa, and hops. The hops are perhaps the most interesting crop. They are grown on wires strung from what look like telephone poles. They were in various stages of growth - some just plants on the ground, others about a foot up the wires, still others four or five feet up, and then there were some in the final stages all the way to the top of wires.
After coming back into Oregon, the topography changed dramatically again and we were traveling through canyons with many trees. Close to Pendleton, we came out on a plateau and dropped dramatically into the valley. It was beautiful with the whole countryside spread out in front of us as we came down. Had dinner at a local pub - The Prodigal Son, and then took a walk through the town. Pendleton is mostly a tourist town which bases its' income on the Pendleton Mills. Also the site of the Pendleton Rodeo, one of the oldest rodeos in the nation.
Tomorrow we head up to Seattle - back on the NW heading again!
*The name "Owyhee" derives from an early anglicization of the Hawaiian term "Hawaiʻi." When James Cook encountered what he named the Sandwich Islands (now the Hawaiian Islands) in 1778, he found them inhabited by Native Hawaiians who Anglo-Americans referred to as "Owyhees." Noted for their hardy physique and maritime skills, numerous Native Hawaiians were hired as crew members aboard European and American vessels. Many Owyhees sailed on to the American Northwest coast and found employment along the Columbia, where they joined trapping expeditions or worked at some of the fur trade posts.
In 1819, three Owyhees joined Donald Mackenzie's Snake expedition, which went out annually into the Snake country for the North West Company, a Montreal-based organization of Canadian fur traders. The three Hawaiians left the main party during the winter of 1819-20 to explore the then unknown terrain of what since has been called the Owyhee River and mountains and disappeared. They were presumed dead and no further information regarding their whereabouts has been found. In memory of these Native Hawaiians, British fur trappers started to call the region "Owyhee" and the name stuck.[10][11]*
Out of Winnemucca, we drove up through sand dunes, wide-open spaces and mountains with not a tree in sight. In Northern Nevada, we hit the Owyhee River (interesting story about how it got its' name)* which runs into the Snake River. One of the interesting sights in the mountains there was our seeing cowboys herding cattle to corrals in the canyons. Still need cowboys on horseback to get up in the mountains and canyons - even ATV's are no good in that rough country. Through Oregon where the country is really wide open. It's hard to describe how different eastern Oregon is from western Oregon which is primarily seacoast and well forested because of the heavy rainfall in that area. However, because of the rain shadow effect, none of that moisture reaches the eastern part of the state. The result is a very dry high desert topography. If it weren't for the Snake River and the various irrigation projects, they wouldn't grow much there.
We made a short incursion into Idaho and then came back into Oregon to travel NW (finally) up to Pendleton. Because of the irrigation from the Snake River, that part of the country has many and varied crops, including potatoes, apples, wheat, alfalfa, and hops. The hops are perhaps the most interesting crop. They are grown on wires strung from what look like telephone poles. They were in various stages of growth - some just plants on the ground, others about a foot up the wires, still others four or five feet up, and then there were some in the final stages all the way to the top of wires.
After coming back into Oregon, the topography changed dramatically again and we were traveling through canyons with many trees. Close to Pendleton, we came out on a plateau and dropped dramatically into the valley. It was beautiful with the whole countryside spread out in front of us as we came down. Had dinner at a local pub - The Prodigal Son, and then took a walk through the town. Pendleton is mostly a tourist town which bases its' income on the Pendleton Mills. Also the site of the Pendleton Rodeo, one of the oldest rodeos in the nation.
Tomorrow we head up to Seattle - back on the NW heading again!
*The name "Owyhee" derives from an early anglicization of the Hawaiian term "Hawaiʻi." When James Cook encountered what he named the Sandwich Islands (now the Hawaiian Islands) in 1778, he found them inhabited by Native Hawaiians who Anglo-Americans referred to as "Owyhees." Noted for their hardy physique and maritime skills, numerous Native Hawaiians were hired as crew members aboard European and American vessels. Many Owyhees sailed on to the American Northwest coast and found employment along the Columbia, where they joined trapping expeditions or worked at some of the fur trade posts.
In 1819, three Owyhees joined Donald Mackenzie's Snake expedition, which went out annually into the Snake country for the North West Company, a Montreal-based organization of Canadian fur traders. The three Hawaiians left the main party during the winter of 1819-20 to explore the then unknown terrain of what since has been called the Owyhee River and mountains and disappeared. They were presumed dead and no further information regarding their whereabouts has been found. In memory of these Native Hawaiians, British fur trappers started to call the region "Owyhee" and the name stuck.[10][11]*
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Start of June 2013 Trip East Blog
Why does this seem all so familiar? Anyway, we're leaving on Thursday, May 30th and heading for Seattle. Thought we'd try a different route, so we're heading East on I-80 & US 50 to Fallon, then north on US 95 through Nevada to Oregon and Washington.
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