10.11.14

Family Trip around the US Week 1

Posted in Uncategorized at 2:03 pm by princess

We started out having to take my car into the shop early Saturday morning.  The 12 volt power was not working on one of the ports and a 2 month trip with 2 electronics oriented travelers… It’s better to have the power options available.   Jhon came out to the dealership to join us for breakfast and and that was delightful.  Once we were on the road the drive was quite uneventful.

Arrived at my sisters house. Actually the the wrong house as they had moved next door and we had the old address. The nice gentleman who answered the door directed us next door and we found the Schilz’s.

Sandy and Christina
We immediately left their house for Jalapeno’s for dinner with Sandy and her two youngest children (Lisa and husband Mike) and (John and his girlfriend Tammy). I can’t tell you how amazingly wonderful to see my neice and nephew as grownups after only knowing them as kids. They have grown into amazing adults with children of their own.   We spent some time sharing pictures of kids and our fur-babies and otherwise catching up years past. Many margaritas and beers were enjoyed. I had an amazing time.
Family Dinner
John, Tammy and Sandy

We went back to Sandy’s house and visited for several more hours and finally went to bed at 11 o’clock. I found it cathartic to have Sandy mention something from when we were kids and have it remind me of my roots.

We got up in the morning, took a walk around her lovely neighborhood and returned to a wonderful breakfast that Sandy had whipped up. We visited some more.Talked about our brother with heavy hearts. I shared the videos I had from the funeral and ceremony.

While packing up the car, Sandy and Bill noticed a small boo-boo the side of my car. They immediately started repairing it!
That’s they type of people they are.  Thank You!

Back to the Interstates for the second day on the road. The good is that Idaho is all 80 MPH.

The Oregon speed limit stops out at 65 MPG so going into Idaho
and then into Utah, we thoroughly enjoyed the 80 MPH speed limits
on the interstates.

Road 929


The trip was uneventful although we’ve gotten to the Subways that
think avocados are ‘seasonal’ and Starbucks that don’t have
coconut milk.

Great to see friends Ron and Sharon. Enjoyed dinner with Sharon at a local
restaurant where the food was not great but the company was
wonderful. I am so happy that she is feeling better and getting
around after her knee surgery.
Also glad Ron is recovering and is able to drive and get around again.

Ron tempted us with a Brownie
Bomb from Culvers. We appreciate their hospitality and letting
us use their guest room for the night.

Now back on the interstate on our way to Yellowstone after a stop
at Great Harvest.

We had an uneventful trip to Yellowstone. Got there in time to
see Old Faithful and have dinner at the Old Faithful Inn.
Scored dinner at the Old Faithful Inn. Our timing was great as
the next available reservation was three hours later, we were
able to walk in with a 5 minute wait.

Old Faithful

I keep trying but I still find there is no decent food at the
park restaurants.

We drove back to our hotel and had a few (very affordable) drinks
in the hotel bar.

On the 30th, we woke up and walked around West Yellowstone for a
little bit and enjoyed the shops and such. Then we hopped in our
car and drove to visit some of they geysers and mud-pots. The
weather was nice but the sky was overcast. Then we decided to
head north to see the Mammoth Hot springs Terraces. The road up
there was closed on the 29th but we were told it was “open” to
day. Well, “open” meant one -lane sections and long waits with
flaggers and pilot cars.

The weather had turned cold and rainy. It rained and rained.
And I’m not sure why, but the hot spring terraces were are usually
colorful were pale and gray and dry.

By now, it was lunch time, and, although we knew better, we
stopped for lunch at the Mammoth Hot Springs Lunch Counter.
We were not disappointed — cardboard black-bean burger and all.

We left the restaurant and saw a 12-point buck who was mooing
and rooting in the grass with his horns and he attacked a
parked car that was a few down from ours. The park ranger
was welling at people to keep them away from this bull elk
who was being aggressive.

Elk Bull

Then we took the road to Tower and then to Castle and along
the way we saw many buffalo and some mule deer.

Back to our hotel and had dinner in their restaurant. While we
were sitting there, we overheard a fellow talking about how a
12-point bull attacked his car. We went over and asked if we
could share some of the pictures we’d taken of the bull.
He was pretty blaze about having his car attacked.

We stayed in for dinner since it was cold and rainy.
The best meal we’ve had since leaving Sandy’s house was in
the hotel restaurant.

On  October 1st, we woke up to ice on the car, a dusting of
snow on the mountains and a nippy morning. We walked down to
a local restaurant or breakfast. After the car was fully
loaded, we headed back into Yellowstone park and drive through
and out the north-east entrance. We didn’t see a bear catching
a fish but we did see a buffalo swimming across a river,
two beautiful waterfalls, a black bear grazing as we turned
out toward the east entrance, We saw some prong horned deer,
some mule deer and more buffalo. We just missed seeing a
momma bear and her three cubs.

Buffalo

The drive was gorgeous and we headed toward Cody on the
very scenic Chef Joseph highway. After gassing up in Cody,
we high tailed it to Sheridan.

06.29.08

Sunriver Evening

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:05 am by princessmobile

Sunriver Evening

Sunriver Evening,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

Interesting evening. After the festivities, we closed up our booth and went to watch the end of an outoor concert. There was litening off in the distance. Our thoughts turned to our little booth, then we did our best to secure it for the coming storm.

06.28.08

Sunriver

Posted in Uncategorized at 8:17 pm by princessmobile

Sunriver

Sunriver,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

Day 2 of the Pacific Crest Endurance events was even hotter than yesterday. Today competitors in hallf ironman and marathon also had to deal with temperatures in the 90s. Our booth is right by the finsh line.

06.26.08

Pacific crest

Posted in Uncategorized at 8:29 pm by princessmobile

Pacific crest

Pacific crest,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

We’re almost set up. But we’re exhausted and quitting for the night.

06.25.08

weird clouds

Posted in Uncategorized at 9:56 pm by princessmobile

weird clouds

weird clouds,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

Tonight we’re. Driving to bend and we saw 2 stripes in the sky.

06.16.08

Multnomah falls

Posted in Uncategorized at 11:41 am by princessmobile

Multnomah falls

Multnomah falls,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

It was about impossible to take a good picture of the falls today because of the wind blowing up the mist and the reflection of the sun.

06.15.08

Rest Areas

Posted in Uncategorized at 8:42 pm by princessmobile

Rest Areas

Rest Areas,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

I tell people about rest areas being different from state to state. Some of the worst are in Texas.   Just a couple of trash cans, no bathrooms, let alone water. Pictured is one we stopped at to stretch. This one is in Oregon.

Welcome to Oregon

Posted in Uncategorized at 7:17 pm by princessmobile

Welcome to Oregon

Welcome to Oregon,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

Well we’ve finally made it back to our home state. Not quite home yet, though.

Happy Father’s Day

Posted in Uncategorized at 7:10 pm by princessmobile

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

We are still on the road, but we are taking dad out to dinner. In Idaho our first two attempts at dinner are closed. We ended up at Elmers in Nampa.

Craters of the moon

Posted in Uncategorized at 2:54 pm by princessmobile

Craters of the moon

Craters of the moon,
originally uploaded by CHRISTlNA.

This area is rich with volcanic aftermath. Here you can see spatter cones with snow in the middle as well as cinder cones and lava tubes. It was windy here. Reminded us of Amarillo.

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