New Tires in Wickenburg

We left North Ranch about 9:30 to wait for our new tires at Big O Tires in Wickenburg. We purchased 6 new Toyo tires. I like to think of it as putting new roof on the house. That's about how much it costs. They had no means to balance the tires, so we had to stay overnight in Wickenburg Tires so that they could balance them the next morning. We were headed for St. David, AZ to the Western Horizon park by 8:30.

Our Move to North Ranch

Well, we moved over to our lot at North Ranch early Friday morning (I think it was Friday). Anyway so far we have attended an Ice Cream Social, visited a Woodcarving class, and began getting acquainted with neighbors. Monday I went to Surprise, AZ with my Stanton Cruise buddies to shop and have lunch. I really like getting away with the girls. Willard stayed home and worked his crossword puzzle and did some work on the patio. Today Bill and Karen and two of their friends came over for supper. I guess you could say we are in the process of saying good-by to our Stanton friends. We have such mixed feelings. We're excited about getting back on the road, yet we know we will miss everyone. Here are some pictures I took this afternoon. I thought you might be interested in our new "home."


This is just an example of the sunsets around here. They are truly breathtaking.

This is a little park across the street.

Below is a picture of our motorhome parked on our lot. As you can see, there is a lot of work to be done.

This is one of our neighbor's lots. I like the oleanders.

This is the back yard of one of the lots. I like the trees and privacy fence. There are about 400 lots here at North Ranch. Some are big lots with nice homes and some are small lots (like ours). There is also and RV Park here where you rent a spot by the day. We have a Club House and Activities Center. Activities are line dancing, various interest groups: woodcarving, beading, quilting, writing, gold prospecting, book club, Tai Chi, rubber stamping, ham radio, painting, and crafts. There are also classes dealing with the computer, all kinds of card games, and a weekly jam session. There is a social hour each afternoon, and Ice Cream Socials, Sunday Breakfast, and Pot Luck dinners. If you are bored around here it's your own fault. After we are here for awhile and develop friendships we will have a much needed support group. Of course, we will keep in touch with our dear friends at Stanton. Most of them go back home during the spring and summer. However, some take to the road as we usually do.

You might want to check out our other web page. It has two of the songs Willard has written and some information about what we are doing with our music. Go to: http://www.myspace.com/wearecarefreeandcountry

"Isn't It Funny How Time Slips Away"

Millie, Carol, Alice and I went on a Cruise to Catalina Is and Ensenada, MX. We had so much fun. Carol drove us to Long Beach for 4 days of Fun in the Sun. But, it really wasn't that sunny. I'm looking forward to another Cruise. What can I say...I'm hooked.

Stanton Camp helped Ben celebrate his 92ed birthday. He has lived in camp for over 30 years. Because of Ben we have beautiful trees, plants, and organized rock gardens. We helped entertain at his party along with Ken, Dixie, Delana, Hollywood, Don, and Millie. Gifts were given and cake and ice cream served. Ben will tell us the rest of his story at his 95th birthday party.

Joy-el and I decided to teach line dancing on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. This is a picture of our group. I am so proud of them. They learned 9 beginner dances in a relatively short time. I'm going to miss this group. Some have already left camp.

On Valentine's Day we had a wonderful dance in the Opera House. Willard and Don were the DJs. They played requested 50's music. About 40 attended. I danced till I almost dropped. Oh what fun we all had. Thanks to Millie and Dixie for making it so special.

We have participated in quite a few jam sessions here at camp. Lately we have been playing on the Opera House porch along with Millie, George, Ken, Don, and Hollywood. We've even had a small audience most of the time.

We bought a small lot at North Ranch last week. If Willard can get to his gold claims on his ATV from North Ranch, we will probably stay on our lot next winter. We need to do some landscaping before we take off for the summer. But first we go to St. David, AZ to soak in the hot tub, fish, and golf for a few weeks. Then we will head for Montgomery, TX for an Alfa Rally. After the rally we will head back to North Ranch for about a month to build a retaining wall, and do some landscaping on our lot. North Ranch is an Escapees Park located just south of Congress, AZ. We love it in this area during the winter, but we want to be more free to travel in the winter if we wish. Stanton does not give us that option because the rules state that you lose your site if you move your rig or leave for an extended amount of time. North Ranch is only about 10 miles from Stanton, so we can visit our wonderful friends that live here during the winters.


We went to the big yard sale at North Ranch and Willard bought another guitar. It is a 1962 Gibson. Now we have 2 bass guitars, 3 guitars, a clarinet, fiddle, pickin' stick, and key board, three amps, mikes, etc. Unbelievable! But, we do love to play our music. It soothes our soul.



We are beginning to prepare to travel. I can't wait to see what happens next.


We went to dinner and to see Rex Allen Jr. at the Wickenburg Entertainment Center the other night with Bill and Karen. They gave us the tickets as a Christmas gift. It was a great performance. Thanks again Bill and Karen.




Red Hat activities: We had a caravan of 20 Red Hatters join the North Ranch Red Hatters in Surprise, AZ for lunch and shopping in early January. Then we had two Scrapbooking and Craft parties in the Opera House in camp. In February our outing was lunch at Golden Corral in Surprise, AZ. Some went to the big Flea Market, some went to Wal-Mart, and some went back to camp. Today we prepared and served the Wickenburg Museum Ghost Town Tour group. Eighteen group members toured our little ghost town and devoured our lunch menu of Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Potato Salad, Cold Slaw, Baked Beans, Veg plate, and Carrot Cake.



Tomorrow we are having a weiner roast behind our rig after Bingo. Millie's granddaughter is coming to visit and we are going to celebrate her arrival. We tend to find any excuse to have a party.



I finished this 30"x40" oil painting, finally. It's hanging over the "bar" in the Opera House. Some wanted a nude, but I have no training in painting people, so I just covered up the parts I thought I'd have trouble with. The nude painting that was there earlier was returned to its owner. Someone asked if I could paint a picture to replace the nude and I said I'd try. This is the result of my efforts.

Early January 2008

My calendar is already filling up for January. Several of us went to Prescott to go shopping. Willard just can't figure out how we can shop for 11 hours. We did spend about an hour eating breakfast and lunch. But, the rest of the time we were shopping til we dropped. It was fun.

Last week Willard and I drove over to Laughlin. We had breakfast in Kingman at Cracker Barrel then went on to The Colorado Bell Casino. I played in a Poker Tournament. Didn't do too bad. Willard played nickle Keno. We had lunch at the In and Out Burger place and shopped in the Factory Outlet stores. We got back to Stanton after dark.

Thursday we went to Surprise, AZ and had lunch at Red Lobster. Then we went to Target, Bath & Beyond, Michaels, and of course, Walmart. Got back after dark.

Friday we rode the ATV to Willard's gold claim to move the dirt around so it would dry out for dry washing the next week. It was a nice ride - round trip about 22 miles. I love to ride in the desert.

Today we didn't go to Church. I just layed around watching movies on TV. Willard played Bingo this afternoon while I cleaned the rig. Then we went to a going away party in the Opera House. Mary and Allen are leaving in the morning heading back to East Texas. Tonight I'm trying to catch up on my Blog and plan our Red Hat Outing on Tuesday. We are going to Surprise for lunch and shopping at the Outlet Mall north of Phoenix.

Tomorrow I am going with a group on a bus to Laughlin. We're leaving at 6:00 in the morning and won't get back until about 10:00 pm. Willard is going to work his claim.

On Thursday is my line dancing class. I'm the teacher and there are about 8 ladies that are regulars. We have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Monday nights I usually play Cribbage (but I'll be gone tomorrow). I play Texas Hold'em several nights a week. And Willard and I try to practice at least 10 songs every other day. We now have 55 songs on our Song List. I can't believe Willard knows that many songs from memory. Amazing!

As you can see, we lead very busy lives. I love this lifestyle!!!! JB

2007 - A Whirlwind Year's End

We were so excited about going to Ogden, UT this year for Christmas to be with our family. We had 6 family members missing and we missed them surely. The rest of us had a wonderful holiday. There were 12 of us to enjoy Christmas at Joey's and Beth's home. A blizzard envaded Christmas Eve. But, it didn't slow us down. We spent the day shopping, watching movies, eating, playing games, working jigsaw puzzles, eating, shopping, laughing together, and eating. We each opened a gift on Christmas Eve before bedtime. We all received new PJs. The kids went to bed early. Dan sang Christmas songs to them, as each one entered their own dreamland. The jigsaw puzzle was finished. Then Santa found us. Early Christmas morning, we all gathered into the livingroom where lots of gifts and stuffed stocking were waiting to be claimed. The little ones played with their new toys while their older siblings gathered up their gifts and began packing to
go back to Cedar City. Dan and his family left after breakfast and the rest of us went back to bed. We had a quiet Christmas afternoon and evening. The next morning Willard and I headed back to Stanton, AZ.

The December GPAA Outing was underway when we arrived. Our camp swelled up to about 400 prospectors and family members. Vendors set up their tents, the ladies in the kitchen began cooking, the prospecting equipment was set up and the work began. Rehearsal for the New Year's Eve Melo-drama was well underway. It was cold, but that didn't stop the campfires at night, the auction, light parade, and the New Year's Dance. The gold was divided up amongst those who worked and the camp was soon back to normal.

GOOD BY 2007....HELLO 2008. I wonder what will happen next????

What Happened to November?

Well, my Blogging Buddies are wanting me to update. I'm attempting to try and remember all that we did in November. It was a busy month to say the least. We have been busy with the Gem and Mineral Club activities (meetings, the Gem and Mineral Show in Wickenburg, and outings to find rocks). I found some beautiful Apache Tears in a wash near Agila, AZ. Other club members found big beautiful geodes farther up the hill. It was a great outing.

I have been busy with the Stanton Red Hat Goldminers. About 25 of us caravaned to Prescott, AZ for Brunch and shopping. We donated our raffle money to a Red Hat group being started at a Prescott Care Center. The money will be used to help the ladies make their hats. We also had an Avon Party here in camp.

I have been learning to play Cribbage. I didn't know I was so weak at adding quickly in my head. My mind is drained after two hours of play. The group is so patient with me. It's a great brain exercise.

I've also been playing Texas Hold'em here at camp. There is a game every night. I play several times a week while Willard is watching his football games on television. It's fun. I've won some tournaments, but lost more.

Willard has been spending a lot of time working jigsaw puzzles lately. We have had several days of rain which shut down the dry washing for gold. And it's been too cold to metal detect. So, he shifted to inside activities during the day.

Of course, we play music: sometimes in our rig for our own enjoyment and sometimes with a group at a jam session here in camp. We play for a GPAA Christmas Party tonight. I think we will be the background music. It will give us practice playing up on a stage. We hope to play in the Escapees Escapade Ham-A-Rama in Wyoming this summer.

We have made plans to attend an Alfa Rally in Conroe, TX in April. We are from the area and will be visiting friends and family while there. Willard has a brother and niece in Alvin, TX and I have a sister in Santa Fe, TX. We have one nephew that lives in the Woodlands and another in the Houston area. We are looking forward to the visit.

We will spend Christmas in Ogden, UT this year. Our son, Joey, will be home several days before and after Christmas. He is usually traveling with the basketball team during the holidays. Dan plans on coming and bringing 4 of his kids from Cedar City, UT. It's been several years since we have all spent Christmas together as a family. We will leave our rig at Stanton. I'm just praying for fair weather on our travel days.

I have declared Wednesday as Jean Day. I go into town by myself for most of the day. The first Wed. I get my hair done; 2nd Wed, I get a massage; 3rd Wed. I have a facial; and the 4th Wed. I have a pedicure. I do a little shopping, see the doctor (if I need to), and just do what I want to do. It's been great.

I still have to wash the clothes, cook the meals, pay the bills, and clean the rig. But, that's life! I have been working on a few children's stories. I have one manuscript trying to stay out of a publisher's slush pile. Willard wonders why I have taken on these writing projects. I've been wonding the same thing. I've been reading the book, You Staying Young, trying to learn how to slow down the aging process a bit. It's been an interesting read. Hope I can put into practice some of the "must dos."

Merry Christmas to all our Blogger Friends. Hope to see ya on the road. Travel safely.

JB

October's Over Already?

I am just dumbfounded when I look at a calendar these days. Where do the days go? I can't believe we have been in Stanton over a month already. Time is racing through my life. Perhaps it's because we are so busy: we have entertained groups in camp three times already; Millie played her guitar and sang with us at the Pot Luck Supper last Friday night; we have been to yard sales; bought a Pace trailer for storage here at Stanton; purchased a desk, free standing table, coffee table and two chairs for our motorhome; we gave Keith our booth (he just loves it; I have joined a writing group at North Ranch and take line dancing lessons there; we are having our first Red Hat camp activity on Tuesday; Willard has found some gold; we sold the Santa Fe house and gave Elvin's kids his equity; Charles, my brother, got married yesterday; I won at Bingo this afternoon.

It's been great meeting new friends and rekindling old friendships here at Stanton. Life is great.

Western Horizon St. George RV Park

I can't believe we have been here a week already. Willard golfed in Cedar City on Tues. and Wed. We attended Trevor's football game Wed. afternoon. Trevor is a good little football player as linebacker and full back. They won their game and the coach gave Trevor the game ball because he was the reason they won. He stopped their extra point. After the game we took the grandkids out to dinner. Cassi couldn't come with us though because she was working at Lynns.

We've managed to do some shopping and spending some time in the hot tub. I'm not sure how long we will be here. We really miss taking Duster for walks in the early morning and late evenings. Our hearts cry as we watch others walking their dogs. But, time heals all things. So, I'm sure we will be fine. We don't want another pet while we are living in our motorhome. It does tie you down.

We Made it To Southern Utah...again

The past few weeks have been quite the busy time. We arrived at Joey's driveway on August 26. As soon as we arrived, Joey left for Boise with the Weber State University football team. Four days later he came home for about 4 hours then left for Calgary, Canada with the basketball team. So, we didn't see him much. Now he's in California. But, we did enjoy being with Beth, Melissa, and Jason. Of course, they were working or attending classes most of the day. We managed to keep busy. That's never a problem.

Bill and Karen came up for one day. We went shopping, geocaching, and had lunch and dinner together. We really enjoyed the day just goofing off.

Willard had his yearly medical exam and some lab tests done. He's as healthy as a horse. I had a retina check-up and I'm healing just fine. I can't believe how long it takes an eye to heal (years).

We attended Jason's farewell and said good-by as he entered the Mission Training Center in Provo, UT. We won't see him again for two years. He was all excited and we were all in tears. He heads for Portugal in about 6 weeks. He will be able to send emails to family and friends on Fridays, so we are looking forward to them.

We went to Charlie's Service in Sunset, Ut to have our rig serviced. We added a few goodies and had some items tweaked. There was a group of Alfa See Ya owners there. It was so much fun meeting them. What a great group of people. We got a tour of about 4 rigs to see how they personalized them. I got so many ideas. I can't wait to make some changes in ours. We had Happy Hour and a Birthday Pot Luck last night. Two of the gals had birthdays. We entertained during the Happy Hour for about 30 minutes. Then we wanted to get to know the group better, so we put our instruments away. I think they enjoyed our music. No one left or threw tomatoes.

We had (1)the oil & filter changed, (2) the transmission fluid and filters changed, (3) a new P-seal installed around our bedroom slide out, (4)the Fantastic Fan in our bedroom repaired, (5) a bigger motor installed on our livingroom slide out, (6) blue lights installed at our entry way, (7) a support put under our awning, (8) sink covers made, (9) a 12 volt socket installed in the dump compartment., and (10) some dings fixed in our windshield. And all of this in one day. Amazing. We will be making an annual stop here from now on.

Now, we are in Hurricane, Utah near St. George. We will be here for two weeks, before heading for Stanton for the winter. Willard will be going to Cedar City to golf with his buddies. I will check on my merchandise in the antique store, visit some friends, and we will try to have lunch with several of our grandchildren. Bill and Karen plan on visiting with us on their way to Quartzite, AZ. There is a hot tub here that we plan on taking advantage of. The pool is too cold for me. Not sure whether we will entertain or not. They already have someone scheduled.
All is well...

Inside Our Rig

I was bored one night, so I decided to take pictures of our home. We are quite comfortable.

This is where I write, send e-mail, and do my banking, etc.

This is our livingroom. The front door is to the right of the TV

This is our kitchen.

This is looking toward the bedroom. Willard's asleep, so I didn't take pictures of the bedroom.

Our Memories of Blue Bucket (Aug. 2007)

After Duster passed away, we left Soap Lake and headed to Blue Bucket to lick our wounds by keeping busy. To our surprise, Andra and Tom moved in next door. We were sure glad to see them. We never touched base in Washington as planned. Tom & Willard worked a couple of days recovering concentrates for Frank to pan. Willard had to use Tom's dry washer, since he left his at Stanton. In the evenings we shared many of our meals and put together several jigsaw puzzles. On Aug. 11 we hauled our chairs out in a field near camp away from the street lights to observe the meteor shower, Perseids, which brings a fiery show to the August sky. Well, about midnight we got tired and went back to our homes with cricks in our necks from staring up into the sky. We did spot several streaks across the milkyway, but the real show was supposed to be after 2:00 A.M. (too late for us). The next night, we put quilts and pillows in the back of the pick-up, popped some popcorn and headed back to watch the show. Andra and I lay on our backs on the quilts and pillows. We observed more meteors that night and we were more comfortable. The guys sat in their chairs. Duh! But, about midnight we relented and went to bed. Again we missed the "big" show. For more info on the Perseids go to http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0725/p13s01-stss.html

On another day we crammed in our Toyota and headed for a quilt show near La Grande. It was so interesting. What talent these people displayed. I took some pictures, attend an emblishment class, and just enjoyed the beautiful quilts. Afterwards we went shopping at China-Mart. On the way back to Blue Bucket we had a wonderful Prime Rib dinner at The Steakhouse in Hains. It was a wonderful day.

We left Blue Bucket stuffed with memories. Tom and Andra plan to leave this weekend and head back to their home in Florida to put their boat in condition to tour the Islands in the Spring.

Now we are in Wendover waiting for the Make-A-Wish ATV group to arrive tomorrow afternoon. It will be good to see the group again. On Sunday we head for our son, Joey's, home in South Ogden, UT where we will get yearly health exams, visit the family, and service our rig.

Oh yea, I played in two Poker Tournaments this week. I placed 10th (in the money) at Jackpot and 18th in Wendover. Both tournaments had about 50 participants. Not bad for a Granny.

This morning we got up early and visited the Bonneville Race Way. Go to http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/bonneville_salt.htm to get the whole story. We also drove up the hill and over the dale to view the area the Donnor Party crossed on their way to California. Click here to view the route http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/donner/maps/index.html

All is well at the Bass'............

We're Back at Blue Bucket

We were greeted by the ducks in camp. These Quackers are in our front yard enjoying the sprinkler on a hot afternoon. It's good to be back for a couple of weeks. I finally got my Lesson 9 finished with The Institute of Children's Literature. And I critiqued a manuscript in my Critique Group. Now on to my next assignment and story. I plan on finishing some sewing projects and practicing my clarinet. Of course, Willard and I will play our music in the afternoons. We cooked pork chops on the grill and served them with potatoes, broccoli, and ice-cream for dessert. "There's nothing like homecooked meals," we say as we finish the meal. Right now Willard is in the club house working a jigsaw puzzle. And I'm puttering around the rig, catching up on my e-mails, this blog and watching television. It's nice to be in a familiar place with several friends and potential new friends. All is well....

Leaving Soap Lake

Last night Willard and I entertained at WH Soap Lake Resort. About 25 people were there. We received a lot of great comments afterwards. We have now entertained at St. David, AZ; Indio, CA; Stockton, CA; Huntington, OR; Ogden, UT; Ocean Shores, WA; and Soap Lake, WA. What a blast!

We have had great times and sad times here at the WH Soap Lake Resort. The people are so friendly and have made us feel like family. There were lots of activities going on each day. We enjoyed our walks in the beautiful park, the hot tub, wonderful meals on Saturday and Sunday, the Ice Cream Socials, various classes, the TGIF parties, the laser light show at the Grand Coulee Dam, the trip to the Baverian town of Levenworth during their Art and Music Festival, and the new friends we have met. This is a resort we would surely come back to.

A Sad Day in our Home

Duster's Obituary

Our sweet little Duster passed away on August 2, 2007. He had a tumor in his prostrate and couldn't eliminate his waste. Surgery was not an option, and we couldn't let him suffer. It was a very difficult decision.

Duster was such a joy for us. He loved to travel to new places. And he always greeted us with a wagging tail no matter how long we left him alone. Our guests were greeted at our door by him. Willard and Duster took several daily walks. He liked meeting other dogs on those trips around the RV parks or neighborhoods. Duster rarely barked. He knew he was not to bark in RV parks. And he loved kids, especially his grandkids. We will surely miss him.

We're Finally High and Dry

We are now in Soap Lake Resort which is about 50 miles south of Grand Coulee Dam. The climate is much like we're used to. It's a nice park with a pool, hot tub, lots of activities, and very nice people. We are going to rest up and dry out for a few days before we go exploring. Our plan is to stay here two weeks before heading south. You can find out more about Soap Lake by linking to <http://www.soaplakewa.com/> I finally downloaded a few pictures I took a couple of days ago. You should be able to see them in the last post.

Headed for Dry Ground

The sky is falling and falling and falling!

Lots of logging trucks on the road.

Leaving the ocean side and into an inlet.

Look Ma, the sky is blue.

Well, we got sick of the rain, so we left Ocean Shores this morning. We traveled through the Olympic Rain Forest. It rained on us the entire trip. It had its own beauty. I'll try and download some pictures tomorrow. We met lots of logging trucks, passed several winerys, and got glimpses of the Pacific Ocean. We couldn't see Mt. RAINier because of the clouds.

This afternoon we arrived at Diamond Point RV Resort just east of Sequim. It doesn't rain as much here and is just beautiful. There is blooming lavender everywhere. They have an annual Lavender Festival in Sequim. The sunset was breathtaking. We went to a Casino for dinner and I played Texas Hold'm. I won $112. Willard played a Keno machine and came out about even. In the lounge they had a nice dance floor and a Small Band playing Big Band music. It was a joy to watch a full dance floor filled with senior citizens. They were wonderful dancers. We danced a few dances, but both of us were so tired we decided to call it quits and head back home. We walked Duster and enjoyed a nice rainless evening. I would come back to this area again.

We are going to leave early in the morning and try to get to Black Diamond, WA. It is near Flaming Geyser State Park east of Seattle.

Rain Greeted us at Ocean Shores WA

We arrived at the WH RV Resort in Ocean Shores, WA last Wednesday. I have no pictures to post because IT HASN'T STOPPED RAINING SINCE WE GOT HERE! That was 4 days ago. But, we are determined not let this gloom get us down! We have found some good restaurants and drove around the area to orient ourselves. And, we did drive down to the beach to look at the Pacific Ocean through the raindrops. Of course, we stayed in the truck with the heater on full blast. A few young brave tourists were running through the ankle deep waves, as their grandparents huddled together shaking their heads.

We went to WalMart and got Willard a Jigsaw Puzzle to work. He has it spread out on the table. I discovered a web page for writers and have immersed myself in the discussion form. I've also tried to work on several manuscripts. There's not much on TV, so I have been reading a couple of books. Willard tried metal-detecting here in the park between rain storms, but the mosquitos almost carried him off. And poor Duster can't find a dry place to pee.

"It will be nice next week," the locals say. "But, this rain is normal."

Tomorrow we hope to visit the Olympic National Park, if it's not raining. But, we understand it is the only rain forest in North America, so I think I'll take my umbrella along, just in case. Here is their web site if you're interested: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/.

Last evening, Willard and I entertained a group of about 30 here at the resort. They seemed to like our music. About halfway through the program a man jumped up, removed my hat and proceeded to pass it around the room. They filled it with money. We in turn donated it to the park's Fun Fund. Our goal is to entertain in at least one RV park in 49 states (Willard won't fly to Hawaii). So far, we've played in Arizona, California, Utah, Montana, Oregon, and now Washington.

Mount St. Helens

Mount. St. Helens





Today we drove about 35 miles to view Mt. St. Helen. It was a great trip. Great views. And an eerie feeling. It was hard to believe that the destruction occurred 27 years ago. A new forest is emerging. And time heals all. The pictures above are of Mt. St. Helen. It was about 9677 feet before the eruption. Now, it is 8365 feet in elevation. To find out all about Mt. St. Helen go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens

I hope you can see all of this downed timber. It was everywhere. But, as I said earlier, the forest is coming back. And this too shall pass.

This is one end of Spirit Lake. That is not water you see, but thousands of logs still floating at one end of the lake. It looked as if you could walk across it.

I just loved this view of the river at the base of Mt. St. Helen.

HWY 12 in Washington

The drive down highway 12 was an awsome mountain drive. It was exciting with steep grades and hairpin curves. We were headed for an RV park in Randel, WA. to spend a few days. Here

are a few pictures of that adventure. We were glad to get to the park. Willard was so drained after driving today, we decided to stay in Randel two days. Glad we have a disel and lots of power. No more worries about traveling mountain roads.

I thought this was a great way to block those rocks in slide areas. The blocks are made of rocks wrapped and shaped with wire. They were all along HWY 12 in Washington.

On the Road Again

Sunday, July 15 - We are spending the night in Pioneer RV Park in Hermiston, OR. The area is rolling plains and farmland. It seems they grow lots of grain and potoatoes. The sunset was beautiful this evening. Tomorrow we will cross the Columbia River and into Washington tomorrow. We plan on staying in the Mt. Helen area for a few days before heading for the coast.