IT'S HOT

Even though the thermometer in the motor home shows an outside temperature of 114, it really only got up to about 108 yesterday. Only 108! Are you kidding? That's still about 25 degrees above my comfort zone. Where is that coastal fog we left behind in Oregon, where the daytime temperatures were typically in the 60's. If it sounds like I'm whining, well, I am. We returned to Lake Havasu this year about 3-4 weeks earlier than we normally do, so it looks like we will have to wait a little longer before our good winter weather arrives.
On a sad note, Marc called yesterday morning to tell us that Chandra's dad Joe, passed away on the 26th. His passing was unexpected, which makes it all the more difficult for family & friends. Chandra was on a plane north to Monterey, CA, to be with her mom and brothers, and Marc was home temporarily with Laila, before he most likely would also be heading for CA. We only met Chandra's parents, Joe and Eloise a few times, but they are a part of our extended family, and our condolences and prayers are with Eloise and Chandra during this period of grief. We're waiting to hear from Marc, to see if there's anything we can do to help the family through this tough time.

HOME

We made it home to Lake Havasu City yesterday, and the temperature only got up to 104! Yea, but it's a dry heat, right? Actually, it wasn't as terrible as I thought, and we got a lot done. Cleaning out the motor home was the first priority, and we'll finish that task today. Some of our plants didn't make it through the hot summer, but all of our trees are OK. Everything in the house seems to be OK, I just have to remember how to reset some things. Readjusting to the water bed, will take a little doing, and remembering to not flush the toilet with my foot, will also take awhile to get used to. All in all, it's good to be in our big house, and we'll deal with the 100 degree temperatures for a few more weeks before it starts to cool off.

WILLIAMS, AZ

Williams is the home of the Grand Canyon Railroad, and this steam engine is on display in front of the depot. We rode the train to the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago, and one of the nice things besides not having to drive, is the train drops you off only a few steps from the south rim of the canyon. We did have to drive however, but the distance from the Grand Canyon on Hwy 64 to Williams, is only about 50 miles. We checked into the Grand Canyon Railroad RV Park a little before noon, and had lunch at their depot restaurant. The only choice was their buffet, so we gave it a try, and were not impressed. The choices were very limited, and the $12 cost was excessive for what you got. I never walk away from a buffet hungry, no matter how limited the choices are, and I didn't this time either. From lunch, we inquired about possible summer employment from the same concessionaire - Xanterra, that Patty checked on while we were at the Grand Canyon. Not as many possibilities, particularly for me, but Williams would be a nice spot to spend the summer, as the elevation of approx. 6500 feet is about the same as the Grand Canyon. This morning, we are going home! We're both anxious to return to our big house in Lake Havasu City, even though the daytime temperatures are still above 100 degrees. We have lots to do, once we arrive back on Meadows Drive, and I will continue to post on the blog, but perhaps not on a daily basis.

THE GRAND CANYON

There are 7 Wonders of the World, and the Grand Canyon is one of those 7. This isn't our first visit to this incredible natural beauty, and I'm quite sure, it won't be our last. We drove south from Page, AZ, on Hwy 64, and were in the park by mid day. This is one of our last stops, before going to our winter home in Lake Havasu City, AZ. The purpose of this visit isn't just to admire the gigantic hole in the ground, but to inquire about possible seasonal employment for next summer. I've had my eye on a transit bus driving job for the last couple of years, and stopped to pick up an application. So far, it meets all of the personal criteria. Employment from about May to mid September, $20+ per hour, a place in the park to park the motor home for about $150 a month, and a really neat place to spend the summer. With my experience, particularly as a Supervisor for the Transit System in Glacier National Park, I'm pretty confident that I won't have any trouble getting hired. However, that is a long ways down the road, and a lot could change between now and then.
Patty picked up an application and some information from each of the 3 park concessionaires. Xanterra, Delaware North, and the Grand Canyon Association, all operate various facilities within the park, and the potential for Patty to land a seasonal job is pretty good. If she didn't work, that would certainly be OK, but she thinks that instead of taking the summer off, like she did when I worked at Glacier National Park, that she wants to work, at least for part of the summer, or in a part time capacity. This morning, we're headed a short distance toward the south, and Williams, AZ. That's the home of the Grand Canyon Railroad, and even though we're probably not going to ride the train again, Williams is an area we want to explore a little more.

MORE DESERT DRIVING

From Ely, NV, we drove south on Hwy 93, then east on Hwy 319, crossing into Utah, and skirting Zion National Park to the south. Eventually, we crossed over the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge, and stopped for the night in Page, AZ. The picture below, (click to enlarge), shows the upstream side of the dam, and the bridge over the Colorado River. Our journey for the day was probably the longest of the summer at 376 miles. Our first stop in Page was at the Page-Lake Powell RV Park, where even though there were numerous, visible open spaces, I was told that they were "full", except for tent spaces. My reply was that I didn't think we would fit into a tent space, and what about all of the empty spaces? There were 3 people behind the counter, and it seemed that it was more important for them to ignore my question, than to try and answer it. After a few seconds, I overheard one person say to the other - "she'll get mad if we put anymore up there". I asked again - "so are you full or not"? The answer again came back that they were full. At that point, and with that attitude, I wouldn't have taken a space for free, even if they had offered. We drove over to the Wal-Mart SuperCenter, and parked with a bunch of other RV's.
Earlier in the drive, we crossed from Utah into the northern reaches of Mojave County, AZ at Colorado City. This part of Mojave County (same county as Lake Havasu), is geographically isolated by the Grand Canyon, and it takes many hours to drive here from the county seat in Kingman. This community has been unofficially know as the Bigamy capitol of the U.S. and is occupied almost exclusively by a spin off from the Mormon Church. These fundamentalists of the Latter Day Saints believe in multiple wives, and until recently, were pretty much left alone. A few years ago, their leader, a guy named Warren Jeffs was arrested and convicted of forcing under age girls into marriage. His high publicity case blew the lid off the secrecy surrounding this town, and now, Mojave County has a much higher presence with law enforcement, prosecutors, and counseling.
I missed the opportunity for a picture of a sign we saw as we were leaving Ely, yesterday morning. It said "ANYBODY BUTT HARRY REID". This sign was huge, and I was tempted to go back and take a picture. I hope the sign is prophetic, and the people of Nevada send a message to D.C. that big government, unlimited spending, and burdening future generations with massive debt, is just simply unacceptable.

THE LONELIEST ROAD

Not much in the way of scenery, except desert, and more desert, on what is commonly known as the loneliest road in America. U.S. Hwy 50 across Nevada is indeed a lonely road, in that there is very little traffic, and it's a long way between what you might describe as civilization. We pulled out of the Gold Dust West Casino RV Park at 10 am, and pointed the Camelot east toward Ely, a little over 300 miles away. Despite the continual desert landscape, (which I actually like), driving either the motor home, or the Harley across the wide open spaces, is about as stress free, and relaxing as it gets. I'm sure it's not for everyone, and probably the majority of folks can't wait to end what is to them, a boring drive. When I'm behind the wheel, or the handlebars, in this environment, my mind tends to wander in all kinds of directions. When we passed by several old Pony Express locations, I couldn't help but wonder, what that existence in the middle of the desert must have been like. As spoiled as we are today, with all of the modern conveniences, it's almost inconceivable what hardships the early pioneers faced when either living in, or crossing the western deserts. We passed through the small towns of Austin and Eureka, but for those 300 + miles, that was about it, in terms of any types of services. We pulled into Ely at about 4 pm, and I tried to get a space at the Prospector Casino RV Park, but they were full. A little farther down the road, we stopped for the night at the Valley View RV Park, and will be hitting the road this morning, still heading toward the Grand Canyon.

LEAVING CARSON CITY

This morning, we're headed east on Hwy 50, destination - Ely, NV, about a 350 mile drive. It's been years since the last time I drove across the "loneliest road", and I'm looking forward to the wide open spaces, and the scenery in the small towns, like Austin and Eureka.
Our stay here in Carson City the last 3 days, has been busy, as we have been doing a lot of research for an RV Rally we're putting together for next year. Yesterday, we made all of the tentative arrangements here at the Gold Dust West Casino and RV park. Our next stop was the Carson City Tourism Bureau, where we obtained all of the necessary information for a group reservation on the train. While there, we were given the name of Patrick, with the visitors bureau in Virginia City, who was the person who could best help with arranging a group luncheon. We drove back up to Virginia City, and met with Patrick, who walked us around to the few establishments who had the room and capability to feed up to 50 people. The previous day, we stopped at the Cafe del Rio, and even though everyone we talked to, spoke highly of the food quality, they really didn't have enough space for our group. After spending an hour or so with Patrick, we had gathered more information, and after a few phone calls, should be able to make arrangements for lunch, when we get off the train in Virginia City.
Patrick gave us 2 complimentary tickets to the Silver State Police Museum, which is located in the old Storey County Jail, one block off Virginia City's Main Street. This museum has an unbelievable collection of police memorabilia. Most of the collection relates to Nevada Police Agencies, but I even found a display or two, that was related to my previous employer, the California Highway Patrol. A very interesting, and unusual museum, including the old jail section of the courthouse, that was in use up to 1986. We're on the home stretch now. Just a few days, and we'll be back in Lake Havasu City, where hopefully, the daytime temperatures will have dropped below 100 degrees.

VIRGINIA CITY & A BROTHEL

Our goal yesterday was to find an eating establishment in Virginia City, that could accommodate a group of about 25-50 people. When our Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) Golden Spike Chapter arrives here for the rally we are planning next year, we will need a place for lunch, when we get off the train in Virginia City. We also needed to scout out possible transportation from the train depot, to the restaurant. Just down the hill from Virginia City, and east of Carson City, there are a few businesses that are only legal in certain counties in Nevada. The picture below shows one of the more famous of those establishments, called the Moonlight Bunny Ranch. Now lets get one thing perfectly clear. We weren't doing any advance work, with the thought of utilizing the expertise in this business, as one of the attractions of our rally. I think it's safe to say that even though the services provided in a legal brothel might be attractive to one of the sexes, it's extremely doubtful, that there would be much interest by the other gender. The drive through the Bunny Ranch was purely for the purpose of historical research, as the original Virginia & Truckee Railroad right of way, passed by this business, only a few feet to the west. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
When we arrived in Virginia City, there was the usual Sunday congestion, which I suspect is pretty normal during most of the summer. While there, I obtained the name and phone number of the person we need to contact for transportation from the depot to the restaurant.

We also stopped at the Cafe del Rio, pictured above, and talked to the staff about providing a lunch for our group. Even though the owner wasn't there, we were given the best time to call, and make the necessary arrangements. Everyone we talked to, said this is the best restaurant in Virginia City for our group luncheon. Since we have about a year before all of this will happen, our main goal is to obtain contact information, and loosely set the agenda for the few days that we will all be here. This morning, we will be talking to a couple of people here in Carson City, who will be able to give us more information on a group dinner here at the Gold Dust West Casino, where we are parked. And, we'll be stopping at the Visitors Bureau, to speak to a lady who will be able to help us with a group reservation on the train. With that accomplished, our research will be done, at least for now, and tomorrow, we'll be heading east on the Loneliest Road in America, US Hwy 50.

CARSON CITY & TRAINS

For a train enthusiast like myself, Carson City, NV is paradise found. With the extension of the Virginia & Truckee Tourist Railroad, from Virginia City down to the outskirts of Carson City, the area now has a world class historic railroad, that only adds to the other train related attractions in the capitol city of Nevada. In May, Patty and I rode the "new" Virginia & Truckee, and yesterday, I was on board the first public train that traveled down into the Carson River Canyon, about 2 miles beyond the Eastside Station. These two pictures show the train at the station, and a closeup of engine #18, a Baldwin 2-8-2, built in 1914. This is a larger engine than #29, which pulled the train that Patty and I rode in May, and came from the McCloud River Railroad in Northern California, after they went out of business.
Our drive yesterday from Reno wasn't very long, as it's only about 30 miles from Reno to Carson City. It's been many years since we traveled this route, and a lot has changed. The Hwy 395 freeway extends farther south out of Reno, and another stretch is currently being built, that will extend the freeway into the Washoe Valley. After we got settled at the Gold Dust West Casino RV Park, we drove the jeep to several places in town, all in preparation for an RV Rally that we're putting together for this time next year.
This little train runs on about a one mile track, in Mills Park, adjacent to US Hwy 50 in Carson City, and the bottom picture shows a model railroad layout inside the depot building. We pretty much decided to incorporate this mini railroad into our rally next year. The photo below is of the Nevada State Railroad Museum, which we visited many years ago. This will also be part of our rally, and with a group, they will provide a private guided tour of the museum. On selected weekends, the museum fires up one of their steam locomotives, and they have a trolley car that runs around their 1/2 mile track on most every summer weekend.
Today, we're driving up to Virginia City, to look for a restaurant that has the capability of feeding a large group for lunch. One of the nice things about the Virginia & Truckee RR is the layover in Virginia City. It gives folks about 3 hours for lunch and browsing all of the historical attractions in town. In my opinion, there are a few ingredients that a successful tourist railroad must have, in order to survive. In no particular order, they are - scenery, history, the right equipment (like steam locomotives), and an attractive destination. The new Virginia & Truckee has all of those, and a few more. There is still about 4 more miles of track to be built, which will extend the line almost into Carson City. Unfortunately, with all of the budget problems every state faces, it's doubtful that this last part of the railroad will be built in the near future.

RENO AIR RACES

Here we are, with Uncle Marty, in his box, at the 47th Annual Reno Air Races. Marty and a group of his friends, each year purchase one of the many VIP boxes on the tarmac, at the Reno/Stead Airport. Marty describes his group as a "drinking club with an airplane problem". It was good to meet up with Marty who flew his airplane into the Tahoe Airport, and rented a car for the duration of the races.
The last time Patty and I were at these world famous air races, was 15-20 years ago, and we just happened to stumble upon them, while taking a trip in one of our first motor homes. I remember parking on one of the streets close to the airport, and even though the event wasn't as big as it is now, we enjoyed the races, and all of the aviation related events.
When the action officially kicked off with the playing of our National Anthem, Old Glory was brought in by a parachutist, with a fly by of F-16 Fighter Jets. Among several dignitaries introduced, were two of the eight surviving members of the "Doolittle Raid" over Tokyo, during WWII. As you might expect, this type of event honors our military, and it was very gratifying to see the thousands of people standing in appreciation, for the sacrifices that our military veterans have given, to make this the greatest country on earth.
This picture shows Patty standing to the left of Marty (flower shirt with straw hat), in his box at the start/finish line. I didn't see any empty boxes, and with the weekend still to come, it appears that this event is doing very well.
This picture shows a group of T-6 Trainers, as they begin a 5 lap race. There are many different classes of aircraft, and the T-6's are one of the slower classes, averaging about 225 m.p.h. We watched several races and demonstrations, like a jet powered dragster race an airplane already in flight. Perhaps one of the most exciting demos was when an FA-18 Super Hornet Fighter, did a high speed pass, right in front of the grandstands, at about 750 m.p.h. We watched a U-2 Spy Plane do a flyover, a couple of stunt pilots doing amazing things with their aerobatic planes, and the highlight of the day was an amazing demonstration of precision formation flying by the Canadian Snowbirds. This last photo is of the Snowbirds, as they made a pass in a very tight formation. We said adios to Marty, and left the races after the Snowbirds had finished, and sort of beat the traffic rush. By the time we got back to the motor home, one of our 4 legged kids was very glad to see us, probably thinking "it's about time you got back to feed me". This morning, we'll move a few miles south to Carson City, and do some research on a possible train rally we might be putting together for next year.

THE BIGGEST LITTLE CITY

Our drive down Hwy 395 from Susanville, CA to Reno, didn't take very long, as it's only about 100 miles. We pulled into the Silver Sage RV Park at a little after noon, and got hooked up for what will probably be just 2 nights. We both have been putting off some of our necessary chores, so we spent yesterday afternoon cleaning, me on the outside, and Patty on the inside. She also got some laundry done, including our bed sheets. By the time we were both finished, it was time for some dinner, so we walked across the street to the Peppermill Hotel/Casino, and had an OK meal. During the evening, I telephoned my 2 favorite ex in-laws, my sister-in-law Claudia in Phoenix to get my brother-in-law Marty's phone number. Marty is here in Reno for the air races, and we agreed to meet at the airport today. We were last at the air races about 20 years ago, and have vowed to return ever since. It seems that we were always someplace else, or doing something else, but this year, we built the races into our travel plans.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The familiar, and in this case, the very welcome big brown UPS Truck, pulled into Cummins West at 9:30 am with our new engine exhaust manifold pictured above. The not so straight, old manifold is pictured below. Around 10:30 am, Ray, the technician who had disassembled our engine, was back to work on our traveling house, and by noon, we fired up the Cummins ISL, 400 horsepower engine. This time, there were no whistling, squeching noises, it just purred like a kitten.
While taking care of the bill, (our portion was $100) I thanked both Steve, the Service Manager, and Ray, the tech, for the great service. Even though we just dropped in on them, Steve fit us into the schedule, got our parts ordered, and made sure that we were kept informed of exactly what was going on. Ray was more than competent. When I first explained the problem, instead of looking at the back of the engine, he crawled under, and had the problem diagnosed in just a few seconds. I remember wondering why he wasn't looking at the fan belts, and soon learned why. His many years of experience lead him to another area, and when he started working on the engine from within our bedroom, I could see first hand that this guy was really good at what he does. Not only was he an excellent wrench, he was very pleasant to deal with, and didn't have the typical attitude of us interrupting his day. Both of these guys are assets to the business, and were a pleasure to deal with. It's not likely that we will need the services of Cummins West in Redding ever again, but if I was ever close and needed some work done to my engine, I wouldn't hesitate to drive a few hours to get there.

If there was any negative out of this entire experience, it was when I discovered that our new exhaust manifold was made in China! After Ray took the new manifold out of the box, I saw what you see above, and said to myself, no wonder we have so many people looking for jobs in this country. When I looked a little closer at the old manifold, yep, you guessed it, also made in the same place. Now, I had a different perspective on why the old manifold started leaking, and couldn't help but think we might be faced again with the same problem down the road. Come on Cummins! You're about as American as apple pie. Even if you have to charge a few more bucks for your parts, I for one will not mind paying the extra, if those parts are made in the good ole U. S. of A. Our day ended in the Camp Wal-Mart parking lot, in Susanville, CA. Today, we'll try and find an RV park in the Reno area for a few days, and catch some of the action at the Reno Air Races.

STUCK IN REDDING

My thought that our engine noise might be fan belt related, wasn't even close to the actual problem. Yesterday morning, Ray, one of the techs here at Redding Cummins, came out to diagnose the problem. After I explained what the noise sounded like, he immediately crawled under the engine with a flashlight, and said "here's your problem", and it wasn't related to the belts, as I original had thought. The problem was several exhaust leaks where the exhaust manifold connects to the engine block. The first photo, with the manifold still on the engine, doesn't show the leaks very well. However, the second photo, with the manifold removed, shows the black marks on the engine block.


The good news is that the problem was quickly found. The bad news is that when the exhaust manifold (2 pieces) was removed, it was found to be badly warped. This was a problem that slowly developed over time, and when we were coming down a long grade west of Redding, frequently using the exhaust brake, it quickly got much worse. Steve, the service manager here at Cummins informed me that a check of the area showed that no one had an exhaust manifold in stock, and it would have to be ordered from the Bay Area. The other good news is that it should be here this morning, and we have been plugged into a 50 amp service since our arrival.

The photo above shows the top of the engine as viewed through the two hatches in the bedroom. It took Ray about an hour to remove the faulty manifold, and in the process, discovered a turbo coolant line that was about to rupture, so it was replaced. When the part arrives (fingers crossed), this morning, it shouldn't take but a couple of hours to get everything back together, and with any luck, we'll be out of here today. Steve and Ray have been super to deal with, and the best news is that all of this is covered under our Cummins 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty.

THE HIGHS & LOWS

Sometimes, the highs and lows of life come toward you at a rapid fire pace. Yesterday, we were parked on a bluff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, almost like a scene from a postcard. This morning, we are parked at Cummins West in Redding, CA. We went from the sound of ocean waves crashing onto the beach, to a squelling engine noise that necessitated a stop in Redding. We made it to the Cummins Shop just before they closed, and they will take a look at the engine this morning. It sounds like a loose fan belt, and I'm hopeful that it's nothing serious. There are two things that are givens, when it comes to RV's. 1. They depreciate faster than a falling rock. 2. They are going to break. Just think if you took your house and subjected it to a constant 6.0 earthquake, what the consequences might be. Well, that's kind of what is going on when you drive a motor home down the highway. We've been on some highways where that earthquake was more like an 8.0!
This was the beautiful setting where we spent the afternoon and night of 9/12. This spot is near Myers Creek which is a part of the Pistol River State Park. The fog stayed away, until we left on the morning of 9/13.
A view of the large turnout from the beach. Almost directly above the motor home, there is a house, from which there is an incredible view of the ocean in both directions.
Sami and Dad playing on the beach.

Who needs to buy a million dollar beach house when we have this kind of view from inside our traveling beach house. That's one of the great things about an RV. You aren't limited to the same vacation home, now matter how beautiful the setting might be.
I took several pictures of the sunset, as the light disappeared between the rocks. This parking spot is firmly imprinted in our memory banks, and will definitely be a place that we will stop in the future. We'll keep our fingers crossed that Oregon doesn't adopt California's policy of prohibiting overnight parking along the coast highway.

THE JETTY CATS

We pulled out of the Mill Casino RV Park at mid morning, and headed south on Hwy 101. Our first stop was at the north jetty of the Rogue River, in Gold Beach, Oregon. We first discovered Fort Feline, and the Jetty Cats, several years ago, on one of our trips along the Oregon Coast. Now, whenever we travel through Gold Beach, a stop at Fort Feline is always on our itinerary. We only saw 2 of the feral cats, and Patty was able to get close enough to one of them, to hand out some cat treats. We filled up one of the multiple dishes with water, and another with a box of deli-cat food. The only problem was that the seagulls will devour the cat food, if left out in the open. I placed the food inside one of the cat houses, with the hope that they would discover it, and not the gulls.
When we left the Jetty Cats, our cat Gracie was quickly informed by Patty, that if she only knew how lucky she was, she wouldn't complain about having to live with a snoopy dog. It's saddening to think that countless dogs and cats don't have loving homes, and some, like these Jetty Cats, are existing with thanks to the local volunteers who bring food to Fort Feline.
We stopped at Gold Beach, inquiring at Jerry's Rogue River Jet boats, about a trip up the river, but decided that it would have to wait for another year. It was only about noon, and we wanted to put on a few more miles. However, not too far south of Gold Beach, we found a turnout, about 30 feet above the beach, and decided to stop for the day, and see if we could get away with parking there for the night. In California, if there's even a wide shoulder along the coast highway, there are multiple signs prohibiting stopping, or camping for the night. We hadn't seen any signs here in Oregon, so gave it a try, and were not disturbed. If fact, 2 more motor homes parked next to us, and spent the night. Today, we're not in any hurry, and will continue south on the coast to Eureka, CA, then head inland, and work our way toward Reno. The National Air Races just outside of Reno begin on the 15th, and we've been talking about revisiting this event for several years. This just might be the year. And yes, we did get some of Chef Dan's Clam Chowder to go, and while having it for dinner in our motor home last night, with the million dollar ocean view, I can honestly say, it is the best I have ever had. The Willow in Jamestown, CA is now number 2!

BACK TO AFRICA

The West Coast Game Park, a few miles south of Bandon, OR, is a place that we have visited numerous times. It's one of the few places that we know of, where you can actually get your hands on a baby cat. Over the years, we have been able to touch & photograph a baby Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Lynx, Serval, Cheetah & yesterday for the first time, a baby Caracal. In fact, yesterday was a 3 for 1 day. Normally on our stops at this wildlife park, there has only been one baby cat available, but yesterday, there were 2 three month old Bengal Tigers, 2 four week old black Leopards, and 1 four month old Caracal, that we got up close and personal with.
Of course, Patty was on cloud nine, as she petted this amazing, juvenile Caracal, with the long black tufts on its ears. This female was acquired to breed with a male that they already have, and has a couple of years to go before that might happen.
Dan & Karen have talked about visiting this park for years, but this was their first experience. This picture shows one of the Bengal Tigers being fed a bottle by Patty, as Karen holds him in her lap. This takes the definition of a "lap cat" to a different level. Each group of folks had a few minutes to sit with the cats, and actually get their hands on these beautiful creatures.
Nice kitty, kitty, kitty. If only these guys didn't grow to about 600 pounds, there would probably be a lot more Tiger house cats. Unfortunately, there are people who buy these beautiful cats when they are babies, then are unprepared to deal with them as adults. Many are euthanized, or, in some cases where there is room, placed in wildlife sanctuaries like Keepers of the Wild in Arizona, and are able to live out their lives with proper care.
When we left the animal park, we stopped in Bandon for lunch, and enjoyed the atmosphere of a small town celebration. The area around Bandon is known for it's cranberry bogs, and this was the weekend of the cranberry festival. None of us had much of an appetite for dinner, so we returned to the motor home to feed Sami, and take care of her other needs, then drove over to Dan & Karens for my favorite desert, cherry pie and vanilla ice cream. We visited for a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed our time with Karen & Dan. I hope no one forgets, that 9 years ago, 3,000 Americans were murdered by fanatical, Muslim terrorists, and if we are not vigilant, that element will attempt to further their extreme views, and destroy our way of life. Now, before we leave this morning, I have to sneak back to the Casino, and purchase some of that delicious Clam Chowder to go.

MEMORIES

We pulled into the Mill Casino RV Park in the Coos Bay, Oregon area, yesterday afternoon. After getting settled, we met Dan & Karen in the Casino, and had dinner with them at the Buffet, one of several restaurants that Dan oversees as the Executive Chef. It was seafood night, and everything from the Clam Chowder, to the Prime Rib was really, really good! Now, if the food had been not so good, I'm sure I wouldn't have said as much, since we were being treated by the guy who is in charge of all things related to food at the Mill Casino. For years, I have been on a quest to find Clam Chowder as good as the Willow Restaurant in Jamestown, CA, and until last night, had not even come close. I can now say that I have finally found an equal, if not better! After the delicious meal, Dan gave us a tour of the kitchen(s), the banquet facilities, and other back scene areas of the Casino. We stopped by the motor home, so Karen & Dan could meet Gracie for the first time, then we headed over to their house, where Karen presented me with several family photos, that her mom (my Aunt Martha), had found with help from my cousin Diane.
The first picture is one of my Mom and Dad, with me, at about 5 weeks old. I only have a handful of photos, with both my Mom and Dad together, and these are indeed, treasured pictures. It, along with the next picture of my Mom and me, were taken in Fresno, CA, in late November, or early December, 1946. It was just one week later, after these two pictures were taken, that both Willa Jean and Daniel Chance were killed in an automobile accident, in Fresno. Karen told me last night, that I was being babysat by her Mom, (my Aunt Martha), and our Grandmother Alice. She said that her Mom will never forget the knock on the door, when a friend of my parents informed them that "Billie" and "Danny" were killed, not too far from the house. It's hard to imagine what the impact of that moment must have been on my Grandmother, and my Aunt. These obviously, are memories that I don't have, other than hearing them from friends and relatives.
These school pictures were taken at about the same age, of me and my boys. Marc, on the right,
is a year or two younger.
This picture was taken at Stockton, CA. in 1985, at Grandma Alice's 90th birthday party. Mike, on the left, is pretty close to starting his career in the U.S. Army, and I think Marc was a sophomore in High School. I was still working for the CHP, and Grandma was living in Stockton.
These pictures, and others given to me by Karen last night, brought back a lot of memories that have a way of remaining dormant, unless brought back to light by photos, or conversation. We're looking forward to spending the day with Dan & Karen.