On the road

We have left Southern California by way of the 15 freeway through San Bernadino because of the fires all around the LA basin, and took the 395 highway to Bishop. We had been camping with our group for our annual Thanksgiving feast at East Shore RV Park, which is located on a hill.  We had a great time of visiting since all of us haven't been together in a long while and of feasting on turkey, pumpkin and pecan pies and all the trimmings. Our entertainment  for our feast was the prop fire planes scooping in the water there at Puddingstone reservoir, scooping up the water and when they took off they were at our level of camp.  It was such a sight to see those planes working and took them about 10 minutes to drop their water and come back for more.  They did that till it got dark. 

 We are in Reno, on our way to Portland for a wedding.  The weather here is nice during the day and cold at night, in the 30's. Here are a few pic's of the campground and the planes.

Time is Short!

Today is Tuesday the 11Th of Nov. Ginny and I are off to bowling this morning. She is in a league and I bowl for the exercise. We are going camping with our group this weekend and then we will be off to the Northwest. We have a wedding in Portland, and are going to spend Thanksgiving with  our good friends in Goldendale Washington. We are so ready to be on the road. We will be gone for two weeks, not long enough but you take what you can get. We will be posting as much as we can. Here is a picture of our newest family members. One is Kourtney's (although Lori is holding him) and the other is Jamie's. they are so cute. We all love them. JP

home at last

Sept 19th   Left Reno Monday morning with an early start-before 9AM  and reached Bishop around 12"30.  Decided it was to early to stop so continued on to Lancaster, Ca  to stay at our friends house.  Parked in their driveway and hooked up to their new 30 amp breaker so we have air with we need since it is around 100 and we are not use to this heat.  Had a nice visit and caught up on out Alpenlite group news and had a relaxing evening  just hanging out and having a BBQ dinner on the patio.  Had breakfast the next morning together and got home here around 11"30.  Decided to go to work and have lunch with everybody after we parked the motor home and checked out everything around the house.  All looked like to much work so we went to lunch with kids.  Getting back into swing to work and household stuff=nicer to be on the road and not have so many responsibilities.  Been warm too.  Thanks for following along on our travels.  Will post more next month when we get back from visiting relatives in Virginia.  Love to all John & Virginia

NEVADA

WELL WE MADE IT TO LOVELOCK, NV AND NOT A LOT HERE TO CHOOSE FROM FOR CAMPGROUNDS AND NONE RATED VERY HIGH.  ENDED UP AT A MOTEL, TRAILER AND RV PARK.  NOT THE BEST OF CAMPING FACILITIES BUT WE ARE TIRED AND DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY INTO RENO.  I FIXED US DINNER AND WE WENT TO MCDONALD'S AND HAD AN ICE CREAM BEFORE A GAME OF CRIBBAGE AND BED.  ARRIVED IN RENO AND MY BROTHER RICHARD WAS UP AND WENT TO HOUSE SO JOHN COULD GET BUSY ON SETTING UP HIS LAP TOP AND COMPUTER FOR E=MAIL AND SUCH.  IT HAS BEEN A REALLY NICE DAY HERE.  THE AIR RACES ARE GOING ON SO AIRPORT IS FULL OF LITTLE PLANES AND HAVE SEEN SOME OLD ONES COME IN FROM THE RACES.  TOOK RICHARD OUT FOR DINNER AT the PEPPERMILL CASINO AND HAD THEIR BUFFET.  ATE OUR FILL OF CRAB AND SHRIMP AND RICHARD SAID THE OYSTERS WERE GREAT!   SUNDAY WE WENT TO CABELLA'S and then had lunch there.  We could have had elk or buffalo dogs or hamburgers but just stayed with a regular hamburger and cheese steak sandwich.  I did laundry while John finished up with the computer.  Richard went to work late afternoon and will probably be busy bringing in all the rental cars for the races.  We have enjoyed the days here-not hot at all.  It is fitting that we have come full circle as we started off here 2 months ago and end our trip here.  Tomorrow our goal is Bishop, Calif and probably have a little more heat to put up with but have to get ourselves broke in as I think it will be quite warm when we get home.   JVP

PROVO, UTAH

WE TRAVELED THROUGH COLORADO TO UTAH.  FOUND OUR CAMPGROUND IN ORAM SO WE COULD VISIT RELATIVES.  MET JOHN'S SISTER CHERYL AND HUSBAND AL AT THEIR DAUGHTER, LORI'S HOUSE.  THEY ARE BUSY BEING GRANDPARENTS AND TAKING JOHNATON TO HIS FOOTBALL PRACTICES AND GAMES, ALSO TAKING AND PICKING UP THE GIRLS (THEY HAVE THREE) FROM SCHOOL.  LORI AND ERIC ARE BUSY WITH KIDS AND FIXING UP THEIR HOUSE.  JUST HAD THEIR KITCHEN CABINETS AND COUNTERTOPS DONE.  ERIC IS MAKING A POND IN THE BACK YARD FOR SOME KOI FISH.  NEXT MORNING CHERYL WAS GETTING HER NEW CARPET IN SO WE TOOK BUDDY TO VET.  HE'S GOT A RASH ON HIS TUMMY AND JUST CAN'T STOP SCRATCHING.  WE'VE TRIED BENADRYL AND CORTISONE ON HIS TUMMY BUT JUST HASN'T HELPED.  WENT TO CHERYL'S AND SAW HER NEW KITCHEN CABINETS AND RUG.  LIKE SHE SAID IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT THEY ARE GETTING CLOSE TO MOVING IN AND ARE GETTING THEIR FURNITURE LINED UP.  GUESS THEY'LL BE DOWN AROUND THE 20TH FOR DR. APPOINTMENTS AND WILL CATCH UP IN LA AGAIN.  HAD SOME SPRINKLES OF COARSE SINCE WE HAD MOTOR HOME WASHED BUT STILL LOOKS BETTER THAN IT DID.  A LOT OF THINGS TO DO HERE BUT NOT ENOUGH TIME, SO DO MORE NEXT TIME.  DECIDED TO GO TO RENO NEXT TO HELP MY BROTHER WITH HIS COMPUTER AND GET  USE TO WARMER WEATHER BEFORE WE HIT THE HOT STUFF AT HOME. We left Utah Friday morning and drove hard toward Reno, we got 460 miles to Lovelock, NV. We only had 90 miles to drive on Saturday. We are going to stay in Reno till Monday morning, then we are on our way home. Should be home late Tuesday. JVP

Grand Junction, Colorado

We decided to spend another day here as was a lot to do in the area.  Yesterday we did laundry-hopefully the last time on the road.  It was a beautiful day so we BBQ steaks, ate Colorado corn on the cob and took a drive around the area. Today we had to move to a different spot and than we had the motor home washed.  It was so dirty.  I packed us a lunch, the dogs and took off for Colorado National Monument.  It is a 27 mile loop drive of breath taking beauty.  Colorado has its own balance rock.  It was a cloudy day so pictures aren't as bright as they could be but it was just beautiful red sandstone and trees.  We thought it was better than Zion.   Than we went to the town of Palisades where they grow peaches and corn and we bought more tomatoes.  Also stopped at a few wineries.  A lot of them here are fruit wines but there were a few we liked.  Today was cool and cloudy and a few sprinkles around.  Tomorrow we head for Utah to visit relatives. JVP

Last days in Colorado

We moved our motorhome down the road about 30 minutes after having breakfast with Melanie and Doug.  Checked out another campground and think it will probably be where we are when we start out trip next year.  Very nice and a lot more room.  This is a very nice campground in Castle Rock, too. These are a couple of pictures out the front window. Has large tepee's around and several train cars they use for movies and other things when they are busy.  We drove into Steve & Holly's (our friend's daughter).  Met his parents and  had a great dinner and learned to play hearts.  Anna played the violin for us for our evening entertainment. 

She's been playing since she was 2(she's 5 now). We took the boys with us and they played with holly's puppy of 6 months, Katie, and had a ball.  We went into town and bought some great corn and peaches at a fruit market. Also found a Sam's Club and bought some more books on tape for trip home.  Had lunch at On The Border-nice to have Mexican Food once in a while.  Sun was a lazy day and went back on Holly's for Hamburgers and game of Spinners. Monday, we a woke up to clouds and mist.  Drove over the big mountains on I-70.  A beautiful drive and made it over easily.  Tonight we are in Grand Junction.  Got some laundry done and the sun is out and shorts are on, it's in the 80's now.  We have decided to stay here another day. There are some things to do, and maybe some Peaches to get from the local growers. More later. JVP