I-70 and Denver

Surely one of the most spectacular Interstate drives in America is the I-70 corridor from Richfield, UT and east to Green River, UT. This marvelous piece of road is an engineering marvel, and winds through a portion of Utah that not only is adjacent to several of the spectacular red rock national parks in Utah, but argueably should be a national park itself. 

We had a beautiful day to do this drive, and as we were doing so, we were reminiscing that we drove this section of I-70 with our kids exactly 40 years ago, returning from Los Angeles and Disneyland, stopping in Denver to visit my parents before returning to Minneapolis. Much of the road was two lane only, and there is one section that, even today, is 100 miles without any services. I can still see the sign 40 years ago warning travelers that there are  "no services for 100 miles", placed near the last gas station. There still aren't any services, but there are improved parking spots along the way. The initial I-70 road - two lanes - was completed in the early '70s, but the final two lanes, making it a 4 lane road, were not completed until about 1990 to Interstate standards. It is maybe the only Interstate route to go where there was no pre-existing highway. There are sections of this roadway that are jaw dropping for the engineering that was required to put a road like this through this region.

Here are a couple of photos, but they don't nearly do this region justice.

I-70 begins/terminates at Cove Fort, UT at the western end. There is a stone building there, maintained by the Mormons, an early Mormon outpost built at the request of Brigham Young.

We stayed that night in Green River, UT. There isn't much left of this town, but as we drove around we saw these two wonderful vehicles.

A view of the Green River.

Our next day was the drive from Green River to Denver which, as many know, goes over Vail Pass and under Loveland Pass through the Eisenhower Tunnel. We knew that our timing could not have been better. We were racing a storm that had already dumped a foot of snow in Salt Lake City and even more than that in the Utah mountains. But our drive was without incident. I will say that this is an exciting drive in a motorhome! Gary has to watch the temperature gauge carefully to avoid over heating the engine on the inclines. We had no problems. We just get in the truck lanes and plow along.

We had a great, albeit short visit in Denver with my brother John and his wife Nancy, and their daughter (my niece) Amy, her husband Joel, and my great niece Alyson and great nephew Jake. We met John, Nancy, Alyson and Jake for a fun time in Boulder to see a Lego exhibit in Old Main on the Colorado University campus, a replica of the old part of the campus. We were so busy looking that I forgot to take any photos!

I did snap a few of the beautiful Colorado University campus.

Gary and I "met" at CU in the summer of '62 while we were both taking summer classes. We didn't actually know one another at Grinnell until after that summer. John's and my dad graduated from CU in 1932.

We had a lovely pizza dinner at Amy and Joel's house that night. Here is a photo of this terrific family with these two darling kids.

Meanwhile, the storm was coming, and come it did the next morning. We got up, saw heavy wet snow on the ground at the RV park, looked at the weather forecast, and decided to leave one day early. We got going pretty fast but not until Gary had to get up on the roof and clear the awnings over the RV slides of heavy wet snow so we could get the slides closed! It was not great driving through Denver, but by the time we got out near the airport, the snow was gone. We did drive in rain on and off throughout the day, but that is no big deal. Heavy wet snow makes RV travel challenging.

We are currently in Des Moines, IA, and expect to be home late tomorrow. It is raining now and will probably rain on us tomorrow, but at least it is not snow!

Los Angeles and Disneyland

We have had a wonderful time in Los Angeles! An Angels game (pre-season), a trip to the Huntington Botanical Gardens, Library and Museum, and finally a three-day visit to Disneyland.

The Huntington gardens were very pretty as always, but there was almost nothing in bloom. The Garden's vast collection of desert cacti and succulents had finished blooming. It has been very pleasant here in temperature while we have been here, but I believe it was very hot here last month, and so the blooms have come and gone. The same in the other gardens- sub tropical, Japanese, Australian, etc. We were extremely impressed with the very recently completed Chinese Garden with lovely buildings, waters, hardscapes and plantings. This is taken on the pathway going behind a beautiful waterfall.

This one section in the desert garden was still modestly in bloom.

For the last three days we were at Disneyland with Rob and family. It was wonderful, and we enjoyed every minute - walking miles, going on rides, seeing attractions, eating, wandering around, looking for hidden Mickey's (didn't know that throughout the park there are Mickey faces - the shape of ears and face - three circles - casually put in decorative designs, gardens, on walls, and many other clever ways to hide the image of Mickey. There are over 400 of these in the park. Henry and Annie had a guide book with suggestions of where to look. We did find quite a few of them. 

While I personally didn't go on all the rides the others did, they did get me on California Screamin' - OMG - the very high speed roller coaster with a loop! I didn't know there was a loop! I am not sure I would have done it if I had known, but I survived. We loved Radiator Springs Racers - went on that twice. Also went on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, and many others. I avoided the ones where you got really wet. Gary did go and did get wet.

Some photos taken in the park:

Loved watching Annie get her hair done at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique:

Just this morning we had breakfast with a niece, her husband and their adorable daughter, Morgan, 18months.  So much fun watching this little one with the Characters.

Sadly this fun time has come to an end and we move on tomorrw, heading east and for home.

Aguanga, CA

We have been at a campground in Aguanga, CA for three nights. This ownership campground is about 30 miles east of Temecula. It is in an area of very sparse population, very dry - mostly chaparral. But the campground itself is irrigated with a golf course running through the middle, dotted with ponds. Given California governor Jerry Brown's announcement yesterday of a mandatory statewide cut in water usage of 25%, I wonder if places like this will look very different in a few years. 

The RV lots which are owned (most of them) have been highly customized and developed, very like several we have stayed at in Florida. Large covered outdoor areas have been built with huge outdoor kitchens, seating areas, extensive landscaping and hardscape. Here are a few photos of the campground.

I noticed on a walk the other day one owner's developed site which I will try to get a picture of today. It is over the top of anything I have ever seen anywhere else in places like this. Hope to post it later.

Our first day here we went wine tasting in the Temecula Valley, which has become a destination wine region for tasting within the last 20-30 years. They are making some very nice wines here, and the tasting rooms rival those of any in Napa or Sonoma Counties. We stopped at one such place, Oak Mountain, and thought some of their reds were excellent. Had a wine country picnic which was just like the many we had when we lived in Sonoma County - nice views and warm temps.

Yesterday we did a scenic drive to Julian, CA, a historic mining town and now a charming tourist mecca. We had lunch there and walked around. Nice little shops. The drive getting there was beautiful - poppies are in bloom and many other wildflowers. While in Julian, one shopkeeper told me that they had received 1 ½ feet of snow on New Year's Eve, and another foot in February, so the surrounding area is currently quite green and hence the wildflowers. We had been in Julian years ago with Gary's dad when his second wife was living - we went with them to her second home there. Julian is noted for apples and the shops selling apple pies.

These photos are from the Internet - forgot to take some.

We continued our drive to Anza Borrego State Park, hoping to see some more wildflowers. That was a pipe dream because it was 96 degrees in Borrego Springs, and it was apparent that the desert blooming period was at least a month ago here. We didn't stay there very long - way too hot. But I did snap some photos of the area around the visitor center which give an idea of the landscape.

We continued our loop drive, heading back to the RV park. As we climbed out of the valley where Borrego Springs is located, we ascended to 4000 feet and the temperature dropped 30 degrees! We once again reached the wildflower region.

As we drove, we saw a bicyclist standing beside his bike by the road, trying to hitch a ride. A quick appraisal said this guy was OK to pick up and needed help. We stopped and he introduced himself as Jack Something originally from Des Moines, which is, of course, where Gary is from. Small world and coincidences are really amazing sometimes. He told us his gear shift was not working and he needed to get to Anza, a ways north of our RV park where he had found the nearest bike shop. It all aligned - our direction and his need - and we loaded him up. Gary has a bike rack on top of our Saturn, so they got it up there, and away we went. Jack is in his mid 60's, retired, no wife apparently, and is committed to traveling around the country on his bike. He had come from San Luis Obispo where a daughter lives, and was heading east - wants to go to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, etc. Frankly I think it is a little late this year, given the weather temps already, to be doing this, but he was undeterred. He has no particular agenda, no schedule, just goes with the flow. This seems like the right attitude. We dropped him at the intersection with the road heading for Anza, and as we were turning away, we saw a pickup truck stop and it was apparent that he would have a zero wait time to get another ride to his destination. He told us he had been amazed at how many nice people there are in the world. Everyone was always ready to help him if he needed it. Glad we, too, could help Jack.

I so wish I had snapped a photo of him with all his stuff, getting picked up by his next ride, a very old pickup truck from somewhere around here. 

LA County Fairgrounds - FMCA Convention

After the drive west from Arizona, we spent one overnight in Indio near La Quinta, and three nights camped at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds - Fairplex - in Pomona, near La Verne and San Dimas. We were attending the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) convention. This gathering of members, vendors, other visitors, etc., is held twice a year. It changes locations but always has the same format. We have been to this in Perry, Georgia, Minot, North Dakota, Fairplex a previous year, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Gillette, Wyoming. Half of the fun is being in these different places to see the sights in the area, especially true of the other places. It will be held in Madison, Wisconsin this coming August.

This year there were about 950 coaches in attendance. This is a far cry from the almost 6000 at Fairplex in 2003, and 2000 to 5000 in the other locations. No explanation really. Gary thinks it could be that people just really don't like to drive to LA. Too much traffic. The motor home industry took a big hit in the 2008 economic downturn, and it is now just beginning to recover, so this could be part of it.

We attended several seminars on various topics - Gary attended a Cummins diesel engine seminar, and we both attended a seminar sponsored by Fantasy RV Travel about an excursion to Churchill, Manitoba, to see the polar bear migration. This has long been on our list. The RV portion (your own RV) takes you as far as Thompson. Then the rest is on a train (I think) or maybe a bus. We could do this trip on our own, but I think a tour would be way easier and we wouldn't miss anything "must do".

 I also attended a Fantasy seminar about RVing in New Zealand and Australia, and I REALLY want to do this one. It is very pricey, but would be a wonderful and memorable experience. Essentially they rent for you a 21 foot Class C motorhome which is small for the narrow roads you would be navigating. They start in Christ Church, NZ, tour the south island, and then ferry over to the north island. The experiences they provide sounds wonderful. Then you fly to Australia and rent another RV there, starting near the Great Barrier Reef and then finishing in Sydney. There is an Outback extension which is a must do. Sigh. So many things to do.......

We toured the many new motor homes that were brought in by the manufacturers and the dealers to show at the convention. Some very nice - we can't find one we like any better than ours. No, we are not going to buy a new motor home!

The other part of the convention is the vendor exhibits for after market products. This is always fun. We bought a new blind that attaches to our awning to drop down for more shade. We had a small one, but this new one gives better coverage.

Motor home parking lot at Fairplex

Visited the old trains museum on the Fairplex grounds. For the convention the local volunteers had fired up the diesel engine on a retired Union Pacific train engine. We were allowed to climb up to the cab. Very fun. I hadn't been in one with the engine running. You should hear the horn when standing below by the engine!!!

Other engines on exhibit

We went out to dinner three consecutive evenings to three separate tap rooms or brew pubs. One in La Verne, one in San Dimas, and one in Pomona. Getting to the dinner spot in Pomona, we passed right by the beautiful Pilgrim Congregational Church. It is about the same age as Plymouth Congregational in Minneapolis. Do any of my Plymouth Facebook friends know if this was Howard Conn's church when he was growing up, or was his church in Claremont? I think I used to know this but now don't remember.

We left LA on Sunday, spent an overnight at the beautiful RV park in Temecula at the Pechanga Resort Hotel and Casino, and now we are about 30 miles east of Temecula in an RV ownership park where we are renting a site for 4 nights. Beautiful and out where there aren't many people.

I snapped a photo of this beautiful live oak tree on the Pechanga grounds. It is an absolutely perfect shape. It is much larger than it appears in this photo.

Lovely days in Arizona

We have been in Mesa for not even quite a month. The days have flown by and we've had so many good times with many people. Sadly we are leaving tomorrow. 

As friend Cammy put it, many of our fun times were with people imported from Minnesota - the Iverson's, the Astin's, and then later the Hein's. With these good friends, we have had lovely walks, lunches, dinners, and fun ball games. I haven't really counted, but Gary and I have been to about 10 Spring Training games at HoHoKum, Salt River Fields, Maryvale, Cubs Park, and Surprise, several with these friends.

The guys

The girls

 We had a great dinner at Joe's Barbecue in Old Town Gilbert, another at Olive and Ivy in Scottsdale, and yet another at Cammy and Rich's condo. We lunched with another friend from Minnesota, Vicki, such a pleasant time. The lunch at Arcadia Farms Cafe in Old Scottsdale was a real highlight, to celebrate Cammy's birthday just a few days ago!! This is Cammy's photo that she posted on Facebook:

Then there were the fun times with the local relatives: Gary's sister Mary, husband John and son Kyle; Gary's brother Steve, wife Jan and son Mike, and two of Jan and Steve's friends. We saw a movie, had dinner, went to a ball game and had another dinner after the game. Also yet another dinner at a new restaurant in Scottsdale. Can you tell that we have eaten very well?  The only thing that has saved us is the running and walking which have been wonderful.

A final highlight to report was the visit with Gary, Steve and Mary's most senior cousin from Wisconsin, her daughter and three of her grand daughters. This was at Jan and Steve's home at Desert Mountain. Jan had prepared a lovely breakfast for all of us. A great time for all!

The cactus are finally starting to bloom, just as we are leaving.....

So now we are heading to Southern California for a little more fun before finally heading back east and north. Hope to be able to blog again soon. 

Arrival in AZ

As already noted on my Facebook page, we arrived safe and sound at Mesa Spirit RV Resort in Mesa, AZ, on Saturday, 2/28, about 1:00 pm.  It was a bit windy as we drove in but no other weather to speak of. We have a great site in the area of this park that we like, and we are all set.

The RV is still filthy but it is scheduled for a bath by a pressure wash guy on Wednesday.  Not a moment too soon! But we did already wash the car in Benson AZ.

We have already rendezvoused with ouir two couple friends from Minneapolis for dinner last night, and have some other fun stuff scheduled. We also hope to see Gary's brother and sister and their spouses when something can be arranged. So let the good times roll!

It is raining very hard here right now - Monday afternoon. This will probably last the rest of the afternoon. The weather over most of the US has been very dynamic and severe this late winter. But for here, we are expecting to see sunshine and warmer temps later this week. Hooray!

One Day from AZ

We are currently about 150 miles west of Las  Cruces NM on I 10. It is about 46 degrees and sunny right now, a far cry from yesterday. In spite of watching the weather carefully and making plans accordingly, we drove through blowing snow yesterday from about 50 miles southwest of Wichita Falls TX to where we joined I 20 at Sweetwater TX. Not great driving. Plus it was about 20 degrees last night in Van Horn TX where we stayed. 

So we are happy to see the sun today although a little warmer would be nice. We will be in Benson AZ tonight and arrive in Mesa tomorrow night. 

I see that the Dallas / Ft Worth area and east, plus the Wichita Falls area, is again receiving snow today, referred to by the weather reporters as a "snow event". There was no really great way to do this trip this year. Even going to Florida would have been fraught with problems!

Here is a photo of our car yesterday in Roby TX at a fuel stop. This photo does not do the state of our car justice. It is coated in mud and road salt. It and the RV had little icycles on the wheel bolts. 

And We're Off

Left Hastings at 7:30 this morning. Good weather window for us - 30 degrees. We encountered a few flurries as we were pulling out through the gate, but on I 35 south of Northfield, the sun is trying to come out. 

Gary's eye is now fine. The bubble is completely gone. The doctor said it would take two weeks, but it was actually 2 weeks 5 days. 

Heading south! Kansas City or bust tonight. 

All is Well

Gary's retinal surgery went well this morning with a great surgeon in a wonderful facility. He will be face pointed down for most of the time for 4 days starting with today - part of the healing process. The surgeon sees no reason why we couldn't go to AZ as planned in 2 or 2 ½ weeks. So if all continues to go well, we will soon be on the road again.  Hooray!

No Go Yet

We were supposed to be leaving tomorrow on our trip to Arizona for some warmth and fun, but it will have to wait a little while longer. Gary will have retinal surgery on Tuesday to fix a macular hole. Fortunately it isn't considered an emergency, but he will probably have to spend 5 days head down to allow healing, a standard procedure, and then a period of time waiting for his eyesight to return to normal. Maybe we can get away in mid February. All of his siblings have had problems with this as well. 

I accompanied him to the vitreo retinal surgery doctors yesterday and sat in the waiting room. This is a truly amazing place to be. There are SO many people with problems in this area of medical practice. This office has at least 10 doctors on staff and their entire practice is vitreo/retinal surgery. Gary has been there before for a previous procedure with good results so we are hopeful and optimistic this time, too. 

The weather might not have been favorable for a departure today or this weekend in any event. It is very cold again this morning after a very mild period this past month. We can't drive an un-winterized RV in these cold temperatures. So we would have been delayed in any event. 

Even though it is January, the Twin Cities has very little snow. In fact, the snow cover is so poor due to the recent warm weather that the Twin Cities Loppet organizers have been forced to move all the cross country skiing events to Wirth Park instead of touring through the Chain of Lakes. It makes for a very different event. They had to do this in 2012 also. At least with this cold snap, they can make some snow In a more defined area. I personally have liked this mild, dry weather. It makes for good driving, walking and running!

More updates as we know our timing for departure.