Friday - August 22, 2008 - present Fair Oaks, CA

Friday - August 22, 2008 - Fair Oaks, California

We easily made it to our new home today. Within 15 minutes of arriving, we had about five new neighbors descend on us and explain that it would not be possible for us to park our trailer along the side of our house behind an existing fence!!! WELCOME HOME!!! I was exhausted and not sure whether I was going to be unloading the trailer or not! The neighbors were nice and trying to be empathetic explaining that our neighbors to the side of the storage area were never told about our trailer by the former owners. They had objections to it's visibility from their house and the impact that it might have on the value of their house.

We on the other hand had purchased the house with a legal contingency that the Home Owners Association Board members approve the parking and storage of our trailer in writing prior to the close of the purchase agreement. The Board did respond in writing and approved the matter. We have the letter of approval on the developments stationary.

As of December 13th, the board has conditionally "re"-approved the storage of our trailer with the condition that we plant a row of trees that would screen the visibility. Bruce dug four huge holes in hard clay soil with french drains for run off. He worked for a week on the project. The trees are in, it looks great and everyone seems happy.

In three months we have unpacked every shipped box and inventoried what was missing.  We've

Repainting walls

painted walls, repaired system problems, ripped out over grown landscaping, pruned trees, cleaned the roof and gutters for winter weather, bought replacement furniture, kayaked part of the American River and Lake Natoma, biked the parkway, played tennis, explored parts of the Sierra Foothills, visited friends at Donner Lake and Lake Tahoe areas, took the train into SF to visit friends and our daughter Kimberly, and gathered with family and friends numerous times. We are loving being closer to our girls, our family and our friends.  Our door is always open!  Thanks for joining our adventure and traveling through the incredible wonders of the US.

Original look

New look with stone and paint

Family Room

New furniture & look in family room

Old Kitchen & Nook

New Kitchen & Nook

New Garden

Organic garden

Old landscaping

New landscaping

Addition of our solar pool

Our precious puppy girl, Maizy 7/4/1999-7/15/2010

Thursday August 20-21, 2008 Red Bluff, CA

Thursday - August 20-21, 2008

Entering California

Shasta Lake

After a long and successful crossing, we made it into Red Bluff, CA.

The climate is hot and dry, yet the Sacramento River flows right next to the Durango RV park that we decided to stay at.

The park is a brand new park and still having finishing touches done to the property. The site managers are very friendly and willing to help us with any questions or needs.

We are here to visit with high school friends of mine...Barbara and Dave Bartley. Barb was able to come out to the park for a wonderful three hour visit. Although we hadn't seen each other for several years, it was as if we had just talked yesterday. Funny how those that we have as kindred spirits, seem to always be kind, warm and genuine...Barb is no exception.

While Barb and I visited Bruce made a run to the County records department attempting to find a parcel of land that he had visited in his youth. Bruce's family used to visit the owner and Bruce in particular had found memories of "boy stuff"...like firing his first rifle, learning to fish in a pond and hiking around the acreage in pursuit of wild beasts! Time had faded clear memories of the exact property location, however people in the records department were able to find a plot map with directions of how to get there.

As soon as Barb left, Bruce, Maizy and I were off on a hunt to find the past! We did indeed locate the property. All that was left of the house was the old stone chimney and the weathered remains of a
foundation line. The pond was nearly dried up, but Bruce
none-the-less enjoyed the solitude of his walk on the land, listening to the whispers of his childhood adventures blowing in the warm breeze.

Tomorrow we will be arriving to our new home.

August 17-19, 2008 Grant's Pass, Oregon

August 17-19, 2008  Grant's Pass, Oregon

Leaving Diamond Lake, we drove along the picturesque Rogue River. The forests were very thick and mature. Wild flowers and Oregon blackberries grew in clumps...ripening in the warmth along the riverbed.

I mentioned to Bruce how lucky the forest was to have no scares of fires, lightening strikes or pest infestations. As we followed the next curve we unfortunately spotted smoke on a hill and heard the scream of distant fire sirens. Hopefully they got to the fire before it exploded and ran out of control.

We pulled into an RV park tucked along the banks of the Rogue River west of I-5. Here we reconnected with friends that we had met four months earlier at Ho-Hum Park on the Pan Handle of Florida! They had traveled in one direction and we another and our paths crossed once more before we each headed home to our final destination.

We swapped stories, shared dessert and enjoyed fishing along the river. The last evening we were witness to an incredible sunset. Tomorrow we climb the last big mountain range (the Siskyou's) before descending past Shasta and into the Sacramento Valley of California...the place we will call "home."

Wednesday August 13-16, 2008 Diamond Lake, OR

Wednesday August 13-Saturday August 16, 2008 Diamond Lake, Oregon

Diamond Lake sits just to the north of Crater Lake at an altitude of about 5200 feet. Again, the surroundings are evergreens…Ponderosa, Lodge Pole, White Pine, Douglas Fir, Larch (Tamarack) and Junipers to name a few.

We arrived shortly after noon. There are four campgrounds around the lake and one tiny market which sells ice cream cones as well. A small marina is at the Diamond Lake Lodge. A filling station offers the only gasoline in the area for $5.26 a gallon!...what a deal!??

We will be here for four nights. Bruce has been talking with other campers and is anxious to launch the inflatable tomorrow to enhance his fishing experience. Our campground is not “on” the lake, but a short walk. He will be able to tie the boat to shore which will make it easy to launch whenever he wishes. Fish are biting, so we’ll see what he comes up with.

Bruce did indeed provide some gorgeous lake trout for dinner last night. They were so big that one fish was more than enough for the two of us to share.

This morning I hiked down to the lake with Maizy planning to beach comb for a while and enjoy the warmth and beauty of the area. As I picked my spot on the beach, Bruce was preparing for his morning fishing trip. Maizy (dog) was busy chasing bugs. No one else was around, just the sounds of the lake waking up.

The activity along the shore was absolutely bursting with new life. I began to notice blue dragon flies sitting atop wild flowers, boulders and fallen trees. Butterflies were flitting in every direction. My eye caught movement in the morning shadows of the lake's wet beach. Upon closer inspection I realized that baby frogs were hopping out of the tall grasses at the water edge...migrating into the cool water! The sounds, smells and sights of new life were nearly hypnotic...I marveled at the activities of creation and the abundance that completely circled me. It was like a miniature dance celebrating the lives of forest creatures.

Summer heat seemed to draw people to the lake. Bruce and I enjoyed a long bike ride along the water. I had packed a picnic lunch, which we enjoyed while sitting on the lawn of the Lodge. Such a beautiful setting!

August 5-9, 2008 Redmond/Bend, Oregon

Wednesday August 5-Saturday August 9, 2009 Crooked River Ranch and Redmond, Oregon

Sunday August 10-Tuesday August 12, 2008 Scandia RV in Bend, Oregon

 Although we stayed at two different parks, we were generally in the same area…Bend and Redmond, Oregon which sit on the east side of the Cascade Mountain range.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the area, it is considered a “high desert” …having a dry climate conducive to pines and sage. There are visible volcanic remains of past eruptions. Black lava flows seem frozen in place along with obsidian and pumice rocks dotting the landscape. This is an area of contrast, arid yet filled with some of the most gorgeous lakes, streams and rivers to be found anywhere. The steep mountain peaks of Hood, Jefferson, the Three Sisters, Three Fingered Jack, Bachelor and Broken Top stand as sentinels keeping the wet coastal regions separate.

There is something here for every outdoor enthusiast. Be it biking, hiking, golf, rafting, angling or skiing, there is no such thing as “boredom” in this area.





 We not only enjoyed exploring the Cascade Lake Loop, the head waters of the Metolius River and the branches of the Deschutes River, but also Smith Rock State Park with its unusual rock formations.

The booming town of Bend, Oregon and the quaint shops of Sisters beckon a diverse population of visitors. Vacation resorts like Sun River, Black Butte and Inn at the 7th Mountain make for comfortable getaway destinations for out of area guests.

Moderate to upscale housing developments spread all over the area giving the feeling that this is a popular place to live. Free outdoor concerts invite families and friends to gather during the summer months for a picnic and music.

The area has a very creative feeling and I’m told that every medium is explored by local artists. Although tourism is big year round, there is a sense of family and community which is very appealing.

While in the area we were fortunate enough to visit with good friends from HP days (the Harville’s), friends from Florida that retired here (the Chmiels)

 and our next door neighbors from the Columbia River (the Deitchlers).

 Each couple was a delight to see and share time with…a true gift of friendship!

Yes, there is something for everybody...including the freedom for our dog Maizy to romp through meadows and drink from clear mountain streams...or retrieve a stick (her favorite)!