Washington

Lyle to Ephrata to Crescent Bar, Washington

April 2012

We enjoyed our stay at Bridge RV Park.  We’ve stayed at RV parks all over the U.S.A.  Bridge RV is the nicest, no-frills park in the country.  It’s pretty, well maintained and reasonably priced.  The Hales are excellent hosts.  While we were there, we experienced both snowy days and sunshine.

Snow at Bridge Rv Park

Snow on the Direct Tv satellite dish dome

A nice, spring day in the Columbia River Gorge

Mt. Hood on a sunny spring day

In mid-April, we celebrated Abel’s second birthday with a party at Grandpa and Grandma Sorensen’s house.  It was a good time with lots of family and friends.

Opening gifts

Cool gifts!

Thanks, Mom!

Another bubble machine to fix!

A couple of Grandmas

On April 22, we headed for my sister’s house in Ephrata, Washington and spent a few fun days with her.  From there, we moved over to our Thousand Trails RV Resort in Crescent Bar, Washington.  I have lived my whole life in Washington and didn’t know that the little resort community of Crescent Bar existed.  It is located on the Columbia River south of Wenatchee, Washington. 

Our RV Resort at Crescent Bar has a really nice spa.   It also has an excellent pool, a playground for kids, a tether ball, horseshoe pits, a pool table, an air hockey table, and lots of room for picnicking and sunbathing.    Our Casita was parked just at the head of the stairs leading down to the spa, laundry and restrooms.

Parked at Crescent Bar

The view from our campsite. We're parked just above the spa.

Looking up from the spa.

Looking up the Columbia River from Crescent Bar.

Looking down the Columbia River from Crescent Bar

The geology of the area is very interesting.  The glacial Missoula Floods (aka as the Bretz Floods) raged through this area many times during the ice ages to create coulees, dry falls, and lakes; and leaving beds of gravel behind.  Across from Crescent Bar is an area called West Bank that shows evidence of the lapping waters as the last flood water receded leaving ripple marks.

Ancient ripple marks at West Bar on the Columbia River

My sister and I took a drive along the old road between the Columbia River and Ephrata, Washington.  At one point, the railroad track turns back in a U-shaped bend and the road continues right through the railroad bank.

We're going to drive through there?

Ok then; here we go!

On another day, we took a drive near Quincy to see the ancient lakes that were carved out by the Floods. 

Ancient Lake

Quincy Lake

Pineapple Annie Falls on bluffs overlooking the ancient lakes near Quincy, Washington

We also took a trip up to Leavenworth, Washington to see that Bavarian Village.  Leavenworth was a logging town.  When the logging industry went south, the community banded together to create a village that is now one of the tourist destinations of the Pacific Northwest.

Leavenworth, Washington

Enjoying the view during lunch in Leavenworth, Washington

Mountains surrounding Leavenworth, Washington

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Crescent Bar, Washington.

Bingen

March and April of 2012

We’ve been busy with doctor appointments and procedures and with getting to know our Grandson, Abel.  

Abel and Daddy play

Giddyup Daddy!

We have watched Abel a couple of times while Mommy and Daddy were busy with errands.

Our happy Grandson

Abel loves to run and jump.

Abel gets ready to jump

Abel jumps

Luckily for Grandma, watching Abel includes nap time so she can catch a catnap on the couch!

Taking a nap

We were here at Easter so Grandma K.C. was able to join in the fun at the Hood River Easter Egg Hunt.

The Walker Family

Abel, Mommy, the Easter Bunny and Daddy

Daddy and Abel take a walk

Fiinding eggs

Get that egg, Abel!

Having fun at Easter Egg Hunt

Mommy and Abel

Running after Easter Eggs

The next day, we had our own Easter Egg hunt at Grandma K.C.and Grandpa Bob’s RV site.

Hunting eggs at Grandma and Grandpa's RV site

Here's one!

And, of course, Abel walked the dog!

Walking Patty

We will be here through April and are looking forward to even more Grandma and Grandpa time!

Arizona to Washington

Casa Grande to Lyle

March of 2012

We left Casa Grande on Friday, March 9, 2012 and drove northwest out of Phoenix on Highway 93 to Las Vegas.  After a relaxing few days in Vegas, we decided to avoid the snowy weather by traveling southwest on I 15 to Barstow, and then headed west on Highway 58 through Boron and across the Tehachapi Pass to Bakersfield.  We crossed over to I 5 and spent the night in a rest area north of Bakersfield.

Heading southwest out of Las Vegas on I 15

Crossing the Sierra Nevadas

Dropping down out of the Sierra Nevadas into the floor of California

The next day we were up early and on our way north on I 5.  We noticed a lot of signs stating things like “Stop the Congress Created Dust Bowl.”  Many orchards and vineyards were dead and fields left unplowed or planted because of lack of water.  This while we traveled along the canal system full of water.  I haven’t studied up, but the signs indicate that farmers in central California have had their allocation of water cut by 50 percent.

Sign says, "Stop the Congress Created Dust Bowl"

Canals carrying water from the Colorado River to California

We spent the night at a rest area just north of Red Bluff, California. 

Overnight in a rest area

 In the morning, we made it up, over and around Mt. Shasta in rain and thought we were free and clear as far as the weather goes.  Nope! 

Driving up and around Mt. Shasta

 Going over Mt. Ashland in the Siskiyou’s is actually a thousand feet higher than the pass around Mt. Shasta.  We drove through a couple of inches of snow there, but not for long.  We hit snow at the top of the pass and immediately began a 17-mile 6% downgrade that took us out of the snow and back into the rain.

Near Mt. Ashland on Siskiyou Pass in southern Oregon along I 5

We spent the night at a rest area north of Eugene, Oregon and headed on home the next day.  We are camped at Bridge RV Park in Bingen, Wasington for the next month.

Bridge RV Park - Home for the next month

This reach of land stretching out into the Columbia River is where K.C.’s hometown of Lyle, Washington is located.  As children, we hiked all over those hills.

K.C.'s hometown of Lyle, Washington on the Columbia River

We’ll be seeing our children and our grandson today; and, hopefully, often while we are home.

Abel waiting for the booster seat so that he can eat

I'm thirsty.

Catch that cup!

Abel and Uncle Bodi

We’ll be enjoying a chance to visit with friends too!

K.C. with our friends, Russ and Rox

Once the weather warms up, we’ll really be enjoying ourselves!

Arizona

Casa Grande

March 3, 2012

Today we went to the Fly-In at Casa Grande with our friend, Al.  It was a nice day although there was a cold wind blowing.  They had a tractor-drawn shuttle for us to sit on and ride around among all of the planes. 

Bob’s Mom worked for Spartan Aviation in the years before the USA joined WWII training English RAF fighter pilots.  This Corsair is like the one that she trained the advanced English RAF pilots to fly.

Corsair

Corsair

She also ferried B25′s over to England. This B25 is similar to what she flew.  Bob says he thinks she made the flight at least twice – maybe more.

B 25

B25 too

B25 also

This Fairchild 24 is similar to the one that Bob was given to fly when he was 16.  Bob says he thought they were very poor, but now looking back he thinks  maybe they weren’t so poor after all!  He had to work for the privilege to fly, however.

Fairchild 24 with Bob; Al under the wing

There were a lot of interesting airplanes there.

A fly by

Taxiing in

Getting in place to tie down

AT6

Cubs

Cool!

The front wheel on these airplanes fold up and the nose sits in the wheel on the ground.  When they want to take off, they lift the nose up, pop the wheel down and climb on in.

A Modern Aircraft

It was a fun day.

Casa Grande

February 24 – 27, 2012

My brother, Andy, and his friend, Chris, came to visit.  We enjoyed having them, and the weather definitely cooperated.  One day, we went to Casa Grande Ruins.

Three among the saguaros

Touring the ruins

Another day we had our Foothills West friends over for a barbecue.

Sibllings

Chris, Earl and Alex

Alex and Jenny

Paula, Steve and Al

Steve, Al, and Bob

The last day was really sunny and warm and we spent the day in the pool.  Andy’s friend Earl came by and stayed in the Park for the night so hopefully everybody had a good time.    Thanks for coming, Andy!