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!

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!

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!

Tucson

February 10, 2012

Today our friends Ray and Evelyn joined us in a visit to Old Tucson Studios in Tucson, Arizona. 

Bob and K.C. at Old Tucson Studios

Evelyn and Ray

Exploring Main Street

Old Tucson was built in 1939 as a filming location for the movie Arizona starring William Holden and Jean Arthur.  After Arizona, Old Tucson lay dormant under the desert sun until it was revived briefly in 1945 for the film, The Bells of St. Mary’s starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman.  In the late 1940′s, Old Tucson Studios came to life.  Gene Autry, Jimmy Stewart and Ronald Reagan were a few of the actors who starred in movies filmed there.  The 1950′s found the western movie era in full swing.  Such classics as the Gunfight at Ok Corral starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas; and The Lone Ranger, The Lost City of Gold, and Cimarron starring Glenn Ford were filmed at Old Tucson.

Since 1940, well over 200 movies and television shows have been filmed at Old Tucson including Gunfight at the OK Corral (several different versions over the years), Lone Ranger, the Lost City of Gold, Rio Bravo, Have Gun Will Travel, El Dorado, Death Valley Days, Gunsmoke, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, Mark of Zorro, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Harlem Globetrotters, Little House on the Prairie, The New Mavorick, Buffalo Soldiers, Calamity Jane, Highway to Heaven, Revenge of the Nerds, Cowboy Up, and The Three Amigos just to name a few. 

At Old Tucson Studios we strolled along the dirt streets and wooden boardwalks of Main Street.

Evelyn, Ray and Bob on Main Street

Main Street

The Toltec Mine

Main Street

OK Corral Freight Depot

The Old School Room

Main Street

Saloon

Carousel

You never knew when you might run into saloon girls and cowboys,

Pretty Saloon Girl

Saloon Girls and Cowboys

or some old horse thief,

Justice for a horse thief

or make friends with one of the natives,

Ray makes a friend

or have dust kicked in your face by one of those dad-blamed horseless buggies!

Motorized buggy

or find somebody skipping school again.

K.C. is skipping school again!

There are the usual tourist attractions such as sweets shops, old-style mercantiles selling souvenirs, and old-style bars and saloons.  You can also take a ride on a horse, a train, or a child-size model T car.  We took a ride on the train,

The Train

and passed the road to High Chaparral.

Road to High Chaparral

Throughout the day, skits are enacted at different locations about the town.  I was very impressed by the talented actors in the skits.  The skits were quite well done.

We listened to the stagecoach driver warning us about the inconveniences of traveling on a stagecoach.

Describing to the passengers what to expecton a stagecoach trip

Since February of this year is the centennial of Arizona’s statehood, there was a presentation at the courthouse reliving the speech given by the first Governor of the state. 

The Governor’s speech was interrupted by a parade of women demanding the right to vote and prohibition,

Women for the vote and prohibition

followed by a parade of men protesting against prohibition.

Men against prohibition

We enjoyed watching a short play solving the mystery of The Secret of Santa Maria.  At some point in this play, every actor fell off the roof!

The Sheriff and the deputy

The sheriff takes a break

What is the secret of Santa Maria?

Breaking her brother out of jail

She just wants them to listen to her!

Chasing the bad guys

Taking the fight to the roof

Shot right off the roof!

After a fun afternoon, we bought some fudge and headed for the gate.

Evelyn, I want one of these horseless buggies!

The Old Tucson Studios is worth a visit.  Plan to arrive at opening in order to see all of the skits and talks scheduled throughout the day.

We enjoyed our day and our time with our friends Ray and Evelyn.

Casa Grande

February 5, 2012

Today we took a couple of hours to go and look things over at the Weurtz Gourd Festival.  The Festival is being held at the Pinal County Fairgrounds.  Exhibitors and vendors have come in from all over the nation to display and sell their gourd art.

Here are just a few that caught my eye.

Interesting pine needle and beaded rim

Gourd masks

Gourd furniture

Open relief carved gourd

My brother Lee will like this one

Another one for Lee to see

These are only a few of the gourds we saw at the Festival.  My camera ran out of battery power so I was unable to take pictures of many of the most awesome gourds.

Lake Havasu City

January 30, 2011

After spending a fun week camped out in the desert at Quartzsite, Arizona, we headed for Lake Havasu City.  Our son, Joe and his wife, Tamara were due to have a baby on January 25.  We planned to watch their three-year-old, Atreyu, while they were busy in the hospital; and then stick around for a few days to help out once Tamara was home from the hospital.

We had a great time with Atreyu.  We walked the dog.

Atreyu walking Patty

Trey, Grandma K.C. and Patty

Trey and Patty with Grandpa Bob

Trey rode his bike.

Atreyu rides his bike

 We went to three different parks.

Atreyu on the bumpy slide

Atreyu had fun at the parks

Atreyu makes a friend

Atreyu on the curly slide

Atreyu out of control

Down the tallest slide

We just played around the house.

Having fun at home

Grandpa Bob and Atreyu with the car track

Asher was born and came home without incident.  All are well.

Grandpa and Grandma with the kids

Grandpa Bob, Grandma K.C. and Asher

A proud Daddy

Mommy and Brother are proud too

The Roden family of four

After a week in Lake Havasu City, we headed for home.  It was a wonderful experience and we thoroughly enjoyed visiting with our kids and getting to know our grandsons better.

Tucson

Sabino Canyon

January 13, 2012

At Sabino Canyon Visitor Center

Just about a mile from Bob’s old home in Tucson is Sabino Canyon.  Sabino Canyon is a natural desert oasis located in the Coronado National Forest just north of Tucson in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.  Sabino Canyon presents a world of natural beauty and stunning vistas.  The fresh morning air, tranquility of running creek water, desert plants and animals, and rugged peaks make this a unique place to visit.

Cool waters in the hot desert

People who are physically able have the choice of several hikes.  In addition, a person can ride the tram up the Canyon and walk down, or jump on and off the tram at any of the nine stops.

Hiking trails at Sabino Canyon

An earthquake centered in northern Mexico in 1887 dislodged the massive boulders that lined the canyon walls.  They crashed down and came to rest in the valley bottom.

Beautifully striped dislodged boulders

Boulders knocked down in earthquake

During the Great Depression, the Work Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corporation (CCC’s) built a road up the canyon complete with bridges across the creek at several locations, and the Sabino Dam.

A bridge built by the WPA and CCC

The Park Service now offers a narrated, educational 45-minute tour via tram into the Canyon.  The trams have nine stops along the tour.  At Stop Number Nine, the tram turns around and heads back down to the Visitor’s Center.  Trams run every thirty minutes.

Sabino Creek Swimming Hole

Up the Creek in Sabino Canyon

Looking up and out of the Canyon

Bob waits for the Tram to turn and head back down the Canyon

We left Sabino Canyon after enjoying the tram ride to the top of the Canyon and back again.  We stopped for lunch and then drove north on Arizona Highway 77 to Oracle.  From there we headed northwest on Highway 79 to Florence and then west on Highway 283 to Casa Grande.  It was a fun day in the desert.

Casa Grande

December 31, 2011

On New Year’s Eve, Foothills West RV Resort had an evening of fun including drinks and a band for dancing.  I mixed up a batch of bloody mary’s, and we headed for the clubhouse to enjoy  a few hours of listening to music, dancing and visiting with friends and neighbors. 

Ready for the New Year's Eve party

Happy New Year from Bob

Happy New Year from K.C.

We had a good time, but decided to sneak away at about 11:45 p.m. and bring in the new year in the quiet of our motorhome.

Happy New Year! We hope that 2012 brings you happiness and health.