We made it safe and sound in early January.  We had a cold spell here in mid-Jan, down to 53F one night.  Brrrr!

The photo is of our home in Pukalani, Maui.  Pukalani is roughly translated as “hole in the heavens”.  We are at about 1700ft elevation and, when seen from sea level, with Haleakala Mountain in the background, the place often looks socked in with clouds.  Lo & behold, when you get here, the sun is shining.

We are hosting Pego, who insisited that she would be our first visitor from America.  We look forward to many more.

So, to all who watched our American walkabout progress, Aloha and a hui ho (’till we meet again).

A&J

We would be confined to O. City for the next week. The storm began over night on 12/19: 6″ snow, then rain that left 3/4″ of ice, then 6″ more of snow.  The power went out in the neighborhood, the furnace in the Airstrem froze and the roads we unpassable.  We just hunkered down with the family, thanks to David Jr.’s generator.  On the “bright” side, it was a beautiful White Christmas.

On Friday 12/26 the rain started.  Very heavy rain for the next four days. At least it hastened the snow melt so we could finally get the van out.  The moving company came on Monday and we packed up the final batch of our goods for Maui.  On Thursday, we turned over the keys to the Airstream to David and drove (through the rain, of course) to Seattle.   On Friday, we put the van on the barge for Maui and had a wonderful dinner at the top of the Space Needle.

We are now on the verge of the final stage: one way ticket to Maui on Tuesday morning.  Over the two trips with the Airstream this year we logged 6 1/2 months, 20,540 miles covering 31 states.  What an adventure.  Our next installment should be from Maui.

Until then, aloha.

J&A

We began our tour of the Oregon Coast by continuing along Rt 101, past Port Orford, the westernmost town in the Lower 48.  We have seen lots of “…est” along the way:  oldest, longest, largest, strangest, worstest.  It all depends on how you phrase it! We were the  only campers in the North Bend KOA.  The mornings were typical Oregon, foggy and misty.  We toured North Bend and had lunch at the Captain’s Choice (the bestest chowder on the South Coast).  On Tuesday, we toured the coast that we had sped past on Sunday, overlook from the Orford Heads and the Cape Blanco Lighthouse (the westernmost  lighthouse).  A great sunset at Bandon Rocks (pictured above).

Wednesday dawned with thick fog that burned off by mid day.  We headed north to Reedsport and hiked the Oregon Dunes Nat’l Rec Area – a mile from the edunes to the beach! Finished off the day with a tour of 10,000 Christmas Lights display at Shore Acres S.P.

We continued north on Thursday, after a brunch in Coos Bay.  As we did the switchback road we saw the Heceta Light (the brightest lighthouse in Oregon).  We stopped for a photo and heard a large group of sea lions below.  Quite a treat. We camped in Waldport, once again the sole campers.  Must be winter.  Friday was a beach day- here that means wind and fog.  We walked Patterson S.P., Smelt Sands S.P.  and the Yachats River delta (watch out for sneaker waves!)  Had happy hour and dinner at the Landmark Lounge with a great blues harp player – danced the night away.

More coastal tours Saturday and Sunday, with a marvelous Holiday Lighted Boat Parade in Newport on Sat and Carl Washburne S.P. on Sunday (fun despite the fog and rain).  Monday we continued north to Cape Lookout S.P., just behind the dunes from the ocean.  Once again, we were almost alone in the camp.  A fantastic sunset on Tuesday.We stopped by the world’s largest wooden building in Tillamook ( a former blimp hanger now Air Museum).

We are presently camping just outside Astoria, on the Columbia River.  A very fascinating place, the graveyard of the Pacific (2000 shipwrecks since 1700), the terminus of Lewis & Clarks’  Corps of Discovery journey, home of the Astoria-Megler Bridge (the longest continuous three-span, through-truss bridge in the world). Saw the highest tide of the year during a mild gale on Saturday. Suday was the coldest day in five years with the most snow at sea level in memory.

Today we visited the World Kite Museum in Long Beach (the world’s longest beach(that you can drive on)).

A superlative adventure in its closing (greatest) days.

More to come.

J&A

Sorry that we have not posted anything lately.  We have not had very good wi-fi in the last few campgrounds.

After two wonderful days in the Lake Tahoe region, we headed back west to Sacramento.  We had a great time visiting Dave & Beth DePolo.  We stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe for more pins for Andrea’s vest.  The darn thing must weigh 8 pounds, thanks to close to 70 pins.  On Saturday, 11/22 Dave & Beth took us to a gathering of PSU alum to watch the Mich St rout.  Lots of fun.

On Sunday we continued west, back to the coast.  We traveled on Rts 16 & 20 over the Coastal Range into Redwood country.  We camped in Ft Bragg at a small private camp on a sheer bluff overlooking the Noyo River.  The trip along 16 & 20 was fabulous.  Monday we meandered along the coast from Mendocino to Russia Gulch S.P., Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse  and Jug Handle S.P.  Gotta tell ya, this coastline is beautiful.  After picking up clam chowder to go at Cap’t Nicks we watched the sunset from our soccermom chairs at camp.

We toured the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on Tuesday and scoured Glass Beach for momentoes.  Don’t know how it came to be, but the “sand” in comprised og smoothe pieces of glass no bigger than a pinky fingernail.

We started our grand tour of the Redwood Highway on Wednesday, heading north on Rt 1to Eureka.  On the way we detoured off Rt 1 to the Avenue of the Giants, a 31 mile trip through Redwood Groves.  These wonders tower up to 350 ft above the forest floor and live to as much as 2000 years.  The photo is of the Chandeleir Tree in Legget.  Not quite big enough for the Airstream!  Roosevelt S.P. was particularly beautiful.

We stayed four nights in Eureka.  Thanksgiving day was foggy and dreary, so we stayed in camp most of the day.  Pulled out the holiday music CDs, cracked open a bottle of champagne, and toasted family & friends.  Thanks to all who called that day, what a joy!  We had a wonderful dinner at Carter House, nice to dress up a little and treat ourselves.  On Friday we headed south for a day trip to the Lost Coast (thanks to Linda P.).  This coast was too rugged for the highway builders trying to keep Rt 1 on the coast.  What a ride!  On the way home we found the famous Travel Log,  the first RV, made from a hollowed out redwood slapped on a WW1 army truck chassis (1921). Gotta see it to believe it.

Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day, without the ocean wind of the day before.  We toured Redwood N.P., with lunch at the Crescent Bay Overlook and marvelous sunset at the Klamath River Overlook.  After church on Sunday we made the long drive through the N.P. into Oregon to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area just north of Coos Bay, where we are camped for the next four days.

We hope all had a marvelous Thanksgiving and that you are helping our struggling economy by doing your Christmas shopping early.

Cheers!

J&A

After four nights at the Bay we headed north along the coast to Berkeley for a wonderful visit with Alan Buder and his women.  We had to drag the Airstream up Marin St to get to their home.  To our friends from Colgate we can report that Alan is doing well and hanging tough.  We had to do a minor repair of the tow bars, no thanks to the Pac Coast Hwy.

On past Sacramento to Placerville, halfway to lake Tahoe.  Spent the day today on the Lake on the Blue Wave cruise boat.  Saw a bald eagle fishing!

Next stop: Sacramento to visit a former student of A’s and then back to the coast – the Redwood Trail.

We hope that winter has not yet struck too hard.

J&A

The going was very slow along the Pacific Coast Highway, from town to town, strip mall to strip mall.  We stopped at the South Coast Botanic Garden and got some ideas for landscaping in the tropics.  This was election day…three cheers for B. Obama!  We had a picnic lunch at Redondo Beach  and camped on a cliffside at Malibu Beach.

After nine days of camping with few or no services and 5 different sites, we were ready to set up camp in one place and chill for a while.  We stayed at a large camp on Prismo Beach for four nights.  Pismo is a wide, very long beach.  We were able to do some laps in the camp pool and take some long walks along the beach.  There was a group from the Santa Barbara Airstream Club so we had some great chtas with them and saw some amazing vintage Airstream Trailers.  We took a day trip to the Hearst Castle.  Geo. Bernard Shaw is said to have remarked:  “This is the sort of place God would build, if he had the money.”

On Sunday, after church, we climbed back on Rt 1 to Monterey Bay.  We did the narrow, winding road along the coast, past Big Sur and Carmel.  We are camped a short walk from the Bay, dozing to the sound of seals barking.

Next stop:  Berkeley to visit college and DC chum Alan Buder.

Cheers:

J&A

On Sunday, after church, we lounged around again before heading to New York, New York for a light dinner at an Irish Pub (no kidding).  Must say, the food in LV is quite good and not as pricey as we feared.  Besides that, we doubt that we will be drawn back to Sin City.  Sunday night we saw “Jersey Boys”.  Not much of a story line, but good tunes.

We took a long drive south from LV through the desert.  At the Arizona border we headed west to Joshua Tree N.P.  The photo is from our camp there.  On Tuesday, we toured the Park.  We stopped at the lookout at Keys View, overlooking Palm Springs and the San Andreas Fault, only we couldn’t see a thing through the brown LA haze that covered the valley.

On Wednesday, after a quiet morning in camp, we drove west to visit Andrea’s niece, Ahna, and her family in Sun City, about an hour’s drive north on San Diego.  A great family reunion.  Buddy spent the morning Thursday at the Pucci Spa – a gentle bath and a trim.  He looks mavelous.

A short trip on Friday to the Pacific Oceon – camping at the silver Strand S.P. on Coronado Island.  This was a primitive camp, no services.  We had to get a new battery for the camper, but otherwise managed well.  Hard Rock Cafe for more pins Friday night and a day trip to the San Diego Zoo with Ahna and family on Saturday.  Sunday we woke early (fall back) , took Andrea to church and then saw an outdoor organ recital at Balboa Park. A beautiful day.

Next up: we meander up the coast to San Fran.

’till then…aloha

What a beautiful place. We passed through Red Valley before climbing to 7777 ft to the park entrance.  After setting up camp in Cannonville (elev 5800  ft) we had a nice hike in Kodachrome Basin State Park, so named by the editors of National Geographic magazine for its vistas.  Great sunset at camp.

We spent the better part of Monday and Tuesday driving and hiking Bryce Canyon N.P. We hiked partway down into the canyon amphitheater among towering “hoodoos”.  The photo was taken on the Bristlecone trail at the north end of the public access area (elev 9160 ft).

On Wednesday we followed the Sevier River Valley to Zion N.P.  At Bryce we were on the canyon rim looking down.  At Zion we were in the canyon valley (the Virgin River) looking up.  Spectacular.  Another two days of hiking.  These two parks should be on everyone’s short list.

On Friday we drove down from the Colorado Plateau and are now camped in downtown Lost Wages, Nevada where it is sunny and hot.  We managed to pick up tickets to see Jimmy Buffet tonight and “Jersey Boys” tomorrow.  And so it goes.

Cheers!

J&A

There  really is not much to be said for this part of the country.  We crossed the Continental Divide twice in the Great Basin before arriving in Rock Springs (check the map!) and a day trip to the Green River Reservoir.  On Thursday we made the final run over the Rockies at Park City, UT, site of the 2002 winter Olympics.  A long haul up the mountain and then the long run into Salt Lake City.

Andrea made it to choir practice on Thursday evening at the Morman Tabernacle.  200 plus voices and a full orchestra. Friday morning we toured the Temple Square and heard a concert on the massive Morman Tabernacle Choir organ.  Then on to Antelope Island, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake.  The photo is of Bison on the Island with the “foothills” of the Rockies to the east in the background.

Next stop, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.

Cheers!

J&A

Stay tuned.

J&A