November 10th

What a nice sunny day today was, woke up to sun shine and a temperature at 38 degrees.  I am ready to head south where it is warmer.  But first we are home for Christmas this year because next year we do not know where we will be at.  Took the boys out for their morning walk and then it was off to Les Shwab for two new batteries.  The last time I had the oil and everything done they said one battery was down below 55 % of its cranking power.  So this morning with the cold weather I really noticed it and Las Shwab confirmed that it was time for new batteries.  The last time I replaced them was back in April of 2010, so they have lasted pretty good.
 After I got back to the coach it was time to put up the LED light we got yesterday.

It went up pretty easy and boy does it put out the light.  Cyndy is very happy and if mama is happy everyone is happy. I did a few more things out side in the storage area, getting it straightened up so it doesn't look like a rats nest.  I need to get into one of the tubs and get out some things for RV Shows so maybe tomorrow or some time in the near future I will do that.  Need to get out the slide show book so I can start going over them and making sure everything matches my slide show.
The rest of the day we did a run into town to get the Christmas Cards printed and Cyndy needed to go by Jo Ann's for something, don't ask what just take her their.  Tomorrow I will be heading to Kelso to get the seats done and Cyndy is staying behind to take care of the two boys and get some sewing done.  She said that she got another blank cut out today so that is the project she will be working on.

November 9th

This morning we were up kind of early and on the road.  We are heading to Kelso to get a price on rebuilding our front two seats.  But as we were heading to Astoria, the weather was great and the Astoria Bridge was beautiful.

We had a great drive all the way to Kelso with no problems.  The place we went to is called Prefect Stitch Upholstery.  When we got there Andrew came out and looked at both seats and said no problem we can do that in one day.  So on Wednesday I will head back over to Kelso and spend the day walking around the area waiting for them to get the seats done,  He will rebuild both of them for just under $300.00.  When done it will not feel like I am always falling out the door as I am driving down the road.  The left side of the driver seat is really broke down. This place was recommended by Dave & LJ RV Remodeling in Woodland, WA.
By 11:00 AM we were heading back to Seaside with a side stop at Jo Ann's for Cyndy to get a few things so she can finish up sewing some baby blankets.  Then it is a stop at and RV Repair place in Warrenton.  I have been having a little problem with the brakes on the trailer so I am going to take it there on our way over to Longbeach in a week.  We are moving on the 17th now because that is the only day they have open to repack the bearings and fix the brakes.  One more thing done, on a role today three stops and three things done.
Now a fast stop at Home Depot to pick up some lumber to make the floor in the back level all the way to the door in the back.  A toyhauler has a sloping floor the last 18 inches.  Cyndy would like me to  make it level all the way back because that makes that area usable for her to set up more tables.

As you can see she is getting her nest set up and will be busy soon whipping out blanks.  The only other thing left is getting a light for over the sewing machine.  So off to Home Depot again to get a light.  We ended up getting a 4 foot long LED light that will really brighten her work area up.  It was getting late so the light will go up tomorrow, got to have something to do tomorrow.
Not a bad day, set up seat repair, got trailer set to have brakes done, getting Cyndy's room set up, and I am going to get new batteries for the truck tomorrow morning, they are just over 5 years old so time to replace.  Got to like getting things fixed here in Oregon, no tax's.

November 8th

We have been here at Seaside and just enjoying the rain, yes I said enjoying the rain.  We had to run to the store and get a few things that we were low on like milk, bread, and a few other things.  We even made it to Costco for some great chicken salad spread.   We really like it on croissants, it makes a nice snack.  The only problem there is so much of it, so we are going to try freezing half of it and will let you know how that works.  After that we came back to the coach, in between the rain showers, we unloaded most everything, and had some good chicken salad sandwiches.
We then talked about what we were going to do and next thing we looked at the clock and said its late, time for bed.  So Saturday was just a relaxing day of not doing much.  Maybe Sunday we can get something done if it is right or wrong.
 Sunday morning has to be the first time in a long time I sleep in passed 6:30 AM, I think it had something to do with the rain and Turbo & Spike not liking going out in the rain.  So about 8:00 I got up, still raining and the two dogs looked at me and went back to sleep.  So took a shower, got dressed and headed down to the kitchen and noticed it had stopped raining.  Guess who else noticed it had stopped raining, yep Turbo & Spike.  So we headed out for our morning walk.  We were not out long and the rain started back up, both of them did there jobs and we were back inside before the rain got to hard.
Today after breakfast we wanted to rearrange the back so that Cyndy has more room for her sewing room.  I think she is happy because I even changed out the light with LED lights.  It made it a lot brighter and she really likes it.  Now all we have to do is get a light for over her table, so tomorrow while at Home Depot I will see what I can find.
I really have to say it feels good to just relax and maybe do nothing, I just don't know when I will get time to do that.  Working on getting some of the honey do list done.  Then a few things that I want to do also, but Cyndy's stuff comes first.

November 6th

We are currently setting in Seaside, Oregon at the TTN park.  We had two good days of driving with each day getting shorter, here is how things went.

 Yesterday we left Lake Mindon, by 8:00 AM.  It is a nice park and we will be back and spend a little bit more than one night.  We have been lucky over the last two days the weather has been great.  It has been dry and we have had no rain yet.  Even though they are saying this El Nino is going to bring a lot of rain to California, I sure hope they are right, because they need WATER.  Just look how dry it is up above Sacramento.

 I am hoping on the way back after Christmas  this is green and not so brown.

 It might even help get some water back in Lake Shasta.

 Mount Shasta has some fresh snow on it, but I hope  they get a lot more.

 We seen this cow and calf standing in the pasture, but after a closer look.

 Someone tied a bunch of purple and pink bows on them,  What cows will do for attention.

 As we were driving on into Oregon, we noticed how many of the trees have changed.

 We spend the night at Seven Feathers and hit the jack pot while there.  Yep we gambled and came out with a bigger belly then when we went in.  Last night was sea food night and we did it right.  Lots of shrimp and crab and we ate our share.  I ate so much I didn't have any room for dessert.  So yes we did good went and had the buffet, spent $40.00 on dinner and came out full.  Walked right by the slots and said good night and headed back to the rig.  We have another drive tomorrow but will only have to drive 260 miles so not bad.  It was a good drive and know real problems.

 Can you tell where we headed to for dinner?  It is one of our favorite places here in Cannon Beach.  They have to be the best along the coast of all the stores and we have eaten at them all.

The service was great and the view was great.  Tomorrow it is suppose to rain, not just a little, like 100% chance of rain.  So tomorrow we are doing nothing bu going shopping for some food and relaxing after 4 day of driving.  But who knows what might happen.

November 4th

Burr it was cold this morning when we got up to head north some more.  I looked at the temp and it was 34 degrees.  So I put on jeans this morning, no shorts this morning.  But by our first stop it was getting warm so back on the shorts went.  We pulled out of the Soldad Camp Ground at just before 8:00 AM and was heading north on 14 to Lancaster. and then made a right on 138 to I-5.

 As we were heading down 138 we came across a lot of these Solar Farms, and they covered a lot of acres.

 I always enjoy seeing the Joshua Trees and the neat ways that they grow.

 The road was good and will use this one again when we are heading south and going to Soldad.

 I was wondering where the slides were that we seen on the news about a month ago.  As you can tell they must of had a whole lot of rain in a very short time.  Take a look at the next few pictures, a lot of mud came off of those hills.

 This was amazing how much mud came down.

We made it down off of the grapevine and are now heading up towards Lake Mindon NACO Park.  It is about 20 miles north of Sacramento on 99.  We drove just over 420 miles today.  This is our longest drive of our trip back north.  The weather was really pretty good, had a 10 to 15 MPH winds today out of the northwest, so ate a little hole in the fuel but not bad.  I told Cyndy, watch on our way back down the wind will be out of the southeast.  That is the kind of luck we have when driving through California.  So tomorrow we are only drive 350 miles and will be spending the night at the Seven Feathers Casino, they have a great buffet, hear there machines are tight, but we never play just fill the belly with good food.  Tomorrow the mountains and looking forward to being over them.

November 3rd

Today we left the Salton Sea Area and said good-by to our friends Steve & Laverne.  They have been so nice to put us up every time we show up, it is nice to have 50 AMP along with water and sewer.  They are flying back to Pismo Beach today, they have their own airplane and fly back and forth from their three locations. Then off to Florida for a Rally of KOA Camp Ground owners.  I hope they have a great time.
Today was a beautiful drive day, with a little wind, or should I say almost to much but not bad.  The sun was out most of the way as you will see.

 The temp was only about 70 degrees, which made the drive really pretty good.

 They have all the Dates covered and have stated cutting them down, don't know what happens but I think they are drying them on the vine a little.

This is highway 86 heading to Indio & Plam Springs area, there are also a lot of Grape Vineyards, and Orange trees. 

 You can see the clouds coming over the mountains from the Pacific Coast.

 These mountains are almost 8000 feet high, so when these clouds get over them they are flying east real fast.  No rain out here today.

 This is going west on 10 just out side of Plam Desert, there are a lot of towns around here call Plam this and that.

 This isn't looking good heading up over the pass heading towards Riverside on 10, hope we don't hit any rain.

Spoke to soon, it is trying to rain, never had to turn on the wipers, and that was it for rain today.  When we made it to the Thousand Trails Park Soldad Canyon, the weather was sunny and in the high 60's low 70's.  I may have to dig out the jeans for tomorrow.  I hope I can make it a little farther north, but with this cool weather I would say I may have to find some warm weather cloths.  Maybe Cyndy can help me find them.  Tomorrow we are heading to Lake Mindon which is some where just north of San Francisco.  We are hoping to be in Seaside by Friday, but will take one mile at a time.

November 1st

Cyndy and I really like this life style we are living, and what makes it nice every once in a while we need to look at what we are doing and what our priorities are in life.  So this last week while here in the desert we started looking at what we will be doing in the next few years.  As some of you know we have a RZR’S that we have really enjoyed over the last three years, but this last year up to now we have only really used it twice this year.  So with a lot of soul searching we have sold the RZR’S to our friends that own an ATV Rental business.  They have been very good friends over the years and they treated us right. 


So now you ask why we bought such a big trailer that was meant to haul a toy.  Well that area that has had the RZR in it also has freezers, and a lot of other things.  Cyndy will use this area for her sewing room when we are stopped; I will use it to watch my wife being happy at what she enjoys doing.  Also while on tour it helps with storing supplies we need on tours.  The inside of the coach is set up perfect for us and we are really enjoying it. I also get a small area for the computer and a nice chair is being looked at for in the future.  We don’t know if we will put a desk in or what yet, but we are in no hurry to getting that stuff done.


We are looking at starting back north very soon like this next week.  We are watching the weather and who knows when we will hit Washington.  We are going to be staying in Thousand Trails parks along the way.  We have a few friends that we want to see along the way.  We don’t have to be back down in this area tell January.  Keep an eye on the blog and you may find out where we are at.