September 2020

 As we end our summer 2020 with the kids……

We started our Labor Day weekend heading over to Sunriver with Marc, Maria, Teri,

Camryn, her friend and Colby

Beautiful weather……  What a fun day floating the river with the gang.

A couple of hitch-hikers on our float trip  😊

We went on a horseback ride…..

Loved it!!

At the end of each day, all of the horses are let out
to roam and eat in a pasture across the street for the night

They are such beautiful animals…  They seem to know that

they will be free till the morning.

 

When we drove home on Labor day, all seemed quiet.

By the next morning, the quiet had ended.

 

The forest’s in Oregon have erupted in

massive wildfires.

The next day, smoke was moving into the Willamette Valley.

By the following day, it was dark until about noon, then this

very strange orange glow for the rest of the day.

The fires are getting closer.

 

Such a tragedy….lives lost, so many homes lost.

 

A week later, it’s time to head back over to the Bend Oregon area.

Several of the highways were closed so we headed south to Eugene and then over Highway 58

To the LaPine area.    Right up between two different fires….. but the road was amazingly clearing off.

 

Mike attended a golf weekend with Brandon and his friends.

Had a great time.

 

After two weeks in LaPine, it’s time to head south.

Arizona here we come.

Heading south on Highway 395, we saw some beautiful

clear weather.

Green mountains and beautiful farmlands. 

The first day, we drove to Sparks, Nevada.

 

While in Sparks, we drove up to Truckee and met John and Sharon O’Connor

for lunch.  So much fun meeting with our dear friends and catching up.

 

Next day….back on the road heading south.

We were supposed to stay in Lone Pine, California but when we arrived,

it was so smokey we decided not to stop and just keep heading south.

 

Seven O’clock that night, we pulled into our lot in Indio, California.

The skies were clear.  Yeah!

Early morning in Indio……

We have stopped in Indio, waiting for several packages.  We should

be here for about a week.

 

Had a great dinner with Stan (Mikes mechanic) and Shelly.

Fun evening with great folks.

 

Five days here and packages are starting to arrive.

We will leave Friday AM and head to Yuma.

 

Our trip continues………

August 2020

This summer is slowly coming to an end…..

At Neskowin, Oregon…… the weather was perfect!

Next stop…..Long Beach Washington, We enjoyed a brew pub there!

We also checked out a distillery   …also in Long Beach

We took in the sights at the North Head lighthouse.

Just north of the Columbia River

A little further south, (still in Washington)….

we headed to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.

South of Illwaco, we went to the Fort Columbia Historical Center.

One beautiful sunny day, we drove to Cannon Beach in Oregon.

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon

While in Astoria, Oregon…. We drove up to the Astoria Column.

From the column, we had the most beautiful view of the

Astoria bridge….. connecting Oregon and Washington.

The Astoria Column was closed (Covid 19) so we couldn’t climb up into it.

What a beautiful sunset…… back in Long Beach, Washington

After leaving Long Beach, We drove to Vancouver WA.

One day, we drove up to the Vista House…… from there

We had a fabulous view up the gorge.

Oregon on the right and Washington on the left.

The Vista House has been around forever….. Still as beautiful as ever.

A short hike to Bridal Veil Falls.

So beautiful and peaceful.

Just a brief slow down at Multnomah Falls….. 

Tomorrow we head south to Champoeg State park in Oregon.

 

July 2020

For yet another month….Covid 19 seems to be

Calling the shots.

The Vancouver WA waterfront is beautiful.

That’s Oregon across the river.

Brandon and Karen enjoying the sun.

We took a drive up the Columbia Gorge on the Washington side and
stopped for a picnic lunch with a view of
the Bonneville Dam.

We spent two weeks at Champoeg State Park just outside of Newberg, OR.

At Champoeg, we met up with John and Sheri (Mike’s brother in law and his sister)

We had a great time.  It was fun spending time with them.

We also got to spend time with Marc, Maria, Camryn and Colby too.

Next stop was Neskowin Creek at the Oregon Coast.

We are spending two weeks here.

We drove down to Newport one afternoon and hiked out to
the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
It’s not a working lighthouse and the inside was closed
  to visitors, but we enjoyed the view and history

the lighthouse offers.  Not the best weather that day.

Another day, we walked on the Lincoln City Beach.
Lots of people but everyone seems to be socially distanced.

Beautiful day on the coast.

We met up with Gloria and Len (Gloria is Mike’s cousin)

in Pacific City.  Gloria and Len live fulltime in their motorhome ---
just like us!

We had a great meal…… the freshest fish (just off the dory)
then we went to their park and visited for a while.

Great meet up!

June 2020

It’s the end of June and here we are again……

In the middle of Covid 19

As we head north …… a beautiful view of the
Eastern Sierra Mountains

 We arrived at Bend Oregon on June 3rd….just in time to see both Marc and his family and Brandon and his family.

After the kids went home, we stayed in Central Oregon another week.  One day we drove up to Paulina Falls.  A beautiful falls.

  East Lake was cold and cloudy but still beautiful.

Not too many people out on the lake today,

Just a few hearty fishermen.

After leaving Bend, we drove to Vancouver Washington to spend time with Brandon and his family.

Mt St. Helens looking beautiful today.

One quiet day, we drove up to Mayfield Lake (just to check it out)
What a beautiful area….just a short distance north of Vancouver. 

Brandon and Karen have a new member to their family.

It is little “Enzo.”

He is an absolute tiny doll.

Bath time isn’t his favorite.

Next week we will head south to spend
some time with Marc and his family


Who knows what the rest of this year will bring……
so uncertain????

May 2020

 The Corona virus continues……. But life goes on.

Tom and Linda West came to Yuma for a visit.

We hadn’t seen then in several years.

A good visit.

A fella in our resort entertaining folks in distanced golf carts.

A beautiful evening.

Mike continues with his off roading trips into the desert.

An abandoned mine – an interesting point.

Wow it’s hot for only May.

It’s time to head north to cooler weather.  We put

Our little “Mustang Sally” into storage for the summer.

It’s time to leave our beautiful green landscape.

May 29^th, we left Yuma and headed north to Lake Havasu City to visit with
Mikes brother and sister-in-law, Chuck an Eva…also his sister Pat drove up as well. 

We stayed in Lake Havasu City for 3 nights.  Great time !!

Tomorrow, we will again head north on
our journey to see the kids in Oregon/Washington.

Stay safe…stay healthy..

We hope to see you soon.