Texas Country Oaks Dance Hall, Edna, TX, New Years 2012

Thursday, May 25, 2017

May 25, 2017

May 11, 2017

 Yesterday we drove up to Smith Rock State Park to say hello to some of the hosts and Josie who is the new Ranger 2.  They were all working on the two new host sites that will accommodate large RV’s with 50 amp service.  We’re going to need the extra hands during the week of the solar eclipse in August.

May 15, 2017

 On Saturday Jerry & Maryln Howlett and Jeffery & Susan Wetzell drove over to Redmond from the Salem area to have lunch with us.  We met at Oishi’s Japanese Restaurant where we have been several times.  The food was excellent and seeing our friends was great.  We will all meet again in July at Smith Rock State Park for our hosting gigs.

 The weather here in Central Oregon hasn’t been great this past week with cloudy skies and temperatures dipping down into the low 30’s at night.  I think the high yesterday was around 50.  Last week we had some really nice weather with daytime temp’s getting up to almost 80 degrees.  The local’s around here call it the “great Central Oregon fake out”.

 Our new B-2 hosts arrived on Friday giving us a full complement of workers.  They are the primary greeter’s and sell firewood everyday.  They also close the day use park gate that I open in the morning.

May 24, 2017

 A lot has happened since I last wrote anything so let me get right to it.

 On Friday the 19th we got up at 3 AM so that we could be at the Redmond Airport by 4:30 to catch our flight to Portland.  I don’t think that Joyce or I slept more than four hours that night.

 After getting to Portland we jumped on an Alaskan Airlines flight to Newark Liberty International Airport, NJ., arriving there about 3:30 PM.  Our next stop was at the Budget Car Rental to pick up our car.  Joyce and I are enrolled in Budget’s Fastbreak service so we just went to the kiosk, grabbed our paperwork and the off we went.  Well, not so fast there Crocker’s.  When we got out to the car there was another gentleman that had his bags in the Chevy Cruse that we were supposed to take.  We told the lot attendant about the mix-up and he quickly got us an “upgrade” to a Ford Focus.

 We then started the 81 mile drive to our hotel in Stratford, CT.  First, we had to navigate the New Jersey Turnpike up to the George Washington Bridge where we ran into total gridlock.  After getting across the bridge we headed up through Yonkers on the I-87 then on up into Connecticut.  All-in-all it took us nearly four hours to make that drive.

 We finally got checked into the Homewood Suites hotel and then Justin, Adrian, Travis, Harold, Michelle, Abigail and Skyler came over to see us.  Joyce and I were happy to see them all.

 So, why in the world were we in Connecticut in the first place?  Justin has been attending the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University for the past two years working on his Masters Degree and we were all there to celebrate his graduation.

 We had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends and of course the graduation ceremony  was amazing.  Some really great things were said about Justin and you can rest assured that we are all proud of him.

This is taken from the commencement program:
“Justin W. Crocker attended Ohio State University from 2001 too 2005, graduated magna cum laude with a BA in criminology and was commissioned in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer.  He served as a rifle platoon leader with the 4th Infantry Division from 2006 to 2009 and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Justin later completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and served as an Operational Detachment-Alpha commander and company commander with the 3rd Special Forces Group from 2011 to 2015.  Justin deployed multiple times to Central Asia in support of ongoing counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations as a Special Forces Officer.  In 2015, Justin began his studies as Yale University as a General Wayne A. Downing Scholar through the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.  Upon completing his studies at Yale, Justin will assume command of a Special Forces company in the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  His is married to the former Adrian M. Dauby of Tell City, Indiana.  They have a son, Travis.  He’s the little one running around the room right now".
Justin is 2nd from right.


Justin, "Focus Travis. Focus."







Graduation Party
The Gangs All Here


The knife and scabbard were made by Ron Cutler of Payson, UT.  440 Stainless Steel and buffalo horn.  The shadow box was made by Rick Stills of Rathdrum, ID.
 On Tuesday the 23rd we drove back down to Newark to catch our flight back to Bend.

 Just a note about driving in the New York City area.  Don’t do it!

More later.

Barry & Joyce

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

May 9, 2017


 Here is another edition of “Where We’ve Been and You Should Go Too”

Washington, DC

 Joyce an I both believe that every American should visit our nations capital at least once in their lifetime.  Standing in front of the actual documents that formed our country at the National Archives, watching the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and walking through the White House is something that we will carry with us forever.

 Not only did we visit those places but we also toured the Capital, visited the National Air and Space Museum, the National Botanical Garden and the U.S. Air Force Monument.  Also, we toured the Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Memorials.  At the Lincoln Memorial we had the privilege to stand in the exact spot where Dr. King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

 We took almost one whole day touring the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials.  At the Vietnam Memorial I found the name of a friend who lived across the street from me while growing up in Fresno, CA.

 Revisit our blog entry from October 2012 here to learn more and to see the pictures we took:  http://barryandjoyce.blogspot.com/2012/10/

 We were only in the area for one week and were only able to just scratch the surface of places to see.  But that is just another good reason to return.

April 20, 2017

  On Monday Joyce and I went over to Central Point to check out two home builders, Adair Homes and Hiline Homes.  We are not ready to buy now but we wanted to learn more about the process and costs involved.

 On Tuesday we welcomed Jim and Jeanne Glaspey to Valley of the Rouge State Park.  They will be staying here until the 25th then we’re all going back up to their house in Oakridge.

 Yesterday we drove out to Jacksonville to have lunch at the Back Porch Bar & Grill.  Jim and I had their Roy Rogers burger, Joyce had the barbecue Beef Brisket sandwich and Jeanne selected the Pulled Pork sandwich.  All of our food was excellent.  If you are even in the Jacksonville area make sure to make a stop in this great place.

April 26, 2017

 On Thursday the 20th Jim’s sister Donna and her husband Dwayne Hayes came down to the park for a visit.   Then on Friday Jim’s brother Ron and his wife Trisha came down to join in on the fun.  We spent most of the weekend just relaxing and enjoying each others company.  The girls did drive up to the Seven Feathers Casino Resort to play bingo.  No one won any money but they had a good time.

 Monday the 24th we packed up and headed up to Jim and Jeanne’s home in Oakridge.  We plan to be here until we go over to Tumalo State Park in Bend for our first hosting gig for the summer.

May 1, 2017

 While we were in Oakridge Gary and Marcia Stevenson had Joyce and I, Jim and Jeanne and Chuck and Sue Svendsen to their house for a delicious Chicken Parmesan dinner.  Thanks for the great time Gary and Marcia.

 Yesterday we packed up and headed over to Tumalo State Park arriving here about 1 PM.  We will be here for two months volunteering as the Yurt Hosts.  If you are in the area please stop by to say howdy.

May 7, 2017

 We’ve been here at Tumalo for a week now and have gotten into the groove as the Yurt Hosts.  Tumalo is a very busy park with most of the campsites and yurts sold out on the weekends.  If you want to camp here in the spring and summer we highly recommend you make a reservation way in advance.  In Oregon State Parks you can make your reservation up to nine months in advance.

 Our co-host’s Thom and Sharon Page who hail from Los Osos, CA are new to volunteering in Oregon.  Our other co-hosts, Bob and Kathy Bourdage have a home in Camp Sherman and are just filling in for a few days until the scheduled hosts arrive.

 A few days ago Joyce and I were talking to Thom and Sharon and they mentioned that they are members of the Family Motor Coach Association.  One of the benefit’s that they told us about is the FMCAssist program that really perked our interest.

 After doing more research into the FMCA and their benefits Joyce and I decided to become members.  You can read more about the FMCAssist program here:  https://www.fmca.com/benefits/fmcassist.html

Grandson Travis


1st time we have done this but, we've got our Swivel Wheel for sale.  Call if you're interested.



Later,

Barry & Joyce