We’ve been working on our spring travel plans the last few days and have pretty much got it figured out. Here is the “written in Jello” itinerary:
1-3 Mar: Enroute to Fort Bliss, TX.
3-7 Mar: Fort Bliss Famcamp.
7-9 Mar: Elks Lodge, Wilcox, AZ. Going to take a drive through the Chiricahua National Monument.
9-13 Mar: Elks Lodge, Tempe, AZ. Visit family and friends.
14-17 Mar: Nellis AFB, NV (Las Vegas). We have done Vegas before but what the heck.
17-20 Mar: Pahrump, NV. Going to spend some time in Death Valley National Park.
21-26 Mar: Elks Lodge, Fresno, CA. See Mom and my brother.
26-30 Mar: Calistoga, CA. Visit Joyce’s family.
30 Mar-2 Apr: Travis AFB, CA. Visit friends.
2-6 Apr: Back to Calistoga. We really like the Napa Valley.
6-9 Apr: Elks Lodge, Petaluma, CA. A stop while traveling through the Sonoma Wine Country. We’ll probably go see the Charles Schultz Museum.
9-12 Apr: Healdsburg, CA.
12-16 Apr: Elks Lodge, Eureka, CA.
16-20 Apr: Klamath, CA.
20-22 Apr: Crescent City, CA.
22-23 Apr: Cave Junction, OR.
23-27 Apr: Valley of the Rouge State Park near Grants Pass, OR.
27 Apr-1 May: Oakridge, OR. Hang out with Jim and Jeanne Glaspey.
1 May-1 Jul: Tumalo State Park, Bend, OR.
1 Jul-31 Aug: Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, OR.
If you live near any of those places and have some time it would be great to see you.
December 16, 2016
Joyce and I stopped in at the Commercial St. Bar last night for the weekly Thirsty Thursday gathering but the regular “Cackling Hens” took the night off. Here’s a picture from last week:
The Cackling Hen's and one old fat guy photo bombing.
Last night was the parks Christmas Party which was a lot of fun. A lot of great Mexican food was consumed and then we had a White Elephant Christmas gift exchange. Joyce had found a framed picture here in the park so that was our contribution.
December 17, 2016
Last night we drove up to Weesatche to have supper at The Corner Cafe and Saloon. We had been told by several folks that this place served some great steaks.
We elected to sit in the bar instead of the dinning room just to say we did. We struck up a conversation with a couple for Yorktown and then I said howdy to an older gentleman sitting by himself. Pretty soon three other cowboys joined him, one at a time but none of them said much, just a nod and a “how’er y’all”. It was obvious that they come in the bar regularly since the bartender knew exactly what each of them drank. The whole time we were there they said very little to each other, just smiling once in a while and nodding their heads when one of them did speak up. I suspect they were life-long friends who didn’t need a lot of conversation to enjoy each others company.
The steaks? Fantastic. We both ordered the 16oz rib-eye and I have to say it was the second best I have had in Texas. They were cooked outside on an open pit barbecue, done just right and just seasoned with salt and pepper.
December 18, 2016
Yesterday we drove up to La Grange, TX for our volunteer gig at the Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites. Every December the park staff put out numerous light displays and open the Kreische House for viewing. We were assigned to be Stroller Valet’s, helping park child strollers when folks went into the house.
Two very important events happened here during the fight for Texas Independence, the Dawson Massacre and the Black Bean Death Lottery. The remains of men that died in the area are entombed in a granite crypt that is below the memorial. You can read more about the park and the Kreische House here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Hill_and_Kreische_Brewery_State_Historic_Sites
I took this picture off of the internet.
After spending the night at the local Best Western and having lunch we visited the Texas Quilt Museum. This museum is much smaller than the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska but it is impressive. The curators put up a new exhibit every three months making for a new experience overtime you visit.
December 19, 2016
The cold front that is moving through the Midwest made it’s way into south Texas last night. As I am writing this the outside temperature is 29 degrees with a 10 MPH wind. Last night we took precautions to prevent damage to our house buy disconnecting our water hose and running both of the heat pumps all night. “Come to Texas they said. It’s warm in Texas”. They lied.
Gotta throw some family pictures in:
Michelle, Abigail and Skyler, December 2016
Travis playing in the snow, New Haven, CT, December 2016
Carol Smith took these pictures at Smith Rock State Park last week. Beautiful!
More later when we thaw out.
Barry & Joyce
