September 22, 2018

September 12, 2018

 We are now at the famcamp at Gowen Field, Boise, ID.

 Last Sunday we went out for some exploring.  Our first stop was south west of Grangeville at Tolo Lake which is part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park.  This small lake was a gathering place of several bands of the Nez Perce and played a significant roll in their flight of 1877.  Back in September 1984 there was a huge Colombian Mammoth bone found in the lake.

 Our next stop was at the White Bird Battlefield, the first battlefield of the Nez Perce Flight of 1877.

 Next we took a drive down to Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.  After stopping at the visitor’s center in Riggins, ID, which is actually closed, we made a drive up over a gravel road to Cow Creek Saddle.  The Saddle is beautiful and we can just imagine how even more beautiful it would be in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom.

 Monday morning we left Grangeville on US 95 for the drive to Boise.  Almost all of the highway is two-lane so we had to pullover several times to let folks pass us.

 After clearing the gate and checking in at the Billeting Office we finally got settled in at the famcamp.  This park is really just back-in parking on cement pads right on the road but has good 50 amp power and great water pressure.

 Yesterday we took a drive over to Mountain Home AFB to check out their famcamp, the Exchange and  Commissary.  Joyce was able to get a vitamin supplement that she wanted and did some shopping for groceries.

September 16, 2018

 On Friday morning Joyce was having a lot of problems breathing. Joyce was able to make an appointment with a allergy clinic in Boise.  We parked the RV in a Walmart parking lot while we had lunch and went to the appointment.

 We finally got on the road about 3:30 and made the 120 mile drive in good time.  We got backed in one of the parking spots with 50 amp electric and then went into the lodge for a drink.  It just so happens they were having a ribeye steak supper which made a long day much better.

 The allergist recommended a chest x-ray so we got up Saturday morning and went to the hospital in Twin Falls to get that done.  After some hassles she got it done and everything was good.

 This morning we headed up highway US 93 to Challis, ID., making the 190 mile drive in good time despite the strong headwinds most of the way.  We did make a stop in Arco for fuel which was $3.38 a gallon.

 We pulled into the Round Valley RV Park about 2:30, got setup in a huge site and then went to get some groceries.  We’ll be here for four days and do some day trips for sight seeing.

September 19, 2018

 Joyce and I have been very busy sightseeing in the Sawtooth Mountains.

 On Monday we started off with a trip up to Salmon, ID.  Our first stop was at a local eatery, The Savage Grill.  Joyce had a chicken sandwich and I had one of their burgers.  All-in-all the joint is pretty good although I thought my burger was a little overdone.

 Our next stop was at the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Educational Center that is just a few miles north of where she was born.  The Center is dedicated to Sacajawea and her people, the Agaidika Shoshone-Bannock and her role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  If you are ever in the area this is a must stop.


 Next, we drove down Hwy 28, the Sacajawea Scenic Byway to the cutoff to the Lewis and Clark Backcountry Byway.  This is a 39 mile drive on a gravel road that was a little rough in places but well worth the effort.  You will see a lot of amazing country some of which will take your breath away.

 

 After returning to Challis we had supper at the The Village Inn Motel and Restaurant.  Noting fancy here but the food was darned good.

 On Tuesday morning we had breakfast at the Tea Cup Cafe & Bakery here in Challis.  This place is a “must do” if you are traveling through the area.

 Next we made the 58 mile drive over to Stanley, ID located in the heart of the Sawtooth’s.  With twenty-twenty hindsight, we should have booked RV parking somewhere here instead of Challis.  This area is truly the essence of Idaho.

 Salmon River on the way to Stanley

On the way to Stanley

 After stopping at the visitor center to pick up some information (the center was closed but they thoughtfully leave brochures in a cabinet), we decided to go see Stanley Lake.  This beautiful lake is at 6,500 feet so the sky views are spectacular.  There are several campgrounds (one of which is reservable) in the area, one of which is being updated and more sites are being added.

 Our next stop was at Redfish Lake and is about the same elevation as Stanley Lake.  This area is much more developed that at Stanley Lake.  There is the large Forest Service campground Glacier View Campground plus two other’s that are a bit smaller.  Also there is the full-service Redfish Lake Lodge that has cabins, a dining room and a small store.  They also have a marina with watercraft rentals.  Large RV’s or trailers probably should use this area rather than the Stanley Lake campgrounds at least until they get the new sites finished there.

 There are some RV parks in the area as well.  Check these out:
    Mountain Village Resort
    Valley Creek Motel and RV Park
    Elk Mountain RV Resort

 Today we drove back over toward Stanley to the land of the Yankee Fork Historic Area.  This beautiful area of the Sawtooth’s was, for many years anyway, about gold.

 The Custer Motorway is a 46-mile follows the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River and turned out to be one the highlights of our trip to the Sawtooth’s.  Most of the Motorway is on a gravel road that is a little narrow in some places but the scenery is worth the slow going.  We would absolutely recommend doing this drive in the fall.

More later.

Barry & Joyce

September 9, 2018

August 15, 2018

 We have had some really smokey skies here at Smith Rock for the past few days.  The weather folks are telling us that it’s all coming from fires down in California and Idaho.

 On Monday we found out that Glacier National Park has closed the west entrance due to a major fire.  This is especially bad new for us since that was our destination in September.  As you may recall this same thing happened to us last year so we are very disappointed.  We’ll keep an eye on the situation in Glacier and hope the fire fighter’s get everything under control.

August 22, 2018

 Still very smokey in Central Oregon and there appears no relief in sight in the near future.  It’s really getting hard to catch your breath and our eyes are burning a lot.

 On Monday we drove over to Oakridge to spend some time with the Glaspey’s.  Jim and I loaded up his new toy, a Polaris Razor and headed up the hill to Huckleberry Flats to do some riding.  We had a great time driving around the roads and I have to say that thing is cool!

 

 We only have nine days left here at Smith Rock then we will start our travels to Texas.  The west side of Glacier National Park is closed for a major fire as of today so we’re not sure if we can make it up there.  We are still planning on getting up to Rick and Patty Stills’ home in Rathdrum, ID on September 10th for right now but as always our plan’s are written Jello.

August 27, 2018

 Things had pretty quite around Smith Rock for the past few days but that all changed yesterday afternoon.  There was a young man free-climbing near Phoenix Buttress and Southern Tip climbing area, an area that is not normally climbed.  He fell off the rock and fell over 150 feet, sustaining life-threatening injuries.  The life flight helicopter flew him to St. Charles hospital and then to Portland where he is in critical condition.  Not a good day.  https://www.ktvz.com/news/man-badly-hurt-in-smith-rock-fall-rescue-underway/786696654

August 29, 2018

 Moving day.  This morning we hooked up the CRV and after going into Redmond for propane, we headed up US 97 north to begin our fall migration to Texas.  The drive up to I-84 wasn’t too bad even though it is the beginning of a 3-day weekend.  Traffic really picked up when we turned west on I-84 but we made pretty good time and arrived at Memaloose State Park on the Columbia River Gorge.  We’re only spending two days then up to Hermiston for a couple of days.

September 3, 2018

 Had a very nice stay at Mamaloose.  Yesterday we took a drive up into the hills to Trout Lake, WA.  This little town is known for it’s Huckleberry picking opportunities when they are in season.  However, the “lake” was completely dry this time of the year.

 We did stop in town and checked out the local flea market then had lunch at The Station Cafe which we found to be just OK.  The joint was packed and there was only one person cooking.  To say she was slow is an under statement since she was cooking one….order….at….a….time.  We waited forty minutes for our sandwiches.

Mount Adams, Washingtom

 We left Memaloose about 10 AM and after a stop at Fred Myers in The Dalles for some fuel, we headed east on _84 then a short distance up I-82 to the Pioneer RV Park in Hermiston, OR.   We have been to this park several times and since it’s Passport America affiliated we only had to pay $20.  We plan to be here just one night then head on up to Rathdrum, ID.

September 5, 2018

 Yesterday we left Hermiston and headed up to Rick and Patty’s B&B and RV Park in Rathdrum, ID.  We started running into smoke in the Tri-Cities area and it progressively got worse the closer we got to Spokane.  It started getting a tad better as we got into Idaho but the air quality is still in the moderate range.

September 8, 2018

 Thursday I took Joyce to an urgent care clinic where they gave her a nebulizer treatment that really helped her breathing.  The doctor wrote a prescription for a home nebulizer along with the medication.  We were able to get that filled at Fred Myers but had to pay for the machine which we will submit to Tricare and try to get reimbursed

 Thursday evening we all went out to celebrate Patty’s birthday.  She had picked out a new club in downtown Coeur d’Alene that was having a grand opening and had a “dueling pianos” show.  The food was alright but the entertainment was outstanding.

 Yesterday morning we decided to get out of Dodge and try to get Joyce out of some of the very bad smoke in the Rathdrum area.  After a stop for some fuel and to dump our holding tanks, we headed south on US 95 headed to the Hillview RV Park in Clarkston, WA.  The drive down wasn’t too bad but we did run into a lot of road construction.  Today we are going further south to Grangeville, ID where the air quality is forecasted to be much better.

 We left Clarkston about 11:00 Am this morning, got on US 95 south and arrived at the Bear Den RV Park in Grangeville, ID about 1:30 PM.  God, these under a 100 mile days are killing us.

 The smoke is in this area but not as bad as it was up north.  However, Joyce is still staying in the RV as much as possible and we’re hoping when we get to Boise the air quality will be better. 

Barry & Joyce

August 15, 2018

July 22, 2018

 Things are rolling right along here at Smith Rock.  It has been very hot most days but yesterday we got a little bit of a reprieve with a high of only 87 degrees.  This next week it looks like we will be back into the 90s.

 On Friday evening we had all of our fellow hosts down to our place for supper.  Joyce made her killer pulled pork and of course we all ate too much.  We hope to have another cookout before we part ways for another year.

July 23, 2018

 Last evening a guy came down from the Bivi area and tells me there is a rattlesnake in the cooking circle. I didn’t think it would be a rattler in that area, maybe a garter or bull snake.  I jumped in the Gator, went down there and sure enough there was a it was a rattler curled up in the rocks very near some folks cooking their supper. Our Ranger came down and we decided to call Steve Lay. our Interpretive Host and local snake wrangler. When Steve got there with his equipment he was able to grab the snake who was about three feet long with eight buttons. That is the first time I have seen a rattler in that area in the 11 years hosting here.

 This morning Steve came by and asked if I wanted to go with him to release the snake he caught last evening.  During the drive over to the area when he wanted to let the snake loose, he rattled all the way over.  I can tell you he was pretty darned pissed when Steve let him out of the bucket.  We spent a few minutes taking pictures and then left him alone to go about his business.

 

July 25, 2018

 Yesterday we drove over to Oakridge to help celebrate Jim Glaspey’s 70th birthday.  We had a good visit and then had supper at Big Mountain Pizza with more friends.

 August 9, 2018

 Been quite a while since I last wrote so let me bring you up-to-date.

 We have been having some problems with our living room slide coming in without assistance by me pushing on the outside while Joyce operates the switch.  In fact this has been going on since 2015 and replacing the batteries fixed the problem not once but twice.

 This time the batteries that I put in the coach in Arizona this past winter fixed the issue until we left Tumalo State Park when the problem happened again.  I had to get a couple of folks to give me a hand pushing to get it to retract.

 I called Tom from Advantage RV in Bend who has done some work for us in the past.  He immediately said that the motor is probably worn out so we ordered one from Amazon.  When it came in Tom came out and installed it but when we operated the slide it still failed to retract.  After more troubleshooting we found out the voltage drop when the slide was trying to come in was dramatic so Tom thought the batteries were just not strong enough.

 Joyce and I took the batteries down to Napa Auto Supply, they checked them and actually found one bad and another one very weak.  They replaced the batteries under the warranty, but we paid for the upgrade to better ones.

 We brought the batteries back, installed them and guess what?  Yep, the slide still didn’t retract properly.  Now what Ke-mo-sabe? 

 Tom came back out and did some more checking and found that the inverter/charger was only only charging the batteries at 13.6 volts.  He said he had one at home and when he checked his it was charging at 14.58 volts, a significant difference.  He brought that one out, installed it and it worked.  The slide retracted as it should and actually a tad faster that it ever did.

 So, we actually had multiple problems which made it difficult to find the actual problem, that being the inverter/charger.  But it’s fixed now so we are very thankful for that.

 While all that was going on we had some visitors come to Smith Rock.  Jim and Jeanne Glaspey drove over from Oakridge to spend a day.  Then Bret Sherlock, an old flying buddy from my days in the 7th Airlift Squadron stopped by.  And on Tuesday we had lunch with Stan and Linda Peters who we have hosted with here at Smith Rock.

 Joyce has been having some problems with her ears for a while now and was tested this past spring by a doctor she saw in Medford.  She was diagnosed with tinnitus so when we got to Bend she filed a claim with the Veterans Administration.  The VA sent her for an evaluation by another doctor in Bend.

 This morning Joyce found out that the VA has awarded her 10% for tinnitus making her total disabilities 30%.

August 14, 2018

 As y’all probably know we have been planning a trip up to Glacier National Park in September.  Yesterday we found out that the west entrance to the park is closed due to a fire that is burning near Lake McDonald. 

 Joyce and I have been planing to go up to Rick and Patty Stills’ home in Rathdrum, ID. then we are all going up to Glacier together.  This exact thing to happened to us last year.

 Right now are plans haven’t changed but since our travel plans are always written in Jello, we’ll adapt.

More next time.

Barry & Joyce

July 19, 2018

June 30, 2018

 Last Sunday Jim and Jeanne Glaspey came over to the park for a visit.  Also joining us was  Ben and Caroline Reed who are staying at the Expo Center RV Park in Redmond.  We all had a great time solving all the RV issues we have had and some of the worlds problems over adult beverages and some really great barbecue chicken.

 On Tuesday Ben flew back to Tucson for his induction in to the Elks Lodge.  As a retired mechanic Ben and Caroline can fly standby but when they got to the airport Caroline wasn’t able to get a seat.

 On Wednesday Caroline and Joyce went for a hike at Sparks Lake and then had lunch at the Elk Lake Lodge.

 On Thursday we went up to Redmond to see Ben and Caroline again.  After touring their Pace Arrow motor coach we drove up to Terrebonne and had supper at the Pump House.  We then took them on a tour of Smith Rock State Park.

 Today is our last day at Tumalo State Park so we’ll be packing up the RV and getting ready for our move to Smith Rock.  Having been here for two months and putting things away for convince rather than for traveling we have some packing to do.

July 3, 2018

 On Sunday morning we pulled out of Tumalo and headed up to Smith Rock State Park.  Can you believe this time will mark our eleventh year hosting here?  Amazing how fast time goes by.

Our Home for July and August

 

 Yesterday we went to Bend to do some shopping making of our stops at Costco.  Our old vacuum cleaner wasn’t doing a very good job so we took advantage of the Dyson sale and pick us up a V8 cordless stick vacuum.  We tried it out and let me tell you this thing is powerful.  After running it in the living room I had to go out and check the basement to make sure everything in there was still in place.

July 11, 2018

 On Saturday we drove over to Oakridge to visit with Jim and Jeanne Glaspey.  Jim and I just hung out at the house in the afternoon while Joyce and Jeanne got in a round of golf.  Later we all went down to the Big Mountain Pizza for supper.

 Yesterday Jeanne and Joyce played another round of golf in the morning then we drove into Eugene so that Joyce could have Dr. Stockstad look at her right contact.  Dr. Stockstad has developed a special 3D tool that allowing him to customize contacts like the ones Joyce has.  After that we joined Jim and Jeanne at the Olive Garden for supper.

July 13, 2018

Things have really slowed down here at Smith Rock.  Last night we only had seven cars in the Bivi and very few day use visitors.  Tomorrow there is a bike race going on so we will be a tad busier but even with that the heat is keeping a lot of folks away.  Suits us just fine.

July 15, 2018

 It’s been really hot in Central Oregon, getting up in the low to mid 90s everyday.  We get a small reprieve today as it’s only going to make it to 89 but tomorrow is forecasted to be 95.  But, it dry heat don’t forget.

July 18, 2018

 Had my annual checkup with Dr. Russell, my primary physician this morning.  All seems to be well but my heart rate is still low.  Went up to talk to my cardiologist but he is on vacation right now.  I did discuss all this with his nurse and she is going to discuss all of this with another doctor.  Stay tuned for more.

Sunset through Astrick Pass.

Visitors for lunch.

The twins have gotta eat too.

This guy was one the Canyon Trail one day last week.  At Smith Rock watch where you walk.  He was not happy having his picture taken.

This guy didn't care.

Later.

Barry & Joyce

June 22, 2018

June 9, 2018

 As I mentioned in another post I had an appointment with Dr. Brewer, my Osteopathic Doctor who recommended I do a home sleep study and a complete Pulmonary Function test.

 Dr. Brewer said that he did not see anything serious from the Pulmonary study but that I do have some COPD in the form of emphysema, probably caused by my years of cigarette smoking.  For that he prescribed an inhaler that I will be using daily.

 The results of the sleep study showed that I have severe Sleep Apnea and Dr. Brewer recommended that I start using a continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) machine.  Because I travel full-time he ordered one from Lincare, a nationwide company. The office here in Bend will be my “home office” where I will order any supplies I will need..  On Thursday I went to their office to pick up my new ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset machine.

 I used the machine for the first time last Saturday night.  I have been told that it will take some time adjusting to using the machine and they were right but, when I did get to sleep I slept soundly.  Since I sleep on my side I may have to get a different pillow that doesn’t interfere with the full-face mask.  I have an app on my phone that downloads my sleep information from the CPAP.

 On the 5th one of my best friends Donald Johnson past to his reward in Fairfield, CA.  Don, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and the father of my ex-wife Susanna, was one of the finest men I have ever met.  He was a kind gentle soul who loved his family and lived his life to the fullest.  Rest in peace Don.  I will miss you for the rest of my life.

Don and Michelle

 On the 6th I celebrated my 70th birthday.  I can hardly believe that I am that I have made that many trips around the sun but I do hope I have many more in my future.

  Yesterday we did some shopping for tires for our Honda CRV here in Bend.  Costco has Michelin’s on sale for $70 off of four and plus $60 off if you use the Anywhere card.  A good deal.

June 11, 2018

 Here is our itinerary for our travels to Texas in the fall:
   
    September:
    1-3: Memaloose State Park, OR (Columbia Gorge)
    3-5: Hermiston, OR (visit friends)
    5-10:  Rick & Patty Stills RV Park, Rathdrum, ID
    10-11: Missoula, MT
    11-15: Columbia Falls, MT (Glacier National Park)
    15-16: Lolo, MT
    16-20: Challis, ID (Sawtooth Mountains)
    20-21: Idaho Falls, ID
    21-24: Hill AFB, UT
    24-27: Spanish Fork, UT (visit friends in Payson, UT)
    27-28: Fort Bridger, WY
    28-29: Rawlins, WY
    29-2 Oct: Casper, WY (visit Joyce’s sister & family)
    October:
    2-4: F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY
    4-7:  Not sure yet.
    7-9: Amarillo, TX. (visit friends)
    9-13: Altus AFB, OK
    13-14: Haskell, TX
    14-17: Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX
    17-21: Waco, TX
    21-23: College Station, TX. (visit George H. W. Bush’s Library)
    23-24: La Grange, TX
    24-28: Goliad, TX (visit friends)
    28-1 Nov: Aransas Pass, TX
    Nov 1 thru Feb 2019, Hidden Valley RV Park, Von Ormy, TX., just outside San Antonio.

 If anyone reading this is close to where we are going to be please set us know.  We’d love to see you.

June 16, 2018

 I’ve been using my CPAP machine for over a week now and have not found getting use to it as had as some folks led me to believe it would.  The really hard part was finding a position for my pillow that worked with the full-face mask.  Well, that didn’t work out so good so Joyce ordered me a pillow made specifically for use with CPAP machines.  I am not finding the CPAP Pillow as comfortable as I did the My Pillow I have had for a couple of years but I hope it works out.

 We’re starting to get very busy here at Tumalo.  The park is full almost every night now and we think this will continue throughout the summer with most of the arrivals having made a reservation.  The times of just showing up and expecting to snag a campsite in most Oregon State Park’s, especially in the summer are gone.

 I finally got the results of my new VA claim the other day.  I filed asking the VA to rate me for four things; a broken nose, sinus problems and sleeping and breathing issues.  The VA combined the sinus and breathing issues and awarded me a 30% disability rating for sinusitis.  So, I am now 60% disabled overall but will only get paid for 50%, the magic number for retired military folks.  The reason that I will not be paid for the whole 60% is due to the way the VA combines percentages.  Read more about that here:  https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/rates-index.asp#howcalc

Nice pic of Abigail and Skyler

Until next time.

Barry & Joyce

June 4, 2018

May 18, 2018

 For a long time now Joyce and I have been discussing changing to the Beyond Unlimited phone plan with Verizon and today we made the move.  Our old plan had unlimited talk and text with data usage set at 30 gigs.  Several times in the past year we have bumped up against that limit and this month we actually went over by 3 gigs which cost us an additional $45.  The new plan gives us the same unlimited talk/text but we now have “unlimited” data usage.  The “unlimited” is actually full LTE/4g service up to 15 gigs and per hot spot then you are subject to prioritizing on the cell towers.  With that in mind we purchased another MiFi Jetpack which gives us another 15 gigs of data before the possibility of being prioritized.

May 20, 2018

 We were pretty busy on our days off this week.  On Friday Joyce had a doctors appointment and then we got some shopping done.  Yesterday we drove over Oakridge to visit Jim and Jeanne Glaspey.

 Last week Max Glaspey, Jim and Jeanne Glaspey’s Great Dane crossed the rainbow bridge.  He was a special friend to not only Jim and Jeanne but he was my buddy.  I loved that guy and will miss him terribly.  I think he is up there playing with my other buddy’s Hunter and Paddy Stills.

My Buddy Max.

May 22, 2018

 Things are rolling right along here at Tumalo State Park.  We’re starting to fill all the yurts and camp sites every night which is not unusual here.  If past history is any indicator of what will happen this year, after the first of June we will be completely booked every night.

Later in the day….

 I started seeing flashes of light on the left side of my left eye, best described as looking through a prism.  As you may know I am partially blind in my right eye due to a TIA I had several years ago so you can believe I was really concerned about what I was seeing in my good eye.

 After a few minutes I told Joyce and of course she insisted we head over to the urgent care at Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC).  The nurse there sent us over to the emergency room at St. Charles Medical Center.

 The emergency room doctor referred me to an ophthalmologist, so we made an appointment with Dr. Majerczyk at BMC.  After his very thorough examination he believed I had a Ocular Migraine which is a pretty common thing.  Jut one more thing to add to my list of that proves, “gettin’ old ain’t for sissy’s”.

June 3, 2018

 On Friday we drove over to Oakridge to visit Jim and Jeanne Glaspey.  Shortly after arriving Jim said he had to go to Eugene to buy a keg of beer.  I thought that a tad strange since I had brought over a couple of 12-packs and I knew he had at least that much in his refrigerator but what the heck, lets go.

 Since it was Jim and Jeanne’s thirty-second wedding anniversary we stopped at Fred Myers so that he could pick up some flowers for Jeanne.  On the way up the hill back to Oakridge Jim asked me if I knew anything was going on at his house would I tell him and of course I said, “Heck no”.

 When we turned into their driveway I noticed some balloons tied to the railing of the deck and then I saw extra cars parked near the garage.  I still didn’t get it but I did notice Jim was smiling a little.  The a bunch of people came running out of the house yelling Happy Birthday.  Joyce, Jeanne and Jim had planned a 70th birthday party for me.

 We had a wonderful time with plenty of food and beverages.  Among the presents and card that I was given, Joyce’s card contained seventy $1 bills.  Thanks Joyce, Jim and Jeanne!

Later.

Barry & Joyce