Our day for Adventure

We decided to drive to Coburg, Ore today. It was not our best decision.

We had a flat.....We've owned the tracker for 6 years and never had a flat. I tried to call AAA but for some reason the number was not on my phone. bummer....

So, we proceeded to look for the jack...under the passenger seat...then, needed an extender to apply more preassure to get the nuts loose. More rummaging around the back looking for anything to use. Ah...found the instrument to use for disconnecting the tow from the hitch on the RV...it will work.

The bike, bike rack, and the tire cover, come off the spare. Then there is lock on a nut holding the tire on. What key? O, the ignition key. Finally the spare is off the rack Whew, this is work. Now get the flat off.....

About that time a Les Schwab truck drives by, stops and backs up. OUR HERO!!!!.

We determine there is no air in the spare....our hero brings out an air hose and fills the tire. Then he proceed to put the spare on and using his air gun...zaps the nuts on in an instant. WOW

Then in a brief, gee thanks a million, he is off. What a difference he made in our afternoon.

Now, just get the flat tire in the back, breakdown the bike and cram it on top and we are off to Junction City and Les Schwab to have the flat repaired. Sorry...the nail went through the side...tire is no good. O Great...new tire..rotate tires and we are ready to go.

The Lord was looking after us today.

Another day in Harrisburg

Well, we are still in Harrisburg. While the techs had our RV in their large building.( and didn't get to work on it for whatever reason)..we toured town (Safeway, etc) had margaritas in the customer service waiting area. Visited the retail store and checked out the great sales.

Greg took Logan for a quick walk and was drenched by a sudden downpour. The sun came out for just a peek and was gone. If it rains our satellite is interrupted.(it is really interesting)...we get only the FOX new station. But as soon as the rain lets up, we are back to all stations..

I did laundry, hey, certain mundane chores just have to be done. Had to take advantage of the FREE laundry facility.

The techs will pick up the RV around 7:45 in the morning. Hopefully they will accomplish all the repairs...a possible short in the grey and black water electric dump valve outlets. Replace the gauge and receiver for the transmission temperature...replace the bathroom ground fault outlet...install the compressor for the horn. Greg can hardly wait to blow the horn...it has been out of service for over a years which is illegal but only if you get caught, right?

Harrisburg

We left Florence and the coast in a driving rain and occasional snow flake. The trip ran along the river. We passed these tall slim trees covered with moss...reminded me of ballet dancers with those heavy leggings running by. I know, I need more sleep.

Due to the rain, most of my pictures are blurred...I guess the camera could not focus.

We came up on valleys that grew produce...and orchards. It is very lush.

We arrived at the service center and got signed up for service...AND a water/electric hookup. They have over 30 parking slots. Makes waiting very comfortable. We had to take the coach over to the "other" center to have the engine serviced. That location has less parking slots., but we had our slot at Diamond Hill.

There are great waiting areas. Women have jewelry making sessions, Men get to have a seminar on some RV related subject. And today we got root beer floats.

Dogs are allowed to wait in the customer lounge...as you can see the cute schnauzer. Logan had been on a walk on the river and was wet and dirty...so he had to stay in the car this time.

We get in for our other repairs tomorrow. Our sanitary system is electric and when we left Florence...it refused to close. A tech came out yesterday and did his "magic" and manually closed the system. Whew..... Was not for sure we would make it through the night with the outlets open.

Hope for better weather tomorrow.

We are almost home!!

View Larger Map

Florence, Ore

We arrived and found a spot at the Thousand Trails Park in the Oregon dunes. This is an older NACO park and the sites are literally carved out of the sides of the hills. We are 40 ft. and these older parks don't have that many over sized sites. We had the choice of with sewer or TV. I needed to do laundry, so we picked sewer. AND unfortunately we are so enclosed with trees we couldn't get reception on the satellite. O well, get a good book.

Our first try to get to the ocean over the dunes but it was too steep for me. Even Greg had a problem getting down as well as up the dunes. Logan was in seventh heaven. He ran and ran.

We toured old town Florence on the Siuslaw River.

The wind was pretty high the first day...but we had sun and it was beautiful. Then the rain, snow, and hail started. It didn't last too long, but it is cold. We really notice it more having just come from 80-90 degree temps.

We enjoyed a prime rib dinner and bingo at the activity center. I was very lucky...won twice.

The Oregon Coast

We started for the Oregon Coast...Different climate and beautiful. I think the pictures tell the story.


Most of the pictures are taken in the RV going at least 55 miles per hour. So some are a little fuzzy. And it would help if the front windshield was clean.

I was so surprised to see the one picture with the goose. I just snap pictures and hope for the best.

Grants Pass

Out next stop was Grants Pass, Ore. Greg wanted to have Henderson's check out the front-end. It seemed one of the tires was wearing too much on the outside. They had installed a Tiger track two years ago.





Well, it turned out there were a couple of items..something about a bent front axel or something...they fixed it, so that was great. Also a broken bolt on the stability bar. Just a little item.





We went across the street to Les Schwab and checked out the tires...one was illegal and the other close. So, 30 minutes later, we had two new front tires.





I guess when you have fun...you have to pay the price.





At least we feel safer going down the road

To Tonopah

We were able to find another Casino with a large dirt dusty parking lot. There were 4 other RV-trailers parked also. Two trailers were from Oregon...and they had two schnauzers. Logan was thrilled and wanted to play, but we had to keep him on a leash. Bummer. Then along came a big long truck with another schnauzer. It got really noisy.

Tonopah was a mining town. At the museum we met the person in charge and he was very informative. Watched a video about how Butler was just out looking around and found a rock that looked promising. And it was...his wife also started a mine and they did very well.

How can anyone just be out looking...in this wonderful area and just find a great silver vein? The story was, his wife could speak the language of the local Indians and they told her about the shinny rocks, Well, that does explain a few things.

He also talked about how he thought Tonopah was the best place to live, etc. I read on Google about the area and I guess it is a big recreation area. I'm spoiled...I like a lot of water around, like the ocean..a big lake and less dust.

On to Reno/Sparks

After filling up with Gas..gulp, we headed to Reno/Sparks.



We had a hard time finding a parking place. It seems the town has grown so, that most of the casinos are not RV friendly. We had to get our the Internet and Google map and finally found a casino with a large lot. They were really friendly and when we registered they gave us a pass for a week stay.

I had to get a casino pass to register soooo, I just had to play 5 bucks in the Froggie slot. I hit the "kiss the frog" and won $22.00. I cashed out quick.

We toured Reno and stopped at the Historical Society museum. Greg really enjoyed the railroad history of the area. I still am in a dream world as to how the Indians and miners and settlers made it in such a desolate area. I would NOT have made a good pioneer, and I was so tired of the dust.

While we were at the museum, a massive dust and wind storm blew through. They were prohibiting any high profile vehicle (trucks and RVs) from the highway going North. At one point getting back to our RV...we were surrounded by dust and debris. Grit in your teeth...yuck.

Would you believe, the next morning...We had SNOW!!! It did not last long, but it was impressive.

Laughlin, NV

Our next stop was Laughlin,NV across the Colorado River from Bullhead City, AZ. The casinos line the river on the Nevada side.




We cruised through the town and found a parking lot by Harrods Casino. It was at the end of the line of Casinos and way up on a hill. There was a service station., a dump station, water and gas. We just had to register at the service station and the stay is free.

We drove down to the first casino where the river walk begins. It was about a mile and half long. The water is almost crystal clear. Wonderful weather. Stopped in at the Colorado Belle and checked out the slot "deal or no deal' Didn't win anything :-(( entered a drawing, no winner
there either.

The next day we drove into Bullhead City for groceries. Nothing really spectacular there but the river.

Gila River Casino

From Tombstone we headed toward Phoenix. We camped atthe Gila River Casino.




There was two large parking lots where RV's and trucks were parked. It is so nice to have the room to pull in and park. We had dinner at the restaurant, a buffet, and is was very reasonable and good food.

We walked around the casino complex and came across a "western town" but it was closed. We were ask to leave because of on going construction, but otherwise the site is free. On weekends they have big BBQ feasts and activity.

Driving through Phoenix is always a real experience...and it just goes on forever. We tried a different route and found it was a stop and go and unusal turns.

I thought the flowers were lovely. It seems everyone tells us that spring in the desert is outstanding with all the flowers.

Tombstone, AZ

We just had to stop and see Tombstone, AZ.





The community has really made it an exciting place. There are live wild west shows and the biggie...GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL. After the 1947 movie with Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Rhonda Fleming...there were lots of tourist coming to see the town. So the residents reconstructed the town and made it come alive. Most residents are dressed the part of being in the old west. A tour of one of the mine (which is why tombstone was settled). Boot hill and original buildings brought back to life. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of tourists.

The new movie TOMBSTONE (check out the video) with Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliott has really made an impact too. It also stars Charlston Heston and is narrated by Vincent Price I haven't seen the movie, but guess I'll have to find it somewhere along the way, as everyone said it was good. There was a saying "I'm your huckleberry" on various articles for sale. I ask what it meant and the best answer was Val Kilmer (Doc Holliday) in the movie made the statement. To be one’s huckleberry — usually as the phrase I’m your huckleberry — is to be just the right person for a given job, or a willing executor of some commission. Anyway, it makes for a good story and sell products.

We went the whole nine yards, bought tickets and saw it all.

The story of the gunfight is very convoluted. There are so many individuals and testimonies that you hardly know what to believe. One thing, Wyatt was not the nice guy as portrayed by Hugh O'Bryan.


Movies do influence how we view certain events as we found out while in Mission, Tx. We attended a lecture " A brief analysis of Six Films Featuring the Death of Davy Crockett" in Edinburg, TX by a local professor. He presented 6 movies of The Alamo. Each one had a variant of the defence at the Alamo. The jest of the lecture was how movies have tainted our view of historical events. I have seen only the John Wayne production, so, that is my prospective of what happened at The Alamo. John Wayne would never tell a lie...right?

The death of Davy Crockett has always been portrayed as he went down fighting. Recently a diary of a Mexican soldier ,who was at the battle of The Alamo, has surfaced, indicating that Davy and several men were captured, tortured and hacked to death. That theory, the professor indicated, has caused a lot of people to be upset.


The reason I was interested in the lecture is that Davy Crockett married into the linage of my Grandmother, Drucilla Thomas. We are obviously not directly related but close enough for me to claim. :-))

Bisbee, Az

Bisbee was founded as a copper, gold and silver mining town in 1880,





I hope you enjoy the pictures. The town reminded me of Eureka Springs, Ark. Build on the side of a mountain.



I was really eager to see Bisbee, not because it was a mining town, but because it is the home of Sheriff Joanna Brady. Joanna Brady is the main character in a series of mystery novels by author J. A. Jance, centered in Bisbee, Arizona. I discovered her books in Hawaii one year and have really enjoyed them. Another character is J.P. Beaumont, a detective in Seattle, WA.



Anyway, I fantasized that I would just walk up to the sheriff's office and ask to talk to Joanna.
O well so goes my fantasies.



We stopped at the "hole" that was The Lavender Pit and there was a turquoise shop by the parking lot. I had to check it out...Got to talking with the owner and told her of my fantasy and she laughed and said her friend had gone to school with JA Jance. I thought that was pretty cool.

on the road to Bisbee

We took Highway 9 to Arizona...it was narrow and very little traffic.


The border watchers came up so quick..we didn't realize they were there. Saw only two.

We also were surprised at the Playas Traning Center sign . Via the internet,learned it is an
anti-terrorism training facility. There is a lot going on out there in the wilderness.



Just never know what you will encounter on the less traveled routes.

Marathon, TX

Marathon is the gateway to Big Bend National Park. It is a small town; the railroad on one side and the town on the other of the highway. A step back in time.

There is a bakery (Shirley's) that makes great fruit turnovers. We rode our bikes down to have one for breakfast. Two bus load of college students were standing around eating goodies from the bakery. I didn't think we would get our turnovers, but there was one apricot and 2 apple left. The owner said he nearly collapsed when he saw the buses pull up.. made his day for sure.

We've stopped there before and there was always someone coming and going in the bakery.

A neat RV park that has a restaurant (breakfast only) has really improved over the years.

The first year we stayed there, we saw another vehicle with Washington license and went over to say HI. It turned out the lady was a client of Greg's. Such a small world.

No pictures, my camera batteries were dead.

Pancho Villa State Park

As we drive through the small towns, I've wondered how and why they were established and how they continue to survive. I check out the AAA travel book and sometime the town is listed and usually not. But Columbus was and after reading , we just had to stop and get more information. Amazing that so much history transpired in this small out in the middle of (what I thought) no-where.


Mexico attacked the United States on March 9, 1916.



Pershing's Punitive Expedition (click to see more about this event)

It was very dusty and Logan got cactus needles in his feet. He learned very quickly where NOT to go. There was a small rabbit that would drink the water from the sprinkler head just in view of the front window. As you can guess, Logan just about had a stroke because he couldn't get to him. And no amount of noise would distract the rabbit and make him leave. We watched several varieties of birds drink at the same place.

We enjoyed our stay so much we extended for another night.

And we got to visit Mexico.

A trip to Mexico

Have patience, I'm learning how to post by Picasa web albums to my blogs. Click on the pictures and you will be in the web album.....look to the right and click on slide show. To return to the blog..click on the BACK arrow in the slide show when you are at the first picture and then BACK in the web-album.

We have avoided going into Mexico for a variety of reasons....BUT the volunteers here at Pancho Villa State Park encouraged us to go and visit The Pink Store. They even gave us coupons for free margaritas. Well, how could you turn that down. WOW the margaritas were not the watered down you as usually except when they are free. Wasn't sure I could make it back across the border. :-))

We learned later the owners of the Store live in Deming (35 miles north in NM) and obviously do what they can to encourage traffic. The store was very clean, food and service excellent. The store had everything made in Mexico you could ever want to purchase.

We were just waved through the entrance.. The town was cleaner than our previous experiences. There were a couple of mothers with young children begging. We later learned that they were from an Indian Reservation on the Copper River. They bus in to beg. So sad...

Highway 9

Greg likes to avoids the blue and sometimes the red roads when we can. They are just too crowded.

So we chose the black Highway 9 West. You never know the condition of these black roads but usually they are OK. You will notice there is no shoulder (and rarely a rest area). We did have one pull off that came up at the right time.
We were on one of those black roads on the way to the Kickapoo Casino and it was so narrow that when we had on coming traffic we had to really slow down and sometimes have the tire off the pavement.

BUT, when you take these roads, you really get to see the real world. In Eagle Pass we would pass gates with a lot of signs, a RV or trailer would be parked next to the gate and the look of "don't even think about it" We never did find out what they were guarding.

Highway 9 was very uneventful. There is just nothing out there but cactus,rocks, dry grass, an occasional cow and ranch in the distance.
AND those piles of rocks. Have no idea what they represent . In Hawaii there are similar stacks of rocks and I believe it has some religious purpose.


The road runs parallel to the Mexican border. We could see some white markers which we assume was on the border.
Interesting enough, we didn't see any border patrol after we left the El Paso area.
After about 70 miles we arrived in Columbus and discovered the Pancho Villa Park and museum. It looked interesting so we decided to spend the day and night.

A day in El Paso

We spent too much time at Walmart and then taking care of some communications in Bellingham to get a good start out of El Paso...So we decided to stick around for another day.

The space is free, we have no problem dry camping.

So Greg took of to the Air Museum. This was my favorite picture he took. It is a P-40 War Hawk. I just like the paint job.

Well, as for me, I couldn't take a picture of what I did. They don't allow camera in the Casino. :-))

Greg spent his $5.00 for entrance fee......I lost my $3.00 on penny slots. I play high stakes....

Greg has nice fresh air and good conversation with other airplane enthusiast and I set in a smoke filled room with bells going off everywhere but on my machine.

A man sitting next to me had to have lost over $100.00 on the penny slot. :-((

The previous night I started with $2.00 and won about $10. :-))

Horse racing at Sunland racetrack

The race horse is escorted around the track by another rider and horse. I think that is to keep them calm and not want to take of running.????

Then they are lined up in the gates.

THEIR OFF!!!!

There have been several races today but I've not gone down the the finish. We are park where I can see them start from our window.

Logan doesn't know what to think about the horses, he just jumps up and down and barks is head off. There is a live size statue of a horse at the entrance to the casino. Logan wanted to eat him alive. We really need to get this under control (when we get home to obedience classes).

Texas Rest Stops

This is one of our many rest stops. This was one of the newer and cleaner ones.













Greg thought this was Texas's answer to port a potty just hop over the fence and make the brush grow greener.

But he changed his mind when he thought about the possibility of a snake.

How about this?

They pulled up........ lifted the tops up and before you knew it...they were sitting in their little tepee having lunch.

Maybe we should trade down to this...

Don't think so...I love my Safari.

OUCH !!!!!

OUCH!!!!!

Now the really bad news….that price is for the truckers.

For us non commercial the price is $4.06. AND that was with a penny discount for having a Pilot card,

WOW I guess you take any break you can get.

Judge Roy Bean and Langtry, Tx

Langtry, TX is just a hop, skip and jump down the road past the Pecos river . There the rustic saloon, courtroom and billiard hall and the opera house (white house) of Judge Roy Bean, the colorful and controversial "Law West of the Pecos" in 1880s is located. Judge Bean is the fellow with the white beard.

I never cease to be amazed at how the pioneers lived and made the accomplishments they did. The Galveston, Harrisburg and SanAntonio Railway ran through this area making it possible for people to travel here.

Judge Bean promoted a prize fight on the Rio Grande which drew a crowd. Guess nothing was on TV that night so they just jumped on the train, buggy or horse back. came on over to be part of the excitement. :-))

The Pecos River High Bridge

Texas is flat...you drive for miles and it is flat...until you get to the Pecos River. High Canyon walls dominate the last sixty miles of the Pecos River before it enters the Rio Grande. This bridge is 1,310 feet long and was completed in 1957 and is 273 feet above the river, the highest highway bridge in Texas. There were three previous bridges that were destroyed by flood waters.

The other direction you can almost see the mouth of the Pecos River, the Rio Grande and the hills in Old Mexico. It is awesome to look down at the river.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

We are finally on the road again. We had a battery issue (the coach would not start). Greg figured it out and we were only delayed about two hours.

Our first rest stop .... and it was at least 120 degrees in the sun. Under the canopy picnic table it was tolerable.
Logan was really having a problem with the heat and could not find a comfortable place. He was in the chair, on the sofa, on the bed in the back…many places on the floor , he was a miserable little dog.

We were going to stay in Carrizo Springs at a park we had used before then discovered there was a casino in Eagle Pass. I was able to get on the internet and find the location, AND would you believe they had free rv hook up. It is the only casino in Texas.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino was a great place. There was a buffet for $8.00. Plus, it was good food.