Long trip almost over!
Hi,
Well, we're back in Joyce's driveway preparing to put this camper to bed for the winter. Mike is leaving for Hawaii on the 28th and I'm sticking around until October 17th. We got to visit with a few friends but there are so many of you that we didn't get to see for one reason or another. But I am going to try and get together with as many of you as I can......that's why I'm sticking around. And also to spend time with my Mother and my dear Kristin and her family, of course.
I get to see Bryce play baseball on Saturday......yay! I'm going to send out some individual emails but want to mention now that on Tuesday, the 28th, when Mike leaves for Kauai, he is taking my phone (808-256-5252) and the computer. I'll be using our alternate cell phone which is 808-258-1230. And I won't have regular internet access so please call me at that number after he leaves and don't email me if you expect an answer back before I get home to Kauai.
So for the last week or so of our trip, we first had an opportunity to visit Kim and Debbie in Ephrata. They are the dear people that delivered our new wheels to Zihuatanejo last winter. We had a delightful dinner and visit with them at their home. It was great to see them and to remember all the fun times we had in Zihua. Thanks you two. Oh, and Kim, thanks again for the coolest wine opener ever. I think it will become the one I carry in my purse! Except not onto an airplane or those rats will take it away.
Joyce finally got her rig ready to go, after having a prolonged air bag installation issue, and joined us in Ephrata as we were leaving town. We took a peak at Sun Lakes State Park, visited Dry Falls and the Grand Coulee Dam. We camped up the river from the Dam and went on a dam tour the next day. It was very interesting and impressive.
It's impossible to comprehend the massiveness and the amounts of energy produced. I especially enjoyed hearing about how the fish enjoy their e-ticket ride through the turbines. I guess it lasts about 30 or 40 seconds and 99 percent of them survive. But, opps, there are ten more dams downriver!!
We camped at Steamboat Rock State Park on Banks Lake and then headed over to Chelan. My old friend, Jan Liberty, lives there and has for eleven years since retiring from teaching in the Bellevue school district. She was born over there and went back "home".
She and I met because we both belonged to a Jensen Healey car club back in the late 70's. The first meeting she attended was at my house and we became close friends. My Jensen was black and she and I drove it on a very memorable month long trip to California in 1979. Since that time, we both learned to fly airplanes but, while I am no longer current (I went on to sailing, etc.), she has flown over 3,000 hours and has had her own plane for years and years. The Cessna 180 pictured is a beauty and is actually the second airplane of which she has been the proud owner.
She lives on a hill overlooking the Columbia River and you can see the little Chelan airport from her yard. The view from her home is amazing and she loves it there......and we could see why.
We three girls went for a wine tour. Chelan has some wonderful wineries......all new to me. We only went to two wineries, but we took our time and had some good fun. Mike was recaulking the top of the camper. And, don't feel sorry for him, he was thrilled to have good weather to do the job. He's rather drink beer anyway.
After a couple nights at Jan's, we drove the 20 miles or so up to Alta Lake State Park. I used to go there with my parents and sisters while growing up. My aunt and uncle and cousins, Marvin and Carolyn, would all be there and they had a ski boat and we had a ball. After the cousins and I all grew up and had our own kids we'd repeat history and head for Alta Lake. I remember doing this year after year......sometimes with a huge number of friends and all their kids. Great memories and it was fun to just be there and remember it all. Plus, we had a nice time ourselves this visit.
Jan came the second night, with her little pooch Sofie, and pitched a tent. We had a big campfire that night. We also had pouring down rain but sat under umbrellas and didn't even realize how wet our butts were until we got up to go to bed. Oh well. We're waterproof.
Sofie had a spa appointment the next day, so they left early. We three headed over the North Cascades Hiway and, while we didn't have perfect weather, at least we could see most of the mountaintops. We stayed in Rockport and sat under the awning while the fire burned (our last one!) and the drizzle drizzled. We would have stayed out longer and done much more but the weather report was not good and Fall has definitely come early to the Pacific Northwest this year. We made plans to meet up for one last night at the casino near Anacortes. Mike and I had to head back up to Blaine to retrieve his shotgun from the storage locker and then to Bellingham to offload some boat items for consignment sale.
We made our way back to the casino which was interesting, but smokey. Joyce headed home and we went to Dave and Janet's for a couple nights. They had fresh crab! So we pigged out and had fun. It was their wedding anniversary so we all went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant with their gift certificate. Yum! We left our dinghy and motor and Dave is going to put it on Craig's List for us. We're lightening our load! Though we do plan to get kyaks for next year's adventures.
So now we're cleaning and sorting and hopefully having some fun in between. Whew, what a trip! Maybe I'll do a recap or something when I'm in the mood. Meantime, I'm going to see lots of you, I hope. Email me or call me at 808-256-5252 until the 28th, then 808-258-1230 and no email.
Love, Gayle and Mike who is working on camper projects outside......
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