Back Home Again

Monday we left Portland and our most gracious hosts, David and Karen, behind.  We said goodbye to Karen after the Sunday evening cruise and to David on Monday morning.  It was a sad time but we had a great visit with them and the twins.  Yvonne and Jacob wish we could move out there but for now they were happy to be going back home (but not school).

We left pretty much on time (for a change) and headed for Lindsey's place in Layton, Utah.  It was about 760 miles, our longest leg of the trip. Our not-so-faithful Garmin Nuvi 2597 once again tried to route us in different directions but at least it didn't freeze up like it did earlier in the week. We headed out I-84 east which would take us almost all the way to Utah.  I had hoped the wind would be out of the west to give us a push but it was out of the southwest and became a nasty crosswind, buffeting us from each side as we went up the switchback roads to get across the mountains.  The Oregon roads are made with aggregate the size of marbles and there is a constant drone inside the van.  It's so bad that listening to the radio/CD was impossible and conversation was held just shy of shouting.  I could travel to the left or right of center, which helped, but became tedious very quickly. We were happy to see the Idaho state line and smoother roads.

Going into or out of Ogden, Utah there are these marvelous rock formations.  I can understand why Joseph Smith decided to set up shop in the Salt Lake area. It's beautiful and just this side of heaven.  Coming in, with the setting sun, the mountains appeared to be somewhat purple, maybe purple mountain's majesty?

The Garmin Nuvi, ever faithful to take us the wrong way, took us off the nice Interstate highway, 13 miles before we got to Lindsey's.  It was 4-lane but tons of traffic lights and a 45 mph speed limit. It added an extra 20 minutes to our arrival time.  I was NOT a happy camper and now I don't trust it at all.  It's fine for Interstate travel but for navigating around towns it's downright unreliable. I'd send Garmin an email but their site doesn't even recognize my account, although it won't let me register my email because it says it's already in use.  Go figure. (Yeah, I'm still pretty grumpy about it.)

Lindsey put us up for the night, or maybe putting up with us for the night?  Either way, we were very thankful for her hospitality and it was a good time to catch up with her.  Our family gatherings are getter to be fewer and everyone seems to be scattered across the country.  She showed us some of her artwork.  She is very talented and must get her artistic ability from her mother's side of the family.

Lindsey is tired of Utah and wants to move back east, place uncertain, but she's starting to send out some resumes.  My son Rick, currently in Texas, is talking about moving to Kansas City so that will make visits much easier, having all the family in a "loop". 

Tuesday we again started out on time (twice! A record!) and were treated to some overcooked Egg McMuffins. Lindsey had warned us that when leaving Ogden the early morning winds were pretty strong.  They did not disappoint. The view going east on I-84 and I-80 in Utah was once again stunning and pictures cannot touch the reality.  The magnitude of it all just makes you feel so insignificant, like an ant.

Entering Wyoming again we expected to suffer through all the barren landscape but this time it was different.  Maybe because we weren't tired and driving into the sunset we were in a better mood but we saw many things we hadn't seen before and suddenly it wasn't such a bad drive.  The time went quickly and we covered the entire state and into Nebraska, still enjoying the scenery.  We had driven through some storms between Laramie and Cheyenne but by the time we entered Nebraska they were well behind us.


We stopped for the night at the Cabela's campground, located at their home offices in Sidney, NE. The sky looked somewhat threatening but the storm was splitting, going north and south of us. At check in I asked the attendant and she said that she hadn't heard anything about severe weather.  We saw several other tent campers setting up, including some motorcyclists so we pitched our screen enclosure. I opted for the screen enclosure, which isn't really a tent, to give us more room. We could cook, sit and eat and later sleep in it, all without bugs. It worked well on the trip out.  After set up we went to the Cabela's store, a short walk, and got some more tent pegs and an adapter that would let us hook up to an RV plug.  Then we fixed dinner and talked for a while, it was getting dark now.

Jacob went to the bathroom and shortly after he left the wind kicked up and the enclosure started to collapse. The wind kept getting stronger and I stood against the wall, holding it up, while Yvonne quickly put all the electrical stuff (TV, Wii U, laptops, lights) into the Sienna. About then Jacob came back and we all got in the van, then the wind really kicked up.  The now collapsed tent filled with the wind and the metal posts were banging against the back of the van. I went out and collapsed it again, fighting with a big marshmallow. I got all the air out and then put the Coleman stove, chairs and folding aluminum table on top, then got back in the van.  All of the lights went out and Jacob said 'Time to go'.  But I didn't listen. (He still reminds me.)

We waited another 5 minutes and the wind just kept getting stronger and I said "Let's go". Jacob grabbed his electronics and ran for the men's room. I got out with the lantern and started running, thinking Yvonne was behind me. I stopped to check and she's still by the van with the door open.  She was saying something and I couldn't hear what it was.  I yelled "meet you in the shower room", which is for both men and women, figuring we could be together.  She finally left the van and I found out in the shower room that she couldn't get the van door open because of the wind; dumb me.  I got Jacob out of the men's room and into the same room as us. The shower room was flanked by the women's room and storage on one side, the men's room and handicapped shower on the other. I felt we were in pretty good shape. Others from the camp also came in but most stayed with their RVs. The wind kept up for another half hour before it finally settled down

We went back to the van, slogging through ankle deep water in places.  Great, wet shoes and socks. Everything was a mess, soaked with water and covered in sand from the tent area. I said we were sleeping in the van. I was the only one to get a good night's sleep, Yvonne and Jacob kept waking up because it was cold (58). I got Yvonne a blanket and Jacob already found one. I slept with a jacket as a blanket.

Wednesday we were awake at 5:30 and I went out to survey the damage.  The tent was still tethered with a bungee cord attached to a pole. It was stretched in a straight line with the folding chairs on top, with the water-logged camp stove and the aluminum table caught in a tent rope and tumble weed, which kept it from blowing away.  Everything was covered in sand; a total mess.  We set up the tent again, to dry off and get rid of some sand. We set everything up in the rising sun but it soon turned to clouds and we put it away wet.  We organized the van again and took off. I told them we'd stay in a motel that night. There was much rejoicing.

We made our way through the rest of Nebraska, Iowa and into Illinois. The low tire pressure light kept coming on in the Sienna, even after a couple of resets.  I finally looked up under the van and found a tumble weed in the left front wheel well, from the storm, I guess. I removed it and no further issue with the warning light.

We spent the night in Boonville at a renovated Holiday Inn Express. Yvonne had expressed concern (yeah, moaned up a storm is more like it) about getting a hotel in the middle of nowhere but it turned out for the best (thank you, Lord!). It was a nice room and we ate at a very nice restaurant in Boonville; salmon, tuna steak and chicken breast.  They even had Leinenkugel on tap; Summer Shandy and Sunset Wheat. Yvonne and Jacob were very happy. (W.J.'s restaurant if you're ever in Boonville, IL)

We slept late, Yvonne got up and used the exercise room for a treadmill run.  I've been very lazy all week and the pants are getting tight again. How easy it is to put it back on.  I've got a half marathon coming up in October and I need to get busy! We ate the free breakfast, which was minimal at best, but free is always good.

The rest of the trip was pretty much quiet, we were glad to see trees, hills and green grass again.  We were not happy to find the humidity so high after experiencing Portland's 20-50% range.  We pulled in about 8 PM and stopped at Kroger for some dinner.  I cooked burgers on the grill and we had some broccoli left over from the trip. Yvonne cooked the last of the potatoes that had gone from our house to Portland and back along with several of the onions.

So now Pig the elephant and we are home; what to do?  This weekend we are just catching up on the mail, bills, washing and generally learning to not live out of a suitcase again.  We have talked about the RV, working in the yard, painting and many other retirement plans, but today I'm writing this blog and enjoying a glass of bourbon.  Maybe I'll clean up the tent and other camping gear, maybe I'll have another glass of bourbon.  My son texted me from Portland, saying he just bought 2 more bottles of my favorite and wants to know when we are coming back; tempting.  Jacob starts school on Wednesday, Yvonne is leaving in a week to visit her mother for a month.  Life is good.

Fishing in Oregon

Friday and Saturday David took us fishing. On Friday we went to Hagg Lake, a small, clear lake in Washington County Oregon. We got a quick tour of the lake (10 minutes, max) then set out to catch fish.  David said we'd have sore arms by day's end, boating so many smallmouth bass.  Jacob hooked the first, about a 15" largemouth. It got tangled in the boat propeller but I could clearly see it.  It broke free and Jacob was more than a little disappointed. Next, Yvonne scored a small yellow perch; back into the lake with it.  David got a small smallmouth, then Yvonne got another perch; all were set free.

You'll notice I don't mention me. My arms and back were sore, from casting.  I got nothing, despite valiant efforts. David said sometimes the fish gods just don't smile on you and that was pretty much the case with us on Friday.

Saturday, Karen joined us and David took us down to the Columbia River to fish.  I can tell you that no matter how many pictures you take, it's a futile effort. The scenery is just breathtaking and around every bend is something even more beautiful.  The Columbia flows toward the west, but the winds blow from the east.  Even on relatively calm days, like the day we were out, whitecaps are very strong. David says once they were breaking over his windshield and into his boat, soaking him.  I think they were only about 15 mph on Saturday but they were still plenty strong.  It was extremely difficult to try and fish while the wind is blowing the boat in one direction while the current is taking you in exactly the opposite.  This is a picture of the "Bridge of the Gods" where we launched.

Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River

This trip it was David and Yvonne who caught and the rest of us were skunked.  So I'm officially "0 for Oregon" when it comes to fishing.

Sunday was our last full day in Portland. David and Karen wanted to show us downtown from the Wilamette River, which runs through downtown.  We launched at about 5 PM and went down river, looking at the construction, various bridges and vessels. We saw the submarine on display at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and an old vessel that is now someone's home on the water. I forgot my camera and used David's so you'll have to wait for some of those pictures.

New bridge construction

A rare moment, Yvonne with an adult beverage (Mike's Lemonade)

 

OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry)

We stopped in at a restaurant, tied up the boat and had dinner, riverside. It was an excellent meal, great service and then we were back on the water. Now it was dark so we slowly made our way back up river to the launch ramp.  What a way to finish off the trip; how wonderful!

Back to David's condo about 11 PM and we continued to pack for the journey back home. Thoughts of the trip kept me awake for a long time.  I finally awoke when the alarm went off at 6:30.  I started up the coffee pot, took some bags down to the Sienna and started filling the coolers with ice and food.  Yvonne looks up from the air mattress and says "What are you doing?  It's 3:30 AM!"  I had set the alarm for the right time but failed to change to Pacific time; D'oh!!! I went back to bed but awoke at 5:30 again, so only 5 hours of sleep before our very long first leg of the trip; 760 miles to Ogden, UT.

Time with the girls

Wednesday Erin and Jamie stayed with us at David's condo.  We started the day off with Grandpa's German pancakes, a kind of breakfast crepe along with Johnsonville Maple Syrup links. They had never had the pancakes before and were unsure how to eat them, but a quick lesson and they were off and eating. (They really liked them.)  Afterward, we went to an open air mall and did some shopping but most of the stores were not to their liking.  They did enjoy looking in the REI store (sporting goods on steroids) but the one they wanted to see was Abercrombie and Fitch. They had closed the store in that location and moved elsewhere.  So we came back to Dave's, had lunch and watched a couple of movies; Brave and We Bought a Zoo.

Later, when Karen got off work and David came home, we went over to Karen's for a BBQ.  We had a really nice spread; hamburgers on the grill, mac & cheese, salad, broccoli, tomatoes from Karen's patio garden, french fries and plenty of snacks.  We topped it off with red velvet cake, the girls' favorite. My wife was right (again, of course) on the desert choice. I thought they'd like monster cookies (the kind with M&Ms baked in) but she said red velvet.

Thursday the girls came over again and this time they hadn't had breakfast yet, opting for German pancakes again. When Karen woke them up and asked them if they wanted breakfast they said no, they wanted Grandpa's pancakes.  They ate double what they had on Wednesday and I showed David how to make them so he could fix them after we had left. 

This time we went to a proper mall, Washing Square.  I think it's the size of downtown Lexington.  OK, maybe not, but it's big and they had the Abercrombie stores, which made the girls very happy. Yvonne took them in while I caught a grandpa nap in a big comfy chair in the mall. They found me when they were through and laughed that I was taking a nap.

We looked for the food court for lunch but nothing appealed to any of us. Then I learned they had never been to Cheesecake Factory! Well, that was almost a sacrilege so of course, we fixed that.  They walked in and immediately found the display of cheesecakes.  We got a booth, Yvonne and I ordered lunch, they ordered cheesecake.  We had a great time watching them try to eat all of the cakes they ordered, they smiled and commented the whole time. Jamie said it looked so perfect she wasn't sure if she would eat it. (But she did.)

We went back to Dave's and chilled for a while, waiting for Karen to get off work, then went over there for pizza and beer.  Todd, the girls' father, picked them up and they are now heading for Colorado; his family's reunion.  So the girls are gone now <sniff>.  Here they are, wearing what they bought at Abercrombie's.

While we were at the mall, Jacob went over to the open air mall we had visited on Wednesday. We found Shogun Sushi & Sake when we were there and since he didn't want to go shopping with the girls (imagine that) we suggested he go over to Shogun's, which he did.  He rated it 7 out of 10 and wants to go back again, so it must be good.