The Amana Colonies are seven villages on 26,000 acres located in east-central Iowa. They were established by German-speaking settlers who belonged to the Community of True Inspiration (a religious group originating from Himbach, Germany in 1714).
We ate at Brau Haus and of course had schnitzel and bratwurst. It was really good but I must say, our friend’s schnitzel is better – but then she is from Stuttgart, Germany! We are spoiled!
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, we like visiting movie and television site locations – especially me! I’m a huge movie buff and love learning about the “making of films” and the actors who play in them. The original “Star Wars” was released when I was 9 years old and who can forget the “voice” of Darth Vader – the larger than life James Earl Jones. He was truly one of the most admired American actors of our lifetime.
James Earl Jones died on September 9, 2024 at the age of 93. He was a pioneer for all actors, especially black actors and one of the few people to achieve EGOT (winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards). He received many life achievement awards, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. How great it would have been to see him on the live stage! (tidbit: I saw Dustin Hoffman in “Death of a Salesman” at the Kennedy Center and fell asleep during the play. Granted I was only 16, on a trip with friends and had not slept in days…but I can’t believe I would fall asleep with James Earl Jones acting!)
JEJ was a pre-med major in college and served as an Officer in the Army during the time of the Korean war. One of the most extraordinary things about him was that he had a childhood stutter, which he overcame to become one of the most well-known voices of our time! One of my many favorite movies with JEJ is “Field of Dreams”.
So of course it was a forgone conclusion that we visit the “Field of Dreams” movie site when we stayed at Riverview Ridge Campground in Cascade, Iowa. We re-watched the movie right before we visited. I could watch that feel-good movie every year!
Dennis Miarecki Stillman came to Dyersville, Iowa in 2012 with an ambitious dream to expand and preserve the famous “Field of Dreams” movie site by creating a youth sport tournament complex – All-Star Ballpark Heaven. In Denise’s words: “Reach for your dreams, no matter what they may be. Be true to yourself. And dare to make a difference in the world.” It was her wish that all who visit may share the special feelings that many experience while standing on this sacred piece of baseball history. Legend has it that by rubbing Denise’s face on her plaque, that both you, your family and the Field of Dreams will prosper, thrive and have great fortune.
In August 2024 we stayed at Top-A-Rise Campground in Falconer, NY. We stayed in a new section of the park and they told us they were still working on it with gravel and newly planted grass. Unfortunately it was very muddy from rain, but not the campground’s fault. It will be much better with mature grass and landscaping. The owners were very friendly and welcoming. We chose this campground for it’s close proximity to Niagara – little over an hour and 1/2 away.
We took a tour on Maiden of the Mist boat and it was worth it! The roar and volume of the Falls is just awe inspiring & WET. 😉 Pro tip, take a baseball cap to wear under your poncho – it helps as G found out. He was much wetter than me in the end.
Once again, we had to pivot from our original destination. We checked into Thousand Trails Twin Mills (Howe, IN) on Sunday, September 1st, but didn’t have good enough connectivity. Since Monday was Labor Day, we were able to find another campground. You have to be flexible in our traveling lifestyle. We moved to the Elkart Co/Middlebury KOA on Monday.
We were happy to hear about Middlebury’s Fall Festival very close to the new campground and decided to go Friday after work. Great food, very friendly people and a cast iron skillet throwing contest!
After leaving my home town area in NC, we traveled to WV and stayed at Summersville Resort and Lighthouse in Nebo, WV. This campground has the only working lighthouse in WV – within view of Summersville Lake. What a beautiful campground and the owners Dave & Daphne are so nice and welcoming. We immediately felt right at home with Bill & Diane and the Nomad Kings! They invited us to dinner right away and introduced us to the Tractor Bar – so much fun the whole time we were there. We will definitely go back!
We arrived in FL January 2024 – stayed at a nice (albeit expensive) campground in Miramar Beach called Geronimo RV Park. Prime season rates are up to $120 a night but they do offer monthly rates. You pay for the proximity to beaches because they have no amenities like traditional RV parks or resorts. I was so excited to visit places that are near and dear to my heart. I was born at Eglin AFB in Fort Walton. My family moved away when I was one year old, but we vacationed in the area many times during my childhood and teenage years.
I was surprised that the Gulfarium, a Marine Adventure Park is still open in Destin. If you can picture an older, slightly run-down and much smaller SeaWorld, that’s it. We saw a very cute Sea Lion show and saw dolphins, turtles and penguins. It brought back so many great memories. We bundled up and spent some time sitting on the beach at Navarre. I have pictures of me there as a toddler and people always wonder how I’m in snow with summer clothes on – well that white is not snow, it’s sand. They call it “sugar sand” and it’s primarily composed of nearly pure quartz crystals that were carried from the Appalachian Mountains by rivers and ocean over thousands of years. The only time you’ll see real waves is in stormy weather (or colder months), it being the Gulf. Normally it’s very calm and clear water, almost like a pool. I did put my feet in the water but that was it. You know it’s cold when G is wearing a hoodie! We also walked on the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier – built in 1963 / destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan / rebuilt in 2010. It is the longest fishing pier in the Gulf of Mexico. We had some of the best fish in a long time at the Back Porch and Pompano Joes – restaurants by the Gulf with great views.
After Florida we went to Biloxi, MS. We stayed at Majestic Oaks right beside Keesler AFB. This was our first time hearing 6am Reveille / 5pm Retreat / and Taps at 9pm. You get used to it after a day or two, but bugles at 6am…hard to sleep through that but I guess that’s the point on a military base. LOL Loved the lighthouse in the middle of the road in Biloxi! Enjoyed traveling to Louisiana through areas you can’t pronounce like Atchafalaya! In LA, we stayed at a great Harvest Host – Wild Cat Brothers Distilling. Loved the beautiful peacocks they have roaming around there.
We were back in Texas at the end of January – March. Lots of new things for us! New truck due to issues with our older one. We were a “Ford” family, now we’re a “GMC” family. I like the newer one better although it doesn’t massage your bum like the Ford! But the new truck has a much better turning radius and fuel mileage. We tried Boudin balls for the first time (I loved them) and we almost bought an RV site in the Hill Country. Our thought was to rent it out when we weren’t using it…but the developing company had some issues with the town and or/county. So, it didn’t work out.
At the end of March we were in Vidalia, LA, right on the banks of the Mississippi River. Loved watching the barges travel the river and our neighbors had 4 / FOUR Doxies! Can’t imagine – but I loved watching them from my office windows! We stayed at Riverview RV Park.
In April, while in Vidalia, we visited Natchez, MS (right across the river). We would highly recommend the Pilgrimage Tours in Natchez! We visited Stanton Hall. Disneyland designed The Haunted Mansion after this beauty and the interior was used in the North and South mini series. Our guide was wonderful and full of fascinating history tidbits. We tried to visit Monmouth Inn the weekend before, but couldn’t due to a wedding there – what a wedding venue that would be!
We chose to shelter in a hotel for two nights while in Vidalia due to nearby tornadoes. Storms passed about 20 miles north and south of us, but better to be safe than sorry. Bonus, nice to have breakfast made for you for a couple of days, so all good!
Next stop was Arley, AL and another Thousand Trails – Hidden Cove. If you ever wonder where the middle of no where is, it’s in Arley, AL. Be prepared to drive a ways for any amenities. They did have a nice hot tub, which is always a plus and I put my kayak in at the lake there – Lewis Smith Lake. Very nice deck in a cove. The only other site-seeing we did was a covered bridge in Cullman. But it was very cool with the old water mill.
In May we stayed at Sasquatch Farm RV Park, in South Pittsburg, TN, another private campground. Pro-tip: make sure you call and ask which direction to come up the mountain. Unless you are close to an expert driver, you don’t want to come the shorter route. On the way up we had to cross the center line with our 45 foot toy hauler in one of the tightest turns I’ve ever been on. And I’ve been on tight mountain roads in NC all my life! You can’t see what’s coming around the curve. The office told us the fire dept has been called a few times to rescue people on that curve that have ran off the road! This campground had live music on the weekend and an area with nice seating and multiple campfires for your enjoyment. Very nice! And don’t miss the Lodge Museum in town – lots of fun and interesting history. We would also recommend having a meal at Top of the Rock in Jasper, TN. Great food and great views from their deck.
The most memorable part of our stay in TN, on May 10th, was seeing a little of the Northern Lights! We thought we would have to visit Alaska or somewhere else to see them. We were on top of a mountain and there was not a lot of outside lighting so it was awesome! We saw lots of color – can’t imagine how the Northern Lights are when it looks like the sky is moving like waves! Definitely on our bucket list!
From Tennessee, we made our way to the NC mountains and stayed at Town Mountain Travel Park, in Hendersonville, NC. Mike, the host was awesome and we had a camp-wide cookout for Memorial weekend. We met some really great people, including Eric and Kim, who we hope to see down the road. We visited Randy, Garland’s brother and went to Hot Springs, NC with him and Kimberly. Always great to visit!
It was here we lost our beloved little Orso – the Alpha of the pack, even though he was the smallest. Forever in our hearts. May 29, 2024 was a hard day. Orso means “Bear” in Italian and it fit him so well.
Garland and I finally went to Dupont State Forest in NC. Even though we are both from NC, we had never been. Definitely recommend hiking to Hooker Falls (very easy hike) and Triple Falls (up a VERY steep trail) but worth it! This trail made me realize we need hiking polls. Always thought it was just “older” people who used them but on the Triple Falls hike we saw some hikers younger than us using them. And in the Summer, I would recommend taking your suit to swim at Hooker Falls. The movie “The Last of the Mohicans” was filmed there.
June found us back in our hometown area of Fuquay Varina. We stayed at Healing Green Farms in Willow Spring, NC and also parked in front of our friends house while they were in Germany. Our first “Faux” kid Nathan (our best friends’ son) graduated from High School and we had a big celebration for him. So proud! Then I took the whole family to the airport for their Germany trip. It was nice being in a house during this HOT time – always tricky keeping a camper (of any size) cool during hot and humid NC weather. Family and “Framily” are the only reasons we will be in the South during Summer months…we were supposed to be chasing 70!
We traveled to the Gastonia, NC area after this for my family’s reunion in July. Also got to celebrate my bestie, Les on her birthday since she was back home too. If you’re ever in the Gastonia or even Charlotte area, be kind to yourself and eat at RO’s Barbeque (order the minced sandwich) and go to Tony’s Ice Cream for the best milkshake of your life! Both places are legendary in that area and I was in heaven going to both while we were there! My parents met in the parking lot of Tony’s so it’s very special to me. And two of my Uncles worked at RO’s as teenagers. 🙂
At the end of August we took a whale watching boat tour out of New Hampshire. First time for both of us seeing whales in person. So amazing! We saw both humpback and minke whales, with some babies alongside their moms. We got some really good photos of their tails, which is how they monitor whales and their movements. We even went to the website and looked up some, to see where they travel to during the different seasons. In New Hampshire we stayed at a Thousand Trails called Pine Acres. We DID NOT enjoy all the pine sap from the trees. Do you know how hard that is to get off your truck and rig?
Before moving on to Northern Maine, we spent a few weeks at one or our favorite Thousand Trails, which is Moody Beach in Wells, Maine. This was our second time here and just can’t get enough of that area: Wells, Maine and Ogunquit, Maine. We also love the Portland area and Kennebunkport.
In September of 2023 Garland and I visited one of our “New” favorite National Parks, Acadia in Maine. Like our Head-Out-Program at the Rose Bowl Parade (at the end of 2022), we took another tour with Escapees in Trenton, Maine. It was called “Leaves and Lobsta!” And wow – was it worth it! Plus, we got to catch up with friends from the road – always a PLUS. We took a boat tour of the “unbridged” islands in Maine, including Little Cranberry Island, where everything is brought in by boat. During low tide is the only time you can reach Cranberry from Baker Island, other than that even the mail is brought by boat. Not many people could live that isolated lifestyle, but it is gorgeous. It’s a conscious choice to live in a small community cut off from the mainland, where the pace of life slows in the winter and there is time to create, reflect and enjoy the natural world. When we pulled up to the dock they were decorating for a wedding at the restaurant there. The small church on the island has stained glass made from sea glass.
On the boat tour, we saw Bear Island and Baker Island Lighthouses. We watched a bald eagle in the trees and then it took flight, in the Somes Sound in Acadia.
I definitely want to spend more time at Cadillac Mountain, the next time we go to Acadia. Just an awesome sight and the huge boulders feel almost sacred with such sweeping views. We visited the Wild Gardens of Acadia and were treated to some beautiful Fall colors. Thunder Hole was an impressive sight with the loud sea sounds sounding like thunder!
Our whale watching boat tour with the group was cancelled due to fog, so this is something we have to look forward to next time! And we will definitely go back to this area!
Then for the opposite of all the wonderful nature, we spent some time eating, shopping and exploring Bar Harbor. One night Escapees treated us to a Lobster dinner and we learned the best way to enjoy lobster is with using “kitchen” shears. So much easier than cracking the shells the hard way. And we learned the smaller lobsters, around 1lb of weight are sweeter than the larger ones. Garland really didn’t like lobster that much until this trip – now he’s a fan!
After Maine, we stayed in PA and VA, making our way to NC to spend Thanksgiving with G’s family. This was the first time all 4 of the Johnston kids were together since their Mom passed in 2021. And we visited with the extended family also – great time! While in the Greenville area, we visited Tryon Palace, which was a treat for me since I had never been there. The whole area around Washington, NC was so pretty being decorated for Christmas.
We then spent some time in the Raleigh, NC area visiting our extended family or as we call each other, “Framily”. Got to attend Nathan’s last high school football banquet and our “Framily” Christmas party and of course celebrate G and GE’s December Birthdays! For the end of December, we were in the Charlotte area to visit old friends and my family. We also got to ride through McAdenville, NC (Christmas Town USA), which was always a tradition in my family.
The last couple days of the year, we made our way to Florida – next stop Miramar Beach, FL for the first time.
We stayed at Thousand Trails Roundout Valley, in Accord, NY for two weeks. We had a spacious site in front of the pool. When we arrived they told us July was their busiest time of year – with “Christmas in July” and all the kiddos out of school. After the first week, many left and I was able so spend a relaxing lunch hour at the pool. We have stayed at a couple of campgrounds that had “adult” pools, which is always nice. And they had a big inflatable bouncy thing here – for the kids…which I tried out too! 🙂 No pics from that!
So, sometime things just don’t work out – no matter how much preparation you put into it. We planned to visit the Vanderbilt Mansion in nearby Hyde Park, but we sat in traffic for about an hour and 1/2 and when we arrived all tickets for tours were sold out. I was very disappointed having visited Biltmore (the Vanderbilt’s country estate) in Asheville, NC many times. So…we decided to go down the road to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home and take a tour there. On the website they listed a later tour, but when we arrived were told there were no more that day. I guess there were just a lot of people from NYC escaping to the mountains that day – can’t blame them! But it was a beautiful day and a nice drive – when not sitting in traffic.
Our next stop for 2 weeks was a private (not Thousand Trails) campground in Clinton, CT called Riverdale Farm. It was a great location to visit historic towns and beaches.
Before visiting Connecticut, we watched a documentary on Katharine Hepburn, who has always been a favorite of mine. Two of my all-time favorite movies are “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” with Spencer Tracy playing Kate’s husband and “On Golden Pond”. I have watched “Guess…” so many times I can recite Christina Drayton’s (Kate’s character) speech when she dismisses “Hilary” because of her narrow views.
Spencer Tracy and Kate were together for 26 years and he passed away just 17 days after shooting his scenes for “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. Kate never saw the completed firm, saying it was too painful for her. For the most part they kept separate residences, but Kate said they spent the last two years of his life, “living a quiet life”, reading, painting and listening to music. Out of consideration for Tracy’s family, Kate did not attend his funeral. It may be hard to understand their relationship and that of Spencer’s with his wife, who did not want a divorce (and that he reportedly had another affair during the time with Kate), but Spencer and Kate’s love was apparent. After learning so much more about their long relationship, their scenes together in “Guess” have new meaning.
Katharine Hepburn was a very private person and not typical Hollywood. She is remembered for her headstrong independence, her spirited personality and for not conforming to society’s expectations of women. Our guide at the Kate Museum had lived in Old Saybrook all her life and remembers seeing Katharine in local stores, playing tennis and riding her bike down the street – how cool! Love seeing the exhibits of her clothing (her beloved pants) and some of her writing at the “Kate.” I was in heaven!
During our stay at Thousand Trails Chesapeake Bay (Gloucester, VA) – we visited Yorktown (the battlefield and visitor’s center) and waterfront Yorktown…it was so HOT! We forgot how hot and humid it is in the Southeast! And had my first blue crabs!
Next, we stayed at a Thousand Trails in Lebanon – very close to Hershey (that sweet town!)
We highly recommend the Hershey Story Museum – lots of information on how Milton & Catherine “Kitty” Hershey formed the town with tree-lined streets, handsome homes, inexpensive public transportation and first-rate public schools. He opened what is now known as Hershey Park (for the recreation of his employees and families) and the nations largest private zoo.
Catherine “Kitty’ Hershey was a force to be reckoned with! She was a working-class girl from western New York and met a rich Lancaster, PA businessman fourteen years older than her at the turn of the 20th century. They fell in love (had a year long courtship), got married (at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC in 1898) and moved to the farmlands of central Pennsylvania. As his company became world-famous, just three years after their marriage, Kitty showed her first signs of the debilitating muscular disease, that would eventually leave her paralyzed.
During her illness Kitty never stopped living life to the fullest. She never let her illness stop her from what she considered her responsibilities and she supervised the construction and landscaping of their new home in Hershey. Their home was not ostentatious and definitely did not reflect millionaire taste of the time.
A friend remembered: “She suffered from a kind of creeping paralysis, but she was very plucky and never made you feel uncomfortable about it. She loved to go and to dress. She loved gaiety and she never complained about her illness.”
Kitty and Milton were at Atlantic City in March 1915, when he was called away on business. Kitty made arrangements to return to Hershey, with a nurse driving her back in a convertible. The numbness in her limbs made Kitty oblivious to the heat and cold, and she insisted on driving with the top down. Her health deteriorated with every mile and by the time they made it to Philadelphia, she was checked into a hospital with pneumonia. Milton hurried to Philadelphia, arriving that same afternoon. After greeting him, Kitty requested a glass of champagne which her husband went personally to get for her. By the time he returned to her room, she had died. He had not realized the extent of her illness. True to form, Kitty had known how ill she was, but had not told anyone, not even Milton. She didn’t want to make a fuss.
Kitty was described as a beautiful woman, graceful and elegant with a bubbly and happy personality. Milton Hershey never remarried. He spent the next thirty years expanding his company and the Milton Hershey School, which he always said was “Kitty’s idea”. I did not know about Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney Hersey before this trip – what a great but short 44 years she lived! And what a legacy!
(this above information is from the Hershey Community Archives)
After being gone for so long, it was great to be back on the East Coast! No matter what time zone we’re in, I work East Coast time – so not getting up at 5am is a treat! And NC will always be “home” no matter where we roam. While in Fletcher, NC we visited with family and G and his brother added new batteries and Victron components to our 5th wheel.
We stayed a few days at Lake Norman, NC. We lived in Denver, NC when we were first married, very close to this campground, so always nice to go there.
On to the Raleigh area for my work and needed appointments. Oh…and to fly to Newark for a CRUISE to Canada! (our first time in Canada – we will definitely go back)
We went on a cruise with YouTubers, “Today is Someday” (Phil & Stacy). We started watching their videos (along with others) before going full time. They were all our inspirations for this lifestyle we love! We had about 100 people in our group, so it was a blast!
In between TX and TN, we spent a few weeks with dear friends, whom we met in South Dakota in 2021! As I’ve said before, one of the best parts and most rewarding about traveling is the people you meet and Dwaine & Eldora are just the perfect example. They made a detour last year and had dinner with us in Montana and we finally worked out a time to visit them in OK. We enjoyed all our time with them, exploring the area, learning about OK and meeting some of their friends!
After we left Las Vegas we headed back to one of our favorite campgrounds, Thousand Trails Verde Valley in Cottonwood, AZ. A great location, close to Sedona. The largest RV sites we’ve seen in over 2 years on the road and we finally visited Alcantara Winery right next door – don’t miss it!
Our last stop before getting back to NC was Tennessee. I didn’t know we were heading to part of “tornado alley” but we did. We stayed at Thousand Trails Natchez Trace. Huge campground! The parkway right outside the campground was really pretty – nice to see so much forest and greenery. This is where Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition died and was buried.
This was Garland’s first time in Las Vegas and I had not been since the 90s. We saw a couple of great shows, ate really good food, more food, took in the lights AND weird spectacles and a visit to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.
In the middle of January we headed to Lake Havasu, AZ for the Xscapers Annual BASH. Xscapers is a group, under Escapees, geared more toward working-age RVers and many who travel with children. The Annual BASH is their largest event and is a week-long party, with tons of events for everyone. They have fitness classes, RV seminars, events for kids…but the nighttime is when the real fun begins. Themed nights with live music (the bands were awesome), a lip sync battle and the lot crawl was epic. The Xscapers Olympics was a blast – think bouncy castles for adults! I found I’m really good at flipping a solo cup! The common theme at this event is Work hard – Play hard! We took a few days off that week – just too much happening to work!
We spent the 2022 Christmas holiday in a little town called Coalinga, CA, in the San Joaquin Valley. It was formerly known as Coaling Station A. If you have been there I’m sure you’re wondering why we stayed there! Pretty much the only things in Coalinga are pistachio and orange orchards, cows and a State Prison. Oh and starting around November until Spring, they have what’s called Tule fog. The fog is different in this area, if you look up in the sky you don’t see it, it hangs low to the ground. Can’t imaging dealing with that every year for many months. This was just a good distance for us to stop and work, on our way to the Rose Bowl Parade further south!
We put up Christmas lights on the pup fence outside and that made me happy! And I have small decorations for inside the 5th wheel. We had ham biscuits for Christmas eve – a family tradition and G smoked a prime rack of ribs for Christmas day. Like I said before, keep as many of your traditions that you can, even on the road. Also a funny tradition I keep is Sociable crackers with can-spray (yes I said can) cheese. I have many memories of having this at my Mom’s house and fighting over the “fake” cheese and crackers with my cousin Jonathan. 🙂
As I’ve mentioned before, we are members of Escapees RV Club and for the last week in December and New Year’s we attended our first HOP (Head Out Program) with this group. We stayed in Santa Clarita, CA and attended the Rose Bowl Parade and events, mostly held in Pasadena, CA. We loved the Santa Clarita / Castaic area. I grew up watching the parade with my Mom, so this was very special for me. Garland had a ball helping decorate the floats – he worked on the Blue Diamond Almond float. (I was working that day so I didn’t have to be at the bus at o’Dark:30 in the am to drive to Pasadena!) They start designing the floats in February – 10 months ahead of the actual flower decorating part. Every single float is decorated in purely organic material – flowers, seeds, rice, coffee beans, etc. Just amazing! Such detail work all done by volunteers.
I went to the Rose Bowl EquestFest. All the horses and riders participating in the parade put on a show at the LA Equestrian Center. It was FANTASTIC! I could watch horses all day! Bonus, I got to see the field where the polo scene in Pretty Woman was filmed!
We had catered dinners every night but New Year’s Eve was of course more of a party. AND we always have a great time celebrating our Anniversary (on January 1st) on New Year’s Eve! Garland says the reason he wanted to get married on New Year’s day is: #1 he’ll never forget the date and #2 everyone helps us celebrate and ring in our special day!
On our Anniversary we drove to the Santa Monica pier. I really wanted to go onto the pier but didn’t realize the amount of people who would be there on New Year’s day! Wow, was it crowded – too crowded with 3 dogs! I definitely want to go back someday as this is the end of Route 66 and it’s just a really cool landmark – not to mention a lot of movies and TV shows have been filmed there. But…we settled for walking on the beach with a view of the pier. It was raining that day, but the pups didn’t care – they love the beach. We also drove to the Griffith Observatory, but once again, it was too crowded. We couldn’t even find a parking spot – doesn’t help when you have such a HUGE truck. Funny, not long ago I mentioned that the Observatory was where Adelle had her television concert, which we loved. G said if he had known that was the place, we would have tried harder to find parking. Go figure! 🙂
The Rose Bowl Parade was held on January 2 this year since the first was on a Sunday. We left the campground VERY early to get parked before 6:30am with the parade starting at 11am. As part of our group package we had VIP seats for the parade and they were awesome and of course we ate some donuts while waiting on the parade to start. Tip: don’t forget to bring a blanket – its rather chilly in the morning. The parade is something I never thought I would see live and it did not disappoint! Loved seeing the floats, bands and horses come down the street in all their glory, especially the float G worked on.
After the Oregon coast, we headed to Mt. Hood, OR, staying at Mt. Hood Village RV Resort – would highly recommend it. They have a lovely restaurant and we even played some ping pong. Sites here were nicely spaced apart and they have yurts in the more wooded area, if you prefer that style of “glamping”. We also camped right beside a friend who we saw in Seaside – enjoying a meal and drinks together.
We of course went to a few really good restaurants in the area (and found our new favorite “Mexican Cabbage salsa”). We even had dinner with a friend from home – Rick, who played in a bluegrass band with Garland. Rick was visiting and we took advantage – always great to catch up. This was at one of our favorite chain restaurants – Black Bear Diner. There are no Waffle Houses in this part of the country, so Black Bear is our elevated Waffle House go to. 🙂
We drove up to Mt. Hood and it’s just beautiful. I should have tried skiing again, but another time. Mt. Hood is one of the only places you can ski all year long.
We left the Mt. Hood area and went inland to La Pine, OR. We were escaping the rainy weather and did not know we were moving into SNOW. Obviously needed to go further inland! Week one, we had 4 inches and week two, we had 5 inches. This may not seem a lot for you more Northern people, but to us Southerners, it’s a lot….especially living in a 5th wheel. When purchasing some newer campers, they will tell you it’s made for 4-Season living. Not really. Thank goodness for the fire place beside my desk and we definitely went through some propane keeping the underbelly of our rig warm. This is when you’re happy to have full hook-ups with 50amp power, to be able to use electric heaters if needed. Also, we would recommend tank heaters.
FIRST time in California for this NC girl! Crossed into CA at the Siskiyou County line. Not long after crossing into CA Garland and I both agree, we saw the most amazing, awe inspiring sight we’ve seen in our travels so far. It was a very overcast day with lots of darkish clouds – not very pretty. I was taking pictures of some burnt areas beside the highway and of tumbleweeds. In front of us, without warning, a diamond shaped mountain covered in snow and ice just appeared out of the clouds. Since we were not expecting this, we were speechless. I think we said “WOW” quite a few times!
Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range at an elevation of 14,179 feet – not even the tallest in CA but so impressive! Native Americans believe in the mountain’s sanctity. They think of it as being the center of the universe and legend has it some believe it to be on the most sacred site and is the home of the Creator. The mountain flanks the territories of various American tribes.
We stayed in Yreka, CA and then Oroville, CA. Had a great Thanksgiving dinner for two with smoked turkey and traditional sides and then G tried out his new drone at Lake Oroville State Recreation area. There are a lot of places you can’t fly a drone – like National parks and lots of restricted air space so this was a great location for him to practice. Plus, it was a gorgeous November day!
Tip for new full-time RVers – make time to keep up your holiday traditions, even if they’re scaled down. While you will miss your family and friend’s back home, this life is so rewarding and probably a once-in-a lifetime opportunity.
The last weekend in November, we visited Bidwell Mansion State Historic park, in Chico, CA. This was the home of General John Bidwell (who founded the town of Chico) and Annie Bidwell from the late 1868 until 1918. When constructed, Bidwell Mansion featured modern plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. You can see the bell system in the kitchen – kind of like the system they used in Downton Abbey – for the upper floor occupants to notify staff of services needed – like tea, dressing help, etc. The tour was great and it’s a treat getting to see into that kind of life. They have actual photos of parties where the house was decorated in flowers and also a typical dinner menu – just amazing! Hard to believe they ate that much – very decadent!
They had some of the actual carriages used during the Bidwell’s lifetime and a massive Ginkgo biloba tree. Loved the unusual shaped leaves of this colorful tree.
On the top of my bucket list was going to the Oregon Coast. Growing up in the Southeast, I’m very familiar with a certain style of beach – like NC/SC and even Florida – with sand dunes and flowing grasses. I traveled to Gloucester, Massachusetts in 2009 and fell in love with the rocky terrain at the beaches there….so I knew I would love the Pacific Coast. Plus, I’m a huge movie geek, so visiting film locations is always a kick!
Cannon Beach in Seaside is a huge expanse of a beach and beautiful, even on overcast/rainy days. Some movies filmed at or around the “Haystacks” are “The Goonies”, “Twilight” and “Point Break”.
Seaside, OR was a place of firsts for both of us: -first time dipping our toes into the Pacific, -first time being in a campground with a Tsunami Evacuation plan and last but not least -first time driving our truck on the beach! I even did this one day when I was exploring by myself…Garland was not too happy when I told him after…guess I can’t blame him considering I couldn’t figure out how to turn on 4-wheel drive AND I admitted it. But I made it off the beach unscathed. 🙂
We stayed at Seaside Thousand Trails and when you arrive they give you a two page pamphlet with important Tsunami information and our site was directly across from the evacuation trail – which you have to walk – no vehicles allowed. One thing I would recommend is they should list (on the pamphlet) that the first Wednesday of the month (at Noon) the town of Seaside tests their Tsunami warning siren. Talk about giving me a heart-attack…until I released what it was!
We had dinner a couple of times with a co-worker of Garland’s (Mike) and were very grateful for his knowledge of the area. Enjoyed restaurants in Seaside near the merry-go-round and also the Sandrap Bar & Grill beside the beach. On our traveling weekend before this campground, we met a really nice couple at a Harvest Host, who we now call friends and had dinner with them also. Chris & John introduced us to Camp 18 Restaurant – “A Dining & Logging Experience”. Would definitely recommend! We also ran into a couple we met in Quincy, WA (at the hot tub there) (Julie & Gary) and joined them in the hot tub one evening in Seaside. This campground also has an indoor pool, which is great for families. You realize how small the world is – meeting up with new and old friends on the road.
We spent a day exploring Astoria and the nearby Cape Disappointment State Park (which is actually in WA). First we had lunch at a local restaurant (can’t fool anyone- trying local restaurants is one of our favorite things especially when there’s fresh seafood!), then we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and both loved it. Definitely worth the time.
We drove around Astoria to see some of the “Goonies” filming locations – the county jail where they have the black jeep seen in the movie and the Flavel House. Plus, Astoria is just a really cute town.
After going over the metal bridge (back into WA), we hiked one of the prettiest trails I’ve ever been on – in Cape Disappointment State Park. The massive trees, all the moss and magical light – transports you to another place. And the views of Long Beach at the lookout will take your breath away. We went to Waikiki Beach and had a view of the lighthouse there. Next went to the Benson Beach trail – don’t miss this one! We were the only ones on the trail and then were afforded the most magnificent sunset – on a practically deserted beach. Just magical – although a little chilly on the beach.
Seaside will definitely be someplace we visit again and again. Still need to ride our eBikes on Cannon Beach. 🙂
We have utilized Harvest Host a lot this past year, since we have a 5th wheel that’s has more boondocking capabilities. You have to be self contained to stay with HH. Mostly wineries, breweries and farms with some golf courses and other businesses sprinkled in. They just ask you spend $20 with the host business. Such a hard thing – tasting some wine and or having a good meal. 🙂
We stayed at a farm in Bonners Ferry, Idaho – beautiful country! Would definitely go back to Idaho to see more.
Next stop was Colbert, WA – close to Spokane. We liked this area and the campground was adorable with a pick-your-own veggie garden. We would recommend visiting High Country Orchard, nearby for lunch and Frank’s Diner (an old railway dining car) in Spokane for breakfast/brunch!
We went to Riverfront park in Spokane – what a beautiful day and lots of things to see there. Many families and people with their dogs, enjoying the day.
Our next stop was Crescent Bar RV Resort on the Columbia River Gorge, in Quincy, WA. We absolutely loved this park. We love hearing and seeing the fighter jets that use the gorge as a training ground. Nothing like the sound of freedom! And our camp site didn’t hurt either – just mere steps from a hot tub. And like normal we made new friends there.
From Crescent Bar, we took a day trip to Leavenworth, WA. A Bavarian-styled village in the Cascade Mountains. Loved all the Alpine-style buildings with German restaurants and tasting rooms. Would absolutely love to go back during the holidays and when they have snow!
I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t think you can spend any time in or around Glacier National Park and not be awed by the beauty and wonder of our great land. To me, it’s simply God’s country and we have the pleasure of visiting for a while. Garland had this on his bucket list even before we went full time and it did not disappoint. This was also another place we had friends come and visit, which is always a BONUS!
We stayed at a campground over looking Saint Mary’s lake in Babb and ate at St. Mary’s restaurant a few times. Take time to look around at all the history at the restaurant. We drove to the Many Glacier Hotel on Swiftcurrent Lake. Absolutely gorgeous “Swiss” style hotel with awe-inspiring majesty outside and a magnificent towering lobby.
We visited Running Eagle falls. During the wet season it’s a double waterfall with water coming from above and from inside the mountain. We only saw the single but a great short hike.
We took two tours during the week with Roger and Corina – the Red Bus tour and the boat tour on Many Glacier lake and Lake McDonald. There is a bit of walking in between the two lakes, so just be prepared or you can just do one of the boat tours. Would very much commend both! You learn so much about the park on both the Red Bus and Boat tours. We also had great meals at both Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald – would recommend both. And always try the “Huckleberry” desserts and drinks. 🙂
If the only thing you do in Glacier is driving the Going to the Sun road, you won’t be disappointed. Luckily Roger rented a truck (smaller than our dually) so we were able to to drive this gorgeous road a few times – maximum length is 21 feet. Tip – if you have a reservation for a tour or dinning in the park, you can access the Going to the Sun road or you’ll need to purchase an entrance time.
