2018 November Return to East Coast

  Return to East Coast CA to SC

After a few days of visiting Mary's home Mary and I get ready leave again to go East back to South Carolina then Mary will fly home. Larry and I investigated his car that a mechanic told him the camshaft was bad and discovered a loose motor mount.  Yeah, it's not to believe everything a mechanic says! 

 

1st day's travel was all driving we went through Phoenix Arizona and a Casa Grande we stopped for the night found an Elks Lodge and got propane apparently, we had run out this is the 1st time I've ever read completely run out a propane and it took 4 and a 1/2 gallons to fill the tank whoeee. 

 

First 2 days of travel there was a high headwind all the time, the Rialta handled very well but fuel consumption was great.  

 

Tuscon, short during tour of old town then over to Saguaro National Park.  Nice exhibit and driving tour of Saguaro Forest. I had visited here years before during spring when cactus was In bloom. 

Petroglyphs

 

You can see the skeleton of the saguaro cactus. Looks and acts like wood.

 

 

Catching up with Pat Jones RV friend from Natchez Trace tour) in Deming, NM we toured the Deming Museum.  

Rooms included, Old Timers Association (original settlers), doll room, Indian area, Bataan, China, art gallery, train, laundry, wagon, law office, saddles, geode, rock shop, Stetson, carriage, automobile, fire trucks, military room, Hispanic, lace and quilt, sports legends, future farmers America, bells, Czechoslovakia, oriental, photography equipment, medical instruments,   

Great museum, so much to see in such a little town.  

 

 

Stopped in Mallisa for late lunch, early dinner.  This is where I stopped before, a former stagecoach stop turned restaurant, Billy the Kid and others had been here.  Cute town square.   

 

Making miles to San Antonio for it is flat and empty.  Will not make it until late tomorrow so see how many miles can make tonight 

 Alamo 

 

 

 

 

Riverwalk

 

 

 

San Francisco house, Garyville, LA 

The twin towers each side of the house were water tanks 8,500 gallons, piped to the house, then the were no drains so buckets caught the water used and was carried out.  

Owner was a free man of color, owned 89 slaves.  Sugar plantation.  House had brick floors where when flooding occurred Scholls simply drain out.  

 

 

Interesting thing was seeing the Jars in floor used to keep dairy and eggs cool.  

 There was no indoor photography allowed so not too many pics here.

 

New Orleans French Quarter 

Daytime without drunks or too many tourists is a great time to visit.  Found parking and walked following the izi app we found in Solvang. Great tour, learned history and inelegant places.   

Burbank Street roads are under construction, and you have to cross several times to get down the street.  Mary of course found several things to purchase.  I did find a gag gift for Tanya.  I know she will be surprised... 

 

 

 

The architecture of the buildings is unchanged since I was here last, I did not see anything that hurricane Katrina left, but also, I had only visited once many years ago.  

 

Voodoo museum

 

 

Went to the cemetery and learned that you are required to have a guide to enter now??? So, we look for a place to eat before leaving New Orleans. Cajun Mike's for a classic po'boy sandwich, Tom has an adventure in the men's room when a woman steps out of the toilet stall and surprises the both of them. She apologizes and they share the sink to wash hands together, as she leaves, she says "thanks for sharing with me". 

 

More long empty road this time much greener than the Texas desert. To pass the time we listen to more audio books, seem to have difficulty in selecting ones that do not irritate. Mary is enjoying looking at the Live Oak trees with Spanish moss, Tom is getting anxious to end the trip as his mind goes to the next event of getting ready to go back to work. 

 

Savannah, GA and used the izi travel app, pretty cool to cruise the streets and listen to descriptions of the houses along the way. Parking is sometimes tough to have the time to wait for the audio to complete. I think that if I used a bicycle to do the audio tour it would be more enjoyable. Have to talk to Tanya about that and see if she would ride a bike too. 

 

There was one place where they were setting up for a movie, there was fake snow and 1920's cars on the road. No actors no signs saying what film it would be. Pretty neat to stumble upon it! 

 

Charleston, SC

 

Spending the evening catching up with Doug and his family there next day take Mary to see some of the sights around Charleston, SC.

Tuesday Tom had a little business to take care of then we went to Fort Moultrie, decent walking tour of a Fort that had served in Revolutionary, civil, WW1, WW2. This fort and Fort Sumpter played major roles in the civil, WW1, WW2 wars. Although you do not hear much about it, it was definitely good that we saw it today for tomorrow we go to Fort Sumpter.

 

All Doug's family except Doug came along to see Fort Sumpter the ferry boat ride allowed us time to sit and chat while looking at the scenery then touring the fort itself was fun.  Watching my 2 grandsons exploring the fort was especially cool to me.

 

 

 

We also did a driving tour of the haunted homes in Charleston.  Using the izi app, we drove through the streets and stopped when we came across a haunted house and the app told us all about it.  Really cool!

 

Doug's off work so we met at a Chinese buffet and off course I am overstuffed.  Going on home I realize my 3-month trip is really over. I fly back to MD tomorrow morning to spend some time with Tanya before going back to work in December. The Rialta will winter over in SC at Doug's and be there for the next trip.

I wonder where the next adventure will be? It is such fun seeing new places and after this trip of 11,985 miles and having someone along the entire way to share things with has been quite a memorable trip. This blog and many more pictures are reminders of what a great time it has been. From now on anytime I talk to Mary or Tanya we have things to remember and share all over again. Thank all of you for sharing my travels with me, hope to share more with you next year.

 

 

 

2018 November OR to Southern CA

 Oregon to Souther California

 

 

Sooner or later, something is bound to happen – blew the transmission! Amazing that after all of the heavy grades we pulled that a short heavy grade did us in. Maybe I did not check levels or temperatures enough, a few times the transmission temp got over 200 with the highest at 240 but what I am aware of this only affects the frequency of changing the fluid, ah well things happen.

Fortunately, we were in Astoria, OR and having left brother Bob’s home near Portland it could not happen at a better place. So instead of living in a hotel for 2 weeks to get transmission rebuilt we were lucky enough to have brother Bob’s hospitality for a while longer.

Occasional fishing trips, helping around the ranch, even went to the theater with Bob and Bunny! The two weeks went fairly fast, Mary and I both had a head cold to beat all head colds during this period as well. It could not have been in a better place!

So, after 2 weeks the Rialta is ready to go again, and we set off to resume our trip. Having made travel adjustments, we are skipping Olympic National Forest this time. We head south to stop in and see Mom and Bob’s fishing partner Patton then get on the Redwood Road at Grants Pass Oregon.

Camping inside a Redwood Forest is much different than we have ever done. It was DARK! The trees are so tall it blocks sunlight more than I have ever experienced before. Cool and damp it did not set too well with me.

 

 

These trees are so amazing, huge 250’ high 20-50 feet wide just awesome. After considerable miles seeing all these amazing trees it begins to be just a bit normal…. Many “Groves” we dedicated to different people, some had walking paths, we took one and it was very interesting to walk along the giant trees, we took some great pictures of us next to some of these trees and their roots.

Seaside there was a lighthouse on an island where only during low tide could you walk across to access the island. Standing near the sand to cross over we both were taking pictures and a wave came in and caught Mary! Soaking her shoes and up to her knees, she was not happy.

 

Time to move inland and visit sister Jean near Sacramento! The road inland was not too difficult, we left Eureka and cut across to I5. Ter where it joined was a billboard for a restaurant with RV parking, staying the night there we had breakfast in the restaurant to pay our dues so to speak.

Visiting Jean and catching up with family is always good. I had not seen Jena and family (Jeans daughter) since 2005 when Nita and I had traveled west in the RV. At that time Jenas oldest daughter Alaura had ridden with us to Las Vegas where Jean picked her up. We stopped in Yosemite National Park along the way, it was great reminiscing with her about how that trip was very special for the both of us.

Friday night we all got together at Jeans house to see everyone. So many voices going at the same time made it a little hard for me to hear any one person, Bob looked over at me and said “this is why we moved back here” I felt very happy for both Bob and Jean to be able to spend time with their grandkids.

Bob, Jean, Mary and I toured San Francisco on Saturday, driving down Lombardo Road the twisty winding street on a steep hillside, visiting Chinatown, Fisherman’s Warf, Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge. So much the greater to do this with family.

 

 

 

 

Leaving Jeans on Sunday we head back to the coast to resume our trip. Monterey has its own Fisherman’s Warf where I had visited in 2005. Great to be back with a different member of my family – Mary. Found a great fleece jacket with hard shell on the other side for both me and Tanya at a great price.

Tour of Winchester Mystery House. WOW an architect would go nuts here!

Continuing down the California coast and passed the Military Foreign Language school where Tanya interviewed for a job.

 

The coastal road on this stretch has a sign that says windy road next 63 miles, yes, it is very accurate, I remembered that in 2005 Nita had lain down on the floor of the RV because the road rails were not very high and sometimes not there over a cliff along the road. Beautiful scenery of the coastline with rocky beaches and the waves crashing on them, occasional beaches and once there were Elephant Sea Lions laying on the beach soaking up the sun.

 

Arriving at Mary’s home in Southern California Mary is torn between ending the trip and being home. Both Larry and Mary were both happy and sad to be back together again and the end of an adventure. She had a great time and saw so many places and people she has an adventure with her brother that she will never forget.

I also have had a great time sharing these places and people with Mary. It had never occurred to me that one of my siblings would spend this much time with me and be such a great travel companion! It has also learned how much more enjoyable traveling is when you have someone to share it with. You do not have to be married and your spouse along, there are many interesting people in the world to share experiences with.