Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in your Hair

Ah, the smell of the ocean greets us as the fog rolls over the Baybridge into San Francisco.  This picturesque scene welcomed us into the city by the bay.  It's everything I have ever heard it to be....and more!  Upon my friend Jon's recommendation, we secured a RV site on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

 This is a premium site, and as our luck would have it, someone cancelled just hours prior and now it's ours!  This is the luck that Guy and I have on these adventures....it really is incredible.  God is guiding our path!  We arrived late in the day, set up the RV and then just absorbed the view that lay before us as the sun left the sky.  Rising early with excitement, we rented a car and began to explore the city.  First stop....the majestic Golden Gate Bridge  We found a spot from which to enjoy an incredible view that not many know about....however, the fog rolled in and all we  could see was white.  So, we moved on but will return.  We found our way to Pier 39...the tourist trap.

  With camera in hand, I fit the bill.  We walked the boardwalk and took in all the sights.  Had lunch at Neptunes overlooking the water and Alcatraz.  Seal lions frolicked in the water below!   With our bellies full, we jumped in the car and headed straight to The Haight-Ashbury district.  I tried to imagine what these streets were like during the 60's and the "Summer of Love". 

 The place remains eclectic and we enjoyed our stroll up and down the street as we "people watched" the residents, viewed a medicinal marjuana shop along with the many "head" shops in the area. Music lined the streets with the many preformers trying to make their way.

  We also visited the former homes of Grateful Dead, Jeffferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.  For me this was truly an experience as I am a hippie at heart......for Guy, he went along for the ride, but I think he enjoyed the experience none-the-less. We hopped back in the car and began to explore the streets of San Francisco.  We stumbled upon "The Painted Ladies"  A row of victorian homes beautifully cared for and a landmark of this city. 

 We also visited Lombard Street, the most crooked street in America. With it's series of sharp turns, we were thankful to be in a car as the RV would not be able to maneuver the curves.  The views of the city from atop were spectacular.  We continued to explore a bit more before heading back to home base to feed the dogs and stroll the beach. 

 The dogs thoroughly enjoy themselves as they played tug of war with the kelp that littered the beach.  Hungry ourselves, we washed up and headed to The Cliff House for dinner.  Definately an icon in San Fran.  We dined on the waters edge as we watched the California sunset....spectacular!  Back at the RV and exhausted from the days activities, we drifted off to sleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

The Blue Water of Lake Tahoe

Serene, inspiring, azure, peaceful and breathtaking all describe the beauty of Lake Tahoe. It was quite a change to see the lush landscape and cooler temps in comparison to the desert we had just left. The air was crisp and clean and the slight breeze welcomed us. The lake has a circumference of 72 miles and reaches 1600 feet deep. It holds enough water to cover the entire state of California at a 14" depth! Many activities surround the lake including boating, parasailing, dinner cruises and even surfing on a windy day. None were an option for me as the water temp is in the 60's....brrrr.  Our first night we stayed in Nevada at a dog friendly campground right on the water. Miles of bike trails meander through the area and we were quick to hop on our bikes to explore. The campground and surrounding area was almost a casino and a portion of the land had been cleared years ago to prepare for construction. However, the state of Nevada bought the land and protected it as conservation land. After enjoying our bike ride, we had our first campfire of the trip and enjoyed BBQ chicken Guy made on the grill. Yummy! We spent three nights in Tahoe, each at different campgrounds allowing us to get a real "feel" of the area. On our third day we took a beautiful hike to Cascade Falls.

  The trail hugged the mountain edge and afforded fantastic views of the lake the falls were not at their best, yet still beautiful. I suppose a hike in the spring with winter's melt would give an entirely different water flow. None the less, we enjoyed the surroundings offered. Getting close to dinner time, we ventured to the West shore of the lake and stumbled upon a majestic Inn and restaurant right on the water's edge. We dined on salmon and tuna as we enjoyed the million dollar view. My eyes swelled with the beauty in front of us.  Leaving with a full stomach and content disposition, we hopped on our bikes and began to explore the area a little closer. First stop was the mansion where The Godfather Part 2 was filmed. Of course, we could not enter beyond the massive gold gate, but it was fun to peer in wherever we could get a glimpse. We continued along the bike trail and veered off every now and then to view the gorgeous real estate. We came across a quaint little cabin with modest surroundings for sale. Price tag, $6.5 million!!!

  With dusk approaching, we headed back to the RV and to our campsite near Inspiration Point. There are only 15 sites at the small campground, so we felt fortunate to reserve a space. In complete desolation, we enjoyed the peaceful night. In the morning, after walking the dogs, who by the way, have been the most fantastic travel companions, we headed down the street to Vikingsholm Castle. A one mile walk down a switchback trail brings you to the entrance of Emerald Bay where the water is just that. The castle built in the late 1920's resembles scandinavian churches, peasant homes and other similar structures.

                                                                                 
  Wild flowers grow on the roof in some areas resembling a countryside cottage. We took a tour before heading back up the trail with a side detour to Eagle Falls. Again, the water was not flowing at capacity. Back in the RV, we stopped for a quick bite then said our good-byes to beautiful Lake Tahoe as we headed west to the state Capitol of Sacremento. We take with us beautiful memories.

Heavenly Ski Resort and Squaw Valley

Today was certainly a full day, starting at 7:00 and ending at 10:00.  But, that's the way we like it.  Try to get in as much as we can.  We began the day by going back to Nevada Beach, the dog friendly beach.  Here Jubilee "rehabed" her knee by swimming and Cashmere took her first plunge in the water!  Zeppelin wanted no part of the waves and rough water.  The dogs ran the beach and certainly got their daily exercise.

We then took a very short drive to Heavenly Ski Resort where we boarded a gondola which took us up to the summit.  The twenty minute ride surrounded us with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe as we climbed close to 10,000 feet.  Once on top, we hiked to the different views available before jumping on a chair lift which took us up an additional 600 feet higher.

 The air was thin and we exhausted easily with hiking.  The sky was a deep blue and the sun warmed our skin.  At this point, I realized why this is named Heavenly....for it truely is! 

  With all the hiking, we certainly worked up quite an appetite and stopped in the village for lunch after taking the 20 minute gondola ride back down.
Back in the RV, we took the scenic route around the 79 mile lake which took us up some hairpin turns with steep drops off the mountainside.  Not for the faint of heart and I had to succumb to a glass of wine.  Definately a nail biting experience, but Guy navigated with confidence.  The drive was well worth it, as there were spectacular views of the lake.  We also enjoyed gawking at the beautiful realestate of the rich and famous.  Ah, to be so lucky to live in paradise.

About half way up the east side of the lake, we took a   short detour to Squaw Valley, home of the 1960 Olympics.  It was an interesting stroll back in time through Olympic Village and the athlete housing which is now apartments and condos.  A cable car that summits the mountain was not an option for me as it was at least 1000 feet above ground.

It was a lovely visit and we certainly want to return to this area in the winter for some skiing and winter activities.  We continued our drive along the lake enjoying the view and returning to Nevada before heading back to California where we secured another beautiful campsite right on the water and fell quickly into slumber listening to the waves lap along the shoreline.

Moab Utah and Miles of Desert

Our plan was to drive straight through to Nevada but after seeing a sign "Moab 30 miles" we sidetracked into the quaint little town.   We had wanted to visit this area on our last trip out west, but geographically it was out of the way. We were grateful for this second chance to explore the Southwest beauty of Moab and the Arches.
  We secured a RV site right at the base of Arches National Park without any difficulty and stood in awe as we watched the sun lower itself behind the massive sandstone rocks leaving an orange hue in the sky. Simply fantastic! We then meandered our way to the main street of Moab where we had a delicious authentic Mexican meal. This one street town is adorned with shops and restaurants and the median age is mid twenties. The population is certainly outdoor minded and there are all sorts of adventure shops advertising guided trail rides, hot air balloon rides and whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Certainly, this town has it all!   We chose to enter the park in the wee hours of the morning to beat the crowds and explore on our own. The Arches National Park lies atop an underground salt bed that is responsible for the arches, spires and balanced rocks. There are many trails to explore by foot and an auto road that takes about 2 hours to view the sights. We began in the RV but quickly dismissed that idea and started a moderately strenous hike to "Delicate Arch". The massive arch that is the emblem on the Utah state license plate was quite impressive and made me feel quite small in this existence.
 It was a beautiful hike in the desert and it didn't take long for the temperatures to rise. The red sandstone radiate the heat back rather quickly. Luckily, we had gotten an early start as I can not tolerate the heat. In fact, one of the side effects of my hyperthyroidism, is heat intolerance. So, around noon we left the desert and went back to Moab for a wonderful lunch and visited some of the shops. With the temperatures continuing to rise, we decided to avoid The Canyonland National Park which was our planned second destination in Moab. We jumped back in the RV and started heading toward our destination of Lake Tahoe which was still about 1000 miles away. We decided to take the road less travelled and found ourselves on route 70. A small two lane "highway" that cuts through the middle of the state. We would drive hours without seeing another vehicle. The solitude was quite unnerving though as my fear of having mechanical issues would truly leave us stranded. But, Rhonda faired the heat very well and plugged along the highway at 75mph with ease. At one point, we pulled over to take some pictures and the sound of silence was deafening. I have never heard such stillness before. It was daunting. Back in the RV, we plugged along for miles and miles and hours and hours until Guy could drive no more.

  We stopped in Eureka, Nevada for the night and took to the road early in the morning. We continued through the desert climbing mountains and reaching an elevation of almost 8,000 feet. The switchback trails of the mountains brought amazing views and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Finally...we enter Carson City Nevada, the state capital. Breweries and Casinos adorned the streets. Nevada is our union's rebel child and they like to do things their own way. It is quite charming in a weird kind of way. We stopped briefly at an information center to gather brochures and we were quickly back on the road, (highway 50 this time) heading towards the alpine lake of Tahoe!

Colorado or bust.....

The past two days were mostly driving days through the heartland of America. Scenes of  rolling hills, silos, corn and cows adorned the landscape.  Nebraska and Iowa had  many wind turbines that at first looked out of place. The massive structures with the blades that we saw being transported on the back of semi trucks were huge compared to the way they appeared from a distance.

The two hour time change was to our advantage as it allowed us to drive for 14 hours with only a 12 hour time change on the first of the two days.  We did take time to stretch our legs in South Bend Indiana and visited the campus of Notre Dame...home of the fighting Irish.  Of course, a visit there is not complete without seeing Touchdown Jesus.

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Interstate 80 seemed to go on forever..... we spent the night at a rest area that shockingly had RV hookups. (We had been staying at the truck stops previously) It was nice to have all the comforts of home without having to use the generator. In the morning, Guy ran in the farmlands behind the rest area.  Back on the road for what seemed an eternity we could finally see the mountains of Colorado!  The fields were brown and the earth dry.  It was easy to imagine how the fires in the southern part of the state could burn out of control.  We arrived to the home of my 4th grade buddy Jon and his wife Elaine and daughter Haley around 6:30. We were greeted by Jubilee's sister "Aurora" while John Denver played in the back ground. We relaxed on the back porch as we watched the sunset with glass of wine in hand and the dogs played in the backyard.

After a very tasty breakfast, we were back on the road heading along highway 70.  Rhonda faired the high altitude and steep inclines very well as we drove through the mountains.  The scenery was breathtaking!  We were even blessed with a rain storm which added all the more beauty to the mountains.  I swear, I will be living in this state one day soon.  We drove again, most of the day on our way to Lake Tahoe....However, seeing a sign for Moab only 30 miles away, we decided to stay the night and explore The Canyonlands and Arches in the morning.  We truly go where the wind will take us.

Day One....Niagara Falls

After much anticipation and preparation we are finally on our way, only to return home at least 3 different times to retreive forgotten items. And less than 12 hours into the trip, I realized I forgot my Passport and had to have that overnighted. (Thank you Jessicah).
                                 
  We finally headed out around 8 o'clock pm and Guy drove through most of the night, depositing us in Buffalo NY. Our 34 foot RV which we have lovingly named "Rhonda" faired the trip well. She was excited to be back on the road and let us know with the purr of her engine. Three of our goldens are accompaning us on this 6 week adventure, two of which are just about 4 months old. Cashmere and Zeppelin seem to love to travel and are enjoying the constant companionship. Our two year old "Jubilee" who is recovering from Cruciate surgery is doing well getting up and down the steps despite the ramp we are carrying along for her comfort. First night we slept at a rest stop and are getting familiar with the ways of the truckers who appear to very welcoming.

  Both of us being early risers, we found ourselves at the welcoming center of Niagara Falls just as it opened. As I mentioned previously in the blog, we have no real route or itenirary and enjoy seeing where our travels take us. So, being only 30 minutes away, it seemed silly not to stop and enjoy this beautiful state park in all its glory. Separately, both Guy and I have visited the falls before, but the memories are vague and distant. With inviting blue bird skies, we were ready to explore Americas oldest state park and the model from which all other parks were created. 

  Our first stop.....Cave of the Winds. An elevator ride to the base of the falls followed by a wooden walkway with a series of platforms for "up close and personal" viewing. One of the stops appropriately named "The Hurricane" takes you face to face with the cascading water. Experiencing the high winds and pelting rain truly makes it feel like you are in the midst of a catagory 3 hurricane. Despite the provided water gear, we still got drenched.

Next stop, Maid of the Mist. A 30 minute boat ride that takes you to the base of Horseshoe Falls. The churning waters along with the constant mist of the falls made for an exciting adventure. The scenery was breathtaking!

  A quick jaunt back to the RV to pick up the dogs and we found ourselves wondering through the park and exploring the different islands contained within. The dogs enjoyed frolicking in the calmer waters and cooling themselves. With all the activity and lack of sleep from the previous night, Guy was ready for a nap. Ah, perfect time for me to hit the Casino that I had been eyeing. If you recall, our first RV adventure began at a casino where I won $1265.00! I was hoping to repeat my luck. Guy would be pleased if I would return with what I started with. Well, I am happy to report that I doubled my money which enabled us to have a fancy dinner at the steak house!

  With evening approaching and a beautiful setting sky, we hopped on our bikes and travelled along the many winding roads amongst the park which hug the waters edge where one can enjoy the sound of the fast moving current. A perfect ending to our first day of the journey. Back in the RV, Guy plugged along the highway until the wee hours of the morning, bringing us to our next destination. As I sit here in Ohio writing my first blog of the trip, I am filled with gratitude that Guy and I are able to venture the roads of America. This is a dream come true and we are enjoying making memories of us. Thank you for sharing the ride!

We got the green light....the trip is on!

 
It has been the longest week for us.....waiting to see the specialist and getting second opinions.  After a visit to the world renowned Lahey Clinic, we have received confirmation that it is okay to travel.  Of course, it is not without risk, but it will take more than a thyroid issue to slow me down!  My hyperthyroid issue has been diagnosed as Graves Disease, an autoimmune disorder where my cells are attacking my thyroid causing it to release too much hormone into my system.  In other words, my metabolism is in overdrive and I am taking a Beta Blocker to slow down my heart and anti thyroid medication to control the release of thyroid hormones which can cause a slew of problems.  Although there is no cure, it is treatable.  For that, I am grateful.  So, the RV is packed and we are ready to go!  Itinerary yet to be determined, but we like it that way.  No reservations, no route.....just destinations and enjoying the journey along the way!  Our first stop is Lake Tahoe, but we hope to swing by and visit our good friends Jon and Elaine in Parker Colorado.  Jon has promised to have John Denver playing as we arrive.  Ah, I can already see the mountains!  Please feel free to follow my blog and enjoy the journey with us.  The countdown is in hours now!  A very special thanks to Jessicah who is on house duty and leaves us with no worries while we are away.  That and our home security system!


Happy Trails!


Laura and Guy