In Alaska earlier this year to see the Northern Lights, I created a list of places I’d love to explore. I’ve wanted to return to South America after my visit to Chile in 2008. One of my best friends saw Machu Picchu last year, reigniting my interest in South America, especially Peru and Machu Picchu. So, of course, I included Peru on my list.
After a 21-hour travel day, I arrived – the beginning of a 16 day adventure!
Yes, unless eating or drinking, I wore my mask…
I love traveling. I love exploring, seeing new places, meeting new people, making new friends…and I love my home.
For a bit, I’m “between trips” – and am enjoying having more space, being in my familiar surroundings, spending time with local family and friends, and relaxing.
I’m also appreciating taking my camera out in my neighborhood and seeing something “different” to capture.
What a trip!
I explored nine western states and traveled nearly 5,000 miles, basing the adventure on five “anchors”:
1) Hiking Bryce Canyon “Under-the-Rim Trail” with Nanine
2) Viewing and photographing the Perseid Meteor Shower
3) Participating in Fujifilm’s World Photography Day event in Seattle
4) Showering Kate and Chris as they prepare to welcome their Wee One
5) Upgrading Addie’s spare tire holder
During the 5.5 week trip, I boondocked at a Walmart for the first time, camped at 12 Elks lodges (having a Manhattan at several of them!), and dry camped on the Grand Mesa in a snow park for three nights.
Highlights are first and always, spending lots of wonderful time with friends! “Lowlights” – missing my friends and family in SLO…
Other highlights include the beauty of the red rocks, playing bingo at the Ouray Elks, riding on the Telluride gondola, touching the Four Corners Monument, hiking on forest trails, seeing many waterfalls, playing with photography, and developing an appreciation for Portland.
There are many more trips in Addie’s and my future, but for now, it’s great to be home!
I left the wonderful home of Bruce and Marilyn Haag in Redmond, OR for my two-day drive home. For about 250 of over 300 miles today, the skies were smoky. So many wildfires plaguing the area!
Tonight marks my last night of this adventure on the road – and my third time during various excursions at the Redding Elks, a friendly active lodge next to the Sacramento River. I considered hunkering down but instead grabbed my camera and walked to Sundial Bridge, snapping pics along the way.
Upon returned to Addie and the lodge, I stepped inside for my last Manhattan of this trip.
Tomorrow will be a long day, so time to finish this blog and go to sleep…
Chevy Roadtreks, like my Addie, have the spare tire attached on the back of the van. To open the back left door, I would have to lower the tire. The problem with this setup is the tire weighs over 70 pounds when lifting it back into place. Due to this, I try my best to never open the back left door.
On my Roadtrek owners’ Facebook group, I learned that a fellow Roadtrek owner, Bruce Haag, designed a swing-away modification to the tire holder, allowing one to open the back door without having to lower – and even more important, without having to lift – the tire. Planning this trip, I knew I wanted Bruce to add the swing-away to Addie.
So this morning, I left Portland, drove through the smoke hiding Mt. Hood, and arrived around noon at Bruce’s six-acre home in Redmond, about 20 miles northeast of Bend.
Since each Roadtrek is slightly different, installation requires a bit of tweaking and customizing. While Bruce worked on Addie, I wandered around his property taking some photos.
Curiosity, though, grabbed me – and I soon returned to Bruce’s shop to watch and take photos of him welding, filing, drilling, and whatever else he needed to do! I enjoyed having Bruce explain to me what he was doing and why. I may not be handy, but I am curious!
Not only is Bruce a skilled craftsman, he and his wife Marilyn are fabulous hosts. They have hook-ups for two rigs, so I’m camping here tonight. Marilyn made us a delicious dinner! Afterward, we watched the moon and stars through their telescope.
When I say today was action-packed, wow!, I mean it!
The day started with a terrific hike in Forest Park with Lauren, Danny, and their two pups, Cooper and Bug. At 5,200 acres with more than 80 miles of trails, this park provides hikers, bikers, runners, and equestrians with so many beautiful options!
Based on Lauren and Danny’s recommendations – and after storing my bike in their garage to keep it safe – I next headed to Pittock Mansion. Henry Pittock, founder of The Oregonian, built his “mansion on the hill” on property that had panoramic views of Portland, the Willamette River, and the distant Cascade Mountains.
Next on my itinerary: Laurelhurst Park. In 1919, the park was named the most beautiful park on the west coast by the Pacific Coast Parks Association. Thanks to the efforts of the Portland Historical Landmarks Commission, in February 2001 Laurelhurst Park was named to the National Register of Historic Places.
Growing in the pond at the park is a tiny green plant, called Duckweed. Duckweed is a plant native to the region and is a great source of food for fish and birds. It’s not harmful to humans or pets. However, it has thrived in this pond.
Laurelhurst Park is located near shops and restaurants with many biking greenways.
In 2017, my colleague Kate and I took students on a college-supported trip to Morocco and Barcelona. The trip, with its many amazing sites, challenging students, and fun experiences, cemented a deep and abiding friendship between Kate and me. Kate and her partner Chris will become parents in October! Today, her mother and friends hosted a fabulous baby shower for this Kate, Chris, and their Wee One. What a fun celebration!
Water in/water out. It’s one of the required chores when having an RV. As with most campers, Addie’s gray and black water tank gauges often don’t depict reality. What I’ve learned is to fill my fresh tanks and empty my gray and black tanks at the same time. This Elks lodge’s camping facility is GREAT! Level spaces, electricity, water, and – surprise! – reliable WiFi. However, there is no dump. This morning, I filled Addie’s fresh water tanks and drove all of two miles to Camping World to dump, waiting only a few minutes while another RV which had been camping at the Elks finished emptying their tanks.
With those chores done, I went to Lauren and Danny’s house to see their beautiful home, pet their sweet pups, and take a hot shower. 🙂
Next, I visited my friend Kate and her partner Chris, meeting her mom, dad, and aunt and his dad. They are having a wee one in October; the baby shower is tomorrow!
Returning to Addie, it was nap time! A big thunderstorm – rain, thunder, and lightening – woke me up during the night, so my afternoon nap felt so good.
Feeling revived, I told Addie to behave herself and hopped onto my bike to ride on some local trails. With temperatures in the 90s, I appreciated the breeze I felt while biking, something I don’t get when hiking.
One of those slow transitional days. After the fun-filled day with the Ewans, I decided to take it a bit easy today. I woke up slowly, did a few errands, and meandered about 20 miles to another Portland area Elks lodge, where I got – again! – the last space. (I’m having great luck with FCFS at Elks lodges this trip!)
Over 32 years ago, when our eldest children were born, Astrid and I became the best of friends. Her daughters, Lauren and Tessa, now both live in Portland. I had the joy of having dinner with them (along with their fantastic partners – Lauren’s husband Danny and Tessa’s very soon-to-be husband Connor). Not only was the food at Yalla delicious, but spending time with these kind, intelligent, and fun young adults filled my heart.
What a wonderful day!
I took the MAX (light rail) from the Elks to Pioneer Square and met Stephanie and John, long time SLO residents who moved to Portland just before the pandemic. They shared their new city with me, showing me Washington Park, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Holocaust Memorial, and Elephant Deli! Then, we took the MAX to their delightful home, walked around their beautiful neighborhood, and viewed the sunset from a park overlooking the Willamette. Next, tasty, albeit a bit spicy, Thai food and delicious ice cream! It was a fabulous day spent with terrific friends!
I wonder…maybe I should have come to Portland yesterday… I thought the drive would be too long, but Longview had nothing to offer. That Elks lodge, although providing a safe place to stay, was closed with no interaction among visitors or members. The Milwaukie-Portland Elks lodge, however, is very active! It might be due to the merger between the Portland and the Milwaukie lodges…or the swimming pool…or the recruitment of young families… Regardless, this is a busy vibrant lodge.
After arriving and settling Addie, I hopped on my e-bike and rode the bike trails along the Willamette River into downtown Portland. Of course, I found some of the tent cities and many unhoused people. I also had (SURPRISE!) great ice cream!
Telling my friend Judi that a “light” lunch or “easy” breakfast would be great…falls on deaf ears!
Yesterday, she made a delicious lunch with tuna salad and curry egg salad – topped this morning by homemade breakfast burritos. Yum yum!
While Judi and Lee handled some household chores, I took my full belly and my almost full camera (I’m going through SD cards like they’re ice cream!) on a little photowalk. Then it was time for some final photos of us – before I hit the road once again.
I’m at another Elks. The lodge is closed – no Manhattan for me tonight – instead some quiet time with Addie.
Exactly four years ago today when I was in Budapest, I sat in the Great Synagogue waiting for a tour. Soon, a solo woman – around my age – sat next to me. Thus began my friendship with Pamela.
In fact, here’s what I posted four years ago on Facebook! “I went to the Great Synagogue, the second largest in the world after Temple Emanuel in NYC. At the synagogue, I met a fellow solo traveler, and following the tour she and I went to Gellert Baths. From the Gellert Baths, we climbed the Citadel Hill – with hundreds of locals and tourists – for the BIG fireworks show launched from Chain Bridge in celebration of Hungary’s founding (similar to the US Fourth of July). Sitting with us was a young couple, she from Iran [I’m still in contact with her!] and he from Germany (they met in Milan!) – fabulous and fun hanging out with them. AND the fireworks show was spectacular! Thirty minutes of amazing fireworks!”
Why am I saying this? Because this morning, Pamela and I had breakfast together in Seattle! It turns out that she, her boyfriend Carl, and I were all in Seattle at the same time! Surprising on many levels – most impactfully, Pamela and Carl live in British Columbia, I live in California.
After leaving Pamela and Carl, I headed to Bainbridge Island to see two other very long time friends (and my younger son’s godparents): Judi and Lee. Judi and I figure we’ve known each other for about 40 years. We met after a funeral in the kitchen talking about bras… 🙂
I wish I could spend more time with them, but with our busy schedules we had a delicious late lunch before they headed off to their evening event – during which time, I “dogsit” their 15-week old puppy, Tafi, and played photographer. Their backyard, with fun lawn art, water access, and a sunset view, kept my camera and me busy. Working with the smoky skies and red colors added a new challenge!
For World Photography Day, Fujifilm hosted “Create With Us” in Seattle, the second annual event with last year’s being in New York City. When I received my invitation, I was in the midst of planning this road trip – and the timing was perfect to attend this free photography extravaganza put on by my camera’s company.
The formal schedule consisted of workshops presented by creatives (including the finale with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Cinematographer M. David Mullen), photowalks, models, information booths, and loaner cameras and lenses. All of these were terrific!
Most enlightening, though, were the informal conversations with fellow photographers, of all abilities and experiences. I love talking about photography; every conversation grows my knowledge and my interest. I especially appreciate when knowledgeable people ask me what I like to capture before giving me their advice, as tools vary based on usage and creative interests.
Being able to try various lenses was so much fun! Given I live in San Luis Obispo, I don’t have much opportunity to test lenses. I first tried the 16-80mm f4, which I thought I’d like much more than I did. It’s just too similar to my 18-55mm f 2.8-4. Next, I’ve been curious about prime lenses (fixed focal length – no zoom component). Therefore, I played with the 23mm f1.4. I didn’t like it at all. Since I’m used to being able to zoom rather than getting close to my subject, the 23mm felt uncomfortable and weird to me .
Finally, I attached a 35mm f2. Wow! I felt all excited jitteriness within my body while using the lens! So much fun, so comfortable, so beautiful!
The two local photo shops sponsoring the event, along with Fujifilm of course, did not have products on hand to sell. I used my ORCA card, hopped on the bus, and went 20 minutes away to Glazer’s! (Incidentally, another person from the event was on the same bus with me to buy a lens at Glazer’s. 🙂 )
I think I’m set on my kit now…well, other than the teleconverter 1.4x I plan to get next year! Hahaha!
A varied day!
Starting the morning with Addie chores, I next drove the scenic route from Yakima to Seattle – as recommended by one of the ladies I chatted with at the Elks. What phenomenal views of a glacier valley near Naches, WA – and then of amazing Mt. Rainier!
Still blown away by the beauty of Rainier, I continued driving to Seattle, where I’m “moochdocking” in a friend’s driveway. They’re on vacation, so Addie and I get a long flat driveway in exchange for watering a few plants. Such a deal! 🙂
After settling Addie and watering, I was torn – big time! On the one hand, I know I’ll be busy all day tomorrow in Seattle, so relaxing – especially after driving for several hours today – would be a wise decision. On the other hand, learning and experiencing the Seattle public transit system before needing to use it tomorrow morning might also be a wise decision.
What did I decide? I headed into Seattle! YES, the system was extremely frustrating! Why can’t every transit system use the same payment methods? Ugh! It took a lot of searching and walking until I finally found a store that had the ORCA metro card!
Deciding I “needed” an ice cream after solving my transit issue, I googled the best ice cream scoop shop: Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream. Less than a mile away. All uphill!
Which ended up being the biggest treat of the day! I’m climbing up and up – think San Francisco hills. I get to the summit and see a bunch of people at the upper edge of a park looking behind me – at the Space Needle with Mt. Rainier in the background with sunset approaching!
I chatted with some locals hanging out on the corner, and they recommended I make a loop from Molly Moon’s, to the western wall where I could see the sun beginning to set over the water, and back to the park overlook. Best advice! Not only was the sunset fabulous but also the homes in this Queen Anne district are gorgeous. A lovely end to a long day!
With triple digit temperatures and warnings from multiple people about rattlesnakes when hiking, I decided to instead explore Yakima today.
My itinerary: Yakima Valley Museum, Yakima Area Arboretum, Kana Winery, downtown Yakima, and Bale Breaker Brewery.
Yakima Valley Museum, located next to Franklin Park and a public pool, contains many displays. Most enlightening: the exhibit highlighting Supreme Court Justice William Douglas from Yakima, best known for his “consistent and outspoken defense of civil liberties” and his personal life (four marriages).
The Yakima Area Arboretum is an urban green space and refuge on 46 acres of land cultivated as display gardens, tree collections, and natural areas.
I’ve wandered around the downtowns of many cities and towns. Most often, I’m surprised at the civic pride and public artwork. Yakima, however, leaves a lot to be desired. Although Kana Winery, owned by a now-retired ENT doctor, offers tasty wines, the rest of downtown disappointed me.
Since Bale Breaker, a highly recommended brewery, focuses on hops-heavy beers, I asked the beertender for a flight of lighter beers. Something I’ve learned from previously tasting flights of beer, I rate each taste and drink no more than half of what’s served. It keeps it down to one beer rather than two!
