Sunday afternoon we drove to South Lake Tahoe. This is a real tourist/ski town. It was strange to see people walking around in shorts and tee shirts carrying snow boards or skis. We had some very good ice cream while sitting in the "town square" in the sun.
Monday we headed for Reno. The drive over the mountains was beautiful. It is really amazing how the landscape changes in a few miles. We had a bright clear day with clear roads to the trip was very enjoyable.
We settled in Reno at the Chism RV Park. This is a very clean park and is within 1 mile of downtown Reno which just happens to be full of casinos... guess who really likes this? Arda and I went for a bike ride in the afternoon. There is a bike path that starts near the campground and goes through downtown... it is really very well done. (Reno)
The rest of the week we spent sight-seeing, getting the truck serviced (this took a day in itself) and generally just taking it easy.
Today (Friday) the Californios started... this is why we came to Reno. I will be at the competition all day tomorrow and Arda will join me on Sunday.
Until next time, keep your loops open.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
April 19th – April 24th
The last time I updated my Tally Book I told we were heading for Jackson CA for a couple of days… well we in fact did that. We stayed at the Rancheria Casino RV Park. Our intent was to stay for 1 night but as plans tend to do, things went awry. We planned to stay one night but quickly decided to stay for 2 nights because we had done a lot of driving and we had a lot of internet stuff (like bills) to catch up on .
Then we planned to leave on the Tuesday but they had received about 10" of snow in the Sierras and chains were required to go over the mountain, which of course that is where we wanted to go so we stayed another night. What a night that was…
It was not a pretty sight with WD hugging the great white telephone ALL night… it felt like a repeat from last fall when I had the twisted intestine. Fortunately, it wasn't a repeat. Needless to say, we stayed put for another day as I was in no shape to drive. We had to leave on Thursday because the park was full that night as a big group was coming in. So we set out, still unable to cross the mountain due to more snow, for the foothills and one of the few places to stay that was open.
We drove to Cisco Grove where there was an open RV park that could accommodate us… they only had 3 sites available and only 1 would allow us to stay hooked up. The park roads and campgrounds were covered in snow with 4' snow banks on both sides of the roads. We survived and the next morning was beautiful. We headed to the Silver City RV Park near Carson City. We drove around the south end of Lake Tahoe, which was gorgeous! (pictures at Lake Tahoe Plus) We arrived Friday PM.
Saturday we took it easy and did some sightseeing in Carson City. There is an old part of town, which has been restored and is right across from the current Assembly Building. The downtown is very pretty. We went to church at a huge church, double the size of St Paul's where the priest was very young and had difficulty with English so the Deacon delivered the Homily… he did a good job. It is interesting to attend different churches with different environments. Well, tomorrow we are going to drive around the rest of Lake Tahoe…
Keep your loops open until next time.
Then we planned to leave on the Tuesday but they had received about 10" of snow in the Sierras and chains were required to go over the mountain, which of course that is where we wanted to go so we stayed another night. What a night that was…
It was not a pretty sight with WD hugging the great white telephone ALL night… it felt like a repeat from last fall when I had the twisted intestine. Fortunately, it wasn't a repeat. Needless to say, we stayed put for another day as I was in no shape to drive. We had to leave on Thursday because the park was full that night as a big group was coming in. So we set out, still unable to cross the mountain due to more snow, for the foothills and one of the few places to stay that was open.
We drove to Cisco Grove where there was an open RV park that could accommodate us… they only had 3 sites available and only 1 would allow us to stay hooked up. The park roads and campgrounds were covered in snow with 4' snow banks on both sides of the roads. We survived and the next morning was beautiful. We headed to the Silver City RV Park near Carson City. We drove around the south end of Lake Tahoe, which was gorgeous! (pictures at Lake Tahoe Plus) We arrived Friday PM.
Saturday we took it easy and did some sightseeing in Carson City. There is an old part of town, which has been restored and is right across from the current Assembly Building. The downtown is very pretty. We went to church at a huge church, double the size of St Paul's where the priest was very young and had difficulty with English so the Deacon delivered the Homily… he did a good job. It is interesting to attend different churches with different environments. Well, tomorrow we are going to drive around the rest of Lake Tahoe…
Keep your loops open until next time.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
April 13th – April 18th
Here is another update in the ongoing saga of the Toles and their travels. We decided to stay in the High Sierra RV Campground in Oakhurst to do some little things around the trailer, as there is always something to do when your house is on wheels.
Wednesday we putzed around in the morning but in the afternoon, Arda had had it. There was a casino within 10 miles of the campground so she just had to get her fix! The good news is that she played for over an hour and only made a $5 donation… :-)
Here is a quiz for you… Which way does a Sequoia Tree normally fall, up- or down-hill? (Answer at the bottom of this update).
Thursday we headed for Yosemite Village in Yosemite NP where we had reservations for 1 night. Even though it is early in the year with many of the trails still closed and snow covered, it was hard to get a spot. We took one for 1 night (we wanted to stay 3) and looked around the best we could. As you can see from the photos (Yosemite N.P.), there are a lot of beautiful places to see. What was really strange was the fact that at 6:00 PM it was dark in the park due to the height and density of the trees even though the sun was still shining on the tops of the trees and mountains. Yosemite Falls is the tallest water falls in the US and the 5th highest in the world. The bike paths were beautiful as the land in the valley is fairly level so Wrangler Dave rode his new bike for the first time and here is the picture to prove it!
We were able to watch a coyote catch his mid-afternoon snack; actually, we were able to watch him/her catch 2 snacks. Another sad fact about the park is that there are on average 16 suicides of young people each year. Apparently, they come there because of the beauty… We rounded out the day with a lovely dinner and campfire and then it was early to bed.
Friday morning we woke early but enjoyed our coffee in bed before setting out to our next destination, Hodgdon Meadow, another part of Yosemite N.P., where we will stay for 2 nights. Reservations we also hard to come by here but we lucked out as someone had cancelled. After setting up camp, Arda and I had a meeting to lay out our plans for the rest of the year… at least until the end of October. We need to get Dad's Christmas plans before we finalize ours, which we will do in the next week or so.
Saturday we headed out to Hetch Hetchy, which is native Miwok for grasses. On the way there, we were able to watch a very large Black Bear eat vegetation in a meadow. We went as far as the road would go, which was to the O'Shaughnessy Dam. The O'Shaughnessy Dam is near Yosemite's western boundary, but the long, narrow, finger-like reservoir stretches eastward for over 8 miles. Construction was completed in 1923. The dam then stood 227 feet high; its present height of 312 feet was achieved only later in 1938 when the hydroelectric plant was built. The water travels 167 miles to San Fransisco via gravity alone through pipe, aqueducts and rivers. It is so pure that SD only adds chlorine to the water, which is mandated by the Feds. There are a lot of foot-trails in the area with something for everyone. You can see the pictures at Yosemite NP.
Then it was back to camp for another campfire and wonderful dinner (hamburgers). What a tough life! God's beauty sure does abound!
Sunday morning dawned with another beautiful day but unfortunately, we had to move on. We headed north towards Sonora not really knowing where we were going until Arda found yet another casino in Jackson CA. It just happened to be on the way – HA! So here we are. We will stay here 2 nights as it is really a beautiful campground, has internet and a shuttle bus to the casino… J
We still don't have data on our phones but at least we can receive/make calls and we do have internet for a couple more days at least.
Answer to Sequoia trivia: Sequoias generally fall UP-HILL because they are typically toppled by a strong wind and the roots on the up-hill side are covered with dirt, tree branches, needles, etc. while those on the downside are bare due to erosion.
Keep your loops open until next time.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
March 21st – April 12th
It has been a long time since I wrote my Tally and I really don't have any excuses except to say that I was lazy… yup, just plain lazy. A lot has happened since I last wrote…
First as many of you know, Arda and I drove to Chicago to see Steve graduate with a Masters in Finance from the University of Chicago. We are very proud of him as he persevered for 36 months driving to Chicago, and back to GR every weekend, while remaining on the Dean's list the entire time. Jenny deserves a lot of kudos for her support of Steve… thanks Jenny.
While in Chicago, we also helped Petra celebrate her birthday. She too has undertaken a new endeavor. In January, she left her teaching job and went to work as a translator for a consulting company. Her first assignment was in Montreal where she found out that French and Quebequois are not quite the same. She is doing so well the company now wants to train her in Lean Techniques so she can be a full-fledged consultant. We are very proud and excited for her.
We left Chicago and went to GR where we "moved" into the house on Cascade Rd, picked up some papers so I could complete my taxes, and then headed back to AZ. It took us 28 hours to drive back to AZ… it was nice to get back in the warmer weather. While cheaper and more flexible to drive rather than fly, I wouldn't want to do this again anytime soon.
I spent the next couple of days riding and roping with Bob and Mark and Cheryl Lieurance who are from Iowa. They had come down to work with Bob and attend the Buck Brannaman Clinic… nice people. Arda spent her days playing tour guide for Kallie (Cowboy Tom's daughter) who was in AZ for her spring break… they had a blast! Kallie is a beautiful girl and I know that Cowboy is extremely proud of her… you should see all the videos he took! Well on second thought, maybe you don't want to.
In addition to all the other things Arda does, she finished a second cowhide vest for Bob King. Bob will use the brown vest for everyday use, as it will keep him plenty warm while he is in the saddle. The second vest, a little fancier will be used for dress-up occasions. Both turned out extremely well but then one wouldn't expect anything less from the Velcro Queen!
The next day we headed westward once again and drove to Ludlow, CA where we stayed at a 76 Truck Stop. We were able to park off in one corner and where not bothered by the trucks, which meant we had a good night's rest plus there was DQ across the road which helped soothe the body, if not the mind.
We went from Ludlow to Bakersfield where Buck Owens decided make his career and start the Chrystal Palace. We really did the tourist "thing" by walking around the complex, looking at part of the museum, and taking some pictures. At least we can say we were there.
From Bakersfield, we headed to Three Rivers, CA, which is just outside the Sequoia NP in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We stayed the night at a beautiful RV park called the Sequoia RV Ranch. The campsites are generous with lots of big old oak trees. We will stay here again the next time we are in the area.
Friday morning we headed into the Sequoia NP. We are staying at a campground called Potwisha. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not allowed beyond this location as the roads are too narrow and winding… lots of switchbacks. We will stay here for the next 4 nights and just drive around to see the sights. After setting up camp, we headed out for our first "tour". We drove to the "Giant Forest" where we able to see huge Sequoias, including the largest in the world - General Sherman. It is estimated to be around 2200 years old. It will grow enough in a year to make a 60-foot tree of normal proportions. Some other tidbits about Sequoias - they can grow to about 311 feet; age to 3200 years as they don't die from disease or fire as most die from toppling due to their shallow root system; they can weigh up to 2.7 million pounds; their bark can be up to 31 inches thick; branches grow to 8 feet in diameter; and their bases grow to 40 feet in diameter. They are one impressive tree!
First as many of you know, Arda and I drove to Chicago to see Steve graduate with a Masters in Finance from the University of Chicago. We are very proud of him as he persevered for 36 months driving to Chicago, and back to GR every weekend, while remaining on the Dean's list the entire time. Jenny deserves a lot of kudos for her support of Steve… thanks Jenny.
While in Chicago, we also helped Petra celebrate her birthday. She too has undertaken a new endeavor. In January, she left her teaching job and went to work as a translator for a consulting company. Her first assignment was in Montreal where she found out that French and Quebequois are not quite the same. She is doing so well the company now wants to train her in Lean Techniques so she can be a full-fledged consultant. We are very proud and excited for her.
We left Chicago and went to GR where we "moved" into the house on Cascade Rd, picked up some papers so I could complete my taxes, and then headed back to AZ. It took us 28 hours to drive back to AZ… it was nice to get back in the warmer weather. While cheaper and more flexible to drive rather than fly, I wouldn't want to do this again anytime soon.
I spent the next couple of days riding and roping with Bob and Mark and Cheryl Lieurance who are from Iowa. They had come down to work with Bob and attend the Buck Brannaman Clinic… nice people. Arda spent her days playing tour guide for Kallie (Cowboy Tom's daughter) who was in AZ for her spring break… they had a blast! Kallie is a beautiful girl and I know that Cowboy is extremely proud of her… you should see all the videos he took! Well on second thought, maybe you don't want to.
In addition to all the other things Arda does, she finished a second cowhide vest for Bob King. Bob will use the brown vest for everyday use, as it will keep him plenty warm while he is in the saddle. The second vest, a little fancier will be used for dress-up occasions. Both turned out extremely well but then one wouldn't expect anything less from the Velcro Queen!
Our next activity was in Willcox, AZ at the Buck Brannaman Clinic. I watched all 4 days and learned so much I can't wait to try some of the things. Buck is really a master at horsemanship and works very hard at being the best he can be. He also has a knack of being able to break things down to a point where one can understand precisely what needs to change. Pictures are at this link… Willcox Clinic
After the Brannaman clinic, it was time to hit the road again. We left Goldminers' on April 6th and decided we would take 3 weeks to get to Reno where the Californios is held this year. We headed west and got as far as Wickenburg, AZ. It is a neat town with lots of history so we spent the day doing the tourist thing.
The next day we headed westward once again and drove to Ludlow, CA where we stayed at a 76 Truck Stop. We were able to park off in one corner and where not bothered by the trucks, which meant we had a good night's rest plus there was DQ across the road which helped soothe the body, if not the mind.
We went from Ludlow to Bakersfield where Buck Owens decided make his career and start the Chrystal Palace. We really did the tourist "thing" by walking around the complex, looking at part of the museum, and taking some pictures. At least we can say we were there.
From Bakersfield, we headed to Three Rivers, CA, which is just outside the Sequoia NP in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We stayed the night at a beautiful RV park called the Sequoia RV Ranch. The campsites are generous with lots of big old oak trees. We will stay here again the next time we are in the area.
Friday morning we headed into the Sequoia NP. We are staying at a campground called Potwisha. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not allowed beyond this location as the roads are too narrow and winding… lots of switchbacks. We will stay here for the next 4 nights and just drive around to see the sights. After setting up camp, we headed out for our first "tour". We drove to the "Giant Forest" where we able to see huge Sequoias, including the largest in the world - General Sherman. It is estimated to be around 2200 years old. It will grow enough in a year to make a 60-foot tree of normal proportions. Some other tidbits about Sequoias - they can grow to about 311 feet; age to 3200 years as they don't die from disease or fire as most die from toppling due to their shallow root system; they can weigh up to 2.7 million pounds; their bark can be up to 31 inches thick; branches grow to 8 feet in diameter; and their bases grow to 40 feet in diameter. They are one impressive tree!
Saturday we headed up the mountain again, only this time we packed a picnic lunch. This time we went to Kings Canyon N.P. where we saw more Sequoias. While we were only 14 miles from our campsite, we had to drive 43 miles one-way because of all the switchbacks. There is still a lot of snow on the mountains with many of the roads and facilities remain closed for the winter. We saw the General Grant Sequoia, which has the largest base diameter of 40.3 feet of any tree. It is also 27 stories tall, is as wide as a three-lane highway and weighs more than 700 large cars. Between the Sequoias and the Ponderosa Pines, it is an extremely impressive area!
Another lazy day. We got up late (9:00 AM) after coffee in bed and then took our time eating breakfast. We had decided to go to Three Rivers to pick up a few things at the grocery store and get fuel for the truck. We also treated ourselves to lunch at a local restaurant… the food was excellent! Today the weatherman was forecasting storms (rain and snow) in the mountains so the road over the top was closed at 4:00 PM. It is a good thing that we went up the mountain Friday and Saturday, as it was bright and sunny both days. We got back to the trailer a little after 3:00 PM and started our evening fire. Just as we were about to cook, it started to rain but since I am not made of sugar and wouldn't melt, we finished cooking anyway. The hamburgers were delicious!
Tomorrow we are back on the road headed for Yosemite NP but we may not get there as we have some shopping, banking, etc. to do so we may hole up in Visalia or Fresno for a day or so. I will up this whenever possible.
Monday we woke to snow on the mountains and rain in the valleys. We packed up and headed to Fresno to do some shopping at Wally-Mart… it has been a couple weeks since we hit the grocery store so it was time. We drove on to Oakhurst CA where we stayed at an RV park just outside the park. On Wednesday we will head into the park for several days where we don't expect to have phone or internet service.
That's all for now folks. You will find some photos from the past few weeks by clicking on this link… Sequoia National Park
Keep your loops open until next time.
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