Mostly Devon June 5

Just outside the hotel we discovered on of the original "gates" into a pasture. The field was about four feet above the road so one had to climb a couple of stone stairs before climbing over the slab of vertical rock forming the perimeter wall. We concluded that the gate had been well used because the steps were worn down. Modern styles are simple but fun. I just wonder how the dogs get through from one field to the next. e discovered some beaches covered in pebbles, others covered in sand, and others with a mix of both. Walking over pebbles, and pebbles racing after a retreating wave create wonderful sounds. And best all you don't get sand in your shoes. Sandy beaches are good for building castles and running on. Quite a few kids playing on the beach. Cornwal and Devon have tested my driving skills. Lanes are often only wide enough for one car so you stop often to let other by, or backup to a wide spot if you land up nose to nose. Notice the tire marks on the road to get a sence of how narrow it is. Dinner in Ivybridge with Steph finishes a perfect day.

London to Somerset June 4

Rich was kind enought to loan me his Bose earphones so I made a point of watching a movie while crossing the Atlantic. The distraction of the movie and a quick nap made it feel as though the trip was almost over before it began! I quickly made it out to the rental car and was soon driving south to Surrey - and Mum. I am always so navigationally challenged here in the UK - no road is straight and they are all sorrounded by vegetation. After a quick cup of tea we were one the road - only to return an hour later to collect mum's walking cane. There was no way we could explore England without the forgotten stick. After a few wrong turns and many fields of bright yellow rapeseed, we made it to Salisbury. One could see the Cathedral steeple from far away. Am imposing view.The grounds of the Cathedral were full of people enjoying the beautiful weather. We entered the Cloisters of the Cathedral which enclosed two wonderful, ancient trees. The view up to the spire was gorgeous. We then walked into the Chapter house which houses the Magna Carta. Written in 1215 and sealed by King John. A document which inspired the US Constitution. We also saw the oldest working mechanical clock - built in 1386. Overall an impressive visit. We muddled our way down to Tintinhull, near Yeovil. A lovely, peaceful Inn amongst farms. I did a lovely walk on public footpaths amongst cattle and sheep. Dinner was tasty liver - yum! Plan to get in an early walk tomorrow morning.

Paradise just up the road

We are so lucky to be living just a few miles from Beaver Brook trail. I have been on it a few times since finishing up my classes and each time I notice new vistas and marvel at the beauty of the area even though it is sandwiched between two very busy highways. I have found some new hiking friends and hope we can continue walking throughout the summer. The wild flowers are starting to bloom - I will have to return to the trip mid June to see what has flourished.

Memorial Day weekend in South Park

Emerging from a cold and windy winter, and a long cool, wet spring we were pleasantly surprised by the mild and sunny weather up in the mountains, south west of Denver. South Park is not yet snow free but the sun’s rays are warm and generating a lot of runoff. Our trail was almost a stream by mid afternoon! Our campsite was near a stream where the beavers are constantly making new dams. They took down a tree the first night we were there - saw it in the road on our way out! Mike decided to rough it in the wild for one night - even Rocky was too scared to stay out there alone, so he escaped the tent and ran back to us. Michael survived the night - extra snug in his feather sleeping bag - Thanks Judy. Ant and Allie preferred the luxury of the camper. We all enjoyed a visit from Jason, Nicole and Stella. After a steep hike up to Jefferson Lake, a relaxed afternoon at the campsite and marshmallows around the campfire we were ready for bed soon after dark. This is the first trip Rob was not with us - he was working all weekend and had to fend for himself. We missed him.

Christmas 2012

This post is a revival of our trip logs. Hopefully I will catch up on a whole slew of past trips since I last blogged.

This December we headed west to the Pacific coast. LA, San Diego then on to Phoenix. We got on the road early, after an evening party at Mt Vernon celebrating a friend's 50th, and drove through to Las Vegas. We spent the night in a KOA behind Circus Circus. The boys explored the casino and amusement park while Rich and I got the camper setup. We caught up with the boys in the Circus amusement park. From there we explored The Strip. The ceilings in the Venetian took my breath away - again. (pics)

The boys had great fun collecting "business cards." We saw the fountains at the Bellagio, and Mike found Mario and Luigi.

After a few hours of walking we finally had dinner off the strip - Sushi bar. It was good. Our feet were sore and our eyes tired, so we caught a taxi back to the camper. Bed was very welcome. After a late start we decided to go see the new bridge over the Black Canyon at the Hoover Dam. It is an engineering marvel and affords a great view of the Hoover Dam.

Just south of Vegas we hit a traffic jam, and landed up behind Jem and family. They were also driving through to LA to spend Christmas with us. The traffic was so slow we spent quite a bit of time walking back and forth between cars. Rob, Mike and Ryan walked ahead of us by about a mile and it took us a good half hour to catch up with them. It was fun watching trucks block off the emergency lanes as people tried to bypass the jam by racing alongside us all. It always astounds me how large the sprawl is in the LA valley. Jem got ahead of us and reached their hotel first. Once we arrived we collected Mom and headed for the beach. Out campsite was just west of LAX, right on the beach. Noisy (plane overhead) but three steps from the sand and a bike path extending the length of the LA bay. The boys and cousins always have a great time together. They talk non-stop (as long as no computers are around) and love to explore. Mike and Rich went for a ride south, so Jem and I decided to follow them.

We landed up riding 14 miles and Mike treated us to a seafood soup snack before returning to the camper. Christmas day was a great success. The best thing was Mike's gift of Season 2 of Big Bang Theory. It entertained us throughout the trip. We had Christmas lunch at a Chinese all you can eat buffet - wow teenagers can eat a lot! Our trip to see the Endeavor Space Shuttle was great. You can walk right underneath it and almost touch it. The earthquake proof supports were intriguing. I thought the displays of older space capsules were creative. You can get to within 1 inch of the capsule and really see the details. Everyone - except Rich and Mom did a long ride to Santa Monica Pier. They followed in the car and did their own exploring on the way. There really is something special about riding along the beach, smelling the ocean air and watching the ocean. Rich is so happy next to the water. The kids did lots of swimming - but with wet suits on. The water is too cold to do it without the extra layer! After four days at Dockweiler State beach we had a farewell breakfast at "Eat at Joes"

and said goodbye to Jem et al., and moved south to Laguna beach area. Rich had discovered a new State Park - Crystal Cove. What a gem.

The views from the camp sites are tremendous and the beach is lovely. There is a nearby coastal path and Trader Joes!

The quiet there was very different to the plane noise at Dockweiler. We were close to the South African store so we stocked up on home treats. We also discovered a great Greek restaurant - Athena Gyro, in Laguna Hills. I discovered a semolina Greek pudding - Halvas! All too soon Mom was heading back to SLC and we moved on the Chula Vista, south of San Diego. A RV park at the marina with lots of rules - very quiet though. We snuggled down in the camper when a downpour and hailstorm moved over the area. It is a joy to see so much rain. The proximity to the San Diego Bay was wonderful and on the first morning we saw Dolphins. There is a 25 mile bike route around the bay - so we cycled up to San Diego and the Midway aircraft carrier.

We were not allowed to board the passenger ferry to cross the bay (dogs not allowed) so we had to return to the RV park the same way we had come. Rich and I drove the remainder of the route the next morning. The drive out of San Diego to the east is incredible. Beautiful hills and valley give way to sand dunes and desert. It was a welcome treat to get all the bath towels dry - the moisture at the coast is something we are not used to. We got to Phoenix and the Lost Dutchman State Park quite late, but were up early the next morning to get Rich on the plane to New York. The thought of four days in the same place was very relaxing. We toured Taliesin West - Frank Lloyd Wrights winter home, a college Mike is interested in, and did a wonderful hike into the Superstition mountains.

We also discovered a quaint restaurant next to the state park - Mining Camp Restaurant. By the end of the week I had caught up on all my sleep and finished another book. The perfect end to a good holiday. We collected Rich from the airport and headed out of Phoenix. On our way to Albuquerque we toured a Meteor Crater - fascinating.

Temperatures plummeted and our stop over at a rest stop on I25 outside Santa Fe was chilling. We were lucky with the weather - no ice or snow on the roads so the trip back to Denver was uneventful. Thinking back on the trip - I am amazed at how well we all get on while living in such cramped quarters. I know the camper is large, but it is still astounding that we can coexist in such harmony. I am so grateful that we can have these times together. Good memories: traffic jam on an interstate in the middle of Nevada, Christmas lunch, breakfast at "Eat at Joes", sitting on the beach with Rich - watching the sunset, time with mom, Jeremy and his family, Greek lunch at Laguna, San Diego bay dolphins, Phoenix saguaros and desert evenings, the Superstition mountains, listening to audio books while on the road.

August 11 - Back to Salt Lake City

Our return to Salt Lake City was eventful. The Durango over heated and took ages to cool down. I sent mom on ahead with some of the kids and I hung out at a busy gas station with Rob and Ryan. I was amazed at the volume of customers that stopped at the station. There must be good money to be made here! Once we got back on the road the car behaved pretty well. It did however overheat again when we reached mom's place. The steep Wasatch fault and city driving was just too much for the car. It took a few tries to get the camper backed into mom's driveway - and we discovered that we had picked up a puncture in a camper wheel. I was able to change it out, thanks to Rich's good training.
Sylvia treatd us to a wonderful welcome "home" BBQ. The boys love her cooking. After a few days break we finished the final leg of the journey back to Denver. I took the Wyoming route and was able to get all the way back to Lookout Mountain before the car overheated again. I was very happy to back the camper into its resting spot at the bottom of the drive, and get a good nights sleep in my own bed.

August 10 - Diving boards and long walks

The kids planned on spending the whole day at the pools. They wanted to use the giant slides and high diving boards. The joy of the town is that it is small enough to walk to all the attractions. This gives the kids lots of independence, as they can come and go as they please. After spending time swiming and watching the kids on the diving boards, mom and I returned to the hot pools, at the other end of town. We lazed there until lunch, enjoying the peace without the children. We all met at the camper for lunch then spent some time in the river next to one of the hot springs. There is somethings very satisfying when one can enjoy a hot spring and not have to pay a fortune for the entrance ticket. Overall the day was very peaceful and the kids loved spendng time together.

August 9 - Paddling the river and playing with cousins

Rob and I got up early to prepare a large breakfast for the family. They arrived at 9:30am. We had tonnes to eat, and then hit the river. Jeremy had brought his canoe and inflatable raft with him, so we all took turns to paddle the river from one end of town to the other. Mike and I got dumped on one of the rapids - cold and rough - because I was being too timid. After that I was much more aggressive on the white water and had a lot more fun. Rob and I took turns riding to the end of town with the burley, to collect the rafters and help bring the boats back to the top of town. Jem had so much fun in his canoe, it was a joy to see him smiling so much. We paddled till 7pm, then enjoyed a wonderful dinner thanks to gran. She had arrived during the afternoon and brought a pre-cooked meal with her. Jem and Syl left for home leaving Gran and I in charge of five excited kids. Ant, Rob and Ryan decided to sleep in the tent, which left the camper to Mike and I. Gran and Ash stayed in the adjoining motel. The night was slated to be warmer than the one before, but we still gave the tenters lots of blankets.

August 8 - Back to the beginning

We woke to drizzle but it soon stopped and the wind died down. It was quite pleasant. I had discovered that Alison was an avid reader so we planned to give her a set of five books we had all read. (I was still busy finishing the fifth but had to concede defeat or we would not have left before noon) We continued south to Idaho Falls, where we had lunch and bought supplies. We could not find a book store, so I worried that Ant's reading frenzy would die off before we got him his next book. We arrived at Lava Hot Springs by mid afternoon - completing a two month circuit of the north west. It felt like being home. We were happy to see the familiar town and faces. After parking the camper I stayed in the car to call mom, while the boys hopped out to connect up the camper. I finished my conversation, got out the car and wondered why I could hear water flowing. We dashed into the camper to find we had a mini lake inside from front to back. At least they had levelled it well! The basin faucet had been left open that morning and when they had connected the water they had not noticed that the water started flowing. The plug was in the basin and as a result it had overflowed and flooded. It was a great chance to get the floors cleaned before Gran arrived. After loading up the burley we rode off to the laundromat. Those were the worst machines we have encountered all trip. Mike and Rob wallowed in a spring in the river - the water level had dropped a great deal and there was a nice rock pool to collect the hot water. After dark the town got real quiet, except for the freight trains passing by. The temperatures dropped considerably at night - goodbye summer!

August 7 - South across Montana

By this stage we had decided to make changes in our itinerary. Since Rich had left, we were not enjoying the trip quite as much. We were anxious to make our way home and not explore any more. I was happy that we had seen Glacier, but our planned route home through Yellowstone did not hold much appeal to any of us. The boys proposed returning to Hot Lava Springs, Idaho. They also wanted to invite their cousins to join us there. We had contacted the family in SLC and they agreed to meet us there on Sunday. I knew it was a long drive but we decided that we could make it in two days - Friday and Saturday.
We woke quite early Friday morning because the boys wee so excited at the prospect of seeing their cousins. We packed and spent some time saying goodbye to the lake and fort. We drove the full length of the eastern shore of Lake Flathead. It so really pretty and cherry stalls were everywhere. We soon joined I90 and sped east towards Butte, then south along I15 towards Idaho. Driving the interstate system is so easy, we drove the rest of the day without much stress. Towards evening we pulled in at a reservoir campground. We were told to find a spot near a picnic table and settle in - it was free to boot! The wind was blowing and the chill was not particularly pleasant. The camper was so snug! We had to hand pump our water - a job for the boys. A young girl, Alison, came over to help us. I also discovered that I had left the water pump on while driving - as a result it was now not working. Oh well - we would deal with it when we got back to Denver. Rob made dinner while I went for a long walk with Alison. I was really tiered from the long day on the road, and the boys were also happy to curl up in their beds. The only sound was that of the rain on our roof.

August 6 - Farmers market and library

We slept in thinking that the weather would be bad, but when we finally emerged from the camper it was quite mild. We walked down to the lake for a swim. Only Mike and Rob braved it. To warm up the boys played some attack games around their fort. Today was supposed to be a day off - this meant having to find a library and some conputers. As is always the case - small towns mean small libraries and few computers. The boys had to share resources. Mike often wonders off to read books instead of using the compter. Rocky and I expored the town on foot and we found a wonderfull farmers amrket. I love the way they block off main streets to set up the stalls. I collected Mike and we ate some lovely goats milk cheese and zucchini bread. Looked east we noticed very dark storm clouds over the mountains. We returned to the camper late in the afternoon. We explored the campground a bit and after dinner we cycled down to Apgar village. Mike and Rob wanted to get their Junior Range badges, but the office was closed. We, instead, bought huge ice creams. After skipping pebbles over the lake for a while we realised it was getting dark - rather quickly. We had to hussle to get back to the campground, 2 1/2 miles back along the lakeshore. Rocky had run all the way to Apgar, so we bundled him into the burley on the return journey.

August 5 - Shuttle busses and mountain meadows

The sun rises late over the eastern mountains and we were tempted to sleep in, but we got going quickly so that we could catch the shuttle bus to the top of Glacier Park. We did not account for all the other people also planning on catching the bus so when we got to the pickup point there were only three seats left. I sent the boys on ahead of me with strict instructions to not wonder off when they got to the top. Their shuttle was a direct service, but mine was involved a transfer at Avalanche, which only got to Logan Pass 50min after them. It was an incredible drive to the top of Logan Pass. The road works delayed the traffic quite a bit, but it gave us time to admire the wonderful views. I noticed a precipitous trail on a cliff face high about the road – I made a note to walk it. At the top I was relieved to find the boys all waiting for me. They had already explored the visitor center and knew which trails they wanted to do. Ant was all for going back down – been there, seen it and already done! We started out on the Hidden Lake Trail. The width of the trail made us feel like we were on a dual carriage way – it was so wide and well worn. We soon appreciated the width as there were so many people on it and passing would have been a problem. It is a bit like the 14’er trails in Colorado. It was glorious to be so high and see so many wild flowers (pic). We saw big horn sheep, mountain goats and marmot (pic).One mountain goat caused a people jam because he was relaxing on a rock ledge right next to the trail, at eye level. He was a great photo op. The boys attached themselves to two ladies walking along the trail at our pace. They chatted constantly and I chuckled many times when I heard the comments they made about our trip. Our two lady friends were most patient and showed so much enthusiasm when talking to the boys. I always appreciate the effort people make towards the boys. Upon return to the visitor center we decided to do the cliff face trail I had spotted earlier – Garden Wall trail. It was pretty scary even though there was a steel cable to hang on to. We caught another shuttle down the eastern side of the road – towards St Mary’s. We hopped off the bus so that we could take the trail to see St Mary’s Falls. This trail was quieter and more secluded in amongst the forest. There was a tremendous volume of water coming down the falls and the color of the water was a wonderful light green/blue (azure???). The falls flowed into a lake which we walked along for quite some time. Upon returning to the top of the pass we found at least 100 people waiting for the shuttle busses. We quickly got our names onto a waiting list and yet again the boys made friends with a family stuck in the shuttle line with us - the 1 and ½ hour wait passed quickly. Rocky was so pleased to see us when we returned to the camper at 7:30pm. He had been stuck in the camper for 11 hours. This is one of the problems of National Parks - so much to see and do, but you are unable to take your pet along with you on the trails.
While we were making dinner a ranger popped in to warn us of an approacing storm - but only before Saturday and today was Wednesday! They warned us of heavy rain and snow. We decided to make a fire but the winds were too strong so we packed it in after some scary moments when the flames flared up. After such a long day our beds were a welcome relief.

August 4 – Through a portal

After an early start we got delayed in Kalispell doing tire rotations and an oil change. I dropped the boys off at the library – they were in heaven. Before I could drop the car off for the service we had to unhitch the camper in the Wal-mart car park. I felt a bit strange ‘camped-out’ in a car park. While waiting we strolled around on the grass and Rocky managed to stand on some sort of stinger. He was really unhappy. After a late lunch we got underway towards Glacier National Park. We passed through a gap in a small ridge and it was like passing through a portal into this cool refreshing new world. The temperature dropped 20 degrees down to 70F. It was cold and windy but we felt so energized. We entered the park and found the campground. We were right next to Lake McDonald, although the many trees obscured our view(pic). We were unable to level the camper side to side as the site was really uneven. The wind was blowing in from the east over snow capped peaks and it really started to chill us. It looked like the weather at the top of the ‘going to the sun road’ was really bad. Through all of this the mosquitoes still attacked us. Because this is a National Park dogs are not allowed on the official trails, but we decided to sneak down to the water with him. We skipped stones and generally fooled around. After dinner we cycled up to the amphitheatre to attend a great talk by Doug Follet. He filled us in on the history of the park and places we had to see. We got back to the camper to discover the neighbor trying to cook his dinner over a very smoky fire – those sad tenters! He was upwind of us and managed to set off our smoke alarm – it is way too sensitive and he was way too smoky!

August 3 - Unhappy campground host

It was great to wake up to the faint sound of the trains in the distance - not passing through our campground. Ant and I went for a walk and returned to the cool air in the camper. We read most the morning then hit Hwy200 around the northern end of the lake. We then took Hwy2 north through the Cabinet Mountains. Trees and lakes where everywhere. The temperature is still above 90F and the sky is slightly less hazy. Now back on Mtn time. McGregor Lake was our home for the night but we drove the wrong way around the campground loop to access the camp site - the host was very unhappy with us. I waded into the lake to cool off, and the boys plunged right on in. We finally finished off the ice cream cake and spent the evening reading. The air cooled off quickly after sunset so I was happy to cuddle under my quilt. I am looking forward to getting to Glacier so that we can spend the next few nights in one place.

August 2 - Goodbye Rich, Hello cooler weather

After placing covers over the sprinkler heads at midnight I was sure the car would stay spot free. Upon waking up I discovered that I had missed one and it took me 1/2 an hour to re-clean the car. What is in this water??? We nearly melted while packing up and had to swim before hitting the road. We hightailed it to Spokane airport - past wheat fields everywhere. After saying goodbye to Rich we headed north east. This region is a real RV dealer mecca! Once we passed Ceur de Arlene we turned north. The sky became really hazy and the heat came down to 90F. We crossed a long bridge into Sandport. Trains seemed to be everywhere. After deciding that the Best Western campground on the lake was just too noisy, we found a campspot (the last one)at Springypoint. It was hell to manouver the camper into the site - I tried nudging a tree, but it did not move! I did not bother to unhitch, just set the brakes. We were right next to the lake and were once again swimming. We read and did puzzles in a very relaxed but hot camper. The air outside cooled wonderfully so Mike and I went for a long walk. Cleaning up after dinner was a joy because they had wonderful sinks with hot water, outside the bathrooms. We had more icecream cake - this birthday is carrying on for days! It was a joy to shower and shampoo my hair. Our last shower was many days ago. I really miss Rich.

August 1 - Returned for Mexican dessert

The early morning sprinklers wet the 'sleeping beauties' in the tent! The water has something weird in it because it left marks all over the car - which we could not rub off. We declared today a 'day off' for the boys. Rich and I went off to do laundry and clean the car, the boys headed to the river. We found Ant's long lost MP3 stuck into a seat. What a joy to have a vacuumed car, free of sand and dog hair. We returned to find the boys back from the beach and Rob making lunch. He is so helpful. The shade from the canopy over the camper(pic) was wonderful but once our tummies were filled the heat sent us back to the water. Even Rocky was pleased to see the beach and river. We struck up a conversation with some folks who have a weekend home here and live in Seattle. The drive is about 4hrs. They were saying that approx. 50% of the homeowners are weekenders. A wind picked up over the water and cooled the air. I must admit that having Rich with us leads to more interesting meals. He made ribs for dinner and then took us to the Mexican restaurant to get the dessert we missed the other evening. We decided to watch the laser show again - before heading home.

July 31 - Mighty turbines on the Columbia River

We woke to the sound of sprinklers firing up. The early morning light was a delicate pink. The whole campground was quiet so I decided to take a walk with Rocky. We went down to the waters edge and watched a couple launch their boat for the first time. After a light breakfast we sent the boys down to the river. We enjoyed the peace and then hiked up a nearby hill. The view was wonderful but Rocky suffered on the hot soil. He kept sneaking under rocks to find some shade and cool his paws. Rich finally carried him off the trail(pic) and into the river(pic). Rich made us lovely burgers for lunch. Our energy levels dipped with the heat. What a great feeling and good excuse to relax. We decided to tour the Grand Coulee Dam - it was really interesting. We each found different aspects of the visitor center interesting. Mike really reads a lot and absorbs so much. The tour into the dam wall was unavailable and the heat was killing us - 105F in the shade - so we returned to the campground for a sunset swim. (Our shower for the day) Ant and Mike pitched the tent and moved in there.