In search of Oracle Patio Cafe

1/4/14
Camped at Catalina SP
Low 40's high 70'

Decided to take a side trip to Oracle for lunch.  Read about this little cafe open for breakfast and lunch only.  Also looked for Sue and Jerry's Trading Store.  Oracle is at about 4,500' on the north end of the Santa Catalina Mtns.

This is Sue & Jerry's
Lots of junk
Joe could have stayed
here all day

Lots of treasures 

Next, onward toward town and the search for the Oracle Patio Cafe.

It looks quiet here but there were many cars so it was not hard to find

 Many things for sale, all made from recycled material

The food here was excellent I would highly recommend it.









Kind of a slow day for us.

Safe travels to all

Nancy

Howling Coyotes

Catalina State Park, AZ
1/2 until 1/9/14
Cool at night, about 70 during the day.

1/3/14
Between about 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm we had the serenading of coyotes, the most I have ever heard.  It was dark but they sure sounded close by, they must have been roaming the campground.

I love the Sonoran Desert, it's so green.  Went on a hike today towards Romero Pools.  This is a very popular hike, especially for the dog lovers.  Dog friendly on most of the hiking trails except the higher elevations where the mountain sheep are being reintroduced to the area.

After several hours of hiking and exploring the hills I was exhausted.  Luckily, earlier I had pulled a delicious dinner out of the freezer of turkey and mash potatoes n gravy. And it was sooo good.  I love freezing dinners I can just heat up out on the road.  Thank you Brenda for the left overs.

Happy New Year 2014

Picacho Peak State Park
12/28/13 - 1/2/14
Group Campground with 4CU New Years Rally
Clear skies for the most part cool at night (about 40') and warm during the day (about 65' to 72')

Our Rally was dry camping with about 35 rigs.  Coffee every morning and a campfire every night and various activities in between.  Every one had a great time, especially making the tamales.

Getting all set up with our flags.

Sergio and Lewis were our 

fearless Hosts for the Rally......

proudly flying their flags

 on their 1962 vintage AS

Black Creek/Saratoga, Vancouver Island

9/2 - 9/3
Pacific Playground RV Park, just about 20 min south of Campbell River.

Beautiful views of Georgia Strait, and Desolation Sound.  A stroll along the beach and then back in time for a Western BBQ with yummy Bison Burgers.

Traveled north to Salmon Point Pub and Restaurant for really good food and unbeatable scenery of the ocean.  Later traveling still north to Campbell River and a tour at Mussels and More, a pottery studio, all items are themed after clam shells, or oyster shells.

Later a tour of Shelter Point Distilleries with single malt whisky, pretty good stuff.

We have really been blessed with very good weather.

Safe travels to all,

Nancy

Telegraph Cove/Alert Bay

8/30/13 - 9/1/13

Telegraph Cove/Alert Bay
Vancouver Island, BC

Well it's been sooooo verrry looooong  since I have posted I wasn't sure that it would still be there, but here it is and I'm so very glad.  I didn't realize the importance of blogging because it's mostly my record, or journal of our travels.  But I had had to go back and look at something from a year ago and it sure came in handy

Another Airstream Caravan, "Island Treasures Caravan"  we have 19 trailers and one motor home.  Leaving home (Lacey, WA) on Saturday 8/24/13 and spent the night at Washington Park in Anacortes, as we are taking the ferry to Sidney, Vancouver Island on the 0825 sailing.  The Park is very wooded and perfect, but you had better have reservations if you are staying during the summer months.

Our friends Judy and Gerry picked us up and drove us into town to a cute little pub but I don't remember the name of it.  We have not been to Anacortes for at least 5 - 6 years and it was much busier and cleaner than I remember.  One thing, the boat docks have been redone and it is beautiful down there.  We also found out that there is free RV parking in the parking lot next to the boat dock which is where we will stay on our return home.

The ferry ride was very uneventful, had a nice pleasant ride through the beautiful San Juan Islands to Sidney, BC. then a short drive up to Nanaimo to Living Forest RV Park.  A little pricey but a beautiful park with almost every site a view of the water.  Would definitely stay there again.

Tuesday August 27, arrived Courtaney, BC at Seal Bay RV Park.  A beautiful new park. And, this is where we met all the other people on the caravan.  Some people we have met before and have even been  on caravans with them and then there others that are now becoming friends.

I have WiFi here but it is tempermental and I am not able to get to my pictures :(

While in Courtaney we visited the K'omoks First Nation and was treated to a traditional salmon bake and the Kumugwe Dancers at the Longhouse.  The dancers, in traditional dress, told stories of their culture that has been passed down for hundreds of years, all being told by Andy Emerson.

A group of us traveled out to Port Alberni where we hopped on a steam train, taking us up to the McClain (operated by steam) Lumber Mill.  A fascinating operation that is still in operation today for custom orders.  The entire operation is run by two engineers and about 10 volunteers.

8/30/13 was travel day on up to Telegraph Cove and Alert Bay.  Again, we were treated to local First Nations, visiting the cemetery of their ancestors and explanation of all the Totem Poles in the cemetery. Then off to the carving shed and the museum.  Tomorrow we will go to Port Hardy.

Safe travels to all

Nancy

Borrego Springs

3/11 - 3/13/2013
Anza Borrego Springs State Park


Another first for us.  We are dry camping again, they get $25.00 a night for dry camping here, if you want water and power it's $35 a night.  There is also a lot of dry camping out in the desert for free and then you can go to the state park and pay a $7 fee to dump and fill up with water.  I guess some people do that all winter long.

This is a beautiful area, the village is small and friendly, and no traffic lights.  There are many RV parks, motels and golf courses but there are no chain motels or fast food.  We will probably come back again next year.  We are here on a new moon, and it is the darkest place I have ever seen and the stars are brilliant, the Milky Way stretches from one horizon to the other side, next year we might be able to come on a full moon, that would be pretty cool.

Many hiking trails,  I hiked up the trail to the springs above Palm Canyon Campground, a three mile round trip up and over rocks, logs and crossing the creek several times.  A most beautiful canyon.

The sky was so very blue.  I don't know if it's always  this blue our just happened to be this time of year.

The canyon was straight up with beautiful colors

The closer I got to the spring the more water in the creek.  I was told that the water in the spring is there all summer but the creek dries up.  A great hike especially early in the morning.

We were in space 69, perfect for the afternoon shade, but space 106 - 109 would be better.  Also space 116, 93 & 97.  These are all in the back and get the shade of the mountain first.

Thanks for stopping by

Have a great day

Nancy

Elks Lodge, Indio, CA

3/5 - 3/10/2013
Elks Lodge
Indio, CA

This is the first time we have stayed at this Elks Lodge, the have good lunches and dinners almost every night and a big breakfast on Sundays.  We were going to stay only a couple of nights, but that led to a couple of more and before we realized it we were here five nights.  We have several friends from British Columbia, Alberta and Oregon that are in various RV parks around here.  It's really been fun visiting and catching up with all of them.  Another friend over in Hemet which is only 45 miles away so we took a day to go over there. Next year we might stay at one of the beautiful RV parks here for a month.

No pictures, I sort of fell down on the job I guess.  However we had a wonderful time visiting with Marilyn & Gene, Marilyn & Barry, Eileen & Bob, Darlene & Bob, Arlene & Alex & their neighbor.  We ate and laughed; visited and ate some more; saw a play, Neil Simon's California Suite, very funny;  had a big brunch on Sunday at the Elks; drove over to Hemet where we ate and laughed again.

We all had a great time.

Thanks for stopping by and drive safe.

Nancy