Arline/Don California, Day 16, Oct 28, 2019

Had a great day coming home.  Got to drive through one of God's great creations.....Missouri....which just goes to prove that God's creation is perfect right here in my own back yard.  I have been blessed with Jesus showing me a lot of our great country, his creation, but somehow being back in Missouri has shown me what a great part of God's creation we live in. It is beautiful if we just take to time to look at it through his eyes.

 Another great aspect of coming home is to understand more that another part of God's creation is family and that is a personal part of God's creation that he has given to each of us.  David came over last night and even though it was pretty cold with the wind we still sat around the campfire and just talked.  That was a great topper to the trip and I am so looking forward to seeing the rest of the family.

So, as I pack up to head for home....10 minutes away.....my final thoughts are thanking Jesus for going with me on this trip and showing me one more time how great and wonderful he is and that I need to always open my eyes to the many blessings that he has given me.  Look around, Wayne, God has been so good......no, God is great!

Oct 29, 2019, Day 17 - Home

Arline/Don California Day 15, Oct 27, 2019

Got up and fixed pancakes and bacon.....just love it.....  I wasn't in a hurry because if I get going too early the sun is in my eyes so took my time. Beautiful morning and love the campground.  Only had electric but it worked out fine because of going over to Gail's.  Still it was a wooded camp with view of the lake.  Beautiful sunrise...

Started planning my route for the day with Google Maps and saw that it offered several routes the main of which was a toll.  I started thinking that this whole trip has been nothing but interstate so I decided to take one of the other routes to see how driving 2 lane roads worked with the camper.  It is an hour longer but I felt I wasn't in any hurry to get to the next campground.   In a way it felt like Jesus was telling me that part of his creation were people and Interstate just doesn't really allow that.  Of course I saw plenty of people in San Diego....maybe too many.  Taking that route I felt more like it was seeing the grass routes of America and his creation.  Even though it took me an hour longer to go the back roads I thought it was worth it and it was great.   Of course they don't have rest areas on the back roads so I just went into a bank parking lot to have lunch.  The camper did well and I was able to navigate the smaller roads and towns without any problem.  In fact I think I might do more of this in the future.

Got to the Big Red Barn Campground without any problems and it is really a nice one.  They even have cable and I saw that it included Hallmark....well it has been a long time so I did a marathon session of Hallmark Christmas love stories........loved it!

10/28/19:  Slept well last night.   Kind of sad that this is my last day.....I am thinking about going home and spending another night at Lakeside but it is suppose to rain.  I guess I will make that decision when I get there.....nice to be footloose and fancy free...right David....

Arline/Don California Day 14, Oct 26, 2019

Another uneventful day which was fine with me, but spent the late afternoon/evening/supper with some very wonderful people. Gail Yuras had invited me over for beef strogonoff with home made noodles and all I can say is that it was WONDERFUL!  She even came to pick me up because I camped about 15 away from them......I was surprise but she came in a big 4 door truck......seems the whole family is a truck family.  All the guys were out hunting so didn't get to see them but did meet Angela, Bryan's wife(Gail/Wally's son) and their boys...they also have a 6 week old daughter.  The boys were so full of energy and I really had a great time with them.  Got caught up on everyone in Gail's family, but I am afraid I am not remembering everything......one sad part of growing older.

Cari and David sent me pictures of them carving pumpkins which really got to me more than I would have thought it would.....I really miss not doing it with them.   Cari said Tom and Conner just did the normal carving, which I always did, in honor of my not being there.......really nice thought.  I had been toying with taking my 'extra' day and going to Branson, but wasn't really convinced that I wanted to do that because I was missing the family so much.  Well, this picture made up my mind for me....I am going home and should be there on Monday, Oct 29, God willing.  

Arline/Don California Day 13, Oct 25, 2019

Nothing really spectacular to say about today.  Basically just drove from Albuquerque to Amarillo.  Did have some interesting things happen along the way. 

Saw a semi truck on the road going the other way that had caught on fire and was still burning when I passed.  Of course the traffic was backed up for miles on the other side.  I felt sorry for them. 

When I got into Texas I kept thinking that there was an awful lot of white sand but then figured out it was snow.  When I got to the campground they said they had about 5 inches.  Sure glad I missed that.  That got me thinking about how blessed I have been on this trip....Jesus is with me......because I have not had any rain or snow, and it has be completely clear 90% of the time.  The only 'weather' I have had has be some wind.  Temperatures have also been very chili lately getting down to 23 last night and suppose to be 28 tonight.  Haven't been able to hook up the water because of freezing.

Another thing I did today that I haven't done the whole trip......I got really sleepy so asked Google where the next rest stop was and it was only 13 minutes away so I pulled in and crawled into my bed.  I was going to sleep for only 30 minutes but woke up after 45 minutes.  That really felt good and I was fine the rest of the trip. 

I am going to camp near Gail's house in Oklahoma City (actually Edmond) tomorrow.  She has invited me over for beef stroganoff for supper.....how could I refuse????

Happy Face

(Sure looks like I am going to have to get my eye lid fixed again - oh well....it is still a happy face)

Arline/Don California Day 12, Oct 24, 2019

Had a great night and got this morning nice and early.  Had eggs & bacon and then watched the sun come up....kind of cold with temperatures in the mid 30's.  Now I am glad I pack my cold weather clothes.

Took off for Albuquerque and everything was going fine...Then I saw a sign for the Petrified Forest National Park.  Well, I started thinking that I might make  a detour.  Got to the park gate which was right off the interstate, and went to the visitor center, where I learned that it was 56 mile round trip to see the park.  I thought that since I don't have any camping reservations...... why not???  So I took it and it would have cost $20 to get into the park but I have my 'old person' passport and got in for free.  I drove through the park stopping just about every time I could.  Turns out this is also part of the Painted Desert.  I will just let the pictures speak for themselves since it was fantastic.  These are only some of the pictures I took:

Petraglif - drawn by the ancients

All the dots are petrified logs

The petrified logs are the reddish color on the right

Petrified logs

petrified logs

It took about 2 1/2 hours and it was noon, so I had lunch and started to figure out where to go next.  I was going to stay at the AFB in Albuquerque but felt that since I didn't have any reservations I would be taking a chance of getting there too late.  Decided to look for another spot along the way.  Found one called the Dancing Eagle RV campground which had some good reviews and was about the right distance.  Drove there and turns out it is attached to a Casino and is just 3 rows of sites and the whole place was just rock.  Decided to look for another one and found 'Enchanted Trails RV Park & Trading Post'.  It sounded good so set off for it.  I don't know where it gets it's name.....but it was just OK....and the trading post is worthless. Oh well, it is just for the night.  Found out the temp is suppose to get down to 22 in the morning.....decided to just not hook up the water but use the water in my camper.    Overall......it was a great day and Jesus showed me some more of his handiwork.  

Arline/Don California Day 11, Oct 23, 2019

Sun City Campground...RVs in with permanent mobile homes
Nice place but hardly a campground.

Today was really a great relaxing day.  I only traveled about 230 miles taking only about 4 hours.  So I got up slow, got ready to go slow, and drove slow...er.  The scenery was great as I went from desert to forest and back to desert.  The winds were manageable. 

Leaving Sun City - desert

Into the mountains

Into the forest

Back into the desert

Got to the Homolovi Arizona State Park which has a lot of archaeological stuff about the Homolovi 'oli indians who merged in the the Hopi Indians......this site dates them as far back as 1200 AD.  Got here about noon and just took off on my scooter because everything is spread out.The following are pictures from the archaeological digs of the Homolovi 'oli Indians:

See my tracks.....love my scooter

Built out of adobe brick

 

Some items found at the site

 

Entrance to one of the archaeological digs

Remains of a villiage

Arline/Don California Days 8, 9, 10 Oct 20-22, 2019

I have been very busy or tired from being so busy that I have not updated this for a few days. 

10/20/19, Sunday, Day 8:  Arline/Don came to pick me up for church but if you remember I mentioned how confusing it was in the campground.  Well, they managed to get into the campground but then got lost and they were getting so late that that I finally called them and helped them find my site.  By then it was late but we went ahead to church and got there in time for the sermon....which was very good.  Others from the family met us there:  Jeff Heinkel, Dianne Eberhardt, Chris (Dianne's son), Casey (Chris's wife) and their two children.  From church we went to Jeff's house where he fixed a very delicious salmon meal...I had two helpings.  Jeff showed us his 'HUGE' house and we had great conversations after that as we got caught up with everyone about everyone. 

It was a wonderful day and by the time I got home, I just went to bed.  

10/21/19 Monday Day 9:  Got up and fixed a leak in the water at the connection, did laundry, and took a tour of the campground on my scooter.  There are about 300 sites which explains why it is so easy to get lost.  Arline/Don came to pick me up and took me back to their apartment. Some pictures below:

We had lunch there and it was delicious and then they took me on a tour of the facility which has about everything you could want.  They make it easy for residents to interact with all kinds of programs to do just about anything.  

Then we went on a tour of San Diego.  Lots of people enjoying the great weather.  

Downtown San Diego

Don/Arline - huge hotel on the beach

Doug Eberhardt's apartment - upper floor - downtown San Diego

Another great day and tired so went to bed.

10/22/19  Tuesday, Day 10:  Got an early start and got out of San Diego area easily because traffic was going the other direction.  The scenery was really nice as I went to mountains to desert.  Did have to battle winds again today and never sure where they were coming from.....crosswinds, head winds, tail winds.  Of course the head winds came the same time I was climbing into the mountains.  God does have a sense of humor.  Then things settled down as I came downhill into the desert.   They have permanent signs up warning about winds. 

Really nice rest area in Arizona where I had lunch

 Got to Sun City and Dottie Kuppler came to pick me up and we had a really great afternoon and dinner and conversation.....finding out all about her and her family.  We both talked about how blessed we are with wonderful family.  

Not really sure where I am going next because I haven't made any reservations so going out and seeing what God has in store for me.  Should be less busy journey from here on......?