We went to Cabela's today. We wanted to get a hand held GPS, and they had a super price on a highly rated one. We want to use it on the trails in Moab. The book we have describes each trail in terms of GPS coordinates. We also got a $50 gift card (it expires in three weeks) for buying it.
I looked through their guns, but didn't see anything that I wanted.
We spent quite a bit of time at Cabela's, and then drove to the train show in New Braunfels. It was quite a disappointment. There were only two n-scale dealers. I did get one car I've wanted for awhile at a good price.
On the way hoe I stopped at Camping World to get a replacement for the sewer pipe holder that broke on Wednesday (it seems like a long time ago).
After that we went home. We drove more than 110 miles. When we got home I replaced the sewer pipe holder. It was one of those jobs that took longer and was more of a pain in the ass than it should have been.
The evening was surfing and doing some shopping on Amazon. Hopefully the GPS will be charged up tomorrow so we can play with it.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Day 23
This was a pretty good day. It started off early. The thunderstorms woke us up about five. The thunder was loud enough to shake the house. We went back to sleep, but the storms continued. We woke up at 8, but there was no reason to get up. So we surfed in bed for awhile.
When we did get up we went to Dripping Springs to vote and get the tags for the car. After that we stopped at Home Depot and had keys made to replace the ones Ellen lost. We had some time to kill before her doctor's appointment, so we went to Trudy's for lunch. The food was good as usual.
We were early for her appointment, but it had been raining hard all morning and 1826 was closed where it crosses Slaughter Creek. So we went early and Ellen got right in. That's probably because of the rain. I also lucked out and got an appointment next week with the doctor. Otherwise he was booked until next May. Wow.
After that we went to the back to see if that was the safe deposit key that Ellen lost. It was. Luckily we had the spare in the safe. That saves us a $125 "drill fee". The next stop was Tomlinson's for a dog treat. Lucy really wanted to go. The last stop was HEB, because I really wanted to go.
We had to use Escarpment to get home because 1826 was closed. We stopped where it crossed Slaughter Creek. It was amazing. That whole part of the park was flooded. There was so much water going through that all of the big tubes under the road were full. All sorts of things were flowing in the water and ending up against the bridge. There were marks on the trees that showed that the water had been 2 feet higher earlier. We also drove to Bear Creek to watch it flowing over the road. The high water mark showed that it also had been 2-3 feet higher earlier.
When we got home it was still raining, but it stopped for awhile soon after. So I put all the boxes in the recycle can and took both cans to the gate. I also pulled a lot of weeds in the driveway. The ground was so soaked that it was easy to do. Then I unloaded the back of the truck. The temp was about 75, with 100% humidity. I was sweating like a pig.
After that I was tired and it started raining hard again. I had to watch a recorded movie because Directv crapped out. However, the chair put me to sleep, so I didn't see the movie.
The rain let up in the evening, but didn't stop. At least I got to see Gold Derp and Zombies.
When we did get up we went to Dripping Springs to vote and get the tags for the car. After that we stopped at Home Depot and had keys made to replace the ones Ellen lost. We had some time to kill before her doctor's appointment, so we went to Trudy's for lunch. The food was good as usual.
We were early for her appointment, but it had been raining hard all morning and 1826 was closed where it crosses Slaughter Creek. So we went early and Ellen got right in. That's probably because of the rain. I also lucked out and got an appointment next week with the doctor. Otherwise he was booked until next May. Wow.
After that we went to the back to see if that was the safe deposit key that Ellen lost. It was. Luckily we had the spare in the safe. That saves us a $125 "drill fee". The next stop was Tomlinson's for a dog treat. Lucy really wanted to go. The last stop was HEB, because I really wanted to go.
We had to use Escarpment to get home because 1826 was closed. We stopped where it crossed Slaughter Creek. It was amazing. That whole part of the park was flooded. There was so much water going through that all of the big tubes under the road were full. All sorts of things were flowing in the water and ending up against the bridge. There were marks on the trees that showed that the water had been 2 feet higher earlier. We also drove to Bear Creek to watch it flowing over the road. The high water mark showed that it also had been 2-3 feet higher earlier.
When we got home it was still raining, but it stopped for awhile soon after. So I put all the boxes in the recycle can and took both cans to the gate. I also pulled a lot of weeds in the driveway. The ground was so soaked that it was easy to do. Then I unloaded the back of the truck. The temp was about 75, with 100% humidity. I was sweating like a pig.
After that I was tired and it started raining hard again. I had to watch a recorded movie because Directv crapped out. However, the chair put me to sleep, so I didn't see the movie.
The rain let up in the evening, but didn't stop. At least I got to see Gold Derp and Zombies.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Day 22
We go up at the regular time and were at the tire store at eight when they opened. I had decided to replace all four tires. Unfortunately they didn't have four tires. Fortunately they got two from another store. Unfortunately they cost more. Oh well. Replacing all four cost me $500, but the peace of mind is worth it. We were on our was by 8:30 or so.
The trip home was short and uneventful. We were there by about 10. The car started with no problem and we parked the trailer without much trouble except for moving a lot of rocks. I left the truck hooked up because we'll be taking the trailer to Camping World next week.
The house seems in good shape. The pump started up without a problem. The door to the well house was open and won't close. The porch motion light is burnt out and the outside temp and humidity sensors aren't working. Of course everything is overgrown and there's a depressing amount of weeds in the gravel areas.
The next three hours were spent unloading the trailer. It was in the sun, which we're not used to. I did a lot of sweating. We did get the whole thing unloaded, but there's still some stiff in the truck bed.
We went for lunch at 1:30. Our first stop was the post office. We had a whole box of mail and two packages. We separated out the important stuff and went to Fireman's for lunch. We went through he mail while we at. Lucy had a Merrick sausage. One of the things in the mail was a 10% off coupon for Best Buy. That was good, because I killed my keyboard last night trying to clean out all the Mike's Fletcher spilled on it.
I got a nice keyboard that's an improvement over the old one. It was only $20 more than a straight replacement.
We went home and started working on the mail and putting away all of the stuff from the trailer. We made a dent, but there's a lot to go. Ellen's laptop screen got cracked. That gives it a one inch black spot at the upper right. Fortunately the monitor we bought works great, so it's not a big problem. I see a new laptop in her future.
We're watching TV right now, the rest can wait until tomorrow.
The trip home was short and uneventful. We were there by about 10. The car started with no problem and we parked the trailer without much trouble except for moving a lot of rocks. I left the truck hooked up because we'll be taking the trailer to Camping World next week.
The house seems in good shape. The pump started up without a problem. The door to the well house was open and won't close. The porch motion light is burnt out and the outside temp and humidity sensors aren't working. Of course everything is overgrown and there's a depressing amount of weeds in the gravel areas.
The next three hours were spent unloading the trailer. It was in the sun, which we're not used to. I did a lot of sweating. We did get the whole thing unloaded, but there's still some stiff in the truck bed.
We went for lunch at 1:30. Our first stop was the post office. We had a whole box of mail and two packages. We separated out the important stuff and went to Fireman's for lunch. We went through he mail while we at. Lucy had a Merrick sausage. One of the things in the mail was a 10% off coupon for Best Buy. That was good, because I killed my keyboard last night trying to clean out all the Mike's Fletcher spilled on it.
I got a nice keyboard that's an improvement over the old one. It was only $20 more than a straight replacement.
We went home and started working on the mail and putting away all of the stuff from the trailer. We made a dent, but there's a lot to go. Ellen's laptop screen got cracked. That gives it a one inch black spot at the upper right. Fortunately the monitor we bought works great, so it's not a big problem. I see a new laptop in her future.
We're watching TV right now, the rest can wait until tomorrow.
Day 21
Today was sure a lot less fatiguing/stressful than yesterday. We started out with sleeping in a little bit and then having a leisurely breakfast.
The first thing we did was get the blown tire replaced. When I put it back on the trailer I noticed it was load range E. So I went back to the store to make arrangements to have them replace another tomorrow. The whole cost was cheap - about $120.
After that I called up the insurance agency. They were great. They took the info and then gave me a couple of places to get it fixed. One is Camping World. All I have to do is bring it in and they'll fix it. Late in the day someone from Camping World called. I told them I'd call them after we got home and had time to unpack.
After the call we went to town. There was no parking on the street, we had to park at the park on the north end of town. We took the dog because she had a boring day yesterday. We walked up and down the whole town going into all the stores that interested us. We bought a few things for ourselves and Lucy at Dogology. That was about it for buying. We had lunch at the outdoor place with the live music. They had a great blues singer and the food was good. Lucy got a Merrick sausage.
On the way home we stopped at the high school so that Lucy could do some retrieves. She did a good job, but quit a little early, probably because she was hot.
When we got home we just watched TV and surfed. Tomorrow we'll go home.
The first thing we did was get the blown tire replaced. When I put it back on the trailer I noticed it was load range E. So I went back to the store to make arrangements to have them replace another tomorrow. The whole cost was cheap - about $120.
After that I called up the insurance agency. They were great. They took the info and then gave me a couple of places to get it fixed. One is Camping World. All I have to do is bring it in and they'll fix it. Late in the day someone from Camping World called. I told them I'd call them after we got home and had time to unpack.
After the call we went to town. There was no parking on the street, we had to park at the park on the north end of town. We took the dog because she had a boring day yesterday. We walked up and down the whole town going into all the stores that interested us. We bought a few things for ourselves and Lucy at Dogology. That was about it for buying. We had lunch at the outdoor place with the live music. They had a great blues singer and the food was good. Lucy got a Merrick sausage.
On the way home we stopped at the high school so that Lucy could do some retrieves. She did a good job, but quit a little early, probably because she was hot.
When we got home we just watched TV and surfed. Tomorrow we'll go home.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Day 20
The last 24 hours have been the worst since we started traveling 10 years ago. It started about 7 last night when Ellen announced that she was bleeding out her ass. The next 3 or 4 hours were spent in the emergency room. The verdict is that they don't know what's wrong with her, but she's in no immediate danger. She does need to get a colonoscopy ASAP. So they sent us home with the name of a local gastroenterologist and instructions to call her doctor in the morning.
She called her doctor about 8 this morning. The doctor said come home immediately and see her on Friday. That meant a late start to a 443 mile trip. To add insult to injury the place in San Angelo insisted on charging us for one night because we cancelled our reservation.
We got on the road a little after 9. Most of the first 2/3 of the trip was boring. However, at the first gas station I noticed that the sewer hose was hanging out of one of the storage tubes. Both of the tube ends were broken off. I have no idea how.
I put the hose in the basement and we continued. We were going through flat Texas. The only thing of interest were the hundreds of windmills around and south of Lubbock. My tax dollars at play.
It looked like we'd get in a a semi-reasonable time. Then about 70 miles out of Fredericksburg one of the tires blew. It took out the whole side of the trailer. It also chewed up a cable support and the trailer bottom above the wheels.
We were incredibly lucky about where it happened. First, the tire didn't lose air. That meant the other tire on that side wasn't killed by having to hold double weight. Second, that part of Texas is deserted. The road is narrow. I pulled off the side of the road when I saw the damage. I took off the damaged skirt and ducktaped the cable up (I couldn't believe I didn't have any cable ties). I drove about a quarter mile up the road and there was a large parking area with some sort of small bar that was open. It was the only sign of civilization for 20 or 30 miles in either direction.
Our luck continued. The proprietor came out and offered to help. I thanked him and said I had it under control. I put the trailer up on blocks and got out the spare. That's when I found out that the spare only had l48 PSI in it. Luckily the bar had an outside plug that I used to pump up the tire. I don't know how long it would have taken with that little 12V pump.
We got back on the road and made it to Fredericksburg without further mishap. We got there about 7 or 8 minutes after they closed. Fortunately they left instructions. I unhooked the truck - of course the release stuck and I had to pound it open. I didn't want to open the damaged slide, so we went to Walmart for cable ties.
When we got back I used the cable ties to repair the power cable hanger as well as I could. It actually looks like it will work pretty well. Ellen went and did the wash while I finished up hooking up the trailer and feeding the animals.
There's one last gotcha. When I opened the off door slide I pinched Ellen's computer case and the file case. The file case was destroyed. I don't know about her computer yet.
She called her doctor about 8 this morning. The doctor said come home immediately and see her on Friday. That meant a late start to a 443 mile trip. To add insult to injury the place in San Angelo insisted on charging us for one night because we cancelled our reservation.
We got on the road a little after 9. Most of the first 2/3 of the trip was boring. However, at the first gas station I noticed that the sewer hose was hanging out of one of the storage tubes. Both of the tube ends were broken off. I have no idea how.
I put the hose in the basement and we continued. We were going through flat Texas. The only thing of interest were the hundreds of windmills around and south of Lubbock. My tax dollars at play.
It looked like we'd get in a a semi-reasonable time. Then about 70 miles out of Fredericksburg one of the tires blew. It took out the whole side of the trailer. It also chewed up a cable support and the trailer bottom above the wheels.
We were incredibly lucky about where it happened. First, the tire didn't lose air. That meant the other tire on that side wasn't killed by having to hold double weight. Second, that part of Texas is deserted. The road is narrow. I pulled off the side of the road when I saw the damage. I took off the damaged skirt and ducktaped the cable up (I couldn't believe I didn't have any cable ties). I drove about a quarter mile up the road and there was a large parking area with some sort of small bar that was open. It was the only sign of civilization for 20 or 30 miles in either direction.
Our luck continued. The proprietor came out and offered to help. I thanked him and said I had it under control. I put the trailer up on blocks and got out the spare. That's when I found out that the spare only had l48 PSI in it. Luckily the bar had an outside plug that I used to pump up the tire. I don't know how long it would have taken with that little 12V pump.
We got back on the road and made it to Fredericksburg without further mishap. We got there about 7 or 8 minutes after they closed. Fortunately they left instructions. I unhooked the truck - of course the release stuck and I had to pound it open. I didn't want to open the damaged slide, so we went to Walmart for cable ties.
When we got back I used the cable ties to repair the power cable hanger as well as I could. It actually looks like it will work pretty well. Ellen went and did the wash while I finished up hooking up the trailer and feeding the animals.
There's one last gotcha. When I opened the off door slide I pinched Ellen's computer case and the file case. The file case was destroyed. I don't know about her computer yet.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Day 19
We explored Amarillo today. Our first stop was a 2-10-4 locomotive that was displayed near downtown. Unfortunately it was surrounded by a barb wire topped chain link fence. I couldn't get near it and couldn't even get any good pictures. It was a very impressive machine though.
After that we drove to the "old route 66" area. It sounded interesting in the brochure, but it turned out boring. It consisted of some cafes and antique shops. They looked pretty dilapidated, so we didn't start.
Then we decided to go to the plains museum. It's in Canyon, about 10 miles south. It turned out to be closed on Mondays. So I tried a gun store there. It was closed on Mondays also. We ate lunch at this diner sort of place. I ordered the "light" portion chicken fried steak. It was plenty.
We drove back up to Amarillo and stopped at a gun store. It had a really good selection of stuff, but it was all priced at list. We looked around for awhile and then left.
Our last stop was Rudy's. We bought some brisket for myself and some brisket rub for Patsy.
When we got home we took the dog over to the grassy area and threw the bumper for her. She had a great time and now she's really tired. I'm eating brisket for dinner and waiting for football.
After that we drove to the "old route 66" area. It sounded interesting in the brochure, but it turned out boring. It consisted of some cafes and antique shops. They looked pretty dilapidated, so we didn't start.
Then we decided to go to the plains museum. It's in Canyon, about 10 miles south. It turned out to be closed on Mondays. So I tried a gun store there. It was closed on Mondays also. We ate lunch at this diner sort of place. I ordered the "light" portion chicken fried steak. It was plenty.
We drove back up to Amarillo and stopped at a gun store. It had a really good selection of stuff, but it was all priced at list. We looked around for awhile and then left.
Our last stop was Rudy's. We bought some brisket for myself and some brisket rub for Patsy.
When we got home we took the dog over to the grassy area and threw the bumper for her. She had a great time and now she's really tired. I'm eating brisket for dinner and waiting for football.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Day 18
We traveled to Amarillo today. It was a really easy drive. Most of it was on interstate, the rest on really good secondary road. We started out climbing up 800 feet (2 or 3 times). Then we started a long down hill. In 170 miles we dropped 3000 feet and got 13.8 mpg.
We got to Amarillo about 1:15. It was really 2:15 because we crossed a time zone. The park is nice and about a mile from the Cadillac Ranch. So we went there. The cars are incredible. They are covered with graffiti. The paint is over half an inch thick on all surfaces. There was a steady stream of people looking at them. The license plates were from all over the country.
After that we went to the Amarillo dog park. Lucy did a lot of sniffing and socializing, but only a few retrieves. We thought she might not be feeling good.
When Ellen opened the refrigerator door, the key lime pie we bought yesterday fell out. So we stopped at a store and got another one. There aren't any HEB's in town. Who'd a thought?
When we got back we surfed the evening away.
We got to Amarillo about 1:15. It was really 2:15 because we crossed a time zone. The park is nice and about a mile from the Cadillac Ranch. So we went there. The cars are incredible. They are covered with graffiti. The paint is over half an inch thick on all surfaces. There was a steady stream of people looking at them. The license plates were from all over the country.
After that we went to the Amarillo dog park. Lucy did a lot of sniffing and socializing, but only a few retrieves. We thought she might not be feeling good.
When Ellen opened the refrigerator door, the key lime pie we bought yesterday fell out. So we stopped at a store and got another one. There aren't any HEB's in town. Who'd a thought?
When we got back we surfed the evening away.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Day 17
I wanted to go to a place called Fort Marcy today. It's a hill a little to the east of the old downtown Santa Fe. The fort is all gone except for some low grass covered mounds, but the hill gives a good view of Santa Fe. We took the dog because it was cloudy and cool. She had to stay on a leash, but I think she enjoyed it more than staying in the trailer.
After that we went to a grocery store. By then it was sunny and getting warm. We bought a few items. I didn't want to go home, so I looked up a gun store. We went to it just to look around. I bought some ammo and we had a great talk with a couple of the guys working there.
After that we went to a little burger joint. It was pretty good. We decided to give the dog a bath. A lady at lunch had recommended a place. We went there, but they said we needed an appointment. So we went somewhere else.
When we got home I dumped the tanks. It was a pain as usual.
The rest of the evening was some surfing, tv, and a movie I recorded months ago.
After that we went to a grocery store. By then it was sunny and getting warm. We bought a few items. I didn't want to go home, so I looked up a gun store. We went to it just to look around. I bought some ammo and we had a great talk with a couple of the guys working there.
After that we went to a little burger joint. It was pretty good. We decided to give the dog a bath. A lady at lunch had recommended a place. We went there, but they said we needed an appointment. So we went somewhere else.
When we got home I dumped the tanks. It was a pain as usual.
The rest of the evening was some surfing, tv, and a movie I recorded months ago.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Day 16
We went to Santa Fe today. The dog was really disappointed that we left her at home. New Mexico sucks for her. She can't go with us, and when we're home she can't run because of valley fever.
We went to the center of Santa Fe - the Plaza. It's block after block of galleries, jewelry stores, restaurants, and tourist shops. It reminded both of us of Sedona, only bigger. In fact, we think we saw several art objects that were the same as ones we saw there.
We decided to search for barrets. They were harder to find than you would have thought. Apparently artists don't make them any more. We did find a couple we liked, plus some druzy earrings. We also found a french bakery with real chocolate.
We walked for about 4 or 5 hours. We were tired, but happy, when we left.
When we got home we took the dog for a walk on a leash - no running in the field and sniffing the ground. She saw a couple of rabbits, which really excited her. The one at the park just sits and looks at her.
We had dinner at the trailer. I'm waiting for the zombies to come on now. We can hear a thunderstorm coming.
We went to the center of Santa Fe - the Plaza. It's block after block of galleries, jewelry stores, restaurants, and tourist shops. It reminded both of us of Sedona, only bigger. In fact, we think we saw several art objects that were the same as ones we saw there.
We decided to search for barrets. They were harder to find than you would have thought. Apparently artists don't make them any more. We did find a couple we liked, plus some druzy earrings. We also found a french bakery with real chocolate.
We walked for about 4 or 5 hours. We were tired, but happy, when we left.
When we got home we took the dog for a walk on a leash - no running in the field and sniffing the ground. She saw a couple of rabbits, which really excited her. The one at the park just sits and looks at her.
We had dinner at the trailer. I'm waiting for the zombies to come on now. We can hear a thunderstorm coming.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Day 15
We drove from Cortez to Santa Fe today. The first 80 miles involved climbing 1200 feet. We got 11 mpg, pretty good. Diesel is cheap in this part of NM. We paid 2.19 every time we filled up. The second leg was typical up down up down. We dropped 1500 feet and got 11.4 mpg. The last part of the trip was going back up 1200 ft. I'm not sure of that mileage.
The first order of business was to setup the satellite dish. The park doesn't have cable. So if we want to see zombies tomorrow we need the dish.
We discovered yesterday that a cat, probably Fletcher, pissed all over the quilt on the bed. It really stunk. We were at the park by 1:30, so we decided to get it washed. We drove over to a laundromat with a big washer. It was in the Mexican part of town. I don't think any place in the same strip mall had English signs.
It took a long time to wash the quilt and longer to dry it. When it was done we drove back home for dinner (left over Chinese), surfing, and football.
The first order of business was to setup the satellite dish. The park doesn't have cable. So if we want to see zombies tomorrow we need the dish.
We discovered yesterday that a cat, probably Fletcher, pissed all over the quilt on the bed. It really stunk. We were at the park by 1:30, so we decided to get it washed. We drove over to a laundromat with a big washer. It was in the Mexican part of town. I don't think any place in the same strip mall had English signs.
It took a long time to wash the quilt and longer to dry it. When it was done we drove back home for dinner (left over Chinese), surfing, and football.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Day 14
We went to Mesa Verde today. After breakfast we ran the dog so that she'd be tired while languishing in the trailer. Then we left for the park, which is only 9 miles from Cortez.
It started raining while we were in the visitor's center. The road climbs 1500 to 2000 feet from there to the mesa. By the time we got to the top it was 39 degrees, very windy, and raining hard. Visibility was about 300 yards. We kept going anyway.
Luckily the ruins were on the other side of the mesa from the rainstorm. They're also a 20 mile, 40+ minute drive from the visitor center. By the time we got to the first ruin the rain had stopped and it was just cloudy. For the rest of the day the weather gradually cleared and it warmed up some. The wind never stopped though, so it was never really comfortable.
We spent probably 6 hours driving through the park looking at ruins. Unfortunately only one was open to walk through. The others had been closed for the season. They were all spectacular. I have no idea how the indians accessed the sites, much less got stone blocks, soil, and water up there to build them. Each stone was squared off, using stone tools. Amazing.
We brought the binoculars with us. They were great. Because much of the viewing is at a distance they made looking at the ruins a lot more informative and entertaining. In a lot of cases we were able to see details in ruins that we could barely see with our bare eyes.
On the way back the weather had cleared. We got to see all of the views that were fogged in when we drove in. They are spectacular. All in all I took almost 100 pictures of views and ruins.
We were hungry when we left - no lunch. So as soon as we got home we let the dog out to pee and then went to dinner. We went to the Chinese place in town. It was pretty good food, and a lot of it. Unfortunately they forgot that Hunan food is supposed to be spicy. It tasted like Cantonese.
The evening was surfing and TV. We getting up early tomorrow and driving to Santa Fe. There's snow in the mountains, but I think we'll be OK.
It started raining while we were in the visitor's center. The road climbs 1500 to 2000 feet from there to the mesa. By the time we got to the top it was 39 degrees, very windy, and raining hard. Visibility was about 300 yards. We kept going anyway.
Luckily the ruins were on the other side of the mesa from the rainstorm. They're also a 20 mile, 40+ minute drive from the visitor center. By the time we got to the first ruin the rain had stopped and it was just cloudy. For the rest of the day the weather gradually cleared and it warmed up some. The wind never stopped though, so it was never really comfortable.
We spent probably 6 hours driving through the park looking at ruins. Unfortunately only one was open to walk through. The others had been closed for the season. They were all spectacular. I have no idea how the indians accessed the sites, much less got stone blocks, soil, and water up there to build them. Each stone was squared off, using stone tools. Amazing.
We brought the binoculars with us. They were great. Because much of the viewing is at a distance they made looking at the ruins a lot more informative and entertaining. In a lot of cases we were able to see details in ruins that we could barely see with our bare eyes.
On the way back the weather had cleared. We got to see all of the views that were fogged in when we drove in. They are spectacular. All in all I took almost 100 pictures of views and ruins.
We were hungry when we left - no lunch. So as soon as we got home we let the dog out to pee and then went to dinner. We went to the Chinese place in town. It was pretty good food, and a lot of it. Unfortunately they forgot that Hunan food is supposed to be spicy. It tasted like Cantonese.
The evening was surfing and TV. We getting up early tomorrow and driving to Santa Fe. There's snow in the mountains, but I think we'll be OK.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Day 13
We got up at 8 and surfed while we did the wash. I also downloaded the pictures from the camera to the computer and started to organize them. When we got through with the wash we packed up the dog and left for 4 corners. It was raining when we left, but the weather steadily improved as we went south. By the time we got to 4 corners the sun was shining.
There weren't a lot of people there, which was good. We got to take pictures without having to stand in line long. The actual monument is interesting. It's a large circle of concrete and gravel built around the survey marker. There are lots of seats and 4 raised areas to take pictures from. Along each of the four state lines is a plaque describing how it was surveyed. Apparently two guys got it right, one was a little off, and one was way off. Considering it was all done in the 1860's and 70's it's a miracle that they could do it at all.
Around the perimeter is a ring of little booths where the indians sell their stuff. There were about 10 booths occupied. Ellen bought a t-shirt and some dangly thing to wear in her hair.
When we drove back to Cortez we stopped at the indian casino on the highway. We found both Iron Man and the fire dog machines. We probably lost $10, but we had fun. We also stopped at an indoor shooting range at the end of town. I shot an XDS in .40. I shot it very well. I might get one.
We also stopped at a couple of pawn shops. They didn't have anything interesting.
After we got back we took Lucy to the park across the street. She did an amazing number of retrieves. After that we went back to the trailer. I finished organizing the pictures while Ellen watched TV. There's a thunderstorm going on right now.
There weren't a lot of people there, which was good. We got to take pictures without having to stand in line long. The actual monument is interesting. It's a large circle of concrete and gravel built around the survey marker. There are lots of seats and 4 raised areas to take pictures from. Along each of the four state lines is a plaque describing how it was surveyed. Apparently two guys got it right, one was a little off, and one was way off. Considering it was all done in the 1860's and 70's it's a miracle that they could do it at all.
Around the perimeter is a ring of little booths where the indians sell their stuff. There were about 10 booths occupied. Ellen bought a t-shirt and some dangly thing to wear in her hair.
When we drove back to Cortez we stopped at the indian casino on the highway. We found both Iron Man and the fire dog machines. We probably lost $10, but we had fun. We also stopped at an indoor shooting range at the end of town. I shot an XDS in .40. I shot it very well. I might get one.
We also stopped at a couple of pawn shops. They didn't have anything interesting.
After we got back we took Lucy to the park across the street. She did an amazing number of retrieves. After that we went back to the trailer. I finished organizing the pictures while Ellen watched TV. There's a thunderstorm going on right now.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Day 12
We didn't have far to go today, so we slept in a little. When we did get up we took it easy and didn't start to hook up until 10. The morning started out great with a call from the credit card company to tell me my card had been stolen.
The trip south from Moab sucked as usual. Up and down again and again for 60 miles. Eventually you end up climbing 2800 feet. The next 60 miles are up and down, too. At least the hills are only a couple of hundred feet rather than 500. I was pretty happy with the mileage, 9.7.
The suck started when we got to Cortez. A thunderstorm hit just as we parked the trailer. I couldn't get to my raincoat in the closet, so I had to put on my sweatshirt. It was raining hard. The space is short, so I had to unhook immediately instead of waiting the storm out. Of course the goddamn hitch picked this time to not want to release. To make it worse the handle broke when I used the hammer to open it. Then it started to hail.
I finally got the handle back on, but I just couldn't get the hitch to release. I finally managed to carefully hammer it loose just as the rain ended. The whole fiasco took about an hour.
I finished setting up and then went inside and changed out of all of my wet clothes. Then we went into town to get some bananas and lunch.
After lunch we drove around the town. We stopped at Wally World for a water filter. We also got an Eiffel Tower puzzle that is currently driving Ellen nuts. We found a gun store and had a fun time talking with them. I got a chance to see the nieces' Christmas present. The last stop was a Navaho indian souvenier shop. We found the perfect present for Patty, a Navaho rabbit pictograph.
When we got home we too Lucy to the park across the street so she coulw do some retrieves.
The evening was surfing, puzzle, and two more thunderstorms.
The trip south from Moab sucked as usual. Up and down again and again for 60 miles. Eventually you end up climbing 2800 feet. The next 60 miles are up and down, too. At least the hills are only a couple of hundred feet rather than 500. I was pretty happy with the mileage, 9.7.
The suck started when we got to Cortez. A thunderstorm hit just as we parked the trailer. I couldn't get to my raincoat in the closet, so I had to put on my sweatshirt. It was raining hard. The space is short, so I had to unhook immediately instead of waiting the storm out. Of course the goddamn hitch picked this time to not want to release. To make it worse the handle broke when I used the hammer to open it. Then it started to hail.
I finally got the handle back on, but I just couldn't get the hitch to release. I finally managed to carefully hammer it loose just as the rain ended. The whole fiasco took about an hour.
I finished setting up and then went inside and changed out of all of my wet clothes. Then we went into town to get some bananas and lunch.
After lunch we drove around the town. We stopped at Wally World for a water filter. We also got an Eiffel Tower puzzle that is currently driving Ellen nuts. We found a gun store and had a fun time talking with them. I got a chance to see the nieces' Christmas present. The last stop was a Navaho indian souvenier shop. We found the perfect present for Patty, a Navaho rabbit pictograph.
When we got home we too Lucy to the park across the street so she coulw do some retrieves.
The evening was surfing, puzzle, and two more thunderstorms.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Day 11
We got up a little late today and eat breakfast across the street from the ATV rental place. It was OK, but between it and the ATV paperwork we didn't get on the road until after 9.
We drove out of town and onto Kane road. We stopped at a campground that was supposed to have petroglyphs. We didn't see any, but we did see a place where jackasses had defaced the rock with pictures. So we got back in the rig and kept driving.
We stopped at another campground where there were supposed to be more petroglyphs. Again we couldn't find them. It turned out we had bad directions. They were about a quarter mile up the road. We found them and I took a lot of pictures.
I should mention two general things. We stopped frequently to take pictures. The scenery was magnificent. Also, Lucy had a blast. We had a Ranger with no front window. She sat between us with her nose in the wind and her ears flying. She was so cute and was having a great time.
The road/trail climbed hundreds of feet to a pass. It wasn't too rough, a couple of pickups were on it. The other side was much rougher. We went back down almost to the same altitude we started at. Then we started to parallel the river. Did I mention the scenery was fantastic?
At one point the road went between a rock wall and a sheer drop of several hundred feet to the river. We had about a foot of clearance on each side.
We didn't get quite as far as we would have liked. We actually had plenty of time to get back, but we didn't know it. We got back a little before 4, washed and gassed the rig, and turned it in. I was kind of tired from all the driving.
We took the dog home and put some stuff away. Then we went to dinner at the blues joint we couldn't get into yesterday. It had pretty good BBQ and good recorded blues.
Now I'm watching football.
We drove out of town and onto Kane road. We stopped at a campground that was supposed to have petroglyphs. We didn't see any, but we did see a place where jackasses had defaced the rock with pictures. So we got back in the rig and kept driving.
We stopped at another campground where there were supposed to be more petroglyphs. Again we couldn't find them. It turned out we had bad directions. They were about a quarter mile up the road. We found them and I took a lot of pictures.
I should mention two general things. We stopped frequently to take pictures. The scenery was magnificent. Also, Lucy had a blast. We had a Ranger with no front window. She sat between us with her nose in the wind and her ears flying. She was so cute and was having a great time.
The road/trail climbed hundreds of feet to a pass. It wasn't too rough, a couple of pickups were on it. The other side was much rougher. We went back down almost to the same altitude we started at. Then we started to parallel the river. Did I mention the scenery was fantastic?
At one point the road went between a rock wall and a sheer drop of several hundred feet to the river. We had about a foot of clearance on each side.
We didn't get quite as far as we would have liked. We actually had plenty of time to get back, but we didn't know it. We got back a little before 4, washed and gassed the rig, and turned it in. I was kind of tired from all the driving.
We took the dog home and put some stuff away. Then we went to dinner at the blues joint we couldn't get into yesterday. It had pretty good BBQ and good recorded blues.
Now I'm watching football.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Day 10
The day started out pretty well. We drove to Brigham City and stopped for fuel. That part of the trip went smoothly and the station was a dream to fuel up at.
Then we started down I15. The traffic was amazingly light, even though it was mid-morning. That lasted until a little above Provo. They are doing major construction there (surprise, surprise). About half a dozen idiots decided to hold a multiple car accident in the left lane. Of course traffic was almost at a standstill for about a mile and a half.
Things got even better when we got off I15. There were two huge truck/trailer things hauling a power windmill tower. It took up one and a half lanes. We got to follow them out of Logan and up the canyon. We had to follow them for ten miles or more before we could pass them.
I'd forgotten what a pain in the ass the road is. It goes from 4200 ft to 7400 feet and then back to 4200 feet. We got 10.8 over that stretch. I thought that was great.
The rest of the drive was uneventful and we got to Moab about 3:30. The 30 amp plug at our spot didn't work, so I used the 50 amp plug and the dog bone. After setting up we went into Moab. The place is packed. Utah is having some sort of 4 day school holiday and everyone came here. We stopped at an ATV place and rented a Ranger for tomorrow. Then we walked around downtown and played tourist. It started to rain just to make things more pleasant.
About 5:30 as we were starting our walk we saw the windmill towers (remember them) go through town.
When we were finished with our walk we started looking for places to eat. Everywhere was packed. We stopped at one place with an hour wait. So we went to the grocery store where we decided to half BLT's for dinner.
The grocery store looked like locusts had hit it. I needed milk and bananas. I had to get 2% because they were out of 1%. They had no bananas.
We had a good dinner and then surfed and watched TV.
Then we started down I15. The traffic was amazingly light, even though it was mid-morning. That lasted until a little above Provo. They are doing major construction there (surprise, surprise). About half a dozen idiots decided to hold a multiple car accident in the left lane. Of course traffic was almost at a standstill for about a mile and a half.
Things got even better when we got off I15. There were two huge truck/trailer things hauling a power windmill tower. It took up one and a half lanes. We got to follow them out of Logan and up the canyon. We had to follow them for ten miles or more before we could pass them.
I'd forgotten what a pain in the ass the road is. It goes from 4200 ft to 7400 feet and then back to 4200 feet. We got 10.8 over that stretch. I thought that was great.
The rest of the drive was uneventful and we got to Moab about 3:30. The 30 amp plug at our spot didn't work, so I used the 50 amp plug and the dog bone. After setting up we went into Moab. The place is packed. Utah is having some sort of 4 day school holiday and everyone came here. We stopped at an ATV place and rented a Ranger for tomorrow. Then we walked around downtown and played tourist. It started to rain just to make things more pleasant.
About 5:30 as we were starting our walk we saw the windmill towers (remember them) go through town.
When we were finished with our walk we started looking for places to eat. Everywhere was packed. We stopped at one place with an hour wait. So we went to the grocery store where we decided to half BLT's for dinner.
The grocery store looked like locusts had hit it. I needed milk and bananas. I had to get 2% because they were out of 1%. They had no bananas.
We had a good dinner and then surfed and watched TV.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Day 9
We left Richland today and drove to Declo, ID. I think there's actually a town three miles south of here, but we're staying by the freeway. The place is nice, it's right by the river. I would have taken Lucy swimming, but she just had a bath yesterday.
We walked across the freeway for dinner at a little hamburger joint. The food was good.
The trip was unremarkable except for some really heavy smoke around Boise. It started about 20 miles out of town and lasted until we were about 10 miles out of town. Mileage was OK, between 11.5 and 12.5.
The cable in the park has the zombie show. I'm waiting for it to come on now. Then it's to bed. We have to get up at 6:00 our time tomorrow.
We walked across the freeway for dinner at a little hamburger joint. The food was good.
The trip was unremarkable except for some really heavy smoke around Boise. It started about 20 miles out of town and lasted until we were about 10 miles out of town. Mileage was OK, between 11.5 and 12.5.
The cable in the park has the zombie show. I'm waiting for it to come on now. Then it's to bed. We have to get up at 6:00 our time tomorrow.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Day 8
Today we packed up the trailer. We did a little work in the morning and then went over to Dan and Patsy's. Before we stopped there we went over to Lawrence's to give him his check. We also stopped at Burt's and had hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. We were planning on visiting with them in the morning, and then finishing in the afternoon while they went to Bud's.
They decided not to go to Bud's, so we hung out and talked. I washed the truck, and then we both washed the dog. The truck looks as clean as it did when we left Salem.
After that we talked some more. I almost forgot we had more cleanup to do. We went back to the trailer. Ellen cleaned the inside and put some stuff away. I put away my hunting stuff. Then I drained the tanks and disconnected the sewer hose. I left some water in the black tank so that we could use it. I also checked the tires.
After that we went back to Dan's for more talking and dinner. Patsy fixed a pasta dish. We went to Thorney's and got garlic bread and ice cream. Jeff showed up after dinner and we talked to him for awhile.
Dan's Bronco is still dying. I told him I thought it was either fuel or ignition. Jeff is quite a mechanic and said he thought it sounded like the fuel pump. Dan said he'll have some one look at it.
When we got home I backed up the truck so that it will connect easily tomorrow. I was going to disconnect the satellite dish, but I decided to do that tomorrow.
They decided not to go to Bud's, so we hung out and talked. I washed the truck, and then we both washed the dog. The truck looks as clean as it did when we left Salem.
After that we talked some more. I almost forgot we had more cleanup to do. We went back to the trailer. Ellen cleaned the inside and put some stuff away. I put away my hunting stuff. Then I drained the tanks and disconnected the sewer hose. I left some water in the black tank so that we could use it. I also checked the tires.
After that we went back to Dan's for more talking and dinner. Patsy fixed a pasta dish. We went to Thorney's and got garlic bread and ice cream. Jeff showed up after dinner and we talked to him for awhile.
Dan's Bronco is still dying. I told him I thought it was either fuel or ignition. Jeff is quite a mechanic and said he thought it sounded like the fuel pump. Dan said he'll have some one look at it.
When we got home I backed up the truck so that it will connect easily tomorrow. I was going to disconnect the satellite dish, but I decided to do that tomorrow.
Day 7
Dan took us to Hell's Canyon today. We left about 10:30 and got there about an hour later. We launched the boat and went to the dam. That was about a half hour run.
The geology of the canyon is amazing. Sheer cliffs, some made of basalt and others of sedimentary rock. I took a couple of dozen pictures. I enjoyed the rides down and back better than the fishing.
When we got to the dam we started fishing. There were a whole lot of carp everywhere. Of course they didn't bite what we were fishing with.
All in all we caught 60 fish. Patsy caught the most, maybe twice as many as anyone else, including Dan. I only caught a few, maybe 4 or 5.
When we got home we sent a little time with Dan and Patsy and then went back to the trailer. We figured they need some time off from us.
The geology of the canyon is amazing. Sheer cliffs, some made of basalt and others of sedimentary rock. I took a couple of dozen pictures. I enjoyed the rides down and back better than the fishing.
When we got to the dam we started fishing. There were a whole lot of carp everywhere. Of course they didn't bite what we were fishing with.
All in all we caught 60 fish. Patsy caught the most, maybe twice as many as anyone else, including Dan. I only caught a few, maybe 4 or 5.
When we got home we sent a little time with Dan and Patsy and then went back to the trailer. We figured they need some time off from us.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Day 6
We took the dog to the vet in Baker today. We couldn't get an appointment until 3:15. So we stayed in the trailer surfing until 11:30. I got on Google maps and planned the trip home. Ellen made sure there were places to stay. Then we went to Baker and met Dan for lunch. He was waiting for them to fix his Bronco.
We went to the Chinese place. In the past it was great food. Ellen and Dan were happy with the tempera plates. My "sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken combo" sucked. It was all just breaded chicken pieces with half of them covered in a little bit of spicy sauce.
After that we drove around so that Dan could do some errands. We hit the drug store, Bi-Mart, and the dollar store.
Then it was time to see the vet. His office was next door to the place that was working on Dan's car. The vet said that Lucy's foot problems were really unusual and might be related to valley fever. He told us to get a blood test. He gave us antibiotics and pain killers. The whole thing was really cheap, $113.
When we were finished with the vet, Dan's car still wasn't finished. So we went over to the Polaris dealership so Dan could bullshit with them. Those things are really expensive. A new one roughly equivalent to mine would be $18K.
After that we took Dan back. They were just finishing the test drive of his car. So we drove back to Richland. We fed the dog and then went to Dan's for dinner. Patsy fixed enchiladas. They were great. Then we surfed while Dan binge watched some detective series. It was almost 10 before we went home.
We went to the Chinese place. In the past it was great food. Ellen and Dan were happy with the tempera plates. My "sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken combo" sucked. It was all just breaded chicken pieces with half of them covered in a little bit of spicy sauce.
After that we drove around so that Dan could do some errands. We hit the drug store, Bi-Mart, and the dollar store.
Then it was time to see the vet. His office was next door to the place that was working on Dan's car. The vet said that Lucy's foot problems were really unusual and might be related to valley fever. He told us to get a blood test. He gave us antibiotics and pain killers. The whole thing was really cheap, $113.
When we were finished with the vet, Dan's car still wasn't finished. So we went over to the Polaris dealership so Dan could bullshit with them. Those things are really expensive. A new one roughly equivalent to mine would be $18K.
After that we took Dan back. They were just finishing the test drive of his car. So we drove back to Richland. We fed the dog and then went to Dan's for dinner. Patsy fixed enchiladas. They were great. Then we surfed while Dan binge watched some detective series. It was almost 10 before we went home.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Day 5
We did the Dan Mitchell social thing today. Lucy is still stove up. The biggest problem is her front paws. Both have abrasions and are infected. I have to lift her in and out of the truck. She'll be going to the vet tomorrow.
After breakfast we went over to Dan's and talked to him while he washed his golf cart. Then we went over to Lawrence's. Dan had some parts for his trolling motor, so we fixed it. Then we took Dan and Lawrence to lunch. After that Dan left and we chose parts for the new fishing pole. We had to have another talk with Lawrence about charging enough for his labor.
After that we went back to Dan's place. He was napping, so we set on the porch and surfed. Eventually he woke up and Patsy came back from Baker. They went off to run the dogs and visit some neighbors. We went back to the trailer for about an hour.
I bought some pizzas and we went back to Dan's for dinner. We surfed and watched while Dan binge-watched about 4 episodes of some spy thriller show. It was somewhat entertaining, but I ran the battery out of my phone surfing while it was on.
Then we went home. Tomorrow we'll need to go to Baker.
After breakfast we went over to Dan's and talked to him while he washed his golf cart. Then we went over to Lawrence's. Dan had some parts for his trolling motor, so we fixed it. Then we took Dan and Lawrence to lunch. After that Dan left and we chose parts for the new fishing pole. We had to have another talk with Lawrence about charging enough for his labor.
After that we went back to Dan's place. He was napping, so we set on the porch and surfed. Eventually he woke up and Patsy came back from Baker. They went off to run the dogs and visit some neighbors. We went back to the trailer for about an hour.
I bought some pizzas and we went back to Dan's for dinner. We surfed and watched while Dan binge-watched about 4 episodes of some spy thriller show. It was somewhat entertaining, but I ran the battery out of my phone surfing while it was on.
Then we went home. Tomorrow we'll need to go to Baker.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Day 4
Hooch and I went hunting again today. We left early and went to the Sportsman's access. The water was way down, and we had a lot of land to cover.
Rowdy was stove up a little - his feet hurt. Lucy was ready to go and hunted as well as she ever has. Hooch saw a pheasant go into a tall dense thicket. The stuff dogs don't like to go into. She went in and flushed it out. Hooch shot it and then Lucy had to go back in to retrieve it. After that she was a hunting machine.
We didn't see a lot of birds. The first was a covey of quail. Unfortunately another hunter busted them before we could get them. He was the only other hunter we saw all day. In general the birds ran rather than flew.
We did see one pheasant fly below us, so we walked around to get it. Lucy was following it. I watched it run through the grass in front of her. Unfortunately the bird doubled back. Lucy turned back, but I thought she had lost the scent. Just then another quail covey flew up and the pheasant escaped in the commotion. I got a shot at a quail, but missed.
A little on Lucy disappeared in the high grass by the river. After awhile I called her back. She didn't come, and then we heard her yelp. I panicked and started calling her back in earnest. She finally came back but kept going back into the woods. That's when a pheasant flew up. I didn't see it and Hooch didn't have a shot. It landed on the other side of the river. I really wish we'd got that one for Lucy.
After that we went to the other Sportsman's access. We didn't spent much time there because the dogs were about done. Even then, Lucy did a good job of covering ground for awhile. Hooch got another shot at a quail, but that was all we saw. Finally both dogs timed out. They quit hunting and just walked in front of us.
When we got back to the trailer we unpacked. I had to bandage Lucy's leg sores - they were both raw. I was also worried because she had vomited three times. I think it was because of all the grass and stickers she'd eaten. Ellen fixed her rice while I went to lunch with Hooch.
When we got back Hooch took a shower, packed up, and left. We spent the rest of the day surfing. We didn't go over to Dan's. I just didn't feel like imposing on them every day we're here. Patsy called about 9 to see if we were OK. We told her we'd come over tomorrow.
Rowdy was stove up a little - his feet hurt. Lucy was ready to go and hunted as well as she ever has. Hooch saw a pheasant go into a tall dense thicket. The stuff dogs don't like to go into. She went in and flushed it out. Hooch shot it and then Lucy had to go back in to retrieve it. After that she was a hunting machine.
We didn't see a lot of birds. The first was a covey of quail. Unfortunately another hunter busted them before we could get them. He was the only other hunter we saw all day. In general the birds ran rather than flew.
We did see one pheasant fly below us, so we walked around to get it. Lucy was following it. I watched it run through the grass in front of her. Unfortunately the bird doubled back. Lucy turned back, but I thought she had lost the scent. Just then another quail covey flew up and the pheasant escaped in the commotion. I got a shot at a quail, but missed.
A little on Lucy disappeared in the high grass by the river. After awhile I called her back. She didn't come, and then we heard her yelp. I panicked and started calling her back in earnest. She finally came back but kept going back into the woods. That's when a pheasant flew up. I didn't see it and Hooch didn't have a shot. It landed on the other side of the river. I really wish we'd got that one for Lucy.
After that we went to the other Sportsman's access. We didn't spent much time there because the dogs were about done. Even then, Lucy did a good job of covering ground for awhile. Hooch got another shot at a quail, but that was all we saw. Finally both dogs timed out. They quit hunting and just walked in front of us.
When we got back to the trailer we unpacked. I had to bandage Lucy's leg sores - they were both raw. I was also worried because she had vomited three times. I think it was because of all the grass and stickers she'd eaten. Ellen fixed her rice while I went to lunch with Hooch.
When we got back Hooch took a shower, packed up, and left. We spent the rest of the day surfing. We didn't go over to Dan's. I just didn't feel like imposing on them every day we're here. Patsy called about 9 to see if we were OK. We told her we'd come over tomorrow.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Day 3
I got up at 6:15 today. We left the park a little before 7 and went down Sag road. We walked along the abandoned road across from Sag. The dogs were great. Lucy had plenty of energy and kept up with Rowdy all day. There were an amazing number of birds, both Chukar and quail. We got 3 Chukar and 1 quail.
I missed several pretty easy shots. We also killed four birds that we didn't retrieve. The first was because both dogs went off after a second covey and when we got them back they couldn't find the bird. The second went down off the edge of a vertical cliff. The other two were on some very steep terrain at the end of the day. Again the dogs were distracted by other coveys.
Lucy retried a bird that I thought I'd missed. She saw it go down and brought it back. At one place both Rowdy and Lucy were pointing birds between them. Rowdy was on the left and Lucy was on the right. It was great.
The day would have been perfect except some guys parked their boat below the draw with the blackberries. They walked up the draw and moved all of the birds there up the hill. Then they walked above us and got in our way. We couldn't shoot at the birds without hitting them. Finally they went down hill and left us alone.
On the way back we stopped to rest on the road where it cut through some rim rock. After awhile we heard Chukar. They were up on the edge of the rim rock. We could have shot them off the rocks. Instead Hooch climbed above them while I stayed on the road. When they flushed he shot one and I shot two. Unfortunately those were three of the ones we didn't retrieve.
When we got back to the truck we road hunted down to the water. On the way back we saw the covey flying directly over where we had been sitting and shooting. If we had stayed ther we could have shot them on the way up.
When we got back we unpacked, cleaned birds, and showered. Then we talked for awhile and then went to dinner at Dan's. Patsy cooked a great dinner. Of course we talked a lot more.
Rowdy is really stoved up. His feet are in bad shape. Lucy is tired, but seems ready to go again. We will probably hunt the Sportman's access tomorrow because of Rowdy's feet.
All in all this was one of the best days hunting we've ever had. We had a great time and so did the dogs.
I missed several pretty easy shots. We also killed four birds that we didn't retrieve. The first was because both dogs went off after a second covey and when we got them back they couldn't find the bird. The second went down off the edge of a vertical cliff. The other two were on some very steep terrain at the end of the day. Again the dogs were distracted by other coveys.
Lucy retried a bird that I thought I'd missed. She saw it go down and brought it back. At one place both Rowdy and Lucy were pointing birds between them. Rowdy was on the left and Lucy was on the right. It was great.
The day would have been perfect except some guys parked their boat below the draw with the blackberries. They walked up the draw and moved all of the birds there up the hill. Then they walked above us and got in our way. We couldn't shoot at the birds without hitting them. Finally they went down hill and left us alone.
On the way back we stopped to rest on the road where it cut through some rim rock. After awhile we heard Chukar. They were up on the edge of the rim rock. We could have shot them off the rocks. Instead Hooch climbed above them while I stayed on the road. When they flushed he shot one and I shot two. Unfortunately those were three of the ones we didn't retrieve.
When we got back to the truck we road hunted down to the water. On the way back we saw the covey flying directly over where we had been sitting and shooting. If we had stayed ther we could have shot them on the way up.
When we got back we unpacked, cleaned birds, and showered. Then we talked for awhile and then went to dinner at Dan's. Patsy cooked a great dinner. Of course we talked a lot more.
Rowdy is really stoved up. His feet are in bad shape. Lucy is tired, but seems ready to go again. We will probably hunt the Sportman's access tomorrow because of Rowdy's feet.
All in all this was one of the best days hunting we've ever had. We had a great time and so did the dogs.
Day 2
We kind of just hung around today. After breakfast we went over to Dan's. He needed help replacing the batteries in his boat. While we did that Ellen and Patsy drove around Richland and Halfway looking at stores and yard sales.
The battery replacement took a little longer than planned because I had to build up a new connection wire. After that we went to Halfway to deliver Gatorade to the football team. Dan also needed to stop at the bank and the grocery store.
When we got back we just sat around and talked until it was time for Dan to drive to Baker for the game. We went back to the park where Hooch was just driving in. I helped him set up. Then we talked for awhile and then went to dinner at the Short Horn. It's under new management and the people around here like the new people. It was pretty good food.
After that we went back to our trailer and talked some more. The it was off to bed because we're getting up early in the morning.
The battery replacement took a little longer than planned because I had to build up a new connection wire. After that we went to Halfway to deliver Gatorade to the football team. Dan also needed to stop at the bank and the grocery store.
When we got back we just sat around and talked until it was time for Dan to drive to Baker for the game. We went back to the park where Hooch was just driving in. I helped him set up. Then we talked for awhile and then went to dinner at the Short Horn. It's under new management and the people around here like the new people. It was pretty good food.
After that we went back to our trailer and talked some more. The it was off to bed because we're getting up early in the morning.
Day 1
We left Salem today. It's been an eventful summer. Dave and Vandy are getting their feet on the ground. We helped them with all of their shoots. They are doing a good job. They had the state shoot. They did a really good job putting it on. Unfortunately there weren't as many shooters as they would have liked. That was probably because they changed the date to between the Western and the Regional.
Speaking of the Western, it was a really successful shoot. Unfortunately it's likely to be the last one. Jeff is dying and Melinda is being a shit. We had a great time there. I set the best five stand I've ever set at the lower five stand. I set the tower five stand harder than last year because Gebben Miles was there (he won Dubai). He got less than 15.
Mom turned 89 this year. She's very forgetful. Dan and I feel that she'll be in assisted living fairly soon. She cut her leg badly in late August. Dan and the social worker (Brinn) were gone, so I had to commute every day to tend the dressing. That lasted for about 10 days. She still picks at it and apparently it's infected again.
We both ordered Caesar Guerini's from Dave and Vandy. Ellen got her's, mine's still on order. Ellen's is a really nice two barrel set that she shoots very well.
We spent A LOT of time going up to Portland this year. We also went to Sunriver once and to Lincoln City once. All total we put over 7,000 miles on the car in about 4.5 months.
The trip today was uneventful. We got a little less mileage than I thought we would get. It was probably in the low to mid 11's.
When we got to Richland we set up and then just chilled. Dan and Patsy came over and talked to us for awhile. Dan just bought a early Bronco that was on sale at the park. It cost him $1,000. I'm disappointed he got it before I did.
Speaking of the Western, it was a really successful shoot. Unfortunately it's likely to be the last one. Jeff is dying and Melinda is being a shit. We had a great time there. I set the best five stand I've ever set at the lower five stand. I set the tower five stand harder than last year because Gebben Miles was there (he won Dubai). He got less than 15.
Mom turned 89 this year. She's very forgetful. Dan and I feel that she'll be in assisted living fairly soon. She cut her leg badly in late August. Dan and the social worker (Brinn) were gone, so I had to commute every day to tend the dressing. That lasted for about 10 days. She still picks at it and apparently it's infected again.
We both ordered Caesar Guerini's from Dave and Vandy. Ellen got her's, mine's still on order. Ellen's is a really nice two barrel set that she shoots very well.
We spent A LOT of time going up to Portland this year. We also went to Sunriver once and to Lincoln City once. All total we put over 7,000 miles on the car in about 4.5 months.
The trip today was uneventful. We got a little less mileage than I thought we would get. It was probably in the low to mid 11's.
When we got to Richland we set up and then just chilled. Dan and Patsy came over and talked to us for awhile. Dan just bought a early Bronco that was on sale at the park. It cost him $1,000. I'm disappointed he got it before I did.
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