Home Sweet Home

 

 We left Bend at 9 am on Saturday and made it back to Harris Ranch in Coalinga.  This is a great camping spot.  Free, good food, security patrol, near hotel so no Big Truck noise.  (Why do they run all night anyway)

  

Our prayers were answered, very safe travel, the only casualty...the bikes, somewhere around Weed CA the bikes tipped and were dragging on the road grinding the handle bars, forks and bye bye tires.  We are grateful that it did not cause an accident.  #newbikes

  

Isn't the sky so pretty....it just finished raining, a glorious beautiful rain, lots of rain.  Thank You Lord you always know what we need.  Everything is so clean, my car, the motor home, the roof of the house, and the plants all got a really good drink.  Our thanks and praise, we are blessed to have been able to take this trip and see God's handy work.  Thank You everyone who followed along and traveled with us. We are going to print the blog, so we would love your final comments to add to our memories.  Love to ALL, until next time...Happy Trails to YOU!

Famous Fitzmaurice's

 

More fun, golfing, target shooting with real guns, airplane rides by cousin Bruce, 

Photo contest and of course the Famous Personalities dress up night.  

    

So clever, ghost busters, The graduate, Clue characters

 

  

Dan looks more like Colonel Sanders than Colonel Sanders.  Where's Waldo?

  

LuLu Heid had 3 children, Tom, Fred and Irene ...from these 3 children came 33 children....and those 33 children married and had children.  That is why we have to have family reunions at conference centers.  

Rock Springs Ranch

 Well here we are, we finally made it, after 4 weeks of traveling here there and yonder we arrived in Bend Oregon for the Heid Fitzmaurice Family Reunion.  There were 3 Heids, John's Mom Irene, her brothers Fred and Jim. Irene and Jim had 13 children each and Fred had 7.  This is why you must rent a ranch the size of a 6th grade camp to get together.  

This is no ordinary gathering.  half way into the week and we have had a major obstacle course race, bocce ball tournament, ping pong tournament, horse shoes, Jenga.  There is a photo contest, rocket blasting with high pressure water and 2 liter bottle.  Bottle stomping with 2 liter bottle and pvc pipe and a stomp.  This rockets were amazing, some traveling 3-400 ft in the air, and they look nothing like a 2 liter bottle when designed by these really over the top group of people.  We had a luau, with ukelele music and hula lessons.  

 

Today was white water rafting and the kids stayed behind and made cookies (and grandmas).

     

 A mush ball game, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boards.  We went to Goody's chocolate, ice cream factory and learned all about how they made these delicious treats and were given various samples throughout the tour.

  

One of John's brothers.  We are having a great time with this wonderful family.  We wish you were here!  Our love always, John and Shannon.

 

Hungry Hungry Mosquitoes

 White River Falls, 50 miles South of the Columbia River, before Maupin a huge white water rafting river. Don't see the sign that says no vehicles over 24 feet, we didn't.

  

If you happen to stop make sure to bring your Off with Deet, spray yourself really good, then run to the look out area, take as many pictures as you can and run back to shelter.  Once safely inside and killing the many of mosquitoes who came in with you look at your pictures and admire the beautiful falls.

Wh  

Until 1963 this powerful water source generated electricity for the area.  It was beautiful and the way the falls fell reminded us of Niagra Falls.

   

Mt Hood?  No but it is close Mt Jefferson 10,497 ft not much smaller than Mt Hood at 11,239.  We are in Redmond just outside of Bend, actually in the Walmart parking lot but there is one of those "Maurice's" shops again...did I get to go....noooooo I spent too much time inside Wally Mart.  We have a campsite at the fair grounds.  Yippee!  There is nothing at the state parks, even KOA is booked solid, this must be a great place.  We will have electric, ahhh that will be lovely, it is HOT.  Oh and washer and dryers, yeah baby, that's what I'm talking about.  

Taking a Big Break (golf)

  

Columbia Park Golf Course, overlooking the Columbia River

The Geese are cheering John on and see the paddle boat going by.

  

Gramma saw this train and took a picture for Joshua and a Picture of Mt Hood for Julia.  We have come full circle, one of our first Campgrounds was the Cascade locks not far from Mt Hood, now we are headed for the Dalles (pronounced Dalls). Which is the neighboring town to Mt Hood.  I was reading that you can take a tram to the top of Mt Hood and walk or ride down.  Darn I wish I new that, too late, I think John is tiring of driving, I don't even want to ask.  We are nearing 5000 miles!!!!!   We should be in Bend tomorrow to do shopping for the Family Reunion and find a Church for Sunday.  Probably not a bunch of exciting stuff, pictures of Walmart, Safeway and Costco.   Bless your hearts for staying with us.  

 

Won't you be, won't you be my neighbor

  

Now we are spending some time with Sacajawea, not such good camping digs as we have grown accustomed.  This new development had 2 homes available, want to be our neighbor?

   

Hundreds of Canadian Geese, I bet none of them have a current passport.  2 beautiful white Pelicans (or as John refers to them, storks)?  It is a gorgeous morning, fish jumping and water and bridges as far as you can see.  

  It is Thursday, my golf day but since Janice did not come with us John will be my competition.  Golfing at the Columbia Park Links right along side the river.  Do you see the River Boat (no that is not my bottom) or the geese cheering John on.  A nice break from Costco shopping, just picking up a few things for the 70 people who will be there.  This Sunday in Bend, we will be at Rocks Springs Ranch for 6 days with The Fitzmaurice/Heid Families.  Did anyone get their free Slurpee on 7/11?  The closest one to us was 67 miles....so that is a no for us.  Love all you followers, hang in there only 1 or 2 more blogs.

  

Just a few rules and regulations

  

We have left Idaho and back into Washington to the Tri Cities, Yakima Valley, Prosser and Walla Walla.  Camping on the snake river where it ends into the Columbia.  Nice warm water, not nearly as fresh and clear as those Idaho lakes but serves it's purpose on this 97 degree day.  Recently we had a sermon on how rules can get in the way of life, this is list is the Grand Daddy of them all.  The nice part about the Us Army corps camp grounds is that they honor the Senior Pass, 1/2 price camping!  

  

  

Hood River Camp, really nicely done with Electricity $6.00 and serenaded by a harmonica player belting out Amazing Grace!

 Heading south on the 395 over the Columbia River for a stop at Sacajawea State Park to view some wildlife and have a blueberry pancake breakfast.  

 

Route of the Hiawatha

  

On the shores of Coeur d' Alene, take your bow O Hiawatha.  Entering Montana Exit "0" Lookout Pass to ride the route of "Hiawatha".  The passenger trains in the Midwest, visiting Glacier National Park, all the rage because they were so fast!  They since have become biking trails and this particular route is all downhill (the only ride John will do) and they bus you back up after going over 30 very high bridges, tressels and tunnels.  

 

One tunnel was 1.6 miles long, very cold and dark, flashlights were required and a jacket unless your tough as nails like John.

    

Beautiful views and scenery.  So much water in these parts, it is really not fair.

 

  

We did it, now a relaxing bus ride and what I didn't tell John (you have to ride another 2 miles and go through the 1.6 mile long tunnel, again!)

The most hilarious part was when they unloaded our bikes he was first to watch all bikes go off, I got mine, and they had only one bike left asking who it belonged to, not me said John.  John that is your bike go and get it.  Really?  Leaving beautiful Idaho and heading to Bend Oregon for the family reunion.  Lots of shopping and fun planning to do.  Take care dear friends.