Adventure 641: Ellsworth Mansion, Dayton, Washington

The Ellsworth home, Dayton.

Leg five of a six leg return home finds us parked under a grand old maple tree in front of the Ellsworth fully restored craftsman home, circa 1920s. They've been working on this house for nearly seven years, and just a veritable smidgeon of things remain on the punch list. We left the Hooley's early this morning, made he seven hour jaunt from Filer to Dayton to find the welcome open arms of the Ellsworth's. Mike took us on the nickel (Somewhat more costly, Mike would say). The place is magnificent. After the tour, we chatted awhile, then Make and I took his dog, Nelson, for a ball toss in the dog park. Dayton, Washington, if you've haven't been here is a quaint town nestled in the wheat, now wine country on the Southern border of Washington. It's literally filled with stately home, many of which are fully restored. The streets are wide, the people are friendly, and it's clearly a slice of heaven. Judy and I used to come down here every year before basketball season started for a weekend getaway. We'd enjoy a fine dinner at the now closed Patit Creek Restaurant, say and the fully restored turn of the century Weinhard Hotel, and do all the things romantics do. And then the next month Judy would become a basketball widow. So it goes, and so we enjoyed ourselves in the moment. The four of us enjoyed a nice dinner; we rambled across the usual subject matter, and then retired for the night. It's good to spend time with good friends because it makes life good, especially today.

Nelson, at the ready.

The dining room.

The kitchen

Another of the stately homes in Dayton (Right across the street).

Mike is from Michigan, hence the plate collectioin.

The garden.

A view from the front room into the dining room.

The wall of the back deck.

The back deck.

 

Advenure 640: Hooley Refreshed

We always enjoy visiting the Stoneybrook Farm.

We spent an easy half day's drive marveling at the change in flora and fauna, especially as we neared Twin Falls, Idaho where farmers work with irrigated water out of the Snake River. Our friends, the Hooley's and the Losser's, live there, as they have most of their lives. Every time we visit, we share joy, laughter, and uplifting time together. For the past few years we've come down to help with the MCC sale, but of course Covid upended normal things this year. As a result, we're stopping overnight for a quick visit just to see these guys. It's always a treat, and makes me glad that life is good, especially today.

This is part of Andy Hooley's operation. We didn't get to see Andy, Lisa, his wife, or Ella Jo, their two month old daughter, because Lisa's parents were here from Kalispel. Grandparents always take precedence.

Tom Losser, king of the popcorn, is seen here preparing popcorn in Sarah's refurbished kitchen, a Sunday afternoon custom in these parts.

Sarah Hooley, Loey Hooley, and Patty Losser, Tom's wife and Loey's sister seen here waiting for the popcorn.

Loey's flower garden area and gazebo.

It's harvest time, so much work is on the docket. These guys will  be picked, sliced, and dried very soon.

By the end of the week, seven fields of hay will be baled and stacked.

These hungry guys are sold raised in a two year cycle and sold before a new crew comes in.

Son Andy's house just a quarter mile away.

Daughter, Sarah's house, just a mile and a half away. Last year, Sarah had just purchased this property. I helped a little with the demolition. Now, the remodel is fabulous, although, as always, there's still some work to do.

Loey took us to her vegetable garden and filled our arms with tomatoes, carrots, corn, peppers, and beans, Yum!

The garden as it looks at the end of the season. Imagine the full bloom.

 

Adventure 639: Crystal Hot Springs Redux Covid

That silver speck on the right is Frac, tucked nicely into site #34.

Traveling mercies found us tucked safely in the midst of a full campground in Honeyville, Utah at one of our favorite spots: Crystal Hot Springs. The drive felt longer today, mostly because of the buffeting I felt by the relentless big rig traffic. I like to cruise around 66-67 mph. The speed limit is 80, and most truckers know that time is money. I hope the President recovers as well as trucking commerce has. We'd often see clusters of eight or nine big trucks nose to tail on the other side of the freeway. We experienced the same on our side, except that cluster after cluster blew by us, each one trying to suck us into its draft. Needless to say, I'm a bit tired. Worst of all, we're declining to join the incredible number of people using the hot springs. Last night's Rawlins homecoming crowd enjoyed a mask free parade, but at least they had a full set of clothes on. I'm choosing wisdom over risk, and much to my dismay I won't be soaking today. We stopped in Lyman, Wyoming for lunch, which is now famous for its historical markers relating the Mormon pioneers. As we drove from the vast wasteland of Western Wyoming into the lush green under the Wasatch Range, I can only imagine their sheer joy to see not only water, but arable land as well. I can also imagine that only the most intrepid Mormon wasn't deterred by the Wasatch Mountains. Many pioneers must have pushed onward, though, because the Mormon population kept stretching West. In other news, we've two legs left on our homeward journey, and as of now, I'm tied with the Wiley Cager 3-3. I almost took the lead, smelling the ever delicious skunk, but of course, she pulled a few wily maneuvers, and I had to settle for a mere win. Stay tuned, because one of the great goods in life is enjoying a friendly game with my Bunny. I truly hope you can enjoy time with yours. And as I say, especially today.

Despite the desolation of this lunch site, we welcomed the rest, the sustenance, and I savored my win.

Falcon photo of the day: "Falafal tastes good, Mimi."

Our pleasant spot, looks better than it is. On our left is a Mormon family of eight. On our right, two families are sharing one trailer. Their seems to be four adults and five kids. Luckily, no dogs have been spotted or detected by other means.

The property of the Crystal Hot Springs is well kept. The RV park can house sixty RVs plus any number of tents.

We may be enduring some hardships now, but imagine the uncertainty the early pioneers must have felt.

 Keep the faith and press on.
   

Adventure 638: Rawlins, Wyoming Heading West

Our pleasant lunch spot at the city park in Dix, Nebraska.

Because we had all day to get to Rawlins, we decided to leave Interstate 80 for a scenic jaunt along the Lincoln Highway, which was the earliest transcontinental highway built in America. Completed in 1913, the route started in Times Square in New York City and ended in Lincoln Park in San Fransisco. Although the route has changed over the years, the highway passes through 14 states, 128 counties, and more than 700 cities and towns. In 1926, at the dawn of the highway numbering system, the Lincoln Highway became Route 30, and remained vital until the 1950s when Interstate 80 replaced it as the main transcontinental route along the Northern tier. We passed through much less than 700 cities and towns, but those we did pass through offered a slice of Americana not found on the freeway. We took our time, walked around a little bit in each town we passed through, had our scrumptious lunch next to a lovely park serenaded by a large and raucous flock of birds in the very tiny town of Dix, Nebraska. We returned to I-80 at Pine Bluff, which is right on the border between Nebraska and Wyoming. We arrived in Rawlins around 3:30 only to be greeted by what looked like the whole town turning out for Homecoming. State troopers blocked the roads, Kings and Queens rode floats, the band marched, the cheer girls danced, and a very large maskless crowd lined the streets. It's part of what makes small town America amazing. After we hooked up, we walked into town to the local Thai place to pick up a take-out dinner of summer rolls, pad thai, and yellow curry potato vegetable soup. Absolutely delicious, which can only mean that we were once again blessed with traveling mercies which makes life is good, especially today.

We've stopped in Rawlins five times now. We've eaten food from this restaurant three times. Truly excellent.

On the way to pick up our take out food, a walk of four miles round trip, we saw fourteen deer which were not in the least bit skittish.

The population of Dix is around 316.

We walked a couple of miles around the big park and fairgrounds in Sidney. Judy was rattling off the names of flowers and shrubs growing in the town'a arboretum.

Who says reading isn't important. I thought this sign was an ad for active dancers in Rawlins. I thought it said, triple A disco units. Judy corrected me with a more logical interpretation: AAA discounts.

Loved this sign in Paxton, Nebraska. Ole's restaurant took up the whole block.

These three bucks merely sniffed as we walked by, but they better not let Ole see them.

Some 70,000 Mormons traveled along the North Platte River. This sign in Ogallala commemorates their efforts.

This life sized diorama reminded Judy of the gas station her dad, Abe K, owned in Beatrice, Nebraska.

There was still a blue mail box out front. Not sure about the pick up times.

Falcon photo of the day: Here, Mimi, let me rub that.

Adventure 637: North Platte, Nebraska Reivisited

Life is good when you're hugging your sister.

If we were the Drouin's, we'd have left Hutchinson this morning dancing in our seats to Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" . Alas, we merely left weeping in sweet sadness. Happy we were to spend time in Kansas. These Kansans smile so often, I suspect they know some secret the rest of us would never understand. But of course, sister secrets cannot be divulged. Arlene fixed us a stick to the ribs Kansas breakfast, which served us well until Belleville, Kansas where we once again stopped for lunch, a repeat of the trip down. At cribbage, the Wiley Cager put one over me, probably because I was gloating about being the big Hollywood Gin winner making the cribbage gods punish my arrogance. We fixed "Dagwood" lettuce wraps filled with turkey, Karen's sweet mustard, and a healthy slice of Lebanon Bologna. For sweet treats we enjoyed some Hutchinson style pepper nuts and slices of tart Rainier apple. At the end of the day, once again we were blessed with traveling mercies, and after nearly seven hours of drive time we're snuggled safely in the Holiday RV Park in North Platte. In honor of leaving Kansas, Judy fixed us a dinner of smashed potatoes, green peas, sauerkraut, and two significant chunks of smoked boneless pork chops that we bought at Jackson Meat in Hutchinson. Safe to say, the sodium content is not one my cardiologist would recommend, but I'd defy him to deny a bite of the sumptuous feast. It may well be that good rich food is the secret that Kansans smile about. Regardless, good food is one of the things that make life good, especially today.

Lunch stop in Belleville, Kansas.

I wonder if these three are sisters?

Sisters two this morning.

If you want a real secret, we'll teach you how to enjoy wine while wearing a mask.

Falcon looks like he just finished a Kansas buffet.

If you plant it, it will grow.

I'd drive across country to come here.

Macaroni and cheese loaf may be the smiling secret??

This place is a seriously tempting spot for impulse buying: Lebanon Bologna anyone?