Adventure 408: Happily Home 4/11/17/End Year Three

A Pretty Happy Camper.

Exactly three months and a day, we're back home. We enjoyed traveling mercies again today as we sauntered homeward through the very beautiful wheat country of Whitman and Garfield Counties. Our adventure this year was filled with old friends, new friends, old stops, new stops, and in every instance we've gained. Our perspective has broadened, our appreciation has blossomed, our gratitude has deepened, our good fortune has been manifest, and in many ways this year's adventure has come full circle. We spent last night and this morning with Dave and Liz Ulmen, and we went our separate ways with the usual hugs and tugs. Some months ago at the beginning of this year's adventure, we met up with the Ulmen's.  They were heading home, and we were heading South. After leaving Dave and Liz today, we headed toward Dayton, WA where the Ellsworth's live during the summer. We were hoping to see them since we stored Fric and Frac at their home in Lake Havasu. Sadly, since they had just returned from Arizona the day before, they were on he way to the Tri-Cities to resupply. The best we could do is drive by their home in Dayton. We arrived home about 2 P.M. I was glad; Judy was ecstatic. We performed the usual unloading duties, and then we toured the grounds. Eventually, Judy putzed in the garden. I took the truck to the car wash, and in general we started some spring cleaning. I emptied the hot tub, we washed it, and hopefully tomorrow, it will be hot and open for my return. Dave came over around five and took us on a tour of our new bathroom, which is about 90% finished. It's quite cool, and we can't wait to move into it. So, as in all things, this adventure came to an end. In the final analysis, the tale of the tape reads like this: 6925 miles driven (Some unhooked); 525 miles ridden (All tandem); 375 miles walked/hiked. We returned to some old favorite places such as Luchenbach (Fredericksburg, TX), Stoneybrook Farm, Austin, and Big Rock Candy Mountain. We enjoyed some new adventures such as Big Bend National Park, St George Utah, Fremont Indian State Park, Park City, Utah, and Crystal Hot Springs. We continue to have a love affair with both Texas and Utah. In neither state can I share my political views safely, but as long as I stay within accepted social bounds, I can exist very well in both. In Texas, I can talk BBQ, Texas History, and Gonzaga basketball. In Utah I can talk National Parks, State Parks, and Gonzaga basketball. Both states are welcoming, and both are glad to accept our money. That's not to say I don't love Arizona, Idaho, or any other state. Each has something amazing to offer. And as much as I tease Judy for wanting to be home, I am glad to be here, happy to be safe, and grateful for the many opportunities we've had. In short, life is good, especially today. (Note: Fric and Frac signing off until further notice. Thanks for joining our adventures-we strongly suggest you go out your drive way and head for the open road. Your adventure awaits-don't wait).
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 One set of the hugs and tugs that sent us homeward this morning.

 The Ellsworth home in Dayton, WA.

 Ooh! Let's choose a mirror and a vanity and some drawer knobs..

 Ahhh Let's hang some towel racks, toilet paper holders, and window treatments.

And even some shower power. Glass walls and a door will be nice.

Adventure 407: Wildhorse Casino and Resort, Pendleton, Oregon

Good Bye Stoneybrook.

The goodbyes took on a bittersweet tone with heart tugging hugs, a few wistful smiles, and an over load of soon to be favorite memories. We left the Hooleys about 9 A.M. under sunny smiles. Our hearts were warm, our spirits bright, and buoyed by our time on the farm we floated North toward Boise. We arrived at Tim and Carissa Ulmens, lunch in hand, around noon. Tim and Celia were peering out the windows like expectant applicants. Daughter Celia was intertwined into Dad Tim like a chokecherry bush melding with a willow. Nonetheless, young Celia warmed to Judy right away and left her Dad's arms willingly. her dark eyes flickered, echoed by her smile, and soon she had made a new (And fast) friend. We can hardly believe she's nine months already. The last time we saw her, she was busy kicking her way into presence inside her mother's womb. We didn't get to see mom this time, since she was coming off several night shift days. Carissa, a hard working Doctor, works the insanely difficult rotations so many in her profession work: It seems like sixty hours on, a little bit off, followed by sixty more hours. At any rate, she was sleeping. We left Boise a little before two and arrived around four at Wildhorse Casino. It's a little over two hundred miles which followed the hundred and some we drove in the morning. Thankfully, our crossing of the often treacherous Deadman's Pass proved uneventful, and dare I say it, somewhat pleasant. Traffic was light, the road was  dry, and the sun glittered off the remaining snow like a magic spell. We peered over the precipice of the long steep descent and saw an emerald valley. I merely downshifted, wiggled myself into a comfortable position, and "let 'er rip" as Loey Hooley's Dad was reported to have said. And like I often say, "It's the cheap thrills that keep a guy going. Our good friends, the Ulmen's (Grandparents of Celia [And Gus], joined us at Wildhorse around six. We haven't seen them since they sent us off for the winter. We enjoyed a nice dinner, caught up a bit, complained about our President, and planned a morning tandem ride. It was a perfect night for revolutionaries, and proved once again that life is good, especially today.

 Celia (Pronounced Sale-ya) with her Dad.

 Celia warming up to Judy.

 Celia's brother  (Kai) and sister (Bella), a couple of very protective pitbulls.

 Descending Deadman's Pass.

 And then the sun came from behind the clouds to spread the emerald valley before us.

 Fric and Frac nestled happily in site # 35.

 Dave and Liz Ulmen, our best good buddies,  who lay claim to young Celia (And Gus).

To finish dinner sharing a piece of chocolate decadence seemed only fitting.

Adventure 406: Stoneybrook Farm/ Filer, Idaho/Post C

It's our guiding truth.

After witnessing early all four seasons yesterday, we were happy to wake up to bright sunny skies. Winter's chill still set its jaw in the crisp, cold air, but the sun was as bright as Christ's promise, and maybe next week when we celebrate his victory over death, he'll bring warmth of both our hearts and the weather. In the meantime, we had a wonderful day. We celebrated Palm Sunday this morning at the Filer Mennonite church, shared a scrumptious noon meal with the Hooley's afterward, and for a treat, we all went down to experience the majesty of Shoshone Falls with the water crashing over the rocks at over 16,000 cubic feet per second. We admired the water, the canyon, savored the rainbow, and all around enjoyed each other's company, which included Gary, Loey, Andy, and Sarah Hooley; Tom and Patty Losser, and Judy and me. We joined several hundred (Enough to fill the parking lots) people who had a similar interest in witnessing Mother Nature's spectacle. The only downside occurred when I stepped on the muddy slope and landed so hard on my elbow that I may have re-injured my shoulder. I'll know more in the morning, but right now I can't lift my left arm to shoulder height, nor can I reach back to take my wallet out of my pocket. So it goes. Not to be deterred by injury, Tom Losser cooked us up some of his home grown popcorn, and we babbled the evening away in an almost unheard of way: talk, shared ideas, listening to each other, laughter, jokes, tales, experiences. No one had a head buried into a screen; no technology invaded the space; not a commercial was  witnessed; not a text was transmitted; not an e-mail was sent. It was as it was and as it must have been back in the day. I found it exhilarating. We even read and discussed an O Henry story. Imagine that, actually decoding words from a page, expressing them out loud, and discussing their meaning. In short, it was fun. And despite my own quite sore shoulder socket, I'm still her to tell you that life is good, especially today.

 Sarah, showing off her latest batch of home made Colby cheese.

 Patty and Sarah as we gathered the group for our tour of the falls.

 Andy and Archie, but Archie had to stay home.

 Gary and Tom, our tour guides, planning what to show us next.

 Though the falls are barely visible, the rainbow pointed the way.

 Sarah and Judy, just talking.

 Tom and Patty showing us the next, more spectacular view of the falls.

 Gary and Loey Hooley, who have once again made us feel welcome.

 Shoshone Falls in all its glory. That smudge in the middle is mist rising from the crashing water.

 Loey and Sarah (Mother/daughter) sharing a moment of wonder together.

 Our shadows become long memories of good times shared.

 Patty shared this 8 lb. chicken with us. Wow!

Tom, sizzling up a few batches of his gourmet popcorn.

Adventure 405: Hooley Farm (Stoneybrook) Filer, Idaho/Post B

The Wiley Cager up to her Tricks.

Spring in Southern Idaho, like many places, is uncertain. Today, the sun peeked out behind swells of fast moving squalls that spread cold rain and bitter wind across the fields like a spreader planting seed. But then, when the sun did shine briefly, it revealed the total glory of the emerald fields, the unapologetic clumping of the soil, the ripe freshness of the cattle pen, and there smiling in a glitter all their own were the new blooms of daffodils. In short, the weather in whatever form it takes merely adds to the beauty of the farm. I even got to help a little bit today. Andy and I put irrigation pipes together in three of four fields before the first of the frigid squalls chased us off. About that time, Loey's sister, Virginia, who had been visiting for the week, had to leave to fly back to Alaska. Everyone commented that goodbyes are less fun that hellos, but in the end it was best to just live in the moment. After that, Judy and I went to town to buy groceries for our now signature dish, Chili Verde with Corny Corn Muffins. It once again turned out well, so I'd have to say that after six or seven attempts, we've mastered the recipe. We had nice conversation, which I've noticed, mostly involves the Hooley's listening to our tales. After dinner, Judy and I did the dishes, and then we adjourned to our cozy little Frac. We've decided this will be our penultimate stop on this particular set of adventures. On Monday, we'll make a brief stop in Boise just to meet Celia, the first daughter of our friends, Tim and Carissa Ulmen. We had thought about staying in Boise to ride the river trail, except the trail is closed due to flooding. As a result, we'll push on homeward, staying either in Baker City Monday night, or somewhere a bit further. We plan to be home by Wednesday, just about a week before schedule. It's amazing that this "run for the barn" phenomenon has happened to us every trip. As soon as we get close to home, we almost can't wait to get there. So much for living in the moment, but as for that, life is certainly good, especially today.

 If you look closely you can see some pretty deft card slicking.

 The daffodils tilting their heads, rising high to catch the refreshingly cold rain.

 My favorite part of the Hooley home is the front sun porch.

 One of the ever present (and squawking) peacocks.

 Virginia spent a few moments tickling the ivories before she had to catch her plane.

When springs fades to summer, this gazebo will take its turn at glory.

Adventure 404: Hooley Farm, Filer, Idaho/Post A

Peacocks rule around the farm.

Happily blessed once again with traveling mercies, we arrived at the Hooley's near 4 P.M. On the way, we swept through a couple of down pours, rode a fairly strong tail wind, and otherwise enjoyed an uneventful ride from Honeyville, Utah. We even managed to get another soak in the hot springs before we left. The only small challenge we had was getting to  Stoneybrook, the Hooley's farm, because their road has washed out due to heavy snow, unfettered runoff, and the damage done by heavy trucks. The bottom line is that we had to go a little out of our usual way to get here. Andy Hooley, whose place sits right at the corner of the damaged road had his Good Samaritan tested most of the winter and early spring. Even though the signs clearly read ROAD CLOSED, many people ignored the warning. Maybe they thought, "That can't mean me." Or perhaps, "I can make it." Whatever, Andy found himself quite often this winter pulling cars out of the ditch with his back hoe. One not so grateful person said to Andy after Andy had kindly used his equipment to pull the person out, "Do you think if I gave it just a little more gas, I could make it over that mound." Andy, a man of infinite patience even in the presence of fools, replied, "I can't really say, but I do know that I'll pull you out just this once." We enjoyed a nice meal, great fellowship, and the general peace that surrounds this place. We feel lucky to be allowed to sidle up to the Hooley RV spot. I'm reminded of the movie "As Good as it Gets". Jack Nicholson plays the part of a neurotic, self-centered writer who falls in love with his favorite waitress. At one point, Nicholson's character is being his usual obnoxious self when the waitress character says, "Melvin, give me a compliment right now, or I'm leaving." He replies, "You make me want to be a better man." That's how I feel here on the farm. It's clearly a place where life is good, especially today.

 Frac, snuggled in next to the garage.

 The state is working to repair the washed out road.

 Andy's place is marked by the three silos.

 Andy working to clear the ditches to insure a good runoff path for the irrigation water.

 The view from our bedroom.

 Sarah Hooley, her aunts, her mother, and Judy work to complete an activity quilt Sarah and Loey made. It will be used for her brother, Isaac's (And mom, Emily) new baby. 

 The backside of the one of the ruling peacocks.

 The front side.

Part of dinner included this lettuce that Loey grew in her greenhouse. What winter?

Adventure 403: Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville, Utah/Post C

The Rosy Fingers of Dawn Bring the Promise of a New Day.

Today would have been my sister Sandy's birthday, had she not died too young from diabetic complications. Hope you're doing well, Sis. We miss you. It must be all the "pool talk' and the plethora of families around this place that's making me nostalgic. I'm even contemplating another attempt at contacting my estranged cousin, Robin. We'll see; it could also be that I'm overheated from my second forty-five minute soak of the day. We left this morning on the tandem, even though the warm weather hadn't materialized. We rode twelve and a half miles into Brigham City to Bert's Family Cafe, since 1929. It was a classic well run "spoon", complete with a efficient and cute waitress, a wrap around counter, and another room which was most likely purchased during the boom years. We shared bone in ham and eggs with hash browns. The ham slice was so big, we brought some home so we can enjoy diced ham and eggs tomorrow. Our round trip was right around twenty-five miles, which gave us two day total of forty-five. We both felt no less for the wear and tear. Our morning soak was the most pleasant since most families aren't ready to mobilize by ten A.M. This meant we had the place to ourselves. I like this place quite a bit. It's clean, well run, and everyone who comes here seems to be on good behavior. Even the little kids contain their excitement and merely tip skitter across the concrete rather than outright running. The most fascinating thing is that we've been invaded. There were three trailers and no tents when we got here Tuesday. Right now, the 181 sites in the park are mostly occupied, except for the ten by the road, which they're using for overflow parking for the Hot Springs. You see, it's spring break in this part of Utah, so families are making at least an overnight of it, and many are staying the weekend. It meant that our afternoon soak included several hundred of our newest friends and even a couple of dogs on leashes. It's all good, especially since we've come to enjoy this state of Utah. Tonight will be our last in this state; by one P.M. we'll cross into the great state of Idaho, place of my birth, and just one state removed from our home. We're not rushing it. In fact, we're as excited as that lover boy in Chuck Berry's song, Nadine, to be headed "uptown" to see the Hooley's. And we'll be campaign shouting like Southern diplomats when a couple days later we get to meet young Celia in Boise. God willing, we'll make it home the Monday after Easter. We'll celebrate the Risen Christ in Walla Walla, and if you ask me He's rising none too soon. In the meantime, we're happy to report that life is good, especially today.

 I've always wanted to take a road trip with my best gal in my 1953 Cadillac. I'd make it point to search out the old time cafes and diners. Hot grease and hot coffee. I can smell it already.

 it's probably unnecessary to lock Papa up in a Mormon town, but I did it anyway.

 Biting humor; my favorite kind.

 A whole plate wide and an 1/8 inch thick.

 Good night and good bye, Crystal Hot Springs.

 Can you find Frac?

If you look, you can see Apollo and his steeds racing to their stable.