Next phase

Finally back to "normal", so to speak.  The truck and fifth wheel are stowed at a nearby lot and will have to wait until the next traveling season this Fall for any more attention.  Already have a list of items needing work before we shove off again.

Still waiting to get in touch with our Tuscaloosa friends.  Been unable to get through, so we just think positive thoughts.

So now it is two more plane rides then back to getting the homestead on the market.  Getting lots of Nina time in and a little sight seeing.  We all took the tram and immediately had to explain to Nina why we couldn't just keep riding it all day long.  So much for worrying about her being frightened.

A tram view of a few Willamette bridges and the site of the next one in the foreground.  It is to be for bus, bike, light rail and pedestrian only.

A few more of Portland's many bridges.

Went to a local shop appropriately named Yarnia.  A small place where they can blend yarns to get whatever effect you are looking for.  They had the greatest machine for winding spools of yarn.

We spent some time there and got some Portland Timbers colored yarn for future projects.

The sun has finally made an appearance and the flowers are really coming out.  Here's the neighbor's front yard and a dry swale for a change.

The Azalea in the front yard is ready to explode.

One more Timbers game this Sat night and then a Sun afternoon flight out.  I'll probably post a few times through out the summer, should we do anything worthwhile.

Stay away from tornadoes! (I have lots of other profoundly wise advise but I'm doling it out slowly.)

Later.

Portland Timbers win #2 at home

Went to the game this afternoon; Timbers won again.  We were pleasantly surprised to see them working together better and better as the season progresses.  Many tough trials to go but these fans love the effort they are seeing on the pitch.

 Ryan's favorite face outside the revamped stadium.

It was the first day without rain in a week or so and they needed to water down the turf before the game and at half time?  Next home game right before we leave for Alaska.  Packing the rigs for the summer till then.

Stay tuned.

This Just In.........

Early morning reports indicate the sun rose on Portland this morning.  Not just a brightening of the sky, but a shining ball crept over the mountains to steam off the light frost on the rooftops and put a wispy morning mist over the river.

These lousy photos shows the city's project to start returning the rain runoff to the ground rather than add it to the storm drain.  Seems that during the frequent heavy rains the runoff overflows to the sewer and adds the mix directly to the river (my simplification to a complicated situation).  Any way, these swales fill up and slowly drain back into the ground water.  That is except for the part that seeps into Ryan and Judy's basement sump and is pumped back into the street which drains back into the swale.  This loop keeps up until a day or so after the rain stops.  Or, during the winter, forever.

Should be drier for a few days.

Stay dry.

Safe in Portland

The weather on the drive was uneventful.  The rigs got a good wash and when we pulled into the campground space we got hail.  Nothing too big and we weren't moving, so we just sat it out for a few  minutes.  Just a few sprinkles while we set up.

Now we start to pack up for the summer and switch to the "snowbirds selling the homestead and moving south" phase.  We learned a lot this winter and are looking forward to next season full timing.  We might make a few changes but we agree this will work, and there are a lot of places we've yet to see.

Went to the Timbers home opener last night.  What a night!  Being the first MLS game in a totally revamped stadium, there were many questions about how the traffic (both auto and pedestrian) would flow with the much larger crowd.  Ryan and I have season tickets which come with all day/all route bus passes so naturally we left the house 3-1/2 hours early to allow plenty of time to get there and check out the facility before the game.

So much for the plan.  As we leave, Gene (a Soldotna High friend of Ryan's) drives by and offers to drive.  We figure we are so early we can park near to another friend's (John) and have a mini tailgate in his apartment, then walk the few blocks to the game.

Turns out Portland has rezoned parking with a 2 hr limit anywhere near the stadium.  So we eventually park and walk the six blocks or so to John's.  Did I mention it is a fifth floor walk up (or take your chances in the 1940's elevator)?

After a few beers and chips we walk to the stadium, arriving 2hrs+ before kickoff.  The line for our gate goes halfway around the Stadium and the gate opens 107 minutes before kickoff (another tradition starting yesterday).

Did I mention it is raining, as usual, all day and evening?  At least when we finally get in (1 hr+ before kickoff) the seats are under cover.  We are in the Timbers Army section which stands for the entire game.  At least Grandpa gets to sit at halftime.

Finally, there is a soccer game; which we win 4-2.  Then there is the reverse walk back.  Grandpa slept well.

For Sundays game, we plan to take the bus.

Stay dry.

Snow’s a comin, better git

Been a great time here in Redmond at the Rockin Teague Ranch.  Pardon me, I’m being told they don’t own it yet but they will soon have squatters rights.

The food at this particular B&B is of the highest standards and the cook is anxious to have her guests eat it all so she can stay true to her routine.  How Emil can stay so thin is beyond me.  Must be the pre dawn bike ride from Redmond to work in Bend. 

This evening we were anxiously watching the western sky as the next storm rolled in.  Emil gets to ride to work in it tomorrow morning and we get to try to get to Portland.

Three Sisters up close

Three Sisters from the "Teague Observation Deck" before the storm rolled over the peaks and across the foreground.

It doesn't look to good for Emil's ride tomorrow; we will see whether it is white or just wet when we get up.  Have a very important MLS game in Portland on Thursday.

Went to the High Desert Museum today.  Very impressive, definitely on any one's must do list if you are in the area.  Here are a few of the great dioramas.

A really fine example of an early USFS brush rig.

Didn't fish this stop; not the right time, we'll be back in the fall when the streams are low and the fish at our mercy.  Did see some nice trout in the stream that flows through the museum property.  Emil and I stopped at a beaver pond exhibit and flicked ants into the pond.  Which created a feeding frenzy.

Holding my polarized clip ons over the lens, let me photograph some of the many trout in the beaver pond.

Here's hoping the weather lets us make the Timbers home opener.

Travel safe.

Oregon at last

We gave ourselves 45 days to get from Tallahassee to Portland.  Unfortunately, we managed to spend over half of it in Texas and California.  Not what I would have planned.  We stayed an extra day in Pismo Beach.  Went by some of my childhood haunts.  I spent one summer fishing on the Pismo pier.  My nose was glowed all summer with sunburn and my bait encrusted jeans could stand alone in the corner during the infrequent times when I took them off.  It was the best of times.

Yes, it is often windy

Looking north from Pismo pier

Surfers at Pismo pier

My grand parents old place was looking pretty neglected.

Shasta lake still not full but plenty of runoff in the surrounding drainage.

Finally got to see the sign we’ve been waiting for.

Klamath Falls

Tomorrow we head for Redmond and Sara and Emil’s.  Once we thaw out, that is.  Forecasted down to 20 here tonight.  Looks like we can pack up the shorts and tank tops. 

Move over Ivars

Smooth sailing to Pismo, no thanks to Hwy 101.  That is one neglected road surface.  Smooth only from Santa Barbara to Goleta, the state has solved the problem by putting up lots of “rough road” signs.  The longer the roads stay neglected, the more accurate they are.  Going to go by Grandpa “Lupe’s” old place by the Oceano airport tomorrow and then stop by Randy Stromsoe’s in Templeton.  Don’t know how far we’ll get, but plan to end up somewhere on I5 poised for the sprint past Sacramento the next day.

Found the BEST clam chowder yet (always open to try out a challenger) at the "Splash Cafe" in Pismo Beach near the pier.  I think they cheat and use a TON of butter.  The broth could stand alone but then they add a healthy amount of clam and minimum potato.  I got the bread bowl which they grill before coring and filling with chowder.  Unfortunately, I found out they will top it off with a healthy amount of crab for another dollar.  These people are diabolical!

A shot of the Furnace creek Chevron left out of previous posts.

Yes, the sign says "diesel 5.77"

This isn’t price gouging, oh no; 20 miles away the price was $4.49.

Stay Alert, there may be more soon.

Roots

Saw the rolling hills of Calabasas where I spent my youth hunting everything from tarantulas  to hawks to keep as pets.  They look a little different; must be all the homes blanketing them.

Spent yesterday evening with the Pontoppidan’s and the Buckley’s.  Not fair!  They were supposed to get older like us.  Anyway, it was fun to reminisce and see Greg and his family too.  Hope it doesn’t take us another 20 years to do it again.

Hope to wrap it up here today and get back on the road.  So I’d better keep it short.

Stay safe.

Laying low in La La land

Parked the trailer and are currently hiding out at the Taillon’s.  Teri is catching up with her mom and I am catching up on the “Novels of the Change”.  I see the US womens team has a game with England this afternoon; hopefully I will be able to see that.  We plan to resume on the 5th, rolling into Redmond on the 9th.  Along the way we hope to stop in at an old friend’s who apprenticed under Dad at the Craftsman Rd shop. 

The rolling stock worked well on the drive out of Death Valley.  First a 5000 ft clime out, then a not so long (6-9% grade) descent.  The truck pulled strong and the “tow haul” mode on the transmission plus compression braking resulted in only a few light touches on the descent.  Teri took 82 photos along the way which will require some editing.

We stopped in Lancaster to see Ralph and Kathi.  He was giving Eric and his friend Noriko rides in his plane and found us on Hwy 14 north of Mojave.  After getting strafed a few times, I can see how it might be difficult to shoot back at a fighter pointing straight at you, going 400+ and shooting 50 cals at you.  His plane “only” gets up to 300 straight and level; I imagine a little faster in a strafing run. 

We had lunch at the Mojave airport watching Burt Rutan’s mother ship doing test flights in the traffic pattern with a long easy chase plane.  Ralph has two hangers full of his plane and a pretty complete shop and Rutan has quite a presence on the Airport, so there is always something going on there.

only shot we got of mothership and chase

A tree grows in Lancaster?

Not really, just a well camouflaged cell tower.

The poppies were out in Lancaster.

Hope to talk again soon.

Later.