January / February 2009 Road Trip Final Post

Hello Everyone,

It's all over and we are home. Got up Thursday morning in Crescent City, California and started driving North on US101. Drove North to Florence, Oregon and then East on OR HWY 126 to I5 in Eugene, Oregon and then North to home.

Since our arrival time was going to be about 6:00 p.m. we called Tiffany to see if she and Katie wanted to meet for dinner at Stanford's. Katie couldn't meet us but Tiffany said "yes" and she brought along Katie Thompson. So, we pull into Milwaukie and instead of going to our house we go to straight Stanford's our "Happy Hour Hangout". Had a nice dinner before filling the gas tank one last time and going home and unloading everything.

TRIP STATISTICS:

We drove a total 6568 miles. Used 242.526 gallons of gasoline and payed $467.44 for it. We were gone 35 nights. We spent 5 nights with relatives, 7 nights on a cruise ship, 22 nights in hotels and 1 night at a military installation (Ft. Bliss, TX). All during the trip and along the way we visited with 30 different family members and friends. That doesn't include the many people we know that were also attending the conference in New Orleans and the folks at the Super Bowl Party at my daughter Traci's in Surprise, Arizona.

Well, that's it, we hope everyone enjoyed reading about just what we have been doing for 5 weeks. Here are a few pictures taken during the trip for you to check out.

Until next time.

Bob & Linda

January / February 2009 Road Trip Continued

The following was written to be posted Wednesday the 11th of February but because of connectivity issues I was unable to post.

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BIG CHANGE TODAY!

Before we left Williams this morning I looked at weather and road conditions. I5 in the Siskiyou's was closed going South and North bound required chains on all four wheels. I decided I wasn't going to go up I5 so we went west from Williams over to US101 and we headed north.

So we had to scratch the visit with Linda's cousin in Medford. Now we will probably make a special trip to see her after the weather gets better.

We are spending our last night on the road in Cresent City, California. It has been raining most of the day. After having so many bright, sunny driving days, the last 6 days have been pretty wet. I guess it is time to get acclimatized back to Oregon weather. Darn.

Almost home!

Bob & Linda

January / February 2009 Road Trip Continued

Hi from Williams, California,

Sunday's plans of lunch with ex son-in-law Mike, going to a movie with Susan and then Linda and I going to a play all happened. We saw Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. Good movie! We did see the play "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" Sunday evening. We both enjoyed it.

Monday we headed North from Van Nuys. We were going to spend the night in Fresno but their is a World Agriculture Expo going on right now in Tulare, California, 45 miles south of Fresno and rooms were at a premium. We went a little farther North and spent the night in Madera, California. A little more on the Expo. Expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors. 1,600 exhibits. 67 countries sending representatives. Over 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space.

Got up Tuesday and drove up into the hills to Calvin Crest, a Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Center. I wanted to see the location and meet the Executive Director because I have been asked to teach a class there in October. Those of you familiar with what I am doing with water purification systems and mission trips know I attended a class in Mississippi, Clean Water University, about two years ago to learn a particular system that was developed by a Clean Water Ministry of the Presbyterian Church. Clean Water University has asked if I would consider becoming an instructor and teach at their new Western campus in California. I accepted the offer and wanted to stop by and see the place I will be teaching at is like. It is quite beautiful, just a few miles from Yosemite. Three hundred acres in the wilderness, 3,200 to 6,200 feet in elevation. It was cold and probably 6 to 12 inches of relatively fresh snow.

After we left we drove onto Sacramento. I had attempted to contact a couple of cousins to see if we could get together for an early dinner as we passed through. only heard back from my cousin Les Rossi and his wife Jackie. We met at a restaurant and had a nice 4 hour visit before we headed North to Williams.

Wednesdays stop is Medford, Oregon to visit with Linda's cousin.

The journey is almost over.

Time for bed.

Bob & Linda

January / February 2009 Road Trip Continued

Hello Everyone,

Time to catch up again. Well, Thursday we arrived in the L.A. area. Got a place to stay somewhat near bonus daughter Susan. Met her for dinner at the "Boneyard Bistro" and had a nice dinner and initial visit.

Friday was a slow day since Susan was working. I contacted "Old Air Force Buddy" Bob Hunt and cousin Patti and set up meetings with them. Linda and I decided to move since the place we were in was noisy. We moved to a Holiday Inn Express in Van Nuys that is much quieter. Friday night we met Bob and Debbie Hunt at a Marie Callendars restaurant in Simi Valley. We had a very nice four hour visit with them. Bob has a lot of health problems but still pushes himself to get out and do things.

Yesterday, we visited with Susan, Grandson Cory and his girlfriend Tatiana in the afternoon and then met my cousin Patty Field and her boyfriend Jim for dinner at Houston's in Pasadena. Good dinner and visit. Got back to hotel at about 11:00 p.m.

Today's plans are for lunch with ex son-in-law Mike, movie with Susan and Linda and I are thinking of going to a play, "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" this evening.

Tomorrow we will start heading North. We plan on getting back to Portland on Thursday.

The adventure continues.

Bob & Linda

January / February 2009 Road Trip Continued

Hi from Perris, California,

Had internet connection problems at my daughter Traci's house in Surprise, Arizona so as you are aware, it has been a few days since an update.

Saturday we had a nice visit with Shirlee and Terry Valo of Wilsonville, OR in Green Valley, Arizona. We met for breakfast at 10:00 a.m. and then went back to their house and visited well into the afternoon. Finally said goodbye and headed to Surprise and my daughters house. After we got settled in, we all went to dinner at a Red Lobster restaurant.

Sunday was Superbowl Sunday and as you can imagine their was a lot of excitement in Arizona since the Arizona Cardinals were one of the teams in the Superbowl. Traci and Brian had some friends and family over for the game. It was a fun afternoon/evening but alas, the ending wasn't good for Cardinal fans.

Monday evening we all went to a Claim Jumper restaurant and met my 2nd cousin, Don Palandech, his wife and youngest daughter. My nephew Sam an ASU student also came along. had a great visit. Don will be retiring from the US Air Force in May. Sounds like a reason for another trip to Arizona.

Tuesday was another laid back day as we wrapped up our visit with Traci and Brian. Today, Wednesday we left and headed West. We met up with Howard and Mary Palmer from Salem, Oregon who are on their annual snow bird trip south. We met them in Brenda, AZ and visited over breakfast. After we left the Palmer's we continued west and met up with Jim and Bonnie Faull from Vancouver, WA who winter in Hemet, CA. Had a nice visit, went to dinner and after we said our goodbyes we went to a Holiday Inn Express in Perris, CA. Now you all are caught up with our travels.

Tomorrow we will move into the LA area and decide what we are going to do for the next few days. I've contacted my cousin Patty and we will probably get together Saturday.

Our adventure continues.

Bob & Linda

Hi everyone following us. Yesterday was somewhat laid back. We left El Paso and drove west with the good intention of meeting Linda's friends Shirlee and Terry Valo in Green Valley, Arizona for dinner. Well it didn't quite work out that way. By the time we actually got on the road, a few slow downs for construction, lunch, stops at rest areas, etc. we decided to postpone our get together until this morning over breakfast.

After we got settled into our Holiday Inn Express last night, Linda and I went to a restaurant named Solaris. Very nice, good food and I even had a couple of glasses of a Willamette Valley Pinot Gris.

After our visit today with Shirlee and Terry we will head up to Phoenix/Surprise and my daughter's house. We are butting in on their Super Bowl Party Sunday. While at Traci's we will wash some dirty clothes, visit with Traci and family, try to get together with my nephew Sam at ASU and get together with a 2nd cousin, Colonel Don Palandech, the commander of ASU's ROTC Detachment. We'll see how much we actually accomplish.

Well, need to pack up and get out of the HIE and go meet Shirlee and Terry.

Take Care!

Bob & Linda

January / February Road Trip Continued

Well the last two days have been mostly driving.  Yesterday we drove from Houston to Sonora, Texas.  Today, Sonora to El Paso, Texas.  Tonight we are staying at Fort Bliss Army base.  Nice accomodations and the price is right.

We went to a movie tonight and saw "Slum Dog Millionaire".  Interesting movie and we both enjoyed it.

Tomorrow we will drive to Tucson and hope to stay at Davis Monthan AFB.  We also want to get together with an old school friend of Linda's in Green Valley, AZ, about 30 miles south of Tucson. We will see how that all works out.

That's about it for today.

Take care all.

Bob & Linda