Beginning A New Adventure

Chris & I have been watching with interest the predictions for the coming winter and the general consensus of the websites and prognosticators we follow is that this winter will be another El Niño year. The last time this weather pattern was in effect was the winter of 2009 and it had a pretty substantial effect on our cruising experience. The temperatures were noticeably cooler, there were far more storms, the weather windows were much shorter (making it difficult to get from one place to the next without being pummeled by wind & waves) and even protected anchorages were often very uncomfortable. We have a well found boat that is up to the challenge but can be pretty hard on human bodies (especially older ones) and Abby doesn’t like rough weather one little bit. 

"Trudie"

Since our motto is: “If it isn’t fun, do something else.” we have decided to do something else this winter. We recently purchased a 36’ Motorhome and intend to spend this winter “land yachting” and exploring many of the places in the States that are on our “bucket lists”.

  

The Coach is a 2000 Damon Intruder (who shall hereafter be called “Trudie”) and although it is 12 years old it is in stellar condition. It spent the majority of its life in a garage, has new tires, brakes and other stuff and, at a mere 38,000 miles is like new. Our only real change was to replace the existing mattress with the one from the trailer which is much more comfortable. We have also invested in a “car for Sandy” a cute little PT Cruiser that is a blast to drive and is already set up for towing.

Sandy's PT Cruiser

We’ve made a few short trips not too far from home to get used to the behemoth and learn how all the systems work. Overall, it seems to be going well although there have been a few “glitches” along the learning curve.

Fountain, waterfall & pond in Sequim.

For example, finding all the controls has been a bit like an Easter egg hunt. There are two slide outs in this coach and while the control for the bedroom was right where it should be on the bedroom wall, the button to open the main salon slider took a bit of searching to locate. It was, wait for it, on the bottom of the overhead cabinet above the kitchen sink. Huh? Oddly, all of the electrical outlets are also under the overhead cabinets instead of on walls like they would be in a house.

Our first trip was a whole 19 miles to Fairview, OR. We needed some items that didn’t come with the RV and the nearest Camping World is in Fairview so it only made sense. Camping World, for those who don’t know, is to RV’ers what West Marine is to boaters…a “candy store” with merchandise specific to trailers and coaches with prices tailored to clean out your checkbook in one fell swoop.  In addition to the $200 in goods we purchased on our first visit, Chris made an appointment to take “Posie” (the PT) in to have her lights wired for towing. She also needed a specialized braking system installed so when we put the brakes on in the Coach it isn’t stopping both vehicles. This little procedure took several hours and the pricetag was substantially above $1000. In addition to the shopping foray, Sandy was able to get a few games of Baja Canasta and we visited and shared dinners with our  friends, Ken & Linde, two nights in a row. 

For our second trip, we decided on Sequim, WA. Sequim is a beautiful little town 14 miles east of Port Angeles (where Sandy lived as a child) on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is about a 4 hour drive from Vancouver and once you turn onto Hwy 101 the rest of the trip is a winding two lane road along Hood Canal and through miles of old growth forest. It is one of the prettiest drives in the State (possibly in the country). Sitting in the passenger seat afforded me a bird’s eye view of the rocks under the clear, clear water in the Canal whenever there was a break in the forest. Of course, that also meant the road edge was very close and since the shoulder is pretty narrow and the vehicle is pretty wide I think I spent much of the trip leaning to my left! I am ever hopeful that by the time we leave on the BIG trip my panic button will be on a higher setting.

Once we got settled into the RV Park we spent the weekend visiting friends we hadn’t seen in much too long. Much too soon it was Monday morning and time to head for home again. A few things went wrong but nothing life threatening. We learned a lot about using the RV and came up with some ideas to make it a little more user friendly for us. That was, of course, one of the big reasons for the trip in the first place. We are both getting excited to get back into “nomad mode”.   

Second Half

After a lovely visit with our Colorado friends, we were off on the final push home. Chris had apparently attempted to visit Yellowstone 3 times in the past with no success so that was definitely on the agenda. I was there once but, OMG, that was about 30 years ago!

Abby prefers having her own bed!

Our first day on the road took us to Craig, CO. I have still not gotten over how absolutely stunning the scenery is in Colorado. Even worse, I didn’t manage to take one single picture! Where was my head? I guess the message is that we have to go back.

We spent the night in a small, privately owned motel that had a fully stocked kitchen. This is so rare. Generally , a “kitchenette” turns out to be a microwave & tiny refrigerator. No stove and no cooking/eating utensils. Clearly the intention is to provide a place to store your beer and make popcorn while you go out to eat. It was nice to be able to make a “real” meal and eat in for a change. People who travel constantly in their business lives complain that eating out gets very old very fast and it turns out that is very true.

Ahhh!

Freemont Lake, Pinedale, WY

While planning the trip to Yellowstone I attempted to locate a motel in Jackson, WY which is very close to the south entrance. HAH! Jackson is a very upscale town that is clearly set up for the more elite in society. High end hotels, condos, restaurants and boutiques with cutesy western sounding names line the streets. After spending a great deal of time perusing on-line booking sites I realized there was not a room in the town for under $200. After backing up about 60 miles I found an absolute gem in Pinedale, WY. The Lakeside Lodge Resort & Marina is a few miles out of town but well worth the drive. We stayed in a cozy cabin right on

beautiful Fremont Lake. It was peaceful and beautiful with Adirondack chairs on the porch overlooking the lake and a romantic fireplace to warm the room. Waiting in the room was a basket filled with muffins, fruit & snacks. After driving most of the day it was wonderful to sit on the porch with a glass of wine and listen to the quiet sounds of the wind in the trees and the water lapping against the shore.

The Grand Tetons from Yellowstone.

With the extra hour of drive time factored into the trip to Yellowstone we were up and on the road early. We had reservations that night for a room in Bozeman, MT so there was a lot of territory to cover including transiting Yellowstone. Driving north from Jackson you pass through the Grand Tetons, some of the most dramatic mountains in the country, just before entering Yellowstone. I had the opportunity to ski in the Tetons a number of years ago and could never quite get over the view from the top of the Blackfoot Bowl run as we looked across to the three most prominent peaks in the range. It just takes your breath away.

Old Faithful blowing off steam.

Yellowstone was, as always, amazing and Old Faithful geyser did not disappoint. The traffic was a bit tedious as there was road work going on through the entire park so we didn’t make many stops. At one point the backup was a bit frustrating but when we finally reached the apex it turned out to be a herd of bison grazing right next to the road. There is a law against getting closer than 100 yards to the wildlife but it is clear the bison have not read the rule!  Between the slow traffic and the distance we still had to travel to get to our motel our time was pretty limited so we have decided we need to return for another visit when we can explore more thoroughly.

Illiterate Bison.

Our last overnight stop was in Spokane, WA. We decided we would like to re-visit this unique city again but that is for another trip. By the time we arrived here we were like two old horses on their way back to the barn.

Morning light in our backyard.

It’s great to be back home again and I am confident that someday soon all the chores will be finished and there will be time to lounge in the backyard with a glass of wine and a good book. Ahhhhh…..

New Territory

As I write this I am in a cute little motel in Craig, Colorado and we are about halfway home. After a very fast trip to Tucson, Chris & I decided that once everything was completed we were going to go home in a much more leisurely “Cruiser friendly” fashion. Since we rented a car it was the perfect opportunity to visit those places that involve lots of altitude and uber-switchback roads. Thus far it has been a wonderful trip.

The Amazing Grand Canyon

Sandy at the Grand Canyon...Finally!

Crazy People!

For the past four years I have lobbied to see the Grand Canyon. Each year it has been tantalizingly close as we made our way north from Tucson and Phoenix but there always seemed to be some reason why it wasn’t practical. More often than not, we had the trailer and that is cumbersome at best on narrow roads and in parks that were built before the advent of large vacation vehicles (thus…extremely limited parking for sight-seeing). Chris grew up in Arizona and has been to the Canyon several times so has been somewhat lukewarm about the side trip. This time, our planned journey included a visit with friends in mid-Colorado so going via The Grand was perfect. I am not sure there are enough adjectives to describe the place or the experience so I really won’t try. I have seen tons of photographs over the years but actually standing at the rim and seeing the miles of incredible beauty with your own eyes is pretty overwhelming. Even pictures don’t really do it justice but I did try. At one point, when I realized that the tiny objects I was seeing on the very edge of one of the overhangs were people, I just about dropped my drawers. As intimidating as it is to stand behind the railing and take in the depth of the Canyon (which can give even the stout of heart the shivers), it was chilling to see people who (with children and dogs) would take chances by walking (crawling?) out to the edge of an outcropping and looking down. Yikes! Chris & I were pretty sure that was against park rules and perhaps that is one reason why the staff has to save over 250 each year.

When I was attempting to find a hotel close to the Grand Canyon I came up empty handed until I found Tuba City, AZ. This small town is about 50 miles from the Canyon and is on Navajo land. We stayed at a clean (though somewhat shabby) place that was right next door to a wonderful Navajo museum we enjoyed touring the next morning. Of particular interest was the information about the Navajo Code Talkers who were an important part of our military during WWII.  After leaving a few bucks at the Trading Post we were off on the next leg…to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

I have to admit, I had no idea there was a National Park in the middle of acres and acres of farmland in Colorado that consisted of acres and acres of huge sand dunes. At the base of the dunes is Medano Creek which is actually a wetlands area and an area where huge flocks of Sandhill Cranes rest on their migration south. Even though I had no idea this place even existed, thousands of people visit here every year. They camp, swim in the creek, sled down the dunes, hike up the dunes, birdwatch in the wetlands and watch the stars at night. It is amazing the diversity our country has. After taking lots of photos, walking the dog and NOT hiking on the dunes, Chris & I drove on to Coaldale, CO to visit our friends, Bob & Kay.  

Colorado is one of the most beautiful states I have seen yet and we have only seen part of it. Talk about mountains! Whooeee! And gorgeous valleys. And crystal clear rivers. And wildlife galore. We’ll definitely be returning for another dose.

A Death in the Family

My mother-in-law passed away on July 3^rd one month to the day from her 87^th birthday. We had visited her in Tucson in June and, while she was having some breathing difficulties, she seemed to be doing quite well the day we saw her. Unfortunately, a week later we received news that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and was not expected to survive the summer. The family (5 children, 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren) gathered around, made trips to AZ for one last visit and began to comfort each other.

After Dottie passed away the work began of going through all her belongs. It was a melancholy task made a little easier by the stories shared by all about their mother/grandmother and their lives growing up with her. Dottie’s home of 25+ years as well as her more recent apartment at an assisted living facility were filled with the memorabilia collected over the course of 86 years of a life well lived. In addition to the usual furniture and everyday household items, the volume of photos, pieces of art, knick knacks and miscellaneous paperwork that had to be gone through piece by piece was amazing.

When I purchased my sailboat in 2006 it required some dramatic downsizing. In addition to selling the house, I was shocked at how much “stuff” I had accumulated that had to be sold, given away or passed on to the kids just to get down to just what I absolutely needed (and would fit) on the boat. A very few special things that I wanted to keep “just in case” the cruising didn’t work out required the rental of a 5’x5’ storage unit and even that was whittled down each successive summer when I wondered why I’d kept this or that. It was brutally difficult in the “he with the most stuff wins” attitude that most of us seem to have, but it had to be done and once accomplished, it was like losing an anchor I’d been dragging around. 

Since 2006 I have acquired a husband, a dog, a travel trailer and another house on dirt. We still have the boat but it is in Mexico where we cruise during the winter months. Chris had minimal belongings when we got together but since purchasing the house we have begun amassing “things” once again. After 2 weeks of sorting and dividing all of Dottie’s belongings we have been reminded again how quickly things can get out of hand. We have vowed to be circumspect in gathering “stuff” so that when we pass away our children will not have so much to dig through.

Still, I think a lot of the sorting, which also involved much reminiscing and retelling of family history, was somewhat healing for the family and brought them closer together. Maybe the gathering of things for someone else to deal with is a good thing after all.     

Ice Cream and Flush Toilets

Two of the things I miss during the winter cruising months are ice cream and flush toilets. Certainly there are other things, but those are kind of at the top of my “whoopee” list when I get back to land.

Now ice cream (and usually it is very good quality ice cream) is available at Helado Stores all over Mexico. What I miss is being able to have ice cream at hand in my place of residence. The freezer in the boat just does not stay cold enough to keep the ice cream frozen. This was one of the first lessons I learned when I bought the boat. The day I, and several of my girlfriends, brought her from Astoria to Portland was predicted to be very hot so we bought some yummy Haagen-Daz ice cream bars and put them in the freezer for an afternoon treat. About halfway through the trip it was time to bring out the ice cream and our mouths were watering. One bite into the chocolate coating and we discovered that what we had was actually ice cream soup! Very sad.

Flush toilets are a real luxury on a boat. You can get them but they are very expensive and use power (which there never seems to be enough of) so most boats (ours included) have toilets that must be pumped by hand. They work alright but it is sometimes a bit of a process to (How can I say this delicately?) get everything to go down. First you flip the little lever up and pump the handle to bring water into the toilet, then you flip it down to flush everything out. Complicating the matter is that the hoses are a mere 1-1/2”. We (as with most cruisers) keep a waste basket in each head and the rule on the boat is, “If you didn’t eat it, don’t flush it.” I dream of someday having an electric flush toilet but with a price tag of about $1,000 that is way down the priority list.

Next on the “things I miss” list is being able to prepare any meal without tearing the place apart to get the ingredients. Boats do not have convenient cupboards like a house-on-dirt does. I have a few cabinets but the majority of the food items go into large storage areas underneath or behind the seats. This necessitates some sort of “filing system” in order to remember where everything is. I have a great inventory on the computer but since that requires the computer to be set up & turned on in order to view it I mostly just “remember” where I put things. Actually, it’s easier than you would think. Most of the canned foods and staples (flour, sugar, cooking oil, etc.) are under the seat closest to the galley; pastas, marinades & salad dressings are behind the aft seat; cake mixes, nuts, crackers and cereals are behind the forward seat; etc. Still, in order to prepare a meal, the seating area around the table must be taken apart to get the ingredients. The fridge is another project all together. Most boat refrigeration units are top loading and the bottom is the inside of the hull which gets deeper the closer it gets to the middle of the boat. “Faith” is no exception. What that means for me is that I can’t reach the bottom of the freezer section and everything slides to that place. It also means that there is really no way to organize what is inside and it is inevitable that ¾ of the contents will need to be removed and replaced in order to make a sandwich.

Aft bunk

Making beds on the boat is another interesting exercise. Very few boats (the exception being power boats and some catamarans) have beds that are not attached to the hull on at least one side. This means that in order to make the bed you must be IN the bed. Also, the beds are NEVER a standard size so normal bedding does not fit. The bed in our aft cabin (“captain’s quarters”) is just under a queen width-wise but is almost 14’ long. I’ve had special sheets made to fit it but blankets are all too short and too wide. When it comes to making up the “V-berth”, which is in the pointy end of the boat, it is hopeless. 

V-berth

Sunset at Bahia Algodones

Some people would consider these inconveniences deal breakers but if you want to live this life, it’s just the way things are. I realize I am very privileged to be able to spend my winters on a sailboat in warm, tropical places and I love it. The difficulties are just another part of the experience. Still…one of the first things I do when we get back to land living is buy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream to put in the freezer!