A RIDE ON HALLOWEEN DAY

Some of you know about me and challenges! As in, I like non-challenging challenges for some of my bike rides ;’-)

I join a couple of challenges on line or Facebook or club (Ride in the Rain; Bike 30 Days of April; Bike Ride & Seek are a few), but I also make up my own challenge once in a while and today have decided to try for this one. 

It being Halloween Day and I riding my bike and taking a few photos, I will try to do a bike ride on each holiday of the year ;’-). 

Who knows if I will succeed with weather, travel, health, family obligations, etc., but I will like trying.

HALLOWEEN 2019

I started from my house on this sunny mid morning with mostly blue sky and some high, far away clouds. It was, as it has been for several days now, COLD for the start of my ride. Though 42 degrees does not sound so cold, my weather app said it ‘feels like 35’ when I got started. I bundled up quite well and weathered the cold ok. In past years this has not been a cold weather forecast to me — at least not too cold to ride! But here lately I have been quite the wimp but was determined to ride today.

There are lots of yard decorations along my neighborhood route and loops.

But there is one that is very very creepy and I cannot imagine a child willing to go to the door for a trick or treat!

The teeter-totters teetered, the swings swung, the carousel carouseled, the clowns waved or rocked, and there were cackles and murmurs heard amongst the carnival crowd.

I wonder what I will find on Christmas Day!

FALL 2019 OREGON COAST AND COMING HOME

We spent a free night at the Three Rivers Casino in Florence. You can park your RV there for one night free, then there is a nominal charge for more nights. 

We joined the ‘club’ and got our $10.00 free gambling card. We have done this at several casinos in the past and Susan always wins something, and I don’t. She won $30 this time and I donated my 18 cents to her pile. Feeling so flush, we had a steak dinner at the casino and had a delightfully quiet night in our self-contained RV that night.

The Oregon Coast is unsurpassed for the many beautiful ocean views. It rained all day and so — I have less than stellar photos to post. Fact is I should not even be posting the bad photos I do have, but as this is probably my final post of this fall series, I need to post something.

We were teased with hints of blue...

...but the rain continued. We somehow managed to enjoy ourselves in spite of the weather ;’-).

Seagulls were all around us near the sea.

There is that blue sky promise again...

At Seaside Oregon we found a Thousand Trails campground where we could use the free membership for a year that we got from our RV dealer. So, two nights free again ;’-).  We tried a walk along the promenade at Seaside and this is what we got to see ;’-0

           

Though we have had an hour or two of dry with a spot of sun here and there, we now drive home in our fifth straight day of rain!! Including my trip with Road Scholar, I have been gone from home for an entire month (one night overstay at home you may recall), and though Susan was not gone that first ten days, she was busy with the Grands and Sarah. We will each and both be happy to get home. We have our individual lists of chores and errands, and I have my friends and bike riding to catch up with! It has been fun traveling in the RV (we love it), and we so much enjoyed time with the Grands and the sunshine in Elk Grove. As well, I have very much appreciated having you all along with me on this long adventure of the Fall of 2019. You give me incentive to look for pictures and stories to tell ;’-). This may or may not be the last post for a while, but you never know ;’-0.

FALL 2019 ADVENTURES #7 — THE FNAL ONE: AVENUE OF THE GIANTS

Before leaving Elk Grove on Monday, we had the opportunity to attend Jaydon’s first piano recital on Sunday.

He practiced at home one last time. HIs good posture and concentration are evident.

He was oh so nervous to perform, but he did not make a mistake at the Grand Piano.

It is easy to find him in the group finale photo.

Nicely done Jaydon. We are so proud of you, and so very glad that we were there for your performance. 

We would now meander our way home by driving up the coast for much or all of it to Washington. Susan and I have each been through the Redwoods and along the Avenue of the Giants in the past. The way distant past. We each recall the enormous trees and beauty all around, but details were surely lost by now ;’-). It was so great to revisit this area. The drive itself is awe inspiring.

Over the next couple of days we took short hikes on and around several nature trails. Near our campsite was a first view of a “stump”.

Walking amongst some of these giants is nothing short of amazing. 

Amazingly, the redwoods resist fire!







Susan sits to enjoy her visit in this vast forest of giants.





Some may wear away, but not be destroyed by weather and conditions.

Many develop their own insurance policy.





When a life comes to an end and it falls, it must feel similar to what an earthquake feels like.

This next one lived to be over 2000 years old and was estimated to be at least 374 feet tall. It fell in 1991.

Hard as I tried, there was no way I could get a perspective of how tall this fallen giant had been.

The minute we entered Oregon, it began to rain! Oh for the sunny days in Elk Grove. This brings us up to date as we continue up the coast of Oregon — in the rain that is forecasted for the week! Depending on what we find, where we are, and what the weather actually brings, we may linger around for a couple of days. Then again, depending on all those things, we may drive through rather quickly. Either way this will not be quite my last post for our final adventure this fall of 2019. ;’-)

FALL 2019 ADVENTURE #6: Kate’s Turn

Lucy and Jaydon got a camping adventure with us as we drove them home to Elk Grove from our home in Mukilteo. We did not feel we could do that with three of them, so Kate came home early with Sarah with the promise of a camping adventure for just HER!. This was now the time. Susan did some research and found that many campgrounds are closed for the season. She did however, find Rancho Seco which is an hour (at the most) drive from Kate’s house.

We packed up everything and were on our way the minute Kate got home from school, arriving in the mid-afternoon for a little walking and short biking.

YOU ARE HERE...

There is a CLOSED (thank goodness) nuclear reactive plant here that is now a solar farm. Much better!

We got ready for our first outing around the campground...

We biked down to the beach of the Lake where Kate flung the preying mantis.



Turning around into the evening we got the “ moonlight over the restrooms” photo.

Kate loved sleeping in the loft of the RV and reported the next morning that she slept “GREAT”.

Next morning we drove to the local store of much renown in the town of Herald, to pick up a few items for dinner. We were a hit with all the Geezers.

Now we could enjoy the remainder of the day with .... fishing....

....hiking to the next and better fishing spot. Think of the theme song for Opie and Andy on Mayberry RFD ;’-)

No fish ... but fun trying ;’-).

After lunch it was time for some bike riding.

And a walk on the beach. We got in trouble here as I had not seen the sign that said do not climb or get under the lifeguard stand!! The park attendant was on his way to us as Susan yelled for us to GET OFF the stand. I did get this photo though as Kate was proud to have climbed the ladder. In fairness to us non-rule breakers, there was no sign on the water side where Kate climbed up, and we had not been on the non-water side to see the sign.

She, and we, got a good view of the swans on the lake.

We all rode a few more loops of the campground and Kate got her years of age in bike miles — 5! 

We have each Grand ride their age in years as close to their birthday as is possible, and Kate’s birthday will be on October 19th — just 10 days after her ride. I qualifies ;’-).

We got home in time for Kate to attend her school festivities for the Halloween time, and THEN got to go with all three for the annual Halloween Festival at their school.

Our Cherubs... Lucy the Tigress, Jaydon the Ninja, Kate the Unicorn

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