Not too much to report since we left Salem. We left the Monaco rally and went down to Canyonville, OR and the Seven Feathers Casino. We had won a night in the hotel there at a charity event back in May at the Grants Pass Elks Lodge. The local firefighters had a casino night. Roy managed to parley the initial $100 in play money into about $45,000 by the end of the night and was the biggest winner. Played wild and crazy on the craps table! Anyway, the prize was a night at the Seven Feathers along with dinner in their gourmet room. So that's where we spent last Friday night. Hotel and casino were nice (but no winning here!) and the dinner was excellent.
We left there on Saturday and traveled down to Phoenix, Oregon, just south of Medford, about 25 miles north of the California border. We spent a couple nights there catching up on laundry, shopping, and other chores. Monday we headed into California, stopping at the Red Bluff Elks Lodge for a couple nights. We have stayed here several times in the past. The Lodge is nice, although the freeway noise can get kind of loud at night.
On Wednesday we headed down to the Carmichael Elks Lodge, near Sacramento. Jackie has a girlfriend (Kathy) who lives here and she wanted to visit for a few days. We had dinner with Kathy and her husband Bill on Thursday night at the Lodge. On Friday night we met up again with Bob and Gloria, our friends from Indio with whom we had been on the cruise. They were down in Sacramento visiting their daughter. On Saturday we went to Kathy's house for a big cookout.
On Sunday we are leaving to head into Nevada. We will stay a couple nights near Reno, a night in Tonopah, and then down to Las Vegas for four days. After that we head for Pahrump where we will be for five weeks. More on that later. See Ya'll.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Monaco Come Home Rally, Salem, Oregon
On Monday the 17th we left Seattle early headed for Salem, Oregon. We arrived at the Salem Fairgrounds early afternoon and got parked quickly. Even though most people arrived at the rally on Sunday, we were still able to get a spot with electric service. This rally is sponsored by Monaco Coach Corporation and is for all of their motor home brands, Monaco, Beaver, Safari and Holiday Rambler. There are over 500 coaches in attendance. The usual rally activities, such as seminars and classes, vendors, and new coach displays are up and running.
This is a nice rally in that the rally fee includes breakfasts (which we don't do) and dinners, an open bar each evening, and entertainment each night. The first night's entertainment was a group called The Marlins. It was four brothers who had a Branson sort of show with a wide variety of music types, from country to rock. Very good show. The second night was a comedian who put on a very clean, but funny act. After that there was a session of karaoke which was a lot of fun. Of course, I got there early and sang last! There were only a half dozen singers so the rotation was fast and I got to do a number of songs. Thursday night's entertainment was Lee Greenwood, the country singer. He put on a very good show with a very patriotic theme.
Both Jackie and I went to several classes and seminars and we did a little shopping at the vendor barn. We were able to resist buying a new coach, but they did sell 25 new coaches at the rally. We met a lot of nice folks, including a number of other full-timers. We also saw a few old friends from the road and other rallies. We had a great time, learned a little, and even got a couple minor things fixed on the coach. This is our fourth rally in about two months, so we are pretty much rallied out for a while. We don't have anything planned rally-wise now until February.
On Friday we begin our trek south, working our way down through Northern California and then over into Nevada, headed for the little town of Pahrump. It has been a great summer in Oregon and Washington but it's time to head south for the winter. We'll write more on this fall's migration later on. Bye for now.
This is a nice rally in that the rally fee includes breakfasts (which we don't do) and dinners, an open bar each evening, and entertainment each night. The first night's entertainment was a group called The Marlins. It was four brothers who had a Branson sort of show with a wide variety of music types, from country to rock. Very good show. The second night was a comedian who put on a very clean, but funny act. After that there was a session of karaoke which was a lot of fun. Of course, I got there early and sang last! There were only a half dozen singers so the rotation was fast and I got to do a number of songs. Thursday night's entertainment was Lee Greenwood, the country singer. He put on a very good show with a very patriotic theme.
Both Jackie and I went to several classes and seminars and we did a little shopping at the vendor barn. We were able to resist buying a new coach, but they did sell 25 new coaches at the rally. We met a lot of nice folks, including a number of other full-timers. We also saw a few old friends from the road and other rallies. We had a great time, learned a little, and even got a couple minor things fixed on the coach. This is our fourth rally in about two months, so we are pretty much rallied out for a while. We don't have anything planned rally-wise now until February.
On Friday we begin our trek south, working our way down through Northern California and then over into Nevada, headed for the little town of Pahrump. It has been a great summer in Oregon and Washington but it's time to head south for the winter. We'll write more on this fall's migration later on. Bye for now.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Alaskan Cruise
On September 3rd (Labor Day) we moved from Moses Lake to Bothell, Washington. Bothell is a northern suburb of Seattle. Picking Labor Day to move was not the brightest decision since the 
traffic on I-90 over the Cascades was horrible. We finally settled into the Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell late in the afternoon and relaxed. The week before the cruise was spent doing some last minute shopping, packing meeting with the pet sitter who would be watching over Smokey the Cat while we are gone. As you can see, Smokey felt that he should be allowed to go on the cruise, even if it meant going as cargo.
On Sunday, September 9th we threw our somewhat over-packed bags into the car, kissed the cat goodbye and headed for the cruise terminal in downtown Seattle. Parking was a breeze and we were on the ship within an hour of arrival at the terminal. The ship departed at about 5 pm and we spent the afternoon getting to know the ship and the bartenders. We were
on the MS Noordam, the newest of the Holland America Line's big ships. Had a very nice veranda cabin. Interesting how living in a motor home for two years makes a cruise ship cabin seem not as small as they did on past cruises.
Monday was a day at sea so we busied ourselves with the usual shipboard activities, eating, drinking, gambling, more eating, more drinking, a show, more eating, etc. etc. There are three other couples from the Indio Elks on the cruise with us, Bob and Gloria, Travis and Gail, and Roy and Mary.
Tuesday we arrived in Glacier Bay National Park and spent the entire day slowly cruising the narrow fiords of the park. The weather was cold and foggy in the morning but gloriously clear
and sunny in the afternoon. The ship's crew commented several times that we were experiencing the best weather they had seen in months. The views were outstanding, snow topped peaks, ice filled valleys and several large glaciers. At the Pacific Glacier we watched a number of "calvings," chunks of the face falling off into the water. The chunks of ice in the water were a lot smaller than I expected, the largest no bigger than a Volkswagen, but the sights were breathtaking. Spotted one bear along the shore and a lot of sea lions.
Wednesday morning we woke up to a foggy morning docked in Juneau, Alaska. We went out for some shopping and had lunch at the Red Dog Saloon, which has been around since the 1800's. In the afternoon we took a three hour bus tour of the area, including the city, a salmon
hatchery and the Mendenhal Glacier. While Juneau is the capital of Alaska, it has only a little over 200 miles of paved road and can only be accessed by air or sea.
Thursday morning brought us to Sitka, Alaska. Again, a foggy morning and a clear, comfortable afternoon. We took another city tour which took us to the Sitka National Historic Park and a Russian Dance show. Lots of totem poles at the park and a very entertaining show put on by the Russian dancers (who were not Russian, but pretty good anyway). The eight of us from Indio, who are all members of the Indio Elks Lodge, then visited the Sitka Elks Lodge which was within walking distance of the waterfront. Had a drink, visited with some local members and got our Lodge Pins. After lunch we did a little local shopping.
Friday morning we awoke in Ketchikan, Alaska. We were only docked there for the morning so we went out early for some shopping and walking around. All three of the Alaskan cities we
visited were perched on very narrow pieces of land between the mountains and the sea. They all had a rugged, "frontier" look to them, although t-shirt shops seemed to be the most prevalent industry. The wilderness areas, mountains, forests, and fiords surrounding these cities were very dramatic and beautiful. It was easy to tell you were out in the middle of nowhere.
Saturday we were at sea until about 6 pm when we pulled into Victoria, B.C., Canada for the evening. Victoria was a fairly large, modern city with very clear British influence. We took a bus tour of the city that including a tour of an old 1800's mansion. Since we were only there for the evening we weren't able to do any shopping.
Sunday morning we awoke already docked back in Seattle. Disembarking was as easy as the embarkation process and we were off the ship and headed back to the RV park by 10 am. This
was our first cruise on Holland America and I will say that we would cruise with them again. The staff on the ship was very attentive, the ship was beautiful and well maintained, the food was good, and the service was excellent. We had a busy but wonderful week and enjoyed every moment.
No time to relax though - we got off the ship on Sunday and Monday morning we left for Salem, OR and another rally. We are headed for the Monaco Corporation's "Come Home" rally. More on that later. See ya!
traffic on I-90 over the Cascades was horrible. We finally settled into the Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell late in the afternoon and relaxed. The week before the cruise was spent doing some last minute shopping, packing meeting with the pet sitter who would be watching over Smokey the Cat while we are gone. As you can see, Smokey felt that he should be allowed to go on the cruise, even if it meant going as cargo.On Sunday, September 9th we threw our somewhat over-packed bags into the car, kissed the cat goodbye and headed for the cruise terminal in downtown Seattle. Parking was a breeze and we were on the ship within an hour of arrival at the terminal. The ship departed at about 5 pm and we spent the afternoon getting to know the ship and the bartenders. We were
on the MS Noordam, the newest of the Holland America Line's big ships. Had a very nice veranda cabin. Interesting how living in a motor home for two years makes a cruise ship cabin seem not as small as they did on past cruises.Monday was a day at sea so we busied ourselves with the usual shipboard activities, eating, drinking, gambling, more eating, more drinking, a show, more eating, etc. etc. There are three other couples from the Indio Elks on the cruise with us, Bob and Gloria, Travis and Gail, and Roy and Mary.
Tuesday we arrived in Glacier Bay National Park and spent the entire day slowly cruising the narrow fiords of the park. The weather was cold and foggy in the morning but gloriously clear
and sunny in the afternoon. The ship's crew commented several times that we were experiencing the best weather they had seen in months. The views were outstanding, snow topped peaks, ice filled valleys and several large glaciers. At the Pacific Glacier we watched a number of "calvings," chunks of the face falling off into the water. The chunks of ice in the water were a lot smaller than I expected, the largest no bigger than a Volkswagen, but the sights were breathtaking. Spotted one bear along the shore and a lot of sea lions.Wednesday morning we woke up to a foggy morning docked in Juneau, Alaska. We went out for some shopping and had lunch at the Red Dog Saloon, which has been around since the 1800's. In the afternoon we took a three hour bus tour of the area, including the city, a salmon
hatchery and the Mendenhal Glacier. While Juneau is the capital of Alaska, it has only a little over 200 miles of paved road and can only be accessed by air or sea.Thursday morning brought us to Sitka, Alaska. Again, a foggy morning and a clear, comfortable afternoon. We took another city tour which took us to the Sitka National Historic Park and a Russian Dance show. Lots of totem poles at the park and a very entertaining show put on by the Russian dancers (who were not Russian, but pretty good anyway). The eight of us from Indio, who are all members of the Indio Elks Lodge, then visited the Sitka Elks Lodge which was within walking distance of the waterfront. Had a drink, visited with some local members and got our Lodge Pins. After lunch we did a little local shopping.
Friday morning we awoke in Ketchikan, Alaska. We were only docked there for the morning so we went out early for some shopping and walking around. All three of the Alaskan cities we
visited were perched on very narrow pieces of land between the mountains and the sea. They all had a rugged, "frontier" look to them, although t-shirt shops seemed to be the most prevalent industry. The wilderness areas, mountains, forests, and fiords surrounding these cities were very dramatic and beautiful. It was easy to tell you were out in the middle of nowhere.Saturday we were at sea until about 6 pm when we pulled into Victoria, B.C., Canada for the evening. Victoria was a fairly large, modern city with very clear British influence. We took a bus tour of the city that including a tour of an old 1800's mansion. Since we were only there for the evening we weren't able to do any shopping.
Sunday morning we awoke already docked back in Seattle. Disembarking was as easy as the embarkation process and we were off the ship and headed back to the RV park by 10 am. This
was our first cruise on Holland America and I will say that we would cruise with them again. The staff on the ship was very attentive, the ship was beautiful and well maintained, the food was good, and the service was excellent. We had a busy but wonderful week and enjoyed every moment.No time to relax though - we got off the ship on Sunday and Monday morning we left for Salem, OR and another rally. We are headed for the Monaco Corporation's "Come Home" rally. More on that later. See ya!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Moses Lake, Washington
We have been at the Suncrest Resort in Moses Lake, Washington since August 24th. This past Monday through Thursday we have been the Wagonmasters for a rally of the 100%ers Chapter of FMCA. It was a small turnout, only three other coaches besides ourselves, but we had a great 
time. Monday evening we got together for cocktails, hors devours and a brief business meeting. On Tuesday evening we had a pot luck dinner which was very enjoyable and topped off with ice cream topped with your choice of several different very nice liqueurs. Wednesday evening we all got together for a very nice dinner at one of the local restaurants which was located on the lake shore. The food and company were excellent.
time. Monday evening we got together for cocktails, hors devours and a brief business meeting. On Tuesday evening we had a pot luck dinner which was very enjoyable and topped off with ice cream topped with your choice of several different very nice liqueurs. Wednesday evening we all got together for a very nice dinner at one of the local restaurants which was located on the lake shore. The food and company were excellent.On Thursday three of the couples drove to Leavenworth, Washington, a little community about 85 miles Northwest of Moses Lake. The town sits in the foothills of the Cascades and has reinvented itself as a Bavarian community. The downtown area looks like it should be in the Alps. We spent several hours shopping in the local 
shops and also had lunch in a very nice German restaurant. This is very cute little community and I would recommend that anyone who is in the Central Washington area should stop by for a visit.
shops and also had lunch in a very nice German restaurant. This is very cute little community and I would recommend that anyone who is in the Central Washington area should stop by for a visit.On Friday the other three couples left on their continuing travels. Like us, all of the other couples are full-time motor home travelers. Most of them are wintering in the Southwest this year, so I would imagine we will cross paths later in the year. We are staying here until Labor Day (Monday) when we leave to head for Seattle. We leave on our Alaskan Cruise a week from tomorrow and are getting very excited!
The Suncrest Resort where we are staying is a very nice park. It is family owned and operated and very well maintained. The sites are large and well laid out. The pool and spa complex are the nicest I have seen at any RV resort. There is a kiddy pool with two water slides, a very nice large pool, and the biggest hot tub I have ever seen. All of them are well taken care of. The resort is a Good Sam park, as well as a Passport Park in the off season, and I would highly recommend it for a stay for our RV friends who are traveling through this part of Central Washington.
Moses Lake is a water sports oriented community set on the shores of a large, meandering lake. There are several nice restaurants in town. There is an Elks Lodge here, one of the few in Western Washington, but they don't have a lot of activities. No meals are served except for special events, but the bar is open every day.
Adios for now mi amigos.
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