Always Behind!!

Sept 6th - 2009

Well am still trying to catchup. We just returned from LaConner Pickleball Week. The weather was OK and only had one morning with a little rain. Postponed the games for only one hour on Thursday. The tournament ran from August 31st through Sept. 4th. We had a great group of people and Friday for Mixed Doubles had 18 teams.

Ione won a 1st in Ladies doubles with her partner Carol Haworth. Then Ione also won a 2nd place in partner switch. So she did very well. Well this older guy came in 4th in Men's Doubles with my partner Norm Walters. We didn't play that bad but just not good enough to get a 3rd. So all in all it was fun. Had great food and prices on Friday Evening.

We also got in some kayaking and blackberry picking. So that meant blackberry pies, etc. We are now home again and the rains have been coming down today the 6th of Sept.

Raining!!

August 6, 2009 - Well here we are at Silver Lake Bible Camp. We have had a night of thunder & lighting. So things are getting the dust settled. We have been here since August 2th. Have had a busy week feeding 450 high schoolers. So that has been a challenge but things have really run smooth. Have also gotten some projects done, like new posts for 5 lines for hanging wet clothes on, like towels, swim suits, etc. Also did some work on a gate by garbage dumpster.

We had been here at Silver Lake Camp about two weeks ago. Then starting on the 23rd of July we had been down at Keller Ferry on Lake Roosevelt. We had a good time with family and friends. Everyone got involved in water sports, boating and the kids played lots of cards. We have been coming to Keller for about 35 years.

We will be heading back to Lynden on Saturday the 8th. So will have to do some catching up in the yard, etc. Then will have a pickleball get together at Bob Unruh's with good and some pickleball playing.

Just can't seem to catch up!!

July 18, 2009 - Well we are just about ready to hit the road with the motor home for 3 weeks. But I guess we have to get home before we leave again. So back on the trail from the previous blog posting.

After leaving Hwy 12 we finally connected to hwy 24 and made our way to I-15. Spent a night in Sterling, UT at a State Park. Had a good night and back on the road in the morning. Then next stop was Jackpot, Nevada for a night. Stayed in the Casino RV Park for only $17 with full hook-ups. Good little park and will stop again some time.

Next was a stop in Boise, ID just off I-84 for a stop to see our newest niece who belongs to Justin and Carry Hall. It is their first and made my sister a Grandma for the first time. It was a great couple of hours. Then from there it was homeward bound and finally arrived home in Lynden on the 18th of May.

Now since we are home we can leave again. We have been busy while home repainting, etc. our rental house which came vacant about two weeks ago. Our renter had been there six years and needed some TLC. So it now is ready for the new renters who seem very nice and have 9 & 13 year old boys.

We will be leaving in the morning for Silver Lake Bible Camp, on Silver Lake in the town of Medical Lake. We usually spend two weeks each year helping out around camp and our camp Manager Terry always has things to do. So we will arrive there tomorrow night. Will also have our granddaughter Jada who is just about 8 years old with us.

Calve Creek Falls!

This was the Senior Hiking
Club, when we arrived
at the falls.




Calve Creek Falls - 125'
drop from this point.




















5-14-09 - Before we left the Sinclair Gas Station in Escalante the fellow working there said we had to do the hike into Calve Creek Falls, so today is the day we drive about 12 miles up hwy 12 to the trail head parking lot to Calve Creek. So we get going early and arrive at the parking lot about 10 o'clock. The parking lot is full and we wondered where are the people have come from. Will let you know later and we proceed down the trail as this will be about a three mile hike in. The trail is very good and mostly on a sandy base so makes it very nice. The picture taking is great in this area. I just love UT and all their parks.

We make good time up the trail and before you know it we are walking on the trail next to Calve Creek with a beautiful grassy bank and clear cool water. This is one great hike and very enjoyable for a couple of Seniors. Before we know it the falls are coming up as we hear them. Then we see the falls through the trees and lots of people are around. We found out that a Senior hiking group was up here. So that is why all the cars. The falls were beautiful and well worth the hike in and back up. Well it will be soon time to get back to the motor home and head north up hwy 12. See the next posting on where our next stop will be.

Escalante, UT

Pretty nice piece of
petrified wood. This area was full of pieces just
like this one and pictures don't do it justice.

Put this park on your list if you like to see petrified
wood and large pieces.

5-13-09 - Well we left Kodachrome Basin State Park and now are heading for the town of Escalante. But when we leave Kodachrome and head down the road we end up going up and way up like to 7,600' pass and grade isn't a 6 percent grade. I think it was more like 8 or 9 percent and our motor home got down to about 10 miles an hour. We soon arrive at Eascalante which is right in the middle of an area called "Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument". Just before entering town see a sign to Petrified Forest State Park. Check it later and as we drive through town there are a couple of RV Parks which don't look the greatest and are pretty full.

We drive right through town and come to a Sinclair Gas station and stop. Check with the gentleman running the station and he says don't go to Petrified Forest State Park as our motor home is too long. So we parked next to the Sinclair Station in their gravel lot which worked out just great.

So now we are settled next to the gas station and there is a hiking waiting at the Petrified Forest State Park and head that way. Wow! The sign into the Park is located at the top of my posting. We had a great hike and it wasn't the easiest hike we have ever taken. We have never seen so much petrified wood. Some pieces as big as 18" in dia. and some pieces 3' long. It was a very worthwhile hike.

Just about forgot our 49th Anniversary dinner. After that hike into the Petrified Forest we were ready to sit down for some food. We had noticed the Escalante Outfitter Restaurant and Store as we went for the hike. So we checked it out and seemed like a going place. We had outside sitting which is high on Ione's list. So we found a table and enjoyed ourselves and we even entertained by humming friends as they came into feeders around the patio area for their food.

The dinner turned out very nice and a memory in take to remember.

Kodachrome State Park!

5-12-09 - So here we are at Kodachrome Basin State park which was located off Hwy 12 from Cannonbille about a total of 8 miles. The lady at the entrance to the park was very helpfull and give us some good maps to look at. This is another great park so some great hiking. The trails were not that difficult but a very scenic area . We did a three or four mile hike and spend time taking pictures and enjoying the park.

This was a place we will come back to some day as the picture taking was great and really enjoyed a few hours in the park. They also have camping but we didn't check the campground and they also have a small store with the basics if you forgot things.

We are going on down hwy 12 again and see our next posting on where we ended up for the night.

Bryce Canyon National Park!

5-12-09 We arrived at Bryce Canyon about 2:30 in the afternoon and checked out the north campground and after doing some driving around found a great site. Quickly got set-up and head to Sunset parking lot to start our hike.

We went on the Navajo Trail and also the Queen's Garden Trail for a total of about 6 miles. Had great weather with just a little bit of wind. After spending the night we got going fairly early in the morning and stopped for Breakfast before heading out. Only one problem we we still on AZ time and we an hour late and no breakfast so optioned a lunch menu and that worked. After a good lunch were on the road.

I told Ione lets take a right after coming out of Bryce onto Hwy 12. So down the road we go and find the road to be very interesting with great scenery and curvy road. We stop at the little town of Cannonville and head to the info place. There were many interesting things to see and do on Hwy 12. So check our next posting to see where we went