Rain, Rain go away, we landed in jail !

We WERE going to stop in Redding, California on Tuesday but it was raining hard so I kept on driving...I know, I know!  I just HAD to get out of the rain..two months was enough.  So, I continued to drive through the mountains, the slosh, and 40 mph winds. We are currently staying at Travis Air Force Base which is 40 miles east of San Francisco, California.  The plan is to use this place as our home base to visit the surrounding area.

Our home

Our yard

Who would have known....Bud and Sue Hansen, Andy's first cousin, also came to Travis AFB the following day...they are also staying in the RV park for a few days. All we had to do was sponsor them.  Since I hardly know them, I hope they don't do anything to land me jail.

Sue and Bud

On the day Sue and bud arrived they all went wine tasting through Napa Valley...yes of course Andy got more wine.  I couldn't tell you how many bottles of wine we are carrying on this coach...I would guess maybe 30 to 40.  I keep teasing her...every new bottle that comes aboard she has to empty, drink, a bottle before we leave.  They had a great time!

Yesterday we landed in Jail.  All four of us !  It wasn't that bad, we ended up having a great time!

Hear and see no evil...I land in "Jail"

We took a day trip into San Francisco to visit Alcatraz.  It was very interesting.  Of course I have seen the movies..."Escape from Alcatraz" and the "Birdman of Alcatraz". It was just like the movies.

St Vincent Medical Center

I really like the "Several Years"

View from Alcatraz

View from the boat ride

The "Rock"

For thousand of years, Alcatraz was a lonely island, occasionally visited, perhaps by Ohlone and Miwok Indians.  In 1850, a military board proposed a three point defensive strategy for San Francisco Bay.  By the time the Civil War broke out in 1861, Alcatraz had 111 smoothbore cannons and more than 400 soldiers on the island.

Alcatraz was a prison almost from the beginning.  During the Civil War era, soldiers convicted of desertion, theft, assault, rape, and murder; citizens accused of treason; and the crew of a Confederate ship were imprisoned here.

In 1930's it became a Federal Penitentiary. of the 1545 men who did time on Alcatraz, only a handful were notorious-among them, Al Capone, George "Machine Gun " Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz.

Increasing maintenance costs and operating costs led US Attorney General Robert F Kennedy to close Alcatraz in 1963.  In 1972 it became part of the National Park Service

View from Pier 39 as the sun sets

Afterwards we bummed around pier 39 and went to the San Francisco Maritime Historical Park.  It was nice to walk around on the ships.

A real person with Sue

From the wooden decks of the "Balcluha", a square-rigger that rounded Cape Horn 17 times !

Andy and Sue

ah..ships mates

Will miss you guys

As the sun sets on Pier 39

We had a great time just hanging out with Sue and bud !  It was a perfect day !

Just hanging out !

We are in a holding pattern over Vancouver, Washington. We should be leaving here around December 2, 2012 for our two year adventure.  I have been working on the motorhome and getting maintenance done. We had to replace the front slide module last week so hopefully all is good now. Andy hasn't been sleeping well lately, she believes it is the mattress, so yesterday we went and got a new one...hope this works for her. You know me ...once asleep... I can sleep on a bed of nails...just try and wake me !  LOL

Our plan is to go back down to California and then onto Arizona for the winter. Come early spring we will head towards Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and then onto Washington DC.  The summer you will find us up in the New England area and then down through Michigan and Ohio. We hope to winter next year, winter 2013, in Florida, most likely Key West.  Of course all plans can change on a whim...we deserve the right to change our minds for any reason !

Andy and I have been just relaxing and chilling out.  We went to the coast with our Elks RV Club and had a wonderful time.  Best weather I have experienced on the Oregon Coast.  Andy even gambled and won a few bucks...she was a happy girl !

Last week Brent, Grey and I went hunting.  We normally hunt around Sisters, Oregon but since there is a fire raging around there, all roads are closed to our hunting grounds. We had to go farther south past La Pine,Oregon.  We met up with the Gates family in Chemult, Oregon on Sunday so I could watch the Seahawks game.  They lost, but I had a good time and really enjoyed seeing everyone !

The boys playing cribbage !

We will keep you posted from time to time !  We are very excited to start our trip and look forward to seeing all our family and friends....yes you too Jeff !

It's Official ! Living in Epinephrine Motorhome !

These last few weeks have been very busy and stressful.  I want to say "Thank You" to Brent and Grey !  You guys are the greatest. You guys helped so many times and always had a smile on your face.  Couldn't have done it without you ! 

Andy's garage sale was a hit !  She made a few bucks and bought some new outfits.   She was happy girl. 

Not only had we moved and gotten rid of a stuff, we spent time with family and friends while the weather was nice.  Summers in the Northwest go quickly.  We never did get to do the "Rogue River Trip".

We went to the Oregon Coast to visit Andy and Chris. They just purchased a beautiful beach cottage in Seaside, Oregon. Wow, it is nice! A great place to get away and relax. They even gave me green tomatoes from their garden.  How lucky am I.   Thanks guys !

Fried Green Tomatoes..YUMMY !   Soon Fried !

After we visited Chris and Andy we took a drive down the coast to Tillamook, Oregon.  We joined Andy's parents, Otto and Barbara, and our RV club.   We did relax but I found a new way to destroy my phone.   I placed my phone on the hood of the car while I was doing something and forgot all about it.  Yep... found my phone, 5 miles away along Highway 101.  Must have been ran over 1000 times!

What about my warranty...it's not water damaged !

I want one of these

Andy flirting  

Now she has her groove on  

After our RV club trip Otto and I decided to take a one (1) day salmon fishing trip out of Astoria, Oregon.  It was a  warm summer day and the seas were calm.  I had a great time being on the water. I didn't catch a thing.  Otto caught a nice salmon. We ate him for dinner a few hours later. Now that's fresh !!

Watch out ESPN...we roll different here in the Northwest !

Otto waiting for the "bite"

He waited ..and waited..but he got his bite !

All the packing...the moving of stuff... the garage sales, all the to do lists are done.  The house is rented and in good hands.

Andy's trip to the cabin was good !  

I had to drop off Roxy, the dog, at Amy's.  Andy couldn't do it !  For some of you that might not know, Amy is renting Andy's house.  The dog stays with the house. The dog is in good hands.  She will be loved and taking care of.

I had to take our home to the shop the other day to get the leveling jacks fixed.  It was suppose to be just a couple of hours.  Well, I was there from 8 AM until 5 PM.  It sucks to have your home in the shop...hope to avoid such things in the future.  Yea right.... I can dream !

Now we are staying in Andy's parents driveway.  They have been so kind and nice to invite us.  We have full hook ups too...can you believe that ! I even have a place to hook up my Sat TV. I am glad I bought a portable unit since we are parked under the trees.   

We will be here on and off until we head south for California and Arizona ...and beyond !!  Remember this will be the start of our two (2) year full timing trip.  Andy will let me know when we can leave.  lol  I am guessing December 2012.

Next week we are going to take a six (6) day trip with Otto and Barbara around the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.  Going to spend some time in the "Rain Forest" and hopefully do some fishing.

I will be updating the blog more often now that we are full timing in Epinephrine.

Another step to our 2 year adventure !

The past few days have been busy. Glad this is all done!   Andy was packing, me carrying and lifting, her stuff up for either the garage sale, donations to the church or to be placed in storage. We don't have to pay for storage because the warehouse belongs to Andy anyway.

The other day I was taking stuff over to the warehouse, by myself, and fell from the ladder, about 10 feet.  Well I just didn't fall off a ladder..da ! The foot of the ladder slipped and down came the ladder with me on it.  Ouch ! I thought this was going to be bad...very bad " ! However after checking to make sure I didn't break any bones. All I had was small cuts, scrapes and big bruises on my right arm and shoulder. Now I am told, I will not climb up any ladders unless Brent, Adam, Greyson or Andy are there.  Yea right, like that is going to happen !!

Andy was happy with the garage sale..she did pretty good I might add.  I never would have thought a garage sale could make her a few hundred bucks!  I teased the heck out of her before the sale...now she is smiling all the way to the bank...well not bank really!  She decided to buy herself some new clothes... just like a woman !  lol   I am proud of her...she did good !

The house is starting to get empty and I can tell Andy is having somewhat of a hard time. Just as I did when I closed up my house for the last time - ( see December 2011 blog).  The thought of Roxy, her dog, is also heavy on her mind.  I believe this is the hardest for her.  For some of you that don't know, Andy is renting her house to her best friend, Amy.  Roxy goes with the house. She knows Roxy will be loved and taken good care of but it is still sad for her.  She just loves that dog !!!

The dog, " Roxy Girl", is the cutest and sweetest pit bull in the world. She simply does not do well in the motorhome however. We have taken her on trips and she doesn't like it.  Wants nothing to do with it !  So, she will stay in her home with people who love her.  I am sure she will visit Woody, Brent and Greyson from time to time... she will be happier!

We plan to move the last few items from the house to the warehouse before the end of this month. Amy will move in on September 1, 2012.  The tears will flow !

The RV is almost ready. Next week, when we get back from our Oregon Coast trip, I will have the leveling jacks rebuilt and the brakes flushed. Then the only thing left to get done, except load up our stuff, is get it waxed, buffed and shined.

We move out of the house August 31, 2012 but will hang around until December 2012, unless I can convince Andy to leave earlier...lol  We are both excited to start this new chapter in our lives but sad to be leaving family and friends.

Please feel free to leave comments or questions if you should have any.  I will answer them all.

As always... don't forget to share !!

Adventure Continues !

We have been back in Portland, Oregon for 2 months.  I did take a 5 week side trip to Michigan to see family and check out a business situation while Andy stayed here in Portland.  It was good seeing family and friends.  Miss them all very much and had a great time !

Silly Man ! ( brother)

Silly Mans second daughter !

Silly Mans wife ! 

Silly Mans grand daughter

Silly Mans  Son in-law.. his daughter above !

Silly Mans daughter who is married to guy above !

Silly Mans youngest daughter.."Ta Da" Oh really....not good....look below !

Silly mans eldest daughter with silly mans youngest daughters husband !..Ummm !

Silly mans grand kids from second daughter...not their dad above..lol

Silly mans daughters

Another  "Ta Da"

She stole and kept my hat !  Her kids... three photos above !

Opps...twins ! 

wow..matching hat and drink..dang your good !

Since I was away, Andy decided we are going "RV'ing Full Time"... ! We just told our families about our plans.  They are not to happy about us being gone so long but are excited for us.  We also have mixed emotions...excited and sad at the same time! Excited to see old friends, make new friends and see new and exciting places...sad to be leaving family and friends.  We do however plan on flying back to Portland, Oregon every so often for a visit.

Andy has already made arrangements to rent out her house and her dog.  Yes, I did say "dog"!  The dog goes with the house while they rent it.  "They" being Amy...Andy's BFF...lol.  Andy is doing now what I did last year.  She is getting things organized for the move and getting rid of stuff as we speak.  She (we),plan on being out of the house by September 1, 2012.  We will not be leaving the Portland Area until around December 2012.  I plan on going hunting with my sons in October and Andy, her sister, Tammy, will be going to Andy's cabin in Joseph, Oregon during Thanksgiving.  They have been going there during Thanksgiving for years!  It is Andy's favorite place in the world!!!

Epinephrine is in the shop, Blue Lake RV, getting herself a few upgrades and some routine maintenance so she will be ready !

Will keep you posted my friends and family.