Saturday March 11th~National Dream Day

[IrishIroamed]

Mornin' ladies~~~
Warm weather has finally arrived in Tucson this past week. I actually put on shorts yesterday. Another cold front and some rain expected next week, but at least temps expected in the 60s and not as cold as it's been.

I'm rethinking my travel destinations when I leave here. I already have some reservations in NV (near Vegas / Lake Mead area, up to Great Basin, then over to Reno and Oroville, CA), but weather and the Oroville Dam may put stop to those.

After talking to Brenda yesterday she suggested staying south longer or heading up the east side of NV. ID was in my plans, but on the return trip from the PNW. Oh I don't know! I swear, the more I travel, the less idea I have how to get to where I want to go and what to do! Special thanks tho to Karen and Anita for giving me ideas.

I do know I have to get back on the road. Being in one place for 2 winters in a row is telling me I have to see if I can still do it with the same awe and wonder of seeing this country. Fingers crossed.

That's it from here. Have a great day and remember to change your clocks if needed.

Live your dreams! I have to remember that.

[Shirlv]

Morning Cheryl and All, chilly today even had snow flurries this morning. Nor’easter heading my way so never know what means until it gets here. Oldest great granddaughters got her driving permit so celebration dinner at grandmoms ( #2 daughter) this evening. Will be a big to do because a surprise car for her is in grammie garage. Her parent drive a monster truck and SUV not suitable for learning to drive. Her birthdays is in May, she is in the honor society with straight A,s so parents thought it was a good idea. I’m spending the night so will change clocks before I leave. Time is passing so quickly but do have a little one struggling to craw across the floor for a cracker. Lol Sheila, I have invested money in several large planters already or I would buy the self water ones. I’m not cooking because of the large inventory of food in the freezer. Hope my son-in-law bakes an apple something for desert tonight. Anne, thinking about you. Be safe

[Cudedog]

I'm rethinking my travel destinations when I leave here. I already have some reservations in NV (near Vegas / Lake Mead area, up to Great Basin, then over to Reno and Oroville, CA), but weather and the Oroville Dam may put stop to those.

Good morning, Cheryl!

You don't say when you potentially expected to be in the Oroville area, but if you are planning to come, say, April-May-June the weather (usually) is fairly mild and isn't (yet) broiling hot. Although it is not at all unusual to see summer temps in the 100 - 110 +/- (July-August-September).

Our "rainy season" here is about over by around the beginning of April. There may be a shower or two after that, but almost never will we have the deluges that have been happening here over the last couple of months, after the beginning of April. We generally only get "seasonal" rain here (October-November-January-February-March). The rest of the time it is pretty much dry, and it is very unusual to get significant rain from April to October.

So, once the rains have stopped, and the snowmelt from the Sierras is done, the Oroville Dam "excitement" is pretty much finished for the year (barring an earthquake) as well - until, of course, the next year.

If you DO make it to Oroville, and would like to do a mini-GTG, shoot me a PM. I live less than an hour's drive from Oroville (and know the area well). Maybe Velda might also like to come - she is around an hour from Oroville also.

Also, if you are in the Oroville area, and if you have an interest in geology, I strongly suggest a visit to the Lava Beds National Monument at Medicine Lake Volcano (north-east California):

https://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm

. . . And definitely a visit to Lassen Peak volcano (Lassen Volcanic National Park):

https://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm

Oroville to Lassen is about a two-hour drive from Oroville; Lava Beds National Monument is about another two hours drive on from Lassen.

I have visited both places many times, always find both fascinating and amazing, and would go again in a heartbeat. Both tend to be low numbers in the visitor count, unlike other National Parks and Monuments.

Happy traveling!

Anne

[Colliemom]

Afternoon all. Just relaxing for bit after having some lunch. Then will take the pups for a walk as we didn’t go yesterday. I as in town all afternoon doing some errands, returning and getting a different toilet seat, new showerhead for my shower, checking out a few other things and then off to fish fry. We would up with couple inches of wet snow, but roads were clear as was m drive when I got home. The blacktop is retaining the warmth from the sun. Another winter storm heading this way, but sounds like we aren’t going to get much as far as snow is concerned.

I just finished washing the walls and outside of cupboards a little while ago. I do my cupboards about once or twice a month, so it was just routine doing them today. All I have left is to clean the insides which won’t take long and go over the outside with lemon oil. Ran out of Murphy’s Wood Cleaner and energy both Oh, I should buy that stuff by the gallon since I use it so much. They call it Wood cleaner but actually it’s still Oil soap and it’s good for all kinds of stuff. If you have a leather seats in your car, it’s fantastic stuff to clean your sheets with. It helps to protect the leather and keep it soft. My mom used Murphy’s all the time and I still do. I have to say that washing the walls down really makes the rooms look so much cleaner and brighter. I still have some other things I want to do yet, but that is the rest of March and even April. Snow has to melt p and be gone before I do anything outside. And even then it’s gonna have to dry up a bit. Although I won’t take long hair with the sandy soil. We are moving into the time of spring where temperature is now are in the 30s pushing toward 40 for the averages and by the end of this month I will be in to the 40’s pushing toward 50. Perfect outside working and walking weather. Even just in the 40s is perfect outside working weather because the sun is so warm.

Cheryl, I’m sure you will figure out where you want to go. I know that Yellowstone is one place that you really want to go and maybe you should work your way that way. If you wait until fall you may run into snow. Then you can work your way over to Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Then loop back to Nevada. I don’t know what do you think you might be next winter but it’s just an idea I’m throwing out there. Spend a week at Yellowstone and take a section of the park each day. That’s what I did. And I spent two days in the Grand Tetons. Fort Robinson, in Nebraska and also the Oregon Trail, wagon ruts, and Register Cliff along the Wyoming Nebraska border, is another thing to put on your agenda. As is the Custer Battlefield at the Little Bighorn. Glacier NP of course. I’m sure you probably got these in your mind but I’m just throwing some suggestions out for you.

Geraniums I cut back are starting new shoots already. No sign of life from the mums, but am giving them till end of month. Like I said, it was just an experiment. They say that the best time to plant mums is in the spring in order to give the roots time to settle in and get the plant established, but we don’t get mum’s in nursery’s and garden centers here until fall . If you’re lucky and get them in the ground right away, they may have some time to establish before the weather turns cold. So I thought I would try overwintering a couple of them and plant them in the spring and see what happens. Well……. Never know until you try, right Shirl.

The sun is shining and it’s beckoning me outdoors, so I guess it’s time for me to get my duds on and take the dogs for a walk. I’m sure they’re getting tired of laying around..

[Cudedog]

Cheryl, I’m sure you will figure out where you want to go. I know that Yellowstone is one place that you really want to go and maybe you should work your way that way.

Sue, I definitely second what you say about Yellowstone. Cheryl, if you have never been there, and want to go, I suggest putting it on the top of your list.

I had wanted to go to Yellowstone most of my life, but never made it until my fantastic Yellowstone trip in 2018. My only regret is that I waited so late in life for my first visit, that I likely will never be able to go there again. Had I visited there as a younger woman, I would have had time to make many additional visits - which I most surely would have done, after experiencing the wonders of Yellowstone that first time.

On the way home from Yellowstone, I visited another bucket-list place that I had always wanted to go to - Craters of the Moon National Monument, in Idaho.

https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm

Another place not to be missed!

Of all of my admittedly limited travels, one of my favorite camping stops was at Massacre Rocks State Park:

https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/massacre-rocks/

in Idaho, on the Snake River - with a view of where the massive (and ancient) Bonneville Flood came across the Snake, eroding the cliffs above the river.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonneville_flood

Here is a photo from the Massacre Rocks State Park campground. See the "dip" in the cliffs above the river? This is where the Bonneville Flood came through, eroding the cliffs in that section away.



Happy Traveling!

Anne

[Cudedog]

Anne, thinking about you. Be safe

Thank you, Shirl. Just now starting to rain again here, heavy rain predicted for tonight. We shall see!

Anne

[OregonLuvr]

Good morning/afternoon wherever you happen to be. I went out early to the grocery store and got some more supplies for my tortellini soup. Also picked up some fresh fish so will eat that first with some green beans. My supply of fresh fruit and veggies was dwindling so I bought a few more things to adjunct it. Still cost me an arm and a leg to get out of the store LOL

Henry did his job while I was gone so that part of the house is clean now. He is off until Monday LOL Sun is shining and big puffy white clouds are looming so that is making me smile I need some sunshine in between these dreary days.

Time for some lunch

[chalet05]

Good Morning - for a few more minutes

Cheryl, I used to stay in Arizona until the first of May. Valley of Fire in Nevada is another one I'd add to a list. Yellowstone is my favorite for wildlife and I can spend days there! I would stay outside the park on the east side, sometimes as far away as Cody. Utah is a favorite for wonderful National Parks. You'll figure it out! Shirl, nice to have a family gtg! I just watched more about the California flooding - so tragic! It's a beautiful day here in the 40s, but that means possible avalanches and rockslides. Snow melt pouring off the roof.

Talked with a moving company Thursday, sent him photos of all the large pieces for an estimate. He indicated he'd do it right away and now nothing. Spending a lot of time watching college basketball now that March Madness is upon us.

[JudyJB]

It is very nice here, weatherwise. Highs have been in the mid-70s, though it is supposed to drop to mid-60s next week. In any case, I will enjoy it while i can.

I did it again. I pull myself into the driver's seat by holding on to the handle with one hand. Normally, that is all it takes, but when my rig is on a slight slope, it is a higher step so I rest my left elbow and forearm on the door armrest as I pull myself up. (I suppose I should get a low step to stand on.) Anyway, when I do this, I often end up leaning on the levers that open the passenger's window. Normally, I reposition my arm and put the window back up immediately.

Well, I woke up this morning and went up front to remove the privacy curtain and noticed a breeze coming in through the passengers window which was completely down!!! Turned on the key and put it up, but I am really, really lucky there are very few mosquitos or other bugs in this dry desert. Did not even find a fly or moth anywhere inside, and it was not very cold last night, so did not notice it. Amazing. If it had been Florida or Michigan in summer, I would have thousands of things flying around inside. And last time I did this, it was in a wet and hot climate (can't remember where) but I ended up with a little tree frog in my bedroom.

Need to get moving and go for a walk.

[Redetotry]

It's been cold, cloudy and dreary here today. I went to the grocery store for milk and yogurt and then to the pet food store. $$$ I need a drink !! but I settled for one of my favorite things and they were free, persimmons. My friend ( Emma's trainer) has three trees on her farm and she picks them up for me every day as they ripen and I freeze them. I just wash and spread on a cookie sheet, freeze and package in storage bags.
Cheryl if it were me I would be headed to spend the summer on the coasts of Northern California, Oregon and Washington state. I particularly love the foggy days by the ocean. I spent 2 days in March one time in Yuma and burned to a crisp and I was only outside going to and from the car. I guess it was wind burn but I would never go back.

Shirl enjoy your ggdaughters celebration this evening. I bet the look on her face when she sees her car will be one to remember.

[IrishIroamed]

Hi again ladies~~~

Thanks for all of your feedback and suggestions. Regarding the suggestions it may help to know my retirement was to see as many National Parks as possible. This includes monuments and historical sites and whatever I may find of interest in any specific area. I have a map of the NP road trip and try to keep up to date on changes as they occur. Side note for anyone that cares: There are currently talks to change Chiricahua NM here in AZ into a NP. Time will tell. I've already been there twice.

Many of your suggestions are already on my list. So far Yellowstone has been the elusive one. I've tried four times already and weather always seems to be the problem, including a hail storm in Cheyenne when the truck ended up in the shop for five weeks and I ended up buying a new camper. Based on multiple people I've talked to and different camping groups, the suggested times to go (less busy) are late Spring (before school lets out) or after Labor Day. Both seasons could have snow expected. I've already been to and visited the Big 5 NPs in Utah as well as Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon in CA.

My current concerns are weather related. I may be leaving to early. Stops planned so far are:
Apache Junction, AZ
Williams, AZ (April forecast is no worse than Tucson has had this winter (fingers crossed)
Las Vegas, NV (Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Valley of Fire)
Ely, NV (to go to Great Basin NP)
Oroville, CA
Route from Reno (weather & grades) to Oroville (dam & flooding) and the big concerns at this point. I don't want to go into California from the south, since I did a lot of it previously (San Diego to Monterrey), which was why I thought Oroville could be a good 'head west' destination.

If I can't decide soon, I may cancel current reservations and book an additional month here in Tucson, or see if I can find a place to spend a few weeks near Mesa/Phoenix and then start my travels.

I do appreciate the feedback! Sometimes my brain gets confuzzled and your thoughts help!

[Bethers]

Cheryl, it's always a treat for me to spend a week here and there in the regional parks around Phoenix. My favorite is McDowell Mountain. And I try to pick one of the few sites that has a view of the fountain from Fountain Hills when it goes off. The others I've stayed at are also good, but that's my favorite. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[OregonLuvr]

Cheryl if it helps most of my plans were always in "jello mold". Sometimes my plans changed either on a whim, weather, or reservation issues. I always had a basic plan but the rest was up for grabs. I suspect you are no different than the rest of us..........well maybe except for Judy LOL she always has reservations pretty well nailed down on most of her travels.

[Bethers]

I wasn't and still am not good at reservations much when traveling like you're planning Cheryl, except if I wanted to be sure I had a CG on a holiday, etc. Even then I usually would wing it. The Maricopa parks I like around Phoenix usually fill up on the winter so if I could be sure if be there a certain time, I'd make a reservation. But that's the exception. I know most don't travel like me.

I just changed my two clocks that I have to manually change, so I'm in be time, kind of. I'm hoping I can convince myself to get to bed early by doing this. I'm not counting on it, though. But I was up early this morning. So maybe?

[Acadianmom]

I loaded the mower and went and mowed in Maurice so got that over with. Some of it I had to mow high and then low. I wanted to get it done so I don't have to go back in a week. I didn't sleep well last night and now my back and shoulder hurt. I'm going to try to wait until I go to bed and take an Aleve PM.

The local country store started selling boiled crawfish several days a week so I picked up 5 pounds this afternoon. I didn't want the season to end and me not get any. Five pounds was almost too much but I made it through them.

A dog showed up here this afternoon and I'm sure someone dumped her. She is a young pit bull mix with way too much energy. She has freaked out the cats. She is big enough to knock me down if I'm not careful and she wants to jump up on me. She goes from the front to the back whining and barking wanting in the house. She jumped the fence to Sugar's yard and that was the final straw. I locked her in one of the stalls.

I'm watching the Molly B Polka Party and that should tell you what the selection of shows on TV tonight is. It's either that or the weather channel.

Martha