July 1st, 2011...Can you believe it???

I wrote for about an hour last night, then it disappeared when I tried to post. Will try again!


We are currently at daughter, Jan's, in Las Vegas. It is 107 at 11am, and was 86 when I got up at 6. Went for about a mile wallk with her to start the day. (The only time it is nice outside until evening). 86 here is SO DIFFERENT than 86 in the Northwest! It was quite pleasant!





Last time I wrote, we were leaving Redding, Ca. We headed south and stopped at nice small park in Dunnigan where we accidentally started watching an old western on TV "Lonesome Dove". We had picked up a brochure about RV Driving School while in Grants Pass, so I called them, and we ended up signing me up for a 2-day class in Yucca Valley, CA (not many openings to choose from). We headed to Sacramento and took 99 S learning to use the GPS on new phone. Was a little confusing, but using it and some common sense, got us to Modesto, stopped for lunch and headed on to Chowchilla where we stopped at Arena RV Park. It was 100 there. (Thought it should be Cowchilla, as it smelled like Tillamook). Nice park we had stayed before, but trains went by 24-7. Al heard them at night, but I sleep like a log!

We left there and drove next day to Mojave where we dry-camped and rented "Casino Jack" which we both thought was a waste of time. We enjoyed the BBQ ribs our friend John Coughlin had prepared and sent with us. Thank you John...just as good 2nd time.

We talked to our Tillamook friend, Tyle Shelby, who was in the hospital after open heart surgery. He is 83, but going strong. He sounded wonderful!!!! Now I heard he is home and out and about again. What a guy!

We got to Yucca Valley RV Park on the 28th. Owner-operator named Pandi, was quite a guy...70 yrs old and claims he is the "unfortunate owner"...boy can I relate to that! Nice quiet park. We drove to Joshua Tree National Park and drove through, coming out at Oasis entrance. Didn't realize we had driven so far! Didn't walk around much, as it was too hot, and getting late in the day, but enjoyed seeing all the rock formations and Yucca trees.
Next morning, 9am, my RV driving instructor showed up and I took first 4 hr lesson. Started in a dirt lot (nice shiny, newly-waxed...thanks to Holly & John Walton's help...not shiny and pretty any more!). Then, progressed to side roads, residential areas witih lots of stop signs, turning left and right, etc., then up into mountain pass to Pioneertown. there is a US post office built in 1946 which is still operating and looks like a scene from an old western...in fact, many movies were filmed there. Al took pics, but so far cannot figure out how to post pics from our 'smart phone". Back down the mountain and onto Hwy 62 for awhile. Next day, same route, then came back and added the tow car...I was amazed that I was ok to do all this, and it was not as hard as I had imagined. Both he and the instructor (Jerry Caldera) said I did good, and while Al rode along on the lesson...I didn't even need to stop and duct tape his mouth! I drove a total of 126 miles, on the 8-hour class.


After the class that day, we headed out towards Las Vegas. Took alternate route suggested by Jerry, and it was good road, hardly any traffic, but not much to see. Drove through Amboy, Grimm (appropriately named), Kelso (nothing there but a fancy ranger station and a tiny cafe), Cima (looked deserted), and came out at Mt. Pass on Hwy 15. First place to stop ended up being Primm, Nv. Despite the fact it was less than 1 hr to jan's, we stopped for the night, as neither of us wanted to drive further. Ate at a cafe in one of the casinos, left about $20 in the slots for next time, and headed to LV in the am.

July 1st arrived at Jan's. Hooked up the RV, visited a little with Jan (she is studying for the bar exam, so we see her for a few min at a time when she needs a break). Visited with the neighbors, did laundry, etc. So nice to be here with her. She looks wonderful and seems so relaxed in spite of all the stress she is going through! I keep wanting to post pics, but so far have not figured it out. Will call Verizon and see if they can walk me through it. We stopped at a Ver. store, and the nice gal told me how, but I think I missed something. Oh, well. Hope all is well with everyone at home. More later. Al & Sylvia