LAS VEGAS CAMPING... ROUGHING IT !!!!

UP ABOVE IS OUR CAMPSITE. ROUGH, AIN'T IT?

TODAY WAS A GROCERY SHOPPING DAY, CLEANING AND GETTING READY TO GO DAY.

TOMORROW - QUARTZITE, ARIZONA FOR ROCK SHOPPING.

HOOVER DAM.......DAMN !!!

ONE WORD - UNBELIEVABLE !!!!

AND THEY ARE BUILDING A BRIDGE 230 FEET HIGHER THAN THE DAM....

I HOPE THEY DID NOT HIRE QUEBEC ENGINEERS !!!

STAYING OVER 2 DAYS BECAUSE OF A WIND EVENT. ONE GUY SAID IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO DRIVE A BILLBOARD.

WE ARE GOING TO HEAD SOUTH FOR A FEW DAYS, FIRST TO QUARTZITE AND THEN MESA, AZ. WE ARE GOING TO CHECK OUT WINTER LOCATIONS FOR 2009.

AFTER THAT, BACK UP TOWARDS THE GRAND CANYON.

DAYTIME SIN CITY

WENT BACK TO TOWN THIS MORNING. TOTALLY DIFFERENT, BUT STILL GAUDY.

VISITED A FEW CASINOS, LOOKED AT STUFF....COACH UMBRELLA IS $92, JIMMY CHOO SHOES AT $1325, 50% OFF AT BERNINI FOR MEN AND A STATUE OF A LITTLE GIRL WITH BALLOONS FOR $9500.

DROPPED A FEW BUCKS IN THE MACHINES AND WON $38.75 AND THEN ANOTHER $50.

SO, CAME IN TOWN WITH $20 IN CASH, NEVER HIT AN ATM, PAID THE CAMPGROUND BILLS AND BOUGHT SOME STUFF AND WILL BE LEAVING WITH $130.

WHOO WHOO !!!!!

GOING TO SEE SOME REAL STUFF THIS AFTERNOON, HOOVER DAM !!

TOMORROW, BACK ON THE ROAD TO KINGMAN, ARIZONA AND REAL WORLD.

930 % RETURN ON $1 INVESTMENT

WENT TO THE BELLAGIO TO SEE THE FOUNTAIN SHOW. UNBELIEVABLE!!

STROLLED AND GAWKED. THE DOGS WERE GREAT.

THIS PLACE IS NUTS.

ON THE WAY BACK TO THE CAR, SLIPPED $1 IN THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE SLOT, BET IT ALL IN ONE SHOT AND WON $93.75......

LOST WAGES

WHAT A TRIP. FROM BAKERSFIELD, WE CLIMBED TO 3700 FEET IN THE FIRST 11 MILES. WHEW !! WE LEFT AT 6:30,BECAUSE OF THE HEAT IN THE DESERT.

THEN DOWN THROUGH THE MOST PICTURESQUE SCENERY EVER. I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE JOHN WAYNE AT ANY TIME. THEN WE WENT DOWN, AND DOWN AND SOME MORE DOWN. ALL THE WAY TO BELOW SEA LEVEL.

STOPPED AT DEATH VALLEY ENTRANCE ( BAKER, THE HOTTEST SPOT IN NORTH AMERICA ) AT 10:30. THERMOMETER WAS AT 105 DEGREES. HAD A GREAT GREEK LUNCH, AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER THAN ANY WE HAVE EVER HAD IN PARK EX.

THEN WE CLIMBED TO 4730 FEET IN 16 MILES, WITHOUT AIR, TO PREVENT OVERHEATING. MORE WHEW ! EXCEPT THAT WE HAD TO DESCEND BACK DOWN A 7% GRADE OVER 14 MILES. WITH CONSTRUCTION ON THE LEFT AND NO SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT. TALK ABOUT A SCARY RIDE. EVEN BETTER THAN BELMONT PARK.

MADE IT TO VEGAS, GOT CONCIERGED IN. CLASSY JOINT. 2 POOLS, BEACH, WATERFALL, 9 DOG RUNS AND A PET PLAYLAND. 98 DEGREES.

GONNA SEE THE STRIP AFTER SUPPER, WHEN IT COOLS DOWN.

TTFN

LEG TWO RECAP

WELL, BOYS AND GIRLS, LEG 2 IS DONE. FROM THE CANUCKIAN BORDER TO SAN FRANCISCO. THEN THE BIG LEFT TURN.

LEFT CANUCKLAND AND GOT SEARCHED AT THE BORDER. HOMELAND SECURITY SEIZED 3 GREEN APPLES, BUT LET US KEEP THE RED ONES. WENT TO OCEAN SHORES, JUST SOUTH OF SEATTLE. GREAT BEACH, BLUSTERY WEATHER. JUST WHAT WE EXPECTED. IT WAS FANTASTIC AND STAYED A FEW DAYS.

THEN SOUTH TO MOUNT ST. HELEN. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT. A TRIP HIGHLIGHT.

MOVED ON TO OREGON. QUITE SPECTACULAR COASTLINE, EVEN BETTER THAN ANY PICTURES WE HAD EVER SEEN. OUR ITINERARY WAS HELPED BY A FEW ONLINE FRIENDS FROM RV.NET. WHAT A GODSEND TO GET HELP FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. GOLD BEACH IS SECOND TO NONE. PERIOD.

HIT SOME MAJOR RAIN IN KLAMATH RIVER, CA. BUT WE WERE IN A GREAT SETTING AND ENJOYED THE R&R. WENT SALMON FISHING. HAD BETTER LUCK AT SAFEWAY. BUT I DID GET TO GO FISHING.

MOVED DOWN THROUGH THE REDWOODS. MAJESTIC. I MANAGED TO AD TO MY ROCK COLLECTION BY GETTING A PIECE OF WOOD FROM A 3200 YEAR OLD TREE. SAW SOME CHEESY ATTRACTIONS. THEY LOOKED BETTER ON DISNEY 40 YEARS AGO. BUT IT WAS STILL NICE.

THE TRIP ALONG THE COAST IS FABULOUS. DANGEROUS AT TIMES, BUT STILL MEMORABLE.

PETALUMA IS GREAT. ALL OF THE OLD TOWN HAS BEEN REFURBISHED TO THE WAY IT WAS 150 YEARS AGO, AND THE PLACE IS CHOCK FULL OF ARTISTS AND ANTIQUE DEALERS AND FOOS BOUTIQUES. A GREAT WAY TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON, STROLLING AND SAMPLING.

FRISCO IS LIKE ANY OTHER CITY. A FEW UNIQUE SPOTS, LIKE LOMBARD STREET, PAINTED LADIES AND THE PRESIDIO. FISHERMAN'S WHARF, 39TH PIER ARE TOURIST TRAPS. IF YOU ARE IN URGENT NEED OF KNOCKOFFS ( SORRY, REPLICA), THIS IS IT. IT IS BASICALLY LIKE MONTREAL, AND JUST AS DIRTY.

THE BRIDGE IS GREAT. PEOPLE RENT BYKES TO CROSS IT BY THE HUNDREDS. SPOKE TO A COUPLE FROM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. THEY WERE DREADING THE RETURN TRIP AND ELECTED TO TAKE THE FERRY BACK.

ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GREAT SOUTHERN TREK.

NEXT TIME, WE WILL COME IN FROM THE SOUTH AND WORK OUR WAY UP.

SEE YOU ON THE NEXT LEG........

FROST WARNING... TIME TO TURN LEFT !!

WELL, WE DROVE TODAY. 339 MILES, THE FIRST 96 IN THE HEAVY FOG.

THEY HAD FROST WARNINGS FOR THE FRISCO AREA, SO WE DECIDED TO HIGHTAIL IT SOUTH.

WE MADE THE BIG LEFT TURN AND SHOULD BE IN VEGAS TOMORROW. WE ALSO BROKE THE 5000 MILE BARRIER TODAY.

GOOD ROADS AND WE STOPPED AT A WINERY. MIUM MIUM.

DROVE THROUGH OLIVE GROVES, ONION FIELDS, GRAPES, RAISINS, CORN, CABBAGE..... YOU NAME IT, THEY GROW IT.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE SIKH COMMUNITY HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE RAISIN INDUSTRY?

ANYWAYS, IN BAKERSFIELD, AT 5:06 PM, IT IS SUNNY AND 88.
EVERYONE IN THE POOL !!!

TOMORROW, THE MOJAVE DESERT, A GHOST TOWN, BAKER ( THE LOWEST POINT IN NORTH AMERICA- 302 FEET BELOW SEA LEVEL) AND VEGAS.

SEE YOU AT THE OASIS !!

MONTREAL ON THE BAY

FRISCO IS MONTREAL - WAY WEST, BUT BIGGER

VIEUX PORT = EMBARCADERO

JACQUES CARTIER = GOLDEN GATE

MOUNT ROYAL = PRESIDIO

STAIRWAYS = PAINTED LADIES

VIEUX MONTREAL = NOB HILL

QUARTIER CHINOIS = CHINATOWN

PLAN 3 HOURS FOR FRISCO, A WHOLE DAY FOR PETALUMA.

OLD STYLE TOWN, CHOCK FULL OF GREAT RESTAURATIONS, ANTIQUE STORES, ART AND REALLY GOOD RESTAURANTS.

PETALUMA...........CURVES AND HILLS

NOT THAT THE ROAD WAS LONG AND WINDING, BUT 2 HOURS TO COVER THE FIRST 30 MILES.... SHEESH.

THE WEATHER FINALLY BROKE AND OFF WE WENT, BRIGHT AND EARLY. NO FOG, NO RAIN, NO WIND. FRISKY AND FRISCO BOUND.

......'TIL WE HIT THE HILLS. 7 DEGREES FOR 8 MILES. THEN UP, THEN DOWN, THEN AROUND. THEN STOP FOR CONSTRUCTION...ON A SUNDAY. THEN ELK ON THE ROAD. THEN MORE HILLS. THEN TREES RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD.

FINALLY, WE GET A FREEWAY AND MAKE UP SOME TIME. 5 MILES TO GO, AND.......OUR FIRST CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC JAM.

BUT THE SUN IS OUT AND IT IS 81 DEGREES. NICE.

TOMORROW - SAN FRANCISCO.