Dog Days of Summer, The 2014 Cross Country Tour

[weirdstuff]

It's official. We have a name for our upcoming BIG trip!

Dog Days of Summer

Chose this name, 'cause we'll be heading into the hot humid weather soon, AND, we've decided to do a photo project as we travel. We'll be doing Instagrams of dogs we see and meet along the way.

Mostly I'll be blogging, but will try to come on here to add some updates to this thread as well.

We leave Tuesday June 10th. First leg of the trip will be from San Diego, to the Portland, Oregon area.

Lucky us...we're stopping in Hood River, Oregon for Lew to do our solar upgrade!

The other scheduled stops we have are Jackson Center on July 15th, Newport Rhode Island on July 24, and Albuquerque NM on October 2. Everything else is up in the air!!

Let the fun begin!

[Lily&Me]

Have a great time!

Are you coming thru Central Illinois? I am right on your way to JC.


Maggie

[weirdstuff]

Hi Maggie!

Funny you should ask! I looked up Normal, IL yesterday, and noticed that we MIGHT be coming your way. And so it already occurred to me that it'd be cool to stop and say hi!

As of now, we have no idea what route we're taking. In fact, husband and I might be taking two different routes! haha!!

If, indeed, we're close, I'll get in touch! Only other option would be if we come into IL on a much more southern route, then swing back up to JC.

Will be in touch!

[Lily&Me]

Well, if you come thru on 74 East, there is a very nice county park, Comlara Park/Evergreen Lake, about 10 minutes north of town on 39/51 north.

I can't give you courtesy parking, could visit with you and feed you a meal, perhaps.

I will be gone here and there til late July, so keep me posted on your whereabouts. The park is there, even if I am not here.


Maggie

[weirdstuff]

OK. Thanks Maggie! A visit and a meal sounds great!

[Ron_CA]

Man, you Guys are running away from home

What a great time you are going to have. Very cool that you are getting your solar upgrade too.

[weirdstuff]

Originally Posted by Ron_CA

Man, you Guys are running away from home

What a great time you are going to have. Very cool that you are getting your solar upgrade too.

Runnin' from the law, Ron!!!

[Ron_CA]

From the law to the Lew

[weirdstuff]

Countdown...leaving in 1.5 days!

Packing the rv today. Will probably be a rude awakening when we see that we can't fit anywhere near how much we've packed!

[Arcticfox]

Wow cool sounding trip - will be following you via your blog (just bookmarked it) so Travel safe and keep us in the loop! With luck we will connect in Oct....
Cheers
Doug

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Countdown...leaving in 1.5 days!

Packing the rv today. Will probably be a rude awakening when we see that we can't fit anywhere near how much we've packed!

We always leave for a long trip filled to the hilt.

If you have non-perishable foodstuffs that won't fit anywhere, put them in your reusable grocery bags and set them wherever til you use things up.

After the first week, everything should settle in.

Have fun,


Maggie

[weirdstuff]

Originally Posted by Arcticfox

Wow cool sounding trip - will be following you via your blog (just bookmarked it) so Travel safe and keep us in the loop! With luck we will connect in Oct....
Cheers
Doug

Thanks Doug! I hope my blog does not disappoint!!! See you in October!

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

We always leave for a long trip filled to the hilt.

If you have non-perishable foodstuffs that won't fit anywhere, put them in your reusable grocery bags and set them wherever til you use things up.

After the first week, everything should settle in.

Have fun,


Maggie

We just got back after spending about 4 hours unpacking the car and then packing Fiona. It was a shock. Everything fit and we actually have some room to spare!! We done good!!!

2 dogs (no, did not leave them in there!), 20#'s of dog food, 4 bikes (on rear hitch bike rack), a guitar, ukelele, fiddle, and flute (and a couple music books), 2 cycling helmets, 3 prs cycling shoes, and each of us has 3 days worth of cycling clothes (just mention it 'cause the cycling stuff takes up almost the entire wardrobe).

No food in there yet. No food in the house either. Been eating out since yesterday. Too busy packing to food shop. Will stop on day 1 or 2 and buy some food.

Would be a breeze if we were just locking up the house and leaving. But, we had to pack up, and put into storage (in huge closet in our condo and in our condo storage unit) most of our stuff because we have renters coming in on Wednesday. Been tons of work, but will be much easier next time we do this. Plus, we vowed that, when we come back in October, we're gonna sort through all the stuff we just stored, and try to get rid of as much of it as possible.

And, by the way, one of the most important things I DID fit in the RV....little plastic cups and lids for Jell-O shots!! Will find a way to make them and bring them to Albuquerque in October. Husband was surprised when he came across those little cups as we were loading. teehee!!

[weirdstuff]

Today's the day! We leave in a few hours!

First stop will be Santa Barbara, to see old friends and take care of some business stuff. Then, the plan is to do a long drive day up to the bay area. Possibly stay at Mt. Diablo. We'll see!!

Super excited!!

[Arcticfox]

Now just remember (we) totally expect lot's of images being posted both here and on your blog. If not you two will be in for many demerit points!

So to put this in a nut shell:
Photo's posted = browny points
No photos posted = demerit points

Let the points taking and giving begin!....

Have a good trip and travel safe!

Cheers
Doug

[Lily&Me]

You're going to have so much fun.


Maggie

[weirdstuff]

We r in Redding, CA, after stops in Santa Barbara and Danville to see friends. Having fun already!!!! All's well so far except for coach batteries are taking turn for worse. No big deal, and we'll b at Lew's in a few days to get "fixed!"

When we get someplace w/ good internet connection, I'll update blog and try to post pics here too (do not want to get demerits for not posting pictures!!!). Been taking some fun Instagrams!

More later....

[Arcticfox]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

When we get someplace w/ good internet connection, I'll update blog and try to post pics here too (do not want to get demerits for not posting pictures!!!). Been taking some fun Instagrams!

More later....

Well it's good to see you have not forgotten about the "Demerit" - We're keeping track!.....

[Fly at Night]

What a doggone good idea!

Happy tails!

[weirdstuff]

OMG...we've had none, to almost none, internet. Gotta work fast here before I lose it again!

Having great time.

Hi-lites: Sundial Bridge in Redding, CA and bike ride along the river. Crater Lake, OR...just beautiful!! Funky lunch place in Crescent, OR.

We're now at Sandia RV park in Bend, OR. quick look around today, will explore more on Sunday.

Need to find someplace with fast, reliable internet so I can write everything up on my blog. Every day, my instagrams stream onto the right hand column of my blog, but only 4 at a time. So, when new ones post, the others leave the page.

Pics....Can't get most of my pics to load onto computer..keeps crashing it. So, will post a few that I do have.

pic #1 Beautiful campground at south entrance to Crater Lake
pic #2 Crater Lake this morning
pic #3 Gumby & Pokey (our co-pilots) are happy to arrive in Oregon, in, of course, the rain!
pic #4 The space shuttle parked outside the Mohawk Restaurant & Lounge in Crescent, OR

Oh, and forgot to mention....It's COLD once you leave So Cal. Yikes!! Snowed at Crater Lake yesterday. We've been all bundled up, layering all our clothes on. Packed more for the sweltering heat that we'll hit soon!

Oh, and, yes, I packed the plastic cups in which I'll be making Jell-O shots. But, I discovered husband packed his freakin' expresso machine with a lifetime supply of coffee pods!!! Getting crowded in here!!

[weirdstuff]

more pics.... while I'm still connected..

#1 Mark & Dax crossing the Sundial Bridge, in Redding, CA
#2 Sacramento River, Redding CA
#3 Husband & dogs relaxing inside our new ex-pen. Ex-pen = best purchase ever. so much more relaxing hanging with the doggies. Sandia RV park, Bend, OR