Category: True West Travels

Last October (2014) we left the RV in the San Francisco area after our trip down from Seattle. This covers our trip down to San Diego.

We decided to spend a few days in San Fran before hitting the road. Walks along the Embarcadero and Golden Gate Park with stops at the Aquariums and museums along the way. A delightful dinner with Bert and Kelsy Schultes to round out our stay.

First stop was San Jose where we cruised the downtown and Farm’s market area. We visited the wonderful Rosicrusian (Rosicrucians are a community of Seekers who study and practice the metaphysical laws governing the universe) Egyptian Museum. Not to be missed is the Winchester Mystery House, widow of the gun maker was convinced the only way to get the blood off was to continuously build a house….36 years, 24 hrs a day gets you 160 mostly useless rooms.

Big Basin Redwood State Park served as our base to explore the area around Santa Cruz. Then on to Monterey where we spent a couple of days around this area and Carmel. The Aquarium at Monterey was fabulous. Champagne at Pebble Beach Golf Club for Marcia’s birthday topped off this stop.

San Simeon and the Hearst Castle were our next stop. Hearst build this magnificent place with the intent of giving it to the state when he died. On to Malibu where we camped up in the hills and enjoyed the length of Mulholland Drive.

Next came Long Beach where we enjoyed staying on the Queen Mary for a couple of days over Thanksgiving. We agreed that the Aquarium of the Pacific here had the best display of leafy sea dragons. On to the Casper Wilderness area, Lake Elsinore and San Clemente.

Final stop was San Diego where we had a day with Chad Prigmore visiting the San Diego zoo and the USS Midway. Dan made arrangements at a local boat yard to address a few nagging issues with The Beast before putting her into storage. Finally, a nice dinner with George and Carol Latimer, before catching the red eye home.

Click on the photo to see the album of this trip

With the summer winding down and the temperatures dropping, we decided to move off the water and onto the land. The GMC Motorhome and the Smart were stored in Seattle for the summer, so Dan started with a flight to Seattle to bring the Smart back to Vancouver Island by ferry. As we did not get to the west coast of Vancouver Island by boat, we did it by car. Tofino is located in the Pacific Rim National Park, it is a great town in a beautiful area. From there we headed back across the island to catch the ferry at Nanaimo to take us to Horseshoe bay on the mainland.

We had been up Howe Sound in the boat, now it was along the road on our way to the Whistler ski area. From Whistler, we traveled south east to the Mt Baker National Forest back in the US. Next stop was in Seattle to pick up the motorhome, True West.

From Seattle, we headed to the coast and started working our way down to California. The state parks here are wonderful and the hikes in the woods all one could ask for.

Into California, it became time to do some gathering in wine country. Russian River, Napa, Somoma….too much of a good thing.

Last stop was Newark, CA outside San Francisco where we left the motorhome in the hands of a team that has been working on them for 40 years.

Click on photo to see the album of this trip.

After having made our plans to head to the Northwest, we learned that the boat, True East, would be delayed about ten days for its arrival on the Columbia River. As the motorhome was already out there, having been stored there for the winter, we decided to take an advanced look at some of our boating.

First we headed up to Cooley Dam and Lake, then over to Mt. Rainier where we found plenty of snow.

From there we came thru Olympia, WA on the lower end of Puget Sound and then proceeded north up along the Hood Canal. This is a tidal inlet about 40 miles long that exposes huge mud flats full of oysters and clams. However, it did not make for very pleasant boating so it got excluded from the summer trip. The upper end of the Hood is a branch of the Straight of Juan de Fuca that leads into the Puget Sound from the Pacific Ocean. This is a body of water we will have to pass thru. Very calm on the days we where there.

Each time we think we have all the bugs would out in our road vehicles, a new surprise presents itself. Memorial Day weekend, Saturday am leaving our campground on a steep single lane road, the Beast dies….grrrrr. Amazingly, within an hour we have a tow arranged to Port Angeles where it’s left in the yard of local garage. So, no problem, off we go in the Smart (reliable back up vehicle). A wonderful day up in mountains as we proceed to a lodge about 60 miles away where we can spend the weekend. Just as we come off the mountain roads back to Rt 101, the Smart dies…two in one day. Another tow truck. We decide to have the driver take us to the lodge, then come back and pick up the Smart and take it to his shop.

The weekend with fine food and wine provides an opportunity for reflection. Dan concludes the GMC problem is minor and will get fixed Monday am. He also concludes the Smart has a blown engine. No problem, take the local buses Monday AM about 100 miles back to Port Angeles, pick us the GMC (yes, it was ready when he arrived at 12:30, just a coil). Take the GMC to pick up the dead Smart that we normally tow behind the GMC. Back to lodge in time for dinner.

Back on the road down the coast, then inland and up the Columbia River valley. Many wineries, much stocking up for the summer.

Back to Kenniwick to meet the boat and the Mahoney’s who have flow out from Boston. What a great idea, they can drive the GMC back up to Seattle and drop off the Smart as at dealer….all is well.

Click on the photo to see the album of this trip

The road trip this spring will start in Helena, MT, closest airport to where we left the GMC last fall with a blown transmission in Cut Bank, MT (coldest place in USA). Dan sent some parts out in advance and arrived a few days early to get the fleet ready. Oil and filters, new tires, replace a pump, fix a leak, etc. with a major clean up to be ready when Marcia arrives. Thanks to Bill Barnard and Jerry…new best friends we got it all done in couple of days. GMC and Smart each have about 22,000 miles since we started this trip, 33 states and counting.

First stop was Missouri Headwaters State Park, another stop for us along the Lewis and Clark trail. It was just two hundred and ten years ago this expedition was walking and rafting its way across a territory barely known to non native Americans. Then into the Beaverhead National Forest following the Wise River to camp at Pettengill Creek. On to Cottonwood Recreation Area in the Bureau of Land Management area in Ellis. On route we pass thru Butte and cross the Continential Divide for the last time for a couple of years.  This would be our base camp for a couple of days of side trips in the Smart (towing this thing was one our best decisions). Craters of the Moon, Yankee Fork Dredge, etc. about a 400 mile side trip to places few ever see.

The federal government, in about a dozen agencies, owns about 60% of the state of Idaho with it’s approximately 1.5 million residents. Self sufficiency takes on a whole new meaning in this part of the country where people live in really remote settings. The size and diversity of this country continues to leave us in awe. It is no wonder that we can have such diverse attitude about the role of government and social policies.

Moving south with great weather, our next base camp was Massacre Rocks State Park. We have followed much of trail of the Nez Perce Indian thru Montana and Idaho, what a sad story. Another 300 mile side trip, City of Rocks National Reserve way down on the Utah, Nevada border then up to Shoeshoe Ice Caves…neither on the normal travel route. On through Shoshone Falls (Niagra of the West), with our first golf stop at Carmela Vineyards…great little course where Lola could join us for some exercise.

Our route then turns north as we work our way up the Oregon/Idaho boarder. Our next base camp is Hell’s Gate State Park in Lewiston…across the river from Clarkston. More Smart side trips thru some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the National Forests. One wonders how some of these roads were ever built and marvels at the fortitude of the early pioneers.

Next stop is Heyburn State Park on Coeur d’Alene Lake with a full set of explorations around this natural set of lakes, with a little more golf enjoyed along the way. Continuing north, we arrive at Priest Lake just as the wind kicks up to gale force, the rain starts and the temperature drops in the 30’s. Not for us from Miami. The forecast does not look good for the coming week, time for Plan B.

We decide to cut the trip a few days early and head for Marcia’s sister, Jeanne and Phil in Kennewick, WA where we will leave the Beast for the summer. After a few great days with them, we drive up to Spokane were we leave the Smart for the Gero’s who are coming out in a couple of weeks to take a trip of their own. A layover day in Seattle, then it’s back to Miami in time for tennis and visit with friends before we head out to pick up the boat for the summer.

From Steamboat, we headed over to Ranger Lakes in State Forest State Park. From here, we did a side trip to the beautiful Snowy Mountains in WY and over to Ft Collins. Then we had to go west and south to get over into Rocky Mountain State Park. Coming out of Boulder, we encountered our most difficult road on our way to

Golden Gate State Park, 1st gear for about 20 miles of dirt road up the mountainside.

After a day in Denver putting the beast to bed for the winter, we enjoyed the art museums then headed for Providence, RI for John and Amy’s wedding.

The GMC sprung a cooling leak and was out of service while we toured in the Smart. As soon as that was fixed, the hot water heater sprung a leak….hummmm. Into the Smart for a side trip to Utah to see Canyonlands, route 141 is one the best in the country, then Arches. From there up to Flaming Gorge, since flooded and not worth the trip. Dinosaur National park was closed for renovations. We picked up the GMC and headed for Grand Mesa, 500 lakes at about 11,000 ft elevation. Then over to Difficult Camp Grounds which served as our base for visited to Aspen, Snowmass, and Carbondale.

We started with Labor Day weekend in Colorado Springs with Marcia’s brother Tim and his family. Headed west we first faced the climb over the Continental Divide at Cottonwood Pass (elev 12,500 ft). The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a very special experience, like a smaller Grand Canyon. On to Telluride where we would spend several days while in this part of the state. The road to Durango, the Million Dollar highway is spectacular. From there we went west to the four corners, visiting the ancient artifacts of the North American peoples and seeing the horrific conditions on the reservations. Mesa Verde should not be missed.

Our last leg for the fall takes us through the Smokey Mountains back to Knoxville where we ended our summer of boating on the Rivers.

This time our base is Deep Creek State Park in NC. From there we took the Smart up to Clingmans Dome and also played some golf on an Indian owned course in the mountains call Sequoyah Golf Course….game was delayed due to frost in the AM.

We could not resist one more train ride, this one on the Smokey Mountain Railroad. Not the thrill of Tibet or the cog railway on Mt. Washington, but still good fun.

True West is now tucked away for the winter in Knoxville and awaits next springs adventure.

We continue south and establish our next base camp at Fairystone State Park. Again we use the Smart for side trips to a couple of rounds of golf and exploring. With a visit to Mt. Mitchell, 6,684 ft, we have now visited the most northern, Mt Washington and most southern peaks east of the Mississippi…looking forward to the Rockies.

We continue down the Blue Ridge Parkway thru the Shenandoah Mountains to Asheville where we will spend a few days exploring the richness of this area.

Grove Park Inn, the Biltmore Estate, art galleries, fine restaurants and a lovely setting. Having visited both Jefferson’s estate at Monticello and Vanderbuilt’s Biltmore Estate on this trip, we were stuck with the similarities between these two men and their dreams to create sustaining monuments. Both Jefferson and Vanderbuilt grew up with inherited wealth, were very highly educated and had world class libraries, both multi-lingual, and both self trained in design and construction. The technologies employed, the self sustaining nature of the estates with massive employment or enslavement and the ultimate financial failure of both. It would make an interesting book.

Returning from China, we spent a few days with some of Marcia’s family in Topsail Beach, NC, then flew up to Boston to pick up the GMC for the trip south.

Its not common to have a lobster boat meet you at the airport and then have boiled lobsters on the way to Hull, but the Mahoneys are uncommon friends. After a night in Hull, it was off to RI to visit Dan’s brother and two of his nephews and families. From there we headed over to Newport, RI for a couple of day visiting the Mansions and the Old Round Tower for 1421 fans. 1421 refers to Gavin Menzies book that declares that on March 8, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from China to “proceed all the way to the ends of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas.” and one branch of this fleet ended up in Rhode Island.

Then it was on to visit Kristi in NJ, from there a Smart side trip to NYC with a visit to the Cloisters, a broadway show and Sunday morning at St John the Devine for the blessing of the animals…even Lola.

On to VA with first stop at Gettysburg, the Bluemont Vinyards to see Jennifer and Joe Shailor. A stop at the Kisielnicki family home on 44th Avenue…yikes 11 kids and one bathroom! A visit to the homestead gave Dan a much better appreciation of Marcia’s sense of personal space. A stop at the Vince, Patsy and Megan Trovatos in Easton, Md , then on to see Marcia’s brother Tom and a round of golf. Across the Chesapeake Bay in both directions, then up to see Dan’s classmate Dick Rounds with golf at Indian Creek