tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91153539058418383122024-02-07T11:06:14.426-08:00Thistle AdventureWhere we get snagged we stayfredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.comBlogger288125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-59508340330914236212019-03-16T10:14:00.004-07:002019-03-16T10:16:44.574-07:00Ed Nailed it!<br />
We were driving on a beautiful road as we left the Isabella Lake area. The photos describe it all, unfortunately not as well as desired. They don’t begin to capture the turns and twists and beauty and light and colors and shadows and steep drops and narrow passages sneaking between boulders and trees.<br />
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We now have our quote for beautiful roads!</div>
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~~~</div>
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The engineers stayed home and the artists made the road.</div>
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Edwin R. Anderson </div>
<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-18682778932403817832019-03-16T09:54:00.000-07:002019-03-16T09:54:27.883-07:00For the Love of California<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was born and raised in California so when I see, for me, the quintessential California scene my heart won’t be quiet and my eyes refuse to be still as they rove from one delightful scene to another. My feet want to walk and walk, exploring the nooks and crannies. They want to jump from rock to rock as the little girl in me did, but my jumping from rock to rock days are mostly over. I lull on the edges of the water, tossing stones, dreaming, loving my memories. These rolling foothills, sparse trees (mostly pine and oak), grasses, sage, manzanita make up the understory and huge boulders with plenty of smaller rocks and a river running through it. All awesome! Absolute perfection. </div>
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We are on the Kern River here, just below the Isabella Lake damn in Southern California. </div>
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Benton seems to be equally happy in this landscape but I’m pretty sure he only has eyes for the ground squirrels, putting his nose deep into one hole after another, then wildly running to the next and next. One happy dog! Of course he would be happier if we would throw sticks into the river for him to chase, but the river is high and fast with winter waters. It would be dangerous. Ed and I are saved from Benton’s constant stick chasing love by the ground squirrels that capture his attention.</div>
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The rain and snow this year in California has been epic, after years of dry, so the landscape is green and beautiful. I’m hoping the snow pack will help curb wildfires. After years of draught California has not had a lick of summer water flowing down the streams, melting into the shady canyons, or oozing over the meadows for a very long time. All valuable ways fire is curbed. Raking doesn’t quite cut it! But snow pack does!</div>
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I could stay here for weeks, it is so beautiful. Plus, although cold at night, the days are warm, but not hot and the sky is blue. More perfection!</div>
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We just finished a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and roasted potatoes, but now we hit the road. But first a walk about to enjoy this beautiful spot one last time before driving away.<br />
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All Nature’s wildness tells the same story: the shocks and outbursts of earthquakes, volcanoes, geysers, roaring, thundering waves and floods, the silent uprush of sap in plants, storms of every sort, each and all, are the orderly, beauty-making love-beats of Nature’s heart.</div>
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John Muir</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-85037807416575542282019-02-28T12:40:00.000-08:002019-02-28T17:04:33.112-08:00The Wonder of Creating Your World<div style="text-align: justify;">
What’s delightful about traveling is seeing different ways to live, to meet new and interesting people, and to increase our understanding of others and their ways of living their lives, as best they can. Sometime we are hit with pleasure as what we’re seeing as creative life choices.</div>
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Two of the new people we’ve hooked up with are Mark and Liesbet. They own a Sprinter/Westie, just like ours. These vehicles definitely act as a magnet for meeting other Sprinter/Westie owners. Knowing there are only 250 in the U.S. is a real door opener too.<br />
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Mark and Liesbet are definitely interesting and are living a “freeish” life as full time RVers, previously full time sailors. Many years of on the road or on the water, while at all times trying to maintain a livable wage from on board. It is challenging but makes for exciting tales and interesting folks. We are meeting many full-timers these days. Cost of living is driving them onto new adventures, more affordable, and turning many others into permanent nomads. Retirees, which Mark and Liesbet clearly are not, are especially well numbered in the itinerant category. For many, life in the desert is compellling if money is limited because one can purchase annual camping permits for a small free, keeping one’s living expenses at a minimum. Some locations have a few amenities like outhouses, trash cans and dump facilities. Sometimes there are hosts. At other times camping spots are just big fields in the desert. Campgrounds become a treat — a place to shower, charge one’s batteries as well as one’s vehicle batteries and dump sewage. But at 20, 30, 40, 50 dollars a night, they are used by full-times with great discretion.</div>
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Then there is Slab City. A cluster of abandoned military concrete slabs used by RVers for years and years (way back when I was a small kid folks were camping at Slab City) as a place for free parking, often long term. It is fascinating how these permanent Slab residents are subsiding their small Social Security payments, or surviving with no incomes whatsoever. Their methods are God and art. There are two locations where their art is on full display — East Jesus and Salvation Mountain. No fees required to view, but donations greatly desired.</div>
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Salvation Mountain...</div>
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The second Slab City creation is East Jesus. East Jesus is like an outside sculpture garden, high in funk, creativity, religion and love. There is a greeter at the gate who is a greeter supreme. He, on the day we were there, was helpful and full of good words for God, Love, Life and Slab City. They appreciate a donation and even provide PayPal for those without cash.</div>
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East Jesus...</div>
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And the children will play!</div>
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And my third example of creating your life is a visit to Quartzsite. This “mostly portable” town is huge, with hundreds and hundreds of RVers camped out on DNR land, mostly free, but with a 14 day limit. Others are parked in RV parks if they need hookups or more amenities. The town is basically a tent city. This is how many of the residents survive financially. It’s one huge carnival. Pottery, tools, clothing, RV supplies, food, jewelry, camp chairs. You name it. In the winter months this place is hopping, but closes down come summer (as does Slab City). Too hot for even the intrepid. Some return to their home towns, some find a new, but cooler, spot, and others simply go exploring further up north until they can return to a cooler winter desert.</div>
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Seeing these three examples of living a creative life are exciting to me. These are new ways to engage in a largely unfair and often unrewarding economic system. These economic examples have given all these people a way out of the “trap”. A trap of low wages, long hours, and no housing or food or heath security. Something, anything, other than flipping burgers for some big, indifferent corporation. I love these models of creativity.</div>
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<i>Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure.</i></div>
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Irving Wallace</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-75696234973509467532019-02-26T09:52:00.002-08:002019-02-28T08:46:56.059-08:00Things Are Just Wacko<div style="text-align: justify;">
Where it’s usually hot it’s cold; where it’s usually dry it’s wet; where there is typically no snow it’s snowing. Seems wacko to me (<i>and yes we believe in global warming</i>). We have been to Anza Borrego several times in February in the past and have always needed to run to Julian to cool off. And for pie (Julian is the town of pies). This year if we ran to Julian for pie, we would need chains and we certainly don’t need to cool off. It is snowing in Julian. In Anza Borrego it is raining, and has been off and on for the past several weeks. It is also cold, not getting above the 50’s today. Through out the region roads are closed from snow and ice or flooding and slides.<br />
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Idyllwild, where we spent Christmas this year, is not accessible due to snow. The Palm Desert Tram is out of business because the road to the tram is washed out. The campground we enjoy near Palm Desert floods on these rainy days, as you can see from the photos above. Our campground, here at Anza Borrego, was evacuated last week because of a flash flood in the nearby mountains. Everywhere we go we see erosion, slides, road closures, puddles, or sometimes lakes, where for years there has been nothing but draught and hot. We talked to folks yesterday who reported leaving Joshua Tree because it was so cold. They came here to get warmth but soon realized they would need to travel to Mexico to find any warmth this year.</div>
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The beauty of it all is green describes the desert this year. It is totally green from tip to toe. Earlier the green looked like grass but now we can see it developing into small wildflower plants, filling all the bare land between the cactus. The bloom this year will be amazing and it is slowly beginning with the yellows and whites popping first, then progressing to blues and pinks and finally to the hot reds and purples. I fear we will depart before we get out of the yellow/white stage, which is beautiful but we’re looking for less subtle. We head home at the end of next week and are planning to take our time visiting with friends and family along the way. Will the flowers be out by then? Who knows, things are just wacko. The fields of poppies we saw in the Julian area a few years ago, at exactly this time of the year, are under several inches of snow this year.<br />
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Today it rained pretty much non stop. We grabbed about 30 minutes for a walk, but that was it. We are presently in the campground that was evacuated last week, so let’s hope they don’t knock on our door in the middle of the night to move us out. With roads closed and outdoor options slim we did all the rainy day things — reading, needlework, computing, games, napping. I spent most of my time on needlepoint promising my family at Christmas that they each would receive a needlepoint pillow from me. One is almost finished and unless we get sidetracked by the sun this weekend, will be completed by the end of the week. Ed spent much of his time outlining his readings and taking quotes from favorite books. <br />
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Our wet view:<br />
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Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.</div>
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John Ruskin</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-77437009394768560782019-02-14T08:41:00.000-08:002019-02-28T08:48:42.767-08:00Happy Valentine’s Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A bouquet from my honey.</div>
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<i>Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet.</i></div>
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Katharine Lee Bates</div>
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<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-84882758408620435342019-02-13T20:49:00.002-08:002019-02-28T08:49:52.035-08:00Walls and Gates and more Walls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I, at first, thought Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and the other towns in this area, were lovely. But, they have not passed the test of time. Not only do I have to be pounded by the stupid trump wall, but this area is all about walls and gates and security and more walls. What the wealthy haven’t figured out is if they’d stop flaunting their hoarded goods, they would not be so vulnerable to theft and vandalism. </div>
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Any way, the prominent streets are boulevards — four lanes, often with a landscaped median and lined with one wall after another. At first, I even though the landscaping was lovely. But that too has failed the test of time. The plants are uninspired, the maintenance looks like someone took a blowtorch to the gardens, and I’ve never seen so many poorly pruned trees in my life. I won’t even mention green lawns and water wasting.</div>
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Plus everything is sterile. Few people occupy the sidewalks and bike lanes, and in the stores and on the roads, the friendly quotient is way down.</div>
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Boy, oh boy, do I miss Langley — our funky, friendly, beautiful town. A community that is mostly “real” and a community made up of loving, intelligent, community-minded folks. And we’re not hiding from the world but opening our arms wide for all people — rich, poor, old, young, black, white, and brown. We grow fruits and vegetables and beautiful free-flowing gardens. We honor the sea and its inhabitants and we love the forest and its inhabitants. Most of us care for one another in ways that are community events, like Hearts & Hammers. Other times kind acts are hidden from view, but the generosity flows freely. We have environmental treasurers and people treasurers all coming together to create beauty and community. I Love Langley!</div>
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Here is a sampling of walls and gates and more walls...</div>
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<i> Living in sterile man-made environments that are disconnected from nature should</i><br />
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Steven Magee<br />
<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-89101074953582185892019-02-13T19:42:00.000-08:002019-02-13T19:55:43.310-08:00The Desert’s Pull<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Perhaps it’s not just the warmth that drives older folks to the desert, perhaps there’s more. What about the speed of our lives? As children and adults we are always going, going, going. But as we age, and retire, we suddenly have less scheduled time plus we move more slowly. Slowly enough to take time and study details. Just what a desert needs. I remember as a kid I couldn’t wait to finish driving through one. Boring, boring, boring. Even when I was out of the car walking. Boring, boring, boring. Now, all these years later, I love the desert. Subtle colors. Quiet. Dramatic shadows. A gentleness offset by it’s harsh ways. Or it just the quiet? And, yes, the warmth is perfect too. </div>
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One night Ed and I decided to boondock at Hawk’s Canyon, part of Anza Borrego State Park. A perfect example of subtle colors, quiet, dramatic shadows, lovely rock formations. After sitting in the warming sun for a couple of hours, we moved inside as dark and rain were coming our way. Our camp’s view...</div>
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After we had moved inside, eaten dinner and were engaged in the evening’s activities, Ed looked up and gasped. Although we knew it was raining, we didn’t think it amounted to much, so Ed’s surprised response caught my attention. Looking out Thistle’s window it was what looked like a mini flash flood. The road had turned into a river. Fortunately our camp site had enough high ground to keep us out of the flood. Further up the road some campers had to rearrange their camp as the water came right through their tent site.</div>
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These pictures were taken the next morning, long after the rain quit. You should have seen our shoes and Thistle’s floor. Mud/sand/goo everywhere. </div>
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The next day we drove a short distance to Slot Canyon. We arrived at the trail head at noon. No dogs on trail. Oh drat! Too hot to leave Benton in the car for long, so we set off to hike the bluff, saving the canyon for another day. Looking down into the canyon is stunningly beautiful. Would I have liked it as a kid? I keep wondering because what I do remember from my childhood is I really, really did not like the desert.</div>
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Here are shots of the canyon from the rim...</div>
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Here we are, hiker folks... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqRjtIN0KiXwQoPAW-m5YSFcdccNZLiaDKDjjxKGvG1oAs95ZPfSCOxdR8MNhT_AOkdaHmVsYHhelri3KborHoJeJhui2Q4u39NFKfCf98j-_V_4SLSlOkrYYHF7ngIVNrwjcMz-FmY8/s1600/3E4A42ED-B692-42BE-9F4C-6EA107C2E7C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqRjtIN0KiXwQoPAW-m5YSFcdccNZLiaDKDjjxKGvG1oAs95ZPfSCOxdR8MNhT_AOkdaHmVsYHhelri3KborHoJeJhui2Q4u39NFKfCf98j-_V_4SLSlOkrYYHF7ngIVNrwjcMz-FmY8/s320/3E4A42ED-B692-42BE-9F4C-6EA107C2E7C8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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~~~ </div>
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I can’t get enough of wandering. Or the earth. Some of us carry an inherent need to explore. Textures. Fragrances. Sounds. Air. Shadows. Movement. Patterns. Light.</div>
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Victoria Erickson </div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-25631970021887161612019-02-12T08:13:00.000-08:002019-02-12T10:43:01.620-08:00Pioneertown<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "independent serif light", serif; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Driving back to Palm Desert, after our wonderful week in Ojai, we took every back road we could find to avoid the freeway. As the day began to turn to night, we started our search for a place to camp.</div>
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Pioneertown showed up on our map with a little tent, so we headed for it. By the time we finally saw the Pioneertown sign it was quite dark. We couldn’t quite figure out where the campground was located and once we determined its location, we couldn’t find the road to get to it. The few lights marking the town were mostly blinding or for “mood” only and did a poor job of lighting our way. Once found, we discovered the campground was a parking lot. Outhouses and a scattering of picnic tables were the only amenities. The price, $10.00 per person. For one person, quite the bargain. $20 for two not too bad so we stayed. I’m so glad we didn’t drive in with three kids. Fifty dollars would have sent us out into the desert for boondocking, pronto. </div>
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The next morning we went out exploring. Pioneertown is indeed cute and we thoroughly enjoyed wandering around. Nothing was open, but because the buildings<br />
are also residential, it didn’t feel deserted. Also, while we were there two commercials were being filmed. One was a dance group of about 20 dancers. The other consisted of about half a dozen motorcycle cops. But, back to Pioneertown. It consists of one street, called Mane Street. Roy Rogers cut the town ribbon back in 1946, when it was first opened. After several years of fame and success, Pioneertown hit some rough spots, turning into a place for the down and out. These days it is enjoying a bit of a revival, with lots of visitors and care being poured into the buildings, together with serving as a backdrop for commercials and films again.<br />
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This first photo is of the Post Office, in operation since 1946, and still serving the community.<br />
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<span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdXqmshc-JNrcHNuntY16D7bkZLjoB_MKibwcHhvwL1mYwOpKolEkREKZuNOLBE4xMcQLn0E9HtAiUi8CW2XHZFRIsWxKK0RsZzZc1kK3hl-kOd97TKgM2bHgTlgCHYnXcnQv2eFCK0k/s1600/9C7920A1-6F91-424C-B2AC-1FE9F8A503FD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdXqmshc-JNrcHNuntY16D7bkZLjoB_MKibwcHhvwL1mYwOpKolEkREKZuNOLBE4xMcQLn0E9HtAiUi8CW2XHZFRIsWxKK0RsZzZc1kK3hl-kOd97TKgM2bHgTlgCHYnXcnQv2eFCK0k/s320/9C7920A1-6F91-424C-B2AC-1FE9F8A503FD.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelXURz3thS3yvu89DfEhYF3dGcO3XBmSuCXcAGo0RNLo3Bw7aSrrty5N36-NqPKCTvI17blk7bUH7VFN8tuyar7MigZwDX4G-yNsm0JMmP0BS3cVU29g3LsoVx2grjvMq0ARLvK0YZ48/s1600/465B86B9-555E-470B-B82E-A63B5199EFCF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelXURz3thS3yvu89DfEhYF3dGcO3XBmSuCXcAGo0RNLo3Bw7aSrrty5N36-NqPKCTvI17blk7bUH7VFN8tuyar7MigZwDX4G-yNsm0JMmP0BS3cVU29g3LsoVx2grjvMq0ARLvK0YZ48/s320/465B86B9-555E-470B-B82E-A63B5199EFCF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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Nearby is Pappy and Harriet’s, and on the Sunday night we were there, it was packed. Inquiring about dinner we were told “no way”. The restaurant was part of the original Pioneertown, but Pappy and Harriet did not own it until 1982 and continued until Pappy’s death. The new owners must be carrying on in Pappy’s fine tradition concluded from the crowd we saw.<br />
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And, there’s nothing like horses clomping down the street to make the scene perfect.</div>
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<i>Until we meet again, may the good Lord take a liking to you.</i></div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-86371804448710349312019-02-10T11:12:00.000-08:002019-02-10T11:26:20.340-08:00Ojai Beckons<div style="text-align: justify;">
A few days after my last treatment, we headed for Ojai to visit with Skip and Sheila. What a lovely break from the desert and a wonderful visit with friends. The driveway of Skip and Sheila is flat and perfect for Thistle. It’s almost as if we have our own condo-in-a-driveway getaway.</div>
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Ed and I spent several mornings walking to town for coffee and a pastry plus exploration. Ojai is a charming small town, situated in a valley and surrounded by mountains. Idealyic, might be the right word. Of course, I have a special feeling for Ojai, because I lived here as a kid. My memories are fond ones, and I cherish my childhood experiences of running pretty wild exploring the nooks and crannies of my east valley neighborhood. But Ojai is not just fond childhood memories. It is also the welcome we receive and the outstanding hosting poured forth by Skip and Sheila.</div>
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Going back in time is always so very interesting. What we remember and what we don’t, with the memories helped out by the trauma or attention a certain activity generated. I remember getting in serious trouble a few times. Once when I borrowed a horse from Thatcher School, but my mom insisted I stole the horse and I was forbidden to ever again go to Thatcher Scool. I also received quite a lot of attention when I helped my Dad (who was at work) burn trash. The fire escaped it’s container, almost scaring my mom to death. My sister, mom and I carried buckets of water to put it out, fortunately succeeding as Ojai is a wildfire waiting to happen. My punishment was to sit all day (which is really, really hard for a five year old) at the scene of the crime to make sure it didn’t flare up again. And then there was the time I walked to the main road to meet my sister coming home from school but instead went home with another friend who came by. Getting home late, I found my parents fit to be tied, waiting with both worry and anger clearly displayed on their faces. Isolation in my room for this one.</div>
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Small towns were like this back in my childhood. Lots and lots of roaming freedom, but the rules were not to be broken. We needed to be back home for meals, and on time. We needed to tell our parents where we were going and when we’d be home. And, as I found out we were not to steal horses or start fires or wander away with a friend.</div>
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Anyway, my memories are fond memories and our visit with Skip and Sheila was wonderful and got even better when Sharon and Charlie joined us, adding to my warm and fuzzy feelings about Ojai.</div>
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Look how green the hills are.</div>
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Riding the orange groves splendid...</div>
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Hiking the hills beautiful...</div>
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Visiting with friends devine...</div>
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And then, there’s silly Ed...<br />
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<i>Never stop screaming, playing and laughing,</i></div>
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<i> it’s part of our childhood which will always be with us</i>.</div>
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Romina Noriega</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-68949683313169920102019-02-09T15:09:00.001-08:002019-02-09T15:16:25.305-08:00Whitewater Preserve<div style="text-align: justify;">
Where do we stay in Palm Desert so we can do the medical stuff I require? Not motels, hotels or fancy trailer parks. Nope, we often park in the Kaiser parking lot, with their permission, so the doctors and treatments are within walking distance. Other times we camp at Whitewater Preserve, Lake Coahuila, Pioneer Town, Chiraco Summit, Black Rock, Salton Sea, and Anza Borrego. We kinda sleep around. </div>
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One of our favorite spots is Whitewater Preserve. A private preserve, just 20 minutes from Palm Springs. The land was purchased by Wildlands Conservancy along with Friends of the Desert Mountains and the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy. This preserve is doing a wonderful job of protecting and restoring these 291 acres, once the historic Whitewater Trout Hatchery. Visiting Whitewater is free. Plus one can camp three nights free each month. The camping is limited to vans and tents, and is next to ponds and a lovely picnic area. The trails for hiking are wonderful and nearby. The Pacific Crest Trail is a stone’s throw from the Visitor’s Center, picnic area, ponds and camping. This entire area is critical habitat for the desert bighorn sheep and the federally endangered least Bell’s vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher.</div>
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Hikers and inspiration seekers flock to this environmental delight, so near, yet so far from the heavily populated Palm Springs, and surrounding towns. It’s nice to note, all of the Wildlands Conservancy’s preserves are operated solely from private funding. I definitely dipped into my wallet for a contribution. How can one not support a program dedicated to the beauty and biodiversity of the earth and to provide programs so that children may know the joy and inspiration of nature?</div>
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And the cream topping on this delicious vanilla, strawberry and chocolate banana split was a visit from Leslie, a fellow traveler, who has become a friend. She, and her husband, Al, own a vehicle exactly like ours — Westie Sprinter. She lives on the east coast but was visiting the west coast over the holidays, so we were able to meet up.</div>
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I highly recommend a visit to this preserve if ever you find yourself wanting solitude, peace, quiet and beauty while in the Palm Springs area.<br />
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~~~</div>
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Cherish sunsets, wild creatures and wild places. </div>
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Have a love affair with the wonder and beauty of the earth.</div>
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Stewart Udall</div>
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<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-27193054399526840722019-02-09T11:57:00.001-08:002019-02-09T13:53:03.438-08:00Recalling Christmas<div style="text-align: justify;">
We departed from the NW for warmer climates on December 9. With me freezing all the time, warmer seemed like a better option for winter this year, plus I didn’t want to give up Thistle adventures just because of a little cancer. Nope. I wanted to travel still, no matter what!</div>
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We needed to scurry down to the Palm Desert area as my first SW chemo treatment was already scheduled so we couldn’t stop and visit with family and friends as we headed south, much to our disappointment. We are hoping to set up a schedule on our return trip that will allow time to make some visiting stops as we head home.</div>
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After rushing down to Palm Desert for treatment, then meeting with the doctor, my treatment was cancelled due to logistics issues at the treatment center (with only 4 chairs), and issues regarding my lack of tolerance to chemo buildup. So, I picked up a mini vacation from chemo. Right away I felt slightly better, giving me more energy to enjoy the holidays and a visit with Brad and Yessi.</div>
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When we first arrived we camped in Joshua Tree and were delighted, as always, with Joshua Tree’s stunning beauty. The majestic Joshua Trees, dramatic cactus, monumental rocks, big sky, not to mention watching the climbers, all enchanted us, as always.</div>
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After a few days we happily, delightedly and ecstatically welcomed Brad and Yessi. They spent ten days with us, flying away to home again the day after Christmas. Before the government shutdown made Joshua Tree off limits (we didn’t want to add to the crowds, many of which were gravely misbehaving), we enjoyed a few days of hiking this beautiful place.</div>
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And biking too...<br />
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But, Brad being Brad, more adventure was needed. So off to the Palm Desert Tram for a ride to the top of the mountain and a two day pack trip for Brad and Yessi.</div>
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The hike from the top to Idyllwild for Brad and Yessi, back to a campground at Idyllwild for Ed and me. Brad and Yessi reported a fantastic hike to the top of Mt. San Jacinto, reaching 10,000+ feet elevation and snow. A warm Thistle, with heat, for Ed and me.</div>
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The wrap up was Christmas in Idyllwild, bike riding, dining out, snow on Christmas morning, and a </div>
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collection of gifts, funny to useful, we’d been opening each evening for days. A very special holiday no matter which angle I view it from!<br />
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!</div>
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“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.”</div>
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Frederick Buchner</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-77986234823066310342019-02-08T19:59:00.000-08:002019-02-08T20:49:03.208-08:00Summer Catch Up<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Clearly, missing from my Thistleadventure blog for quite a spell. I have not been in Thistle writing mode for a variety of reasons, but m</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ostly because of health issues. Plus I was blocked because of password problems, and it took my dear daughter-in-law, Yessi, to figure it out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">As some of you know, but probably not all of you, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in the fall of 2017. It had metastasized with growths in my liver and lungs and was also showing up, in a more minor ways, in other spots in my intestinal tract. It was too </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">deep in the liver to remove with surgery or radiation. So, I’m on the chemotherapy path of hold-it-back to pick up time to live a bit more life. My energy is way down, the chemo side effects bothersome, but still I’m getting out and about and enjoying life, between treatments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This past summer we made a number of small Thistle trips, like Keystone, close to home on Whidbey Island, for one or two nights. The North Cascades snagged us as well, as did Lake Chelan and the Olympia area.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">L</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ake Chelan was fun, sharing the trip with friends, very cold, but </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">very beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A trip down to the Olympia area for the Senior Olympic Games, saw Ed receiving two gold metals for race walking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmRTkWBqCsNHKLzO5Pn6UkkFMZ_4C_V5KI3lsKFojDmc0UUm-1flMVVPCk4eqelPFhu05KNApI54Fty_Y388Oy4-sORZZ_W4MPUSeDVp2UvjsSySAY-OEfzterXTkZyR2lSZ3eWDqRS_/s1600/D5774DD6-075B-4F4C-B873-6C533232680D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmRTkWBqCsNHKLzO5Pn6UkkFMZ_4C_V5KI3lsKFojDmc0UUm-1flMVVPCk4eqelPFhu05KNApI54Fty_Y388Oy4-sORZZ_W4MPUSeDVp2UvjsSySAY-OEfzterXTkZyR2lSZ3eWDqRS_/s320/D5774DD6-075B-4F4C-B873-6C533232680D.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">At the end of August I decided I didn’t want to give up my past few years of riding the years of my birthday. So I did it again, cancer or not. We camped at Keystone on Whidbey Island, and I rode my birth years. This year I took three days, rather than doing the ride in one, and rode on my new e-bike, but still I rode 78 miles, with lots of support from my family and friends, grinning the entire way. A wonderful birthday celebration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We also managed to get to Lopez Island to visit friends and enjoy a kayak spin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tiny outings, but wonderful to be thistleadventuring once again. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My doctors are impressed and not worried about the fatigue I experience after a ride. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The summer trips will be local this year, grabbing a day here and there between treatments, but home is a glorious place to be too, so it’s a wonderful combo of good </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">options. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s interesting to note the changes in one’s philosophy when hit with the news of inoperable, metastasized cancer. Suddenly the small things in life are</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> more important and each day takes on a significance not </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">quite recognized when the end of life was less in view. I’ve had a truly wonderful life, for which I’m grateful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Summer is now over, and we really truly are on another thistleadventure. Stay tuned. More postings coming from the SW where we are spending the winter.</span></div>
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<i>The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments</i></div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-81270541762145186702017-09-10T19:46:00.000-07:002017-09-11T05:59:51.726-07:00A Clash of Cultures<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 15px;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;">I suspect we all feel a touch of disquietude</span><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> from time-to-time. Something doesn't feel quite right. Even before any specific issue is identified, an unease is felt. For us, as we travel, it happens sometimes when we pull into a littered campground or stop for lunch at a park with dirty restrooms. Other times it is just driving through a town with an unpleasant smell or vacant rundown buildings. Perhaps it is being thrust unwittingly into a city's homelessness issues. The question that we must always ask ourself is this: <i>is it snobbery or </i></span><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i>legitimate concern or something else? </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Naturally, hunches like this need to be treated with great care because they can be caused by racial or class biases that we have carefully tucked away out of sight, but that can raise their ugly heads if we’re not alert. Other times we must pay attention because our senses are warning us of a real danger. Often we will never know if we were right in our retreat, other times we’re delighted we overcame a nervous hunch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Last night we camped along the beautiful Carbon River, just outside the NW entrance of Rainier National Park, in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and the dead-end of Highway 165. It is both beautiful and a tragedy of human bad behavior. Each camp is littered with beer and pop cans, bottles and lids, flip tabs and cigarette butts. Pieces of flotsam hiding in the fire pits and on the ground are everywhere, castoff by campers who do not understand the "Pack It In; Pack It Out" rule of </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">mountaineering</span><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;">. Yessi and I begin to pick up trash as Brad and Ed set up the vehicles for the night’s camp. Tomorrow we will explore further up the road for the Green Trails Maps hiking route Brad and Yessi will map in two weeks.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thistle always provides a safe, clean, dry home</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is just beginning to rain. The dog is nuts with happiness and keeps trying to get one or the other of us to throw sticks into the river.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91-Bse9tcnvbb0Dl2cDcUC5KfKrzQ1ufq1dGNFu6VipGymYWkRKczwg_q92j5IHgY3NU1Slb-IG4VFGct__WX-_n_nBHUqdcUyfnqHngzauDput9mBfAh7RDAFAG8pcUUJy08va3Ghv8/s1600/21462563_10155084202553507_6169246984403784842_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="845" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91-Bse9tcnvbb0Dl2cDcUC5KfKrzQ1ufq1dGNFu6VipGymYWkRKczwg_q92j5IHgY3NU1Slb-IG4VFGct__WX-_n_nBHUqdcUyfnqHngzauDput9mBfAh7RDAFAG8pcUUJy08va3Ghv8/s400/21462563_10155084202553507_6169246984403784842_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He‘s also interested in a little corner of shrubs near our camp. When we investigate we’re sickened. PWFs (puffy white flowers) are everywhere — the tell-tale signs of an area being used as a restroom.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A disgusting collection of PWFs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Lots of people are camping and recreating along this road. We would prefer a less crowded situation, but with rain settling in along with night, this is where we must stay. With some disgust and much disappointment in my fellow human beings I am filled with sadness and a bit of </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">trepidation</span><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> When I turn away from the mess, without taking a step, here is my view in the opposite direction — an open pit toilet and a river side-by-side.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The river and flood plain</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Earlier in the day we investigated a forest service road for a camp site, but gave up. The entire area was being used for ATV’s and target practice. I’m not, in a broad sense, opposed to either, done with sensitivity, but sensitivity was no where in sight, although piles of litter were. Each of the shooting range areas was totally trashed with the accumulation of years and years of empty shells, cans, car parts, old targets, bits of plastic and PWFs. Each of the parking areas for the ATVs was the same. Without much comment, we drove on, and then out of this sullied area. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This morning we continue across the river and up into subalpine forest. It is beautiful. More shooting ranges, equally trashed, but we pass by quickly as the semi-automatics blast away, putting miles between them and us as fast as we can on this washboard road. Toward the top we find the trailhead for Summit Lake and the beginning of a 30 mile loop Brad and Yessi will hike and record in two weeks. We also found a beautiful campsite, and with a little litter removal we left it pristine. Our conclusion for this site being in better condition is the location of a National Forest Toilet and garbage cans nearby. The price we pay for not paying the price for maintaining our public lands is huge. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrXbpZIYoxcusVh1a5TnuetCX-xtD2SQguKRUQjBQbqjdO4MUzise5s_mpFQwt0PmQzYFW8DvLjiOy2Y9CVxIFirUelMZOMWtQLyBF5S_wReIh55WqCxG23LlS9_VJqLSeoAQYKTdYok/s1600/21462668_10155084202533507_917045544994771902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrXbpZIYoxcusVh1a5TnuetCX-xtD2SQguKRUQjBQbqjdO4MUzise5s_mpFQwt0PmQzYFW8DvLjiOy2Y9CVxIFirUelMZOMWtQLyBF5S_wReIh55WqCxG23LlS9_VJqLSeoAQYKTdYok/s400/21462668_10155084202533507_917045544994771902_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coplay Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR36Jbjgo51BFjGXljDo61rMCeMBXV4b56hCjymIYCwQ3ve19aQVwGmop41kkLeYyDs8O4wfMEffFbPHGUMLRaancYg6PDK2Uc0Pl0dsHFK0jDRvAkw37UqxgmIaLt8oBshmiu8_tLek/s1600/21463042_10155084202523507_7526945243724940475_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR36Jbjgo51BFjGXljDo61rMCeMBXV4b56hCjymIYCwQ3ve19aQVwGmop41kkLeYyDs8O4wfMEffFbPHGUMLRaancYg6PDK2Uc0Pl0dsHFK0jDRvAkw37UqxgmIaLt8oBshmiu8_tLek/s400/21463042_10155084202523507_7526945243724940475_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benton loving stick chasing in Coplay Lake</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3s9noc5DzKgSKPjWyq8zhgsu98rceSPTceDkN6JhAZ0A6eTwKtfBtn30mjeqM8szPRB4tjMGQNOfCqvNe3dOvXrH8uqpW6iC4JXWSeV4oyoo0qR3_8fYjvb5OSYETJJb3r7nmJa87TQ/s1600/IMG_4632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3s9noc5DzKgSKPjWyq8zhgsu98rceSPTceDkN6JhAZ0A6eTwKtfBtn30mjeqM8szPRB4tjMGQNOfCqvNe3dOvXrH8uqpW6iC4JXWSeV4oyoo0qR3_8fYjvb5OSYETJJb3r7nmJa87TQ/s400/IMG_4632.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad and Benton exploring the lake's edge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fran, Benton, Ed & Brad<br />
Somehow Yessi was always our photographer</td></tr>
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Sometimes, finding ourselves ill at ease with those around us is the push needed to regroup, reeducate, and readjust our thinking. Clearly, all of us working harder to bridge economic and cultural chasms is worth striving for. </div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Snobbery management is as difficult and necessary as anger management."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">~ Michael Foley</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Embracing the Ordinary: Lessons from the Champions of Everyday Life</span></div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-44864820681771953072017-09-03T09:13:00.000-07:002017-09-04T09:25:25.698-07:00Borders<div style="text-align: justify;">
The strength of travel is in observing new things, with these new things leading to increased knowledge and the expansion of one's world view. This expansion can be of how other people live, talk and eat or it can be observations about politics, flora and fauna, or geography. We find it all fascinating and we thrive in newly discovered ideas as well as terrain.</div>
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On our recent trip to British Columbia I was particularly observant to how it felt crossing the border into another country, especially after the recent broadening of border security. We've crossed the border into Canada many, many times over the years, rarely finding it completely stress free. These days that stressful feeling is ramped up. Our nation's days of discontent increase and our border crossings feel more threatening. They are tense. </div>
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Ed was born in Saskatchewan, so he often gets questioned by border patrol in more detail than I, especially by U.S. Customs. Two years ago, Canadian Customs pulled us over so they could run a background check on me. Other times we just breeze through both U.S. and Canadian Customs. Sometimes we must dispose of food or answer a barrage of seemingly strange questions. We always try to be prepared with passports and Benton's vaccination documents ready; we carry no liquor; limit food on board; and have receipts for new purchases. But still, we wonder, "what this time?" We feel a touch of angst as we wait in the long line approaching the booth.</div>
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Coming home, back into the U.S. on this most recent trip, a passenger, about three cars in front of us, was pulled out, cuffed and led off, to who knows where. It's difficult to completely relax in any situation where the officials have such a high degree of control, and the citizens must comply both physically and in attitude, or risk their escalation of power. </div>
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Generally speaking, though, the back and forth between the U.S. and Canada is not too difficult or stress generating, and if you pass through customs at the Peace Arch, it is an inviting and beautifully welcoming park in both directions. Flags from both countries wave together in camaraderie and peace.</div>
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Our southern border with Mexico is quite a different experience, and has been for as far back as I can remember when my family and I visited relatives in the Imperial Valley, close to the Mexican border. Although we have not crossed into Mexico for a few years, we have passed through check points often in our close-to-the-border travels. And we are familiar with the past stress of entering and exiting Mexico. Both Canada and Mexico are our neighbors, but equal treatment is no where in sight and it makes me sad. This inequality is due to many reasons, but I suspect largely three -- economics, skin color and language. The differences are staggering. </div>
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Along the U.S.-Mexican border, friendship arches and dual-country flags flying to show the camaraderie between our two countries are non-existent. There are miles of fences and walls, expanses of cement, barbed wire, trash and filth everywhere. And U.S. southern Border Patrol is tough.</div>
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Walking between countries is prison-like…</div>
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And then there are the ecological disaster walls impeding wildlife…<br />
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Ed and I are left wanting to reach out. To apologize. We want to show we're friendly. We want to honor our neighbors to the south, as well as to the north. Our encounters with the Spanish people have always been wonderful, both here in the U.S. and in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking nations, like when we spent a month in Ecuador. Friendly people with easy smiles, who dance and sing and welcome us with delight. People who love their families above all. Religious people. And the food couldn't be better!! Just try, I dare you, to find a fish taco in the U.S. that tastes as good as a fish taco in Baja.</div>
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In Trump's call for wall designs, this one was submitted. How healing and respectful and loving would this be? It's still a wall, like at the Peace Arch going into Canada, but it's also a park and a place to join hands and be neighbors… </div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-67440178222110268052017-08-13T10:25:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:43:04.208-07:00Vancouver Island Wrap-up<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sometimes the timing is off or the expectations are too unrealistic or our own quirks become too quirky. When this happens, to write about<em> all things vacation</em> being perfect is dishonest or at the very least, pretty darn Pollyannaish. Traveling is wonderful, but not always. Out of synch happens. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Take our most recent sojourn on Vancouver Island.</span><br />
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The first scapegoat for any traveling discomfort is the weather. Ed and I always play with it a bit, and delight in heading to higher or lower elevations or going south or north, to find "ideal". On this trip we simply have not been able to get it quite right, moving from sweltering to shivering throughout most days. We'd head up off the coast to escape the cold seashore fog, and bake. We'd go back down to the beach to escape the heat, and freeze. We've turned into crazy yo-yos of discontent. <br />
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Add mosquitoes to the equation and the complexity intensifies. In the woods the mosquitoes fiercely attack, leaving red welts on top of red welts. During the night I turn into a crazy whirling maniac with fits of itching. To avoid more bites we hide out in Thistle, but that is confining and hot, plus the mosquitoes still sneak in. Sleeping with even one mosquito in Thistle is challenging and hearing the telltale buzzing, I dive under the blanket. Waking up hot and sweaty, I throw off the blanket to cool off, but soon I am chilled, so seek cover again. Throughout, the mosquitoes feast. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.<br />
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And then, what were we thinking? The crowds of August vacationers caught us off guard. We have done so much traveling in the off season, we had somehow misplaced our recollection of summer vacationers. People are as thick as the <em>mosquito </em>bites on my body, overflowing the<em> </em>beaches, highways, ferries, coffee shops, and campgrounds. The people we've encountered are quite lovely, there are just way too many for my spoiled country ways. I avoid Langley in the summer, and definitely stay away from Seattle, why did I think Vancouver Island would be different? <br />
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And finally, change has unexpectedly caught me in its grip. I anticipated finding the small, quaint towns I remembered from 30 plus years ago changed but not too changed. Ha. Take Sooke. This tiny town I stopped at when cycling the Galloping Goose all those many years ago is no longer tiny. Sooke has sprawled every which way and is plagued with bumper to bumper traffic. I am critical of people's resistance to change in the political world, yet here I am trapped in my own mindset of "what it was" in the physical world.<br />
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We have seen many wonderful parts of Vancouver Island and greatly enjoyed many of our destinations, but as vacations go I was caught off guard enough to examine my ideal. I was forced into self reflection. Our dear friend, Greg's words rang in my ears: "No expectations, no disappointments."<br />
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And, a final word for travel on Vancouver Island -- take a boat!<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">It's the rugged shorelines and small off shore islands and abundant wildlife and hundreds of lovely little lakes that are the drop dead wonders of this place. A boat enhances the experience, as I know from previous trips, but failed to fully appreciate until I found myself without a boat.</span></div>
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“Everything that looks too perfect is too perfect to be perfect.” <br />
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~ Dejan Stojanovic</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-12701374613412139592017-08-12T18:14:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:18:24.538-07:00Malcolm Island <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our way to Malcolm Island…<br />
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Bere Point Campground on Malcolm Island becomes our home for two nights. The only town on the island, Sointula, sports the oldest coop in BC plus lots of art, funk, characters and charm. The dogs and cats have right-of-way on the streets. The island's setting, off the Queen Charlotte Strait, is stunning, and only a 20 minute ferry ride from Port McNeill.</div>
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Hiking the Beautiful Bay Trail we stop at the whale viewing platform, but no whales this day. The hike is a pleasant woodland path, often with salal way over our heads, giving way to beautiful peekaboo water views from time-to-time. We cross over rickety little bridges that wave and bend and sag in most interesting ways.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 feet help on these rickety old bridges</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">salal well over our heads</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Later in the day, we walk the streets of Sointula, along with other walkers and bikers and dogs, and even at one point a free-roaming cow happily munching in a patch of daisies. We discover the library, complete with the sit-outside-when-they-are-closed Internet. In the marina parking lot we cooked dinner in Thistle as we watched the fishing fleet rushing home just ahead of the bank of fog rolling in. We shopped the coop and sampled two cafes -- Upper Crust Bakery for lunch and Coho Joe Cafe.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful, but sad, old skeleton boat house still housing<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> We pretty much sampled the whole island, with the exception of driving the full length of the only east-west road. After driving to the light house at the west end we simply didn't have the stamina to go in the other direction. Our tolerance for dusty washboard roads had come to an end so further explorations ended with the pavement. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Goodbye Malcolm Island. We enjoyed our stay!</span><br />
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~~~</div>
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"The longer the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder."</div>
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~ Ralph Washington Sockman</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-81648622922679752962017-08-12T10:10:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:21:46.477-07:00Port Alice <div style="text-align: justify;">
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Port Alice is a sweet little town accessible from a curvy, scenic road (paved even!!) headed south midway between Port Hardy and Port McNeill, off Highway 19. It is situated beautifully at Rumble Beach and charmed our socks off. Once a pulp mill town, now without an obvious means of jobs, except logging, fishing and tourism. Nestled between Neroutsos Inlet and Alice Lake, Port Aliceis perfectly situated for surround-beauty.</div>
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Shortly after arriving we pulled into a sleepy little RV Park for the night. $11 with a stunning view of the Inlet. We tucked the camping fee under the door because, after calling the owners at a number provided, we were told they were home eating dinner. The next morning, we strolled the 3 km Sea Walk, off leash for Benton, because there wasn't a car or another person in sight. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> By almost noon, when we departed, we still had not seen our hosts.</span></div>
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Seeing the For Sale sign on the RV park/restaurant we stayed at got me to thinking about Port Alice as a home. Quiet in the summer; beyond quiet in the winter. Serenity year-around! An appealing idea in these days of Trump.</div>
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~~~</div>
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"My incentive? Making a peaceful spirit second nature. And that is so worth the effort."</div>
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~ Carlos Wallace</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-59182646197988983742017-08-10T10:52:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:30:50.241-07:00Back to the Pacific Ocean <div style="text-align: justify;">
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Aside from Victoria, B.C. trips, all previous trips to Vancouver Island have been to drive as fast as we could to a put-in and then explore by kayak. In the past, I have paddled Barkley Sound, Desolation Sound and Kyuquot Sound -- all wonderfully beautiful. Exploring the island in a car is a new adventure, and so far I'd say not as rewarding as paddling, but worth doing nevertheless.</div>
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Both Ed and I were missing the past adventures of water and remote ocean travels so from Port Hardy we head to the Pacific, destination Cape Palmerston and Raft Cove Provincial Park. Logging roads the entire route, some 40 miles, or so, made for a teeth chattering experience. Attesting to the good springs in Thistle, we still have our teeth. We also have a mountain of dust in every nook and cranny. Perhaps it's the dust holding our teeth in place???</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">between dust flying and a dirty windshield the view failed to impress</td></tr>
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Along the way we stop at Holberg for an ice-cream bar at a funny little grocery store in a town of perhaps 12 homes.</div>
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The beauty of the ocean with its beaches, rocky shores and calming waves is a wonderful juxtaposition to the washboard roads that battered us mile after mile getting here. And Benton, seemingly finished with rough roads with his hang face, was more than happy to exit Thistle for some beach-running freedom.</div>
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Hiking out to Raft Cove was on a rooted, challenging trail through a beautiful but tangled forest, an hour in length. Mosquitoes, of course, chewed on us relentlessly, but breaking out on the beach made every bump, step, and bite, worth the effort and itch. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trail of roots</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some lovely trail building but it petered out<br />not too far along</td></tr>
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To our surprise there were lots of campers, kayakers, surfboarders and paddle boarders stretched out along the length of the beach. There were also ample camps tucked away in the woods, almost hidden from sight, and outhouses amply placed, so that the beach felt quite pristine. Unlike other places we've been the folks seemed well trained in the "pack it in, pack it out" philosophy of good camping etiquette. It also turns out Raft Cove can be reached via a raft down Macjack River making it far more accessible than we ever imagined.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some sun, lots of fog but sometimes, like here, off in<br />the distance</td></tr>
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Access to Cape Palmerston was only a five minute hike through the woods from the parking lot. The beach was gravel, not sand, much shorter than Raft Cove and with many fewer people. Except for two semi-permanent summer tents the only other people we saw were day visitors, like us. The occupants of the tents were living off the sea for the summer. The one man we spoke with was very interesting, probably in his late 60's, who had immigrated to Canada from Kenya, directly after finishing University in England. He speaks seven languages, including Chinese, as he worked with his brother-in-law in China for a spell. I always find it delightful to find all manner of people wherever we go, no matter how remote or unexpected.</div>
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Hiking down the beach a bit, we come across this wonderful emergency shelter, complete with loft sleeping accommodations, kitchen sink and drain board, outhouse up a little trail called Taj Mahole, fire pit with benches, and a sweet little deck for viewing the ocean. A guestbook recorded many visitors who had simply dropped by or stayed for a spell. We added our names.</div>
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Our trip has generated two bear sightings and a third almost-bear-sighting. The third was at Cape Palmerston where there was a dead seal on the beach and accordingly to the man we spoke with, a bear came several times a day to graze. The eagles were showing a great deal of interest too. Also the area has wolves and cougars but we heard of no reports that they were participants at this feast and we saw no signs of either.</div>
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"Always there has been an adventure just around the corner--and the world is still full of corners."</div>
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~ Roy Chapman Andrews </div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-34969992429450050602017-08-10T09:44:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:40:16.572-07:00Headed North on Vancouver Island<div style="text-align: justify;">
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From Highway 4, we join the north-south Highway 19 (opting for Highway 19A at this point) at Qualicum Beach. "Beach" is the operative word in this town's name as it is truly a beautiful public waterfront. Any city setting aside public space like Qualicum Beach has, is a jewel. All too often rivers, lakes, sounds and oceans are wrapped up in private ownership with public access, as well as views, denied to too many others. Who doesn't enjoy dipping one's toes in water and frolicking on a beach?</div>
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Heading up Vancouver Island is interesting as the road, especially Highway 19A, hugs the shoreline much of the way, or so it seems looking at a map. Yet it is a rare event to glimpse water, because even with the road so near the strait, the forest between the road and the water is view-blocking thick. From Qualicum Beach we didn't have great views of the water until we reached Campbell River, and here we happily discovered another town that celebrates it's waterfront. A very long stretch of waterfront has been preserved and enhanced for the public to enjoy -- and we did, especially Benton.</div>
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Leaving Campbell River, we found camping at Morton Lake Park, a charming spot in the woods with a perfect little swimming lake. Before pulling out the next morning we quite enjoyed a refreshing swim, washing off the travel dust as well at giving our bodies a cool, refreshing workout. A fellow camper suggested we stop for breakfast at Roberts Lake so, as we rarely do, we engaged in restaurant fare. A hearty tasty breakfast was served, much too huge, providing us with dinner as well.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">From here, to the north of the island we are on Highway 19, and as hoped, the crowds have thinned. We don't next connect with the shoreline until </span>Port McNeill and then Port Hardy, two towns knowing how to capitalize on their locations of beauty, facing Queen Charlotte Strait. The towns themselves are unassuming, but their shorelines are beautifully developed for people pleasure.</div>
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Port McNeill…<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port McNeill, B.C.</td></tr>
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~~~</div>
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"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water."</div>
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~ Loran Eisely</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-66798538339702478152017-08-08T14:11:00.001-07:002017-08-14T09:36:19.327-07:00Ucluelet and Tofino and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The next morning we head west to the ocean and the towns of Ucluelet and Tofino, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Highway 4, the only southern road headed west to the ocean, is beautiful. Clear river views with lots of swimming holes, lakes, rock cliffs, forests and pristine mountains enchanted us.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At our destination, the small, slow, sleepy towns we expected, and knew from the past, are no longer slow and sleepy. Huge crowds of people were everywhere and the traffic was bumper-to-bumper. No vacancy signs were posted on the entrances to all campgrounds, motels, and hotels. Restaurants had lines spilling out onto the streets. Cute little shops were filled with lure-the-tourist trinkets (garage sale fodder, as one friend has labeled them). We found ourselves in shock and a bit overwhelmed on this very hot day. Looking at each other, we saw a run-for-sanity look in one another's eyes. Living in a tourist town leaves us less willing to tolerate them when we're on holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A short hike on the Wild Pacific Trail, convinced us we should revisit again sometime soon, but off season. The trail we sampled is beautiful, hugging the shores and cliffs of the Pacific Ocean as it winds its way through old intact forests, along sandy beaches, and across rocky tide pools. It even offers teasing views of whales not far off shore. A barefoot walk on Long Beach spun magic as well, with its long stretch of beautiful fine, white sand, stretching almost as far as we could see. Without a question, we must return, but only after the August holiday masses return home.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We really do love people. We just love them in small doses not in frantic demanding tourist scenes. Tomorrow we will head north and hope, as the road narrows, the crowds thin.</span> </div>
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~~~</div>
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"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,</div>
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There is a rapture on the lonely shore,</div>
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There is society, where none intrudes,</div>
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By the deep sea, and music in its roar;</div>
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I love not man the less, but Nature more"</div>
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~ George Gordon Byron</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-88573129729329936752017-08-04T11:37:00.000-07:002017-08-14T09:38:23.483-07:00Helping Hand<div style="text-align: justify;">
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We arrived at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal a bit before 5:00, but it was 8:15 before we finally loaded. Three heat-blasted hours on a sea of blacktop, not a tree in sight, surrounded by cars and trucks is a perfect definition for unpleasant. Hot sun penetrated Thistle. Wide open doors and windows were useless in catching any breeze on this still evening. Fortunately (and this is one of the most wonderful parts of RV travel), we prepared dinner as we waited in line, avoiding the only other dining option available -- fast food smothered in oil, sugar or salt.<br />
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We rolled into Nanaimo feeling damp from sweat and exhausted from a long trip, but fortunately well fed. It was 10:15 when we disembarked and headed up Vancouver Island, destination Parksville and Rathuevor Beach Provincial Park. Engulfed in dark, traveling unfamiliar roads, we stumbled north, knowing we were pushing park closing time. And, with the fate of late night driving, we drove past the park entrance. Circling back, not yet ready to give up, we stopped to ask directions. By now it was 11:45 and the man we consulted said, "Too late! The park closed at 11:00." But, he continued, "You're welcome to park back there." and pointed his finger to a utility area behind his business, "Just clear out early tomorrow morning."<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We jumped at the opportunity this unknown man's trust and generosity provided. Our good fortune was a home for the night lacking aesthetics, but offering lots of heart. How sweet it is when a total stranger holds out a helping hand.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">"Although an act of help done timely, might be small in nature, it is truly larger than the world itself."</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">~ Thirukkural Thiruvalluvar</span><br />
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-45765242628862147122017-07-24T14:50:00.000-07:002017-07-24T19:43:23.882-07:00Racewalking<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tomorrow we have reservations for the Pt. Townsend ferry, to take a leisurely drive down the peninsula to Olympia. We will camp Friday night at Millersylvania State Park. Us, and thousands of others, year in and year out, enjoy this park because of the Miller family's generosity. In 1921 they turned over this 842 acres, including Deep Lake, to the state, with the request that it always be used as a park. Thank you John Miller family!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOM1q-kClvvIg0E2SxaRr7JaW3GPrQBGGK9OLXQ93Nxca0LrHPPBhrFPptKq_p3p9mwt-s4y5_Qtke-ZZYjNpgvTVQN-Hb4tuuLywo-LyYgcwIMVGuFzt4o9cjNk7mXmh9Kv2cyvjxX4/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOM1q-kClvvIg0E2SxaRr7JaW3GPrQBGGK9OLXQ93Nxca0LrHPPBhrFPptKq_p3p9mwt-s4y5_Qtke-ZZYjNpgvTVQN-Hb4tuuLywo-LyYgcwIMVGuFzt4o9cjNk7mXmh9Kv2cyvjxX4/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up from our camp site.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisemrWcNVT8HPi72STonI8aubXc5Xo52PLIUgKBTp7Z3a3IBR9XXCK7bXuSXweb4S5_vWNhqZDPu8E2bviOmaRWaeNVoy67zsknzZTrc2wS9jAdp4kgk5fgQzh2oj8o7ZiKCgFy25kd8c/s1600/IMG_4501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisemrWcNVT8HPi72STonI8aubXc5Xo52PLIUgKBTp7Z3a3IBR9XXCK7bXuSXweb4S5_vWNhqZDPu8E2bviOmaRWaeNVoy67zsknzZTrc2wS9jAdp4kgk5fgQzh2oj8o7ZiKCgFy25kd8c/s400/IMG_4501.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We even found a beer garden, in a state park. Such pleasure sitting<br />
in the shade sipping a cool one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Zr0At6Kdyxk6GTWNuZlAzDTTngclpaUYUdu0SuS9xVWzgJBVTGeyYrSjZq0uGZuwE9wlAr2y9fzxsXrD7q6PcSF_yrGGE32bZXzUadze3UbP115C1JvFEm6CCJSPvwB93sCuL84Hlc0/s1600/IMG_4505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="598" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Zr0At6Kdyxk6GTWNuZlAzDTTngclpaUYUdu0SuS9xVWzgJBVTGeyYrSjZq0uGZuwE9wlAr2y9fzxsXrD7q6PcSF_yrGGE32bZXzUadze3UbP115C1JvFEm6CCJSPvwB93sCuL84Hlc0/s400/IMG_4505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lake was being enjoyed by all manner of people and their water toys.</td></tr>
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Early the next morning we make our way to North Thurston High School for the Washington State Senior Games. Ed, a racewalking enthusiast, is ready for competition. The senior games start at age 50, and have a class for every four years of age, up through 100+. The oldest competitor this year was George Rowswell. He is 100 years of age and throws the discus from his wheelchair. He also lifts 10 to 20 pound weights, 200 times daily. Grit comes to mind.</div>
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For the past three years, training and practicing the proper racewalking techniques have motivated Ed. He's been to Green Lake racewalking clinics a few times to learn from the masters. Otherwise he walks here on the island, as well as when we travel, increasing his time all the while perfecting the proper form.</div>
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Doing it wrong can be harsh because the judges, after issuing three warnings of rule violations, will disqualify you, and the decision is final. There is no appeal. </div>
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You've no doubt seen racewalkers. They look somewhat strange until you become familiar with their gait. There are two basic racewalking techniques required:</div>
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<span class="text">1) T</span><span class="text">aking steps so that the walker connects with the
ground with no visible loss of contact.<br />
</span><span class="text"><i></i></span></div>
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<span class="text"><i>This is the difference from racewalking and running</i>. The heel
of the front foot and the toe of the rear foot must be in contact
with the ground at the same time. </span></div>
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<span class="text"></span><br />
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<span class="text"> <span class="text">2) </span><span class="text">The advancing leg must be
straight-kneed from the moment of first
contact with the ground until in a vertical position.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
T<i>his is the difference between racewalking and walking</i>. The rule is that the knee is held straight when
the heel strikes the ground, and remains straight until it passes
under the body. Then the knee bends and swings forward for the next step.</div>
</blockquote>
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So here's Ed…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRuc8BRZWGmVeCeaMPRzp-yfK92-aQ2wt1NHAdsFTEz_NBMcnLP0R4R4HrpepdDbLorBvkPxCt-d2vuWOCjObMcBp9lUtChUT44VLPuaBoVyokyo-B_JthtSSABL1cvkFgm3Hs78_vnc/s1600/IMG_3320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="478" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRuc8BRZWGmVeCeaMPRzp-yfK92-aQ2wt1NHAdsFTEz_NBMcnLP0R4R4HrpepdDbLorBvkPxCt-d2vuWOCjObMcBp9lUtChUT44VLPuaBoVyokyo-B_JthtSSABL1cvkFgm3Hs78_vnc/s400/IMG_3320.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two gold metals!<br />
(5k and 1500 meter)</td></tr>
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~~~</div>
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"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."</div>
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~ Tom Landry</div>
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<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-21225054708729531902017-06-24T14:12:00.000-07:002017-06-25T07:24:20.035-07:00Whidbey Island SummerA summer right here on Whidbey Island, a summer at home, is unfolding…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFszTBL6rzjQdtFdunsv0QLrI8NMykKPU5k1NUCYT_QMyuxKPZSq5weO4MgzmSQm97FoYe3v549XIuDY2WEWO4LpkpiC1sar0ol4DF5rbhH3GZgvgZpfQH8aFHGYBMnjwA8bm56m2ASUo/s1600/1A6A8348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFszTBL6rzjQdtFdunsv0QLrI8NMykKPU5k1NUCYT_QMyuxKPZSq5weO4MgzmSQm97FoYe3v549XIuDY2WEWO4LpkpiC1sar0ol4DF5rbhH3GZgvgZpfQH8aFHGYBMnjwA8bm56m2ASUo/s400/1A6A8348.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Too often it seems to have <i>fun,</i> one is expected to be somewhere other than home. Flying away to far off lands or driving to exotic places is how to explore and find adventure. Or, so goes the common story line. Telling a friend you are staying home for the summer too often is met with words of regret. "Oh, we're sorry, too bad you have nothing planned for your summer vacation." </div>
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Although we love our Thistle adventures, we also love our close to home explorations. Despite the push-pull between staying put or another Thistle adventure, we don't think it's possible to make a bad decision. </div>
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Our summer at home, with family and friends will be delightful as well as restful. Our activities somewhat predictable, but predictability can be just the ticket on occasion. Although we will not refer to our at-home activities as "adventures" we also will not relegate them to the trash heap of boring. </div>
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Family, always a delight, will be high on our list of "time delightfully spent"…</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yessi, Fran, Brad, Ed</td></tr>
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Thistle will rest in the driveway, perhaps a little too much, but we will definitely venture out on short outings, even setting our sights on the not-so-distant, but in a foreign land, Vancouver Island. We also have visions of more deeply exploring Lake Chelan, the North Cascades and hiking on the ocean beaches…</div>
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Digging Brad and Yessi's Klepper out of storage and going for a sail sounds perfect…<br />
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And, as always, a bunch of riding is on the agenda. This year we will repeat a past year's island explorations by again riding all the connecting roads on Whidbey Island… </div>
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Each day we will try to be more like our pup, Benton -- enjoying every minute whether sleeping in the garden or romping on the beach. Dogs are the prefect creatures to teach us to be happily in the moment…</div>
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Plus, what could be more beautiful than our summer garden. Our Airbnb guests think they are in paradise, and so should we…</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWpWgvu8lwzn519d8d25C3fkYTKWJvoFuXvgzBAV73ve9hBqaZ5ihdmPqxGvv8uOJh7Lyo_nEowFGba8Xv2qiwDW4J1kMvxKJYl6eGo_hL2iJGsrYaD4fxlqVQ5Vqg4W_FO8Yf0NoQBE/s1600/IMG_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWpWgvu8lwzn519d8d25C3fkYTKWJvoFuXvgzBAV73ve9hBqaZ5ihdmPqxGvv8uOJh7Lyo_nEowFGba8Xv2qiwDW4J1kMvxKJYl6eGo_hL2iJGsrYaD4fxlqVQ5Vqg4W_FO8Yf0NoQBE/s400/IMG_4418.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So yes, a summer at home is what's happening this year. A summer of slow, lazy, happy days on a beautiful island in the Pacific Northwest. And to enhance our at-home enjoyment we have an outdoor bedroom. Upstairs, in the building housing our office and carport, that we call the barn, is a recently installed Murphy bed high above the garden…</div>
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"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration."</div>
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~ Ansel Adams</div>
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fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-18291011649460285032017-05-23T20:02:00.000-07:002017-05-24T06:28:20.240-07:00"Gardening is the Best Exercise of All!"<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't know why I agreed. A weak moment, perhaps? It's not as if life is not busy enough with Thistle travels, political involvement, running an Airbnb and just plain day-to-day life. But I did hear "yes" come rushing out of my mouth. I think it might have been my physical therapist's words, newly delivered, "gardening is the best exercise of all. Keep gardening!"</div>
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So here I am, day in and day out, gardening my body into some semblance of fit as I prepare our garden for the Whidbey Island Garden Tour on Saturday, June 17. As the day draws near, preparation panic sweeps over me. I rush to eliminate all weeds, prune all trees and nudge each and every garden corner into a thing I know doesn't exist, but I'm still striving to achieve, <i>perfection</i>. Ha! Both my garden and my body resist mightily.</div>
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But, despite the work-in-progress nature of a garden, welcome to our Fredley Garden. Our home and garden are in the city limits of Langley, on Whidbey Island. We have 1/3 acre of peace and quiet, hidden from neighbors, yet a short walk to town.</div>
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This is the front gate, built in our son's wild and playful style. His company, dbBrad, built our home and Brad is our family's creative genius.</div>
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First couple of steps through the gate…<br />
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A little stroll around the garden…<br />
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Our pond…</div>
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Please, come again…June 17?</div>
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Tickets are now on sale for the tour. Proceeds from the annual <a href="http://www.wigt.org/2017-garden-tour.html">Whidbey Island Garden Tour </a>are donated to selected causes and non-profit organizations that support the improvement, restoration, and maintenance of our common island habitat. Projects that emphasize public space enhancement and education are of particular merit in the eyes of the WIGT Board.<br />
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If you want to be happy for a short time, get drunk;</div>
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happy for a long time, fall in love;</div>
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happy forever, take up gardening."</div>
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~ Arthur Smith</div>
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<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115353905841838312.post-16407819362991396382017-04-14T20:46:00.000-07:002017-04-14T20:50:06.992-07:00Life is a Dance<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Our last night on the road we camped at Dungeness Recreation Area, where <a href="http://www.clallam.net/Parks/">Clallam County </a>provides 66 beautiful camping sites right next to Dungeness Spit. The spit is walking paradise, plus there are other walking trails and equestrian trails throughout the park.</div>
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Both Ed and I were astonished when we compared notes and discovered neither of us had walked the spit. Five and one-half miles of narrow spit beach walking, with unlimited views, culminating at a light house. We did not walk the entire eleven mile round trip because tide and dog issues forced us into restraint, plus provided me with a good foil against needing to blame my ankle. And then there was the threatening rain.</div>
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Clallam County camping opportunities are vast. They have about 16 county campgrounds so for camping close to home, head for the peninsula. </div>
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Ed and I did our usual <i>turn into homing pigeons</i> once we finished our hike on the Dungeness Spit. Although we thought we'd stay another night or two exploring the peninsula, instead we headed for home. Before hiking the spit, we visited the Elwha Dam visitor's kiosk (dam removal recovery is impressive), walked the beach at Salt Creek Campground, camped one night at Dungeness Recreation Area, then hiked the spit the following morning. But our hearts had already returned to Whidbey Island. By mid day we were on the ferry to Whidbey. By 7:00 we were enjoying dinner with our kids, Brad and Yessi.</div>
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"Life is a dance between making it happen and letting it happen."</div>
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~Arianna Huffington</div>
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<br />fredleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12067499980692570586noreply@blogger.com0