Yellowstone - Between Every Two Pines

Those of you signed up to receive notification of thistleadventure postings probably wondered about the blank page you received a couple of days ago. I had done quite a long posting on Yellowstone, apparently too long for Blogsy, so it was chewed up and spit out. I ranted about that for a spell, but no matter how much I ranted, the posting was gone.  

There is no reworking the lost posting, but I hope you'll enjoy this photo trip with us...

Thanks for joining us...

~~~

"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world."

~ John Muir

Posted with Blogsy

Are You Kidding Me?

"Are you kidding me?"

We hear these words often when we tell people we have not had a TV for 30+ years.

Moving to Langley happened thirty-two years ago on New Year's Eve day.   Ed was just becoming a part of my life, but we did not get married until the following year.  Striking out on my own, I purchased the building across from WICA for my home upstairs and new garden center and landscape design business downstairs.   My son, Brad, was living with his dad in North Bend, so I was solo and looking for a new kind of life.  After searching about a bit for the perfect relocation spot, I selected Langley, and since that first day in January, 1984, I have not looked back.

But that first day had it's challenges.  Brad,  Ed and a number of others  helped me move to Whidbey Island from Seattle.  Despite our exhaustion from the previous day's  moving  exertions, we spent  a glorious New Year's Day eating and playing and exploring Langley.

The fun was interrupted when I heard, "The next ferry leaves in 20 minutes. I need to be on it." Everyone vanished.  That's when I learned the lesson that there's positively no room for separation anxiety when you live on an island.

Abruptly alone, I surveyed the mess of moving boxes.  I felt the full impact of being in a new home and a new town...all alone.  At that moment, TV would have been a nice escape.  Instead, I sat down and cried, feeling oh so sorry for myself.

The next morning I woke up, tears and fears gone,  ready to begin my new life.  I never again looked back, and I've never again needed a TV to fill such an emptiness.

Occasionally, over the years, I've watched TV news with a stunned disbelief at its deterioration. The days of Cronkite are over.

Instead, there is an endless repetition of topics chosen to make me fearful or angry, yet with a disturbing absence of substance.  I equate the dumbing down of the news to the frog in a pot where the gradual deterioration (or heat) builds, unnoticed.

What else could account for the fifty hours a week retired folks spend watching the tube?

Recently, as I was writing this piece I read Dan Pedersen's blog, and was struck by his words:

"News, or what pretends to be news, is marketed as entertainment, and it is reprehensible. Watching it will make anyone sick and miserable. I much prefer a day in the outdoors, enjoying the peaceful normalcy of wildlife and nature. I believe this is why I am fundamentally happy." 

And there you have it.  Dan jumped in at the right moment for a lovely wrap-up of my thoughts:  turn off the TV and go outside!  

A perfunctory observer would conclude that a huge segment of our nation's population is consumed with fear, hate, anxiety, or depression yet, for many, there is a quick cure  --  walking.  Of course, gardening, swimming, playing with the dog, biking and the gym all work too, but nothing is as easy as opening the door and stepping out.

When Ed and I purchased Thistle, the TV had been removed by the former owners.  We considered that an improvement and have not once thought about replacing it.

Just know, though, there is no high horse for us.    We are plugged in!  Computers have corrupted us!  We travel with an assemblage of iPads, iPods, iPhones, and laptops. We have speakers, earphones, disks, cameras, and chargers.  The superstar topping off our technology is Thistle's wifi hotspot.   No way can we defend any TV snobbery, not with our array of techie gadgets.

~~~

"If you are mesmerized by televised stupidity,
and don't get to hear or read stories about your world,
you can be fooled into thinking that the world isn't miraculous--and it is."

~ Anne Lamott

i-Pad Blogging Blasphemy

I'm suffering from the intricacies, vagaries, and  idiosyncrasies of blogging on i-pad.  I'm snarled up in a sea of complexities, finding I must write on Pages; cut and paste to Blogsy, to add photographs; and then download to Blogger.  Finally on Blogger, I must edit the spacing and layout, because the computer tricksters mess around behind the screen doing nasty little tricks to my format.  After a bunch of fussing I can finally post.  

I'm sure there's a better way to blog on I-pad, but I have consulted with four of my wisest advisors -- my niece, Nina; Yessi and Brad; and my refuse-to-learn-Apple husband, Ed, who is othersize very computer savvy -- yet haven't discovered how to simplify this long, nasty, hair-pulling process.

There you have it.   Greg, and you other computer smart-folk, please weigh in.  

---

“I wonder why it is that when I plan a route too carefully, it goes to pieces, 

whereas if I blunder along in blissful ignorance  aimed in a fancied direction 

I get through with no trouble.   

- John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley:  In Search of America

Toting the Bikes

Our bicycles, indispensable for exploration, exercise, companionship and transportation, will join us on our travels.  Standard bikes are fairly easy to tote along but a tandem is an entirely different matter.  Heavy, awkward and way too long to load from side-to-side, the tandem needs a special rack.  So, we head for Dale and our favorite bike shop, Angle Lake Cyclery.  Dale loves equipment -- good well-designed techie stuff -- as can readily be seen with the first step inside his shop.  His bike rack recommendation was an ATOC, Draftmaster, manufactured in Seattle, specially ordered to meet one's personal needs.   We ordered our rack, waited a week and then returned to the shop for  the "fitting".  After Dale helped us with installation his comment, delivered with a huge smile, was,  "This rack is a perfect match for your van.  No other bike rack would have done it justice." 

Stepping into this shop is stepping into a world of bicycle envy.

Although we love our Cannondale tandem, whenever we visit Angle Lake Cyclery we can't help but envy the Rans semi-recumbant tandem that Dale and his wife call the "grin machine."  For about $6500, the price tag doesn't make us grin, but the bicycle does.  Yum!  Perhaps one day we'll upgrade to this beauty.

Dale and Ed install the ATOC on the back of Thistle

Pleased smiles, as Dale says, "See how easy it is?"

Loading the tandem with rack in down position, wheel resting on ground,
 saves one's back.  Also, in this position, we have access to
Thistle's back doors without taking bicycle(s) off rack.

All three bikes loaded and ready for travel.
The rack is locked to the van and each bicycle is locked to
the rack, secure from petty theft.  Nothing will overcome
the determined professional thief.

We've just added about three feet of length to Thistle.  We no longer fit into
a standard parking space.  Still beats a bike trailer.

~~~

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race."

~ H. G. Wells

Heart Wrench

Hidden in the excitement of our adventure are our misgivings about being away from our much-loved kids.  Wrapped up in the desire to travel is the unburdening of our responsibilities.  No more cleaning gutters, mowing lawns, that kind of stuff.   But there's the emotional flip side of unburdening.  The heart wrench of seeing Brad and Yessi get smaller and smaller in our rearview mirror.  

Benton, Brad & Yessi, Saratoga Woods

On past cross-country road trips, I'd entertain myself by ruminating about covered wagon days.  As the speed-blurred road stretched out endlessly, I'd conjure up how it would feel to receive a letter once a month, or worse, once a year, or perhaps never, as was often the case. Pioneer lives unfolded -- births, diseases, marriages, deaths -- as the gruelingly difficult miles stretched out across the plains.  These families, the ones on the road, and the ones left behind, wondered and worried, sometimes never knowing the fate of their loved ones.

Benton, Brad & Yessi, Langley

As  modern travelers, we are rich with stay-in-touch-options -- frequent conversations,  sharing photographs, and even sending or receiving money.  We can connect with one another in ways our ancestors couldn't have imagined.   None of this is as good as a real hug, but it's darn good!   

Yessi & Brad hiking - Mt. Rainier

As departure draws near, I'm feeling a cluster of emotions gathering, ready to spill and overflow, from both the sadness of leaving and the eagerness of what's down the road.

~~~

"Love is a wonderful thing. You never have to take it away from one person to give it to another. There's always more than enough to go around."

~ Pamela de Roy

The Devil's in the Details

The Devil's in the Details, or so it is said.  We have been buried in details these last few weeks, as we  prepare for our departure, so are hoping our attentiveness is ousting the demons.  One of those detail topics is setting up computer apps, joining camping groups, and learning all we can about travel opportunities.

On our last trip we were gone a month and simply paid, with little question, the nightly camping fees.  Now, as we prepare to depart for a longer period, on a trip closely resembling our actual full-time adventure, we desire a more frugal approach.  How can we travel without paying high camping costs each night, becomes a driving question?  The average campground is about $30 a night, which adds up quickly.  Yet, stealth camping, worrying about being rousted out, doesn't sound too appealing either.  So I've been trying to find out what other budget-minded RVers do to minimize camping fees.

This past week I spent the better part of a day tracking down other travelers, especially those traveling in Sprinter Westfalias.  My breakthrough was, Travels with HaRVy.  The writer of Travels with HaRVy is Leslie, and we're now engaged in a delightful e-mail exchange.

HaRVy loaded and on the road.   Photo by Leslie.

Leslie and her husband, Al, are full-time Springer Westfalia travelers.    We're pleased to have found them and look forward to deepening our cyber friendship to an on-the-road friendship. 

Leslie has been a wealth of information.  She told us about Boondockers Welcome, a service to facilitate free driveway camping.  A little like Airbnb, but instead of a couch, room or apartment, it's a driveway.  They have made wonderful acquaintances using this service, Leslie reports.  An adjunct to Boondockers Welcome are the Frugal Shunpiker's Guides, written by the woman who formed Boondockers Welcome.

Shunpiker's Guides

Leslie also provided me with two additional resource choices for overnight stays.  First is Harvest Hosts offering free stays at wineries, farms and agri-tourism sites.  Given our love of food, wine and back roads, this seems like a perfect resource for us. The second, RVGolfClub, as the name implies, offers free stays at golf courses.  Ed was not intending to pack his clubs, but using this overnight option might challenge his resolve.

Then there are apps galore.  Apps for maps, campgrounds, motels, foreign languages and restaurants.  One I've already downloaded is AllStays RV and Camp App  and is designed to help RV travelers locate dump stations, propane, campgrounds, Walmart parking lot camping, showers, and more.  I've also downloaded the Ultimate Camp Ground App which provides public campground information. 

As we travel we will accumulate or toss apps, memberships and lists, depending on usefulness, but for now, all information is seen as an asset.   Nevertheless, like the items in our galley, they must prove their usefulness to stay on-board. 

~~~

"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail."

~ Charles R. Swindoll

On the Road Exercise

With limited room onboard Thistle, the question has become, what exercise equipment can we carry with us that is light, takes up little space, yet serves our needs?  Aerobic conditioning, strength, flexibility, and balance training are the basic four, and as Ed's words, "old age is for training" ring in our ears, we design our plan.

First, is walking!  For Ed, to give him his 10,000 steps per day, as he's been doing for better than a decade now, walking is tops.  Plus, Benton needs his exercise, so Ed's walks are  double duty for  the dog too.

Ed & Benton

Walking is important, with a small "w", for me as well.  My steps must be limited as my fused ankle makes walking a problematic exercise.   A few years ago I was on a 5-mile a day routine until my knees began giving me problems.  In consulting my orthopedic surgeon I was told to bike, not walk,  if I didn't want knee and then hip replacements.   My pedometer was shelved and the bike was dusted off. 

Walking Shoes

Second, is biking.  Biking is an exercise that has been a part of our lives for several years now.  Our bicycle will definitely travel with us and is getting it's travel tuneup right now for our February departure.   Resolving our bike rack is still on our "to do" list.  

Our beloved tandem

Other questions have come up in regard to biking.  Do we carry our tandem only, singles for each of us, or all three?  For the time being it will be our tandem only, but our singles will be stored for changed minds on this issue.    

Weights were our first choice for strength building, but they turned out to be awkward, heavy and annoyingly in the way on our last trip.  In searching for another solution we came across the LifelineUSA  Jungle Gym XT Suspension Trainer.  This item is light weight and packs into a small, soft, flexible, easy to carry bag.  Carrying it on board, on the bike, or on our backs is easy and convenient.  We can quickly set it up on a tree or at any kid's playground, giving us the flexibility and portability necessary for our on-the-road exercise program.

Jungle Gym

Ed demonstrating Jungle Gym

No exercise program is complete, in our minds, without yoga.  Yoga is very portable and for maintaining a limber body critical.  It was added to our plan early on.  Two mats is all it takes, plus a book for reminding us of the proper postures and positions.  A Yoga book will now definitely be one of our Six Books.

Yoga mats in convenient travel bags

Ed demonstrating how portable the Jungle Gym
and Yoga mat are
(dog treat  pouch, an extra, yet much-desired item for Benton)

The fifth for-fun and for-exercise item we're considering adding to the mix is a boat.  Perhaps an inflatable kayak -- small, portable and easy to use.  Passing lakes, ponds and the like, without the ability to get on the water, could be torturous and floating on a sunny day is glorious.

Yes or No??

Weight, portability, size, and convenience drove our exercise program decisions.    We're well aware that much of the exercise equipment purchased simply collects dust.  Will ours?  The true test to how effective our exercise program is, is our resolve.

~~~

"Health and cheerfulness naturally beget each other."

~ Joseph Addison

Beyond Pen and Paper

Blogs are phenomenal stay-in-touch tools.

My blog, like for many other bloggers, is my journal.   But, instead of the little locked book I had as a young girl, I publish this one for the entire world to see.  Mostly the world isn't interested, but friends and family are reading it, keeping me on my edit toes.  By publishing I also know I could become a common criminal if I broke copyright laws.  As William Feather said, "If we don't discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us."

When I post a quote I give credit.  Likewise, I try to respect copyright laws in regard to images, however, I've been guilty of small offenses.  I'm now in image stealing recovery, thanks to a good friend, author and blogger, Dan Petersen.  

Many artists will mark their images with a watermark to protect them.  I've always respected the watermarked images, but unmarked images I've "borrowed" on occasion.  Now I know better.  I will share only images I've cleared as "free to use or share."  Want more information?  See webIntegrity. 

Photo protected with watermark

Photo selected from Google's Advance Search and labeled
 "free to use or share"

Photo by Ed Anderson

Ed and I are often asked if we'll travel with our computer gear. Our answer is, yes!  First, we want to stay closely connected with family and friends so by using a combination of e-mail, blogging, texting, Skype, Facebook and our phones we should be thoroughly covered.  We'll want to research weather, bike paths, and current news.  We'll need maps, GPS and campground apps.   And, the most amazing part of all this is my i-phone will become our "personal hotspot", also known as tethering.   Wherever we have phone reception we will have internet.

I'm still stumbling and fumbling around using my i-pad and i-phone independently from their "mother ship", my desktop.  It's yet to be seen if I'll need a laptop too, but hoping not.  Unfortunately, this family of two is not in sync on computers so Ed will be using Microsoft and I will be using Apple.  We'll be packing lots of electronic gear.   Shoes, not so much.

~~~

"What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with.  It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds."

~ Steve Jobs, Memory and Imagination:  New Pathways to the 
Library of Congress  

Gadget Bluster

Blam!  Both Benton and I were enjoying a  beautiful, peaceful walk down Edgecliff Drive this morning when we were startled by a strange loud noise.  Next we were being showered by little white feathers.  I thought, good grief bird, watch where you're going as there was a telephone pole with lots of cross bars and equipment overhead.  Then the true story unfolded a few paces further along.  A hawk, with his prey in his talons, sat by the edge of the road.

Continuing our walk I stopped to take these photos to prove the beautiful walk part of my story.  No way was I quick enough to prove the hawk part.

                                      

                               

Now here's my true confession.  This posting is practice.  Photos and blog posting have been done entirely on my i-phone.  Whoopee!  I did it.

     

~~~

"It ain't bragging if you can do it."       

      

~ Dizzy Dean