So what do you do when you are home sweet home?

Where to begin?  Of course we are spending much needed time with friends and family.  We are also taking advantage of the down time to clean, reorganize and make updates.

No matter how organized the "basement" is, it always needs reorganizing.  We say we are constantly trying to see how we can downsize.  This is a testament to having too much stuff.  After almost three years, we are still trying to weed out things we don't need.  But what if... ?  That's always part of the debate when we start cleaning out.  Now that we have two dogs /  twice the dog food, we had to make room for storage.  It's a process.

One of our favorite jokes is that when we sit too long, we spend too much money.  During our time in Elkhart Jerry has installed a macerator, a new water pump and tire pressure monitors on all tires including the Jeep.  For those not familiar with an RV sewer system, the macerator eliminates the large tube from the RV to the sewer whether that be a full hook up or a dump station.  The macerator pulverizes the sewage making it necessary for only a small hose - like a water hose.  It's all around a cleaner way to go, less smelly.  It also take longer to dump the tank.  As with everything there are pros and cons, but so far we are happy with it.

The tire pressure monitors are a safety item.  The equipment is wireless, and it monitors both tire pressure and temperature of all tires on the RV and the tow vehicle.  Levels are set to activate a warning if temps get too high or pressure gets too low.  The hopes are if we start to blow a tire, we will have warning and get slowed down fast enough to avoid a serious accident.  We've been talking about installing these for two years.

The water pump was an equipment malfunction.  Fortunately there is a SurFlow location in Elkhart.  When they examined the pump, they determined the manufacturer put adhesive in a place that caused it to go into the pump.  SurFlow replaced the pump for free.  That's the kind of business you want to return to.

We are also spending an inordinate time with our two dogs - Maci and Bella Rose.  Both are high energy and require consistent exercise.  We're located in the far south east corner of the campground where we can run the dogs by playing ball and walk them.  It's a great spot to be in!

We did take a break to go to a Taste of Elkhart at the new botanical gardens - The Wellfield.  What an incredible community effort that has been.  Scores of volunteers have planted the gardens designed by a landscape architect.  Over the course of the last few years, more garden areas have been added.  Currently the pathway around the outside perimeter of the park is about a mile.  During the "Taste" event, several restaurants in Elkhart set up booths and offer limited items from their menus.  What a treat!

The Wellfield in Elkhart, IN

The day was overcast so pictures were not clear.  This one area showing the stone walkway, a pond and a pavilion.  Such a peaceful setting.

Our time in Elkhart continues with friends and family, dinners, cookouts and mobilizing to get on the road again.

We find we get restless after about a month.  We won't be giving up this lifestyle any time soon.

Maci and Bella loving the motorhome life

Home

My goal this time home is to not neglect the blog like I have in the past.  I've realized coming home is as much about traveling as the other places we've visited.  It's exciting in different ways.  Even the most familiar aspects change over the course of a year.

Our first week at home, Elkhart, IN, was spent spent with family and getting prepared for our new puppy that would arrive the following Tuesday.  I won't bore you with talk of the dogs, but if you are a dog person, and want to hear about our adventures with Maci and Bella please feel free to check out my new blog, For The Love of The Dog.

Gradually, we have been able to see or plan to see several friends from this area, and we've already visited our favorite restaurant a couple of times.  Driving around the area reminds us you can go home again...  just don't expect it to stay the same.  People and places move on, grow, change, disappear.

We have grown and changed.  Thankfully, we haven't disappeared just yet.  One of the most poignant example of our growth and change is when we recently went to our storage garage to organize and make decisions about items that we don't really need to keep anymore.  A year ago, I looked at the stacks of stuff and could not imagine getting rid of any of it.  What if someone in our very small family wanted those pictures of relatives generations back.  You know...  the ones no one can remember their names.  What if one of the kids wanted that Mother's Day card made for me when he / she was in first grade.  All those mementos that were so dear when they were given, but what about now.  Still dear but the perspective is so different.  Many other thoughtful, loving cards and gifts have been given, and at the end of the day, the thoughts that went along with those cards and gifts are really what is meaningful.
How about the good china and other assorted glassware that is of little interest to my daughter or daughter-in-law?  Not their tastes.  Gone are the days when children gladly inherit dated items just because they belonged to an older family member.  That's OK, but now what?  Several boxes of fine china and everyday dishes that I'm not even interested in anymore.  I have changed, and my tastes have changed.

Most importantly, what I have learned after two years of traveling in the Whale full time is we need far less than ever to enjoy far more than ever.  We'll see how this part of the journey goes as we complete our stay in Elkhart and continue on.

Jim's Collection

During our stay in Eagle Mountain, UT with Jim and Sandy, we spent time roaming their house experiencing his "collection."  Jim collects antiques.   He had particular ones he is most interested in like cigar store Indians, rotary dial phones, scales, mixers, lamps, and player pianos.  He often restores the items, but more times than not he finds an item in pristine condition.  The items are tastefully displayed throughout the main floor and lower level of the house.  I was most interested in the player piano on the main floor.  The lower section of the piano included a tambourine, a drum and other instruments that actually played along with the piano.  Lights and colored glass made this antique amazingly unique.

I think one of the greatest part of Jim's collection is that all of his 11 grandchildren have access to most of the items.  He often talks to them about the item and where it came from - its history.  These rare antiques are part of his legacy to his family.

This post is a picture show.  Here are some of our favorites.

Lit player piano with multiple instruments.

Jim the collector and one of his favorites.

The downstairs juke box that was actually used in the movie Top Gun

Antique fire hose on front porch

This guy guards Jim's office.  One like it guards the front door.

Two of many antique lamps

Old scales

Rotary dial phones throughout the house in every color imaginable

Wooden plane prop

Yet another player piano in the downstairs rec room

A Week In Utah

Typically, this time of year we start our journey back home.  I guess we will always call Elkhart, IN home.  Friends and family are waiting to see us, and doctor's appointments must be kept.  Since our northwest trip was shortened, we decided to take Interstate 80 east rather than the far north route on Route 2.  We knew if we took the northern route, we would never back it back in time since we would want to stay in new places and explore.  So 80 it was with one stop to visit friends, Jim and Sandy Paas, in Salt Lake City, UT.  They live in Eagle Mountain, UT just out of Salt Lake City.  When we first drove to their house, my initial reaction was "Wow!"  Their house was tucked in a valley surrounded by mountain ranges.  We spent the afternoon and evening getting settled and enjoyed the back deck overlooking the valley, lights of houses twinkling and almost a full moon.

No wonder Sandy and Jim love Utah!

During the time we were at Jim and Sandy's we were able to spend time touring and hiding in one of the many parks in the area.  We drove through one mountainous area on a Saturday and saw that many others in the area take full advantage of the hiking and camping available.  We also spent some time hiking.  We also experienced a lack of acclimation to the higher altitude.  We were at a little over 6,000 feet with 90+ temperatures.  It was slow going as breathing was difficult even at that altitude.

We were also able to spend some time in Salt Lake City at the new Mormon Conference Center.  To say the least, the building is an architectural masterpiece.  The center takes up four city blocks and was built to house 21,000 people at one time.  The amphitheater is constructed with three levels of seating and no pillars.  The upper levels are cantilevered.  All of this is so no person has a blocked view.  At the time of our visit, many were preparing for a concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

We were able to visit the second and third floors of the building before heading to the roof which is the real masterpiece.  The original designers knew this structure would be much shorter than others in Salt Lake, and they didn't want people to look down at an ugly roof.  The idea was developed to design the roof to represent the bounty of Utah...  mountains, streams, water falls, meadows.  Four acres of roof represent all of that.  We wandered paths of granite with meadow areas sectioned with granite and pools of water.  In the center of the roof, are several skylights shaped like prisms.  The skylights are over the ceiling of the amphitheater.  This day they were covered with large canvas covers so the theater could be readied for  the conference.  I would have loved to have seen those crystal skylights!  The ultimate waterfall was the one toward the front of the building.  The waterfall originates from the roof and falls to a large pool by the street level entrance to the building.  On the second floor of the conference center, a large window provides a view of the back of the waterfall from that level.

View of the Tabernacle from the roof of the conference center

The roof top waterfall

One example of the use of prisms of light - from roof to first floor

Massive pipes that power the conference center organ

Roof top skylights - covered

Etched mural depicting peoples of the world

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One of many pools and fountains on the conference center roof top

There were many parts of this visit that were cause for reflection.  One in particular was the mural shown above.  The mural is etched on a stone surface.  If you move close to the mural and look at the length of the surface, the images appear to be negatives on film.  The stone surface is shiny so another key feature of the structure is that you see your own reflection as part of the diverse group of people. 

We completed our visit to Salt Lake City with a visit to the Mormon visitor center, also a multi-level center depicting the history of the Mormon faith.

Those who wander are not always lost... Tolkein

Ever since I can remember, Jerry and I have loved to just wander around - on foot or in the car.  We like to look at everything.  As we travel, we've maintained the love to wander.  Sometimes we wander in the Whale which often gets into places we shouldn't be with a 40 foot vehicle.  Sometimes we get on skinny mountain roads, or tight turns or both.  Mostly we wander in the Jeep which means if we want to go off road, we are relatively sure we won't get stuck.  Usually, the excursion starts with, "I wonder what's down this road?"  Before we left the Port Townsend area, we took a side road to the bay and discovered The Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building.  Who knew?

It was a beautiful morning, and all the double doors to the shops were open.  As we slowly drove by to see as much as we could, one of the instructors came out and invited us to come in.  We jumped at that opportunity.  There were two large buildings with double doors where students and instructors were working.  One group was working on a smaller rowing boat.  The other group was working on a very large prototype.  As we walked into the first building, the smell of spruce and cedar was strong.

Our self-appointed guide told us the school has been in existence since the 80's.  There are 50 students enrolled at all times.  The students graduate when they reach a certain level of expertise.  I had to ask, "How many females are enrolled?"  Our guide told us the graduating class has 5 women.  The newly enrolled class has 17 women.  He told us they are excellent woodworkers, and they were tough.  It seems some of the men in the program think boat building is just for men.  We were able to talk to the head of the program, and he told us if he had his way the male / female split would be 25/25.  He was pleased with the increase for the fall.

Across the dirt road from the school buildings were several small cottages.  Many of the students live in those cottages or in a small apartment complex just up the hill.  Also part of the complex was a small shop with hand made harps made by other wood workers in the area.  Unfortunately, we were unable to go in since the shop was closed.  This school on the bay and cottages offered a peaceful and somewhat idyllic setting.

After looking at several of the completed boats and talking about those in production,  we thanked our guide and said good-by.  I'm grateful for this urge to wander.  "I wonder what's down this road?" I'm grateful that more times than not we act on our curiosity.  The major stops we plan along the way are fabulous, but the results of wandering are equally awesome adding to our experiences as we journey.

Finished fishing boat to be delivered to a customer in Canada.

Students and an instructor problem solving a design issue

Sail boat ready for the water

One of two shops / instructional areas

Mt. Ranier National Park

Before we officially turned the 'corner' to head back east, we spent just a half a day in Mt. Ranier National Park.  The park was established in 1899 by an act of Congress due to extreme amounts of pressure from public groups across the nation.  Interestingly some international groups were also involved.  At lower altitudes, the forests in Washington are lush dense combinations of Douglas fir, western red cedar, western hemlock, ferns and other varities of vegetation.  This is referred to as "old growth."  The mountain is capped by 25 glaciers and is an active volcanoe.

On this day we were blessed with clear blue skies and brilliant sun filtering through the pines as we drove through the Nisqually entrance in the lower southwest corner of the park. Our time in the park was limited due to our shortened time frame.  In addition, camping in the park was not an option for us due to the length of our rig.  So this trip was somewhat of a drive-by.  Road 706 snakes through the lower portion of the park, and as we rose in altitude the vegetation changed.  The pines grow in 'islands' rather than dense coverage due the harsh weather each year.  The amount of snow Ranier gets each year is phenomenal...  87-127 inches depending on different areas of the park.  The Paradise area where there is a lodge and large parking lot for many of the hikers / climbers receives the most at 127 inches.  Areas of the park are closed from early October to May, and other areas require chains on all vehicles.  We've been on twistier roads, but I sure would not want to try to navigate Road 706 through Mt. Ranier with snow and slippery roads.  I've posted the pictures of our brief trip through the park below.  There are some experiences that defy words, and this is one of them.  As has been true of so many places we've visited throughout the United States, we stand silent, breath deep, and enjoy the moment. Mt Ranier was no exception!

Olympic National Park Loop

Our travel of the Olympic National Park loop included stops in Forks, Sequim, Port Townsend and Chimicum before heading toward Mt. Rainier.  The western portion of the 101 loop is adjacent to the rain forest.  The Forks area receives 12-14 feet of rain per year.  It's just plain wet all the time.  Driving into the national forest gave us a sense of that environment.  Slickers and rain boots are the fashion of choice.  The forest is a deep luscious green with the ground cover of ferns and other vegetation dripping water crystals.  From Cape Disappointment to Sequim, we never saw the sun for at least five days.

We spent two days in Sequim at the Elks.  As always, the Elks members were welcoming and informative about area highlights.  The camp sites were spacious, and the property was fenced on three sides.  We took advantage of some down time to play ball with Maci off leash.  Another couple near us had a female Doberman named Bella.  She and Maci got in a good run while there were few campers there.

Sequim is a unique area touched by seaside and lavender fields.  We were two weeks early for the lavender festival, but we were able to see a couple of the larger farms as we drove around investigating.  As always when we are close to the ocean, we spent much time driving around by the docks - always in search of fresh sea food.  We've been blessed to eat several meals of Dungeness crab - always with the thought that is might be our last meal of fresh crab.

The next stop was at the Fort Wordon State Park.  Of course our timing and lack of advanced planning landed us in the state park on July 4th week-end.  We were able to secure two nights in two different sites before moving on to our next stop.  In this area of Washington, old forts commissioned during the time between WWI and WWII have been turned into state parks.  Many sites are full hook ups with 50 amp service.  The 50 amp service is a big deal to a big rig like ours, especially if it's hot and air conditioning is needed.   I've been known to blow a circuit with one air, the microwave and the dryer running.

Fort Wordon Light

Black tailed deer visiting the camp site across from us

We traveled on to Chimacum with the intention of camping 3-5 days at the Escapees park there.  This would allow our mail to catch up with us.  With full hook up, we could catch up on laundry and take care of other business that often does not get done due to being on the road and sightseeing.  The time in Chimacum would also give us time to explore Port Townsend and the surrounding areas.

In addition to scouting out sea food when we are close to the ocean, we also love to wander through the boat yards.  Long ago we use to sail, and there's still a part of us that would like to wander on the water.  It amazes me how many different vessels we find in boatyards.  Large, small, sail boats, motor boats, new, old and some like the one below that look beyond repair.  We saw some as in disrepair as this being restored.  I wouldn't be surprised if that's why this barnacled boat was on the blocks, ready.

This motor sailor spent a bit too long in Davy Jones' Locker...

We also took some time to stop of a picnic lunch with some of the best scenery every.

This was our picnic site

If you ever get the chance to visit the Port Townsend area and you like to drink coffee, look up the Sunrise Coffee Company.  Beans from all over the world are roasted on site in one of the biggest coffee bean roaster I've ever seen.  The owner is highly knowledgeable and extremely helpful.

Soon after our mail caught up with us, propane tank filled, laundry done and gear stowed, we left Chimacum for Shelton, WA thinking this might be one more crab meal.  No such luck. We did find Bob's Tavern at the recommendation of a guy at the gas station.  That would be the best fried chicken ever and Jo Jo's (fried potato wedges).  Early the next morning we headed to Mt. Rainier National Park.