Larry and Lori's R.V Park

May 30th 2010--When Larry returned home from the U.S. he purchased a 27ft. Fleetwood trailer with large slide-out and all the bells and whistles. Perfect for traveling as he can tow the trailer and carry his Quads in the Pick-up and enjoy all the comforts of home.

Parked at Larry's R.V. Park

The R.V. Park has full hook-ups power, water, cable, wifi and sani-dump

The Matriarch of the family 86 years old and still going like the ever ready bunny

Full walk around bed

Large dinette that makes into a bed

Very spacious Kitchen area with rear bath

Proud Grandpa Murry with Ella

"The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, gang aft agley."

May 30th 2010. After a month in the Kootenays we find ourselves back on Vancouver Island. We arrived back May 20th and are currently staying in Duncan at Larry and Lori's place.

Alvina on Ferry Arrow Lakes

The view of Osoyoos, BC climbing up the Anarchist Pass.

Scenery going through the Kootenays

The Arrow Lake British Columbia

Three Valley Gap near Revelstoke B.C.

Deer along the highway

The Deer were everywhere as we traveled through the mountains

Work Kamping in Cranbrook

April 15th--Hello from Cranbrook B.C. We arrived yesterday and got settled into our campsite at Mount Baker R.V. Park. The park is situated in downtown Cranbrook and is a short walk to grocery stores and restaurants. We were able to avoid snow on our trip here from Vancouver Island. The road was bare over the Kootenay Pass,on the Salmo Creston highway, with snowbanks some 8 to 10 ft.high on the shoulders over the summit. A ominous reminder of how treacherous the road conditions can be.

On the ferry crossing the Arrow Lake

When we live in B.C. we tend to take for granted what a beautiful province we have

The scenery here, driving pass our lakes and through our mountains, rivals and surpasses that seen anywhere in North America.

Our Home for the Summer

Alvina raking pine needle at Mount Baker R. V. Park

Back on Vancouver Island and Heading to The Kootenays .

April 7th--We are currently parked at Dale and Lynne's place attending to getting our income tax filed and taking care of all the little details before heading to the Kootenays to spend the next six months Work Kamping. We have to be in Cranbrook by the 14-15 of April and will be there till the end of October. Work kamping goes like this. We are expected to work two days a week to a total of seventy hours a month and in return we get free campsite,electricity, WiFi and cable. If we work additional hours we are paid 10 dollars a hour. Our duties will include looking after the office, taking reservations, booking people into the park and seeing to the wants and needs of the customers. We are looking forward to being in Cranbrook as it is a beautiful place and the summers are really nice. The park is located downtown so it is a short walk to the shopping area. You all take good care and will post when we reach Cranbrook. This has been a fantastic trip. We have traveled some 20,000 miles and visited 22 American states and 5 provinces. Each state was unique, interesting and wonderful. We can't say enough about the American people we have had the pleasure to meet on our journey. We have been treated with kindness and made to feel welcome everywhere we traveled.

Trip to Decatur Indiana and home to Vancouver Island

Mar.13th to Mar. 29th We've had problems with our large slide-out leaking and not retracting properly and after trying unsuccessfully to have it fixed at local RV dealerships we decided to take a trip to the Fleetwood factory in Decatur, Indiana a distance of some 2000 miles . Traveling to Decatur, located in upstate Indiana, We added three new entries to the list of States we have visited. Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

Lake Shasta California

Alvina by Olive tree at rest-stop.

This Rest-stop was actually a Olive Orchard

California's got it all

Mountains in bloom near Bakersfield California

Lush green hills near Tehachapi California. Beautiful!

Wind turbines just above Edwards Airforce Base in California

Heading to Flagstaff. Looks cold ahead

Coal fired power plant producing electricity in New Mexico

Navajo pottery

It truly is the land of enchantment

Navajo rest-stop on Arizona New Mexico border

Red rock mesa in New Mexico

The desert in bloom

Old buildings along the route 66

Free 72 ounce steak in Amarillo. All you have to do to get it free is eat the whole thing.

The red soil of Oklahoma

We escaped snow all winter but finally got caught in Amarillo Texas

World famous arch in Saint Louis built by Ironworkers

Welcome Center in Missouri. Lots of licence plates.

State Park at Santa Rosa Lake New Mexico where we stayed on our way to Decatur.

Bullhead City,Lake Havasu and Blyth Ca.

Mar.2 to Mar 10th Bullhead City, Lake Havasu and Blyth California Larry and Lori decided to head west and north after our visit to Death Valley and Alvina and I traveled east to Bullhead City where we stayed for a couple of days. Heading south we boondocked for a night in a beautiful spot overlooking Lake Havasu near the Bill Williams river. We are currently in Blyth California camped on the Colorado river and will stay here until March 12th.

Death Valley Day 3 Scotty's Castle

Mar.1st Our last day in Death Valley. We went north to Scotty's Castle, a remarkable mansion built for his wife by millionaire Albert Johnson. Although construction started in 1922 it would take many years to complete. The story goes that Mr.Johnson had invested in a mining venture with a man named Walter Scott who claimed to have discovered a very rich gold mine on a mountain in Death valley.

One of two swimming pools that were never finished

The entry

Palm trees along side the worker's quarters

Entrance to the garage and main house

After a couple of years and not earning any returns on his investment Mr. Johnson decided that he and his wife would take a trip to see this mysterious gold mine first hand. It didn't take long for the Johnsons to find out that there was no gold mine and they had been conned by Scotty. Thus, a curious relationship was formed between the millionaire and the con man. It seemed that Mr.and Mrs.Johnson, despite being conned,took an instant liking to Scotty and would later tell reporters "All Scotty showed me was a few dry holes" But, Mr. Johnson explained "Scott has repaid me every dime in laughs.Plus he's a darn good cook."

The door to the main House

The sitting room

The parlor and adjoining library

Mr.Johnson loved the desert and would return to visit Scotty every year. Mrs. Johnson also enjoyed the trips but grew tired of sleeping in tents and told her husband that she would not accompany him unless he built her a house. He agreed and the construction of Scotty's Castle was started.

Balcony looking down on the sitting roomCourtyard separating the main house from the guest quarters and garage

Tile and mosaic fountain in courtyard

The mansion was built in a valley literally in the middle of nowhere by Shoshone and Mexican craftsmen. No expense was spared from the hand carved redwood beams and iron chandeliers to the custom crafted tile floors and handmade Majorcan rugs. Some of the innovations built into the house include passive solar heating for hot water,flush toilets, a generating system for electric power with huge battery banks,rock gas cooking stoves,one of the first refrigerator freezers from Kalvinator and an enormous pipe organ.

The music room. Note the beams and inlaid tile on the ceiling