Head em' up, Move 'em out! (after a family day on Saturday)

 

I guess we were not the only ones heading out on Sunday.  This view above is on I-5, headed south around Los Banos, about due west of Fresno.  The cars heading the other way are coming out of the LA area...it was never ending.

We had our own traffic jam...this was taken near Santa Nella, home of Anderson's Split Pea Soup Restaurant.  Highway 33 and then highway 152 each flood the Interstate with people coming from the Sierras or from the Monterey/Santa Cruz area.  Add a couple of fender benders, and we crawled along for 20-25 minutes traveling just 5 or 6 miles.  Other than that, our south-bound lanes went along smooth, yet a bit crowded at times.  Always nice to see some guy try and fit between a truck and another car, just to reach out and pound on the car yelling at them to let him in, all the while we have backed off to where he could EASILY pull in right behind the car and go along his merry way.  (ps: his wife did not look too happy about it all)

We got off from Sandy and Arny's right at 8:00 am, and we headed down I-5 because they have a Beacon Truck Wash near west Lodi, to clean nearly 4 months of tree cra#...I mean 'stuff' off the motorhome.  Getting there around 9 am we did not have to wait except for the truck in the bay getting cleaned.  Had I pulled over to the middle or right bay we would have been done even faster...but once committed I was where I was because you just can't backup pulling a car with all four wheels down on the ground.  $49, which included a wash and Rain-X, and we were on our way to the Flying J next door to spend a mint and a half on 20 gallons of gas.  Well, one more fill up tomorrow and we will be in Arizona where the price will drop $1.20 per gallon or more.

Had we not got the RV washed, we might have missed much of the traffic...at least our side was not as busy as the northbound side.

It took Indy a good couple of hours to calm down and get back into the groove of travel.  She sure snapped out of it when I stopped at the truck wash, gas station and the two rest areas that I took her out for a walk and sniff.  Above she is at the RV Park trying to figure out where other dogs are barking from, and trying to catch sight of all dog walkers...mostly very large dogs.  If you look behind her you can see oranges on the tree/bush.  We are just a bit early to pick oranges to take with us, but I found a couple that were ripe and Marcia enjoyed one of them immensely. 

And at 4:35 I snapped this picture of the sun going down...wow, it sure gets dark early now days.

Family Day

Saturday turned out to be a family day, besides a packing up day getting ready to "Head em' up, Move 'em out".

Back Row L-R: Roger, Charlene, Bob, Mom, Me, Indy with Patti and Sandy down front

My brothers Bob and Roger both dropped by around the same time for quick (too quick) visit.  Arny took this picture, Marcia was still in the motorhome.  Bob brought along his 'friend' Charlene, which gave us all a chance to meet her, except mom who met her a few months ago.  Roger's wife was driving up from the LA area and did not make it.  My older brother Jim and his wife Carol were in Texas where they live.

Sure was a good day for mom based on that smile!

Gathering for Dad's Celebration of Life

Family and friends are coming together for dad's Celebration of Life tomorrow (Friday).  I wanted to share a few pictures from the hundred or so pictures which will be on a slide show for people to enjoy before and after the service.  Above is dad standing with his mother Edna and father Edwin.  My best guess is that this was taken when dad was around 16 years old.  Grandpa was also a Bishop, and grandma played the organ and/or piano and sang in the church choir.

  

Here dad is with his older and only brother, Leroy, who was 2 1/2 years older than dad.  My guess here is that dad was around 8 while Leroy was around 11 years old in this picture.

 

This is mom and dad's wedding day back in 1948...it lasted for 71 1/2 years.  Having four boys and two adopted girls, their secret to a long lasting marriage was that 'the person who jumped ship had to take all the kids with them.'  (They LOVED telling people that)

Uncle Red (Leroy) said it best in this picture...perhaps that was also a key to the long lasting marriage.

 

Of course, had they stopped after these three (Bob, Roger, Jim), the marriage would have been a breeze...  Funny, I only remember dad with grey hair...I guess son number four caused him to age faster...

 

But then the two BEST kids came along, and the younger kids (especially the youngest boy) tried to control the rest of the kids.  I assume that Jim is taking this picture in our backyard.  Here we have me (Dave), with Bob behind me holding MY DOG Snoopy (ok, family dog but EVERYONE KNEW it was my dog), with mom, dad, Sandy (foreground) and Roger (behind dad).  By this time, we ALL wore glasses...but Roger, Sandy and I were pulled out of the pool for this family picture.  WHERE is Patti you might ask?  Sandy and Patti are biological sisters, and Patti was adopted into the family as an adult at mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary.  Only wish she had come into our lives much earlier...

 

At first I missed the fact that Snoopy (Snooper was her official name) was in the picture...brought tears to my eyes until Skruffy came over and bit my big toe which really brought tears to my eyes.  One day soon...too soon...they will meet at the Rainbow Bridge.  I know they will be good friends.  Snoopy, I hope that day does not come soon...

 

Now that is a motley crew for sure...Jim, Dad, Roger, Bob and me (Dave), taken in the early to mid-1980's is my guess.

 

Patti and Sandy took mom and dad up to Donner Lake (Truckee area) and they all enjoyed one last trip to the mountains together.  I know that this trip really made mom and dad's day, and is a very fond memory for Patti and Sandy...the 'true' Angels of the family.

 

Tomorrow is the Celebration...no tears allowed...but how the heck do we do that????

The Little A'Le'Inn – Rachel, Nevada

So here we are, out in the middle of NO WHERE, in the small community of Rachel, Nevada at the Little A’Le’Inn.  One must be saying, WHY?  Well, here is the story…..  When I published our route nearly two weeks ago, I get this email from my brother Roger.  It sort went like this….  “Hey dude, you are going right through Rachel where Rochelle (his wife) and Roger are going to be  for a week.  You got to stop….”   Now I knew that Roger and Rochelle travel back and forth from where they live in the mountains along I-80 between Sacramento and Reno, and Rachel, Nevada…especially Rochelle.  They happened upon this Restaurant, Bar, Motel out in the middle of Nevada a number of years ago, like back in the late 1990’s.  They got to know the owners, Pat and her now deceased husband.  Knowing she needed help after he died, they started going to Rachel to lend a hand.  Rochelle goes over to Rachel to work the Bar and Restaurant for a week or so at a time numerous times per year.   Roger goes over when he can get off from his job in Sacramento.  Little did I know, until I looked into it before our visit to Rachel, that this place they visit and work in Rachel is the famous Little A'Le'Inn on the Extraterrestrial Highway which has been featured in a few films, TV shows, and yes, I have even seen it on a few blogs….just never knew it was in Rachel, and that this is where Roger and Rochelle head off to all the time….nor did I know our current route was going through Rachel, let alone along the Extraterrestrial Highway.

Before we left Lee Vining, we did have a chance to get a brief look at Mono Lake.  We had hoped to visit Bodie, the Ghost Town just north of Mono Lake…that will need to wait until later…as will June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, and the list can go on and on.  We will just have to try and spend a few more days next time we are through this area…and with Tioga Pass so close, I am sure there will be a next time.

  

There are many interesting things to photograph in and around the lake….next time we will get closer and spend some time.

But yesterday evening when we drove by the lake, we saw the sign…we knew that somewhere out there in the middle of nowhere, we had something out of this world awaiting us…..in Rachel Nevada.

Marcia, you did lock the dogs in the motorhome didn’t you?  Good, at least they are safe!

When I walked in this young lady as behind the bar..she also worked the gift shop, and she was a waitress.  I was impressed with how busy they were in September.  Many regulars who live in town, which is not that big, and a few regulars who live near town and work in the “test range”, the range which also contains “Area 51”.  Some tell you what they do, others don’t talk about their jobs, according to my brother.  And then there are the many tourist who come through.  

This is the owner Pat, the picture I took off of their website, http://littlealeinn.com.  She was a pleasure to talk to, and she told me the story of how many years ago her husband and her took over ownership of the Rachel Bar and Grill and turned it into “The Little A’Le’Inn”. 

We had a nice dinner, both having the Alien Burger, and talked with Roger and Rochelle and a few others who came to Rachel.  One lady had The Little A’Le’Inn on her bucket list….along with the next morning hangover that probably came with her experience.  When we left, a few of the regulars were still there….others had come and gone, many with purchases of some of the many items for sale which deal with Area 51, Alien Souvenirs, or/and food, some even took the food to go.  Roger and Rochelle told us that they have heard so many stories, met so many interesting people...some crazy, some not so crazy.  The Little A'Le'Inn is kind of a place of its own...you just got to see it to believe it.  

I did not get any pictures of the outside where we have the RV parked, but I took this Google map image to show the property.  The red balloon is the main building consisting of the bar, restaurant, gift shop, etc.  The green area, which I added, is the four RV parking spots where for $15 you can have water and 30 amp electrical, although it is offered through the normal “home style” two prong outlet.  I told my brother that it is a must to get at least 30 amp RV plugs out there, and 50 amp would be nice.  The blue area is an area where my brother said that people can boondock, kind of like “Walmart parking” without all the noise.  The highway is not used much at night, and it is very quiet…yet you are near others so the safety factor is a plus.  They don’t advertise this boondocking…yet…but I have a feeling things will change with that.  I also told him that they should consider belonging to Passport America, that there are many RVers going by on their way from the Zion National Park area over to Yosemite….ideal for a Passport America spot.  The only other PA spot is in Tonapah which is well over an hour to the west of Rachel….and the price there is $25 per night.  Of course, one must understand that this place is out in the middle of nowhere, and so is Tonapah….it is dessert, not much green. But if you want a fun little strange place to stay as you travel between these two National Parks, and want to park overnight with or without electricity, this is the place.  The people we met here have been wonderful, and that is the workers and the customers.  As the late Robin Williams said when he was playing “Mork”, “nano nano”.  Tomorrow, after breakfast, we head further east.