Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona with great friends!  What could be better?!  It wouldn't have mattered in what activities we were involved, being with the Gordons--a BLAST!
The schedule was full--wonderful meals out, volunteering at their local food bank (they too are volunteer junkies), shopping, a pickle ball tournament, cut-throat games of Rummikub, shared episodes of The Big Bang, pedicures, and humorous conversations about past and present events.  I love you guys!

I cannot remember Tom's quip, but I am glad I caught the responding smirks!
(Matt was oblivious, but happy.)
Ruth, Matt, and Tom at the National Pickle Ball Tournament

Doubles--Pickle Ball 

The Phoenix Gordons--Ruby, Billy, Ruth, and Tom

Matthew and Duchess (Tom and Ruth's dog)

Sadly, we did not have enough time to go into the Petrified Forest National Park.  (We will, however, on the way back!)  We stopped quickly, at one of the trading posts, to look at larger pieces of petrified wood. The colors--awesome!

Petrified wood--beautiful!

Matthew at the trading post

We are heading back to Ottumwa, Iowa for Thanksgiving--via Omaha and Council Bluffs to visit ISD and friends.  I have been reading about the storm coming through…I think we will travel east by the southern route!  Best to make the jump north after the snow/rain/ice…
I hope this finds you all safe and warm!
Smiles and love,
Susan and Matt

General George S. Patton's Museum

We also visited General George S. Patton's Museum in Indio, AZ (just off Hwy 10).  Matt especially enjoyed the tanks and military vehicles.  Me?  I enjoyed the documentary, general memorabilia, and newspaper clippings.  I am happy to report--Matthew has become more interested in history.  Visiting museums has become quite a joy for the two of us!

George S. Patton Memorial Museum

I lost Matthew in this field of military vehicles--smiles! 

By the time I caught up with him, he was driving away in a tank!

This was part of the chapel used at the Desert Training Center.  
During WWII, thousands soldiers were trained here.  

General George S. Patton

Hope this finds you all well and happy!

Smiles and love,

Susan and Matt 

Joshua Tree National Park

On the way to Phoenix, AZ, Matthew and I drove through Joshua Tree National Park.  Gorgeous!  We will definitely return to hike some trails and camp…

Our first Joshua Tree sighting!

Cholla Cactus Garden

Close-up of the Cholla flower

Teddy Bear Cholla

On the way to, time there, and driving on…LA, CA

"The way to" was uniquely beautiful.  Matt and I had become accustomed to lush green.  The introduction of tan, brown, gray…different, but not unappreciated.

 Landscapes on Hwy 101 down to Ventura, CA.  (Thanks, Pacha! It was a great city; we enjoyed it!)


After a wonderful late lunch in Ventura, Matt and I climbed back into the RV to cruise the last 90 miles to Elizabeth's home.  According the GPS, the drive looked straight forward.  I ignorantly thought it would be an easy drive.  ("Ignorantly" may be a weak adverb.)  Okay, you would think, 90 miles=maybe 2 hours…No, not in LA, during rush hour, the Friday before a long weekend…90 miles=5 hours, significantly more gray hair, a migraine, a sweat-soaked T-shirt, a pale-faced son, a white-knuckled mommy, and two unhappily full bladders!  I did try the car-pool lane for a bit…at least until I noticed a long stretch of emptiness in front of me and a very long line of restless vehicles behind me.  (Okay, to be fair, I was only able "comfortably" drive 35 mph, so I can understand the horns, fingers, and fist shaking from the drivers who passed me after I moved back into the "no-go" lane.)
NOW, for the good part--family!  We were spoiled rotten by Elizabeth (Matthew's second "Mom") and Phyllis (Matthew's father's sister).  We ate well, yakked, and generally had a relaxing and loving time.  I was able to talk with Phyllis' children (my nieces and nephew) on the phone--Salena, Zahra, and Marco.  Thank you, Elizabeth and Phyllis…it was a wonderful visit!  We love you!

Phyllis, Matthew, and Elizabeth

Tonight, we are at Joshua Tree National Park.  We will drive through the park tomorrow on our way to visit Tom, Ruth, Billy, and Ruby in Phoenix, AZ.  Whatcha think?  Maybe we should start at 7:00 a.m…6:00?

Hwy 62 on the way to Joshua Tree National Park

Monterey, CA

What a great city!  Matt and I had a blast!
We explored and shopped on Cannery Row--Made famous by the canneries; made infamous by the people who lived there and the writings of John Steinbeck (Tortilla Flats and Cannery Row).

Cannery Row

Some of the infamous characters in Cannery Row
Wax Museum

Labelled merchandise from the largest and longest running cannery in Monterey, CA
Canned fish for our soldiers during WWI and WWII

We visited the Monterey Aquarium--TWICE.  I would highly recommend the excursion.

The male of the two octopuses.  He had just eaten and was very red.

I love jellies and the exhibits at the aquarium were EXTREMELY well done!

Matthew and the Stinging Nettles--beautiful to look at.   Swim with--no, thanks.

Another jelly...I cannot remember the name.

Moon Jellies

Close up of a baby jelly

We also visited Pacific Grove (the "Butterfly Capital of California").  It is not the season for the Monarchs now, but it would be a sight worth seeing in the future.  

Outside the Aquarium

Steps leading down to the beach from a city park

Quaint and lovely Pacific Grove

The Redwoods National and State Parks

WOW!  The trees were amazing!  Not just because of their physical size and shape, but because the trees/forest/groves "encourage" a spiritual connection.  We were fortunate to meet a number of the uber-magnificent.  Here, let me introduce you to a couple--

Name: Big Tree
Height: 304 feet
Diameter: 21.6 feet
Age: 1500 years...

Name: Grandfather Tree
Height: 265 feet
Diameter: 24 feet
Age: 1800 years...

Our favorite park was Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park; it is home to the Stout Memorial Grove.  The movies Jurassic Park and Star Wars (Return of the Jedi) were both filmed there.  

Looking way, way up!

I tried to tell Matthew that we couldn't bring it home--smiles!

Matthew with some of the "babies". (Matt is lower left center on the  path.)

Matthew is standing in front of the tree on the right.

Impossible for my camera to capture the whole tree...

We ended up in Crescent City Park for two days.  It was still cool enough to want a space heater at night, so we needed to plug into electric.  At Crescent City, we ran into a woman who, along with her husband, keeps the lighthouse.  She and I share an interest--"discovering words".  So, while searching for whales in the bay, our backs to the lighthouse, she googled different phrases and words used for groups of animals.

A group of hummingbirds=a shimmering or a glitter.  

A group of jays=a scold.  

A group of birds (sorry, I don't remember the species) that float in the water together and dive for fish simultaneously=a water dancing.

Anyway, it was a fun connection.  Sadly, no whale sightings.

Battery Point Lighthouse (Built in 1856) 

Most of the state parks this far north have closed for the season.  It isn't a bad thing, there are fewer people around, and Matt and I could sing and dance along the paths.  (No, not that we do it often, but I am telling you, these tree "cast a spell" of rapture and awe.) The one small town RV park we camped in was next to a river--

Great Redwood RV Park
We would definitely stay here again!

The tiny towns along the Redwood Hwy are definitely unique to this area.  Many of the businesses maintain their 1960/70s signage and the odd-duck-tourism-feel from that time period.  One place, The Trees of Mystery and Sky Trail at Klamath, was "fine".  But the gem of the business, was the free museum in the back of the gift shop--AWESOME!  I do not think I have ever seen such a diverse and extensive display of tribal pieces.

A few of the baskets in the "free museum" collection


Other "tourist stops"

The Shrine Drive-thru Tree Auto Park (one of three along the Avenue of the Giants)

A treehouse--not in a tree, but OF a tree.  These were actually way flippin cool! 

Where in the world is Matthew Trucano?  This is the famous--One Log House!

It seems as though everyone, and his/her brother, carves logs with chainsaws.  Supposedly, the man who created this piece is the "master"--Sandoval.  Although I am not able to appreciate this kind of art, I do give a head-nod to a bear that drinks coffee.  

After 4 days, it was time to continue south.  Again, the foliage was amazing; it still is!  At this point, I am just plain giddy!  Seriously, I have had months of fall color!  As we travelled south, even the low growing plants were gorgeous--orange, yellow, red, lime green, etc.  Sorry, couldn't find a place to pull-over without someone running into my back end.  We did try the less trafficked Hwy 1 for part of the trip to San Francisco...It was not a successful.  This is the first time I was nauseous WHILE driving.  Matt and I both decided it would be better to travel on Hwy 101.  Before hitting the "busy south-bound section," I was able to take some pictures of vineyards in the Sonoma Valley.

We only stayed near San Francisco one night.  I pointed out the Golden Gate Bridge to Matthew as we flew by...maybe, we will see something the next time.  Maybe...SMILES!

We are now in Monterey.  (I am not sorry to have missed San Francisco; this town/city is worth a minimum of 3 days.)

Thank you for coming along for the ride!  I hope this finds all of you well and happy!

Smiles and love,

Susan and Matthew