After spending the winter in the desert chasing Bluegrass Festivals, hiking and bird watching, we just finished a week of something completely different. We met with our son, Glen and Barb and Bryce in the white hot intensity of life in Los Angeles. We chose a park on the northern fringes of the LA metropolis, in Santa Clarita. Glen and his family were in a hotel in Studio City. With me as navigator and Judy driving we tackled the freeway system. Down I-5 and I-405 to the 101, we tried to leave three car lengths ahead. That was quickly occupied by another car. That was nothing compared to the drive back to our coach at eight or so in the evening with headlights and taillights everywhere and not really seeing the exits until you are right on them.
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Category Archives: Travels
What Were We Thinking!
Here we are at Stub Stewart State Park, up in the Oregon Coast Range at 1,200 feet elevation in October going on Thanksgiving. We just walked down to lock up the Day Use restrooms at seven o’clock, one of our regular chores. It is totally dark and the temperature is 42 degrees with a 10 mph wind out of the south west. I am dressed in high top shoes, woolly socks, long pants, regular tee shirt, long sleeve tee shirt, long sleeved sweatshirt with a hoody, a fuzzy vest and a wind breaker over it all. I have my volunteer hat and volunteer vest and my hands jammed deep in my pockets. Judy is dressed similarly except she has her woolly gloves on. Continue reading What Were We Thinking!
Honor The Flag
Today, as part of our volunteer duties here at Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area, we greeted sixteen visitors. With the visitors help we raised and lowered the flag six times today. Each time we told them about the history of our special 31 star flag. It represents the US Flag that was in use when the US Army Fourth Infantry built Fort Yamhill on this hillside overlooking the Grand Ronde Valley. Each time I played the bugle and demonstrated the bugle calls appropriate to that moment in history in 1856. California had just become a state in 1851, Oregon wouldn’t become a state for three more years in 1859. Fort Yamhill was a frontier fort set between the natives and the settlers trying to keep the peace. Continue reading Honor The Flag
An Interesting Day
In fact it has been an interesting week. OPRD, (Oregon Parks and Recreation Department,) let Judy and I go through their Interpretive program where they taught us to create those interesting talks that Rangers and Volunteers give to visitors at the Oregon parks. It will make our volunteer job more interesting because we will be doing something we have always enjoyed, talking with other visitors to the parks we stay at. The training was held at Canby Grove right on the Molalla River in Canby Oregon. Continue reading An Interesting Day
Step Back in Time:
Welcome to historic Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area! As Judy and I set out on our latest adventure, we invite you to come along. Continue reading Step Back in Time: