The End is Near

I am sitting at Starbucks in Kihei enjoying one last cup of coffee here on the islands.  Lori found room in one of her bags and is at ABC to buy last minute gifts.  We have had a wonderful time here on Maui and even though my attention span wains after a couple days, I have no desire to go back to the wind and rain.  I try to make the best of it by dreaming of our next trip.  We will most certainly be back in the not so near future as retirement looms and finances will dictate our travels.

With the Falls back in the hood, we were back to being tour guides.  We learned the pool reopened and all was good.   On Friday, we took a drive around the top of the island and headed for Lahaina for lunch.  Lorens sister is here and wanted to meet up with friends and family for lunch.  We went to Bubba Gumps and had a great time.  We had driven the top loop coming out above Kannapali.  Gwen was told about an area called Dragons tooth and we finally located the beach area near a swanky resort.  Very upper crust people in this area.  Just as we got to the beach, a rain shower shower came through cutting our stay short.. After lunch, it was a race to see how many shops we could go in and look at the same stuff.  We regrouped and with tired eyes, we headed back to our condo.  We all decided on pizza and had seen a Pizza Hut in town.  Of course the GPS could not locate it and as we drove around, we could not locate it.  We gave up and went to Round table.  It turned out to be a very good decision as they had a good salad bar and excellent pizza.  Back to the condo and we all layed around.

Lori and I were asked to go with Jeff and Monica to Warren and Annebelles Magic show in Lahaina on Saturday night Magic Show.  Loren and Gwen were goofing off celebrating Gwens Birthday and we left them the car keys.  Jeff and Monica picked us up and we were off for what promised to be a fun evening.  As soon as we got there, we were seated in a parlor style area and served great finger foods and drinks.  Soon it was off to the theater and a very funny and entertaining.  We laughed so much, it hurt at times.  If you go to the island, this is a must do event.  Click on the link above for more information.  We headed back and learned Loren took Gwen out for a nice dinner at The Outback.  It good to see the kids spread their wings and wander away from the nest!

Sunday morning was a mixed bag as Lori and I were sad to see our friends go. They were here for 7 days and today was go home day for them.  We had some great times and enjoyed playing tour guides.  It was nice to at least see them off with a smile in their now tanned faces! 

We stopped for coffee and lunch and headed back to just hang out.  It was quiet in the condo that night and seemed not right that they had to leave us so soon.

Monday met us with warm temps and low winds.  The news was warning us that ash clouds from Indonesia were drifting through and to be careful.  We could see the haze as the day went on, but felt no problems from the drifting ash.  I got a hair up my butt and felt I needed to go snorkeling.  We rented gear, made a lunch and headed for Makena Beach landing.  Once there, I spent a few hours snorkeling and was told there were turtles off the shore several hundred yards away from our beach.  I could see it and make the trek across the lagoon.  I had to be careful as I spotted a Greenpeace boat monitoring my every movement.  I felt as though if I got close to shore, they would try to prevent me from beaching myself!  I made it to this wonderful reef and saw tons of fish, but no turtles.  I was pretty tired and went to the beach and walked back down the road to Lori.  We ended the day in the pool and a late dinner.

Tuesday morning, I remembered Candi from work tell us about the Gazebo cafe up near Kannapali.  We made the drive and were treated to wonderful food and scenery.  We went down to the lava flow and found seevral tidal pools, teaming with life.  In one, a lady pointed out she had seen a eel but it went under a rock.  About this time as if posing for photo ops, it came out and cooperated for several pics.  Then we heard what we have been waiting for all trip.  A turtles sighting, just around the corner!.  It was reported that several large sea turtles were in the area and we could see them.  It was quite a hike on the lava, but soon we were treated to a wonderful show of turtle swimming with  swimmers and snorkelers.  We stayed for quite a while and finally worked our way south to the condo.  It was Lori's birthday and I needed to find a nice place to have a romantic dinnr on the beach.  I checked the internet and found Sorento's on the Beach.  I made a reservation and after a beautiful sunset, we headed to Wailea for dinner.  It was a five star location with great food and wine.  Everything was perfect with the light breeze, a good wine and a moonlit ocean to ponder.  As we left, I needed to use the bathroom.  I headed into a very posh and clean room.  As I washed my hands, I was amazed to see they had these little Italian candies in a dish near the sink.  I thought, why not and tried one.  I blew soap bubbles till 3 am.

Time to wrap up for now.  Lori just got here from shopping and we have a logistical problem to fix.  Aloha from Maui!

Footnote:

We made it home safe and cold from the crummy weather.  Time to get back to reality and dream of our next adventure..Aloha and Mahalo from Maui

A Quick Slide Show of Our Trip

A Little Rain must Fall

Alot has happened since our last blog.  We were up at 0400 and had Gwen and loren to the airport by 5 am.  We headed back to Kihei and went immediately to Starbucks (ya, I know, what a stretch!)  After a leisurely cup of Joe, we were now awake and looking to have breakfast.  I noticed at the park across the street, it looked like a walk way by the water.  We headed over to Kameole park and found a great water walk that turned out to be about a half mile long.  We ended up at our favorite breakfast cafe, the Kihei Cafe.  They make a great breakfast that is fairly reasonable.

While picking our teeth, we decided to head to a state park named Iao Valley and walk the trails.  We were warned that this is rain forest and it is wet alot of the time.  As we entered the park, the bright sun made for a magnificent view of the peaks and hills surrounding the valley.  we spent a few hours hiking and climbing around.  Lots of pictures and a very nice out of the way wonder.

We headed back to the north end of Sugar Beach and walked along the boardwalk (are seeing a pattern here?)  After walking the boardwalk, we went on the beach and walk all the way back to the car.  It was lunch time and back to another beach for  a picnic.  We headed back to the condo and later walked around by the jetty.  The wind was coming up pretty good and we could see several wind surfers out front.  We were wading in the protected area and as I got near the rocks, the water began to boil!  It scared the crap out of me.  A school of fish were there and I must have scared them off.  My heart was pounding and all I could think of was PIRANHA!  I regrouped and checked my shorts in time to see a couple boarders in trouble.  One was blown way off course and managed to get to the beach south of us.  Lori and I guided a couple of their friends in to where he was.  He was tired but okay.  Another got knocked off his board by the wind and before he could retrieve it, it was gone.  The wind pulled him to shore and we kept an eye on his board as long as we could, but it was gone.  The guy went a mile or so down the beach but to no avail.

Lori talked me into going to an Italian restaurant in Kihei called Antonio's.  She enjoyed her meal so much she talked three couples walking by into having dinner there.  I walked off in disgust! 

We traded text messages with Jeff and Monica (Myers) all afternoon and ended up at their condo for drinks.  We had a good time, but the day was long and we headed back for needed rest.

This morning after breakfast, Lori decides we need to walk to get coffee. A storm has arrived and although dry, we have been blessed with 40 mph winds.  We have a choice...Starbucks #1 is 1.2 miles away and #2 is 2.4.  Monica had talked Lori into believing this would be a nice easy walk and we could make the return trip via the beach. Wow, I thought out loud that this sounded almost as much fun as taking a pair of pliars and pulling my toenails out!  To Loris credit, she listened as I explained my concerns about this trip and after she assimilated all the info, we walked to #2!

OK, not a bad walk so far, but as we get to the first light and shopping center, a Jeep pulls up and the driver starts calling me names.  I look over and it is Bill Larass and his wife.  Bill is a prosecutor and is also here on vacation.  He told me that as they drove past us, he thought it was me and called work to find out it was me on Maui.  We talked a bit and the march continued.  We made it for coffee and sat for awhile.  It was getting to be lunch time and we decided to head back and drive to a place for salads.  Again Lori asked for my input and walked off.  We walked down a back street and saw orange trees, Coconut Palms and various flowers in bloom.  It was nice.  We then headed out on the beach for the final 1.5 mile trek to the Condo.  Problem one arises...we are now walking into a 40 mph headwind in soft sand!  My legs are burning and the sand stings as it flies past us.  I think to my self as I try to keep up with "the guard" Lori.  As time passed, I began to have delusions from the heat and wind. Dehydration was setting in and I soon felt I was on a forced death march, not all that different than the Bataan death march in the Phillipines.  With a determined gait, Lori 'marched' on and was leaving my large profile behind as the wind took it's toll. 

Problem #2 arises.  Sand has made it's way into every part of my body and the damage is quick and decisive.  I have sores on my feet and 'other' areas from sweat and salt air etc.  I am in so much pain, I think of walking into the water and ending the misery.  I am now hearing the song in my head "Edmund Fitzgerald' and especially the parts about the gales of November and then it goes to the part about saying farewell to the crew.  As I contemplate stepping out of line so the guard can put me down, we round the last corner and the most beautiful sight was ahead.  It was our Condo!  I struggled to make it to the door and headed in to get Advil and Neosporin. 

Problem #3.  I grabbed my Advil and as fate would have it, I dropped one on the floor.  I went down and now could not get up.  What does the wife do...certainly not help me, but grabs the camera and starts taking pictures.  God I love her so much.  What would I have done without her...oh, I know, not go for a death march!

I finally got up and we headed to Freds for a taco salad.  As we sat there, the tall one and Monica walk in and join us for lunch.  He tries to tell me they went to Big beach, but some of their sunburns didnt match the clothes they had on.  I suspect they went to a location that allowed for not so many clothes.

After a little shopping, we picked up Gwen and Loren at the airport,  We were filled with tales of their exploits and travels On Oahu.  Seems Loren visited a WWII era submarine that is on display at Pearl Harbor.  Seems he got stuck in a hatch and now the Sub has been 'altered'.   They scrap it later this week.  They were very excited to tell us of their travels and the fun they had.

Dinner and a quiet evening at the Condo.  Bad news today though as we found out the pool is now closed for the remainder of our stay for repairs.  Not what we signed up for, but what are you going to do.  Off to bed.  More from the road soon.

From Shopping to Luau's

Todays blog starts with a warning.  Do not mention Loren or my name if you are on the islands and choose to shop at the Kehei ABC store.  With the sun and all, I decided I needed a hat.  We went in and they were a little expensive.  As Lori was checking out, I told her to leave the tag on the hat and we would return it when we were leaving.  Apparently the clerk thought this was tacky and cut the tags off as Loren and I commented.  I then felt we were no longer welcome and happened to see the condom display.  I merely asked if she had any extra large and she told us to leave and she was working every day for the next five days.  I felt it necessary to advise her we were here for ten days...Lori didnt get a free gift for shopping there.

Okay, now for the fun stuff.  When we last blogged, we were getting ready for the Luau in Lahaina.  Off we headed for the other side of the island and the promise of a great time.  We got to the lot at about 445 and again was able to park in the front lot.  Soon we were in line and a Mai Tai in hand.  Soon I was sipping on Long Island Ice Teas and thinking about how much I enjoy this.  Soon I was being accused of saying things by Gwen when I know I didnt say anything about that particular subject.  Of course the other two backed her and i could tell it was bash Steve night.  Why me and why now?  I never cause problems with the possible exception of the store earlier in the day.  Just because I was a little buzzed, they took advantage of me and it was not pretty!

Soon the hula girls were dancing traditional Hawaiin dances as we enjoyed great food and did I mention, open bar?  We had a nice evening and a beautiful moonlit drive home.

Today, we woke up to clear skies and warm temps (go figure).  We headed for the volcano and drove the long winding road to the very top.  As we were about two miles from the end of the road, they have this visitor center.  We took several pictures and then Lori and Gwen get this stupid idea to climb this trail to the top of a lava cone.  It was 60 degrees but we were at 10000 feet high and the air was very thin.  I reluctantly tagged along waiting for an embolism and stroke on the ten minute rock climb.  We were rewarded by spectacular sights and views of the crater.  It was worth the hike and made for a very nice trip.

Soon it was lunch and time for the famous Paia Fish Market and their fish Taco's  We stopped by the county beach after lunch and watched 25 foot waves hit the beach with hundreds of surfers looking for that perfect wave.  A little gang style fight right next to us made me a little uncomfortable, but felt pretty good no weapons were involved as most had bathing suits only.  It was broke up and I got out from behind Lori to again watch the surfers.  We ended the day with a beautiful sunset and a warning from the condo management.  Seems Loren grabbed a shell and tried to perform the traditional sunset calling to the fishermen or what ever the tradition is.  Seems his call was a little off and about twenty endangered dolphins intentionally beached themselves!

Dinner at Peggy Sues and back for a cool and restful evening.  We have to drop Gwen and Loren off at the airport at 0500 for their Oahu leg of their trip.  For some reason, Lori wants to go immediately to Little beach...

Back to Paradise

After months of planning, paying and waiting, the time has come.  Lori, me, Loren and Gwen have arrived in paradise, alos known as Maui.  Lori and I are here for 10 days as Loren and Gwen are here for 7.  On Wednesday morning, they fly to Oahu to be tourists on the island filled with history.

We both headed to Portland a day early to shop and just get away.  After sneeking out on the cats and making nice with Chad, we were off.  We needed to find a light coat for Lori in case it cooled in the evening.  Once we finally made it to Portland, we made a snap yet deliberate decision to buy a Netbook computer.  There was a best Buy right around the corner and it does everything we want it to do while on the road.  I wanted to add some RAM and remembered as we got to dinner, I had no tools.  I Mcgivered a clipper into a screwdiver and soon I was up and running.  Nice little HP unit with lots of battery.

We met up with the Falls at Joes Crab Shack and had a very good dinner.  We headed back to the room and soon were off to bed.  I have trouble sleeping in motel/hotel rooms and was up and ready to go by 0230. Lori got up at 5 and we headed to the airport and off by 0845.  It was a smooth flight and soon we were here.

Into the airport and as we dropped down by the main area, here was a beach bum and his wife holding up a  We received a lei greeting sign and a fruit basket!  We were surprised by Jeff (my boss) and Monica who got here on the 28th.  We visited for a few and headed to baggage claim and then to the rental car place.  Soon we had got in a very long line and felt it would take an hour or so to get a car.  I saw the quick check kiosk and within minutes, so quick it cost me extra for more time.  They told us they were running low on full size cars and had placed a few 'premium' cars in line.  We found a Mercury Marquis and loaded up the land yacht and headed for Kehei.  We got everything into the room and hung out most of the afternoon.  I drove the crew around a bit to get them used to the layout of the island and we later headed to our traditional 1st night dinner at Gator McGoons.  We tried to watch a movie, but soon went to bed and slept well for the night.

Day 2:
I made ham and pineapple omelets with our coffee  Today was a trip down to the lava fields and then end up the evening with a Luau in Lahina.  We drove down the coast and all enjoyed the great beaches and sights.  We found Big beach which is infamous for little beach right next door.  Once on the beach, we walked around and made it to the rock 'staircase over to little beach.  Loren was unable to make the hike as the path was pretty difficult to navigate on a bum knee.  We crossed over and the first thing we see is a female in the nude standing there watching us come down the path.  Soon there was skin everywhere.  Gwen 'told us' she wanted to check on Loren, but I suspect she got a little overwhelmed with the abundant display of male anatomy.  I made sure she got over the trail ok and turned back thinking she was standing right by me.  No, she was getting surfing tips from about five guys and commenting how the water must be warm today!  I was appalled by her actions the gratuitous nudity on the beach.  I was forced to walk all the way down the beach to get Lori to turn back.  She told me hot it was and was disrobing as I escorted her back to the other beach.  You think you know someone but wow! When we went to a few other beaches, she just moped around as everyone had bathing suits on. 

Soon it was time for lunch, goofing off around the condo and now its time to head to the Luau.  More from our travels soon.

Steve

A Day of Healing

After a very difficult weekend and Monday, Shawn, Peyton and I had previously made plans to make a day trip to Sand Lake for some fun in the sun!  The weather looked like it was going to be perfect and we were ready to tackle the sand.

I was at Shawns house at 0545 and both were ready to hit the road.  We loaded up and headed south.  Traffic was light and we made good time.  Once at the lot, we had few people to look out for and soon were out playing.  As we tested Peytons bike and made a few repairs, we started to climb a hill.  His bike started to smoke and we shut her down quick.  It cooled and we turned around.  A short time later, his chain broke and I towed him back to the truck.  I did notice alot of bikes breaking down around us and thought is was strange.  Shawn headed for the store and repairs. 

He returned a short time later and found he had the wrong type of master link.  He also realized he had lost his ATV key.  We looked and could not find it anywhere.  He returned to the store and they had it there for him.  He had also dropped it in the driveway at home in the morning.  He was lucky.

After we realized there was nothing that could be done there to get him running, Peyton bucked up and hopped on with me.  We rode for awhile and then he hopped on Shawns bike.  They played and climbed some hills.  I goofed off and we ended up having a great ride despite the bike problems.

Shawn said it best after we loaded up heading home.  I was getting a little cocky on my bike.  I went down a hill and had to turn at an angle.  The ground gave a little and I stopped and then managed to bury the bike. Shawn came and got it out for me and made sure I knew he had helped!

After a long and slow ride home, we unloaded and marveled at how few injuries we had.  Shawn had a sunburn where the lotion didn't cover but other than being a little sore it was a great day.

It's amazing how a distraction like this is good for the body.  I feel a little better about everything now and the healing has begun.  Thanks Shawn and Peyton for a wonderful day!

A Sad Day in the Fretts Family

 Part of us died on Monday.  Beloved companion and protector Walt was put to sleep after his battle with age and bad hips finally caught up with him this weekend.  Since he was a pup, he was the kind of dog that had a personality that always lit up the place he was at.  His love of travel was only second to his obsession for retrieving...yes he was a tried an true yellow lab. One of Walts favorite activities was diving for rocks or anything under water he could find.  He was inseperable from both Mark and Shawn and frequent trips to the river was just the thing for all.

As Walt got older, you could see his desire to be with Lori and I  was getting to a be a problem.  He was very vocal about being left at home and could be seen often hanging with us at the local coffee shop.  There were few dogs or cats that Walt didnt like.  He will be sorely missed,

A couple years ago, Lori and moved from our motorcycle to a trailer.  Partly as we knew Walt was getting older and mostly because we wanted him around us as he wanted to be with us,  I remember the many times as soon as the keys were picked up, he would bolt out the door taking out anything or anyone in his way.  He would do laps around the truck till I opened the door and he would jump from wherever he was standing usually hitting the door or truck and falling down,  He will be missed.

Last spring, the reality of his age really hit me in the stomach like I was getting socked.  He could not navigate the rocks and would not swim.  This site sickened me as the Walt we had been annoyed with over the years by  his tireless desire to make anyone in his reach happy by bringing them a stick.  I have come to associate our beach property with the many lives of both people and pets that have come and gone from this place.  Why Walt and why now?  It doesn't seem fair that God always takes the good ones way too early even if they lived a long life here on earth.  We are never happy or seem ready to accept the reality of life and death.  They will all be missed.

Last month we took Walt on one final vacation.  I knew from the start, it may kill him as he was slowing quickly.  He still managed to hold his head high and search the roads for us even though his sight was nearly gone.  We had to find a vet in Canada to help him and they gave us some great joint paint pills that helped him alot.  As we neared the end of the trip, we could tell poor Walt was too worn out to do much more and was content to sit and smell the air.  He faded quickly after returning home and began to have balance problems.  A couple weeks ago we came to grips with the inevitable and I tried to prepare myself for the trip to town that one last time.  I think he heard us and got quite a bit better.  We were relieved.  It was for not as this last weekend, he was now suffering and I needed to man up and get on with my responsibility as a pet owner and friend,  He didnt deserve to go out with anything less that holding his head up, making friends even in those last few breaths.  Even the vet was emotional as Walt layed in my arms taking a last few peaceful breaths on this earth for now.  I know his spirit will return soon and a dog will 'pick' us to help him grow up to be the same or better dog than Walt.  He will be missed.
 
One last thought in my obituary for my companion.  I feared the final act more than anything on earth.  When the decision was made, there are three distinct acts that I had to complete.  The hardest for me was to make the call to the vet.  This was the moment of reality.  I was commited to following through now.  Then I sat and watched the clock waiting for the time to take the drive.  Walt enjoyed his final ride and seemed relaxed as he almost knew it was his last.  I dont know, maybe I wanted him to be ok with what I was doing to him.  He walked in mostly on his own and layed with me on the floor as the sedative wagiven.  We said our goodbyes and asked him to say hi to a few pets who have already gone to 'dog heaven' He seemed to understand as his eyes slowly closed and his pain went away.  A calm came over me and I actually felt ok.  Dont mistake what I mean, I still have moments I lose my composure, but it was the right thing to do and probably should have been done sooner.

He is missed!

Toutle River 2010

Radium Hot Springs and Beyond

My writing has slowed the past few days after getting home from vacation.  I have a few minutes to get caught up, so here I go.

After leaving Revelstoke, it was time for that long, hard drive to Radium Hot Springs.  The weather has finally warmed and with all of 150 miles to go, we were in no hurry.  We pulled the pass heading east out of Revelstoke with no problem and after an hour, it was time for a potty break.  Once  we pulled off in a pull out for a break, I happened to look over and got a great view of the Columbia River far below.  It was a great spot and we sat there for several minutes watching the river.  Back on the road, we pulled into Golden and had no problem finding our way.  We hit 93 south and made the final 30 or so miles to Radium.  Not alot to see as we head south till we got close to town.  What a beautiful area.  As we neared town, we spotted the RV park on our right.  We stayed at the Radium Vally resort.  AS we were there on our RPI card, they directed us to and area on the north end of the park.  It seemed small for sites, but one we started to back in, it was deceiving as there was a wood walkway and a patio complete with barbecue.  The site was right on the hill and looked toward the mountains on one side and out over the huge valley to the north.

We goofed off at the resort that day and hit the pool after dinner.  A very nice facility and not that many people.  We had checked in town and found a coffee stop with an outside patio and a spot for Walt to sit and watch people and critters.  The following day, we headed back north to Golden and hit Hiway one.  We headed up the the pass and stopped at the famous railway corkscrew tunnels.  We sat and waited hoping to see a train for over an hour.  This location is unique as it has two series of tunnels to lessen the elevation/drop of trains crossing the pass.  As the locomotive enters the tunnel, it make a turn and exits as the middle of the train is still on the top side of the tracks.  At one point you can see three different sections of the train at the same time.  We ate lunch and sat some more.  I was about to give up when a tour bus arrived and several people lined the observation area.  We soon learned they had spotted a train further up and it was expected soon.  Within minutes, the train passed by us and entered the tunnel.  It was quite a site and worth the wait if you are a train buff!

Day three here took us to the hot springs.  We went to the hot pool which was very soothing and enjoyable.  It is built on a rock canyon type setting with rock going straight up all around you.  It was enjoyable sitting and soaking while talking to all the people visiting the area.  As we sat there, I noticed two large big horn sheep walking the 90- degree walls just up from us.  What a site...wish I had the camera.

One thing about this area was the little canyon I mentioned.  When we leave town the following day, we have to pull the trailer through this area and there is one spot that requires me to straddle the center line as there is not enough clearance to get the trailer through in my lane.  They placed a mirror across the street so you can look and make sure the coast is clear as you round the corner.  Oh, did I mention it was also an 11% grade on top of that?  We made it no problem and continued on our way to our next destination, Canmore, Alberta. 

The following morning, we made the short drive to Canmore.  This town is located just east of Banff and at the eastern edge of the Rocky mountains.  We were planning on two nights here and as we dove in, marveled at the beauty all around us.  We found the RV park no problem and as we checked in, the gal told us we were a day late.  I showed the paperwork showing they had booked it correctly and she told me we would have to move sites if we wanted to stay.  I chose to head south instead and we set up for the night.  After getting settled, Lori and I walked to town.  We found a walking trail that took us around and to the center of town.  We shopped and found coffee of course.  After a couple hours, we headed back and found a boardwalk along a creek which ende at the bridge by the park.  It was a wonderful walk and very scenic.  We settled in for the night and talked with several people also traveling in the area.

The next morning brought clear, but windy conditions for our next leg.  We were headed for Lethbridge for a stop over before entering the US.  As we headed for Calgary, we reminisced about the many trips we had made through here on the bike.  Soon we were in Calgary traffic and once we cleared it was a straight shot south.  We made such good time, we made it to the area just west of town by 1100.  We decided to forgo the stop and find a place in Montana.  As we continued, the winds howled and made it tough to keep our speed.  The diesel was working hard to keep us headed down the road and the fuel gauge was dropping fast.

Once we crossed the border just east of Glacier park, it was up and down on narrow roads as well as the wind.  We hit a pullout and had lunch while viewing the park out of our back window.  It was great.  We continued and I felt we could make Whitefish by 5 pm.  We called the KOA and they told us they had a site for us.  We pulled in to a dusty, noisy and cramped park.  There was no way I could fit in the site they had for us and we declined to stay.  We called the KOA at Polson (our favorite) and they gladly allowed us to stay.  We love this KOA and enjoyed the two days  here on R&R just goofing off.  It got kind of cold and this made for early nights.  We made a day of Big Fork shopping a bit.  I have to say that Lori was great this trip and shopped very little.  I also have to mention that no Casinos were contacted either which is a record for me!

Soon it was time to head for Spokane.  We made the quick trip across and hooked up with Mark and Sandy.  I helped Mark change his water Pump and enjoyed visiting with the crew.  Our final two days were in Randle at the K&M park where we were to meet up with the Falls.

We left Spokane that Friday morning having so enjoyed our visit, but with the reality that this was our last stop on our great adventure.  We headed west and soon were in the heat of the Yakima valley.  Up and over White pass with no problems and soon we were pulling into the park.  We got set up and soon the Falls arrived and set up next to us.  It was a pleasant evening and we sat and talked, laughed and laughed some more.  Soon it was bed time and we slept good as we usually do on vacation. 

On Saturday morning, we woke to sunshine and great weather.  We walked to the latte stand and I was able to prove to myself I was better.  (this walk was the one that I had alot of pain on and came to the realization I had a heart problem a couple months ago.)

When we got back, Gwen and Loren wanted to go Geo Caching and hit the dusty road to their own adventure.  Lori and I had lunch and as I sat, looking out the window, I couldn't help notice there were not that many people on the golf course.  Soon Lori and I were on the course hacking and digging divots like the best of them.  We had a great time and headed back for dinner and much conversation. 

All to soon, it was time to head home.  Not much conversation today and Walt was worn out.  He had done pretty good, but the reality of his age quickly made me realize, he is not meant for too many more vacations.  He had a great time and every day stands by the truck waiting for that next great adventure.  We are too and hope to hit the road again soon!

Revelstoke

Greetings  from a cool and wet Revelstoke.  We arrived to find cool, misty weather.  They tell us there is only one more day of this grey weather and then the sun will come out.

Our first day, we decided to go to Mount Revelstoke Park.  As we climbed the steep grades to the top, it got very cold and was in the 30's at the top.  We hiked around a lake in the snow while Walt snoozed in a warm truck.  Soon, we were headed back down the mountain and we found a spot to sit and have a picnic lunch.  It was breath taking scenery this day from the overlooks showing the Columbia river down below.

Soon we were back in town scoping a good coffee house.  We found one and enjoyed a good cup of coffee to warm our bones.  It was a good day and we had fun.

Day two took us to the local vet for Walt.  He was having trouble with his feet and needed a toe nail clip bad.  We had stopped at a pet store and got some chewable pills for his hips which were working great.  He got his manicure and the doc looked at his leg.  He got some stuff for his leg and we were off.  It was clear today and the sun was shining bright.  It was warming fast and highs were forecast for the 90's.

We headed north and went to the Revelstoke dam.  It was fun, but they wont let you even take a camera or purse inside.  It was a nice time, but nothing like the dams in WA.

In the afternoon, we headed for the train museum.  We spent alot of time here looking at all the neat artifacts from the steam era of the Canadian Railway.  Back for another coffee and we chilled in the very nice park we had found.  We located a riverside walk and got our exercise there the one night.  Walt went a ways and then chilled while we continued.  There was a dike walk right at the RV park and this provided a nice and long walk for us.  Later in the evening, we sat in the main street area and listened to music for awhile.  As we listened, the heat and exercise were catching up, so off to bed we headed.

The next morning we packed and headed for a four night stay at Radium Hot Springs.  I will try to catch up as we stay at places with the internet.  Goodbye for now.

Vacation 2010

Howdy,

I am sitting outside at the picnic table (aluminum) chilling in the breeze. It is about 72 but winds are brisk. We hit the road at 0550 if you can believe that! Neither slept well last night and so we were up by 0430. I am dragging right now. Lori is in watching soaps and then the three of us are off for a walk.

We are at the Wenatchee river county park. My lot is on the end and I have about 40 feet to my neighbor. It is a great grassy site. Lots of road noise and of course a train or two, but wow, what a gem for the first day out.

This morning, we were at camping world at 715, so walked in a good rain storm to Starbucks and had coffee and a sandwich. Hit CW at 0800 and within minutes had spent over $500.00. Got the new tailgate , a stand for the dish and a adjustable water pressure reducer thingy. A couple small items and we were off.

Traffic was heavy on hwy 18 all the way to I-90. No problems on the pass, but just eaast it got crowded and slow. We poked along and once on Blewitt pass, traffic was medium. Hwy 2 to the park was heavy and it is very heavy now. Our plans include finding a fruit/veggie stand to get us bye till Canada and then stock up. Later on the road.


Day 2

We are camped in a very nice Desert Gem RV park in Oliver, BC. It is a nice park for an overnight stop, but not for much more. The sites have about 10 feet between and are very cramped. We have nice neighbors though and are enjoying it here.

As for the trip, we left a very nice park in Wenatchee and headed north on 97 towards Canada. As we approached Omak, I recalled days of bike riding and Loren getting us kicked out of Wal Mart. I took a picture for him to remember the store. As we get closer to Canada, the temps started to warm considerably. Soon we were at the border and drove right up to the gate. I later heard that it was common to wait for quite awhile over this weekend and some even reported a 4 hour wait to get across.

as we continued north, dozens of wineries lined the hiway and every street had signs for more. We got set up at the RV park and took off to explore. We went to Silver Sage and a couple others we have not been to. It is fun to drive around to these areas as the views and scenery are spectacular.

After dinner, we sat and enjoyed the evening sun and retired to watch some tv. As for Walt, he has good and bad moments. I have been giving him some aspirin and it seems to help. He does ok for short walk, but tires easily and wants to lay down. I fear this will be his last trip with us as he is slowing down alot. We keep our hopes up and enjoy the vacation with some adjustments.

Today is another travel day and we head to our first destination stop, Revelstoke. We will be here for three days and hope to see some sites, but also chill. They are calling for a little weather here today, but sun and warm skies are forecast!

Hangin with Friends

Several weeks ago, a little bantering on Facebook led to a camping trip for three couples. Lori and I were joined by Troy, Marie and Blaine along with Loren, Gwen and Land Shark (AKA Cooper). I somehow got put in charge of this caper and had the duty of locating a decent RV park to suit or needs.

After a couple trys, I found the Toutle River RV Resort in Castle Rock, WA. I called and was able to get reservations for all three with no problem. As time neared, many things changed and the weekend almost didnot happen.

Asd I was getting hooked up, I noticed a tire on the trailer looked low. I was going to check it anyway, but found it had about 25 lbs of air. I filled it up and it lost a couple pound in five minutes. I was already hooked up, so off I went to Schwabbs for a tire fix. Soon, I was without a screw in the tread and we were headed south. My luck lately.

We all got there and found this huge park very well kept and tons to do. We got set up and soon had dinner. A gathering was in order to solve all the world problems and at 8pm, we headed to the Karaoke area just in time to watch Blaine 'strut his stuff' on stage. A great night and off to bed as it was getting very cold.

Only issue with this park, is it is located close to the main line for the railroad and lots of trains come through. I loved it, but Loren complained (ya I know what else is new) yet he did seem to have a good time.

Saturday brought clear skies and warm temps. We headed to the pool for awhile, went to Castle Rock for coffee and just goofed off. Lori and I walked alot and all was good. As the evening drew closer, we sat and talked and had a great time just hanging out. Then it was off to watch Blaine sing and had to laugh when he was given a free two night pass to the park for his song choice and entertainment value!

Late in the afternoon, Loren pointed out my water connection was leaking and I used the quick connect to unkook and tighten the hose. Well I decided to reconnect without turning the water off and yep, got hosed down real good with Loren standing right along side. He was laughing so hard, he couldn't breath! Jerk...

Sunday morning, we walked up and hit the hot tub to sooth the sore muscles from Saturdays walk. It was fun and we were virtually alone. Soon it was time to hookup and head home. Only 75 miles to get home and with a coffee stop, we were there in no time. Jen was coming home from Portland and wanted to hitch a ride. She was dropped off at the RV park and rode home with us.

Unlike last time, I hit the driveway on one try and had no issues getting in. It was a great weekend and now I am nursing a sunburn, but one I galdly earned!

A Little R&R

Just over a week ago, I found out I had some heart problems and ended up getting a stint put in. I was off work for 10 days and with my new found energy, was driving the DW nuts. We decided to hitch up and head to Spokane to visit the oldest kid and sister. We took our time and was all hooked up and ready to roll last Wednesday. Only problem was a nasty pacific storm going through with some wind and heavy rain.

We did well watching traffic and taking our time. All was going well. we started to head up Snoqualmie pass in very heavy rain when all the sudden, the passenger wiper quit all the way up, the driver side came down on top and bent the %$@* out of both wiper arms and stuck!

I managed to get off the freeway with almost 0 visibility and after getting drenched, was able to salvage enough parts to make the drivers side work. We called ahead to a Dodge dealer and they welcomed us in. The one wiper worked ok (had to bend the arm back enough for it to partially work) and made it to Ellensburg with no further problems.

We unhooked the trailer and sat outside and ate lunch (much to the amusement of all passing by) while they put our Dodge back together. They didn't have the parts, so after a weather check, we hooked up and continued to Spokane and a Dodge dealer fixed it for us here!

Never let it be said that any of my RV outings are not an adventure! Oh and by the way, we were delayed just long enough for one day of good weather here and now the rain has followed us.

We set up at Ponderosa Falls campground and really like hanging out here. We visited Mark and Aunt Sandy over the next few days. On Thursday, Mark and Aunt Sandy were working, so we headed to Spokane falls park in downtown Spokane. Lots of trails and things to see. We walked so much with my new found energy that Walt almost stroked out on us. I thought I was going to have to carry him at one point as he was so exhausted! We went to Red Robin and had a great salad for lunch, walked some more and headed back to the trailer.


Friday night as we were wrapping up out trip, met everyone out at the Casino (Northern Lights) for dinner and some fun. After a great dinner and visit, I was getting the itch to 'pay' for my trip. As we walked through the casino, Mark and I stopped at the Craps table. He wanted to learn how to play and we went over a few rules and put some money down. In just over an hour, both of us had an incredible tie and walked away with alot of their money ( well alot to us!)

We met the crew Saturday morning for coffee and Lori and I headed for the sun. It was off to Yakima and the Casino in Toppenish. We got to town after a pleasant drive and along with Walt, sat and enjoyed the sunshine for the day.

As evening set in, Lori and I had dinner, closed up and walked the half mile to the casino. We bummed around and while I lost a little of my earnings from Spokane, she won enough to make us even again. Back to the trailer and sat outside to watch the sun go down. It was still warm as we went to bed. What a great day.

Let The Sun Shine

Every once in awhile, all the conditions come together for a great outing. This weekend was one of those. After seeing the weather people promise 70's and clear skies for this weekend, I called K&M and made reservations for Maple Grove Resort in Randle, WA. After telling our friends Loren and Gwen about our intentions, they decided to tag along and join us for a couple days worshiping the sun.

This is a resort we have heard alot about, both good and bad. In looking at reviews in Campground reviews RV Park Reviews some people had been critical of this park. Wet and muddy conditions were noted as well as narrow sites. I wanted to check it out as we may stay here on the way home from vacation in a month or two.

Lori, Walt and I hit the road about 330 on Friday and were met with heavy traffic all the way south till we got off the freeway. As we headed east on Hiway 12, traffic was heavy but moving ok. Soon we were at Randle and see the sign for the campground. We cross the bridge and can see the park on the left. What a beautiful RV park. We pull in and soon find it is a find your own spot park. I hate these as we cant ever make up our minds. All the end spots were taken, so we opted for two spots in the middle row of the full hookups. Very long sites, but as reported earlier, kind of narrow. We were in the park and finishing setting up as Gwen and Loren along with Land Shark, AKA Cooper arrived. Cooper was glad to see us, especially Lori as she is the one with treats and soon we all had dinner out of the way and we sat and enjoyed each others company.

Saturday morning brought sunshine and warming temps. We all headed to the indoor pool and Hot tub for relaxation. It was a very nice facility and we had a great swim. Very clean and well kept up.

Lori, Walt and I headed out later that morning for a Latte. We saw the stand about a half mile from the campground and decided with the nice weather to walk. They were very nice and gave Walt treats and water as we sat on a picnic table and enjoyed our coffee. We made it back to camp and all of us goofed off. We could tell it was getting close to dinner as the barbecue smells started to sift through the area. Again, socializing and alot of laughter made the evening go to quick. We slept good that night and were up around 730. Back off to the pool and an enjoyable dip. We packed up and said our goodbyes and headed out.

Only weird thing all weekend was the electric water heater went out in our trailer. I will get that fixed before we head to Memorial day weekend. We still had the gas heater, so we had hot water. On the way home, I rounded a corner and you could see a large swarm of something ahead right on the hiway. When we drove through it, the splatters of some kind of bug covered the front of the truck and I am sure the trailer. We kept going and found later that we had a huge mess on the front of the trailer.

After we got home, I had to wash the trailer and now we are all set for memorial day! A fun weekend and great company.

April Showers...

Here it is April and the sun has promised to show its warming glow over the weekend. I called K&M and got reservations at Ocean Mist. During the week, we loaded and I accomplished some needed maintenance on the trailer and hitch. I popped the top of the hitch off and could see alot of gunk around the slide and gear. I cleaned it with electrical cleaner and then sprayed on this vegetable lubricant. I tested the release and it worked alot better. I sprayed the steps and checked tire pressures. All was in good shape as was the new landing gear. I found the other side didn't go all the way in unless you tapped it with your hand. All was loaded and as Friday afternoon arrived, we were treated to mid 60 temps and blue skies.

We arrived at Ocean Mist about 4 and found we had scored a beach front lot. I was excited to be able to look out the back window at the dunes and see at least part of the ocean. As I pulled around the corner, there sit a motorhome in our spot. The maintenance guy came over and asked us if we needed help. I pointed to the motorhome and told him this was our assigned spot. He relayed that the MH had come in after the office closed a couple days ago and have not checked in yet. As the afternoon went on, it appeared they parked it and went back home, saving a spot for the weekend. Some people!

Anyway, we got a very nice spot across the road and immediately met the neighbors. This weekend was very friendly and although not that many rigs there, it was a very quiet and nice group. We got set up and soon were feasting on Spagetti that Lori had prepared at home and only needed to cook the noodles. We picked our teeth, sat outside and watched the sunset and set in for a wonderful evening doing nothing.

We did reminisce about our tent trailer and adventures on the bike. Although we both miss those days, I do not miss waking in 30 degree weather or rain to walk to the bathroom. We snickered a little when a couple pulled in next to us and went to set up their pop up trailer. We watched as they opened the canopy, raised it and exposed both beds to the elements. It was nice out, but I think this would be a pain in the rain. Soon they were all tucked in, but we chuckled a little as we remembered thos walks for a shower and tinkle.

During the early morning of Saturday, both of us awoke to the sound of heavy rain. It was really coming down. We drifted back off to sleep and soon I awoke to the best smells ever...coffee and cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. We ate a hearty breakfast and happened to find a great movie on TV. As that one ended, another came on that was just as good. This meant, it is almost noon and neither have showered or moved out of our chairs.

We got ready and headed to Ocean Shores for lunch. We happened to stop at Duggans Pizza and had a great hot sandwich. Then it was time for the casino. As we pulled into the lot, I noticed there were people everywhere. It was a classic car show and with the hundreds if not thousands of people there to see the cars in the lot, the rain and wind pushed them inside. Only a couple slot machines and no seats at the card tables. We bagged it and headed out.

I have wanted to check out Pacific Beach State park as it is a local favorite. We drove up and were surprised to find it only about half full. A nice park, but only electricity at the site. There is a dump station as you leave. I liked it as it sits right on the water.

Today we got up to find sunshine and warming temps. We ate and watched some tv before breaking camp. It was hard to head out when the weather is so nice. We did have to stop in Aberdeen for our Starbucks fix...sorry, just took a sip of coffee, and headed home. As is always my routine, I go around and pull up to the driveway headed towards the freeway. This makes for what I call a drivers side turn. Lori gets out and stops traffic. I pulled up, she gets out and I pull into the other lane to pull out at an angle. As I do, a truck flies up the hill, disregards Lori and goes around me. I pause, show my appreciation and continue. Another car comes the other way and as I start to back, she pulls around and goes past as I am swinging out. I guess people were in a hurry today. We got baked in and unpacked in what seemed like record speed. It was a fun weekend and for once, other than a couple minor blips, a error free weekend. Both of us are getting pumped as the weather improves. Happy camping everyone.

* on a side note, the slideout issue turned out to be low fluid. I added ATF to the hydrolic pump and it has worked flawlessly since. I have monitored the fluid level and there has been no drop. Not sure what caused that.

Be My Valentine

A unique set of days came together this year. Both presidents day and Valentines day landed on the same weekend. This meant a 3 day weekend and the chance to get away. Lori checked at work and was able to getFriday off as well. Where to go and what to do? After a few checks and compromises, we decided we would head south and stay at the Seven Feathers Casino and RV resort. This resort is rated very high and we stayed here last June.

Both of us were getting over the crud and not very ambitious, so we put off most of the packing till Thursday night when we got home from work. Lori was headed east about 3:30 and I was watching the clock tick away. I took off and we met for a Latte on the way home.

As we walked in the door at home, I was quickly reminded of how no matter what you envision, reality is waiting to show its ugly head. Walt was sick and pooped throughout the house. It was time to break out the carpet cleaner and get to it. Lori dodged the bad stuff and took stuff out to the trailer, while I gagged from the smell and worked on the living room and hallway. As I got near the couch, I was surprised by vomit on the couch from one of the cats. Ki Ki has been seeing how much she can eat in a setting and tries to get all of Daryls food before she starts on hers. Then she is so full, she yaks it awhile later. We have to feed them in separate rooms or she takes it all. So I clean that the carpet. I needed to send Shawn a couple of pics of the trailer and as I sit there, Walt walks in and Throws up all around the studio. What else...well, as I clean that, I find a spot the cats have been using as a cat box! 1.5 hours later, the house is really clean and Lori has the trailer loaded.

We were up and off just before nine. We were worried because Walt had been sick for a couple days and not feeling well. This meant frequent stops to make sure he was ok. He was drinking some water, but if he drank alot, he would throw it right back up. I gave him just a little and he had a problem the first time, but was okay after that. The trip south was about 335 miles of freeway, so little driving challenges except heavy traffic in Portland.

As we pulled into the park at about 4:30, there several rigs in front of us waiting to check in. This place is very busy for the middle of winter. It is such a nice park, I can understand why there are so many people here. Soon we were set up in a nice pull through site near the pool and hot tub. By the time I got set up, Lori had tacos cooking and we had a great dinner.

Off to the hot tub to soak. My ankle was acting up from the drive for some reason and we wanted to relax. On a good note, Walter was drinking more and more water and some snacks. He seems to be getting better.

After dinner, Lori wanted me to set up the satellite dish so she could check out her soaps. This was not to happen tonight. For some unknown reason, the setup would not change to this setup. I tried and tried and nothing. I gave up and we hooked up to cable to watch the opening of the Olympics.

The next morning, Walt was ore alert and ready for a walk. He was doing alot better today and we were hopeful he was ok. We headed out for a Latte after a great Lori breakfast. We drove around a bit and found a couple small towns in the area. Not alot down here, but a nice area.

We stopped for lunch at the truck stop at the base of the hill. Very good food and then back to the trailer. We goofed off and it was in the 50's here, so we took out the lawn chairs and watched the world go by.

This is when things go bad...when you get a little bored and start to goof off. I felt the desire for some reason to open the awning in order to dry it out. I unhooked and loosened, looking like a pro with years of experience, but the post near the door stuck. As I opened from the front side, some water came down. I went and tugged on the other post a couple times, and pop, it comes loose! A large amount of water cascades off the awning to completely drench me head to toe. My lovely wife offered her support by asking if I needed a towel. Of course this was between the hysterical laughter.

This triggered a most feared necessity in our lives. Loren used to travel alone with us on the bikes and at least once a trip, Gwen gets a phone call that starts out " I wanted to call you first, so (insert a name here, usually mine) and tell you the truth about what happened before you hear it from someone else!"

It was my turn to make that most distasteful call to Loren. Not alot of support on this call, as I soon found out I was on speaker phone! The unsupportive *&@$.

Around 3:30 we caught the shuttle and headed for the casino. We had found out last wek that Frankie Avalon was performing tonight here and I got us a couple tickets. I could only think about his performance at his age would include tricked out walkers, maybe a quick break to change an adult diaper and samples of ensure for the audience. What the heck, its valentines weekend and nothings too good for my bride!

Much to my surprise, Frankie at 79 performed as well as entertainers half his age or more. We were treated to 50's and 60's hits as well as tributes to many icons of that era. Well worth the price of admission and the only downside was no ensure samples or even geriatric vitamin samples!

We donated our money to the casino and came back to the trailer and watched Olympics till bed time. As I write this, we are finished with breakfast and headed for the hot tub. With one exception, a great weekend so far.

Later, we both returned to the casino and while I lost money, Lori did okay, winning about $80.00, We wanted to try the buffet and were surprised how mediocre it was. There were alot of places with no food, little choice and tastless food. Not all worth even half the $19.00 per person. I do have to say this was n the heels of one of their busiest nights ever and may have flat run out of food. Either way, we walked away disappointed. Back to the trailer and more Olympics for a quiet evening and off to bed. I had been worrying about my slideouts as when we set up, they would not go out very well. I was worried we would have trouble getting them closed and with a long drive, could be a problem.

I woke at 6 and soon we were up getting things ready to head out. Finally, it was time to close the slideouts...no problem, closed like normal. I did grease the tracks, so not sure if that helped.

It took nearly 8 hours to get home with traffic and stops. We had a good trip home, but freeways are not very scenic. The truck did great and trailer pulled well. We were greeted to heavy rain as we got close and had to unhook in a rain storm...typical. I went to open the slides and again they struggled to open. Not sure what is going on, but need to figure it out. It was a great weekend and we had fun. Lori already wants to go next weekend as the weather is calling for sun and highs near 60. We will see.

Maui in Winter

For several months now, Lori and I have been planning a trip to Maui with Loris parents Roy and Opal. With all the planning and prep, it was hard to believe the day was actually here.

Lori and I were up at 330 and after a sad goodbye to Walter, we were on the road to Puyallup and picking up Roy and Opal. It w warm (45) and pretty high winds as we headed east. Soon we were all loaded and off to the airport. No traffic, quick check in at the parking lot and soon we had cleared security at the airport. We were three hours from takeoff. This is a first for me, as we are normally late.

We sat and ate breakfast and I played with Lori's new phone. Soon the plane was loading and we even got out about ten minutes early. We were actually headed to Maui! What a great birthday present. Plane rides are so boring and seem to take so much longer than they are. We passed the time sleeping, watching videos and reading.

We landed to 78 degrees and partly cloudy. It was a little muggy, but we love it here. After a long wait for luggage, we were on the shuttle headed for the car rental place. I got a car at Budget this time as the price was very good. I walked in to see several dozen people in line. It went fairly quick and when I got to the counter they had a Chevy Malibu ready for us. Only problem was they could not find the Chevy. They then hooked us up with a Ford Fusion. She told us it was being brought up, handed us the keys and we walked out to see it driving past us to the lot. Roy and I walked over and started to get in when a lady told us the car was not assigned to us. I showed her the paperwork and soon we were off. Lori insisted on stopping at Costco, and after asking where she intended to put the case of water, pop, eggs, and other stuff. The trunk was full and I was wondering just how much more the car could take? Out they came with a full cart...crap, what would we do, and how would this car do with riding on the axle.

We got her loaded, had just enough room to get us in and we carefully headed for Kihei and the condo. We are staying at Menehaune Shores #501. When we got here, what a nice place and beautiful room. Only problem is we are at the very end and although can see the water from our lanai, we are near the road. Not a problem. We got everything into our room and headed for dinner. We went to Moose Magilcutties for some dinner. Roy and I had the Seafood platter and Lori and Opal ordered the Hobo chicken. Opal does not like fish and cannot stand to eat most fish.

They brought our dinner and we dug in. Lori gave me a weird look and told me had me try some of her "chicken". It tasted like fish! We all looked at Opal and watched to see her reaction. She was enjoying her meal and Lori and I figured it was some type of fish they were eating. Lori gave Roy a taste and he felt it had to be fish too. We told Opal we thought she actually was eating fish and she looked, had another bite and finished her dinner! The waiter made a mistake and ordered both the Mahi Mahi fish dinner. A couple beers and we were fading fast, after all it had been a long day. We settled into the room with the breeze blowing in and soon all were asleep. Day one in the books and I give it and 8 for the day.

Day Two

We woke up and just took it easy in the morning. Not sure what to do, but we will think of something. Oh Ya, Winery tour. We saw there was a winery on the side of the volcano south of Kihei. Only problem is you have to take the long way around to get to it. It is 8 miles from Kihei as the bird flies but about 30 to get there. It was a beautiful drive up and around and when we got to the winery, we were treated to very good wine. We tasted and had some shipped home while getting one bottle to sample at the condo.

Then it was across the sugar fields to a old hippie type town called Paia and the famous Paia fish market for lunch. This place is famous for fish taco's. Parking here is always a bit of a problem, but we got in and even Roy enjoyed the fish Taco's. Lori and Opal had hamburgers. After lunch, we stopped at a county park just down the road and watched the surfers and sun bathers. Soon we were back in Kihai. Lori, Opal and later Roy all checked out Hilo Haties store while I sat at Starbucks. A late dinner at Fat Daddy's barbecue. All was going well till we ordered and found out they were out of ribs! Can you believe that, a rib joint out of ribs. Pulled Pork and Brisket was a nice substituteand we let with full bellies. Today was a nine for scenery and food

day 3
Today was our cruise to Lanai. The forcast called for high wind and rain, but we awoke to broken clouds, calm seas and lots to see. I prepared my 'Hawaiian' Surprise which means adding pinapple to my ham and scrambled eggs. We loaded up and were dockside in no time. After we loaded, I could see the smiles on Roy and Opal's face. We headed for Lanai on calm seas with lots of warm sun. After we docked, Lori and I walked to the beach and enjoyed the sun and great beach. Roy and Opal sat and watched people as well. We decided to take a tour of the island as Lori did this alst time and loved the talk about people and events. This time, the guide was nice, but pretty boring and offered little about what the island is about.

We got back to the dockside and a barbecue awaited. We were served Barbecue chicken, stir fry and Peas. They kept coming around and even Roy got full. This would turn out to be a bad thing later. As we were finishing dinner, the captain asked that we hurry up as the winds were getting stronger and we needed to get going.

We were loaded and warned about sitting forward as the seas and wind would get us wet. Lori and I chose to sit up front with another couple and three others chose to lay on the tarps covering the open area of the bow, We were off and all I could hear was the theme to Gilligans Island in my head as we turned into the wind and boom, high wind, lots of water and heavy seas. We were in at least ten foot seas and it was dangerous to move around. Opal didnot want to get wet and chose to stay in the cabin. Roy stayed with her as Lori and I took on tons of water. At times we could not see as there was so much water. As we crossed the channel, it got so bad, Lori wanted out of there. We got her to the side as the captain decided to hoist the sails. The wind was so strong, it pushed us south and he was having trouble keeping on course. Soon, I could hear some distress in his voice as he ordered everyone to the cabin as the crew tried to get the rigging down. I forgot to mention that Lori decided to leave the bow after a wave hit and bounced the people on the tarp almost over the side. It acted like a trampoline. We went down one side of a wave and the bow dipped under the wave twice! I am a little nervous now.

I made it back to the back of the cabin and watched as the crew struggled to get the sails lowered. Another guy was next to me and we assisted those getting in the cabin. One woman demanded to know how long before getting back as her husband had an upset stomach. I jokingly told her about two hours and she almost freaked. We calmed her and explained her husband was most likely seasick but she would have none of that. I figured she was bucking for a refund or very ignorant...or both!

Remember that big lunch we had talked about earlier? As the seas got heavier, several people got sick. I looked over to see Opal lose part of her lunch. About this time, Roy looked at her, turned green and...well you can get the visual. He even had to retrieve his dentures!!! About this time, Lori was turning green and got a little pissy about it. I had her come out side and we helped her to a seat at the stern of the boat...Diaster averted...for now anyway.

After what seemed like days, we made it to calmer waters and people were allowed back out to walk around. After docking, all Opal could say was thank you for the adventure and so much for the Trilogy trip. She was outright mocking me and being kinda mean about it! A different side to her on this trip...kind of like it, but put me on my heals. We headed to Starbucks for coffee and back for an early evening. Today started out as a 10, but quickly faded to a four.

Tomorrow is a free day with only an anniversary dinner planned. We need a catch up day after the trip from hell!

Day 4
Not too much to report today as we hung out and went to the pool. We drove back up to Lahaina and had dinner at Kobe Japanese restaurant. It was a very nice dinner and a relaxing day.

Day 5
The winds are calm and the morning is beautiful. We drove into Kihei for breakfast at the Kihei cafe. What a great breakfast. After we sat and picked our teeth, it was time to travel up around the north end of the island. I love this drive as it is so scenic and there are such wonderful places to pull off and enjoy the surfers and waves. We pulled into Lahaina and stopped for lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise. This place has the reputation of some of the best burgers in Maui. We finished and Lori started her twitching as there were stores galore. Off Opal and Lori went to shop the afternoon away. I found benches along the way and enjoyed watching people. We made it to the jewelry store on the beach and Lori got her flower pendant she had been jonsing for. We finally made it to the car and headed for coffee. Now it was time for our Luau. We arrived about 15 minutes early and were able to park in the main lot. Soon we had a Mi Tai in hand and enjoying a wonderful sunset with lots of drinks, great food and great company. The show was great as usual, but seemed shorter to me. A quiet ride back home to the Condo and shortly everyone was asleep. Me, Lori and Opal rated today a ten, Roy a 7 or 8 as he thought there would be fire eaters and swords...we were not in Figi...maybe next time we can fly there for a show.

Day 6

This morning, we hung out and went for a later breakfast. Not very good and terrible service. We then drove down the coast and looked at all the golf courses and resorts in Wailea and kept going till we got to Makena. We drove through the lava fields ending up at a park and beach. We spent sometime exploring the lava blow holes and little pools which held fish and other critters. We headed back up the coast with the obligatory stop for coffee and then back to the Condo.

Lori and I went down by the pool and explored the beach and jetty out front. We waded out all the way to the jetty only getting the bottoms to our bathing suits wet. We went around the other side and later talked to some folks from Canada. Back to the pool and it was time to head to dinner. We went to Anthonys in Kihei. It was our best meal yet! We all had something different and gave this place two thumbs up. Today was an 8.5. Only rated down as we needed more time in the tidal pools.

Our last day in Paradise... we went back to the Kihei cafe and then it was off to the mall in Lahaina. Wow, another day shopping...just what I came to Maui for! I understood they all needed to buy stuff to take home, but I didnt sign up for this much shopping! I found a bench and wasted the day away watching people come and go out of the mall.

We had a late dinner at The Outback and returned to pack. Where did the week go? Today I rate this as a boring 2.

Day 8

We are packed and after one last walk around the condo's, Roy and Opal bid farewell to the island of Maui. We stopped for coffee, returned the car and ate lunch at the airport. A quiet trip home and finally to bed around 0230, but Walt was sure glad to see us. He was so happy and has not left my side since.

As I reflect on our trip: I had a great time as did Lori and I feel Roy and Opal did too. We saw lots of the island and exposed them to the island culture. The food was terrific and we had few issues which made for a very pleasurable trip. Down side, not enough relaxing at beaches and pool time. We knew the vacation would be a little different style for us, but with the condo setup and things we did, it was a very nice time. Would I do it again you ask...Of course, how can you go wrong in Paradise!!!