CVGC Coachella Valley  Geocachers took Yuma by storm this weekend.  I love seeing non-morning people become morning people.  Roy (nevadanick) Kim (orange jeep).  Speaking of Kim I found my long lost twin, at least when it comes to blonde moments.  She knows.  Yesterday there was the discover Yuma series and we saw a true castle will post pics on return.

Lesson learned if you use new technology at an event try it first, car GPS.  Google took us through a trailer park thought it was the best way.  I then found out it was a setting.

Last night we had an event at the Mine Shaft.  Kevin (boxerboy) would not ride the bull so we left.  Ok we were leaving anyways.  Today is the mega I hope the weather holds.

if he wasn’t the one driving!  It’s ok, when you travel you should support the local Wally world.😄  My story.  We are in Yuma for the mega geocaching event, then on to Dead Horse state park for an a-liner gathering.  I sat outside the camper this morning thinking about writing this and I hear an excited female voice say “Look, honey it’s another a-frame.”  So we of course strike up a conversation, come to find out they are also geocachers very small world.  I invited them to come to the a-frame gettogether but they can’t. I tried!

I ussually have a check list and am organized well not this trip.  I had piles set out to pack and a routine something did not click.  I left my travel coffee mug, and some how I think my deorderant didn’t make the trip (don’t tell Roy I used his), I think I also did not bring the password cheat sheet.  There is a trip to Wally in the near future.

2016 would have been filled with adventure hurt joy and realization.

The adventure was of course 80 days in a camper with hubby.   We survived and both took off some weight, you can never grasp the wonder and amazement of nature from a picture.  The fact that I walked 3/4s of a mile to get this picture   is proof.

This wasn’t the first or last bear on the trip, he was the one I most wanted to cuddle with.  Alaska was amazing and yes I am still working on the video I’m up to day 71.  Seeing Mount McKinley (Denali) was impressive, Roy and I are now in the 30% club.  The mountain will always be McKinley to me.  The mountain creates its own weather and is almost always covered in clouds.  I witnessed it go from clear to cloudy in 5 minutes. Here is my favorite picture of the mountain

It’s in the clouds but still cool.  I hop out of order on this but when we were on Kodiak I did not get a picture of two bald eagles with their talons locked in a downward spiral, seeing it in person was breath taking.

The hurt was having someone you were giving an opportunity to, reject it.  This just showed me that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink.  It didn’t deter me from helping someone else in the future.  The joy came this year from being able to spend time with hubby, because of the help we received from others to make this happen.  Thanks to Mike, Karen, Peter, Wendy, Bob, Toni, Tim and Kate.  I was also filled with joy because I was sharing my adventures with so many, thanks for reading.

The realizations I’ve come to this year are interesting and are mainly health related.

• I have MS (multiple sclerosis) (I knew this of course, diagnosed July of 2008).  This is an evil disease, but I will not let it hinder me.
• This disease I have can rear it’s ugly head and make you deal with limitations, I am watching a friend go through some hard times and know this could happen to me.
• I WILL NOT LIVE WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP.  While I can I will do.

Thanks again for reading my blog and sharing 2016 with Roy (nevadanick) and I.

May the best of your todays, be the worst of your tomorrows!

2017 is just around the corner, I am still working on the dvd from our trip.  I got some cool software and it’s coming together.  Last night I edited footage from Fort Nelson Canada I mentioned mosquitos and how large they were little did I know what we were going to encounter.  These buggers had nothing on the Fairbanks mosquitos.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, and are enjoying this holiday season.  I changed the answering machine message to encourage the spreading of Christmas cheer.  So let me say MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Just a short post to let everyone know I took a ton of photos.  No REALLY!  I received my video editing software right before our beach adventure, projected DVD the middle of November.  It has been a hoot going through the videos.  Now I’m off to coffee.

1. Bear viewing at Frazer Lake Alaska. Float plane, 3/4 of a mile walk, bears all equal AMAZING.
2. Not in Alaska but ranks #2: Crater Lake Oregon.  The drive, the people, the lake, and gift shop.
3. Even though I got hurt here I saw the mountain. Denali was amazing, well worth the price of admission.
4. Dawson Yukon more the outhouse races.  Klondike Kate’s was cool also.
5. McCarthy / Kennicot, the plane ride over amazing because I don’t like to fly.  Roy also made the hike to see the mill.

I have other adventures I will also touch on the many ferry rides taken, animals, the North Pole.

Long drive today but it went ok.  I got to see my baby who thinks carpet is much better then MOM. I was shocked he didn’t come running.  That will teach me to leave.  We are getting him back home on Saturday because Friday I have to go to San Diego for my infusion.

We did lunch at Denny’s with Priscilla and Bob it was nice being able to share our journey. Then we made it through LA at the beginning of rush hour.  Upon our return we headed over to Toni’s and told her about the trip and gave her a jade bear holding a fish.  She was tickled.

Now the next part of our journey begins.  I will be posting updates and best ofs on my trip in the coming  weeks.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAVE FOLLOWED MY ADVENTURE

Today was one of our longest drives of the trip.  Tomorrow is another long one.  We will be stopping for lunch with Priscilla Melton near Bakersfield.  I haven’t seen her in about two years.

On the way down we were driving into smoke due to a wildfire that has been burning near the 5 right inside California.  I was not able to get a cool picture of Mt Shasta, it was shrouded in smoke.  What we were able to make out  I thought that’s a small mountain after seeing Denali I have a feeling most mountains will be small to me.

Tomorrow we are headed home.  So tonight was dinner at Anderson Pea Soup.

Amazing things are happening on this trip.  I woke Roy up at 7am.  This was great because we got an early start upto Crater Lake.  The goal was to drive the rim, completed successful.  The lake is so blue and undisturbed. I got my first glimpse from the Phantom Ship Overlook, what amazing color.  We stopped at the gift store right outside the park, thought we would get shopping done early.  Decided not to do breakfast and head out the east rim.  This was a smart move, kept ahead of the crowd.

Once we get home I will post some pictures of today.  I have been able to use the Canon more so my pictures are getting better.  Practice! Practice!  I also took a bunch of pictures of chipmunks they were everywhere. The overlooks showed such differant views of the lake. The interesting part is you can see the island from almost any vantage point.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake

We saw lots of Moos today these are probably going to be what we see on the rest of our trip.  Tomorrow we will be in Santa Nella for pea soup from Anderson’s then home.