Change of Life: Seattle in the Summer, 2017 Part 1

Summers in Seattle

2017 Part 1

My new routine is to spend the summer months in the Pacific Northwest and winters in Paso Robles. The problem I am having this year is I have a "heat curse"! As I travel I take with me a heat wave. So far it has extended from my trip up Hy 395 (east side of the Sierras) to Seattle.

I will explain all the details of this summer's trip as I continue with this blog.

Even with the heat curse I have enjoyed the trip; visiting with friends, and seeing new places.

Kristianne has made a beautiful front yard at the House in Seattle ! It is an "eatable landscape"

More to come as I get time on the computer !

The trip north from Paso Robles, June 19, 100+ deg.

The plan was to travel over the Tehachapi to hy. 395 and up to Lone Pine for the night in the Alabama Hills. Alabama Hills is where a lot of movies were filmed from the 30s to present day. It is open camping, a beautiful place to stay, and right at the foot of Mt. Whitney. Traveling through Bakersfield my car temp. gage said 117 deg., and I believed it, the air conditioning would barley work ! What I didn't know at the time was I was caring a "heat curse" from Paso Robles. The temperature at the Alabama Hills was 85 deg. all night long !

I made it through the night ! The next day I found the best breakfast east of the Sierras, the Mt. Whitney Restaurant. Great place with good food and great atmosphere. It was obvious that locals frequent this place.

On my way up hy. 395 !!! June 20

My next stop was Mammoth Lakes to visit with my cousin Rustle Via and his family. Rustle stayed with Cyndie and I during the time we were moving all the stuff from the Willard ranch to the 35 acres. He was a great help with that project. Rustle and his wife made a wonderful dinner of tri tip, chicken, and much more! We caught up on old times and Rustle showed me where the avalanche came through and put them out of their house last winter. They have purchased a house in Mammoth City and it is really nice, no avalanche problems !!! I can't believe I didn't take any pictures ! But that's the way it goes. It was hot in Mammoth, there was flooding in a lot of places from the fast melting snow.

June 21

My next stop was camping at Twin Lakes in the Sierras above Bridgeport, Ca. I found a beautiful camp site next to the river coming out of the lakes. I was now really learning about my Tiny Travel Trailer. There were some design changes that needed to be made. Some of the assumpsions I made during the building of the trailer were not correct. More about that later.

I meet a really nice family next to my camp and they shared their dinner with me. (good thing to because one of the assumptions about the trailer is that I cannot cook in that little space !!!)

Also the weather was a lot cooler in the Sierras, got down to 55 Deg. that night !!!!

The Lakes were so full from the snow melt that the picnic area at the top of the upper lake was flooded ! The water line was right to the edge of the road. The river at the camp was running way above normal. Looked like it was annoying for some but not a problem for most.

June 22

Next stop was Dayton, Nevada (just east of Reno) to visit Johnny and Kathy Story, Good friends from Christian Life Center Church. The drive was interesting because the rivers were overflowing from the snow melt. It almost took out the road I was on and I understand it did take out some other roads in the area.

Johnny and Kathy made a wonderful dinner and I got a text from my home group in Paso Robles (Bronky's home) saying I was missing out on a good dinner there. So we both took pictures and compared who had the best dinner !!! Turned out we both had the best plus the fellowship at both places.

The next day we went to Virginia City. NV. I had been there a long time ago and it seems as though it has not changed ! I think they like it like that. We took a mine tour and got out of the heat for a little while ! We took the back roads that were a very interesting and beautiful drive.
I thought I had taken some pictures, but cannot find any. Not sure why, just didn't see a need.

The Story's have a really nice house in Dayton. Their view from the back patio is spactaculer ! There is a problem with the view however, can you identify the problem with the view ?!?! That can be corrected some night about 2 in the morning !!!

June 24

On my way again north to Lava Beds National Monument. Cyndie and I had been here once before and really enjoyed the place. Hot again (heat curse is following me), did not get much below 75 at night. I did take the opportunity the next morning to re-visit the lava tubes. Nice and cool down in the tubes !

This was the camp site, very open and hot, but it did have some shade in the evening.

They are really serious about picnic tables not being stolen !!!

The entrance to the lava tubes is by steep metal ladders. Not for the handicap.

I had a high capacity LED flashlight and was able to get pictures inside. Turn off the light and it is absolute dark !

There was one Lava Tube that was handicap accessible with lighting.

June 25

On my way north again to Beaverton, OR. to visit Cal and Carrie Perkins. I make it a point to visit the Perkin's on the way up and back from Seattle. We catch up on old and new time and Cal always has a Filet Mignon stake on the grill ! Great dinner and a regular bed to sleep in !

June 26

Last leg of the trip north, Seattle here I come. I have a list of projects (complements of Kristianne) to work on and camping trips to test the new Tiny Travel Trailer. Part of the projects will be to re-design, re-build the trailer to make it a workable place for me to stay in during my travels.