Day 10. Tuesday, August 8, 2017

This morning before we checked out of our hotel, Scott Barrett (my  nephew) and his son Jamison stopped by.  Was great to see them. Jamison is going in the 5th grade and is almost as tall as I am.  Don't know why I forgot to take their picture. Darn.
We left Woodland about 11:30 to go to Reno, NV. We should have arrived in Reno about 2 but 30 miles out of Reno we hit a traffic slow down.  So arrived in town at 3pm. Downtown Reno streets are all blocked off.  Hot August Nights is in full swing. Lots of vintage cars for car shows, competition, etc. We saw several fancy cars on the interstate over the mountains so thought something was going on.  Below are a few pictures on Hwy 80

Donner Lake

Truckee River

Our hotel - The Atlantis and room. We got an upgrade. On the 24th floor.  Beautiful view of Reno and Mt. Rose.  

The view from the elevator. 

A few outside pictures of the cars and event of Hot August Nights. 

Inside the casino and the fun area. 

This evening we had a wonderful dinner at Toucan Charlie's buffet. Oh my, what a spread of food!!! Besides the salad bar, I had the prime rib and baked potato.  Best prime rib I've had in a LONG time.  So tender.  

Tomorrow am Iri has to return to Gallatin.  Seems like the trip has gone by fast.  She will fly out at 10:30am.  We are close to the airport so won't take long to get there (famous last words!) It's been a great trip and has been wonderful having Iri's company. 

All for today.  Check back tomorrow for another chapter! :-)

Nite!. Hugs.  

Day 9 Monday, August 7, 2017

On the road again........but first,  pictures from last night's dinner. We had dinner at The Wharf as I mentioned yesterday.  My halibut and Iri's seafood platter. A view of the bridge from the Wharf side and a Coast Guard boat returning home for the day.




On our way out of town - Pudding Creek near our motel and Lake Mendocino on Hwy.  20


Clear Lake and the hills near Willits, CA Everything is pretty dry.  The hills were pretty in their own way. Looked like tan velvet.



We arrived at my sister Jackie's house in the afternoon. We had to change our plans for a dinner at her house. Jack, her husband, wasn't feeling well and Iri has a cold and Scott and his wife have colds from their trip to Alaska, so we decided it would be best if we didn't stay for dinner and all night. Was  great to see Jackie and Jack at least for a short visit. Jackie and I were trying to stand on either side of the fern, but we ended up hiding it!!  Jackie said we should have stood behind it!! Definitely would have been a better picture :-)  Jackie and Iri are in front of Jackie's beautiful flowers.  Her yard is fabulous.



Tonight we are at the Hampton Inn in Woodland.  Had dinner at the Red Robin.  I had a chicken Caesar salad and Iri had fries and a bowl of clam chowder.  Was very good.  The hostess asked if we were both over 21!!  I said Yes. And then remembered Iri wasn't.  It's been a while since anyone asked me if I was over 21!!!!!
Tomorrow we go to Reno, NV.  Iri will fly out on Wednesday.  Hard to believe it's almost time for her to leave.  It's been a fun trip. We've seen a lot of country that doesn't look anything like Tennessee!
Until tomorrow. ..... Goodnight.  Hugs.

Day 8. Sunday, August 6, 2017

Today was a day of reflection and some sadness, but beautiful too.  Iri and I walked out to the beach at McKerricker State Park, and spread some of Lon's ashes on the headlands. It was one of our favorite places to visit.  The weather today is very foggy and overcast. The sun tried to come out for a few minutes but it failed.  I'm missing him today,  as every day.  We are going to have dinner at a favorite restaurant The Wharf, in Noyo Harbor.




When Lon was doing a lot of his leather pictures, he did one of a lighthouse and a ship.  It was Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.  We drove down there to see it, as Lon and I did 3 years ago. It is a 1/2 mile walk out to the lighthouse from the parking lot. There is a parking lot for handicapped out by the lighthouse but I don't have a handicap card anymore. So we started walking. I got part way and we met a couple that said it's much harder coming back (uphill) than going out there. Since I strained my ankle last night and am using my cane, they suggested that Iri go back and get the car and drive us down there. They said there were parking spaces for other than handicap.  So she did but we still had to walk a distance to get to the lighthouse after we parked.  I'm so glad they suggested that because I never would have made it back out.  First picture is from the bench where I waited.




This is The Wharf that we are going to eat in Noyo Harbor. A fishing boat coming home for the day.



Our new room with 2 beds and a message on the counter :-)


This morning for church at the First United Methodist Church in Gallatin I had ordered flowers for the pedestal in memory of Lon.  Tom Neal sent me this picture of the flowers.  They are beautiful.


Time to go eat  - - again!!!
Have a good night all.  Hugs.

Day 7. Saturday, August 5, 2017  PM 

Travel day - left Chester this am about 9:30 to go to Chico and then to Ft. Bragg. It was sprinkling and overcast when we left.  Made it a little easier to leave. Although I will be back there a couple of times this trip.  We drove down the beautiful Deer Creek Highway ( Hwy.32) Here is Iri at Elam Creek Campground  with Deer Creek in the background. 

 A few miles down the road is another campground called Potato Patch.  I don't know how it got it's name but it has a spring with water fountain by the road which is a mandatory stop when driving that road.  When I was young and going to Chester we were so thirsty by the time we made it to Potato Patch we just had to stop.  It was probably 1 hour from home but seemed like forever.  Iri had her picture taken here when she was 7 weeks old!

 A little farther down the road towards Chico is a small town of Forest Ranch.  Tina was born when we lived there.  Here is a picture of the house that we lived in then.  It is looking in need of some work.  A nurse friend and her husband lived there for a long time after us.  When we drove by and took a picture there was an elderly man walking his dog. So I stopped and told him I had lived there about 45 years ago in case he thought we were doing something suspicious!!  He was an interesting man. Knew the people that live there. Mandy is still there.  Her husband is gone - moved up the road!! I told him where we live now etc. I asked him where he was from since he definitely had an accent.  He said I am from very far away.  He said a name that I couldn't understand. Then he said Italy.  Anyway, we enjoyed visiting with him.  Iri and I both said he reminded us of Sergio - an elderly man that we met during Pete's 314 mile run across TN.  

We drove out to the cemetery where Lon is buried. It is way out in the country. 

When we got back to the freeway at Willows, we stopped at Walmart to use the restroom.  I guess California has different ideas when it comes to public restrooms.  Yes, there was a line waiting as one person at a  time went in. :-) 

We passed lots and lots of orchards and fields of crops.  Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, prunes, olives, pears, grapes, sunflowers, tomatoes, rice, safflower,  and more.  We drove by Clear Lake, a huge lake in Lake County.  Then on to Ft. Bragg.  From Willits on Hwy. 101 to Ft. Bragg is 33 miles of curve, after curve, etc.  Iri drove and did well. It'a a beautiful drive through the trees.

Then Ft. Bragg - about 60 degrees and foggy. We are at The Beachcomber Motel.  In the last picture, Iri is standing with the beachcomber! I have many pictures of him starting about 25 years ago!  He's looking a little worn - like many of us after that long :-) 

It's going to be in the 50's tonight and mid 60's tomorrow.  Needed a sweatshirt tonight especially after the fog rolled in.  Time to hit the sack. Somehow I made a reservation for 1 queen bed instead of 2 so will be interesting to see if either of us gets sleep. They are going to move us tomorrow to a room with 2 queens.  Good night all.  Hugs.