DETOURS!

On the one hand, without TV, Radio, Internet, Phone etc MOST of the time, I am not really in a position to comment on our government's actions, but when your Volunteer Coordinator calls and says "ïf the Park (Joshua Tree) closes, you will not be able to stay", and then IT DOES....you have to ask yourself  "what is wrong with those people?"  The impact of this week could have ramifications well into the future.  I can hardly bear to think about how this might affect us long term.

Please pray for our government, our National Parks, Forests, Historic Sites and all the "little people" who are the ones carrying the brunt of this action.

On a lighter note (much lighter) we had a great time "back home" in Illinois and as we made our way across the "fly over" states toward Monument, CO, we stopped to see friends along the way in Iowa:

Jill & Ben (again)

Steve & Audrey

Dillon, CO 

James & Sarah

and Colorado Springs,

Lucy & Craig

This was before/during Bill's training to become a Certified RV Technician and Certified RV Inspector.  

The class was comprised of 20 men and 1 woman.  Between the class time, and 2 potluck dinners, we made some new connections, with some very nice people!

Yes, it's official "RV Technnician/Inspector" Bill Suttie

At the end of the week we prepared to continue west and begin our next assignment as Camp hosts and part-time Visitor Center support at Joshua Tree National Park (Blackrock Campground & Visitor Center).

 

This brings us full circle to our Volunteer Coordinator at J Tree.......as I said earlier.....she left a VM message which went something like this ...."ïf the Government shuts down, you will not be able to be in the Park, and will have to find other accomodations".  As Bill & I do not watch TV, or have radio, internet etc MUCH of the time, we had no clue what she was talking about and sought out ways to tap in to the news....we soon learned what was going on.  Despite that information, we did not worry..."really, how often does this happen"......and "it is always taken care of in the 11th hour".  So, we hit the road with little concern.  Imagine our surprise when Dick Borden (a good friend of Bill's who resides in Salome, AZ)  called to offer us his private RV parking space beside his airplane hanger (Dick has TV and was following the current situation).  A flurry of phone calls later and we found ourselves changing direction at the last possible moment (Las Vegas) and heading to Salome.  The good news in all of this, thus far, is that we get to see Dick & Debbie, and don't find ourselves parked in in some obnoxious KOA lot, paying $50.00/night waiting for the Government to get its act together. 

And we wait....calling our Coordinator every morning, 2.5 hours drive from Joshua Tree. 

We feel so badly for those families who work so hard for their little 7 day, 10 day or 14 day yearly vacation, scrimping, saving, planning,and driving halfway across the country, only to be told, at the gate "sorry, we're closed"? Imagine the disappointment of the parents, not to mention the little ones, who will not understand.  I wonder when were the Obama children last told "sorry, we can't go on vacation"!?

Don't get me wrong...I am not blaming the Democrats...I am blaming All of them.

If the importance of our National Parks, Forests and Historic Sites, etc is not recognized and supported, we risk surrendering our National identity.

Isn't it ironic, that as we worked our way west, this past few days, stopping to visit every National Park we happen to be in close proximity to: 

Note here:  when we arrived at this location, some idiot was walking along the top of this honored symbol of one of our Nation's treasures, posing in goofy positions, while his girlfriend took pictures.  It was all I couild do to not say something very unchristianlike.

 we found ourselves there, supporting our National Park system on the last 2 days they were open BEFORE the big fiasco.  

OK, just a little FYI here......we do volunteer FULL-TIME for the National Park system, and this does help keep our parks open and visitor friendly, but we also support our National Parks financially.  We do this by becoming a "member" of every park we visit.  I would ask you to consider Googleing NPS, study up on our parks, pick one (or 2) of those you feel most worthy of your time and money, and "join" that Park's partner Association. You may be surprised at how much you, your children and grandchildren will benefit.  'The joy and reward that you will receive is guaranteed to far outwiegh the small investment you will make :-)

 

As I get off my SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL PARKS stump, I'd like to add one final note:

THANK YOU TO ALL THE HARDWORKING AND UNDERPAID PARK RANGERS (and volunteers) WHO GO TO WORK AND PUT IN THEIR TIME EVERY DAY, WITHOUT COMPLAINT OR QUESTION WHILE HONORING THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS!

And to my Joshua Tree friends......we'll see you when the dust settles.

  

Jan & Bill from friendly Salome, AZ 

An EXCITING 3 weeks.....

So, finally, Dell came and repaired my computer (all the way to Ponderosa Campground, Gunnison, CO)

thus leaving me with a completely clean unit.  That's cool, because I DID A BACKUP of my hard drive before the Dell guy showed up.

The next day September 2, 2013 was our last at Curecanti for this summer, and we bade goodbye to some old (Dr. Charles next to me) and new friends (Bill Jones).

 Early the next morning we were off to Chicago, stopping to take a pix of Brian's (a ranger) house.

While out taking the picture, Bill spots a flat on the trailer.  I popped out of the truck to supervise and found the head of a 16 penny nail in the tread.  Pump up and get to town, where the patch was made.  By noon we were off  "like a herd of turtles".  Making it a long day, stopping in Ogallala, Nebraska at a QUIET campground.    Where, in the morning, Bill found a tire (different tire), with a football size bulge in the side.  After Praising the Lord for safety, we headed to a tire dealer and ordered a full new set of 10 ply.   

While waiting for the tires, we stopped for breakfast at the most highly rated restaurant in Ogallala....The Ogallala Livestock Market (aka Westside Cafe).  

True to it's reputation, the breakfast was fabulous! Very fresh :-)  Just sayin!

Back on the road at NOON again.  Stopping for the night at our favorite Iowa private campground, Jill and Ben Bright's wonderful place nestled in a huge grove of Walnut trees and bordered by their own pond.  Not only are we related (our son-in-law Brett's, sister),

Chealsea, Jill, Dalton, Ben & Isaac Bright with Macy

but they are good friends we do not see enough of, and their location in Iowa...6 hours from "home" makes it a perfect boondocking location.  After late night conversation (and great Iowa corn) we all headed to bed...going different directions early the next morning.

Which found us rolling into Kildeer, Il for a 2 week stay at my BFF's house.  Audrey was able to show off her 7 foot tomato plant which we had tied up together in July.

The greatest concern was whether or not our new 38 foot, 5th wheel was going to fit in her driveway?  It actually went in easier than our 30 foot tow behind trailer had

Audrey and Michelle putting us up in style:-)

.    Both Audrey and Michelle put up with the inconvenience for 2 weeks, and we really appreciate it:-)

We arrived back in the Lake Zurich area on Thursday night and eagerly awaited the Friday evening arrival of Kelly (Jan's oldest) and her boyfriend, Michael.  We had not seen Kelly for 2 years :-( and had never met Michael, so we were very excited to see how this new chapter in her life was going.  It is going very well...and we REALLY like Michael!

Kelly actually came to town to relieve our storage unit of her "stuff".....but the 1st order of business (on her request) was the traditional "Friday Night at Tacos El Norte" which, after 20 some years of habit with our friends, she has come to miss.

There was lots of this

And this

Family

And friends we call family

Don't ask

GOOD to see Jeremy & Alyssa

Bad to have to say Goodbye

But "clear out the storage unit day" was breathing down our necks.  Saturday AM found us there bright and early with Kelly going through her stuff.  I think Michael was surprised at how MUCH Kelly REALLY loved cats:

Christine & Kate just inherited this one:-)

After "storage wars", it was time for Christine's 11th birthday party:

From the Oldest GRAND (Natalie age 14)

To the youngest GRAND (Moira 8+ months)

Cousin Teagan 2.5: 

Brother (Johnny 13) & sister (Kate 8):

From Papa's

To Nana's, Grandpa Ron & Grandma Jan

Mom (Cyndy)

Aunties: Katie & Tami

Christy & Kelly

 
                                                            
And Uncles

Bil

Brett

Jim

And special friends 

Karen

Kelly's Michael

Eden

Cyndy's Michael

Leo

Christine turned 11 with style and love all around!

After Saturday night the balance of our time in Lake Zurich became a whirlwind of seeing family & friends, while trying to get the storage facility downsized and feeling badly knowing we could not   see everyone we wanted to see,...it looked like this:

Checking Brett's rehab out.

Having Kathy for dinner:-)

Turning my cousin Lee into a real drinker:-) NOT

Having the best Brother-in-law ever for lunch!

Watching Moira getting to know Papa

Feeling Teagans excitement at having Papa around

Having a 2 year old show you how to operate an I-phone

Moira's 1st exploration of Papa's beard (Teagan also had this fascination)

Teagan telling Papa something VERY important.

Adrian likes my margaritas

His wife Angela was Maid of Honor at my 1st wedding

The girls were out, so Brett was able to stop by:-)

AND, last but not least, with no pix:  Don & Lisa dinner, Joie and Bill Capp breakfast at our place and Kevin & Beth dinner:-)

In the time frame allotted, we did not downsize the storage as much as we had hoped, but we made a huge dent....at least we have organized it all and now know where stuff is.

The only negative of the entire summer.....you know that backup I did before Dell came and "repaired" my computer .....Chris (PC Optimization Services), the best comp. guy in the business, found it "corrupted"!!!!  I  lost 10 years of pix & data.

So now we have made the trek back to Colorado for Bill to become a Certified RV Technician and Inspector here in Monument...September 23 thru 28th.

Then on to Joshua Tree National Park for October/November/December....during which time (probably early on), Jan is going to have two little surgeries.

PS:  I feel the need to do an addendum of our last days at Ponderosa...stay tuned:-)