more pontifications

we have set up camp in steve noldand front yard sending the day cleaning and washing the ccamper from the past six weeks road grime it ireally needed it a clean camper will set us up for th last stage opf our trip after we go home for christmas for a aweek.
the hisrst castle was really somehting i bought willaiam jusrst biogrophy and have coem to thouroughly detest the man he made all his money by not paying his bill and by adn large cheating other pople out of their money. from there we were in bakersfield california with an oragnege tree ein aour bckyard. we spent a few finde days in death valley which is one of the most beautifrul places we have seen. very innteresting how they mined the boralx and how they live in one of the hottest plaaces on earth.
we spent a night in nevada with a night out at the casinos i put 20 buck on the vikings but fo course lost it. we spent couple days in wickien nburg az looking for some warmewr weather but az is in the midst of a cold speelll. we did golf one day which was something to doe. we are both looking forward to chrismas and the anniversary asnd seeeing everybody.

Sunset greets us in Wickenburg Arizona

Things just aren't too bad around here when you are greeted by this beautiful sunset. The environment is also so filled with unusual plants foreign to our lands. The desert holly is just starting to bloom. Joshua trees, a protected species, were so plentiful on the land north of Wickenburg.

Hoover Dam

We were surprised that they are building a new bridge and freeway over the Hoover Dam. It is astounding the money it will cost, the engineering and construction knowledge it must take to complete the job. Of course the dam itself is a true work of art.

Snow in Red Rock Canyon...near Las Vegas

Dang, no matter where we go the cold follows. You'd think we'd be safe by Las Vegas, but just across the mountain pass, which we needed to cross to get to Las Vegas, we came upon about five miles of serious snow and ice. That means icy roads and pulling the 5th wheel on roads like that is nail biting time. We have been having 50's temperatures and if we're lucky a 60 at the most. We're jinxed!

An interesting array of piled up rocks along the way

Devils Golf Course-Death Valley

I thought I was actually going to get to go golfing as I saw on the map "Devil's Golf Course". However when we arrived we found a crystallized mass of eruptions made of salt. It is truly a crystal amazement of small mounds about 6-12" each that are growing constantly. You can actually see where the new eruptions are as they are really white. They also have small caves inside some of them. Dang, no golf, maybe another day!

A salty valley bottom

Badwater Basin is below sea level and the lowest point in the United States. At one time is was a lake and now you walk on icy, salty, crusty, spongy, and rough mass that is white from the salt and brown from the environment around it. really strange walking on it!

Zibriski Point was the frosting on the cake!

Zabriski Point was truly the best view point in Death Valley...we almost didn't stop as we'd really seen so much already. What could another view offer us, but it was ABSOULTELY THE MOST GORGEOUS OF THE DAY. It's so hard to capture the total beauty of Death Valley and we so totally shocked by it. It's too bad they gave it such a bad name. I'm sure summer reminds people of being in a total hot hell as they have reached temperatures of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. WOW!

Death Valley

There is an area in Death Valley called Artists Valley. It is a 9 mile twisty, curvy drive that gives the visitor a spectacular pallette of colored stones and mountains. Leaving this area we were greeted with this spectacular sun burst. That's what was so great about the whole valley, the sun just does spectacular changes on the mountains and hills all through the area.

Mt. Whitney and our ascent into Death Valley

We thought our first day in Death Valley was beautiful and these were some of the views we experienced. Little did we know there were far more spectacular sites ahead. Richard and I hiked the Mosiac Canyon which was as smooth as marble, washed smooth by water. It was a bit treachereous, so of course I whimped out and quit after an hour. Mount Whitney is where they run an ultramarathon from Death Valley up to the mountain.

Our drive to Death Valley

These are special photos for Mike Thorson. Driving near Mojave CA we came across an area that had the wind turbins too numerous to count and enough to flabbergast us. We didn't find out where are the energy goes, but we're supposing California...duh They are putting up more every day and will continue to do so.

Cruising Highway 1 and 10,000 Elephant Seals

Wednesday we drove down the twisting, turning, winding, narrow, and breath taking highway 1 that is so famous. However, with a large truck and a 31 foot 5th wheel, we had all we could do to keep the trailer behind us before we had to turn the other direction. We nearly saw ourselves around the last bend as we started another twist and turn. GRRRRRRRRR Richard towards the end had a few choice words for the drop offs and sloping road towards the ocean many feet below. I was breathless a few times myself.

Along the way though, we saw thousands of sea otters and elephant seals. All the little black spots are the seals and otters out in deep water right along the coast. It went on for miles. Eventually we came upon the area where they have been coming ashore to get ready to give birth, which will happen soon. The male elephant seals were HUGE AND LOUD!














It was then on to the William Randolf Hearst castle built into the hillside overlooking the SanSimeon Bay near Cambria, California. Alas, dead batteries in my camera, so no photos :-( and I was crabby! But the house itself was overwhelmingly large and beautiful and unbelievable to think it was only one of his residences in California. It has had over 36 million visitors. Truly something to see if you ever get to California. We spent the night in a state park nearby and spent some time in Cambria in those junk shops that I have a hard time keeping Richard out of...NOT

We continued on to Bakersfield where we are now in an RV park with our very own orange tree. We are enjoying the fruit tremendously. Coming to Bakersfield we saw many more wineries, almond trees, oil wells and spectacular views once again. It is our first time in a long time though to have access to wireless internet and we have missed having it a lot. Tomorrow we are on our way to the death valley area. The weather is finally in the 60's, but rain in the forecast.

Visiting Nelson's in San Martin

We visited Lynn and Ron Nelson, Jennifer and her two darling girls and Chad at their business in San Jose. They have been a bright spot in our vacation and it is so much fun catching up with them and their lives. Great food, conversation and laughs.

San Francisco Skyline

Our trip through San Francisco was brief. We had stopped to change drivers before the Golden Gate Bridge. Six lanes of traffic and I was off, the chosen driver to cross the bridge. Whoaaaaa! I made it over, but turned it back to my very capable husband driver before the toll was paid. We proceeded through 101, which took us right down town San Franccisco on Sunday morning.

Culinary Institute of America

We stopped and viewed this old winery that has been changed into a culinary school for speciality cooking.

After the earthquake of 1989 it sat empty for a few years until it was bought and the owners spent 15 million dollars to renovate it and make it earthquake proof.

The view from the front door was breathtaking. We could have done a beef wellington tasting for $15 each.

They had a rare display of antique wine bottle openers.