Klamath, CA

We arrived at Klamath, CA today after traveling through the mountains and beside the Pacific Ocean in Northern California. It is so chilly we have on sweat shirts and jeans. We are camped right on the beautiful Klamath River. We drove through more really big trees, Ponderosa Pine, Pacific Redwoods, spruce, cedar, etc. The fog was so thick coming off the ocean that it made visibility difficult in places. We are in a pretty nice campground but our internet signal is very weak....just enough to get on...not enough to upload pictures so no pics until next week. We will be doing some exploring the next 3 days and on to Oregon on Tuesday. Check back then for more from your Happy Travelers.

Outstanding Concert

The Happy Travelers had the opportunity to go to an outstanding concert with 2 of our California girls and one gent---We got to attend the 20th Anniversary of the Sacramento Taiko Dan, a group of talented performers who play a wide variety of drums. It was just an amazing sight, such energy and enthusiasm. There were some drancers, as well as someone who played flute and a Japanese type guitar (sorry don't know the name of the instrument).



This little lady is in her 70's and what a performer. She was doing a little fund raising at the end of the night...see the money in her headband....what a smile! What a wonderful evening, a great concert with special people---who could ask for more! More later from your very Happy Travelers.

San Francisco Adventure

The famous Golden Gate Bridge was bathed in fog. I came all the way from Virginia and could not see the top of the bridge tower because of the fog. But I did ride across it.
Aren't these flowers gorgeous. There were hanging baskets along one of the piers. I couldn't believe how many and how full they were.
We took a walk to Fishermen's Wharf and saw these vessels along the way.
I tried to get this fellow to look at me---no go, he was watching the big guys folic on the platforms.
These big guys are very territorial and noisy. But such fun to watch.
They named these Victorian houses the painted ladies. They were really beautiful. We got to tour the large green one on the end. The owner bought in for $65,000---had to get 30people to move out of it and then put over $300,000 into the renovation. I can't remember the value now--$3.5 million or $4.2 million, sorry, it was more than my brain could comprehend. It had a kitchen to die for, a beautiful little patio area, a dining room capable of feeding 12 or more and lots more we didn't get to see.
This stained glass window was in in the parlor. There was another stained glass window over the front door.
One of our stops was at a Japanese tea garden. The landscape was green and serene. We learned that the "fortune cookies" we all get following dinner at a Chinese/Japanese restaurant were actually invented in San Francisco in that garden but no patent was put on them and during WWII, while the Japanese family who owned and operated the garden were interred, the Chinese took over the garden and the making of the fortune cookies. The garden did not do well and after the war, the Japanese again took over the garden. They have a lovely tea house in the park.


Made a stop at an old Episcopal Church, I believe it was Grace Episcopal. It truly was spectacular. My camera could not capture the beauty of thestained glass windows and art work on the walls.


One of our last stops on the tour was a brief walk through ChinaTown. All the businesses had both English and Chinese names and there was a wide variety of "stuff" from clothing and food to herbs, teas, and roots for Chinese medicine. We met an incredible Chinese gentleman who looked about 50 to 55 years old and was actually 77 and still going strong.

It was a pretty long day but quite exciting and educational. Met more folks, saw some wonderful scenery and got back to our home away for home in one piece after a trip on San Francisco's rail transit. More later from the tired but very Happy Travelers.

Napa Valley Trip

We began our tour of the wine country by stopping in the city of Napa. They have blocked off several streets from motorized traffic and it is nice to walk around the boutiques, restaurants and shops without having to deal with cars. There is a large visitors center with lots of helpful folk to give you ideas of what to see while in the area.
Isn't she cute! There was shop that sold all types of metal garden sculptures like Miss Bee.
As we were leaving the parking lot in the city of Napa, this house caught my eye. There were several on the street that had been restored and turned into businesses. Going out of the city toward the wineries, we saw many Victorian and Craftsmen bungalows lovingly renovated. This is a city that is pleasure to just tour the architecture.
This was the view as you drove into the Robert Mondavi Winery. Can you see the fountain. There were lots of flowers on the far side of the building that don't show in this picture.
This was the garden view outside the wine tasting room.
This is a typical view of the wine country---very green grape vines with the mountains in the background.

On our return trip, I decided I wanted to try and get a picture of this wind mill farm but the road was under construction and we couldn't stop. So I experimented and took the picture in the truck going 50 miles per hour. It is amazing to see these things on the hillside, hundreds of them, generating electricity. Wednesday we will be going to San Francisco. So more later from your Happy Travelers.

Sacramento Cuties/Church in Lodi

These are our California Girls plus D.J. We had a lovely visit with these wonderful ladies and gent, shared a delicious meal and told lots of stories that made each of laugh and glad we were family.
This one is for my quilting sisters. This was hand pieced and made into a block for a potential quilt. When the quilt was not put together, the blocks were given to the girls by their mother (I believe Greatgrandmother, May Donovan, actually made the blocks) and framed as pictures. I believe each of them has 4 blocks. I have been told that this Greatgrandmother could sew,crochet,knit, embroider --in other words was quite a talented little lady.
Sunday morning we traveled to the United Congregational Christian Church in Lodi, CA, not far from where we are camping in Isleton, CA. The Rev. Jack Dawson is the minister of this blended congregation of Discples and Congregational Christians. It was good to be in church, to experience the music and to pray with like-minded folks. But they only do communion on the first Sunday of the month. I missed not taking communion, especially the way we hold the bread and cup and then take it together.
This is a view of the altar (very Californian, I think).

This is the view on one side of the santuary---a wall of windows that look unto a courtyard---very soothing. Well, tomorrow the Happy Travelers will be exploring Napa Valley, so until then. Happy Trails to all of you. Enjoy wherever you may be.

Yosemite National Park Video Clips

Here are a few of the 12 video clips I took at Yosemite.

Yosemite Video Clips

I do have some video clips to share of our adventure in Yosemite. However, until we get to a place where the internet is a bit faster, my clips will have to stay with me. Again, we had a great time in Yosemite and I would advise anyone who has the opportunity to visit to do so but I do believe it would be more enjoyable in the fall or early spring. We took a tour and it was so nice for both of us....the other Happy Traveler did not have to contend with traffic or finding a parking place...he could sit back and enjoy the scenery with me. More from your Happy Travelers later.

Yosemite National Park

Today we went to Yosemite National Park and visited the giant redwoods. It is impossible to capture these trees....they are so tall. Their bark doesn't turn red until they are over 300 years old. It was a beautiful day and another amazing trip.
This tree is named the Old Monarch....that is the root ball. It has been down for several hundred years. People have craved their initials on the trunk from as far back as the 1800's.
Can you see the split in this tree---that is Ron going inside---these trees are so tall that are like lightning rods. They get hit by lightning--it goes down the tree and blows out the bottom but the tree still lives!!! Amazing.
That's me inside the redwood. It is an awesome sight to see 3 or 4 people inside a tree at one time.
This was a grove of young redwoods. There were 5 trees but I don't think you can see but 3.
This was the view we had during our lunch break. I believe this is Vernal and Nevada Falls. You have to look real hard to see the lower fall.
We had to say goodbye and this was our last lookout. So majestic...so amazing....God sure knows how to impress us. More later --- videos I hope-----from your Happy Travelers.

Update on travels

We left Pahrump, NV Wednesday morning and drove to Barstow, CA. Thursday we traveled to Bakersfield, CA. Coming over the mountains and looking down on the valley was breathtaking. After so much brown---desert and rocks---we looked down on a patchwork of green. Bakersfield has all sorts of orchards of citrus, fruits and nuts. It is amazing what water can accomplish. You know why Jesus used water so much in his teachings. Friday it was on to Bass Lake, CA which is east of Fresno, up in the mountains. It is lovely but the mountains block my Verizon signal so I am using "Linksy" today. We will see if it will allow me to upload pictures. This campground believes in squeezing as many folks in a small amount of space as possible. We were very lucky to get the last spot in a relatively level area. Some folks are parked down in a hollow or up on a bluff. We are here until next Friday. We will need to take a hike to see the actual Bass Lake. From what I saw as we were coming into the area, it is beautiful. Next week we go into Yosemite. More from the Happy Travelers later. Until then, ENJOY EACH AND EVERY MOMENT.

Charleston Peak RV Resort - Pahrump, NV

This is a view of the mountains that back up to our campground at sunset. This is a view of the mountains in front of our campground. Another wonderful pool that saved our lives. It was the only way to enjoy late afternoons in the desert. This outstanding full moon was saying good bye to us on our last night in Pahrump. This was the first campfire the Happy Travelers have had the privilege of enjoying since leaving Virginia. Our fellow campers at the Charleston Peak RV Resort invited everyone for a campfire complete with marshmallows on our last night in Pahrump. We were treated to some great conversation, a lovely breeze and the moon--a full moon. The Happy Travelers leave for Barstow, CA tomorrow morning. More later.
A little clip of the mountains behind our campground. Unfortunately this video doesn't show just how high the mountains really are.

Pahrump Valley Winery

The Pahrump Valley Winery is attached to our campground. It is a really lovely spot in the desert with lots of new grape vines and their own bottling operation.
Gretchen Loken is one of the owners and a very delightful lady, just full of information and very enthusiastic about wine and people. She said, "how can you not enjoy what you are doing when you get to meet people and drink wine all day".
This is an interesting quilted wall hanging that I wanted to share especially with my quilting buddies. (It was machine quilted.)
As well as a good variety of reds and whites, the Winery sells a variety of "things that go with wine". The gift shop adjoins the wine tasting area. I got an education in fruity versus dry. It was fun but after sips of at least 14 different wines, I felt a little fuzzy.

Surrounded by mountains, this is a lovely spot with lots of desert around. If you look hard through the trees, you can see the grapevines. Sunday the Happy Travelers will be traveling to Harrah's in Las Vegas for a new experience. More later.

Preferred RV Resort - Pahrump, NV

This campground had a mixture of palm trees and pine trees, flowers and cacti, grass and rocks. We enjoyed our stay, met a bunch of nice people from Oregon, Washington, and California, as well as Nevada.
This is where the Happy Travelers spent every afternoon and where I went Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for water aerobics. Met a delightful bunch of ladies who live in the area and belong to this campground just to use the pool.
One area of the campground has this water wheel and a pond with enormous fish. It has benches and picnic tables, a walking path...a really nice place to go and think or relax and it is cool----temperature wise.
Can you tell how big these guys are. The pond was almost not deep enough to support them. You can tell they are used to handouts. As soon as you get close to the pond, they all but jump out of the pond.
Every evening, we were visited by 6 to 8 bunny rabbits. My neighbor and I shared our carrots with these little guys and they faithfully showed up every evening before sunset to see how the carrot supply was holding up.
Some talented person used a stump and craved these two little fellows.

This is the view when leaving the campground. The flag is flying at the Nugget, a local casino. See the mountains in the background. Pahrump is surrounded by mountains. The Happy Travelers left Preferred for Charleston Peak RV Resort just up the road. More later.