A Little Downtime in Southern California

A little time off the bikes, the generous loan of Grandpa Jerry's classy car
Visits to friends and family.
TLC that we store away, for future times to drawn upon.

A time of tuning bikes
Baking treats : muffins, scones, pies and oven meals
A real down time.
When thoughts of where we'll rest our heads, or cleanse our bodies, or fill our water bottles
Are absent.

We've really had a time to let our hair down.
Ride a roller coaster
Eat burgers and bowl (the bumpers up for the kids certainly helped the adult scores!)
And...plan our next point of attack.
Death Valley to Joshua Tree


Tarn dictates, Oct 15
At Grandma Susan's I always stayed on the floor. Sampson always stayed on the bed. Markos always stayed in the closet. We always played with the Duplo blocks and we played with cement and rock blocks. We went apple picking and we went to the creek. We went bowling. It was fun. We went to somebody else's house and they stayed at home and we went to Sea World and we went on a roller coaster. I did not like it. I thought it was going to be fun but it wasn't. I do not want to go again.

Markos' journal, October 12
At The Beach: We played with Brad's beach toys and made tunnels for water to come through. We pored the water from the bucket. It was sunny and nice today. There were lots of surfers and some were using paddles. The big waves washed in lots of kelp.

Sampson writes, October 13
Sea World: Today we went to Sea World and our friend gave us free tickets. Then we went to park and boy was the parking lot big! After that we went by the ticket posts, the tickets were seventy dollars. I'm glad we got tickets for free. Then Dad got on the phone and we looked at the map. Later we went to a sea lion exhibit and watched a sea lion story/trick. It was really funny. Then we started walking to the killer whale exhibit. On the way we saw some dolphins and sea turtles. We almost got to touch them. After the dolphins we went to the Shamu exhibit and watched a Shamu show. It was cool because the people were really strong swimmers. They stood up on Shamu's nose and fed all the orca whales fish. The whales splashed the first sixteen rows. They did back flips and jumped out of the water all the way. Later we did a ride that was really fun, we went up and down and sideways. Tarn didn't like it. After the ride we went to the Wild Arctic. It was cold but we saw a giant walrus and penguins, also some other arctic animals.

The Road to Grandma Susan's

...Don't worry, we were safe and warm inside with wonderful hosts, delicious food, and a hitch to Bishop the next day. All's well that ends well on the road to Grandmother's house.


Also on the way...

Lake Tahoe
Topaz Lake
Bridgeport Reservoir
Mono Lake

Sierraville Hot Springs
Travertine Hot Springs

Luther Pass 7740 ft
Moniter Pass 8314 ft
Conway Summit 8139 ft

brisk sunny days
frosty nights
gusty winds
sand storms
snow

SUCCESS!!!

Aunt Karen's Squash Soup (thanks Miguel for the calabaza!)

2T butter
2 cups chopped onion
2 med-sized butternut squash (about 4 lbs), peeled and seeded
4 granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and cut into small pieces (4 cups)
7 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (or more)
1/2 cup plain yogurt, half and half or heavy cream

Melt butter, add onion, cook 10 min until softened. Add squash, apples, broth, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil over med heat. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, simmer 25 min until squash is tender. Remove the pan from heat. Let cool. Use a hand blender to process mixture until smooth. Add cream to taste. Apple pie a la mode for desert - of course, Mom's recipe.

The Sierra Nevadas of California

Markos writes: Sept 25 The Sugar Pine has huge pine cones. The sap feels like sugar on your hands. They are pokey and they have seeds. They are 11 - 20 inches long. Is that big or not? An oak tree has one inch acorns on it. They look like they have a hat on. White Spruce have one and one-half inch pine cones. They are very tiny. They are very easy to squish.

Sampson's journal: Sept. 24 Remote Control Airplanes at Sierra Hot Springs
Today we went to the airstrip and made pancakes. While we were making pancakes a truck drove up and two guys with remote control airplanes got out. Their names were Nick and Tom. They built a yellow airplane and a red airplane. The yellow one was a stunt plane and it did flips and glides and lots of tricks. The red one did the same but it was a little bit different. Once the yellow one did a glide land and it landed on its nose and broke the nose and propeller.

Tarn talks: Sept 24 There are lots of birthdays in this year. Remember when I swam back and forth at that other pool. I swam at Sierra Hot Springs too. I had a life jacket before and at Sierra Hot Springs I had a noodle. I was going so fast backwards. Then I swam all by myself.

Tarn turned five years old Sept. 23. For his birthday celebration we went to Sierra Hot Springs...a few days after. On his special day we made it into Quincy for a huge pancake breakfast out after tenting at the county fairgrounds with hundreds of firefighters. They had gathered from all around to fight a fire in a neighbouring area.

another Tanya poem as per Al's request...

ON FALLEN LEAF LAKE
It's Monday.
Warm Fall Breezes rock
Continuous waves to the shore.
A tree-lined edge lies below jutting rock mountain tops,
Gravel screes fill the space in between.

We're holding on to the last days of warmth at
high elevations.

Old playful logs, worn with time and waves
Bobble in the shallows.
The remnants of huge stumps act as harbors to these boats.

It's just us on this pebble beach, 'cepting a young man and his dog
Perhaps a traveler too, with the day to his choice
He too sees the sun sparkles
Hears the windy pines
Knows his own voice.

and one more...not sure how soon we'll be back on the blog

MY HOME, A DOME
3 poles, netting
A floor and a fly.
A place of comfort
For star gazing the vast, broad sky.

Inside I have things that I need
A water bottle, a jar of bag balm
Chapstick, journal, book and sleeping sheet.
An open down sleeping bag over us two
A headlamp, a toque for over my hairdo.

When the road is desolate
The days hot and dry
Water scarce and maps untelling
of the days that before us lie...

My tent is a constant
I can handle what is before
For at night I'll rejuvinate
Upon its thin floor.

Lava Beds National Monument

Markos' journal, Sept 17 - I will write about what I see. I see a bush. On the bush there are yellow flowers and lots of green little leaves. It has a skinny brown stem. I am writing about a bush. It is fun.

Sampson writes, Sept 17 - Today we biked to Lava Beds National Monument. At the lava caves we went in the visitor center and watched a video about the lava caves and the Modoc Indians. After that we went to the desk and rented some flashlights. Later we went to Mushpot Cave, an underground cave with a paved trail and lights. It also had some signs and buttons. After that we walked down the trail to the upper end of Sentinel Cave, it had no lights and a rocky trail. A little ways into it we all held hands and turned off our lights because we wanted to see how dark it was. When we were out we walked back and gave our lights back. Later we biked to the campground.

Tarn's thoughts...Sept 18- "Finding Snail Shells" I found snail shells in Eagle Lake. The ones in the water are alive and the ones out of the water were not alive. Some are big some are small. They are all white.


Ben's Freezer Fudge recipe...l

nut meats (fresh pecans from California, go in season and buy a big bag)
shredded coconut
cocoa (good stuff)
honey (more excellent, incredible stuff)
vanilla

Combine in a food processor, shape in balls and freeze overnight


Tanya's realizations
Concerns about the modern world? There have been only good people we've met, crazy amazing parents, keepers of the earth and real people.

Crater Lake National Park

We did it. We climbed two full days to reach the brink of the deep crater that holds Crater Lake. We followed the roaring Umpqua River, enjoying old growth forests and numerous picnic spots by misty waterfalls. Pumice and scoria rock lined the forest floor. Sampson, Markos and Tarn enjoyed comparing pine cone sizes (what is the record for the world's largest pine cone?) and floated airy pumice rocks down the river. Now that we're down the volcano and have circuited Upper Klamath Lake we've got our eyes pealed for water and field birds. We've spotted grebes, pelicans, ducks, cormorants, red-tailed hawks, ibis and bald eagles, (to name the ones we know.)

Markos writes: Sept. 7 I am happy. I went for a dip today. Dad is making dinner today. I am doing my journal.

Sampson describes his Crater Lake experience: Sept. 9 Today we climbed up Mt. Mazama - Crater Lake and went to the visitor center. At the visitor center we listened to someone talk about Mt. Mazama-Crater Lake. I learned that Crater Lake was dormant but Wizard Island, an island that looks like a wizard hat in Crater Lake, is extinct. In the olden days some gold hunters went looking for gold on Mt. Mazama but didn't find any but saw a beautiful picture for a life time. One thing that was different was that there were no streams or rivers coming out of the crater and that almost no one touched it. It had really blue water.

Tarn's words: Sept 10 There are boats that go to Wizard Island. There are cliffs too. Wizard Island is on the side of Crater Lake. Before Crater Lake it was all lava and the top wasn't all broken off. The water is so deep and there are fish in it.

Rick's 42nd Birthday and Off the 101

Menu for Rick's 42nd Birthday Dinner - Lincoln City, OR

Cedar Plank Chinook Salmon specially marinated and grilled by Dave Martin
Oven Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes
Mango Salad with Cilantro, Red Onions, Garlic, fresh Jalapenos, Black Pepper and Lime
Grilled Garden Vegies
Brownies served with fresh Strawberries

Gifts...
from Markos, a peach-coloured sea star
from Sampson, a Chinese Checker game
from Tarn, a colored sea lion picture
from Tanya, a giant artichoke

Two days off, our last weekend of tide pools, sea life and sand.

Good-bye to Hwy 101, the multitude of bikers we met and camped with, the skinny bridges without shoulders, the coastal views and the huge tree/lush forest coolness juxtaposed to the brown hot clear-cuts.

Florence, OR - afternoon off for Rick to rebuild Tanya's rear wheel, a faulty rim had split in numerous places
Sawyer Rapids RV park - Rick discovers the remaining three rims have cracks, three hours later and through extensive use of Rick's problem solving techniques a plan evolves. The result: we are back on the road with all rebuilt wheels the next day. How? Joe comes to the rescue and picks up/delivers three new re-built wheels thanks to coordination with Co-motion Chuck and Pete, and Dave the wheel builder (HUGE thanks Dave!!!) How did it happen that of all places in the trip so far, we happen at this time to be closest to Eugene, where the bikes were manufactured???

Upcoming Events: Climbing back over the Cascades, up to Crater Lake and on through the Lava Beds of Northern California.

The Oregon Coast

Markos writes: Aug 21 In the campsite I found lichen, mossy bark, and white bumpy bark and moss and dried-up fern.

Tarn at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, Aug 24 : The cheese factory is cool because all the cheese is moving all around. It was getting packaged.

Sampson writes about Lewis and Clark following a visit to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center:

In 1803 Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on an expedition to explore the Northwest. The reason why was because they wanted to find out what was there. They traveled the Missouri River by boat, over the Montana Great Falls by horse, and down the Columbia River by canoe. They brought lots of food for their trip and they hunted and traded with the Indians for food and drank brandy on special occasions. Sometimes they didn't have any food so they killed a horse for stew. On the expedition 30 to 50 people came and 31 of them survived. Sacagewea and the Corps of Discovery came and so did Lewis and Clark.

Tanya's thoughts: Writing curricula packages for travel by bike would be a breeze. It's amazing how much incredibly cool stuff just happens across our path. I didn't set out on this journey as an "educational experience" for Sampson, Markos and Tarn, but more as a family adventure. However, given the variety and complete immersion of our experiences on the road, I would have no problem selling this adventure as a complete educational experience. For example, our brush with salmon: watching salmon sport fishing, salmon hatcheries (and camping by one), learning about hatchery salmon vs. wild salmon, the salmon life cycle, following salmon streams and watching the fish fight the current, a visit to the aquarium... to say nothing about the water system through the State of Washington, or what about the sea life and seashore of the Oregon Coast?