BIG SUR !!!!

Hey everyone . . . .    How are you all doing?  Getting into fall?   We see it
here in California, even tho is so dry.  We had a shower this morn'g.  First
since Washington.  Pray it helped the fire situation.

We have enjoyed the campground here.  Sunday they had church services
here & that was good.  Nice people.  Cooler here than we had the week be
fore.  So all's good!!!!

We have been to the pacific & really enjoyed that.  Big Sur was over the
top!  You can't believe the pics.  Just keep snapping.   Went along the beach
in Monterrey too & saw Cannery Row &  all the exquisite homes!.  Very
high $$$$.   Have to tell the guys we went thru Pebble Beach Golf Course
in Carmel too.  No water shortage there!!!   This was along the 17 Mile
Drive they call it.  Really really pretty.    Mike enjoyed all the animals.  The
seals are barking & fun to watch.   Pics will tell the story!!

We also went down to Pinnacles Nat'l Park.  A new one & the landscape is
very stark.  Was an enjoyable day.  Purdie likes to go with us & she is such
a good traveler.  Hard to believe we are on the San Andreas fault line.

We have had a couple of rest days too.  Really needed those & catch up with
maintenance on the rig.  The area is really heavy on agriculture too.

We have taken in two more of the California Missions.  We saw the one in
San Francisco (Mission Dolores),  Here we saw the San Juan Bautista one
which was awesome & then the Carmel Mission.  The story on these is a
wonderful  thing.  All so pretty!

We are heading to Yosemite & Sequoia next.  Pray it is not too hot  again.
We pray that all is well with everyone & love to hear from you!!!
Love & blessings,
Mike & Dee:)

WINE & SAN FRAN

Hey everyone!!   How are you all doing?  Fall is really here now, huh?  Hate
to think of winter, yuk!!        We had a great time visiting Mike's cousin Don
in Yuba City, CA.  Got to see all the family & Don showed us around all the
agriculture in the area.  Everything grows here,  even tho so very very dry!!
Water is becoming a serious issue throughout the state tho.

Our friends from FL came in and we had a great time doing the Sonoma and
Napa Valleys.  The winerys are very impressive and the tastings were great!.
Had lunch at the one winery like a castle, a picnic on the grounds.  Really
liked Sonoma as not as commercial as Napa.  But are so gorgeous to see.  The
one had a gondola ride to the top to see the winery.  The food is as good as the
wine in the area too.  On yogurt afterwards, ha ha!!  We will have to have a
tasting of our own when we get back!!!  

We did the Wine Train Dinner & that was a fun time.   Very ornate compared
to the Durango train.  The meal was really good & got lots of pics. , Is a whole
culture out here.  Wine, food & sunshine.  (lots of neat cars too, ha ha)

We also went into San Francisco . . .  The Golden Gate was really awesome.
Don had told us where to go to see it & was super!   Great pics again & most
of them are on my camera!!  Did the Coit Tower (awesome views),  Lombard
Street (crookedest),  Fisherman's Wharf, the Painted Ladies (houses) and we
did Chinatown for lunch (they let us bring Purdie into the restaurant, a blast).
So much to see and we had a pretty day.  We came back on the Oakland Bay
Bridge & that was neat too.  A lot cooler in San Fran than inland too!!

We are keeping a close eye on the fires.  So scary how fast they come up.  The
wind changes & they can get on you quick.  We are heading to Monterey area
tomorrow.  A few days to rest & see if fire in Yosemite area gets under control.
Playing it by ear at this point.

We pray that all is well with you & will post again soon.  Pray for rain here!!
Love & blessings,      Mike & Dee:) 

THE ROGUE & THE REDWOODS !!

Hey there,    How is everyone?  Pray all is well w/ you & yours.  Hard to believe
we are going into fall.  See the leaf change here already.  Hot days,  cool nights!!

We had a wonderful day up to Crater Lake Nat'l Park.  What a sight to see.  Never
seen such blue water.  Was a cool morning, but was so much fun.  Not able to go
all way around due to construction part way.  We took in the Hwy 138 waterfalls
& so seeing Toketee Falls was a highlite.  Did a lot of hiking & seen some pretty
falls.  You know how I like my waterfalls.   Good exercise & cooler than the valley.

On the way back we took in the Rogue River gorge.  Now that is something to see.
I've never seen such a chasm & also a natural bridge where the water goes under
the rocks & comes out down the river.  So so pretty!!          

Another day we drove down to the Redwood Nat'l Park.  What a sight that is too.
We went on Howland Hill Rd (gravel thru a natural stand) and hiked thru Stout
Grove.  Cannot believe how big the trees are & so so tall.  Really enjoyed that.
Drove thru a redwood with the truck, pics are on the other camera.  We also got
to find an overlook & watch for the gray whales.  The fog moved in so hard to
spot.   Mike seen the one, but also the seals frolicking in the waves.  Pray the pix
turn out.  Very cool at the beach, but very hot inland, like 40* difference.

We found another nice church just down the road from the campground, so really
enjoy that.  A young pastor w/ the "knows it".  Had to check out a winery that was
just up the road.  So many in the valley.  Neat historic towns too.

Today has been a rest day.   The smoke from the No. Calif. fires at Happy Camp
has been bad the last couple days.  Long way away, but the dry air & wind carries
it this way.  Don't know how people who live here deal with the smoke???

We leave in the morning for California.  Are seeing Mike's cousin Don Kuiken
and then meeting friends in the San Francisco area for the Napa valley.  Praying
that the earthquake issue is under control.

Love hearing from you & nice to keep in touch.
Love & Blessings,    Mike & Dee:)   

BACK TO THE RIG !!

Hey there!   How is everyone?  Really good we hope!!   Well, the Lord was
really good and I was able to make the trip to Minnesota without any problems.
Met my brother Darrell & his wife Cindy (Wyoming) at the airport & we went
directly to Renville for the viewing Fri nite.  Is always so nice to see all the
family even tho we are there for such a sad occasion.  Dorothy is with the
Lord & so is a celebration, even tho we miss her terribly. 

Sat for the service my brother Harold was able to bring Mom to the service &
she looks so good.  So glad I got to see her again this summer.    We left MN
on Mon am early & I landed in Portland where Mike could pick me up as the
campground was only 15 min away.  He & Purdie did good while I was gone!
I even got a pic of the motorhome from the air!

Coming back I was upgraded to a window seat & able to take pics of Mt.
Rainier from the air, also Mt Adams.  Was a clear day & was really neat !!  I
just kept clicking away, imagine that, ha ha!

Tue morning we headed south & we are between Grants Pass & Medford.  We
plan to take in the Redwoods & also Crater Lake area.   I was really tired so
today was a catch-up day.

We so look forward to hearing from everyone & pray that all is well w/ you.
Love & Blessings,     Mike & Dee:)