Hi,
so far the drive has been awsome and we just started seeing palm trees yesterday.
I am just starting to get into vacation mode plus I had to take off my swetter today because I was hot for the first time!!!!!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, Dec. 28 More driving……..
Well that’s how it goes. We are on a mission to find warm weather, and we’re slowly finding it today. As I’m writing this we are nearing Sacramento, CA and there is NO snow anywhere but still quite cold and windy outside, I’m guessing 5 degrees celcius. So we are driving tonight late again to get as far south as we can and so closing to the SUN and WARM.
Today’s trip involved going through the 3 mountain passes from Oregon into California. The first 2 were easy, bare or wet roads, rain, but the last pass by Mount Shasta was a tricky one. We had wet snow, lots of wind, and a broken altenator so no power in our friends’ motorhome. It broke at the top of the pass, so without turning anything on they coasted down the mountain and into Redding, CA where we found – with help of our good friend the GPS – an autoparts store open until 4 on Sunday afternoon (this is at 3:30 p.m.) Earl was able to change the alternator in about 20 minutes flat and off we went again. Good thing everyone had brought tools along too. Our windshieldwipers wanted to be part of the game too so they decided to stop but after a while got going again, when it stopped raining actually.
And now we are driving past orange groves to Sacramento area. We actually took some oranges straight from a tree in someone’s backyard – superfresh and they weren’t home, plus it was dark and we were quick.
We are looking forward to camping finally but it is still quite cold so we are wimping out one more night and opting for a motel, with a pool perhaps.
Well that’s how it goes. We are on a mission to find warm weather, and we’re slowly finding it today. As I’m writing this we are nearing Sacramento, CA and there is NO snow anywhere but still quite cold and windy outside, I’m guessing 5 degrees celcius. So we are driving tonight late again to get as far south as we can and so closing to the SUN and WARM.
Today’s trip involved going through the 3 mountain passes from Oregon into California. The first 2 were easy, bare or wet roads, rain, but the last pass by Mount Shasta was a tricky one. We had wet snow, lots of wind, and a broken altenator so no power in our friends’ motorhome. It broke at the top of the pass, so without turning anything on they coasted down the mountain and into Redding, CA where we found – with help of our good friend the GPS – an autoparts store open until 4 on Sunday afternoon (this is at 3:30 p.m.) Earl was able to change the alternator in about 20 minutes flat and off we went again. Good thing everyone had brought tools along too. Our windshieldwipers wanted to be part of the game too so they decided to stop but after a while got going again, when it stopped raining actually.
And now we are driving past orange groves to Sacramento area. We actually took some oranges straight from a tree in someone’s backyard – superfresh and they weren’t home, plus it was dark and we were quick.
We are looking forward to camping finally but it is still quite cold so we are wimping out one more night and opting for a motel, with a pool perhaps.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Underway!!!
Dec. 27
We left in a big splash this morning. After days of snow, snow, snow we had rain when we woke up. The chains on the Van tires got us out of our driveway, and the main road was passable.
We met our friends at Tim Hortons just after 8 a.m. and off we went "slush slush" to the border!
The U.S. border guard had his suspicions:
"where are you going?"
Not sure....
"for how long?"
a few weeks.....
"how much cash do you have with you?"
Well, Ryan had $13 and mom had a couple of CAD in her wallet......that wasn't really what he was after either.
and...You're camping??? In THIS????
At the rest stops we felt a little out of place too - we're not quite a truck or RV but we aren't really just a passenger vehicle either! Nothing conventional about us homeschoolers is there?
By 5:30 ish p.m. we are at the Washington/Oregon border, at Wallmart (where else?) and Megan decides she does not want to ever sleep in a parkinglot there. So much for free camping there. Off to Eugene, Oregon.
Wonder Mexican restaurant there called Mucho Gusto, had a great snack around 8:30 p.m.
Finally at 10:30 we are in Roseburg and found a motel, so everyone's happy. And they have WiFi here!
There is not a lot of snow here, minimal on the side of the roads, and it is considerably warmer here too.
Oh yes, Ryan spilled some smoked salmon on mom's seat. We tried to clean it with handlotion. Try to imagine the smell.....
We left in a big splash this morning. After days of snow, snow, snow we had rain when we woke up. The chains on the Van tires got us out of our driveway, and the main road was passable.
We met our friends at Tim Hortons just after 8 a.m. and off we went "slush slush" to the border!
The U.S. border guard had his suspicions:
"where are you going?"
Not sure....
"for how long?"
a few weeks.....
"how much cash do you have with you?"
Well, Ryan had $13 and mom had a couple of CAD in her wallet......that wasn't really what he was after either.
and...You're camping??? In THIS????
At the rest stops we felt a little out of place too - we're not quite a truck or RV but we aren't really just a passenger vehicle either! Nothing conventional about us homeschoolers is there?
By 5:30 ish p.m. we are at the Washington/Oregon border, at Wallmart (where else?) and Megan decides she does not want to ever sleep in a parkinglot there. So much for free camping there. Off to Eugene, Oregon.
Wonder Mexican restaurant there called Mucho Gusto, had a great snack around 8:30 p.m.
Finally at 10:30 we are in Roseburg and found a motel, so everyone's happy. And they have WiFi here!
There is not a lot of snow here, minimal on the side of the roads, and it is considerably warmer here too.
Oh yes, Ryan spilled some smoked salmon on mom's seat. We tried to clean it with handlotion. Try to imagine the smell.....
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Endless Preparations...
We have the Van almost ready.....today we got windshieldwipers working - kind of a necessary thing looking at what kind of weather we're up against. Have you seen the extent of the cold front? All the way down into California, and even Nogales, Arizona, which is where we want to cross into Mexico, it is only 8 to 10 degrees Celcius. NOT what we're looking for.
We are looking for at least 20 degrees, which can be found in Mazatlan, Mexico, 2 days south of the border. So.....looks like we may initially be driving more than we had anticipated.
But, we'll play it by ear and eye. And we'll talk to people along the way hoping they can tell us where the WARM weather is!!!!
Isn't it sad we're so desparate......we should be good Canadians and be used to this cold. Maybe there's a little Mexican in us....
We are very much looking forward to this trip, though. All the finances have been updated and bills paid, got presents for everyone all wrapped, we have some things packed, doing last laundry loads, and the fridge is almost empty except for the Christmas food, and a big pot of chilli in the crockpot so we have something to eat when we need to before Saturday.
Come saturday morning - we're off!
We are looking for at least 20 degrees, which can be found in Mazatlan, Mexico, 2 days south of the border. So.....looks like we may initially be driving more than we had anticipated.
But, we'll play it by ear and eye. And we'll talk to people along the way hoping they can tell us where the WARM weather is!!!!
Isn't it sad we're so desparate......we should be good Canadians and be used to this cold. Maybe there's a little Mexican in us....
We are very much looking forward to this trip, though. All the finances have been updated and bills paid, got presents for everyone all wrapped, we have some things packed, doing last laundry loads, and the fridge is almost empty except for the Christmas food, and a big pot of chilli in the crockpot so we have something to eat when we need to before Saturday.
Come saturday morning - we're off!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
preparations
Well, we're on. In a week's time we're going on a road trip to Mexico. The Christmas shopping is done, we're almost packed up and we are sooooo ready to go.
Keep checking this blog for updates on our trip.
Keep checking this blog for updates on our trip.
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