Lone Pine and Ridgecrest CA , Primm, NV

 On October 8, we left Minden, NV. and traveled down Highway 395 in California.  This is such a scenic road.  And the fall colors were very brilliant.

We had planned to stay at Lone Pine but when we got to town the roads were blocked off and there was a parade going down the Highway.  We had to detour a few blocks and, since the town was packed, we decided to drive on to Ridgecrest. It was my job to make sure the Film festival was not going on and I failed to check.  So this was one of the busiest weekends in Lone Pine.  We traveled another hour and a half to the Ridgecrest Elks.

Ridgecrest Elks

Dean knew that I was very disappointed that we did not stay in Lone Pine so he suggested that we drive back to Lone Pine for the next day from Ridgecrest.  He is such a thoughtful guy!  The next morning we drove back and had a delightful day.

The first place we visited was the film history museum.  Lone Pine is noted for being the location of a lot of westerns and even some modern day films.  

The museum had displays from all the famous western actors and their movies.

Dean with Gene Autry.

Saddles, stagecoachs, old cars are arranged in the middle of the museum.

Here is a display of all the TV westerns filmed in the area.

After going through the museum we joined a tour of Audie Murphy film locations, lead by two Aussies, in the Alabama Hills.  This is where we wanted to boondock - next time.

The Alabama Hills are  very picturesque  with  large bolders and rock formations and the Sierras in the back ground.

Dean is holding up a picture of a famous scene in one of Audie Murphy's movies.  The area looked like a bowling lane with a ball (rock) and 3 pins.

One of the tour guides is holding up a picture of a scene from the Great Race, with Natalie Wood sitting on this exact rock holding an umbrella as Tony Curtis drives by.  I'm not quite Natalie but it was nice to pretend.

Dean and I with Mt. Whitney in the background.  Mt. Whitney is not the one on the left .  That is Lone Pine Mt.  Whitney is located over Dean's head.

On Oct. 9,  I walked to the Petroglyph Park located in Ridgecrest.  The area is known for the many petroglyphs in the area.  There is one tour you have to book months in advance (next time).  But this little park is in the center of town and is very informative.  On display were petroglyphs and pictographs from various parts of our country and other parts of the world.

About a block from the park is the Maturango museum. This is a small museum about the area.  It is interesting and the workers are very informative.  

The next day we left for Primm, NV, which is just inside the line from California on Highway 15.  We parked at the Buffalo Bill casino.  My brother and sister-in-law, Kelly and Mary, drove down from Las Vegas to join us for lunch.  We went into the casino and it was so empty of people.  Very quiet and very strange.  

After Kelly and Mary left, Dean and I walked to the other casino in the area - Whiskey Pete's.  It was a little more lively and they had a display of the death car of Bonnie and Clyde.

We decided, since the winds were suppose to be bad in a few days, that we should drive home the next day.  On October 12 we returned home to Prescott.  We were gone almost 2 months.  Now it is good to be home!  But we will be looking forward to our next adventure.

Medford,OR to Minden, NV

After leaving the coast we traveled highway 42 which is a great road from the coast to Interstate 5. I have relatives in Medford and we always try and stop to see them if we are in the area.  The last time we were in Medford we had a hard time finding someplace to park, close to the relatives.  We tried Valley of the Rouge state park but it is too crowded and quite a drive to get to the cousins.  So Dean found this park which was a little pricy by our standards ($38 per night) but the park is new and well landscaped, with an adjunct pond.   It is located on the fairgrounds, and has a walking path and bike path adjoining the park.  

View of the park from across the pond.

We went to my cousins, J.B. and Evan Kell's home, in Medford and my other cousins came from Eagle Point.  Evan fixed a wonderful lunch.

Pictured above:  Evan, J.B., Me and Chica, Lenora and Dave Dell-Kell, and Neil Kell

Our next stop was in California, near Mt. Shasta, in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.  We stayed at Cattle Camp campground ($7.50) which had big enough sites for our big rig to fit into.  We liked this campground - well spaced sites, just enough off the highway so there was no road noise, and a fire ring.

On our second day at Cattle Camp we drove to the the falls of  McCloud River.  There are three falls, Upper, Middle, and Lower.  Each had a nice walking path and information signs.

Upper Falls

Middle Falls

Lower falls

View of Mt Shasta

Next stop was Minden, Nevada.  We called our friends in Placerville, CA and asked if they would meet us for lunch.  They picked a delightful restaurant/lodge called Sorenson's.  On the lodge grounds are bear sculptures in the trees, by the pond, and laying down reading a book.  Cute place and good food!

Chica, Judy, Bill, and Lori

While at Minden, we took a hike near the town of Genoa called the Sierra Canyon hike.  Lots of uphill and switchbacks, and very shady with a little stream running down the canyon.  If we had the time, and energy, we could have hiked to the top and seen Lake Tahoe on the other side.

While in Minden we stayed at Silver City RV park which is a Passport America park (half price so we paid $23).  Nice park.  

Now it is on to Hwy  395 south.

Crab-a-rang - Charleston, Oregon

On  Wednesday, September 20, we drove to Charleston from Winchester Bay.  We are staying at the Charleston Marina RV Park in site 18.  This is the location of the Boomer Crab-a-rang.  We are signed up for 11 nights at about $25 per night.  I went to Bimart and bought 2 crab traps for a little over $11 each.  I had already bought a crab trap at Winchester Bay for $40.  They were almost the exact same trap.  What a rip!  But at least I have two traps.  

So bright and early Thursday morning I started crabbing.  My mentor, Diana Ruelens, told me to be at the dock around 7:30 AM.  It was cold that day and I did not make it until 8:30.  I only put two traps in because I did not know what I was doing.  Dean opted not to go crabbing but to help me any way he could.  The license cost $26 (annual). 

Sunrise over Charleston

The first day I only caught 6 crabs but I learned a lot from Diana so I was hooked.  This is a picture of my first crab.

Here is a trap coming on to the dock:

Day two of crabbing - I was out on the dock before anyone.  Dean set up my other trap so now I had three in the water, which is the limit.

The second day I limited out - due mainly to some kind hearted crabbers on a boat that had too many and asked if I wanted them.  Of course, I took them.  So I limited fairly early.

Day three, Sept. 23, I returned to the dock bright and early and again I got my limit due to generous people sharing their catch.  This is a sunrise shot through one of the docked boats.

Here is my helper, Dean.  I could not have done this with out him.  He helped me carry everything to the dock, load everything in the car, then cooked the crabs and helped me pick them.  Lots of work.

I maxed out (without donations) on the fourth day on the dock.  So now I am up to 42 crabs.  Our good friends, the Moore's, helped me carry everything back to the RV.  They got 6 crabs as a thank you.  This is Jan with one of the big ones!

So, everyday we came home, Dean fired up the Coleman while I cleaned the crabs, then we would cook them and pick them.  

You get a little goofy after a lot of crabbing!

Here are some pictures on the dock of me pulling in and checking the traps.

Dean, below, picking in the shade of the RV's.

We were very fortunate to have Jim and Debbie Scharmato providing boat rides to crab out in the bay.  Each day there was at least 2 to 3 trips out with 4 to 5 Boomers and they got their limit every day and every trip!  The record was 17 keepers in one trap.

I went twice on the boat and we caught so many we had to toss quite a few over before we came in.

Finally, after 7 straight days of crabbing and 74 crabs, Dean and I did some of the local sites.  We went to Shore Acres Gardens which is a historic homesite of the Simpsons.  It is now owned by the state and the gardens are a real showpiece.

We walked along the cliffs and scenic lookouts in the area.  The Oregon coast is so beautiful.

We took a hike at the South Slough Reserve.  The vegetation was so thick and very beautiful.  And there were walkways over the Slough.

We had around 40 rigs at the Crab-a-rang so each day we had a Happy Hour and a few nights we got together for potlucks and a lovely meal of Chippino, fish stew.

A couple of pictures in the boat.  I look very excited.  

More pictures of Boomer get togethers.

Here is the group shot.  A lot of happy Boomers!

Diana Ruelens birthday was during the event so we celebrated in grand style.  But only the girls would dance!

Our last evening we had a small group dinner with the Moore's, Judy and Mark, Patsi and Mark.  Get friends and good times.

Campfires were held each night by the leaders (Ruelens) RV.  I was too tired to attend any except for one.

Many thanks to all that helped make this a special Boomer event, especially Diana and George and Jim and Debbie.  See everyone in Boomerville in January.