Monthly Archives: July 2012

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Motorcycle week with best friends at Ponderosa – American River

Love our annual motorcycle trip with our best friends Scott and Diana Cross. This is our sixth year…we always have a great time.

The weeks adventure started by meeting Scott and Diana at Villa Toscano winery for a pasta lunch and wine tasting.  During the week Scott and Kelly played a round of golf and Diana and I had a pedicure…perfect. We took a few motorcycle rides. One ride was over 200 miles. We rode up to South Lake Tahoe and around Emerald Bay, beautiful. Another ride we went through Georgetown and up past Pollock Pines and stopped at a place called Icehouse. The inside of the restaurant/bar was covered in dollar bills….always something to look at on the walls.

Of course it was hot up here, so there was swimming in the pool and river. Played hours of dice and a game called “Shut the box”. Scott was able to shut the box…good job! We ate a lot of good food and had amazing company.

Scott and Diana cooling off in the river

Diana cooling off

Scott cooling off

Grilling Veggies for dinne

Red Mutt Wine for dinner…love the label

Beautiful healthy home cooked meal…nice job

Sushi Fish bowl

Sushi dinner

Motorcycle Ride

Getting ready for the ride

Nice…

Stumpy Meadows

Stumpy Meadows….peaceful

Interesting bar decorations….

Icehouse….look at all the money

Icehouse

Icehouse

Icehouse

Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay

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Ponderosa – American River, Lotus CA

Ponderosa is one of our favorite parks to stay at.  When you are in the park you hear the tranquil rumble of the river, you can see the stars, you watch the kayakers and people riding tubes down the river having a great time. It is very quiet in this park, it is also HOT in the summer. It has been a lot of fun to put sandals, shorts and tank tops on everyday. It has been a long time since I have had shoes and socks on….It is hard to get motivated to ride a bicycle in 100 degree weather on small  busy roads…so we walk around the park and visit with other campers and watch the river go by.It is real easy to be lazy here and not want to do much of anything other than read a book and hang out…the river just does that to you…it is great…

The 1st day pulling into the campground we knew we had some tight corners to make with the trailer…well, we managed to scrape the trailer on the sign coming in the gate….oops.

The first dent/scrap on the new trailer…oops

River Photos

American River

The view out my front window

Mini rapids – American River

Rafters coming down the river – this is a daily view

Rafters

Fish Story

Here is a real fish story…..Juan was one of our camping neighbors. He was fishing in the river, and he caught this beautiful fish, which he gave to us. While he was trying to get the fish off of the lure, the fish jumped and he hook is finger with the lure. Juan didn’t want to loose the fish, so he cut the lure and left the barbed part of the hook in his finger. The good news, he went to the local clinic and had the barb safely removed…his finger looked like it just had a little scratch…thank you for the fish Juan…see you soon.

Juan and his fish

Fishing lure – minus one barbed hook

The missing barbed hook in Juan’s finger…ouch

Photos around the campground

Fishing…enjoying some quiet time

Painted rocks

More painted rocks

Making sun tea for Kelly

Beautiful sunset

Julia just chilling…it is hot

Julia’s got the watch….attack cat

Local sign…I am glad we have not seen any…

A lost shoe…

My flowers love the weather here…

Our neighbor Jack and Poppy

Full Moon Rising

Full moon rising

Moon rising

Moon rising

Day trip to old town Placerville

We took a nice day trip to old town Placerville. We had a great lunch at Cascada,  Mexican restaurant. There are a lot of great stores in town, from a used book store, Gothic Antique store and the oldest hardware store in California. We just wandered around town…nice day.

Painted bricks in old town Placerville

Painted bricks – Placerville

Painted bricks – Placerville

Old town Placerville Fire Department

Placerville Fire

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Wonderful time at Morgan Hill

Well, we had a great three weeks at Morgan Hill. We almost didn’t get to leave as schedule because the motor home wouldn’t start…that was a bad feeling. It turned out to be a starting soleniod, we just had to hit a few times with the handle of a screwdriver and then it would start…we will replace it ASAP. While at Morgan hill, we took motorcycle rides to the Santa Cruz, went to Watsonville Race track and watched brother Terry race, our last night in camp the park had a Hawaiian party with a roasted pig…

It was amazing how fast three weeks went by..we felt like we ran out of time…so here are a few photos from our time in the park…enjoy…..next park will be Ponderosa on the American River.

Road to Morgan Hill campgrounds

Our neighbors – Jose and Terri

I liked the tree trunk…

Some type of bug catcher on the winery fence

The roasted pig — it looks ugly…but tasted good  🙂

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Natural Bridges State Park

Took a nice motorcycle ride to the coast…We went to Natural Bridges State park…very nice state park…I would like to go back and visit when the Monarch butterflies are there…I am sure it is very impressive. The park has hiking trails, nice beach and picnic areas…we spent a bit of time in the visitor center…walked down to the beach, we didn’t stay on the beach since we were dressed for motorcycle riding. We then rode up the coast and stopped at Santa Cruz Surf Museum…wow…what a place, it is an old lighthouse and has a lot of original surf club boards and memorabilia … of course we had to hang out and watch the people surf for a while. Had a wonderful lunch at Paradise Beach Grille in downtown Capitola…walked the beach there too….a lovely way to spend the day….always enjoy the Santa Cruz area.

Natural Bridges State Park

Natural Bridges Lifeguard tower

Natural Bridges beach

Natural Bridges

Natural Bridges

Santa Cruz Surf Museum

Waiting for a wave

Caught the wave

Still riding the wave…

 

 

 

 

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Friday Night Races – Watsonville Speedway

It has been great getting the chance to come see Terry (Kelly’s brother for those who don’t know him) race. We spent the last two Friday nights at Watsonville Speedway…what fun, 1/2 mile dirt track. The first time we sat in the regular grandstand, the second time we paid to go in the race pits…On this Friday night Terry’s future son-in-law Phil was also racing Terry’s smaller other car which they call it the 4 banger #83 Boardroom Racing. Phil is getting ready to be deployed again…go Navy! Well, Terry and Phil did not take 1st place, but both finished the race and we all had a great time…look forward to watching more racing when we are back in Morgan Hill…go Terry and Phil…here are a few of the photos from race night…enjoy

WatsonvilleSpeedway

Brothers – Terry and Kelly at the racetrack

The Happy Couple – Phil and Kelsea

Double #83’s – Terry and Phil

Phil receiving instructions on the race car

Phil going to the track for the first time in #83

Good Luck Phil

Getting ready to race – go Terry

Terry heading out for the first race

Terry going to the track

Friday Night Race

Go #83!!! Terry did come in  3rd…

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Morgan Hill – beginning life on the road

Well, here we go……living life on the road…we will usually move every three weeks….we put a few things in our new trailer and headed to Morgan Hill. Driving the coach with the trailer is a big load, but of course Kelly did a great job. We have great neighbors here in the park. We are just hanging out, still sorting and getting rid of extra things in the coach.Last Friday night we went to Watsonville Fairgrounds and watch Terry (Kelly’s brother) race…what a great night. It is a 1/2 mile dirt track….Terry didn’t win, but he did finish all the races with out crashing…Yeah!!! We will be going again this coming Friday…

Here are a few photos from our current home….enjoy

Our home – leaving Vallejo

Our home decorated for 4th of July

Kelly’s flower garden

Kelly did a great job putting the lights on the planter

Mini racers at the track….these guys go fast

Terry’s race car -the Boardroom

Terry #83 coming around the track…go Terry!!

Go…go…go #83

Kelly dreaming at the local Harley Dealer

Hotdogs on the 4th of July…this is how to do it….they were great…