WE MADE IT!

By now some of you thought we had probably fallen off the edge of the earth! Well, we haven't yet, at least until the "big one" hits "Shakeytown"(San Francisco to those of you in Loma Linda)!

That's right we made it to San Jose. The bus has been running flawlessly although slowly. She was built for the 55 MPH speed limit and although it can go faster she makes you pay dearly in fuel. She also doesn't like pulling a the car up and down hills either, as the all-day trip through the Salt River Canyon proved.

After our trip back in time to Weatherford, we stopped at the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, OK ("We're not very big we just think that way!")

We spent the next night at a Wal-Mart in Albequerque, NM. Woke up Sunday morning to see hot air ballons aloft just east of town. Got to AZ and toured the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert just before sundown. Stayed at a free campground just south of the park.

Next morning we started for Phoenix via the Salt River Canyon. Lots of climbs and descents, twists and turns. And stops to let the brakes cool. But a very beatiful drive.

Spent the next week at the Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, just east of Phoenix. We did LOTS of hiking in the Superstition Mountains and along the Apache Trail. Mocha just like being outside, even though she couldn't go very far.

Got to see my Pop-Pop who's living in an absolutely beautiful care home while we were there, and visited with my Uncle Bill and Aunt Natalie in Scottsdale, who took us all out to eat- twice!

On the way out we thought we'd surprise Kenny. We turned off the highway and headed south. Passing signs that read "P.I.R" we wondered aloud "What could that be?" Someone suggested "Phoenix Indian Reservation". Well, this is what it was

Phoenix International Raceway hosts a NASCAR event every season. Even though we could'nt get in, Kenny just loved seeing it.

That night was spent at Quartzite, AZ where I met an elderly couple at the flea market the next day. They had just converted an old eagle bus and showed me the inside. That took so long we didn't leave till late and only made it Joshua Tree Nat'l Park (in CA) in time to set up camp. The park is bigger than the State of New Hampshire, but they couldn't build a campsite bigger than a postage stamp. So we stayed at a free BLM site just outside of the park for that night and the next. Saved 30 bucks, too! We drove to Thousand Palms/Indio in the morning to do laundry and shopping. Went into the park the next day and did a lot of hiking on HUGE boulders and then climbed a 5700 ft mountain. Boy were we pooped! We decided to move closer to L.A. so we could get an earlier start in the morning and beat the traffic. Stayed at a Wal-Mart in Beaumont, CA, just east of LA.

Well there were still plenty of drivers looking for Sunday morning deals just before Christmas. But we did find a spot to park in Hollywood and went for a hike on the Walk of Fame.

Got this guy to pose for me... who do you think he looks like? Shoulda got his autograph!

Kenny's highlight of the day:

Driving down Sunset Blvd:

You shoulda seen the looks we got driving a bus through Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills!

Tha night we stayed at a campground just north of Malibu across the road from the Ocean. The next day we discovered another camground right on the beach so we spent our next night there. Just happened to be Christmas Eve. Even had a campfire.

Kenny went sand/snowbording, too!

The next day we left for San Jose. After driving ALL DAY we made it to Palmer's campus and parked for the night. Next day, Jake checked with security and he said we could stay until school starts! We moved stuff into Jake's new place and did some shopping. Thursday, we drove up to San Francisco. Saw the Golden Gate Bridge, ChinaTown and the Crooked Street:

Today was just taking care of some business, (like blogging), and resting. Tomorrow we may go into downtown San Jose or maybe to Monterrey. Sunday we'll be going to Jake's new church. Then we may stay here a couple more days but no more. It's kinda cold here. Only highs in the 50's!

Keep Checking back!