Hawaii, HOoooooo

Allegiant Airlines offered a non-stop flight from Eugene to Oahu back a few months. We didn't hesitate, but signed on immediately with our good friends Earl n Marian. It was great fun to travel with a bunch of folks from the neighborhood...ie: people from the surrounding communities. Half the people on board were wearing Duck or Beaver hats or tees or carrying something with their logos.

We kept busy the whole time. Although my body never did adjust to Hawaii time. Therefore, I woke about 4am and was soon eating my chewable vitamins (only thing to eat in the room) and downing my first Coke. At night it was all I could do to stay awake past 8pm...big yawns!!!

Norman filled another item on his bucket list with a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial site.

I made it to Da Kine Bail Bonds and the Dog Shop just 5 minutes before it closed and bought a new t-shirt...a bucket list item of mine...lol.

We found a travel bug hotel among some roots of this beautiful banyan tree. The park is just across the street from our hotel. Yep...that's just one big whopper of a tree!

We climbed Diamond Head from the bus stop to the summit and got three geocaches in the process. The picture is looking back to Waikiki. Our hotel would be difficult for anyone to spot, but it's next to the road and beach right off the upper corner of the park. We missed not having our Yuma walking buddies with us on this climb.

The food channel mentioned the number one place to eat traditional Hawaiian food was the Rainbow Drive-in...we did...the parking lot was packed...our taxi driver warned us against it...we liked it...lol

We walked a few Hawaiian blocks (a long ways) to Leonard's Bakery to try the 'fresh from the fryer' malasadas...yummy! They're kind of a donut without the hole. I had mine rolled in a sweet n sour sugar...liked it!

Went to the Polynesian Culture Center...did a canoe ride...tried native dancing...met a Chief/Prince from Fiji...watched some native dancing from the South Pacific islands...luau...big show at night...and I really enjoyed looking at this guy. Notice the tattoos? All the way from the waist to knee, and it's done in only two weeks. I would think the tattooing around the belly button would really hurt!.

Eating! Well, we're lazy about trying too many new restaurants. Our favorite by far was the Cheeseburger in (Paradise) Waikiki just a few blocks away...had several lunches and a couple breakfasts. The hamburgers are the very best!! Oh, and the mojitos were to die for...

Norman is drinking a pina colada...not very good...hee-hee.

Great trip...always a few drawbacks. The worst this trip was probably the hotel. It is currently renovating the whole thing. The property alone is probably worth in the millions or more...beachfront...nothing will ever be built to hide the park...the zoo...the beach...or the ocean. But...OMG...the noise during the day was awful...and our lanai was blocked off for repairs just a couple days after our arrival. And only half the pool and pool deck was accessible. So we pretty much kept ourselves busy elsewhere during the day or lounged in the hotel lobby. Our room was nice, because it had already gone through re-modeling.

A view from our lanai before they closed it off to us. The circle at the bottom is a memorial to the ancient Hawaiians.

BUT WE FINALLY LANDED IN OAHU AND STAYED!

A Couple Little Rides

It's cooled nicely in the past few days, and, dagnabit, we're going home for the holidays. Now I'm not upset over going home. It's the fact I can go outside and be active and not sweat buckets right now. Eh gads, I really hate to be wet from head to toe, when I'm not swimming or in the shower...well...off of this...

Norman and I went east of where we live into the Gila Mtn foothills for the stray caches we hadn't found. (That's a mighty mouthful of run-on sentence...lol) Of the several caches we found only two are left 'unfound' over in that area.

This quad ride got our feet back under us doing some ridge riding...steep hills...a few rocks...and a little bit of hiking.

 The cache on top of Gobbler's Knob, where we should have been wearing our helmets to access. See the towers on the hill in the background? Last year we climbed to those...whoa, don't know I'll ever do that again...lol

And, when on top of a hill covered in rocks, I just have to stack...or as a cousin reminded me...build a cairn!

Larry and Sandy joined us on a Muggins Mountain ride a couple days ago. This is the ride where Bill fell over on his quad and everyone but us turned back. We paused at "Bill's Rock" to recall the incident, then went on and had a wonderful ride. It was great not doing it alone this year, as we know better than to do anyway.

The Muggins trail is pretty rough in spots...lots of rocks where we bottom out...steep ridge running trails...not much shade anywhere...some power line following.

These have Larry n Sandy in their Razor, not any of us riding, because we were in the lead...

A little picture-taking and a lunch break in the best shade we could find.

A trail of caches all along the way. I picked up four during our stops, but it would be fun to go back with some geocachers and get them all.

BTW...our machines actually vibrated...like mini electric shocks...when we were stopped under the power lines...lol

Julian, CA

One of the first orders of business, once we got settled here in Yuma, was to put together a fall bus trip for all the neighbors. The company with the nicer buses only had one trip to Julian, CA set-up...called...bus wasn't full...contacted all the neighbors, including some, who hadn't arrived yet...eleven folks made reservations.

The reason for the fall trip is the scrump-deli-itious apple pies they make and sell.

It's always a fun trip on the bus with the neighbors...jokes...stories...snacks...laughs.

Here we are at the Rong Branch restaurant. We all had small lunches followed by big pieces of warm apple pie most with ice cream...mmm, yummy!

It's a quaint little old mining town now with small boutique gift & clothing shops, small cafes and bed & breakfasts. It is definitely a tourist place.

Because it was a cold blustery day with sporadic raindrops falling, most of the neighbors cruised in and out of the shops and craft fair trying to stay dry and warm. Norman and I did a few caches, which took us around town to the historic places...

 We definitely got really really cold, but just a bit damp. And Norman chased his hat a few times as it blew across the parking lot or cemetery.

As we bussed out of town with our whole pies stashed in the bays, we watched the snow plows warming up for the expected snowfall the next day...brrrrr

Norman is right now making his oatmeal for breakfast, and all I can think of is "I wish I had a piece of that apple pie". My mouth is watering...

Spook Canyon

Friends from Idaho arrived in town, and we all said "the heck with the heat...time to ride". So in 85+ degrees we all headed out into the bombing range to Spook Canyon. This is a canyon we can only ride to the beginning...then it's a hike. 

 

The owners of the yellow quads didn't think about parking in the shade. Shade...lol...They had a HOT lunch.

 

 Yep, this is the hike...over and around big rocks...and also through deep dry sand.

OK, I have to admit...I gave up as soon as I found one of the caches in the canyon and headed back. But I wasn't alone. Four of us got our lunches, walked back into the canyon just far enough to get shade and had lunch n waited for the others.

Last 'political' statement...We're surrounded by Republicans...REALLY SURROUNDED. And often just keep our mouths shut for the sake of peace and friendship. But one of the newbie riders had to say, "I just don't see how all those folks could vote him back in. Don't they understand the type of fellow he is?" (not quite his words, but close enough)...To which I responded, "Be careful who you say that around, because we just don't understand how all of you could support your candidate or your party."...Conversation changed pretty quickly, but not until a couple more things were said...LOL

No spooks...no critters...just butterflies!

AND first we were buzzed by a small border patrol prop plane flying low through a narrow valley we were in...then a park ranger in a brand new Ford Raptor watched us go by...then a Marine in full gear including helmet with a big dog in a huge dually...coming back the volunteer deputy stopped us...followed by a range warden, who drove one of the old trucks, because he didn't want to get the first desert stripe in one of their brand new Ford Raptors. Not many folks out in the range that day, so we were their entertainment...hee-hee

First trip into the desert & Mexico

OK...it wasn't that much of a trip. A bunch of us snowbirds make a monthly trek east of where we live to have breakfast in the desert. This month it was the omelet in a baggie...so good! All kinds of goodies are brought to put in our baggies before they are boiled, AND lots of homemade breads, coffee cakes and fruits.

 

Several of us in the neighborhood caravan out. It's really great fun, & we in the neighborhood are considered "regulars" now! Next month is total potluck breakfast items, and I help Harriet make fresh hot frybread out there. We're going to miss this breakfast...sigh. Next month...

We also made bopped into Algodones for a short time the other day. Norman wanted to get his sunglasses changed. He discovered he can't read his cell phone...the GPS...or see the picture on the camera with polarized lenses. He had a great time 'sport-flirting' with Mirna at Ja Bal Optical. I understand...she's always been a good-looking woman...but I do protest sometimes now. I guess I'm getting older...lol

Of course...nothing will do but to at least have a drink or two before crossing back over the border. This Margarita prevented my man from driving back. Thank goodness he walked OK...hee-hee

oooooooo, Halloween

Bob and Gloria are crazy over Halloween, Every corner of their beautifully landscaped yard had something spooky, scary or screeching hidden away. So...they threw a party this year.

I decided costumes were in order. For about a week the sewing machine was out...fabric and pattern pieces laying everywhere...and even a pin now and then got stepped on...ouch! Six yards of fabric spread out on the floor is quite a challenge in an RV without slides. But before long we had managed to put together costumes and none of the neighbors knew, what they would be...hee-hee....Six yards of fabric for each costume...two silly wigs...two black costume little girl's petticoats with battery-operated Halloween lights sewn in for collars...and two nerf bullet guns to shoot at the party-goers...yep, we did!...and, wallaaaa, Killer Klowns from Outer Space...sorta...lol

There was a ghost show up, who refused to speak to anyone...a cowgirl, who unloaded her real six shooter and wore it...even Waldo came to the party.

The snacks were the greatest...Frankenstein's false teeth...green witch's fingers...spider chocolate truffles...kitty litter box cake...and more all homemade...yummmy...

I wish I had gotten a picture of ours. But not, so I'll go online and find a similar one. I picked up a great ceramic tray bordered with peppers at a garage sale...carved a small gnarly pumpkin with a big mouth...made extra special chunky guacamole, which came pouring out of the pumpkin's mouth. Yessiree, that pumpkin was hurling guacamole dip...lol

 

Oh...something we learned...the Halloween make-up from the dollar store isn't so great. It was difficult to get the colors dark and sharp and there was barely enough of the white...but the price was right!