Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007-Home

5:45 a.m. - Left Brenda's in the dark! We woke up and we forgot to change our clock in the RV to CA time and we thought it was 6:30 a.m and it was really 5:30 a.m. Since we were up we figured we might as well pull out to beat the L.A. traffic. Would you believe that traffic was still bumper to bumper on 210 West!!! Crazy people trying to get to work on time.
7:00 a.m. - Beautiful day so far. They are suppose to get rain again in the next few days, but now it is just lovely. We are on I-5 now and the "Grapevine". There is a traffic warning saying "High Winds". Great, that's all we need is more heavy winds for the next 2 hours. Going through the canyons like this is there is usually a good chance of getting heavy winds. We are climbing to the 4,000 ft. summit.
7:45 a.m. - We are at Tejon Pass at 4144 ft and it was windy, but we made it to the top. It is all downhill from here, so we can relax. It will be nice to get on level ground again. The temperature went from 45 degrees in the Canyons t6o 55 degrees on level ground.
8:00 a.m. - Back on level ground and it is 2 hours from Brenda's to beginning of the San Joaquin Valley. We stopped at a I-Hop to have some breakfast.
9:00 a.m. - Back on the road again and the next stop is MERCED! The temperature is a nice 62 degrees with sunny blue skies Yeah!!
12:30 p.m. - We stopped for gas at a Pilot station in Madera, CA and gas is #3.17 a gallon which is a good deal, since we have seen gas for $3.45 and up! Our cost was $208.31!!!!!
1:00 p.m. - HOME! 65 degrees and cloudy skies. Sunshine faces.
3,206 total miles driven.

Monday, Dec. 3, 2007

8:30 a.m. - Pulled out of Bob and Carol;s place and said our good-byes to Carol about 7:00 a.m. as she left for work. Looks like a beautiful day again here today. The temperature is a pleasant 60 degrees this a.m. with sunny, clear skies. We are taking the 202 W. to the 101 W. to the I-10 W. In the car pool lane and just sailing along. The weather is suppose to be nice today, about 70 degrees and tomorrow in the80s. Traffic is kinda heavy going into the Phoenix area. We still they are still harvesting Cotton down here and the oranges on the trees are starting to ripen.

11:00 a.m. - We stopped at Quartzite, AZ for gas, walk and to check things out at this big flea market they have at this time of the year. It is 56 degrees and sunny, and windy (as usual). Picked up a few things we thought we needed. hahahahaha.

1:00 p.m. - Back on the road toward Gary and Brenda's in LaVerne, CA. Crossed into CA! Made it this far and we got through the inspection with no problem, at 62 degrees at Blyth, CA. We now have to put our clocks back another hour for pacific time. Crossing the Chirraco Summit at 1700 ft with 65 degrees and sunny.

1:15 p.m. - This is a picture of the windmills that are along this road, generating electricity to the city of Indio. Stopped for a break at our usual place on Dillon Road in Coachella, CA where gas is $3.29 gallon

4:00 p.m. - Arrived at Brenda's with 84 degree temperature! Brenda and Gary just had their home remodeled and it looks beautiful! They raised the ceilings to all be the same height and put in new lighting, floors, doors, windows, completely new kitchen and appliance, redid the downstairs bathroom. It looks very, very nice and spacious. Had a great evening with her and the kids. Gary had to work late, but came in later. Antonio had a basketball practice for awhile. They sure have busy schedules! Oh to be so young and have so much energy!

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007

9:00 a.m. - We have blue skies and NO WIND as yet. Leaving Lordsburg, N.M. The temperature is about 47 degrees, but nice to drive in. We are on the road to Chandler, AZ. We will be spending the day and evening with Bob and Carol. It rained last night pretty good for about 4 hours. Tucson is 151 miles down the road and Chandler is about 60 miles north of that. This is some of the Arizona Terrain you might enjoy seeing. We are at 4400 ft, altho it does not seem that high.

11:00 a.m. - We stopped at a rest stop to take a break and have a little lunch. We are now in what they call the Texas Canyon. This is also the same rest stop that we have been to before. It is still nice and sunny and 60 degrees. This is a good place and popular place to stop. We are 57 miles from Tucson.

1:30 p.m. - Arrived at Carol and Bob's in Chandler, AZ. Nice day driving today and nice to be able to stop and see them again. It is always nice to be able to see the kids and grand kids. Had a nice enjoyable afternoon and evening and glad it was Sunday, when everyone was home from work. Tiffy came over for awhile at dinner time and we sure enjoyed her company. She has been studying hard for her exams and test she will be taking at college just before her semester break. We didn't get a chance to see Jenni and Justin because Jenni got a pneumonia shot on Friday and had a reaction to it. With fever, chills, sick, sore, etc. We will see them in Feb. when we get down here again. Carol made a great dinner and about 9:00 p.m. we called it a night. We will check in with them tomorrow morning before Carol leave for work.

Drove 265 miles today.

Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007

8:30 a.m. - Some sun this morning but a LOT of wind. Frank says the wind should be behind us for awhile and that is good. It has been very windy all night with heavy gusts of about 30 m.p.m. I talked to Carol last night and AZ is expecting rain through Saturday. It looks like it is coming our way, which means we might just drive into it. The temperature is a balmy 66 degrees.
10:00 a.m. - We are still on desolate I-10 West and are among the canyons and the wind has changed direction and is now trying to move us from one lane to the next. If we had not put that special bar on the steering to make it easier in situations like this, Frank would be gripping the wheel. Now he just has to keep a hold on it when the gusts come across. This is a picture of how beautiful some of the canyons are here. The speed limit here is 80 m.p.h.!! and the truckers get to go 70 m.p.h. which is way too fast, because they are passing us like we are standing still, although we are not going 80 m.p.h. either. This wind makes you feel you are on a boat in rough water!.
11:00 a.m. -We stopped at a rest area to get away from this road a bit. It is 73 degrees and partly sunny. There is rain ahead, hope we don't get into it. We are at Van Horn, TX on the way to El Paso, TX. Getting gas here because it is only $2.93 gallon. The temp is warm, but the air is a bit cool. We are now in mountain time and have to set our watches back one hour.
12:00 p.m. - Just passed the border patrol on the other side of the road. For me that is always a scary site for some reason. We have not passed one on this side yet. Guess they want to make sure no one is on board that is not suppose to be coming from Mexico. They will worry about them going back to Mexico later. hahahahahaha
1:30 p.m. - Back on the road after getting the RV and trailer washed at a Truck Stop. It sure looks nice and the price was right, only $60 which is a lot less than we have paid in the past. This is a picture of the El Paso traffic as we go through town. It has grown a lot since we were here last. There are a lot of new higher end stores and malls and a new outlet center. Very impressive for sure. We are now 4400 ft, which surprised me. I would have figured a lot less, looking at the terrain. No wonder the clouds seem so close.
2:00 p.m. - Gone through the Border Patrol on our side and he just waved us through. We are still driving in the wind and the temp is still about 63 degrees with sun, which makes it nice and warm in the RV.
4:00 p.m. - Stopped at a Pilot station for gas at only $2.71 gallon. Figured we would gas up tonight and not have to worry about it tomorrow A.M. On the way to the KOA Campgrounds here in Lordsburg, NM. It is still very windy and the clouds are coming our way. We never did get any rain, thank goodness, and hoping the storm will pass over us tonight while we are parked. We have been at this park many times in the past also. Right now, there is not too many people camping. We will head out for Phoenix tomorrow and spend part of the day and night with Carol, Bob and hopefully the kids. We will head out for Gary and Brenda's on Monday a.m. and hope to get to their place late afternoon.
Drove 406 miles today