September 5th - The Journey Begins

On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been

Seein' things that I may never see again

And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway

We're the best of friends

Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way, is on the road again

It's a new season of travel and a new season of surprises good and bad.  Laurie's next assignment was to be a few weeks in Eureka, California, so our trip out was a reverse of how we had come home in the spring.  I-94/90 west, down from Spokane, Wa to I-84 in Oregon and west along the Columbia River to Portland.  Then south down Hwy 101 to Eureka, Ca.

We got the camper all loaded up and attached.  When we parked it last spring, the ground was a bit muddy.  We had an issue getting the camper high enough to get the truck under it, but not too big a problem.  

We started on the road.  We found out at the last minute that needed some paperwork and intended on going through Devils Lake to get that on the way.  We found out on the way that the agency we had to go to wasn't open in Devils Lake on that day, so we had to turn around and go to Grand Forks.  The paperwork was collected and after finding out there was an issue with the charging connection on the camper, we finally got on the road west.  

The rest of North Dakota was uneventful though it takes a long time to get all the way across the state.  We stopped for the night in Dickinson.  I didn't want to traverse the mountains of Montana at night this time.

Guest driver

August 17th and 18th - Patriot Guard Remembrance ride

The day started like a few had that week.  The sky was hazy due to the smoke from the California and Oregon fires being blown east.

We drove to Jamestown to attend the annual Remembrance ride.  As usual, we got there just about the time things were starting.  Our hotel, the historic Gladstone Hotel was right across the street from the Memorial center where things were being held.  We got checked into the event, met a bunch of our old friends, and checked out the silent auction before having dinner. 

The next day, was the day of the ride.  We got set up with riders after breakfast and headed out to Lisbon, ND to the Veteran's Home 85 miles away.  The home was very nice.  spacious with wonderfully kept grounds.  We had lunch with the residents, sang some patriotic songs, and then had a tour.  After that great afternoon, we mounted up and headed back out towards Jamestown. 

The route.  We went south out of Jamestown down hwy 281 and turned east on hwy 46.  We made a right turn on hwy 1 going south to hwy 11 where we went east again into Lisbon.  After we left Lisbon, again on hwy 11, we turned south on hwy 1 and took that to hwy 13 at Verona, turning west and after a brief stop at Lamoure, continued west to pick up hwy 281 to go north back into Jamestown.

As Laurie and I were driving home, we put on the Red Sox game which lasted until we got home. (and they won again).

At the Memorial building

Jamestown Sports Museum

The ride begins

Staging for a police escort in Lisbon

We adventurers, Gerald, Me, Laurie, and Tony

Is this cool, or what?

Downtown Lisbon

July 2018 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

When we last saw our stalwart heroe, they had landed in Moorhead, MN and welcomed a new family member.  Then they seem to fall off the face of the Earth.  Yeah.

, While we were gone for the winter, our house suffered significant weather related damage.  Once we got home, we both started our local jobs and started to work towards opening the house and trying to get a handle on the future.

A lot has happened, and there is little photo record of most of it.  I was torn between a number of posts without pictures and then just being busy all the time.  I finally broke my blog inaction by deciding to just talk about all that has happened and what all we've been doing.

Just after we got home, Eliza and her family came to stay for a few weeks. They were moving into a new house, but the timing left them without a residence for a bit.  It was really nice to have them here and we put both sets of bunk beds into Eliza's old room.  The kids had a small pool in the yard to play in, Brett had the four-wheeler running and there are lots and lots of LEGOs.  Alexander even came up from Texas for a bit.  "Uncle Alex!!, Uncle Alex!!"  Part of all that was us helping them move out of their old place and then into their new one.

Devils Lake High School had it's graduation and we attended the graduation party for Micah Cox whose parents helped us raise our kids as well.

There were a few events that we participated in this summer.  We participated in a Flag Day ceremony at Roosevelt Park in Devils Lake put on by the local VFW.  We both became honorary lifetime members.  You don't have to be and old guy to be in the VFW....

Memorial Day found us home instead of in Arlington, VA for a change, and we attended a program at the Memorial building in Devils Lake and helped laying wreaths at the cemetery in honor of the fallen.

A third event we participated in, was the Independence Day Parade as we often do.  We had work looming over us so we were unable to stay for the night at the Lake that we normally get to do. 

Family in June, including Laurie's birthday.  Patriotic and personal events in July, including my birthday and Eliza and Brett's anniversary.

Now it's August.  we've been working on the house and watching and following the Boston Red Sox who are having one of their best years ever.  More work on the house hangs over us and there is still the possibility Laurie will take a short travel assignment between now and when we leave for our October assignment back in Imperial County, CA.

For me, I always define The end of a blog season as when we hook up the fifth-wheel and hit the road.  Hopefully, between now and then, i'll be a little more attentive here.

04-26 - 05-whenever. - End of Fargo Days

Actually Moorhead.  We stayed at Eliza and Brett's for a few days to help with the kids while Eliza popped her final one out.  Then it was home to Petersburg to get settled and start working.  We had afew things in April and I will be posting about them.  Meanwhile, a new baby, Dashiell Charles, and many pretty sunsets.While we were in Moorhead, Gypsy found all manner of places to lounge.

Mimi and the new one

South Fargo from Eliza's room.