A NEW BLOG WILL BE USED

Greetings,
We are now settled at Newport on Oregon's beautiful coast. We will be here for 7 nights.

This evening I discovered that my free photo space has been used up on my blogs using  'MargAnd Sandy' as my gmail account. These blogs will remain but I cannot add more photos... so...I have just established a new gmail account.

Please click on the following link:
www.MargAndSandyTravellingAgain.blogspot.com

Eagle sighting

                                                              Very exciting...

We're in Oregon

                                                    Crossing the bridge into Oregon

                                                      Beautiful Cannon Beach

Oregon here we come...

Tomorrow morning we are off on our latest roadtrip...
through Washington and out to the coast of Oregon.
(Check out this link... quite a good map).

Maui 2011

www.MargAndSandyHavingFunInMaui.blogspot.com
Check us out.

Coming up... HAWAII in November-December 2010

On Tuesday, November 9th we are heading off to Kauai for a week and then Maui for four weeks.
Here is the address for our new blog:
http://www.margandsandyhavingfuninmaui.blogspot.com/

We are home

We had a busy few days prior to arriving home last night. Friday to Monday we stayed in Renton, Washington, with my childhood friend, Donna, and her husband, Pat. They have 2 large dogs and Abby had a grand time playing with them. Bob, the Golden Retriever, was especially friendly and he & Abby were fun to watch. Donna and Pat spoiled us with delicious meals...boy, can Pat turn out a tasty meal!

Yesterday, once back in Canada, we stopped at Maple Ridge to have a visit with  Marina & Ron. We enjoyed a leisurely visit and a delicious brunch with them.

Just before heading home, we stopped in to see Sandy's niece, Alyx. She and Kyle are living in a lovely townhouse located in Maple Ridge. We had a quick visit, a cup of coffee, and headed off to catch an evening sailing home.

The Rialta is now back in the driveway and we are all settled in our suite.


We travelled 20,000 km on our road trip and we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. What fun we had!

Today's weather is fantastic... a beautiful, sunny day in Victoria. We've been to 'de'lish' for breakfast... a great start to our time back in Victoria.

November 9th we fly to Kauai/Maui for some time in the sun. A new blog will document this vacation.

Manzanita, Oregon

The beach at Manzanita was amazing this morning... another beautiful day on the coast. 

Today we will drive the final leg of the Oregon coast and stay tonight at the state campground just west of Astoria. Tomorrow we will head along the Columbia River and join Interstate 5. Friday & Saturday nights will be spent in Renton visiting Donna and her husband, Pat. Their two gorgeous dogs, Rosie & Bob, will meet Abby for the first time.  Then it's one more night in Washington before we cross back into Canada and spend two nights visiting family in Maple Ridge.

What a journey this has been!

Yesterday we reached the northern section of the Oregon coast and spent our 4th night at Garibaldi, just north of Tillimook. We tried a new place... a RV campground right on the harbour.

After we set up, we walked over to the marina and had a good look around.

Later we enjoyed a beautiful sunset from our waterfront site.

Scenic Oregon Coast

What fabulous weather we're having.

 Here are a few views of the coastline of Oregon.

Elk

 We were heading north on Highway 101... turned a corner...

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day saw us at Gold Beach where we visited a' do it yoursel'f dog bath. Abby was not impressed but she is now white again.                                                                                        

 After such a traumatic day  some quiet time was in order although I don't think this is a suitable read for a 5 year old.

Tuesday we slowly proceeded northwards with a stop at a great coffee house in Reedsport where we found internet. We are staying in state parks in Oregon, so our internet is limited to coffee stops.

Highway 1

We enjoyed another day of magnificent viewing... as demonstrated by Abby.

Highway 1 California Coastline

Yesterday, after we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge, at San Francisco, we left Highway 101 immediately (Sausalito) and took a very narrow Hwy.1 out to the coast. The rewards were wonderful: gorgeous views around almost every corner.  

The east side of the highway offered wonderful sights as well.

We stayed over night at Bodega Bay and continued northbound today.

Immediately after leaving the campground this morning, we turned a corner and... another beautiful coastline view.

We stopped to watch surfers and Abby caught a glimpse of a friendly puppy outside

Check out this road and you'll see why we spent 5 hours going 101 miles today.

Having mentioned the windy highway... the day was warm and sunny and we thoroughly enjoyed every hour.

Tonight we are at Fort Bragg. Tomorrow we'll drive through southern Redwood forests and likely reach Eureka for the night.

Naked Ladies

Today, as we drove north along Highway 1, we kept noticing tall, vibrant pink flowers. Finally, we pulled over to the side of this narrow highway and started photographing several clumps glowing in the sun. The next thing we knew, the residents were outside chatting with us. Several minutes later they suggested we pull into their driveway and they'd dig some up for us to take home. WOW

 So, we got to know Sharon & Butch a little bit... genuine people and a real treat to meet them.

 As Butch carried the load of bulbs (well over 2 dozen) to the Rialta, we thanked him again for their generosity.


Later in the afternoon we stopped and cut the tops off so that we can store them more easily.

Sharon and Butch call these flowers 'Naked Ladies". We think they must be cousins to the 'Naked Ladies' that grow in Marilyn & Danielle's garden.

California

We left Reno early this morning and drove into California near Donner Pass. About this time, we decided to drive through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge. 

 Here we are!

 From the Sausalito side of the bay, I jumped out and took a few shots.

 I'm looking back at 'the bay' with boaters enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon.

 This is the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge with Alcatraz Island in front.



Through Utah and arrival in Nevada

Today was warm and sunny... beautiful weather for driving through Utah.

After a stop at Salt Lake City to see the sights, we hit the highway again and arrived in Nevada mid-afternoon. We've already done laundry and later we'll play 'Hand & Foot' (a variation of our favourite, Canasta). Soon we'll enjoy a Rialta-made dinner, and perhaps play another few hands of 'Hand & Foot' before we settle in for the night.  

Tomorrow we'll drive across Nevada on Interstate 80 and stay at a KOA in Reno.

Then... California here we come!  If Pam were with us, she'd already smell the ocean!

Nebraska and Wyoming

Our drive through Nebraska was interesting.

Rolling hills replaced the flat landscape of Indiana & Illinois and  Iowa.

Abby is spending more time up front with us, although she tires quicky and returns to sleeping... this time between the seats.

The landscape has changed again. The rock formations of Wyoming are intriguing.

Oregon Trail and Nana Lamb

My mother's maternal grandmother, Ann Eliza, was born in 1864. While still a young girl, she and her siblings left Pennsylvania with their mother. Over the folllowing months they walked the Oregon trail to Portland.

The family later settled in Nanaimo.

Ann Eliza grew up and married Robert Lamb.

They had one daughter, my grandmother, and a few years later they moved to Fernie, BC. 

Nana Lamb, widowed in 1902, raised my grandmother and later played a big role in the lives of her grandchildren. Here she is with her daughter and 5 of her grandchildren (my mother is the baby)

In later years Nana moved to Victoria to be with my grandparents. Here she is at 82 years, watching her great-granddaughter play in the yard on Fern Street.  I am that lucky child.

Nana lived another 6 years and passed away in 1952 at age 88.

Nana Lamb has been on my mind a lot these last few days as we have driven along parts of the route that they would have taken.  As we passed through Nebraska and Wyoming, Sandy and I have marvelled at the fortitude of these pioneers to make such a long and arduous journey.

(PS We will not complain about our long drive)