Mad River RV Resort, Arcata & McKinleyville, CA / Silver City RV Resort & Incline Village, NV – July 19-26, 2015

Our journey continues…

Sunday, July 19 we departed Joseph Stewart State Park near Crater Lake at 9:30 a.m., heading to Arcata, California, just 199 miles away. It was a short driving day, but that was good, as our drive took us through the windy, mountainous and narrow roads of Route 199 to Route 101 south to Arcata.

We arrived and got checked in by 2:00. We left temperatures in the mid-90s and were pleasantly surprised to find temps in the low 70s in Arcata. Dick’s sister Susie and her husband David live just north of Arcata in McKinleyville, so we were fortunate to have dinner with them that evening. They had moved from Ohio just over 3 years ago to be near their 2 sons who live in Arcata. We noshed on burgers and corn on the cob… Yum-Yum! We hadn’t seen Susie and Dave for several years, so it was good to catch up with them and their family.

Monday was a down day for us: a visit to Safeway in McKinleyville for groceries and McDonalds for computing, fixing the kitchen faucet which had collected calcium deposits from RV park hard water. We invited Susie and David for dinner, so I spent some time preparing the meal: popover chicken and asparagus. Susie brought a salad, fresh strawberries and shortcake. Delish! We don’t go hungry around here!

When we were in McKinleyville that morning we came upon this totem pole near the Safeway parking lot.  That just begged for a bit of research.

Here’s what we found.  The totem pole was carved in 1961 by 2 fellows, Ernest Pierson and Johnson Nelson, from a single 500-year old redwood tree. It’s 160’ tall, weighs in at 57,000 lbs. and sits on a base that weighs over 2 tons. It’s touted as being the world’s tallest totem pole, although there are 4 others that also claim the same. It is the tallest carved in one piece, while others were carved in separate pieces, dismantled, or not carved by a Native American. McKinleyville stands by its claim.

Tuesday was a day spent with Susie and Dave at Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Avenue of the Giants.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is California’s largest redwood state park, and includes the largest remaining contiguous old-growth coast redwood forest in the world—the Rockefeller Forest. The trees here have an average lifespan of 500-700 years, redwoods can live to more than 2,000 years and grow to over 360’ in height. Their scientific name, sequoia sempervirens, means ever-living referring to their ability to sprout from root stock as well as from seed. Today, over 160,000 acres of redwood forest are protected by federal, state, county and local parks on the Redwood Coast of California. Here are some fun facts about these magnificent trees.

• The world’s tallest tree was discovered in this park in late 2006. It was named Hyperion and is 379.1 feet tall, which is nearly 6 stories taller than the Statue of Liberty.
• The tannic acid in redwoods makes them resistant to disease and insect infestation; their thick fibrous bark effectively resists fire (as you can see in some of the following photos).
• The base of a tree that has been hollowed out by fire is called a “goose pen.” These openings are so large that early settlers could corral their livestock in them, thus the name
•  The wart-like growths on redwoods are called “burls” and can produce shoots of new redwoods.
• “Fairy Rings” or nursery trees are a circle of younger redwoods that surround a fallen or cut redwood tree. These young trees all receive nutrients from the original tree’s root system.
• There are 3 members of the redwood family: Coast Redwoods (California coastal fog belt), Giant Sequoias (Sierra Nevada), and the Dawn Redwoods (central China)

1. Coast Redwoods are located on the Pacific Coast from central California to southern Oregon and can live up to 2,000 years. The trees can weigh up to 1.6 million pounds, growing up to 367’ tall, with a diameter of 22’. Bark thickness can measure up to 12”, making them impervious to fire.
2. Giant Sequoias are located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains from 5,000 to 8,000 feet elevation and can live up to 3,200 years. These trees can weigh up to 2.7 million pounds, and can grow to 311’, with a diameter of 41’.
3.  Dawn Redwoods, located in Hubei province of China, can grow to 200’ in height. The bark and foliage are similar to the Giant Sequoias, the trunk diameter is only about 6’ in diameter.

We spent the day hiking through the forest, continuously in awe of these stately trees. Our first stop was along the Eel River. The ongoing drought in California has lowered the river substantially, and even though the Eel River drains an area of 3,684 sq. miles, the river is sluggishly slow moving. (By contrast, the “Christmas Flood of 1964” brought such heavy rains that the river reached a peak of 936,000 cubic feet.  The deepest flood waters were nearly 70’ above the normal river level. Ten towns were obliterated and dozens more damaged. At least 20 bridges were destroyed. Many of the towns and bridges were never rebuilt. Several thousand people were left homeless and over 4,000 head of livestock died.

Redwoods near Eel River

Our day continued as we walked among the giants taking in their size, their beauty, and their awesomeness. 

Above: the Fairy Rings around redwoods.
Below: "Grown up" Fairy Rings around old growth redwoods

Redwoods in the Rockefeller Forest. Notice the burls on the trees.

David is standing inside one of the redwoods that suffered lightning damage. The tree is still
living. A strong wind blew through this forest causing many of the trees to fall. Their root system
isn't deep enough to hold them against the wind; the roots spread out quite a way.

More trees in the Rockefeller Forest. In the bottom photo, Susie and I are
peering through the lightning damaged tree, which is still thriving even though
the entire inside is burned out.

We don’t have the words to describe the beauty and majesty of these trees, but I did find a poem that helps describe their grandeur.

The Redwoods

Joseph B. Strauss

Here, sown by the Creator's hand.
In serried ranks, the Redwoods stand:
No other clime is honored so,
No other lands their glory know.

The greatest of Earth's living forms,
Tall conquerors that laugh at storms;
Their challenge still unanswered rings,
Through fifty centuries of kings.

The nations that with them were young,
Rich empires, with their forts far-flung,
Lie buried now-their splendor gone:
But these proud monarchs still live on.

So shall they live, when ends our days,
When our crude citadels decay;
For brief the years allotted man,
But infinite perennials' span.

This is their temple, vaulted high,
And here, we pause with reverent eye,
With silent tongue and awestruck soul;
For here we sense life's proper goal:

To be like these, straight, true and fine,
to make our world like theirs, a shrine;
Sink down, Oh, traveler, on your knees,
God stands before you in these trees.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at the visitor center before heading home. After a stop at Costco in Eureka, CA on the way back to Arcata/McKinleyville, we had dinner with Susie and Dave again: Caesar salad with grilled chicken. Good stuff!  Thanks, Guys!

That evening, after returning to our rig and as we were watching TV, we heard the sound of water spraying against the camper. That was a sound we had never heard before! Sure enough, upon investigation, we found that our water regulator had blown apart and water was forcefully spraying against our camper. Since it was dark Dick elected to put a new one on in the morning; we used on-board water that night.

Another day of sightseeing, this time to Trinidad State Beach, just a few miles north of Arcata and McKinleyville was how we spent Wednesday. But first we had breakfast at Tony’s, a local 24-hour restaurant located just around the corner from our rv park. What a feast! The food was plentiful and really good! We can understand why they’ve been in business for over 36 years.

Afterward we needed to find a notary public to sign the final documents for the sale of Mom’s house. A little place called “Post Haste” fit the bill for both notary and overnight UPS to Minnesota. Whew!

Then, we just had to stop in downtown Arcata to take in the local color. And…Susie and I had to visit her favorite yarn store called “Fabric Temptations.” Yup, I made a purchase for my stash. Dick wonders why…?

On to Trinidad State Beach. Photos show the off-shore rocks that create such a beautiful sea-scape. The vast sandy beach is perfect for walking and relaxing. The rocks looming out of the water are part of the California Coastal National Monument. Trinidad Beach is a pet friendly beach so we saw quite a few dogs giving their owners a workout!

Susie and Dave hosted dinner again, and this time their son Andy and his family joined us. Pizza was on the menu with Greek salad. YUM! We wasted no time in scarfing down dinner! It was good to see Andy again after quite a few years, and to meet Anne, Liam (3 years) and Logan (almost 1). Unfortunately, we didn't Greg, Susie and Dave's younger son, as he was ill. 

Clockwise from top left: Susie and Dave; Andy with Logan;
me with Liam; Anne, Andy and Logan.

Thursday was another travel day—this time heading to the Lake Tahoe area and Silver City RV Resort (where we stayed last year). It was a 2-day drive so we spent Thursday night in the Walmart parking lot in Yuba City, CA. We were a bit concerned about the mounting wildfires in the area but, thankfully, we had no issues.

Our visit to Walmart that evening netted us the movie “McFarland USA” from their Red Box vending machine. What an excellent movie! It is a definite “must see!”  Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a predominantly Mexican-American high school, the school’s struggling coach (Kevin Costner) puts together a team of kids, who overcome quite a few hurdles to win a state championship. (Dick’s computer lasted ‘til about ½ hour from the end—dang—so we decided to watch the rest in the morning.)

We did not get much sleep that night! It sounded like people were drag racing down the adjacent road for a good part of the night. Ugh…

Friday morning, after breakfast at the nearby McDonalds (and watching the last ½ hour of the movie) we continued our drive east and south to our next stop: Minden, NV and the Silver City RV Resort. We got on the road about 8:00 a.m., and after a fuel stop and a bit of confusion on directions we decided to take highway 20 to 49, then south to I-80 to 395 south—just a bit over 180 miles. We didn’t get very good mileage as we had to reach the summit at Donner Pass : 7,225’. It was a drive of up and down mountains, and lots of semis. We arrived at the rv resort about 1:00 p.m. and were set up by 2:30. Felt good to be off the road again.

Saturday morning’s sunshine woke us up bright and early. After breakfast we rode our bikes around the park, and met up with Elizabeth and Ray (friends whom we met here last year). So good to see them again.  They’ll be here for another 5 weeks so we’ll be seeing a lot of them. We also met their park neighbor, Marsha. It was another down day for us, as we sat outside for a good portion of the day to read.

Dinner that night was at a local Mexican restaurant: El Charro Avitia, voted the best family-owned Mexican food in the area. The food and ambiance is authentic Mexican, and the wait staff was more than accommodating. Our dinners were a Fiesta Salad with chipotle chicken, and a Chalupa with beef and chicken. We plan to go back! Yum-yum!

California wildfires obscure our view of  the mountains

The California wildfires obscured the mountain views on Sunday morning (we sure could use some rain, Lord…), but by noon the smoke had cleared and the day was just another sunshiny and warm day. 

Dick’s sister Susie and her husband David are camping just south of South Lake Tahoe at the KOA campground in Meyer, CA. We picked them up at 2:30 to drive to Incline Village (North Lake Tahoe) for dinner with our daughter Hollee, her husband David, and our 20-month old granddaughter Anastasia. Dinner was takeout from T’s Mesquite Rotisserie and I supplied rhubarb crisp & ice cream for dessert (rhubarb from my mom’s rhubarb patch back in Minnesota). We had a wonderful time catching up on their lives since we last saw them a year ago. And…my, how Anastasia has grown! She’s grown from a baby to a little girl with her own personality! So fun to interact with! Here's a video of Anastasia having fun with her "jump-jump."

Clockwise from top: Anastasia;Anastasia with her daddy lovin' on Maxie and Grapejuice;
Anastasia with the "Counterpillar" I made for her; Susie reading to an attentive Anastasia;
Hollee and David

About 7:30 we decided to call it a day and head back to the KOA campground (about 45 minutes away) so we could head home (another 45 minutes away). It was a wonderful day, and we’re looking forward to spending more time with family.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy. Drop us a line; we’d love to hear from you!

Hugs,

RJ and Gail

Crater Lake, Oregon – July 13-19, 2015

 Monday, July 13, our departure day from Lake Sawyer RV Park in Black Diamond, Washington. We pulled out of the park around 11:30 a.m., heading to Tualatin, Oregon for a 1-night stay in a Cabela’s parking lot. Little did we know it was right next to I-5 so when we arrived we were sure we wouldn’t get much sleep that night. Our 175 mile drive was uneventful, and we didn’t hit much traffic until we got to Portland around 3:00 p.m., the beginning of their rush hour, or so it seemed. And, because I-5 is the main north-south corridor there was a constant onslaught of semi-trucks.

We arrived at our “Cabela’s RV Park” around 3 p.m., and noticed there was a Wendy’s about a block away, so off we went carrying our computers to take advantage of their free WiFi. We also had an early dinner there at 5:00 p.m., leaving the evening wide open. After dropping off our computers at the camper we took a walk around the relatively new shopping center; LA Fitness, Cabela’s, and Michael’s were the anchor stores, with Pieology (an artisan pizza restaurant), Firehouse Subs, New Seasons Market (like a gourmet Whole Foods), Wendy’s and a few boutiques thrown in. As we walked toward Cabela’s we noticed this interesting new Polaris Slingshot in the parking lot, and we just had to take a few snaps.

The evening was quite pleasant, and since we didn’t have any other means of entertainment, we set up our patio chairs outside and read for about an hour and a half before going in to watch a movie on my computer. In spite of the unending traffic on I-5 we managed to sleep well, all things considered.

By 6:00 a.m. we were up and at ‘em, ready to start the day. Unfortunately, there were no restaurants open in the shopping center, but across the busy road was a Jack-in-the-Box where Dick was able to get our breakfast: a burrito and a sausage and egg biscuit, and COFFEE!! We were on the way by 7:45 a.m. continuing our journey south through Oregon to the Crater Lake area.

We arrived at the Joseph H. Stewart State Park, about 36 miles south of Crater Lake along Hwy 62. Our stay there was 5 nights; we had a beautiful paved site, lots of shade, and no close neighbors. Quiet. There are over 200 sites in 4 separate areas, each with its own camp host. There are also areas for group camping, and another huge area for day use. Although they offer only 30 amp service it was enough for us, as long as we didn’t run the air conditioner and microwave at the same time! There are areas for volleyball, horseshoes, hiking trails and biking trails. The park is adjacent to Lost Creek Reservoir so fishing was also popular. The campground was full the entire time we were there! Temps were in the high-80s to mid-90s the entire week.

The day use area is quite large, with a marina, store and restaurant. Local authorities said that if there wasn’t significant snowfall/rainfall during the next year, the boat ramp will need to be closed. There’s not enough water to allow boats to be launched.

Our first full day of sightseeing was Wednesday, as we headed up the road to Crater Lake. There are no words to describe the beauty of this area. Crater Lake was created by the eruption and subsequent collapse of Mt. Mazama over 7,000 years ago. The eruption formed an 8,000-foot high caldera around the deepest, bluest lake you’ll ever see. Absolutely beautiful! We took the Rim Drive around the lake, which afforded innumerable photo ops of the lake.

Top left is the visitor center at the south entrance to Crater Lake. Top right is the gift shop
and restaurant at the beginning of the Rim Drive, and at the entrance to the Crater Lake Inn.

Top photo is of Wizard Island, just 1 of the 20 volcanoes located in Crater Lake. The middle photo is of Llao Rock,
a great example of lava rock soars 1,800 feet above Crater Lake (yes, you can hike to the top). Panoramic photo
is of beautiful Crater Lake.

Wizard Island sits in the western part of Crater Lake, and is accessible by tour boat only. We elected to not take advantage of this, as the hike is steep and strenuous: in 1.1 miles it drops 700 feet in elevation; equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs.

Centuries of rain and snow filled the basin, forming a deep blue lake whose waters are of unmatched color and clarity. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, reaching to depths of 1,943 feet at its deepest point. The lake is 6.02 miles long, 4.54 miles wide, and holds 4.9 trillion gallons of water. The average surface temperature of the lake can range from 30° to 60°F, depending upon the time of year; it rarely freezes over. Over 2 dozen overlooks and trailheads provide views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The 33-mile drive around the lake, possible during summer months only, was breathtaking. We had a very difficult time selecting photos to share with you. We’ve never seen a blue the color of Crater Lake. Here are just a few.

Just more photos of Crater Lake. That's me standing below a "snow marker"--snow can reach in excess of 25 feet
at this point near Crater Lake Inn. To the left is what is known as the "Phantom Ship." It resembles a small
sailboat, but is really as tall as a 16-story building; estimated to be over 400,000 years old, it's the oldest
exposed rock within the caldera.

Because of the heavy winds during the winter, trees tend to grow away from the wind and are stunted.
And, here's another photo of the "Phantom Ship." The bottom 2 photos are of the "Pinnacles," spires in
excess of 100 feet tall are being eroded from the canyon wall. They are called "fossil fumaroles"--volcanic
gases rose up through a layer of volcanic ash, cementing the ash into solid rock. Pretty cool!

We understand the winters can be quite interesting, when the average snowfall is 533” per year! Yowza!! Most of the park is closed during the winter, but some sections are open for cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing.

We did take a 2-mile hike to Plaikni Falls, through tall timbers that reached to the skies, among fallen timbers and rock slides that littered the forest floor. The reward at the end of the hike was this beautiful waterfall, surrounded by wildflowers.

Wildlife is prevalent in the park, and although we didn’t see the bear or elk we were told to watch for, we did see deer, the Clark’s nutcrackers (birds), squirrels, and lots of chipmunks.

We stopped along the Rim Drive for a picnic lunch at Lightning Spring, and were blessed to have this beautiful creature stroll through. See the video of the deer here.

Crater Lake National Park is the nation’s 5^th oldest national park, dedicated in 1902. The historic Crate Lake Inn, originally built in 1909 and restored and renovated in the 1990s, is integral to the beauty and allure of Crater Lake. The original building took 6 years to complete, sporting building techniques and materials common at lower elevations, like light wood framing rather than heavy timbers. It was built to withstand Portland winters, not winters dumping 50’ of snow! The lodge was ripped apart and replaced with a modern “twin”; a hotel that looked almost identical from the outside, but redesigned inside—with the exception of the Great Hall, dining room, and lobby which were rebuilt to appear as they had in the 1920s. The fireplace in the Great Hall was recreated exactly; its stones were numbered for later reassembly before it was dismantled. Only 10% of the materials of the original structure were reused. For the first time the lodge was given central heating, elevators, a proper foundation (stone-veneered, reinforced concrete walls), and private baths in every room. The grand reopening took place on May 20, 1995.

Thursday we headed south, planning to go into Medford to do some shopping and run errands. We got waylaid in Eagle Point, just north of Medford and were able to accomplish all we needed to there: internet, breakfast, groceries, haircuts, 6 new “shoes” for the big black truck in “no sales tax” Oregon (YEA!), and lunch. Oh, the dually got washed too; it’s so proud of those new “shoes”!

For some reason I couldn’t sleep Thursday night—only a bit over 4 hours—so Friday I was rather tired. After breakfast Dick took a motorcycle ride; I rested. Then after lunch we drove to Oregon’s version of a “Natural Bridge,” volcanic rock under which the Rogue River flows. The hike to the natural bridge was paved and about 1/2 mile long. Beautiful! Here are a couple of videos which may give you an idea of what we saw.

Video 1

Video 2

The Natural Bridge was formed when lava flowed beneath the earth’s surface in lava tubes. These tubes developed when the outer edges of a lava flow cooled quickly, leaving the molten lava to continue to flow. When the flow ended it left long hollow tubes behind. Eventually these lava flows were replaced by flowing water. The Rogue River became a “hidden river” flowing below ground for 200 feet, creating a natural bridge of hardened basalt. At the peak flow approximately 335,000 gallons of water per minute at a speed of 6 feet per second. Fed by the melting snows from the slopes of Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake) 27 miles upstream, the river’s temperature at the Natural Bridge ranges from 30° to 60°F. Although the river normally flows through the lava tubes, seasonal flooding may cause it to actually flow over the Natural Bridge.

The “cave” in the photos above is part of well-defined lava tube which collapsed some distance from the opening, causing the water to swirl and then return to the main channel. The Natural Bridge is upstream a little way.

Another lovely and hot day arrived on Saturday. Temperatures hit the high 90s; rain is desperately needed here. We rode our bikes around the park for a while, but that didn’t last long… We hadn’t ridden in quite a while so our legs were really out of shape.

Afterward, Dick rode the motorcycle through some of the nearby campgrounds and points of interest. He came upon Mill Creek Falls and the Rogue River flowing under Woodruff Bridge. 

Saturday afternoon we visited the Rogue River Gorge at Union Creek, Oregon. There are no words to adequately describe the beauty of this natural wonder. The gorge was most likely formed when lava tubes collapsed, creating a way for the Rogue River to make its way to the Pacific Ocean. The gorge forms a chasm 500 feet long, narrowing in spots to 25 feet from wall to wall as it drops 45 feet to the river below.

This photo is really intriguing. The Douglas Fir trees here grow in groups, providing each other with nutrients and water. Roots from these 2 trees grafted together underground, and when one of them was cut down, the stump continued to thrive and live.

On the way back to our site, we were surprised by this beautiful creature strolling through the RV park, seemingly unphased by traffic or humans.

We were so blessed by this week and the beauty God created for us to enjoy. If you’ve not had the opportunity to visit this part of Oregon, please find a way to do so. You will not be disappointed.

Sunday we packed up to drive to the Arcata, California area for about a week. We’ll cover that and more in next week’s blog.

Until then, stay safe and well. Sending hugs and love your way,

RJ and Gail

Lake Sawyer RV Park, Black Diamond, Washington – July 6-12, 2015

Monday was another travel day for us, from Newport to Black Diamond, Washington, just 326 miles away. We were on the road by 9:10 a.m., arriving at our destination, Lake Sawyer RV Resort, by 4:00 p.m. The drive was relatively uneventful, but the closer we got to the Seattle area the more we were reminded of the horrendous traffic. We traveled Highway 2 through northeast Washington, connecting with Interstate 90 in Spokane. The Interstate was an easy drive, up and down mountains, until coming down the west site of Snoqualmie Pass; the highway was pretty rough, so we took it rather slow. (I knew what we’d find inside the camper if we drove at the speed limit—a mess!) A traffic tie-up caused about a 20-minute delay getting off Highway 90 onto Highway 18, but then it was smooth sailing.

Lake Sawyer RV Resort

Lake Sawyer RV Resort is an older park, with sites very close together. They can accommodate up to 100 RVs, have cabins. and some tent sites. They only provide 30-amp service so we all had to watch our AC usage. Thankfully the weather cooled off in the evenings and over the weekend so the temps were easy to handle. We had electric and water at our site, but had to buy WiFi access through a separate company; no cable was available so our new super-duper KING Jack antenna came in very handy. As an aside, Lake Sawyer is one of the area’s largest natural lakes containing some of the best bass fishing in the state!

We got set up, and then headed out to Farrelli’s Pizza in nearby Maple Valley for dinner. YUM! (If you’ve read previous blogs you know that I usually don’t cook on the days we arrive at a new destination.)

Tuesday morning we relaxed a bit before heading into Seattle for an afternoon of sightseeing and a Mariner’s game that night. However…the traffic was so bad that by the time we got downtown time was growing short so we didn’t really get a lot of sightseeing in. We found a parking lot close to Safeco Field and walked around Safeco and nearby Century Link Field. The Mariners won that night against Detroit in extra innings (11), by a score of 7 to 6. Yay!! And, the Mariner (hot) dogs were just as we remembered.

(photos of Safeco, etc)

Clockwise: Safeco Field on Tuesday night; Edgar Martinez is standing with his back to the fans and
his hands in his pockets, in the center of the photo; a bit of pregame fun with fans; the final score;
and the baseball bat mobile at the home plate entrance. 

CenturyLink Field where the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders play. Impressive!

It was a very late night for us two old folks. We didn’t get back to the camper until after midnight. Yawn! But it was worth it to see our Mariners win.

Wednesday morning came early. Because our last property was in Tacoma, Washington, and this is where we worked and went to church, we have quite a few friends in the area. We made plans to catch up with many of them during the week, and hoped to catch the rest at church on Sunday.

Dick met our good friend and former pastor Don Turner for coffee that morning, while I stayed home, did a bit of cleaning, and made brownies. (I figured they could use a bit of bonding time…) That afternoon we drove to Ruston Way, along the Tacoma waterfront, before meeting friends for dinner. Beautiful. The day was calm, so the water of Commencement Bay reflected the surrounding hills. In the distance is Mount Rainier.

Clockwise: the view of Dash Point and NE Tacoma across Commencement Bay; a memorial from Korea to
commemorate the centennial anniversary of Washington State, to embody the sistership between Washington
and Korea; beauty growing among the abandoned; a plaque to remember the sawmills that once lined the shores
of Commencement Bay.  Tacoma sawmills supplied much of the lumber used to build San Francisco. After the 1906 earthquake that destroyed the city, Tacoma mills were called upon for materials to rebuild it. In 1907 a record year for lumber production, 202,559,828 board feet were shipped worldwide, with over half of that lumber going to San Francisco; Tacoma was chosen by Fraser Company, the largest tea dealer in the world, to receive regular shipments from Japan, China and India. The first shipment was received in June 1892 with a return shipment of lumber; a container ship coming into the Port of
Tacoma; and one of the many fishing piers lining the shores of Commencement Bay.

Top to bottom L to R: a memorial To commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the sister port relationship with Mitakyushu, Japan.; the Children's Bell, a gift to celebrate the spirit and  accomplishments of PAVE (an organization that works with
families, individuals with disabilities, professionals and community members in all walks of life with all types of disabilities; friend Jemal and his 2 girls, Rosa and Sophia; flowers at Ram Grill, parasailing aboveCommencement Bay; my friend Tamara and me.

The Ram Grill on Ruston Way is a popular eatery for locals and tourists, alike. We sat outside on the deck, overlooking Commencement Bay. Friends Jemal and his twin 9-year old daughters Sophia and Rosa met us for dinner, and Tamara, a former co-worker of mine, joined us too. What a wonderful evening, catching up on the last 3 years.

Our week of meeting friends continued. Early Thursday afternoon we met friends Rik and Linda for coffee at one of the zillion Starbucks in this part of the country. Ha!

Friends Rik and Linda

A couple of hours later we headed to friends and former neighbors, Bob and Nancy’s, for a dinner of Bob’s freshly caught Pacific white king salmon, corn on the cob and asparagus. For dessert we noshed on my brownies and vanilla ice cream. YUM!!! It was a wonderful afternoon spent getting caught up and meeting their 2 new puppies: Violet (a 3 year old Maltese) and Bambi (a 3-month old “Chiweenie” Chihuahua/Dachshund mix. Funny. After dinner Dick, Bob and George (another neighbor) went out on George’s boat for a spin around Commencement Bay. Nancy and I stayed home and chatted.

Top to bottom, L to R: Bob and Nancy (Bob's preparing dinner); me holding Bambi their little
Chauweenie; Violet the Maltese Pacific salmon hot off the grill; George's boat; Bob driving the boat.

Friday was another busy day. I met friends Kathy and Jackie (former co-workers) for lunch at the Ram Grill. (Did I mention that it was a popular place?) It was so good to get caught up on everything happening with them. Good friends don’t need to spend time “warming up” to one another; it was like we had never been apart. We spent over 2 hours together, doing what we did best…talking and laughing. Great times. Thanks, gals, for being a part of my life.

L to R: Kathy, me and Jackie

While I was having lunch, Dick visited a repair shop to (hopefully) have his iPad fixed. It had developed a black window across the middle of the screen, making it pretty much unusable. The diagnosis is that he needs a new screen. Ugh. Dick decided that it was better for him to buy a new one than put that much money into a fix.

After picking me up from lunch we drove to downtown Tacoma to the Museum of Glass, an iconic fixture along Tacoma’s Thea Foss Waterway since the 1990s, and one of artist Dale Chihuly’s major interests. Chihuly had grown up in Tacoma, and I’m sure y’all have heard of him and his extraordinary art.

Museum of Glass: Jane and George Russell were huge supporters of the museum, helping to get it off the ground
in the early 1990s; photos of the hot shop where glass is blown and gallery; photo of glass sculptures along
the Chihuly's Venetian Wall; and an outdoor exhibit of glass depicting steam rising off a cup of tea.

Clockwise, all created here at the museum: "Silver Sides," Slider," "knitted glass," and "killer whale."

Two examples of  Chihuly glass: above left = a black cylinder (2006)
below = deep sienna macchia (2009); and a white handblown sculpture
by Lina Tagliapietra.

Children's glass blowing glasses are popular. These are a few of those in their exhibit that were created in the
hot shop, and we thought you'd enjoy seeing: Corndog, Lockness Pig, Sockness Monster, and Snake on a Pole.

Here’s a video of Chihuly's work entitled “Venetian Wall” on the “Chihuly Bridge of Glass” leading to the museum:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH_WYLeRUR4&feature=youtu.be

These two glass sculptures are called the Crystal Towers and grace the 500-foot long pedestrian overpass
Chihuly's Bridge of Glass that connects the Museum of Glass with Tacoma's downtown cultural corridor. The glass sculptures line the ceiling of Chihuly's Bridge of Glass. Beautiful!

The following is taken from the Museum of Glass website: museumofglass.org  (As a note, one of the first jobs I had at Russell Investments was to contact potential donors and contributors to get this museum off the ground.) It is worth the time to visit the museum, and enjoy the beautiful works of art exhibited and created there.

”FROM IDEA TO ICON

It began in August, 1992 in the course of a conversation between two friends, Phil Phibbs, who had recently retired as president of the University of Puget Sound and artist Dale Chihuly who had grown up in a neighborhood near the campus and had attended the university.  Dr. Phibbs suggested that Tacoma should have a glass museum.  He reasoned that artists from the Pacific Northwest had played a major role in the Studio Glass movement as it developed around the world.  In particular, Dale Chihuly had influenced the movement significantly, first through his personal artistry and then through the Pilchuck Glass School, which he had founded in the early 1970s …

A few weeks later, Phil Phibbs outlined his idea and the rationale for a glass museum to the Executive Council for a Greater Tacoma, a group of business and governmental leaders.  He fully expected to be politely dismissed.  Instead, he was invited to stay for the next presentation.  It was a plan for the redevelopment of the Thea Foss Waterway, which at the time was an empty industrial wasteland along a narrow channel of water so polluted that it qualified as a federal Superfund clean-up site.  The Chairman of the Council, George Russell (founder and former owner of the company I worked for), concluded that the idea of a glass museum coincided quite beautifully with the need for a dynamic anchor tenant on the restored waterway.

It was serendipitous that the ideas to build a glass museum and redevelop the Thea Foss Waterway coincided to become a civic undertaking.  Now the Museum is part of a larger cultural district, but it was ten years of visionary leadership, energy and hard work that made the dreams of a revitalized waterway a reality.

By the mid-1990s, the vision for the Museum had become more focused. The site for the Museum along the Thea Foss Waterway was secured from the City of Tacoma.  Although initially the Museum focused exclusively on Dale Chihuly, the artist himself insisted that the Museum should expand its mission to include works in glass by artists worldwide.  This proved to be a practical shift as Tacoma met its goal of recognizing its native son with the spectacular Chihuly Bridge of Glass, and the Museum was able to broaden its appeal by honoring international artists.  In the late 1990s, the mission was again refined to specify that the medium of glass would be presented within the context of contemporary art.

Jane and George Russell, co-chairs of the Museum’s founding Board of Trustees, invited individuals, corporations and foundations from around the world to join them in creating one of the most unique and beautiful institutions in the world.  As the century turned, the Museum passed major milestones.  In September 1997, Canadian architect Arthur Erickson unveiled the Museum’s design concept, which included an iconic, tilted cone…  Construction began in June 2000. The steel frame of the cone was completed in March 2001 and the Chihuly Bridge of Glass was underway by July of that year. Both the Museum of Glass and the adjoining Chihuly Bridge of Glass opened to thousands of visitors and worldwide accolades on July 6, 2002.

Although some of the original ideas about the Museum changed over time, many of the initial elements remained constant.  The concept of a large glass studio, where visitors could watch artists create art from molten glass, was an integral part of the original plan—and the Hot Shop Amphitheater, located inside the 90-foot tall steel cone, fulfills that description today.  The Museum was envisioned as a center that would nurture artists, celebrate the dramatic new Studio Glass movement and encourage creativity.  This vision is realized through the exhibitions in the galleries, the art installations on the outdoor plazas, the hands-on art studio, and the Museum’s diverse educational programs, as well as the Hot Shop.

Today, the Museum’s stainless steel cone serves as a beacon to a stunning contemporary art museum as well as a symbol for the restoration of a waterway and the revitalization of a city.”

After a stop to pick up a few groceries we joined Don and Anne Turner at their home for dinner. Another wonderful evening with friends and a delicious meal: steak, grilled vegies, cornbread muffins, peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert. YUM-YUM! We so cherish their friendship, and are so thankful for them and the impact they’ve had on our lives. Thank you, Don and Anne. (Anne bought my little red Toyota MR2 Spyder for Don as a Christmas gift 3 years ago, and he still drives it—enjoying every mile he drives!)

Joe and Michelle

Saturday was another busy day, as we headed further west to spend the day with friends Joe and Michelle in Gig Harbor. We’ve known them since 1990, when Joe built our home on Lake Coeur d’Alene (see last week’s edition for photos of our Windy Bay house). There’s nothing like spending a day laughing, talking, sharing and just enjoying one another’s company, followed by a scrumptious dinner of grilled Coho salmon (again, thank you friend Bob!), grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and my brownies with ice cream for dessert. YUM-YUM! Again, we so cherish their friendship. Love those guys! (And they let us do our laundry while we were there.  Score!)

What blessing Sunday was, as we spent the morning worshiping with friends at LifeWay, our former church in Federal Way. We arrived about 15 minutes before the first service at 9 a.m., and were greeted by so many people we had come to know and love over the years. We stayed for the 10:45 a.m. service, too, to make sure we didn’t miss anyone. It was like old home week. The only difference was that I was not on stage playing keyboard with the worship team. The message was taken from the New Testament book of Hebrews, chapter 13, verses 7-19, on upholding those in ministerial and leadership positions in the church. Excellent message!

Afterwards we met friends Rich and Joyce at Panera Bread for lunch. While we were waiting to order, we were pleasantly surprised to see my special friend Sheila there, too. (We had served together in women’s ministry when we lived in Tacoma.) What a special time, sharing and breaking bread together. Such love between friends!

Friends Sheila, Joyce and Rich

That's it for this jam-packed week. Loved every moment of it--with the exception of driving in the horrendous traffic! Monday we head south to Tualatin, Oregon for a night of dry camping in Cabela's parking lot. Then, on to Crater Lake.

Hugs to you all!

RJ and Gail