Friday, August 29, 2008

Dogs on vacation

Here are a few pictures of our dogs on vacation! Enjoy!







Sunday, August 10, 2008

Vacation in an RV

Well, we finally did it. After 10 years of just talking about renting an RV we decided to just do it. We rented a 27' tag trailer and towed it with our Dodge Cummins Diesel. We drove to Corning, CA to visit friends and had to make a side trip to the vet to have a foxtail removed from Bailey's right ear. OUCH! The vet was quite a character-had to show my friend and me the swollen, infected uterus he had just removed (from another patient, not Bailey!). He just thrust that body part right under our noses as proud as could be because he saved that dogs life! Next, he had to show us a poor little dog that got in a dog fight and lost. (The dog was dead). I couldn't believe he was showing us all this. I told him it was a good thing I wasn't squeamish but my comment just went over his head. He was busy working and doing"show and tell". Bailey was sedated and I got to look in her ear with a special scope and see the foxtail just starting to pierce her ear drum. The "show and tell" vet deftly removed the offending object and Bailey was on the road to recovery. She was a trooper.

We had to change our itinerary slightly because of the vet delay and headed to Klamath Falls, OR instead of Bend, OR. Has anyone heard of a midge? I don't know if that is what they really are called but there were literally millions of them at our campsite. We were told they were imported to eat mosquitoes. We spent the evening swatting and smashing midges when they snuck in as dogs were taken in and out. The drive north/east out of Klamath was very beautiful. We were happy to leave the midges.

On we went to Mountain Home, ID. That was quite a drive! We stayed at the most beautiful RV park in Mountain Home. No comparison to the ugly park where the midges live. We stayed two nights in Mountain Home spending time checking out the area with a stop at Three Island Crossing where the Oregon Trail wagon trains crossed the Snake River.

Idaho is beautiful country. I wish we had time to stay longer. On the road again heading South/East to Wendover, NV. That is a sorry little town. This RV park had permanent residents and I tell you what, I was so thankful for the blessing my DSH and I enjoy. What a hard life these people have. We did find a nice place to run the dogs off their leashes. They had been missing that activity.

We took a very long side trip to Salt Lake City to see the LDS church, very impressive I must say. We also went to Ogden to the Dinosaur Park which I LOVED. It was only $7.00 each and the park was so wonderfully done. A very tame Jurassic Park. A must for dinosaur lovers of all ages. We didn't have much time so we literally ran through the park snapping pictures like fiends. We also visited the Union Station train museum, Browning gun museum and car museum. Lots of fun!

Early the next morning (6:45am) we left Wendover, NV for Carson City, NV. Eleven hours through Ely, Eureka, Austin, Fallon then Carson City. Another long day. Lots of road work being done on the "Loneliest Road in America", US-50. So, we weren't so lonely at the three places we had to stop for the construction crews to do their work. Thirty minute wait, five minute wait, and a ten minute wait. Oh, well, it gave a chance to stretch our legs.

Problems in Carson City!!! The plumbing isn't working!! :( DSH is very upset to say the least. Long drive, hungry, tired, grumpy and bad plumbing are not a good combination! Emergency call to RV rental company-no answer at the 24/7 call number. More grumpiness! We decide to go out to eat as we wait for a call back. We go to Fiona's. It is 9:05pm with people in the restaurant. We wait expectantly. Hostess tells us they close at 9:00pm. DSH is pushed over the edge!! Poor hostess says she will ask the cook if we can stay. Hurray! Cook says yes! As we are being seated the cell phone rings, it is the 24/7 RV people. DSH leaves to take call. Waitress wants to take our order. I give my order and she says she will come back in a minute. Feeling pressure since we arrived after closing. Order ribeye and baked potato for DSH. Wait, wait, wait. Suspect back things. Dinner arrives, no DSH in sight. There he is, just in time! He thanks me for ordering (good thing I know what he likes). We pray, dig in and it is delicious (probably in part because we are starving). We thoroughly enjoy dinner and stuff ourselves. DSH tells me plumbing can't be fixed so we decide to leave for home the next day. Just one day earlier than planned so that isn't too bad. DSH is bummed that he doesn't get to go to Hot August Nights which is a classic and hot rod car show in Reno. We have gone every year for 10 years so I don't feel tooooo bad for him. We drove very slowly through Reno on our way home so he could look at a car or two on the road. I don't recommend such antics while towing a 27' trailer but he made it through safely. We made it home by 6:00pm and emptied the trailer and SHOWERED! What a treat! We would never make it as "real" campers. LOL

Side note: California roads are the WORST!!!!!!

Happy Trails!

Brenda