Let the Good Times ROLL!
NATIONAL PARKS ACROSS USA -
Since September 28, 06, we have seen the following National Parks:
Badlands National Park – South Dakota
Big Bend National Park - Texas
Crater Lake National Park – Oregon
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – North Carolina
Mount Rainier - Washington
Mount Rushmore National Memorial – South Dakota
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Washington
Redwoods National Park - California
Saguaro National Park - Arizona
Sequoia National Park - California
Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming
Yosemite National Park – California
National Parks and/or Monuments seen on previous vacations:
Jefferson Expansion National Memorial – St. Louis, Missouri
Lincoln Memorial & Washington Monument - DC
Everglades National Park – Florida
Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona
Haleakala National Park - Hawaii
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii
U.S.S. Arizona Memorial – Hawaii
National Parks we hope to see:
Death Valley National Park - California
Mesa Verde National Park – Colorado
Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico
Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
Arches National Park – Utah
Canyonlands National Park – Utah
Zion National Park - Utah
Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming
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Saturday, July 14 - Left Paradise Resort, Silver Creek, Washington and drove over the Cascades Mountain Range on Hwy. 12. . We traversed through rugged ravines, and pristine lakes were everywhere we looked as we drove over the Cascade Mountains and the Tieton River Canyon. Once we left the mountains, green forests are no longer in sight and the hills/mountains have changed to brown and black surfaces with little vegetation. We arrived at Trailer Inns RV Parks in Yakima, WA. The park is asphalt and little grass patches and a place to park the truck. We have 50-amp service, cable and wifi. Located near the small town, which is a plus. We hope to get more of the delicious berries that we have been eating for the past two weeks. The valley here has many roadside stands with fresh blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and vegetables.
Sunday, July 15 - Took a drive to
Toppenish. Not a town in sight until Morton, 17-miles away from the park. We drove to
Union Gap, known as the oldest town in the Northwest, and stopped to see the home constructed by
Elizabeth Carmichael in the early part of the century. Cut rock from a quarry near Selah, hauled to the site by her four sons and nicknamed “
The Castle”.
We moved on to see the town of Toppenish
“Where The West Still Lives” . Also called the
City of Murals and Museums. Nestled in the heart of theYakima Valley and inside the Yakama Nation Reservation. “The Yakama Nation is recognized as one of the largest and most progressive tribes in the Pacific Northwest”. The murals were amazing, as you can see by the pictures of just a few of them. They have done one a year and the painting season is from April through the end of October. The murals have to fit into the timeframe of 1850 to 1950. They must be covered with a protective UV coating, cleaned, repaired, refurbished, and touched up on a regular basis.
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FULL TIMING
FULL TIMING? Our first thoughts on such a monumental change of direction in our lives started with the purchase of a 32' Toy Hauler-KZ 5th Wheel early 2006. We took a vacation in May and traveled the mountains of North Carolina. We liked the fact we had our own bed to sleep in and could see surrounding areas either on our Honda Gold Wing or GMC truck. However, during the vacation, we found that the KZ 32' 5th-wheel was entirely too small, even for a long weekend. We wanted to trade up. One thing led to another and we started to question the next three years before Marsha was scheduled to retire.After much soul-searching, prayer, and financial calculations, Marsha requested early retirement for personal and physical reasons.Full timing meant we were saying "goodbye" to all that is familiar. Everything happened so quickly we didn't have time to contemplate that aspect much. We research everything thoroughly before we purchase. This would be our new home and we wanted all the "bells & whistles" within our budget. Lazy Days in Seffner, Florida had a new National, 2006 Tradewinds motorhome available at the right price. It has a 400-HP Turbo diesel engine and many amenities. We did get the "cart before the horse" purchasing the RV before selling our home. It was the worst time of year to sell a home in Florida. We sold with only a month before closing! Thankfully, we had our new "home on wheels" in our back yard for preparation.
It became clear that our personal craving for travel and adventure overcame our requirement for a traditional home with all the things that seemed so important.Getting rid of clutter can be liberating. We did not want to pay for storage. Collectibles such as our Fenton glass, sets of crystal glass, or ceramic pieces were handed over to family members or close friends for their enjoyment. We had a two-day garage sale and anything remaining went to charity. We feel the flexibility and comfort of RV travel far outweighs any pinch felt at the fuel pump. Let the Good Times Roll!
Elizabeth Carmichael in the early part of the century. Cut rock from a quarry near Selah, hauled to the site by her four sons and nicknamed “The Castle”.
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