2016 Annual Newsletter

OUR 2016 REVIEW
WE WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2017

At the beginning of the year we were in San Diego, California with Ryan, Christina & Trystan.  We were camp hosting at Santee Lakes and stayed there until Mid February when we left to start our travels for the year.

We stayed south in California and Arizona before heading back to Las Vegas for doctor and dentist check ups.  Unfortunately we ended up staying in Las Vegas longer than we anticipated as Bryan needed to get some things checked out. This meant we had to cancel our plans for a visit to friends in Northern Nevada and our trip to San Francisco. That will have to wait for another year.  Our plans always seem to get disrupted somewhere, but such is life, and fortunately we are flexible.  

We started our revised trip Mid May and managed to catch up with our original plans within a week, arriving at the Ancient Redwoods RV park in Redcrest, California.  We visited Sequoia National Park, the Redwoods at Avenue of the Giants, which are huge and then North along the Californian and Oregon coast.  The scenery was unbelievable and just when you thought you couldn't see anything more beautiful suddenly you were at an amazing place and looking at a different type of beauty. 

All of the National Parks are HUGE.  As you can see in the pictures below the elevations and temperatures can vary a great deal.

                               

                                  Sequoia National Park, we started in short sleeves

Sequoia National Park, it wasn't long before we needed more layers

Sequoia National Park.  Look at how huge this rock and the trees are!!

Sequoia National Park, back to short sleeves

Founders Grove Nature Trail, Avenue of Giants,Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Look how small I am!!!

Eeeekkkk, Tilly drove through a tree.

We saw our first and only, so far, brown bear in the wild in Klamath, California while we were staying at the aptly named Golden Bear RV Resort. It was on the other side of the river directly across from our RV.  I was mesmerized for hours watching him. I spent the rest of the week constantly looking through the binoculars for another sighting but it wasn't meant to be. 

Brown Bear further up on the opposite bank.  He was quite a way away.

He was opposite our camp site here, just going back behind the bushes

We headed north along the Oregon Coast, which is beautiful and different at every curve in the road.  The beaches were deserted for the most part and we loved it.  We managed to see 11 lighthouses along the coast in Northern California, Oregon and Southern Washington.

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, Ca - One of our favorite lighthouses

Overlook at Battle Rock, Port Orford,Oregon

Winchester Bay,Oregon

Heceta Head Lighthouse

The view from Lily at Seal Rock Cove was amazing

Bryan filming at Thors Well, Oregon

Most of our drive north through Oregon was like this.   What views!!

We spent July 4th, no fireworks unfortunately, at Camp Rilea Military RV park and made day trips into Astoria, Oregon and Washington State before starting to move East along the Columbia River Gorge where we stayed for a week and visited many waterfalls.

Columbia River

Multnomah Falls          

Vista House, Columbia River

From there we started to head back south inland staying in the middle of a cattle ranch, visiting Crater Lake, Yosemite National Park & Mammoth Lakes to name a few.  

Our neighbor at the Cattle Ranch, Juniper Reservoir, Oregon    

Mt. Batchelor taken from Lava Butte, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon

This couple were fly fishing at Collier Memorial State Park, Oregon

Crater Lake, Oregon

Burney Falls, Ca

Yosemite National Park,Ca

Yosemite National Park

Our lunch spot at Yosemite National Park

                            

Twin Lakes from the top of Twin Falls, Mammoth Lakes, Ca

Sunset from our site at San Onofre, Ca

                         

We spent a few days on the beach at San Onofre Military campground and then 5 days at Fiddlers Cove RV park on Coronado Island overlooking the bay and Navy docks.  We wished we could have seen Ryan's ship but it was still out at sea.  

We got back to Santee Lakes to resume our work camping for the fall/winter at the beginning of September and will stay here until February next year.

We celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary on September 26th but as we were working we didn't do anything special.  This whole summer trip along the coast and inland was really an extended celebration and we had a lot of fun.  We will continue to celebrate every day!!!

Christina arranged Trystan's 1st birthday party at our park in September and we had a fun day although we missed his dad. We welcomed Ryan home from deployment in November and they are getting used to being a family again. We spent Christmas with them.

Brenda, John, LeeAnn & Aimee are doing well although we haven't seen them this year.  The girls both entered pageants this year. We are proud to announce that LeeAnn became Miss Magnificent Princess and Aimee became Little Miss Kingsville Princess. 

We haven't seen Ian, Kris, Bailey & Kai either but they are all doing well in Wales.  Bailey got certificates for swimming and Kai for being a star pupil. Well done boys!!

We will be heading to the East Coast in February as Ryan is being stationed in Jacksonville, Florida for his shore duty.  We will help them settle in and then see where we will go from there.  We will probably head north toward Washington DC and Niagara Falls but you can also sometimes get really cheap cruises in Florida so we will see what turns up.  

That's it for this year.  Hope you are all safe and well.  Would love to hear from you.

If you would like to read more about our adventures and see more pictures please look at our blogs:

http://lilypadtravels.blogspot.com 

http://bryanslens.blogspot.com - Bryan's blog has pictures he has taken over the years and of our travels.

  

Part of our Winter Village decorations in the motorhome   

                                                                                                                               

Love Bryan & Sue xx

Junipers Reservoir RV Park, Lakeview, Oregon

July 24th, 2016

We said goodbye to Collier Memorial State Park and headed to Junipers Reservoir RV Park in Lakeview, Oregon.  The trip was uneventful and we arrived safely. This RV park is in the middle of a working ranch and we have booked here for 5 nights.  We anticipate having a restful few days.

Our view with the reservoir in the distance

From the front of the RV.

The reservoir or watering hole

Campground

 This Mule Deer came to investigate us new arrivals.

Mule Deer

July 25th, 2016

We had a lazy day around the house.  We saw some cattle in the distance and Bryan took the car to see if he could get a closer look.  The owners here are quite happy from you to explore any of the 6,000 acres providing you keep to trails and close any gates behind you.

Cattle in the distance

Who goes there??

An outhouse

Sunset

RV park from the opposite side of the reservoir

Our resident mule deer was back tonight

July 28th, 2016

We were awoken this morning by the sounds of cattle.   Sure enough the cattle were being rounded up.  Bryan got dressed quickly and went out to get some pictures.

Canadian Geese we think

Cattle being herded up

Mooooo

The road heading out of the RV Park

July 29th, 2016

Today, we took a couple of last pictures before leaving and heading to our next stop.  We were a little disappointed not to see ranchers on horseback herding the cattle up but we've had a nice few days here and went into Lakeview a couple of times.  It is a very small town and doesn't take long to look around. Today we will cross the State line and be back in California.  Oregon, we will miss you.  We have had an awesome time traveling around you.  Until the next time!!!!

Bye to the cattle

 We stopped at a rest stop along the way that had great views.

and then we were back in California.