Back in Canada

Our trip to Canada was uneventful. Just a bit of snow in Northern California through the Siskyou Pass. We are in Abbotsford to meet friends and celebrate Christmas and then off to Vernon for actual Christmas. Hoping to get back on the road on boxing day to get back by New Years. While in Abbotsford we are staying at Davenports.

Markets

Today on our way to the markets we passed the fire scene and here is the aftermath. It was an oasis with towering palms.

At the College of the Desert Market we played hide on Yves.

Carol got a massage. Hey Guy, easy on the butt.

Yves got a massage also but she stayed away from his butt. Actually she gave them a good rub down. After we went to Marie Calendars Pies for lunch and all had Shepherds Pie and pies for dessert. After dinner we went to the Mexican Market in Indio. Sort of a dollar store meet flea market.

Black Friday

Today was Black Friday where stores have huge sales after Thanksgiving. Carol and I braved the crowds at the Outlet Mall. Some stores opened at 3 or 4 am and people lined up 2 days ahead of time. Traffic was a zoo.

I had to put it in 4X4 to get into a parking spot.

This afternoon we noticed smoke east of us, which turned to a huge plume. The oasis preserve down the road is on fire. Good thing there is no wind or we would be evacuated. Tomorrow we will look if they got it out.

Carols Back

Carol just flew in from Kelowna. She went up to visit the grandkids for their birthdays while I held the fort here looking after Mocha. Back to flip flops.

Lemon Tree

For the second Sunday in a row we went to Shermans Deli for lunch. Their sandwiches are 3 or 4 inches thick with meat. I had a turkey and pastrami. MMM

We bought a lemon tree and planted it today. Hopefully next year we will have our own lemons along with shade. It is a Mayer Lemon tree which is a sweeter lemon. Lemon aid anyone? The watering system is still in place from the olive tree we ripped out.

Rat Patrol

Yves and I had some time on our hands so we rebuilt the golf cart. We put new batteries in, upgraded wiring, reupholtered the seats and a camo paint job. The old show Rat Patrol gave us inspiration. The cart goes like stink now. All the other guys in the park are envious.

Here's some of the stickers I made up for it.

We didn't have the nerve to put this one on.

Birthday

Thursday was Carol's birthday so we spent the morning at the pool. I was her pool boy so I had to slather her regularly with lotion.

For dinner we went to The River in Palm Springs to PF Changs, with Yves and Sandi.

I took care of the squawking birds.

Yves and I took out an olive tree by our patio. It's the worst tree, always dropping olives to step on and make a mess. Also Mocha would eat them and choke.

After delimbing and cutting the main roots we tied it to the truck...

And yanked it out. Now to go plant and tree shopping for the ones we like.

In Texas Mocha tore a toe nail out so when we got here we took her to the vet where they removed her nail at the base. We had to put the cone on her so she wouldn't lick it. After a few days she's back to her rambunctious self.

Palm Springs

We're finally in Palm Springs for the winter. The only problem is it's 39 degrees celcius (104f), but it's supposed to cool down to the 80's (30c). Now just waiting for our friends to come down.

Thanksgiving

We left Georgetown TX on Monday. Getting ready to leave we saw this spider after Caleb ran through the web. Fold a five dollar bill in half and that is the size of this guy. He must snack on birds...... UPATE: It's called a Argiope spider.

We went past The Alamo in San Antonio. March 6 of 1836, the Alamo fell to the enemy. April 21 they took it back as Sam Houston shouted "Remember the Alamo", referring to the lives lost.

This is a golf cart we saw.

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Fort Stockton Tx. We had ribs and beer. Closest we could come to for turkey. Our waitress was a Canadian and we reminded her it's Thanksgiving. She was going to call her granny back home in Windsor Ontario. For Tuesday night we are in Deming New Mexico. It's bloomin hot here. They have a pool for us to cool off before supper.

Georgetown Cousins

Roy's cousin Darlene came up for a couple of days. It was great to meet her also after fourty some years. This is Darlene, Tim and Roy.

We did a day trip to Georgetown. Interesting old architecture.

This is the top of the court house.

This is a statue in front of the court house commemorating the Confederate soldier.

This is our camp site beside their house. Nice shade. This is Tim's wife Rebekah with Carol. Can't believe it's been a whole week here. We had a great time and are getting ready to hit the road on Monday.

Only in Texas. This is in front of the Westinghouse Corporation, and they have two Long Horn Cattle on the front lawn grazing.

What an Adventure

Thanks to Melanie we took a detour just west of Amarillo to the Cadillac Ranch. A guy half buried several different vintage years of Cadillacs.

People add their graffiti to the art from all over the world. I sprayed on Carol & Roy.

He originally buried them at a different location but the city complained so he bought acreage outside of city limits and reinstalled them here. It's right beside the major highway, which was also route 66.

For night we made it to just east of Dallas to a Thousand Trails. This was the view from our trailer.

After seeing this guy on the beach it reminded me they have gators here. I don't know what this guy was as there is also a snake skin close to him. What ever he is he had sharp teeth.

Carol decided to get me fresh milk. Everything is larger in Texas. We stopped by the dairy museum. I sold them some fifties diner furniture while still working, for their cafeteria.

Now the fun part. We had another blow out. When I pulled over to change the tire, I noticed a fire in the ditch rapidly heading our way. The wind was blowing in our direction, so we thought it prudent to move a mile further down the interstate before changing the tire. There were police and fire vehicles racing to the fire, which they put out. That sure backed up the highway. Apparently a piece of my tire blew into the grass and started the fast moving grass fire. When that was out the police and fire trucks came upon us. A group of young people stopped and helped us change the tire. It was shredded and wrapped around the axle and brake drum. We had to cut it off. The fire truck is missing from the picture, it was beside us. This kept the highway backed up from all the rubber neckers. The cops were fun. They said they don't like northern Yankees but we're okay, we're from further north. We finally made it to my cousins house in Georgetown Texas and went out with them for a lovely dinner. Glad today is almost over.

Amarillo

We went days with scenery like this. Saskatchewan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma to Amarillo, all flat prairie.

Here we are as Oakies in Oakley Kansas. This is a cutout of Oakley Annie and Buffalo Bill, now renamed Oakley Carol and Buffalo Roy with Mocha the Indian.

Here I am saving the buffalo.

When we got to Amarillo, the restaurant has six limos that pick you up and drop you off free.

Only in Texas do the limos have steer horns on the front.

The Restaurant has a 72 ounce steak. If you can eat it in an hour it's free. (with two sides and a roll). Here's a couple trying to beat the clock. They didn't make it.

I had a sirloin about three inches thick and Carol had the fillet mignon. The old guys below went table to table serenading people.

Mid West

This was a sunset after we entered the US. We took I85 to Cheyenne Wyoming over two days.

Here's a mighty machine on some road work.

My rear view.

This is the area where they filmed Dances with Wolves. Very vivid fall colours.

A statue on someones lawn.

Saw this rare truck for sale at the side of the road. The box and cab are all one piece. Ford only built them for one year.

We got a flat today. Turned the tire into spaghetti. Good thing I learned a trick. With a trailer suspension, drive the good tire up on blocks and that also raises the flat tire axle so it's easy to change.

Saw this sign in Wyoming. Now we know where the red necks shop.