2024 Big Trip, Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

We recently returned from our “big trip” for this year.  We started planning over a year before it.  The goal was to meet Kari’s brother and his wife from Nashville, Tennessee in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the international Balloon Fiesta.  It was great seeing them, meeting their new puppy Charlee, and spectacular watching hundred of balloons ascend (the event said it was 500+).

By the numbers:

Stops and visits in six states: Nevada (Las Vegas), Utah (Virgin, Cedar City, Cannonville, Torrey, and Moab), Colorado (Hesperus), New Mexico (Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Alamogordo), Arizona (Tombstone, Goodyear, and Prescott), and California (Newberry Springs, and of course, Clovis).

5 wonderful family members visited.

6 priceless friends visited (sadly only got pictures of three of them).

At our stay at a working ranch in Hesperus, Colorado we fed the goats and horses.  We picked up some farm fresh eggs and learned about how the U.S. requirement of washing eggs before sale by commercial egg producers arguably makes them less safe than those in European countries.  They had three friendly ranch dogs.  Parfait had a very young puppy there, Ammo, wanting to be her boyfriend.  Kari was a strict chaperone.  

7 National Parks visited: Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Mesa Verde, and White Sands (but only toured 6, skipping Mesa Verde after going to the Visitor Center and Entrance Station—it’s a story).

3,451 miles (video mileage is incorrect).

307.561 gallons of gas.

Total fuel costs: $1,296.98.

11.37 MPG average includes both with and without pulling the trailer.

$4.228 average per gallon of gas.

Two most expensive sites: $6.399, Chevron, Needles, Calif., and $6.299, Shell, Yermo, Calif. (east of Barstow)

Two least expensive sites: $3.509, Maverick, Albuquerque, New Mexico and $3.609, Love’s, Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Unfortunately the Relive app only allows for 50 photos.   

We’re already planning next year’s adventure, “Oh Canada,” a loop up the west coast to Banff and Calgary, and looping back from somewhere east of there (recommendations welcome). 

The discussion for 2026 is to the east coast.   

Veterans Day 2024

Thanks for your service dad!

I wish this photo was known while he was alive, I would love to hear the story.  Born in a dirt floor home in Missouri near the Mississippi River and raised in a VFW orphanage in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, my father was one of those who wouldn’t discuss his time in the Army during WW II while serving in the South Pacific.  He only shared that he loved Australia and almost moved us there in the 1960s.  The only other comment he’d occasionally make was that he was a radio operator, and on patrols he was the one carrying the large backpack sized radio with the long antenna, adding that the enemy always knew where he was.

 

Grieving and Cancer. It Never Seems to Stop

A long time acquaintance lost his wife recently due to cancer.  His Facebook posting was truly amazing.  During a time about 1981-82, Jonathan Kramer and I shared an office while working for my father’s company in Ventura, Western Cable Enterprises, Inc.  We went our separate ways for decades and thankfully have reconnected thanks to LinkedIn and Facebook. 

First, his post.  Then my response.

###

Some 12,332 days ago (33 years, 8 months, 26 days ago) I met Sharon Joy Berman.  Then, a mere 11,894 days ago (32 years, 5 months, and 5 days ago) I married Sharon.

Sharon was a strong and confident person, and a professional who started her own business nearly 30 years ago.  

A bit over 8 years ago, Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

 The cancer was removed, along with a part of her breast, plus chemo.  We thought that was the end of that.

It wasn't.

Two years later, Sharon was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (the same as had invaded her breast) which had metastasized to her brain.  She had two brain operations to remove the cancer and more chemo.  We thought that was the end of that.

It wasn't.

About 1.5 years after her brain surgery, Sharon suffered a stroke related to the brain surgery.   She had remarkable help in the way of physical therapy and occupational therapy, and ongoing chemo.   We thought that was the end of that.

It wasn't.

Two and a quarter years ago, I started on the road to a VSG to regain control of my own life.  One and three quarter years ago I had the VSG and shed 135 pounds, was no longer diabetic, off of other meds, and I weigh less than 12,332 days ago.

Sharon's joke was that I was preparing myself for my next wife.  She even told me who(m) I was allowed to marry in the event that the cancer came back.  She said I looked so good that I'd have women with frozen casseroles  waiting in line ready for the moment she passed.  

That was Sharon. 

Yeah, but no thanks.  

About 2 years ago Sharon sold her business to her senior manager who had, for all intents and purposes, become Sharon's daughter (we had no kids together, and I was her only known husband).

A few months ago, Sharon was diagnosed with the same cancer. This time it invaded her lungs, breasts, and thoracic cavity.  We knew that was not the end of that.

And it wasn't.

Today, some 24,698 days into her life (67 years, 7 months, and 14 day), Sharon passed quietly in the hospital here in Santa Monica.  At the moment she passed, her sister held one of her hands, and I held Sharon's other hand.  Other family members, including my daughter from a previous marriage, as well as friends were also holding her her as Sharon passed on.  

It was a loving death.

It was a painless death.

It was a death with dignity and respect.

And it was.

I stayed with Sharon until it was time to move her body to the mortuary.  I saw her safely into the bay of the van and watched as the van drove off.  

As of today, I spent 49.931% of her life IN her life, and now I begin a new chapter of being 100% in her next adventure.

Sharon will be buried in the family plot next week.  She'll be beside her father and mother, and her brother who died in his early teens decades ago.  He died from leukemia.   

Sharon's parents made sure that I would have a burial plot next to hers waiting for me to join her and the rest of her (and my) family when it is my time.

Now, at 69 years of age...70 in December...I hope I'll have more than a few years of good health to live and remember Sharon, largely and directly because Sharon supported me moving forward to capture control of my health through the VSG.  (Sharon was always a 'normal' weight person.)

I've attached some photos of our wedding; a picture of Sharon taken last year; and one of me holding her hand shortly after she passed today.  

Yes, Sharon LOVED her jewelry and even had a long running podcast about jewelry and decorative arts..."The Jewelry Journey").  A couple of months ago my daughter, Aleah interviewed Sharon for The Jewelry Journey...a first!  Now we'll turn that interview into a remembrance.  Sharon and Aleah were very, very close.

I share with with you because we are all interconnected, and I honor Sharon by sharing this with all of you.

I hope this brings something to your life; it has for me today by simply penning these words.

Jonathan

    

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My message to him:

I just don’t know what to write.  I can’t send a card and hide behind the corporate created sentiments because I don’t have your address.  I know the experts say not to tell stories about yourself in these situations.  Alas, I have no other frame of reference.  

Late last night I saw your post about losing Sharon, and for some reason it really hit me.  I was already restless much of yesterday for a number of unimportant reasons—maybe it was the extra Diet Pepsi I drank in the afternoon.  In part it was because of a truly minor health condition I’m going through that in comparison is nothing to what so many of my friends and family are experiencing.  Nonetheless, in rare form, sleep eluded me until almost 3 a.m.  You were on my mind a lot.

I’m truly sorry for your loss.  

In this grand scheme of retirement, I had hoped we would be traveling more and visiting more.  Yet, time, schedules, and finances still have their limits on all of us.  

I wish I could have met Sharon.  She sounds like she was a perfect life partner for you and your daughter.  Your post was filled with that tenderness.  I read the post to my wife and shared the photos.  In an odd twist since March, a former fellow Deputy, now an attorney and neighbor, lost his wife to cancer.   Just a couple months later, his brother and Fresno PD officer who Kari worked with, also lost his wife to a different type of cancer.  One of my favorite Sergeants passed away recently from yet another third form of cancer with his memorial on Monday afternoon.  His sister was with my department before going to Fresno PD where Kari met her.  

I don’t share this with any illusion that this will help alleviate your grief.  It’s just that I’m acutely aware that others are suffering greatly and I feel helpless because I have nothing to offer to truly help except being there as I can.  

I would love to attend the service for Sharon and see you, yet I’m already certain my upcoming week’s schedule and medical appointments in combination with distance and travel time will likely prevent it.  I hope I can see you later and spend some time together under less stressful circumstances.  

Just know, you and your family are in our prayers.   

Please forgive if I’m incorrect.  As I recall you are Jewish.  I have a good friend who is Jewish and a former Rabi—who married a Christian (they successfully raised a family in a dual faith home).  As co-leaders with adjacent operations when we were in Yosemite, we had some entertaining and deep conversations about our faiths.  My running joke with him was that he has only focused on the first half of the Bible.  We were always there for each other when strength from our faiths were needed.  With that same common spirit with you, I share these two excerpts from my nightly devotional that I read yesterday.  They coincidentally seemed relevant.  

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.     Psalm 73: 26 (NLT)

The Night Prayer was from the Iona Community in Scotland:

Bless to us, O God, the moon that is above us, The earth that is beneath us, the friends who are around us, Your image deep within us, the rest which is before us.

Peace be with you in the coming days. 

###

Look, I'm not one to believe in conspiracy theories.  Sure, I listen to them occasionally--and rarely one turns out to be almost true.  

I believe the earth is round and we landed on the moon--many times.  Heck, I witnessed the launch of Apollo 11 in person.

People who think otherwise are idiots or trolls. 

I believe September 11th was not an inside job, and people really died on that day.  I have a work friend who lost her uncle on Flight 175 (the second plane into the towers).  

People who think otherwise are idiots or trolls. 

And while I truly don't think it's happened, I do wonder why the scourge of cancer continues to exist in our world with all our medical expertise and technology around the globe.  I really don't want to believe that a remedy or treatment exists out there yet is hidden away by some pharmaceutical company or group hell-bent on using for their own purposes or plan.  Cancer is a huge business, and if suddenly went away or greatly diminished rather easily, the financial impact in the medical industry would be profound.  As such, I really don't want to believe that is true.  And even in the remotest chance that it is true, wouldn't other scientists around the world potentially come to the same answers and publicly broadcast it?

Cancer just sucks.       

   

Chillin’ and Grilling’ and Saying Goodbye

Please welcome the new addition to our family, Weber Summit.  It joins its siblings, 1990 Weber charcoal red kettle, 1991 Weber charcoal blue kettle, Weber charcoal GoAnywhere, Weber propane GoAnywhere, Traeger Pro-22 pellet smoker (recently acquired very gently used and not yet cooked on it), and a Masterbuilt 30 electric smoker—a great beginner unit if someone wants it for free.   Truth be told, I even think I may still have a stainless steel folding backpacking camp grill with my tent camping gear.  And I don’t even think of myself as a “BBQ Guy.”

It was time to replace the 21+ year old island mounted JennAir grill that I can’t find parts for anymore, and the island had been exposed to the weather the most of its time here.   We bought it on clearance months before our house was finished when BBQs Galore agreed to hold onto it until the house was finished.  Just on the main grill we now have more than double the cooking space so it’s going to be a lot easier to prepare proteins and veggies and have them ready at the same time.  

Rest easy “Jenny,” you served us well.  

     

Nothing fancy for the first cook, ground turkey patties.  We put them on shredded lettuce, and top it with a delicious garlic aioli sauce Kari whips up.  

Breaker-Breaker

I had my CB radio installed in my FJ Cruiser back about 2010.  Red Monkey was a CB radio shop in Fresno who catered to truckers and the off-road community for CB radio work.  They had a great reputation for CB work.  When I made the decision to get a CB for my off-road adventures, they were my first choice.  In my youth, I used and installed CB radios on a frequent basis and knew my way around them.  But, I had been "off the air" for a long time and my skills and knowledge were rusty and out of date.  After talking with the owner and sharing my intended use, he recommended an affordable and reliable small profile Uniden radio.  

 

Long before fabricators developed and sold molle racks that fit over the FJ Cruiser center console for mounting gear, I decided to mount the radio on the passenger side of the center console as far forward as possible.  This allows me easy access to it when using it.  The unit is slim, which was important.  I didn’t want to hinder the ability to slide the seat forward when needed or intrude into the navigator’s side much because the navigator’s usual required gear includes a substantial purse, travel blanket, and travel pillow.  In retrospect, I’m thankful the molle rack wasn’t available because I probably would have purchased one and hung more gear on it, defeating my goals.  

 

Since Red Monkey didn’t carry them, and had never seen one, I had separately purchased the ubiquitous “Bandi mount” for the antenna mount and installed it.  It’s a clever widget that bolts over a rear FJ Cruiser door hinge and provides a secure and functional mount for an antenna to be attached to it.  It’s a wonderful and popular creation in the FJ world.  Red Monkey was able to use it for the installation.  They recommended and I used a 4-foot Firestick antenna with a quick release mount.

 

Later, I often used a classic metal 6-foot whip antenna that I’ve had for years.  Back when I had my first car, a 1966 VW Bug (white), CB radios became popular in my group of friends.  With less ambient radio static in the natural background environment during that time, from Ventura I could easily talk to others in Oxnard and Santa Paula.  With an acceptable amount of static, I could talk to others up the coast in Santa Barbara, down the coast to Malibu, over the hill to Thousand Oaks—and on some days, even to the northern San Fernando Valley.  Those days are long gone thanks to all the wireless systems and devices that are now prevalent in the airwaves.  In my truck driving semi-retirement job, I seemed fortunate to go a few miles with the antennas factory mounted on the trucks.  

 

That metal whip antenna and I have a long history together.   It served well on that first Volkswagen Bug, a GMC van I modified for camping, a Baja Bug I built, for a while with a strong magnetic base on top of my sheriff’s department patrol cars (the county shop even used it with a “permanent mount” on an assigned Chevrolet Caprice patrol car), my first company car a Chevrolet Blazer in Yosemite, my Yosemite Tahoe, and finally on occasion on my FJ Cruiser.  After the first VW, I never tuned or matched the antenna to the radio, something I probably should have done.  No damage done though.  

 

I just like the look of an old classic metal whip antenna.   

The Bandi antenna mount on the rear door hinge has one design flaw.  The coax wire leading to the connector on the bottom is a bit exposed.  It wasn’t exposed so much that it was in the way, and it didn’t cause any operational issues.  The main issue was, after a bunch of trips through an automated car wash, the cleaning bristles took a beating to that exposed wire, eventually ripping it out of the connector on the Bandi mount.  I stuffed it back in both for rare radio use, yet mostly for aesthetic reasons because I didn’t want a wire just dangling out of the door jamb. 

Now that we’re traveling more with our little trailer, I thought it would be helpful and wise to get the connector fixed and the operation of the radio checked out in case we needed it for any reason.  During my truck driving time, it was clearly apparent that by far, the majority of chatter on the radio would not be acceptable in a mature and unbiased conversation.  Yet, during full traffic stoppages on the highway, truckers still share what they see ahead of them or what they have been told by others further in front of them.  

 

Unfortunately, several years ago, Red Monkey closed its doors and moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming.  That led me to Steve Fastenau, Airtime Communications in Merced, California.  Steve’s late father started the company, and they were our primary radio vendor when I worked in Yosemite National Park.  Steve is one of the very few I’d trust to do anything electrical.  Off to Merced I went. 

We hadn’t seen each other since I was laid off by Aramark in July 2018.   It was really fun getting caught up with him after several years.   Steve was able to refurbish all the antenna connectors inside and outside, then ensure the setup was tuned well.  He even routed to coax wire differently that should help push back the past problems I’ve had with it.  Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, the 4’ Firestick antenna from Red Monkey works better than my decades old 6’ steel whip antenna.  Steve determined for a metal whip antenna, the antenna needs to be 2-3 feet longer.  He didn’t have any in stock (confirming CB radios aren’t really popular anymore) but thinks a peer company he works with might have some old ones available.   Maybe I’ll replace mine later, but for now, I’ll primarily use the Firestick.  It worked great on the way home.

  

The bracket holding the microphone (below) is new, and I didn’t install it to hold the microphone.  I bought it thinking it might hold my RV GPS unit.  It doesn’t.  The bracket clips onto to dashboard in a unique way, and I really like how it attaches.  I then thought maybe putting my cellphone there, but it doesn’t have a charger built into it like the one you see to the right.  I’m not sure what I’ll do with it.  The dashboard piece does have a 1” ball mount as part of it, so at some point I may pull off the flimsy articulating device grip.  Maybe something from Ram Mount will fit.  A project for another day.  

 

 The bracket I'm currently using for the GPS is something I found on Amazon, and bought it on a whim.  It's a suction cup mount that has an arm that's extendable.  The suction cup has a sticky substance on it, so it seems that helps hold the mount in place.  I extended the arm out to the point the GPS unit fits tight against the overhead console.  As a secondary hold, I zip-tied the arm around the center mount of the console.  I've been testing it for a week or so around town, and it seems to work well in holding it.  I've got something going on with the power tho.  I have a single power line running from the glove box up to the overhead console.  The source feeds both the GPS unit and a dashcam mounted on the window.  It tends to momentarily lose power.  I'm wondering if a second power source is required.  

  

 

      

 

 

 

 

  

The Forks, Bass Lake

We’re celebrating Kari’s birthday month.  It’s something we do.  Even though it’s a milestone birthday—and maybe because of that—she doesn’t want anything extravagant.  I get it.  Instead we’re doing simple pleasure requests and adventures.  

One of her simple pleasure requests was to go to Bass Lake where Kari spent many summers with her grandparents who lived there.  Part of that trip down memory lane is having enjoyed countless meals at the restaurant at The Forks Resort.  I thought I took a photo of the front, but nope.  (I thought Parfait was in some of the photos.  Double nope.)  Burgers had to be enjoyed, and they were.  

Afterward we found a small bit of beach.  Parfait has never been a dog that enjoys the beach with ocean surf.  The last time we took her to Bass Lake, she loved romping in the water.  We had hoped she would jump into today.  She wasn’t having it.  

All in all, it was a great little day trip and Kari said she had a wonderful time.  

The Measure of Justice

 This Facebook post reminded me of a memory.   

Before my law enforcement career, I worked in the lumber department of a home improvement store, Lumber City, at Telegraph and Victoria in Ventura.  

The shopping center has been substantially changed since I worked there. Back then, Lumber City was in the southeast corner, with the back along the alley.  There was a bank to west of Lumber City that had a drive-thru teller alley that ran from the main parking lot to the rear alley.  The Vons store was along the east side with its back along Brookshire.

Leaving work one evening, some coworkers and I saw a guy running across the parking lot at an angle in front of us.  

Moments later, a Ventura PD officer came running out of the store chasing him.  As the guy was “leg-bailing” from the VPD officer, the officer was yelling at him to stop.  A clipboard the officer was carrying wasn’t holding all the paperwork, and items were flying away.  

The suspect was at a strong run.  He had a good lead on the officer.  

Instinctively, two of us lumber boys jumped in behind the bad guy and the chase was on.  We ran through the bank drive-thru alley and into the alley behind the shopping center.  As we approached a nearby apartment complex, for some reason I pulled my metal cased 25’ Stanley tape measure out of my belt holster and chucked it at the guy.  

It nailed him square in the back between the shoulders and the dude went down on his face.  My coworker and I held onto him until the VPD officer and his backup arrived.  Laughs from all followed, but one.  Fun times.

Engine 51 | Engine 7 History

As I was perusing Facebook recently, a conversation popped up about Engine 51 and it’s time in Yosemite.  There was a lot of information about it, and most of it correct.  There were a couple folks who were quite stubborn in their erred information.  Several subject matter experts through in good information.  This was my response.  

A little Engine 7/Engine 51 action while in Yosemite.  The Engine stayed very busy.  Toned out at the same time as NPS Fire, the Engine responded to an average of 120 calls for service each year.  

The most frequent calls were landing zone (LZ) coverage and “burnt toast” calls (more later).  

In the summer months, E-7 often responded to the Ahwahnee Meadow (and occasionally El Cap Meadow) for the park assigned NPS Helicopter 551, or CHP 40 out of Fresno, for back country or technical rescues and medicals.  Those calls often involved a second ship coming into the park, a medical helicopter, to transport those injured and other medical issues to a hospital in Modesto, Calif.  The E-7 crew has handled LZ coverage for as many as 7 helicopters at once on the ground.  LZ calls occasionally occurred multiple times a day.  Since E-7’s firefighters were long term full time employees in their own jobs, business interruptions were common.  Both the Curry Company and Delaware North understood and accepted it as a normal business practice—and in fact was a point of pride and success for the executive management teams.  

More often in the winter when windows and doors are closed up, and although the nickname itself was only accurate a small percentage of the time, the other prevalent response was nicknamed the “burnt toast call.”   The company employed some awesome chefs.  Yet in housing buildings with shared kitchens, a small percentage of non-chef employees were not always as safety conscious in the dorms’ shared kitchens.  

In all seriousness, at all times of day, these calls got jumped on fast because of the huge potential of loss in residents lives and structures.  All firefighters lived in or adjacent to these residential areas, and when toned out to respond would pass by a location while running to the firehouse and could give an initial size up.  

The Engine responded to all the other types of calls too, traffic collisions, fire alarm activations, spills, and such with an average of at least one working structure fire a year.  Although some firefighters were EMTs, a pure medical call was not in its normal response protocols.  

Over its history, the crew had a proud tradition of consistently beating NPS Fire to calls, including one in a building that housed the NPS Fire Valley Engines.  It trained twice as much as NPS Fire, and since they were company employees, usually knew a structure’s layout and operations much better than a NPS Firefighter.   

Sadly, without the knowledge of both the concession and NPS Fire Chief’s, when Aramark took over the contract from Delaware North in 2016, Aramark leadership quietly cut a side deal with park management to pay NPS an annual amount to eliminate Engine 7.  In 2018, after 80 plus years of service to the community, Station 7 was silently decommissioned.  

David Stone

Chief of Security and Fire, Delaware North | Aramark

2000-2018

A Wonderful and Cool Anniversary

 

Ok, I’ll preface this with, yeah, we didn’t take many photos.  But, it’s similar to our trip in March, so they’d be about the same.  

We knew we wanted to get out of the summer heat for our anniversary, and we succeeded.  On Sunday, July 7^th we headed over to our new favorite getaway town, Cayucos.  We stayed in Space number 7 this time.  Space number 9 last time.  What we didn’t foresee was another, different, health issue that mostly grounded me—again.   

As we left the Fresno area heading toward the coast, it was exhilarating to watch the temperature slowly climbing as we crossed the San Joaquin Valley into Avenal and Cholame, and then started dropping.  Late morning temps were in the high 90s° F headed to a high in Fresno of 113°.  In Cholame it was 101°, but by the time we got to Paso Robles, it had dropped to the mid-90s again.   

The trailer was looking a little dirty, so we found Golden Hill Self Wash in Paso Robles, and were able to wash off the storage yard dirt.  Kari was much happier.  The spray from the wash was like an outdoor swamp cooler.  It felt refreshing.  

Heading west on SR-46 out of “Paso,” toward SR-1, it was fun counting down the temperature as it dropped the further we went.  We stopped in a large dirt turnout a few miles short of SR-1 and enjoyed lunch in cool weather and a distant ocean view.  

Arriving in Cayucos, there was a nice Marine Layer, and it was 63°, substantially lower than what we set our air conditioner at home.   It was heaven.  The whole week was just the same.  We kept an eye on the Fresno temperature, and just smiled at each other.  

As we were preparing to come here for our March trip, I dropped a heavy hard plastic box on my right foot, with a corner striking the top center of my foot.  It was excruciating, I could barely walk, and it was restricting the first few days during our visit.  I felt terrible not being able join Kari walking around town.  It slowly got better, yet still hurt for weeks.  

After returning from the March trip, we had several projects we wanted to complete before the summer weather hit.  The finished removal of the aforementioned orange tree from hell was one of them.  Up and down a ladder, twisting around to hang new curtain rods and curtains, older plants dug up and removed, replacement plants put in, and finishing touches on repairing the heavy front water fountain.  Finally, adding an awkward to install shelf over the bed in the trailer.      

I freely admit the obvious, I’m not in shape anymore—except maybe the shape of plump.  During all those projects, I beat myself up pretty badly for things I once was able to do much easier.  And frankly, I probably should still be able to do them without the damage I caused my body.  I felt like I strained or pulled muscles, ligaments, and everything else in my legs.  Knees, which my doctor had previously shared suffer unfixable damage with age, hurt so much I could barely walk.  

And somewhere, somehow, for the first time in my life I pulled a hamstring in my right leg.  Hopefully it’s the only time.  My gosh it was painful.  I communicated my woes with my primary physician via the handy app, and he confirmed my suspicions.  He told me to continue to stay off my feet and keep cold compresses on it.  The hamstring slowly got better as expected.  Not so much the knees, especially my right knee.  On this trip, sadly I was once again severely limited to walking distances.  (I am going in for a consultation with my physician soon.)

The trip continues.   

I was able to walk around town a little bit.  Twice we walked to Bijou Bakery for breakfast.  They have a great seating area under a large canopy.  The bacon quiche and pastries were delicious.   

Spending several days in the coastal climate is always a reminder for me about growing up in similar climates.  We really enjoyed our time, reading, relaxing, and Kari taking Parfait on long walks around town.  As she walked, she noticed several properties for sale.  That led to wondering how outrageous the real estate market is in Cayucos—and it is—to realizing once again, the only way we could move to a place like this is to win the lottery.  Kari purchased tickets, knowing that with any winnings we have already agreed to give have the net to our church.  We’ll be staying in Clovis. Our church is getting an extra dollar this year. 

Our time in Cayucos briefly overlapped with Fresno friends.  On our second to the last night, we had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Luanda Garden Bistro.  We dined in a recessed garden patio with Fresno friends Chris and Bill Trollinger and former Fresnan Sharon Van Loon who is now a local in the area near Cayucos.  On our final night, we joined those three again at a home next to our RV park rented by Fresno friends Tina and Gary Kinsey, who were hosting a traditional taco night for their large family gathering.  It was crazy, delicious, and very fun.    

We broke camp the next day and headed south to Ventura, stopping for lunch in a dirt pullout along US-101 north of Santa Barbara for an ocean view trailer lunch.  

We noted how trashy the highway is thanks to discourteous people tossing their litter out.  By coincidence, as we ended our lunch, a CalTrans team showed up and started cleaning the area.  Some heroes wear orange.  

Ventura County’s Hobson Beach Campground was our destination for three nights. 

There really isn’t a view of the Pacific Ocean from the campground site due to the protective rock wall, yet the sounds of the ocean are constant.  I was a bit worried it would be noisy at night because there were so many children running around during the day, but at 10 pm, the only sounds were the ocean.  The campground also has a snack bar with good food, and the showers clean.  

On Tuesday, July 16, our 36^th wedding anniversary, our first full day in Ventura was fulfilling the primary need to dos, first, visiting the grave of my parents.  

Stepping back to November 16, 2023, I mentioned in a prior post I was in Ventura for my aunt’s funeral, who is buried a short dis from my parents.  After her service, I went into the office to inquire about my parent’s grave.  Their flower vase was originally donated by the Ventura South Rotary Club.  The base is basically two pieces.  One is a tube that is permanently installed in the ground, and the other piece was smaller in diameter.  One way in the hole, and there's a metal cover for the hole.  Pull it out, flip it over and put it back in, and boom, flower vase.  It was always off center and at a different distance from the headstone as compared to others.  It’s always hard to find, and it never seems the groundskeepers flipped the lid back up to cover the hole.  I have measurements and photos from prior visits to help, but we usually have to dig around stabbing the ground at an angle with a long screwdriver to find the edge of the tube because without the top in its proper place, grass fills it up.  So my office visit in November 2023 resulted in submitting a work order to have the vase checked and moved.  There was an understanding that I might need pay for a replacement, but they would contact me if there was an issue.  I never heard anything, so my presumption all was well.   

This visit, no matter what we did, we couldn’t find the vase at all.  Over twenty years, and this was a first.  Not wanting look weird, but the two of us were kneeling over a gravesite, one with a hand trowel and the other with a long long screwdriver, stabbing away probably looked rather odd to someone paying attention to us.  I was beyond frustrated that I couldn’t find it.  Kari kept checking while I drove to the office and waited for them to finish with another client.   I shared the situation about the vase, when I was there in November, the work order I wrote out and handed in to them personally, and our current frustrations.  There was keyboard typing, file cabinet checking, and hushed conversations off to the side. 

The resulting report was, they had no record of the work order I had submitted.   Yet, for a fee of $25, they would locate the vase by the end of the day, but recommended in the future to call in advance and pay the fee and they would locate it beforehand.  Not knowing Kari’s progress, I declined their offer for today and left the office.   

Kari hadn’t had any luck, so I went with Plan B.  I dug a small hole with the trowel, stuck the flowers directly in the ground, added water and compacted the dirt around them.  

I’ll call in advance next time.   

Consolation came in the form of required delicious corn burritos from Foster Freeze.  I’ve talked about them before, and I’ll talk about them in the future.  But that’s enough for today.   

The final stop before heading back to the trailer was a stop at McConnell's Fine Ice Cream on Main St.  Barbara Streisand had mentioned it in her book, especially the coffee flavored ice cream.  Kari bought a selection, and they were all good, especially the coffee.  I saved it for home in Clovis, and topped it with something my mother did, chocolate syrup with a topping made of crushed cornflakes and peanuts mixed with melted brown sugar and butter. Yum!

Our anniversary dinner was a grilled steak, small red potatoes that were mashed, and salad.  Simple and delicious.  I only wish I left my nicer shirt on before taking our anniversary selfie photo.  I'm still crazy in love with this woman.  I'm a blessed man.  

Wednesday, July 17^th was live person visitation day. The morning started with a visit to our campsite by former Buena High School classmate Tim Hoctor.  When we head into Ventura, Tim is one of the folks we always wonder how he’s doing.  I’ve always really liked Tim, but in all honesty, Tim and I weren’t the closest of buddies.  We attended different Junior High schools so we didn’t have that bond.  At Buena, we had classes together, hung with the same common folks, and attended the same parties and events. 

Tim, as a career realtor, was really helpful after my father died when we were preparing to move my mom to Fresno and sell their Ventura home.  Since I was working in the Bay Area at the time, Tim would occasionally stop by and see my bedridden mom as we were getting the house ready for market.  Later, Tim shared that he always enjoyed talking with my mom (just that makes one feel good), but added something she shared with him.  I think it was the last visit with my mom, and Tim asked her if there was anything else he could do for her.  She said, he could go outside and smell the grass for her.  Tim said it was an emotional moment.  We had a great chat getting caught up with each other’s lives, mutual friends, and travel adventures.  

In the afternoon, my cousin Bill Stone and his wife Shelly hosted us at their home.  Kari had never met them, and it was really nice getting caught up and sharing with them.  They included their current desire to move to Oklahoma so they could be closer to their daughters and grandchildren.  They surprised me with a photo album that had a lot of photos of my father when he was younger, many during World War II.  I’m going to enjoy going through it and exploring some of my father’s past that he didn’t like to talk about, something not unusual for many WWII veterans. 

On July 18^th, we headed home, back to the heat.  It was our first trip over the Grapevine with our little rig.  It performed very well.  Lunch was parked at the Taco Bell in Wheeler Ridge so Kari could run next door to In-N-Out to pick up burgers. 

The only incident, or close call, was north of Bakersfield on SR-99 approaching Merced Rd off-ramp.  Some people just gotta drive like idiots.  Enjoy the video.