Day Nine- The Final Approach

I have never before cried upon arriving at our new home base, but I sure did this time.  Tears of relief and thanksgiving.  What a journey.  What an adventure!

Day Eight- Tackling Siskiyou Summit

This was my most dreaded day.  I had googled and read far too much about the mountain pass ahead of us.  My imagination can tend to run wild, and wild it ran.

Here was the sign, marking my end~ my decent, off the side of the mountain, plunging to my slow, painful, and untimely death...

My husband bought a labyrinth game for me on his iPad, Guys loaned me her mp3 player, Pops lent me his dirty t-shirt to put over the brim of my cowboy hat and I didn't plunge over the side of the mountain!  Thank you my sweet family, for humoring me.  And not taking my picture with a dirty shirt on my head.

We made it safe, and spent the evening relaxing and catching up with friends in Oregon.  It was a wonderful end to a not so bad day.

Day Seven California -The Grapevine

Putting SoCal behind us-

Rain, steep downgrades, four lanes of crazy drivers =

but then there was a reminder for me

He is always in control!

Southern California- Good Times

 Rush hour traffic is no longer my thing...

Times with Great Grandma however, we love that!

Southern California- The Aquarium

Guys' Aquarium Guide proved so useful, though she loves science so much, she had practically every fact memorized.

Day Six, California!

Gotta love California!

gas prices rose by a dollar a gallon in a matter of a mile!!!

Palm trees, and mountains!

yup, it is still there!

and we made it, anxious for a few days respite.  The salty air of Seal Beach and the warm grass was refreshing.

So we headed to our favorite West Coast Restaurant

For giant portions of Claim Jumper YUM

and Grandpa met us there.

Day Five, Arizona

We had to stop in Hatch, NM and buy some famous Green Chilies.

and some "burn your face off" green burritos.  YUM!

(made me think of my dear sweet friend, Amanda)

We were so glad for the drastic change in weather- 62 degrees in Tucson!

That was another interesting night, being squashed (I mean inches) away from a bunch of semi's.  We weren't sure if we were intruding on some truck driver rules of no travel trailers full of family members or something, but we sat our rosemary bush right out the door and pulled out our slide anyhow!

and we made good use of the Walmart parking lot to refill our supplies.

Day Four- New Mexico

This was probably my least favorite day.  It was stressful.  And long.  And extremely cold!

we were still getting a kick out of seeing our house in the review mirror

 We safely dodged the winter storms and made it down the Raton Pass without a glitch.

but somehow we weren't aware of the pass just out side of Sante Fe.  It was big- 7,500 feet.  It was dark.  And it was covered with sloppy snow (at only 24 degrees, we were glad it wasn't ice) and semi truck drivers who don't care our windshield wipers aren't working.  It was not fun.  

And the temperature inside our trailer never rose above 34 degrees that night in Albuquerque.  It was cold.  Thank goodness for down comforters and long underwear!  I doubt I will ever think fondly of Albuquerque again.  I am so glad that day is over!