Photo Contest Blue Ribbon Award

Yesterday was the WBCCI Photo Contest with several hundred digital photos entered in
three categories: Human Interest, Airstream Memories, and Scenic/Inanimate Objects. We feel fortunate to have won three ribbons. We took first place in Human Interest division with our old, craggy faced Tombstone gunslinger. That photo was a hand-held shot at 35 feet using a Canon Rebel Eos mount with a Sigma
18-200mm telephoto lens. We also were awarded honorable mention in the same category with a photo of our granddaughter and her dad. We think their priceless expressions wooed the judges. That shot was taken when Courtney, Josh, and Althea met us in Big Bend National Park. The setting is the interior of our Airstream. Our other honorable mention was for the colorful umbrellas on a dune at White Sands National Monument. Note the lost sandal.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Yesterday we took a 250 mile bus tour of the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. The fields are lush and green, the flowers are plentiful, and the beautiful horses grazing on the rolling terrain reminded us of Kentucky, where we lived for 13 years. We first visited the Philip Foster Home. Philip was an entrepreneur from the East who realized that there was money to be had at the end of the old Oregon Trail. That is where he claimed a 640 acre piece of land. As thousands of early settlers struggled past Mt. Hood, the first site of progress they encountered was the Foster Farm and General Store. There they could find a room, get a bath, get their horses shod, repair their wagons and stock up on needed supplies.

Next we visited the Timberline Lodge at an elevation of 6000 feet. This marvelous architectural masterpiece was constructed by the U.S. Forest Service with labor provided by the WPA. Many starving artists and craftsmen of the Great Depression Era worked on the project. The outside shell of the picturesque, huge building took only eight months to complete. Because of the heavy snows that blanket the area each winter, speed was essential. So proud was President Roosevelt of the success and beauty of the finished work that he personally came to Oregon in 1937 to dedicate the lodge.

We were served lunch at Timberline and could see skiers coming off the slopes of Mt. Hood from our dining area. Very little has changed at the lodge since it was built. It still has the original layout, furnishings and hardware, and because it is on the National Historic Register, little can be altered. It was the first structure east of the Mississippi to employ a sprinkler system. The latter has saved the old lodge from fire on several occasions.

We also visited Multnomah Falls, second highest in the U.S. at 620 feet. Then our leisurely journey continued on the narrow, twisting Columbia Historic River Highway, one of the top 10 Scenic By-ways in the country. Another highpoint was Vista House at Crown Point. By early evening we reached Portland and then it was back home to the rally in Salem.

Salem, Oregon

We have arrived at the site of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International Rally 2006. Our drive up I-5 from Northern California was rolling and beautiful with green mountains and busy rivers along both sides of the highway. We camped near Mt. Shasta, which is covered with snow. It is actually a volcano.

When we left Virginia in November, the only date that we had to keep was June 14, our scheduled arrival at the fairgrounds in Salem. We have "early worker" responsibilities.


This is the 49th year that Airstreamers have gathered to have fun, fellowship and adventure. The rally is always held around Wally Byam's birthday, which is July 4. It was Wally who invented the Airstream and founded the Airstream Company. He was also the first to organize RV caravans. Each year the International Rally is held in a different part of the country. By the time everyone arrives here on June 27 for the opening ceremony, over a thousand Airstreams from every state and from Canada will be parked.

Our first WBCCI Rally was 10 years ago in Rapid City, South Dakota, and we have attended a total of five. This year our rig is located next to the Hart of the Garden Building, which is appropriately named. Usually, we are parked rather snuggly, awnings touching, with neighbors on both sides. Here, because of a big tree between us and the Hart Building, no one can be parked next to our curb side. Our door opens onto a spacious yard with a flower garden view.

Last night we, along with several hundred other early workers, enjoyed a spagetti dinner here at the fairgrounds. This morning, in chilly, overcast weather, a pancake breakfast was served. Gloria has already been oriented regarding her post office duties and is on task. Jerry will soon begin preparing for his seminar for the Region Officers.

Now Departing Travis Air Force Base

Travis AFB is located in Northern California near Stockton. We have been here for a few days doing nothing exciting except enjoying fellowship with our good friends, Chuck and Joyce. They too are heading for the International Airstream Rally (WBCCI) in Salem, Oregon. Chuck and Joyce formerly lived in Northern VA and were among the more stalwart leaders of our local Airstream club. We had not seen them since they moved to Florida more than a year ago. What a joy it was to catch up on old times! We played 313, Rats, watched the Burrowing Owls along a roadside, attended chapel together, and shared several meals. Joyce even cooked an artichoke, which allowed us to peel and dip until we finally grew weary of the challenge and went for the more traditional stuff. Our friends travel in a gorgeous Airstream Land Yaght. They will linger here a few more days at the famcamp. The latter has lots of trees, and the grass is carefully manicured. The campground is meticulously cared for by a couple who have been here for 13 years. No camp managers are more conscientious, but you had better not drive on the grass or break the 5 mph speed limit.

As for us, we will be heading north toward Oregon in about one hour. Gloria's services are needed at the rally post office. It is already operational, as other early workers are arriving and need to receive their mail. As we travel, we will continue to stock up on the wonderful fruit and veggies that are available at myriad roadside stands.

Alcatraz

Jerry has always wanted to visit Alcatraz so this would be his chance. He began his career as a social worker at two different Ohio prisons, one for men and one for women. In those days, it was a badge of courage for an inmate to brag that he had done time at Alcatraz. It was the pentitentary for the most hardened inmates who had broken federal statues. Men like Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman," were legends.

We caught the ferry in sunny, brisk, windy weather, and the ride was a short one. We would meet one of the few living ex-Alcatraz inmates, a man named Coons. He was there hawking his book and providing autographs. Time has not make him a friendly man.

The prison was originally constructed as a military barracks, but was turned over to the Bureau of Prisons in 1933 toward the end of the prohibition era. Due to rundown conditions and the expense of maintaining such a hard-to-reach facility, the prison closed for good in 1963. During the Vietnam era, the Indians illegally took over the deserted island and claimed it for their own. Many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. The residence that had served all four wardens was burned beyond repair in 1970, but the photo will show that it was quite the exclusive mansion. Eventually the government took the facility over again, and it is now a National Park.

Only three men ever got off the Alcatraz Island (1946) when they dug through the walls of their three cells with spoons stolen from the mess hall. They were never heard from again. Probably they died in the cold choppy waters between the prison and the city.

San Francisco

We left our trailer at Petaluma and headed to San Francisco to visit June, another of Gloria's Delta Gamma roomies from the fifties. We stayed overnight in hilly Berkeley with June and Cal in their unique 1920s vintage English tudor home. From our bedroom window, we could see the lights of both Oakland and San Francisco along with a bright moon that was nearly full.

It was great fun reminiscing about old college days at BGSU. As Jerry recalls, his ATO fraternity brothers saw the DGs as attractive, smart, well-groomed and mostly on their good behavior. No sorority girl would be seen smoking on the street. The girls wore heels on dates, and the guys wore conservative jackets and narrow Ivy League ties with thin stripes. During the week, the women had to be back at the sorority house by 9:15 p.m. or else they got demerits. If they visited the fraternity houses, they were strictly prohibited from going near the bedrooms, and they were under the constant, watchful eyes of the house mothers. In those days Coke was to drink, and grass had to be mowed. "Making out" meant that you kissed her goodnight. My how times have changed!

The next morning after breakfast at June's, we headed for Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. The statue of Joseph Strauss, Chief Engineer of the Bridge, stands proudly at site. They said it could not be done, but Joe showed them all. The bridge still stands after all these years, carrying thousands of vehicles every day. The first car drove across this single span marvel in 1937. We have been to San Franciso several times, but we never tire of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Petaluma & Bodega Bay, CA

We are camped at the US Coast Guard Training Center in a beautiful rural area seven miles west of Petaluma. Contented cattle are grazing on the picturesque, rolling terrain that surrounds the base. Big rocks seem to grow right out of the farmland. The campground is situated near a scenic pond that serves the Center. A few miles west of is lovely Bodega Bay. Several quaint little towns with their historic buildings are located on the backroads. We visited Carolyn, one of Gloria's Delta Gamma roomates from BGSU. We had not seen her since we graduated in 1957. Carolyn and Charles treated us to a wonderful lunch at their posh waterfront club. Their lovely home is located nearby.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir & O'Shaughnessy Dam

Most visitors to Yosemite never see the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Many, including John Muir, argued with the 1913 Congressional Act to build it. It will probably be the last dam to be built in the park. It is not well publicized, and the road leading to it is narrow, winding and dangerous. However, the hike thrrough a mountain tunnel and on around the reservoir to a waterfall makes the trip worthwhile. This reservoir provides 85 percent of the water for the San Francisco Bay Area. The water is probably the purest in the nation in that it comes from the melting snow on the mountains in Yosemite. After being drawn from the reservoir, it is transferred 161 miles to the San Francisco urban area through huge pipes constructed to use gravity to facilitate the transfer. To control the water level, seven vents in the O'Shaughnessy Dam allow the surplus water to thrust through into the beautiful Tuolumne River.

As we were returning to camp from the Hetch Hetchy on scenic
Rt. 49, we passed through the quaint town of Mocassin. Note the little bridge to nowhere. If you click on it, you will see the pipelines mentioned above.

Glacier Point in Yosemite NP

As one stands at the rail at the Glacier Point Visitors Center, the view is unforgettable. Not only does the glacier loom large in the forefront, but Nevada Falls cascades downthe mountainside into Vernal Falls. That unique waterfall area is known as the Giant Staircase. Another huge landmark is Half Dome Rock. We were delighted to be able to photograph a cuyote that sauntered across the road in front of us.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

There may be more beautiful routes than 180 Scenic By-Way through these two majectic parks, but if so, we have not driven them. The giant sequoia trees are so awesome that words alone cannot describe them. There are no larger trees in the world. It is hard to believe that some of the ones in this park date back to hundreds or years before the birth of Christ. The more staturesque ones are named for famous Civil War generals like Grant, Lee, and Sherman.

After stopping at the visitors center, we took an out-of-the-way, winding, downhill, three mile drive to beautiful, blue Hume Lake. We could see the snow-capped mountains in the distance. There we watched the boats, enjoyed a bug-free picnic, and praised the Lord for such a perfect, romantic site.

Driving 30 miles farther, rounding numerous hairpin turns, we reached the end of Rt. 180. We could hear the roar of the churning, ferocious Kings River that paralleled our route. When we stopped to take photos, the cool breezes engulfed us. For millions of years, this angry river has carved its way through solid granite and moved everything in its path. What a joy it was to see it doing its endless work.

We are thankful to John Muir who pressed for the preservation of this great piece of terrain. We stood on the huge rock where he used to give his presentations, and could feel the power of his mission. While he died long before FDR and his Secretary of Interior ensured that the park would be preserved, Muir gets credit for his explorations, courage and foresight.

Scenic Bass Lake

Today we had to have the seals replaced in our transmission after having driven our Yukon 136,000 miles. Many of those miles included towing a 34 Airstream.
At noon we drove to scenic, tranquil Bass Lake for a picnic. We rested, read, went antiquing and visited a wonderful thrift store. The owners are two ladies who take no pay for their work. All profits are donated to five different charities. If you don't mind living in California and love boating, fishing and a fantastic view, Bass Lake is the place to build your upscale, lakeview retirement home.

Yosemite NP: America's Great Cathedral

Today we visited this fantastic national park, our oldest, preserved by President Lincoln in 1865. It officially became a National Park in 1890. What a treasure it is! We were fortunate to have perfect weather and be able to photograph several animals, including two huge bears. We hiked for eight miles, rode the shuttle to Mirror Lake and drove 70 miles within the park's 1200 acres. Not a bad day of touring for a couple of oldsters. The last time we were here was in 1961, when we drove our trusty Renault Dauphine, with a tall luggage rack, and camped with Robin, age 3 and a 16 year old foster daughter. Jerry had just earned his MSW at Ohio State. We were shocked back then at the California gas prices--$.70 per gallon compared to $.26 in our native Ohio.