August 24th – Sept 1st, 2019

Well it seems I’m really late in posting. The plan had been that I’d keep notes each day of the trip but alas, too much fun was being had to keep up! So I’ll have to rely on memory (that will be loosely accurate) and share some of the highlights of our trip back East.

 We headed out Saturday afternoon Portland to launch from the Radisson by the Airport. We grabbed a night cap in the hotel bar and hit the hay early so we could be up and at ‘em by 3:45 (yes – AM!) We hit the shuttle at 4:20 and made the airport in plenty of time.

We had a long layover between flights at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and after walking a couple of loops to explore lunch options we decided on seaweed salad and a jalapeño sushi roll at a spot near our gate. Megan did wine and I experimented with a new cocktail. Cucumber Gimlets rock! 

We roamed around and took a gander at the airport’s dinosaur (because of course an airport needs a dinosaur). This baby is a 4 story high, 72 feet long Brachiosaurus skeleton and it  seems he is a perfect photo op.

We touched down in Traverse City and had a happy reunion with Kathleen who we’d been missing big time while she was back home in the East.

We stayed with Kathleen and her husband Steve at Kathleen’s mom’s summer house in Old Mission Township. It was lovely and comfy and had a great front porch with wicker rockers for our morning coffee, bird / butterfly watching and reading. Just down the road was a waterfront view of East Grand Traverse Bay We had some sunny skies and beachfront seats that couldn’t be beat. 

Traverse City was very cool! We did some downtown shopping and found all things Traverse City and some great boutiques and shops. We stopped in at the  Grand Traverse Distillery and Megan and I did some Vodka tasting. We even got to keep the glasses. Kathleen kept an eye on us since she was not only our hostess with the mostest, but our designated driver too. 

We shopped until dinner time and settled in at Sparks BBQ where we ordered LOTS of BBQ, yummy sides and an end of the day cocktail.

We loved Cherry Republic where everything is cherry, the salsas, jam, jelly, potato chips, and tons of ice cream flavors all named “cherry”!  We’d eaten plenty but I’d wished there had been room for dessert. I’m not sure how you choose with flavors like Chocolate Cherry, Cherry Waffle Chip, Sour Cherry Sorbet, Cherry Caramel Apple and Cherry Coffee Ice Cream with Chunks of Espresso just to name a few.

 We made a return visit to downtown Traverse City late in our trip to browse about, do some last minute shopping  and have side-by-side pedicures at Pavlova Day Spa followed by pretzels and bagels. Because gals have to keep their strength up!

We visited Leelanau Peninsula for shopping at Leelanau Cheese Shop and Hawkins Farm Wines for a tasting. I’m not a big wine drinker but ya know – you just shouldn’t let a friend taste alone, so I followed Megan’s lead. She has a little wine journal where she can record the winery, the type and name of the wine and all of it’s characteristics. Since I was pretty much a stranger to wine I was happy to rely on her judgement. 

There was plenty to do in Suttons Bay. We shopped and gallery hopped and shopped some more. The Bayside Gallery was really lovely and a good place to start our day.

Suttons Bay has a really pretty harbor at the edge of town.

We stopped for a snack at the Village Inn Grill and had a cold drink and some garlic aioli fries and sweet potato fries. I had the Leelanau Cherry made with Grand Traverse Cherry Vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade.

Refueled and refreshed we headed to Candy World for a to-go dessert(s). The thing is, its too hard to choose so we each got a chunk o’ fudge and one Steve liked too. It was DELICIOUS in every flavor!

The weather was great for our adventures. To make sure we had a well rounded day, we stopped at the Ice Cream Factory. It was a great last impression of Suttons Bay.

On the Old Mission Peninsula we visited the Old Mission Lighthouse. There was a lovely view behind the lighthouse of Grand Traverse Bay. If one of us had a longer arm our selfie would have been a bit more complete but this view is kinda “special”.

We did a short hike through the area and a fellow visitor got a great shot of us on the trail. 

We stepped back in time at the Hesler House built by Mary and Joseph Hesler in the mid 1800’s. It was hand built and later moved to this location where it still gets lots of attention from visitors.

A beautiful view and another wine tasting for Megan and I at Chateau Chantal. Megan got some wine to go for later on and made some more entries in her wine journal and I just tasted and tasted. 

I learned that wine has a lovely buzz even if you aren’t a wine lover.

We finished up our time in the Old Mission Penninsula at the Jolly Pumpkin in Bowers Bay. We were plenty hungry and the waitress didn’t bat an eye when we ordered drinks and appetizers of Parmesan Bread Sticks, Corn Chowder, Truffled French Fries with amber ale mayonnaises and housemade chips for starters. We ordered pizzas too (we were apparently starving)!  We left feeling fat and happy with lots of to-go boxes!

We made a trip to the Visitor Center in the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore Park to check out the wildlife in the area.

There was a great view of Glen Lake.

We headed to Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. It was crazy how steep the sand dune was to the Lake Michigan and even crazier all the people who were trotting down and huffing back up again. You have to look closely to see the tiny folks coming and going on the dune.

They even warn you that you might not be up for the return trip. We decided against it, mostly because we’d rather spend our money on fun stuff and not on a rescue.  That would have been a story to tell though!

We roamed around in the slightly windy but sunny day.

Every trip has its special moment and ours was no exception. On the last night we headed down the road after dark in our PJ’s, flip flops and sweatshirts and our phones as flashlights. We were on a quest to find the Aurora Borealis that was supposed show in our part of town. It was a little like being on a snipe hunt, searching for a beauty in the sky that alluded us no matter what direction we traveled in. The cloud cover kept it hidden but we had such a good time! It was the perfect way to end a trip full of great memories! 

I’m hoping there will be more adventures for us down the road. A week full of shopping, great food, sightseeing, relaxing and laughter is incredibly good for the soul.

Please see the side note at the bottom of this post.

July 1, 2019 – It really doesn’t feel like we’ve been living the gypsy life in Lucky for 2 1/2 years. It’s been amazing in so many ways. I’ve loved waking up in new places and knowing that most of what we would see and do in a day, would be a one time experience.

 We had some setbacks but we managed to live across, in and through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and the tip of Texas. We haven’t yet been to Wyoming, Utah or Colorado (but Wyoming is on the calendar for a road trip next year). We’ve seen cool and quirky places and been able to see the past up close and personal in monuments, museums, historical towns, cliff dwellings and other odd places like the Tattoo Museum and Bordello Museum. The skies, the landscapes, and the beauty of the state and national parks and roads in-between were amazing! I can honestly say this has been one of the best chapters of my life. I never saw it coming and I hope whatever we do next can even come close.

 We never needed anything more than we had with us and learned how really simple life can be. The one thing that was missing was being with our friends both in the Valley and at the Coast. My plan is to make up for lost time. I’m not really feeling “settled down” though and hopefully this is going to be a fish-for-all  season for JP. I’m hoping to spend time with the kids, take some road trips and have adventures with friends while we are wheels down. So keep me in mind if you need a co-pilot for a trip or a partner in crime for a weekend getaway or whatever might come up where you need an accomplice! 

luckyontheloose.blog will stay up and since we use it as a diary/travel log I’ll still post when we have something to share or are having an adventure of some sort. If you follow us you’ll know when we have news to share.

This chapter of our life wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for so many of our friends who helped us out by stowing our pull trailer, the boat, and car. We had such great support while JP was recovering from surgery and had a real house to stay in for as long as it took. We had rides, food and nursing care, plus friends who had answers for all our medical questions along the way and who were there for us in so many ways. We were spoiled by friends who wined and dined us and had us stay with them, use their washer and dryer, treated us to hair care, and kept us in their circle even though we were on the road. Knowing your tribe still cares about you, even when you are miles away is priceless. Whenever I think about this chapter of our life it will be with full gratitude! We are truly so very lucky!

Side Note: I’m only able to see how many people look in on our blog and the number of posts read. So, I don’t know who you are. Whether you’ve just popped in from time to time or you’ve been following us, just pop in and say hi by making a comment on the blog. I’d love to see who’s been on-board with us on our first chapter. 

June 28th – June 30th, 2019

We pulled into Gills Landing for the last days of June. Back to Lebanon again – this time for more than just a pause. Its been 12 1/2 years since we left our house in Sodaville to head to the coast for a job opportunity for JP. That makes our house 17 1/2 years old now and its time to bring the old gal back up to speed. We’re parking Lucky at the house and have a huge to do list to keep us busy when the bite isn’t on. The boat will be out and about too because its summer and there will be FISHIN’!

We have a plan – and that is to decide what we want to do next  by the end of the year.  In the meantime we have the next 6 months and they are already filling up with things to look forward to.  Lucky won’t be retired. He’s already booked in Bandon for Sept. and Oct. for the fishing season. So life goes on while we decide what’s next. Try the Gypsy Life in Lucky again? Get a cab over camper so we can roam and pull the boat? Throw all the chips in one pot and get a camper van? Get a comfy car to travel in and hotel it to new destinations? Stay put but live to cruise? Who knows? But we’ve got some time to ponder it! Until then – home again!

June 26th -June 28th, 2019

Wednesday June 26th – We left Canyonville and headed back to Bandon. JP wanted to pick up his boat which has kindly been stored at our friends Mike and Ann’s place for most of our road trip. We stayed at their house when JP was recovering from surgery so it feels like home.

Thursday June 27th –  Ann made us all a nice breakfast and she and I went thrift store shopping (quite successfully too) and got back just as Robert, Mike and JP got in from an uneventful fishing trip. 

Our friends Robert and Sue just got back from a road trip and had their granddaughter Taylor visiting from California. So the Johnson’s, the Richey’s and the Pomeroy’s did dinner at Billy Smoothboar’s so we could all catch up. 

Friday June 28th – We were packed up and JP had the boat hooked up in no time. Mike and Ann took us to breakfast in old town Bandon before we hit the road back to the Valley. A short but sweet visit!

Monday June 23rd -Tuesday June 25th 2019

Sunday June 23rd – We pulled into familiar territory at Gills Landing RV in Lebanon. Its’s a great little park on the river and just at the edge of town so close to everything. We got settled in and caught up on a few things since our stay this go is short.

Monday June 24th – Gwen and JP and I did dinner at Johnny Carino’s to celebrate our upcoming anniversary. That means we have been friends for 47 years! Crazy!

Tuesday June 25th – Today was our 47th Anniversary and 7 Feathers Casino in Canyonville just happened to send us a free hotel stay – so what choice did we have but to go? It really seems impossible that 47 years has passed but I did find a reminder of what our days together started like – 1971 High School Formal. Damn!

We ate, played slots, hit the hot tub, and slept in a KING size bed (which is nothing like a RV Queen bed)! It was a perfect little getaway – and we did just that. We got away with our money and a little of theirs! Still lucky after all these years . . . 

June 21st – June 23rd

Friday June 21st – We headed out to Cottage Grove for our camping trip and Bass Tournament but somehow ended up at the Pro Bass Shop (formerly Cabella’s). JP got a new rod and a variety of bass goodies while I toured the weird inside/outside of Gateway Mall. We hit the road and got into camp just after Wanda, Ben, Corey, Lisa and Gabe. The boys had to be up at some crazy time for the tournament so we did dinner and campfire they were out. 3:30 comes just a bit too early!

Saturday June 22nd – Wanda, Lisa and I slept in some and once we realized we were all awake it was coffee time. We got put together and then . . . Did someone say “casino?” and we were off to 7 Feathers (an hour and a half away). It was a great little road trip and we spent just long enough at the casino and headed back to the Lake.

The fellas had a rough day. The bite just wasn’t where they were and what they caught didn’t thrill them, but JP and Ben had a good day anyway. Corey and Gabe didn’t end the day happy campers either but alas – there’s always another tournament. The Winner of the tournament had a 9.5 # bass in his bag. That’s a winner!  We had a nice supper and campfire but the boys were beat and the night was short. 

Sunday June 23rd – Ben and JP went back out on the lake in the AM just for fun and came back in time for a full breakfast by Wanda and Lisa. The whole meal deal, eggs, bacon, pancakes – fuel to pack up and head out.

June 19th – June 20th, 2019

It was a short stop but it was good seeing Gwen. Lucky feels right at home in her driveway and her pup Presley and Jerry are quite the pair!

Gwen’s been great about having us for our pit stops. Her house and yard are lovely this time of year and there’s always banana bread for JP!

We were only there long enough to supply up and visit a bit, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up after the 1st of July!

Saturday June 15th – Tuesday June 18th, 2019

We headed north 80 miles from Sequim WA to Shelton WA to meet up with Jerry’s sister Penny and her hubby Dan. The RV park  was  a short walk to the Little Creek Casino. 

We had time to pull our lawn chairs out and catch up before we headed to the Car Show at the Casino Hotel. 

In the evening we had a good meal at the buffet and hit the slots for awhile before heading back for happy hour at the RV Park. We didn’t get any photos so I cheated and snagged this pix from Vegas in 2017.

The next  morning we had Father’s Day  breakfast together before Penny and Dan had to head back up North. It was great getting to visit with them even though we all wished it had been longer.

JP and I spent the next couple of days trying to make the WiFi work well enough to get the photos for the blog to downloaded without much success. We couldn’t resist the call of the casino and luckily we came away with no loss at all! Which by any measure is a WIN. A great way to end our road trip through Washington’s Olympic Peninsula!

Our Washington trip took us to Aberdeen, Kalaloch, Forks, La Push, Neah Bay, Joyce, Sekiu, Clallam Bay, Brag Bay, Port Angeles, Sequim and Shelton Wa. We covered some ground!

Friday June 14th, 2019

Today was dark and overcast so we did some shopping, and waited for the day to clear up. We got lucky and with the sun overhead we drove up to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park . It was beautiful and the mountains were crowned with snow. Lots of sight seeing folks and hikers too. It was a beautiful in every direction!

It was beautiful and the mountains were crowned with snow. Lots of sight seeing folks and hikers too. It was a beautiful in every direction!

Next stop was Dungeness wildlife Refuge. It was lovely and the volunteers were the cheeriest we’d come across. They obviously love being there to meet and greet all the visitors.

We couldn’t resist another stop at the 7 Cedars Casino for another great dinner. a  We’ve been havin’ luck and fun at the slots and not spending any of our own money! We just play and leave while we have some of the casino’s money. That way if there just happens to be another casino somewhere down the line we’re primed!

Thursday June 13, 2019 

Sequim WA has the perfect amount of rain for lavender (annual rainfall 16″) and there are farms aplenty. We stopped at B&B’s Lavender farm and the Mrs. took us on a small personal tour. It was really beautiful and interesting. The whole family is involved, and beyond the growing and harvesting the family makes lavender essential oils, lavender cleaner, and an array of other lavender products. The Lavender Festival is in July and brings thousands of visitors to Sequim.

We saw lots of signs for the Olympic Game Farm with a picture of a bear who looks to be waving. I kept telling JP I wanted a bear to wave at me  (knowing full well bears don’t wave). So just for fun we stopped into the Olympic Animal Farm.

It’s a drive through animal park and you buy a loaf of the only approved animal bread for 3.00 and slowly drive around the park with your windows down to meet (and feed bread to) the inhabitants. The animals have the advantage and head straight to the open car windows and plunge their heads inside if they’re tall enough. Shorter fellas put their nose on the windowsill and stare at you until you surrender the bread. There’s nothing like feeding bread to a Bison (a wee bit unsettling too)!

As for the bears – we’ll they don’t roam like the zebras, llamas, deer, elk. bison and other creatures. They’re each in their own fenced open space. They’re senior bears and seem to be just watching the parade of humans driving by.

I waved at the big old bear and to my amazement. . . the old fella sat up and actually DID wave back at me! Who knew? But then, these weren’t ordinary bears. They’re actors and retired performers. Some were once part of Disney Studios. They are  spending their retirement years in Sequim in the heart of Lavender Land.

Later (after JP washed all the animal spit and snot off the truck) we tried our luck at 7 Cedars Casino. We had brisket nachos and tacos (so good) and cocktails. It was tequila Thursday so Premium Rita’s for me. JP stayed on his winning streak. It was a great day and a fun night out.