Secret Admirer

We were camping out in our Airstream trailer with a local California group. Upon returning from an evening event I heard delightful guitar music and singing from an adjacent campsite. It was brutally cold and I didn't want to stay outside, but I thoroughly enjoyed the music as I went back and forth with the dogs.
The next morning our campground neighbor was tidying up on his campsite. I asked if he was the guitar player and singer from the previous night. He indicated that he was. I complemented him, and told him of my enjoyment. Shortly thereafter, we Dreamers left the campground on an adventure.
As we returned, I noticed some Hydrangeas on our picnic table. Along with the flowers there were a few pieces of firewood (and more by our campfire ring), and a hand-labeled CD of music. I felt like I had a secret admirer!

Steff Kayser was my "secret" admirer. He hails from the Seattle area. The CD included his original songs in the same genre as others, such as, "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round", "Doctor My Eyes", and "Desperado".  If you ever have the opportunity to hear Steff sing, and like this genre of music (as I do) I highly recommend you take the time to listen, He's great!

Steff Kayser

By the Numbers: Westward, Here!

We arrived in Point Richmond, CA with no other misadventures. Here are a few facts and images from the trip.

2: oceans we have seen

8: states we traversed

11: campgrounds where we stayed

17: fuel stops (it seemed like we were always pulling in for fuel. Only 17?!)

48: lowest temperature we experienced - Amelia Island, FL

108: highest temperature we experienced - Palm Desert, CA

325: approximate number of gallons of fuel we burned

3258: miles we traveled - 881.5 were in Texas, alone!

This one is for Lori Skoog!

Gypsy Jabbers: Beachy Keen

I got to go in the truck. I likes goin inna truck. The man guy made a special  thing he called a platform so's me and Tucker have a smooth flat place to lie down behind his seat. I gist call it wood onna count it smells like wood. If I stands really tall I can see where we is being going down the road. It isn't hardly soft enough for a doggie princess like me. I am so spritely I can jump right up onto it. Hah! That lazy Tucker dog has to take a running jump. He's bigger n me, too. He says cause he's bigger he weighs more and gots more to lift up. Lame excuse if I ever heard one!

The day before this day I got in the truck and when I gots out I wasn't any place where I'd bin before. I was at the beach. We was camping at a place called Beverly Beach Camptown. The rolling noisy water was practically at our door. So was the three pretty ladies in a camper right next to us. I liked it cause I could get petted whenever they came out. One lady even got down and hugged me and scritched me special like. There was a people walk way right by the back and I could get pats from them, too. We was just that close. The Lady Who Feeds Me took Tucker dog n me down steps to the beach. I likes it. It smells good like food. I found a dead critter. The Lady Who Feeds Me says it was a crab. She pulled it outta my mouth. Rude! It was gonna be good. It was just the right kinda slimy thing. If I hadda found it a day later it'd be perfect for rolling on. That Tucker dog annoyed me onna count he wanted to wrestle and pretend bite. I just wanted to smell some more and maybe find somethin else to eat. That Tucker dog finely left me alone. He went to get a drink of the water. Ha ha. You shoulda seen his face when he got a drink. I don't know if it was onna count of the water moving or cause it was salty. I just smelled good things some more. 

The Lady Who Feeds Me got outta bed real early, and of course she stepped on me more than once. Is she blind? Can't she see me lying here on the hard floor right at the end of her bed? Ya know, if she'd a let me sleep on the bed this wouldn'a happen. But no, she makes me stay on the floor. Anyways, she takes me n that Tucker dog out to see the sun comin up. Seriously? This is worth  gettin up at the crack of dawn? I'd a rather have stayed sleeping... preferably on a princess kind of bed. We walked on the beach agin. I smelled more food stuff. Then later, after eating, I jumped back inna truck and we was back going down the road. 

Westward Ho!

... and so the journey begins!

Yesterday we parked the Airstream (the Silver Bubble) on the street next to our motorhome (Big Red) and transferred clothing, canned goods and more. Since our resort does not allow pull-behind campers, we took it to our storage garage for the night. We could plug it in there and get the refrigerator cold so we could transfer items from the motorhome to the Silver Bubble. Scott drove Big Red down today, I backed the Silver Bubble out, and we installed the motorhome in her summer quarters.

Tonight we are at a local campground in LaBelle, FL. It is fairly new and has a lot that travelers like about campgrounds. The sites are all covered in pavers (is it coincidental that the owner's oldest son manages the local paver company owned by his family?!) The sites are flat and access roads are adequate. There is a man-made pond/lake in the center of the campground with a nice pavered walk all the way around. Many sites front on the lake. This is a 55+ Mecca for snowbirds. The owner said they are generally full all winter, and they are building more sites. It will be a lovely park when plantings mature.

Knowing I have a penchant for bursting into song and changing words to fit the occasion... sing along with me… 

(Leaving on a Jet Plane)

The coach house is packed,

We’re ready to go,

There is so much in there, we could barely shut the door,

We’ve had so much fun it’s hard to say goodbye.

But the kids are calling,

They want their mom

The grand kids are bawlin’

It’s time to go home,

Already we’re so tired

We could cry….

So next year we will see you

We’ll have fun with things we’ll do

You’ll think of us like we will think of you

We’re leaving on our Airstream

RiverBend is an amazing  dream

It’s gonna get hot, we surely have to go….

(A Long, Long Way to Tipperary)

It’s a long way to California,

It’s a long way to go.

It’s a long way to California

To see the grand kids at their home.

Goodby, RiverBend

Farewell to all our friends.

It’s a long, long way to California

Soon we’ll be where summer never ends.

(See You in September)

We’ll be far away each and every night

We’ll miss RiverBend, it is such a delight;

Bye-bye, so long, farewell.

Bye-bye, so long.

See you in November,

See you when the summer's through.

Here we are (bye, friends, goodbye)

Saying goodbye from the road (bye, friends, goodbye)

Our trip to another home (bye, friends, bye, friends)

Is taking us away (bye, friends, goodbye)

We’ll have a good time but remember

Our travels give us things to think of

And we’ll see you in November

‘Cause RiverBend’s the place we love

(counting all the days ’til we come back)

(counting the miles and plotting our track )

Bye, friends, goodbye

Bye, friends, goodbye

Bye, friends, goodbye (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

Bye, friends, goodbye (bye-bye, so long)