November 12-15

November 12-15
Drove down the coast to Mendocino this morning and spent a few hours by the sea. Ahhh the ocean! The 3 of us exploring, climbing over rocks and marveling at the ocean and its waves. Ben & I spent a short while meandering down the streets of the quaint ocean town peering through the windows of local shops. We continued driving that afternoon, vineyard after vineyard wizzed by until we reached Geyserville.
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We were told of Lake Sonoma by a local and headed that way. We reached the campsite early enough for a hike down to the lake for a refreshing dip as well as to launder a few items. Sadie had a blast barrelling into the water after her ball. It felt great finally able to relax in a natural, quiet setting. When we arrived back at camp Ben ran a line for laundry, it was nice watching the garments blowing in the wind as the sun was setting. After sunset we hopped on our bikes and rode to the entrance to submit our fee--only 10 bucks! The cheapest weve found yet. Em spent the evening reading while Ben was widdling his staff made of Madrone wood from Grandpa Moosman. The next morning Ben finished up his staff (looks awesome!) while Em did some yoga at our spot overlooking the lake. Beautiful, warm day!

We packed up camp and were on the road to Santa Rosa. We drove around the northern outskirts of Santa Rosa looking to finish up some errands. It was our first real difficult experience driving Homey, big city with tight roads and very fast moving vehicles! We must move so much slower than others (especially pulling from side roads or parking lots into traffic) otherwise our tail bashes the concrete. (Thankfully we have a metal bar and wheels which scrape nice and smooth when we go real slow :) The way we interrupt the seemingly nonstop flow is comical to us now, its certainly teaching us how to be ok with a slower pace.

We had another first experience today--dumping the tank. Everything was going great. We (Ben) attached the hose and released the valve for full flow. Meanwhile we filled our water tank with fresh water. We were about to head out when Ben decided to check the tank and discovered it was still full! We had a clog! Nothing serious though. After trying a second time to no avail, we headed down the road to the local Wal-Mart in Windsor, Ca to purchase a de-clogger. We were allowed to return to that same RV stop without being charged a second fee, and worked all the kinks out.

Unsure of how to navigate to the Moosman home in Santa Rosa (Emily's Uncle Paul, Alice, Grady, & Owen) we stopped into a gas station to check out a map, and surprisingly spotted their road name & exit right from the highway. We arrived just as Paul and the boys were coming home from dinner. The boys ran off excess energy while we visited with Paul, just before heading to bed. They had the perfect spot for Homey to chill in their backyard.

In the morning we woke to the sounds of boys jumping, climbing, swinging from trees :) Theyve got an incredibly large backyard full of tree houses, zip lines, tetherballs, and even a bunny! Theres also a great space for the garden and several fruit trees. All of us spent the morning playing in the yard, jumping on the tramp, etc. Later the family took us to the local farmers market, where we enjoyed delicious coffee and stocked up on apples. After the market, all of us set out on our bikes to Grady and Owens favorite places to ride. First stop the church parking lot for some sweet jumps, then around a loop, over a creek, and finally to see a couple emus (or ostriches, we werent sure) What incredible birds!! The way they move is amazing to watch. That evening Paul treated us to a savory fresh from the garden dinner and we visited on into the evening.

November 10-11

November 10
We went right to securing Homey for the road this morning. Grandpa Moosman helped me fashion a walking stick out of some seasoned madrone wood he had beside his garage. They also provided us a cooler that can plug into a cigarette lighter (which is going to be handy on long stints without power). Thank you for all your help!!!:) They sent us off with hugs and full bellies!

It was a beautiful short drive to Grants Pass where we stopped to pick up a few totes for dog-food and small vaccum bags. When we returned to our vehicle we met a fellow vagabond (who's name has escaped me) driving a modified Volkswagon Vanagon.
We talked about travelling, solar panels, water capacity, water pumps and of course, politics. He gave us a short tour of his modified ride and we bid him adew.
We had homemade soup for lunch that Grandpa Moosman and Pat had sent with us. (yum-yum)

After lunch we continued down the Redwood Highway toward Crescent City. Just before crossing the border into California, we came upon a funky wood shop in Kerby, OR called the Burl Gallery.
The three of us wandered through the paths leading to fun tree houses and unique wood creations. We recommend checking out this neat shop if youre ever in the area.


The ocean at last!!!
We were really on our adventure now. We were finally at the coast :) We spent our evening parked by the ocean reading, eating and staring at the water listlessly, mesmorized by the endless breaking and retracting of the waves.

November 11

This morning we had the wonderful privelage of playing on the beach to start our day. It was raining pretty hard but we were not going to let that stop us. The two of us were clad head to toe with our nice new rain gear.
Our new outfits kept us perfectly dry and were worth every penny. Sadie ran up and down the beach chasing her ball and did not seem to mind the rain one bit. We gave her a bath in a nearby freshwater inlet with our biodegradable soap. This was a big releif to the both of us because she was beginning to smell terrible. She must have gotten into something stinky on the road!

We drove down the Redwood Highway marveling at the amazing forest. Giants of trees seemed to be creeping their way onto the winding road, forming tunnels which encircled us all around. The forest and its famous trees were incredibly massive and we could sense its ancient presence.
A redwood tree can live to be 2000 years old, its bark grows up to a foot thick, it can reach heights of 370 feet tall and may span twenty-two feet in diameter. This forest can really make a person feel small!! The red ground was covered with short, soft firns giving the forest floor a whimsical appearance. It truly is a magical place :)

We continued down the curvy Redwood Highway to our next ocean-side stop, Fort Bragg. It seemed to be a good place to park Homey for the night. We were both hungry and ready for some rest.

November 8-9

November 8
Woke early this morning to secure Homey for the road again. Mom and Ken were already awake and cooking a big breakfast for us. With full stomachs, many prayers, and a few added necessities for our adventure (a large medical reference guide as well as an axe) we were ready to get movin. The clouds were breaking in front of us and the sun began to shine, giving us a fighting chance of making it to our next stop on time.

We had been informed the day before that a new wing of the St. Vincent De Paul mission (in Medford, OR) was being dedicated to Emily's grandpa for the work and ideas he had had for an "urban rest stop". (The idea behind the "urban rest stop" was to be a place where the needy would be able to shower and wash thier clothes). I finished buttoning my shirt as we jogged to the door making the ceremony in the nick of time. You should have seen the look on Grandpa's face when he saw us there!!!:) After the priest blessed the new wing and we had our share of home-made cookies we went to Ashland OR to visit our good friend Molly Boone and her new friend Carl.


She took us to beautiful Lithia Park in downtown Ashland. The unique park had such attractions as a natural lithia water-fountain (which seemed to be an acquired taste) and the sweetest rope jungle gym that we have ever seen. After the park we headed to Molly's house and cooked burritos and visited. We said our goodbyes and headed for Moosman Manor (Emily's grandparents) in Jacksonville. When we arrived it was late and dark and we called it a day.



November 9
The next morning Ben was up early tossing his line in the river in hopes of a catch. When we finally mosied into the house, we made up some eggs and toast. Grandpa and Pat had Sunday morning engagements and could not join us until the afternoon. We enjoyed a relaxing morning and afternoon working on the blog and watching the river run by from their beautiful home.
Later Grandpa drove us into the quaint town of Jacksonville so Ben and I could explore the darling shops. After we had our fill of window shopping, Gramps gave us a tour of the area including a trip to the dam, the covered bridge and even crossed the border into California. We saw more deer on that winding road than ever in Idaho, such beauty!

Gramps and Pat treated us to a steak and potato dinner, along with scrumptious smoky asparagus and hollandaise sauce. We spent the evening discussing politics, the wonders of God and we finished our day reading.

November 5-7

November 5
Awoke this morning in the beautiful Safeway parking lot in Lakeview, OR. Asked around for the nearest hot springs looking forward to a morning soak but to no avail. Snow was beginning to accumulate on the side of the road and the clouds looked ominous.

We slowly pushed on toward the only mountain pass that separated us from our next stop, Klamath Falls. We stopped at a state park to make coffee and oatmeal and to let Sadie strech her legs. The snow had now stopped falling and the sun was peaking through the clouds. Emily and I decided to make a break for K Falls. Nothing but cows and pasture for 100 miles.

We arrived in Klamath in the late morning. Due to the lack of sales tax in OR we decided it would be a good idea to continue cracking away at our never-ending supply list. Next stop the Dollar Store. We spent an hour shopping for interactive toys and games for the children we expect to meet on our adventure. We bought bubbles, bouncy balls, blow up balls, bracelets, balloon animal kits and many more fun trinkets for the kids. Grand total: Thirty dollars :)

After the dollar store we met my mother at her new job location with the American Red Cross. She showed us the office and toured Homey. We followed her several miles into the country as the snow began to pummell us. We were glad that we had made the decision to push on to K Falls ahead of schedule. Mom invited us into her cozy farmhouse surrounded by cows, chickens and horses. There, Sadie met several new laborador companions. Max(brown), Blue(yellow), and new to the family and just a pup Kasey(black). We enjoyed dinner and conversation late into the night with Mom, her husband Ken and our new sister Toni.

November 6 and 7
The next two days Emily and I were treated to a life of ease. We took our days extremely slowly while the Eskildsons wined and dined us. During the day we had the house to ourselves while Mom and Ken were at work and Toni attended school. We lounged around and played with the dogs. We treated ourselves to a couple of afternoon movies and caught up on some laundry.

Our last evening in town we had an early Thanksgiving with the fam. Turkey and stuffing, the whole nine yards. Toni and Mom so willingly waited on us hand and foot.(Thank you!!!) Later Toni went to a school dance and the rest of us went out on the town (way past everyones bedtime) and enjoyed good conversation and cocktails. What a wonderful, relaxing few days we have had in their company!

November 3 & 4

November 3
Woke to a note from Raub inviting us to enjoy their home and pantry. I wasnt feeling well so Ben ran a hot bath for me and brewed peppermint tea. The soak was refreshing however, I still wasnt feeling well....Went back to bed until 1pm.

Got up and ate some oatmeal then ventured to Grama and Grampas. Visited with them for a while then Grama let us borrow her car to run some errands. Unsuccessful at D&B we got zinc tablets and hair clippers and Rite Aid. Returned to G&Gs and visited a while more, then bid farewell.

Stopped at WinCo for some chew toys for Sadie because I know she's bored waiting in Homey all the time. When we came out with some rawhides we discovered she had chewed several things...what timing!! The zinc bottle was merely bent up however, the sweet cds Ashlea made for our adventure were toast :( Sadie was quite pleased with her new bone, it certainly keeps her busy.

Back at the house I buzzed Ben's hair off, then we enjoyed another delicious Raub creation. Bens brother Jere drove from Sun Valley and spent the evening with us. Unfortunately my headache and nausea sent me to bed early, but the rest of the fam stayed up to visit.

November 4
When I entered the kitchen this morning Raub and Julie again were cooking away! They wouldnt let us touch a dish all weekend, what service! (thank you :) After an enjoyable breakfast and a few last words, the threesome shuffled off to work and school. I cleaned up a bit, gathered our things and loaded up Homey.

We were on the road to Boise by 8:10am. We pulled into Ontario's Community College for a lunch break and tossed the ball for Sadie.

We continued driving in search of a sweet place to camp out. Without any luck we pushed on until we reached Lakeview around 8 or 9pm. Over 400 miles today! Tired of driving we settled in the Safeway parking lot. (sweet camping spot!) We cooked a delicious pasta dish, including Aunt Rhondas fresh rosemary, then crawled into bed.

November 2

Woke up at 3:36 this morning. Not sure why because our bed is very comfy now with memory foam on it. After laying for an hour unable to sleep I got up and boiled water for tea. Ben and I spent the morning stowing away all of our new supplies.

We were pleasantly surprised with breakfast and fresh coffee upon entering Aunt Rhonda's about 8. Absolutely delicious muffins! We played ball with Saide while Homey was warming up then all four of us drove to WinCo. We wandered down nearly every aisle looking to stock up on all the basics. We even discovered the most fitting water jugs we had been struggling to find.

We began organizing our little kitchen as soon as we reached Aunt Rhonda's. We transferred the bulk goods into the containers Mom so diligently collected for us. Thanks Mom :) Aunt Rhonda sent us off with the rest of those tasty muffins and fresh rosemary.

We cruised Homey a short distance down the road to visit Jake and Molly. There we researched self defense weapons and admired their newly made save-the-date cards. Being just a couple days after Halloween they had a ton of extra goodies and kindly sent us away with a box full :)

From there we jumped on I84 East headed for Twin Falls. This was the first time I had driven Homey for an extended period of time and discovered first hand how he'll drain ya. It's certainly not like the Passat :) After about 3 hours we pulled into 3 Island State Park in Glenns Ferry. It was a beautiful scene, with a large area to play with Sadie. We worked her till she plopped down unable to chase one more ball. Then back on the road......

We reached Raub and Julie's in the evening. We were warmly greeted with hugs from all: Raub, Julie, Michaella, Grandpa and Grandma. After everyone had toured Homey we enjoyed Raub's toasty homemade cheesy potato soup.

We stayed up late discussing everything from religion and politics to foreign travel.

November 1

We spent our morning with Mom and Dad, loading the remaining goods into Homey. With everything strapped on tight, it was time to say farewell. My parents each prayed for us, for our journey, and for Sadie :) We've spent months preparing, researching, saving, building, sewing, we couldnt believe this moment had finally arrived.....and it still hasnt hit us.

A little later than planned we pulled out of McCall around noon. We began our journey down the familiar highway 55 to Boise. The whole way admiring the incredible fall colors and textures of Idaho. Trying to wrap our heads around the moment I kept telling myself "This is it! This is what we've been waiting for, and working hard for!"

Arriving in Boise, we plugged into errand mode. Quick stop at REI then off to Sadie's vet appointment. She wasnt a happy camper after the Dr. sampled her blood for heartworm...twice! Thankfully she tested negative, and now she's all set with medication for both flea and heartworm.

We made our way to Eagle to collect the remaining necessary goods. By now we were really slowing down, our last night in town was catching up to us. And although we had already established the "No more Starbucks" rule we just couldnt resist a delicious boost, and figured it necessary if we were to remain productive. We stopped in and ordered 2 drips. Fortunately for us they needed to brew a new pot, and because it wasnt readily available our beverages were free!! We gave thanks for our fresh, free coffee :)

Now we were ready to tackle our long list of supplies. We rampaged several stores and by 8 o'clock we reached Aunt Rhonda's home. We enjoyed a soda and some SNL before heading for bed.