We made it to the Craters of the Moon National Park - a nice, flat, straight prairie land drive today. I have to say it was a disappointment. We were expecting, well, craters. But there were none. It is ancient lava flows and small volcanoes. A lot of it looks like a giant roto-tiller came in and dug it up. Interesting, but not all that exciting. Our plans for tomorrow are up in the air. The plan was to go to Yellowstone. It's about 1 1/2 hours away from where we are in Idaho Falls. But there is a weather advisory for tomorrow and accumulation of up to 5 - 12 inches of snow in Yellowstone. Some of the roads in the park haven't even opened up yet for the spring. On the park web page, it recommends tire chains. I don't think so.......................mountain driving is exciting enough without adding ice and snow to the mix. I plan to call the park in the a.m. and talk to a real person. We may go to Big Sky, Montana but the weather looks dicey on the way there too. We may go south and head into Wyoming that way and forget the whole Yellowstone thing this trip. You'll find out tomorrow night what we decided to do!

Comments from Eldon: The Moon Crater Park was a disappointment. I thought all national parks were really magnificent, but this one is a pile of crap. Actually, the only cool thing in the park was some volcano rock that looked like giant piles of crap. That was cool.

Comments from Larry: I agree with Eldon & Cindy, but I didn't think the crappy volcano rocks were even all that cool.

Another day of beautiful scenery. We had big weather changes in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. When we started out in Clarkston this a.m. it was 55 degrees. As we went headed up into the mountains, the temperature dropped to 31 and it started snowing hard. Eldon, of course, had his flip-flops on! We didn't drive as far as we planned on; we are spending the night in Boise. Looks to be a clean city surrounded by mountains. Tomorrow is Craters of the Moon National Park - about a 3 hour drive away. Then on the Yellowstone.

Comments from Eldon: Irritable... why would I be irritable? It's cold, shoes would help, Cindy's whining about the roads, and Larry's in a bad mood. I love life on the road. Really, just joking, I do love life on the road (and my wife).

Comments from Larry: I wish I could get it through Eldon & Cindy's head - cats have bad days too. But I still love beef jerky (and Cindy). (written by Cindy)

I didn't have wireless last night; now I have to remember what I did yesterday! Before leaving Seattle, we went on a Duck tour of the city. It was very entertaining. The Duck vehicle goes on both land and water and comedy is emphasized. The driver took us by many downtown Seattle sites by road, then he drove us right into Lake Union on the boat ramp while telling jokes all the time. I have found the perfect job for Eldon - he needs to drive one of these things so he can wisecrack to his heart's content. The afternoon turned out rainy and foggy, so by the time we arrived at Mt. Rainier, it was pretty invisible. We proceeded to Yakima where we spent the night. Today we drove through Yakima Valley - this is where most of the country's sweet cherries and apples come from and very beautiful country. Lots of wineries too; we actually stopped at one for the first time today. I don't which we have driven past more on this trip - wineries or casinos! Tonight we are in Clarkston WA - it is on the border of Idaho with Lewiston ID. So, from the names of these towns, maybe you can guess we are on the Lewis & Clark Trail! Tomorrow we head for Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho.

Comments from Larry: I found out I love beef jerky.

Comments from Eldon: The Duck tour was a hoot. I could do that for a living...............

Yesterday, we played total tourist and wandered around downtown Seattle. Pike's Place is fun and huge. The shops and stalls go on forever. And, yes, they really do throw the fish around. There are lots of street entertainers - and it seemed a lot of homeless people. We are heading East for the first time in a long time. We are heading to Mount Rainier. Then on to Idaho to Craters of the Moon and Yellowstone. And what ever else comes our way. At our pace, it will still take us a while to get home.............

Comments from Larry: WOW - you should see the size of the seafood!

Comments from Eldon: Getting ready to hit the long, lonesome highway with no more cities for a while.

I missed yesterday's report. We spent too long at Kell's Irish Pub in Portland with Lindsay and Aaron. They like life in Portland (and do not miss St. Ignace). We did get to go whale watching yesterday, but I would call it a disappointment even though the captain was trying to make a big deal out of it. We saw a gray whales' back twice and a spout twice, but a far cry from seeing a whale as far as we were concerned. Oh well, it was a nice boat ride. This morning we went to the Portland Saturday Market. Very fun. Loads and loads of art work, neat crafts and lots of food booths and live music. I had African food for lunch - that's something I've never seen at home! We just arrived in Seattle; only a 3 hour drive from Portland. We had to make the decision whether to head back to the coast or go straight to Seattle. Seattle won - we both love the Pacific Coast but we have seen over 1,000 miles of it. Now we need to decide where we head after Seattle.

Comments from Larry: Life is good today - they bought me a catnip pillow at the Market.

Comments from Eldon: Whale watching left something to be desired - like a whale.

Portland is a clean, green city and easy to get around in.

Cold and windy today, but it beats working! The Oregon coast is just as beautiful as the California coast. Hwy. 101 is not as rugged so we get farther in a day. Tomorrow morning we are going whale watching, weather permitting, in Depoe Bay. Then we head for Portland. The seal cave was interesting today. We took an elevator down 200 or 300 feet. In the viewing area, you can see the seals in their native environment. They go in the cave to mate and have their babies and get out of nasty weather. The pictures didn't turn out that great because you weren't allowed to use a flash.

Comments from Eldon & Larry: Just another great day......................

Hey, we made it to Oregon today. More redwoods and more ocean. It's looking a lot like California! We did the 3rd drive-through tree today - I wonder how many people actually bother doing all three. This one was a freebie since no one was at the gate or the gift shop. It's been cold, windy and rainy again today. We might go on a whale watching tour tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

Comments from Eldon: Remember, only you can prevent forest fires.

Comments from Larry: I saw a lot of elk today. They look like cows with beards on steroids. And what's with driving through all these trees????

Much of today was a "tree" instead of an "ocean" day. The PCH ended and we continued on 101 North. We drove through the Avenue of the Giants through the redwood forest. Just another stunning sight in the life of a traveler! It was very dark in parts of the forest from all the tall trees. Now I know why we didn't buy a camper - it wouldn't have fit through the 2 trees we drove through today! There are 3 redwoods left in the U.S. you can still drive through. We did 2 of them today, so might as well go the 3rd tomorrow.

Comments from Eldon: I never saw so much wood in my life.

Comments from Larry: Not once, but twice today I rode through a tree - these people are crazy!

We are now in Northern California and almost to the redwood trees. We decided to skip Napa Valley and continue up the coast. We were in the car all day, but again didn't get all that far in miles due to all the 15 & 20 mile per hour twists and turns. Even though it was a cool, cloudy day the scenery was again stupendous. We had lunch in Bodega Bay where the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds" was filmed. Nothing but your usual seagulls around, but the fresh crab sandwich was memorable. We are staying the night in Fort Bragg. It's another working fishing town on the ocean.

Comments from Larry: I saw organic cows today - I think they are called vegans.

Comments from Eldon: The mountain driving was tough today. We drove 6-7 hours to get 200 miles, but the clown car is beginning to feel like a sports car.

A warm, sunny California day in San Francisco. Our "hippie" tour was interesting. For those who care, we saw where the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin lived. Also, where Charles Manson lived. At one time, before he became a murderer, he was an aspiring singer. In the height of the era, there were 100,000 kids were living in a nine block area. That must have been truly crazy. I enjoyed the architecture too. The Victorian homes were built for the wealthy in the 1800's. In the 1960's it was a run-down neighborhood. Now all the "painted ladies" have been repainted and refurbished and sell for as much as $2,000,000. We took the public bus. We missed our stop, but got off on the way back around. We both like San Francisco. Tomorrow we head for the redwoods.

Comments from Larry: The people in San Francisco must be very clean because I keep seeing bath houses with private baths advertised and massages.

Comments from Eldon: I like San Francisco because it seems more like individual walking neighborhoods instead of one big city. Very walkable, very enjoyable.

We had a short but scenic drive from Monterey to San Francisco today. We found another trusty Motel 6 in downtown San Francisco. It's just a few blocks away from the ritzy hotels (and a few blocks away from the homeless people in the Tenderloin District)! The hotel clerk told us they were "harmless homeless"; that it is still safe to walk around. We walked to Union Square. We were going to do the cable car thing, but since the long was so long we took the tour bus instead. San Francisco is pretty with all its hills. We saw China Town, the Financial District and Russian Hill. We got off at Fisherman's Wharf. We can use our ticket tomorrow too, so will tour some more. Fisherman's Wharf was crowded but fun. We splurged on a seafood supper of fresh crab and shrimp. The San Francisco sourdough bread was good too. We were planning on heading back to the motel, when we were talked into a sunset cruise for $10.00 each. That was a good end to our day. Seeing the Golden Gate Bridge made us both a little home sick for St. Ignace - the Mackinac Bridge is better!!!! We decided to stay until Monday. Tomorrow afternoon we are booked for the "hippie" tour. It's a 2 hour walking tour of Haight-Ashbury.

Comments from Larry: I saw homeless people with dogs, but no cats. I wonder why?

Comments from Eldon: Just another great day. Tomorrow I see Haight-Ashbury - only 43 years too late for the "summer of love."

OK, I've seen a lot of spectacular scenery this trip, but the PCH topped it all today, except for the Grand Canyon - nothing can top that. Miles and miles of coastal highway. The road is high on the cliffs; at times it is 1,000 feet straight down to the water. The first picture is looking straight down from the highway. At one point, there had been a rock slide. They had cleared it to one lane and put up a stop sign, so each direction could take their turn. Our first stop was Morro Bay - it's the picture with the big rock. Some call it the American Rock of Gibraltar; I wouldn't go that far but it was a quaint fishing village. We proceeded to the Hearst Castle for a tour, but it was sold out, so we looked at the museum a while and headed on to Monterey for the night. As you can see in the picture, the elephant seals were enjoying the day too. There must have been close to a thousand seals on the beach. The Big Sur area was the most scenic. I'm enjoying the California flowers, it seems they are everywhere, including wildflowers. Tonight we went down to Cannery Row (from the John Steinbeck book). It is touristy, but we enjoyed being on the water again.

Comments from Larry: The elephant seals were a real hoot. They just lay there and throw sand on themselves all day. What a snout on the male seals.

Comments from Eldon: I enjoyed the cruise while Cindy was driving. It was nice to be out L.A. traffic - I love the PCH.

We didn't travel far in miles today, only about 100. It took a while to get out of L.A. of course. L.A. is a crazy, crowded place. After we got out of L.A., Eldon got a break and Cindy started driving again! Malibu is the essence of what I think of as California; houses hanging on the hill tops and surfers in the ocean. In Oxnard, we saw several hundred migrants picking strawberries. We stopped and bought some strawberries that were picked an hour earlier. The farmer told us Leonardo DiCaprio buys his produce there - wonder if that's true??? Anyway, the strawberries were yummy. We are now in Santa Barbara. After stopping at yet another Motel 6 (this one actually has different decor than the others), we went down town to Sterns Pier. It felt good to stretch our legs walking along the pier. I am now on a fish taco kick - like regular tacos, they never taste the same twice.

Comments from Eldon: Today I got passed by Ferrari's and a Lamborghini. It just doesn't seem right to have to drive a Vibe (clown car). Then, I got to squeeze the same melons that Leonardo DiCaprio does. And then I saw a man on the wharf with crabs - what a country.

Comments from Larry: Pelicans are absurd. They have a beak that doesn't quit. and they beg like dogs. How revolting.

We battled the L.A. traffic & made it in time for the first race at 1:00. Santa Anita is the most attractive race track we have ever seen. Both the buildings and the scenery - the San Gabriel Mountains are in the background. Eldon thoroughly enjoyed his day and won $26 (I lost $10).

Larry stayed at the Motel 6 across the road. Later we battled the traffic again and went to Hollywood & Vine to see the Walk of Fame. That is where the hollywood stars are on the sidewalks. Also, we got to see the big "HOLLYWOOD" sign in the hills, but the pictures did not turn out because it was dusk. We are going to head for the Pacific Coast Highway tomorrow. Too many maniac drivers in L.A. for us small town folk. It was interesting though!

Comments from Larry: I spent the day at the Motel 6 by the pool with a cold milk - very relaxing.

Comments from Eldon: Santa Anita was as good or better than I imagined. The traffic getting there really sucked though. With 12 lanes and an El train dividing them, it's hard to concentrate on just your lane. When I was going 75 in a 65 just to keep with the traffic, a Maserati passes me like I'm standing still. God I love California.

We felt like real Californians today. Our first stop in San Diego was the down town harbor. We then went to Mission Beach. Then on to LaJolla to Seal Cove, where we saw about 50 sun-bathing seals. We also stopped at Del Mar horse track - even though it's closed, Eldon wanted to see it. There is lots and lots of traffic here, but beautiful scenery. Tonight we are staying in Carlsbad; it is between San Diego and Los Angeles. Tomorrow we get to take on Los Angeles. We plan to go to the horse races at Santa Anita Park at 1:00. Santa Anita was Sea Biscuit's home track - Eldon is excited. If that goes well, we may also tackle Hollywood. Wish us small-town folk good luck in L.A.! Keep us in your prayers..........the traffic is intimidating.

Comments from Eldon: I never realized California was also a police state. We went through 3 impromptu security check points with dogs and all on the I-8 today; probably because we are driving a Pontiac Vibe - a vehicle of smugglers choice (not). I saw the decommisioned WWII Navy ship, USS Midway in San Diego.

Comments from Larry: Today I got to see seals - quite lazy individuals. Like a cat, they like a good nap.

We're back on the road again. We spent the weekend with my nephew, Mike, his wife, Marisa, & their kids and spent a lot of time with my sister, Joy. (Thank you Mike & Marisa for your hospitality). We had a great time with every one. It was nice to see Phoenix too - a huge city by my standards. After leaving Mike's we headed to Organ Pipe Cactus National Park. The trip took longer than we anticipated, but I thought it was worth it. It is in the middle of nowhere and only a few miles from Mexico. In fact, we got stopped by a border patrol checkpoint that was temporarily set up on the highway looking for smugglers. The guard asked if we were US citizens & looked in the car & told us to have a good day. I think after he looked at all the junk in our car; he realized we had no room for smuggling! They did open the trunk of the car ahead of us. Anyway, the park was like driving in a cacti forest. This park is the only place in the US that has the organ pipe cactus. Some of the cactus were in bloom too - I thought it was lovely. We are spending the night in Yuma. We decided we needed one more night in Arizona - California is only a couple miles away.

Comments from Larry: I saw a border patrol dog today - he looked like he got up on the wrong side of the bed.....not very polite.

Comments from Eldon: I saw a border patrol man today - he looked like he got up on the wrong side of the bed.....not very polite.

We arrived in Phoenix yesterday. Weather & family are great. We are staying at Mike & Marisa's until Monday then heading to California. It's nice to stay in one place for a few days. And I can do laundry while we're here! My sister, Joy, is on the right, playing the piano where she lives. In the other, Eldon is with Sara (7) and Daniel (4). Sara & Daniel are lots are fun & we are taking advantage of our time here. Also, the food is good....... will try to send more pictures tomorrow.

Comments from Eldon: I finally found people I can relate to at my maturity level.

Comments from Larry: Did you say kids??????????!!!!! Aaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!