Glorious Glacier NP July 26, 2011

This may be our favorite National Park.  If not, it is way up there near the top.  After leaving Spokane, we drove to North American RV Campground in Coram Montana which is about 3 miles from the entrance to Glacier National Park.

I liked the map from the Montana Tourism Office. It shows Glacier NP and the Waterton-Glacier NP in Canada.  We visited both.

At the center near the bottom is the West Entrance and Park HQ.  We started our drive along the Going-To-The-Sun Road which is the main road through the park.  It winds through canyons and rises thousands of feet to the summit at Logan’s Pass.

We stopped in Apgar Village and Visitor Center for some info and pictures.  We were on the southern most end of Lake McDonald.

Then we started on the drive around Lake McDonald up the Going-To-The-Sun Road.  It quickly became spectacular.

We were in no rush and moved with the flow of traffic.  It reminded me of Yellowstone, except it was not as busy.

Glaciers, peaks and waterfalls abounding…

The road was built in 1933 and took 3 1/2 years to complete.  It has been a long winter with some late snowfall and the road only opened about a month ago which was about a month late.

 

We did see some interesting animals along the way including this mountain goat.

She was about 1/2 mile from the summit at Logan’s Pass and the Visitor’s Center.

After the pit stop we drove along Jackson Glacier which was on the other side of Logan’s Pass.

St Mary’s Lake was on the way to Alberta, Canada and Waterton.

Through the mountains and into the adjacent Waterton-Glacier NP, we saw a whole different landscape.

Waterton was a quaint little tourist town that was in high season.

We also stopped at the historic Prince of Wales Hotel and looked around.

It was built in 1926-1927 and was built by an American (vs a Canadian) Railway Company.  It was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1995.

We took the same road back to our campground through Glacier NP and got a photo of a bear.

With all the recent news about tragedies with bears, we were content to keep our distance and pause for a quick telephoto shot.

Glacier NP is one of the highlights of our time on the road.  Next time we will have to take more time here and go on a lot of hikes.  This place is really worth seeing again.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles.  And thanks again for your comments which we always appreciate.

Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Roadrunner Research: What’s on your iPhone? July 21, 2011

I’ve had my iPhone for almost a year now and have to say that I still love it!  I love the assortment of apps I have on it ~ especially the last one I added:

As we were going to the Pacific coast and traveling through the mountains to get there, I remembered my dad who was always interested in the altitude.  Growing up, we took a lot of trips and a couple of cross country trips and he always wanted to know the altitude.  I did some looking around the AppStore and found this one.  It checks out pretty close to the elevation postings we pass on the highway.

Another one that I use probably more than any other is the map app that comes with the phone:

I do not have a true GPS and find this to be more than satisfactory.  We use this all the time.

Another one I like it this:

Believe it or not, I use this when a flashlight is not in a handy place.  The first time I used it was on a Habitat project to help a fellow worker find some markings on an electrical outlet in dark bathroom that was under construction.

I like to know how my iPhone battery is doing and this app gives me a %.

It is easier to see than the little icon in the top corner of my screen.

Gas prices are of interest since we have been doing so much traveling the last few months.

This app also shows diesel fuel prices and it is pretty handy.

Another fun one is the iHandy level.  I have whipped this out a few times just for grins while I am on top of a roof (like in Santa Fe during our last Habitat build.)

It also has a plumb app.

Another great app is this one from our bank:

I still find it a little unbelievable, but I can take a picture of a check and deposit it into my bank account with my iPhone.  It still boggles my mind…

So how about you?  What apps do you use on your iPhone? or Droid?  or smartphone?

That is it the latest from this edition of Roadrunner Chronicles!  Thanks for joining us today!

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Beautiful BC: Vancouver July 19, 2011

Even on a somewhat cloudy day, we enjoyed our day trip to Vancouver.

It was a short drive from our campground in Ferndale.  The border crossing to Canada was only 12 miles away.

We stopped in at the Visitor’s Center, then drove through downtown Vancouver.

Vancouver is a nice city, with plenty of beautiful sky scrapers and a bustling downtown area.

We drove around for a while and then went over to Stanley Park.  It was the highlight of the city for us.
First we parked and went over to the Totem Poles.

They were on display at Brockton Point near one of the first stops on the tour around the park.  The ones on display are replicas of the original First Nations work that is being preserved.  This work was commissioned between 1986 and 1992.

The park was opened in 1888 and spans 1000 acres adjacent to downtown Vancouver.  It has a lot of great things to do including biking, hiking,  a nice beach and outdoor sports.

We had a picnic lunch and strolled around the area near the Tea House Restaurant at Stanley Point.

It was a nice day and we were not the only ones taking it all in.

We left the park in the early afternoon, went back through town

and returned to Ferndale.

That was our day in Vancouver!  Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles.  Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Beautiful BC – Victoria July 18, 2011

After Oregon, we decided to find an RV campground up near the Canadian border for a trip into Vancouver.  Ferndale is (A) on the map below:

We made a good choice with Cedars RV resort.  It was well maintained, had friendly staff and good sized RV spaces.  It cost us $38/night with full hookups.

We knew we weren’t too far from Victoria BC, so we plotted a course to go there for our first day trip.  We had to drive down to Anacortes (B on the map), catch the ferry to Sidney BC (D) and then drive into Victoria (E).  It has been a while since we have been on a ferry and was a fun little adventure.

We got up early and left about 6:15 AM and drove the 45 miles to Anacortes.  Once at the ferry terminal, we got in the queue.

We were a little early and some folks got their morning coffee

In this region of the country (Washington, Oregon) there are a lot of coffee kiosks, many of them little drive throughs.

After about 30 minutes, we boarded the ferry and got underway.

Inside the ferry, it looked like most other ferry’s:  good seats, plenty of windows, and an expensive cafeteria.

Outside it was pretty foggy, so visibility was down.  But it was still beautiful.

About halfway into our 2 1/2 hour trip, we stopped at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, to pick up more passengers.

Then before we knew it, we landed at Sidney (D). We left the dock area, found our signs for Victoria and immediately felt like we were in a country with European influences.  The small town of Sidney was very well manicured and the speed limit signs were in km.

Another thing I love in this part of the world is the beautiful flowers.  Some were near manicured shrubs made to look like dolphins.

More flowers behind the mime on the street

They provide a perfect backdrop for tourists…

We went downtown to the harbor and a lot was going on.  By then the sun had come out and it was a very nice day.

We had to stop by the historic Empress Hotel.  It is a landmark and a beautiful place.  

A friend suggested we do ‘high tea at the Empress’ but we decided not to this time.

We took some time and walked along the water and took in all the sights.

Victoria has one of the largest Chinatown’s along the Pacific coast and we wanted to go there for lunch.

We walked around some more and then took a leisurely drive before we went back to Sidney.

 We arrived back at the ferry and the trip back was a nice evening cruise.

Our day was a long one ~ we got back to the RV about 1030 PM but it was a great day.  I highly recommend Victoria.  It is a beautiful city!  

Vancouver is next on the itinerary.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles.  Hope you are having a wonderful summer weekend!  Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Roadrunner Financials – June 2011 July 16, 2011

Roadrunner Recap
During June, we traveled from Santa Fe (where we had a Habitat build) to Spokane Washington.  Along the way we spent time in Denver seeing Heidi and also made it to Moab Utah where we spent time at the spectacular National Parks in Canyonlands and the Arches.

We also spent a few days at Henry’s Lake State Park and drove into Yellowstone National Park a few days.

While in Spokane, we stayed at the Fairchild AFB FamCamp.  During our time with Brad and Sue, Reid and Amy, Elena and Marty we spent three nights in a motel in addition to paying campground fees with the Roadrunner back at Fairchild.

Good News Areas We Are Under Budget
There were not too many places we were under budget.  Our budget item of RV and Car maintenance was below $500 but we did pay for new fuel filters when the engine struggled coming over the Eisenhower Tunnel outside of Denver.

We were under budget in our campground fees but that was offset by our 1 Time Costs of three nights in a motel.

Biggest Expenses
Diesel fuel was the biggest driver in the budget over runs.  We were also over on our fuel costs.

Large One Time Cost Items
Since motel costs are not really campground fees, I put those costs under this area.

Monthly Average
Considering we travelled so far this month, we were not unhappy with being over budget by $473.00

That’s it for the financials this month.  Hope you find something in there of value.

Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

The Oregon Coast July 15, 2011

We know that we’d like to spend more time in Oregon, but this time we will have to settle for a few days here.

We found a campsite at the Nehalem State Park and drove down the coast for some scenic views.

We drove through Tillamook, Oregon and stopped at the famous Tillamook Creamery and the cheese factory.

The factory began operations in 1917 and continues to be a regional and national provider of cheese and dairy products.  The site has self-guided tours and a nice little restaurant.

Logging continues to be a big economic force in Oregon.  We stopped by Camp 18 and looked around the outdoor display of old machinery.  

On the grounds they have a Logging Memorial and Museum with memorabilia and historical anecdotes of the industry from days gone by.

More currently, we passed by some present day logging operations.

We have seen some interesting and scenic views along the Oregon coast.  It’s been a fun week.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  And thanks for those comments which we appreciate!  Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Pacific Northwest and the Produce Market July 12, 2011

We have been here at Pacific Beach about a week and I wanted to get at least one post on our time here. The facilities here at Pacific Beach Resort and Conference Center are adequate.  The price is right but the term ‘resort’ gets overused a lot.

The RV park is fine but the facilities need to be upgraded.  The price is right at $20/night with one free night and we stayed a week.

The view from the campsite is blocked by overgrowth and brush along the fence which was a shame.  However beach access is nearby and we could walk a couple hundred yards down to it from our campsite.

Or we could walk downtown toward the Pacific Beach State Park and access the beach there.  We did that a few times for an evening walk and enjoyed it.

We are in this area because we wanted to see the National Parks and Washington/Oregon coast in the Great Northwest.

One day we took a day trip to Olympic National Forest and saw the historic Lake Quinault Lodge.

It was built in 1926 in 53 days by George Garrison who had worked on a similarly looking lodge in Yellowstone National Park.

Not far down the road was the Worlds Largest Spruce Tree.

You can see how the trunk of the tree dwarfed us.

Next we took a leisurely drive around Lake Quinault and into the Quinault Rain Forest.  It was beautiful with lots of growth and tall trees.

The Quinault Rain Forest gets about 150 inches of rain a year.

We made the drive around the lake was a mix of paved and unpaved roads.  It was fine with our Honda Civic but it signs warn again RVs making the drive.

One place we stopped was the Ranger Station where we took a hike to the Kestner Homestead and the Maple Glade Trail.  It lasted about an hour and one half and was very nice.

Later, we concluded our 70 mile day trip after a stop at the Big Cedar on the West side of Lake Quinault.

It was another mile or so up to the top of the hill to the Big Cedar.  The only trees we have seen that are this big are the redwoods of northern California.

It was an enjoyable day with lots of hiking and interesting things to see in the Rain Forest of Olympic National Park.

Yesterday, a few miles from Pacific Beach, we stopped by a produce stand at Copalis Crossing called, “Voss Acres Produce Market“.  It had a nice variety of produce and historical interest.  Check out their web site.

We met the owner Sharon was very friendly.  She told us the house they lived in was moved down the railroad tracks 18 times in the late 1800’s while the railroad was being built.  The house was the railroad office with a porch and back kitchen added on over the years.

The vegetables in the market were very inviting and we bought some tomatoes, zucchini and corn.  We talked with Sharon some more and she was funny.  I told here about the blog and wanted to take a picture with her and Pam.

She was agreeable but quickly dived into the drawer for some lipstick.  She would not have her picture taken without it!  Funny!

If you are in the area of Pacific Beach, Washington near the coast we recommend you go see the Olympic National Forest near Quinault and make a special stop at Voss Produce Market in Copalis Crossing!

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Random Roadrunner Photos July 8, 2011

We are here in Pacific Beach, Washington.  We made the three hour drive from Tacoma and it was an easy travel day on Tuesday after the 4th of July.

Over the last couple of months we have seen some random and interesting things I thought I share with you.

Before we left the Fort Lewis/McChord Field area we saw this Chinook Army helicopter do some training a couple hundred yards away from our campsite.  The crazy thing landed in the water, hovered for a while and took off as fast as it arrived.  It blew a lot of water around and stirred things up.  Needless to say it surprised us and we got front row seats!

A couple of days ago we had some excitement with the awful sound of ripping metal.  It leaves you sick in your stomach when you hear it, even if it is not your rig.

We were in the Roadrunner and watched a 5th wheel depart the campground in front of our campsite. Only he made a turn that was too tight.  Ugh!  He stopped pretty quickly but then misjudged things more and tried to drive straight on and get by the corner of the roof he just snagged with his 5th wheel.

After ripping a bigger hole in the side and knocking off a facia sideboard at the corner, he stopped.  A couple of us went outside and gawked a minute but there was not much we could do.  After he got out and looked at the damage, he back up, drove around and maneuvered by it.

This douglas fir near Mt Rainier is pegged at starting to grow in 1293.  That is a lot of years ago.

It was pretty fascinating to see something that old.

During our day trip to Seattle, we saw a lot of street vendors, including one that was selling these two paintings:

Cute.

Recently, sometimes neighbors we hardly know were very generous.  Dave drove in the campsite next to us and he asked if we liked crab.  I almost said ‘no’ because my experience has been it usually is a lot of work for little satisfaction.  But I said yes and he gave us two large halves to work with.

Turns out he had been crabbing earlier in the day, caught his limit of ‘indigenous’ crab, and let us have two large halves.

Like always, it was a little bit of work, but this was delicious!  It may have been the best crab I have ever had!

I have often said there are many ways to do this RV thing.  In Idaho we saw a couple in a campsite next to us who had a unique arrangement. They pulled a little trailer that was the size of a pickup.  It had two side walls that folded out for beds on each side.

It looked like a sturdy chassis and a good size tent for their pop up.  The weather was a little cool, but the hardy couple didn’t seem to mind it.  They had a screened in gazebo for all their cooking and lounge chairs.

Back in New Mexico, we took a day trip to Bandelier National Monument near where the recent forest fires have been in Los Alamos.

The weather was nice then and we took advantage of it with a day trip there to see the cliff dwellings.  This reminds me of how much we have seen in the two short months since we were there.

Now we are here

on the Pacific coast in the great Northwest and enjoying a different kind of beauty.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Hope you are having a great summer!

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Summer in the Northwest July 5, 2011

We left Spokane and made the 6 1/2 drive to the Tacoma area.  We stopped for lunch at a scenic overview spot along the Columbia River.

The day was mixed- some clouds and some sun.   The traffic got a little crowded along I-5 but we made it to the Camp Murray ANG Recreation Area without incident.  It is across I-5 from McChord Field and Fort Lewis.

We didn’t expect a whole lot from our campsite, but we were pleasantly surprised to get a spot on the water with a large grassy area under a shade tree.

We checked out nearby Fort Lewis (the historic gate says “Camp Lewis”) and played golf there on Friday.

On Saturday, we drove into Seattle and walked around.  It was a another beautiful day!

Near the Market Center we peeked into the original Starbucks.  It was crowded!  Summer was bursting out all over along the water in the city park.

On the way out of town we drove over to the Space Needle.

Yesterday, we took a day trip to Mt Rainier.  We could see it in the distance from Seattle and also out near our campsite, but we wanted to learn more about it.It was about a 90 minute drive and along the way there were some beautiful scenes.

Once in the National Park, we found more beauty.

At the top, we checked the lodge, Vistor’s Center and the Guide Center.

This side of the mountain was known as Paradise.  It was beautiful and the snow was still pretty deep!

On the way down the mountain, we went over to Reflection Lake

But the lake was still frozen over and there was no reflection!

It was fairly warm and it may all melt in the next month?

Later, we drove back to our campground and cooked on the grill.  Puget Sound was full of boaters and we watched all the activity.  Later, 4th of July fireworks went off and continued well past 11:00 PM.  It was another great day.

We are thoroughly enjoying our time in the majestic Northwest!

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  And as always, thanks for your comments!
Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com

Roadrunner Recap: Reunion Day 5 July 2, 2011

Our reunion ended a couple of days ago, but I want to note our times for posterity.  So the next few blogs will continue with our reunion.  My brothers and their wives and Pam and I joined up in Spokane (and traveled to the surrounding area) June 22-29.
———————————-

Day 5 back in Spokane:

Almadean and Jim met and married in Spokane in 1942.  During those years, the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane was a landmark.  It continues to be.  It has a lot of history.  The hotel is named after Louis Davenport who was commissioned by local businessmen to build it.

Mr Davenport wanted to bring Europe to Spokane and it became his theme.  Architectural influences from Spain, France, England, Italy and Russia can be seen throughout the hotel.

The doors opened in 1914 and was an instant hit.  It grew in prestige and renown until after World War II when visitors and the railroads that brought them changed course.  Automobile travel increased while travel by train to the city steadily decreased.

Over the years many famous people stayed at the hotel including Mary Pickford and Tyrone Power, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.  More recently, Cher, Neil Diamond, Jerry Seinfeld and Sting have stayed at the hotel.

And my brothers and their wives wanted to stay there and experience the best Spokane has to offer!  It is a true treasure and fantastic, historic hotel.

As you might expect the rooms were more than ordinary

After they checked in (we stayed at the Fairchild AFB Famcamp in our own beds) we met by the fountain in the Grand Lobby for a tour of the hotel with our docent Ken.

Our first stop was the Isabella Ballroom, Mr. Davenport’s favorite room in the hotel.

Then we stopped at the Marie Antoinette Ballroom

The Elizabethan Room hosted many meetings and events.

Mr. Davenport had his office at one end of the room.  He often would come in and greet the guests.

Our last stop was the Hall of the Doges.  It is Spokane’s oldest ballroom and the only flying ballroom in the world.

The entire ballroom was removed intact in 2000 and placed inside the newly constructed east wing of the hotel.

After the tour we had a fantastic dinner by the Grand Ballroom Fireplace.

(view from second floor balcony)

(floor level view)

After dinner, we walked around the downtown area.  The city was just concluding their ‘Hoops Fest 2011’ tournament where 9000 3-person teams competed.  The city blocked off streets and constructed basketball courts for the games.  We have no idea who won or how many brackets there were.  We saw a few games finishing up.

And we walked by the Bing Crosby Theater

We probably would have taken in a show if the schedule had worked out but the next show was the day everyone was leaving.

We walked around some more and then bid good night to everyone and returned home to the Roadrunner.

It was a fun day in downtown Spokane and a great tour and dinner at the Davenport Hotel.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles and hope everyone has a safe / fun 4th of July!

Until next time…

Randy Warner has posted an update to
http://www.warnerrvnews.blogspot.com