Nov 2013-Jan 2014 MD - FL

Bridge to Newport

After my father’s 91^st birthday, we drove to York PA and met the latest addition to the Topper family, a Golden Lab pup named Sadie. We celebrated Pat’s father’s 86^th birthday. He is still doing well for his age.

Back in MD we winterized our RV and put our RV and trailer in storage at Susan and Windsor’s home. We moved in with Tom and Julie. Back to York for Thanksgiving at the Topper’s home and then we left for a week in a timeshare in Jamestown, RI. This was right across the bridge from Newport. It was not a great week weather wise, but we did have a great view from our unit of the bridge (see first photo).  We did go into Newport and tour a couple of the “summer homes”. I felt real bad that income tax put an end to this Gilded Age of  “conspicuous consumption”. We hiked several parks and visited a few forts. Ft Adams was so big, you could fit 3 normal forts of the same era inside its walls. I guess Newport is the Texas of New England.  On check out day, we raced back to MD, so we would not be caught in a major ice storm.

Pat at Gate to Breakers Mansion 

Breaker's Interior

Marble House Interior

Snowy Owl

Ft Adams

My father’s mobility problems got to the point that he needed considerable help. Helen’s daughter Elizabeth had been living with them since October and provided much needed assistance. It was obvious that the time had come to find an assisted living facility (ALF). Our friends Lois and Eldon had just completed a search for an ALF for Eldon’s mother. Their guidance helped me complete the task in a few weeks.  On Friday Dec. 13, Pat had outpatient surgery for neuroma excision on her foot. Concurrently, a RN for the ALF evaluated my father, as required, prior to admission to an ALF. She recommended that he be hospitalized due to a buildup of fluid in his chest. I took him to Franklin Square General Hospital that night and they determined that he had pneumonia and admitted him. I had him enrolled in an ALF the next day, so he would have a place to go when he was released from the hospital. I spent most of the next two weeks visiting my dad and getting his belongings pared down for his new studio apartment. Unfortunately his condition deteriorated, as he picked up two infections in the hospital, one causing severe diarrhea. Because he was aspirating, they inserted a feeding tube directly into his stomach. It looked like he might now need a nursing home after his time in rehab.

Of course this was the Christmas season so we tried to make a few parties. We were back in York for Christmas Eve and had Christmas breakfast at the Topper’s. We drove to Baltimore and had dinner with my family at my sister’s home. Afterwards we all went to the hospital and sang Christmas carols to my father.

Jacobs family

Potter Family

My Dad

On New Year’s Eve, I visited my father; he was feeling a lot of pain in his stomach while I was there. On my way back to Laurel, I got an emergency call from his doctor. He told me my dad was not able to breathe on his own. Pat and I met Barbara at the hospital and our father passed away a few hours later. Considering his condition, it was probably a blessing.

Brookgreen Gardens

Getting advice from a pelican

St Augustine Lighthouse

After the funeral, we delayed our departure south, so we could handle some of Dad’s affairs and get all his clothes and furnishings moved out of Helen’s house. By Jan 10, we were ready for a break. Apparently I had been a bit stressed out during the last month. We loaded the RV, headed down to Myrtle Beach and enjoyed a week in a timeshare. We spent a few extra days along the SC coast, before heading down to FL where we caught up with Linda Erby. We toured the NE coast of FL all the way down to St Augustine, which we spent several days exploring. By the end of the month we were in the Ocala NF. We paddled Juniper Springs and I aggravated my neck stenosis. This caused a lot of pain from my neck to my right hand.  

Castillo (Fort at St Augustine)

Don and Pat at Castillo

Flagler College

Don and Linda at Ft Menendez

Lightner Museum

Juniper Springs Mill

Linda on Juniper Springs

Juniper Springs

Oct-Nov 2013 Cross Canada to MD

Cameron Falls, Waterton NP

Pat in Waterton Lakes NP

Black Bears

When we left Fernie in early October, the initial plan was to spend some time in Yellowstone and other national parks as we headed east. But Congress forgot that they were elected to serve the people and not their personal agendas and closed all the National Parks by shutting down the government. So after picking up our mail in the US, we drove around closed Glacier NP, headed back to Alberta, Canada and entered Waterton Lakes NP. The wind blew hard for the three days we were in the park. We drove to Red Rock Canyon and saw some black bears along the road. Our next stop was Ft MacLeod and the North West Mounted Police Museum. It was interesting to note how differently Canada settled the West compared to the US. The Indians‘ rights were respected and the bison were not exterminated. In Medicine Hat, we toured the Medalta Potteries Museum and spent a few days exploring Cypress Hills Provincial Park.

In Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan we toured the Tunnels. Here Chinese Immigrants, many of whom worked on the railroad, lived underground in order to escape persecution during the Yellow Peril. The Tunnels were also used for rum running during Prohibition. In Manitoba, we camped at Spruce Woods Provincial Park for a couple days, then we drove to Winkler and had a private tour of the Leisure Travel/Triple E RV Factory. Once we digested the information from Leisure Travel RV, we determined that their vehicles could not carry the weight required by full-timers. 

Tundra Buggy

Polar Bear

Yes it was cold

 In Winnipeg, we spent a day visiting the Manitoba Experience and the Manitoba Museum.  The museum contains a full size replica of the Nonsuch, whose voyage in 1668 led to the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company. From Winnipeg, we took a two hour flight north to Churchill on Hudson’s Bay. We wanted to see the polar bears that gather near Churchill in October and November waiting for Hudson’s Bay to freeze over. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and due to the snow and windy conditions, the bears were down in the snow taking cover from the wind. The overcast conditions also prevented us from seeing the Northern Lights. We rolled the dice and lost this time. We did have a great dog sled ride before flying back to Winnipeg.

Inuksuk "something that acts for or performs the funtion of a person"

Bears use these to catch tourists

Why we came

Don't wake sleeping bears! (not a live shot)

Our lodge in Churchill

Arctic Fox

Polar bear seeking shelter

MV Ithaca

Our lead sled dogs and musher

From Winnipeg, we headed south to the Born Free factory in Humboldt, IA to get some work done.  Then we saw on their web page that they had the vehicle which was now at the top of our wish list for sale. We called the factory and told them to hold it for us. It was a nearly new 2013 27’ Born Free with 6 K miles. We had many delays getting financing for the RV, but on our 31th wedding anniversary, we signed the papers. From IA we headed home in time to celebrate my father’s 91^st birthday and Pat’s father’s 86^th birthday.

Dolliver SP in IA

Anniversary Present

My Father wirh friend, Helen

June - Sept 2013 NW and BC

Wild Horse Monument in WA

After we returned from the Isle of Jersey, we spent a week in MD/PA visiting family, friends and doctors. We flew to Seattle, picked up our RV, and stayed with Tom and Cornelia for a few days. We went to see the play “Chicago” with them before heading to Fernie, stopping at the Wild Horse Monument along the way.

Glacier NP, BC

After a few weeks in Fernie we headed up to Glacier NP (in Canada) and Revelstoke NP. We spent a few days hiking and sightseeing in the area. By the end of July we left Fernie and headed for Glacier NP (in Montana). We were not allowed to take the RV on the Going to the Sun highway, so we took the park shuttle to access hiking trails and get to Logan Pass at the top.

Glacier Lily

Marmot

Meeting of the Waters

Sutherland Fall, BC

Ferry crossing Upper Arrow Lake, BC

American Martin

Avalanche Lake, GNP, MT

Logan Pass, GNP, MT

Indian Blanket

A few days later, we arrived at Savenac Historic Nursery, part of the Lolo National Forest, in western MT. We signed up for a six week period, as a relief for a couple returning to Germany. The nursery was started in 1907 and produced 12 million seedlings annually. The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) built the buildings and other structures on site. Nursery operations ended in 1969.  Now you can rent out three of the buildings for lodging. It is very popular for families having reunions or weddings. It is also the closest lodging to the popular Route of the Hiawatha rail trail. Our job was to man the Visitor Center about 8 hr/week each. Pat also took care of cleaning the three rental buildings. The guests are supposed to clean them before they leave, but you can imagine how well that went. While Pat was inside cleaning, I was outside cutting and trimming grass. I was also in charge of watering the grass, because even though it had not rained in July, I was expected to keep the acres of grass green.  In exchange for this work, we got a place to park our RV with electric, water and sewer hook ups. Things went well until a big and unruly group came in for Labor Day Weekend. Of course this was the same weekend that our “boss” took off with his girl friend, so Pat and I were left alone to deal with this group. After that weekend, we couldn't wait to finish our assignment. The Lolo NF supervisor was very happy with our performance and invited us back.

Route of the Hiawatha, ID

Western Anemone

The Universe revolves around ME! (in Wallace, ID)

River at Thompson Falls, MT

Haugan, MT

When we arrived at Savenac, we found out our AT&T phone had no service. Another volunteer had a working Tracfone, so we bought a Tracfone. We found out later that this phone used the AT&T network. We tried to exchange it by mail for one on the Verizon network. About four weeks later (after many calls from phone booths) we finally received a replacement phone that worked.

It was not all work and no play. We did get out and bike the Route of the Hiawatha and part of The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. We also hiked to several remote mountain lakes and visited many of the historical sites and towns in the area. Our friend Russ passed away in August, so we took a week off from our assignment to return to MD.

Savenac Visitor center

Elk

From Savenac we headed back to Fernie, BC stopping at the National Bison Range, where we saw bison, elk, and big horn sheep. Tom and Julie joined us for two weeks and Susan and Mimi for a week while we were in Fernie. When we were not on the trail looking for bears, we were trying to determine which restaurant in Fernie was best. Pat and I were left to continue our investigation after our guests returned home.

Tom, Julie and Pat at Lookout over Cedar Valley

Mimi and Sue at Lost Lake

Spruce Grouse

Pat, Julie, Mimi and Sue on South Star Trails