Leg 30 (Part 3) - Sept 22- Brownlee Reservoir, ID

The day started out so well, we enjoyed a baseball game on the radio as we drove into steep, beautiful cliffs on a winding road.  I was really enjoying the scenery when the road broke over the Brownlee Reservoir.  We were driving along a road next to at least 150 foot drop so I was taking it very slow, very freaked out and very careful.  Just after passing the only sign of human habitation (a campground and rest stop), the car started to shimmy so we turned around to the rest stop where I attempted to look over the wiring changes I had made to modify the car for towing (thinking I had screwed something up).  When I went to start the vehicle, I pushed in the clutch pedal as I always do but the vehicle kept saying "push clutch to start".  No amount of finagling could get the car to start so Dallas found the only working payphone I've seen in about 10 years and called AAA.  The 4 of us waited at the rest area for 2.5 hours (as we were in the middle of nowhere) eating crackers, attempting to fix it, screaming at spiders (only EP), hiding from thunderstorms, or listening to angry conservatives on our hand-crank radio.  EP, Sasha and I did go visit the water's edge were we talked to Dad and put some of his ashes in the river.  Following our towing back to the Bounder, we breathed a sigh of relief and prepared for our next adventure. 

EP at water's edge

Storm's Coming

Non starting car and PAYPHONE IN BACKGROUND!!!!

View from the Bounder that eve

Leg 30 (Part 2)- Sept 20 & 21- Cambridge, ID

This part of the trip changed for the better when Alyssa and her two children, Piper and Eli, joined us.  They came up to spend only one evening in the Bounder although they spent two.  We enjoyed some lovely campfire grilling (I managed to cook while constantly grabbing EP to carry her away every 30 seconds), turning all our sleeping spaces into beds (including the dinette!), hikes (one with piggyback rides and one with hot springs), bugs, the Lazy Idaho Snake, creeks, climbing through fences, crossword puzzles and regular jigsaw puzzles.  We also attempted to have Transformers, the movie version, on while we puzzled but it skipped to much.  It will have to be replaced; a travesty like this cannot stand. 

Eli, Piper, Alyssa, Dallas, EP's head

Weiser River- EP, Dallas, Piper, Eli

Alyssa on the Weiser

EP wants to see the dinnette bed.

Puzzletime party.

Leg 30 (Part 1) - Sept 19- Sept 20 - Cambridge, ID

After the wedding, we decided we wanted to take EP to a hot springs.  Arron suggested a place called Mundo Hot Springs.  OHHHHH man it felt good; my body felt like creamed corn afterwards.  EP loved floating, getting carried, exploring, playing with other children and being a delight.  We explored a nearby trail that ran along the Weiser River.  EP met a herd of cows, she desperately wanted to pet them but they were having none of it.  Late in the evening of the 20th, Part 2 of our hot springs adventure began. 

 

Leg 29- Sept 17 & 18 - Sweet, ID

She's off

Dallas's very good friend Alyssa (i'd heard a lot of stories) keyed up an awesome weekend at an RV park to marry a beautiful human being named Arron.  Dallas was an absurdly good officiant, giving a beautiful ceremony in a roaring windstorm.  I hardly knew anyone at the wedding but Dallas had an ace up her sleeve with her delightful friend, Micah, who joined in and became my wedding buddy for the day.  Micah is a gem of a human being.  I wanna give a shout out to Dallas for recognizing wind was coming and, wisely, she suggesting to bring in our awning. Of the RVs at the park, we were one of two that didn't losing our awning in the roaring wind that day.  

Alyssa drops Idaho onto our map.

Arron getting ready while EP danced to fill time

Dallas officiating in the roaring wind

View from our RV

Magical Micah

 

Leg 28- Sept 16- Fruitland, Caldwell & Boise, ID

We broke into Idaho where we stopped at a rest area to cook lunch in the RV.  Dallas looks out the window and sees a group of her friends including David Lee.  It was fortuitous to a degree I hadn't had in quite a while.  We had to push on and so did David Lee.  The Bounder ended up in Caldwell for a basic park where Dallas had to work so EP and I explored.  Our exploring took us to the Boise River.  We picked up rocks, threw them, chewed on them, and bonked them together.  After a great heave by EP, I looked over and saw she had uncovered quite a large snake.  I'm shocked at how calm I was assessing the best way to leave, calming EP and walking gently out.  The evening ended with us arriving at our friends house in Boise.  We ran an electric line to the exterior of their house and spent our most tilted evening in Bounder. 

 

Leg 27- Sept 15- Le Grande, OR

We made it to our overnight spot.  It was tidy but rather unfriendly (there were a number of revenge against non-trumper flags).  We hunkered down and caught up on our DVD, Poldark.  Not too much exciting except we got our Oregon RV sticker put on. 

Leg 27- Sept 15- Pendleton, OR

As our gas slowly ran down, fill up time became necessary.  Stopping with the Bounder and the car attached becomes difficult as backing up is nearly impossible without detaching.  We have to hunt down truck stops or large gas stations.  We stopped at a Sinclair Gas Station which still had a fiberglass dinosaur out front, she adored it.  

Shortly afterwards we decided we had to stretch our legs.  Our top pick was Tamástslikt.  It is a cultural center focused on the people who have lived in the area for 10,000+ years.  The center celebrates the traditions of Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes.  It was also heartbreaking for us as the devastation against the people is both obvious and not so obvious.  The not so obvious was the government gave land to the tribes but then made it nearly impossible for the people to support themselves except by selling off their own land.  Now, nearly 100 years later, the tribe is starting to be able to re-buy their land. 

Approaching Tamástslikt Cultural Institute

Our damaged Bounder

 

Leg 26- Sept 14- Sunnyside, WA

Our trip for this leg is mostly covering ground to get to our next wedding in Boise, Idaho.  Today's drive was mostly just chewing up ground.  After our arrival in Sunnyside, EP peeked over the fence to where horses were playing; she nearly lost her mind.  She identified them as 'puh puh' (her word for puppy), and screamed for more while simultaneously trying to climb over a fence 6 times the height of her.  This was the first photograph of our RV missing the A/C unit cover (although we won't notice until tomorrow)

Sunset at RV row

Bounder, AC Unit Cover Missing

EP getting help over her fence.

Leg 25- Sept 13- Issaquah, WA

David, Dallas, Jessie and Sasha

The RV boogie has begun again.  Our first day was limited as we obligations and we had to remember how to RV again.  Our first stop was the illustrious house of Doug the Dog which happens to also be inhabited by D. Ho and J. Ho.  We had a great conversation night, they gave us a brilliant drawing of our family as D&D characters and we got a tour of their house in the making (some assembly required).  The next morning, D. Ho made us breakfast followed by EP playing all over their yard. 

Wonderful D&D art commissioned of the Hanson-Milholland family.  I'm a bard, Dallas is a druid, EP is a barbarian and Sasha is a tarrasque

The last time the bounder would be photographed with both A/C covers

EP on her first climbing wall. She signed 'more' to me and we did it 3 times

 

Start of Bounder Trip 2- Seattle and Bellingham, WA- August 25 to Sept 13

 

Roger's bachelor party including Kiyoshi!

We arrived back in the lower 48.  It, at first, felt odd to have working internet, grocery stores with bags of chips for less than 12 dollars, & places to buy shoes.  We spent two weeks with the Bounder ensconced on the property of our friends Roger and Tia Cha.  They were on the road to marriage on Sept 12 so we helped out and they gave us electrical power for the RV.  Dallas and I got a ton of life maintenance taken care of (including a ferry trip to Port Townsend to register our cars).  We shot down to Seattle for a Mariners game with our Naknek friends.  EP danced and totally stole the show. 

EP helped out cleaning the bounder

EP's first ferry ride. 

Andy, Quinn, Goose, Ma Aa, Griff, Victoria and Dallas from Naknek

August 23 to August 25- MV Matanuska, Inside Passage, Canada

Mama Hanson was in town in Ketchikan so we decided to have some beautiful times and take the Alaska Marine Highway (aka the ferry) south to Bellingham Washington.   The M/V Matanuksa (our ferry) was built in 1962.  Although it was modernized with new engines and carpet and such, it still maintains that 1960s aesthetic; it is like riding at time machine.  The views and gorgeous trip was magical.  I highly recommend it for any person who appreciates outdoor beauty.  So relaxing.  We also got visited by dolphins (or maybe porpoises) as seen in the video here. 

August 8 to August 22- Ketchikan, AK

Dallas needed some relax time so she went to a magical place on earth, her brother Myles' house.  We relaxed at Myles' house while EP's only uncle bonded with her.  Grandma Hanson arrived and enjoyed some time with her family.  Delightfully as well, my great friend John Bohman joined us. 

We had to grab EP and outrun the incoming tide

Funcle Myles

John Bohman and a Bear

Grandma Hanson with her girls

 

June 3 to August 8- Naknek, AK

We spent 66 days in Naknek, Alaska.  Eliza Pearl and I stared at each, screamed at eagles and rode around in both a 1995 Mercury Sable and a net cart.  We crossed the tundra, escaped bears, and terrorized the library.  EP celebrated her first birthday in a forklift repair shop.  Dallas worked like a dog in the main office helping with the Salmon fleet.  Our apartment was nestled in an boat yard with zero neighbors.