HAERR TRIPPIN': August 2026

Day 2: 449 Miles Traversed

Today was one where we traveled through a variety of landscapes. We meandered through villages, towns, and cities... A lumber town which smelled delightfully like newly sharpened pencils; small villages that once had a heyday but were now barely hanging on; and bigger towns which offered all the goods a consumer craves.

That natural scenery was gorgeous, too.

We called it a night in the Oregon town of Vale (pop. 1,894). It has been said, about this little spot, “When you are on Main Street in Vale, Oregon, you are walking on the actual Oregon Trail."

In the early nineteenth century, the area of Vale was known as a stopping place for fur trappers, missionaries, and Oregon Trail emigrants. The Astor Expedition passed through the region in 1811–1812, and Peter Skene Ogden and Hudson’s Bay Company employees trapped beaver there in the late 1820s. Vale became the first regular stop along the Oregon Trail in present-day Oregon, and a trading post was established near the future town in 1853. Several pioneers recorded in their travel journals that the adjacent Malheur River contained hot springs where they enjoyed much-needed baths and rest.

When gold miners arrived in the region beginning in the 1860s, stockmen and businessmen such as Louis B. Rinehart made a living in Vale by supplying beef to miners. Rinehart’s house, constructed in 1872 from locally quarried sandstone, was later used as a hotel, store, post office (1883), and a stagecoach stop (1878).

Other local stone structures include the Vale Hotel and the Grand Opera House (1896), the First Bank of Vale (1901), and the Vale Drug Store (1907).

I fell in love with this vintage hotel/trailer park. The architecture (look at those breeze blocks) and the color just called my name.

That said, we were looking for some open space, peace, and quiet. We found it at Vale's rodeo grounds. Home truly is where you park it.

posted under | 0 Comments

Miscellaneous Stuff...

Steve and I have embarked on a Road Trip. Before fully beginning, we made very necessary stops to hug on grandchildren and to visit old friends.

Besides numerous rounds of backgammon, strolls throughout the neighborhood, crafting, and just having time together, we also went on a walk on Sonoma County's West County Regional Trail.

I will walk almost any trail if it ends in a quaint town that offers coffee and cinammon rolls. Today's found us in Forestville.

One of the things I share with both daughters-in-law is a love of thrifting. While I didn't buy this kit to make Betty Ann it was a reminder of Steve's Mom and we both loved that.

What I did buy was this vintage 1991 Conair butane curling iron! I had one for decades and when it died, the new version that was available was junk. When camping, we mostly do not have electricity so having a gas powered way to add a little curl is a special treat. So very, very cool.

Santa Rosa is home to a beloved collection of Peanuts statues, a lasting tribute to Charles M. Schulz, who lived and worked here for over 30 years. Originally part of Peanuts on Parade, a series of public art projects celebrating Schulz’s iconic characters, these larger-than-life sculptures of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, Lucy, and more now reside at local businesses, parks, and neighborhoods across the city. One day, I planned to find them all. They bring me joy.

We ended our official First Day on the Road in Redding visiting our old Tahoe friends, Joanne and Gene (read about them here). What a start to the adventure.

posted under | 1 Comments

Chuck's Finale: Rafting!

For my big brother's last Tahoe Day, we headed back down the Truckee River for a fabulous float... a perfect end to this visit.

"There is nothing—absolutely nothing—

half so much worth doing

as simply messing about in boats."

– Kenneth Grahame

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry.

We shall get there some day."

-A. A. Milne

posted under | 0 Comments

Lake Tahoe: Views, Coffee, & Jazz

Chuck has been here often enough that finding new things to do is somewhat challenging. Today's itinerary was a hit!

We began our leisurely morning at Cove East for a stroll to the Lake.

After lunch at home, we went for an afternoon beverage at our fave spot Paddle House. There's nothing quite like adirondack chair sitting.

Our evening's destination was Sand Harbor State Park for the season's final production on its Warren Edward Trepp Stage.

Chuck treated us to a delightful dinner, surrounded by other enthusiastic ticketholders.

We were here for A Tribute to George Benson featuring Colin Cook and Kyle Rea.

How could we resist this setting?

Or the opportunity for a sunset?

The evening invited us to "Enjoy a night of George Benson’s legendary blend of jazz and R&B as dynamic guitarist Colin Cook and powerhouse vocalist Kyle Rea ignite the stage with the Reno Jazz Orchestra’s big band classics, smooth grooves and iconic hits for a feel-good evening honoring one of music’s most influential artists. From silky ballads to funk-charged hits, expect classic Benson tunes that shimmer with lush harmonies, crisp rhythms, and memorable melodies that linger long after the last note."