East Bound

Last night we saw the flames ripping across the mountain peak south of our location. By this morning the air was thick with smoke and white ash covered everything. The high winds made the situation worse and sections of road were closed due to sand storms and overturned trucks. Time to leave...

We said goodbye to our new found family/friends and promised to come back soon. Palm Springs is pretty cool and, God willing, we'd love to make a return trip.

We headed down "The 10" as the natives call it and skirted up 177 through the Joshua Tree National Park. Spectacular, rugged, jagged peaked. We drove through the desert for 100 miles to Lake Havesu, Nevada and then east on old Route 66 and onto Rte 40. By the time we got to Kingman, Arizona we were ready for food and bed. The mountains look like a mini Grand Canyon and the sunset was brilliant... with no wind and no ash.

Good news from home. Katie is home safe and sound, now older (she had her birthday in Azerbaijan) and wiser (travel will do that to you...). Ryan had his first PT and the latest blood tests show the infection level coming down some. Hallelujah!

Off to bed. Road warriors need a good night sleep ;-)

The Hokie Pokey man

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week.

Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote 'The Hokie Pokey' died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started.

Shut up. You know it's funny.

April 29th Blog Post

Ryan turned the corner about a week ago. He's crutching around and back at work here and there when doctors appointments allow. It will be a long road back, but we're hopeful and he has the right attitude... ornery. Hard to keep a Foss down.

I flew back to Palm Springs California on Sunday. Connie and I are wrapping things up and headed for Maine for the summer which was our plan all along. My friend Bob and his wife Judy have rented us their lake house in the Belgrade Lakes. Can't thank them enough. We will be close enough to Portland and Bangor to spend time with family and friends. And we will take the time to process the past 6 months and explore what we will do next. We want to explore the Northwest and check out the National Parks for sure.

Now that we have discovered we enjoy RV life so much (who knew Connie would relish such simplicity... "Canyon Connie"...befriending every walk of life in her "trailer park" helping them with daily struggles... guess I should have... she's incredible). We might figure that into the equation. Gotta run the numbers with $4 ($5, $6...) gas. Gordie & Dalonna, thanks again for sharing this beautiful RV with us (and sharing your family. Them Coor's are good people!). We have had a ball.

Katie called us yesterday on her birthday from Azerbaijan. She sounded real good, enjoyed the people and the place. Said they LOVE Americans and treated her like a rock star. Wait! The press says that everyone HATES Americans? Hmmmm...

Sorry for the interrupted blog postings, but there wasn't much worth writing about these past 2 weeks. No fun ...especially for Ryan. Hope this rough patch is behind us. Thanks to everyone (you know who you are) for all your concern and support (especially Wendy, Pete, Gail, Craig).

Took a last hike up the canyon. 95 degrees. Everything is brown and dry and beautiful.

I'll try to keep the blog current and we travel back across the country. See you in Maine...

Friday

A great day. 2 doctors appointments. At the oncology center he received 2 IV infusions and it was like the clouds lifted and the sun shone through. He felt better than he had in 3 weeks. He is scheduled for weekly repeats over the next month (he asked for it daily...). On our way to the orthopedic appointment, he asked to stop and pick up some fried chicken (not on the mega-vitamin nutritional diet regime but...) and ate like a ravenous dog. 

We figured out that his waves of nausea corresponded with the automatic antibiotic infusion that he receives every four hours for an hour for the next 5 weeks from a portable pump that he carries around attached to a PICC line in his arm. He now has anti-nausea medicine that he takes just before these infusions. Hoping that helps his appetite.

The bone doctor x-rayed and was pleased with the alignment. The swollen knee is inflamed tissue, not fluid, which is good. They think he may be ready to begin PT when his overall health improves.

Sitting in the oncology center, a large open room with many recliners and brightly colored walls, surrounded by bald women and men receiving chemotherapy was also an awakening. Surrounded by extreme courage and hope. Neither of us missed the message...

Maybe more information than you wanted to read, but I want to share the up days. Too many down days lately. Hoping the trend continues...

Sending love and admiration to my honey in an RV park on the west coast... miss my travel buddy.

update

Ryan continues to battle the infection that has knocked him down. Doctors appointments daily; orthopedic, infectious disease, hematologists... specialists all... ah, the US healthcare system (don't get me started...) He is weak, has lost 20 pounds and is anemic. Prayers are welcomed and invited.

This is not the type of message I had hoped to post on this travel blog. Only put it up because those of you who have been following our journey have been emailing and calling. Please forgive my lack of responses. Thanks so much for all your concern and well wished. Gotta catch a break here soon...

down but not out...

Last Wednesday Ryan had his 5th surgery. They flushed, cleaned and scoped his knee attempting to get aggressive with the infection. His cousin Chris got him home on Thursday and I got home late Friday night, He's been on the couch ever since. Lotta pain. He's anemic so feeding him lots of sardines, liver, green leafy veggies, beef. Also following a nutritional/vitamin program that Sayde provided. Thanks to everyone for the love/support. One day at a time...

who said dinosaurs are extinct...

What a monster! Bet he weighed 5 pounds. We hiked to the top to get out a little nervous energy. Ryan is going back into surgery today (#5). They will clean, scope and flush his knee. He's been in a lot of pain since the last one. I'm flying back this weekend to help out. Connie will stay here for now with the RV/dogs/van and we will figure it out as we go along.

It was a great day for a climb, 75 degrees, blue sky, slight breeze. Connie broke a sweat!

Pictures don't show the expanse well nor the 1000 foot vertical drop directly in front of us.

God dances on the mountainside...

back in Maine

This picture was taken in Aroostook County last week. A real old fashion Maine wintah... so glad we missed it....

Great Hiking

Can't get enough of this place. Everything is new to us; plants, bugs, lizards, snakes, birds, animals, weather,geology. Took a 7 mile hike across the mountain ridge. The crows decided to take an up close and personal look. Tucked their wings and dove at my head. I could feel the wind from their wings as they peeled away at the last moment. Tan colored bushy tailed squirrel like rodents scamper across the rocks. Cactus grow out of the cracks.


Waterfalls in the desert... amazing (taken through my binoculars)


All Nature dances.... energy......

saturday morning hike

Right out the back door, bushwacked up the mountainside, ran into two rattlesnakes (when you poke em with a stick thay make that cute little rattle sound...). When I crested the ridge, this is what I saw. Looking down into Talquetz Canyon. The waterfall is off in the distance and the ravens and hawks circle above. Lime green flowers on barrel cactus. Purple flowers on bushes, lizards scampering, amazing rock formations...Magical.

Uncle Larry & Aunt Helene

We spent the morning with our new friends. They are the salt of the earth and we had a great time doing home maintenance projects and swapping family stories. Sam and Lu fell right in love with them... so have we. Thanks for sharing Dalona and Gordon Roy... of course for the RV, but especially for sharing your family. Also thinking of Lorna and Ron... in our thoughts and prayers.

a morning hike up Tahquitz Canyon

Archeologists have dated artifacts in this canyon from the Agua Caliente (Hot Water) Indians from 1600 years ago and legend dates it to over 3000 years. We headed up the trail around 8:00 while the canyon was shadowed and cool. It's 2 miles long and there is a beautiful waterfall at the back of the canyon.
The trail wound up the canyon between the vertical rock face, following a stream, wild flowers in full bloom. It was like we had it all to ourselves, only saw a few hikers in 3 hours. There are many special places, rocks with unique designs, plants and animals to see. Impossible to truly describe...

What an awesome place... I feel like I have used that description too many times in past blogs, but there is truly no other way to describe this phenomenal country of ours. We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to experience it.

(self portraits are tough....I really wasn't choking Connie.... well, maybe just a little.....)

Ryan Update

Surgery this morning is reportedly successful. They took out one plate, cleaned the wounds, installed drains and a nerve block. Working to address the infection. He hopes to be out of the hospital in a couple of (tough) days. Hoping he has turned the corner with this situation. He is a trooper and his sister is all that and more. Many thanks to Wendy and Pete, Sayde, Gail, Craig & Denny, Norton, Dick and Rosie for wading right in with food, visits and massages. It's very tough not being there and we will be if the call comes. So proud of Ryan and Kate, both facing it all with such courage.

RV Living in Palm Springs California

Uncle Larry and Aunt Helene are just the most delightful folks. We pulled into town and Dalona and Gordie's 32 foot Sea Breeze LX (stands for luxury... this is no Winnebago!) motor home with sliders/pull outs in the bedroom (queen size bed with mirrors on 2 walls... just to make it look larger....) and the dining room was parked in the driveway. Larry used to recruit and train long haul truckers so when he passed me a 40 page book and told me there would be a test, I believed him. Connie was fascinated with Helene's stories, she having worked as Frank Sinatra's events planner for 16 years. We took the book and headed out to scout for an RV Park and stumbled right into the Happy Traveler RV Park off Mesquite Ave. It's walking distance to the downtown and to the canyons, in the shadows of some spectacular mountains and surrounded by palm trees. Sam and Lu love the life. And after 5 minutes, so did we...


Larry and I drove it the 5 miles from his driveway to the park on Saturday morning (at a dollar a mile!) and we set that puppy up. $32 a night for full hookup ( pad, picnic table, water, sewer, cable tv, internet access, trash pickup, electricity... who knew?). Larry backed the monster into the space like a champ and the park attendant, Carlos who have been preped by Connie, said "Uncle Larry knows what he's doing!" The facilitues include a clubhouse, pool table, shuffle board!!, lending library, laundry, showers, pool and hot tub. It's a 55 plus park so there's not the scenery at the pool there was on Destin Beach during spring break... except for Connie. Connie made friends with the manager (how does she do that?) and we got a prime location looking right at the canyons. We had lunch with Larry and Helene pool side and plan to have dinner with them later this week. We want to adopt them.


The last 2 days have been about learning to relax (that seems to be what this experience is all about...), attending to paperwork, funding HSA accounts, banking, tax filings, laundry, washing the dogs and laying by the pool.


I talked with Gordie in Alaska ( It was snowing...) and can't thank Dalona and Gordie enough for our indoctrination into RV living. Owe you big time buddy... The people are wonderful, laid back, enjoying the weather (80's, blue sky, light winds). We reviewed the park rules at the pool today. #1 is "FROWNS ARE NOT ALLOWED. If you have one, leave it at the curb near the park entrance. You may choose not to pick it up when you leave." Life is very good....

Scottsdale Salon and Make-Overs

John and Lynne are such long time friends. We slept, walked the golf course, BBQed, swam in the pool, sat beside an outdoor fire at night and Connie pulled out her scissors and gave haircuts all around. Lynne loved her "new do" and looks "FAB-OOOLOS". John got his bi-annual hair cut, too and looks "wicked shaahp".

We enjoyed the nesting doves and sparrows, the cardinal serenading us ( Big Red ), the bobcat and the pack rat, the Suerero Cactus ( Sheeba ), the hummingbird (Beezer) and the awesome view of Pinnacle Peak. Just for fun, I took a swim with my cell phone in my swimsuit pocket. ($50 later, I'm re-connected... oh well). Thick T-bone steaks, delicious curried chicken (5 alarm!!), champagne in antique stemware (Glen smashed one... BAD, BAD BOY), shrimp cocktail, asparagus on the grill, baked potatoes in the coals, homemade roasted pumpkin seeds... a veritable haute cuisine cornucopia... muchos, muchos gracias amigos.

We headed west to Palm Springs California and Lynne and John packed up for a ski trip to Utah. The drive across Rte 10 was somewhat foreboding under a layer of gray, noxious smog and driving through the heat blasted bad lands. Ugly. But as we approached the Coachella Valley the temperature increased, the smog dissipated and the mountains and canyons developed a unique beauty. No wonder the Hollywood crowd flock here... More on Palm Springs later...

Ryan is scheduled for surgery in the morning. Kate is his primary caregiver. Wendy, Pete, Craig, Denny and Sadye are all on board for backup. Thanks family. There are no words to express our gratitude. We are entirely conflicted being so far away at this time. Hoping and praying for a good outcome....

Return to Sedona

Oak Creek Canyon was too much for Lulu. She gacked before we hit the spectacular red rock of Sedona... but bounced back quickly. It is such an oxymoron that this 7th wonder of the world is inundated with commercialism and gift shops. We quickly exited the "strip" and headed for the nearest "Spiritual Vortex".

The hike up the mountain was short and filled with memories of the last time we climbed it with our kids. They were so excited... and so were we.


Connie was all pumped up and getting stronger every day. At the top we hung our medicine bags, gifted to us by Holly and Wayne, in order to soak up the spiritual powers that overpower this place.



We said prayers for our family, for Ryan's leg, Tina's struggles, Ben and Erin, Katie's scheduled work trip to the Ukraine and Azerbaijan... for "all our friends and relatives" as mom taught us to say. Connie took a picture of Kate's favorite flower and a butterfly flitted through the shot. Nannie was there with us at Skyview Lodge.


We bought some bread, cheese and fruit for a picnic off the Upper Red Rock Loop Road and listened to the silence. So serene...

Now on to enjoy the company and friendship of Lynne and John in Scottsdale. We're excited.

Acoma Pueblo

Holly encouraged us to check out the Acoma Pueblo just off Rte 40 west of Albuquerque. What a place... It is the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, located on top of a mesa, surrounded by a huge desert, a great defensive location. Probably why the Spanish conquered it in 1610. The people still talk about it like it was yesterday.




We walked through the village, marveling at the architecture and the beautifully painted clay pots that were set out for the "tourist trade". The Acoma are a proud people and you must ask permission to take their picture. Several of the kids agreed...



The views are spectacular.



We enjoyed meeting some fellow travelers, Dan and Jennia are from Israel, left their home in the care of their 18 year old son and are driving around the USA just as awed and excited as we are. We agreed that the vast, empty expanses have a metaphysical impact. As they wrote on their blog," You can see (feel) nothing forever..." Great to meet you! See you down the road....

Good Bye Santa Fe

Dear Aunt Holly and Uncle Wayne,

Santa Fe hospitality is outstanding! We had a wonderful time. Thank you for all the pats and loves.

Your canine buddies,
Sam n; Lu