7000 MILES AND COUNTING

We left the EAST (right) coast in September and have traveled over 7,000 miles and made over 40 campgrounds and RV Resorts, finally reaching the Pacific Ocean at Santa Cruz, CA.  No words to express what sticking my feet in the wonderful cold blue Pacific and walking along the beach. WE MADE IT!

Many miles still lie ahead of us. 

This trip, possibly my last to the RIGHT west coast, has been great because I planned my travel to visit friends and family, old and new.

My first visit with Judson Sarah Scanlon, we worked together at SEIU in the early 2000s, and she gave me the opportunity to visit Little Rock, AR.  Unfortunately, the Clinton Library was closed, but it was wonderful to catch up with Judson and see Little Rock.

On to Denver, where nephew David and his family are beginnning a new post at Aurora State National Guard post, and I met Barbara Thorn.  We lost touch so many years ago, after she moved from Anchorage back to Louisiana, Texas, and France!  Barbara introduced me to the New Orleans Jazz Fest.  There were six women in a single hotel room, we didn’t sleep much anyway.  Going to the NO Jazz Fest with a real Louisianan was amazing, and we were all much younger then.  Reconnecting with Barbara again after all these years, thank you Facebook, was great.

Along the way I joined sister Kerry and brother-in-law Buzz in the Rockies, and we met Cousin Karen and Larry in New Mexico.

Onward to Tucson, Green Valley, AZ and Palm Springs, CA to visit my newest golf pals Phyllis and Chris and play with Alaskan golf pals.  Sister Kerry came to meet me in both Tuscon and Palm Springs.

Madeleine and Norman were at their Tucson winter home. Mad and I were colleagues at SEIU and remain friends in retirement. Mad, Norman and their daughter Deborah all got mild Covid-19, a month apart. Go Figure? I was glad to see them between their bouts, and I am happy to report I am feeling great! Maggie is also recovered from her Valley Fever and enjoying the beach.

I did a quick trip to Yuma to see union woman Kathy and Kelly, both from Fairbanks, AK. The beauty of Arizona and Palm Springs is I never have to return to Anchorage because Alaskans fly south for the winter.  I even saw my Canadian friend Kathy, unfortunately we did not get a round of golf in, but lunch was great.

Stopping in Mesquite, NV to catch-up with Lisa and Dean, formerly of Carson City.   On to Reno for a wonderful visit with Carolyn and my Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) pals Jan and Michael.

All these friends I met when I lived in Carson City, NV from 1995-99.  Leaving Anchorage and moving to Nevada in 1995 set me on my very new Road2Reinvention.  It was all worth it!

So here I am again with Cousin Karen and Larry in sunny Santa Cruz.  I even got them to take a walk on the beach with me.  Especially in these trying times of bad news, pandemic, and isolation.  I laughed; Karen lives near the beach but rarely goes there.   If I lived near the ocean, I would be there every day, the ocean is meditative and life affirming.

Later this week I will start the next leg of my adventure.  I begin campground hosting in May, but before that I will see Kim in Sebastopol and Harriet in Eureka, two more of my wonderful union women.

Hosting schedule:

Harris Beach Oregon State Park, in Brooking, OR. – May

Grizzly Creek Campground Humboldt Recreation Area, CA. – July & August

Deschutes River Recreation Area, OR. October

Between hosting I will visit my Pacific Northwest friends: Kristin in Eugene, Cathy and Mom’s friend Mary in Portland, and Lauren in Takoma.

This is my way of saying that I am so very fortunate.  While I have lost touch with many people that were important to me, I am grateful to have so many people I can drop in on, if only for a brief but memorable visit.  With Love.