Wow! 2023 is half way done!

Well, let's get everyone up to speed. 2023 has been busy for us (at least for me😉). January was pretty cold and snowy.Who would have thought that with us being in Montana?

In February, I was able to go to NC to celebrate Brandon's 24th birthday and graduation from the NASCAR Technical Institute's Welding School. We were able to celebrate with his dad and step-mom, Byron, Laurie and Arden and one of Brandon's good friends DJ. After graduation we got Brandon packed up and moved to the Raleigh area to start his new career as a welder at InServ Corporation with Arden's boyfriend, Lawson. Brandon stayed with Byron and Laurie for about a week while he and Lawson looked for a place to rent together. They ended up finding a house to rent in Angier, NC. 

In May, I was able to travel again to the south this time to SC for Arden's college graduation from Converse College in Spartanburg. One of Byron and my childhood friends was the commencement speaker. This trip was short but I was glad to be able to celebrate with family and friends. Now Brandon and Lawson have a third roommate - Arden. 

Fred and I were able to take a vacation this past week which we have not been able to do for awhile. We rented an RV from CruiseAmerica and picked it up in Lolo, MT, loaded up the dogs and headed to the west coast. 

The first day was just a day of travel and we stopped in Pasco, WA and stayed at the KOA there. We ended up staying mostly in KOA campgrounds which was pretty nice. 

On Friday we headed to Cascade Locks, WA.

On our way we saw some wind surfers

We toured some waterfalls. 

Multnomah Falls

all 620 feet of it - stands above the rest as Oregon's tallest waterfall

Vista House at Crown Point

At our KOA campground we saw this little guy enjoying himself riding around. 

Then we drove to Astoria and Fred's "little helper" had to be right beside him 😄

We stopped at Clatsop Beach at walked around and saw this shipwreck. 

Peter Iredale is the most famous shipwreck on the Oregon Coast and one of the only wrecks still visible today. In 1906, the Iredale met strong currents and ran aground at Clatsop Beach, immediately snapping the masts on impact. Luckily, no one on the crew was injured, and the wreck became a tourist attraction, where it has remained for over 100 years! You can see Iredale for yourself during low tide near the parking lot at Fort Stevens.

It was a little cloudy, windy and a bit on the cool side but hey, we were at the beach!

Then we drove on to Cannon Beach

Here we saw the Haystack Rock. It was a bit on the chilly side, too. Here I guess they call starfish red stars. We were able to see one on a rock along with some mussels, sea anemones and barnacles 

Haystack Rock is one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks, home to colorful tidepools and diverse birdlife. It has been featured in countless novels, television programs, and movies such as The Goonies and Kindergarten Cop. This basalt sea stack rises 235 feet from the edge of the shoreline. At low tide, you can walk right up to it and find colorful sea stars and other fascinating tidepool creatures in its intertidal area. Puffins can be observed on Haystack Rock from early spring to mid-summer, offering the most accessible viewing of Tufted Puffins in the Northwest.

Then we made our down to our next rest stop the KOA in Otis, OR

The next day we got up and drove to Depoe Bay to the Dockside Charters for a whale watching tour. It was the first of the day so they weren't really sure where the whales would be but it was fun riding on the boat and we did get to see one humpback whale. 

This is "Slappy" the Harbor seal. They said he has been hanging around for several years and slaps at the water when he wants a treat. They said he likes cheeseburgers but I'm not so sure that is true but you never know🤔

Then we made our way to the Sea Lion Caves and witnessed 4 Sea Lions fighting with each other. We weren't able to get a good video of the fight so you just get a picture of these lounging around

We stayed at the Rambling Redwood Campground and RV park that night. 

Then we went to Redwood National and State Parks and to the Trees of Mystery

The next day we made our back up to Cascade Locks and went to the Bonneville Lock and Dam and Fish Hatchery then had dinner at the Multnomah Falls Lodge. 

Last night we stayed in a state campground in Idaho. The Wilderness Gateway

We drove over Lolo Pass and made our way back home.

 Here are some other pictures from our trip. Oreo and Roxie had to "fight" to see who could ride up front just like 2 kids 😂