Watery Wednesday-Lake Tahoe in November

This past November while Stijn's parents were visiting from Belgium, we took a drive up to Lake Tahoe to give them a glipse of how beautiful it is in the winter.

Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe, California

Stijn's mom and dad

Please join us over at Watery Wednesday to see some more "Watery" pictures from around the World!

 

 

Kings Beach on Dwellable

Watery Wednesday - Coast of California

We had a wonderful trip camping up the coast of California and Oregon this past August and saw some beautiful scenery.  It was so relaxing to camp on the beach and fall asleep to the sound of the waves.

This is a picture I took on our first morning after a long overdue well deserved good nights sleep!

Where is this little piece of heaven you ask?  It's just 15 miles north of Fort Bragg in the tiny little coastal town of Westport Beach on the Mendocino coast.

Please take a moment and see some more great Watery photos from all around the World!  Just click here.

Watery Wednesday - A Whale of a Tale

It's time for me to try and get back into the groove of things as it relates to the blogging world and sharing my travels with all of you!

I just got back from a week of traveling and camping up the coast of California and Oregon, and after many years of trying to see a whale, it finally happened last week!!!

I zoomed in on this whale while camping on the beach just north of Fort Bragg California.  Turns out there has been a pod of these beauties hanging out in this area for a couple of months now.

Please take the time to see some more fascinating "Watery" pictures from around the World by clicking HERE.

SkyWatch Friday - Wintery Sunrise

In February 2005 I was on my way to Oregon from Las Vegas for the Seafood Wine Festival in Newport.  I spent my first night in Susanville California and the next morning while driving on Highway 89, I couldn't resist pulling off to the side of the road and taking this picture.

I am participating in "SkyWatch Friday".  Join in the fun by clicking HERE

Watery Wednesday - Lake Tahoe

If there is one thing I like more then waterfalls, it's hiking to the top of waterfalls!



Eagle Falls, Lake Tahoe, California

I love going here and this was one of my trips back in 2006. 

Time sure does fly when you're having fun!

I am participating in "Watery Wednesday"

Blue Monday - Venice Beach California

I was going through some old files of my pictures to maybe try a post for "Blue Monday".  I came across these pictures that I took while visiting Venice Beach, California in April 2008.  It seems that "Blue" is  everywhere you look!

A street entertainer on Venice's Ocean Front Walk decked out in "Blue"

Some great little shops with just a touch of blue.  But look at that "Blue" sky!

The gorgous "Blue" Pacific Ocean

And of course a great "Blue" bikini while enjoying it all!

Click "Blue Monday" to see some more "Blue" from some "Blue" photographers

Watery Wednesday - Burney Falls

Burney Falls is one of those waterfalls I must see everytime I travel Hwy 89 in northern California on my way to, well anywhere.

Burney Falls is not the highest or largest waterfall in California but at 129-ft, Burney Falls, is possibly the most beautiful.

Burney Falls' additional water comes from springs, joining to create a mist-filled basin. Burney Creek originates from the park's underground springs and flows to Lake Britton, getting larger along the way to the majestic falls.

To see more beautiful watery pictures taken by some very talented photographers, please click here "Watery Wednesday"

Driving The Great Northwest - From the Redwoods to the Oregon Coast

It's 8:30am and it's a beautiful morning as we start our day from McKinleyville up the US101.  There is a nice light rain falling with the ocean on our left and nothing but green up ahead.

I've choosen the US101 as our route to Vancouver Washington because the scenery that you can see while driving is absolutely breathtaking!  Besides that, there are so many points of interest along the way.  And within 30 minutes we see Roosevelt Elk right along the highway just outside of Orick!

Soon we were in the Redwood National Forest and here we decide to take the more scenic route and exit at the Newton B Drury/Scenic Pkwy.  This takes you through these magnificent trees on a very narrow winding road with some spectacular views of the ocean.  There are several stops that you can take along the way and follow a trail.  We took advantage of this at "Big Tree".

We spent a lot of time exploring this area but it was time to continue up the coast.  And of course once we arrived in "Crescent City" it was time to take another break.  Why? We had only driven about 30 miles.  Because there is a lighthouse here people!   And you know me and my lighthouses.    I've been to the "Battery Point Lighthouse"  before, but I've only been able to enjoy it from a distance.  You can only visit the lighthouse when the tide is out, and lucky for us....it was!

After about another 30 minutes of driving we finally hit the Oregon State line!

Your probably wondering by now, do we ever eat?  Well we did have a nice breakfast that was included at the Holiday Inn Express back in McKinleyville this morning.  So 40 minutes into the State of Oregon we stop in "Gold Beach" and get ourselves a Blizzard from Dairy Queen.  We then found ourselves a spot on the mouth of the Rogue River and enjoyed not only our blizzard's but the spectacular views and the barking of some sea lions sunning themselves on the docks and shoreline.

After driving about another hour we make one last stop in "Bandon-by-the Sea", before reaching our destination today of Coos Bay Oregon.  No we didn't stop here to have a decent meal, we stopped because the "Coquille River Lighthouse" is here and I must have pictures!

 

What a great day and about 30 minutes later we are checking into our room at "The Mill Casino" at 5:30pm.  As comfy and cozy as our room looks we are now officially hungry! 

We decide to have dinner at "The Plankhouse"  whick is located right here at The Mill.  This was the perfect choice with a little table for two and a view of the sun setting over Coos Bay while enjoying our seafood Paella and a nice bottle of Oregon wine.

There are so many more pictures of our day here "Where's Debbie". Just click on the album "Redwoods to Oregon Coast"

Oregon on Dwellable

Driving The Great Northwest - Snow, Sun and Rain, Can't Keep Us Away!

It's time to hit the road, and nothing was going to stop us from making our destination today!  Not even snow!

We woke up bright and early in Reno and discovered that it had snowed overnight.  This of course didn't bother me at all. I lived in central Nevada for 30 years and you just don't let snow get in your way of going where you want to go.

So we filled up with gas and made our way up US395 to Susanville for some breakfast at the "Black Bear Diner".  This is a great place to have breakfast at a moderate cost, but boy you better be hungry.  The servings are huge!

The sun is shining now and after our hearty breakfast we headed out of Susanville on CA36 towards Red Bluff.  But along the way the snow started to fall again and since we didn't have chains (which were required to continue) we are forced to alter our route at the CA32 and detour to Chico.  This turned our 106 mile drive to Red Bluff from Susanville to 141 miles.

The rest of our drive was certainly alot less stressful with only some light and heavy rain showers as we continued west from Red Bluff on CA299 through the Trinity National Forest.

It was a long day!  And about 10 hours later we arrived on the coast of California and stayed the night in McKinleyville.  Our room at the "Holiday Inn Express and Suites" was a welcomed retreat.  With a recommendation from the hotel reception, we decided to take a little drive up the US101 to "Trinidad" and have dinner at the Seascape Restaurant.

What a perfect place to have dinner.  On a pier overlooking the ocean, eating seafood and having a glass of wine while reflecting on our day and all the elements we had to endure to get here.

There are a few more pictures of our day.  If you would like to see them click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Making it to the Coast"

Driving The Great Northwest - A Taste of the Old West

It's April 1st and our route takes us north on US95 out of Las Vegas and our first two nights are spent in Tonopah Nevada.  I'm sure you're asking yourself "What the heck for?" Even though Tonopah has alot of history as the "Queen of the Silver Camps", we were actually staying because my youngest grandson was turning two and we had a birthday party to attend on Saturday.  After a nice Easter breakfast and watching Ryan hunt for some eggs, we continued north to Reno.

Because we arrived in Reno in the early afternoon I thought it would be great for Stijn to experience some more of the "Old West".  And what better place to see it then in "Virgina City".

Virginia City is only 23 miles from Reno and is a town of relics and memories and ghosts of the past.  So when we arrived it seemed fitting to head straight to "The Delta Saloon" to see the "Suicide Table".

It seemed really fitting to head into one of the bars and saddle up on a stool and have a drink.  And what better place to go and feel like you have stepped back in time to the old Comstock days then in the "Bucket of Blood Saloon"

After a little souvenir shopping we headed off the other side of the mountain into Carson City and made the loop back to Reno to stay the night with my dear friends Veronica and Rigo.

We are anxious to get an early start the next morning.....heading to the coast of California!

If you would like to see more pictures of our day just click here "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Reno and Virginia City"

Who Knew?

I really want you to get to know me.

So what you need to know first and foremost is that I love to travel.

Growing up we never took a family vacation. We never went anywhere actually. I grew up in Los Angeles California and a "vacation" for us was to load up the station wagon and make the drive down to Salton Sea to visit my grandparents little getaway they had down there for the weekend. And this wasn't very often. I remember how excited I would be knowing we were going "somewhere"! I was thrilled to stay in my grandparents great little 1950's silver camp trailer and help my grandmother sell hot dogs and snow cones from her little portable food stand while my grandfather fished all day for corvina from the pier. I can remember at night sitting outside and looking up at the stars and pointing out the Milky Way and both "Dipper's".
When we had the opportunity to move to Nevada in the early 1970's, I had my mother packed and renting a UHaul "To go where no Smith has gone before". Out of the State of California! Now this was only to the neighboring State of Nevada in a little town called "Tonopah" but at the age of 14 I thought, what a great adventure!

When I was raising my family I made sure we took family vacations nearly every summer. I would get ideas of places to visit from magazines, television or even just talking with co-workers and friends. But most importantly from my children. One year my daughter learned in school that there was a place where she could stand in one spot and be in four States at the same time. So I planned a whole vacation around her curiosity. I would always figure out how to see and do as much as possible in a two week period.

During these 23 years we were able to explore so many beautiful places. Oregon, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and even back to California. And then finally.....the airplane ride! My first airplane ride at the age of 37 to Nashville Tennessee to see Christmas in the Park. I remember getting there, parking the car and walking through the parking lot and I just started to cry. I was so overwhelmed with the thought that I was actually experiencing such a beautiful place. I get that way. I can't tell you how many times I have had to fight the tears when I get somewhere.

The past 12 years I have had the opportunity to visit just about every State now and about 23 countries.

I look back now and think to myself that I have always had a desire to get out and explore new and different places.

Who knew?