George Bush Gallery

Wow!!! what great displays in the George Bush Gallery. This is a huge area. They are currently adding more. Gary and I are planning on returning to see the display again sometime next year or in the years following. The order of the displays with the information contained is also great. We could have spent hours here.


This display depicts the raid on Toyoko. This is a B-25 on the deck of the USS Hornet, getting ready to take off as part of Doolittle's Raid.


This is part of the USS Hornet.

These belonged to a survivor of the Battle of Midway.



What a display. This depicts the Japanese attempt to launch midget subs from the deck of a regular sub.

Pacific Combat Zone

We ended our tour of the National Museum of the Pacific War with a tour of the Combat Zone. The tour begins with film clips from the news during the war narrated by Lowell Thomas. On the tour we were able to see PT 309. The PT boats were made out of wood. They had no military use after the war so most them were burned. This PT was in the US at the end of the war and thus escaped being burned.
The tour includes a quonset hut set up as a field hospital. There is a Pacific Island battle ground which depicts what the US forces encounter when hitting an island. Our guide informed us that they have WWII battle reenactments there. The reenactment includes tanks firing their guns and flame throwers which can be seen in the George Bush Gallery. We really enjoyed this tour and would like to be there during one of their reenactments.

This landing vessel was nicknamed the water buffalo. It was designed to get through the coral reefs.


This is a shell for the Fat Boy Bomb. The Fat boy was the atom bomb that was dropped on Japan.


Gary is talking to our tour guide. This gentleman won 2 bronze stars for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge. He served a total of 18 months in Europe.


This is the part of the battlefield. Everything was constructed by hand, just as it would have been during the war.

Saint David, Arizona

We stayed at Saint David, Arizona from Feb 8-11. Gary likes it here because of the fishing. Weather was very cold. We got to camp down by the lake.


Camping spot.


Woke up to a winter wonderland.


View outside our windshield.


Morning of the snow.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Gary and I really enjoyed our visit to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona. We began our tour of the monument by visiting the Kris Eggle Visitor Center. We enjoyed a slide show which featured the animals and various types of cactus that is found in the park. We took both scenic drives-the Ajo Mountian Drive and the Puerto Blanco Drive. The Puerto Blanco Drive is 10 miles while the Ajo Mountain Drive is 21 miles. We stayed at Auggies Quail RV park and drove to the Monument for the day.


Gary is standing in front of one of the large Organ Pipe Cactus that can be found at the monument.


Some of the Ocotillo had bloomed.


We found a few of the Gold Poppies close to the road.


This is the big arch. It is 36' high, 90' wide, and 720' long.

Fishing in Gila Bend, Arizona

Gary found time to fish while we were in Gila Bend, Arizona. It did not take him very long to hook a couple of fish.


This canal is along main street Gila Bend.


Yeah! The canal does have fish.

Yuma 2009

We are camped at Sandbar for 2 weeks. Weather has been great most of the time. We could do without the windy days. We have had a great time visiting the Yuma Market. Great place to buy shirts, Gary only had to make 5 trips to the jeep so he wouldn't have to carry around our "can't live without this" stuff. Vicki and Danny had a great time also. We wondered how Danny would get his of his "can't live without this" stuff home. We enjoy going to eat at the Asian Buffet. Great food. We also got together with some of the o5 class members for lunch. It's hard to believe that our 2 weeks are almost over. Mom and dad will be leaving on Thursday, we leave on Friday. Gary and I went to the show twice, we saw the Grand Torino and Defiance. Of course, since the Cold Stone Creamery is next to the show, we stopped there a couple of times. When we leave here, we will be headed towards Benson and then Aransas Pass, Texas to spend some time with Jan and Wes. Gary is looking forward to the fishing and visiting.

Quartzsite, 2009

We had a great time in Quartzsite. Mom and dad were able to travel with us again this year. Jim and Sherri were with us as well as the wonderful Los Banos group. Weather was fantastic!!!!! Warm days and nice nights. We were able to sit out by the campfire every night. They were enforcing the 14 day limit this year, so we did not get to stay as long as we had planned. We enjoyed shopping at Tyson and of course, The Tent. Gary and I left lots of money in Quartzsite purchasing things we just could not live without. My sister, Vicki, and Danny were able to come this year. We really enjoyed their company. There did not seem to be as many people there this year as in years past. We could actually walk in the tent without rubbing bellies with folks we did not know. They had a great buy on Olympian propane heaters, $45.00. That was the busiest stall in the tent. I believe the gentleman sold out in one day.


We enjoyed watching the moon rise over the mountains.


Just look at what Quartzsite weather did to Gary and Jim's hair. Yes, Gary is sporting pigtails.


I found a great hat. Of course since Gary owns more than one hat, I had to buy at least two.

What a fish!!!!!!

Oh boy!!!! Biggest fish Gary has hooked and landed. Fish was 13.5 lbs, 33' long. What a day!!!!

Gary is enjoying the porta-bote

The sun finally came out for a whole day. We are at Turtle Beach in Manteca, Ca. So far, most of the days have been very foggy. Lots of moisture in the air. The temp has been in the 40s and los 50s during the day. We decided to carry our porta-bote this year. We have been in a lot of places where Gary would have had lots more fun if he only had the boat. So after days of rearranging the bays, we added the porta-bote . We will be carrying the bote on top of the jeep as we travel down the road.


There are a few trees here with some color. Gary is coming in from a hard day of fishing.


Nice striper.


This is the set-up for hauling the boat to water when we are camped close to the lake.

Tall Ship in port

Gary and dad went fishing and discovered that one of the tall ships was docked at Rio Vist. This is the Lady Washington. It is 112 feet, has 11 sails, and has 4.400 square feet. It currently has a crew of 14 but can sail with a crew of 8. This ship was used in the first Pirates of the Caribean movie. We enjoyed talking to the crew and got to go onboard. During the week-end, people can pay for a three hour tour as the ship sails on the river.


Lady Washington docked in Rio Vista, California.




One of the 3 lb. cannon.


Gary, Mom, and dad on board the Lady Washington.

Gary caught a couple of bass

We have enjoyed our stay at Delta Shores RV park in Isleton, Ca. We made it to our favorite restaurant twice. Gary was able to fish as often as he wanted. My folks were able to camp with us here for 5 days which meant that mom and I got to go shopping while the guys went fishing. Weather was just marvelous.

Gary caught this 18" in the Sacramento river.


This stripper was 23 3/4" long. Gary says it gave him a good fight.


Our new view just across the road.


Gary and dad fishing. Lots of bites.

Coloma Gold Rush Live, Oct. 11-13

We discovered that they were going to hold the Coloma Gold Rush Live Days at Coloma while we were camping at Ponderosa. 1000s of people attend this celebration of the gold rush days. The event was held in the John Marshall Gold Discovery State Park located in Coloma, Ca. The only cost was $7 to park the car. We enjoyed our day walking around and seeing the people in period costumes. Some were even cooking in the dutch ovens. Gary and I played a game of Farro, just don't ask who won. If you are ever in this area when this event is happening, make sure to attend. Lots of events for kids.


This group was playing music of the gold rush era. Great entertainment.


Gold miner's camp.


This gentleman was showing us what was meant by a "flash in the pan."


These ladies were spinning threads and making lace the old fashioned way.

Marshall Gold Discovery State historic Park

We took a tour of the site where James Marshall discovered gold in 1848. Lots of buildings and items to see. Cost was $5 per car. The visitor center has about 6 informational movies that you can watch. We really enjoyed our day. For more pictures just click on the travel photo link and look for the Coloma album.


Concord Stagecoach


Replica of a miner's cabin.


On Jan 24, 1848, James Marshall went to check out the tailrace of the sawmill. He scooped them up with his fingernail, pounded them between 2 rocks, placed them in the crown of his hat and hurried off to tell the mill workers what he had found. Four days later, he rode to Sutter's fort with the samples of gold. Sam Brannan, who operated a store at Sutter's fort, went to the mill to see about the gold discovery. When Brannan visited, San Francisco in May, he paraded up and down the streets with a bottle full of gold shouting, "Gold, Gold from the American River!" By the end of May, San Francisco was reported to be half-empty.


Replica of the sawmill.