A transplanted Southern Californian living in North Dakota Idaho, with some insights on life with deaf dogs, a gluten free spouse, and the occasional mischievous garden gnome. Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoy.





Sunday, June 3, 2012

Road Trip Highlights

Alycia and I wrapped up a 4,500 mile, two week road trip the other day.  We visited some great places - Yosemite National Park and Napa Valley in California, and Salem and Portland in Oregon, and got to see many of our best friends along the way.  I'll post some good pictures and additional stories in a few days, but I thought I'd pass along some entertaining/unusual highlights. 

There was a cat show at the hotel we stayed at on our overnight rest stop in Reno, Nevada. Alycia was able to meet, pet, and photograph the Iams Cat Food Ambassador cat (his name was Dances With Mice) as well as a host of other feline pageant entrants.  Dances With Mice was apparently quite an amiable feline.  Being extremely allergic, I stayed away and let Alycia visit with the kitties. 
We ate the best gas station food I've ever had - a full rack of ribs, German potato salad, and spaghetti squash from the famous Whoa Nellie Deli (yes it is actually in a gas station) in Lee Vining on the way to the Eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park.  The spaghetti squash was so good that I was compelled to ask the cook for his secret.  I should have known the secret was butter, lots of butter.  Instead of halving the squash and baking it face down in a few inches of water, find a way to balance it face up, place a half stick of butter in each half, cover with foil, and bake about an hour.  I'll be sure to let you know when (not if) I try this out.
On a gasoline stop in Spokane, Washington we rescued a dog.  Her name was Cookie, she was an old Australian Shepard, and her name Cookie was fitting.  She looked exactly like a Cookie, like an Oreo that had been squished.  She was an amalgam of white, grey, and black splotches and we found her crossing a busy street.  We corralled her for some belly rubs and pets and called the number on her tag and got her back home safely.  That brings the number of states that Alycia and I have rescued lost dogs in to three.

We're still in the midst of getting unpacked, the garden weeded, and the last few things planted for the season.  I'll post an update of the happenings around here in the garden as well as additional vacation photos that might be of interest.  

1 comment:

Donna@GWGT said...

I will love to follow your LONG journey. That must be some trip. I love that you rescued Cookie and two others. I returned three dogs as well, but not so wonderfully as you did on a trip where you could have just looked the other way. Mine found their way to my yard. I am glad the dog got home, I hope Cookie's parents were thrilled.