Southern California for the Winter!

Well, we made it to Southern California after a nice visit with the McVeys!  It's been a while since I've posted.  We drove from Ft. Irwin to San Onofre FamCamp at Camp Pendleton, CA and settled in for a few days.  TERRIBLE place to camp (she said with tongue in cheek)!

We have camped here twice before and love being able to see sunsets like this!!  The only drawback this year was a broken water pipe at the campground the day after we arrived!!  Because of this, we had no water (except what we could tote and put in our fresh water tank from some Water Buffalos that the campground set up in the parking lot)!  We have "dry camped" lots of times, so this wasn't too hard on us.  What WAS hard was knowing we were paying $35/night for just electric hookups.  Now THAT hurts!  Thankfully, they had the water pipe fixed a couple of days before we left, which was amazing since it ran UNDER some railroad tracks!

We were really glad to be able to stay in this area because we were able to visit with long time friends!  One of the young men who worked with us at South Mountain Baptist Camp, Michael Kerley, has moved to Temecula, CA, which was only about an hour away from us.  Michael came one night with his sweet girlfriend, Ellie, and had supper with us.  What fun we had remembering all the crazy, wonderful times at camp!  Michael only worked one year, but he said it was a great experience for him.

Then on Friday evening, we were able to visit with great friends (well, adopted family), Bob and Monica Clark!

Bob and Monica went to high school with my younger sister, Susan.  We have been able to see them each time we have come to Southern California.  In fact, the last time we were here, they adopted us and had us over for Thanksgiving Dinner.  Such a sweet couple, as well as being just as crazy as we are!!!

The weather was great, for the most part.  It was a little chilly some days and rained on the weekend, but all in all, the stay was very restful!!

Eating breakfast at the Skinner Outdoor Bistro

Surfer utilizing his board!!  Max watched him catch a BIG fish!

Sunset at San Onofre

Sunrise at San Onofre

We will be coming back here for a few days in January and hope to get a spot down on the beach.  Until then, we will keep you up-to-date on the Skinner "doings" as we move up the coast.  We are now at Seabreeze RV Resort (a Navy FamCamp) at Seal Beach.  On Thursday we move to one of our favorite California Campgrounds, Pt. Mugu FamCamp near Oxnard, CA.  I look forward to posting lots of great pictures from there!!  

"Doings" in the Desert

Last week we traveled from Las Vegas down to Ft. Irwin, California.  Where is Ft. Irwin, you ask?  WELL...it's hidden in the Mojave Desert!!  Why would we go to a desolate place in the middle of the desert?  To see FRIENDS, why else!!!!

Greg & Conli McVey and their sweet family

Greg worked with us at South Mountain Baptist Camp the first few years we were there.  It was so much fun to be able to catch up, as well as remember great times at camp.  I'm sure the kids and were bored hearing us talk and talk and talk.  In fact, they ended up going to another room to watch a DVD!!  

Ft. Irwin is the National Training Center for troops, especially those heading to the "Sandbox".  Greg was in the midst of this training while we were there, but he found time to come by and say hello.  Greg is an Army Chaplain and part of his job is training other chaplains how to be prepared in combat situations.  You can imagine how excited Max was being able to hear all about Greg's work, as WELL as just being on a military base.

The FamCamp here at the base is NOT the most exclusive campground, that's for sure!  Well, then again, maybe it is..IF you consider the word "exclusive" as being isolated!!!

Nope, we were not alone!  There were several other campers here, but I think we were the only ones just "passing through".  The rest were here waiting on housing, or living in their campers while stationed here.

Although the area is desolate, it was beautiful!  Now, if I was arriving here for the first time realizing I was going to LIVE here, I'm not sure what my reaction would be!!!  The nearest town is at LEAST 40 miles away.  Anyway, here are just a few pictures that we took while at Ft. Irwin and as we were leaving.

Many of the units who train here paint their emblem on the rocks entering the Fort

The coyotes just walked through the Base everywhere

This was right across the street from where we camped.  Nope, not going there!!

We teased Greg and told him not to worry about the "opposing troops"..they were broke down near us!! LOL

 

ONLY road leading in and out of Ft. Irwin!!!

We were so glad that we took the time to stop here on our way to the coast of California!  We were so blessed to see the McVeys and hear how the Lord is working in their lives. I also have a new appreciation of ladies, like Conli, who take up the slack while their spouses are defending our country and who treasure the time they do FINALLY get to spend with their men.   We also feel like we now have three more "adopted" grandkids!!

Thanks, McVeys, for making us feel so welcome!!!

TOURING LAS VEGAS

Hi again!  As I stated in my last blog, on Monday night we took a Night Sightseeing Tour of Las Vegas on a Doubledecker Bus .  We prepared ourselves since we knew it was going to be COLD!  After donning layers of clothes, packing gloves and earmuffs, we headed out to the Excalibur to wait for the bus.

  We left early in order to give ourselves plenty of time just in case we got lost or got caught in traffic.  The handy GPS took us straight there without any problem, so we were able to grab a bite to eat before hopping on the bus. We were able to get front row seats behind a glass shield, so at least we were protected from the breeze!  Las Vegas is, indeed, a glitzy city!  We enjoyed seeing all the huge hotel/casinos all lit up, but did NOT enjoy so many of the other signs, etc., that light up along with them.  You can only imagine what they promoted.  What a shame to realize that immorality is encouraged so rampantly here.  Yes, there are some shows and areas that are family friendly, but getting there requires closing your eyes and blindly fighting your way through all the rest of the stuff!  We were glad that we could just ride through.  I'm posting pictures of several of the hotels/casinos and hope there is not any offensive signs in the background.

Might have enjoyed this show, but all the shows are very expensive

People actually bungee off the top!!

The bus took us down the Strip to Freemont Street, which is called Freemont Experience.  This is at the end where the older section of Las Vegas is.  We passed many Wedding Chapels along the way and I took a picture of this one in the older section.  The reason I did is that back in 1941, my parents were married in Las Vegas and I wondered if it was in a chapel like this.  The sign in front said it had been used since 1940. . . you never know!!

Freemont Experience was pretty interesting (if you blocked out so many striptease places)!  It is an area of several blocks (the tour guide told us how many, but of course, I forget) that are covered with a canopy where they have a light show every hour.  The canopy lights up with films of the group singing, and the music plays throughout the entire area.  We stayed for both shows. . . the first being American Pie and the second one was one by the Doors.  Of course, these two older folks enjoyed the American Pie one the best! lol!

I am inserting a short video of Mr. Max singing along!  Aren't we "with it"!  A lot of people were dancing along, but you do NOT want to see Mr. Max dancing!!  lol

Well, we can now say we have been to Las Vegas!  Yep, we did have to try one of the slot machines before leaving Excalibur. . . spent $3, lost $3.65. . . that is one reason we don't gamble!! LOL. . .

On Thursday we left Vegas behind and headed to Ft. Irwin, California, to visit with some friends.

MILITARY CAMPGROUNDS AND HOOVER DAM

On Friday, November 4, we arrived at Nellis AFB FamCamp in Las Vegas, NV for a time of "rest".  By now, if you are reading this blog, you know that our "rest" often turns into MUCH sightseeing!  We love staying at military campgrounds for several reasons:  DEFINITELY secure, Max gets his "military fix", we visit the Commissary for less expensive groceries, and our renewal of awareness of the wonderful freedom we have at the cost of many others!  This particular FamCamp is a popular one for Snowbirds.  Normally...notice the word "normally", it is in the 70's during this time of year.  Of course, WE are here, so the weather is NOT normal!!  lol...I think it was on Saturday or Sunday that they had a record low. . . lowest it has been since 1938.  This is also the home of the Thunderbirds, the Air Force jet flying team.  They have been practicing all week for an Air Show that is happening here this weekend.  Max tried to get some pictures and this is the best he could do.  Those jets go F A S T!!!

On Sunday, we took a drive over to the Hoover Dam which is only about 30-45 minutes away.  It was pretty cold and windy, but we enjoyed viewing it just the same.  There were several tours you could take, but we chose the shortest, which wasn't actually a tour but an entrance fee to the Visitor Center.  The security here is as tight as it is for flying or cruising.  We were standing in line . . . a very LONG line. . . to go through security when one of the security personnel made the announcement to all those around, that you could not take in any food, beverage other than water, any sharp objects, such as pocket knives. . . key word for Max since he had one in his pocket.  So, off he went back to the truck, which was on the FOURTH level of the parking deck, to drop off his pocket knife.  We finally made it to the entrance and he started emptying his pockets and, low and behold, he realized he had one of those "utility knife things" (my words for it) in a case on his belt!!  Well, he decided he would rather lose it than go back up to the truck!  Guess some security guy now has one!  lol...

Hoover Dam is really amazing!  We just wished that there had been more water flowing.  Would have loved to see those gates open and the water gushing out!  Otherwise, it was an interesting and beautiful place to see.

The next post will be about our Night Sightseeing Tour of Las Vegas.  I'm still processing it all.  Glitzy, but not sure if we would come back.  One of those "been there, done that" places.