About Me

My photo
I am retired and like to travel by motor home across the United States and Canada. In the winter I hope to spend more time with my WIN (Wandering Individual Network) friends in the California and Arizona desert. I know my trip reports are having too many details, but I am writing them for myself, if anybody else enjoys them, that is fine too.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Julian Outing June 2012

6-18-12
We are at William Heise County Park near Julian, California, with the Convair Camping Club. Julian is a former mining town and now lives off tourism and growing apples. The Julian Apple Pies are well known in this part of the country.
The park is at an altitude of about 4,500 feet. There are many old giant live oaks, and wild turkeys wander around.



For the evening meal we had homemade subway sandwiches. Everybody brought some stuff for making the sandwiches. It worked out well.
Unfortunately we cannot have a campfire. The fire danger is very high and there are two fires now in Southern California.




6-19-12
On my morning walk I saw a flock of turkeys.



I also saw a hen with a bunch of chicks.




The park also has a few cabins.



The hills around the park are still covered with burned trees from the last big fire. The fire came very close to the park.



In early afternoon Rhonda, Frank, Doreen and I drove to Julian and went to several stores. This store has merchandise up to the ceiling.




At 5:00 PM we had a big meeting. The by-laws of the club were changed. The whole process was very interesting. I learned a lot about individual members of the club.




For dinner everybody cooked their own meat on the grills. The side dishes and dessert had been assigned to different people. Doreen had made the potato salad.



We cannot complain about the weather. It is perfect.

6-20-12
While I ate my breakfast I heard a male turkey make noises in front of the motorhome. I opened the front curtains and saw one male and several female standing there.
I reached for my camera and aimed it at the big birds. Before I could take a picture they took off.
Frank and Fred had come out of their motorhomes with their dogs. That scared the turkeys.
Two of the birds I saw later in the bushes.



On my morning walk I saw again the wild turkey mother with her babies. I could not get close enough to take a good picture.

Most of the people in the group went to Julian. We took it easy and enjoyed the beautiful weather.
For dinner we had taco salad. Everybody brought some of the ingredients and the host put them all in a big bowl. It was very tasty.
In the evening we had a camp fire. Fred and Clara, our new camping neighbors, joined us.
This was a fantastic outing.

6-21-12
The last three days I tried to get a good picture of the little turkeys. I can see them but the grass is as tall as they are and one hardly can see them completely.
This morning I caught them walking across the road.



Saturday, June 9, 2012

Inter-Tribal Powwow 2012

6-9-12
Today we went to the Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, California for the Inter-Tribal Powwow.




Indians from California, Arizona, Oklahoma and other states were present.







The highlight was the Grant Entry, in which all the dancers in traditional native dress entered the ground in a parade formation. After the parade was competitive intertribal dancing.
Six drummers and singers kept the beat.







Food booths sold Indian tacos and fry bread.



A vendor village featured jewelry, artwork, music and crafts.




Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Convair Tooling Luncheon June 2012

Today’s monthly tooling luncheon was improved with a surprise.
Paul Simpson and Glen Gill and their wives were in attendance. They had to get away for a few days from the heat in Arizona.
Paul and Linda have recently moved back from Hawaii. They live now near Tucson. The Gills live in Casa Grande near Phoenix.



There was a lot to talk about since we have not seen each other for many years.





Saturday, June 2, 2012

Jim Clifton's Memorial Service

One more of our Convair friends left us.
I knew Jim very well. He worked in Manufacturing Technology. In his little lab he checked out some of the new drill fixtures and other new tools I had ordered, designed and built.
He was always helpful and one of the nicest people.


Five of us represented the old Convair group.