On our way to Long Beach

Just wanted to add a few things to Sundays blog....The girl that sang the national athem was from the Voice,Earl saw her later on in the game signing autographs ....It was a good game we all enjoyed it, it got exciting at the end....The giants blew a six game winning spree but clinched it the day before anyways. I found the field to be a tad dangerous as they have no net up, quite a few people get nailed one young lady right between the eyes...Now ps our days here are a bit mixed up as Tuesdays went up before Mondays so here we are Monday AA  This morning we were up really early as the boys have decided to go to Longbeach via the coast 1 all the way, now you might think that sounds great but we were scheduled to be in the car for 6 1/2 hrs this way will be 11hrs....So Earl is running around dodging the bell boys trying to load the truck and it seems like he has been driving down the taxi and bus lanes all the way threw SF...We headed to Twin Peaks this morning at 8am this has a spectacular view of all of SF which by the way apparently we has four earthquakes this morning...didnt feel a thing...another little bit of knowledge is its $800 per sq foot to rent or live in the downtown area..WOW eh...Anyways we are on to the Pacifica highway were off...Pampus grass everywhere growing wild....We stopped in Pacifica for a quick breakfast at a taco time breakfast burrittos , watching the surfers there must be at least 30 of them out here..Its awesome the waves are crashing in sun is shining.....We travel though Half Moon bay, then on to Santa Cruz... Tons of farmlands out here we stop at a local barn to buy some strawberrys' raspberrys, almonds, figs they were the best tasting strawberries i have ever tasted....We have the first moisture of our trip going threw Carmel by the Sea, it used to be Clints town i think...Next we go though Pebble beach, when we hit Big Sur the sun comes out again...You should see some of the homes on this coast unbelieveable mansions over hanging the water in the middle of no where....We pulled over and we couod see seals as far as the eyes could see some sleeping, some spooning and others playing and fighting..all beached apparently they dont smell so good...The roads up here are so narrow and windy and we have Mario Andretti at the wheel.....time for some real air I5 where r you....We arrived in San Luis Obispo around 3:30 and lunched at Carls jr, not good burgers although Rick seems to have enjoyed his pulled pork burger... They have a state prison here called a Mens Colony  that once housed Charles Mansen.....We pull into a picnic area that wants $5 to picnic here so we sneak in to pee and as Cheryl opens the door realizes its an outhouse filked with shit and flies, she decided to wait....'Now we are on the ventura highway heading threw Santa Barbara The roads and scenery are beautiful but this is just taking far to long...What a tiring day 12 hours in the car..Rick gets to drive in 12 lane traffic in the dark I think all our pakms were sweaty... We arrived at the Queen Mary just before 8...She is a neat old ship a queen in her day...The rooms are small the corridors narrow and apparently the ceiking low and Rick smashed his head on the exit sign...The floors are all uneven giving the elusion of sailing and the ship is haunted too...We went to the observation deck for a drink, the off to Chelseas chiwder house for a bowl of chowder..Micheal was our nice waiter thatbserved us and he even asked Cheryl which vodka she wanted grey goose of course...Our room is on the B deck no windows very dark at the back of the boat, although Rick says these king sized beds would be first class back in the day..Tomorrow we will tour the boat it has two resturants, two bars and a cafe and tea house..We eneded the night sitting outside on the promenade deck having a night cap, not a breeze on the water none of us had a sweater on either, beautiful view of long beach, a little embarrassing when the boys came walking down the deck carring the big blue cooler...But what an experience too cool...Till tomorrow.....

off to see the Angels

Tuesday AA We slept in this morning, it was so very dark in our rooms on the ship you couldn't see nothing....We met with Rick and Cheryl at 10am and went to the Bakery on the promenade deck...Muffins,cinnamon rolls and chocolate croissant..... We finished looking around the ship and packed up our luggage....We called the valet to get the luggage and the boys went outside to the parking lot to see a strong man contest going on out there...We took a drive over to the city of Long Beach gassed up and the on to Huntington Beach....We had a bit of trouble finding our destination the GPS was OK but the person giving her the information wasn't on the ball...We found our destination and parked in the public parking lot and took a stroll up main street....One block up the boys decided to hit the local $2 Budweiser tavern and they were gone...Cheryl and I walked up three blocks and browsed threw all the local shops, then met them they were chatting up a young lady bar tended ,she told them Canadians and Chinese were the worse tippers...lol....We continued onto the beach to Dukes for lunch, had a drink in the bar then sat waterfront for lunch....Rick and Cheryl behaved again and shared the entree, we should remember to follow their exsample... ..We walked right down to the water, the sand was soft but hot it was 90 in Orange County today...Cheryl and I walked right into the water the waves were crashing in, the surfer's were good here they managed to stay up for a few waves, Cheryl wrote in the sand but the water washed it all away....Now we are onto Anehiem to see the Angels.. The GPS said 17 minutes but with traffic it took 37. We arrived at the Quality Inn and suites and got our rooms unfortunately ours had some one eles luggage in it so we had to change rooms, the boys backed all the luggage on the trolley as there is no valet here and they gave us rooms with two beds so Earl and Cheryl are pushing this loaded cart all over the hotel and parking lot....Rick is getting antsy as he wants to see BP today....We got checked in and had a beer, changed our clothes and headed for the ten minute walk to the stadium...I wonder why they always lie to us? 20 minutes later we arrive at the stadium with plenty of time today...Its such a pretty stadium with fountains,grass,flowers and trees...We walked all around the stadium, stopped in the team store and got settled in our seats. Great seats again right beside home plate twenty rows back...It si a beautiful night, Valerie bertinelli is here...The food here is very affordable $4.50 for a beer and the same for a hit dog probably the best prices in baseball good job Angels people...We had to walk all the way around the stadium for the Heavenly Natchos, they were massive...The game was good close I thought the Mariners were going to pull it off there I was in an Angels shirt cheering for the Mariners....but they lost 5-4.....Now we have to make our way back to the hotel, there must have been over 125 of us at the light when someone said let's just go lol then the officer let us go and everyone started cheering ....Very friendly people here I don't know if I have mensioned it before but Rick is a chatty Cathy chatting with everyone lol...Back at the hotel we sit for a quick night cap then head off to bed....San Diego tomorrow...Till then.......

Sunday AA .......when we checked in to this swanky hotel after they talked the boys into parking the truck they made a note the bumper was dinted........too bad... The Spechts hooked us up with a free breakfast in this fancy hotel so we had a bit of a lay in this morning and met at 9:45 to head for the restaurant.... It was very fancy $5.75 for a coffee free jam pots on the table, cast iron tea pots it was really lovely....They had butlers serving our every need orange juices constantly refilled...Thanks Rick and Cheryl....We got directions from the concierge Earl is still looking for him as the route he gave us took almost an hour way to long....AT and T stadium was very cool.It is 399 to center field smaller than I thought. It is surrounded by 24 palm trees, and a 24 foot brick wall in honour of the say hey kid Willie Mays. We sat in our seats met a really nice local lady who took our pictures and were so happy to have such good seat neighbours, she agreed to watch our stuff while we took a walk around the park which she suggested....the view from center field over the ocean was awesome, there was lots of boats out there and lots of floaters too......We stopped and had a fan photo taken too....when we returned to our seats the nice lady was there with our stuff I guess we were in the wrong section....So we moved over a section to even better seats 33 rows back right behind the plate on the aisle too....It was a tad pricey to eat in there cost Rick $18.50 for two pop and a water, the later $16 for a beer and a hot dog..wow.....Our new seat neighbours in front of us Myst have won the lottery because they had hit dogs, chowder,buns,burgers,natchos,chips,garlic fries,beer,pop,wine don't think those girls came for the game aww where's our nice lady.....The walk home was much better although we never ran into the S and M leather fair guess they packed it in early......San Francisco is such a diverse city they motto here is don't pass judgement We keep telling Rick and Earl this but as you well know they don't listen.We walked across the street to the Elephant and Castle for dinner Rick did his best to talk our poor waitress into putting the ball game in but football won out...We are now back in the room having a night cap looking at the Bay Bridge all lit up we feel we have seen so much of the city this visit walking from the fisherman's wharf to Embarkadaro,Union square, the financial district to At &T park area from pier 21 to pier 48......I think Rick and Earl have blisters.......Thanks San Francisco it was a blast...till tomorrow......

So from now on this will be know as AA wish is trip after accident instead of BA before accident....So here we are AA in Petaluma Home of the world series finalists., they lost to Japan but Petaluma is proud of them.We shared a room last night at America,s best extended stay but decided not to extend our stay....as that was the dumpiest one yet...Today we are going to America,s best the Let Meridian .We had breakfast at McDonalds on the way to San Francisco this morning we were on the road at 8:11......We have arrived in SF before 10am...We stopped under the bridge and took some pictures....We parked the truck for $30 a day because the Spechts own an oversized vehicle after all....We walked alone the pier we saw silver men, gold men, sparkly man, we saw Jimmi,Jimmie who said Gimmie Gimmie so when Rick did he said hey Victoria give me Moral........Cheryl helped a magician do a card trick so we watched him for awhile...Then we went on the Ducks Tour it was fun we went in the water all around the ball park It was spectacular. It is an Amazing day here. We visited the Ghirardelli chocolates while Cheryl and I were shopping around we noticed the boys on the stools stuffing there faces with ice creams in waffle cones. We went to Tiernans Irish Pub for lunch ....Dr Childs will be proud of Rick and Cheryl today they shared an entree....Were heard San Fransisco is a beautiful city, where the girls are strong and the boys are pretty....We saw a guy urinating right on the street and it was Rick and Earl this time...So we pulled into the swanky hotel and Rick and Cheryl checked in while Earl tried to talk to bell boys into letting him pack his own luggage but wait the Spechts are having a slight problem with there oversized truck again an addition $25 on top of thev$51 to park it even though its now dented OK so don't tell Earl....Cause he won't let the guy park it....Alright so we ready 8 bags, three coolers,chips,cases of pop shopping bags and the bell boy says go ahead I'll meet u there...We have to go to Spechts vroom because ours isn't ready yet...Earls got his dirty black suitcase hoisted on Cheryl's white duvet and dumping his pockets on the other side guess he's trying to find a napkin to clean up his spills on the table...We moved to our room and we have a water front view so sleeping on that pull out last night at the Americas nit so best wasn't so bad...Earl forgot his wine in there room so Rick sends him over to get it, Five minutes later we r wondering if he is shitting over there or what he,s done... He finally shows up he got lost and smashed the red wine all over Spechts room floor and sopped it up with there lovely fluffy white bath towel which he is hiding....We change and head off to Jose crab shack via a $12 Cab ride to Union square which is quite cool and the grab a $24 cable car to the pier.. Cheryl and I are on the back of the trolley enjoying the ride and taking pictures when the bastard conductor pushes us inside with the other 50 people jammed worth than sardines.The Asian guy tramples Cheryl's feet and Rick and Earl have to pee again. Rick is convinced we r going the wrong way since we have been jammed in there for half an hour....What a great experience you'd think the boys would find a toilet bute in but oh no a parked car steps from the tram station has to do........The crab shack is packed we have a 35 minute wait so of course we head to the bar.....where we wait for Ricks booth.....Earl enjoyed his meal tore at it like a caveman flinging juices everywhere good thing Cheryl has a bib on......Dinners over and we have decided we better walk back to hotel as the rides tgerevwere costly so off we go Earl isn't happy about this as his feet hurt,he has a rash and he has to pee so he wined all the way there which accually was quite a bit further than we though a half an hour tittle those boys were sweating and Earl was bitching anyways we r having a night cap looking at the lighted bridge over the water Till tomorrow........l

Well good morning Coos Bay its a sunny day today. Up and at it early fabulous buffet breakfast......Rick and Earl were chatting up an elderly lady, she took their picture lol Earl is driving this morning and we are off at 8:35 WAIT he seems to be turning onto a four lane one way highway and it isn't going our way so he hits the breaks unfortunately for Cheryl she has just done up her seat belt and nearly losses her head...OK now we r going the right way. In the road again.. Today is our longest day we pass by Brandon by the sea and gas up at Port Orford.... We pass through Siskiyou National Forest, Gold beach where the fishing is plentiful we see about 40 boats out there. Earl gives up the wheel and Rick takes us threw Lake Earl and Fort Dick. Rick shows us the Pelican Bay Penitentiary we get stopped at the gate but they tell us you can tour the facility!!! Ricks mouth drops open unfortunately you have to do the paper work so that's a must for next year.We to pictures of Paul Bunyon at the Trees of Mystery...Next stop Target to get Earl a belt, hoody, razors, deodorant.....The boys want to eat in the parking lot but we think no let's have another picnic...Rick floors it as Cheryl is hooking up the GPS and almost takes her teeth out...We don't find any picnic tables in Eureka and its after 2 Earl is starving cause we never feed him so we are having lunch in the Avenue of Giants on the side of the road on the tailgate....kinda if like a stuff and run....then as usual just up the road is a sunny site with picnic tables....Now we r off to the Napa valley it is 30 Outside the truck and its getting to be about 5:30ish....We stop in Healburg we hit three hotels all full booked right up........Rick sweet talk the girls into calling the next town for us its $200 a night or all full up......Cheryl and I decide to ask the GPS for hotels she is smart, so I'm directing Rick and every time he turns she changes her mind ...I'm pointing and laughing he's twisting and turning the truck, I can't breath We are peeing our pants oh we laughed so hard but in the end she didn't help us at all...Eventually we get an Americas Best extended stay and have to share a room, there is a casino next door and its 7:30 so we r done for the night.....No elevators here so the boys pack all the bags upstairs.Rick decides he should move the truck to a safer spot so we head to the room .........I go downstairs to get some pillows and there is Rick he has backed up into a young guys work truck......Yep he did banged up his right side bumper hardly any damage to the truck but the guy just got the job so he wants to go by the book.....that means Paper work calling the cops and listening to a bit of bible thumping....All in all he took it well says he isn't going to wash it ever again...no point now lol So now its close to nine and Earl is bitching about food again so we r off to Applebys....No wifi at hotel so Earl packed the tablet over and stubbed his bare toe on a sprinkler and threw the tablet across the parking lit Cgeryl is peeing her pants again .....I think its time for bed...Till tomorrow....

So here we are in Kent .........it was a late night close to 1am before we got to sleep.....We ordered pizza only in America do you get garlic butter dip with your pizza oh but it was good...Anyways Earl wakes up 6:45 and clogs the toilet before he heads off for a swim.....So just so you know Earl didn't forget his wallet and he didn't hit a pole this mo;rning but here'sg the thing He forgot the lawn chairs, he forgot his belt, he forgot his deodorant........and he didn't bring a sweater or a coat....We had a good breakfast in the lobby and were on the road by 8:15.......We made a quick Starbucks stop in Long view Washington, it is chilly today, spitting a bit and foggy too...Earl is at the wheel this morning we have a tad of a are neck in the back seat here... Cheryl mentions she has to pee and Rick answers can you wait 55 miles...lol....and he made her....Earl figured out how to control the iPod from the steering wheel so needless to say we listened to his favorites loudly and skipped the ones he didn't like...He had an argument with the GPS and took his own route.....We arrived in Lincoln City just before 1oclock,the beaches here are beautiful, some of the neighbourhoods have homes with docks on them ...so cool...We stopped at a local beach for a picnic , it was chilly. Lunch was good the view was spectacular the waves crashing onto the sand was awesome...after lunch we walked down to the surf....not before Earl threw a crust onto the grass and several seagulls made a dive for it....so Cheryl threw a hand full of cheesies on the grass well you would have thought we were on the set of the birds must have been 20 of them......We passed threw Fogarty Creek State Park,Depoe Bay,Newport its really breath taking...We made a quick stop at Seal Rock and took some pictures you could hear the seals down in the caves...We also stopped for a quick picture on the road side where Earl unlike Cheryl decides to piss between the truck doors.......We arrived in Coos Bay just before 5 and got a great deal at the best western........We settled in and decided to walk four blocks to a local Mexican restaurant The food was simply delicious great and the waiter called us Senoia,s Mexican beer hot servacious it was a good night. We were so stuffed it was a rough walk home and Earl managed to bust a button on his shorts so without a belt he had to hold up his shorts on the walk home......So now we are in Rick and Cheryl's room having an night cap think we,all have an early night...Till tomorrow.....

Well we set off this afternoon about 2 o'clock and headed for the BC Ferries. We got aboard the three boat almost last on, tucked right in the corner Rick was happy that.The buffet was half price a light buffet....but the chocolate was plenty....we made the boarder in great time, shopped at the west coast duty free...Yep we got scotch for course, rum, gin, vodka and Kahlua.......we r on our way....and then we got picked for a random raping at the boarder...Rick was beside him self when they stripped his truck down,hoods up, luggage out, they asked us to come inside and proceeded to put rubber gloves on....you should have seen? the boys faces..... they gave us a good inquisition questions galore...then we got to sit the the Chinese people that don't speak English they finger printed them...Anyways we got to return to the truck with sweaty palms and pick up all our bags off the floor. America ain't it beautiful......So after Rick checked the truck for scratches we are on our way.....Fred Meyer is our next stop because after all we don't have any beer or wine.....Cheryl and I decide we better get some food to go alone with all the beverages.........So off we go on to Seattle ...we decided to go threw Seattle to Kent, Earl assured us this was a lovely area so we turned off and went searching for a hotel...well the King Arm, and West hotel didn't do it for us and after the Five police cars, ambulance and first response blocking the road we had a few choice words for Earl and did a u turn to the other side of town.....So here we sit in the Comfort Inn enjoying a beverage and waiting for a pizza great start ...the desk guy told us not to leave anything in the truck but we have rock star parking thanks to our little handicap sticker lol.......till tomorrow....