Melting Again In Salt Lake

Tuesday: (07/14) Breakfast was waffles, sausage and eggs. Ernie worked cleaning his truck all day while I worked at the computer moving some websites to a different server. Lunch was a chefs ham salad with stuffed celery.

Dinner at The Pagoda Chinese Restaurant downtown. We had the Family Combo which was pretty good.

Wednesday: (07/15) Breakfast was cereal. I dashed off to the FedExOffice store to pickup a package from Lou. She sent copies of the papers for our refinancing for me to review. I arrived after 9am when it was supposed to be there since it was an overnight delivery but I hadn't checked the online tracking. When I arrived it wasn't there. I headed back home and was almost there when the store clerk called and said it had arrived, so I returned to get it. As I was leaving the parking lot FedEx's automated system called me to tell me it was there. Even though a little late it is amazing service. I guess I should wait for the call next time. I reviewed the papers and this is a first, no errors. Lou will sign off tomorrow morning.


We headed South to pickup some papers at Ernie's doctor's office then did our duty, tank duty that is, at Cabella's in Lehi. They had some nice flowers including this perfect example of the Hershey Kiss Sunflower. At least that's what I'd name it. Today is very warm, again. By the time we got to the Propane dealer they were closed so maybe the warm weather is a good thing.

Thursday: (07/16) Cereal for breakfast. After breakfast, I took the RV back out and got LPG and gas. All ready to leave when we can.

Ernie worked cleaning up his truck. I worked on moving websites and email to a new server. Ham sandwiches for lunch. Dinner was pork chops, baked potato and peas.

Friday: (07/17) Somewhat the standard breakfast, egg sausage and cheese McBun's. We didn't have any English muffins but did have sesame french rolls, like wide hamburger buns. Cut in half they are like a muffin. A a fried egg and a butterflied half Italian sausage with some cheese and you have a meal that lasts, unlike cearal. It worked so well we forgot about lunch. Shouldn't do that. Ernie completed the move out of his truck to turn it in. He wasn't able to get a waiver to drive anymore. We finished up at the terminal about 6pm and headed South, but not too far. Just to the Cracker Barrel for dinner. We each rewarded ourselves with country fried steak. dinners. We then headed South to Highway 92 and headed East into the mountains into the American Fork Canyon. We stopped for the night at the Alpine Summit when it got dark.

A Quick Tour Of North East Utah

Saturday: (07/11) We started the day with breakfast at the Golden Corral. Hadn't tried their breakfast before. It was pretty good and the price can't be beat, less that $7ea with tea and OJ.


We then visited the Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park In Salt lake City. We enjoyed our visit which included a little bird show.


Our next stop was to the Hill AFB Air Museum near Ogden, Utah. We pulled the RV out of the Swift lot and hit the road. This is a pretty nice museum though a little disorganized right now. Lots of planes. Ernie used to be stationed here and worked on some of the military jets that were on display like the F104. We had hot dogs for lunch from their stand.

We continued North on I15 and stopped for the night in the Perry Rest Area at MM363. For dinner we had chefs salads.


Sunday: (07/12) We enjoyed waffles, eggs and bacon for breakfast at our rest area campsite. We then stopped by the Walmart at the next exit for more veggies then we tried to see the bird refuge but the Visitor Center was closed and the road had a weight restriction that we would exceed so we headed off into the mountains East of Logan on highway 89 along  the Logan River in Logan Canyon. We stopped for a walk along the river and looked over one of the power houses there.


At the summit, we stopped at a Rest Area / View Point which had a good Visitor Center. You get really good views from the top of the mountain of the Bear Lake which is quite a big lake. It's water is supposed to change color, blue if nice weather, green if hazy, and gray if stormy. Today it was very blue. We had lunch of cold cuts, cheese and crackers with carrot and celery sticks.

We drove to the end of the St Charles Canyon Road which is the parking area for the Minnitonka Cave tours. We couldn't turn around so had to disconnect and park. Oddly, there is RV parking for long vehicles. The cave was nice, a fault limestone cave with some decoration.


We drove down the mountain a little ways to the Cloverleaf CG and got a nice space in the trees where we were able to shoot through the trees and get our satellite Internet signal. We're in Idaho near Montpelier in this Forest Service campground for the night.


Lots of flowers to be seen everywhere. We spent time taking lots of pictures up at the lake overlook earlier and then time here in camp along the river that flows by it.


Even saw a 6 inch orange mushroom.

Dinner was pork chop sandwiches with beans.

Tomorrow we'll head back toward SLC via Ogden on different roads.

Monday: (07/13) This day is most famous as the birthday of Ernest Wood.

On our way out St Charles canyon Road we drove through a couple of campgrounds to see what they were like. All the campgrounds are very nice. We headed South along the lake on the road we came in on from garden City then veered left on highway 30 up a pretty good grade to what looked like the Wyoming plateau.


We turned South on Highway 16 then West on the Scenic Byway highway 39 into Ogden. Highway 39 is scenic. We toured another campground near the top, nice as well. We also stopped for lunch and a flower photo session near the summit. Highway 39 near the top runs along the ridge with beautiful valleys on either side. Lots of quaking aspen trees in the forest. Lunch was hotdogs and cottage cheese and fruit.


Just before we emerged into Ogden and out of the mountains we stopped at a waterfall, unnamed. It looks like a bypass flow from a power house penstock that rides near the top of the canyon wall. Quite impressive.


We returned to our campsite in the Swift trucking parking lot but when we arrived there was another RV in the lot and a truck parked in "our" spot. We chose a different spot by the lot entrance along some grass and aligned with the tail facing West. We had been aligned with the tail North and so got the hot evening sun shining inside the RV through the door and window. With this alignment we hope to reduce the heating effect.

The car was nice and cooperated by re-engaging the driveline easily on both the past disconnects up at the cave and here at the terminal. A little lubricant evidently helps.

Tonight we're going out to dinner. We would have gone to Ernie's choice, the Pagoda Chinese Restaurant but they are closed Monday's. So, we planned on going to my choice, the Red Iguana Mexican Restaurant. Maybe the Pagoda tomorrow when they're open? They had an hours long wait so off we went. Turns out we went to the old Spaghetti House at the Trolley Barns/ Very good dinner/ Ernie had lasagna and I had meatloaf.

Either the new alignment worked or it is much cooler today. Not sure which yet but it is nice this afternoon here. It was nice to get away for the weekend.

A Swift Return To SLC

Wednesday: (07/08) Breakfast was English muffins, peanut butter and jam with Italian sausage.

We ran by Ernie's two doctors offices one in Magna and one in South Jordan. he needs some forms filled out. he made appointments for each this afternoon.It was about 50% effective. One doctor completed the forms, the other couldn't because he wasn't the original treating doctor. He get the form back next week when that doctor returns. That means we're here at least through the weekend.

Lunch was hamburgers. I tinkered at the computer all afternoon.

For dinner Ernie warmed up some pork chops which we matched with a green salad, cottage cheese and peaches.

The weather has been mild today compared to yesterday afternoon.


Our campsite at the Swift Trucking Terminal. I've been hoping for a good sunset to get a good Western sunset picture. Well, we had a good one finally. Too bad my good camera is bad. Also too bad we're looking out over an industrial area. But, it still looks pretty good, though not as good as a few minutes previous to the photo.

Thursday: (07/09) Breakfast at one of Ernie's haunt's the Great American cafe at the Sapp Brothers Truck Stop just down the road. Ernie ordered his special custom breakfast scrambled eggs on crisp hash browns with sausage gravy on them. I had a couple of pancakes and a slice of ham. Everything was excellent.

Ernie has a stash in his truck pantry so for lLunch we had wieners. I added ramen noodles, Ernie scalloped potatos.

We dropped Ernie's truck off at the Kenworth dealer to get the drivers window fixed. We then took a run shopping looking at a very empty mall and Walmarts. Ernie is looking for a watch and a good, functional inexpensive watch is very hard to find now days. Either people really are just buying junky too big watches or people are like me and don't wear a watch any more. We also topped off our veggies.

Dinner was brown rice over chili and a green salad with tomatoes. The rice was different, something from Ernie's truck pantry. It was in a plastic pouch that you place in water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes then open the pouch and serve. The pouch is perforated plastic and works great. Who would have thought? I'm sure they've been around for years but my first use. i usually cook it the old fashioned way.

Friday: (07/10) Breakfast of champions, at least for Ernie. Mine were Walmart flax flakes which look much the same. Bananas topped off the cereal.

For lunch Ernie fixed tuna salad stuffed tomatoes.

About 2pm we took a drive downtown to see where the capitol and temple are then stopped by the Trolley Barn Shopping Center then Liberty Park. We may come back to the aviary at the park tomorrow morning.

Ernie baked some potatoes and warmed some steaks and added corn which made a dinner. Since it was sooo hot, we topped that off with rootbeer floats. It was hot enough in the evening that about 7pm I finally broke down and started the air conditioning. we've been getting by with our fans up till now.


About 9pm  we headed downtown to get some photos of the State Capitol building  and the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City at night.

Off To Salt Lake City Again

Monday: (07/06) I called the title company to have them prepare a power of attorney for Lou so I can be gone when we sign off our home refinance. One of the problems with having to leave. After getting that done, Lou and I had breakfast at Brian's Cafe in Los Altos. We shared their daily special omelet linguisa, cream cheese and ??

Ernie and I finally pulled out about noon. We stopped for lunch of hotdogs in Tracy an hour or so East.

We stopped several times, once at the Donner Summit Rest Area. We took the nature loop trail and fed the mosquitoes.

We stopped in Sparks for dinner at the Black Bear Diner. I had the pot roast, Ernie had the tri-tip, all very good. That had to be followed by a shared berry cobbler.

We're spending the night at the Cosgrave Rest Area about 25 miles South of Winnemuca, Nv. I do like the Nevada Rest Areas that still have holding tank dumps. We haven't dumped for a month since we left the Salt lake City area.

Tuesday: (07/07) We arose early and had breakfast at the Rest Area. English muffin, eggs and leftover hash browns, tri-tip, pot roast and green beans.

We stopped in Winnemuca at WalMarts for general grocery shopping. Their fresh fruit didn't look too good so we also stopped in Elko at a Raley's. Their vegetable area was tiny but good stuff. The weather was pretty nice until we got to SLC. Then it was quit warm.

We arrived in SLC about 5pm. We stopped at the Swift Trucking Terminal so Ernie could visit his truck. It wouldn't start  so he had to charge the battery for a while. I had to tinker with the car again to engage the driveline. It needs a good lub job to work better.

Procrastination At Its Best

Wednesday: (07/01) Breakfast was left overs du jour. Ernie baked some biscuits and we had the left over sausage gravy on them. Lou and Dawn had fruit and yogurt.
My morning task was to clean off my desk. I also finalized and filed our taxes and got them in the mail. Isn't procrastination fun?

For lunch I had a ham sandwich with horseradish cheese. This was served with leftover carrot apple and raisin salad.

Dinner was pork ribs, green beans, home made fettuccine noodles or "pasta desasta" as Ernie calls them. He tried making the noodles with our pasta maker but the machine would help and he ended up rolling and slicing them by hand. I told him I usually find them at the market. Some things are not worth doing yourself.

Enough of avoiding outside work. Tomorrow I really need to get to it starting with the removal of a bunch of dirt. The dogs have been very kind by not just running up the to of the dirt pile and jumping into the neighbors yard.

Thursday: (07/02) If we were on the road and were not settled in at some nice campground this close to a holiday we'd be doing that today. As it is, we're settled in at home so no worries.

For breakfast I had a couple of left over biscuits with bologna and cheese. Everyone else had cereal. After watching the morning Perry Mason and then Rachael Ry show, I finally got to work. I pruned away plants in the raised flower bed, move a few tons of concrete blocks weighing from 150 to 300 or more lbs each. Some of these are blocks I moved when I built the green house last fall. Since I'm building yard buildings next to the green house now, I needed to move them again (bad planning) and to move more of them. With a break at noon for a second Perry Mason episode and lunch (hot dogs), I returned after lunch  to complete the concrete block move, then called it a day.  After a nice shower, Ernie and I went out shopping for a couple of hardware items.

Dinner tonight was at Cecelia's Mexican Restaurant up the street. We had a couple of coupons to use.


Friday: (07/03) Dawn's garden is doing nicely. The above is only part of her garden. She has things all over the yard.

Breakfast was cereal. Lunch was sandwiches. Dinner was pigs in blankets, green salad, and French fries.


Yesterday we moved the concrete blocks. Today we moved the dirt pile. The dirt is the collection from previous projects, mostly from the green house project, that needed to be moved before the dogs fully realize how easy it would be to jump into the neighbors yard. I originally planned on moving the pile once directly to the dump.That changed because of time constraints. The dirt had to be moved. Ernie and I will be headed back to Salt Lake City Monday and the dogs are going to stay here.

Saturday: (07/4) Independence Day. Today started out pretty much routine. I washed three cars (Mine, Lou's, and Ernie's) and the RV. Everything was pretty dirty.
I usually wash the RV and Toad soon after we arrive home and if we've been home a while, just before we leave. It's always a good idea to get the bugs off while they're fresh. Seems like I was slow getting to it this time but it needed to be done since washing it once we're on the road is much more difficult. There were lots of pieces of road oil and gravel on the rear wall and the wheels from that bad section of I15 in Utah on the way home. I got the rear cleaned but the wheels still need work. Maybe I'll get it done on the road?


About 2pm we went over to some friends house in San Jose for a potluck dinner/BBQ. The food was great and far too much, as usual. We returned home about 6:30 to save the dogs from all the noise.

Traffic going to and from San Jose was very light, typical for at home holidays but this year was different in that there were very few fireworks displays. San Jose canceled theirs due to budget concerns, Stanford canceled theirs due to "safety concerns" due to too much construction on campus. We need to get a good fireworks show video I guess.

Sunday: (07/05) I spent the day cleaning the RV interior and packing. Ernie spent the day cooking. Lou and Dawn spent the day rummaging at sales.

I also repaired the antenna mechanism on the RV. The shaft that the crank attaches to was stripped. After replacement, the thing works effortlessly. Before it was very hard to turn. I guess it's another item that needs occasional lubrication with silicon spray.

San Jose Computer Fixes

Tuesday: (06/30) Breakfast was interesting. Lou made an apricot cobbler last night and Dawn made apricot ice cream this morning. That combination was breakfast.

About 10am Daewn and I headed to San Jose. Dawn had an appointment in the morning. I dropped by her apartment to work on her computer. I updated ZoneAlarm and Windows. Installed Carbonite backup software and Installed a new wireless access point/router. I got the router at Office Depot for $14. Quite resonable and a very easy installation. And finally, I checked that everything worked and that Dawn could print via the wireless connection.

When Dawn returned from her appointment at San Jose State, we went to lunch at La Victoria Restaurant, the burrito place in a victorian house by the college. We shared a carnitas torta and a quesadilla with a horchata drink. Then Dawn went to work at the city offices for her internship. I continued my work on her computers. I finsihed up just before she returned then we returned home.

Ernie fixed a nice carrot apple and rasin salad. We had that with left over items like hamburger patties and hot dogs and Lou's Iranian chicken salad.

After dinner Ernie, Dawn and I took the dogs to the park for a walk. They enjoyed it and the romp in the creek was a highlight.

A Visit To San Jose Flea Market

Saturday: (06/27) Ernie fixed egg, bacon and cheese muffins. I guest these must be called Ernie McMuffins. Today's was a scorcher, in the very high 90's. Lou and Dawn started the day with a visit to the Stanford University Auxillary Rummage Sale, their last. they've been evicted from their site on the University and haven't found a new site so are closing. Lou and Dawn will miss it.

Lou Dawn and I went down to the San Jose Flea Market. It was sure hot there. It would seem that in a down turned economy, it would be doing well. It isn't! Very few people, a lot fewer vendors. I did enjoy a very nice vanilla shake, one of the best I've had in a long time. I was quite surprised. Lou found a few treasures as usual.

We returned home and set up the misters for the dogs in the yard. They are usually locked outside all day and can only come in for the night after 8pm. We all enjoyed the cooler inside the house. Lunch was left overs. My selection was wieners and creamed peas with pearl onions mixed together.

For dinner, Ernie made another potato salad. The rest was easy. Warmed up BBQ meat of choice and green salad.

IDue to concerns for the birds, i clossed off the front door with some orange tape to try to keep down th traffic through the door. There are now 4 eggs in the nest and the bird should start setting soon. That, or we;ll have a good breakfast?

Sunday: (06/28) I started the day with a egg muffin sandwich. I'm not sure what everyone else had since I was doing my usual Sunday morning late rising and watching the Sunday Morning news shows. It was another scorcher today so sandwiches were cool for lunch.

I spent the day installing the online backup software Carbonite on all our computers. I've been using Memeo for our backup which is OK and I did like the multiple destination capabilities but I have had problems restoring files and with Memeo completing backups as scheduled. Then there is the limited backup capacity. Of course it's really limited by my desire not to pay too much. Memeo has a monthly fee and I only payed for 5GB of storage for all our computers. Carbonite only backs up to their site, not jump drives and external hard drives like Memeo can. However, it has unlimited backup capacity for a resonable annual fee. Carbonite also allows online access to any of your computer backups.That should help Dawn with here file access to her computers. Seems like the file you need is never on the computer your using. We'll see how it goes. I may continue to use Memeo for local hardware backups like jump drives and external hard drives since there is no fee for those tyoes of backups.

Another job was getting Lou's computer fixed. a few months ago when I updated ZoneAlarm, the firewall and anti-virus software we use the installation failed. It couldn't be removed or reinstalled so could be used online. After much tweaking of the registry and sneaking around I finally got it working. Frankly I would have preferred that ZoneAlarm's help system would have provided a fix but they only helped some. Still it's the best protection so I had to find a way to make it work, and did, finally.

Dinner was some smoked chicken cooked a few days ago at the big BBQ effort. Ernie also cooked some fresh spinach, and we also had cottage cheese.

Since our bird is setting, I closed off the front door with some orange tape across our porch to hopefully keep folks away. I also tied a ribbon on the inside handle. The eggs should hatch in a couple of weeks and the babies be gone after another 2 weeks so one month of using the back door for nature.

Monday: (06/29) Breakfast was Ernie's biscuits and gravy. Our neighbor dropped off a bunch of really ripe apricots so Lou and Dawn  worked on them. Our own apricots are getting close to being ripe as well.

Lunch was popcorn. I had a dentist appointment this afternoon so Lou and Dawn came along for a visit to the old Vallco Shopping Center. Dawn found some tops at Sears and I got another pair of my Sketcher shoes.

Dinner was BBQ ribs, chicken salad, and broccoli.