November 14, 2018

Wordless Wednesday

Whale Cove
Depoe Bay, Oregon
November 2018


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For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

November 13, 2018

The Dry



The Dry (Aaron Falk, #1) by Jane Harper
Mystery
2017 Flatiron Books
Finished on January 11 2018
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:


Federal agent Aaron Falk hasn't been back to the place where he grew up in twenty years. Not since he and his father were run out of town. Even when Falk gets word that his childhood best friend, Luke, is dead and his entire family has been murdered, Falk still isn't planning on going back. But then he gets a note: Luke lied. You lied. Be at the funeral. And just like that, Falk is swept back into the secrets of the place and people he left so long ago.

When Falk returns for the funeral, Luke's parents implore him to look into his death -- though everyone else in town thinks the case is open-and-shut, they're sure something's not right. But as Falk himself knows, it's hard to get people to change their minds, and sometimes things are not as they appear. Amid the worst drought in a century, long-buried mysteries will resurface, as will the lies that accompany them. And Falk will discover anew what he's known all along: Sometimes you have to go back home in order to finally leave your past behind.


What a rip-roaring page-turner! I fell in love with Harper's masterful debut, eager to get back to it every evening, trying to unravel the threads of the two separate murders, chasing each red herring right up until the big reveal. The Dry is much more than just a mystery. The Australian setting is very much a character, with its unrelenting heat, dry open fields, snakes and spiders -- spiders such as the Huntsman and Red Back. (Nope. Sorry. I can't provide links because that would mean I would have to look at pictures of those spiders!) If this story is ever brought to the big screen, I can guarantee I will have my eyes covered at any mention of spiders. (OK, they were only briefly mentioned three times, but that was enough to make me a little uneasy.) 

On Grief:
No-one tells you this is how it’s going to be, do they? Oh yes, they’re all so sorry for your loss, all so keen to pop round and get the gossip when it happens, but no-one mentions having to go through your dead son’s drawers and return their library books, do they? No-one tells you how to cope with that.
Jane Harper has hit a home run with this debut thriller! The pacing is taut, the characters well-developed and the conclusion satisfying and not one bit convoluted or rushed. The flashbacks are seamlessly woven into the narrative without creating a jarring disruption to the flow of the story. Well done!

November 12, 2018

Cottonwood, Sedona, and Flagstaff, AZ

Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Cottonwood to Flagstaff, Arizona
Distance: 55 miles
Campground: Cracker Barrel
Cost per Night: Free (Boondocking)
Duration: 1 night
Weather: Mild & Rainy

I wasn't surprised when we woke up shortly before 6 a.m. to see dark rain clouds in the sky, as I had been watching the weather ever since we arrived at Dead Horse Ranch State Park and knew the odds were not in our favor. After Crater Lake (which was engulfed in smoke the day we visited) and the Grand Canyon (which was stunningly beautiful), Sedona was at the top of my list for day hikes and simply taking in all the scenic views of the red-rock buttes. Sadly, the weather was not going to cooperate, so I brewed our coffee (trying out the new roast we bought yesterday at Firecreek Coffee Company) and settled down in front of my computer to figure out the day's Plan B.


Sigh.


Smooth, but not quite as dark as we prefer.

Our original plan was to spend a full day in Sedona, return to our campsite in Cottonwood for a second night, then drive to Gallup, New Mexico (via the Petrified Forest) the following day. Since our day in Sedona was mostly a bust, we decided to break camp (sadly, no refund on our second night at the state park), visit a coffee house in Sedona before heading up Highway 89A and back to Flagstaff. By spending the night there, we could shave an hour off our drive on Thursday. 


Off we went, arriving in Sedona around 11:30. We could see the rock formations as we drove, but the sky was gray and the windshield blurring with rain, so I knew the photos I'd hoped to capture on one of my day hikes would have to wait for a return visit. Bummer!


Entering Sedona on Highway 89A

We lucked out and found some RV parking in the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village on Highway 179. We wandered around, window shopping for a little while before walking up the street to Creekside Coffee, where we sat and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast treats while gazing out the windows at the mountains. The photos don't really show the beautiful colors that, in spite of the gloomy weather, still looked gorgeous. 

Spotted this beauty in one of the many galleries in the village. 

Remove the clouds (and the wires) and this would be a stunning view!

A Brew With a View


A coffee shop with a comfy chair and a selection of books. 


Yes, they do have a view!

The coffee shop was getting busy and the noise level had reached the point where it was no longer relaxing to sit and gaze out the window, so we finished our coffee and hit the road. We continued on Highway 89A so we could see more of the beautiful rocks in the area as we made our way north. We heard that the road, with many sharp curves and switchbacks (north of Sterling Canyon), isn't the best for RVs, but we're only 27 feet and the posted speed was slow and easy, so it wasn't an issue. I'm really glad we took this drive, as it was very pretty in spite of the rain and we spotted some campgrounds that may be worth checking out next time we're in the area.


Lovely contrast between the red rocks and the green shrubbery.




At $20 per car, we decided to wait until next time when it's not rainy.



We stopped at Oak Creek Vista to take in the view of the canyon and check out some of the local Native American jewelry and crafts booths. 


Oak Creek Canyon





We reached Flagstaff by 2 p.m. and found a quiet park with a good Verizon signal so we could spend a couple of hours working on computer projects. As it got closer to evening, we moved into town to the Cracker Barrel, where we had a surprisingly good meal. I tried their ribeye, which was amazingly delicious. Rod's chicken potpie looked good, too. Maybe I've been wrong about Cracker Barrel... or maybe I was just really hungry!

By the time we got settled in for the evening, a dozen or so RVs and trailers had joined us in the parking lot behind the restaurant. Having never boondocked at a Cracker Barrel, I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but it turned out to be pretty decent. There was a lot of road and train noise through the night, but we were safe and had a decent meal. Can't complain about that for a free, one-night stopover.


Pretty decent place to spend a night, if you don't need hookups.


Not a pretty campground, but we still had a gorgeous sunset.


Click on images for larger view. 

Previous Posts:

November 10, 2018

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks


Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence
Nonfiction
2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Read by Stephanie Spicer
Finished on January 6, 2018
Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Librarians spend their lives weeding - not weeds, but books - books that have reached the end of their shelf life both literally and figuratively. They remove books that patrons no longer check out, and they put back books they treasure. Annie Spence, who has a decade of experience as a Midwestern librarian, does this not only at her Michigan library but also at home, for her neighbors, at cocktail parties - everywhere. In Dear Fahrenheit 451, she addresses those books directly. We hear her love letters to The Goldfinch and Matilda as well as her snarky break-ups with 50 Shades of Grey and Dear John. Her notes to The Virgin Suicides and The Time Traveler's Wife feel like classics that are sure to strike a powerful chord.

Through the lens of the books in her life, Annie comments on feminism, culture, health, poverty, childhood aspirations, and more. Hilarious, compassionate, and wise, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is the consummate book-lover's birthday present, stocking stuffer, holiday gift, and all-purpose humor book.

Before we moved to Oregon last year, we spent quite a bit of time going through all our belongings, choosing the items we couldn't live without and discarding the extraneous clutter that we both had accumulated over the course of not only our married life together (30 years!), but of our entire lives. When I first started reading as an adult, I wanted to keep every single book I had ever read, but as the years progressed (and my insatiable appetite for new books continued to grow), I knew at some point I would have to get rid of some of my beloved books. Moving has always prompted us to purge a lot from our stacks, so we got to work, sorting book by book until we had a manageable amount to take with us. Now that we're all settled in, I can glance at my bookcases and see all of the books I have yet to read, as well as all my favorites, which I swear I'll read again one day. Reading Annie Spence's love letters to the books in her life has nudged me to do just that. 

I listened to the audio version of Dear Fahrenheit and I couldn't stop walking, it  was so entertaining! I'm sure I got strange looks from passersby as I chortled with uncontrollable laughter, walking along with my headphones on my head. I enjoyed the book so much that I bought a copy to read again, this time with my Post-It Notes in hand. (The downside of listening to an audiobook is the inability to mark passages to share in my reviews, so I'll just have to add an update to this post after I've read the book a second time.) I want to share the book with everyone in my book club and send copies to my former co-workers at Barnes & Noble. This is a great choice for book lovers of all types. Laugh out loud and nod-your-head in agreement stories, especially if you've worked in a library or in a bookstore.
A librarian's laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving collection of letters to the books in her life.
Annie Spence, who has a decade of experience as a Midwestern librarian, writes letters to books, not only at her library but also at home, at her neighbors, at cocktail parties—everywhere. In Dear Fahrenheit 451, we read her love letters to Just Kids and Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury, as well as her break-ups with The Giving Tree and Dear John. Her notes to The Goldfinch and The Time Traveler’s Wife feel like classics. Through the lens of the books in her life, Annie comments on everything from women’s psychology to gay culture to health to poverty to childhood aspirations. Hilarious, compassionate, and wise, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is the consummate book-lover's book. (From the author's website.)

November 9, 2018

Looking Back - Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast Pillow Talk

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.



Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book by Bill Richardson
Fiction
1995 St. Martin's Griffin
Finished in January 1998
Rating: 2/5 (Fair)

Publisher's Blurb:

In this zany companion to Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast, those bookish twins, Hector and Virgil, are back to tempt with a smorgasbord of literary delectables, spicy tales, and close encounters with the splendid and decadent. This time around, the events at the brothers' bed & breakfast--a haven for bibliophiles--involve Caedmon Harkness, a mysterious handyman/hagiographer; the loquacious parrot, Mrs. Rochester; June and Rae, proprietors of The Well of Loneliness coffee shop; and verse by Solomon solomon, the heralded local bard. Intellectual tomfoolery, scrumptious recipes, and madcap characters unite in this return to sublime isolation at the Bachelor Brothers' B&B.

My Original Notes (1998):

Pretty good, but not as good as the first of his. I skimmed some of the anecdotes. They weren't quite as funny as those in the first book. I'd recommend Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast over this one.


My Current Thoughts:

I no longer own a copy of this sequel, but I'm eager to reread the first novel, which I wrote about here. 

November 8, 2018

Williams, Flagstaff and Cottonwood, AZ

Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Williams to Cottonwood, Arizona
Distance: 110  miles
Campground: Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Cost per Night: $37.50
Duration: 1
Weather: Sunny and HOT!



Another early morning, which has become our normal routine on this road trip. We typically wake up when it begins to get light outside and rather than roll over and go back to sleep, we head to the coffee maker (actually, a Melitta drip system) and get started on our day. Today we were awake at 5:00, but we enjoyed our slow morning and didn't get on the road until after 9:30, arriving in Flagstaff an hour later.

We made our way downtown and found a great coffee house where we wound up having not just a cup of their delicious coffee, but an amazing breakfast. I had the Aaron Copeland Breakfast Sandwich with a small side salad (greens and fruit) and Rod had the lox and bagel. Firecreek Coffee Company reminds me of The Mill (Lincoln, Nebraska) with stone walls, large tables for studying or casual meetings, and the super friendly staff. They have an area in the back for live music, poetry slams, community events, plus there's a wine bar! It's our kind of low-key place that, while full and busy, wasn't at all noisy. We would definitely spend a lot of time there if we were locals. We wound up spending close to two hours enjoying our food and coffee as we took advantage of their free wifi. We never know what the wifi situation (or cellular service) is going to be like from one campground (or RV park) to another, so we are always happy when we get a chance to upload photos, work on blog posts and answer emails on a fast wifi connection.


Another stop along Route 66.


Delicious!
Egg, bacon, cheese, avocado and tomato on a croissant. 


Great quote.





After filling our tummies, we decided it was time to head south to our next campground. We took I-17 from Flagstaff to Cottonwood, which turned out to be pretty rough and bumpy in several spots. In addition the poor road conditions, the descent into the valley is long and steep with several stretches of a 6% grade for at least 13 miles. It's nothing the RV can't handle (we recently tackled a 15% grade!), but it was still a little stressful with all the semi-trucks traveling along beside us.

It was slow going into Cottonwood on Highway 30 due to construction, but I was ready for a slower pace after traveling on the interstate. We arrived at Dead Horse Ranch State Park around 2:00 and quickly got the electric hooked up so we could start running the A/C. It was 98 degrees!

About the park:
The story of the park's name begins with the Ireys family, who came to Arizona from Minnesota looking for a ranch to buy in the late 1940s. At one of the ranches they discovered a large dead horse lying by the road. After two days of viewing ranches, Dad Ireys asked the kids which ranch they liked the best. The kids said, “the one with the dead horse, dad!” The Ireys family chose the name Dead Horse Ranch and later, in 1973, when Arizona State Parks acquired the park, the Ireys made retaining the name a condition of sale. (Read more here.)


We relaxed for a little while before going on our usual walk to check out the campground and facilities. This park has a lot of trees and shrubs, offering quite a bit of privacy and space between sites. The asphalt pads are fairly level, requiring little if any leveling blocks. There's a fire ring, grill and picnic table at each site, but it was too hot to use either.


Lots of big, beautiful trees.






Desperate for shade, we had to sit by the back bumper.





In spite of the heat, I took a walk after dinner to check out the upper loops and see the sunset. 


Looking toward Prescott, which is about an hour away.






Beautiful clouds and sunset.



Click on images for larger view. 

Previous Posts:

Discovering Soshone Point (Grand Canyon)

Hiking the Bright Angel Trail (Grand Canyon)

Sunrise and the El Tovar Hotel (Grand Canyon)

November 7, 2018

Wordless Wednesday






Seattle, Washington
November 2018


For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

November 6, 2018

30 Years!

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life, my rock, my confident, my best friend, my in-house computer geek and my RV co-pilot. I wouldn't want to take this journey with anyone but you. Here's to many more years of love and laughter and getting lost! 




30th Anniversary
 Road Trip 2018

October 28, 2018

Grand Canyon & Williams, AZ

Monday, September 17, 2018
Grand Canyon to Williams, Arizona
Distance: 77 miles
Campground: Grand Canyon Railway RV Park
Cost per Night: $28 (with Passport America)
Duration: 1
Weather: Sunny and warm




We got a decent start to our day, but didn't hit the road until after 10:00. Our original plan was to stay one more night and drive to Sedona from the Grand Canyon, but we liked the looks of Williams as we passed through on our way to the canyon, so we made reservations at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park for Monday night. It shaved an hour or so off our travel time to Sedona and gave us a chance to explore Williams (and tackle some laundry!).

So, off we went, but first things first. Several friends recommended a beautiful view of the canyon from Shoshone Point and I didn't want to miss it. There isn't any signage for the point along the road, but I found directions online. It's just west of mile marker 245 or 1.2 miles east of Yaki viewpoint. Hoping for a peaceful and uncrowded experience, I was thankful to see only a couple of cars in the small dirt parking area at the trailhead. 

The hike is two miles round trip, but the path is pretty rocky and uneven so it took us longer than anticipated. We really didn't mind, though, since it was such a beautiful day. There are lots of pretty clearings with lots of green grass and the sky was bright blue with just a few clouds. We eventually made it to the point and took in our immediate surroundings. Apparently, you can reserve the grounds for large events such as reunions, birthday celebrations, and weddings (or even a private renewal of vows). There are several covered picnic tables and outdoor grills, as well as clean restroom facilities. And, of course, there's that amazing view!

We walked out to the rocky cliff and took in the 280 degree breathtaking view. And I was right, there were only a half dozen people with us on the viewpoint. Click here for more information about this hidden gem.

The trail leading to Shoshone Point.


Wow.


More spectacular than any other view
 we encountered on this trip.

And, we haven't even reached 
the point where that tall rock is standing!


Truly incredible!



Best kept secret!









I was too chicken to stand near the edge.


Just taking it all in.






This was such a cool experience. I highly recommend a visit if you're at the Grand Canyon. I would love to come back and see it at sunset. Or sunrise. All I know is that I'll be back.


Last photo in the park then 
back on the road to our next destination.


A random tourist trap along the highway. 
Flintstones Bedrock City near Williams, Arizona 

Downtown Williams, Arizona







We had a delicious lunch at Rod's Steak House.

What a wonderful day. I can't wait to make a return visit to the Grand Canyon. It's been almost six weeks since we were there and I can't stop thinking about all the beautiful views. I'm so glad we decided to make time to see this wonderful national park.

Click on image for larger view.