Down the Imnaha to Hells Canyon/Snake River/Dug Bar

I can't remember when I was down so far on the Imnaha.  We saw some great sites.

We didn't make it to Dug Bar - we were supposed to get to Nancy and Jerry's by 6 pm.  Next time Dug Bar and Hat Point.

High School Reunion for Ken

Every Memorial Day weekend Wallowa High School has an all school reunion.  He graduated in 1964 and we planned on attending this year.  Steve Wolf wanted to do a BBQ at his place before the dinner at the school.  Ken spent a lot of time on FB searching for schoolmates and had been corresponding with many of them all spring.

We went out to Steve's house.  He had a big BBQ and a cook fixing dinner in cast iron using briquettes only.  He made the BEST hash-browns.  And the huckleberry cobbler for dessert was primo.

 We'd been in touch with a classmate that is a vegetarian.  We brought a couple of eggplants with us.  The cook sliced them about 3/4" thick and grilled them.   It went over well.

Steve and Gwen

Steve and Tom Baird

Ken and Keith Bird

Tom Baird and his wife 

Gwen and Keith's wife Janice

Margaret

Maridee, Kay, Ken & Gwen

Maridee and husband Rich

Rick Jeffers

Evelyn Oveson (Ken doesn't know married name)

Susan Roberts

Toni Conrad talking with Greg(or Jeff) Oveson

Sandy getting retirement advice from Maridee

 And we shall meet again for the Big 50 in 2014 Lord willing and the creeks don't rise.  And I promise to write down names in a timely manner then.

Exploring Wallowa County Oregon

Went exploring this afternoon.  Went up Bear creek to look at the proposed CG where the reunion will be.  Ken just kept telling me to turn here; turn there. We ended up the top of Bear Creek looking down on Lostine. 

Beautiful mountains.  I've never explored this side of the Wallowas before.

We just kept going.  I kept saying that we'd better be able to get out of here because I wasn't sure we could go back up the very narrow, slick, muddy spot.  Ken kept saying he was sure it came out and down on the Lostine River.

IT DIDN'T.  We came to a spot where there was a big slide.  We could see the Lostine River - only a few hundred feet.  OK turn around.

YUP!! There's where we wanted to be.  Lostine River.

OK Ken we only have one try through this - Are YOU up to driving?  Great - I'll just keep my yap closed.

Very narrow, muddy, big rocky road.  Hope we make it.  If not at least I know WHERE to walk to get help and it's not THAT far.  :)

And we made it out and went home.  Enough exploring for ONE day.

Shorty and Elk on Promise

After getting the kids moved we headed out for Oregon.  We decided to go the north way and deal with the big climb out of the Grande Ronde when we get there.  We stayed at a Flying J the first night and made it on to Dot and Shorty's the next day.

Dot makes these cool outdoor ornaments out of glass, plates, bowls, etc.  We went glass shopping a couple of time.  They will be over to Wallowa in a week or so.  They'll be back for the Colpitts reunion in July.

Dot showing Ron (1/2 of the Ron/Don Don/Ron duo.) He lives in assisted living not far from Short's.

The parakeet got to visit for awhile today.  I was shocked the first time I saw Shorty with the bird.  The bird rides in the pickup with them when they travel.

Some handwork that sister Betty gave Dot.  It is exquisite.  Betty was always busy with some type of handiwork.  She learned many different things when they full timed.  Really starting to miss her.  She sent us a card just after the first of the year saying she was still doctoring and had a total of 9 stints inserted in her body.  Whoa!!  Her veins were a mess obviously.  Ken and I chose to believe she had an aneurysm or mini stroke when she died.

We left Short's Sunday morning.  We had been bouncing around which direction we were going to go to get to Enterprise.  The bus heats up and although we are going to make some mechanical changes that won't happen until we get to Lostine.  Getting up to The Orchards at Lewiston in that slow traffic was NOT great. We are going to put Royal Purple in the transmission this year and in the motor this winter.  Still that isn't now.  So Ken decided we would unhook and pickup and drive both rigs.  There are two major pulls  and one descent to get there.  I decided that Ken would drive the bus as he can read the gauges and make the decision of what to do.  If it heats too much when we get to Bogan's Oasis (Grande Ronde River) we'll decide between two routes.

Betty made this Swedish Embroidery Afghan for Dot.

 

Off we went.   The pull up Snake River is a long slow pull with no place to "take a run at it" as the 90* turn to head up the hill is in town.  And when you get to Bogan's, which is only about a 1/4 mile from the last turn - so no help.  However, life was good.  Ken just kept going up the river; down Rattlesnake on up Buford.  He stopped near the top; we hooked up the toad and away we went.  We found the Wallowa Stay N'Wash last year in Wallowa and pulled in to our 2 month home.  Complete with a little strip of lawn that we don't have to do a thing to.  Ahhh!  Life is good.

Making a new Chapter to their lives

Moving entails many things.  Some sad; some not so sad.  Today we said goodbye to "Big Kids School" in Casper.  Whitney, Ethan and I went for a little party. 

Ethan got to play a little - as long as he followed the rules.

Lined up for a running game.

And then we had cupcakes.

Even Ethan had cupcakes..........

.......he thinks frosting is good for what ails him

and then we went to Gillette.  Travis has a job; Whitney is done with her daycare and they are ready to begin a new chapter in their lives. 

Here we get acquainted with Baby Andy - Mike's girl.

Rachel is Andy's beautiful mother.  She works at Perkins so we got to keep her from time to time until Dad could come pick her up.

Mother's Day at Mike and Mindy's.

Mindy's mom and Whitney.

Pregnant Mindy - she's got a ways to go yet.  :)

Here is the "Cheese" boy

Josh and KaCe - we'll miss our buddy Josh.