Hey friends: On the road again. Oshunluvr begins an Expedition!

[SteveRiley]

Really, everywhere has it's weather issues

Up here, we have death by sun. When the clouds go away for a minute, people stare at that huge unfamiliar yellow ball in the sky, forget where they are, and crash into the cars in front. Sad, really.

[Qqmike]

Everywhere? Weather issues? Hmmm ... well, like way too many perfect days, high percent sun days? No tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes? Violent, dangerous storms extremely rare. Year-around use of the patio. There is one, though: When it rains and blows, I love it because it reminds me of growing up in northern IL; so I open the doors, run outside to enjoy it ... and ... but ... damn, it's over in minutes! Then you gotta wait weeks, months for the next storm to roll in. When it rarely snows, ditto. I used to love shoveling snow from driveways and walks. But here, it's awful. I gotta run like hell out the door and catch it before it melts and dries itself off. Yeah, every place has it's weather issues, oshunluvr.

[Qqmike]

... and anyone who is able to disregard tornadoes needs to see a shrink! Another memory from IL and IN. Trying to fix a nice dinner and having to run for cover every 15 minutes as sirens are going off and on and off and on.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Everywhere? Weather issues? Hmmm ... well, like way too many perfect days, high percent sun days? No tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes? Violent, dangerous storms extremely rare. Year-around use of the patio. There is one, though: When it rains and blows, I love it because it reminds me of growing up in northern IL; so I open the doors, run outside to enjoy it ... and ... but ... damn, it's over in minutes! Then you gotta wait weeks, months for the next storm to roll in. When it rarely snows, ditto. I used to love shoveling snow from driveways and walks. But here, it's awful. I gotta run like hell out the door and catch it before it melts and dries itself off.

I still get to see snow now that I'm back home in warm, continually sunny, dry, SoCal--I just have to look up at the San Gabriel Mountains in the winter! And/or I can drive up into any number of mountains and be at ski resorts if I REALLY want to immerse myself in that white stuff again...but I don't.

Yeah, every place has it's weather issues, oshunluvr.

It's true that every place as its own weather issues, but there are some weather issues that I'd simply rather do without. My list includes: high temperatures + high humidity, below freezing temperatures with or without ice/snow/sleet, gray gloomy ugly skies, too much rain, tornadoes, hurricanes. In other words, I'm EXACTLY where I should be!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Up here, we have death by sun. When the clouds go away for a minute, people stare at that huge unfamiliar yellow ball in the sky, forget where they are, and crash into the cars in front. Sad, really.

I would seriously have problems with that.

[NickStone]

It's called SoCal. Starter homes here in my ZIP code go for over a million. What planet are you on?

I do believe that there are properties that are valued a million dollars it's just that calling them "starter homes" I have a problem with. That indicates that there are no homes in your area that are valued less than a million.

Unless the people starting on the property ladder in your area are millionaires I still find it difficult for anyone who want to start on the property ladder to be able to afford these properties in your area.

[Snowhog]

Yep.....the largest earthquake in the U.S. ( in the last 200 years ) was the New Madrid earthquake, not SF..


woodsmoke

No, it wasn't. The LARGEST earthquake in U.S. history was The Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami of March 27, 1964 which, at that time, was also "the second largest earthquake ever recorded, next to the M9.5 earthquake in Chile in 1960.".

[DoYouKubuntu]

I do believe that there are properties that are valued a million dollars it's just that calling them "starter homes" I have a problem with. That indicates that there are no homes in your area that are valued less than a million.

Unless the people starting on the property ladder in your area are millionaires I still find it difficult for anyone who want to start on the property ladder to be able to afford these properties in your area.

Did you read either of the articles I quoted? If so, you'll see that I'm not making this stuff up. Both of my neighbors' houses are 2 bedroom, 1 bath homes--and *IF* they were for sale, they'd go for more than a million dollars. They're called 'starter homes' because first-time buyers are the most likely customers. Like the neighbors on one side of me bought the house in 2008 before they had kids; now they have two toddlers. It was and is just the right size for them, as long as they don't decide to have another baby.

Believe me, I KNOW how crazy it sounds to people in other areas that starter homes go for >$1 million, but it's true nevertheless.

[oshunluvr]

Hey everyone: Just an update on my progress. We were in Wisconsin today but are back in Minnesota tonight. Tomorrow, we leave for The Great White North (Canada for those uninitiated ) Hoping to round Superior to the North in 2.5 days and back into the US via Mackinac Island. Most of the last two weeks have been very spotty cell/internet coverage and time driving and camping has superseded friendly contact. Tonight, I'm gin-and-tonic in hand having just returned from the Apostle Islands in WI and a boat tour and waiting for dinner prepared by my even-more-beautiful-than-ever wife, so I thought I'd take a few and give a fast re-cap.

After departing July 7th - later than I wanted by 10 hours - we plowed as fast as possible North on I-5 to get out of SoCal and stopped on the beach at Half Moon Bay. Let me say that I-5 in mid-state CA is the ugliest freeway drive ever, and horrible roads. Avoid it whenever possible. Since then, America has been very beautiful - and vacant! There is no way our country is anywhere near full. From the middle of Oregon to the East of Minnesota, there's mostly nothing - and a LOT of it! We've spent the night on the Columbia river banks (after a day tasting Pinots in Willamette), toured the Tetons and Yellowstone including having a 20 minute traffic jam in Yellowstone caused by a Bison who decided the road was an easier stroll than the pasture. Totally cool that we were in our Fiat with the top down. The Bison was about 1000 lbs heavier than our car and at least 3 feet taller. Of course, my 10 year-old was waving at it and calling it over. Yikes!

Since then, a LOT of driving, many State Parks, lots and lots of prairie, and many great people in nice campgrounds everywhere. Gas has dropped from the SoCal 4.09 to a much better (but still too high) 3.49-3.59. Actually saw 3.37 once. We're 2700 miles-ish into it with two weeks to go. My mother has freaked out that we're actually gone so is flying to Niagara Falls to join us for the last week of the trip and stay with grand-baby and daughter-in-law as I fly back to SoCal to drive out our junk.

Knock-wood no mechanical issues. Fridge quit for a couple minutes but a reset fixed that. Hit a road cone (we-re kinda W-I-D-E ) and bent the step a tad. Nothing my 3-lb. hammer couldn't fix!


Onward! Tally-Ho!

[GreyGeek]

Did you see the phenomenal May fly hatch in WI and MN?

[SteveRiley]

I'm gin-and-tonic in hand

A man after my own *hic* hand.

From the middle of Oregon to the East of Minnesota, there's mostly nothing - and a LOT of it!

Yeah, nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.

Bison who decided the road was an easier stroll than the pasture.

Probably because the pasture is filled with bison turds.

many State Parks

One of the best things I like about America. Thank you, Teddy Roosevelt.

Onward! Tally-Ho!

Sounds like you're having quite a blast! Thanks for the updates -- great to read about your adventures.

[MoonRise]

Agree about the State Parks!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Sounds like you're having quite the adventure, OL! Keep us posted as time and access permit.

[oshunluvr]

Still in Ontario, Canada. Second day 'rounding the Greatest of the Lakes. Superior is a fitting name. Last night was in beautiful Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Unfortunately, the weather has been raining and foggy so the views limited.We had about 3 hours of clear sunny weather yesterday, so at least the park was enjoyable. Tomorrow; we cross back into the US, cross the bridge between lakes Huron and Michigan and will stop at Mackinac Is.

Missed the May fly event - thankfully! Had to pay a wine tax to get into Canada due to the number of bottles on board. Doing our damnedest to avoid that when exiting, LOL!

Funny Steve mentions Teddy since we went through Theodore Roosevelt National Forest. BTW, travelers; In the state park department, Dead Horse Point state park in Utah (a previous trip) was an awesome experience in a the most beautiful and interesting Western state in the US (IMO only of course). If you're in the West - you MUST see as many parks - National and State - as you can in Utah. If you can, drive from Zion in a North Easterly direction through the middle of the state to Arches/Moab via highways 12/24. Really unusual vistas and no crowds.

On this trip, other than the obvious Teton/Yellowstone portion, Bighorn Canyon was really a pretty drive. Niagara is coming...

[Teunis]

Wow!
A great trip, the last time I was around the lakes was in 1976...

Regards from Brazil where it's presently cooler than at home