Australia – Adventure of a Lifetime

Australia – Adventure of a Lifetime

One of the most spectacular vacations of our lives happened Australia. It was 1990, and Mark and I decided to backpack up the east coast of Australia. We landed in Melbourne, hitchhiked to Adelaide, visited the oldest mountains in the world, the Flinders Ranges, then crossed over to Sydney, and headed up the coast where we ended our extravaganza with a dive adventure to the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef on Mike Ball’s Spoilsport.

Rafting Athabasca River

Rafting Athabasca River

In 1986, as Mark and I rambled around the U.S. and Canada in our small Chinook, we would stop at beautiful places, and sometimes we’d spend the day hiking. When we were in Oregon we discovered rafting on the McKenzie River and enjoyed it so much, we went into a local K-Mart and purchased a “four-man” Sevylor raft. When they say four, I think they really mean two adults. The folded raft fit neatly into the shower stall of the Chinook along with some other sundries. We never used the shower because the water would have been too cold; we’d stop at RV parks and shower for 50 cents or a dollar.

Kern River Rafting

Kern River Rafting

If you are ever in the neighborhood of the Kern River during the summer months, and have access to a safe and sturdy floating device, go for it.  Better yet, stay at the campground for a night or two, stock up on some good beers and yummy eats, and relax.  Everybody needs a good “battery recharge,” especially in the summer. A romp on the Kern will make you feel like a kid again!

Italy, Beautiful Italy

Italy, Beautiful Italy

Italy, Beautiful Italy Italy is a place where my husband, Mark, and I had the most awesome time. Over the course of a very fast two weeks, we arrived in Milan, made our way slowly down to Tuscany, Florence, and then finished off in Rome where we did so much walking, I...
Fishing Foster Lake

Fishing Foster Lake

Fishing Foster Lake Fishing Foster Lake is excerpted from our 1986 memoirs of our North American Journey in a Chinook camper. We drove up the Pacific Coast of California, Oregon, Washington, Canada and Alaska, then across towards the East Coast of the United States,...
Crater Lake – A Wizard Encounter

Crater Lake – A Wizard Encounter

It was 1986.  We had given, sold and stored away our life’s possessions, left our business to the management of a trusted friend, bought a small camper, and headed north on April Fool’s Day on a nine-month journey around the North American continent.  We were now about a month into our journey and reveled in the beauty of Oregon.