On our recent camping trip we did manage some art work despite the iffy weather. I am always enchanted by the Columbia River, ever moving, but silent. The bluffs form a beautiful backdrop and the trees, sagebrush, and flowers provide the welcome mat. I attempted to capture some of that feeling in a block print.
The block was carved on site at Wanapum State Park. The prints were made after I was back in my studio.
Paul
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We returned from Eastern Washington a couple of days early. The first few days were spendid with sunshine and warm weather. However, Sunday became cloudy and Monday became cool. Today a few raindrops fell. The forecast says the entire state of Washington will be in clouds this week. Therefore, we came home.
We did enjoy some sites, painted, and relaxed in Picasso. We also experienced one major problem – complete computer failure on Jean’s new computer. We didn’t have an internet connection out there so we decided to come home so she can communicate with Dell. Luckily she has an extended care policy on it so it should be repaired or replaced soon.
Here are a few of my photos. Perhaps Jean will share some soon.
Paul
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All our bags are packed, we’re ready to go, but we’re not leaving on a jet plane. Picasso will carry us over Snoqualmie Pass tomorrow to Wanapum State Park along the Columbia River. This is one of our favorite spots despite the Columbia’s unpredictable winds that howl south from the Canadian Rockies.
What is there to see and do around there? The Ancient Lakes are a series of lakes formed when the Columbia River rerouted itself millenia ago. You hike through a desert, come to a stream and waterfall, and then emerge on a lakeshore. Birds and flowers love the idea of water in the desert. The Yakama Indian Reservation has an old mission, a museum, and beautiful views of Mt. Adams. There are a few wineries in the area that we may be tempted to visit.
A collection of petrified logs are on display outside the park interpretive center (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wanapum State Park is also part of Petrified Forest State Park, a little known buried petrified forest in the bluffs above the river. There are trails to hike there as well. The Potholes Lakes are not too far away. These are glacially caused lakes (ponds in some instances) in a rolling desert scrub environment that is quite beautiful. Again, hiking trails, photo ops, and painting ops abound. Stargazing at night is fantastic.
Of course we love to simply set up our easels at the campsite and look across the Columbia at the bluffs on the eastern shore. When I was a freshman in high school in Seattle we traveled to the beaches below those bluffs to sift sand, rock, and dirt for artifacts of Indian life. The next year or so the dam was completed and the entire site is now under water. Some petroglyphs were saved for a museum, but most of the archaeological remains are no longer accessible.
Anyway, we will post when we can. There is no wifi in the area. The closest I can find are a McDonald’s and a Starbuck’s in Ellensburg. How’s that for roughing it?
Paul
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Like a chrysalis, Picasso emerged from her winter dormancy in bright May sunshine. The butterfly pumps their wings to prepare for flight. So too, Picasso’s veins must be filled and pressurized. This morning we pumped out the antifreeze, attached pressurized water, checked hot water heater function, and all lines for leaks. All systems are go so far. 2012′s first flight is in 6 days.
Picasso Emerges
Picasso will be hitting the road for the first time in 2012 next week. Preparations began this week with checking all systems and dewinterizing where necessary.
This will be our second trip of 2012, but the first in Picasso. We will be camping next to the Columbia River at Wanapum State Park. This is one of our favorite spots to watch the river, read and paint. There are a number of other sites in the area. We’re looking forward to warm, sunny weather and hope that the famous Columbia winds don’t blow all week.
Stay tuned for pictures and further comments.
Paul
A friend sent me this link to a lovely poem about travel and I am compelled to share it with fellow travelers.
Enjoy,
Paul
We arrived home safely yesterday. It was grey and raining when we left Rogue River. We were thankful for the Pacific Northwest car wash to get rid of the accumulated California and Arizona dust. Portland greeted us with rain and wind. Tacoma hit us with snow in the face and we entered Seattle in short-lived sunshine. Up here we call those sun breaks. An interesting driving day.
Here are a few more pics from our brief trip to the southwest, including Bodega Bay, Joshua Tree National Park, and Yosemite National Park.
Paul
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After a relaxing night in our condo at Bass Lake we enjoyed a perfect day in Yosemite National Park. Temps were in the 50′s, but in the sunshine it felt like 75! Skies were clear and the tourists were much fewer than I experienced the last time I visited during August.
Our first stop was the Mariposa Grove. This was a bonus as the road is usually closed in the winter. However, this winter has seen much less snow than normal so the road was open. We walked on snow-covered trails through these ancient giants.
Most of our day was spent in Yosemite Vally. From our first sight after emerging from the tunnel to our last view from Valley View Vista we were enchanted by the play of sunshine and shadows on the mountains, trees, and meadows. Officially it is still winter here. The meadows are brown, having just emerged from the snow. Deer are returning to feed. Squirrels scamper in the trees. And we came upon a collection of blue jays screeching in the trees in some apparent mating frenzy, turf war, or expressions of joy at springtime. We explored Curry Village, walked around Yosemite Village, stopped to eat our bag lunch and explored the Ansel Adams Gallery. Then we went to Yosemite Falls and hiked to the lower falls.
What a day! Here are a few photos.
Paul
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Yesterday we had a cold, windy, terrific day in Joshua Tree National Park. The temps were in the low 40′s. The winds were about 40, putting the wind chill in the upper 20′s. Sunshine blessed us and the photo ops were everywhere. We visited an ocatillo forest, a cholla garden, hiked into Hidden Valley, and drove to a 5,000 foot view of Coachilla Valley (Palm Desert) and The Sultan Sea.
Today we drove to Yosemite via the Mojave Desert to Mojave CA, then to Bakersfield, on thru Fresno, and are staying in Bass Lake at one of our Worldmark condos. The drive through the Mojave was interesting. I had no idea that the Joshua tree was so widespread. I guess that’s why it’s the indicator species for the Mojave Desert! The hop over the mountains to Bakersfield took us from desert, through oak forests and into farmland. From Bakersfield to Fresno we drove through vineyards, nut orchards, and vegetable fields. My allergies felt it. At Fresno we headed north into the mountains. It’s a beautiful drive. Tomorrow Yosemite National Park.
Here are a few photos from California that I didn’t post and some from Joshua Tree. As I said in the previous post, I didn’t take any photos in Arizona. It will be up to Jean to share hers with you.
Paul
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Image via Wikipedia
We’ve been in Arizona since Friday, but internet connections were tough to come by. Therefore, no posts to document the 70-80 degree weather, sunshine, and good times. Today we returned to California and have a connection in our motel near Joshua Tree National Park so I’ll try to get caught up.
Saturday we drove down to Tucson to spend the afternoon with the Wilke-Wills family. We simply sat on the patio and chatted. There was news to catch up on since we hadn’t seen them since December. What better place to do it than in sunny Arizona?
Sunday we attended a wine and art festival in Carefree, Arizona. It’s all in the name! We saw some interesting art and chatted with several of the artists. This was part of the Thunderbird Artists traveling festival. We didn’t sample the Arizona wines due to the cost and the fact that we had just arrived from the central CA coast where the wines are great.
Monday we visited Biosphere 2 outside of Tucson. This futuristic greenhouse was home to an experiment in living in an isolated, “self-supporting” environment back in the early 90′s. After the experiments the management of this site changed hands until the University of Arizona took it over as a research facility. The tour was interesting and informative. It’s about science and you don’t see much of the rain forest, desert, or other environments. If you want that my suggestion is the Mitchell Park Conservatory in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Today we left Pat’s, crossed the Mojave Desert, slipped up the mountains into Joshua Tree National Park and spent the afternoon exploring. One adventure was a 6 mile one-way drive on a dirt road in the eastern part of the park. We have always done this with our four wheel drive, but we’re traveling in the Nissan Sentra so it was a bit risky. However, the Nissan performed well under adverse conditions. The wind blew hard all day, blinding us in sandstorms on I-10. It caught up with us late in the afternoon in the Park and now as I sit in our room the window is pulsing with the gusts. We hope it calms down enough for a hike to Hidden Canyon tomorrow. It also is significantly cooler here. Tomorrow’s high is to be in the 50′s. It’s back to wool and fleece!
I hope to post some photos tomorrow. Jean has been taking all the pics. My camera has hardly been out of its case on this trip.
Paul
