Cooking Cross Country

Posted on November 9, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

Cooking on the go can be a bit of a challenge.  Our RV is equipped with a Sharp Microwave Convection oven and a 3 burner propane stove.  I was very hesitant about the RV not having a propane oven.  Our travel trailer had a propane oven that I used all of the time.  The trade off for not having an oven is a great deal more storage space.  Storage space is very important when you are traveling full time. John and I never eat out so having good home cooked meals is very important to us.  I made it my mission to learn how to cook in the microwave convection oven. I found a 4-part Youtube series on using the Sharp Microwave/convection oven that was very well done. So far I have mastered the convection part.  Convection is great for cooking items that take less than 20 minutes.  I have also mastered the “low mix” setting.  This is great for cooking cakes and breads.  I still have a ways to go with cooking on the “high mix” setting and cooking meats.  We have found the “broil” setting great for grilling up meats in the oven.   Continue reading →

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One month- What we have learned…

Posted on November 2, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

This is definitely a new experience for both John and I.  We are really glad we both had years of camping under our belts before we started this adventure.  That really helped us figure out what we wanted in an RV and what to bring with us. Continue reading →

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A Hike on the Mt Whitney Trail

Posted on November 2, 2015 by gizmogoeswest
view back towards Lone Pine and the Inyo Mountains view back towards Lone Pine and the Inyo Mountains

IMG_1705

John and I would love to hike to Mt. Whitney on a future visit. 22 miles round trip with over 6000 feet of elevation. Trails are excellent John and I would love to hike to Mt. Whitney on a future visit. 22 miles round trip with over 6000 feet of elevation. Trails are excellent
Snack break for Gizmo Snack break for Gizmo
Views on climb up to Lone Pine Lake Views on climb up to Lone Pine Lake
Lone Pine Lake Lone Pine Lake

This was the last big adventure on our list for I-395, a hike on the Mt. Whitney trail.  Dogs are allowed from Whitney Portal at 8350 feet up to Lone Pine Lake at 10,050 feet.  We got started on the trail at 0930 and bundled up in layers as it was probably 40 degrees at the trailhead, which was in the shade.  We started up the switchbacks and in 15 minutes we were out of the shade and into warm sunshine.  The layers all came off and we spent the rest of the day hiking in shorts.  The trail is excellent.  It’s basically a dirt path that switchbacks up the mountain.  There are no steep grades and no roots and rocks to negotiate like trails in the northeast.  There are views up to the mountain and back across to Lone Pine during the entire ascent.  The trip to the lake is just over 3 miles each way and gains 1700 feet.  The lake is very scenic with a backdrop of the mountains.  There are old bristlecone pines throughout this area.  I am still completely captivated by these hardy trees.

John and I both have added a day hike up Mt. Whitney to our wish list.  It is a 22 mile round trip hike but with trails like this we know we could do it.  We both agree that if we were ever to do a backpack trip on a long trail, the John Muir trail would be our choice.  It starts in Yosemite and ends at Mt. Whitney and is a 211 mile trail through some of the most scenic landscapes in the USA.

Today is a “down day” we are cleaning the RV and preparing for a move to the “desert”.  We will be spending the next 10-weeks between Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs.  Our goal is to stay warm and enjoy a snow free holiday season.

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A Walk Among the Ancients

Posted on November 1, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

On Saturday we made the decision to go to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.  We had almost decided against it because we were not sure we were up to another long ride with 6000 feet of elevation.  I am really glad we decided to go because this was a great adventure.  The road that leads to the forest is about 40 miles north of Lone Pine and then it’s another 24 miles of winding road that brings you from 4000 feet of elevation to above 10,000 feet. Continue reading →

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The “highs” and “lows” of Death Valley

Posted on October 29, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

I guess I have always thought about the lows, like being below sea level, when I have thought of Death Valley.  I never thought about the mountains that surround it, some that exceed 11,000 feet.  I guess that’s why I was surprised with the drive in to Death Valley from Lone Pine, CA.   Continue reading →

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Lee Vining, CA- I-395- lots to do!

Posted on October 26, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

It was about 2 months ago that I found a great article in Sunset Magazine about traveling scenic I-395 in California.  This is how we decided to take this route and we are really glad we did.

We arrived in Lee Vining, CA on Thursday afternoon and checked into the Mono Vista RV park.  The campground is located just above Mono Lake and just a few miles from the Tioga Pass Road leading into Yosemite.  This location situated us just perfectly for days of exploring. Continue reading →

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What to do in Winnemucca?

Posted on October 22, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

We made the decision to stay the extra night in Winnemucca so on Wednesday we had to figure out what we could do in Winnemucca, NV.  Our first stop was at the bureau of land management office just down the road from the RV park.  We were helped by a very nice gentleman named Rusty.  He let us know about a location in Midas, NV where we might find geodes.  This sounded interesting to both John and I so after arming ourselves with a map and directions from Rusty we were ready to give it a try.  Gizmo got to come into the office at the bureau of land management and had a photo opportunity with Rusty before we were underway. Continue reading →

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What’s that sound?

Posted on October 21, 2015 by gizmogoeswest
Drive into Salt Lake City- 10 miles of downhill!

Drive into Salt Lake City- 10 miles of downhill!

Drive through Utah/Nevada, climbing and descending mountains all day

Drive through Utah/Nevada, climbing and descending mountains all day

Great Salt Lake Desert- I found this beautiful

Great Salt Lake Desert- I found this beautiful

Monday morning Gizmo was feeling better and we were ready to get on the road again.  We were planning to break the upcoming 1100 mile journey into 4 days with the first stop in Rock Springs, WY. Continue reading →

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A visit to the ER- for Gizmo

Posted on October 21, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

On Sunday 10/1/2015 we spent our last day in Colorado resting up for some driving days.  We were getting a little worried that Gizmo was not himself after a few days of off and on diarrhea.  We were pretty sure the culprit was the stream he had drank from a few days earlier.  We debated all day about taking him to the emergency vet on Sunday or trying to get into one on Monday morning. Late Sunday afternoon when the diarrhea returned despite Pepto Bismol we decided to go then.  We were prepared for a large bill for this service but wanted the little guy feeling better and didn’t think we would be able to hit the road in the morning with a dog with diarrhea.  The emergency vet, VCA in Loveland, was only a few minutes from where we were camping.  This ended up being a wonderful experience.  We were fortunate that they were not busy when we arrived.  We were put in an exam room right away and Gizmo was examined within 5 minutes.  I was very impressed with the amount of time they spent with him.  They gave him a very thorough exam and then spent a great deal of time with us explaining causes and treatment.  I was expecting the painful part to be the final bill.  When I checked out the total came to $136 which included the visit, stool sample and 2 prescriptions.  I left being very pleased that we had made the decision to visit them Sunday.

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Garden of the Gods

Posted on October 19, 2015 by gizmogoeswest

On Saturday we decided to make the 2+ hour drive down to Colorado Springs.  We had heard that CSU in Boulder and Fort Collins were having their home comings over the weekend.  We decided we wanted to stay away from each of these areas.  The drive down to Colorado Springs was fine until we hit the Denver area.  The traffic was bumper to bumper for miles.  It is not the kind of traffic I would like to face on a daily basis.

We were both very impressed by Colorado Springs when we arrived.  It is an extremely beautiful area of Colorado and seems much less populated.  We both agreed this was worth a return visit with an extended stay in a future year.  The mountains are everywhere and there is plenty of sight seeing opportunities like Pikes Peak , the Air Force Academy and many more. Continue reading →

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