The years and now decades seem to just fly by.  Here we are at the end of another year and another decade.

This year we traveled to 15 states in the US  and 1 Province in Canada.  We put 10811 miles on the Holiday Rambler Ambassador motorhome and 14236 miles on the Honda CRV.  That’s a lot of driving.

Goldie boondocking
near Moab

Goldie on the Columbia River

2019 was a year to explore the West again.  We started in central Florida and headed West through the Florida Panhandle.  We stopped briefly in Mexico Beach but it was still so devastated by Hurricane Michael we couldn’t stay.  Next stop was Cajun country and Abbeville LA.  On our way to South Texas, David and Kathryn hosted our RV in their driveway and we had a nice visit.  Many RVers spend their Winters in southern Texas near Harlingen and Brownsville.  We stayed for 2 weeks and discovered a lot.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse – Florida

David and Kathryn

Texas sunset

Next stop Big Bend National Park , one of the most remote parks in the NPS system.  Then it was on to southern Arizona and the Escapees Rally in Tucson.  The Rally was great to share with friends Paul and Kay and Martie and Phil.  After the rally we toured Northern Arizona with so many natural and archeological sites.

The Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon

Kay and Paul

Martie and Phil

Di at the Grand Canyon

Tuzigoot NM

Desert Southwest
rock art

A major goal of the year was to attend the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike completion of the first transcontinental railroad across North America.  The celebration began in Ogden Utah and then the actual site at Promontory Utah.  At least 25,00 people joined together to commemorate the event.  Union Pacific Railroad brought the 844 and recently rebuilt Big Boy 4014 steam locomotives to the great delight of railfans of all ages.  Our steam train adventures continued with the Durango and Silverton and Cumbres and Toltec railroads.  Friends Grant and Arrabelle gave us a tour of Santa Fe.

Historic pose at the Golden Spike

Us in front of the Big Boy

Us on the Durango and Silverton

Grant and Randy on the Cumbres and Toltec

Then we were on to the Pacific Northwest to visit our son Jason  and his family.  Granddaughter Awen was about to start school and needed a month of grand parent care to transition from daycare.   We had so much fun.  The PNW tour continued on to the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend, Sequim, Port Angeles and Olympic National Park.  Mark and Lyn joined us for some of our tour.  We enjoyed a ferry trip to Victoria BC and a Victorian Teahouse.

Di Awen and Connie

Jason and Awen

MV Coho ferry,
Victoria BC

Coho salmon caught off Ilwaco WA

Mark and Lyn on the Olympic Peninsula

Our journey back to Florida started with a successful mushroom hunting season in Oregon.  Martie and Phil gave us a nice tour of Eugene.  Then we traveled south thru California and Nevada before returning to Arizona.  Sharon and Mike entertained us in Sun City and then daughter Ginger joined in Benson for a whirlwind tour followed by more time with Mark and Lyn exploring the desert.  From there we took I-20 for a change staying at a the very nice Paul Johnson State Park in MS.  Then into central FL meeting up with Paul and Kay again and then spending time with Ginger and her family.

Newport Bridge, Oregon

Iconic Heceta Head Lighthouse

Good chanterelle harvest

King Boletes

Sharon and Mike

Mother and daughter
at Saguaro NP

All in all it was a year of family, friends, trains and western travel.  2020 looks like it will be a year of big changes.  Happy New Year to  all