Joshua Tree

Just Entering the Park

House just before the park

So its been a bit since I blogged but not much going on but treatments.  Just about wore out my welcome down here I think!  Did treatment #40 today (out of 45 total to get). Time has gone by quite fast actually. Last weekend was not the nicest weather, cold - rainy - snowy!  Snowed down to about 3000'.  Went to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park for a drive thru & possible hiking.  Didn't do much of the latter as it was a bit nippy with the wind blowing pretty good.  But a beautiful place as can be seen by the pictures. 

Sample of Rock Formations

OOOO little Joshua Trees!

Just West of the San Adreas Fault the park has a lot of awesome rock formations, looking like a bunch of boulders just piled up.  quite interesting.  They are granite boulders cooled & cracked after the magma cooled as it came out of the fault.  Several old mines ect around the park but as I said I didn't hike as I did get there a little late in the day.

Skull Rock

Looking @ Palm Springs

I did go back the next day but only made it as far as the Outlet Stores by the Morino Casino.  Needed a few items, it was still cold & windy & I could see snow up in the Mtns where I was headed.  Figure I'll see that soon enough!  Had to buy a new tire as some kids parked behind me at the gym & while trying to jocky my way out I hit the curb & blew a tire.  Was a pain in the arse changing it, luckily I calmed down a bit by the time the kids came out from the gym.  They were quite apologetic but cost me $200 for a tire & of course I couldn't find one the same. 

The thin line hills in the Middle of the picture is the San Andreas Fault

So next Wednesday or Thursday is my last treatmet & I will head home then.  But will have to get back to work & I still haven't figured out how much all this is cost me.  But has been a good break from everything & soon to get back to reality!

Visitor Fun

So still do not have my internet fixed so updating is a bit of a pain as I go to the coffee shop with my computer, but it takes several cups of high octane coffee so but the end I am ready for some action & plenty wired!  Bill G. spent the week here, well since tuesday & we have been fairly active.  Wednesday was my birthday so the big 60 (Thanks for all the cards & well wishes!).  But was a day of trips to the coffee shop, hospitial, & gym, so not much time to eat!  That was not good as we decided to slip into Taylors bar about 4pm for a tottie!  You could say it was the beginning of the end.  A few drinks & some Thai food left us @ a good bedibye time, with a bit of a hangover in the morning!

Friday after treatment we ventured up to Idyllwild for a view.  Found some big pine cones to send home with bill (8 - 10 inches long & heavy - don't stand under these trees!), sorry no pics of the cones but we did a bit of hiking to get the best ones.

Saturday went up into the San Bernadino Mts for a ways & marvel @ how the Californians can put up houses on the sides of very steep hills.  Then off to Palm Springs for the yuppies stuff.  There was a big bycycle rally there so it was quite crowded.

On the way back to Redlands we stopped off @ casino to drop off some money as we had to much with us.

Then of the final leg of the way home we stopped off to do some 4 wheel'n.  Just like old times in the hills of Montana!

 So again we apparently didn't eat enough, but then we didn't drink all that much either but we went to get some dinner @ a chinese take out & bill ordered enough for about a week, which isn't all that bad but then he up & left this morning without any of it!  Was a great visit and a long drive just for a few days of laying around in the sun.  Bill did a lot of sitting on the front porch while I was busy at the hospitial.  Treatment is still the same so far, nothing I can see or tell that it is happening.  & just 13 more treatments, so about 2 1/2 weeks left here.  Damn, can't believe the time has gone so fast.  I am not finished relaxing yet!  Also put a few pics in the more pictures page of the blog.

Up in the Mountains Again

So decided to go for a short hike on Sunday & get back in time for the Super Bowl, not that I am a big football fan, but do like to watch the Last game of the season.  This time in the opposite side of the Valley from yesterdays hike.  The Mtns in the first picture of yesterdays blog is where I went.

The hwy I drove up

Great views of the valley & quite a few small towns up in the Mountains.  The trail was by Lake Gregory.  There was a town called Crestline, the sign said 8000+ population.

The trail going in

I took these pictures of the trail going in but forgot to get pics of the great big cedar trees in the forest along the trail.  I think the creek was called Strawberry, I'll have to look when I get home as I am in the coffee shop again.  The modem should be here today.  Actually its nice to come down to the coffee shop every day.  I think there was a picture posted in one of my earlier blogs last week or so. 
Then I got to a small falls about 3/4 of mile down the trail.  I spent all afternoon carving a heart in the rock (Valentines present for Victoria).

Short hike but was quite nice.  The elevation is around 7000' so was cool up there.  Leaving I decided to make a loop out of it & come out on the other end where I went up the first week-end I was here.  But the GPS didn't like it & I was hung up for about 45 minutes helping some guys with out a tire wrench change a tire, Only thing I had that fit was a 3/8" drive socket (3/4").  Busted 2 extentions & the rachet doesn't work any more but we finally got the nuts off. Took a 14" cresent wrench for a cheater bar to get the nuts broke, they were tight, tight. 
Anyway after visiting two more lakes & several towns I wasn't quite sure which way to get the hell outa there so turned around a went the way I came.  But by this time it was after 5 pm.  The road at night is quite treacherous & us old folks don't like to drive at night anyway.  Got home just as the Packers were getting the Lombardi Trophy.  Was a fun day though.

Up & At em

Another beautiful week-end.  Super Bowl Sunday today.  My Internet moden is down @ the house so am having to do this at the coffee shop a couple blocks away.  Then I forgot my glasses so am not responsible for any clerical errior that should occur.  Decided to go for a hike yesterday as I am by myself again & need the exercise.  Back up to Idyllwild.  A beauiful drive through the woods & up to the trail head about 2 miles out of town.

I can't be thinking clearly @ times, as I decided to hike to the top of Taquza Rock, Only a lifttle over 2 miles round trip, but 1600 ft in elevation......... I nice trial for about 1/4 mile then couldn't find a trail up to the rock so went cross country. I think I was on the trail a few times but it is a climbers trail as they rock climb the rock.

The trail as I saw it, throght the trees is Taquiz Rock

The Main Trail Head

On the Main Trail

View from the trail over looking the Valley

 

So the over land trail was straight up & of course I was wearing my sandals.  Lots of exercise & I made it up about 2/3rd of the way to the rock at a place called Lunch Rock, Only because the hike ate my lunch & actually I stopped there for lunch as well.  Took pictures & decided I should try again later when I had some decient shoes.

The start of the climbers trail that I missed on the way in

The Rock , from Lunch Rock

 

 

Luckily I don't look wore out

Any way I made it down which was much easier than going up but did get a few rocks in my sandals.  Took a few more pictures on the way out as it was a different route.  Took all the back roads back to Redlands through Moreno Valley.  May take the day off today but then again may find something to do that is not quite so much fun.

Treatments are progressing & should be finished about the 3rd of March.  Missing to much work & will be broke by then but I should at least be cancer free!

More Fun Stuff & Sun Stuff

Am finally getting around to updating this blog thing.  It was a fun 10 days while Victoria was here & We got to do a lot of fun stuff.  Was much more fun with some help, she always has some helpful suggestions! I guess we started (if I can remember right) after the last blog with our week-end trip to the beaches.  Hard to remember all but we started down by San Clemente with Laguna Beach.  Quite a nice little spot.  Found the car of our dreams (well at least our dreams in the early 70's)

then went on up the coast on Hwy 1, to Newport Beach, Redondo Beach, Seal Beach, ect. ect.

 

Then finally up to Long Beach.  Where we got a hotel with a pool & big jacuzzi bath tub.  Very nice but not to expensive about a couple of miles from downtown area & the beach.  Went to a famous Rib place for dinner & another drink (which I didn't need & Victoria drank water).  Naples Ribs.  Very good & lots of it so we weren't good for much after dinner & missed all the night life of Long Beach, which we hear is quite the party place.  Got up to an overcast day & went down town for some breakfast.

Naples Ribs

 

 

 

Breakfast, there was a Bloody Mary bar where you mixed your own in a small pitcher!

We are always looking for material for our "Bars of the World" album.  Got a parking ticket for not putting money in the meter!  there was plenty of parking @ that time in the morning but the power that was did not care about that.  $49.  A little much I would think so am protesting which I don't hold out much hope for. 
Then off to see a few sites.  It started raining about that time so was not as fun as the day before.  We went to the Queen Mary, wow, quite a boat.  Would have been nice to live in that era with money, but then there would have been WWII which wouldn't have been so pleasant. 

Then off to San Pedro for a look see, lunch & off to Redlands again.  About an hour & 1/2 drive so wasn't bad.  Victoria went back on Monday, hated to see her go but someone has to work & spend time in the cold so someone can afford to lay around in the sun!

Not much else happening in Loma Linda country.  Treatments are going well & am up to #27.  Went to Market Night in Redlands again last night.  Ate to much, but did walk down town & back home so I figure I worked all those calories off, well maybe not but it was a feeble attempt anyway.  Haven't been to any of the Proton functions for a couple of weeks but still going to the gym every other day.  Until next time.  If you are interested in more pictures I put a few in the "More Pictures" page at the bottom of the blog.