We couldn’t leave town without a few more parties. I joined several friends at a downtown restaurant to eat and enjoy the bellydancing show by my past coworker Tracy “Rasha”. Sorry, I didn’t take any pictures, but you can see her site and the activities of the bellydancing community in Bend if you click on her name. We also had a great seafood party with friends, consuming clams, crab legs, oysters and shrimp! It was messy, but delicious! The first course of the multi course seafood fest;

Before we left for our winter-warm-weather-wandering we had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with almost all our neighbors from our gravel section of Shoshone Road. Linda, the chef of the block, whipped up a traditional dinner with some not so traditional courses – a spicy caribbean soup to start for example. Rod and Linda laid out a table groaning with food, drink, party favors and good neighbors! All things to Give Thanks for!

We finished off with little chocolate bottles of liquer!

Today Mary Jo and I start another winter on the road. 

During the winter of 2006/07 we camped at several Florida State Parks. While the natural beauty of the landscape and wildlife is memorable, and very diverse, I was taken aback by the planning and construction performed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Having made a living working with my hands in a past life, my respect for these young men is endless. Many of them developed skills to become great artisans. Over several winters in Florida we have visited 4 of the 8 Parks that were constructed by the CCC. Gold Head Branch State Park has a great display and tribute to the CCC. I will let the following pictures tell the story. Please note that to enlarge the picture just “left click” on the photo. Use the “back button” to return to the web site.

Armed with a Deschutes National Forest map and a hand held GPS, Keith and I set out to enjoy a ride in the woods yesterday. Just before my departure Mary Jo asked me if Keith’s truck has 4-wheel drive, yes I answered, all the better to get stuck farther out in the woods. Well we did use 4-wheel drive to climb the steep cinder road to the top of Fuzztail Butte. The view was fabulous, dark clouds to the west and sunshine and fog to the east. We spent several minutes in awe of the advancing fogbank, enveloping all the landscape before it.