Lanius Travels

  It’s been awhile, and I’m hoping to catch up on our travels.  We were in the Bryce Canyon 4th of July Parade. We even decorated the tank.  It was small, but a lot of fun.  The Hosts from Sunset Campground, Keith and Charlotte  were also in the parade.     Bob rode in the Fire Engine and got to blow the horn.  On the 6th, since we were off, we finished our under the rim trail and therefore completed the final trail in Bryce Canyon. Here’s the last  pictures of Bryce.         So, next we went to Ogden, UT for the Dennis Forbes Memorial Tournament. We saw many of our friend from Happy Trails here.  I didn’t play really well, but since I hadn’t played but 4 times since my surgery last December, I guess I did ok. Here’s the group of Happy Trails people After Ogden, we left the rig at a RV park in Ogden and flew to visit Bob’s Mom in Seattle.  She is doing great at 95.  Not always aware who we ar...

  On June 9 & 10, Bob and I went to St. George and stayed with Ginger and Art Miller. It was very nice of them to let us stay in their casita.  Art fixed hot dogs on the grill for us on Sunday evening after we arrived.  On Monday, we headed to Little Valley Courts to play pickleball.  Met Mary Lynn Larson there and had some great games. (It was just good to be on the court) Had planned a massage for both of us, but the masseuse had jury duty, so I went to the Pickleball Ladies Lunch that the ladies in St. George have once a month.  Got to meet new ladies and have time with the ones I already knew.  We then met Ginger and Art for dinner at Chili’s.  Later that evening, we realized that Pete and Toni Boehme were still in Sun River.  Spent about an hour visiting them and remembering all the good times on the road.  Stopped off Tuesday morning to play with Elizabeth and Higgie Higginbottom.  Had a good group there.  Then shopping ...

  Last time I shared the Hummingbird adventure, but forgot to tell you about the jeep trip out to Tropic Reservoir on the Fremont Trail.  Our first of hopefully more off road trips.  Below is the Reservoir.  We plan on going back with the kayaks.   This was on the 16th of May. Still too chilly for kayaks.         On the 23rd, we went outside the park to Red Canyon National Park.  This is the beautiful Red Canyon area on HIghway 12  several miles before the turn off to Bryce on Hwy 63.  Absolutely beautiful and some really good off road routes.   This is the Arches Trail.  It was only a 1/2 mile loop, but is supposed to have 15 arches on the loop.  We lost count.  The arches were more windows.  It was fairly narrow in places and steep but easy to navigate.   We also hiked the Losee Canyon Trail.  This was 3 miles out the canyon and then 3 miles back.  It’s was the most flat t...

Hummingbird Trap No, I didn't get to play pickleball!!!  The courts at the college in Cedar City were closed and we couldn't get them to let us in.  So maybe next time. On Monday, I volunteered to help band hummingbirds.  Getting the band around the little bitty leg is a challenge.  I didn't get to even try, the biologist did all the measuring and weighing and banding.  We had to trap, capture and put in mesh bag to hand over to the measuring table. The bags all have hummingbirds in them   She's getting the little leg out to band. After they band, measure, and weigh. We have to give the little birds a drink.  Since a hummingbird has to drink it's weight in nectar every hour, if we don't feed them before we release them, they may not have the strength to make it to the feeder.  You hold the wings down so the hummingbird is still. Poking the beak into the feeder Capturing a Hummingbird

  Well, we’ve been here over 3 weeks and it is amazing.  The number of people that tent camp in all kinds of weather is incredible. Our loops have been full almost every night and  it’s not even Memorial Day yet.  If anyone wants to stop by, let me know in advance so I can be sure you get a spot.  The weather has been both fantastic and horrible.  In April, it was in the 70’s and in May we even had snow.             We’ve had our rainy days and cold, but now it’s starting to warm up.  On our days at work, 3 days on then 3 days off, we walk to check our loops most of the time.  The walk is about 1.6 miles and up and down hills.  It’s taken me a couple of weeks not to huff and puff up and down the streets.  We do 4 or 5 loops a day, so we put in 6 to 8 miles a day. So far on our days off, we’ve hiked Fairyland Loop (8.3 miles) and from the North Campground to Bryce Point by way of Queens Garde...

  Winter’s gone and the seasons over.  We got to Happy Trails at the end of October and immediately started with tournaments. Not playing just working.  In December, we took our annual trip for a beach and snorkel fix.  Then back for more tournaments.  I had back surgery on Dec. 17th, so no pickleball for me the rest of the season.  In April, my big brother Jim Richardson, my Sister, Gladys and Husband, Denny Houghton, and my Sister, Anita and her husband, Stan Kubin cam to visit me.  We normally meet somewhere in May for an annual get together.  This year it was April and at my place.  Dom and Sue were nice enough to move their rig and Gladys and Denny  parked on their lot right next to us so that we could all be together.  Bob and I moved into our RV the night before they arrived since we were headed out after they left.  Picked Jim up at the airport on Thursday, April 18th.  We stopped for lunch/dinner at our favorit...