Maxine's Story ~ Vacations

Maxine's Story

Vacations

I've got my story line off the river again! My intent is to write about my great vacations of the past 20 years. Before our children left home, mission, school and finally marriages, we were great campers. As were our friends, the Gillmors and the Whites. We learned to love Mt St Helens even before it blew up! Coast camping wasn't always warm or dry enough. So we headed East of the Valley. Ka-Nee-Ta and PGE parks were real favorites, as well as Lake Billy Chinook. We met the (Bill & Jan) Halls, the (Ken & Ruby) Vermillions, the (Nolan & Gene) Browns, the (Red & Donna) Thompsons and the (Gordon & Annette) Sages. Some bought trucks and campers. We found a lot of good spots, the Central Washington lakes, as well as some in Central Oregon and even California.

Bill Hall was a very good trip planner. We visited lots of very interesting places in every direction. Washington, San Juan Islands, Victoria BC, Calgary Stampede (twice), Lake Louise. Down the South Coast, Rogue River country, Detroit Lake and a houseboat on Lake Shasta. Not to mention Disneyland, Hollywood, Mexico and Sea World. Lots of good camping places too.

There I go again off the story line I began after Hank's death.

Hawaii! Thelma Porter got me started with time shares in Hawaii, Branson (Missouri) and Utah. Again it was Jackie who got most of the family together and off we went to a wonderful Hawaiian resort on the big island. Barbara and Alison came on that one. What a treat it was. Every amenity I could want including an electric cart for me. Ross and his friends found that cart to be so fun they wore it right out! Embarrassing to leave a dead cart. When Alison couldn't decide on dessert, they patiently asked if there was anything she would like. Well, yes: Strawberries dipped in chocolate! So back to the kitchen and they did it! We enjoyed the big luaus and the pig baking in the earth ceremony.

One of the best experiences of my life was about 4 years ago. (I know I should have dates.) Dean was about to sell his car trailer that would have to be delivered to Boston (I think). He invited me to go on this long road trip. It fell through. The next year the same thing happened again. Plan trip—cancel trip! Well I cooked up a trip I'd like—really like, and Dean was available to go with me—and willing.

We took the train to Niagara Falls. The train put us on a bus for 6 hours, but we just loved our cross country drive and saw lots of interesting country. Somewhere along the way Dean said, “I wonder where Dan is?” Well we called Barb and got his phone number and called him. He said he was coming up the East Coast, heading for a town in New York. That town was about 100 miles from Niagara Falls! The timing was perfect and we talked him into meeting up with us, so he did. It was hard to believe that suddenly there were three of us.

The tourist season ended right then and we nearly had the whole place to ourselves. So we took an extra day and saw as much as we could. One of the best experiences of my life—A son and a grand son! Wonderful weather, no planning at all, it just happened—a real adventure! One we three will never forget. But Dan had to get his truck back on the road and we had lots of places to see. So on the 3rd day we had to say goodbye.

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