Flying solo in snowbird country and the PNW
We’ve said it many times, but it bears repeating: Leslie is a confirmed snowbird while Johnny is a ski bunny. So, we’ve reached the point in our journey where we’re enjoying some alone time. Here are a few highlights as we each fly solo.
Pool time and cribbage: Leslie’s committed to swimming laps daily and gets a big kick out of eavesdropping on the regulars who gather in the hot tub to gossip. But the sweetest sound around the pool is the symphony of tweeting birds. When the sun sets behind the mountains, there’s the regular social hours around the park, yet the big draw for LK is the weekly cribbage battle in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, she recently got clobbered, losing three of four games. Still, it was good fun and there were cookies!
Hiking alone: Don’t worry, folks. Leslie’s only taking trails that are well-used so she can’t get lost. In fact, on a recent outing up to the top of the South Lykken trail, she made a friend. A nice woman from Kelowna was waiting for her husband to return from getting a little extra mileage in, so a congenial conversation commenced. Turns out her cousin is staying at the same RV park. Small world. We chatted on the way back down the switchbacks, which made the steps fly.
Checking off some projects: Leslie got inspired by a fellow camper to tackle a painting project on the dinged-up drawers. This kind of effort is way out of her comfort zone, but she pushed ahead armed with liquid sandpaper and a can of spray paint. The results were decidedly lackluster, yet it still looks way better than the previous version. (Tip for those shopping for an RV, avoid those with interior surfaces that are covered in cheap laminate.)
Fun visits: While Leslie misses her sweetie, she’s been getting her social fix with some friends who live in the Coachella Valley, meeting up for dinners. A visit from the Los Angeles-based grownup kiddo was a true pleasure. We even managed to sneak away from the rig one night and enjoy swank accommodations at Drift, one of the city's newest and coolest. Boy, were those beds comfy and we swooned over dinner at Maleza, especially the masa dumplings in a dreamy mushroom sauce. Mmmm.
And in the PNW: The winter assignment for the Going Mobile skier is to get some days in the mountains. If only El Nino would cooperate. As of last week, John had four days in the snow before the warm temperatures and rain took over, making for some horrible conditions in the Cascades. What does a skier do when it’s raining in the mountains? Go for long walks along the Salish Sea and check out some of Bellingham’s 17 breweries. It’s not a bad way to pass the time waiting for the snow to return.
Connect online
Please follow our adventures on Facebook and Instagram. And check out The Spokesman-Review’s Going Mobile Travel page for all of our stories, along with travel tales from our globetrotting pal, Dan Webster. Go to: spokesman.com/goingmobile.