It isn't going to fit!!!

Day 1, year 1.  Longitude 44 37.274N  Latitude 124 03.180W  for those of you with Google Earth.

We're starting here as the first day.  The trip starts NOW!!  Or at least we might as well start here.

The trucks contents have grown over night.  It's as if the move from 6000 feet  to 0 feet caused the contents to magically grow by at least 50%.  Tracy can't imagine how we will fit everything on board since it now appears to be much more stuff than when she packed it over the past several weeks.  She keeps looking at it and saying--"What was I thinking?"  The Salvation Army will be loving us by the end of this month.  Looks like we will probably have to get a storage space for a while as there is no way possible to go through everything in the truck by Friday when we have to return it.  We made it through about 50% today but now come the big boxes that were packed early, not the stuff that got packed at the last moment.

At least Newport was true to form with the obligatory showers this morning.  At least it was early so that we could work on other things the rest of the day.  A bit chilly but sunny for the rest--Oh, one more shower at 2pm just for fun.  Don't know how the people around here live in all this moisture.  There are many boats in the marina with large stands of growths on their decks.  Some form of algae I think.  God help them when they return to their boats.  As it is, our propeller has about a foot worth of growth all over it even with the anti-fowling paint we put on it at the last haulout.  At least it is under water.  Everyone else has it on their decks as well as under water.

I do want to pass on a word of thanks to Bill & Susan Gardner--previous owners of Zephyr.  I installed the electronics--Radar, GPS & Chart Plotter this afternoon on the deck.  Bill & Susan were smart enough to label every cord for all the connections.  With out that, there would have been no way for me to figure out how to make the connections.  It went together really slick and works great.  We still have to learn how to use them, but hay--the hard part is done--they work!!!

The "kids" are all behaving themselves today.  Blue has mellowed a good bit over the last 24 hours.  Helped having their "condo" to retreat to.  Shadow--now 16 --spent the night with the two of us.  Purred all night long.   Like being under the covers.   The young ones roamed the boat with lots of meowing just for fun.  

Well, I'm off for the boat.  I'm in the laundry room.  I can't connect to WiFi at the boat.  I bought an antenna booster in Denver but it hasn't turned up yet.  Maybe tomorrow.

Tomorrow--day 2!!!

Ladies & Gentleman--the Postman has arrived!!!

Neither rain nor snow nor dark of night--etc.  Well that's what we went thru to get to Newport today.  Started out just as the sun was rising this morning in Twin Falls, Idaho.  We had a choice of going up to Portland or across the middle of the state on I-20 or I-26.  The route through Portland was 80 miles farther but 45 minutes shorter according to a program from Microsoft I use.  The ones on I-20 & I-26 are shorter but take more time as the speed is slower.  We chose I-20.  Well we hit big head winds, rain, sleet, hail, & finally snow with a bit of sun thrown in just for fun.  Still took us 12 hours to get here.  It was supposed to be a shorter day than yesterday but with all the fun driving, it was about two hours longer.  Oh well---at least we are here  now.

The kids are settling in.  Blue is still being a bit of a pistol but the boys are ignoring her for the most part--they stay out of her way.   Tracy is starting to unpack some of what we have taken to the boat.  REALLY glad we took a cart to haul the stuff down.  It's over three hundred yards from shore to get to our boat.  It is making it much easier.  Made taking the cats tall condo unit much easier.  Yes, you've seen them before--those tall poles with tubes and half tubes all over them.   That's right, we took the 6 foot tall kitty condo with us.  Got it down the main companionway but not sure if it can stay in it's current configuration.  Sure takes up a lot of space but the kitties are glad to see it.  Tracy wanted to make sure that no one was around when we hauled it to the boat.  Bet we are the only boat with a kitty condo on it.   

It has come to Tracy's realization that she packed to much for the boat.  Once she got inside, it dawned on her the reality of the limited space we really have here.  She figures Good Will will love us over the next few weeks and months.  Time will tell how much we keep and how much leaves.  We still have to have room for food!!!  I personally would miss that--a lot!!!

The car we left here had a flat tire, so I had to pump it up before we took off for dinner.  We had already found a great restaurant--Georgies--for dinner.  Tracy had Clam Chowder and I had a Chicken/Curry/Penne dinner.  Gee what a surprise!! Those of you that have seen me eat know I really LOVE curry.  Especially the really spicy stuff.  Neither  of us could finish our dinners as we had a BIG lunch at a "local" restaurant as we crossed Oregon.  I had a "Philly" sandwich and Tracy opted for a special Hamburger that included a slice of ham with it.   She said it was really good.  Plus she had a really thick chocolate milkshake just to wash it down.  AH--the joys of cross country travel.  Screw the diet!!!  We both figure we will be working a lot these next few months getting the boat ready for the trip.

I hope we find the box that has the bag of quarters I packed.  We need those to take showers.  75 cents for the showers here in Newport.  That gives you 5 minutes to get clean.  Good luck with that.

I should have more to report tomorrow--off to the post office to get a box, contact the mechanic and electrician to get them scheduled plus more that I don't want to think about.

Bill

   

Into Twin Falls

We made it to Twin Falls, Idaho at 8pm.  A long 11 hour day!!   Blue--young girl kitty--went bonkers about two hours out of Denver.  Caused a stink when Snowshoe tried to sit on my lap and she was already there.  Hiss & spits and flaying paws with claws exposed.  Poor Snowshoe got punched several times before I could get them separated.  Tracy pulled him off my lap and Blue huddled against the window hissing and spitting.  Finally had to put her in the traveling cage for the rest of the day.  She was still hissing and growling and spitting five hours later.  She is currently in the bathroom at the hotel so the other cats can roam free in the room.  Don't know what her problem is but she is way over the line.  We hope she straightens out after we get to the boat tomorrow afternoon.  We figure about another 10 hours to get there.  Of course, rain is forecast for the entire day as well as the rest of the week.  It's going to be fun to get the truck unloaded.  At least we have two days to get it done.

As we drove across Idaho, there were signs warning of dust storms. They didn't say anything about bug storms.  It was like small pellets of hail hitting the front and sides of the truck.  It went on for about two hundred miles.  The windshield was a mess when we got into Twin Falls.  I had to climb onto the hood to scrub and wipe the windshield clean.   Took three times to get it clean.  Not perfect, but much better.

We were driving thru Ogden, Utah at 5:30pm.  It was hard not to turn on the 24th St. exit to Shepherd's Bush.  Thank goodness they were closed.  One more thing and Tracy would have sunk the boat.

More tomorrow.

Bill

  

We're off tomorrow!

The truck is almost loaded.  Packing is done--almost.  A few boxes left to load and two errands to do before we get to take off.  The cats are going crazy!!  Pacing and following us all over the house.  Got the truck set up for the cats so they will feel a bit at home--blankets to lie on and the ever present "pan" for them to use as we travel.  Not like we can stop and take them for walks like dogs.  

Weather forecast for Newport is rain rain rain for the next week.  Hopefully just showers but time will tell.  Hope it clears up so we can get the truck unloaded when we get there.  At least we have two days to unload before the truck has to be returned.  With all that we are taking, it will take that long.  It's over 310 yards from land to the boat--each way!!  We are taking a cart along to help with the haulout to the boat.  Surprised that the marina doesn't have one for the boater to use.

We expect to be there by Tuesday night.

We'll get back to you after we arrive. 

Bill

Trip to Lake Granby

We went to Lake Granby to uncover our other boat and hopefully get it sold this Summer.  Had to go through lots of snow to get to her.  She came through the Winter just fine.  Nice and dry inside.  I've never seen so much snow at the lake.  Still lots of drifts plus the lake is still frozen and they are expecting more snow tonight.  Last year, I was launching her by the 10th of May.  At the rate it's going, it will still be frozen by then.  Will be a great year for the run off.  Arizona will love Colorado.

We get the UHaul truck tomorrow.  Lots of boxes in the garage with more to pack.  Boxed up some of the important stuff this afternoon---my bottles of wine!!  Not about to leave them here.

Getting closer!!

Going back to the sea after almost 400 years.

I know this may seem strange, but a Hudson is going back to the sea after almost 400 years.  some 60 years ago, my grandfather did a genealogy of this line of the Hudson clan.  Primarily to establish that we had relatives that served in the Revolutionary War.  Once he got that accomplished, he went back farther.  All this before computers.  I can't fathom how long it must have taken him.  He established that we are direct descendants of Henry Hudson.  So after almost 400 hundred years--he died about 1611--a Hudson is now going back to the sea.  As long as I stay away from the north shore of Canada(Hudson Bay) I should be fine.  I just have to make sure I don't upset the crew--of course since she is the Admiral(I'm just a Captain), that might be tough to do.

The packing continues.  It's tough deciding what to take.  While we are moving, we aren't taking everything.  Most is staying right where it is for the time being.  Just try and imagine--you're going onto a 48 X 13 foot apartment with very limited storage space.  What would you take and what would you leave.  Plus keep in mind that what ever you take will be subject to repeated earthquakes(waves) and the possibility of getting soaked regularly(leaks).  what would you take?  I know we are taking much to much stuff, but after the refit and when we are prepared to get underway, we can always get rid of what we really don't need.

We are off to our other boat at Lake Granby to get her ready for this next Summer and hopefully a new owner.  Unfortunately, it will take most of the day.  We pick up the UHaul truck Saturday.  That's when the real fun starts.

More later.

Back from the show!

We're back from the boat show in Oakland, CA.  Quite a disappointment.  No where as many vendors as we had expected plus attendance from two years ago was way down--way way down!  The seminars were great.  Learned a lot and bought a lot.  Brought some home and having a lot shipped later to Newport after we get there and get a mailbox.

Had a nice trip--a bit cold and very windy but no rain at least.  Met lots of nice people and saw a lot of new gear for the boat.  Bought a neat piece of equipment to get me to the top of the mast as well as a drogue to attach to the stern of the boat to help slow us down in a big storm plus lots more goodies.

Nice to be home.  With luck we will be gone by this time next week.  Time will tell.

Getting ready!!!

We're getting closer.  Packing up and shredding as fast as we can.  The house is a bit torn up as we categorize what we want to take and what we don't and need to store.  The pile grows larger every day.  In a few days we will go through what we have chosen to take an re-think what we have chosen to take.  There is only so much room on Zephyr.  Taking tools but know that they will not be on the boat when we set sail.  Once the refit is done, there will be less need for them and more need for the space they take up.  Glad the weather has been nice the past few days so we can get more done.

Finished the forms necessary for FanciMats final fillings with the government.  Glad that is over with and the time crunch they take out of our day.

I'm going to the store tomorrow for a class on the computer mat cutter with Cindy.  While not done a lot, there is always a need to know how it works.

Off to reserve a UHaul truck for the truck.  Thought a van from one of the car rental places would be enough.  The piles are getting to big.

More later as the time gets nearer.

Bill

 

Tax Day!!!

Today was "Tax Day".  As much as I hate to admit it, being audited by the IRS 4 years ago has made doing taxes much easier.  My auditor actually took the time to sit down with me and teach me how to do my taxes without relying on Quickbooks just transferring info over to Turbo Tax.  Now when I do my taxes, I know I what and where to apply my figures and know they are right.  I know this is a strange thing to admit, but the IRS actually made my life easier.  I would still dread a letter saying they are coming back, but I know that my taxes are done right.  It still made for a long day with lots of time dedicated to making sure that the figures were right.  One more review and off they go to the IRS tomorrow.  Glad that is over with.  Finally a good night sleep.  We will still have to file estimated taxes every quarter, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Raining now with more over night.  has been raining since about 3pm.  Nice to see it especially since I fertilized the yard yesterday.  Great timing!!!  Now just have to find a yard service to take care of it while we are gone.

Off to bed--tomorrow is another day.  I have a class set at the Apple store on how to use IMovie.  We bought a movie camera to take on our trip.  Now I have to learn how to make a decent movie worth posting on UTube. 

Retired? Finally?

All Done!!!  I finished my last jobs yesterday and officially start my second retirement today.  Did it back in 2000 when Tracy took me out of corporate life and into her company.  She ordered it and I figured out how to pay for it.  Never was a problem.  Just 7+ years of fun.  I'll miss all the excitement and fun.

Today--my first day of my second retirement--working at the house getting it organized and straightened up.  Lots to do over the next few weeks.  We want to be gone by April 28th.  Found several car rental companies that will rent one way cars.  Makes it easier to get our stuff to Newport.  

Tomorrow--taxes!!  Time is running out and now is the time to get it done.  Then I can get work done at the house with a free rein.  The weather is to turn bad over the next few days and Tracy is going in tomorrow for one more meeting with Cindy.  I'll have a quiet house to get stuff done.  Boy, what fun? 

More coming as the days pass.

Almost done!!

I'm almost done!!  Just a few more pieces to finish.  Still waiting for a frame from one company to get everything done.  Got a big piece done yesterday and then spent the rest of the day a the Apple Store.  The new MacBook developed a problem with the mail program so they reinstalled the operating system and I had to migrate everything back into it from my IMac.  Then reinstall other programs plus Parallels and Windows so I can use that operating system if necessary.

Back to work today to get more done.  Each day brings me closer to being done.

Tracy is at home cleaning and making piles of things to be either thrown out or sent to Goodwill or sold in an upcoming garage sale(time permitting).  The "Strictly Sail" boat show is coming up.  Can't wait to see all the new stuff they show. 

Off for another day.