Ooh, That's Pretty

Last summer when we were working on Huaka'i Annie, our '57 Aloha, I told Hubby that once she was ready to go I had one goal... to see pretty.  Everything was ugly last summer with polishing metal, missing deadlines and frustrations.  In January, I made some campground reservations to see some pretty.

Our first stop was to visit Max.  Max and Kassie were out celebrating the 4th of July when we arrived but we had a big welcome from Bo. My no dogs in Annie rule went right out the window.

 The next morning Kassie and I took Bo on a walk around the farm.  It was pretty.

 Huaka'i Annie was parked back where she began.  Family friends, the Fischer family, lived in their Aloha while they built their house in George, WA. Hubby's parents offered the Fischers the use of the little house on 78 because is was hot that summer and the Aloha was even hotter.  Since then we have restored their Aloha and Max has bought the house.  Everything has kind of come full circle with Annie parked there.

When I opened the trailer door in the morning, Max yelled from the house, "checkout's at nine, get that piece of sh*t off my yard."  Oh Max, you make me laugh.

I had paid for our site with a fresh raspberry pie. 

Thank you very much!  

We had a pretty drive to Steamboat Rock State Park.

 The park is really clean, pretty, the ranger was friendly and the sites are large.

 We parked on our waterfront property and set up for our three nights of camping.

The awning works!

 I had read about the hike to the top of Steamboat Rock and we thought we'd try it.

 Have you ever heard of scree? I hadn't either but now I know all about it.  Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, volcanoes or valley shoulders that has accumulated through periodic rockfall from adjacent cliff faces.

 Hubby thought it possibly meant the sound of your fingernails sliding down a mountain on the way to your death.  That works for me. ScReee... splat.

The first day we turned back, I am afraid of heights, the scree was sliding from under me and I wanted off that rock.

 We went again the next day because we found out that we had been really close to the end of the worst part.

 We made it!  It is 61 flights of stairs on the fitbit.

Hubby held my hand when it was rough and I couldn't have made it without him.

The next day we stayed off the rock and enjoyed another beautiful hike.

 Each morning we enjoyed a fat boy breakfast after the hikes.  We loved the sandy beach at Banks Lake, the hikes, the size of the campsites and we will definitely return to Steamboat Rock Sate Park.

Then we drove to Lake Chelan State Park with a few stops on the way.  You know I brake for old schoolhouses, granges and churches.

 Annie is easy to tow and goes off the beaten track easily.  That's one of the things I love about her.  Hubby is willing to make stops and go off the beaten track and that is one of the things I love about him.

 We got to the state park and started to set up camp when we had a visitor.  The park ranger came knocking, he told us that when we checked in they called him to let him know there was an Aloha in the park.

 Ranger Rod and his wife own Pearl Girl, a '60 Aloha.

We had a great visit with him and exchanged trailer tours.  I'm hoping they join the Vintage Aloha facebook group.

The next morning we got on Highway 20 where we enjoyed a lot of pretty.

 We made a short stop in Winthrop where we found the best iced molasses cookies ever at the bakery.  Hubby is a bit of an iced molasses cookie connoisseur. A molasses cookie snob, if you will.

 We used the pull outs to let others pass us on the pass and to enjoy the scenery at Ross Lake and Diablo Lake.

We met a young man visiting from Ohio.  He was so excited about the beauty of Washington.  He could not impress upon us enough just how special it is in Washington.

Oh, we know, it is beautiful here.

I wanted to see pretty and I did.  Over and over I saw pretty this week.

Next week, more pretty, more camping and a hotel pool.

That's right I'll be poolside.  Pretty and poolside coming right up, but first, unpacking, repacking and then a quick unpacking and repacking on Sunday.

Oh the places you'll go. -Dr. Suess

CW's Paint Removal

 The Curtis Wright Flagship was painted a teal blue and white originally.  There was still some of the original paint on the CW's exterior.  Age, weathering and weeds blowing against the metal had taken some paint off the body.

I pressure washed a lot of the remaining paint off this week.

 It took one day, all day. I enjoy pressure washing.  The pressure washer was a Mother's Day gift several years ago and I love it.

 The metal is in such great shape, I am giddy!  There is primer that didn't come off with pressure washing so I am researching my next step.

Hubby is removing nails and screws.  Yes, it appears to be pretty rotten inside, just as we suspected.

 Hubby has labelled containers for every screw, nail, bit and bob he pulls out of the trailer.  We won't reuse them but it's nice to grab a sample when it's time to get new parts.

 And so it begins, another vintage trailer restoration. In between the work we are going to do some camping and playing including Steamboat Rock, Lake Chelan, church camp at Bryce Creek and a vintage show in July.

Happy 4th of July! Have a fun and safe holiday celebrating our great country!

The Sisters

Thanks Rene. I keep thieving your photos...

The Flying Horseshoe Ranch is fantastic, the activities and workshops at a SOTF event are fabulous but I've saved the best for last.  The sisters are the very best part of the Sisters On The Fly!

 They are a sharing and caring bunch of gals.  They raise thousands of dollars for Hope Source with a silent and a live auction.

 They aren't afraid to get dressed up in their petticoats or chaps. Kate has a western themed trailer named Steel Cut Kate.

 Jean and Rene came to me in Lynden at a trailer rally and issued a special invitation to become a sister.  They have taken me in, encouraged me and blessed me in so many ways. I never had any intention of joining SOTF or towing Annie by myself.

 Kathy is in the pink and Marian is in the teal petticoat.  Marian's husband passed away in December, she hadn't towed a trailer in 30 years.  Kathy has been a good friend to Marian. Sarah is in the background and after seeing her taking towing lessons from her husband last year I felt I could do it too.  Sisters have a can do attitude and a you can too attitude.

The last morning we could make yogurt parfaits to go, we got one last gift (there are gifts everyday!) and then the sisters that play ukulele(there were ukulele workshops)  sang and played 

Happy Trails to You.

Next year the Pacific NW Gathering is in McCall, Idaho.

McCall or Bust!