Viva Las Vegas!

Today we woke up and we got ready. Mom, Dagny, and I went to a very small water park. We swam in the pool, we splashed on the splash pad and, slid down the slides. We had a lot of fun. My favorite part was when we went down the orange slide. It was fast, long, and very fun.We were at the water park for a very long time and then we went back to the RV to get ready to walk the strip. We dried off and then we got on clean clothes.

On our walk down the strip we saw lots of different iconic structures while we went to meet dad. We met up with dad and then we went to look around. We saw lots of cool things like the fountain show at the Bellagio, the Eifel Tower at the Paris Hotel, and the Excalibur Hotel. Then we went to the Luxor to see the Blue Man Group. At the Blue Man Group show we saw a lot of cool things. We saw different instruments, funny scenes, and interactive fun. We got blasted with toilet paper at the end. We had a lot of fun there and then we called an Uber and drove home. We got to the RV site and we took showers and got ready for bed.

The thing I liked best about today was the quality time we all spent at the water park. The thing I
liked best about the Blue Man Group was when I made myself a gown out of the toilet paper they sprayed all over the audience. I'm tired. It is time for bed.

Maggie

The Dam Cockroach

Dave is a task master when it comes to blogging and we have had so much fun this past week we have been behind schedule on our daily posts. I will now do my best to remember the events of the past 3 days.

On Friday night Adelaide was doing what she does best, organizing and leading. She had crafted a plan to take her cousins on a challenging hike the next morning called 3 Crosses to watch the sunrise. She had it all figured out. Only problem was, the hike needed to start at 5am. She will learn over time that the best laid plans will require buy in from your team. A 4:45 wake up call will squash even the best managers plans. When I went to bed on Friday I was sure she had a critical mass willing to follow her up that mountain such that I would not have to go. When her alarm went off at 4:43am on Saturday I learned that her team consisted only of her bestie cousin Noah, also age 15. She was up and getting dressed while I lay there pondering my options. 1. Go back to sleep and let them go alone. 2. Lay there awake for 3 hours and fret and worry about possible bear and mountain lion attacks, falls off of rocky cliffs, and the real possibility that they would get lost in the wilderness with zero cell reception. 3. Brush my teeth and put on my tennis shoes and get ready for some real mountain exercise. You guessed it, I had to go. It was about 45 minutes to the top of the mountain and it was a good climb. We were all huffing and puffing. No bear sightings. I am sure they heard Addie and Noah chatting away and had ample time to get out of our way. I gave them 20 paces so they could get all of their early morning words out of the way. Those two are good friends. They spent quality time together this weekend and I am so glad they have each other. Makes me reminiscent of my cousin Chad and how we would hang together for days when we were kids and our family would gather. Chad is still my bestie cousin and he would walk on hot coals for me, and I for him.

I love this time in my life when my babies are still small enough to love on me and cuddle often yet old enough to read a note much like this. "Went hiking with Addie and Noah. Be back by breakfast". That note would have been enough information for them to get up and dressed and head out to find their own bestie cousins for the day too. This reunion was one of the best for me in recent memory. The kids did their own thing every day and so did I. The majority of Alastair's time was spent in some sort of pick-up baseball game. Cousins ranging in age from 6 to 26. Dagny was voted most adored by the cousins ages 2 to 8. She had little cousins hanging off of her night and day. Magnolia had a constant playmate in her cousin Caleb who is 8. They covered every inch of that camp together. I had a chance to have real adult conversation, without interruption. I love my extended family so much and these gatherings are precious. And, hard. My dad died 14 years ago and he is missed. These reunions are chances for small glimpses of my dad in my Uncle Erskine, and cousins Dan, Dirk and Darin especially. DNA is a crazy thing. These men do and say things my dad did. They laugh like him. Tell stories like he would, with the same mannerisms. Hug like he hugged. It is obvious why my mom and sister and I need these times together. Love you dad, miss you.

Saturday's afternoon family activity was a legit volleyball tournament. The kids and I were all placed on opposing teams and the brackets left some of us losers and Addie's team the winners. Boo hiss for us, yeah for Addie. Another great part of these outings are that the physical activities usually draw the 10-50 crowd but the 0-10 year olds and 50+ crowd number just as many as loud, cheering, sideline supporters. They are engaged in their own wonderful conversations all the while razzing us for a botched play or applauding loudly at the great competition. We are a competitive bunch and we like these chances to sharpen our skills.

The remainder of Saturday included tons more Rook, Mexican Train, singing, pictures, eating, and worship time together. Over the weekend we gathered 3 times for Scates style worship. This includes some time for praise singing and a message. My family are professional grade. When I say "my family" I mean all the descendants of my Uncles. The Tim Scates family were never professional ministers and the 8 of us watch in wonder when the guitars and bibles come out. My cousins are gifted. This weekend I heard some of the best sermon's I have heard in a long time. Two of my preaching cousins are in-laws. Both preach in their home churches but I am sure this is a high pressure opportunity for them because of the wealth of biblical knowledge within the Scates audience.

Dave returned to the fun on Saturday night after a full day with his rugby club. He had the chance to connect with lots of old friends and play enough rugby to need 2 Advil that night. I was glad his club anniversary was the same weekend we were home so he could do his own thing. One day apart in 75 is just the right amount.

Sunday morning we had a very tearful goodbye. We plan to gather again in two years in the same location. I expect to see another round of beautiful new babies. I am hopeful I will see all 3 of my uncles and aunts. My prayer for them is good health in the coming months and years so that we can continue to carry on our Family Tradition (nod to Kelly Scates).

My crew hustled down the mountain in order to grab lunch with my bestie from Florida, Jody Classen Anthony. She and I have been friends since the 7th grade and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding. Her kids are the same ages as mine and she comes home twice a year to see her parents and sister. I am so glad we could all be together for just a little bit. She makes my heart happy and I miss her so much. Our children are good friends. I loved how the wait staff had put together 2 table for us and the kids immediately pulled them apart for a "kids table". They don't need us at all when they are having fun. Miss you Jod.

Next hug-fest for the day was with my precious nephew Micah and my sister-in-love, Heather. We did not know we were going to get to see them when we made plans to fly home to Denver. They live in Vermont and Heather needed to be in Denver for work this week and brought Micah for some grandparent time. What a gift. Micah played hard with his cousins. I am already looking forward to their return in 5 months.

Our flight back to LA had us on the ground around 9pm. Back to our car and commute to Huntington Beach had us back to the DiBenedetto's around 11pm. Dave and I had discussed our options. Grab some sleep in Huntington Beach and hit the road early in the morning or avoid LA traffic on a Monday morning and just get outside the city that night. We opted for that plan. We said goodbye to our very good friends, put kids in beds and started our drive. We made the right decision. Our RV and towed car are jumbo in size and we need space. Driving through the Mohave Desert at night also allows for reduced temperatures. Dave drove until about 3am and pulled into a rest stop near Barstow off of the highway for 4 hours of sleep. That was a first for all of us, sleeping at a rest stop. Again, I love my RV, like a turtle in a shell.

Monday morning Dave drove the final miles into Nevada to the Hoover Dam. Magnolia slept from the airport in LA all the way to the Dam. Being a kid is funny like that. She missed 12 hours of our adventure but sure needed the sleep. Hoover Dam was great! We visited all the exhibits, viewed the film in the visitor's center, and listened to the audio demonstration of the topographical map which describes the water reclamation process for the western US which begins right near our home in Colorado. I kept telling the kids that all of the western US should say thank you to us Coloradoan's for sharing our snow melt with all of those low landers. I am pretty sure we didn't have a say in the matter. I think they Feds took it regardless of our wishes. I would have liked for my dad to have been with us on the tour. He worked in Washington D. C. for Congressman Aspinall and much of their work related to the water rights on the western slope of Colorado. I am sure he would have had lots of wisdom to share. Our tour took us to two sections of the dam power plant and also inside the dam itself. We were able to look through an air vent in the dam and walk through the small tunnels used for inspection checks. Two things I did not like about the Dam were the bat we saw while inside the tunnels. I hate bats and the kids love that they make me so nervous. Second, the heat at the dam. We had a long walk from the RV parking at the top of the mountain to the dam and the temperature was 106. I don't think I have ever been sweatier. We did a good job hydrating, but we were gross.

On Sunday night when we returned to our RV after 5 days apart Dagny was the very first to enter the RV and turn on a light. I was right behind her and noted her surprise. When she turned on the light a cockroach ran under the couch. Because I didn't see it with my own eyes I allowed myself to believe she was tired and confused. I hate cockroaches almost as much as bats and I had no time to allow my fears to slow us down. Well, that roach came out of his hiding place on the drive back from the dam and the girls and I freaked. He was trying very hard to run away from the RV. Not kidding, in buggy situations like these we all rely on Dagny. She loves bugs, she protects them, and she can handle it. She got a cup and paper and safely rescued him. Put him in a Tupperware and out of sight of the rest of us. It was seriously gross.

We are staying in the Circus Circus RV park on the strip which is hilarious. Our most cost-effective

accommodations yet at $38/day. We did a major clean of the RV which takes about 10 minutes. I took the kids to the pool because we had actually melted and Dave took care of getting our exterior hook ups all situated. Attempts to clean up are futile in Vegas because it was 110 when we took the kids on a driving tour of the strip and dinner out at a casino. We had a yummy Italian dinner, in spite of our sweat, and we focused on our water intake from the days dehydration. The RV is a cool comfortable 75 degrees. We are all a little slow to get going this morning as it will be 30 degrees hotter when we step outside our doors. Wish us luck.

- Jll

Scates Family

My father, Tim Scates, was the youngest of 6 boys, all preacher's kids. Most of my uncles were ministers or missionaries and many of my cousins as well. We gather for family reunions every 2-3 years and on average 80 of us are able to be together. I always liken our reunions to church camp to include mess hall style dining, open dirt field games like softball and volleyball, camp songs and a daily gathering for our worship time together to include lots of singing. Last night my cousin, Curtis, was in charge of our message and it was great. He is fun and funny and his "sermon" was wrapped in under 15 minutes. Magnolia was tickled as she was mentally set on her normal 60 minute message.

Yesterday's softball game was inter-generational and super fun. Just the right combination of competitive spirit and laughs. Magnolia and her cousin Caleb were team captains and their picks were a combination of the family members they love the most and the really athletic 20 something male cousins. In these games the 10 and under can not get "out" so they run the bases at will. As for the rest of us, we play for blood. By the grace of God we all had fun and we didn't cause serious injury to any of our youngest team mates.

Afternoon activities included lots of hikes, naps, catching up with one another, basketball, Frisbee golf, swinging on porch swings, and getting reacquainted with the youngest members of the clan. We range in age from 6 months to 87. This down time is the priceless part of the weekend. I am so glad to be with my cousins and so grateful to each family for carving out their vacation time to be together.

The evening wrapped with the always anticipated Rook Tournament. This is the card game we all play and we all love. Last night we had 24 participants and my partner, Darin, and I took second. Games will take place again tonight and I plan to improve my standing.

Dave headed for Denver yesterday to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of his Denver Highlanders RFC. I am sure he is having fun and hopeful he will return to the reunion tonight with minimal bruising and no broken bones or lost teeth.

                             -Jll

In the city and back in our hood

             On Tuesday morning we woke up and ate breakfast. Then we drove through terrible Los Angeles traffic to get to the Griffith Park overlook of the Hollywood sign. We took some quick photos with the sign and then drove to Hollywood Blvd. to see the Walk of Fame. We walked down glancing on the occasional familiar name embedded in the sidewalk and then went into the Hollywood Wax Museum. We walked through a pretty well maintained gallery viewing peoples figures from Robin Williams to Hugh Heffner.

              Then we went to the Believe it or Not and Guinness Records museums. It showed things from the worlds tallest man to a tongue rolling station. Turns out it was a 1 way mirror so when you walked back you would watch other people make fools of themselves without them knowing. After the museums we drove to another popular dive like others we have visited such as Hudson's and Dick's  Hamburgers. It was a hotdog shack called Pinks. We had to wait in line for an hour to order. Once we got our food we ate in the car heading back towards Huntington Beach.

              We met up with our friends again and headed to the beach to have a fire by the ocean. The waves were pretty big so nobody really swam, I only swan for about 10 minutes. Then we just ate s'mores and drank lemonade until the Rangers said the beach was closing. Then we headed back to the RV and hunkered down for the night in the RV. I stayed up a little later watching baseball with the DeBenidettos.

                Yesterday morning we woke up early and headed to LAX to catch our flight back to Denver for the Scates' Family Reunion. When we got back I met 4 of my friends at the park and we just caught up with each other and talked. I had to leave the group behind to go to a Rockies game with 45 of my relatives. The game was pretty good for the Rockies pitching only allowing 2 runs of 1 hit. The game got to the bottom of the 9th tied at 2. Rockies lead off man Charlie Blackmon cranked a no doubt about it walk off home run. We left and headed back for a night of sleep in our own beds.

                Today I woke up and took a shower and built some Lego structures. I packed for the trip to Estes Park and then went downstairs to help Dagny jar up some of the honey she got from her bees. We decided she had about 4 gallons. We jarred as much as we could before our old nanny and family friend came over with her newborn. The girls snuggled with the baby and fed it its bottle while I just held its foot. Then I went to the orthodontist.

                 After that I drove to the mountains with my dad. When we got there we said our hellos and just talked to our family. Then I played some pickup sports with some of my littler cousins on the dirt pitch. After we went inside for dinner which was pork chops and dessert was mint chocolate cake. Then we did trivia which is kind of my bread and butter. My team didn't win but it was still fun. Then the activities came to an end and everyone went away to their cabins.

              Goodbye now, Alastair

Knott the coolest day we've had

Today was a super great day that truly felt like a vacation, although it really reminded me of what it feels like to be in a hot and humid climate. This morning, we all got ready for a day of amusement park festivities. The 6 of us got dressed, said goodbye to whomever was left at the house, and we drove towards Buena Park for some breakfast. We ended up finding a little quick breakfast at Harry's Café. Although the meal was not delicious and the television was turned up way too loud, the six of us had a fairly large breakfast for only $33. Still, I would not recommend the place. I had toast and a scrambled egg for breakfast because I did not want to throw up at our next destination.


We then headed to Knott's Berry Farm. This of course was not filled with urban agriculture enthusiasts but rather thousands of boiling, sweaty, smelly, super excited tourists standing in line for hours to ride the thrilling rides this park has to offer. Although I may not make this sound very appealing, we arrived just as the park opened and we were able to ride all of the major things on our list within a few hours because we missed a majority of the crowd. The temperature all day ranged from 90-97 degrees and with the humidity, us McLains melted. We were sooo hot all day and I made sure to apply lots of sunscreen so I didn't make my sunburn any worse. By about 12:30, we were ready for some food and some air conditioning so we headed into the Johnny Rockets and waited for about 20 minutes to get a table. The heat made us so uncomfortable that all we really needed were some ice cold milkshakes. We downed those along with some fries and chicken nuggets.

Afterwards, we rode a few more rides including the ubiquitous log ride. We split into groups of 3 and
I rode down with Alastair and Dad. Concluding the ride is a large drop where you get your picture taken. Right before the drop, one of the automatic characters warned, "
Look out! Fire in the hole!" to which Dad replied yelling, "No! Fire in YOUR hole!" We laughed for a bit but as soon as we dropped, my hat fell off of my head and landed on Dad's face right as our picture was taken. I cannot think of a more perfectly timed photo. We all lost our drive for the day after waiting in line for so long. Making our way to the exit we found a few more small rides that Maggie wanted to try but we got out of there pretty quickly. Overall we really loved this park because compared to Disneyland and Six Flags, it was way cheaper, less crowded, and it still had some pretty amazing rides! My personal favorite ride was the Xcelerator which, right at the beginning, launched you from 0-82 mph in less than 3 seconds. We also favored the new HangTime ride and the Supreme Scream. We would highly recommend this destination if you're looking for a great park, maybe just choose a cooler day.

After that adventure, we got back into our super hot mini van and made a pit stop on the way home at a 7 Eleven for some drinks because we were so dehydrated. We got back to the DiBenedetto's house and rested up, played in the pool, talked for a while, and had leftover pizza and brats for dinner. We got dressed and drove to Baskin Robbins for ice cream and we walked around Petco while we ate. We met some really cute little kittens which made us VERY allergic later on. We got back to the house, got ready for bed, and watched more of this really funny show called Nailed It! We all laughed for a while and then got to bed.

I have not been blogging very much recently so I figured, while I have your attention, I could let you in on what it is like to live within 32 feet of all 5 of your family members for 3 months on end. First of all, I would like to address all of the things you miss from your regular life back home because this far into the trip I now have a list... family (my incredible grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and relatives that make our lives so special), friends (even with modern day technology, no amount of snapchatting can replace summer night sleepovers or pool days with the whole squad), having your own room (personal space and privacy are out the window on this trip), storage and room to keep all of your belongings and supplies, having a lock on the bathroom door to prevent unwanted interruptions and accidental walk-ins, having one reliable shower to use consistently rather than finding a new challenge or strangeness at every new campsite shower house, our church and knowing that I will be comfortable Sunday mornings at service, reliable wifi that you can count on to work and be free, table space to complete summer homework or scrapbooking, our guinea pigs and other pets that could care less that we are gone, my job and co-workers whom I cannot wait to rejoin in the fall, and most of all just the feeling of being at home and stable in one comfortable, not too hot and not too cold, perfect place.

That being said, there is nothing in the world that could replace this incredible trip that my family and I are so fortunate to experience. Everyday I am reminded of what a gift it is that I am surrounded by such amazing people in my life and that God granted me this family and this fascinating world to explore. Sometimes I forget how closely Magnolia resembles me at her age and even now. She is full of so many words, songs, and so much energy that she is always so joyful and vibrant. I can only hope that my spirit stays as fun and young as hers does throughout the years. Being so busy with school, it has become hard to always stay connected and in-tune with my siblings. This trip has helped me to realise how quickly Dagny is growing up and how she is becoming such an amazing young lady everyday that she grows. Not to mention the fact that she is getting taller and taller everyday, unlike Maggie lol. Alastair and I don't always get along but this time together allows us to figure out how to be compatible and allows us a chance to see eye to eye for some time, no matter how short that time period is. I really do love him and find him incredibly funny, cunning, and intelligent when we really get the chance to listen to each other. Overall, we could not be more thrilled that we get this opportunity and I would hope that we inspire all of you to spend some time with the people you love to really remember how blessed you truly are.

Goodnight and sweet dreams,
Adelaide

The sea was angry that day, my friends

Our visit with the DiBenedettos continued yesterday with Mass at their church, Saint Bonaventure. We need to make an effort to attend Catholic church with Nana and Papa more in Denver because there are still so many things we all learn when we visit. The problem is, Papa and Nana are too good to us and they always come and worship with us at Wellshire. I am sure it is because they don't sing in the children's choir, or get confirmed, or participate in youth Sunday, but still, we need to get to their church some more this fall so we can all learn a little more about the Catholic faith.

Saint Bonaventure was great. It is a pretty large congregation, we sang some great hymns, and the priest offered a really nice message and simple message to find some quiet time each day to spend with the Lord. We all enjoyed starting our day together at church.

Back at the house Mike again treated us to a really great meal. He can always leave corporate America and tack on a job in hospitality. Yesterday's breakfast included all the normal breakfast favorites including mini pancakes cooked up on his specialty cast iron pancake skillet. The skillet has about 6 small holes for the batter and the cakes are cooked up perfectly and in a uniform size and shape. Delicious.

Our afternoon outing was to Crystal Cove, a beach about a half hour away which boasted fun tide pools at low tide. We loved this beach. The kids were immediately distracted from the tide pools by the big waves and the boogie boards. For about an hour the 6 kids and 2 dads battled the waves, took turns on the boards, and were tossed and turned and beaten down by the ocean. Then the big swell came in and the moms got nervous. The ocean turned out a particularly large set of waves and even the dads had to work extra hard to catch full breaths in between each wave. Dagny is small and she was dragged across the ocean floor a few times before she was able to battle her way back to shore. This morning she has a sore face and hip from that set.

The moms called an ocean time out so the crew could drink some water, reapply the sun screen, and venture down the beach in search of crabs, anemone, and other tide pool creatures. We mostly walked and talked and had a really great time. An hour or so more of ocean beat down and it was time to make our sandy exit.

We all went to a favorite Mexican food restaurant for dinner and ate about a thousand chips with salsa. We got the kids cleaned up and tried to rid our beach gear of as much sand as possible and had the kids wind down watching Nail It or Fail It while the dads ended the night with a cigar and the moms had time for a really great talk. Angela is dear to me and she and I have a lot in common. I am so glad for this time together with her family.

- Jll

College friends for life

Yesterday turned into a late night of driving. We rolled into Huntington Beach around 12:20, pulled up in front of our friend's house, turned off the RV and climbed in bed. We were so tired. So grateful for the safe travel we have had.

This morning started with big hugs from our good friends Mike and Angela DiBenedetto and their children Gabriella and Dillon. Mike and Angela went to college with us at Colorado State and Angela and I are sorority sisters. We have done a pretty good job of staying in touch over the past 20 years and we knew we would be able to claim some time with them on this trip. We spent the morning at their home. The kids had a ton of fun splashing in their pool and getting to know one another. Angela and I were able to catch up. She is always quick to laugh and her laugh is a good one. She is a dear friend to me and has been with me on my best days and my worst. I am so grateful for her friendship.

In the afternoon we drove to the harbor near their home and let the kids swim and splash about. A fun feature of the afternoon swim was the bridge on which we were able to jump off of. It wasn't terribly high, maybe 8-10 feet but it sure was fun. The kids jumped many times and I even jumped once.

We had a really great dinner at their home, compliments of Mike of planned, prepped, shopped and cooked for us all. Thanks Mike! After more swimming we built a fire in their fire pit and roasted more marshmallows and made another round of pudgy pies so the DiBenedettos could give them a try.

Tonight my family has been so grateful to nourish our hearts and bellies with our good friends and we are grateful for their showers and hospitality too. We are all cleaned up and tucked into our beds in our RV which is parked right alongside their sidewalk. We are like turtles in our shell. We take our home with us and it is really nice to climb into our own beds at night and rest. We are here until Wednesday morning and we have lots of fun plans still ahead.

- Jll

Rosebud

Yesterday I didn't really want to wake up. I was still exhausted from everything the day before. When I finally decided to wake up I got ready for the day and got on my bike to ride aroud the RV camp site. There were dirt piles and little jumps here and there we could do. When we went biking the day before there was this little path that was good for jumping and some riding that wasn't the road. After 20 minutes of riding we went back the motorhome so we could hit the road. Once we started driving we didn't stop for 3 hours and when we stopped we stopped at the Hearst Castle to get a quick tour. William Hearst inherited an piece of land from his parents and wanted to build a house on it. The house was 68,000 square ft. I really liked the house because of the unique art inside and European influenced furnishings.

After our tour we all got really hungry so we stopped at a restaurant and got some food. I thought it was funny because they all had to put on German costumes. After we ate we got back in the motorhome and drove for 30 minutes before we drove by a wild fire. It looked pretty contained but kind of beautiful in the dark. We drove until we arrived at Huntington Beach at 12:30 last night.

- Dagny
                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                 

Surfs Up

The McLains lead very scheduled lives. We have serious jobs, lots of commitments and appointments, and plenty of responsibilities. That is one of the reasons we take a sabbatical. To do the opposite of our normal for 75 days. No jobs, few commitments, and minimal responsibilities. Heaven! This morning however, we had an appointment. Ten o'clock surfing lessons for the kids. This was on Dagny's wish list and we were able to make it happen after placing a few phone calls. We met the kids instructors at Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz and they had their wet suits and boards waiting for them. The kids did such a good job and all got up on their boards and were all smiles and laughs the entire time. I am so glad they were able to do it. It was such a cool experience for them.

We took a walk down the Santa Cruz Municipal Warf Pier and peeked in the shops. We had packed a lunch and stopped on some benches to give the kids a chance to refuel after their surfing. What we liked most was watching the sea lions who find places to rest under the Pier on the wooden planks. We watched different groups for about an hour and really had a great time.

We were back to our RV park by 3. Dave took a nap, I read my book, and the kids took turns playing outside. We had already decided we were in for the night. Everyone was really happy playing around camp so I ordered Chinese which was delivered directly to our RV. We really liked it and the family time around our picnic table.

Dave built a big campfire tonight and we wrapped our great day with s'mores and pudgy pies. Pudgy pies are not known to all. It is a little cast iron device that has two round sides which clamp together. We typically put a little butter in each side, white bread, pie fillings, and clamp the pudgy pie maker closed. Roast over your campfire for about 3 minutes per side and you have a delicious campfire pie. We have experimented with all kinds of pudgy pies to include peach, cherry, and even chocolate. Tonight's was apple. We also make them savory like ham and cheese or pizza with sauce, mozzarella, and peperoni. I like the savory best. I might need to pick up those ingredients for our next campfire.

- Jll

Back to the Coast

With the Ferguson Fire continuing to burn just outside of Yosemite National Park, we abandoned the area yesterday, coming to grips with the facts that we would not be able to see the sights within the park and the air would be no less smoke filled.  I guess we'll just have to make another trip out this way.  I am thinking of a winter road trip through Yosemite and on to Lake Tahoe again to take advantage of the fact that Vail has added some of the mountains there to our ski passes.  I will just have to remember to have tank heaters installed on the RV, which I have started calling the Magic Bus.  We drove to our new location just south of Santa Cruz and set up camp.  The kids played in the playground and on the jumping pillow a little bit, and we headed in to Santa Cruz for a quick dinner at a local burger joint and to see a movie.  We saw "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"  Jll and I thoroughly enjoyed the film, having been raised on Mr. Rogers.  The kids appeared to enjoy it also, even though none of them have ever seen an episode.  Other than in random Facebook feeds from time to time about a commencement speech he gave or his admonition to "look for the helpers," I can't say when I last saw Mr. Rogers on television.  With that said, I still find myself welling up at different points throughout the movie, remembering watching him as a child and learning about what a decent gentlemen and advocate for children he truly was.

This morning we woke and had a quick breakfast in the RV, chocolate croissants and breakfast sausage. The breakfast of champions.  We drove to Monterey, walked through Cannery Row, not doing much shopping as we are not shoppers, and to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  We spent a few hours winding our way through the exhibits.  My favorites were the tanks of schooling fish.  I could probably sit and watch them for hours on end if it weren't for the kids pulling me forward thinking me strange for staring at them so. 

After the aquarium we started the 17 Mile Drive, making our first stop at the Inn at Spanish Bay for drinks and appetizers out by the fire pits.  I must say that the McLains on the Road looked a little out of place, being a road weary as we are, trying to put on nice clothes and Alastair and I trying to cover the bruises, cuts, and scrapes we have from our mountain biking experience.  One old guy jokingly gave Alastair a hard time about his Bandon Dunes hat, telling him it was sacrilege to wear it at Pebble Beach. 

At six o'clock we watched the bagpiper put the course to bed, which I enjoyed very much.  It was at Pebble Beach during my last visit that I learned that my grandmother passed away.  Hearing the bagpiper play Amazing Grace brought back memories of my grandmother and of the day she passed away. I still miss her very much and think it strange that I haven't been to Chicago since her funeral.  While she was alive, Jll and I would take the kids to Chicago to see her two or three times a year.  It was a great tradition and I miss it also.  That said, I know that she has been reunited with my grandfather and her friends, whom she missed very much after they all passed away.  For that I could not be happier for her.

After our time at the Inn at Spanish Bay, we finished the 17 Mile Drive, coming out in Carmel, where we parked and visited the beach.  From there, we walked up the hill into town and stopped at a local bakery where we enjoyed a variety of macaroons, ice cream, cannoli, éclairs, and Danishes.  With so many of us, there are lots of desserts for me to taste.  All in all, it was a very good day.  I am not sad about leaving Yosemite when we did to get here.

- Dave

Heat and Haze in Yosemite.

             When we had  woke p this morning at around 7 to get to Yosemite National Park, for which we had high hopes, it turned out to be pretty hazy. We encountered a Californian forest fire, apparently only 2 percent contained at the time. We ate breakfast and then got on the road. When we got to the park the ranger at the entrance made it seem like the whole park would be smokey.

              We decided to go to the Yosemite Valley where all of the famous landmarks are, i.e., El Capitan and the Half Dome. We went to the visitor center and watched all of the films that the little Yosemite Theater had to offer. After that we took a park shuttle to the Lodge which my father hoped would be old timey log structures but was fairly modern and hotel like. We got back to the car and drove back to the RV site because we couldn't do much with low visibility and air quality. When we got back we just passed the time playing cards and watching movies.

                                           -Alastair

The GPS tried to kill us

Yesterday was a great day with not much of a plan. Our RV park was in South Lake Tahoe and we knew there was a flea market on our way into town. Stop number 1. Let's just say that the $4 we paid for admittance was $3 too many. Highlight of the stop was the homemade strawberry fritter we all shared.

The kids really love to swim and play in the sand. We stopped at 2 places which both allowed swimming but were not beaches. One had grass and one was rocky so we worked our way back to Pope Beach along with about 5000 other weekend beach-goers. Yikes! That is one of the things which is great about this sabbatical. Monday thru Friday adventures are really lovely and pleasant without big crowds. On the weekends we are reminded that the rest of the world needs some time to play as well.



We were back to the RV in time for some relaxing and hanging out. Our KOA is managed by a Christian and the staff has worked very consciously to make the campsite their mission field. I am sure not everyone appreciates this detail, but I liked it very much. When we checked in we were each given fortune cookies, but no fortune inside, bible verses. The signage on the walls pointed to their faith, the notice about Sunday morning worship on property and the all Christian library of DVDs for rent for a dollar. We checked out 4 during our stay. Three the kids had seen before (God's Not Dead, God's Not Dead 2, and Soul Surfer). All enjoyed again. The fourth movie was I Can Only Imagine. Maggie's review was that it was really sad. I didn't watch it but I will take her word for it and skip that one next time. That was enough screen time for a while.

The kids and I had a very delicious dinner prepared entirely by Magnolia. We had a quiet night except for the late night bear hazing and air horns. Meanwhile, Dave played some cards which he likes very much.

This morning was great! We scout out our Sunday worship in advance and this morning we couldn't pass up the opportunity to roll out of our RV at 8:30 for pool-side non-denominational worship led by the KOA staff. The McLains on the Road have witnessed a lot of interesting faith traditions and worship services but this one was one of the best. The lady who greeted us provided us with our song sheets. Song one, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Check. The second song, You Are My King. Nope, didn't know it. 50/50 is about my average on worship songs. The gentleman who led worship did a really great job. I don't suspect he is a minister or attended seminary but his message was from the heart and scripture based. Besides the 6 McLains there were 8 others in attendance. I suspect his largest crowd in weeks. I give it two thumbs up for a humble leader (note the trashcan as his pulpit), lounge chairs for pews, and the chance to work on my tan while worshiping. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

Not unlike a normal Sunday in Denver we found a yummy breakfast stop after church. We keep repeating, eat where the people eat. That is another great gift of sabbatical. We have time to wait, we don't have to rush onto our next appointment. This mornings wait and breakfast were totally worth it. We did our normal breakdown of camp; think unhook power, water, sewer, put away camp chairs, hook up Honda on the dolly, slide in slides, stow all loose items on the inside and secure all cabinets, bunk ladder, etc. Girls work on the inside and the boys work on the outside. Safe to say the jobs are not equitable. Thanks fellas.

I am not a good navigator. I always have the address of our next destination but usually Dave plugs it into the GPS. Today, he asked me to do it. Which I did. We got on our way and drove for about 45 minutes before the road started to get a little curvy. We kept driving as the curves increased as did the elevation. Hmmm. I tried to do a little research on our location but no cell service. Not awesome but we pressed ahead. The road lost its center line and most of its shoulders as well. For at least an hour Dave navigated switchbacks to the top of Ebbets Pass Scenic Byway. What? That can't be good. Everyone knows you don't drive a 32 foot RV towing a minivan on a scenic byway. Did I mention the motorcycle rally taking place with motorcycles whizzing toward us part of the way? Dave drove about another hour down the back side of the pass when we took a closer look at the GPS. I had requested walking directions. Clearly that would have been the best route and it really was beautiful. We are able to chuckle about it because we didn't encounter any other big rigs along the way but it was a stressful two hours. Thanks to Dave for keeping us all safe.

Description from Scenic4.org:

Compared to the high-speed trans-Sierra routes such as Highways 50 and 80, driving the Ebbetts Pass is a truly unique and unparalleled experience. At both ends of the byway (between Arnold and Lake Alpine to the west and between Markleeville and Silver Creek to the east), the road is a modern, full-width, two-lane State Highway that is maintained for year-round travel, with a double yellow center line, shoulders and passing lanes. Visitors travel through seemingly endless miles of pristine scenery, interjected only occasionally by welcoming communities. However, in the middle portion between Lake Alpine and Silver Creek, the road and the travel experience changes dramatically, becoming a narrow two-lane road with no center line and no shoulders as it slowly winds its way up and over the Sierra crest.

This part of the byway contains some steep, narrow and curvy portions with a few precipitous drop-offs. The route is recommended for cars and motorcycles, but is not accessible to tractor-trailers, buses or large recreational vehicles (RV’s).

Description from dangerousroads.org:

An extensive section of the highway includes some steep sections, without market central lines, is very narrow, scarcely wide enough for two cars to pass at the same time [editor's note: we decided to go with the extra large car dolly, which may or may not exceed the allowed width by 6"-12" - Not a wise choice to take it on this road] and there are no protections or guard rails along some parts of the route. It has very steep sections with hairpin corners. It is rarely used by commercial traffic and is not recommended for vehicles towing long trailers.

This infamous road is tightly hairpinned and bumped, an exquisite winding mountain drive with sharp and blind curves and hairpin switchbacks leading the traveler over the mountains. The eastern slope is particularly difficult, as many of the hairpin corners are blind, and steepen suddenly at the apex, making it necessary to shift to first gear in most vehicles.

We arrived in Groveland, CA which is our launching point for Yosemite National Park. We are surprised by the heat which has finally caught up to our family. We had dinner in town at the Iron Door Saloon and we have pulled out a few toys which were buried in the far corner of a cabinet. Tonight Alastair strung up our hammock, Dagny is working very hard on a metal 3D puzzle, Magnolia is doing Dot-to-Dot for grownups and Adelaide is now caught up on her scrap book. Dave is exhausted from his long day behind the wheel and I am just so very thankful for God's journey mercies for my crew. Amen.

- Jll

Travel Day - Girls' Day - Guys' Day

Yesterday was a travel day. We drove about 4 hours to the east to Lake Tahoe. We arrived at our KOA around 2pm and we all had free will to do whatever we wanted for about 3 hours. The little girls found pure joy in a make believe game of some kind in which a giant boulder needed to be climbed multiple times. We did a little swimming, laundry, cigaring (my new verb), and FOB (camp term for flat on bunk).

Our tummies were grumbling and we found a yummy Thai restaurant for dinner. We put the hurt on some Pad Thai, veggie tempura, spring rolls, and shrimp but you can always count on Alastair to order the most interesting item. He had "the whole fish" with red curry. I don't know what kind of fish it was but he ate it all and wasn't even bothered by the eye balls.

We watched a movie in the RV and were regularly interrupted by our local KOA crew trying to scare away a bear that has become very interested in our campground. We are tucked in tight in our RV but there are quite a few folks in tents who I am sure didn't sleep well. For over an hour the KOA crew screamed at the top of their lungs "HEY BEAR", honked car horns, sounded air horns, and made a whole bunch of noise. This must be one persistent bear because we all went to sleep to the "hey bear" screams.

Girls' Day

We made separate plans from the boys for the day which is rare. They wanted to ride bikes downhill and we did not. We had scouted our end destination, a beach on the south edge of Lake Tahoe called Pope Beach, when we drove out for dinner last night. We executed our plan perfectly. We packed our lunch, put on our swim suits, filled our waters and grabbed our towels and we were on our way. Ten miles out never seems that far. We rode through some really pretty woods and had a very nice time. The beach was great and we all enjoyed a few hours by the water. The little two played in the crazy cold lake the entire time and Addie and I had a chance to soak up a few rays and catch up on some girl talk.

The ride home was long. I do think more of it was uphill but I also think we were pretty depleted. I hadn't really brought that much lunch with us (because I carry the heaviest burden when it comes to back packs) and Dagny and Magnolia had depleted their energy stores. We dragged about the last half of the ride home and we were all super tired, sweaty, and dirty. We had a really great day and I am going to be a little sore tomorrow.




Guys' Day

     My Father and I woke up at around 8 o'clock in the morning and got dressed. We ate

a quick breakfast which was me having a little bowl of Fruit Loops and a banana. We took down the bikes loaded ours into the trunk of the van and headed onto the 49 miles of road to Northstar in Truckee, California which in winter is a ski resort and in summer a bunch of downhill bike trails. We got to the base and road our bikes up a hill to the ticket office. We got our lift tickets and went onto the chairlift.

     We got to the top of the mountain and headed onto my first ever downhill mountain biking trail. About 100 feet into the trail on a sloped switchback trail my brakes slipped because I squeezed a bit too hard and they were never very good in the first place. I accidently delved off the trail. I hit something and flew over my handlebars and landed headfirst. I had no major injuries except for a few cuts and scrapes. We decided my current bike wasn't up to the challenge as it only cost 100 dollars at Walmart. We rented one at the Northstar Village which to rent was more than my bike cost.

     We headed onto some road trails which I got some more comfort with. We did that trail a couple more times. After a couple times my father got a bit cocky on his bicycle and tried riding without hands. He fell over and cut up his knee a bit. The rest of the day we just biked without problems and eventually got tired. We wrapped up our final run of  the day loaded up our bikes and headed back to our KOA.

              

- Alastair

The San Francisco Treat

Today was our last day in San Fran and our last day with Bill and Kris. We have had such a good time and we have done a really good job of enjoying the city by the bay. We could not have asked for better weather the past four days. In Colorado we see 300 days of sun/year and we really need and like it. Rain and wet weather do not suit us. San Francisco can be really cold in July and I was prepared. So glad the coats and sweatshirts stayed in the trunk of the car.

We woke a little later this morning and hosted Bill and Kris for breakfast here in the RV. We usually eat breakfast at "home" and today we had a very yummy and relaxing start to our day. Our first planned stop for the day was Muir Woods. A difference from the last time I visited was that now you have to make advanced reservations for parking. Unlike the Alcatraz tickets which require 90 day advanced planning, I was actually prepared and made the necessary reservation yesterday. Muir Woods are beautiful and interesting and just enough exercise by hike to get our day started. We all enjoyed it.

On the way back toward town we were stopped at a stop light right next to a 7-Eleven. Yep, we stopped so the kids could claim their free Slurpee like many others on July 11th. Thanks 7-Eleven.  We stopped in Sausalito on the way back to town for a late lunch ate a yummy seafood restaurant selected by Adelaide. She and Bill had the daily special to include surf and turf and Alastair had more oysters on the half shell. He has champagne taste. Sausalito is cute and was a first for all of us. None of us had every visited this little town before.

We really wanted to ride a cable car and we really didn't want to stand in line with the tourists at Fisherman's Wharf. Dave did a little research and found that the Red Line was our best option. We caught the Red Line near Van Ness and rode it to the end near the financial district and back. We all took turns hanging off the side and we all agreed we were glad we didn't skip it.

Last stop in town, more ice cream at Ghirardelli. That's right!  We made a second visit for ice cream. We fine-tuned our orders and all had a very delicious treat.

San Francisco traffic is significant and it takes us about an hour to get back to our RV in Pacifica which is less than 20 miles away. We are reminded that we like to visit big cities and we have no desire to live in one. No worries as one of Dave's favorite things to do while visiting new locations is to shop for fantasy real estate and we can't afford to live near the bay.

Back to the RV about 6pm. Dave and Bill smoked a cigar, Addie caught up with her friends in Denver, some relaxed in the RV and Dagny and I took a bike ride along the ocean. Pacifica is high up on cliffs which seem to be eroding away into the ocean. Seriously, I think it must be a real problem, but we had a lovely time out. We stopped on a cliff side and watch paragliders take off and soar near the cliffs. We watched whales in the ocean and really enjoyed out time out near the Pacific.

Bill and Kris catch a late flight back to Denver tonight and we are so grateful for this time together with them. We really enjoyed our chance to be with family on this adventure and we made some really great memories. Tomorrow we will roll out of here and head to Lake Tahoe.

- Jll

McLains on the Rock

We woke at the crack of dawn this morning, picked up dad and Kris, and headed Pier 33 to wait in line to get tickets to see Alcatraz.  We were sad to see that when we arrived at six this morning, there were already a hundred or so people in front of us.  Not knowing how many tickets are reserved for the stand-by folks, we weren't sure we'd make it, but we did.  We received tickets for the 8:45 boat to see Alcatraz and we all sighed a sigh of relief, our early morning rise had not been in vain.  We had a little breakfast and coffee while we waited, and we were off.

We spent a few hours on Alcatraz, taking the audio tour of the cell block and walking around the open parts.  While it was fun to see it again, and to experience it with my kids, it was not as memorable as when I visited as a child with my siblings, mother, Busia, and my cousin, David Szatkowski.  I do not know what was going on that day, but we befriended two elderly gentlemen who seemed to know a lot about Alcatraz.  I think at one point they offered to take their picture with us, which we did.  Afterwards my mother asked how they knew so much about he prison, and they let us know that they had been inmates.  One of the gentlemen was Clarence Carnes,  known as The Choctaw Kid, was a Choctaw best known as the youngest inmate incarcerated at Alcatraz and for his participation in the bloody escape attempt known as the "Battle of Alcatraz."  I do not recall know who the other gentlemen was, though I do recall that he spent more time in solitary confinement and read more books while in Alcatraz than any other prisoner.  At least that's what I think I remember.  Perhaps my mother can shed some light on the year we visited, and I can do some additional research.  Based on what I could dig up using my phone on the way back to San Francisco, I think the other inmate we met may have been Jim Quillen.  If anyone can let me know who I met, I'll send you a McLains on the Road t-shirt or coffee mug, your choice.

After our visit to Alcatraz, we headed to North Beach to have lunch at the Stinking Rose, another restaurant at which Jll and I ate on our honeymoon.  The restaurant is famous for its use of garlic in every dish served, down to the garlic ice cream, on which we passed.  Instead, we headed across the street to an Italian bakery for some assorted desserts, Alastair and I sharing a cannoli.  On our way back to Pacifica, where we are staying, we drove through the Castro District and Haight Ashbury, but did not walk around either.  I think we were all dragging a little too much.









We dropped dad and Kris off at their hotel and hit the RV for a much needed nap.  You are not supposed to get up at 5 o'clock on sabbatical.  We met up again with dad and Kris to spend some time on the beach, dad and I sharing a cigar and talking as the sun set.  All in all, it was a good day.

- Dave
   

Out and about in Chinatown

After relocating our RV from our previous home in Petaluma to our new home in Pacifica, we picked up dad and Kris and headed into Chinatown.  We had lunch at the House of Nanking, a place Jll and I had dinner almost 21 years ago on our honeymoon.  Not much had changed since we last dined here.  It was still crowded, packed, and fast.  Once we were seated, the waitress asked if we had been there before.  We said that most of us had not, and she promptly picked up our menus, asked if anyone had food allergies, and told us she would take care of the ordering for us.  We had wonton and hot and sour soups, sesame chicken, tender beef, fried rice, and stuffed mushrooms, all delivered just after she walked away from us.  We were in and out in a flash, and the food was delicious.

We then walked around Chinatown, popping into the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory for the tour, which entailed stepping in the front door, watching two women work the cookie press/iron and folding cookies, and walking out of the front door.  I am not sure what I envisioned before going in, but it was very simple.

Leaving the factory tour, we walked to the Cable Car Museum and saw the wheels turning the cables under the streets and learning a little bit about the San Francisco cable cars.  We still haven't ridden one as they all seem to be jam packed with tourists, just like us, wanting to see the city from the cable cars. Perhaps tomorrow, we shall see. 






Before heading back, we stopped in the Gallery Cafe for some libations and a rest.  This place was funny in that it had all sorts of admonitions that the tables were for talking and that no computers were allowed.  They had plenty of little games to keep us entertained (think Hungry Hungry Hippos, Perplexus balls, and the best -  Crocodile Dentist, which had a note taped to it informing us that we were not allowed to gamble on the outcome).  On the counter the owner set up a model railroad with which we played, and he had a working film projector with cartoons loaded up and ready for our viewing.  Even dad got into the action when he asked the owner if he could ring the cable car bells, which he promptly did.

Walking back to our car, we stopped in a few shops to see the wares and stopped in to snack on a little sushi.  Traffic back to Pacifica was terrible, but we finally made it in time for an evening cigar, some dinner at the RV, and a beautiful sunset.  Since we did not obtain tickets to Alcatraz in advance, we have to get in line early tomorrow morning to see if we can get some standby tickets.  Since we have to get up so early, it is an early night tonight.

- Dave     

From broken wheels to great meals

             Hello this is Alastair and I will be giving the rundown of the last 2 days of the trip. Yesterday Mom and Dad woke up around 8 in the morning and starting driving, all of the kids were still in their beds asleep when the driving started, which helped me sleep longer and Addie sleep to 11 am. The thing that woke me up was the girls watching the Little Rascals which is the untitled official movie of our family. Then we went to Adel's Restaurant in Eureka, CA and I had the breakfast sampler which is pancakes and about every side on the menu, it was quite scrumptious.

              After we drove for a little while later and jammed out to some tunes we heard a scratchy metallic sound coming from behind the RV. Dad got flagged down by a state trooper so he pulled over on the shoulder when the road became less bendy. One of the dolly tires had slipped and the wheel started scraping on  the road. The tire started whipping around and broke the tail light lens and dented the dolly fender. But we fixed it easily by just putting on the spare tire and kept going.

            We went to drive through a redwood tree but it wasn't the famous one, just a side show rip-off of the real deal famous one. Somebodies car broke down in the middle of the tree so me and Dad went to help get it out of the way. After that we had smooth undisrupted driving to the Petaluma KOA. After we set up we went to the movies. Dad intended to see the movie about Mr. Rogers but everything was unavailable except for, The First Purge. None of us intended to see it ever so I am kind of indifferent about it. But it's good that the little opted out because that was rated R and pretty gory with some vulgar language. After that we went o the RV and went to bed.

                This morning Mom and Dad went to get some auto related gizmos to fix all the previous days problems. When they got back I helped Dad fix the RV up before we headed to San Francisco. We met our Grandparents, Papa and Nana that is, at Bubba Gump on Fisherman's Wharf and we went inside to eat. I got Coconut Shrimp which was pretty good. I got distracted by a screen playing Forrest Gump with no subtitles or volume. So I did all the volume from memory. After that we went to Pier 39 to see some sea lions. But only one was present because they g away in the summers to breed. Then we went to the Boudin Sourdough Factory, Museum, and Restaurant. We learned about sourdoughs history and watched the factory from above which was fun. We walked on the pier for a little bit and then went to the Musee Mechanique which has a bunch of old school arcade things and I did a couple. Then we walked to Ghirardelli's Chocolate and got ice cream. I got a root beer float which was very good.

              After ice cream we walked a little to the car and then drove down Lombard St. which to our knowledge is the curviest street in the United States. The we bid adieu to our Grandparents and/or Parents. Then we drove back to our KOA and just played around on the playground and the girls swam while I went to the arcade. Then we came back to the RV and settled down and took showers. That concludes the last two days on the road.

                                         Tune in next time,

                                                              Alastair