It is fitting that our new solar panels look like wings since our solar power system will free us to camp off the grid (like the S. Fork of the Umpqua River pictured below) and still decadently run our laptops, connect to the internet and do web updates. Of course, a little bit of sunshine would help! Even with the cloud cover and rain, we were keeping our batteries topped off operating in conservation mode. It will be awesome when we get a clear sunny day!
This morning finds us camped along the Rogue River in Valley of the Rogue State Park. It’s a bit more crowded than I prefer (unlike the Whistler County Park on the Umpqua which we had entirely to ourselves) but beautiful, and the solar is redundant since we have hookups. The sun is starting to shine and we’ll be able to run the fridge on solar while we drive today! Fingers are crossed that chain restrictions will be lifted before we cross Siskiyou Pass as we don’t have any, and we need to cover some miles today and tomorrow in order to be back “home” for Noche’s next vet appointment.
Hi! Dottie doesn’t appear to have a leash on her in this picture. I thought they were “leash dogs” from now on.
What are chain restrictions?
Come on to Michigan! We have had a couple of sunny days. Still cold but sunny. Dad, Shaun and I took a stroll yesterday afternoon and it was beautiful!
Mom and Dad just left to go home. We had a really good time yesterday at the Indian Holi celebration. Shaun ended up not working and went with us so it was a unique and fun way to celebrate his turning 40.
I hope you get your sun soon.
This was probably the first time Dottie has been off-leash outside (except in a dog park) since Noche’s accident. Whistler’s Park was the perfect place to work with her on recall training … no cars, no roads, nobody … just open rolling hills and lots of gopher holes. And after the first bite of Slim Jim (her Really Reliable Recall treat) she was like a speeding bullet running to us when called, even with her head in a gopher hole. Still, no matter how reliable her recall is, her off-leash time will be rare and carefully chosen.
Chain restrictions are imposed in mountain passes when snow and/or ice conditions exist and require that you carry and/or use chains on your tires for extra traction. No salt on the roads out here!
My computer reminded me this morning of both Shaun and Jim’s birthdays. Ooops… it should have done it yesterday but if it did, I didn’t notice. Happy Birthday, Shaun!
The Holi celebration sounds interesting. Tell me more!
I have a couple of students that are of Indian decent. Both sets of parents were born and raised in India. They have been inviting me to different events and they know that I think the Holi celebration looks fun from past pictures I have seen.
The celebration we went to was many different ways to celebrate pulled into one. Meaning, that Holi is celebrated very differently across India and the people attending yesterday were from all over India, so it wasn’t a traditional celebration for any of them. It was a celebration to have a celebration of the holiday!
Holi is the holiday of colors. There are several versions of why and what Holi celebrates. Check it out on the Internet and you will see different stories. The family that invited me, they are from Bombay (Mumbai) and they celebrate that Spring is coming and that farmers can begin to prepare for planting. The celebration starts with a huge bombfire (we did not have b/c it is their first time to do it here and b/c of the location) and then people being “bombed” with colors, either with a powder like substance or with colored water. Many of the people wear white Saris (sp?) and then when they are hit with the different colors, their clothes absorb all the colors (Dad and I imagine it like a tie dye party of sorts but you are wearing the clothes at the time.)
They couldn’t do the “bombing” of colors b/c they were inside a building here, but they had TONS of colored graffiti that people threw at each other. We did have some color powder put on our faces to signify the colors.
In the north dancing is a big part of Holi so there were many different dances and two men that played a special drum and various instruments along with a comtempory CD. We danced too. They had some Indian food and drink.
I have pictures so once I download them I will share the address with you. It was lots of fun and a neat thing to do with Shaun on his birthday.