July 12 - Train ride and Smash Burgers

​Today’s adventure was to the Nevada City Narrow Gauge Railroad. In the 1800s there was lots of money in this city because of the gold mines so big homes were built and a railroad that drove the gold to be processed.  

This is an 1875 narrow gauge steam engine used to haul lumber and passengers.  It was also used in some Universal Studios’ movies. 

We took a short train ride through their meadow and had ice cream. Arlo loves to ride the train.

They also staged a short robbery shoot out during our ride. 

Arlo and Pappy were in jail for awhile.

Dinner was smash burgers and salad and then a few hands of Uno. 

Another beautiful sunset back at the RV

July 11 - Still celebrating, Farmer’s Market

​We met Shan, Carl and Arlo at the farmer’s Market downtown NC. Listened to Breakover, a bluegrass trio. Great music  

Learned a new craft, sunprinting. Would like to learn this craft  

Arlo made a sun painting, too  I think his turned out better than mine!

Cat and kids came over to watch the England-Norway match.

A huge water fight took place after England won. 

Not sure who won but Pappy was the wettest.

At the campground, we had a beautiful sunset as the clouds moved in.  

July 10 - 3/4 Quarter of a Century Birthday and Belle gets her oil changed.

​My actual birthday started off taking Belle to Auto Tec in Loomis for her routine oil change. I’m sure we have found the place we will use next year. auto Tec is very much like Centre RV in Bellefonte.  Nothing fancy but very knowledgeable and professional technicians. 

While we waited for Belle to get new oil, we drove into Loomis to eat breakfast at Granite Rock, a cafe with good food. Then a stop at Trader Joe’s and Target. Bill disappeared into Trader Joe’s and came out to surprise me with flowers. Also stopped at High-Hand Nursery to browse all the beautiful plants  this one took my eye  

A great place to sit and relax. Although Lenny wasn’t sure what those things were when he tried to take a drink and one tried to bite his nose!

By noon we were on our way to Nevada City. For the next week, we decided to stay in the Nevada City Fairgrounds Campground. It’s supposed to be in the 90s so we didn’t want to push Carl and Shannon’s electric with our AC. This is the campground we have stayed in many years, no frills, but nice setting among the pines and cedars. 

For the evening, Shannon and Carl had us over for dinner and Donna came to celebrate, too. First Carl made us mint juleps and Shan gave me flowers and Donna made me the prettiest scarf since she knows how cold PA gets in the winter.

Then Carl smoked one of my favorite meals - Salmon, Shan made a delicious Mediterranean salad and Donna made sour dough bread. Last but not least was a peach marble cheesecake Carl and Arlo made. All of this made such a special end to my day. 

Then we introduced Donna to the card game Flip 7. 

July 9 - Bike Ride and 75th Birthday Celebration

​Today, Drew rode his bike to the campground and we rode the trail to show him how to go to Old Sac and downtown (the trail we found yesterday).

This is the Sante Fe steam locomotive at Old Sac. Not as big as Big Boy but still impressive.

Back at their house, they gave me my present … a cherry pitter. Never knew there was such a device till I saw Erin using hers.  I made such a fuss about its usefulness that they bought me one, too. Have you ever used one?

Then to continue my birthday celebration, we first went to The Field Brewery for a brew and play Cover your Assets again. 

Then Erin met us at Chef Burma for dinner. What a treat. I ordered mango chicken and tea leaf salad. Sooo good. 

Look at all the different dishes we had  each one was delicious.  

After all that delicious food, dessert was fried bananas and ice cream. The candle fireworks was extra special. Never saw a candle like this. 

A very special birthday for sure and one I’ll remember for a long time  

July 8 - Bike Ride

​Both Drew and Erin had to work so Shuff and I took off on our bikes to see what other trails we could discover. 

We were able to ride 34 miles from our campground to Old Sacramento and into downtown and back to our campground.

Sacramento really had a great vision when they began this trail. We’ve ridden the American River Trail several different years but because of construction on the one bridge, we weren’t able to ride to Old Sac or downtown. With completion of the bridge work, we were able to ride not only the American River Trail, but now we could ride to the Sacramento River Trail  

Dinner from Mezcal, a Mexican Restaurant, with Drew and a new game … Cover your Assets. This will be a game we buy and bring home to play with Beth and Ken and Gale and Ken. 

July 7 - Winnie’s Project and Frito Pie

​with Winnie’s short legs and the hot black tiles on Drew and Erin’s back porch, Winnie needed a ramp to go down the stairs to the back yard. 

Shuff made it happen. 

Then while Drew took his grad students for a graduation celebration, we gave Erin her choice for dinner. She chose Frito Pie (one of our favorite camping choices). 

Good day and evening. 

July 6 - Bike Ride, World Cup and Sewing Project

​Drew brought his bike over to the RV so we could ride the American River Trail from our campground. You can ride it out of our campground to Folsom Lake, about 40 miles one way. 

Stopped at a really pretty spot to put our feet in the River. It was just cold enough to be refreshing. 

At 5 o’clock USA was playing Belgium in the World Cup so we went to the Porchlight bar to watch. It was a rather boring game because the US just couldn’t put an offense together. They lost 1-3. 

Back at their house, Erin and I began one of the beautiful fabric projects she brought home from South Africa … skirts. 

Tomorrow we hope to sew the panels together