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Richard, Portia and the kids had scheduled a foodie tour on the Asian side of Istanbul for Wednesday, October 22. This would be another marathon day of walking and eating that I felt was not in my wheelhouse. So Karen and I sent them on their merry way and we planned a lighter schedule so we could rest and recover from two previous ambitious days of touring. We would have slept in but our circadian rhythm is still off, so we are waking up earlier than usual. Breakfast upstairs on the terrrace is where the day typically starts. We're enjoying the variety of Turkish breakfast fare. We discuss what our touring agenda would look like today. We were interested in seeing the Basilica Cistern of Istanbul. It is located near the Hagia Sophia, so not a terribly long walk from our hotel. We departed the hotel around 10:00 AM and took a back road up toward the Blue Mosque end of the Hippodrome of Constantinople. Back in the day, this was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square in Istanbul, Turkey, known as Sultanahmet Square. In AD 324, Emperor Constantine the Great decided to re establish Byzantium after his victory at the nearby Battle of Chrysopolis; he renamed it Nova Roma (New Rome). This name failed to impress and the city soon became known as Constantinople, the City of Constantine. Constantine greatly enlarged the city and one of his major undertakings was the renovation of the Hippodrome. It is estimated that the Hippodrome of Constantine was about 1,476 ft long and 427 ft wide. The carceres (starting gates) stood at the northern end; and the sphendone (curved tribune of the U-shaped structure, the lower part of which still survives) stood at the southern end. The spina (the middle barrier of the racecourse) was adorned with various monuments, including the monolithic obelisk, the erection of which is depicted in relief carvings on its base. The stands were capable of holding around 100,000 spectators. The race-track at the Hippodrome was U-shaped, and the Kathisma (emperor's lodge) was located at the eastern end of the track. The Kathisma could be accessed directly from the Great Palace through a passage which only the emperor or other members of the imperial family could use. Throughout the Byzantine period, the Hippodrome was the center of the city's social life. A total of up to eight chariots (two chariots per team), powered by four horses each, competed on the racing track of the Hippodrome. These races were not simple sporting events, but also provided some of the rare occasions in which the emperor and the common citizens could come together in a single venue. Political discussions were often made at the Hippodrome, which could be directly accessed by the emperor through a passage that connected the Kathisma with the Great Palace of Constantinople. We walked northeast towards the Hop ON Hop OFF bus tour site from the previous day. Across the trolly tracks we found the entrance to the Bascilia Cistern. The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The cistern, located 490 ft southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space. This subterranean cistern was called Basilica because it was located under a large public square, the Stoa Basilica, on the First Hill of Constantinople. Prior to its construction, a great basilica stood on the spot. It had been built during the Early Roman Age between the 3rd and 4th centuries as a commercial, legal and artistic center. Ancient texts indicate that the basilica cistern contained gardens surrounded by a colonnade that faced the Hagia Sophia. According to ancient historians, Emperor Constantine built a structure that was later reconstructed and enlarged by Emperor Justinian. Historical texts claim that 7,000 slaves were involved in the construction of the cistern. We completed our underground tour of the Basilica Cistern and returned back to the hotel to rest up. A nap was on my priority list. I skipped lunch to rest while Karen went for a walk to the bank to get more Turkish Lira, run errands, stop for lunch and Turkish coffee. I spent the better part of the afternoon resting. Later that day we all reconnected and returned to the Dubb Ethnic restaurant for our last dinner in Istanbul. Thursday, October 23 we would leave on Turkish Airlines for our next destination ..... Cappodocia, Istanbul. Cappadocia, a semi-arid region in central Turkey, is known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations. Stay tuned for that adventure!

This is the former name of Istanbul from AD 330 (when it was given its name by Constantine the Great) until the early 20th century. During the early centuries of the Roman Empire, the western provinces were Latinized, but the eastern parts kept their Hellenistic culture. Constantine I (reign 324–337) legalized Christianity and moved the capital to Constantinople. Theodosius I (reign 379–395) made Christianity the state religion and Greek gradually replaced Latin for official use. The empire adopted a defensive strategy and, throughout its remaining history, experienced recurring cycles of decline and recovery. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centered on Constantinople (Istanbul) during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. The term 'Byzantine Empire' was coined only after its demise; its citizens used the term 'Roman Empire' and called themselves 'Romans'. Our second day would be an ambitious one visiting many of the landmarks of the Old City with our personal Turkish tour guide named Serkan. After another wonderful breakfast at the hotel we were met by Serkan in the lobby at 9 AM. We began walking up the street towards our first stop: Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. Angels can sometimes be found in this ancient place of worship. Photo credit: Serkan It was formerly a church built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I as the Christian cathedral of Constantinople between 532–537. The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in AD 537, becoming the world's largest interior space and among the first to employ a fully pendentive dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". From its dedication in 360 until 1453 Hagia Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople in the Byzantine liturgical tradition, except for the period 1204–1261 when the Latin Crusaders installed their own hierarchy. As the religious and spiritual center of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years, the church was dedicated to Holy Wisdom. The church has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world", and as "an architectural and cultural icon of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox civilization". After our tour of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque we proceeded to the Blue Mosque on the other side of the Sultanahmet Park After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Hagia Sophia served as a mosque, having its minarets added soon after. The site became a museum in 1935, and was redesignated as a mosque in 2020. According to Serkan many of the massive Byzantine era mosaics were covered over and not destroyed. But was this Christian symbol of the cross defaced when the cathedral of Constantinople was transformed into a mosque? The Blue Mosque, officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii), is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I. It attracts a large number of tourists and is one of the most iconic and popular monuments of Ottoman architecture. This mosque was built on the southeast side of the old Byzantine Hippodrome, near the Hagia Sophia (the most important mosque of the Ottoman Empire), and is a site of symbolic significance that allows it to dominate the city's skyline. The mosque's location was originally occupied by the Hippodrome's bleachers and its imperial box (where the emperor sat when attending events here). During excavations in the early 20th century, some of the ancient seats were discovered in the mosque's courtyard. Given the mosque's location, size, and number of minarets, it is probable that Sultan Ahmed intended to create a monument that rivalled or surpassed the Hagia Sophia. The mosaics and stained glass windows are exquisite. From the Blue Mosque we walked to a ceramic shop where the boys could try their hand at a Turkish tradition of throwing clay on a wheel. Then it was on to the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul fame. The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Market’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Market’) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 7.6 acres attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world. Between the masses of people and the variety of merchandise sold, it was visual overstimulation. And like most shopping malls, I couldn't wait to leave! My legs were feeling the long day of walking and we were getting hungry. We needed to eat then get to the harbor to catch our 2:40 PM ferry tour of the Bosphorus so we grabbed a quick bite at a Doner restaurant on the way. Doner kebab or döner kebab is a Turkish dish made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Seasoned meat stacked in the shape of an inverted cone is turned slowly on the rotisserie, next to a vertical cooking element. The operator uses a knife to slice thin shavings from the outer layer of the meat as it cooks. The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, and dishes such as the Arab shawarma, Greek gyros, Canadian donair, and Mexican al pastor are derived from this. Our Doner's were made from beef with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise wrapped in a thin flat bread like a burrito. With time to board our ferry fast approaching we had to hustle past the spice market and a short cut through a mosque's courtyard to just make the ferry. We were literally the last to get on the boat; phew! We could now rest our weary legs and enjoy a two hour cruise up the Bosphorus. It was a delightful cruise and we enjoyed the city views from the water. The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Turkey which is straddled by the city of Istanbul. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental boundaries between Asia and Europe. It also divides Turkey by separating Asia Minor from Thrace. It is the world's narrowest strait used for international navigation. The Rumeli Fortress is a medieval structure with the largest towers of its time located near the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. Our cruise took us up the strait past the Büyük Mecidiye Mosque on the European side near the Bosphorus Bridge. We turned around to return back to the harbor after passing the Rumeli Fortress. Fatih Sultan Mehmet began construction of the fortress in March 1452, completing it in August of the same year. Its purpose was to control ships passing through the Bosphorus. Historical sources mention that during its construction, 300 craftsmen, 700-800 labourers, and 200 coachmen, boatmen, and transporters were involved. After the conquest, the fortress lost its importance and was repurposed as a prison in the 16th century. By the time we returned to the harbor and disembarked the ferry it was getting late. We still needed to catch the Hop ON Hop OFF bus at stop 11 to get closer to the hotel. By the time we made it back I was totally spent. Tuesday, October 21 we walked 4.85 miles (12,233 steps and climbed 9 flights of stairs). I was so exhausted I passed on dinner and got to bed early. Two straight days totaling over 9.25 miles had taken its toll. I would need a lighter workout for day three.

Our first meal was two hours into the flight. I enjoyed the Penne pasta and Karen had the butter chicken. The meal was remarkably good for airline food. We departed SFO at 7:30 PM on Saturday evening (October 18, 2025). the flight was about 70% full and Karen and I had seats on the aisles in the center section hoping to have an open seat in the middle but no luck. Karen eventually exchanged her seat with the gentleman in the middle and we sat together for the majority of the flight. Owen and Eli were seated in front of us with the empty middle seat we were happy to have. They did great on this long flight playing video games, watching movies, eating and napping. Our entourage all safe and sound on the ground in Istanbul's massive airport. We arrived at 5:45 PM on Sunday, October 19th and caught our shuttle transportation to the downtown area about 45 minutes away. We arrived at the charming Darussaade Hotel in Istanbul, checked in and decided to walk around the local area to find a place to eat. We discovered Dubb Ethnic restaurant and were not disappointed. The delicious food that we all shared "family style" included a variety of Turkish spreads with bread, a massive double kebab platter finished with Turkish baklava and chai tea. The owner likes to put on a cooking show preparing some of the dishes outside next to the street. This is the street view from our room. This is not a walkway but the narrow street driven by taxis, delivery trucks and buses. After dinner we walked back to our hotel to "attempt" sleeping. This would be the greatest initial challenge for all of us. I used my cellphone white noise app to drown out the ambient street noise. People here eat late and stay up late. We will need some time to adapt to this new circadian rhythm and cultural norm. Monday morning breakfast was early and we all enjoyed quite an extensive array of traditional Turkish breakfast items that included a variety of cheeses, breads and spreads. Yogurt and rice pudding were available along with fresh fruits. Eggs were available but no bacon or sausage due to the Muslim nature of the country. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus—one of the world's busiest waterways—in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Istanbul's strategic position along the historic Silk Road with rail networks to Europe and West Asia and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have helped foster an eclectic populace, although less so since the establishment of the Republic in 1923. Overlooked for the new capital during the interwar period, the city has since regained much of its prominence. The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s, as migrants from across Anatolia have flocked to the metropolis and city limits have expanded to accommodate them. Most Turkish citizens in Istanbul are ethnic Turks, while ethnic Kurds are the largest ethnic minority. Art festivals were established at the end of the 20th century, while infrastructure improvements have produced a complex transportation network. Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. Our first full day, Monday October 20, would be spent getting an overview of the city. To do this we purchased tickets for two days on the Hop On Hop Off Red (HOHO) bus that would depart Sultanahmet Square near the Hagia Sophia Mosque about 4/10th of a mile walk from our hotel. This two day HOHO ticket also included a ferry ride admission to cruise up the Bosphorus. The HOHO bus has 11 stops. The bus stops at each location and a new bus arrives every 45 minutes. Stop 1: Sultanahmet Square, start of the tour. Stop 2: Galata Bridge Stop 3: Tophane  - we got off for a brief bathroom break and coffee at Starbucks Stop 4: Port Stop 5: Dolmabahce Palace, one of the most popular palaces in Istanbul. Stop 6: Naval Museum, here I would recommend you get off and spend at least 1 hour. The museum contains a large collection of maritime and military artifacts. Admission is included in the HOHO ticket. Just remember that this museum is closed on Mondays. Stop 7: Beylerbeyi Palace - we stopped for lunch on the Asian side of Istanbul across the Bosphorus Bridge. Stop 8: Akaretler / W Hotel Stop 9: Taksim Square, here I recommend you to get off and spend at least 1-2 hours walking along the famous Istiklal Street, visit the church of St. Anthony of Padua and the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Stop 10: Sishane - we stopped here to visit the Galata Tower, Stop 11: Egyptian Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, here you could also get off and spend at least 1 hour in the bazaar, this very famous place is near Eminonu Square and is ideal to experience the lively atmosphere of the locals. Sultanahmet Square: End of the tour. Tophane Square, with the Tophane Barracks and the Nusretiye Mosque. The Galata Tower is a medieval Genoese tower in the Galata part of the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey. A symbol for the spirit of İstanbul that has adorned the lines of several authors and poets, Galata Tower is without doubt the number one landmark to see in İstanbul. But, you might ask, what is it that is so special about this Tower that we encounter in almost every shot of İstanbul? The Tower, whose history spans nearly 1,500 years, was commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great in the 6th century as a lighthouse, which would then serve as a strategic watchtower. But little remained of its Byzantine glamour when it was majorly damaged in a huge fire. In 1348, the Genoese built a new tower, this time from rock, at the very same place and named it the “Tower of Christ.” When İstanbul was conquered on May 29, 1454, Galata Tower fell into the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Hard hit by the earthquake of 1509, the Tower had undergone a repairment by 1510. The Tower, which suffered from several consecutive fires, has been renewed a few times, its function changing each and every time. Built as a watchtower at the highest point of the mostly demolished Walls of Galata, the tower is now a museum, and a symbol of Beyoğlu and Istanbul. A wonderful first full day completed with 7,832 steps for 3.54 miles of walking. After another excellent Turkish dinner that completed the evening we all returned back to the hotel for bed.

This is our TURO ride from Will Xu. We picked it up at the SFO parking garage We rented his 2011 Honda Accord back in 2023 and decided to use his vehicle again. Gosh, we just got back to Smithville, TX and it's time to leave again. However, this time without the fifth wheel. International this time not domestic, well kind of. We've been packing and repacking since we got back to Smithville trying to re-train our old habits and limit our luggage to carry-on only. Our trip this time began in California for a week to attend a wedding on Friday October 17. We left on Friday, October 10 from Austin, Texas arriving in San Francisco so we can have a whole week to visit with family and friends. Our base was in Healdsburg at Greg and Lorri Herrick's BnB barn. Karen had a busy schedule already planned to see friends and a day at the Total Concepts office to help out while we're in town. I attended my last Coast Guard Auxiliary meeting in Petaluma and made arrangements to transfer to the Austin, Texas flotilla. Portia, Eli, Silas, Owen and Karen at our boarding gate in SFO on departure day for Turkey. After the wedding on Friday we returned to the San Francisco airport (SFO) to return our Turo rental car before leaving on Turkish Airlines for Istanbul, Turkey. We will be traveling with Richard and Portia Schneider and their three sons, Eli (age 6), Owen (age 10) and Silas (age 12) for two weeks. Our itinerary includes three days exploring the city of Istanbul before flying to Cappadocia, Turkey for another three days, then on to Antalya, Turkey on the Turkish Rivera for three more days. We will end our trip with a bus ride to Izmir, Turkey so we can visit the ancient city of Ephesus. With the flight to Turkey about 13 hours long we decided to explore another option back to the US. and will travel back to the U.S. by cruise ship instead of flying. We found a great deal on Princess Cruise Lines, a 15 day repositioning cruise out of Barcelona, Spain. So on October 30 we will fly out of Izmir, Turkey to Barcelona so we can board the Sun Princess for a November 1 departure. I wonder if they celebrate Halloween in Spain? We are planning on taking a tour of Barcelona on the Hop on, Hop off bus to maximize our time on Friday, October 31. This is the first time we are traveling with carry-on luggage only. Karen tried really hard to make it work. We have been watching a number of YouTubers on the subject and think we've got a system that will work. We've purchased a number of Merino wool items which are easier to clean, odor resistant and work well in hot or cold environments. The formula is 5 tops ( long/short sleeve mix), 4 bottoms (long pants/shorts mix), 3 layering pieces (light sweater/rain jacket/thermal jacket), 2 pairs of shoes and 1 optional item. The key is to keep a variety of colors that so you can mix different outfits from your packed ensemble. Socks and underwear for 5 days is not included this formula but goes without saying. Our ride to Turkey on Turkish Airlines from SFO is a 13 hour trip to Istanbul. Time to board! The next post will be from our hotel in Istanbul where east meets west. Ta-ta for now!

Tuesday morning arrived like any other morning. The Cochiti Lake U. S. Army Corps of Engineers campground was nicely appointed and quiet. We both slept well the night before our scheduled departure. After coffee and a light breakfast we started the pack up routine for our next leg of the journey. Karen on the inside and me on the outside. Coolant level in the truck was topped off and the oil was checked before I hooked up the RV. By a little after ten on the morning of September 16 we were back on the road with a plan to make it to San Jon Village Park, New Mexico not far from the Texas border. Our route would take us south on U.S. Hwy 285 to the historic Route 66 in Clines Corners. It was around 50 miles south of Santa Fe when things really started to unravel. In addition to the already existing engine warning light, low coolant alert and DPF filter full message the engine seem to get stuck at 3000 RPM. It wouldn't automatically shift to a high gear and come down from edge of the RPM red line. I had to shift into neutral and manually shift to a higher gear to bring the RPM down. We also couldn't drive faster than 55MPH which led me to believe that the engine's computer had finally put us in limp mode. The posted speed limit on this section was 75 MPH and we had vehicles closing in on us so I moved as far to the right side of the road to be safe and turned on the flashers. We drove like this for about 45 miles until we got to Clines Corners at the junction with Route 66. There is a large service station at that location so we began slowing down to get off the road and rest up. As the truck started to automatically downshift the truck would violently jerk. I shifted to neutral to minimize the violent effects of downshifting and coasted into the parking lot. Had we damaged the transmission attempting to continue driving the truck? We stopped, rested the truck and considered our options. We decided to continue driving if the truck would start back up and try to get to Amarillo, Texas about 227 miles away. We called ahead to the Dodge RAM dealership to try and schedule a day to bring the truck in to be fixed. We thank God the service department could fit us in the next day! In prior weeks when we checked with local dealerships, we couldn't get an appointment for 2-3 weeks. When we started driving the violent jerking would occur as the vehicle accelerated through the gears. To mitigate this I resorted to shifting into neutral then back to drive. That appeared to solve this immediate problem and allowed us to get back on the freeway and drive at 70 MPH. Once we were at speed the problem went away until we had to climb any grade. The truck would slow down when we had to go up hill so I would shift into neutral and back into drive at a lower gear to get the torque we needed to return to speed. I did this all the way to Amarillo for three and a half hours. When we finally reached Amarillo the engine temperature alerted us to an overheating event so I exited the highway and was able to find a parking lot quickly. We let the engine cool down and I added more coolant to the reservoir. We only needed to drive about three miles to the Big Texan RV Park. We slowly navigated surface streets to the park and checked in. Thankfully, they could accommodate us even without a reservation and were very understanding. Our appointment to drop off the truck was at All Star Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat for Wednesday morning, September 17. We decided to wait on renting a car and got a ride back to the RV park to wait for their phone call. It wasn't until late in the afternoon we found out what we were dealing with this time around. It was a good news and bad news scenerio.. The good news was the diesel mechanic determined that the EGR Cooler had a crack in it and this was the ongoing cause of all the problems with the DPF filter message and the mystery coolant leak. The bad news was it would take two business day to get a replacement EGR Cooler from another dealer in order to make the repairs. Thankfully, the transmission wasn't the issue causing the violent engine shifting issues. This was caused by broken engine mounts that would need to be replaced but considerably less expensive than a transmission repair. But, even so, this whole repair would cost us another $8000 and we wouldn't get the truck back until late Monday, September 22 at the earliest. We made arrangements with the RV park to stay for a week. They had to move some reservations around and were wonderful to us. We had our E-bikes to use to get to the Walmart and run errands. We used Uber and Lyft to get to and from church on Sunday. We spent much of our time in Amarillo planning the logistics for our big trip to Turkey in October. Since we would be "stuck" for a week, we were disappointed to have to cancel some upcoming plans for a baseball game and visits with people. But we pressed into to our motto "Semper Gumby"....Always Flexible! The truck was completed on Tuesday, September 23 around 3 PM. We were picked up by the dealership and took care of paying our $8286.50 repair bill. As we drove away from the dealership my eyes were glued to the dash looking for any engine light or coolant light warnings. Joyfully I drove back to the RV park with no warnings or indication of any remaining problems. We hooked up the RV, pulled out of the park and headed in the direction of Smithville, Texas. We spent the next two days driving back to our lot in the RVICS Village finally arriving on Wednesday, September 24 in the afternoon. During this final leg of our journey we experienced no issues with the truck or RV. It was the most relaxed I've been in weeks! When we backed the rig into space #24 it really felt like we were home. Karen and I are so grateful for our Heavenly Father's watchful eye and caring provision during this ordeal. Just image all the desolate places where we could have broken down. It was by God's grace we made it to Amarillo and were able to get the truck finally repaired. The cost is what it is. I'm thankful we have the financial resources to take care of the repairs. A friend of mine recently shared that they were spending $50,000 to replace the aging roof on their home. So, it certainly gave me a perspective on what we were spending for our truck repairs. Back in the Village life is easy and predictable. Dairy Queen on Monday at 4:45 PM with the gang. Coffee on Tuesday morning at 8 AM with the guys. Ladies prayer on Tuesdays at 1 pm. Game night on Tuesday and Friday. Lunch at a different restaurant in Bastrop every Thursday at 11:45 AM. Church on Sunday. This is the routine until we leave on October 10 for the next chapter in our retirement adventures.

We departed Mesa Verde RV Resort on Saturday, September 13 and headed to the city park at Lake Farmington 77 miles south across the border in New Mexico. This city park has 21 dry camp sites for $10 a night. Farmington, as of the 2020 census, has a population of 46,624. It is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River, and the La Plata River, and is located on the Colorado Plateau in the northwest corner of the state. Because of our truck's continuing coolant issues and concern about the possiblity of the diesel engine going into limp mode, I wanted to have the option of larger cities on our route in the event of a breakdown. While staying in Farmington we went to their Sam's Club and Walmart to shop. We refueled and got more coolant at the O'Reilly Auto Parts store to be prepared. On Sunday, September 14 we found a Calvary Chapel not far from the campground and joined them for worship and fellowship that morning before leaving the campground. The distance to our next destination would be ambitious given our trucks condition. We would attempt to drive 202 miles and get to Cochiti Lake just 30 minutes west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The route would take us at least three and a half hours without any stops through this unpopulated area of the state. We were praying the truck would not breakdown along this section of the trip. On this leg of our journey we encountered a new message on the dash display. The message stated that the diesel exhaust filter was 80% full. An odd message especially since our DPF assemblywas brand new. As we traveled, I vigilantly monitored the coolant temperature, oil pressure and oil temperature for any indications outside of their normal ranges. It was a long and stressful journey but we made it to our campground safely and without incident. Karen and Jane at the steps leading to the cathedral. Regardless of our truck issues we intended to try and enjoy this part of New Mexico and make it into Santa Fe to do some sightseeing. Karen's high chool classmate, Jane Baxter lives in Santa Fe so she called her to see if we might be able to get together. She was thrilled Karen called so we planned on meeting for brunch on Monday. Karen reconnected with Jane when she attended her 50 year high school class reunion a few weeks earlier So on Monday morning, September 15, I once again topped off the coolant reservoir while the engine was cool before we left to meet Jane. We met Jane at for brunch at the Old French Bakery in the in the La Fonda Hotel just off the town's plaza square. They had a variety of crepes and quiches along with incredible looking pasteries and desserts. Delicious but a bit pricey which is the norm for Santa Fe we were told. After brunch we walked the area around the plaza taking in the cathedral grounds. Unfortunately, the front doors were closed so we didn't get to see the inside. The plaza and the surrounding neighborhood is filled with museums, restaurants and art galleries, all within a comfortable walking distance. The county seat of Santa Fe County, Santa Fe is situated at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at the highest altitude of any U.S. state capital, with an elevation of 6,998 feet. Founded in 1610 as the capital of Nuevo México, a province of New Spain, Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States and the earliest European settlement west of the Mississippi River. Its name, Spanish for "Holy Faith", is the shortened form of its original name, La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís (Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi). The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. Nuevo México became a territory of Mexico after Mexican independence from Spain in 1821. It was ceded to the United States in 1848 following the Mexican–American War, and in 1851 Santa Fe was named the capital of the U.S. Territory of New Mexico; it became New Mexico's state capital in 1912. Santa Fe remained the political and cultural center of New Mexico throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods, which each impacted the city's development and character. The Palace of the Governors (Spanish: Palacio de los Gobernadores) is an adobe structure built in the Territorial Style of Pueblo architecture on Palace Avenue in Santa Fe, New Mexico. All around the plaza square were artisans and vendors selling jewelry, paintings and pottery. For a Monday it was busy but not crowded. Karen found some unique gifts for upcoming birthdays. After a few hours in the city we returned back to our campground to relax and prepare for the next leg of our journey. Little did we know that Tuesday, September 16 would be the most difficult and stressful leg of our journey back to Texas.

From Mexican Hat in Utah we drove south back into Arizona towards an area of the country where four states converge together; Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. This convergence is called "Four Corners". Our destination for Wednesday, September 10 was the Mesa Verde RV Resort in Manco, Colorado. This would be our home for the next three days. It is located between Cortez, Colorado and Durango, Colorado. After settling in I called around hoping to locate a diesel mechanic in the area. I was able to get an appointment with Comisky Automotive Service and Repair in Cortez for Thursday, September 11. I told Tom, the owner, our story with the truck issues and he said he would take a look and see what he could do. I ended up spending the entire day in the waiting room watching the news after the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk. Tom and another mechanic spent the afternoon attempting to remove the EGR cooler assembly to look for a crack or leak but could not get the unit detached from the exhaust manifold due to some stripped bolts holding it in place. He made multiple attempts to do a "forced regen" with no real success. His final conclusion was to recommend we get to a RAM dealer for service. He stated that he suspected the EGR cooler was faulty but it would take over a week to get one and he didn't want to strand us here if we could get closer to home. He felt bad for us and only charged me a hour of labor after spending most of the afternoon trying to resolve the problem. Karen and I decided to drive on, hope for the best, keep adding coolant and pray the truck didn't breakdown in a remote part of our route on the way back to Texas. We had hoped to see the Mesa Verde National Park and ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Railroad but the day spent in the shop forced us to decide between the two. The weather had been storming with occasional thunderstorms so we passed on the train for another time. Since we were close to the Mesa Verde site we opted for driving there. If we had any problems with the truck there would be US Park Rangers around to help. For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 27 Pueblo Tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past. The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in North America. Sometime during the late 1190s, after primarily living on the mesa tops for 600 years, many Ancestral Pueblo people began moving into pueblos they built into natural cliff alcoves. The structures ranged in size from one-room granaries to villages of more than 150 rooms. While still farming the mesa tops, they lived in cliff dwellings, repairing, remodeling, and constructing new rooms for nearly a century. In the mid-1200s, the population began migrating to the south, into present-day New Mexico and Arizona. By the end of the 1200s, most everyone had migrated away. Our first stop was the Visitor's Center just up the road from our RV park. We gathered up a map and proceeded driving past the park ranger's kiosk up the plateau to the Chapin Mesa area about 20 miles away. We stopped at the first exhibit, a Pithouse site on the Square Tower House loop road. A shelter protects an excavated pithouse, an example of the earliest type of permanent dwelling built by Ancestral people on Mesa Verde. Here you see one of the oldest permanent structures built on the mesa, where early Ancestral Pueblo settlers enjoyed many of the same comforts we enjoy in our homes today. Though nomadic people lived in the surrounding area for thousands of years, permanent farmsteads began to appear on the mesa around 550. Planting corn, beans, and squash, along with continuing to hunt and gather wild foods, gave them a more reliable and balanced food supply. The transition to farming allowed the Pueblo people to set down roots. This new lifestyle spurred traditions and innovations that would last for centuries. Resourceful and attuned to their environment, the Ancestral Pueblo people took advantage of the earth’s natural insulation by building pithouses—semi-subterranean homes. The spear was replaced with a lighter and more accurate hunting tool: the bow and arrow. Light and portable basketry made way for durable pottery, better for storing and cooking food. The red arrow indicates the location of our truck for scale on the top of the mesa above Square Tower House. Here, you see one of their most spectacular architectural achievements, built six centuries later than the Pithouse. This closer view shows some of the many rooms associated with this cliff dwelling. This cliff dwelling includes the tallest standing architecture in Mesa Verde, a four-story, 27-foot (8 m) tall structure that was part of an even larger building complex. Although the site has been stabilized by archeologists, 90% is original. Painted murals and rock art are found throughout Square Tower House. From the overlook, we looked for original roof beams and intact plastered walls. Continuing around the loop we came to the Mesa Top Sites. Looking closely at this site and you see three villages built one on top of another. The people of the first village constructed their homes of mud or clay with a thatched roof. Later occupants built a second village on the same site with single-stone-wide sandstone masonry. A third village, built around 1075, represents a major innovation with its use of double-stone, rubble-core masonry—two outer walls with soil and rock fill between them. This sturdy construction allowed for the building of large multi-story room blocks and towers. This village features three circular towers, which may have been used as signaling stations, astronomical observatories, watchtowers, or ceremonial structures. The kiva (a ceremonial room built wholly or partly underground) was a vital part of all three villages, gradually evolving into what archeologists refer to as the Mesa Verde style kiva. Our loop continued to the Sun View Point where we got our first look at the iconic Cliff Palace across the valley. The Cliff Palace is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. With over 150 rooms and 23 ceremonial kivas, it showcases the scale and sophistication of Ancestral Puebloan architecture. To get a closer look at the Cliff Palace we drove over to the other mesa loop on the opposite side of the valley. Cliff Palace was constructed primarily out of sandstone, mortar and wooden beams. The sandstone was shaped using harder stones, and a mortar of soil, water and ash was used to hold everything together. "Chinking" stones were placed within the mortar to fill gaps and provide stability. Many of the walls were decorated with colored earthen plasters, which were the first to erode over time. Many visitors wonder about the relatively small size of the doorways at Cliff Palace; the explanation being that at the time the average man was under 5 feet 6 inches while the average woman was closer to 5 feet. Cliff Palace contains 23 kivas (round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance) and 150 rooms and had a population of approximately 100 people. One kiva, in the center of the ruin, is at a point where the entire structure is partitioned by a series of walls with no doorways or other access portals. The walls of this kiva were plastered with one color on one side and a different color on the opposing side. "It is thought that Cliff Palace was a social, administrative site with high ceremonial usage." Archaeologists believe that Cliff Palace contained more clans than the surrounding Mesa Verde communities. This belief stems from Mesa Verde's higher ratio of rooms to kivas. Cliff Palace has a room-to-kiva ratio of 9 to 1. The average room-to-kiva ratio for a Mesa Verde community is 12 to 1. This ratio of kivas to rooms may suggest that Cliff Palace might have been the center of a large polity (organized society) that included surrounding small communities. Many of the sites are available to visit by taking a ranger led tour. Do the the rain and thunderstorms in the forecast all the tours for our day were cancelled. The last stop on the second loop was the Balcony House which you cannot even see from the parking lot and is only viewable on a tour taking the Soda Mountain trail about 1.2 miles. Because of the sketchy weather conditions we opted not to take the trail on this trip. I would definitely recommend visiting the Mesa Verde National Park if you're in the area. The cliff dwellings are amazing to see up close. We want to come back and take the Durango/Silverton Train ride so I imagine we will get a second visit to this park in the future and we will definitely book the ranger tours next time.

Some of the most beautiful and stunning landscapes in the southwest are located in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Everybody acknowledges the National Parks like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Arches are worthy of a visit. But there are some hidden gems not far from these national treasures and no less spectacular and definitely worth checking out if you come through this part of the country. One of them is outside of Page, Arizona and Lake Powell on the expansive reservation of land belonging to the Navajo nation. On their land is one of the wonders of nature that many have only seen photographs of in galleries, books and on the internet. We wanted to experience these wonders in person, up close and personal. We choose Dixie's Lower Antelope Canyon Tours based on Karen's cousin Jeff Hilen's recommendation. Dixie's is founded and owned by Dixie, a woman who was born and raised in the surrounding areas of Antelope Canyon. Dixie's mother's passion for the Navajo culture was passed on to her, and her tour company is a reflection of that same passion. We found Dixie's tour guides are more than happy to share their knowledge about the Navajo people and Antelope Canyon. As we begin our 1.5-hour adventure (all-walking) with Lower Antelope Canyon Tours, we experienced a roughly one mile round trip hike. Descending down five flights of stairs we entered into the largest cavern of the tour and began the majestic ascent through the kaleidoscope of colors naturally provided by the unique creation of Navajo Sandstone, as a result of rain, wind, and erosion. The numerous echelons throughout the canyon consist of eight uniquely built ladders with handrails for safety which we used as we traveled the slot canyon. Do you see the eagle head? We looked up to the sky and found a sea horse shaped opening! Once our tour concluded, we returned to the truck to add some coolant and proceed towards Monument Valley to hopefully catch the terrain late in the afternoon. The lighting would be more dramatic as the sun begins to set. We also were fortunate to have some clouds in the sky to add contrast and effect. We arrived for the night at Goosenecks State Park at the end of Utah Hwy 316, in Mexican Hat. On the edge of a deep canyon above the sinuous river meander known as a gooseneck, this small park affords impressive views of one of the most striking examples of an entrenched river meandering on the North American continent. We had to park on the opposite side of the rim because we arrived too late to get the more spectacular canyon site views. We had to wait until the next morning to see this natural wonder up close and personal from the edge. Our site was level and away from the edge of the canyon. The San Juan River twists and turns while flowing a distance of over six miles but advancing only one and a half miles west on its way to Lake Powell. The San Juan River winds and carves its way through the desert 1,000 feet below.

As you can see, we had plenty of sites to choose from. The views in the RV resort were amazing. 183 miles from Yuba State Park was our next intended RV home at Zion White Bison Glamping + RV Resort in Virgin, Utah. It only took two and a half hours to travel to this resort nestled against the stunning surroundings of Zion National Park which would be our base for the next three days. Upon arriving on Friday, September 5 in the afternoon we got settled early enough to explore the road into Springdale just outside the entrance into Zion National Park. It was pretty apparent that parking would be a challenge outside the park. So based on this intel we decided to see Zion on Friday and use the resort's paid shuttle service to access the park. After returning back to our site we went out to dinner near our resort. We made our shuttle reservation for 9 AM Saturday, September 6 to see Zion. Once we reached the entrance to Zion we used our National Park Pass for free admission and immediately headed to the free shuttle bus. We decided to ride the park shuttle to STOP 9, the end of the line at the Temple of Sinawava, and hike about a mile into "The Narrows". Because the area had had some rain the night before, the north fork of the Virgin River was muddy and somewhat swift. Many of the people on the trail had rented special water boots and walking sticks to navigate the uneven river bottom. Karen and I considered walking the river but decided to pass due to the conditions. We took the bus back down and stopped at each stop along the way to take in the scenery. When we reached the Grotto we hiked the trail to the Zion Lodge for lunch and a relaxing break. "The Narrows" trail is paved for about a mile. The surrounding canyon walls are colorful and steep. The crowds were manageable on the shuttle buses and we didn't have to wait. The trail traffic to the lodge was light considering this was a weekend. We spent about five hours in the park which wasn't enough time to see the museum and explore more of the trails, including the emerald pools trail, but we got a flavor to build a future visit. I would love to see this National Park again, maybe in the early spring after a light dusting of snow. The color contrast between the cliffs and the trees made for some lovely images. My hope is to return in the future and also see the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway scenic drive with tunnels and switchbacks which offers breathtaking landscapes of the park. With the truck in it's present condition it didn't seem a prudent option for this trip. Sunday, September 7 we attended the Calvary Chapel church in Hurricane, Utah and met some lovely members who invited us to join them for lunch in St. George. It's truly wonderful to have family wherever we travel as part of the community of Christ followers! After lunch we drove back to Hurricane and made yet another O'Reilly's stop for more coolant to have on hand. We had made an apppointment at Roadrunner Automotive and Diesel Repair, Inc., in La Verkin, Utah for Tuesday, September 9. I was hoping they might be able to resolve the coolant leak issue. So Monday September 8 we moved the RV closer to that shop and stayed at the Gateway Luxury RV Resort & Casitas on North Main Street in La Verkin, Utah. It was more expensive per night but within a short walking distance so we would not have to rent a car. Tuesday morning we dropped the truck off and walked back to the resort. By 10 AM we got a call back telling us the coolant system was holding pressure and our problem might just be a bad coolant reservoir O-ring in the cap. I gave them the okay to replace the cap and by 11 AM I was picking the truck up. A mere $45 replacement might solve the coolant leak problem. We continued to pray our truck problems were solved! We checked out before noon and proceeded to Page, Arizona hoping the coolant problem was in the rear view mirror. About halfway to Page the coolant light once again came back on our truck's instrument panel. Okay, so now we know the reservoir cap wasn't the problem after all. We pressed on hoping to have the chance to see the amazing slot canyons outside of Page on the Navajo reservation.

While we worked our way southeast through Idaho we called Jack and Judy Rust, our friends in Boise, about lunch after church. They were available so we attended the Mountain Calvary Chapel in Nampa then drove to the Cheesecake Factory to meet them for lunch. Before leaving in the morning, I had added more coolant to the reservoir and off we went. After lunch we continued on to Jerome County Fairgrounds Park, about two hours from Boise for a three day stay. Located just off of Interstate 84, the Fairgrounds is a perfect place to spend the rest of the Labor Day weekend. Camping is only $20 per night and includes electric and water. This was our base for visiting the Twin Falls area and where I could inspect and clean our Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve. On Monday, September 1st we stopped at the Visitor's Center in Twin Falls after crossing the I. B. Perrine Bridge which is a four-lane truss arch span over the Snake River. Located north of the city of Twin Falls, it carries U.S. Highway 93 over the Snake River Canyon connecting Twin Falls County with Interstate 84 in Jerome County. The Perrine Bridge is a popular destination for BASE jumpers from all over the world. With a main stretch of 993 feet cradled a mere 486 feet above the depths below, it's one of the tallest in North America. BASE jumping from it doesn't require the courage of a thousand lions, just a legal permit, and a parachute. Unfortunately, there were no BASE Jumpers on the bridge the day we visited. Looking to the northwest, downstream the Snake River is quite a sight. From there we drove out to the Shoshone Falls. Often referred to as the Niagara of the West, Shoshone Falls is a must-see attraction in Twin Falls, Idaho.  At 212 feet tall and 900 foot wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the United States surpassing the height of the famous Niagara Falls. Shoshone Falls is located on the Snake River as it carves its way through a deep basalt Canyon on its way to the Columbia River. Not that spectacular in the late Summer and early Fall but worth the trip. The Spring time, when the snow-pack begins to melt, is the best time to see Shoshone Falls. In the summer months, a portion of the river is diverted for irrigation purposes, which reduces the flow over the falls. In the Fall, you will often experience a minimal flow where Shoshone Falls will appear nearly dry. At this time, the majority of the water coming down the Snake River is used to recharge the reservoir system upstream of Shoshone Falls. Karen and I thought it might be worth a trip in the Spring after the snow melt On Tuesday we returned to Twin Falls to do some shopping at Costco and a stop at O'Reilly's for more coolant and brake cleaner. I learned the technique for cleaning the ERG valve on YouTube the night before and planned on doing it that Tuesday evening. Upon removing the EGR valve I was somewhat amazed and relieved at the lack of carbon build-up inside. I used water first, then sprayed brake cleaner inside to remove the carbon deposits. The whole process took less than an hour to complete. Wednesday, September 3 would turn out to be a long driving day. From Jerome, ID we traveled southeast into Utah, through Salt Lake City to a small, rural town called Santaquin. It took over four and a half hours to drive the 292 miles to a Harvest Host called Rowley's Red Barn. We set up in their overflow parking area and chilled out eating some local, homemade ice cream while visiting their country store. Thursday morning, before leaving again I checked the coolant reservoir and topped it off. Not wanting to be caught on the road without enough coolant I once again drove to the local O'Reilly's for another gallon. I cannot find any evidence of an external coolant leak. This leads me to suspect a reservoir cap not holding pressure or worst case, a cracked EGR cooler or blown head gasket. We haven't had any luck finding a mechanic that could look at the truck, so we will continue driving south and monitor the coolant level, engine coolant temperature, engine oil temperature and pressure. So far while driving with the 12,995 pound RV in tow, we are holding all of those reading in the normal range. Thursday, September 4 was a short travel distance to Yuba State Park - Oasis Campground in Levan, UT. Yuba State Park got its name from the individuals who built the dam. Local farmers and ranchers had to build the dam themselves or risk losing their water rights. The men working on the structure called it the U.B. Dam. As they worked they sang a song that stated they were damned if they worked and damned if they didn’t. The phonetic sound of the reservoir’s name was eventually spelled Yuba. Yuba Reservoir was built between 1902 and 1917. In Spring 1907, the amount of snow-melt was so high that water began pouring out of the reservoir faster than could be released by the spillway. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at Deseret, 40 miles to the west, responded to the threatened structure by blasting a temporary spillway to relieve pressure on the dam. We spent one night at Yuba State Park before heading south to Zion National Park.

Upon our return to Camano Island from the cruise on August 15th, we had the pleasure of enjoying the weekend with Jeff and Becky Hilen, Karen's cousins who came up from Gig Harbor, Washington. They had made plans to stay at the beach house for the week and have some of their kids and grandkids come to the island for a visit. We shared some great meals with Karen's extended family while enjoying the beautiful August weather. On Thursday, August 18 I drove Karen to the Lynwood Lightrail station so she could get to Seattle/Tacoma (SEATAC) airport. She was heading to California to attend her 50th High School Class Reunion over the weekend. I planned on staying back on Camano Island until Monday, August 25th until she returned. I would move the RV solo back to North Bend just east of Seattle in the afternoon. After dropping off the rig I drove to SEATAC to pick her up. While enroute to the airport the truck started indicating new engine warnings. Karen arrived early so I picked her up and we drove back to North Bend, stopping for a lovely Italian dinner before rejoining our trailer. On Tuesday, August 26, we cautiously drove back to the Tri-Cities area to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Hood Park facility on the Snake River outside Pasco, Washington to drop off the RV. From there we drove back to Meyers Auto Tech in Kennewick to drop off the truck for the planned phase 2 of the service we scheduled and also investigate the return of the engine warning lights. The guys at Meyer's had arranged one of their loaner cars for us to use this time around. They had the truck scheduled for work first thing Wednesday morning, so we headed back to camp. The planned truck service included changing fluids in the front and rear differential, the transfer case and a brake flush, What wasn't expected and discovered was the coolant reservoir seeping out under pressure through the over flow. The shop recommended replacing the reservoir and reservoir cap which we authorized. But the big ticket item involved the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). They recommended removing DPF filter to inspect for clogging. The technician removed the DPF filter to inspect and after inspection noticed the DPF filter is breaking down and is faulty. They recommended replacing the DPF filter assembly. The DPF filter assembly is a $5ooo part not including labor, but the bigger issue was it would take 5 days to get the part. Yikes! With only three days available in the area and no where to stay during the Labor Day weekend, we were both pretty overwhelmed and at a loss on how to deal with this dilemma. It is times like this, when circumstances are out of our control, we can only turn to our Heavenly Father for His provision. After praying for wisdom about what to do the night before, on Thursday we decided to head to Meyer's shop and discuss our options with Cody and Ray. After Ray made a number of phone calls, he was able to locate a replacement DPF assembly in a town two hours away but it would be a few days after the Labor Day holiday for them to deliver it. To expedite the repair we offered to do the driving to pick up the part. This was highly unconventional but the shop agreed to the idea and called in the payment using their account. So Karen and I spent 4 hours that Thursday as their parts delivery service driving up and back. With the part in their shop by late afternoon we had a chance to get the truck repaired by Friday afternoon before we had to checkout of our campsite at Hood Park. Friday morning, August 29 was the beginning of the Labor Day weekend and we had a reservation at another U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park about 30 minutes east of Hood Park on the Snake River but we needed our truck to move the RV. I called the shop about 10:30 AM and got the word the truck was ready, so we drove their courtesy car back to the shop, paid the huge bill and picked up the truck. The miracles included locating the part we needed in a nearby city and Meyers shop being able to install the part in 2 hours rather than the expected 8 hours. We were so blessed to be able to get our truck back and check out of the RV park by 1:30pm, thanks to God's provision! We concluded our time in the area on Saturday, August 30 and departed for Idaho. Our route would take us through the mountains and we eventually arrived at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Nampa, Unfortunately, en route the check engine light returned along with the low coolant light back on. After three days and thousands of dollars in repairs, we still didn't have a reliable truck. Now, 272 miles away from the mechanic we had to deal with these new issues. Fortunately I had a gallon of radiator coolant in reserve to help keep the level topped off. You all can imagine the level of frustration and frankly anger associated with our situation. But we both realized quickly that these feelings would not solve our problem. I called Meyers and told them the problem wasn't resolved. They advised me to seek out another shop and keep them in the loop so they can honor their warranty. I would keep an eye on our coolant temperature, oil temperature and pressure so we didn't push the normal ranges while towing the RV. This would be a stressful journey back to Texas, but we had no where else to go, so we would press on one day at a time.

Friday, August 8 was a big day for our family as we prepared to depart for Alaska on a Royal Carribean cruise out of Seattle. Karen and I have decided to take some of our Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) funds out each year and do a cruise with each of our kids families. Since Elisa and Aaron Edgington have the oldest of our grandkids, we decided to take that family first before the kids end up leaving the nest. Since they live in Portland, Oregon, the Seattle departure location was ideal for them to get to with minimal expense. The family drove up the day before from Portland and we drove down from Camano Island on Friday morning. We all met up at the cruise ship terminal and went through the boarding process together. None of the Edgington's had ever done a cruise, so this was a new experience. There was anticipation, excitement and anxiety all rolled up into one for them. Since we have had some cruising experience, we were there to help them walk through the process. Once we were on the ship everything fell into place and life onboard really started to shape up. Elisa and Aaron had a starboard balcony cabin next to their three daughters' balcony cabin. Karen and I had a balcony cabin on the port side of the ship across from their location. We were all located on deck (lucky number) 13 just one deck below the Windjammer buffet restaurant, pools and the best feature in my opinion, the adult only solarium. Our ship was the Anthem of the Seas which is a Quantum Class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean. It's known for its innovative features and family-friendly experiences, including a North Star observation capsule, a skydiving simulator, and bumper cars. The ship offers a variety of dining options, entertainment venues, and activities. The ship is 1,138 feet long and 136 feet wide, according to Royal Caribbean. It has 16 passenger decks and can accommodate over 4,900 passengers. Our 7-night Alaska cruise itinerary, departing from Seattle, included Sitka, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria, British Columbia. The view from our cabin balcony as we departed the Seattle cruise ship terminal on Friday evening. We loved our cabin layout which included a small sofa, desk area and plenty of closet space. Above the queen bed was additional storage space. The balcony was deeper than some of our previous cruise ship balconies with two comfortable chairs and a small table. Our first port of call was Sitka, Alaska after a day at sea. Sitka is an Alaskan city and borough near Juneau, the state capital. It's spread over Baranof Island, part of Chichagof Island and others. It was part of Russia until 1867 and St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral is topped with an onion dome. The 1842 Russian Bishop’s House is nearby. Sitka National Historical Park is the site of Russia’s defeat of the indigenous Tlingit people and has a trail dotted with totem poles. It was then on to Skagway, a historic city in Southeast Alaska, known for its Klondike Gold Rush past, preserved downtown with wooden boardwalks and historic buildings, and it's a popular stop for Alaskan cruises. Key attractions include the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad with its vintage trains and mountain views, and the possibility of outdoor activities like hiking. The town's population of about 1,200 residents swells significantly with cruise ship passengers during the summer season. Our next stop was to be the Dawes Glacier, a massive tidewater glacier at the end of the Endicott Arm Fjord in southeastern Alaska, a popular cruise destination known for its towering size, stunning blue ice, and dramatic ice calving. This area, part of the Tracy Arm–Fjords Terror Wilderness, offers spectacular views of the glacier's face, numerous icebergs, and potential wildlife sightings, including harbor seals. Unfortunately, the Dawes Glacier and Endicott Arm itinerary was cancelled in August for safety reasons, due to a post-landslide tsunami, debris, and poor weather conditions. These cancellations are due to increased navigational challenges and safety concerns, often causing cruise lines to reroute their ships to different ports or attractions. So, per the cruise ship's policy we headed for Juneau, Alsaka to arrive earlier then anticipated. Juneau, Alaska is known for its incredible natural beauty, including Mendenhall Glacier and surrounding wilderness, and is famous as the only state capital unreachable by road. The city's history is rooted in the late 19th-century gold rush, a legacy evident in its museums and gold mine tours. Visitors can enjoy whale watching, glacier viewing, hiking, and exploring the unique blend of Native heritage and frontier lore within the state capital. Juneau is unique among U.S. state capitals in that there are no roads connecting the city to the rest of the state or to the contiguous United States. Honolulu, Hawaii, is the only other state capital which is not connected by road to the contiguous United States. The absence of a road network is due to the extremely rugged terrain surrounding the city. In turn, Juneau is a de facto island city in terms of transportation; all goods coming in and out must be transported by plane or boat despite the city's location on the Alaskan mainland. Three other cruise ships were in Juneau on the day we arrived. Downtown Juneau sits at sea level with tides averaging 16 feet (5 m) and below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet (1,100 to 1,200 m) high. Atop the mountains is the Juneau Icefield, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; two of them, the Mendenhall Glacier and the Lemon Creek Glacier, are visible from the local road system. The Mendenhall Glacier has been gradually retreating; its front face is declining in width and height. When not in port there is plenty to occupy one's time and temperament. For those seeking adventure you could wake board or belly board. Maybe skydiving or rock climbing is your thing? They have that too. For those seeking relaxation they have a spa facility with all the amenities or you can spend time in the solarium area with or without getting wet. The girls in our group loved the dance scene and could be found wherever the music was danceable. The dining experience in our main dining room was first class every night. Stevan, our waiter and Ikade, our assistant waiter took impeccable care of our every appetency. We concluded our last night before dining to gather for some photos of our group. Alas, the journey ended Friday morning, August 15 back in Seattle. The Edgington family experienced their first cruise and stated it was beyond their expectations. For us, it was mission accomplished. What a joy to see their enjoyment and hear their comments during the week we were together! Karen and I are looking forward to the next family trip with our son Nick and granddaughter's Morgan and Grace next Spring during the kid's school break. We will board another Royal Caribbean cruise for a week out of Galveston to Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel on the Allure of the Seas. This is one of the Oasis class ships, the largest passenger vessels in service until 2024, when the Icon-class ship, Icon of the Seas, surpassed them to become the world’s largest cruise ship.