Wednesday, September 29, 2010

How and Why We Make Our RV Home Choices

See that black protrusion in the water? That's fishermen enjoying the rich waters near the dam on Lake Sharpe, COE, South Dakota.  We watched several boats motor toward the dam and then put their poles out as they drifted with the propelled water shooting out of the dam. Then they repeated the ride.We make choices all the time about where our home will be. After seven years of fulltime rving (yes, it really is.), we’ve developed a quasi evaluation process for selecting our parking spots.   Although from time to time we’ve talked about a favorite parking spot here on Hurley Travels, it occurred to me recently that I’ve never focused on the hows and whys of our choices.  It’s about time.

Short-time options -- So, how do we make choices?  The answer depends to a major degree on how long we are stopping.  Is this an overnight resting stop or a longer visit to the area?   While traveling from point-to-point and pausing for an overnight rest our usual selection is a convenient boondocking spot.  (Boondocking = no electric, water or sewer hookups.) We might look for something close to our route thereby saving fuel and making it simple to continue our trip in the morning.  Many times we combine an opportunity to shop, eat or buy fuel.   There are numerous quiet, safe boondocking sites along the road that are perfect for these overnights.  For instance, a choice might be a WalMart or Cracker Barrel, a visitors’ center parking lot or a casino. We’ve experimented with them all and had good experiences overall.  Our rule is that if we ever feel uncomfortable in any way, we start the wheels rolling for another location.  We find many of these locales online at OvernightRVParking.com or the DaysEnd CD, a handy Escapees RV Club reference. (Note the hyperlinks above and below that take you to a relative site or the Google map showing the campground.)

Longer-term stops - But, if we are looking for a longer respite there are different goals. Over these years the factors that came to be important are space/privacy, settings/surroundings, cost, and communications.   After sampling many locations, a few types of stops have proven to be most dependable. One of our Corp of Engineer park selections. This one is the Left Tailrace Campground, Lake Sharpe - Fort Thompson, South DakotaBased on our experiences, Corp of Engineer parks and county/city parks get automatic consideration whenever they are available. We have also found reasonable accommodations at several Elks Lodges across the country. And, when we are in the southwest we have a love for the plentiful Bureau of Land Management areas that offer a million-dollar view in the wide open spaces.  This is where our solar panels and large holding tanks are most rewarding. We can live comfortably, sometimes with the company of a few of our fellow rvers, sharing thousands of acres and mountain scenery.  We have been known to go out of our way for a few days stop at an attractive-sounding campground or a boondocking site with a beautiful view.

Since we left Deadwood, we’ve been leisurely crossing South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, enjoying September in the Midwest on our way to Indianapolis. With no specific destination along the way, we’ve made some good finds. That’s one of the bonuses of this lifestyle. Surprises.

Choice in South Dakota --  . Above are two photos of the Left Tailrace Corp of Engineer (COE) campground on Lake Sharpe, near Fort Thompson, South Dakota.  While traveling east on I-90 we located this campground in our COE reference book and then found online the GPS coordinates.  Since we wanted to spend a few days relaxing, we traveled the 20 miles north off the highway with perfect guidance from Tillie, our Garmin GPS.  The price is right; $7.00 for electrical and water hookups, with a free dump station available.  I have to mention, however, that this price is one-half of what we would pay if we did not have Jerry’s Golden Age Pass. The campground is well kept, sites are clean and roomy. There’s a pleasant area next to Lake Sharpe to take walks. Overall, we rate this location an 8 out of 10 since the Verizon cell and Internet reception is intermittent.

Nebraska Selection -- Nebraska Tailwater Campground at Lewis & Clark Lake, across the dam from Yankton, SDMoving along southeasterly we chose another COE campground at the Lewis and Clark Lake on the Nebraska-South Dakota state line, the Nebraska Tailwaters Campground.  This park is just a few miles outside the town of Yankton, SD.  We liked Yankton, not too big and not too small, with all theThe view of Lewis & Clark Lake, from our Corp of Engineers campsite on the  Nebraska side. conveniences we might need. The price of $7.00 and the hookup provisions matched our last stop. All the sites are long and narrow as the campground stretches along one side of the lake.  Every campsite faces the lake. We could all watch the fishermen and migrating waterfowl without leaving our spots. (See two photos above.)   Although it doesn’t fail on cell and internet reception or immediate surroundings, the sites were quite unlevel and narrow. This stop wasn’t one of our favorites. Sometimes it’s difficult to say why. Just a feeling about the overall make-up, the starkness of the long row of us all backed up into our shoots, facing the exact same direction. So, after weighing all the factors, this one gets 6 out of 10.  

Iowa Stop -- Our next choice came after we stopped in Des Moines, Iowa, for our “First Byte of an Apple.” We Pickard Park, city park two miles outside Indianola, Iowawanted to stay in the area in order to test out the iPad for a few days before we left the vicinity of the Apple store.  Therefore, we checked our trusty sources and found Pickard Park in Indianola, IA, a city park with electric and water for $8.00, a mere 20 miles south.  Didn’t take long to decide to drive down for a look.  The park is only two miles from town.  We found Indianola an attractive small college town with good restaurants and friendly people.  I even came across a skilled haircutter at a shop on the downtown square where I watched the hometown parade go by as my locks were trimmed.

Our Verizon reception was excellent at this location.  There is no dump station, but we were okay at this juncture without it. It rained heavily for a couple of days so we were very observant of the grass area where we were parked. This is one of those small (10 sites) city parks that are often empty because they aren’t near the major highway.  We shared the park with one neighbor for our four night stopover. But that’s a mark on the positive side in our book.  Pickard Park is across the road from a small ranch with cows who serenade you occasionally and bordered by rolling green meadows.  We’ll give this one 8 out of 10 points.

Finding a 10 -- Lastly, we areHere we are at our spot on Loop B, just up the hill from Lake Rathbun.  We like the room between sites and the lovely, Midwest setting in the oak and maple trees. currently situated in the Buck Creek COE campground at Lake Rathbun, near Centreville, Iowa.  Again, we drove a few miles off the highway to this quiet and comfortable temporary home.  We have a lake view site that scores high on the roomy, quiet and private scale.  The cost is $8.00 with the Golden Age Pass for electric and water.  We took advantage of the free dump station when we arrived.  A special note here is that when we reported an issue with the electric outlet on our site we had an electrician fixing it within an hour.  Internet and cell phone reception is excellent. Since this one has so many positive features, it receives a 10 ranking. 

I’ll wrap this up with a peaceful look at Rathbun Lake during my evening walk at Buck Creek Campground.    Lake Rathbun, ten miles north of Centreville, Iowa.

Seven years and counting –   Our years in the fulltime RV lifestyle have seasoned us for making all kinds of menu choices. Of course, there are other opinions within this gypsy-like group about how to live.  But, for what it’s worth, we are happy to pass along our experiences. Should anyone wish to take advantage, just ask.

Safe travels. See you down the road.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Our First Byte of an Apple

Three days ago we decided to sample our first Apple product.  We’ve listened to the stories over the years about the friendlier functions, the convenience and, above all, virus free operation of the Steve Jobs machines. Then, our friend Jerry Thomas let Jerry Hurley play with his iPod Touch a few times. He kept mentioning how he liked many of the apps and how much fun it was to use.  So, when the iPad rolled out...a bigger yet still very portable and, maybe even more usable version of the iPod….I guess we were ready to look into possible uses for us.  We had questions though.

Soon we were checking for Apple stores in various cities on our route eastward through Montana, South Dakota, Iowa and Indiana.  Turns out there’s an Apple Store in West Des Moines, Iowa, easily accessible as we traveled through the state.  You know how it goes. We said: “We’ll just stop by to get some answers to our questions. Won’t buy anything yet. ”  So we drove the motorhome to the shopping mall to see one of these hyped machines in person. We spent about 90 minutes on our first visit to the Apple Store discussing the technology with Larry.  We immediately came across an informative and congenial representative named Larry who had an answer for all our questions and patience in explaining every operation. The store is all about teaching and letting customers have hands-on time with the machines.   Larry introduced us to Apple thoroughly, without pressure. 

Okay. So we learned. Then we went to have some lunch. Time to consider whether to justify the expense or not.  As we were sitting in Panera Bread discussing the whys and why nots, a young lady conducting business on her iPhone and laptop at the next table overheard us. She let us know that she is planning to buy an iPad as soon as possible and her brother is crazy about his.  I guess we were really already well down that road and this was one more encouraging push. 

The memory we chose was the 32GB, the middle ground between the smaller 16 GB and the max of 64GB.  The capacity was one of our issues. Being used to thinking about computers with 200 GB hard drives, why would we choose something smaller?  Here’s one of the points that became clear. As Larry explained, the iPad is not a computer replacement.  It’s a tool for making your life easier and more fun.Photos are one of the fun features. Just touch one of the thumbnails to enlarge it, then use two fingers, spreading or pinching them to change the size on the screen. After all the considerations, testing and questioning, we became enamored with jumping into this Apple world that so many folks are enjoying.  So…..here’s our new friend, Maude the iPad.  This is a new type of technological world for those of us who’ve lived in the Bill Gates neighborhood for so many years. There are thousands of apps, for anything imaginable, lots of techy stuff at your fingertips, and almost instantly.  We can walk around, stand up and change chairs, all while reading an online newspaper or email.  There’s only one button, home. Mostly, it’s a screen touching thing.  No mouse, no clicking, no pointer.  The searching is quick and easy.  Moving to another application is a swipe of the finger.  But, there’s one problem.  I think Jerry’s enamored with Maude.  There is the keyboard on the screen that can be used for quick searches or for apps, such as the Dictionary.com that Jerry downloaded for free.  A separate keyboard can also be attached if needed for lengthier typing. He’s been completely absorbed by iTunes syncs and downloading apps for two days.  I may be a tiny bit jealous of the “Angry Birds”  game, podcast downloads and streaming HuLu.    Not.  There really will be a time when I get my turn.  :)

Jerry’s impressions can probably be summed up in the laughter I hear as he finds a new feature or some unique app; or the quiet when he’s listening to music or a podcast download, all of the above while seated comfortably in his recliner.  Examples of the apps downloaded as of today are USAToday, Kindle, Epicurious and eBay.  All in all, the first byte of Apple for us was sweet, with a bit of tartness.  Adjustments to the touch of it all are a challenge. But, as we become more acquainted with each new function, we’re liking the taste a lot. I’m not ready to give up Windows and all of its associated menu items….not yet. But this sampling is somewhat fascinating.

Thanks for visiting.  Talk to you later.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

East to Deadwood, South Dakota – and More

Sept. 7 – 13: Miles and miles of the highway in MT and SD are wide open spaces. Big Sky Country of Montana and South Dakota was our panoramic view for the last few days.     There’s a calming feeling about soaking up the expanses of wheat fields, sage, cattle and horse ranches, rolling hills and mountains with bright blue sky at the edges.  South Dakota view.

 

 

 

 

One night we took advantage of the rv boondocking area at the information center outside Broadus, MT,  on U.S. highway 212. A display there contained information about the Montana man who wrote a poem that became the lyrics for the song “Don’t Fence Me In.”  “Gimme Land, lotsa land, stretching miles across the West.” Sure isn’t difficult to imagine how he was inspired.

Our next stop on this eastward trek was Deadwood, South Dakota…..returning to the place we were married ten years ago this month.      ( Why and How? It’s a long story that I’m not sure we remember completely. Who needs Vegas!)  We were curious to see how the town had changed in ten years and if the “cottage” behind the Franklin Hotel was still there. 

The expansion of Deadwood jumps out as soon as you drive in on U.S. 85 past the new businesses.  The hotels, casinos, hotels, gift shops and restaurants offer a myriad of choices for visitors.  Historic preservation dollars have restored a considerable number  of Victorian era  buildings and homes to resemble the days of the town’s miningThe Hurleys tied the knot on this veranda, the right hand corner. heyday. This is the cottage. It is rented out as a part of the Franklin Hotel. It was our home for three days in Sept. 2000. Fortunately, the preservation included the veranda on the front of the Franklin Hotel where we said “I do.”  And the little house where we stayed, behind the hotel, hasn’t been demolished – or renovated. (See the veranda in left photo and our lodging in right photo. I won’t go on about the details. :) 

Deadwood seemed popular, though not overflowing, on the weekend that we visited.  The parking lots and streets had a healthy amount of people for an early September weekend, one without a rally or festival nor Fall colors to attract the big crowds. Actually, our timing was just right.   Judging from the availability of sightseeing tours, advertisements for entertainment and numbers of casinos, campgrounds and hotels the town is drawing considerably larger crowds than it was in 2000.  The one show that hasn’t changed is the shootout at Saloon #10 where Wild Bill Hickok meets his fate.  But, now there’s an enactment of the trial of the shooter, as well.  Missed that one.

     Remember when Magnum jumped into this Ferrari and went out to solve a case? Trying to think of the name of his sidekick/man's man, or whatever he was.  Was it something like Bingham? There are, of course, the hooks designed to draw people into one establishment over another. You’ve maybe heard about Kevin Costner’s place.  If not, he owns a casino/restaurant/museum in Deadwood that displays costumes, props and various items from his movies, including Dances With Wolves that was filmed in South Dakota.  One of those attractions that I thought was fun was the “Car Museum.”  Among the several recognizable vehicles were Magnum P.I.’s 1983 Ferrari used by Tom Selleck and a Jeep from M.A.S.H. Didn’t see Radar, Klinger or Hawkeye around though.  Yes, I did try a slot machine before I left the building. Just very quickly. Profit=$1.00.

Here's a shot of a portion of Main Street in Deadwood.  Our brief revisit of Deadwood didn’t bring us any huge surprises or disappointments.  From outward appearances, the town has managed a revival and survival. The ghosts of the wild west and the gold-mining pioneers linger.  That’s a good thing. 

Travels now are continuing eastward across South Dakota.  Stay safe.  See you down the road.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Friends Along Our Way in Oregon

Sept. 3-7:  We are fortunate in this RVing lifestyle to make good friends and see them along the road.  While passing through Oregon (Our first time in Ferd.) we had a chance to visit with Jerry and Dee Thomas at their hosting campground at Catharine Creek State Park, eight miles south of Union, Oregon. Dee, Jaxson and Jerry. Aren't they a great-looking family! What a nice place to spend some time.  The park is in the Oregon hills, away from it all. The cost is a very reasonable $9.00, no hookups, pleasant setting.  We had the perfect weather, sunny and low 70s with cool nights.  They had a prime pull-thru spot next to the creek selected for us when we drove in on the Friday of Labor Day Weekend.  The next four days with them and, of course, Jaxson, their special Schnauzer, were a pleasure.

There were hours of catching up on news, travel, family, mutual friends and plans for the future. We shared meals, campfires, walks, laughs and drives around the area. One day we drove to La Grande, Oregon, about  20 miles away, where we came across a 50s-style diner called Haught’s.  In addition to their specialty of The Haught's diner was just what we were looking for on a sunny Labor Day.  The formica table and chairs and soda fountain brought back our childhoods.  And the creamy ice cream topped it all off. hamburgers just about any way you could ask, they have 24 flavors of ice cream.  Most of the flavors were something unique, like licorice, bubble gum or huckleberry.  We can attest to the superbness of the lemon meringue pie and peach cobbler.  The company, atmosphere and the vittles were all excellent.

 

I can’t make a post concerning the Thomases without saying a few words about our four-legged pal, Jaxson. He always adds some smiles and loving to the mix, especially Jaxson gives us a demonstration of his howling prowess. when he does his wonderful howling routine.  It’s hysterical. Here’s Jerry prompting him to let out with his throaty sounds.  This talent was first discovered when he heard another animal howling and just started responding. Now his owners and friends are known to encourage him by starting their own serenade.  Before you know it, Jaxson is yawning a few times to warm up his vocal cords. And the concert begins. And it is something to behold. What a talented dog!

This relationship is a bonus of living wherever our wheels take us.  We first met the Thomases in Utah, have had great visits when they welcome us to their place in Arizona, said hello back in Indiana, and now we’re fortunate to cross paths in Oregon.  I know that other fulltimers would agree that we all value every one of our friends from all avenues of our lives.  Isn’t it nice that we have a unique avenue by which we meet folks like these?  We have shared many laughs and a few serious times as well.  All of it adding to our good memories. Thanks again friends.

Stay safe. Talk to you later.

A Northern Exposure Stop in Washington

Sept. 1-2: We’ve been on the road in the northwest, enjoying the state of Washington.  However, timing is keeping us east of the Cascade Mountains on this journey. Maybe another year we’ll take in the crabbing and beautiful west coasts of Oregon and Washington. But for now, there is one historic little town in central Washington that fell right into our path – Roslyn. This one has a slight connection to our recent trip to Alaska. And where better to have a birthday lunch than at The Brick, in the shadow of KBHR and Ruth Anne’s General Store.  Come on.  Let’s go!

This trip of about 250 miles kicks off in Omak, Washington, continuing south on SR 97 and 17 through the grandeur of the Grand Coulee ( Learned that a coulee is a steep-sided ravine formed by glacier erosion. This one stretches for sixty miles.) and the rolling amber-colored hills of central Washington. The drive was pleasantly flat, sparsely populated and offered beautiful Columbia River views. Turning west on I-90 at Moses Lake, we passed by George, Washington, (We smiled about that one.) and then on over to the eastern edge of the foothills of the Cascades, to the small town of Roslyn.  Herein lies the connection of which I spoke above.  Some of you  already know my point. We can see the grins appearing on your faces as you conjure up images of “Chris in the Morning” at KBHR, Holling and Shelley at The Brick, Dr. Joel and Marilyn in the town’s clinic,  and conversations between Ruth Anne, Ed, Maggie , Maurice, etal.   For anyone still wondering,  Roslyn is the setting for Cicely, Alaska, the fictional town of the 1990s TV series Northern Exposure. Many of us were greatly entertained by the situations dealing with life in the tiny remote Alaska town and the sometimes peculiar, but captivating backgrounds of the people who made their way to Cicely. Perhaps the series might be equated with small-town Seinfeld, a story about nothing, yet so much. 

By late afternoon of September 1 we pulled into the town of Cle Elum, about three miles south of Roslyn. One of our Internet sources for overnight boondocking sights recommended a spot near the Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant. We found it just right, safe and quiet. After settling into our spot, we walked across the lot for some tasty enchiladas.   The next morning we drove over to Roslyn in the Jeep to see how friendly the town is to rv parking.  After talking to a couple of residents, we got the message that there would be no problem: “Just pull out of the way and enjoy.” We were soon parked off a side street just two short blocks from “town center.” 

Of course, the true history of this coal-mining town contains many dramatic Roslyn Cafe in the town of Cicely, Alaska, was a symbol for Northern Exposure.  Today, Sept. 2, 2010, people ate their lunch as they lived, or just visited, in Roslyn, Washington. human-interest tales of immigrants and natives building lives that extend into today’s descendants.  I looked into that story, too.  But for now, we’ll talk about our short time of getting in touch with Cicely, Alaska and its inhabitants. We walked around the corner from Ferd and came upon the Roslyn Cafe. The cafe’s familiar mural started each episode. And then there was the moose walking down the middle of town. Remember that mug?   If only the moose had appeared for us!

At the other end of town, “The Brick” played a major role as a gathering place for Cicely residents. You will recall it was the saloon owned by Holling Vincoeur, a robust octogenarian. He lived at the Brick with Shelly, the waitress, a 20-something, The Brick tavern stands as a landmark in Roslyn, Washington.  Not only was the exterior a perfect depiction for the Cicely, Alaska, Northern Exposure setting, but the establishment plays a role in the history of Roslyn, a prosperous coal-mining town that drew settlers from all over the world.flamboyant fashion statement.  Our activities at the Brick for September 2 also involved Jerry’s birthday. But actually, we’ll call it the somethin’ day because he would rather not pay special attention to this day.  :)  Regardless, we wanted to have lunch and sample the Roslyn Brewery beers.  The food was well above average, jalapeno cheese burger for Jerry and more halibut for Nancy. The stout and the pale ale were excellent, went down smoothly.  Although we weren’t mentioning the birthday, it was a happy time. The bartender and patrons we chatted with were very hospitable. The social atmosphere of this establishment seems to be carrying on today.

The Brick is actually the oldest operating saloon in the state, established in 1889, just after the town of Roslyn was founded by the Northern Pacific Railway.The spitoon at the base of the bar at The Brick saloon in Roslyn still operates today as it did over 120 years ago.  No one used it while we were there.   I learned at the local historical museum that there were 24 saloons during the heyday of this coal-mining-railway town in the early 1900s, each one a social spot for a different ethnic group.  One feature of this particular bar that stands out is a running spittoon stretching across the foot of the bar.  Jerry said, “I’ve seen many spittoons in my day, but never one equipped with a constantly running tap and where you don’t even have to get up from your bar stool to use it.”   (See, just in front and below his foot. There’s a  portion of this long metal crevice that runs the length of the bar, about 40’. Water is flowing in it.) I guess it served the purpose, but glad it’s just for show now.

But back to Northern Exposure, walking around in the three blocks of the main business area of Roslyn, we came across other reminders of the show.  The General Store is there, where Ruth Anne offered citizens various staples, and more importantly, her sage advice. Today the store provides souvenirs and a selection of wines and still has friendly merchants.  The gift shop in KBHR is owned by Maurice Minnifield, a successful businessman and former astronaut, who hopes to make Cicely the Alaskan Riviera. town is identifiable as Dr. Joel Fleishmann’s medical clinic, with his name still inscribed on the front window.  The set for the KBHR Radio station, owned by  Maurice’s Minnifield Communications, still exists. The radio broadcasting gear is just as it was when the TV crews pulled out of town.  It doesn’t take much to imagine Chris Stevens, the DJ and ex-felon, at the microphone offering his philosophical tidbits in the morning.

Just next to the Roslyn Cafe I found the local historical museum with a knowledgeable hostess. I learned there were 24 ethnic and fraternal cemeteries established by the folks who built the town of Roslyn between 1886 and the point of There were many unique markers and signs throughout the cemeteries of Roslyn, Washington.  But this one seemed to represent the overall message of the town.maximum population of 3,000 in 1920. Many of the miners were recruited from eastern Europe and an African American group migrated north as well.  Don’t you think cemeteries tell stories too?   These sounded unique and were just a few blocks outside town.  Sure enough, there are graveyards covering several hills and signs explaining the background of each one.  But the divisions weren’t apparent. They all blend into each other, seemingly making one large resting place, just as the variety of people who came together to make the town.  It seemed that the real people of Roslyn were somewhat similar to the mix of folks who made up the fictional town of Cicely. Everybody has a unique story, but everybody can relate.

The friendly bartender was kind enough to take our photo.  She is a born-and-raised Roslyn girl who is working at The Brick while she completes her education.  Her pride in the town and the saloon itself were evident.  "Where else can you have a great time in a historic place like this?"  See the spitoon under our feet!This northern exposure made for a delightful day and a reluctant, but happy celebration.  (Ha, Ha)

See you later.

 

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Pausing in Omak – Washington State

Aug 23 – 31:    I guess we needed some down time.   IMG_5889We didn’t plan to stay any particular length of time when we pulled into the small town of Omak, Washington, 50 miles south of the Canadian border. But, Omak is where we paused for  nine days. The Stampede Campground provided a comfortable home in our shaded pull-through site with full hook-ups.   The price of $20.00 was reasonable and I could take walks around the park, watching soccer games, kids riding their skateboards and families having picnics.

IMG_5854 No, we didn’t even visit the local museum or venture out exploring the 50-mile radius, as per usual.  We had TV, Internet, cell phone, Sirius radio, grocery stores, a Wal-Mart, a Home Depot, a laundromat, a car and rv wash and the tasty Hometown Pizza shop.  Visits into town, about one mile, suited us fine this time.  

There were 70s daytime temps and nice cool evenings in Omak.  We surfed the net to our hearts content and charted our next route…with the windows open. Washing the vehicles and stocking up on groceries was handy.  Jerry made a trip to the local Home Depot for the right bolts and whatever hardware he needed to work on our airbag issue. He was able to remove the valve from Ferd’s air leveling system in the rear and, temporarily permanently, set our ride height. Of course, he would give a more accurate description of this situation. But, you get the picture. 

One feature of this area we wanted to be sure to experience was the local farmers’ markets, offering the fruits and vegetables grown in the fertile Washington IMG_5876 farmlands.  Every Tuesday from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. Omak opens their market in the park in the center of town.  The peaches, apples and nectarines looked yummy.  There were both yellow and white nectarines.  So I tried the white ones that the friendly merchant explained were sweeter than the more common yellow ones.

I also learned from the local orchard owner about a different type of apple, Akane.  He described them as a crossIMG_5897 between Jonathan and Worcester Pearmin.  Ever heard of that one? It has a little tartness, which I prefer, but there’s a juicy sweetness, too.  Here’s a link about the Akane:  Click for more info.

And Jerry promised to make some fresh Pico de Gallo with the jalapenos, tomatoes, etc. The peppers I found at the market were plenty hot and the tomatoes had that perfect juicy, crisp texture. Jerry’s Pico de Gallo turned out great, even if it was up just a smidgeon on the temperature scale.  It spiced up our pork tenderloin well. And we saved some to share with friends.

And then it was time to move along.  See you all down the road.