Monday, September 7, 2015

Spanky goes to the airport!

I've been dreaming of this day. Flying! I usually like to fly on the motorcycle, but when I heard Mommy was going to Las Vegas and she was going to take an airplane, I vowed not to let her sleep until she said I could go too. Luckily she was very agreeable, and I didn't have to use any of my plots or plans.

So today we got in the truck to go to the airport! I assumed my position as head navigator, and instructed daddy through the tunnel of lights. 





Moments later, the control tower was in sight! We said goodbye to Daddy in front of the terminal. I think Mommy is going to miss him.


I've been researching airports. All airports have a three letter acronym. Portland's is PDX. Portland people must really like this, because you see these letters everywhere. Airports have long runways, for planes to take off and land. We watched a show about birds the other night that had to build themselves a runway! Airports often have a control tower to prevent accidents. This sounds like a very important job to me. There are people walking and driving around on the roads near the runway, telling planes what to do and loading food and bags and things that might need to fly somewhere. Like packages! I love packages. And cows. No really! They have planes where they load up cows to bring them places. I bet the cows don't even know how lucky they are. But I do. I get to go on an airplane with seats and windows and snacks. I love snacks.  Oh, and some of the shows we watch show people loading their motorcycles on airplanes! I watched very carefully, and didn't see any of that.

Anyway, first we had to go through security. Mommy didn't take any pictures. I got to go into a tunnel ride, and when I came out, they had mommy in a round plastic phone booth (yes, I know what a phone booth is, even though I'm a young monkey. I watch Dr. Who.) They had her put her hands above her head and said they were taking her picture! I'm not sure what this has to do with security, but Mommy looked a little bit like a monkey in there!

When we were done with that, we checked out the cuckoo clock. It was cool! I ignored the no climbing sign. I don't think that had anything to do with monkeys. There were all kinds of hidden Portland symbols in the cuckoo clock like Mt. Hood, Craft beer, and Bigfoot! It was super fun to check out all the details.


Then mommy took me on a flat escalator. She called it a people mover. I thought people movers were legs, but whatever. I ran up and down the railing, having a grand old time.


We took some pictures on the new carpet. Evidently the airport carpet is very important in Portland. They even still sell little bits of it in shops! Portlanders like old things.


Suddenly, I darted away from mommy because I found a place called The Dragon Tree! I told mommy I wanted to see the Dragon, but I couldn't find it. Maybe it was hiding.



Then comes the best part. It was time to board the airplane!

I opened the window shade first thing, and watched every minute of our flight, from take off to landing.  

First, we went faster and faster and faster.... How does this big heavy thing fly anyway?




Then suddenly, we were in the air!  Flying up above the clouds.  




I watched the sun until it set... we weren't far out of Portland before the ground was bare, and there were no people, houses, cars, anything.  It was that way most of the flight.  I watched through the dark for a long time, when suddenly, a CITY appeared!





We are in Vegas!  They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but I think it's here.  How could a person sleep with ALL THE LIGHTS?!?!?

You just get off the plane, when already there are slot machines.  

Mommy says those are like reverse banks.  If you put money in the bank, it will be there for you later.  If you put money in the slot machine, it never come back to you. I think I should avoid those, but they are very colorful and noisy-ful too.  I really want to play them.  

Then we started seeing signs for ALL THE SHOWS!  Mommy took a picture of this one.



Silly mommy.  But it got me thinkin'.... I'm a monkey who wants to be famous.  Is Vegas the place for that?  

We hopped on a tram, then a shuttle, then we were at our hotel, Bally's.  It looked like a nice enough place.  It's VERY loud downstairs, but then you get into the elevator, and go up and up and up.  Our room was on the 15th floor, and Mommy says that's not very high in Vegas.  Vegas must be tall!  

I hopped outside immediately.  We must be above the resturaunt, cuz it smells like steak!  I closed the door quick. Don't want to make Mommy hungry.



Mommy and I visited for a while on the couch, but I am pretty much ready for bed.



Look at this be*yawn*d.  Good night!  More adventures to come!


Thursday, May 28, 2015

Spanky goes to the Lighthouse

Sunday morning we were up bright and early.  It was warm and sunny and beautiful and we went to the store and had Popsicles for breakfast!  Now you probably haven't seen a store like this one.  There were shelves just like in our cupboards full of canned goods, and sweatshirts in the meat freezer, and not a lot else!  It was very small; maybe like the size of a kitchen.  

There was a sign on the door that said all dogs must be on leash.  It was a silly sign; none of the town dogs that came by had leashes!  


After this, we decided to go to Secret Cove.  I didn't know what was there, and while we rode, I hoped we'd never get there!  The roads were SOOOOOO curvy!  Swish swish swish, I flew and flew while Daddy rode the curves.  We even stopped to take pictures of the beautiful rolling hills. I was happy to get moving again, though, because it was hot in these mountains!

When we got to the top of the mountain, the air got cool and windy; we started down the hill with just as many curves, swish swish swish.  When we got to the bottom, we were at a beach with a lighthouse!  We got to meet a man in the lighthouse who told us all sorts of stories, and wanted to hear all about us.

We got to go inside, and even got to climb up the tiny stairs.  I decided to scamper up the railing instead.  

Upstairs we got to see a light that used to light up the skies for the sailors so they wouldn't crash into shore!  And there was a lighthouse keeper who had to mind the light and make sure it didn't go out.


There was a little door with a porthole.  I tried to open it, but it wouldn't open.  Mommy said that that was the deck for Monkey's to sleep.

When Mommy wasn't looking, I climbed up that ladder, all the way to the top of the lighthouse.  Mommy may think Monkey's have to sleep outside, but I know they would just climb up here.  I jumped from pole to pole until she looked up and told me to come back down right now.


It was almost time to go, but not before meeting the old fisherman.  I like to call him The Old Man and the Sea.

It was time to go, and so we set off to the Avenue of the Giants!  I was a little scared, but I didn't tell Mommy and Daddy.  When we got there, I found out that the Giants were Redwood Trees.  *phew*.  We rode through the most enormously tall trees, stopping for the picture.  I was having so  much fun, I didn't want to get off of Daddy's bike!


Now it was time to head to Oregon.  We rode and road, until we got to a campground called the Secret Spot.  Mommy and Daddy sure know how to pick campgrounds.  We met a pug who made the funniest piggy noises, and a border collie and two retrievers.  And they gave us strawberry shortcake while we sat around the fire!  It was an amazing night.


The next morning was our last morning to wake up camping.  We loaded the bikes for the last time.  Then we rode up to Bandon and had fish and chips again, because they were so yummy!  We spent the last day riding the country side.  We saw horses and cows and lamas and alpacas and piggies and lots and lots and lots of fruits and vegetables.  I was tired from all of this excitement, so I napped a lot on Daddy's bike.

I can't wait until Mommy and Daddy take me on another adventure.  Meanwhile, if you have any ideas on how I can get famous, I'm open for suggestions. I've got lots of spare time between these adventures!  Ba-Bye!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Lost Coast

Do you remember last year, how we found the lost coast? This year, Mommy and Daddy knew exactly where to go. 

Man, what a bumpy ride! Daddy and I zoomed up the hills, and we found a secret road. As we went down this secret road, there were cows everywhere! I think they were attack cows, because when they heard Daddy's motorcycle, they got up and started moooooving toward us. We got out of there quick! 

We continued riding up and down and all around, until we went down down down down and got to the beach!  When we got to the beach, Daddy showed me how to dig for clams.  These were super fast clams... I dug and dug, and never got a one!

Mommy, Daddy, and I played in the rocks for a long time.  I told Mommy and Daddy that I was getting hungry, so we headed back to the bikes to find food!  First, though, Mommy said we needed a family picture on the found coast.  (tee hee.)

On our way to the bikes, we found this carcass.  See? I told you they were attack cows!  We probably barely escaped with our lives!  This could have been us!



We got to the lost rose, and had a super scrumptious BLT.  While we were there, we made friends with this adorable guy, Storm.  He invited us to join his family for a show later.  I asked Mommy and Daddy, and they said yes!  Then he bit my nose and slobbered on me.  I skedaddled quick out of there.


We went to another beach, and got to play in the sand.... I am MUCH faster than Mommy and Daddy at running in the sand.  They tried to catch me, but couldn't!

When we got to the campground, Daddy decided it was time for a nap.  And then he used me as a pillow!  I giggled and wiggled until he decided I wasn't a very good pillow.  


I decided to hide from Mommy, but she found me quick.

So I found a super good hiding spot.  I stayed really still for a LONG time.  Mommy finally found me!  I thought she might think I was a naughty monkey for hiding so good, but she just laughed and said "let's go climb some trees."  Trees?  My favorite! Next to Motorcycles that is.

While we played in the trees, Mommy told me stories about when she was a little girl.  Her Mommy and Daddy always knew when they couldn't find her to look up in the trees, because Mommy loved climbing trees just as much as I do!  

This tree was by the river, and I stayed up there a long time. I was thinking about my Mommy and Daddy being little. It's hard to imagine that.  They are so good at taking care all the adult things like setting up tents and riding motorcycles and cooking that I can't imagine them playing hide and seek and climbing trees all day.


After dinner, we went to the show.  They had a story teller about a Monkey God!  They also sang a long of songs about dogs.  


Before bed, I climbed up on top of the tent to watch the sun go down and count all of the stars.  There was about 1000 times more stars in this town than at home.  I wanted to climb into the sky and put them in my pockets to take with me, they were so beautiful.  Late late at night, I climbed down into my tent hammock and fell asleep.

More adventures tomorrow!  I hear we are going somewhere called the Secret Cove!  How do Mommy and Daddy find out about all these lost and secret things? 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Spanky rides a cat!

Today was so much fun! We started our ride with some cool morning mist. Winding down the coast, watching the beach under the clouds. 


We got to this little town called Bandon, and shared some fish and chips. Yummy. While mommy and daddy were finishing up, I went exploring. I met Biscuits the Cat, and we were instant friends!


I told him all about riding motorcycles, and he told me all about life as a restaurant cat. Then he asked if I wanted a ride! I said yes, of course, and off we went. He wasn't as fast as a motorcycle (but don't tell him) but he was a great tour guide.



He took me to meet Mr. Turtle and the old man, who were very nice, but were even slower than Biscuits.



Then I got to go to the top of the world... (This makes me think I might be getting closer to getting famous, but I'm not sure.) 

Then Mommy and Daddy found us, and said I was in for a treat. We got to go to a Fudge Factory, and first, they let me try all the flavors. 


Then they let me make some fudge! 


It was time to get back on the bikes. We stopped to take a quick picture when we got to California, and then it was ride ride ride til dinner.


We got to our campsite and set everything up. Daddy was cooking tonight. Mommy and I wanted Chili Mac, and Daddy made it. But, he first almost burned down the whole campsite. His stove didn't quite work the way he expected, and the flames went WOOSH! Way bigger than me! I jumped back and fell off the table. Mommy laughed, of course, cuz she thinks everything is funny. I found the directions and gave them to Daddy. He was so thankful, he made me Apple Crisp for desert.  



Then we all snuggled into the tent together... Mommy on her cot and Daddy on his air mattress. I bounced from one to the other until they told me to stop or I'd have to go sleep on the bike! I settled down in a little tent pocket that was a monkey sized hammock, and fell asleep. I dreamed of riding motorcycles and kitty's and kites and monster trucks, and wondered what else is out there to ride.   



More tomorrow!