Travels with Robbie

 Last weekend I loaded up the Soul with cans, bottles and Robbie and we set out across the desert to visit friends and family in SoCal. I stopped twice in Arizona to fill up with cheap(er) gas than what I knew awaited me at the California pumps. Five hours later Robbie and I parked on a street in our old Mentone neighborhood so Robbie could experience the grand treat of walking on green lawns with familiar bushes he could pee on.  I always forget what it smells and sounds like there after being in my sterile Arizona surroundings.  The first thing that hits you is the sounds of lawn mowers, yes, but mostly its the BIRDS I hear everywhere!  Bluebirds, meadowlarks, finches, red house sparrows, western blue jays, even wild parrots. I just think to myself, "I have missed you all so much!"

I stopped at our old neighbor's house to see if he was home.  He lost his son to pancreatic cancer also.  Gary and I moved out so fast, I never got a chance to say goodbye.  He is Chinese and grew unusual plants, always offering us things to try from his garden. He has a habit of not answering the door, so I don't know if he was really home because I got no response to my knock.  I should have called first.

Our next stop: the park Robbie and I walked past or into every weekday across from Crafton Elementary and very near our first home in Redlands.  Robbie does not tend to run off much.  He offered to pose without complaint for the picture in which you can see the mountains behind.  The largest peak is Big Bear, where the crazy cop killer was found inside the home that he shot himself in last week. Its about 38 miles from where Robbie sits.

After cashing in my collected cans and bottles at Stater Brothers, we continued on to- QDOBA!  Redlands has one, but there is none within driving distance to my Arizona home.  I had free chips and sauce on my Qdoba card awaiting me, so Robbie and I ate 'our' burrito and chips outside in the warm sunshine. Outdoor dining can't be beat. Gary and I took Robbie with us on his business trips so we always shared our Boston Market or In-n-Out lunches with him al fresco.

After lunch it was onward to Riverside to visit my cousin and his wife.  To get there from Redlands, the most direct route is south through San Timoteo Canyon.  I stopped along Sunset Drive overlooking the canyon to take this picture from the edge of the road.  Notice I said edge, and not side. There are small pullouts on the road which overlooks the beautiful hills, but no guard rails to keep you from dropping off  into the canyon.  Runners and bikers along this scenic drive share the road with cars at their own peril. The canyon is home to many very old groves on the bottom land.  The BNSF runs through the canyon alongside the cottonwood lined creek, and there are many horse properties tucked away in the coves of the hills.  In this picture you can see the other side of the canyon's hills in which the most beautiful county dump I've ever known is hidden.  I used to take our garbage there to avoid paying Waste Management's higher fees.  The view from the stinky landfill is spectacular!
Coming down the other side of the hills, you arrive in Moreno Valley on the 60, then into Riverside where Robbie and I spent a couple of hours visiting and were advised we have a place to stay whenever we want to come back.  Super!

The day ended at friends' homes in Ontario and then in Claremont, which is a gorgeous little city just inside the LA county line.  Whomever can call Claremont home considers themselves very lucky.

On Saturday, Robbie and I got up to walk in our old Eastvale neighborhood, the first home Robbie had after being adopted into the Hopper family. I picked up Farmer Boys for breakfast, a favorite breakfast place of Gary's and mine then I attended the monthly Young Onset Parkinson's Group meeting that Gary and I went to.  I thank Gary every day for getting me into this exclusive club of nice people who are now friends for (I hope) life. I don't know what we would have done without them.  They gave us so much support not only for Gary's Parkinson's trials, but during his cancer ordeal and treatments, and then his California memorial service. I cannot think of these nice people without thinking, THANK YOU for being there for us,  and now me.

Robbie was not feeling well during the trip.  Terrible bouts of sneezing racked his little body, and he wasn't eating well either.  Late afternoon, after eating  lunch at Bonnie's house in Ontario, I decided to get on the road to get home.

I could not leave California without one more stop at a great fruit stand near our old houses that sells the best of the best citrus in Redlands. That's saying a lot since Redlands has THEE best citrus in the world. There were 5 varieties of oranges so I picked some blood oranges and the best grapefruit variety called Oro Blanco.  White flesh and super sweet.  Better than your stinkin' Ruby Reds any day!  The man at the stand and I started talking about where I was from, etc etc.  He asked me why didn't I move back if I miss it so much-after all, I have friends nearby....   I told him I didn't know yet if the reason I wanted to move back so much was because I miss the place, or if I just miss MY LIFE there so much.  If I move back, Gary is still not there. The man ended up giving me the blood oranges for free. 

I walked Robbie one last time in another favorite area near Moore Middle School where Gary and I often walked.  Just a block off Gary Lane, the view from there is of the San Bernardino mountains to the north where the University of Redlands has its huge "R" cut into the mountain. I read that it is the largest university monogram in the U.S.
The late afternoon sun on my back was warm as we walked and as I looked out at the clear aired views, I said aloud,  "I miss you, Gary.  I just miss you sooo much."  It hurt to know I will never see that view with him again.

I decided on the way back to Arizona that it can be a goal to get back to Redlands.  As impractical as it may be, it can still be a goal, can't it?. There is just something about Redlands that I have never felt about any other place we ever lived.  It just feels like HOME.