What are you doing with that thing?

Happy Halloween!

Why do you want to a motor home anyway? My people are always getting asked that question - nobody ever asks me. Wonder why?

Well, I’m glad we have one because no matter where we go, we’re always home. In the truck or Scion, I get nervous because I know Mike and Dana will go some place without me and then I’ll be left in a strange place by myself - I don’t like that.

Guess what? Mike doesn’t like to sleep in strange beds. In the motor home, where ever he ends up at night, he always gets to sleep in his own bed.

Sometimes, we can do good deeds in the motor home, like when Dana’s grandma needed to go from one daughter’s house to the other’s. We picked her up and took her, about 350 miles. In the motor home she could lay down and rest whenever she wanted. When it was time to eat, she didn’t even have to get out if she didn’t want to. As for me, I prefer to eat in the motor home because, for some reason, restaurants are not crazy about big dogs.

Once Genie went to a conference and needed someone to babysit her baby girl. We were able to get an RV spot not too far from the conference and Genie could come over whenever she had the chance.

When we visit relatives, we always have our own place to stay - no one has to give up their room when we come to visit.

The best thing about a motor home? It’s easy it is to change the scenery. Need some fresh mountain air? Drive on up. Miss the feel of sea spray from ocean waves? Head on over to the beach. Want to view a desert sunset? Just get there before the sun goes down.

Our favorite thing? Hanging out at a campground or RV park where family and friends can come over and be with us.

See you on the road!

California RV Show

Last weekend, we went to the 59^th Annual California RV Show at the Fairplex in Pomona. It’s fun to check out all the different types of recreational vehicles - the ones you don’t think you’d ever be interested in and those you don’t think you could never afford.

There were trailers - folding camp trailers, travel trailers, toy haulers, and 5^th wheels. Found the iconic Airstreams but didn’t see Teardrops or the relatively new R-Pods - we were told regular trailers are now built so light, there’s no need for this smaller category. All the motor homes were there, from Class A to Class C, including the mini-A’s and the converted vans/Class B.

We had a great time but RV shows used to be even more fun because of the other related displays. One year, some of the antique RV’s were on display. That was great fun, looking at what some people had put together out of necessity and the ingenious amenities that had been manufactured in those early models, like wall slides, making you wonder how they’d come up with something like that in the “olden” days. We enjoyed looking at them and imagining how it would feel to camp-out or travel cross-country in those early accommodations. Another year, someone brought in a huge, Class A that could also float and be used as a house boat - too cool!

Today, there are interesting activities going on at the side stages. Seminars included cooking shows, specific dealer demonstrations, RV adventures, RV maintenance and even new ways to find campgrounds. These programs would especially benefit new RV owners - before starting out with their new toy.

Being the gadget junkie that I am, I miss the “cool” vendors - those selling devices an RVer just shouldn’t be without. Used to be, you could walk through the vendor tent/s and see bed sacks, portable campfires, easy to fold/store hammocks and stand-up dryers that did their job leaving a minimum number of wrinkles while heating up the motor-home, a handy benefit if it's cold outside. Camping World used to show up, too, usually with some supplies you knew you better get while you were there. The vendor tent is still pretty full but it’s mostly with mechanical and maintenance products (boring to me), insurance brokers (yawn) and, of course, Good Sam’s Club - a good thing to know about, especially if you are an inexperienced RVer.



Maybe it was just me - we've been wrestling with the cost of RVing in our motor home, can we really afford it? So finances are on my mind. There seemed to be an air of resignation hovering around the exhibitors’ area. When the economy is bad, the RV industry is always hit hard. On the other hand, we don’t usually attend the RV show until near the end instead of when it starts, so that mood could be due to timing. But with gasoline prices sky rocketing, maybe there is just a general feeling of, “How much longer can we hang with it?” from the sellers and the buyers.

The Wild Life

Had some technical troubles, so I’m a little late getting this out. Since I’m in a hurry, thought I’d just put out some of the wild life pics from our last trip.

Some of you are going to see just how urban we really are; most of you see more wildlife from your porch than we saw on our trips. Honestly, when we “camp” in the motor home, we like amenities, you know, like hook-ups. We are not “boon dockers” - not that there’s anything wrong with that. But camping the way we do, limits the wildlife interaction so, we get excited about it when we see any.

In Yosemite we saw a raven named Kevin. This guy was so tame and hung around the park tram so much they named him. (If an animal gets named, is it still wild?) We have a lot of crows at our house, but not friendly like Kevin.





While walking in the parking lot, my keen-eyed grandson spotted an injured butterfly, the tip of one wing was missing. Since was on the ground where many people were walking, Garrett put him in a bush. Not sure that was helpful but at least he didn’t get squished.

This was our top encounter. In Yosemite Village, we were sitting on a rock wall outside of one of the stores and this deer just walked right up...

...and started eating a bush.

On to Lake Tahoe and this osprey's pictures tell it's own story.

In Tahoe we took the gondola up to the top where we heard coyotes howling. Rangers told us they had just made a kill. The coyotes blended in so well with the landscape, I had a hard time seeing them. Finally, I spotted one lone fellow:

Well, the rest of the pics aren't downloading so will stop here. Have a wild week!

Archie by Truck

Now everybody knows, I’m a travelin’ dog. Mainly, I roam via motor home - sometimes referred to as the “dog” house. But every once in awhile, we have to take our car or truck, for instance, when we go to the Mitchell family reunions. Luckily for me, they’re held at a pet-friendly hotel.

We used to have another truck, but I didn’t like it. There was a shell covering the truck bed. Mike and Dana thought that would be a good place for me to ride - BY MYSELF! They said, “Oh Archie will love moving around back there. He can have all the windows open and get lots of air.” What?!! Why would I want to be stuck back there by myself, on that hard floor? There was a perfectly good, comfy seat just waiting for some dog hair.

So, one day, while we were driving down the street, I stuck my head through the window of the shell that opened into the back of the truck’s cab. I saw Mike and Dana each had a seat and there was a perfectly good seat I could have all to myself right underneath my head. I decided there must’ve been some mistake. I stuck my head through the opened window just a little farther. No one seemed to notice and that seat looked a lot more comfortable than where I was riding. So, I just raised myself up a little and, bam, went right through. I heard a loud crack and a bunch of crackling, but I was in that seat. There was a lot of crunchy stuff under me - the whole window was in the seat with me, seems my rib cage was wider than the opening. I looked out the window hoping no one would notice but I couldn't help but notice Mike and Dana’s expressions - surprise followed by, well, I’m not sure what those expressions meant.

(Surprise? This is a dog that won’t even use the pet door, which is plenty wide. Archie also refuses to push open a door that is just not quite open wide enough for him to go through without touching his sides. So, his going through a window was totally unexpected. All I can say is, he must’ve really wanted that seat! - D)

After that, we fixed the window and sold that truck. The next one had a bigger back seat and no shell and now, I always ride in the back seat.

So, we drove to the reunion in our truck. The people at this hotel are very nice to me - they always make a fuss when I arrive. Of course, everyone notices me when I make an entrance because I’m very big and very furry and very noticeable.

But when I went into the family meeting room, what did I see - competition! It was a new cousin from Las Vegas and totally opposite of me. I am big; this dog was little, not just smaller than me, I mean, really little. I am a guy; this dog was a girl. I have light-colored fur and a lot of it; hers was mostly dark and not much of it. What do you do with a canine that small anyway?

What's she going to do - sit on my nose?

And you want me to do what with this little dog?

Are you sure that's a dog?

Well, if she's related, she can't be too bad.

In spite of this new dog in attendance, the reunion was fun. I got lots of love pats from everyone around me because, luckily, I am in a dog-friendly family, too!

Trip of the Trees

(Archie says, "Dogs love trees - we leave our personal information with trees so other dogs can learn about us - they're kind of like social bulletin boards for dogs.")

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.” - Psalm 96:11-13a Sometimes, vacations unintentionally take on a theme of their own. Looking over pictures from our July RV trip, I decided this one was all about the trees.

Our first sight-seeing day, when we rode the Sugar Pines Express, we encountered the train’s namesake, said to be the tallest of all pines (around 200 feet). It can live up to 500 years. This tree gets its name because the resin in the bark is sweet. I thought the name came from the short, stiff needles that make the branches look like they’ve been sprinkled with sugar.

Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove was next. These famous trees are Giant Sequoias, quite tall at 290 feet. Many of the trees here are so unique they’ve been given names.

The grove isn’t the only place with trees in Yosemite - there are plenty of trees all around this national park.

 

At Lake Tahoe, there are trees everywhere. I think they were mostly Ponderosa Pines at our campsite, but they were so thick, we had a hard time seeing the stars at night.

Next stop, Santa Cruz, which included a visit to the Redwood Grove Nature Trail in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The trees in this park are just majestic!

Redwoods are the world’s tallest trees and they repel fire and disease. One tree is about 270 feet tall and over 17 feet wide - almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty. They only grow in temperate, foggy, moist conditions. You could also see Douglas-fir, Tan Oak and Bay trees on the trail.

We took a drive over to Pebble Beach and, among other impressive sites, saw awesome Cypress Trees.

Then there were some pretty big Eucalyptus Trees at Natural Bridges State Park.

Look at the size of that branch!

During our last stop, in Buellton, we visited the Santa Inez Mission. Perhaps that was where we saw the most inspiring “tree.”

Have a wonderful week!

The Roads We've Traveled

In our travels, we've driven on many different roads. There was Interstate 70 traveling east to Green River, UT - some parts actually looked like they could have been in a sci-fi movie:

U.S. Route 16 in WY between Buffalo and Worland - beautiful but it was so steep the front wheels of the motor home screamed in protest when braking:

There’s alternate route 89 in AZ at Jerome where the buildings jut right next to the street - you can reach out and give them a love pat as you drive by. There are parts of Interstate 10 that might jar your fillings loose but if you really want to shake things up, try the section of US Route 191 just before the Canyon de Chelly National Monument turn-off. Decorative studs popped off like corn popping and the TV was almost in my husband’s lap before we noticed and shoved it back in the cabinet.

Interstate 40 is a pretty nice drive until it gets wet and road pebbles, courtesy of passing vehicles, become airborne. By the time we reached our destination, the windshield looked like it had been attacked by a glass spider - nothing but a web of cracks.

Another beautiful piece of highway with mountains and trees and the Colorado River running near it, again on Interstate 70 headed east towards Denver. Then just before the Frisco turn off, there’s an uphill section we could only crawl over.

Then there’s the “back way,” aka state highway 38, to Big Bear, CA. We were coming in from Las Vegas and this looked shorter on the map - yipes, my husband had to make a 3-pointer to get us around some of those curves.

If you’re not claustrophobic, drive the Needles Highway in South Dakota, but not in an RV. The scenery is fantastic, Mount Rushmore framed by some of the tunnels, but in some spots it felt tight even in our little tow car.

But nothing prepared us for a section of road we encountered on our last trip. When we left the area around Yosemite and headed toward Lake Tahoe, we started out on state route 49 and headed northwest. The 49 is a little steep and can be crowded because of the logging trucks but it is doable.

We wanted to get to Tahoe before dark because the roads are steep going there, too, but the kids had their hearts set on doing the zipline at Moaning Cave. My son-in-law said it was right on our way, so he took the lead as we headed out.

We had our fun and ate lunch before we headed out and made the fateful decision to turn left on the 4 instead of right to head back to the 49. The scenery was beautiful but suddenly a sign seemed to pop up out of the ground screaming, “not recommended for vehicles over 25 feet.” The hair on the back of my neck stood up because I knew we were well over that and that the state doesn’t put up signs just to amuse itself.

“Mike,” I said, “we better turn around.” He looked around and I noticed his fingers were already digging into the steering wheel. “Where would you suggest I do that?” It had been raining and as soon as the blacktop stopped, there was mud on both sides of it. “If I get off the road we will sink.” Suddenly, I realized we didn’t really have two lanes - it was more like 1½ lanes for use by traffic going in both directions.

As we continued on, we started seeing signs warning of a 25% grade - it should have included, “This road is so steep you will feel like you are on a roller coaster and so narrow you may get scraped by the rocks jutting out of the side of the mountains, for sure by the low tree branches.”

Then, as if trying to change the subject, Mike asked, “Aren’t you going to take some pictures?” I answered, “Why? So people can see what we were looking at before we died?” It had been snowing and there was slush everywhere. All standing water was iced up right to the side of the road. Trees were everywhere - coming out of rocks, hillsides and every place else, including places where they took up part of the paved road.

We encountered a sheriff deputy who pretty much just wished us “good luck” and probably radioed in for a clean-up crew to start preparing itself for action. So up and down we went, pulling over as far as possible when we met oncoming traffic. Thank the Lord, we only came across one other vehicle towing - a horse trailer. It was a little hairy but the timing was perfect because we happened to be in a wide spot in the road; most places there was no margin for error.

Our highest point was 8,731ft at Ebbett’s Pass. We drove past Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Bear Valley, Lake Alpine, went through the Stanislaus Nat’l Forest, and came out at Markleeville. It was one terrifying ride and definitely one none of us ever wants to take again.

You would have thought we were taking a winter vacation by this picture.

It was a pretty good snow flurry.

And some pretty good snow cover.

Here is one of the lakes.

You can kind of get a feel for the road but you really had to be there.

Archie says, "I can't see out the windows - maybe it's a good thing!"

Our Last Stop

When we left Santa Cruz, I wondered if we were headed home. The motor home door opened and I got my answer - we were in Buellton at Flying Flags Campground. I was surprised because we hadn’t been there in about three years.

Buellton wasn’t on the itinerary at first. After my daughter and I had planned every stop, my husband popped his head in the room and asked, “Hey, is there any chance we could stop at Flying Flags on the way home.” My daughter and I looked at each other and started laughing because we had asked him if he had any requests before we started. Since it would be his birthday the last week of our vacation, we decided to shave a day off of each of the other stops so we could have some time left to honor his request. - D

There had been some upgrades at the park since the last time we’d been there, like cement patios and new tables at the RV sites. The area above the “river” was now fancy tent spots. Park-size trailers had been moved in and, along with new cabin-tents, were available for rent. The grandkids were excited about the playground equipment - all new. My favorite improvement - the off-leash area had been enlarged so now a canine could actually move around in there.

We stopped to see the birds at Ostrich Land and did a lot of shopping in Solvang. We also did a lot of eating in Solvang, as well as at AJ Spurs, Anderson Split Pea (also visited their gift shop) and Ellen’s Pancake House. I think we ate out more times at this stop then the rest of our entire trip! We also visited the Santa Inez Mission since California missions would be coming up as part of Peyton's school curriculum. -D

Then one night, who should come for dinner but Kramer - how did that pup find his way to Buellton? Well, Aunt Lori and Uncle Rick happened to be there, too, so that explains it. Of course, I was happy to see them. In spite of Kramer, everyone enjoyed themselves.

We had a great time visiting and, if Archie was honest, he would admit, he was glad to see Kramer, too. Being on the road is always more fun when friends and family show up. - D

Our summer trip had come to an end and after three weeks, everybody still loved me!

I strained my neck to look out the window and there it was - a fog bank! Cool weather at last!

A quick nap later and we were home. Here I am, back in my favorite “cool” spot.

In case you're interested in the RV spots where we stayed during this trip:

Yosemite South/Coarsegold KOA, 34094 Highway 41, Coarsegold CA 93614

When we arrived, the day before the 4th of July weekend started, we overheard conversation that the owners were new - they did seem to be in a little over their heads. Even so, they were friendly and seemed to be giving it their best effort.  The facilities were nice and Woodall's rating was high. Yosemite's south entrance is about 23 miles away but it seems like it takes forever to get to the national park and even longer to see some of the sites which are all pretty spread out. If you want to visit the Mariposa Grove, at the very south end of Yosemite, or ride the Sugar Pines Express Narrow Gauge Train, which is just outside the south gate of the park, this is a good place to stay.
Archie says, "It was hot for me but KOA people are dog people." 

Tahoe Valley Campground, 1175 Melba, South Lake Tahoe CA 96158

Great place for kids - lots to do at the campgound itself and you kind of feel like you are at summer camp. This campground is large, over 500 tent/RV sites.  It's not right on the lake but the drive is short and the location makes it easy to get to the lake's California shores. Another high rated spot from Woodall's.

Archie says, "It had several nice designated dog-walking spots as well
 as the rest of the campground for dog fun."

Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Kampground, 1186 San Andreas Road Melba, Watsonville CA 95076

Another great campground for kids - so much to do it was hard to pull the grandkids away to go sight seeing. There was miniature golf, a playground, fun train, climbing wall (treadmill style), jumping pillow as well as the pool - the first one on our trip that was actually heated. Besides all that, there were activities for the kids to participate in every day. Pizza was available for delivery on Friday evenings, BBQ lunch on Saturdays and a pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings. Yep, Woodall's gave it a high rating, too.

Archie says, "Their K9 area was nice, too."

Flying Flags RV Park & Campground, 180 Ave of the Flags, Buellton CA 93427

This campground has made a lot of improvements so if you haven't been there for awhile, you might want to check it out. They have a nice pool and two spas, one inside and one out. They also have a nice playground for kids. Gown-up playgrounds are nearby - Solvang and the Chumash Indian Casino.

Archie says, "The improvements at the off-leash dog area are pretty nice, too!"