Pretty Petaluma

Every few days we get to be with Becky, Paola and Benjo and we treasure our time with them.  Tomorrow is the due date for the baby and Paola reports that everything is fine but she thinks he will be making his entrance next week.

We’ve had some wonderful times with our family here.  On our first Sunday,  Becky, Paola and Benjo came to our campsite here at the Petaluma KOA.  Benjo liked the animals in the Petting Zoo and played on the climbing structures in the playground.  There are lots and lots of children in this place and he fit right in.  But the best thing in the world for our little 2 year old was the driver’s seat of the RV.  His little legs stuck straight out on the seat but he wasn”t intimidated by the size of the rig he was trying to steer and loved all the buttons and gauges.  It was hard to get him out of that seat.  Then last week we all went to the Discovery Museum which is located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge.

There was so much to see there and Benjo just had a ball.  Everything was toddler appropriate and he ran from one activity to the next.  We
were all tired out by the end of the day.  On Thursday, Doug and I took the ferry over the bay to spend the day in San Francisco.  We checked out all the food and stuff in the Ferry Building and loved the Farmers Market just outside of it.  We met Paola and Benjo at their Bart Station and walked to Becky’s office.  The walk took about an hour because we had to stop to watch construction sites.  Benjo loves the giant cranes, the loud trucks and all the guys in their hard hats.  It was great to see Becky’s office and meet her co-workers.  Benjo was adorable and strutted around like he belonged there.  We walked over to a park and bought sandwiches for lunch.  Becky had to go back to work so we walked Paola and Benjo to the Bart Station.  I think he must have conked out on the train after a long morning of walking.  I can’t imagine how Paola holds up so well – all the walking, picking up and chasing Benjo – and being 9 months pregnant – she’s amazing.  Doug and I finished the day with a long walk through Chinatown and then took the ferry back to our car.  It was the perfect day except for the traffic – it seems like rush hour lasts all day long here.

In between their visits we are exploring this part of California.  Before we got here, we visited Pinnacles State Park.   We hiked a little but the trail was a little too hard for me to get to the cave.  Even without getting into the cave, we had a beautiful day, wandering on easy trails and searching the sky for condors.  We saw turkey vultures but not the California Condor.  Pinnacles is the first national park we’ve visited while living in the RV.  Spending the day that way reminded us of why we wanted this lifestyle – to see and appreciate the truly wonderful sights all around the country

We are now exploring sights near our campsite.  Doing this kind of sightseeing is why we pull our CRV behind the motor home.  It makes it really easy to get out and enjoy the little towns and quaint areas.  Since we will be in this area until May 1st, we expect to really get to know this part of California.

Petaluma is a vibrant little town with an interesting historic downtown.  We did the self guided walking tour one morning, ate our picnic lunch in a pretty park, had a snack at Zazzle’s and then went to Shollenberger Park.  This is a wetland preserve right in the middle of a business park but it only takes a short walk to make the buildings disappear.  You find yourself in a serene marshland with only the birds and waterfowl for company.

On Tuesday morning we checked out the local farmer’s market and sampled and bought some yummy delicacies.  I also went to the Premium Outlet Shops and had a nice time browsing for stuff.  I also shopped at the local Lucky’s food store and found it to be well stocked with good prices and very friendly staff.

Today we went to Point Reyes Station, a town of 350 people, little shops, lots of public spaces and Cowgirl Creamery.  We grabbed some sandwiches to go and drove the breathtakingly lovely road to the coast.  Doug and I often discuss the difference between “bucolic” and “pastoral”.  It’s a conversation we have been having for years as we drive through the beautiful countryside.  Today’s views were so perfect that I think they were both bucolic and pastoral.  I think a bucolic scene needs an old farmhouse with a rundown but picturesque barn.  A pastoral scene seems to need sheep, cows or goats.  The green rolling hills on the road to the coast included all of the above with a generous helping of wild flowers just to make your heart sigh.  (We welcome your comments about “bucolic” and “pastoral.  You can be part of our conversation as we travel.)

On the way back we made another stop at Cowgirl Creamery and brought home one of their cheeses – Red Hawk- it’s as soft goat cheese packed with flavor   We will be treating ourselves to this cheese tonight.  We like that it was made right in the room behind the store.  You can’t get more local than that!

Tomorrow, unless baby decides to arrive, we are taking Benjo and Paola to Fairyland.  It’s on the lake in Oakland and is what was supposed to have inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland. We are looking forward to seeing Benjo’s face and watch his imagination take off with the wonder if it all.Doug’s doing all the driving right now and will most likely continue to be the primary driver. We are both taking a driving course this weekend but even though I will go through the whole course and get some on the road experience, I don’t foresee me spending a lot of time in the driver’s seat. So I am settling in and getting used to my side of the RV.

The best part of the passenger side is the gigantic window right in front of me, as well as an unobstructed large window to my right. The view is incredible! I often feel bad that Doug has to concentrate on the road, keep steady in spite of the huge trucks roaring by, fight the high winds, and scan the multiple gauges and screens in his cockpit.

Today I marveled at the rolling hills near Pacheo Pass. Yesterday the hills were splotched with California poppies and small yellow and purple flowers. I took some photos as we were passing by, but you can’t really tell how breathtaking the landscape is, especially around the area east of Lebec. We’ve driven a few times on this stretch of I-5 and now we’ve seen the subtle changes the seasons make. Most of this part of the state is farm and orchard land so we try to identify the crops and trees. The weather has been wonderful – cool at night but mostly bright and sunny and warm during the day. The sun on the landscape under the bright blue of the sky makes every glance a postcard view.

So when I can take my eyes off the giant picture screen in front of me, I am also the lead navigator. I say lead because I have a team of two others – the GPS unit in the coach and Google Maps on Doug’s phone. We use both since Google Maps updates us on realtime traffic conditions while the coach one is programmed with the coach’s weight, length, and width and makes sure we don’t take roads that would be a problem for us (like low bridges). I try to beat the other two by stating the upcoming turns before they do. Sometimes we do not all agree and since I am the lead (and also since Doug and I have already gone over the route before we take off) it’s my way on the highway! In addition to the GPS units, I also use a road atlas because I want to see the whole route not just small snippets.

When the route is a straight shot and I need something to keep me busy, I turn to whatever latest crochet project I’m working on. This week it’s a thread crochet sacque (jacket) for the new baby.

One thing that has been a little annoying is that I can’t reach the radio controls from my seat. Doug’s too busy to play with the controls, so I’ve resorted to Pandora on my phone. The volume isn’t loud enough for Doug to hear it well, so I sing along. This is meant to help entertain Doug as he moves on down the highway but anyone who has ever had the misfortune to hear me sing knows that I never hit the right note and rarely know the words, but that doesn’t stop me. For obvious reasons I have to limit this activity.

My seat is super comfy with many adjustments that make it even better. But sometimes it’s too comfortable and with no radio, the hum of the road and the soothing motion of motorhome, I often doze off. That’s a tribute to how much confidence I have in Doug’s driving. Poor Doug. I get to play, sleep, sing, and have fun! So that’s what goes on my side of the coach. Of course, Doug and I keep up a conversation that encompasses all of the above, with many anecdotes about our adorable grandchildren.

If you are trying to track our movements over the last week we have been making lots of small trips. We left Tucson on Saturday, March 12th drove to Quartzsite, AZ and spent one night at Blackrock RV Park. We spent three nights at the Californian RV Resort in the beautiful Antelope Valley. Then a one night stay at Lost Hills RV Park – the closest big city was Bakersfield but the tiny city of Lost Hills consisted mostly of a few truck stops. Tonight and for five more nights we are in Casa De Fruta RV Park in lovely Hollister. Casa de Fruta is a large complex of touristy stores and restaurants. We checked out the rather overpriced fruit stand/store and brought back some treats. These short trips give Doug a break from long hours in the driver’s seat while he’s still getting used to driving this giant rig. And we have a little time to explore and see some sights. We’re finding that closing up the motorhome to get on the road and then opening it up again takes just a little time and effort. We’ve managed well so far and travel days are becoming routine.

Tomorrow we will be visiting our first national park since we started traveling in the RV – Pinnacles National Park. We’ll fill you in on that adventure later.