After one pleasant and relaxing night in a pretty RV park with splashing water fountains in sparkling ponds, we left Red Bluff, CA and drove on I-5 through mountains along the Sacramento River and past Shasta Lake with snow-capped Mount Shasta in front of us most of the way.
Sacramento River next to campground in Red Bluff, CA
Our destination for the start of the busy Fourth of July week is Valley of the Rogue State Park in Oregon. Last time we stayed there we attended a Pow-Wow but we don’t see any activities posted during this stay. After weeks of desert scrub, it was refreshing to see the tall pine forests. Valley of the Rogue is a nature-filled campground cut into a forest of huge evergreens. The air is pine-scented and it’s nice to see every kind of camper – from small tents to RVs like ours. The loop we stayed in had full hook-ups so we had the rustic while enjoying our comforts.
The weather was perfect – light breezes and enough shade that the high temperatures were not a hindrance to sitting outside. I had time to sew outside while listening to an audiobook. My idea of perfect.
After Valley of the Rogue, we backtracked a few miles to Southern Oregon Campground – a nicely landscaped cement pad in a pretty park. We never backtrack, but getting reservations is always difficult during holiday time. Thanks to Doug’s diligence, we had great accommodations.
More pleasant days of just relaxing. We spent the Fourth of July just hanging out. Traveling days can be stressful and we will be working at a new job in August and September. So we are practicing relaxing when we have the opportunity – and this is our plan for our almost-a-month stay in Florence, Oregon. We love Old Town Florence and have been looking forward to our “vacation” there.
Fireworks in Central Point, OR
We just confirmed that our daughter Julie and family will visit us in Florence, so I am happily planning meals together and walks through Old Town with them. There definitely will be special treats for the children and maybe a night or two of babysitting so Julie and Jake can take a break. Whatever we wind up doing will be fun with this wonderful family.
Our first two stops after leaving Kartchner Caverns were Gila Bend and Needles. Both of these RV parks are familiar to us and have been frequent stops coming and going from Arizona. Our one-night stays there were happily uneventful.
We spent two nights in St. George, Utah at Hurricane KOA. KOAs are usually easy for us – close to the highway we are traveling on, usually pull-thrus so we don’t have to unhitch our toad and have stores and laundries if we need them. This one was a little odd. At check in we were told we had to unhitch because it would be too tight to pull into our site while pulling our car. That was true. The sites were barely long enough, and our car had to be parked diagonally in front of the RV. With our four slides out we were very close to our tiny neighbors in their R-Pod. And these were “buddy” sites – our door faced our neighbor on the other side. They were nice people but it’s not always a comfortable set-up.
We happened to be there during the International Ironman Competition in nearby St. George which presented a massive traffic problem so on our second day we just relaxed until later in the day when we drove into Hurricane (pronounced “Hurricun”) to explore. We visited the small but very interesting Pioneer Museum and talked to the friendly docent there. We learned about the history of the Hurricane Canal which made the city possible. It took a daunting 50 years to hand dig the canal. It doesn’t exist now because of an earthquake. This is the kind of tourist stop we enjoy – local history and strange artifacts. I even got to see two dolls that I loved – Honey Baby and a pretty Ginny doll. We added a stop for a Mother’s Day dinner at Mekong Kitchen for great Thai food (Red Curry for Doug and Spicey Drunken Noodles for me). We ended our day stopping for essentials at Walmart.
As with the rest of Utah, St. George and the other smaller cities near there are spotlessly clean, beautifully landscaped and, of course, have the advantage of spectacular red mountains in the background.
FILLMORE, UT
We left early to get ahead of the wind on Sunday, May 8th. The drive was short and easy with a short rest stop to stretch our legs. The owner at this perfectly manicured KOA was nice enough to not charge us for an early check in. The cottonwood trees were barely moving in the gentle cool breeze when we arrived. We had time for a nap after lunch, some phone calls from the kids and then the wind hit. The gusts are ferociously moving the cottonwoods and making lots of noise. We are facing in a good direction, so we haven’t had to bring in our slides or worry too much. Hopefully, things will quiet down before we leave tomorrow for our last stop in Utah.
Well, the wind shifted directions and one of the cottonwood branches started hitting our slide, so we brought that one in. A little cozier but still our comfy home. Then the rain came and lasted most of the night. And it got cold! We woke up to snow on the nearby Cedar Mountains.
Just a short ride today but we have to figure out the logistics of leaving at check out – 11 am and arriving at the State Park at check in – 3 pm when we don’t have far to go.
WILLARD BAY STATE PARK
This is such a pretty park. Each site is huge with its own covered ramada over the picnic table. We got here just a few minutes early and drove right to our site. Still haven’t met the hosts. It’s really chilly here – and overcast.
The drive today was beautiful. For many miles we drove along the San Pitch Mountains in the Wasatch Range. The largest and highest spot is Salt Creek Peak. Our highway alternated by aiming right at it or positioned this magnificent peak just to our right. The Wasatch were covered with snow and sparkling in the sun. We even had a few snowflakes hit our windshield.
Those flakes were pleasant unlike the aluminum cans that were flying out of an un-tarped recycling truck ahead of us. A flying can hitting our rig sounded like a gun shot. Hope it didn’t live a dent!
Safely and warmly tucked away in this quiet park for our last night in Utah.
The beach at Willard Bay
TWIN FALLS, IDAHO
We have made numerous visits to Twin Falls and love it here. Our past blogs relate some of our Twin Falls adventures. The Perrine Memorial Bridge gave us a look at those brave souls who jump and parachute into the river. The waterfalls are spectacular: Twin Falls, of course, and Shoshone Falls, deemed to be the “most dazzling waterfall in the state.” There are also the Perrine Coulee Falls.
Looking into the Snake River Canyon explains why I have so many photos of it. This steep canyon with its winding green river is famous with stunning views. Anyone remember Evel Knievel?
I had a strange adventure doing the laundry. I was happy to see a spotlessly clean laundry room. Everything was shiny and bright but there was a small puddle on the floor around the drain. It was a narrow room, but I easily skirted the puddle and took two of the 4 washers to do my clothes. I sat outside reading and when I went back in the puddle was a bit larger. I put my clean clothes into two large dryers and left to go back to the RV. Upon returning, the puddle was considerably larger but not near my dryers. I put my dry clothes from the top dryer on the immaculate stainless steel folding table. I went to get the second load and that dryer was icy cold and the clothes were wet. I transferred them to a different dryer but that one refused to let me put quarters in. So, I went back to the good dryer and used that one again.
Another woman came in with 4 loads of laundry. I directed her to watch out for the growing puddle, showed her the two dryers that were malfunctioning and left to report the problems to the office.
As I started folding my clothes, a manager came in – she was surprised that the washer that seemed to be leaking was the one marked “out of order”. She opened the front door – out gushed an entire tub of water. The flow hit the opposite wall. I had just moved two steps in the right direction so only a few drops hit my legs but now the floor had about 2 inches of water and the drain was obviously not working. The other woman was trapped but dry on the other side of the puddle.
This manager was asking me about the dryer problems when another manager came in the back door with a string mop and bucket – so inadequate for this mess! The first manager had her back turned talking to me and trying to mess with the bad dryers when the second manager opens the broken washer and another onslaught of water rushes out. He got soaked.
My clothes are still dry on the table, so I get my first load out of there and back to the RV. When I returned for the second load in the dryer, the water is now rippling along the floor in little waves.
In spite of the problems, both managers exhibited excellent customer service – helping us get our clothes out without the clothes or us getting wet. They managed to disconnect the evil washer (finally!) and were valiantly attempting to soak up gallons of water with the pathetic mop.
I left with clean dry clothes, and I guess that’s all I can ask for. But it certainly was not the usual time in the laundry.
CALDWELL, IDAHO
Just a one night stay at the perfectly manicured Ambassador RV Park. We’ve been there before also, and it proved to be an easy site to shelter in during the evening’s rain.
PENDLETON, OREGON
We have driven through Pendleton, but never explored it. With a 3 night stay we had a little time to check it out. Pendleton is famous for its Wool Mill, producing beautiful wool blankets with Native American motifs, and the Pendleton Round-Up – one of the best- known rodeos in North America. We weren’t there for Round-Up days and the Mill was closed for tours.
We found an even better place to check out – the Museum at Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. The main exhibits take you through 10,000 years of native culture. The Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes have a rich history in this area and are currently thriving with agricultural and casino enterprises.
The temporary exhibit was my favorite. Native women re-created their childhoods, their traumas, their dreams using mixed media inside antique metal doll houses. Each display takes you into the mind and heart of the creator and by using the iconic houses of our youth, they etched their histories in small, contained rooms that exposed their souls. It was eerie, real and touching. One house, done in mostly white designs, showed the devastation diabetes has had on tribal lives. The structures in the house were all done with sugar crystals – the stark and sharp evidence of this deadly disease. Other houses had many small beds representing the awful history of the Indian Training Schools where young Natives were sent to learn English and American ways but were indoctrinated in ways that were intended to destroy their culture. An eye-opening experience for us. It was the last day of that exhibit, and we are grateful to have had the luck to see it.,
Artwork outside Tamastslikt
We stayed the extra day here to avoid the rain, thunder and wind that had been forecast. This meant that we arrived a day late to our new job but our supervisor, Jeff, agreed that it was better to arrive safely.
HELLS GATE STATE PARK, LEWISTON, IDAHO
So, on Monday, May 16th we got to Hells Gate State Park. We met up with Jeff at the Discovery Center. He has given us carte blanche to develop our own interpretive programs. He gave us a broad outline of expectations and offered his support and the support of the staff and other volunteers. We have a few programs already done, but we have to re-design them a bit to work here. It’s a challenge that I think we are up to.
Swallow’s Nest Rock across the Snake River from Hells Gate State Park
After dinner our first night, we took advantage of the late-setting sun here and strolled along the Snake River path. It’s about a half mile walk from out site in the Volunteer Village to the Discovery Center and depending on what we do with our programming, that might be a nice commute. We will spend the next few days getting acquainted with this beautiful park and the people we will be spending our summer with.
We are a little nervous being on the road during this coronavirus pandemic. It is especially hard because we felt very safe while we were at Kartchner Caverns. It was just the two of us in our RV. The other volunteers and Rangers we were with were being as careful as we were. The only possible exposure was grocery shopping and even that was done with gloves and masks and as much social distancing we could make happen.
Our trek from Kartchner Caverns to McMinnville
GILA BEND
So we left with some trepidation. But it was comforting to see that our first stop in Gila Bend went well. When we arrived at Gila Bend KOA the gate was locked with lots of signs on it. Only self-contained RVs were welcome. To enter we called the posted phone number and the attendant was on his way. He came in his golf cart – masked – talked to us only through the driver’s side window. He was efficient with his information – and led us to an easy pull-through site. That was the last we saw of him. The restrooms were closed; no laundry; but the pool was open – just had to bring your own chairs. There was almost no one else there and it was too hot to walk around so we were happily isolated for the two-night stay.
NEEDLES
Needles KOA was pretty much the same. And we only stayed there one night. The heat was the highest we’ve ever seen it – 107 degrees at 7:35 am. It only got hotter. The weather forecast for Needles was 120. I guess it got that high but it’s probably a good idea not to actually see the thermometer when it gets up there. It just makes you feel hotter. Of course, it’s a dry heat – exactly like putting your head into an oven. This is not the first time we’ve stayed in Needles. Every time the lack of a breeze of any kind is memorable. Maybe it’s because we got so used to the constant wind in Arizona that the absolute stillness is just remarkable. The campground has huge cottonwoods and I looked up a few times and it’s eerie to see that not one of the thousands of leaves up there even wiggle a little.
SIERRA TRAILS
We just spent one uneventful night at Sierra Trails RV Park. We were starting to see less and less masks. But we just stayed on our site or in the RV. We wore masks and gloves to throw out the garbage. Yes, we are being careful.
COALINGA
Our next stop was a two night stay at Almond Tree Oasis in Coalinga, CA. We didn’t see much of Coalinga. Our campground is 0.3 miles from a truck plaza which really came in handy. We were running low on food and tired of the same old sandwiches and dinners every night. After we got set up, I walked over to the plaza because we didn’t want to unhitch our car. It was hot – searing hot – but actually cooler at 100 degrees than we had been living in. The plaza employees were all wearing masks and gloves and I was one of two customers in the whole building. I ordered dinner from Baja Fresh and foot-longs from Subway for lunch the next day (and the next day). The food was great and a nice treat. The following afternoon we both walked over for a lemon icee and a few snacky things.
Our air conditioners are holding up, but we are helping by keeping the shades drawn and tolerating higher than normal inside temperatures. We also are not really moving around much. It helps that the temps are going down – slowly, going down. There was a wildfire near us. Our car was covered with the evidence of ash.
Up to this point, the traveling situation was better than we thought. California was seeing a huge spike in virus numbers but we were in the Central Valley where we thought it was calmer.
LODI
Flag City RV in Lodi was our stop for the next two nights. Good site, better weather – even a little coolness. We unhitched and had breakfast takeout at Burger King where now Doug can get an Impossible “Sausage” Sandwich and I had a great bacon crescent. We did some food shopping and later went to Carl’s, Jr. where they now sell Beyond Beef so we both had burgers. It was nice not to do so much cooking. Lots of masks in sight.
Our confidence in our safety took a big hit when we watched the local news. The virus numbers were horrible in Lodi and in fact, federal medical personnel were flown in because the Lodi Medical Center was completely overwhelmed while we were there. We became even more vigilant!
REDDING
On Friday, July 17th we got into our site at Redding Premier RV Resort. Just a one night stay. It was a nice concrete pad but very narrow. It was right next to a huge waterpark where unmasked people were frolicking in the pools and on the waterslides. We stayed inside our RV to make sure we weren’t exposed to the people who think being that close together in a raging pandemic was a good idea.
The trip itself, mostly along Route I-5 has been mostly uneventful. We stop for gas, DEF, and at rest stops to eat lunch in our RV. The scenery is beautiful! We love going through the Rogue Valley. Someday we will find time to travel and sightsee around Lassen Volcano and Mt. Shasta. The golden grass covering the rolling hills and the huge evergreens is always a serene sight. And then, we saw a metal sculpture of a cow and a calf, followed a few miles later by a dragon. We get a big kick out of public art appearing unannounced in the middle of nowhere.
Mt Shasta in the distanceQuail Sculpture
CANYONVILLE
Two Feathers Casino and RV Resort in Canyonville, OR was our next two night stay. Although at registration we were offered all the perks of being next to a casino – players’ cards, discounts and a free shuttle that seemed to pass our RV every half hour – we almost never left the RV. Even sitting outside we wore a mask and tried to look unfriendly. The casino parking lot was filled; there was constant pedestrian traffic over to the resort pools; and lots of bike riding, dog walking and just people every where – NO MASKS! The signs say to wear a mask when you enter the buildings, but I guess social distancing doesn’t matter???!!
MCMINNVILLE
Last stop until October – Olde Stone Village in McMinnville. We’ve been here before. It’s one of the cleanest places we have ever stayed. There is beautiful landscaping all over and perfectly groomed grass between the concrete pads. Doug says the sites are large but it seems crowded here to me. Maybe I’m just not used to having so many neighbors! It is a very busy place – after check-out you might see a site or two open up but it is invariably filled by dinner time.
The landscapers are here about every other day – riding lawnmowers, followed by manual lawnmowers, followed by edging and then a huge street cleaner truck that doesn’t just wash the street once, but goes over it a second time. All the trees are nicely trimmed and it’s rare to see a stray leaf anywhere. The picnic tables are unique – they can either be in the form of a regular table with two benches or they can be split apart and form two park benches with backs. We know they have breed restrictions here so we don’t like that one of our favorite dogs is not welcome here. And I am sorely missing the clotheslines at Kartchner Caverns.
Our site at Olde Stone Village, McMinnville
We are planning to keep to ourselves in strict quarantine for 14 days. We want to be sure we are not bringing germs to our daughter’s family and we just don’t know if there was any exposure during our travels. Julie is having her third baby in September. It’s been a difficult pregnancy, complicated by being in isolation with Paisley who is 4 and Griffin who is 3 and Jake, her husband, who is the best husband and father, but whom, we are sure, just wants to do something fun.
We took our first full day to get all our errands done and stock up on food for 2 weeks. That’s it – we will be fine in our RV where we are totally self-contained. I am continuing to do our laundry by hand. It’s a bit of a challenge to dry it since I can’t hang clothes outside but if a do a little bit every day or so I can make this work. We have a tripod rack which I put down on top of plastic and towels in the bedroom and keep the ceiling fan on. It takes most of a day to dry the clothes but that works for us. The laundry facility here is actually top-notch. But I keep seeing folks returning to their RV with laundry baskets and they are not wearing masks. So for these two weeks, I’ll manage by hand and then I will have the use of Julie’s really big and efficient laundry machine. Of course, in order to use them for our laundry, I have to get her laundry done first.
We have plenty of food so we certainly are not going to starve. In fact, we try to go for walks because we are eating too well. Our interactions with fellow RVers here so far has been a few waves. This is not a good time to reach out and make friends.
So we are fine. Yes, fine. It’s Day 2 and Doug is bored.
Once upon a time there were Grandparents who were thrilled to have their one grandchild Sarah. For eleven years they thought it would be nice to have more grandchildren but having Sarah was so wonderful that they thought they were the luckiest grandparents in the world! Then after 11 years, along came Benjamin Oak – Benjo – a smiling incredible little boy with the cutest dimples! One year later Sawyer William arrived with his sweetness and charm. Paisley Jane was born about ten months later with her chubby cheeks and darling personality. Only five months after her our newest miracle came into the world – Matias Willow joined our family. Mati was born on Sunday, April 17 and he is a beautiful baby with long arms and legs, befitting his middle name of Willow. His adorable face has a perfect cleft chin and the hint of dimples too. Now these two Grandparents have five absolutely beautiful grandchildren that fill their lives with joy!
While we were waiting for Mati, we ventured out on some wonderful day trips. We went to Petaluma’s famous Butter and Egg Festival with Becky and Benjo, which had no butter and eggs for sale but was a huge street fair and parade. We all had a great time, but Benjo especially was so happy to visit the fire department, sit on a Harley, and watch his first parade. The next day Doug and I went to the same streets for the Antique Fair, which was also huge and really great. We love pretty Petaluma!
A few days later Doug and I drove the beautiful scenic road to Salt Point and then to the Armstrong Redwood Preserve. The day was perfect – sunny but cool. The stark difference between the rugged coast of Salt Point and the serenity of the giant redwood forest left us filled with awe at the wonder of our planet.
We had a few sleepover nights at Becky and Paola’s so we could spend as much time with them all. We’ll never have enough hours of playing with Benjo. His bilingual vocabulary is way ahead of most two year olds so you can never predict what funny and adorable thing he will say next. He has a very active imagination – driving his “trucks”, building with magnet tiles, cooking in his kitchen or with Paola, and telling us about all his adventures. Mati can’t do all that yet but he is so sweet and cuddly that just holding him was wonderful.
We already missed them as we drove about 100 miles up Highway 101, through rolling green hills and terraced vineyards to our next destination of Willits KOA. We’re just spending two nights at this campground. In a busier season or maybe over a weekend this place would be hopping, but there have only been a few other campers in this large campground. So today was spent quietly enjoying the warm weather here. Tomorrow we get back on 101 to head towards Eureka.
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.
We have settled in nicely at the KOA campground in Petaluma, California and are on call for the imminent arrival of grandchild #5. The campground has nice sites among the redwoods and has more of a campground feel than some of the RV parks we have stayed at that are oriented towards seniors. There are families staying here, campfires at night, cabins, and many activities for the whole family. We have been exploring the area but don’ t want to stray too far in case we get “the call”! More on the places we have been in the next post.
As a contrast to Carolyn’s last post about life from the passenger (aka co-pilot’s) seat, I’d like to describe what it is like to drive a 15 ton, 53 foot long (including towed car), 13 foot high, and 8.5 foot wide rig. I have to admit that while sitting in our motorhome, especially when it is fully opened, it is a somewhat daunting thought to imagine driving it down the highway or navigating tight turns. When walking around the exterior, I have similar thoughts – it is so tall and wide. These thoughts were foremost in my mind as I sat down in the driver’s seat for the first time. The driver who delivered it, who would later become our driving class instructor, had given me a few tips and words of encouragement before he drove off and then it was just the two of us. We were left to hook up our Honda CRV “dinghy” to the back of Meriwether (our motorhome) and drive to Las Vegas, our first destination, which was about an hour east.
Hooking up the dinghy turned out to be uneventful. Then it was into the driver’s seat. We were at a truck stop with a large parking lot that was almost empty so we decided to do some practice slow speed driving, turning, and and stopping before getting on the interstate. I had done a lot of reading on the subject so I knew a little about what to expect. One of the biggest differences from driving a car is the braking system. On a car, the brakes are applied via a hydraulic fluid (which does not compress), so braking is almost instantaneous with pedal pressure. On a diesel pusher chassis, however, the braking system uses air pressure to apply the brakes. Have you ever been next to a tractor trailer and heard the hiss of escaping air? That is the air being released from the braking system. Our coach makes the same noises. Anyway, how did the air brakes make a difference to me? Well, unlike fluid, air compresses under pressure which causes a slight delay in braking action when applying pressure to the braking pedal. It turns out this is about a 1/2 second delay. This doesn’t sound like much, but if you are not accustomed to that delay, it seems like a lot longer. My first instinct when nothing happened was to press the pedal even harder. Now we come to the second difference – the brakes are a lot stronger. So for those first few stops, we were grateful we had seat belts on! It turns out that I quickly got the feel of the brakes so it became a non-issue.
After driving around the lot for about 15 minutes, I decided there was only one way to do this and headed for the interstate. I instantly had sensory overload due to the many “inputs” available to me. First there was the road ahead of me. With no “hood” to look over, all I could see was road, a lot of road, through the huge windshield. Since I sit rather high (six steps up to the motorhome floor), I can see much further down the road as well. Then there are the (also huge) left and right mirrors – flat on the top and convex mirror on the bottom. On the dash, there is the camera system that can monitor the rear view (good for making sure that our dinghy Lewis is still with us) or the view down the left or right side of the motorhome. In addition to the usual gauges (engine temp, oil pressure, tachometer, speed, voltage, and fuel level), there are two air pressure gauges which are important to check since the brakes rely on proper air pressure.
Turns out that on the first trip I ignored everything except keeping the RV centered in the lane. Since our motorhome, like most, is 8.5 feet wide (minus mirrors) and the standard width of a traffic lane is 12 feet, that leaves about 42″ total or 21″ on either side of the coach when centered. The mirrors add another 10″ per side, so now we are down to 11″ available on either side of the coach. That is not much considering that our coach, like all high profile vehicles, are subject to side sway due to gusty winds or trucks passing. Most first time motorhome drivers, including me, drive too far to the right and end up having the tires running on the rumble strip to the right of the fog line. Without the visual cue of the hood in front of me, it became much harder to center. With a little bit of experience and utilizing a few tricks (like looking way ahead instead of directly in front of me), it has become a lot easier lining up the coach in the lane.
Now fast forward a couple of months after driving about 1000 miles in the coach. Many of the driving tasks that at first were stressful have now become more or less routine. In fact, on a calm day with not much traffic and a smooth road, the coach becomes a dream to drive – it is quiet and has a smooth ride. I can never let my guard down though. I always scan far up the road looking for brake lights or other dangerous situations. On the interstate, I drive at 55 to 60 mph both for safety (stopping distance) and fuel economy (we are getting over 10 mpg!). At this speed, I always allow 5 to 6 seconds of space in front of me to maintain adequate stopping distance. Of course, cars or trucks pass and pull back in the lane right in front of me, so I invariably need to coast to regain the spacing. In situations like this, I “cover” the brake pedal (my foot hovers over the brake pedal) so I may apply it immediately if required. Of course. monitoring the rear camera is also important to look for “tailgaters”. Turns out that many autos like to closely follow our rig. Drafting behind us for fuel economy? I’m not sure but I like to know if something is back there.
I also periodically scan my left mirror looking for traffic passing me, especially semi-trucks. If I know one is coming, I can be prepared when the invariable “bow wave” off the front of the truck hits the coach and moves it right. You may have experienced this effect in your car, but with a tall motorhome it is magnified by about 10x. This bow wave hits before I can see the truck through the driver’s window so it is important to use the mirror as an “early warning system”. It just requires a small steering correction but it is much easier to manage if I can anticipate it. Similarly, there is a “vacuum” behind the truck that moves the coach left. This movement is not nearly as bad, plus I always know it is coming since the truck by that time is ahead of me.
As I mentioned, Carolyn and I took a motorhome driving class a few weeks ago that included both classroom and over the road. We learned many valuable techniques and tips and Carolyn got to drive it!
The bottom line is that driving a large vehicle like this will probably never be a relaxing activity. It requires a lot of concentration and is a big responsibility. I remind myself all the time that I am driving our house and most of our belongings down the road. But it no longer stresses me out as much as I gain experience and know-how. I will never be able to enjoy the sights as we drive down the highway, however my co-pilot and chief navigator describes everything to me. Carolyn also controls the music selection and sometimes “sings” along. Since the coach’s entrance door is in front of her, by necessity her seat is mounted about 2 feet further back than mine so I can’t see her while driving. But that configuration allows a much better floor plan for the coach when open (like having her seat turn around and be part of the living space).
We plan on driving only a few days per month and enjoying ourselves when parked like we are now. And the good news is that a whole new adventure awaits at the end of every road we drive!
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, height, 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.
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
