One year Anniversary Reflections

Third Month On The Road (October 2012)

 

We liked our site at Chinook RV Park so much that we stayed from September 29th to October 7th. 

After living in a parking lot for a few days at Guaranty RV and for a week prior to the RV Dreams Rally at the RV Corral, where our wakeup call each morning was someone being paged over the PA system and the nightly ritual of being awoken by passing freight trains, it was a pleasant change to hear nothing.  Well not exactly nothing-we did hear the birds as they skimmed across the water as they came in for a landing and the occasional motor of a boat passing by.

Beginning of October--BRRR

 

 Trees of Mystery. After paying our admission fee of $22.00 (senior rate) we walked the 8/10ths of a mile along what was called The Kingdom of Trees.

Sky trail, a 9 minute ride in an enclosed gondola through the redwood forest canopy. 

There is a choice to descend of returning on the gondola or taking the Wilderness Trail.  There were signs warning that the trail should only be attempted by experienced hikers.  Did we heed the sign?  No of course not.  There were walking sticks available to aid in the descent.  I think I realized I had made a mistake around the half way mark but it was too late.

Trail of Tall Tales which is devoted to the folklore of Paul Bunyan and his unique adventures depicted in giant redwood carvings done with a chainsaw.



Battery Point Lighthouse is accessible only during low tide.

 

Monte made some new feathered friends when he walked down to the dock and fed the pigeons and pelicans some bread.

We took our inflatable kayak, which we purchased months before we left Florida and had never used, and paddled for about three miles until we reached where the Klamath River meets the Ocean.

We went ashore, had a picnic lunch and then walked to the other side of the beach to watch the wave’s crash ashore.

Trinidad.  What a little gem!

Eureka

Elk Meadow-Monte grabbed his camera and took the other side of the path that loops around so that he came up on the elk behind him.  I watched as the elk sensed Monte behind him and turned around.  Monte crouched down and the elk walked within a couple of feet of Monte.  I was holding my breath during this encounter.  Eventually, the bull elk moved further down the trail and Monte was able to get up and quickly walk away. 

The magnificent Redwoods in the Lady Bird Johnson Grove.

Trillium Falls

One of the guys from the camp across the river who had rowed over in his boat, approached us to ask if we wanted to purchase a salmon.  He had caught three and had them on ice in a cooler.  Monte responded that he would love a fish but since we are in the process of preparing to leave he wouldn’t have time to filet it and we certainly didn’t have enough room in the fridge for a whole fish.  David, who is Native American and whose native name is Running Wolf, said no problem and that he would not only filet the fish but cut it into portions.  So we ended up with 12 pounds of salmon for $20.  It was worth being delayed.

 

Sycamore Grove Campground, Mendocino NF, Red Bluff, CA October 8th-15th

 

 Sacramento River Discovery Center

Bobbie, who works at the center, walked us over to a tank that was home to a king snake.  Also inside was a small white mouse she had tried feeding the snake.  But the snake was not interested and not wanting to “waste” the mouse, Bobbie asked Monte if he would be willing to get the mouse out so she could give it to another king snake at the center.  She explained that she had tried getting the mouse out herself but it was elusive and being vertically challenged (her words) she was too short to reach all the way in the tank.  After a few attempts Monte got the mouse or I should say the mouse got Monte as it bit his finger and would not let go. 

Monte decided this would be a good day to do some partial installation of his air horn.  It turned out to be a lot more difficult than he originally thought it was going to be because he didn’t have a particular tool he needed to take off the seat belt bolts.  So he had to leave the seat belts attached and was only able to bring the headliner down to the top of the seat belt molding which meant he had a small area to work in. 

 

 After drilling holes in the desired location on the roof, Monte installed the horns and then routed the airline through the frame and down the dash.

 

Bumpass Hell is a 3 mile roundtrip hike over rocky terrain with grand vistas.  The trail was named after K R Bumpass, a guide and explorer.  The Hell part of the trail name came after Bumpass lost his leg in 1864 after stepping into a boiling mud pool  and quoted Virgil that the, “descent to Hell was easy.”

The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge for bicycles and pedestrians that spans the Sacramento River and forms a large sundial.

 

McNear’s Saloon and Mystic Theatre, Petaluma

San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge

 

Lombard Street-the famous “crookedest” street in America that is one of the most photographed places in San Francisco.

Chinatown 

Riding the Cable Car 

 

 

Hyde Street Pier

Kings Canyon National Park into Sequoia National Park    People have been coming to visit Sequoia, America’s second oldest National Park, since the late 1800’s.

 

 

Tunnel Log, a sequoia that fell back in the 1930’s and was tunneled through.  It is the only tree you can drive through.

Moro Rock is a granite dome with a steep ¼ mile staircase, with a 300-foot elevation gain, to the top that provides a spectacular view of the Great Western Divide.  As we were climbing the 350 steps to the top (wearing my sandals) we passed several people on their way down who, upon seeing me having difficulty breathing, tried cheering me on by assuring me that the exertion would be worth the effort and that I was almost there.

 

I Did it!

Apple Festival, Springville, CA 

Red Rock Canyon State Park 

 

Reflection Lake RV Resort, San Jacinto, CA

We were hoping that we were going to like Reflection Lake because the rate was reasonable and it would have been nice to stay for at least a week.  BUT between the flies (from the nearby chicken farm), limited TV reception (we were only able to receive Spanish stations, no wifi and duck poop all over the place, it did not have the WOW factor.

 

 

 

Temecula

 

Lake Elsinore

Santa Monica 

The Santa Monica Pier, a 100-year-old landmark having celebrated its anniversary in 2009, has had several piers over the years.  The current pier is actually two adjoining piers.  It has an amusement park complete with a carousel, roller coaster and Ferris wheel. 

The Santa Monica store is the location of the original shop in the franchise first opened in 1946.  They essentially offer corn dogs and fresh lemonade.  Monte misread the menu board and ordered an American, thinking he was going to get a traditional hot dog.  But when we bit into the “hot dog” we discovered there was no frankfurter.  The “American” referred to the type of cheese used.  We were glad that we had only ordered one to share because at $4.00 we thought it tasted just okay. 

Venice Beach 

Rodeo Drive 

Mulholland Drive

 Mission Grill

 

 

San Juan Capistrano is famous for its cliff swallows as well as the mission founded there in 1776

 

 

Julian, CA 

Stagecoach Trails Resort- The park has 286 full hook-up sites and there were perhaps only 10 other RV’s staying at the resort.  It took a little more time to set up than it normally does because the site was uneven.  After we were all set up I noticed the ANTS!!

They were everywhere.  Monte sprayed all the areas on the rig that comes into contact with the ground.  That seemed to do the trick because it kept them out of the rig. 

 

October had been a very exciting month.  We rode cable cars, attended a festival and hiked in two different National Parks.  I had forgotten how much we did in one month.