Yosemite Park, Day 2, Friday, April 19, 2013

Today we returned to Yosemite National Park as there was more to see than the Sequoia trees that we saw on Wednesday.  Actually we traveled further into the park to Yosemite Valley, land of granite mountains and water falls.   At Bridalveil Fall we walked to a viewing area of the fall to find ourselves in a mist as heavy as a rainfall.  Being springtime with temperatures rising, the snow on the mountaintops is melting and the water is flowing.  Other falls, Horsehair and Yosemite were also pouring hundreds of gallons of water from the mountaintops each minute.  El Capitan, the best known and most massive granite cliff in this park, had rock climbers exercising their skills on the sheer walls.  We did stop at the Visitor's Center and after looking around at the displays in the center we watched a movie about the park.

After leaving the park we stopped for dinner at Todd's Barbeque- we couldn't resist eating a place with the name Todd in it.  And like our son, Todd, this Todd also did a good job cooking.

From 2013-04-19 Todd

 

King's Canyon National Park, Thursday, April 18, 2013

This morning we went south to the King's Canyon National Park which is adjacent to the Sequoia National Park.  It was quite a drive from Coarsegold to the National Park but we drove through areas of vineyards, orchards of fruit trees and nut trees and farms with cattle.  Driving to King's Canyon we had a real climb but once up the nearly 7000 feet we were seeing those huge sequoia trees.  We walked about General Grant's Grove admiring the trees.  The tree named General Grant is the largest tree in this area and is also called "America's Christmas Tree".  We were allowed to walk through a tree that had fallen many years go and could do so without any stooping. 

We stopped at the King's Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village and watched a film about the canyon.  Since it was lunchtime we went to the restaurant at the Village to satisfy our need for food.

After lunch we drove on the Canyon road to the point that the road was closed, about 13 miles.  We turned around and then on the way out we drove a side road to Hume Lake.  This mountain lake was man made for a milling company that was cutting down sequoia trees.  This milling did not last too many years before this area became a National Park and the trees were saved.  The lake has become a nice recreation area for vacationers.  There are also a couple camps (church camps) on the lake that today had people busy preparing for the summer campers.

As we were returning back to the campground we noticed the temperature change.  In General Grant's Grove the temperature was 46 degrees but once we were in the lower altitude the temperature was 78 degrees- quite a difference.

Yosemite National Park, Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Today we drove to Yosemite National Park.  It is still winter in that part of California- well, there was snow in the higher elevations.  The Mariposa Grove is a group of giant sequoias on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.  We walked a 2.1 mile trail through this peaceful grove.  The size of these trees is truly amazing.  The Giant Grizzly sequoia is 96 feet in circumference and 27.6 feet in diameter at the base.  Branches of this Giant Grizzly are 7 feet in diameter, larger than the trunks of most other non-sequoia trees.   Many trees had evidence of being in fires but they continue to survive. It was a very pretty day with bright blue skies and a few puffy white clouds but it was in the upper 40's in the Mariposa Grove and warmer at the campground (low 70's).  Last night the temperature dropped down into the 30's but tonight is to go to the low 40's and warmer weather is predicted for the coming days.

Park Sierra at Coarsegold, Ca., Tuesday, April 16, 2013

We left the Pacific coast this morning and traveled 154 miles east to Coarsegold, Ca.  Our travels took us through pastashio orchards, more vineyards and vegetable farms.  San Luis Reservoir was along our travel route for several miles.  Three hours of traveling and we arrived at the Park Sierra where we will be camped for 5 nights as we visit Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks.  Park Sierra is an Escapee Park.  The sites are roomy, full hook-ups and $16.00 a night plus electric (sure beats the $70.00/night we had in Marina in many ways).   The only negative is that we are not to use our wash machine because their septic systems are fragile but there is a laundry room, if needed.  The Jeep was in a need of a good washing so this afternoon Tom washed it at an area designated for that task here at the campground.  Tomorrow we will get out start visiting the National Parks in this area.

17-Mile Drive, Monday, April 15,2013

Our second day in the Monterey area started with going to Cannery Row.  At one time there were numerous sardine canneries along this seaside.  John Steinbeck wrote a novel about this area during the era of the Great Depression.  No longer canneries these buildings now have specialty shops located in them.  We went into a candy shop that had a huge variety of individually wrapped candies (taffies, mints, other hard candies) that you could go about selecting.  We selected a fairly small amount but when we were going to pay the tab was over $18.00.  Knocked our socks off- and we promptly said “no thanks”.  The price of the candy was not posted anywhere.

We then drove to the “17-Mile Drive” entrance gate and paid $9.75 to take this drive on Pebble Beach.  This drive is along the Pacific Coast which is quite rocky and picturesque and through Del Monte Forest that has pine and cypress trees.  There are also golf courses- Pebble Beach, The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and a par 3 Peter Hay Golf Links.> 

A huge rock in the Spanish Bay is called Bird Rock.  As the name implies birds congregate on this rock but there are also harbor seals and sea lions lounging on the rock.  Before seeing the seals, we could hear them “barking” so loud that we could hear them over the roar of the ocean.  A couple areas are closed off from viewing from April 1 to June 1 as this is the harbor seal pupping season.

We had lunch at the Spyglass Hill Grille.  The entrance fee ($9.75) is refunded at restaurants if the bill is more than $30.00.    The drive limits access to the residential areas although the residences we did pass looked like the houses in magazines- nice but not in our price range.

Leaving Monterey we drove north of Marina on Freeway-1.  This drive took us along vegetable growing areas.  We passed fields that were unfamiliar to us but looking closer we realized this was artichokes.

From 2013-04-15 Artichokes

From 2013-04-15 Artichokes

From 2013-04-15 Artichokes

  We then saw roadside markets selling artichokes 10 for $1.00 and even deep fried artichokes.

Today has been a cool day in the upper 50’s most of the day and windy with gusts 30-35mph.  We were glad to get back to the motorhome and out of the wind.  Tomorrow we will move away from the coast.

Monterey and Carmel, Sunday, April 14,2013

We departed  Morro Bay this morning and went 137 miles to Marina, Ca. just north of Monterey.  We had gotten close to this area yesterday on the Pacific Coast Highway (Ca.-1) but today we traveled a more accommodating route for the motorhome on Freeway 101.  We drove through agricultural areas of vineyards grape arbors and fields of vegetable as lettuces and broccoli or cauliflowers.  The surrounding mountains were not the green mountains along the coast but brown.  One area we went by there were many oil or gas wells in the valley and on the mountain ridge.
We were in Marina Dunes RV Park by 12:30pm.  Marina Dunes RV Park is the most expensive park we have been to thus far at $70.00/night and we only have 30-amp electric and it does not live up to the description or the ratings in the “Trailer Life Campground Directory”- such a disappointment.  The ironic thing about the electric is 2 sites beside us have 50-amp service but the sites are too small for most  motorhomes that use 50-amps.  Tom questioned their rates and was told that all sites cost the same.  Campgrounds are not abundant in this area so we did not have choices.  Two nights here and then we will move on.
We ate some lunch and then drove about the area of Monterey.  Being Sunday, the streets in Cannery Row were busy with people walking and shopping.  We stopped at the Visitor’s Center to get some local maps.  We then drove to Carmel-By-The-Sea .   Carmel is immediately south of Monterey, in fact, there isn’t much of a break between the 2 cities.  We returned to the Carmel Mission since we were unable to see much yesterday.  This church is now considered a Basilica and is somewhat different looking inside from the other Missions that we visited.  Rooms adjoining the church that were used in the early years (late 1700’s) are still set up in the fashion of those early years.  We learned today that this Mission was the 2nd of the 21 Missions established in California.
From the Mission we drove  the Scenic Drive through Carmel  that has the beautiful ocean on one side of the road and high end houses on the other side.  Finding a parking place, we then walked about the area admiring the houses and watching surfers trying to catch the perfect wave.  We returned to the motorhome by 5:30pm and called it a day for sight seeing.

Pacific Coast Highway and Elephant Seals, Saturday, April 13, 2013

Oh my, what a day.  We left the motorhome around 10am to drive the Pacific Coast Highway (Ca-1).  As the name implies we were driving right along the coastline much of the way.  This highway is not recommended for tractor-trailers or RV's from San Simeon to Big Sur, about 88 miles.

A little more than 4 miles north of the Hearst Castle was the Elephant Seal vista point.  What an amazing sight- female elephant seals were laying all over this beach area.  This is their molting season and they will lay on the beach for about a month until their top skin peels off.  During this time they do not eat or go in the water.  Juveniles which are seals that were born in December 2011 and have survived their first year (about 50% do not survive) also return to molt.  We watched several of these juveniles swim in and then slowly work their bodies up on the beach.  They move a couple of feet then stop and move and stop- this is done so that their lungs can expand to adapt to the gaseous air as oppose to being under water.  A lady associated with the "Friends of the Elephant Seals" was in the viewing area distributing information about the seals and talking with observers.

Tearing ourselves away from the seals we continued on up the road.  Not long after passing through San Simeon the road started going up and down hills with sharp turns.  No this road was not for motorhomes or semi's but we did see a few daring RVers anyway. There were many vista  points to stop and take pictures of this rugged but beautiful coastline.  In the Big Sur area the highway goes through a forested region away from views of the ocean but then it returns to the coast before getting to Carmel-By-The-Sea.  We did stop for lunch at Ventana Restaurant near Big Sur which was up a mountainous road to an overlook of the Ocean.  Even though it was a little cool we did dine outside as most everyone else was doing.  We drove a scenic route through Carmel that had the Ocean on one side and exquisite homes on the other.  And believe it or not there was another Mission, this one in Carmel.  We took a few pictures of the gardens and outside but services were going on so we didn't go into the church.

We returned to Moro Bay on the same route (we could have gone on Freeway 101).   There are some homes built on the tops of the mountains overlooking the Ocean and homes built on cliffs right by the Ocean.  And like all roads today there were construction being done.   We had to stop to see the seals again and then we stopped at a state fishing pier which we walked out on.  Finally, about 7:30pm we got back to the motorhome after first stopping at an Albertson's for a few groceries.  A full day!

Morro Bay and Hearst Castle, Friday, April 12, 2013

We left Oceano this morning moving north to Morro Bay.  A short trip of 33 miles and we were at Morro Dunes Campground in an easy 45 minutes.  The campground is along the Pacific coast and the Morro Rock is right in direct view from our motorhome.  The Morro Rock is a 576 foot rock in the Morro Bay.  There is a chain of extinct volcanoes known as "The Morros" of which this rock is the last in the chain.  This rock was visible as we approached the area but the top was covered with a heavy fog, then a little later the fog had covered the entire rock and then this evening it became clearly visible.

After getting settled into our campsite we took off for San Simeon, several miles further north, and the Hearst Castle.  We did stop at a Mexican restaurant along the way for lunch.  We got to the Hearst Castle Visitor's Center a little before 1pm and purchased tickets for a 2:20pm tour of the Grand Rooms.  There was lots to do during this wait period- a museum, several shops and some food shops.  At 2pm Tom heard an announcement that 8 more people could be taken on the 2pm tour so we were able to move our time up and get on this tour.  From the Visitor's Center we were loaded on buses and transported up a 5 mile winding road to the Hearst Castle.  Once at the Castle we were met by a tour guide.  Our tour included the Grand room, the dining room, a reprise(?) room, a billiards room and the movie theater- tour 5 rooms out of 165.   William Randolph Hearst was a collector of all types of art which is used throughout to decorate the castle.  After the inside tour we were free to walk about the outside  at our leisure.  The Neptune Pool is a large tile lined outside pool with sculptures around and in the pool.  The gardens were just beautiful.  We had to go through a building that housed the Roman pool before boarding the bus to return to the Visitor's Center.  This pool was also tile lined.  After returning to the Visitor's Center we saw a movie on a big screen about W.R. Hearst and this Castle.  There are 3 tours that can be taken but for first visits the Grand Rooms tour is recommended.  Our tour guide was knowledgeable and presented the information in an interesting way.  To me, the outside grounds and Neptune pool were the most appealing- the interior was so ornate that I thought it was gawdy.

On return back to the campground we traveled along the coast and saw several kite boarders sailing across the water and jumping waves.  Wet suits are needed to be in this cold Pacific Ocean.  The air coming in from the ocean is chilly.  After our return, we walked across the road from the campground to the dunes and out to the ocean to take some pictures of the Morro Rock.

Dunes, Avila Beach and San Luis Obispo, Thursday, April 11, 2013

This morning we met Alice's son, John, for a drive on the coast along the dunes.  There were RV's camped on the beach and most had ATV's of some description to be used for riding over the dunes.  Some commercial operations had ATV's for rent.  There were many birds along the shoreline and at one point it seemed there was a blanket of birds which were the snowy plovers. 

A little before noon Alice, Tom and I drove to Avila Beach for lunch at the Fat Cat Restaurant.  We sat outside enjoying our food and the beautiful Pacific Ocean views.  We stopped at a shopping area and did a little shopping.  Then we drove to San Luis Obispo and walked about the tree-lined streets.   Located across a small stream from the shopping area is the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, the 5th of the Franciscan missions in California.  Briefly we walked about this mission and took some pictures.

Returning back to Oceano and the Swope house we had dinner prepared while we were out by  John-  beef Tri-tips, a cut of beef well-known in this area, and a Portugese sausage, grilled and commonly served together, along with fresh asparagus and fruit salad.  Nice dinner but then it was time to say good-by as we are going to move on tomorrow.

Oceano and Alice Swope, Wednesday, April 10, 2013

This morning we made a quick run to Solvang to purchase some pastries to take with us today as we moved from Buellton to Oceano where my former nursing school roommate, Alice Swope, lives and we would be visiting today and we were going to take the pastries to her.  So a little past 10am we were packed up and moving 51 miles to the north.  We traveled through hilly country with miles of vineyards.  About an hour we arrived at Pismo Sands RV Park where we will be staying for the next 2 nights.  After eating lunch, we drove a short distance to Alice's house where she and her husband, John, live.  It was so good seeing my friend after several years.  Her husband, unfortunately, has been quite ill for several years and requires someone to be with him constantly.  Their son was able to come over today to be with his dad allowing Alice to take us for a drive about the area.  There are miles of beaches and communities with beach houses for rent.  It was a beautiful cloud free day but the air was a little cool coming from the west and the Pacific Ocean.  Returning back to the house, we sat catching up on our lives and then Alice prepared a supper of chicken tacos and fresh fruit salad before we returned to our motorhome for the night. 

Missions,Santa Barbara and Pea Soup- Tuesday, April 9, 2013

We were off visiting the area around Buellton where our motorhome is parked.  We started out driving through the town of Solvang eastward and on the east side is the Old Mission Santa Inez.  We made the stop and took the self guided tour through this old mission that is the 19th of 21 missions established by the Franciscan Fathers in 1804.These missions were established by Spain in order to protect this territory from Russia and England.  Capuchin Franciscans from Ireland were assigned to this mission in 1924 and continue today to serve the needs of the parish members and the community.

Turning south we continued our travels through the Santa Ynez Mountains overlooking the valley of the same name.  As we drove through the beautiful green mountains we stopped at overlooks to admire the valley below.  The Cachuma Lake and Dam clearly showed the lack of rain in this area with the low water marks on the perimeters.  Further along the road we were able to see, on the western side, the Pacific Ocean and city of Santa Barbara.

Finally, descending the mountains we were in Santa Barbara.  What a pretty city with the red tiled roofs of many buildings along with the stucco exteriors.  Stearns Wharf, the oldest working wooden pier on the West Coast, allows parking.  So we drove out on the pier and had lunch at the Moby Dick Restaurant.  Restaurants validate 90 minutes of parking fee.  We both had dinners of bacon wrapped shrimp- good.

Leaving the wharf we stopped at a Visitor's Center.  We had noticed trolley appearing tour buses and inquired about these tours and also about what should not be missed in this town.  Since the trolley only makes one 10 minute stop we passed over taking that tour and decided we could self tour.  So we were off.  The Old Mission Santa Barbara was a must see so we went on another self tour through this mission.   This mission founded in 1786 is the 10th of 21 Franciscan missions in California.

Our last stop in this city was at the Santa Barbara Courthouse.  This Spanish styled building was built in1929.  Ceiling are hand painted and walls are decorated with imported tiles.  An elevator goes up to the clock tower.  The workings of the clock can be viewed through a glass enclosure.  The walls in this clock room are covered in murals.  A floor above the clock room opens to outside viewing.

After returning to the motorhome and arranging our move for tomorrow, I phoned my former nursing school roommate, Alice Swope.  Alice moved to California shortly after graduation and we would be in her neck of the woods tomorrow.  As we talked about our travels and that we were in Buellton, Alice mentioned a restaurant, Pea Soup Andersen's.  Many years ago we (Todd,Thomas an exchange student and me) had been out in the San Diego area with Alice when we had stopped at another Pea Soup Andersen's in that area.  Since Tom had not been with us (he was attending a conference) he wanted to go to the restaurant and have some pea soup.  Split pea soup and salad was our supper this evening.
  

Buellton and Solvang, April 8, 2013, Monday

We made a move 111miles to the north.  We left Oak Park Campground in Simi Valley about 9:15am.  There was talk on the weather reports about strong winds today but nothing of any concern in Simi Valley.  As we traveled along the beautiful blue water of the Pacific Ocean the winds were becoming noticably stronger.  We arrived in Buellton about 11:30am  and were glad to be off the road.
After getting settled into our campsite at Flying Flags RV Resort we took off in the Jeep for the town of Solvang just a few miles to the east of Buellton.  This unique town was established by Danish educators in 1911.  The Danish influence is evident in the architecture, windmills, bakeries, museums and shops.  We ate at "The Belgian Cafe" with a lunch of Danish sausage sandwich for Tom and a grilled ham and cheese for me, both also included a fresh fruit cup.  We walked about the town going into some of the shops and stopping at the Visitor's Center.  Some of the better museums were closed today but we did get to the Hans Christain Andersen Museum- not worth the time.  The many bakeries were really tempting us so before leaving we did stop and purchased a "Buttering" a pastry ring that looks like sweet buns but is flavored with almond and has a custardly filling. 
Today was a much cooler day with temperatures in the low 60's and wind blowing at 35 mph with gusts to 50mph.  Hopefully the wind will calm as we plan to move again on Wednesday but we will stay put longer if the wind continues.  Driving the motorhome in strong winds can be quite challenging.

Reacquainting with the Past,Sunday, April 7, 2013

This county owned campground is so quiet and peaceful after being in Anaheim.  Even the occasional train passing by is a relief from the city sounds of traffic.  This morning we made a run to the grocery store to restock some food and laundry supplies.  Tom grilled steaks for lunch and watched the races on television.  A beautiful day that started out in the low 50’s and has gone to the low 80’s by afternoon before starting to cool down.

Tom through Facebook has gotten reacquainted with friends from his hometown of Deshler, Ohio.  Ken Tussing is one of these friends and the last Tom and Ken had seen one another was in basic training for the Navy in 1963.  Ken now lives in this area of California and through the FB connection asked Tom to give him a call if we got into this area.  So Tom did contact Ken and it was set in place that Ken and his wife, Doris, would pick us up to go out to dinner this evening.   We had a really nice evening with Ken and Doris going to a local diner, First Street Family Restaurant.  Of course, Tom and Ken talked about their old hometown and people from that town.  Doris and I enjoyed a few laughs listening and adding our comments.  The evening ended with hopes of keeping in touch.  Ken, a musician, has a tour scheduled that may involve some time in the east that we may be able to connect when we’re back home.  We thank Ken and Doris for adding to our travel memories.

Simi Valley and Reagan Museum, Saturday, April 6, 2013

This morning a little past 9am we departed the Harbor RV Park and traveled north on I-405 and then north of  Los Angeles connected with Freeway 118 west to Simi Valley.  Eighty-eight miles and less than 2 hours we were at Oak Park Campground, a Ventura County park where we plan to stay for 2 nights.  We were finally out of a city environment but then shortly after setting up we realized that we were real close to train tracks as a train went by.  That’s campgrounds! 

We drove into the town of Simi Valley to get lunch.   We had been seeing billboards advertising a new hamburger called “Hot Mess” at Jack-in-the-Box.  So when we saw a “Jack’s” we decided today we would try this sandwich.  The “Hot Mess” is a hamburger with onion rings, Jalapeno peppers and lots of a cheesy sauce on sourdough toast.  It was a mess and it had some heat.  We have satisfied our curiosity back to healthier eating.

Our next stop was at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in a beautiful location high on a hill overlooking the surrounding mountains, valleys and supposedly the Pacific Ocean (the smog was too heavy to see the Ocean and it was a clear day).  The museum follows the life of Reagan from college to actor to California governor and then 40th President of the U.S.A.  There are 25 galleries.  An exact replica of the Oval Office during his years of being President is on display.  Air Force One, a 707 aircraft, that was used by Reagan and 6 other Presidents is displayed  allowing visitor enter and walk the full length of the plane.  The outside grounds has a replica of the White House Rose Gardens, a  piece of the Berlin Wall and the Memorial site of the President.

Within the complex there is an exhibit, “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives”, presented by the Official Disney Fan Club (D23) .  This display of costumes, props and artwork will be at this Presidential Library through April 2013.

We thought the Library was very well done but expensive.  Entrance fee was $20.00 ( $18.00 for seniors).  A GuideCam, an audio tour guide, was $7.00 to rent- we rented these and wish that hadn’t as most everything on this guide could be heard on video clips or read on the displays.  And then going into Air Force One a picture was taken that could be purchased from $16.00 to $25.00- and no you were not allowed to take your own pictures going onto the plane.  We were also surprised at the number of visitors.  The large parking lot was filled and parking was available along the roadway with a shuttle to bring visitors to the museum.  There is a lot to see, we spent over 4 hours here.

Quiet Day, Friday, April 5, 2013

We spent a quiet day at the motorhome today.  After several days of being on the go and I had not been feeling 100% the past several days, it felt good to just kick back and rest up.    We did walk around the block where we came across a produce seller and bought some tomatoes.  Tonight we had another outstanding fireworks show at 9:30pm from the Disney parks.  These displays last about 15 or 20 minutes and have been different each night.  Tomorrow we will move north of Los Angeles to Simi Valley.

La Brea Tar Pits, Thursday, April 4, 2013

Well, today we drove into Los Angeles to the La Brea tar pits and Page Museum.  Yes, the traffic out here is as bad as everyone talks about it being and we were not in the rush hour traffic.  We did make it to the La Brea tar pits and even found a free parking place along a street.  These tar pits contain skeletal remains of thousands prehistoric animals- mastodons, giant sloths, ancient camels, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves (to name a few).  Animals would come to these areas looking for water and become trapped in the thick tar (asphalt, really) and then struggling to get free may have been attacked by other animals that also became trapped.  A tar depth of only 2 inches could trap a mastodon.  The asphalt was a perfect preserver of the bones.  A parking garage was to be built in a nearby location and when excavating the area more pits were uncovered.  To prevent the delaying of this construction 23 huge boxes or crates were filled of the excavated gooey earth and is now being combed through for bones by staff and volunteers (Project 23)- what a messy job.  A pit #91 is in a 5 year archeological dig hiatus  while project 23 is being done.

The Page Museum, a museum about the tar pits, is on the grounds of the tar pits.  There are many displays of many of the bones that have been recovered.  The number of bones recovered are in the millions.  There has only been the remains of one human found, a female.  There are 2 theaters that show films about the tar pits and about the digs taking place.  The grounds around the tar pits and the museum are nicely landscaped with some pretty flowering plants. We spent a couple hours in this area.

Before returning to Anaheim we drove up Hollywood Boulevard to the corner of Vine Street- the famous Hollywood and Vine.  The large Holly wood sign could be seen on the hillside but unfortunately we were not able to get a picture.  We were looking for some place to get lunch but again the parking was a problem so returned back to Anaheim to eat at Mimi’s Café.  Leaving the restaurant we drove a short distance to Disney Village which we walked about and purchasing a few things.

Disney had the fireworks tonight which we enjoyed from our motorhome.  A nice ending to the day.

A Disney Day, Wednesday, April 3 2013

We were off to see the mouse today- Mickey Mouse!  Being just a few blocks from the Disney Parks we walked from the campground.  We purchased a one-day park hopper ticket so we could go to both parks.  We first went to the Disney’s California Adventure Park and spent the majority of the day.  This park has some interesting rides and we were able to go on several.  The California Screamin’ is a roller coaster that starts out with a launching – a fast coaster ride with one loop.    Mickey’s Fun Wheel is a ferris wheel in which some cars slide on railings as the rides circles- Tom had said he would go on if we went in a non-sliding car but we got into the wrong line and did go on a slider which proved to be thrilling as the wheel turned.  Some of the attractions in this park were the same as attractions in Disney’s Florida parks.    Spring break for school kids had the parks crowded.  We did manage to get on some rides but usually after a wait of 30-60 minutes.

In the late afternoon we then went to the Disneyland Park.  Both parks are in close proximity to one another unlike Disney World in Florida.  Disneyland is similar to the Magic Kingdom park in Florida. The Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage are 2 attractions not in Florida.  We waited in line for about 20 minutes for the Bobsleds when that ride was temporarily closed down for 45 minutes or so we didn’t wait.  We were able to ride the submarines which surprising to us was a really a nice long ride.  We have always been disappointed that the submarine attraction in Florida was removed. 

About 7:30pm we had decided that we had enough of the walking, the waiting and the crowds that we left the parks walking back to the campground.  We stopped at a nice restaurant, Mimi’s Café, for dinner and were very pleased with our meals- 3 course meals for $13.99 each.  We had a cup of French onion soup, Tom had a Salmon entrée and I had a shrimp/scallop fettuccini dish and then we had a triple chocolate brownie sundae dessert- really nice meals.  For some reason the fireworks that were to go off at 9:30pm did not so we were really glad that we had not stayed at the park any longer in anticipation of seeing these closer than what we had been able to see from the campground last night.

Anaheim, Crystal Cathedral and Fireworks, Tuesday, April 2, 2013

A little past 9am this morning we were leaving Desert Hot Springs heading west.  We stopped at a Pilot’s before getting on I-10 to get fuel.  We had a fairly short drive to Anaheim, 102 miles.  Tom had made reservations last evening at Anaheim Harbor RV Park.  We knew we would going into a congested area and wanted to know that we would have a campsite when we got here.  By 11:30am we arrived at the campground and were soon into our assigned site.

After setting up and eating lunch we drove a couple of miles to the Crystal Cathedral.  Dr. Robert Schuller was the mastermind behind this beautiful glass structure and the non-denominational ministry that has been conducted here.  There are several buildings on the grounds.  The ministry started out at this location in 1955 which at that time was a drive-in movie theater and folks attended church services sitting in their cars.  As the ministry grew the buildings were added.  The ministry continued and the service became televised with “Hour of Power”.  The grandson of Dr. Schuller, Bobby Schuller, is the current minister.  Unfortunately,  financially this church has hit a roadblock and has had to declare bankruptcy.  This complex has been sold to the Catholic church and this church will be moving to the current location of the Catholic church that will be occupying these premises in the near future.  The Catholic church plans to refurbish the Crystal Cathedral which will take several years- 2016.  In the mean time, another building is presently being renovated to be used for services.

About 9:30pm we were serenaded by fireworks from Disneyland.  We are just a short distance away from the park.  Since we plan to be here for 4 nights I guess this will be a nightly occurrence.

Rim of the World, Monday, April 1, 2013

Oops, no blog written yesterday.  Well there was not much to write as we didn’t do much.  Just went into Desert Hot Springs for lunch at a Mexican restaurant since there wasn’t much else opened for Easter.  We just needed a day to catch our breathe.  It was also a very windy day and that wind continued throughout the night and through today.

We were scheduled to move today but decided to stay another night.  We had another area that we wanted to see and we hope the winds calm down by tomorrow.  So after paying for tonight at the campground office and stopping in Desert Hot Springs for me to get a haircut (the worst cut I’ve ever had) we took off in the Jeep for the San Bernardino area and drove the “Rim of the World Byway”.    This very winding 110-mile road goes through elevations from 2,940 to 8,443 feet.  The road passes through the resort town of Big Bear Lake and around the lake.  “Big Bear Snow” was a manmade snow covered hill for sliding down on tubes and a conveyor belt that returned the folks up to the top- kind of unique and it was busy today.  We had packed a picnic lunch, not knowing that there would be places to get lunch, that we ate at a picnic area in the San Bernardino National Forest.  This was a nice drive with beautiful scenery.  It was cooler today and in the higher elevations that we drove  the temperatures were in the 40’s- in Desert Hot Springs 70’s.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park- Saturday, March 30, 2013

Again today we struck out traveling south from the campground.  The area around Indio is known for growing dates.  We did stop at a roadside date store to purchase some dates to take home with us.  We continued south on the western side of the Salton sea that we had visited on Thursday on the eastern side of the lake.  Our destination today was Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. To get to the Visitor’s Center of the Park we had to pass through  Borrego Springs, a pretty town with lots of green grass and flowers.  This small town has several campgrounds that are used mainly in the winter months by snowbirds.  The Park surrounds this town.  In the Visitor’s Center we watched a short film about the park and then obtained some information about where to go within the 650,000 acres.  Many roads in the park can only be traveled with 4-wheel drive vehicles.  We drove a short distance up the Coyote Canyon Road looking for a picnic area that we did not find.  We then saw metal sculptures in an open area that we drove to, took some pictures and then ate our packed lunch in the Jeep.  Font Point was an area that was pointed out to us so we drove the 4 miles of a sandy, rough road to the Point.  This point overlooks the Badlands of California that is somewhat like the Badlands in the Dakotas.  Bighorn Sheep (borrego- the park’s namesake) that inhabit this area are endangered and unfortunately we did not see any today.

On the return to the campground in Desert Hot Springs we stopped at Sam’s Club to replenish our supplies.  After returning to the motorhome we decided to go out for dinner.  We had trouble finding some place that suited our taste but finally we returned to Palm Springs and the restaurant Maracas that we had eaten at before.  In addition to Mexican food, they have wonderful dinner salads which is what we ate this evening. 

"The Flower Fields" Friday, March 29, 2013

We drove to the Pacific Coast to the town of Carlsbad, Ca.  Our first stop was at the Visitor's Center and from there we were given directions to "The Flower Fields".  "The Flower Fields" are fields of rununculus flowers that are grown in order to sell the bulbs.  The flowers are in bloom during the months of March and April.  There are 13 colors of these flowers currently.  There are also other flowers in flower beds and gardens on the grounds but the main business is the growing of the rununculus flowers.  The slide show tells the story.

Short Move and Salton Sea, Thursday, March 28, 2013

This morning Tom called Caliente Springs Resort in Desert Hot Springs to check if we could get an RV site there for the next 4 nights.  We were in luck.  A little after 9:30am Tom squeezed out of the campsite at Happy Traveler RV Park in Palm Springs and I in the Jeep and we were on our way to Caliente Springs Resort.  It was a short move, 15 miles, and we were there in less then a half hour.  We were glad that we had made the move.  Compared to Happy Travelers, Caliente Springs has nice campsites that accommodate the motorhome and the Jeep- no need to park on the roadway, the slideouts are not up against the hedges that formed the boundaries between sites.  The best part is the cost as we pay for 2 nights what one night cost us at Happy Travelers since this is a Passport America Park and the discount is honored for all 4 nights.  And did I mention that this is indeed a resort with beautiful landscaping, a huge swimming pool/spa including a mineral springs spa and a full schedule of activities. 
After lunch we decided to drive to Salton Sea.  On the way, we came to Coachella Valley Reserve and stopped.  This was an interesting reserve that is an oasis on the San Andreas fault.  Tall Fan Palms are growing here.  Along the fault line water bubbles up.  A board walk allows visitors to walk along the fault line among the tall palms where it is noticeably cooler.  There are other trails through the reserve that we did not take as we wanted to move on toward Salton Sea.
Salton Sea is California's largest lake at 35 miles long, 15 miles wide and 227 feet below sea level.  It has no outlet so what flows in, including agricultural runoff, stays in the lake.  The lake is a state recreation area with campgrounds situated around it and almost limitless fishing.  Tilapia fish are the most abundant according to information we were told at the Visitor's Center.  Migrating birds are in this area during the winter months drawn here by the food source, the fish.  Over the years the salinity of the lake has increased which has affected the types of fish that can survive here and will eventually affect the birds.  The state is attempting a restoration program for the lake.

Palm Springs, Ca. and Aerial Tramway, Wednesday, March 27, 2013

We moved camp this morning to Palm Springs 57 miles to the west.  As we traveled on SR62 we were driving through mountainous terrain and descended several long hills that went straight down, no curves.  As we got close to to connecting with I-10 there was a huge windmill farm.  There had to be hundreds of windmills of different sizes and different blade configuration.  We have seen other windmill farms but this is by far the largest.  A short hop on I-10 and then off into the city of Palm Springs and to the Happy Traveler RV Park.  The RV park is an old park, well-maintained but small, small spaces.  Our motorhome is in the site but our Jeep is parked in front of the motorhome in a roadway through the park- like other towed vehicles.  At $48.00 for the night we are only staying here tonight.

Palm Springs is a very clean city with beautiful flowers blooming throughout.  We went to the downtown area and had lunch at Maraca’s, a Mexican restaurant.  We ate in their outside dining area, something that most restaurants in this town have.  The sidewalks have pavements with blocks of various celebrities that apparently have been affiliated in some aspect with this city.  A statue of Sonny Bono, the mayor at one time, is located here.  A huge statue of Marilyn Monroe is in another plaza area.   Before leaving the downtown, we went into a See’s candy store for our dessert of a couple pieces of this decadent candy.

Leaving the downtown, we drove to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.  In 10 minutes we were transported by the tram from the Valley Station (2,643 feet) to the Mountain Station (8,516feet).  The temperature varies about 40 degrees between the 2 stations.  It was 50 degrees on top.  The tram can carry up to 80 people and while underway  the floor of the tram rotates allowing passengers to continuously have different views.  At the Mountain Station we watched a short movie about the tram and then walked about outside to the viewing areas.  A paved walkway  from the Mountain Station descends to the Mt. San Jacinto State Park.  Tom and I walked down the walkway but didn’t continue on any of the trails- the walkway with the switchbacks was challenging enough for us.  We had been assigned specific tram times going up but going back down we just got in a line and waited our turn.  A fun day.

A Second Day in Joshua Tree National Park- Tuesday, March 26, 2013

We returned to Joshua Tree National Park today.  We wanted to travel the Geology Tour Road that was said to have the "most fascinating landscape in Joshua Tree National Park".  It was an 18 mile tour with 16 stops that corresponded to a paper that we had gotten at the Visitor's Center yesterday.  The road was composed of soft sand and some steep grades.  4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended.  We were in the Jeep but didn't need to resort to using 4-wheel drive at any point but a higher clearence vehicle is a definite need.  Again we saw piles of rocks but then we crossed a valley, Pleasant Valley,  which was still desert environment but different than the other areas of the Park.  The tour took about 2 hours as we stopped at several places.  Squaw Tank is a concrete dam built in a wash.  Dams were built by cattleman to catch the run off water for their cattle in the early 1900's.
After the Geology Tour we drove to Keys View, the highest point in the Park accessible by car.  It was noticably cooler there but the views were wonderful.  We ate our packed lunch at Quail Springs picnic area and were entertained by the ground squirrels and families with small kids crawling over the rocks.
 Moving on, we stopped at a pull out and walked a trail to the Ryan ranch. The Ryan's were a ranching family that had lived here years ago raising cattle.  Apparently, there was a strong well that was able to supply water for the livestock at that time.  Today there are just remnants of adobe buildings on the property.  As we were walking the trail to this ranch we were watching rock climbers climbing some distance away.  Rock climbing is the sport in this park.
About 3pm we returned back to the campground with a feeling that we had gotten around the Joshua Tree National Park well and tomorrow we would move on.

Joshua Tree National Park, Monday, March 25, 2013

Today we spent the day in Joshua Tree National Park.  Our first stop was at the Oasis Visitor's Center of the Park, about 2 miles from the campground, where we picked up some information about the park.  This park named for the unique trees that grows here also has some interesting rock formations.  There are what appears to be piles and piles of rocks as well as monolithic formations.  Our first stop was at a formation called skull rock that had the appearence of a huge skull and is amongst "Jumbo Rocks". 
Moving on we stopped at a parking area for Barker Dam.  From this parking lot there were 2 areas to hike to, Wall Street Mill and Barker Dam.  We first hiked the 2.2 mile trail to Wall Street Mill, an old stamp mill used for procuring gold and silver up until 1966.  Then we hiked the 1.1 mile trail to Barker Dam, a dam that was built to contain water for horses and cattle that were corraled in this area.  
At this point we were ready for lunch but so was everyone else.  The picnic areas were filled with no available parking.  We found a parking area for a trailhead that had parking available for us to sit in the car and eat our lunch. In this area there were some big monlithic rocks that numerous people were rock climbing.
Our last hike was a mile hike into Hidden Valley, an area with some varied vegetation in the center of a ring of huge rock piles.  We saw a snake slithering across the desert, got a picture of him but didn't try to figure out what kind of snake he was. The Joshua trees are in bloom at this time.  Birds seem to enjoy sitting on the blooms and picking at the florets.  The weather has been just about perfect, bright sunshine but temperatures in the low 80's and a cool breeze gently blowing nuch of the time.  It does get cold at night- this morning it was 47 degrees.

California- March 24, 2013, Palm Sunday

We left Quartzsite this morning a little past 8:30am and traveled 152 miles to Twentynine Palms in California.  We started out on I-10

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going west after 20 miles we crossed the Colorado River and we were now in California.

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  Traveling another 44 miles on I-10 we came to SR177 which took us north to SR62 west that was a direct route to Twentynine Palms.  Much of the route on the state routes skirted the Joshua Tree National Park, that we want to visit.  We are staying at Twentynine Palms RV Resort that is 2 miles from Joshua Tree N.P.  After lunch and watching the NASCAR race (I read and napped) we drove into the N. Park.  We had not seen any Joshua trees coming into this area this morning and had to go several miles into the park before we started seeing some.  This area is in the Mojave Desert.  The houses here range from just shacks to some nice homes but what is interesting to us is that all the houses have dirt yards- no vegetation, no decorative stones, just the dirt.  Tomorrow we plan to see more of Joshua Tree National Park.  The weather has been pleasant with temperatures in the 70's but will drop probably into the 40's tonight.

A Quiet Day in Quartzsite- March 23, 2013- Saturday

This morning we thought we would eat breakfast at the campground breakfast but when we went to the rec hall we were told that they were not doing breakfast today.  So we hopped into the Jeep and went to a local restaurant for breakfast.  We both had omelets which were very good.  We returned to the motorhome and spent time looking at maps and guide books planning our travels.
After lunch and a little rest we drove around this community.  Tom wanted to go to the Hi Jolly gravesite.  "Hi Jolly" was a Syrian that lived in this area and worked with camels that had been brought here in the 1800's to be used by the army.

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  We then just drove around the area and did stop at a couple of stores.  Returning to the motorhome we walked about the campground before having dinner.  

Quartzsite, Arizona- March 22, 2013- Friday

We got an earlier start today (don’t know why, just happened) and by 8:20am we were leaving Justin’s Diamond J RV Park going west on I-10.  After the past 2 days being overcast with clouds, today was a bright and sunny.  Driving along about 11:30am we heard a horn beeping.  Tom immediately thought someone was trying to get his attention that something was wrong.  About that time the beeping car, a green Prius, passed us and folks were waving.  It was Patty and Braxton that we had visited with yesterday.

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  We knew that they were going to California to visit a son and his family but didn’t dream that we would see each other on the highway.  Of course, they were soon well on their way ahead of us.  We had thought about going to Blythe, Ca. tonight but when I called to be sure they had room they said they were full.  We had stopped in Quartzsite to refuel before going into California and decided we would just stay in this area.  So we checked into the Holiday Palms RV Park, a very nice campground.  Once before we had stayed in this area but we were camping with a group out in the dessert during the very active January time.  At this time of the year it is much less hectic  here.  The drive from Tucson was 258 miles. 
We have not done much planning for this trip as far as exactly where we will be going in California and how long we will be staying at various places.  We thought that we would stay here in Quartzsite for 2 nights to for us to do a some planning. 
Late in the afternoon Tom decided to install the new kitchen faucet.  So like every project (so it seems) after getting the old torn out, he realized that he needed to go to a hardware store for something to complete the job.  This time he needed water line extenders.  So we went to the local hardware store and sure enough they didn't have what was needed.  So off to Blythe, Ca., 22 miles away,  when we located the Ace hardware store it was 6:02pm and they were closed.  A young man was pushing carts back to the store so we asked him if anyway for us to purchase something from the store.  He first said that they were closed but with more persuasion he said he would ask his supervisor and by luck Tom got the necessary parts.  Returning to the motorhome the job was completed and a late dinner was eaten- and no more leaking faucet. 

Visiting in Tucson- Thursday, March 21, 2013

This morning after breakfast we drove out in the Jeep in search of Camping World.  According to the pamphlet from the RV Park, Camping World was in a new location but after going to the “new location” and not finding a Camping World we check further and found that it is in the same location next to Lazy Days.  Returning the wiper blades that did not fit our motorhome the clerk told us that Camping World would be moving to the location that we had gone to in the future.  We then went to a Lowe’s to get a replacement for the kitchen sink faucet since the present one is has a big leakage problem.

Returning back to the motorhome, I attended to some laundry and then we were off  to visit with my cousin Patty and her husband, Braxton.  Rather than traveling the main roads to their house we drove across Gates Pass road that goes across the mountain, a very scenic and less hectic drive.

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  We had planned to go out to lunch but when we got to their house they had prepared a nice picnic lunch to eat on their patio area by their pool.  The weather was just perfect for sitting outside enjoying good food and good conversation.  It was a most enjoyable afternoon.  We return back towards the campground making a stop at a CVS store and then on the Gates Pass road we stopped to take a few pictures at an overlook.

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  Closer to the campground we stopped at Tiny’s , a local restaurant, to get a bite to eat for supper. 

Tomorrow we plan to move on.  Thus far,  there have not been any wind that we feel could be a problem. 

Tucson to Visit and Rest- Wednesday, March 20, 2013

At 9am (Mountain time) we left Las Cruces, New Mexico stopping at a nearby Pilot truck stop for fuel before getting on I-10 heading west.  We were seeing the familiar southwest views of cacti and other desert plants and treeless mountains that change colors as the sunlight changes.  We stopped at a rest area as we entered Arizona and had lunch.  Continuing our travels through Arizona we were reminded of our previous stays in this area and there was a certain homey feeling.  We had planned to stay at the Lazy Days campground in Tucson and for some reason we thought maybe we had better call to see if there would be a site for us.  Tom made the call and was told that they were full until the 24th of March.  So we started looking at other campgrounds and decided to check with Justin’s Diamond J RV Park, a place we had stayed once before, and they had vacancies.  About 2:15pm (Arizona Time) we arrived at the campground, after 286 miles, and we were soon parked and set up.  We planned to stay 2 nights.  We wanted to visit with my cousin and her husband, Patty and Braxton, if we could arrange a time to get together- they are busy being retired also.  We needed to get some groceries,  wanted to go to Camping World to return the wiper blades that we purchased several days ago and did not fit, and the kitchen faucet sprayer needs to be replaced as it is leaking badly.  And we were hearing the predictions for very windy conditions for the next 2 or 3 days and did not want to be traveling in 50mph plus winds.   We are both feeling weary from the rapid time changes – yesterday morning we were in Central time and tonight in Arizona, because they are in Mountain time but do not change to daylight saving time, we have gained 2 more hours essentially we are in Pacific Time.  I did call Patty and Braxton and we have arrange to get together tomorrow.

Good-Bye Texas, Hello New Mexico- Tuesday March 19, 2013

This morning before 9am (Central Time) we pulled out of Midessa Oil Patch RV Park in Odessa, Texas. After reading a blog a couple days ago by Nick Russell about an alternate route of travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico we decided to give it a try. I-10 swings south and then goes right up through El Paso, Texas into New Mexico. The route we took skirted along the northern border of Texas going along the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and then catching up with I-10 north of El Paso for the last 40 miles. Today like yesterday started with travels through the oil drilling areas of Texas until we started climbing the hills leading into the Guadalupe Mountains. The time changed from Central time to Mountain time so we gained another hour. We stopped at the Visitor's Center for the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and watched a short slide show about the mountains. Leaving the mountains we passed through salt flats. Salt Flat Cafe had been pointed out to us at the Visitor's Center as a place we could get lunch. After nearly passing the cafe we did stop and had a lunch of burgers that were very good. The last leg of the route getting us to I-10 north of El Paso had detours that caused some anxiety in both of us until, by luck, we caught up with the route we needed and knew we were on the right track. At 3:25pm (Mountain Time) we pulled into the Coachlight RV park for the night after 332 miles.. 

  The weather continues to be very pleasant with temperatures in the 70's during the day and dropping down in the 50/60's at night.

Texas Oil Fields- Monday, March 18, 2013

We were on the move this morning at 8:40am heading west on I-20.  We did stop for fuel at a Love's soon after starting.  We traveled through the hill country of Texas and then we were in the oil fields area.

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  We stopped at a rest area near Sweetwater for our lunch.

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  There were a large group of windmills in this area.

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  As we got closer to Midland the oil business seemed to be booming.

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  Oil drilling equipment was being relocated and the refineries appeared to be in full swing.  We had planned to stay in Odessa tonight but had heard that the campgrounds were filled with workers from the oil fields so we weren't sure if we could find a site in a campground or would need to go to a fair ground in the area.  We stopped at Midessa Oil Patch RV Park and were able to get a site for the night although there are many workers in this campground.  Our travels today were a little shorter than the previous days at 298 miles and we were off the road before 3pm.  Tomorrow we hope to be through this state of Texas. 

Sunday, March 17, 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Going West on I-30

This morning at 8:35am we left the Downtown Riverside Park, in North Little Rock, getting on I-30 and traveling through Arkansas and then into Texas.  We were in need of a few things from Walmart so when we spotted one in Arkadelphia, Ar. we decided to stop.  When we got to the parking lot we found entryways with 12 feet6inches height barriers.  We may have been able to get in but we didn’t want to chance it.  Luckily there was a parking lot across the road that we were able to park but we didn’t get any cases of water that would have been gotten if we had been parked closer to the store.  Tom did find wiper blades for the motorhome.  The blades that Tom had bought at Camping World on Friday did not fit and will need to be returned to Camping World at some point.  There are only 2 rest areas on I-30 in Texas, the first just as we entered the state and the second one at mile post 143 that was filled to the brim with vehicles.  In this case, we stopped for lunch in Sulfur Springs and found Juan Padre Restaurant with a large gravel parking lot across the street for parking the motorhome.  Traveling through southwestern Arkansas and the northeastern Texas areas we were seeing redbud and Bradford pear trees in bloom and other trees with leaves developing.  The weather has been really nice with temperatures in the 70’s.  We have hung up our heavier coats and gone from long sleeved to short sleeved shirts.  We traveled 377 miles today a little farther than we like but we also wanted to be west of Dallas/Fort Worth so we didn’t have to face that first thing in the morning, a Monday morning.  We are stopped for the night just a few miles west of Fort Worth as I-30 runs into I-20 at Cowtown RV Park-a Passport America Park that does not honor the discount since the occupancy rate is high at this time.  Tomorrow we will continue our travels through Texas on I-20.    And that is how we spent St. Patrick’s Day- driving west from Arkansas into Texas and eating Mexican food for lunch!!

Saturday, March 16, 2013 West of the Mississippi

We got underway this morning at 8:40am.  Our travels today continued west on I-40 through Nashville, Memphis and then to North Little Rock, Arkansas, 375 miles.  Crossing the Tennessee River west of Nashville we noticed there were quite a few fishermen out on the river.  About 11:30am we were sitting on the highway as traffic had stopped due to an accident.  The talk on the CB radio indicted that it would be a while before the clean-up would be completed so I make sandwiches and we ate lunch as  we waited.  We were moving shortly after eating.  We did make a fuel stop at a Pilot Truck Plaza. 

At a little past 4pm we pulled into Downtown  Riverside RV Park in North Little Rock.  This small, 56 sites, park is city owned and is on the north bank of the Arkansas River.  The park honors Passport America discount which we have so we only needed to pay $11.56 for a full hook-up site with 50 amp electric.  Next to the RV park is an old railroad bridge that is now owned by the city and has been converted to a pedestrian walkway across the river, The Clinton Presidential Bridge.  Immediately, on the other side of the bridge is the Clinton Presidential Library and adjacent to the library is the William “Bill” Clark Presidential wetlands with a boardwalk around the wetlands.  After supper this evening we walked across the bridge, took some pictures of the Library which was closed for the evening and then walked around the wetland park.  There were a couple ducks in the water and numerous turtle heads poking out of the water.  This RV park was a good stop.

A New Motorhome Adventure- March 15, 2013

Yesterday, Thursday, March 14, 2013 we left home again for a new motorhome adventure that will have us making a big circle tour.  It was a cold morning with temperature at 31 degrees and a strong wind.  Finally at 10 am we were finally ready to hit the road.  Traveling southwest we came to I-81 in Virginia and proceeded south on that route through miles of Virginia.  Driving was challenging for Tom with the wind until we were south of Harrisonburg.  It was cold all day even though there was bright sunshine.  After 311 miles we stopped for the night at Fort Chiswell RV Park in Max Meadows, Virginia a little past 4pm.

This morning we got an earlier start at 8:20am.  It was still quite cold but not as windy with reported temperatures to be in the upper 20’s.  We stopped for fuel a couple miles from the campground at Flying J’s.  We continued on I-81 through the 80 remaining miles of Virginia and then into Tennessee.  East of Knoxville I-81 ended and we were then on I-40 headed west.  Tom was concerned about replacing the wiper blades on the motorhome.  When we saw a Camping World near the highway in the Knoxville area we made a stop.  Since it was around noon we decided that we would this would be a good lunch stop.  So as Tom shopped for wiper blades I threw together salads for our lunch and we had lunch.  About 30 miles east of Nashville we stopped at Countryside Resort near Lebanon for the night at 2:35pm central time.  Not only were we in a different time zone but we found ourselves in a much nicer weather zone.  It was 75 degrees with clouds.  What a difference 356 miles makes!  Our windows are open and we are in our shirt sleeves as we walk about the campground at 6:30pm.

New Laptop and Windows 8

This week we took the big plunge and purchased a new HP Pavilion g7 laptop computer.  It came with Windows 8 installed.  The laptop does not have a touchscreen.  That’s ok because it will cut down on smears on the screen.

Windows 8 uses “live tiles” on the start screen very much like the tablet computers use.  We have Nexus 7 tablets so we feel comfortable with the tiles.  Now don’t get me wrong, there is still much to learn about using Windows 8, but after working with it for several hours, I think I like it.

When we are not traveling, I give computer instruction through the local senior center.  A number of seniors have contacted me and have windows 8 and feel a bit lost.  Having and learning more about windows 8 will help me to show them how to use their computers.

Right now I am using the new windows 8 computer to write this blog entry on windows live writer.