In April, I traveled to AM Solar in Oregon to install Solar Panels and lithium batteries. AM Solar has a great reputation, so I didn't mind driving 500 miles to have it done right. Besides, I had lots of family in the area to visit! Designing the System The process started months before, discussing my... Continue Reading →
Palm Springs (157)
We moved to the Palm Springs area for the last leg of our trip. We spent a week in Indio with some family and friends. Here we are at the Shields Date Gardens where we had a delicious lunch, and a stroll through the gardens. Of course we went back a couple times for a... Continue Reading →
Mesa AZ (156)
After enjoying the central California coast, we went inland to Mesa AZ. We enjoyed Spring Baseball, hiking Superstition Mountain, and lots of family time. Arizona is home to the Cactus League in the Spring. 15 Major League Baseball teams converge here in March to get ready for the season. Spring Baseball We took in an... Continue Reading →
California Beaches – Avila and Ventura – (153-154)
In March, we drove South for an 11 night RV trip to the ocean. We stayed in two locations, each with a very different camping experience, from posh to primitive. We also visited a few new places, including Sensorio (Field of Lights) in Paso Robles, the Santa Barbara Courthouse, Highway 1 to Mailbu, Point Dume,... Continue Reading →
To Monterey for Bay Star Shakedown Cruise (150)
We wanted to go somewhere close by for our first trip in the Bay Star, so we chose one of our favorites, the beautiful Monterey Bay! Monterey Bay as seen from Highway 1 The purpose of the trip was to try and test everything and work out any bugs we might find. However, the weather... Continue Reading →
Meet our new Bay Star!
We purchased a 2023 Newmar Baystar 3014 back in May, and were waiting with anticipation over the summer as they built it in Nappanee, Indiana at the Newmar factory. 2023 Bay Star 3014 We had been thinking about trading in our Adventurer for awhile, and I had been looking at class A diesel pushers and... Continue Reading →
Pacific Northwest Trip – Astoria (149)
After leaving the Seattle area, we went south and west to Astoria. I was lucky to get a site in Fort Stevens State Park for 5 nights and we were looking forward to staying in a state park again. Astoria is located at the mouth of the Columbia River and was found shortly after the... Continue Reading →
Pacific Northwest RV trip – Seattle Area (148)
In August we headed north in our Winnebago Adventurer to the Seattle area to visit with family for a few weeks. After leaving Seattle we planned to visit Astoria, Oregon for a few days. In total, the trip would be about 1,800 miles round trip. On the road to the Seattle area! It would also... Continue Reading →
Monterey Area in July (147)
We traveled to the Monterey Area in July and stayed at the Moss Landing KOA Express. We tend to stay here because we love the area and the park. Point Pinos Lighthouse, Pacific Grove, CA On this trip, and visited: 1) Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove 2) San Carlos Beach, Old FIsherman's Wharf, and... Continue Reading →
Gold Country – Angels Camp and Jackson (145-146)
In late May we visited the Gold Country again, first to Angels Camp and then to Jackson. We missed the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee at Angels Camp, but we’ll have to come back sometime for that. The laundry hanging across the street is for a competition played during that week. We spent... Continue Reading →
Paso Robles and Cambria (143)
The last stop of our Central Coast trip was at Paso Robles. We like staying at Cava Robles. The sites are nice and big, the park is well run, and I can bike ride from the park. While it's inland, it's a short drive to the coast on hwy 46, and one of the most... Continue Reading →
Ventura’s Rincon Parkway (142)
The next stop on our coastal trip was Ventura’s Rincon Parkway for some ocean front living. This was the view from our motorhome every night! While homes just down the road sell for several million, this space was ours for just $39 a night, thanks to the county of Ventura. Of course we had to... Continue Reading →
Avila Beach, CA (140)
We spent March along the central coast of CA, and were blessed with lots of sunshine and mild temps. A new park opened in Avila Beach (Flying Flags Avila Beach), so we decided to try it out for a week. It’s a beautiful RV Park nestled on the side of a hill overlooking San Luis... Continue Reading →
Monterey in January (139)
We ventured to the Monterey area in January and explored from Moss Landing to Carmel to Big Sur. Weather was great at the Moss Landing KOA Express. It’s a short walk from the Marina to the beach. The first day was a walk along Pacific Grove. It was spectacular as ever. And after walking up... Continue Reading →
Family in Mesa (138)
Our next stop, just before Christmas, was in Mesa, AZ to spend some time with my parents and other family in the area. My sister flew in from Virginia, so it was a mini family reunion. Christmas selfie at the mall We really enjoyed catching up on everyone over dinner at Serrano’s. Family dinner at... Continue Reading →
Relaxing in Palm Springs (137)
Between the holidays we visited the Palm Springs area. We stayed at Indian Waters RV Resort again. While there are posher places to stay here, we like the large grassy sites and friendly people. Mr. Roadrunner was here to greet us again… …and we also had visitors above in balloons! The day after we arrived... Continue Reading →
Auburn Thanksgiving (136)
For Thanksgiving, we visited our daughter in Auburn CA. We had a wonderful time with her and her fiancé, and his parents. Walking around Old Town Auburn is the best way to get the feel for the place. Lunch at Auburn Ale House or afternoon coffee at The Pour Choice are two good options. Of... Continue Reading →
Santa Cruz Recovery (135)
After 3 months of casts and physical therapy for a broken wrist I was more than ready for another RV trip. I figured that I would be physically ready when I could climb on the roof of the motorhome and also hookup our CRV for towing. Not really a high bar, but both require two... Continue Reading →
Them’s the Breaks in Bend (134)
The last stop on our OR/WA trip was in Bend, OR where we would meet up with my wife’s sister and brother in law, and our nephew and his wife. On the way, we had dinner with my cousin in Portland. Love you, Rachelle! We love Bend for the great outdoor activities, and we were... Continue Reading →
Seattle Area (133)
Our next stop was to spend some quality time with family in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle by Lake Washington. We stayed at Lake Pleasant RV Park. The sites are situated around a beautiful lake in a small valley. The lake itself is a nature preserve. We thoroughly enjoyed the park and would like to... Continue Reading →
Oregon Coast – Newport (132)
On our drive up the Oregon Coast, we stopped in Newport for a few nights at the Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort. Most of the lots are large and beautifully landscaped, as you see here. In our case, we also had a partial view of the lighthouse from our motorhome! The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one... Continue Reading →
Oregon Coast – Bandon (131)
On our way north we visited the Oregon Coast, staying 2 nights near Bandon. Bandon has a great old town with lots of shops and several places to get fish and chips. Walking towards the boardwalk, we found this great little piece of art that forms a stage. Looking closer, you can tell some very... Continue Reading →
Fortuna, and north on 101 (130)
We left the Bay Area in July and headed up the coast on Highway 101 for a 3-week RV trip. We had originally planned to travel up I-5, but made a last minute detour to the coast due to the heat and smoke the inland areas were experiencing. Normally heat isn’t much of a problem,... Continue Reading →
Monterey hiking and kayaking (129)
In June, we were able to visit the Monterey Area for one last time this year. Sometimes by visiting at a different time of year, everything seems new. Since we usually visit in the Fall or Winter, we were struck by the abundance and color of Spring wildflowers. Moss Landing and Salinas River State Beach... Continue Reading →
Verde Valley, AZ (125)
From Tucson, we visited the beautiful Verde Valley north of Phoenix. Verde Valley, AZ Camp Verde We stayed in Camp Verde, while taking day trips to Sedona, Cottonwood, Jerome and Prescott. It was also the first time we have stayed in one place for 2 weeks, which was eye-opening. It really gave us a chance... Continue Reading →
Tucson, AZ (124)
After leaving Palm Springs, we spent some time with family in Mesa, Arizona. My sister flew in from Virginia and the highlight of the trip was seeing my mom and dad together after more than a year, due to COVID restrictions in the memory care facility where dad lives. It was a really good day... Continue Reading →
Old Palm Springs (122)
On our way to Arizona in March, we stayed a few days in the Palm Springs Area. While it was raining and cold at higher elevations, it was great where we stayed. We stayed at Indian Waters RV Resort. Indian Waters RV Resort, Indio, CA Even though we were in the desert, the landscaping was... Continue Reading →
Ventura Rincon Parkway (120)
February is a great time to visit Southern California. Rincon Parkway RV Park One of our favorite destinations is the Rincon Parkway just north of Ventura. It is a section of the Pacific Coast Highway with RVs stretched nose to tail for a mile and a half. Every site has a full ocean view! You... Continue Reading →
Santa Cruz Wilder Ranch (118)
After Monterey we traveled up the coast to the Santa Cruz area. Since our reservations at Seacliff State Beach were cancelled by the state, we stayed at Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Park, a privately owned park in nearby Felton. The park office was closed, but they had our check-in documents waiting for us and we... Continue Reading →
Picking Mandarin Oranges in Newcastle, CA (116)
For our last RV trip of the year, we visited our daughter and fiancé in the Sierra foothills for some socially distanced family time. They have a wonderful place in the country, and we spent a lot of time visiting on their back deck, enjoying the view of their pond and the animals that wander... Continue Reading →
Pismo Beach, CA (114)
While we in CA are in lockdown again, it was fun to revisit our trip to Pismo Beach a few weeks earlier. We stayed at the Pismo Coast Village, a really nice park with convenient access to the beach and town of Pismo Beach. This sign is repainted for each season. 🙂 My morning walk... Continue Reading →
Monterey, CA (113)
Before Thanksgiving, we squeezed a trip in to the coast, driving to the Monterey coast for a few days. Deb always adds great seasonal touches to the motorhome. We stayed again at the Moss Landing KOA Express. It’s a small, clean park with good management. It is close quartered, but we like that it is... Continue Reading →
Kayaking in Jenner by the Sea, CA (112)
Late September we headed to Jenner by the Sea, CA for some kayaking at the mouth of the Russian River. Kayaking in Jenner, CA The air had cleared (note the AQI is 5 in the photo below!) after the fires and we could finally breath deeply. Clean fresh air after the fires! We stayed at... Continue Reading →
Central CA Coast – Pacifica to Costanoa (111)
Our next stop was in Pacifica, a little to the north. We stayed there a night because our next destination was closed due to the fires until the following day. Luckily, we were able to get a cancellation at San Francisco RV Resort and didn’t have to go home for a night. For those visiting... Continue Reading →
RVing on Mars? (110)
When we arrived at Half Moon Bay, CA., everything looked normal. In fact, we had a nice walk along the beach. The next morning, however, it all changed. The normal offshore breezes switched direction and the winds blew smoke from the fires up north. Even more strange was the air was clear and pure, even... Continue Reading →
Newport Oregon (109)
After leaving Astoria, we traveled down highway 101 to Newport, another beautiful town on the Oregon coast. Newport, OR We stayed at Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort for a week, which allowed us to explore the surrounding area. Pacific Shores has a great location on a bluff over looking Starfish Cove and the picturesque Yaquina Head... Continue Reading →
Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach (108)
We drove from Anacortes WA to the Oregon Coast where we would visit Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach. We found that each town has its own charm. We crossed the iconic Astoria-Megler bridge over the Columbia River to enter Oregon. It’s the longest continual truss bridge in North America. Several boats we positioned in the... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Anacortes, WA (107)
We completed the Cascade Loop in Anacortes, WA. This is a beautiful little town located on Fidalgo Island. Many people start their visit through the San Juan Islands from the ferry terminal here. Pioneer Trails RV Park We stayed on the east side of the island at the Pioneer Trails RV Park, a good place... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Wenatchee (106)
The drive from Winthrop to Wenatchee was really beautiful, though very different than the drive into the mountains to get to Winthrop. Instead, you follow the Methow River as it slowly winds its way down from the mountains. Its a hot and dry area, but the river gives life to the Methow Valley, which is... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Winthrop (105)
After leaving Grandy Creek, we drove into the mountains towards Winthrop, our next destination It was a beautiful drive as we climbed higher in elevation over mountain passes and through tunnels. Here we cross Diablo Lake before heading over the Washington Pass and a curvy 7% downgrade, which was no problem for the the BSB... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Grandy Creek (104)
Our first stop on Washington’s Cascade Loop was in Grandy Creek, a beautiful pine-filled area. We stayed at the Grandy Creek KOA. True to it’s name, Grandy Creek runs right through it. We liked the large sites, which is nice for family get togethers. One of our sites had a blackberry bush in it. Also... Continue Reading →
Cooling down on the Cascade Loop and Oregon Beaches
With most of the west coast suffering a heat wave in August, we were glad to get away and cool off! It was touch and go for a while, as COVID-19 cases started to spike in California, but the rules for traveling did not change and we made a beeline for the Cascade Loop in... Continue Reading →
Tour of Northern CA – Wine Country (103)
The last leg of our tour of Northern California took us to the wine country. The Petaluma KOA was a nice resort and a good base for exploring the area. Petaluma KOA Though we saw signs of Corona everywhere (sorry for the dad joke! :-), everyone was masked up and many restaurants were open with... Continue Reading →
Tour of Northern CA – Redwoods (102)
After enjoying the Pacific coast in Jenner, CA for several days, we headed north and inland to the Redwoods. Our home base was the Benbow KOA in Garberville, CA. The KOA is next door to the historic Benbow Inn, which was built in early 1900’s. We’ve stayed there before and enjoyed the beautiful hotel and... Continue Reading →
Tour of Northern CA – Coast (101)
After leaving the Gold Country we traveled through farm country and vineyards to the coast near the town of Jenner by the Sea. We stayed at Casini Ranch, which is nestled along the Russian River. There are a few businesses near the RV Park, in case you need a good pastry and coffee. The restaurant... Continue Reading →
Tour of Northern CA – Auburn (100)
As the titles says, this was our 100th RV trip since we first purchased our first motor home in 2012. Since then, we have been all over the west coast, and even as far as Yellowstone. Eight years later, we still get the same excitement as we start on a new RV Trip, and feel... Continue Reading →
Tour of Northern CA – Gold Country, Pacific Coast, Redwoods, and Wine Country (99)
With campgrounds opening up in Phase 2, we were excited to visit a few places close by for some socially distanced camping! While most museums, visitor centers, wineries, etc., were still closed, Northern California is full of wide open spaces, and we looked forward to some beautiful hikes, and a chance to visit a few... Continue Reading →
Buellton and Paso RV Trip (97-98)
Our drive back home from Ventura took us inland on Highway 101 through Buellton and Paso Robles. Rather than overnight stopovers, these are destinations all by themselves. Staying at the Flying Flags Resort, we spent some time in Solvang. It's a short bike ride (about 7 miles round trip) into town, and you don't have... Continue Reading →
Ventura Rincon Parkway RV Trip (96)
While we are all sheltering in place, I thought I'd catch up on my posts from our recent trip to Ventura in February. We stayed 5 nights on the Rincon Parkway just north of Ventura on the Pacific Coast Highway. As you can see, it was dry camping, but the weather and ocean were spectacular... Continue Reading →
Pismo Preserve RV Trip (95)
After our unplanned hiatus from RVing, we were thrilled to heading to our favorite destination, Pismo Beach. In the winter, we like to stay at Pismo Coast Village for the full hookups. Last year when we were here in February it was cold, windy, and rainy. This year, blue skies and temperatures in the high... Continue Reading →
Paso Robles Wine Country (94)
This was our first RV trip to Paso, though we have stopped on our way to other destinations many times. People that know wine believe it produces some of the best wine anywhere. While our pallet is not that sophisticated, we were looking forward to wine tasting and a trip to Cambria on the coast.... Continue Reading →
Pismo Beach Breakdown (93)
During I last trip, I shared about my backache right before the trip. This time, as if in sympathy for me, our RV had a few problems of it's own. The drive to Pismo State Beach was as beautiful as ever. Our campsite was wide and open, which is the reason the North Beach Campground... Continue Reading →
Moss Landing Mishaps (92)
We had great plans for kayaking and bicycle riding in the Monterey area, but things changed pretty quickly. The morning we were to leave I was in the backyard, and I heard something in my back pop as I was picking something up. Ouch! Kayaking and biking were out of the questions, as I couldn't... Continue Reading →
New Brighton Beach Double-Dip (90-91)
It can be difficult to get reservations at New Brighton State Beach in Northern CA. We were happy to snap up two mid-week cancellations about a week apart from each other. So we enjoyed a mid-week stay, went home for about a week, and came back for another stay! It is great to have such a... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Mt Baker and Grandy Creek (88-89)
Our final destination on the Cascade Loop was Grandy Creek KOA, which is on highway 20 about a half hour drive east from Burlington. We had large campsites under the trees, and there was plenty of land for long strolls. Between Sedro-Wooly and Concrete, an abandoned railroad track was repurposed into a bike trail. It... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Leavenworth, WA (87)
The drive to Leavenworth is beautiful, as highway 2 begins along the Skykomish River , over Stevens Pass and then down the Wenatchee River. Leavenworth backs up against the mountains on one side and the Wenatchee River on the other, with a beautiful park all along the river. Leavenworth is modeled on a Bavarian village,... Continue Reading →
Cascade Loop – Anacortes, WA (86)
We planned a trip to Utah with my in-laws and ended up in Washington state instead! Many times being flexible really works out for the best. My in-laws, Mike and Sandy, just returned from a three-week trip to Europe and were still getting over jet lag. When we suggested that we visit them instead of... Continue Reading →
Moss Landing Kayaking (85)
After returning from Grants Pass, we just weren't ready to go home, so we kept driving to Moss Landing, near Monterey, to do some kayaking in the Elkhorn Slough and enjoy the ocean. I checked the tide charts (see below) to decide when go. I wanted to get close to slack tide while avoiding the... Continue Reading →
Willits, CA – Redwoods and Coast RV Trip (84)
As we returned from our trip to Grants Pass for suspension upgrades, we stopped at the Willits KOA for a few days. We chose Willits so we could spend a day in the redwoods and a day on the coast. The drive from Grants Pass was beautiful, as we drove down highway 199, following the... Continue Reading →
Grants Pass Suspension Upgrades (83)
We drove 500 miles to Grants Pass, OR to Visit Henderson's Lineup, which has a stellar reputation for improving the handling of motorhomes. They specialize in motorhome suspension, and involve the customer during the entire process. Motorhome Suspension IssuesMotorhomes, especially those on a Ford F53 chassis, are notorious for suspension issues. Here's a few things... Continue Reading →
Desert RV Trip – Grand Canyon and Williams (82)
The final leg of our Desert RV Trip took us to Williams and the Grand Canyon. The drive from Sedona to Williams is very pretty, with pine trees on each side and the mountains in the distance. It's only a short drive to Williams, the gateway to the Grand Canyon, and the last town on... Continue Reading →
Desert RV Trip – Sedona and the Verde Valley (80)
After a wonderful week in the Phoenix area visiting with family, including a mini family reunion and several trips to Backyard Tacos, we headed to Zane Grey RV Park in Camp Verde as a base for exploring the surrounding area. The Verde Valley Zane Grey RV Park is meticulously maintained and the hosts were very... Continue Reading →
Desert RV Trip – Joshua Tree and Palm Springs (79)
We spent a month traveling to Arizona and back from the San Francisco Bay Area, and along the way, we enjoyed Palm Springs and Joshua Tree, visited family in the Phoenix area, and toured Sedona and the Grand Canyon! In this post, I'll share the Palm Springs and Joshua Tree leg of the trip. We... Continue Reading →
SoCal Beaches Tour RV Trip (74-78)
With temperatures dropping and rain everyday in Northern California, we decided to drive south and camp on the warm Southern California beaches in Pismo, Huntington Beach, Ventura and San Diego. While the weather didn't always cooperate (it is, after all, the middle of winter!), we still had several glorious sunny days and beautiful sunsets. Pismo... Continue Reading →
Pismo Beach RV Trip (73)
We escaped to Pismo! After weeks of the flu, very unhealthy air (due to the fires in the Sierras), rain and unseasonably cold weather, we decided to head to the coast, and we were not disappointed! Pismo Beach welcomed us with great weather and plenty to do. We stayed at the Pismo Coast Village, right... Continue Reading →
Livermore Valley RV Trip (70-72)
This post will be a little different because it's about the valley we've called home for the last 33 years! We've seen it grow from a bedroom community to an extension of Silicon Valley, with several large business headquartered in the area. We love the area for the usually great weather, diversity of the people,... Continue Reading →
Monterey RV Trip (69)
We took a quick trip to Monterey in September, staying at the KOA in Moss Landing. We love Moss Landing because it's a marina, beach, and farm town all mixed together. Perfect for us! We love walking in the marina and along the beach and slough, and then over to one of the restaurants for... Continue Reading →
Sisters, Oregon RV Trip (68)
We love traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area to Central Oregon. The sky is usually crystal clear when traveling through Redding to Shasta Lake, and on to Weed. Not this time. Fires were ravaging the region and even threatened Redding! The residents demonstrated their appreciation to first responders on every overpass, and thanked them... Continue Reading →
Jackson Rancheria RV Trip (67)
Lucy was ready to Travel to Jackson Rancheria in the gold country! We don't often stay at Casino's but we really enjoy visiting here for a "chill" weekend. This is one of the best designed RV parks we have visited, with wide and grassy sites on a hill overlooking the valley. There is a great... Continue Reading →
Angel’s Camp RV Trip (66)
The drive to Angels Camp takes you through some beautiful country. Grassy rolling hills dotted with oak trees is my favorite! Our campsite at Angel's Camp RV Resort was a large pull through close to the dog park. As you can see. it wasn't completely level, but it worked well. The park was well maintained... Continue Reading →
Pismo Beach Classic RV Trip (65)
The drive to Pismo Beach from the San Francisco Bay Area was colorful, as the fields were growing a variety of vegetables, and the hills were flowering with mustard plant and other wild flowers. Here's some info about that painted barn by Gonzales, CA. We like to stay at the Pismo State Beach North Campground... Continue Reading →
Monterey Bay Area RV Trip (64)
Camping with family makes for great memories. We were happy to camp with Deb's sister and brother-in-law in the Monterey areas as they were finishing their first trip in their new motorhome! Just kidding Mike and Sandy! 🙂 This is their beautiful new RV! We drove down the coast, as usual, to the SANTA CRUZ... Continue Reading →
Pescadero RV Trip (63)
It's a great RV trip when you visit a place you have been to many times and still have great new experiences. That was the case for us when we visited Half Moon Bay State Beach and the near-by town of Pescadero. Here's a 2 minute video of our weekend RV Trip. https://youtu.be/rORpedLDlDI Al &... Continue Reading →
Santa Barbara RV Trip (62)
We headed to Santa Barbara in Southern California in the middle of winter to soak up some sun and enjoy 80 degree weather. Santa Barbara was beautiful, both at the ocean, and in the hills above the city. After walking along the Stearns Wharf, the beach, and shopping in town, we enjoyed a break for... Continue Reading →
Christmas in Half Moon Bay RV Trip (61)
We took advantage of the long weekend over Christmas to visit Half Moon Bay. While we were there we visited the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, which has great tidepools. It was high tide when we were there, but we still had a great walk. Since my daughter was hosting Christmas at her place, it also made for... Continue Reading →