A Surf City Chrismukkah

Bolsa Chica Beach complete with pelicans

On December 15, we headed for Huntington Beach, where we would be for 11 days during the holidays. In 2007, we were on the East Coast, and checked into The Great Outdoors on Christmas Eve. Not this year! We decided that we would spend the holidays with family this year. My sister recommended Bolsa Chica State Beach, and, a few months back, we checked with ReserveAmerica to see if any sites were available. Amazingly, there were openings, but we could only get an 11 day stint, and our rig was backed up to PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). The sites there are narrow, and are really built for RV's up to 40', so we were tight! We actually backed up over the curb until the tag wheels hit so that we would fit and still be able to park the car in front of the coach. Our first neighbors were from Germany, and they told us to park our Jeep on their site. "You Americans have too many rules!" they joked.

A side note: back in the 50's and 60's, Bolsa Chica was known as "Tin Can Beach". From PCH to the water, the beach was covered in cans. I'm not sure when it got cleaned up, but it's beautiful now. There is still stuff (flotsam or jetsam?) on the beach, but now it's whatever the tide brings in, not out of control litter.

Emma testing out the sand

Emma got to experience her first time on sand at the beach. What a hoot! After about 10 seconds of walking gingerly, she took off running and didn't stop until she was tired. Running on the beach became a favorite pastime while we were there.

Go Emma!

As always, Donna's sister Cheryl and her husband John hosted a Hanukkah party for the family. Every year it gets larger, as more relatives, extended family, and friends show up. They had about 60 people this year. For us, it was great, as Todd and Victoria flew in from Colorado, and Josh, Jenna, Bea, and Olivia drove down from San Jose. T, V, J, J, B & O even took in Disneyland. My Dad even came to the party!

HB locals Gary and Jill came over to visit and see the coach. Gary was my boss when I was at Edison. It was great catching up on each other's families and finding out what was going on at Edison. We had a great Mexican dinner in Huntington Beach.

Jim, Yvonne (aka Marie) and Dad

My sister Yvonne (aka Marie) and her husband Jim had reservations at Bolsa Chica, and came into the park a few days after we got there. Jim is very recently retired (firefighter), and is settling into the retired life. We all told him it would take a few months to sink in. They hosted a Christmas Eve dinner attended by us, my Dad, and Jim's side of the family. Another great meal with great company! Jim and I also managed a bike ride down to the Huntington Beach pier. The weather during our stay can be described as rainy, windy (OK, very windy), and sunny, sometimes all on the same day!

Sunset at Bolsa Chica

Our reservation was through December 26, but the park hosts told us to get on the waiting list the day before, and maybe we could extend. When I signed up, I was second on the list. True to one of Murphy's Laws, on the 26th there was only one opening. We were forced to leave, and, after goodbyes to Yvonne and Jim, headed for El Centro, CA, for the night. It was time to head east to warmer climates!

Leaving Las Vegas

We took the short 48 mile jog from Pahrump down to Las Vegas...the city where we got married so many years ago! Wow, it's really changed. As we drove down the Strip, the mega-hotels are adding on even higher towers. Amazing. It's getting to be a bit much, we think. And with economy, those casinos had better do real good!

We had a reservation at the Oasis RV Park on the south side of the strip. Back in 2000 or 2001, we stayed there in our little 24' travel trailer, and thought it was a great park. Like everything else, things have changed. It's a little older now, and unless you want to spend $50 a night (we don't), they put out in the back of the park, two rigs to a driveway. Yuck. Well we were there on one of our campground memberships, so it was about $11 a night. No ambiance, but the price was right.

Since we were to be there a week, we sent for our mail, which all goes to our Texas address. It comes to the local post office as "General Delivery". When we went to pick it up, there was a surprise for us - the post office we specified doesn't accept general delivery. Doh! Another lesson learned...call the post office before shipping. Our mail bounced around for about 4 days before it showed up at the only PO in Las Vegas that accepts general delivery.

We did a little casino hopping, and checked out The Palms, which is over near the Rio. Donna tells me that it's the "in" place, and the stars hang out there. Believe it or not, we didn't see anyone of any notoriety. It is a very nice place though.

In one of the tourist books that are everywhere, we found an ad for 1/2 price show tickets. We went to one of their locations, and found that there were discounts of up to 50% for selected shows. Donna really wanted to see Mama Mia, which was playing at the Mandalay Bay. The performance was sold out in the section we wanted (this was Friday). We thought we'd try back on Monday to see what was available then. While looking through the Sunday paper, Donna found a 2-4-1 coupon for Mama Mia, directly through the hotel. We zipped over to the box office, and got 2 tickets, center, row 13...not bad! I have to admit, the show was very good, in spite of all those ABBA songs that I tried to forget over the past few decades!

There was a big rodeo in town while we were there, and, again at the Mandalay Bay, there was a "Cowboy Marketplace". We thought it would be fun to wander around and check out boots, belts, hats, jewelry, and clothes...and tack...and horse trailers...and mega-trucks. We learned something - some of those big horse trailers are partitioned. There is the horse area, and the people area. The people areas have an interior that rivals many motor homes!! We had no idea.

Directly across I-15 from our resort is the Silverton Casino & Hotel. They were advertising 2-4-1 prices in all of their restaurants, so we thought we'd check out the place. Attached to the casino is a Bass Pro Shop. A very interesting combination! Upon entering the main door to the casino, you are confronted with a giant salt water aquarium. Lots of sharks and exotic fish swimming around. We quickly joined the Players Club, and headed off to the buffet for 1/2 price dining! After dinner, we toured Bass Pro, and then headed back to the casino for about an hour.

The weather was cold the entire week, with daytime temps in the 50's, and very breezy.

Now that we've been to Vegas again, we probably won't be back for quite a while. Maybe it's our lifestyle, but Tinseltown just seems to be getting, well, too gaudy. And the tourists seem to all be trying to impress each other.

We're spending 5 days back in Desert Hot Springs, California, before heading over to Huntington Beach for the holidays. After that, it will be 2009, and the adventure will continue!

A Terrible Time

Donna and I hope this holiday finds you well and happy (and full)! We realize how fortunate we are to be living this lifestyle, while so many are struggling.

This year, Thanksgiving finds us in Pahrump, Nevada. Why here? We've been on the road for almost 2 years now, and I can't tell you how many people have told us to come here, and stay at Terrible's RV Resort. Pahrump is about 50 miles west of Las Vegas, at about 2700' elevation. We have to admit, this park is beautiful, and we have a lakeside site. The park is full right now, but we think it will thin out considerably on Sunday, when all the families head for home.

It's hard to believe that, a year ago, we were in Colorado at Todd and Victoria's. The day after Thanksgiving, we headed for Florida. We miss being with family today, but, in a few weeks, we'll all be together for a big celebration.

A Terrible Place


Looking across the lake at the Casino


Our view

Looking at the lake behind our site

We left Earp, CA, a day early, as heavy rain was predicted for Wednesday, our original travel day. We did encounter some rain on our journey, which ruined the wash job I had given the coach and the Jeep. We were at a park that did not allow washing, so it was a job done slowly with only a bucket, no hose. Now I have something to do here! And, I get to do it the same way, as this park does not allow washing. Before we left, we visited with some friends, Bob and Elyse, who live across the river in Parker, AZ. They are our neighbors up in Stoneridge, where we spend the summer. They have a fabulous place right on the Colorado River! It was great catching up with them.

When we were in Desert Hot Springs, I left out two activities that we did, and really enjoyed. Every Thursday night in Palm Springs there is a street fair, with vendors selling everything from food to jewelry to you-name-it. They close off about 10 blocks of the main drag (no pun intended). We had a great time, and, even better, managed to buy nothing! Also, on Saturdays, there is a giant flea market at the local community college. This was also a great time, but it was a bit toasty due to the hot weather.

Headin' South

After whining about leaving wine country, we smiled as we arrived back in San Jose. Another visit with the grand-daughters and their parents! On previous visits, we have stayed south of San Jose in Morgan Hill. This time, we elected to be close in, and stayed in-town, less than 10 minutes away. We really enjoyed the visit, and even though it was only 3 days, it was over a weekend.

Bea and Emma

Olivia thinking about what a pain it is to pose for Grandpa

Time to get south! From San Jose, we made a power run to Banning, CA. We had reservations at a Coast to Coast park. From now on, we'll read the directions a little closer: we had missed the part about "steep, mountainous roads". This park was not actually in Banning (flat desert), but was off of Highway 243, about 10 miles south of Banning, on the road to Idlywild at 3800' altitude. The road was so steep, with hundred foot drop offs next to the road, that Donna had to keep her eyes closed much of the way. Once we got up there, it was a nice park, but not without problems. After finding a nice spot and settling in for the evening, we heard a clunk. It was the transfer switch taking us off of shore power and putting us in the inverting mode. Then, a minute later, switching us back, and then back...you get the picture. The next day, another camper said that the park had high voltage, so evidently our surge protector was doing its job. We had planned on staying here for a week, but left after one night. Needless to say, Donna went into the back for the ride down to the desert floor.

We ended up in Desert Hot Springs, and much warmer temperatures. The resort we stayed at had the main pool and spa fed by a natural hot springs. It was real nice swimming, and then soaking, in non-chlorinated water. It was a nice week to relax. Unfortunately, Donna felt a bug coming on. We had made plans to see some of our friends from Stoneridge (Bruce, Adair, and their dog Yogi). Donna didn't want to pass the bug to them, so Emma and I went over for a visit. She gave me a biscuit to give to Yogi (she had taken care of him several times last summer, and always had a treat for him). It was great seeing them, and we hope to get back there again before seeing them next summer.

Emma meets Yogi

Another week had passed quickly. Off to the local Flying J, where we met up with Donna's sister and her husband. We were heading out to Earp, CA, which is across the Colorado River from Parker, AZ. Our original plan had been to spend 2 weeks at this resort, so that we would have Thanksgiving together. Unfortunately, this resort has a closed door policy if you aren't a member of this park - it's closed to members only on holidays.

No problem, we're flexible - we'll be heading for Parumph, NV, Wednesday morning, and will have Thanksgiving there.

Wine Country

Napa Valley

As we move southward, we thought it would be fun to re-visit California wine country. Back when we lived in California, we spent time up in the Napa area whenever we could...whatever excuse! Then we moved to Colorado...1300 miles is a bit far for a weekend in Napa. Back in the 1970's we came across a small winery that had just recently re-opened - V. Sattui. It became a favorite place, as they have a cheese/deli as part of their facility, and their wine is so good! Our kids often accompanied us there, and now as adults they go there whenever they can.

So here we are, back in wine country, in a small RV park in the heart of Napa. Today, we decided to try a new place. We headed to the north side of the valley, and took in Sterling Vineyards. Sterling has a bit different tour - you ride a gondola up to the facility, then take a self-guided tour, with several tasting stops. We liked the wines, but they let you taste the expensive stuff. Stuff we don't normally drink.

Back to Sattui, where things have also changed. No more "free" wine tasting, it now costs. Wine prices have also escalated. Ah, well, times have changed. We did purchase a couple of bottles to enjoy.

Castille di Amorosa Winery


A real Iron Maiden in the torture room

We also toured the winery Castello di Amorosa, which is showcased by an authentic Tuscan castle that took 15 years to build. Darryl (or Dario as he is now known) Sattui spent 15 years and $38 million to build this castle. It is truly remarkable. If you get the chance, take a tour of this place!

BR Cohn Winery

Odd sculptures outside the winery

The following day, we headed over to Sonoma. Many years ago, we had toured a cheese factory called Sonoma Cheese. It was still there, but they no longer make cheese on site. Progress, I guess. On to the next winery! We went out to the BR Cohn winery. I had read in a brochure that they also had olive trees, and made and sold olive oil and vinegars. The owner, Bruce Cohn, was and is the manager of the rock group The Doobie Brothers. Every summer, the Doobies perform at the vineyard for a charity event. We missed it by a couple of weeks. Since we were "wined" out, we sampled only the olive oils, vinegars, and dipping sauces. Yum!! A couple more bottles were purchased. With cupboard space at a premium, we'll just have to consume!!

39 And Counting

Rod & Donna - 39th Anniversay

Another Halloween - another anniversary! A bit of history: to those of you who didn't already know - Donna and I were married on Halloween in Las Vegas in 1969. I was headed off to active duty in Texas (basic training and advanced training) in the California National Guard, and we had one weekend before I shipped out. Her parents, my parents, Donna's sister and husband, and her brother made the quick trip from the L.A. area to Vegas on a Friday morning.



We got there Friday afternoon (on Halloween) and I headed to the county office to get our wedding license. After 5:00pm on Fridays weekend rates took over, and that was the difference between $8 and $15 for the license. Hey, remember it was 1969, when a dollar was worth 50 cents! I plucked up the $8, only to have the clerk tell me "holiday" rates applied. After mumbling something about Nevada recognizing Halloween as a real holiday, I was informed that it was Nevada's Admission Day. Ooops.

License in hand, we went scouting for a chapel...no problem there! We settled on The Courthouse Chapel, which I tried to get for Saturday, November 1. It was time for both of our parents to intervene (remember we were young, and it was 1969): "You guys aren't staying together in the same hotel room if you're not married!" That settled that, we got married on Friday night, Halloween!

So now you know the story!

Back to the present...since it was Friday, and our coach was in service, we asked the Customer Care people to suggest a place for us to have breakfast - a bagel place came highly recommended, so we headed downtown for a bite to eat. We did a little shopping, then went back to Country Coach. While waiting for our coach to come back, we got another recommendation for dinner - The Oregon Express restaurant. Dinner in an old railroad diner car sounded great!

Donna opted for scampi, and I had prime rib. We followed it up with a raspberry and vanilla chocolate cake dessert. Excellent choices! Thanks for the recommendation, Country Coach!!

Loco-Odo

We had a couple of items to be done (again) at Country Coach. Besides the leaky AquaHot, our backup video display was still not working properly, and the replacement odometer still did not fix the problem with the engine monitor lights not working.

We pulled into our pre-assigned spot, noticing that there were only a few coaches in for service. Monday morning, we checked in, and the coach was off to service again. We were told that another round of layoffs had occurred - this time service lost 3 mechanical techs and one phone tech. The recession and it's affects on the RV industry are definitely being felt at CC. At least this is is privately held company - we've heard that Fleetwood and Monaco stock prices are really hurting.

Monday afternoon the techs brought our coach back, and reported that the leaky water in the AquaHot was a bad pressure relieve valve, which had failed due to a malfunction in the water pump. The pump was putting out 70 psi, not the 40 psi it is supposed to. The backup monitor still was not functioning to their satisfaction, so a new one was installed. And the infamous odometer was also not working correctly.

In our coach, the odometer (made by Medallion) is the brains of the coach. Everything that comes out of the coach's computer/engine control module runs through the odometer. We first had a problem a year ago in Florida. All of the engine gauges were working only intermittently. We sent the odo back to CC, it was "fixed", and returned to us. Then the gauges worked, but the dash information lights didn't. We sent the gauge back to CC when we got parked in Grants Pass. It was again "fixed" and sent back to us. The fix didn't work - still no dash information lights. So Country Coach stuck a new odo in. Problem solved? We thought so, as the information lights were working.

Thursday morning we headed north to Clackamus, to go to Westland Sales - our Splendide washer was taking 3 hours to run a cycle that should take 40 minutes. On the drive up, I noticed that I seemed to be going really fast - the odo showed the coach going 82 mph. But I was not passing anyone up - so were we all going that fast? I flipped the odo readout to digital, and saw that I was going 62 mph - but the needle was showing over 80 mph! I called CC service and let them know we would be back to see them.

The trip to Clackamus was quick - "someone" had worked on the coach's plumbing, and had left the hot water inlet to the washer closed. And that someone wasn't Donna or I. Anyway, we headed back to Camp Country Coach with a now-working washer. When we pulled in to CC and parked, we noticed the odo was showing 40 mph even though we were parked!

Friday morning the coach was back in service, and got another new odometer. Finally, all of the lights work, the digital and dial speeds match up, and the gauges all work!