#11-22 Napa and San Francisco 5-19 thru 5-21

We drove from Reno to Sacramento and had dinner with Kirsten’s grandfather and now our friend, Carl Rynerson. Finally we have some nice weather again.

We left the next day and headed to Napa Valley Elks Lodge. It is a good thing we left fairly early and didn’t have far to drive. The lodge only has about 14 sites and they are in high demand. We pulled into the last site available and I noticed two or three rigs out in the parking lot after we got set up. This is a really nice RV park with full hook-ups and behind a locked gate. We had to push a key code to get in.

We spent a couple of days relaxing and enjoying the little town of Napa. This was our view from the deck of the restaurant where we had lunch. There are ducks in the foreground and under the bridge is a boat. Along the river is a paved walkway and there were many people just walking along enjoying the nice weather and view.

That evening we came back to town for their Thursday night street fair. Lots of good food, vendors selling things, chefs demonstrating their recipes on a stage and even music. We sat and watched these “chefs” play for the crowd.

In order to get to San Francisco—without driving the car in SF, we drove to Vallejo (about 20 miles) and parked in a free parking lot across the street from the Ferry. Because we are seniors, we could ride the ferry for $6.00 each.

Our ferry, above, took us right to the embarcadero where Renee’ picked us up. She said this was great because the big farmers market was right across the street and she went there before we landed.

It was a little foggy as we arrived in San Francisco, but there were clear blue skies above. The Golden Gate Bridge above as seen through the window of the ferry, and arriving in San Francisco at about 11:00 am. Great way to visit!

Renee’ and Peter had plans for Saturday night, so we were able to have the kids to ourselves for a few hours. We ended up playing “Mexican Train” and completely lost track of time. When they came home at midnight we were still playing and having a great time. Then we all had to go to bed!

Sunday the kids had a piano recital. So we all hopped in the car and headed to the recital. Even Peter’s Mom, Deena came to see the kids perform.

Katherine, Lauren and Bray performing on the piano.

Then back to the house where we had to work on a project for the next day at school for the kids. It was Decade day on Monday and each one of the kids had picked a decade to dress up in the clothes that were worn during that time. Bray’s class was able to dress up as super heros and he did his own thing. All we did was decorate a hat with the emblem of his super hero. I didn’t know who that was—guess I’m a little out of touch. Katherine was a 70’s girl complete with peace symbols, and Lauren was my generation of the 50’s with poodle skirt and ponytail. She is 12 years old and we spent the day making her skirt. I helped make a pattern and she did all the sewing.

Here is Grandpa Frank with the dressed up kids before school Monday morning.

Our little models, the 70’s girl with her mini skirt and peace symbols and our 50’s girl with her poodle skirt! Awesome.

We headed back to Napa that morning after the kids went to school. Renee dropped us off at the Ferry Terminal on her way to work. Had a nice ferry ride back and arrived at our car, which wouldn’t start. So had to call AAA to get a jump. We must have left something on in the car, because the battery is still good. We arrived back at the coach and spent one more night there and then headed on to Redding, CA to their Elks Lodge.

We spent a couple of nights there and then on to Medford for granddaughter Marissa’s 16th birthday and grandson Hunter’s HS graduation.

#11-21 Death Valley and Meadowcliff, CA

After we left Boulder City, NV we headed through Death Valley towards Hwy 395. We stopped at Stovepipe Wells. There is a campground there, but it was closed for upgrading to 50 amps, so we went across the street to an empty campground. For a while we were the only RV there. Only one other camper pulled in. The day was dry and hot. It was 108 degrees!

Thank goodness for the generator. We ran the air conditioner all evening then it cooled off to the 80 degree level for sleeping at night.

Once we pulled out of Death Valley and the heat, we started seeing snow capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada. That’s about as close as we wanted to get to the snow. It was still on the side of the road as you can see in the picture below.

This is a picture of the Walker river we drove beside. It is full of melting snow and running at full force.

The first stop was at Bishop, CA and we only stopped for one night and then on to a little town of Coleville at a campground called Medowcliff. The campground is a Passport America campground, but even at half price it still costs us $25.00 a night. Camping prices have really increased in the last couple of years. It had a big cliff in back of it and on the other side of the road there is a big meadow. Thus the name Meadowcliff! We stayed a couple of nights.

Below is the reason we stayed the second night! We watched the weather channel and knew there was a storm coming in, but didn’t expect the amount of snow that we received. Christmas in May!! The snow only lasted a few hours, but it got cold! Just two days ago it was 108!!

We attended church in the little town of Coleville (Population 400), Sunday morning. A very nice bunch of people. Then hibernated inside the RV while the weather did it’s worst! By Monday our mail had arrived and we headed up the road 77 miles to Reno. At Meadowcliff we did not have phone service and had to use the WiFi at the campground and the cable TV. So it is nice to get to a bigger town. We stayed in Reno for a couple of nights as there is another storm coming in on Tuesday. We also purchased diesel in Reno—Nevada prices are a lot less then CA! Diesel was $3.99.9 at a Texaco station near where we parked the RV. Wednesday, May 18 is supposed to be only cloudy and warming up to the 60’s. We’ve been hearing about freezing nights for the past couple of storms. We head to Sacramento on Wednesday, May 18th.

#11-20 Boulder, CO and the Dam

Charlie came up to the Elks Lodge in Boulder, NV, where we were parked. The lodge has a great area for RVs with full hook-ups and 30 amps for $18.00 a night. Boulder is a cute little town and has a Railroad train ride that goes on a 7 mile ride. We all took the ride and I took this neat picture of a hole in the rock. I hope you can see it.

Charlie has a friend that works at the Boulder Dam and has been telling him for years that any time he wants to have a private tour he would take him. So early Sunday morning, before all the tourists arrived, we went down inside the dam for a up close private tour to places that most people never get to see.

Inside the Dam VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We were so close to the turbines that I took a video of the water bubbling in the view window. How cool is that!

Above I took a picture of the design in the floor of one of the hallways and of the mode of transportation use by some of the employees. I thought you would like it!

If you look at this picture above you can see where the normal water level is supposed to be. It was down almost 100 feet because of the last 8 years of “drought.” This year it has already come up 20 feet and expected to rise another 10 feet because of the abundance of snow pack in the mountains. Hooray!

Two shots of the new bridge. We didn’t go up on the walking path. That is a little high for both of us!. It is a beautiful sight though.

By the time we left the tourists had arrived and we headed back to the RV. It was nap time and Charlie went home for the afternoon after a wonderful day at the Dam. Thanks to Charlie and Larry for the great tour!

#11-19 Ridgecrest, CA with Rick and Pam Post

As we are driving to Ridgecrest, CA, we see these beautiful rock formations. I couldn’t pass them by without taking a few shots through the front window of the RV.

We arrived in town in the afternoon, and went out to dinner after Rick got home from work. Rick has checked out all the local restaurants. After dinner they joined us in the RV to play Phase 10!

Rick had the day off before they left for a couple of weeks for a vacation in Thailand. He took us on the base at China Lake and to the museum of rockets. He is standing in front of the “fat bomb.” Beside him is the plaque explaining it all.

The rocket museum VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Pam in front of one of the big rockets and the guys in front of the F-18 Hornet airplane.

After another nice dinner out we headed back to the RV and played our last game of Phase 10. It is always so much fun to be with them.

We left Ridgecrest and headed to Las Vegas. So far our weather has held up and we are enjoying being on the road again.

#11-18 DHS, Indio, to Lancaster, CA

We spent a week in Desert Hot Springs at the Caliente Hot Springs RV Park. The weather was warm enough to enjoy the hot pools and we met some very nice people. As usual in DHS the wind blew a lot. That’s why they put the windmills there!

Right outside our window was an olive tree, and in the morning we could watch the birds and the squirrels scampering around under the tree. I caught this picture of the back end of this squirrel through the window one morning.

We had beautiful sunsets at the park as you can see. The desert does have its own kind of beauty!

We spent a week in Indio tying up our last visits to Doctors and getting ready to leave for the summer.

While we were in Indio we were able to attend granddaughter Aubrey’s Ballet lesson.

Above, she is trying to do the spits!

Aubrey is following her teacher's instructions--she now wants to be a teacher when she grows up!

Then on to Lancaster in our first leg of the journey north!

We all had dinner at Laurie’s home the first night we were there and we gave Eldon his Hoppy bunny. It sings the “At the Hop” song when you squeeze his foot.

Eldon likes to dance to the bunny’s song!

We spent four days in Lancaster, Helped Allie and Rachel in their back yard and just visited a lot with all Laurie’s family.

On Sunday Laurie, Rachel, Eldon, Colin and Dixie all went to China Town down in LA and to Griffith Park. The Chinese restaurant we went to was really different. As you can see in the picture below, all the food was brought on big wheeled trays and put on the table. I didn’t know what I was eating!

Eldon liked to feet his Granny!

After Lunch we went shopping in a couple of the little shops nearby.

Eldon was more interested in the bubble drink than buying a hat!

On to Griffith Park and a ride on the little train. Eldon didn’t want anything to do with the ponies. He’s a little too young.

The train and the train ride with mommy, Rachel. Awe!

Our last night in Lancaster we went out to dinner with Laurie and her friend from work. Found out that his mother and I both went to the same high school in Bell Gardens. She graduated in 1959, and me in 1961. It is a small world!

We drove north on Tuesday, May 3 to visit our friends Rick and Pam Past at their temporary home in Ridgecrest, CA.