Red Bluff CA (Low 52 Sunny High 82)
Living fulltime in an RV and traveling the country is an amazing adventure. Our stop in Red Bluff really illustrates that point. It is amazing because in our bucket list of traveling Red Bluff would never have made the list. What we saw yesterday, Lassen Volcanic National Park, would also probably have never made anybody's bucket list. We happen to be in Red Bluff due to taking 150 mile chunks across the country but are so glad that we are because yesterday was an amazing day.
Fulltiming is also an adventure because you always encounter something new, but not always the good variety. We have an auxiliary fuel tank that the fuel cap started leaking. We now realize that it must have been due to the high altitude at our previous stops. We bought a new fuel cap that is supposed to be better but we must not have had it on tight enough because we get out to take photos at a spot and we smell a diesel smell. Checking around we see fuel leaking on the ground and in the truck bed. We pull the cap off and it is pressurized and try the old cap but it still leaks. We put the new cap on and tighten it real good and the leak stops.
Bob has a bunch of photos to go through from Lassen Volcanic National Park and it will be the subject of a future blog posting. After that it will probably be on your bucket lists. In the mean time here are two of the three cats that travel with us admiring their new backyard.
Fulltiming is an amazing adventure.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Red Bluff CA (Low 57 Mostly Sunny High 90)
We had another relaxing day yesterday that included pie, the Very Very Strawberry Chocolate Ganache pie at Shari's, it was very very good.
We then did some shopping and headed back to the park. Here is our Cameo parked in Durango RV Resort in Red Bluff.
The park is next to the Sacramento River. If ever in the area again we will try and call as early as possible to get a river site.
There is a nice trail along the river.
And a neat seating area to watch the river.
It was back to our Cameo and we sat outside and read until supper. We plan another lazy day today and tomorrow we head to Lassen Volcanic National Park for some sightseeing.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently in Red Bluff CA (Low 57 Sunny High 85)
With getting the leak repaired and Jo not feeling well we didn't do much yesterday. This allows us to continue our adventures while in the dead zones and also finish the review of the Da Vinci Exhibit at the Blue Water Casino in Parker Arizona. There were about 60 working models to look at, some you could even play with. It was an incredible exhibit and if it is ever in your area you need to take a day and see it.
Here are some photos that we weren't sure which category to place in.
Here is some of his artwork. In addition to all the inventions documented in the working models he did an amazing number of paintings including the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper which we showed previously. Here are only a few of the paintings in the exhibit.
Today we plan to do some shopping and take advantage of free pie on Wednesday at Shari's.
Leonardo was an amazing man, inventor and genius.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently in Red Bluff CA (Low 57 Conditions Sunny 88)
We left Rio Vista yesterday and headed to the Durango RV Resort in Red Bluff. It was approx. 170 miles, here is the route we took.
We got here and set up and then called Ralph's RV Repair who came out and got hot water for us again. Turns out we had a bad valve and a bad faucet. If you are ever in the area we highly recommend Ralph who came out on Memorial Day to make sure we had hot water. Strangely a few hours after he left we sprung a leak, maybe all that twisting wasn't good on the joints. He honored his work and showed up first thing this morning and fixed the leak. Let us tell you, showers in our own home are much better than RV park showers.
While here we will do a little sightseeing but we haven't decided on what yet. We are excited that there is a Shari's Cafe and Pies within walking distance. We are also excited that there are supposedly good farmers markets in the area. We have hit the mother lode of fresh local strawberries, cherries, blueberries, asparagus, etc. since we have entered California. We hope it continues.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently in Rio Vista CA (Low 55 Windy and Sunny Currently 60)
Heading to Red Bluff CA (Sunny High 92)
We are old enough to remember when it was called Decoration Day, the former name for Memorial Day. Today we honor all those that have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
We truly are the
Today we head off to Red Bluff California, the land of hot water :-)
We can say that we have been, for us, camping the last few days. Taking showers in the campground showers and no dishwasher, man we are really roughing it :-)
To make things better we have found our new favorite candy bar.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently near Rio Vista CA (Low 56 Windy and Sun High 93)
How did the showers go you ask? Let's just say we can't wait to get our own shower back :-)
We now continue our adventures while in the dead zones and also continue our review of the Da Vinci Exhibit that began here Da Vinci, Part One and here Da Vinci, Part Two and here Da Vinci, Part Three and here Da Vinci, Part Four that documented what we already knew. We saw the Da Vinci Exhibit at the Blue Water Casino in Parker Arizona and now document what we did not know until we saw this exhibit.
He was involved in developing tools involving mechanics. He looked at improving mechanisms by using ball bearings to reduce friction.
A flywheel
A connecting rod
Lantern gear
Cam
Chain drive
Gearbox
A jack for lifting wagons to replace wheels
Leonardo was an amazing man, inventor and genius.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently near Rio Vista CA (Low 57 Windy and Sunny High 86)
We really meant to say taking it easy from sightseeing because when you live in an RV there is always something to do. And sometimes when you try to do something good something bad happens but more on that later. Besides the eating and shopping and haircut it was time to do a couple fairly major tasks.
After spending a week right next to the ocean and being in parks that don't allow rig washing it was time to give the Cameo, and the dreaded bug splattered front cap, a much need bath. After finishing that it was time to tackle a water pressure problem in the kitchen sink.
We have been in some bad water areas and we have been experiencing the buildup of the gunk in our aerators and lower pressure. A few months ago Bob took apart all the fittings underneath the sink and ran water through them and cleaned them and that work for awhile. It was time to try that again. Well he broke things free that is for sure but it broke free and clogged our check valve which prevents hot water from going back into the cold water lines.
So now we have virtually no hot water pressure. We frantically try to find a mobile RV service but both numbers we had would not return the messages we left on voicemail. We then found the part at an RV dealer about 30 miles away but by now it was too late to head in that direction. So yesterday we headed to pickup the part, having breakfast along the way. We then did other errands and headed back to the park so Bob could attempt the repair.
Bob was able to remove the anode and drain the water heater and remove the supply line but he could not remove the check valve. Of course it is in an awkward position and strain as much as he could it would not budge. By now it is late Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend so we figure we are pretty much hosed for service in this area. We put everything back together and called the next RV park we are staying at beginning Monday. They knew of a good mobile service so we called them hoping for a call on Tuesday since Monday is Memorial Day. Well God bless him he said to call as soon as we arrived Monday and we would have hot water Monday evening.
So now we get to do something we have not done since we began fulltiming almost 5 years ago and that is take a shower in the park showers. Always an adventure for sure. After all that we thought we would show a couple photos of the park here to lighten the mood. Here is Mount Diablo in the distance as you enter the park.
There was a great sunset last night over the Sacramento River.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently near Rio Vista CA (Low 52 Partly Sunny High 80)
As promised we are taking it easy. Yesterday we slept in and had breakfast in the Cameo, leftover blueberry pancakes, bacon and egg. We drove to Costco in nearby Antioch for lunch and shopping. If you have never had a lunch at Costco it is a good deal. Jo really likes the chicken bake; chicken chunks with caesar dressing and bacon stuffed in a long roll with cheese baked on the outside. It is really good. Bob had the footlong polish sausage and drink special for only $1.50. All of that food for less than $5. Fortified we then shopped at Costco and then at Sears. We then drove back to the park.
We really like this park, if you like remote you will like this park too as it is very remote right next next to the Sacramento River. Remote but also good Verizon cellular signal with a good line of sight for satellite dishes and civilization fairly close in nearby Antioch. There is a BART Station about 30 minutes away and Sacramento is about an hour away.
We admit to being a little surprised because based on the photos on the website we picked a site backing up to the river, or so we thought.
Turns out there is a levee road that runs behind the park and it is bermed higher than our site so this is our view. Still prefer this view than looking at another RV out our back window.
This is the view of the river if you walk up the hill. There are benches if you just want to sit and watch the water.
Our Cameo from the hill.
As you can see from this photo there is a lot of space between sites.
Here is an empty site showing how wide (22' x 45') they are and a party tent on the next site over.
There are some groups coming in for the Memorial Day weekend so we hope it doesn't get too rowdy. We appreciate how quiet this park is compared to the Moss Landing KOA where we just came from.
The roads here are also wide, roads and pads are constructed with concrete pavers.
This is a great park to do what we plan to do this week, taking it easy. Today all we plan to accomplish is lunch out and Jo getting her haircut.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently near Rio Vista CA (Low 48 Windy Clouds Sunshine High 73)
We drove yesterday from the cool climate of the coastal town of Moss Landing and headed inland to Rio Vista. We decided to avoid as much traffic as we could so we headed east to Interstate 5 and then north. It added miles to our trip but probably was faster, and certainly was less stressful than the other options closer to San Francisco. Here is the route we took (probably best to click for the larger map, Google has screwed up their maps functionality yet again).
View Larger Map
We arrived at the Rio Viento RV Park where we will stay for a week. Here are a couple of pictures from their website.
We are right along the Sacramento River in what is called the Sacramento Delta area. It will be warmer than right next to the coast that is for sure and we plan to relax, or take a vacation from vacations as it were :-)
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Currently in Moss Landing CA (Low 48 Currently Clouds and Sun 54)
Heading to Rio Vista CA (Sunny High 72)
We drove along the coast from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay and it was beautiful. We will compare this to the Oregon coast and then the Washington coast as we continue our travels this summer.
We started out eating at a DDD place, Aldo's Harborside in Santa Cruz. We like trying out DDD places and this one was good. It is right next to the harbor and the Walton Lighthouse. Here is the lighthouse from our table.
After breakfast we walked to the lighthouse. Here is the best selfie that we ever have been able to take with the lighthouse behind us.
It was then off to the coast but first we had to endure stop and go city traffic in Santa Cruz. We are so used to living in the boonies that this traffic was a little intimidating. We made it to the coast and it sure was gorgeous.
There were beautiful flowers all along the way.
About 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay is the Pidgeon Point Lighthouse.
It was a very windy day so we got to see some kite surfing.
Here are more photos of an incredible day.
Our timing was bad for our return trip thru Santa Cruz as CA-1 was stop and go from north of Santa Cruz all the way till past the town. We hit it at 2:30 p.m. but on a Friday afternoon so maybe rush hour was a little earlier.
We head off today to Rio Vista California. It will be a little warmer here than right next to the coast that is for sure. We plan to relax after a few weeks of heavy sightseeing.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
NOTE: all our photos from our stay in Moss Landing have been uploaded to flickr in the Moss Landing 2014 set.
