Week 10: Santa Barbara to Palm Springs

Santa Barbara Zoo!  We parked our RV in the zoo lot, taking up four spaces.  Luckily it was a weekday and no one gave us a hard time about having a giant vehicle.  We took a self tour as a family, then I met up with the Mammal Curator and Assistant Curator of Birds for a behind-the-scenes look.  Many thanks to Rachel for our penguin encounter, and Michele for a last minute tour of the gorilla area and giraffe barn!  

The Santa Barbara Zoo is beautiful and they have a nice assortment of animals.  The otter family was really active, the birds in the mixed species aviary were easy to spot, the lions have a view of the giraffes (though that didn’t keep the lions from their favorite activity - sleeping), the baby golden lion tamarin was popping his head out of planter bucket being cute, and the two silverback gorillas were avoiding each other nicely.  There is a great playground for kids and a train that leaves every half hour.  The raptor exhibit is massive and I somehow missed out on an elevated walkway that takes visitors  around the back edge with a view of the lake on the other side.  I was thoroughly impressed and ready for another visit sometime soon.

We were feeling energetic and stupid so we decided to head south at 3:30 in the afternoon, putting us in LA Traffic at 5:30 on a Friday night.  It was stop and go but we made it through and got one of the last RV sites at San Clemente State Beach.  Apparently we need to start reserving ahead on the weekends.  That became even more clear the next morning when we had to go through a lottery to get a spot at the same campground for Saturday night.  We got lucky, sparing our friends the embarrassment of parking in their driveway.

We spent Saturday morning at the beach.  Eric brought over an extra surfboard and wetsuit, so Brian rose to the challenge and tested the surf.  Lukas and I dabbled in the shallow waves and threw around a frisbee.  The beach was long with white sand and the sun was bright.  We were definitely in Southern California.

Saturday night we had friends over to the “house”.  We bought food to grill and then made them grill it.  As two recovering vegetarians, we have now eaten some meat, but not really cooked it.  Eric made a killer fire, Brie seasoned the hamburger patties, Matt got the corn going and Audrey made sure we flipped the fish.  It was definitely a team dinner.  I can’t believe we still had room in our bellies for s’mores!  Also fun to watch the rest of the campsites full of people having similarly huge grill-ups.  

By Sunday we were ready to leave the crowds behind and headed out toward the desert.  As we headed East the terrain grew progressively rockier.  It was a spectacular sight to hit the top of a ridge and see the Colorado Valley down below with the Salton Sea shimmering in the distance.

Anza-Borrego National Park is shaped like a circle with a bite taken out of the middle.  Brian found the perfect RV park in the donut hole, leading us to an oasis of calm.  The Springs at Borrego has a 9-hole golf course, a salt water pool, hot mineral baths, and a stocked fish pond with grilling sites on the beach.  The park is mostly empty, extremely quiet, over the top beautiful, and costs less than most of the places we’ve stayed so far.  It is the tail end of wildflower season, but many of the cactuses, bushes and trees are still in bloom.  Brian played a lot of golf and I had a killer massage.  Lukas spent most of his time in the pool or the putting green.  This was the relaxing interlude we all needed.

 

After a couple days at the “oasis” we headed back out through the desert and around the Salton Sea.  The Salton Sea was created in 1905 when the Colorado River overflowed its banks and poured into the towns lying 227 feet below sea level.  In the 1950s it was thought that the Salton Sea would be the next big tourist destination and development sprung up on its banks.  However, the influx of water has been diverted over the years and the lake has gotten increasingly saltier.  The area is now mostly devoid of human life, but the birds love it.  Fish die-offs are common and the shores of the sea are covered in barnacles and dessicated fish.  

I was pretty fascinated by the history and the wildlife, so we drove around the entire sea.  On the way we stopped in at Slab City, an unincorporated area where in the wintertime you can find RVs by the hundreds parking for free on old military slabs.  The entrance to Slab City is Salvation Mountain, a thirty foot high sculpture that you can explore on foot.  Leonard, the artist, has spent most of his life created and re-creating this masterpiece, all focused on redemption from God.  Unfortunately we found Leonard very ill and it is likely there will be no further painting in his future.  I’m sure his legacy will live on for decades.

Slab City was fairly deserted, but there was a stage for live music and a few permanent mobile homes scattered here and there.  We moved on to Bombay Beach, what was supposed to be the epicenter of the tourism industry for the Salton Sea.  We found our way through a downed fence to the beach, past salt-encrusted ruins of homes and power lines.  Dead fish and other debris littered the shore.  The water was murky, the color of coffee, and very thick.  The silence was deafening.

A little further down the road we found a state park with RV sites.  There was a family there, the father out in the water fishing.  Birds were everywhere: the most impressive being the white pelican as it soared over the water.  The scene was beautiful, hot, and filled with flies.  The family left and we had the entire park to ourselves.  Once again, the quiet was eerie.  At some point during the night the wind picked up and we could hear a faint lapping of waves on shore.  The smell of sulphur came with the wind as the waters were stirred.  I rose at dawn for the birdwatching - more pelicans, egrets, and so many others that without binoculars or a guide I can not name.  An amazing place, but somewhere you don’t want to stay too long.


On the way to Joshua Tree we stopped for date shakes.  More heat, more desert.  We spent the day traversing Joshua Tree park from the South the West, through Colorado desert to the higher elevation Mojave Desert.  There is a distinct shift in habitat as you shift from one desert to the next: ocotillos and sand give way to Joshua Trees and ground cover.  

We stayed in Indian Cove campground, one of the two campgrounds in the park that have spots large enough for Class C RVs.  It turned out that our neighbor was a young family from Sacramento who were camping for a week with their 1.5 year old.  They kindly invited us to join them for a morning of rock climbing, and even let me borrow some gear and have a go at the climb.


Mid-day we left Joshua Tree and headed for Palm Springs.  I booked a spot at an owner based RV community, filled mostly with retirees.  The Outdoor RV Resort has a full size golf course and a 9-hole course, six pools, and 1,200 RV spots.  It seemed an appropriate place to stay when trying to get a feel for the local culture.  The desert heat was really getting to us, so we spent time in the pool and actually fired up the air conditioning in the rig.  Next week we need to get the hell out of the desert.

RV PARK RATINGS

San Clemente State Beach: C+

  Full hookups, no shade, lots of trash, very crowded, some spots overlook ocean, beach access

The Springs at Borrega: A+

  Well maintained, quiet, salt water pool, hot mineral tubs, massage available, golf course, store, grills available next to pond

Salton Sea State Recreation Area, Mecca Beach: A

  Great birdwatching, clean beach, shade trees, picnic tables, very quiet, dead fish

Joshua Tree National Park, Indian Cove Campground: B

  No water available, spots small and not level, rock climbing at site, rattlesnakes

Outdoor RV Resort, Palm Springs: B

  Golf, pools, retirees, store and coffee shop closed for the summer (April-October)

Week 9: Sacramento to Santa Barbara

Our second week in the RV began with a trip to the in-laws.  The cover story was that we were there to celebrate Easter.  Our real mission, however, was to work on the RV while the grandparents babysat Lukas.  We took a couple trips to the RV supply store and hit up all the big name stores for tools, household items, and groceries.  Our biggest task was to sanitize the fresh water tank.  This required running electricity and water from the in-laws house to our RV and several hours of filling and dumping the holding tank onto their driveway.  

Truth be told, we also had a lovely Easter.  Lukas had a great time with Nana and Papa: dyeing eggs, hunting for eggs, looking through his Easter basket, and eating treats.  Brian and I were also spoiled with good food and candy.  Best RV park we’ve stayed in yet!

While in the area we also visited Fairytale Town, which is across the street from Sacramento Zoo.  Fairytale Town in a 60s era park that is built upon the standard fairytales.  Attractions haven’t changed but have been kept up nicely.  Lukas had a wonderful time running through Robin Hood’s forest, climbing on the Little Engine That Could, and sliding down Grandmother’s Shoe.  After all that activity Brian took Lukas for a nap and I headed to the Zoo.

Sacramento Zoo is a small zoo located in a city park.  The general curator and primate keeper were kind enough to give me a tour, so I saw first-hand how well they care for their primates.  And what a primate collection it is!  Chimpanzees, orangutans, ring-tailed lemurs, mongoose lemurs, sifaka, mangabey, and probably a few others I’m forgetting.  The zoo also has a new giraffe exhibit including a feeding station, and a vet hospital including display windows into the surgery rooms.

Zoo visit accomplished, it was time for us to get moving again.  We headed out of town late in the day and made it to Monterey by nightfall.  We stayed at Marina Dunes RV Park again, which seemed even nicer than our first visit, probably because I have now visited other RV parks which lowered the bar.  After a quiet night Lukas and I took a walk down the dunes to see the ocean, then back into the RV for another big drive.

Our plan was to stop over in San Luis Obispo for lunch and stay in Pismo Beach.  We got into SLO mid-day and it was busier than we expected.  Found a spot for the beast and paid up two meters.  As we wandered around it was very clear that this is a college town, akin to Palo Alto.  We had a mediocre pizza and split.

I had spent a lot of time researching RV parks in Pismo Beach and had found what seemed like a nice campground in Oceano, south of PB.  Oceano is a white sand beach that allows off-roading, and the campground was a tiny, neglected spot near the freeway that we turned down on sight.  But we were optimistic because Pismo was RV Central.  

We had passed numerous parks along the way and were sure one would work out for us.  First we checked the state park: nice but no hookups and we were running with an empty water tank.  Next we checked out Pismo Beach Village RV Resort.  Wow.  It was huge, with 400 RV sites, an arcade, pool, three playgrounds, beach access, and an over-the-top-happy-Disney-type feel to it.  We were creeped out and moved on.  But we were running out of gas and energy.  

On to Avila Beach.  There was awesome RV parking along the waterfront, but it was confusing to figure out and super windy on the water.  Next to Avila Hot Springs RV Resort, super cheesy with a water park.  Exhausted, we checked in at the next place: Avila KOA.  This turned out to be the worst place we had looked at all day.  It was right under the freeway with tiny spots and lots of people.  I was having a bit of a fit after two or more hours of searching for the “right” place to stay.  We let Lukas play on the playground, filled up our water tank, found a gas station, and headed for Morro Bay State Park, backtracking 30 miles north.

Thank goodness Morro Bay had an open spot!  This is a gorgeous state park in the woods with an Estuary on one side, Marina and restaurant across the street, Golf course just past the campground, and Morro Rock overlooking it all.  We couldn’t have found a better spot to unwind and enjoy nature.

Brian spent the following day playing golf while Lukas and I checked out the marina and the nature center.  The tree right next to our RV seemed to be hollow and had several holes in it.  While Lukas napped I lay in the sun and watched the birds go in and out of their tree nests.  This is exactly where I wanted to be.

The next morning I hiked up a peak to get a good view of the region, then we packed up for our next destination.  We planned to stay near Santa Barbara, but research showed that there were no RV parks near town.  I picked out a state park near Lake Cuchama and we set our navigation system.

Solvang was close to our destination, so we stopped off to see Little Denmark and grab some coffee.  On the way we found a miniature horse farm!  Oh my goodness, those babies are so cute that it caused this normally reserved girl to squeal.  

Back on the road, up over a huge ridge, and it seemed that our campground was on the left, a beautiful spot right next to the lake.  However the navigation system said our set destination was several miles ahead.  Up and over the top of the ridge and the wind was something fierce.  It was downright dangerous out there.  But when the "Nav" said we had reached our destination there was nothing but road.  It being too hard to turn around, we headed for Santa Barbara and took a break on the beach.

We ended up pulling another "Pismo Beach" like adventure of checking out possible campgrounds before backtracking 20 miles north to the most expensive RV park I've ever heard of.  Granted, it had a pool and hot tub, was very clean, and was close to the beach.  We paid the money, happy to be fairly close to Santa Barbara, and hoped our next journey wouldn't be quite as much of an adventure.

RV PARK RATINGS


El Dorado In-laws Resort: A+
  Provide bedding and towels, allow RV maintenance, food and babysitting included


Marina Dunes RV Park: A-
  upgraded after further research


Morro Bay State Park: A+
  wildlife, hiking, golf course, restaurant at marina, nature center


Ocean Mesa at El Capitan: B+
  clean, pool, hot tub, laundry, playground, close to beach, pricey

Week 8: Intro to RV Life

Wow, we did it!  We bought the RV!  Now we needed to somehow park it near our place on busy 24th street and pack it up to go.  The first night we parked it in the church lot by our house, the lot in which we happen to pay for two monthly spots that are routinely taken by other people and nothing ever done about it.  So we figured it wouldn’t be a big deal to park our rig there for the night.  Wrong!  As soon as we got it parked a guy who LIVES in his RV in the lot told us to move it immediately.  We waved him off, but soon after the guy in charge of the lot found us at home and yelled at us to move it.  Where to?  Where to park our brand new (to us) 28 foot RV in the heart of the Mission in San Francisco?  Where it wouldn’t get tagged or broken into?  And where we could start moving stuff into it?  Finally a bribe calmed the attendant down, though he refused the money.  “One night only!” he called after us.  Agreed, we want to get out of here in our giant vehicle as soon as possible.

The next morning we rose with the street cleaner at dawn to get a spot right in front.  By 9 am we were moving along on errands and out of the city.  The RV didn’t seem so large once we were on the highway, and we got to our first destination quickly.  

Night one we spent in the Wine Country Sonoma RV Park, in Rohnert Park.  The plan was to spend the rest of the day and evening putting away all the stuff we’d thrown into the RV earlier.  So we picked someplace close with easy access to stores in case we forgot something essential.  Only problem with the Wine Country Sonoma RV Park was that it was a dump.  The RV parking was in tight rows on gravel, the tiny fish pond was filled with algae and had no fish, and it was clear that many of these RVs never moved and their residents were barely making ends meet.  At least everyone we met (including the meth heads) were very nice and welcomed Lukas into the maelstrom of children circling the park on bikes and scooters and rollerskates.  We popped a nice bottle of wine and cooked up our organic ravioli with wild mushroom cream sauce and toasted to our new adventure.

The rest of the week was spent criss-crossing the Bay.  We had no real plans at the start, so once the day was over and Lukas finally asleep it was time to figure out the next day.  That usually took about an hour of computer time to pick a location, find an RV park that looked passable, and plan an activity or two.  Our journey took us from Sonoma to Pt Reyes to Sonoma to Pt Reyes to Sonoma on the way back to SF.  We spent a lot of time on curvy, narrow, potholed roads and navigating parking spots in random towns.  We also loved the cows on green hills, crashing ocean, vineyards and seafood.  Overall it was a good tour of the North Bay and we broke in the new rig: goals accomplished.

We had to head back to SF to pick up our car that will be living at the in-laws during our travels.  We picked an RV park in Pacifica and Brian then made his way to the house for a few more things and the house.  Two call to AAA later, he finally made it back from the city.  Turns out that Lukas had tampered with the dome light of BOTH cars.  One was jumpable and the other needed a new battery.  Of course the second dead battery was discovered only after the repairman had already left.  Lukas completed the “disaster of threes” by locking the RV bathroom door, luckily leaving the bathroom before shutting the door.  Brian eventually was able to get the door open, but it required buying a different screwdriver.  That little bugger is trouble and we’ll have to keep a closer eye on him!

On the seventh night we “kamped” at the West Sacramento KOA.  Lukas was running around naked as his un-showered parents ate burritos seasoned with Taco Bell packets off of paper towels and discussed the merits of various RV sewage hoses.  It seems we have settled into trailer life well.

Highlights of our first week out:

--oysters at Hog Island

--buying a live crab from a Bodega Bay resident, borrowing a pot, and cooking that sucker up

--seal in the churning waves at Bodega Bay

--jogging down the quiet streets of Calistoga and seeing steaming water rise out of the culverts on the side of the road

--our first night at a state park (so quiet that this city girl had to retreat inside after dark)

--the castle at montelena winery

Things I have learned about RVs this week:

--RV toilets require special toilet paper or the drain will get clogged

--You must put chemicals in the toilet EVERY time it’s drained to avoid your home smelling like a port-a-potty

--The water tank needs to be sanitized before you drink off it

--Things WILL move around as you drive and WILL fall out and hit you on the head when you open the cabinets

RV Park Ratings:

Wine Country Sonoma RV Park: D

Kinda sketchy

Porto Bodega RV Park: C+

Spots by the water, very industrial feel, not much within walking distance, bonus points for the local who sells crabs from the park

Porto Bodega RV Park

  Bodega Bay

  Dungeness Crab

  

Bothe-Napa State Park: B

Gorgeous, quiet, creek trail, lots of poison oak, no RV hookups

Calistoga Fairgrounds: B

Right next to a golf course, some trees and grass, walking distance to town

Olema RV Resort: A

Beautiful location, redwood trees, fields, creek. laundry, store

San Francisco RV Park: C

Actually in Pacifica, super windy, tightly packed into a parking lot, ocean views, pool and hot tub, playground, walking distance to stores and restaurants

West Sacramento KOA: B

Spots near a manmade lake, trees and grass, bikes and paddleboats for rent, game room, playground, pool, laundry, store, friendly staff, short drive to downtown Sacramento, freeway noise

Week 7: Buying an RV

After much research and indecision, we decided to buy a 28 foot lightly used 2011 Coachmen Freelander.  It is the vehicle we liked from the outset, the same model we rented, and the model we kept coming back to as the front runner.  We actually bought our RV from the rental dealer, who retires them at just over 20,000 miles and maintains his vehicles really well.  The owner of Road Bear is a nice guy, not a sleazy dealer, and he sells to the dealers so had a much lower price point than any of the dealerships.  In addition, he was able to  get the vehicle detailed and ready to go in a day, where the dealerships were saying they could get the RV running in a week or so.  We were beyond ready to go and couldn’t imagine waiting any longer than necessary.

Suddenly it was all happening very fast.  We inspected the RV and put down a deposit.  We needed to tie up loose ends at home and get packing.  Departure date for the MonkeyTrek: April 15.  Yes, we were fleeing on tax day.

Week 6: Tahoe and Wedding

There has been a record-breaking amount of snow in Tahoe this year, but we’ve only been snowboarding once this season.  It seemed like time to take advantage of our freedom, and the in-laws near Sacramento, to get in a full day of snowboarding.  We spent a couple nights with Brian’s parents and they were wonderful to take Lukas for the day so we could get our snowboarding on.  We hadn’t been boarding as a couple since Lukas was born, so this was quite a treat.  It was spring skiing, icy in the morning and slushy in the afternoon, but we had a blast.  Beer and candy bars got us through, then we had homemade pizza and a happy child waiting for us.  The snowboarding got us a little sidetracked from our RV planning, but we had a weekend wedding to go attend as well.  This week we were taking a break from the RV.


While in the Sacramento area, we checked out Folsom Zoo Sanctuary.  It is a small zoo that has rescue animals only, ranging from wounded native species to ex-pets.  The zoo has only three keepers on staff each day, but they do a great job of caring for the animals.  I was particularly impressed with their brown bear enclosure which featured a cave, waterfall, dirt and trees, and plenty of off-view areas.  A new aviary was close to completion.  Lukas was most interested in the roosters that roamed free and the train that we could hear whistling just off in the distance.

On Saturday we drove down to Santa Cruz for the wedding of two wonderful people.  It was a small affair at a house overlooking the ocean.  The food was amazing, the guests were lovely, and the bride and groom radiant.  Lukas cheesed it up for the camera and made friends with the other kids.  I stayed late to drink and chat sans child and my sweet husband took the kid back to our hotel.  

Sunday we had to leave early so Brian could get home to watch the thrilling conclusion of the Master’s.  I set about fretting how we were going to get an RV and leave on our scheduled date in less than a week.

Week 5: Test Trip

I decided to book a 28 foot Class C motorhome for our test trip.  We like the idea of Lukas’ playroom being in the bed over the cab.  28 feet seems a good in-between size that will keep us from being super cramped, but will also allow us to still drive the thing.  We packed up our bedding and towels, food and kid’s toys, and headed to the rental place.  Brian got a lengthy tour of the rig while I chased Lukas around and tried to keep him from getting run over.  Our “Road Bear” rental turned out to be the same model that we liked best at the dealership.  Score!  Now we had a chance to test it out.

Mid-day on Wednesday we headed off to our first stop, Pelican Point RV park in Half Moon Bay.  We made it all the way to HMB before we got the call that our car was improperly parked at the rental location.  Well, more practice driving for us!  I took the wheel back to East Bay and was surprised at how easily I got used to driving the behemoth.  I was a bit white knuckle over 92, but fairly calm by the time we hit the highway.  Car in the right location, we headed back to Half Moon Bay.

Pelican Point was a lovely spot to start our trip.  It is right next to the Half Moon Bay golf course which overlooks the ocean.  We could hear the waves and were surrounded by trees.  After a walk down to the ocean where Lukas played in the sand, we made a pasta dinner that couldn’t have tasted better.  The light was lovely on our little table in the RV, windows open to the sea.  We took pictures of the sun dropped into the water then settled into our cozy bed for the night.

On Thursday we had a leisurely morning then headed to my favorite coffee shop, Blue Sky Farms.  They sell native plants and home baked goods and have a beautiful garden.  We stocked up on scones and drove down Hwy 1 to visit an old friend.  It had been way too long since I had seen Brad and it was great to see his new projects: a two year old daughter and a house he’s building himself on a property in the redwoods!  Next stop, my old stomping grounds in Santa Cruz for lunch at Saturn Cafe and a mini Chocolate Madness dessert that is not as mini as it used to be!  Very full, we headed South to Monterey.

Our next stop was the Marina Dunes RV park in, you guessed it, Marina Dunes.  This RV park featured a personal fire pit and BBQ grill, playground (which happened to be right behind our site), a rec room, laundry, shower, store, and the perfect entrance to the Dunes.  After hooking up our rig we took a walk over the dunes to one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.  As the sun began to set we let Lukas play in the park and made dinner.  We were pretty tired from a full day of RVing, and also needed to plan for the next day.  Lukas passed out quickly and we followed soon after.

Friday, the final day of our test trip.  We unhooked the RV and drove through town to 17 mile drive.  It was as pretty as we remembered, and made even better by being able to pull over and make lunch whenever we wanted!  White sandy beaches, roaring surf, and strong sun made for a lovely morning.  In the afternoon we made a quick stop near Cannery Row for some fresh fish, then hit up the Dennis the Menace Park.  It is a park designed by the artist who made the Dennis comic strip, and it’s crazy awesome for kids.  There’s even a parked train the kids can climb all over.  For dinner we made a fire and grilled up a huge amount of fish.  We drained a bottle of wine and, before I realized it, I polished off a bag of marshmallows.  Can’t beat a toasted marshmallow.  Yum.  Brian made friends with the neighbors and the whole family came over to roast marshmallows.  (They brought their own, so can’t blame the empty bag on our guests.)  

Saturday morning we waved goodbye to our new friends and brought the RV back to Road Bear rentals.  Overall a very successful test trip.  I think we’re going to go ahead with the real deal.

*I’ve decided to rate each RV site we stay at.  Ratings will be at the end of each post.

Pelican Point RV Park: B+

Quiet, can hear the ocean.  Trees and grass.  Located next to ocean access.

Marina Dunes RV Park: B+

Highway noise.  Amenities great.  Located next to dunes and ocean access.

Week 4: Blurry Errands

It took a lot longer than I expected to heal from the eye surgery.  Things were starting to clear up, then I had a major backslide to a state of persistent fog.  The partial blindness made it pretty difficult to do all the errands and planning necessary to get this show on the road!  


We did manage to plan our test trip in the RV, and give our pet snake to a loving temporary home.  We also made a run to an RV dealership to get an idea of inventory and price range.  By the end of the week the fog was clearing and it seemed that I would have sight again in the near future.