California

Our visit to Monterey was great. This is a photo and video review of Monterey. Monterey Bay is one of those places where it is easy to take beautiful photos. We need to go back. Some places are so perfect that you don’t need a lot of words to describe it. Revised September 2023 to

It has been a wet winter in California and when that happens the desert in eastern San Diego County changes. We went seeking early spring flowers in the Anza-Borrego desert. In the summer, in the desert, I look past the small patches of dry vegetation surrounded by sand and instead focus on the dramatic views.

Classic Rotors is a unique aircraft museum in Ramona, California. One-of-a-kind refers both to the museum and the helicopters. The museum is dedicated to rescuing one-of-a-kind and unique historically significant helicopters. The all-volunteer museum staff brings these historic aircraft back to flying condition and then flies them. They have several one-of-a-kind helicopters, and some are

Scientists have decided that the Cascade chain of volcanos ends at Mount Lassen. Mount Lassen is the last volcano in the chain. The Cascade chain spans more than eight hundred miles. Mount Lassen is the last one when you count from north to south. Mount Lassen is the namesake for Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen

San Diego is not a liberty port. In the Navy, liberty is something you can have (get to go on) after you get all your work done. When in a liberty port, you get to leave the ship. The term is used in a sentence such as “Did you enjoy liberty?” Of course, this question

We are California dreaming, currently camped on the sand, right on the beach at Camp Pendleton. Sand, surf, and traffic.

Our Anniversary Yesterday was our anniversary of living in an RV full-time for two years; tomorrow will be our wedding anniversary. Comparing the two would be a fool’s errand. Most importantly let me stay upfront how lucky I am that Tami married me. I am very lucky. Travels However, this is a travel blog and

California Central Coast. Incredible sights above all have to be the Hearst Castle and Morro Bay they were very beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving came late in the month this year. We haven’t waited to be thankful. Just like last year, this year has been wonderful. We are currently in a small Army National Guard Post, between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay. Thankful for You The first and most important thing that we are thankful

Big Sur and Pebble Beach. We were warned that Big Sur and Pebble Beach is not RV country and I don’t disagree, but given our drives, it is not as bad as I was led to believe. We have gone down many roads that are worse, especially in Oregon, where we shared the roads with

Mud Baths and Gold Camp Calistoga to Calaveras County. Last weekend, we were in Calistoga at the north end of Napa Valley, known for grapes and hot springs. The only easy access to Calistoga is via Napa north along Highway 128. Well for us it made for an easy departure (our trip to Calistoga southbound

Redwoods to Grapes: If you travel south from Oregon along the coast, you will first travel from the redwoods to grapes country. Starting in Eureka we travel south through the redwoods to Ukiah heading into the heart of Napa Valley and Calistoga known for grapes, wine, and spas. Eureka to Ukiah The distance between Eureka

Our view at San Onofre at sunset was the best of the stay — So far. This is a great start for 2019. You can see our car and our RV and the great view of the lifeguard shack right in front of the RV. It may just be the location, but on this day,

Why would we leave San Diego, where we have a great parking spot on San Diego Bay, overlooking the marina and sailboats and go to Boise for Christmas. The answer is family. Several of our friends have offered to come to house-sit for us, in our RV, seems like all of them are further north.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year at Thanksgiving. At Seal Beach, it is delightful. We put 6580 miles in our travels this year (plus car miles). The last time we saw the ocean in San Diego was February 24. Since then we have explored the small roads across the west, crossed

Mesquite Springs It was quiet in Death Valley especially at our new campsite in Mesquite Springs. and beautiful. Eight days might be a little long. Each day provided new views and light shows with unexpected attractions. We saw the Milky Way span across the sky, identified Mars and Saturn without a telescope and counted at

Death Valley Days 2018 brought to you by 20 mule team Borax. It is still very warm in Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park at the end of October, next time we visit the bottomland will be in January. I am surprised that anyone ever came to the valley in the summer, especially to work.

Not Recommended We found our comfort limit today. It is 8! We did a narrow winding road, 30 miles long at less than 20 mph at 8% grade, sometimes it got steeper, and we went both up and down in first gear. At one time the canyon walls narrowed the road down to one lane.

A million-dollar view and we own it. Joshua Tree National Park is a wonderland. We have no electricity, no water, no sewer, no cell phone coverage, and no computers. It sounds like the introduction theme to Gilligan’s Island.  We do have a view. Wow-what a view out our window.  You can’t buy such a view,

Fiddlers Cove We traded our spot on the beach for three weeks overlooking San Diego bay. Our new digs are Fiddlers Cove Marina and RV Park, operated by the Navy on the Silver Strand, south of Coronado Island. I’m hoping from the picture of Fiddlers Cove, that you will agree that this is a very

Surfing on New Years Day in San Diego (Alas, we don’t surf) Camping at Camp Pendleton this December and January has been interesting. In mid-December, we moved north from our campground at Admiral Baker in Mission Valley San Diego to Lake O’Neill in Camp Pendleton (spared by the Lilac Fire).  Mission Valley was great but

(I promise this will not turn into an hour by hour blog.) On our first night, we have a problem. First, there was a loud knock on the door and the neighbors are screaming fire.  Who could make this up? Indeed there was a brush fire, racing up the hill directly across from the campground.