Yes, It Must Rain Sometimes!

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

My recent experience with RV Parks, like this one here [the Evergreen RV Park in Oxnard] seems to indicate that I’m much more likely to find these campgrounds already full if I just show up there.  So many spaces are taken up by full-time/part-time motorhome or trailer residents, leaving just a few sites available for someone like me who’s just traveling through.  It will be a good idea, I’ve now determined, to try to plan my destinations in advance and make site reservations.  Sitting here at my little parking spot, I made use of my morning doing just that – online research for where to go after I visit my friend in Calabasas today.   

Unlike my situation yesterday, there was no other RVer waiting to take my spot but, with respect to Evergreen’s check-out time, I left around noon and headed for Calabasas via 101 S.  I had an hour to spare so I looked for a shopping center and found an UPS store (they printed and mailed Blog #3 for me), a Starbucks (I had banana bread and Caffe Mocha), and an Albertson’s (I replenished some dwindling foodstuffs).  Then I went to Sally’s house!

Sally and I have known each other for five years now, since sitting next to each other, twice, at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.  Having learned fingerspelling when she was a little girl she communicated with me that way and I’d get together now and then with her and Bear, her Shepherd/Lab mix, and join them on walks/hikes.  Bear was such a sweetheart, everybody loved him!  He was 16 when he passed on a few months ago.

After parking my truck camper and bringing some of my more valuable stuff inside, Sally and I sat down for a short while then took a walk through her neighborhood to a nearby park. There was a trail and as we walked on it I noted the gentle, and very green, rolling hills surrounding the area.  We came upon two tree stumps in front of a tall oak tree and sat down, a break Sally knew I probably needed.  In addition to being tall with many outstretched branches, the oak tree had a thick girth and, for a moment, I let my imagination run free.  I made a comment about the people that lived around here so many hundreds of years ago and asked Sally if she thought a pair of long-ago lovers may have visited this very tree.  She concurred and said she can also imagine the original inhabitants gathering acorns from around the tree.

We had dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant, after which we played a game of Scrabble on the old, but still useful, Travel Edition that I keep inside my camper.  Around 9:00 p.m. I called it a day and headed for bed in the upstairs guest room.

MONDAY, MARCH 19

So that I could be on my way after breakfast I followed Sally to an organic store that had an eatery inside.  We then said our “see you next time” bye-byes and I resumed my truck camper trip. 

Sally and me.

I wasn’t on Hwy 101 S for very long before I became part of the mass of slow moving vehicles on I-405 S.  On the approach to the Getty Center exit, I remembered last summer’s wildfires in this area and, glancing up the hillside on my left, could see the blackened earth from the fire that had burned so close to this world famous art museum.  

Going south on I-405 towards Los Angeles.

Driving on these busy and jam-packed L.A. freeways commands your full attention, and more so when you’re driving a truck camper…or other RV for that matter.  But for the one or two reckless lane-weavers on the road, traffic wasn’t too bad and I soon connected to I-105 W and arrived at the Dockweiler RV Park, located in Playa del Rey and situated right next to the Los Angeles Airport.  I’d arrived around 11:00 a.m. and had to wait until 1:00 p.m. to check in.  The nice fella in the office told me to just stay where I was parked and, as a kind gesture to help me kill time, he went ahead and gave me the Wi-Fi user name.

All of the sites here are paved, clearly marked, and very clean.  In addition to the Wi-Fi access I have water and electricity at my site.  Directly in front of me, separated by a low wall, is a bike and jogging path.  Several yards beyond the path is a sand berm which, unfortunately, is blocking my view of the ocean.  I found this info online --

Before winter begins, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors deposits giant mounds of sand along the coast to protect parking lots, lifeguard towers, RV parks, and other property from flooding and destruction caused by high tides and storm-charged waves. The county got serious with berm treatment in the early ’80s, reinforcing Dockweiler State Beach, Venice Beach, Hermosa Beach, Zuma Beach, and Malibu Surfrider Beach. Between February and March the berms go bye-bye, so appreciate their hard work while they’re here.

The sand berm here hasn’t gone bye-bye yet, obviously, but the link is an interesting and informative read -- http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/l-works-beach-berms/

Seen from my camper, a dip in the sand berm 

offers a sliver of a glimpse of the ocean.

Along California’s coast are many state beaches, all of which a camping site can be reserved online.  Summertime reservations are, obviously, snapped up months prior.  But this is March and if I can take a cue from the many empty spaces that I see right now and right here at this beachfront RV Park, it should be easy enough to make online reservations at some of the state beaches further south.

Much to my surprise, however, after spending a great deal of time on my laptop, I couldn’t make a state beach reservation anywhere for tomorrow.  I kept getting an “error alert” about the day I want (tomorrow, Tuesday) and I should pick a different day.  As I pondered this unexpected situation, I observed that dark clouds had rolled in and, having already read online weather reports about the forecast for rain, I had this bright idea -- stay right here for another day.  Making that online reservation for my second day here tomorrow was easy, probably because this RV Park is under the auspices of the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors and not the California State Park system.  Feeling better about my decision, I abandoned the laptop, stepped outside, trudged up the sand berm, and there was the Pacific!

As I almost always do, I went down to the water and got my feet wet.  There was nobody else around, but for a few busy shorebirds and two ships in the distance.

Two ships and a few shorebirds.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20

First things first this morning – get back on the laptop and see if I have better luck with state beach reservations.  Nope, same thing…I just can’t seem to secure a reservation anywhere for tomorrow, Wednesday, which is not even the weekend.  I’m now wondering if there is a 24-hour rule at play here.  I changed strategy and managed to make a reservation, via email, for tomorrow at a private RV Park in Long Beach.  I was also able to secure a Thursday reservation, through the City of Huntington Beach website, for a space at what’s described as “a beachfront parking lot,” in Huntington Beach.

I don’t know where I’ll be come Friday but now, as I write this, it’s 3:30 p.m. and I’m gonna go back over that berm and get my feet wet.

A view of my truck camper from atop the sand berm.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
It’s been raining this morning and I got wet unhooking the water hose and shore power cord.  Getting behind the wheel I turned on the truck’s heater and then made my way along I-105 E to I-405 S to I-710 S to Long Beach, heading for the Golden Shore RV Resort.  I knew that I-710 ended at LB but I didn’t expect to see a congestion of so many exit ramps at the end of that freeway.  Here I am, driving a truck camper in inclement weather and trying to focus on the confusing array of exit signs (most of which lead to one of LB’s many piers) and I missed the exit I was supposed to take to the RV Resort.

So, where did I end up?  The Queen Mary parking lot!

Staring at the entrance gate bar that was blocking my way forward, I looked around and saw that there was no way I could back up and turn around.  That entire pavement that I exited onto was one-way to about ten lanes of entrance gate bars.  And, thanks to the mechanical wonders of today’s automation, there wasn’t a human attendant anywhere.  That ticket-spitting contraption outside my driver side window had two buttons, one of which advised to press for assistance.  How’s THAT gonna assist me?

Glaring at the stubborn parking lot entrance bar in front of me, and heaving an exasperated sigh, I did the one and only thing I could logically do – press the other button which demanded that I press it, take the ticket that popped out of the slot, and drive directly to the exit.  And then I saw the Queen Mary!  Lordy, that’s one massive ship!  I gotta come back someday and take a tour – preferably when it’s not raining.

The moment I saw the exit gate bar I also saw that there was, thank goodness, an attendant standing there.  I told him I wasn’t supposed to be here and the look on his face was a clear revelation that I’m not the only one who has mistakenly taken the wrong exit and arrived here.  A glance at the time stamp on my ticket was all he needed to verify that I was being truthful and after asking me where I’m supposed to go he gave me directions and let me through.  Following his directions precisely, I still somehow missed the street I was looking for and ended up back on 710, going north.

I finally found the RV Park, but being that they told me check-in time is 2:00 p.m., I was 90 minutes early.  Maybe there’s a shopping center nearby where I can park for a while?  The morning’s off-on bursts of rain was on again and after a series of turns here and there I eventually found myself on Ocean Blvd, right in the heart of downtown Long Beach.  “Just keep going, girl, you’ll find something,” and that I did – a waterfront park that extended along the residential section of Ocean Blvd.  Finding a blessed curbside spot I parked right there and caught up on some CNN news on my iPhone.  By 2:00 p.m. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  I did the “tank dump” chore and then settled in.

THURSDAY, MARCH 22
Yesterday I submitted an online form and also sent an email to a RV Resort in Escondido inquiring about a reservation for this coming Saturday.  In the box asking for “cell number” I thought, what the heck, and provided my text number.  Just as I was about to leave this morning (it’s still raining and I got wet again unhooking and stowing away the water hose and shore power cord) I actually got a text message from the RV Resort, asking me to call them regarding my reservation request.

But now I’m in my truck, I’ve started the motor, I’ve exited the RV Park I got lost looking for yesterday, and I’ve built up the courage to get back on I-710 N, right this minute and in this rain, to drive south to Huntington Beach, via Rt. 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.

Call them?  An image immediately appeared in my mind – the face of my sweet, good-looking friend, Larry.  Yes, that Larry who lives in Hawaii and has done many wonderful things for the Deaf folks on the islands.  In response to my last blog in which I wrote that “I can’t call” to make reservations, Larry asked if I had a VRS app on any of my devices.  I told him that I do have the app on both my iPhone and iPad but I hesitate to make calls because of erratic or non-existent internet access.  Larry encouraged me to give it a try.  I really should, that I know, wimpy ole techno-klutz me.

But not today.  I’m driving.  It’s raining.  And I have to respond…now.  So, while stopped at a series of traffic lights I exchanged text messages with my fellow texter (not a word, I know, but so what!).  I understood that their RV Resort is first come first serve and although they are currently full on the day I want to be there (Saturday) they do have an overflow space next to the office (this is becoming a very familiar experience!) but to hold it for me they need my CC information now, or at least ASAP.  If they email me the reservation form could I fill it out with my CC information and email it back right away?  I texted back that I’m headed for a place in Huntington Beach that has no Wi-Fi but I’m sure I can find a McDonald’s or someplace and use their internet to retrieve the email and follow up…ASAP.

Driving along with my wipers going, alternately fast and then slow, depending on the temperament of the sky, I had an idea.  Hey!  This oughta work!  My brother Bill!  He can call for me!  I arrived in Huntington Beach but being that I was too early to check in the Sunset Vista Camping Facility I parked on the street, next to a parking meter.  Whether there was time left on that meter, I didn’t know and I didn’t look.  Cutting the engine I immediately texted Bill and asked if he could please call the RV Resort in Escondido and use his CC information to hold that space for me, and then when I get there on Saturday I’ll have them cancel his card and switch to mine.  Sure thing he said.  I texted my other text buddy to let him/her know Bill would be calling momentarily.  Then Bill let me know it was done and I’m all set.  Thank you, Baby Brudder!

It was about 2:30 p.m. when I found myself sitting at my dinette and looking out the window.  What a great view of the ocean!  Too bad it’s been such a gloomy day but I’m warm, dry, and comfortable.  And I did make time for my usual stroll down to the water.

My view the afternoon of my arrival, Huntington Beach.

FRIDAY, MARCH 23
It rained during the night -- that I deduced from the raindrops on my windows – but by around 10:00 a.m. the clouds cleared and the sun was shining.  From inside my camper I could see the blue of the sea and there were a lot more people on the beach and bike path.  I have one more coastal stop today and so I left Huntington Beach just before noon and got back on the PCH heading for Dana Point.

Same view, the morning of my departure.

I was successful last Wednesday, while at Long Beach, in making a reservation for today at the Doheny State Beach in Dana Point.  I guess one does need at least 48 hours to make these state beach reservations.  Same day walk-ins are always possible, but that’s not something I want to take a chance on – especially not here in California.

My drive took me through Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point before I arrived at Doheny SB.  I showed the confirmation information that I had received via email to the fella at the entrance but their information indicated that the site I had selected was cancelled.  I have no idea how that happened and it’s a good thing I had the email confirmation on my iPhone to show them.  They offered me a different site and when I asked if there was anything closer to the beach, they complied with my request and made the change.

There are no hookups at this State Beach but I’ve got plenty of propane for the fridge.  I am, at this precise moment, typing this on my laptop, relying entirely on the laptop’s supply of battery power.  And, at the same time, I’m watching this guy (with verbal and hand directions from his SO) try to back in his Lance trailer into a rather tight spot.  That trailer’s driver side slideout is just about touching the trailer next to it.  Gee, that is a bit too close for comfort!

There’s a sand berm on the beach here, too, but from where I sit, looking out my camper’s windows, I can see parts of the ocean well enough.  With the sun out there, practically clamoring to be adored, I pulled out my camp chair and set it up atop the sand berm.  A beautiful day, indeed, albeit a little bit cool and breezy, and I had my view of the water and my book and the company of seagulls, pelicans, a few ravens…and some people, too.  

Doheny State Beach.

A pelican flyover, Doheny State Beach.

Sunset, Doheny SB.

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Observing other RVers and campers can be entertaining, like those folks yesterday trying to back in their trailer.  This morning I watched two groups of tent campers go about trying to prepare breakfast outside.  They had the characteristic body language and demeanor of someone trying to find where they had packed something or other.  Everything I have is sorted away inside my camper – my cereal is right there in the pantry and my milk is in the fridge.  To each his/her own!

I bid farewell to the Pacific this morning and turned east towards Escondido.  Despite the high volume of vehicles on the road (and today is Saturday!) it was a decent drive – I-5 S to Rt. 78 E to I-15 N to Old Hwy 395 to the Champagne Lakes RV Resort.  The lady who texted back and forth with me last Thursday, and who spoke with Bill when he called on my behalf, greeted me when I pulled up to the office and helped me back in to the spot she held for me.  She suggested I get myself set up and then come inside the office to register.

Thanking her profusely for taking the time to text with me, for taking Bill’s CC information, and for holding the spot for me, she smiled her welcome and started to fingerspell.  She’d forgotten much of it but her effort was also much appreciated.  Now that I’m here with Wi-Fi access, it’s time to get this blog posted.  After which I will walk around the Resort.  They have three lakes and I spotted ducks and geese.  I’m not that far from the coast but this spot certainly is a whole different world.  I like it!

A Lake and an Ocean

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Having decided to stay at the Blackstone North RV Park in Fresno for a second day, I took my time getting up this morning and then got around to finish writing my second blog and posting it.  There’s nothing spectacular about this RV Park but I was glad for the opportunity to take a driving break and post the blog.

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

It’s a good thing I did an online check a few days ago and so I remembered the time change today.  It was an overcast morning but I was soon on my way to the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, near Friant.  It’s Sunday, the end of a weekend, and I was certain I’d find a decent site at the lake.  As soon as I got on Rt. 145 E from Hwy 41 N I was amazed at how the terrain instantly morphed from flat to a wide open expanse of rolling green hills.  This narrow and curvy two-lane road all the way to the lake is just one of California’s many natural and scenic drives.

At the park entrance the fellow on duty showed me a map of available sites along both the hookup and no-hookup sections.  Deciding to go without hookups this time I selected a site with a west view of the lake.  First things first, though – time to visit the park’s sanitary disposal area and dump the black/grey tanks.  That took all of ten minutes or so and then I arrived at my site.

I sure did pick a great spot – perhaps even the best one!  There was hardly anybody else around and I had this 180 degree view of the lake and, off to my right, some of those lovely rolling hills.  The sun came out around 1:00 pm and I took a walk down to the water’s edge, wading in up to my ankles.  The air was warm, the water cold!  Sitting on the sand to dry out a bit, I observed this group of small black waterfowl swim towards a nearby shoreline.  There were no other birds that I could see on or around the lake.

Millerton Lake SRA, west view of the lake.

Millerton Lake SRA, view of the hills.

Back at my camper I pulled out my camp chair and finally sat down, facing the lake and the sun, to read a book – Deaf in Delhi, a memoir written by Madan Vasishta, my Gallaudet classmate.  About 20 pages later, I detected motion directly ahead and, looking up, saw this big bird swooping down on those black ducks in the water.  Since I’d brought my binoculars outside with me, I reached for them and watched, what appeared to be a hawk, continue to swoop down and as he did that, the ducks ducked in the water.  The hawk flew to the shoreline closest to me, to rest or strategize, or both.  About five minutes later, apparently spotting this duck that I had also noticed was by itself, the hawk took off, swooped down once, the duck ducked and stayed under, the hawk made one turn, flew low and with his talons outstretched, grabbed the duck and returned to the shoreline.

I felt bad for the duck, but this was “nature in action” and I continued to observe through my binocs.  Due to a slight sandy bump at the water’s edge I couldn’t really see the duck, except for its feet, but I could see the hawk pluck at the duck’s feathers and, for a good hour or so, everything was a methodical pluck-pluck-pluck-tug-tug-swallow, again and again.  The hawk didn’t seem the least bit perturbed when two ravens showed up.  I don’t think they got more than a morsel or two – they obviously knew the bigger fella had the hooked beak and the sharp talons.

Around 6:00 p.m., and not being hooked up to shore power, I decided this was a good time to activate my camper’s generator.  “You should run your generator more often,” was the advice I got from David Yavelak the day I picked up my camper.  The clock on my microwave came on the second I felt the generator’s vibrations.  I set the time and then proceeded to heat up some supper in the microwave.  After close to an hour, and adhering to the park’s 8:00 p.m. “no generator” rule, I turned it off and watched the sun set. 

Sunset, Millerton Lake.

MONDAY, MARCH 12

But for a 3:00 a.m. trip to the toilet, I slept very well and woke up to a clear, blue, sun-kissed lake.  I sat outside to enjoy an hour of both the morning sun and the view.  Glancing around to see what other amenities surrounded me, I observed through my binocs – sparrows and a species of small bird that had a touch of yellow on its wings and chest; a pair of Canadian Geese strolling on the beach while a flock of their cousins flew overhead; and several rabbits.  And, oh yes, I checked the hills at my right and there were several black cows on the gentle slopes.  This is a beautiful lake, so serene and quiet this time of year.  I can just imagine what it must be like during the summer months.

A morning view of Millerton Lake.

A Millerton Lake selfie!

Getting back on Rt. 145 I headed west for 99 N and, driving through Madera and Merced, I soon arrived at the Merced River RV Resort, near Delhi.  After paying for my site [for tonight and tomorrow] I asked the lady if there was something like a Staples in the area.  She gave me directions to a Staples in Turlock, a bigger town about 10 miles north.  The young woman who assisted me in the store knew sign language (and very well, too) and was so happy that I understood her and she me.  Before leaving, and still signing to her, I asked where the nearest Post Office was.  She printed out the locations of several in town and encircled one of them.  That one I headed for but couldn’t find it!  I drove up and then back down the street, noting the street names as indicated on the diagram but to no avail.  There’s a Dollar Store.  Lemme stop there.  The cashier had a line of customers but with the printout in my hand and a confused look on my face, she locked eyes and mouthed something that looked like “…help you?”  I accepted her invitation immediately, showed her the circle on the printout, and asked where’s this?  The cashier and the customer at the head of the line and the lady in a scooter next in line all said – the printout is wrong… there’s no Post Office around here…there’s one downtown…it’s on something-something street…do you know where something-something street is…just go there and turn on this curve and then…

Awwww, they were all so very helpful!  I said I didn’t live here, I’m traveling in my truck camper.  I’m pretty sure everybody in the line all let out a collective “Ohhhh...” and then the lady at the head of the line said for me to follow her, she’ll take me there.  I saw it just as she stuck her finger out the window and, sticking my hand out, waved my thanks to her.  The Post Office, located right in the heart of Turlock’s historic downtown, has a small parking lot with nose-in parking spaces.  With my truck being as big as it is, and even bigger with the camper on it, I generally avoid such tight parking spaces.  Finding a section with a row of four empty spaces I took a chance and parked in one of them.  Returning to my truck about ten minutes later, those empty spaces were, but of course, now occupied.  It took me several back-and-forth, check the exterior mirrors, turn the wheel this way and that way attempts before I could weasel my way out of my space without hitting anything.  It sure would have been a lot easier for me if the driver of one of the cars next to me had showed up and backed out.  No such luck but got out I did.

It goes without saying, my “camper adventures” also includes the challenges of communicating with non-signing hearing people and finding my way around a strange town.

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

It’s been a wet day, brief rains off and on.  Good thing I decided yesterday to stay here today.  Do some writing and reading and I’ve got Wi-Fi and cable, too.

There’s a young fellow across the way who’s been lifting weights right outside his trailer.  He also has a punching bag and since he’s been working out in full view of everybody I’ve assailed myself of my binoculars to check out his grimaces. There are, happily, more pleasant things here to observe, most notably these handsome jay-like birds that are constantly flying around my camper.  Googling a description of the bird to find a picture – blue-black body, yellow bill, long tail, white wings -- they are Yellow-billed Magpies and are “restricted to the Central Valley of California,” which is where I am right now.

Yellow-bill Magpie, outside my camper.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

Raindrops and condensation on my cabover window indicated to me that it rained during the night.  A peek out another window confirmed that.  Good!  Rain is good!  Those almond trees need it!  As does every other crop that has been, and will be, planted.

I made a decision the other day -- this area is the furthest north I will travel on this trip.  Time now to turn south.  I got on Rt. 165 S, which took me right through the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, an area of “…26,800 acres of wetlands, riparian forests, native grasslands, and vernal pools.”  The only wildlife I saw along this 55-mph road were a number of white egrets and, at one spot, a miniature version of the white egrets.  Were they juveniles?  Or a different species --- maybe cattle egrets?  I soon connected to Hwy 33 W and made my way to the Santa Nella RV Park, near Los Banos.

Because of the rainy weather these past couple of days my planned route over the mountains to the coast doesn’t seem like a good idea at this juncture.  I absolutely do not want to deal with any potential snowy conditions at the higher elevations!  The early afternoon stop at this RV Park will give me the time I need to review my maps and consider a more southern route to the coast.

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

There was nary a cloud in the sky when I woke up this morning.  My destination today is the Castaic Lake RV Resort in Castaic.  I’d exchanged emails yesterday evening with “Eugene” and he said he would hold a space for me.  Whew, these reservation arrangements can be challenging, considering that I can’t call ahead to make one.

I initially wanted to drive on the more scenic Hwy 33 S for a little while and then connect to I-5 S for the rest of the way.  As I headed out this morning, something told me to “forget 33 and just get on I-5” – and I’m glad for that!  I completely forgot last night to check the mileage between Los Banos and Castaic and when I noted the decreasing exit numbers on I-5 I realized I would be driving for a little over 200 miles!  That’s four hours, give or take.

For most of this trip thus far I’ve been hanging out in the Joaquin Valley, California’s prime agricultural region.  As I traveled north in the beginning, the west side of the Sierras was to my right.  Now that I’m going south, the Diablo Range is to my right.  Beyond that range are the mountains that end at the coast.  As happens when I travel in the truck camper, my mind wanders sometimes and I thought of how beautiful this expansive valley must have appeared to the pioneers who made it across the Sierras.  So much has changed this valley since then…

I made good time and arrived at the Castaic Lake RV Resort at 1:00 p.m.  The facility was quite full but, as Eugene had promised, they saved a spot for me at one of their 20-volt “overflow” sites.  I used my adapter to plug my 30-amp cord to the 20-volt outlet and got myself set up for the afternoon/evening.  I sat outside in the sun for about an hour, reading my Deaf in Delhi book, after which all attempts to do some online research on my laptop proved fruitless because of a very fickle internet connection here.  It happens.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

I was back on I-5 S for just a few miles before connecting to Rt. 126 W down to the coast.  This was a lovely drive through many orchards of fruit trees and nurseries. Obviously the soil and climate here is ideal for these variations of trees and plants.

Reaching Ventura I turned north on Hwy 101 and soon arrived at the Emma Wood State Beach.  I had my pick of a spot and since I’d arrived on a Friday morning I found plenty of available spaces.  There are no hookups here so I’ll be boondocking for the second time on this trip, again in front of water but a massive one this time – the Pacific Ocean!

There were clouds overhead but the sun stuck it out for about two hours, allowing me to sit outside, read my book, watch the waves, and observe some of the loons in the water and, every now and then, a passing seagull.  The pelican is my favorite seabird but I saw only two.

Around mid-afternoon the sun lost to the increasingly heavy clouds and the temperature dropped a little bit.  The slope down to the water is very rocky and since I’m not so sure-footed anymore – and certainly not foolhardy – I took a walk along the road instead, checking out the other boondocking RVs.

Emma Wood State Beach, Ventura - the morning I arrived.

Reading "Deaf in Delhi" just outside my camper.

Back at my camper after my brief walk I went inside and reviewed my maps and resource materials.  Towards evening the atmosphere had become so gray the horizon disappeared, leaving sky and sea the exact same color.  It also started to drizzle a little bit.  No sunset show for me tonight.  Once again I activated the generator, warmed up some leftovers for supper, and cut it off before 8:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

I woke up just as the sun was rising and, through the side window next to the bed, watched the sea and the sky gradually turn to their respective hues of blue.  Noticing that the waves crashing at the shoreline seemed closer than yesterday I realized that the tide had come in.  About an hour or so later, a glint in the water got my attention – ah, two dolphins, passing by ever so gracefully, going somewhere south.

Emma Wood SB, the morning of my departure.  The Channel Islands can be
seen in the distance.

Emma Wood SB - a very nice ocean view place to boondock!

Needing electricity and Wi-Fi today so I can catch up on my writing, I decided to take a chance and see about getting a site at the Evergreen RV Park in Oxnard, about 15 miles south of Ventura, off Hwy 101.  When I got there I could immediately tell that this was not your typical Park for traveling RVers.  The folks here are either full-time residents or are leasing spaces on a monthly basis.  The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday – and today is Saturday.  Fortunately, a very nice lady who lives several spaces down was happy to call the manager for me.  When she asked and I replied that, yes, I’m looking to stay just one night, we worked it out that I would take a parking space directly in front of the office.  I just had to wait for the current occupant of that space, a huge motorhome, to move to another space in the Park that he had been waiting for.

Finally, he drove out and as I started backing in, I stopped.  Hey, where exactly is the outlet for my 30-amp cord?  I got out of the truck and saw that from a back-in position my cord would not reach the outlet.  The cord was still short even when I parked nose-in so I retrieved my orange extension cord and my adapter and plugged into the 20-volt outlet.  All’s well!  And it’s becoming cloudy again…and windy…

Elk and Ducks and Almonds

TUESDAY, MARCH 6

I woke up to another sunny morning feeling much more rested since starting this trip five days ago.  The nights are still cold but I’ve been turning on the heat and setting it on 65-68 degrees.  That, plus my layer of clothing and mound of blankets have been keeping me comfortably warm.

As with any and all RVs, traveling in my truck camper requires careful attention, not only to detail, but to movements I make inside and outside the camper.  Twelve years have gone by since my first truck camper outing in Washington State.  I was 56 then and now will soon turn 68.  I’ve slowed down a bit and need to be mindful about pacing myself and watching where I put my feet (and my fingers and my head!) as I move about.

Staying for two nights at the Sierra Trails RV Park in Mojave was a good idea.  I’m telling myself now that driving every day is not really necessary unless I have a tight itinerary to follow.  That I don’t have this time but as long as I have a destination and a plan, I’m good!

That said, I got back on Hwy 58 W and drove over the Tehachapi Mountains to Bakersfield.  My plan for today -- first secure and pay for a site at my selected RV Park and then go visit the Tule Elk State Natural Reserve in Buttonwillow, about 20 miles west of Bakersfield.  The RV Park I selected turned out to be full (Snowbirds!) and the lady suggested I go to the Orange Grove RV Park, just two exits back east.  This place is perfect – plenty of spaces and hundreds of orange trees everywhere!

Following an errand that I first needed to do I was soon on my way to the Tule Elk State Reserve.  From the website:

Tule Elk State Natural Reserve protects a small herd of tule elk, once in danger of extinction.  In the 1800’s the vast herds of tule elk were greatly reduced in number by hunting and loss of habitat.  In 1874 cattleman Henry Miller began efforts to save them.  At that time few elk remained.  In 1932, the herd was given permanent protection on the land now known as Tule Elk State Natural Reserve.  Elk from the reserve have been successfully transplanted to other areas in California.  Today nearly 4000 tule elk are again free roaming the foothills and grasslands of California.

But for a lot of picnic tables and a viewing platform, there was nobody else around.  Having everything I need in my self-contained camper, I decided to make myself a sandwich and have my lunch there directly in front of a distant group of eight elk.  Peering through my binoculars I couldn’t see any antlers so I’m guessing this group is all female.  They were on the ground basking in the sun, too far away, unfortunately, for a decent picture.  The picture below will have to do…

By 3:00 pm I was back at my orange-grove site and spent the rest of that afternoon sitting out in the sun, jotting down my stats and notes and watching other RVs arrive. 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7
Looking out my cabover window this morning as I lay on my back in bed, I noted that the sky was grey and cloudy.  Then, still gazing upward, I saw a flock of birds fly by in formation -- geese most likely.  How interesting, I thought, because I am actually planning to visit a waterfowl/wildlife refuge today.

After getting gas I headed west on Hwy 58, connected to Hwy 99 N, and then turned west again on Rt. 46, driving through Wasco towards Lost Hills.  Sun or no sun, and despite being sandwiched between several big rig trucks (they were headed for I-5), I found the two-lane Rt. 46 to be a scenic drive through multiple orchards of trees that were covered in flowering white petals.  They looked very much like the Cherry Blossoms around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.  There were so many of these groves and I noticed what looked like packing crates in some spots.  What are these trees?  I’ll have to google that later.

The office at the Lost Hills RV Park was closed.  “I’m on an errand…” the note on the door said and a phone number was posted.  I hate when that happens!  Fortunately, I was spotted and this lady hollered to me to come on inside.  Good thing I saw her because I certainly didn’t hear her call out to me.  It was 10:30 am and, but for the weird scenario that she was a bit disheveled and still in loungewear and slippers, she was all sweet and nice and most welcoming.  As I did yesterday, I paid for my site and then left to visit the Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex, near Delano.

The Visitors Center was, thank goodness, open and this pretty lady with a warm smile came out front to greet me.  I told her I wanted to drive through the refuge and asked about a printed guide.  As I’m prone to do, I signed or gestured along with my fairly coherent speech and that was all she needed to know that I was Deaf.  She responded with an articulation that was so clear and precise I didn’t need to ask her to repeat anything.

As I thanked her for the materials she gave me I thanked her also for speaking so clearly to me.  She gave me that warm and mesmerizing smile and said her late mother-in-law was deaf.  I asked about her background and learned that she grew up feeling somewhat “embarrassed” about being deaf and never did want to learn ASL.  She married a hearing man and everybody in her family spoke to her the way this lady was speaking to me.

Walking towards my truck to start my tour of the refuge, I had a quick flashback to my 1987 NLTP (National Leadership Training Program) experience at CSUN and realized something else that captivated me about this very pretty, kind, and helpful woman.  Her height and physique, the dimple on her cheek, the warm and beautiful smile, and the dark brown hair set in a beehive, reminded me of the late Sharon Carter.  And, come to think of it, Sharon’s mother-in-law was Deaf, too.  The flock of geese I saw earlier this morning must have been an omen that this was going to be a special day.

From the website:

Kern National Wildlife Refuge was established on November 18, 1960 and consists of 11,249-acres of natural desert uplands, a relict riparian corridor, and developed marsh.  Situated on the southern margin of what was once the largest freshwater wetland complex in the western United States, Kern Refuge provides optimum wintering habitat for migratory birds with an emphasis on waterfowl and water birds.

There are two one-way paved auto tour roads around the refuge and I took a slow and leisurely two hours to drive on both of them.  I was the only one on the road -- nobody behind me to make me feel like I gotta drive faster or I gotta quit stopping so many times to grab my binocs.

At one section of the road I came upon a narrow wooden bridge.  Eying the dimensions of that bridge with some apprehension, I happened to glance to the right and saw that there was an unpaved loop road around the bridge.  Heck, I’m taking that road.  And then I came upon the second wooden bridge!  The loop road was on the left and it looked a little dicey to me.  Really, Mappie, there’s a reason you dubbed your blog “Camper Adventures!”  I looked behind me, making sure there was still nobody there, and inched my truck forward onto the raised planks.  I knew the width of those planks would be fine for my front tires, but what of the four rear tires?  I got out of the truck, took a look, gave myself a thumbs-up and forged ahead.  The adrenalin rush felt kinda good and I had no problem crossing over the next two bridges that followed.

The overcast day didn’t promise decent photo-taking opportunities for me and just as I concluded my tour, the sun came out.  Ha!

Waterfowl at the Kern Natural Wildlife Refuge.

Wooden bridge, Kern Natural Wildlife Refuge.

Back at the RV Park for the night, I sat outside for a while and then went inside to sit at the dining table and watch the sun set.  The view of the sun through the branches of a tree was quite lovely, I thought.

Sunset, Lost Hills RV Park.

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

Fresno was my destination today so I got back on Rt. 46 heading east to the Rt. 43 N intersection at Wasco.  First, I found a spot on the shoulder and pulled over to take a closer look at the trees that I’d noticed yesterday.  I did do a google search last night and learned that these are almond trees.  The white flowers, seen up close, are indeed quite beautiful and when the petals fall to the ground it looks like snow.  And those crates I saw yesterday?  They’re bees!  Checking other online links about the almond groves in this area, I also learned that:

By mid-to-late summer, almond hulls begin to split open exposing the almond shell and allowing it to dry. Shortly before harvest, the hulls open completely. The harvest season for almond farmers is from August to October. The growers have mechanical tree shakers which allow the almonds to fall to the ground.

An orchard of almond trees, near Wasco.

Looking down a grove of almond trees.

Flowers on an almond tree.

Rt. 43 took me through farmland – California’s “agricultural capital,” so proclaimed a sign at the town of Corcoran.  I then connected to Hwy. 99 N and stopped at the Fresno Mobile and RV Park.

Oh, no, not again!  There was that dreadful “Need me? Call me.” sign on the office door.  Just wait a few minutes, MAP, and you’ll once again be miraculously spotted.  Yup, here comes Sam walking towards me and, seemingly surprised that I was even standing there, confirmed that he’s the owner.  He also confirmed my suspicion that this place was full, but when he understood that I’m just traveling through, he invited me into his office.

I could not understand one word Sam said.  It was not possible, nor would it become possible, that I would be able to lipread him.  He had a scraggly full beard and the sunken lips of a person who has no teeth.  He smiled when I told him I couldn’t understand him because of his beard.  I made no mention of his missing teeth.  My folks – mostly Mom – taught me something about manners.  Resorting to paper and pencil, Sam made a suggestion, I accepted, and he guided me into a small spot directly behind a motorhome that he knew wasn’t fixing to go anywhere anytime soon.

And that’s where I spent the night.  It wasn’t cold at all and I slept well.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9

A “camper adventure” also includes the inevitable inconvenience, like the “closed” signs on the office doors of the last two RV Parks.  Well, today…sigh.  I made a decision last night that I wanted to spend this weekend at a different RV Park in Fresno that I knew [because of an email exchange with the property manager] had cable hookup in addition to Wi-Fi access.  I also knew that the office at the Blackstone North RV Park opened at 9:00 a.m.  I arrived at 9:15 only to find it closed and the “Will Return” hand clock on the door pointing to 11:00 a.m.  I found a vacant pull-through site and parked there, using the shore power for my refrigerator.  I didn’t open the slideout but just sat at the table and looked over my maps, contemplating my next destination on Sunday.  The office was open when I walked over there around 11:15 and the lady assigned me to a smaller site.  Walking back to my camper, I stopped at that site to check it out and discovered that it didn’t have the proper outlet for my 30-amp cord.  I went back to the office only to find it – closed!  Huh?  I was just here eight minutes ago!  I left a note on the door and went back to sit and wait in my camper.  The lady came to my door this time, offered a converter to that site’s 50-amp outlet, which I declined (what do I know about electricity?) and, at my request, reassigned me to a different site.

All’s well that ends well and I was glad to finally get myself settled in with electricity, water, cable, and Wi-Fi.  The afternoon even turned out to be warm enough for me to open all my camper’s windows!  My plan for tomorrow -- post this blog. 

California: I Hardly Know Thee!

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018

Today is Day 1 of a four-week truck camper trip.  My Lance 1121 camper has been in storage since October 2016 – following the 55-day trip I took to Gatineau, Ontario and the East Coast with my 11-year old cat, Navidad.  That was a memorable trip.  Navidad, however, wasn’t well.  What we thought was an Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) condition turned out to be cancer in the abdomen.  Navidad died five weeks after we returned home. 

Because I planned for and participated in a 9-day safari in Kenya in August 2017, I decided to suspend truck camper trips for that year.  For this trip, to get both camper and me out of the “mothballs,” I’m staying close to home (Palm Springs) this time.  I’ll be doing a sort of zig-zag loop drive around southern/central California, checking out the quieter and scenic parts of this beautiful state.  

So, to get started, I drove to Ontario [CA] yesterday (Feb. 28) to get a long-overdue hug from David Yavelak, owner of Galaxy Campers, and have him load my camper onto my truck.  I’ve known David since that day in October 2005 when I met him at the annual RV Show in Pomona.  He sold my camper to me in early 2006 and has, over these past 12 years, been a good friend and a wonderful advisor and repair/maintenance specialist for my camper. 

David Yavelak and me.

Before returning home to start loading my camper, I swung by my local America’s Tire Store to have them add air to my tires.  I had been to this facility a couple of weeks ago to have the tires on my Ford F-350 Dually checked and rotated, but as it now turned out, the fella assisting me with the air discovered that the valves of the [rear] inner and outer tires were not aligned properly.  Being that it was approaching mid-afternoon he said I would have to come back “...tomorrow morning…” so they could get the rear tires aligned correctly and then add the air.

I was back at America’s before 8:00 am THIS morning and, considering that I now had a very heavy camper sitting on top of my truck, I watched two guys use all their strength to manually jack up both sides of the truck’s rear, remove and adjust the four tires the way it should have been done when I was there two weeks ago.  Jeez!

Finally, I’m here – 4:00 pm – at the Lake Perris State Recreation Area, in Perris.  My site (#253), which I reserved online for two nights a few weeks ago, offers a very nice unobstructed view of scrub vegetation, rocky hills, and, in the distance, the San Bernardino, San Jacinto, and Santa Rosa Mountains.  There are paths to the lake and I can see just a hint of the water from my spot.

First order of business – put the sheets on the cabover bed.  No easy task, lemme tell ya!  By the time I put away food and clothes and organized things a bit, the sun had set and so I finally sat down at the dining table.  Looking out the slide-out window, I was pleasantly surprised to see this huge cream-colored moon peek out from behind one of the nearby hills and, ever so slowly, rise skyward.  Sitting there with my usual cocktail in hand, I watched the moon rise until it became smaller and whiter -- a bright full moon my first night in the camper!

Rising moon, Lake Perris SRA.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

It was cold during the night inside the camper but I was warm enough under flannel sheets, two blankets, and an unzipped sleeping bag…until I had to climb down from the bed now and then to shiver my way to the toilet.  It is early March, after all, and I do have plenty of propane for the heater.  Keep that in mind, Ms. Mapita!

Around 11:00 am, I secured the camper and left my [reserved, mind you!] site to visit a very dear friend who lives at the nearby Renaissance Village – Bummy Burstein.  Since moving to California from Arizona in fall 2008, I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to visit Bummy very frequently and I wanted to get in a visit with him before starting this trip.  When I arrived I was delighted to see that Joyce Linden, a long-time friend of Bummy’s and someone I’ve known since my NLTP days, was there and would be joining us for lunch in the dining room.  Since rain was coming our way, Joyce soon left to return to her home in L.A. and I visited with Bummy in his room until about 4:00 pm.

Bummy Burstein and me.

Dark clouds had formed and I looked forward to getting my camper set up for the night on Site #253 (two-five-three) before any rain should fall.  As I approached my site, first I let out a groan, and then a pissed off “Oh, shit!”  There was a big trailer smack dab on MY reserved site!

I parked right in front of the trailer and when I got out of my truck this man came forward and then this woman, both with inquiring looks on their faces, and I told them #253 was my site, as of last night and again for tonight.  I showed them the check-in note taped to my windshield which said “253, out on 3/3” (which is tomorrow).  The woman showed me the campground map on which the office indicated which sites were available, including #253.  Somebody obviously neglected to mark my online-reserved site as “taken.”

To try and resolve this, the woman hopped in my truck and I drove us both over to the kiosk at the entrance where we explained the situation to the lady on duty.  She was apologetic, of course, and we all concurred that the only resolution was for one of us to move to a different site.  Those folks had arrived for the weekend at 2:00 pm, set up their big trailer with leveling blocks and hooked it up to shore power, water, and sewage.  They even had a pile of firewood stacked near the fire pit and their chairs arranged on the trailer’s “balcony.”  It was really a no-brainer.  All I needed to do was back-in, hook up to shore power, open the slide-out, and I would be all set for the night.  After making sure site #255 was available, I moved “next door.”  Well, I told myself, at least I got to see a glorious moonrise last night.  No such luck for anybody tonight, not with those heavy clouds blacking out the sky.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

By 10:00 am I was on I-215/15 N heading for Barstow.  It was still cloudy, a tad rainy, and the winds were especially strong as I went up and over several San Bernardino Mountain passes.  The dark clouds hovering at the top of the peaks were a sure sign it was probably snowing up there.  Snow isn’t on my itinerary…not on this trip…not ever, if I can help it!

I made good time and arrived at the Shady Lane RV Camp, located just off Old Hwy 58 in Barstow.  I paid for my site, told the young fellow I’d be back later, and then left to do the touristy thing – visit the nearby Calico Ghost Town.  I have a vague memory of visiting this place back in summer 1968.  I had just completed my freshman year at Gallaudet [College] and, since my family moved from Indiana to California a few months earlier, I found myself living in Riverside.  College friends were abundant in southern California and, at age 18, I was discovering how much more fun it was to tag along with them to places like Calico than with, ahem, Mom and Dad.

Calico, established in 1881, was a booming silver mining town until around 1907.  Prospectors, prompted by the drop in the value of silver, moved on to other more productive mining towns.  The Calico population dwindled, buildings were abandoned, and “…Calico became a ghost of its former self.”  Walter Knott (the founder of Knott’s Berry Farm) purchased the town and, in 1951, restored five original buildings and built replicas of other structures.  Hundreds of extremely hazardous mines still dot the region and, as a recently- arrived busload of Asian picture-taking tourists confirmed for me, people do like to visit Calico, walk around, and marvel at how the original inhabitants used to live.

Calico Ghost Town.

Schoolhouse and church.

Replica of a miner's shack.

After grabbing a late lunch at the Calico House Restaurant, I made my way back to my site at the RV Park.  I did my usual record-keeping stuff, jotted notes in my journal, and tried to get the TV going.  There’s cable here but the remote needs new batteries.  I used my internet access to catch up on emails, texts, and news articles instead.

Ah, the internet!  My planned destination tomorrow is the Mojave National Preserve, which is about 40 miles east of Barstow.  Campgrounds are first-come-first-serve and don’t have hookups.  It dawned on me, considering that it has been cold and windy these last couple of days, that I perhaps oughta check the weather forecast for that area.  That I did and made the decision to visit the Preserve another time.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

Two thoughts came to mind last night – I could use a driving break and I want to get on my laptop and start writing my blog.  It was a clear blue-sky morning when I left the RV Park in Barstow and drove west for about 20 miles on the 2-lane Old Hwy 58, eventually connecting to the 4-lane Hwy 58.  I soon arrived in Mojave (not the Preserve!), got the batteries I needed, and then got a site for today and tomorrow at the Sierra Trails RV Park.  It’s been much warmer today and this early driving break is already helping me feel rejuvenated!

After a PB&J sandwich for lunch, I got started on my blog (this one!).  With the new batteries now in the remote, the TV came on immediately!  What did I watch?  The Oscars!

MONDAY, MARCH 5

I woke up to another sunny morning, watched a little bit of CNN under the covers in bed, got up to take a walk, had cereal for breakfast, and then got back on the laptop.  Later, I will review my materials for where I want to go tomorrow.