December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas !

December 25, 2009 ; Yuma, Arizona

Well, today is a beautiful, sunny, warm day, a typical Yuma Christmas. I am typing this part of today’s journal entry first thing Christmas morning.

Yesterday my computer returned from being repaired at Hewlett Packard. I am very dissatisfied ! I sent the computer in with two items requiring repair, and only one was repaired. How sloppy and careless can the repair geeks be ? ! ? The unrepaired item is too insignificant to justify sending the computer back again. Sixteen days without my computer is tough to bear ! AND … < sputter > … my computer came back with the hard drive completely obliterated ! All my files and data were gone. All my software was gone ! Even the software that was loaded prior to purchase was gone. There was nothing on the computer when it returned except Windows ! And even then … the version of Windows loaded by HP’s repair facility was a version of Windows designed for HP’s Compaq Presario division. My HP Mini computer now “thinks” it’s a Compaq Presario ! I spent most of yesterday downloading software from the Internet. This park’s Wi-Fi signal is pretty slow ! I will continue to work today on reloading software … and seemingly endless Windows updates !

We have just finished unwrapping Christmas gifts. HA HA HA … Bo certainly brings enthusiasm to the gift unwrapping process. After unwrapping his own gifts, he helped us unwrap ours. Sully was a little less enthusiastic, although he did enjoy a few minutes of playing with his new cat toy.

After a brunch of pancakes and freshly made fruit salad we drove to Yuma Airport to phone our families. The Wi-Fi signal in our RV park does not have enough bandwidth to support VOIP but there is a free public access Wi-Fi signal at the airport with enough bandwidth to allow use of our Wi-Fi phone and Skype on the computer. We phoned my sister Sharon and wished Merry Christmas to her and her family. We Skype video called Joanne’s sister and family. What a great way to exchange Christmas greetings. All of the Carlson’s received snowshoes as Christmas gifts. HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ( THUD ). Sorry … I fell on the floor laughing as I typed that. Snowshoes ! ! ! ( snicker )

We returned to Kofa Ko-op SKP RV Park and prepared for the afternoon communal Christmas dinner. Well, Joanne prepared for Christmas dinner. I struggled trying to receive and send e-mail using a Wi-Fi signal that just wouldn’t work ! We had a lovely Christmas dinner with about 150 other people, eight to a table. The RV park supplied turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy. Everything else was “potluck”. And there was a lot !

After dinner and socializing, we returned to the trailer, changed into swim suits, and spent some Christmas Day quality time in the swimming pool and hot tub, a new family Christmas tradition we started a few years ago. As the sun set we returned to the trailer again, dressed, and took Bo for a long walk around the perimeter of the seven acre dog park. I spent the evening working on the computer. I discovered that the Wi-Fi signal works a lot better in the clubhouse than it does at our trailer. I guess our site is a bit too far from the antenna / router.

DSK

December 6, 2009

December 6, 2009 ; Palm Springs, California

Today was sunny and warm. This morning we headed to Indio, a community on the east side of Palm Springs to attend the International Tamale Festival. It took place on a two square block area of closed streets in downtown Indio. And notable was the great organization of the festival. Parking was at the local courthouse / justice centre. Every few minutes there was a shuttle bus from the huge parking lot to the festival site. Upon entry to the site there was a well staffed information booth, and staff all around handing out maps of the festival site. Washrooms and garbage containers were in abundance. Well done !

The festival was comprised of hundreds of vendor booths, most of them tamale vendors. By the time we had walked around the circumference of the site, a distance of about four large city blocks, and had tasted a lot of tamale samples, it hardly seemed necessary to have lunch. Nevertheless we bought a couple of tamales for lunch, and sat down at one of the three free stage / beer garden areas to eat them while listening to a mariachi band performing Mexican folkloric music. MMMMM … I had never had a salmon tamale before. And before today we had never tasted dessert tamales, where the masa ( cornmeal ) filling was fruit flavoured ; pineapple, mango, strawberry. We were too full after eating our traditional tamales for lunch to have a dessert tamale, although we had sampled them while walking around. Before leaving the festival we purchased a dozen tamales to put in our freezer from the vendor that we considered the best. Molly’s Tamales was the only vendor using neither lard nor shortening in her tamales. We bought a half dozen chicken and cheese tamales and a half dozen chicken and spinach tamales. We wandered around a bit more, and indulged in a serving of "ribbon fries", a method of preparing “fries” we had not experienced before. The potato was run through a machine that sliced it extremely thin, producing a very long curled “ribbon” of potato before it was deep fried. It was almost like one great big, continuous potato chip. Before catching the shuttle bus back to the parking lot we ( rolling eyes ) browsed in the thrift shop across the street from the shuttle bus stop.

Oh … I almost forgot … inexplicably, two Indio police officers were exhibiting a 50 year old Desert Spur Turtle at the Tamale Festival site. Mind you, this is the police force that, three years ago when we went to the Indio Golf Cart Parade, had a lights and siren equipped police cruiser golf cart. Perhaps a police force with a bit too much money ? ! ? And / or time on their hands ? ! ?

After supper we watched the season finale episode of Amazing Race. When I walked Bo before bedtime, a windy night, I found a large, unusual bird’s nest that blew out of the palm tree in our site.

DSK

November 29 to December 5, 2009

November 29 to December 5, 2009 ; SKP Park of the Sierras to Palm Springs, California
　
Sunday ; Today was a lovely, sunny, mild, fall day, a perfect day for an outing.
　
I had a difficult night with insomnia. Perhaps that was due to the drugs I took over the last couple of days ? So I slept late this morning and we got a late start to our day. But … my hip pain was greatly diminished so off we went on our postponed day trip of exploring back roads.
　
Late this morning we headed north to Oakhurst where we stopped to buy some household supplies, refill a 5 gallon water jug, and refill with diesel. From Oakhurst we began to explore back roads to the north and east, towards Yosemite. Joanne had planned a route of exploring interesting things to see and do in the area. First we found our way to an apple orchard to buy some fresh apples and apple cider. The apple orchard was closed on Sundays ( sigh ). We headed to Bass Lake and Bass Lake Village. We spent some time walking around a day use picnic area on the shore of Bass Lake, planning to return for a picnic on a future journey that brings us back to SKP Park of the Sierras. In Bass Lake Village we wandered around an outdoor arts and craft show. From Bass Lake Village we continued around Bass Lake and then over to KT Lee Alpaca Ranch. They were advertising a “Christmas On The Ranch” Open House event today. Our interest in visiting this alpaca ranch was inspired by our friend Julie. Prior to her current WorkCamping job as a campground host in Samuel P Taylor State Park near San Francisco she WorkCamped at a llama farm in Georgia. The alpaca ranch was surprisingly interesting and educational.
　
After the alpaca ranch we headed to the village of North Fork. We stopped for a very late and very good lunch at North Fork Pizza Factory … “we toss ‘em, they’re awesome”. From North Fork we continued on scenic back roads making a large loop back to Hwy. 41 south of SKP Park of the Sierras. This part of central California up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is very pretty and scenic, particularly at this time of the year, the fall season. Once back at Park of the Sierras we picked up Bo at the trailer and headed to the dog park for the last half of today’s “dog party”. Bo was even more eager than usual, because he had been left alone all day, and we were “late” for the dog party.
　
When the dog party was over, as it turned dark at 5 PM, Joanne took Bo home and I went into the clubhouse to do some online work. When I opened the computer … CRUNCH ! The left side of the computer hinge completely fell apart ! Well, that turned out to be a very good thing. A second screw on the left side of the hinge assembly had come loose and the mesh screen cosmetic cover over the hinge assembly pulled away. Both loose screws fell out, and with a bit of fiddling, I could see enough behind the mesh screen cosmetic cover over the hinge assembly to figure out how to remove it. EUREKA ! Once I got the cosmetic cover off, it was obvious that all that was required was screwing the two little screws back into the hinge assembly, snapping the cover back over the hinge assembly, and the computer would be fixed ! Now all I have to decide is whether or not it’s worth staying here an extra day or two longer than we had planned to wait for the Fed Ex delivery of the shipping box that HP sent to me for return of the computer for warranty repair. It might be worthwhile to have “just in case”.
　
Our planned Skype call with Joanne’s family had been postponed. The Carlson family was hosting a Grey Cup ( Canada’s national football championship game ) party. Nevertheless, while I was working in the clubhouse Doug Skype phoned me. It was halftime during the Grey Cup. We chatted briefly, allowing three generations of his family ( parents, sister, and nephews ) to witness Skype in action. I did my online work, posted a weekly entry to my blog, then chatted with our friend Tony from Alberta about his hip replacements. I think knee and / or hip replacements might be in my future.
　
Joanne picked me up at the clubhouse and we returned to the trailer in time to watch Amazing Race and have a late, light supper. I repaired the computer ! I reinstalled the two screws and snapped the cosmetic cover back over the hinge assembly. Simple ! I’m going to disassemble it again tomorrow, and reassemble it using a drop of ThreadLocker on each screw. That should prevent the problem from recurring !
　
Monday ; Today was sunny and warm. But … AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH … now I have a cold. I haven’t had “perfect health” in weeks !
　
This morning I drove over to the propane refill station and retrieved a propane tank I left for refilling a couple of days ago. I went to the clubhouse to make a phone call using the Wi-Fi phone, and since I saw a Fed Ex truck parked outside I went to the office to see if my package from HP had arrived. It had not. We’re still undecided about whether or not it’s worth staying here a day or two longer than planned to wait for the warranty repair shipping package to arrive now that I’ve fixed the computer.
　
After lunch I disassembled the computer’s hinge assembly and reassembled it with a drop of ThreadLocker on each screw. Hopefully that will work. If not, and the screws come loose again, I’ll use a drop of clear nail polish on each screw, a technique I’ve used with success on eyeglass screws. I worked with Joanne on her bedroom closet rearranging project. Today we rearranged and purged my side of the clothes in the closet, and completed the job. Some stuff will go to the bargain table, and some stuff will go to rags. And maybe there will be less comments about how I dress like a Bangladesh refugee ! HA HA HA !
　
I downloaded and processed yesterday’s photos. Because he has missed a day or two, and we were late a time or two, Bo now starts exhibiting “dog party anxiety” at 3 PM, an hour before it’s time for the daily dog party ( rolling eyes ). Hang on, Bo … we’ll be leaving in a few minutes ! Sheesh ! He’s been driving us nuts for the last 45 minutes ! We went to the dog park for an hour, then put Bo in the truck while we went inside the clubhouse for our rescheduled Skype call with Joanne’s family. We waited for an hour, but the Carlson family did not show. While we waited we did some online shopping / browsing. Today was Cyber Monday, the online version of Black Friday.
　
When I opened the computer in the clubhouse, I was surprised to find that it was not in standby mode, which it should be in whenever the lid has been closed, then reopened, without the computer having been switched off. Hmmm … I must have done something inside the hinge assembly that disabled the lid switch. When we returned to the trailer, I once again removed the hinge assembly’s mesh screen cosmetic cover to discover … AW, SHIT ! The little speaker bar underneath the cover, within the hinge assembly, was broken ! Looks like somebody might have … hmmm … over tightened the tiny little screws ! ? ! DAMN DAMN DAMN ! ! ! Well, I guess there’s no longer a question whether we should wait for the HP warranty repair shipping box to arrive !
　
We returned to the clubhouse at 8 PM for a scheduled Skype call with our friend Julie. Congratulations to Julie. Her WorkCamping / Volunteer Campground Host position has resulted in a job offer as a paid Campground Aide.
　
Tuesday ; Today was sunny and warm. Feeling poorly with a cold I stayed in bed late and didn’t really get my day started until noon. All day we kept changing our minds about whether to leave tomorrow or the day after.
　
After lunch we drove to Oakhurst to do some grocery shopping. And … check out the new cinnamon bun business in town. MMMMM ! On the way out of Park of the Sierras we stopped at the office to see if my Fed Ex package had arrived. It had ! When we got to the cinnamon bun business … ( sigh ) … it was closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Well, why didn’t they put that in their ad ? ! ? We did our grocery shopping and returned home. I went to the dog park with Bo and Joanne headed to the laundromat.
　
One of the dogs that Bo has been playing ( nicely ! ) with for the last few weeks is Clancy the 13 month old male Australian Terrier. Clancy looks like Bo’s twin brother. Today they decided to scuffle ! ****ing male terriers ! Snarling, snapping, yelping, fur flying, dirt flying, other dogs scrambling to get out of the way … ! ! ! Clancy’s owner was closest, so he ran over to break it up. A swift kick between the entangled dogs was insufficient. He had to grab Clancy and lift him. Clancy had a good grip on one of Bo’s ears, and Bo was almost lifted off the ground hanging by one ear until Clancy finally let go. And as expected, a few seconds later they were best friends again, no harm done to either dog. What’s wrong with little male terriers ? ? ?
　
We packed up Bo’s agility components which have been in the dog park since we’ve been here. I went to the clubhouse to do online work while Joanne finished up with the laundry. I tried to make an online purchase, but as has happened once before, the vendor’s computer system refused to recognize the validity of a Canadian issued credit card, despite it being a U.S.$ card.
　
After supper I printed investment updates and bank statements that I had downloaded. I reconciled November’s bank statements. We did some interior preparation for departure tomorrow morning.
　
Wednesday ; SKP Park of the Sierras to Bakersfield, California
　
Today was another lovely, sunny, warm day. This morning we prepared for departure, pulled out of our site, and headed for the park office to settle our bill. Our wonderful three week stay here was slightly soured by the 50 minute checkout process ! The woman in the office was inept, to say the very least ! It took her 40 minutes to process our checkout, then another 10 minutes to correct the $47 error she made on our invoice !
　
We headed south on Hwy. 41 to Fresno. I was interested in looking at an HP Mini external / portable hard drive that was on sale at Target. And I wanted to comparison shop at Best Buy. Well … how fortuitous. When we found the Target in Fresno, it was in the same mall as a Best Buy and an Office Max. I checked external / portable hard drives, external / portable CD / DVD drives, and netbook padded sleeves / carry cases at all three. I bought all three at Best Buy. Two of the three will be Joanne’s Christmas gifts to me. I need the hard drive right away to copy everything off the netbook before I ship it back to HP in a few days for repairs. We had lunch in the mall parking lot then headed southeast out of Fresno on Hwy. 99.
　
As on our previous trips down Hwy. 99 the smog became noticeable 150 miles north of Los Angeles. By the time we reached Bakersfield, a little more than 100 miles north of Los Angeles, it was looking pretty thick ! With a bit of difficulty, and racing the clock, we found our way to Camping World, arriving just a few minutes before closing time. I bought what I needed, and we set off to find a Wal-Mart, planning to shop, have supper, then boondock overnight in the parking lot.
　
As soon as we had parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot Joanne went into the store to do some shopping. Within a few minutes there was a knock at the door. I thought it was Joanne, returning for something she forgot. It was a security guard whose job it was to roust us out of the parking lot, and send us next door to the Lowe’s parking lot if we were planning to boondock overnight. Apparently this Wal-Mart has had some recent problems with RV’ers. I’m not surprised. This is Southern California. And the only drawback to lovely Southern California is … Southern Californians are ***holes. Especially on the roads ! The elderly security guard asked me some questions. When he realized Joanne was in the store shopping, this was our first time at this Wal-Mart location, and we were staying only one night, he approved our staying put. Thank you.
　
We have seen a lot of RV’ers taking advantage of Wal-Mart’s generosity. And not just here in Southern California. We even see it a lot in Penticton during the summer. Staying multiple nights, extending the slides, putting down the stabilizer jacks, disconnecting the tow vehicle to go off sightseeing or whatever, setting up lawn chairs and barbecue, leaving garbage behind … ! That kind of crap ruins it for everybody.
　
While Joanne was preparing supper she found wet items in the fridge. A bit of investigation by me revealed a plugged drip tray drain hose. Remove the outside fridge vent, disconnect the outside end of the drain hose from the perforated plug in the vent wall, blow, and … there ... today’s travelling problem solved ( sigh ). Well, except for the water and grime plug that I blew back into the fridge. But hey, that wasn’t my problem. HA HA HA !
　
Tonight Joanne prepared a new recipe that she found online yesterday. A wonderful, spicy Cajun dish using sausage and turnip greens. A definite “keeper” !
　
Thursday ; Bakersfield to Palm Springs, California
　
EEEEEUUUUUWWWWW ! This morning when I stepped outside the trailer to walk Bo, Bakersfield was blanketed by thick smog … and it stunk !
　
Before leaving the Wal-Mart parking lot I went inside the store to replenish a cold medication. In California cold medications are “controlled substances” and are kept behind the pharmacy counter. A buyer must produce identification, which is entered into a computer system to ensure that his / her purchase does not exceed either the daily or monthly limit. For more than ten minutes three people fiddled with my driver’s license and their computer trying to overcome the computer’s inability to accept either “BC” or “Canada” while the line up built up behind me at the pharmacy counter. Finally I told them to forget it, give me back my driver’s license and I would buy it in Arizona ! Welcome to California !
　
We departed Bakersfield ( me and my cold unmedicated ! ) heading east on Hwy. 58 towards the Tehachapi Mountains and the Mojave Desert beyond. The closer we got to the Tehachapi Mountains the thicker the smog became, eventually becoming so thick we could not see the mountains a few miles ahead. As soon as we crossed over the mountains through the Tehachapi Pass, and entered the Mojave Desert, the sky was crystal clear, deep blue, visibility forever ! The mountains stop the smog, and it all builds up on the west side. We stopped at the town of Mojave to refill with diesel. I’m always fascinated when we drive through Mojave by the rows and rows of surplus airliners parked in storage at the Mojave Airport. We continued east on Hwy. 58 passing Edwards Air Force Base out in the middle of nowhere, and turned south on Hwy. 395 at Four Corners. Nothing there but four gas stations at the intersection of two highways in the desert.
　
We just pulled off the road and into the desert to stop for lunch. While Joanne prepared lunch I took Sully outside for his first peek at a desert. Well, I assume it’s the first time he’s seen a desert. He had anxiety about the traffic passing by on the road. He seemed to have anxiety about our truck and trailer leaving without him. And he tasted a variety of desert vegetation. He didn’t like any of it !
　
We continued south on Hwy. 395 to Hwy. 18, then “dipsy doodled” a few miles east on Hwy. 18, a few miles north on Interstate 15, through Victorville, and onto Hwy. 18 again heading east. Hwy. 18 eventually became Hwy. 247 heading east and south. We take this route instead of going south on Interstate 15 to avoid the heavy traffic congestion around San Bernardino and the northeast corner of Los Angeles suburbs. Joanne drove for 45 minutes to allow me to snooze. I was feeling poorly. At Hwy. 62, near the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park we turned southwest towards Palm Springs.
　
We knew that we wanted to be here until next Friday, were planning a one week stay at an RV park in the Palm Springs suburb of Desert Hot Springs, were arriving late on Thursday, so wanted to boondock tonight and check into the park early tomorrow. At Palm Springs we turned east on Interstate 10 and headed for the Flying J in the eastern suburb of Thousand Palms. At Flying J we refilled a propane tank then crossed the street to refill with diesel at Chevron. This was one of the very rare instances when Flying J did not have the cheapest price for diesel in their area. We decided to cross the interstate and see if the casino across the highway might be a good place to boondock. It wasn’t. Most casinos welcome overnight RV’ers, but this casino had no other RV’s in their parking lot and it didn’t look like a good place to stay overnight. We headed back across the Interstate back to the Flying J.
　
As I drove slowly through the Flying J parking lot, a scruffy looking man waved me over. He had a beat up old trailer and beat up old truck. His truck needed a boost. Positioning my truck, with a 30 foot trailer attached, to boost his truck was a bit of a challenge. I boosted his truck which had a severely smashed fender and two flat tires. I suspected he was living at the Flying J. He recommended that we park on the opposite side of the Flying J parking lot, because the far end of the parking lot area where he was parked was a “trouble area”. His two flat tires were the result of vandalism the previous evening. We parked up near the Flying J building and the adjacent MacDonald’s.
　
After supper I lay on the bed with Sully and Bo and updated my investment files with data I had downloaded and printed before leaving SKP Park of the Sierras. My netbook battery was getting run down, so I plugged into the little 12V DC to 120V AC inverter I bought last summer, plugged into the 12V outlet in Harvey’s bedroom cupboard. It worked great !
　
　
Friday ; Today was sunny and warm, as it almost always is in Palm Springs. We left Flying J in the Palm Springs community of Thousand Palms and drove just a few miles east on Interstate 10 to the community of Desert Hot Springs. We were headed for Caliente ( Spanish for “hot” ) Springs, an RV resort that was a recent addition to the Passport America program offering a 50% discount. It’s very expensive ( by our standards ), and even at half price ( limited to only one week ) it’s considerably more than we usually pay for an RV park.
　
But … WOW … what a luxury, upscale RV resort ! We checked in, got set up in our site, had lunch, and while I took a nap with Sully, Joanne went for a walk with Bo over to the dog park. After they returned, she and I wanted to explore the resort’s amenities. We stepped outside, and met our next door neighbour who was walking her cat. HEY … an Applehead Siamese ! Our neighbour is from Kelowna, in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, about 2 hours north of where we live in the summer. And her cat Zoë is a 3 year old, female Seal Point, a darker colour than Sully. With gorgeous, deep blue eyes. Because Sully has cataracts, his pupils are fully dilated most of the time, and we don’t see much of his beautiful blue irises.
　
We wandered over to the main clubhouse facility. Wow … three hot pools. With continuously circulating fresh water. Like most of the properties in Desert Hot Springs, the aquifer under this property contains hot water. So hot it needs to be cooled for the pools. The water underground here is so hot because Desert Hot Springs is built right on the San Andreas Fault Line. When “the big one” finally hits, Desert Hot Springs will probably just disappear into the ground ! After the water circulates through the three hot pools, each a little cooler than the one before, it goes into the huge free form swimming pool. Then out to the ponds on the property. Then it irrigates the landscaped grounds and the 9 hole par 3 golf course that is part of the resort.
　
This resort has an entertainment auditorium, and features regular entertainment. We purchased two tickets to tonight’s Christmas season performance of the Sandblasters Barbershop Harmony Chorus. Then we wandered around looking at the library, games room, laundromat, small restaurant, and a variety of small meeting / craft rooms. We never did find the exercise room. There was a large group of elderly people at one end of the pool having a lively game of water volleyball.
　
We drove into the nearby town of Desert Hot Springs to do some shopping. First stop was Walgreens for some cold medications. I asked at the pharmacy counter for the type of cold medication I was looking for. The woman was very helpful, prompt, and efficient. She asked for my identification, just like at Wal-Mart. She tapped away at her computer keyboard for ten or fifteen seconds, and we were done. I hope those three goofs at Wal-Mart in Bakersfield all catch a cold from germs off my driver’s license ! We went to Stater Bros. to shop for groceries. Stater Bros. In Desert Hot Springs is one of our favourite grocery stores … anywhere ! I bought a jug of some Arnold Palmer Tee, which I’ve had before. It’s a product that we have not seen anywhere other than Palm Springs. It’s a 50 / 50 blend of iced tea and lemonade.
　
Back at Caliente Springs we had an early ( for us ) supper, then headed to the auditorium for the barbershop chorus concert. It was … ( shrug ) … good. Eighteen old men singing barbershop harmony. Afterwards I did some online work at the trailer. This resort’s Wi-Fi signal reaches our trailer, although the signal is extremely slow. Before bedtime we went to the hottest of the three hot pools for an hour of soaking in mineral hot springs water.
　
　
Saturday ; Well, quite a variety of entertainment in Palm Springs this weekend. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys was performing at the casino in Thousand Palms that we considered boondocking at a couple of nights ago. Willie Nelson was performing at one of the other casinos. Barry Manilow was performing. Tickets were available to attend his concert, have dinner and photo op with him before the concert, or cocktails and photo op with him after the concert … for only a thousand bucks a pop ! Geeeeez … how much excess money does one need to have to be willing to spend a couple of thousand bucks per couple to break bread with Barry Manilow ? ! ?
　
Today started out, uncharacteristically for Palm Springs, cloudy and cool, but cleared and warmed in the afternoon. This morning we went to the resort’s “park model sales open house” and took a look at a variety of park model homes available for sale. And then, of course, we enjoyed the free lunch. HA HA HA ! As we returned to our trailer, our next door neighbours were out walking their cats. We had met Zoë the Applehead Siamese yesterday. Today we met Simon the Balinese, like a Siamese but with long hair. We brought Sully outside for a walk, and the three cats met. None were impressed. HA HA HA … cats !
　
This afternoon I read and napped with Bo and Sully while Joanne went shopping for a swim suit. She has found in the past that swim suit shops in the Palm Springs area have a great variety of mastectomy swim suits. Palm Springs caters to the rich and famous … and old ! Lots of clothing in styles suitable for older women. Must be lots of older women in Palm Springs that have had mastectomies. And judging by the look of things around here, the surgeons must give a free face lift with each mastectomy. HA HA HA ! Joanne bought one swim suit and would like to get a couple more before we leave here.
　
Late in the afternoon we headed for downtown Palm Springs to view the Christmas Festival Of Lights Parade. We had to park a couple of miles away from the parade route and walk. Good thing my knees and hip are finally better. A few days ago I wouldn’t have been capable of walking a couple of miles. After watching the parade we went for supper to Las Casuelas Terraza, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Palm Springs that Joanne quite likes.
　
Oooooooooo … ( moaning ) … I don’t feel so good ! The cold medications I have been taking have upset my digestive system. And I ate waaaaayyyyy too much supper. I shouldn’t have eaten so much complimentary, hot, fresh tortilla chips and salsa before tackling a machaca burrito the size of my forearm. I should have realized that, while we were eating Mexican food, we were in the good ol’ U.S. of A., where restaurant portions are usually enough to feed half the Mongol army.
　
I will be sending my netbook back to HP for repairs in a few days, so it will probably be three weeks until my next blog entry.
　
DSK

November 22 to 28, 2009

November 22 to 28, 2009 ; SKP Park of the Sierras, California
　
Sunday ; I started this morning with a wonderful strawberry jam roll pan dulce, followed by a cup of coffee and a cigarette sitting outside in the bright, warm morning sunshine. Life is good ! Well, except for the agony of my right knee and hip. I can’t walk this morning without a cane. But … I seem to have finally overcome both the colitis flare ups and the bouts of depression that have plagued me over the last few weeks. I am obviously much more susceptible to suffering from depression when the days are short. Seems to be a problem that recurs every November.
　
We need to teach / convince Sully that he has a reverse gear. He has a tendency to stand in the open doorway, blocking it, when Bo is coming back inside the trailer. As Bo charges up the steps and past him, Sully loudly hollers his displeasure at Bo.
　
At noon we headed to the clubhouse … with Sully … for our scheduled Skype call with Joanne’s family in Winnipeg. I am so impressed with Skype. First we had a lengthy video chat with all of the Carlson family, showing Sully to the nieces. Then Doug and I experimented with the Skype “share screen” functionality. I opened my photo program and shared a photo slideshow with them. Doug opened Google Earth and located exactly where we are, with us looking at what he saw on his screen, and guiding him verbally to find our location. He showed us the photo he took of Spotted Lake near Osoyoos when he and I went flying in the summer of 2008. His aerial photo of Spotted Lake is now attached to the Google Earth image of Spotted Lake.
　
We returned to the trailer, had lunch, then went back to the clubhouse for the regular Sunday afternoon ice cream social. We chatted with a couple from Alberta that arrived in the park yesterday. We had met them once before, 5 years ago, in Mesa, Arizona, at an Escapees Alberta Chapter 44 Winter Rally. After the ice cream social we returned to the trailer again, got Bo, and headed to the dog park for the daily dog party. Bo had been feeling sorry for himself since this morning when Sully got to go for a “drivey” and he didn’t. And he had missed yesterday’s dog party, so he was very excited to be going today. After the daily hour of dog romping I went into the clubhouse to get online and update my blog.
　
While Joanne prepared supper I printed and reconciled our Canadian dollar MasterCard statement. After supper we watched Amazing Race.
　
Monday ; Today was another sunny, mild day. We had a bit of a lazy morning. We went for a long, slow walk with Bo. Slow because my severe knee and hip pain continues. We continued working on reviewing, purging, and rearranging files, office supplies, computer manuals and supplies.
　
After lunch we went to the Pole Barn and washed the truck. Back at the trailer I worked on the computer, doing a disk cleanup, disk defragmentation, virus scan, spyware scan, malware scan, and finally, a backup of all files. I’m preparing the computer for shipment back to Hewlett Packard for repair of the loose screw in the hinge assembly. I have been communicating back and forth by e-mail on a daily basis for about a week with Hewlett Packard and have reconciled myself to the requirement to ship the computer back to them for repair.
　
About ten minutes before it’s time to head to the dog park each day Bo starts to do somewhat of an “anticipation dance”. He certainly has an accurate “internal clock”. When we arrived at the dog park today we found out that our friend Mischa fell off a ladder this morning and was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Fresno. He was back home by this afternoon with scrapes and bruises, most seriously a severely bruised hip. As usual, after the daily dog party I went to the clubhouse to use Wi-Fi to get online. I sent and retrieved e-mail, checked the stock markets and the status of our investments, and retrieved our U.S.$ MasterCard statement.
　
After supper we returned to the clubhouse again, this time to have a Skype video call with our friend Julie. Oh boy, like Doug, Julie also bought a webcam to have video chats with us. It was great ! We sure do like this Skype stuff ! We returned to the trailer in time to watch the final episode of “Jon & Kate Plus 8” on TLC.
　
Tuesday ; Today was sunny and warm. I have just returned from the clubhouse ( at 1 PM ), and I am extremely aggravated. I have been communicating back and forth by e-mail for over a week with Hewlett Packard about the loose screw in the hinge between the top / screen and the bottom / keyboard of my new HP Mini netbook computer. Yesterday I received a phone message from HP instructing me to phone to finalize arrangements for them to ship me a packing box for me to return the computer for warranty repair. Today when I phoned, the agent ( in India ! ) refused to finalize arrangements because their records indicate that my computer warranty expired two days ago ! NO … that’s incorrect ! ! ! And even if it was correct, my e-mails are a clear record that the problem has existed for longer than two days !
　
After lunch I returned to the clubhouse to fax a copy of my invoice to Hewlett Packard to verify that I purchased the computer a little more than a month ago, and the warranty has not expired ! I doubt very much that they can get the shipping box to me before we leave here in a week. While I am impressed with Hewlett Packard’s product, I am definitely not impressed with their warranty repair process !
　
I read. I napped. I helped Joanne with her project of reviewing / purging / rearranging everything in the bedroom closet. We went to the dog park for the daily dog party. When we returned to the trailer I was assigned the task of sitting outside and cracking open hazelnuts. Joanne’s contribution to the Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday will be hazelnut cookies. I sat outside in the twilight, cracking hazelnuts, watching a doe and a buck with a big rack graze on the leaves of a fallen Manzanita tree beside the gravel trail that runs just on the other side of the fence alongside our campsite. The gravel trail was the original stagecoach route to Yosemite.
　
After an excellent supper of seasoned fried catfish fillets ( seasoned by Joanne, fried by me ! ) I went to the clubhouse and used the piano there to tune my Arpa Magica I purchased in Palenque, Mexico last winter.
　
Wednesday ; Today was sunny, and very warm for this time of year and at this elevation. Fall has arrived in the Sierra Nevadas. The leaves are changing colours.
　
This morning I took the Wi-Fi phone and headed to the clubhouse to phone Hewlett Packard … again ! Hopefully ( maybe ! ) the purchase date and warranty period information regarding my computer has been corrected, and the shipping box is on its way. When I was dealing with HP by e-mail, everything seemed straightforward and simple, but when I began to have to deal with them by phone, things went awry. Maybe if their “call centre” wasn’t in India … ! ? !
　
HEY … GET OFF MY COMPUTER ! ! ! Sully just walked across the keyboard ! I think he was trying to type “cat wants attention” but it came out as “c x”.
　
After my phone call to HP we went to Oakhurst to do some grocery shopping at Vons. Wow … crowded store ! Day before Thanksgiving ! Turkeys were on sale for $5, and I wanted to buy one just to put in the freezer and prepare later, but we couldn’t find one small enough to fit in our RV oven. Why are 16 pound turkeys $5 in the United States but $1.89 a pound in Canada ? ! ? By the time we returned home I was in a lot of discomfort. My knees and one hip were really hurting ! Exercise didn’t help. Maybe more rest would help ?
　
I spent the afternoon in bed, napping and reading, hoping that rest would help my knees and hip. Well, after an afternoon of rest, my knees were improved, but my hip was still hurting a lot. Joanne spent the afternoon baking hazelnut cookies for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Dinner. And she wouldn’t let me eat any ! We took Bo to the dog park for the daily dog party, then I went to the clubhouse to work online.
　
Thursday ; American Thanksgiving ; Today was another really lovely, sunny, warm day. We had a bit of a lazy day, enjoying the weather while taking care of a few minor chores. I spent time in bed trying to rest my hip enough to alleviate the pain. It didn’t help much ( sigh ).
　
Late in the afternoon we headed to the clubhouse for Thanksgiving Dinner. Turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes were provided by Park of the Sierras. Everyone brought a side dish or dessert, potluck style. WOW … great Thanksgiving Dinner ! After dinner I stayed in the clubhouse to get some work done on the computer. Tonight wasn’t the first time since we’ve been here that my work was interrupted by someone who wanted a “sales pitch” on netbook computers. It seems as if many people have not yet seen a netbook. Or spoken to someone who has already been using one.
　
Back at the trailer in the evening we watched Survivor.
　
Friday ; Today was cloudy and mild. A few drops of rain fell in the afternoon. I woke up this morning with excruciating pain in my right hip. My knees and hip have been hurting for a week or so. I am reluctant to visit a doctor here for this problem. Our U.S. medical insurance has a $1000 deductible. I purchased insurance with that high a deductible because I feel that the insurance is for “catastrophes” like a heart attack or vehicle accident. Visiting a doctor here for a minor problem like this is likely to result in considerable expense, and an inconclusive or relatively meaningless diagnosis like “yup … your knees and hips are arthritic”. This morning I took some Ibuprofen hoping that that might reduce the discomfort. And I took a Prednisone tablet left over from an attack of gout a year and a half ago. I figured that couldn’t hurt, and might help. I was in such discomfort that we postponed our planned day trip. We had planned to spend the day exploring back roads north of here, up towards Yosemite National Park, including visiting an alpaca farm. We hope to be able to do this day of exploring on Sunday.
　
The location of our site within this park makes it an excellent location for viewing wildlife and bird watching. Beside our trailer is a grove of Live Oak trees. They are currently shedding their acorns, and a lot of bushy tailed grey squirrels and interesting birds are active in and under the trees. Our friends Erbon and Lorraine from Ottawa gave us a bird watching book a couple of years ago, and I have been identifying some of the interesting birds that we have been seeing here. With my hip this sore my activities have been limited to reading, napping, and bird watching. ( shrug ) Beats digging ditches, I suppose.
　
I spent most of the day reading in bed. Joanne continued working on her closet rearranging project. Late in the afternoon she took Bo to the dog park. By late afternoon the Prednisone and / or Ibuprofen had worked wonders. I suspect it was more likely the Prednisone. My hip pain was significantly diminished. I drove to the clubhouse to do some online work and wait for Joanne and Bo to be finished in the dog park.
　
When we returned to the trailer, we gave Bo a bath. Gee, what a stinky little dog ! Sully did not like being on the bed when Bo jumped on it to do his after bath, drying off “happy dance”. HA HA HA ! Sully was very annoyed !
　
Saturday ; Today we remember Toby the cat, who died 5 years ago, while we were WorkCamping at Trout Lodge up in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. While thinking about him today I realized that while I remember him fondly, I no longer miss him. I do, however, still miss Teddy. I’m very glad that we now have Sully.
　
Today was cloudy and cool. My hip was improved a lot, although not completely. I took another Prednisone today. After doing some online research, my self-diagnosis was hip bursitis. This morning we trimmed Bo’s and Sully’s claws. Gently squeezing Sully’s toes to extend his claws so that I can trim them hurts him. He must have arthritic toes. I’m sympathetic, Sully. I took an empty propane tank to the park’s propane refill station to be refilled Monday morning. I went to the clubhouse and did some online work. I checked at the office to see if my Fed Ex package from HP had arrived yet. It hadn’t. I checked Fed Ex’s online tracking system. Aw, gee whiz … they show an expected delivery date of Wednesday, the day we were planning to leave here. We’ll probably have to stay an extra day.
　
After lunch I read and napped, then we went to the dog park earlier than usual. Today’s “dog party” was rescheduled an hour earlier than usual due to the park’s communal hot turkey sandwich dinner schedule. After an hour of “dog party” I went to the clubhouse and Joanne took Bo home. She took a load of laundry to the laundromat then joined me in the clubhouse. We had volunteered to be the ticket sellers / money takers for tonight's hot turkey sandwich dinner. We had a great dinner, sharing a table with our friends Lynn and Mischa, our new dog friend Jane ( Parker’s owner ), and a woman whose husband died 3 months ago of cancer. She’s still pretty raw over the loss of her husband of 51 years. Tonight was Mischa’s first outing since falling off a ladder a few days ago and injuring his hip.
　
We spent the evening watching TV. While we’ve been here we’ve enjoyed watching some networks that we rarely have access to ; The Learning Channel, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, History Channel, Arts & Entertainment.
　
DSK

November 15 to 21, 2009

November 15 to 21, 2009 ; SKP Park of the Sierras, California
　
Sunday ; Today was another lovely, sunny, mild day. We had a lazy morning. This afternoon we went to the park’s regular Sunday afternoon weekly ice cream social. We sat at a table with a woman from Washington and her interesting travel companion. She travels with her 42 year old developmentally disabled son. He is a former Para-Olympic and Para-World Games athlete, competing in swimming events. He has two Para-Olympic gold medals. He broke / held a disabled athletics world record in 1990. Very interesting fellow !
　
After the ice cream social we went to the daily “dog party” at the dog park. Some dogs we hadn't met before came, to try out the small dog agility course we set up in the dog park. New guests in the park are introduced and welcomed publicly at the weekly ice cream social. At that time I extended an invitation to all to come to the dog park and try out K9 Agility. Not surprisingly, Patches the Border Collie did well.
　
After the dog party, as it got dark, I went to the clubhouse to use Wi-Fi and update my blog. I took an empty propane tank to the park’s propane refill station to be refilled tomorrow morning. After supper we watched Amazing Race, after having missed the last couple of episodes.
　
Monday ; Today was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. This morning we went to Oakhurst. I dropped Joanne off at Vons to do grocery shopping, then I went to Kragen Auto Parts to buy oil and a filter. When I checked the Kragen flyer at the front of the store … WOO-HOO … diesel oil in gallons was on sale, buy one get one free. I needed three gallons for the oil change, so I bought four for the price of two. Next I went to Radio Shack where I bought an adaptor to allow me to use an old cell phone hands free headset that I have, when I use Skype on my new netbook computer. From there I drove to a hardware store and bought a couple of sections of stair nosing. I am going to change the stair nosing in the trailer. The current stair nosing has a smooth surface and Joanne has fallen down the stairs twice in the last few months when her foot has slipped over the edge of the stair as she descends from the bathroom hallway to the living room. I bought stair nosing with a texture that will hopefully prevent any more falls. Finally I went to Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital. They had an ad in the local newspaper advertising a special on dental work. Both Bo and Sully need a dental cleaning. We were going to have it done later this winter in Yuma, Arizona, but perhaps we’ll have it done here. I got an estimate sheet from the local veterinarian, and I will contact the veterinarian we use in Yuma by phone or e-mail to get an estimate for comparison.
　
I picked Joanne up at the grocery store and headed back to SKP Park of the Sierras. Just before reaching the park Joanne noticed some very large Jeffrey Pine cones on the side of the road. We stopped and collected a few to replace the old dried out ones I have back home as decoration in a cedar planter. On the way back into the park I stopped at the propane refill station to pick up my refilled tank. The fellow that was doing the propane refilling pointed out to me that the certification on my propane tank had expired on November 1. He had refilled the tank to ensure that we weren’t without propane for the furnace on these cold nights ( he was unaware that I have two tanks ), but advised me that I would have to have my tanks recertified before they could be refilled again. I got information from him on where to have my propane tanks recertified in Oakhurst.
　
After lunch I headed to the Pole Barn to do an oil change on the truck. My friend Mischa came to help me. I had never changed the oil and filter on a one ton diesel dually before. And it’s probably been more than 25 years since I last changed the oil on any vehicle. The job went as well as could be expected. The Pole Barn had all the necessary tools and equipment ; oil drain pans, oil filter wrenches, grease guns, even a used oil disposal drum. Have I mentioned that I love staying at Escapee parks ? But … you would think that with a diesel engine that large, and an engine compartment that large, Cummins could have designed the placement of the oil filter somewhere other than a spot where only somebody with the hands and arms of an eight year old girl could reach it ! I also lubricated the front ball joints. Despite the owner’s manual clearly stating that the front ball joints are “sealed for life” and have no grease nipples, I found grease nipples on each front ball joint. I could not find a grease nipple on the front driveshaft where the owner’s manual AND a decal in the engine compartment both say ( and show with a diagram ) there is a grease nipple that must be lubricated at each oil change. The money that I saved by doing the oil change myself will be far more than enough to pay for a buffet lunch at the Chukchansi Casino before we leave here.
　
I returned to the trailer just as Joanne was leaving with Bo to head for the daily dog party in the dog park. I was greasy from my fingertips to my armpits, so I had to shower before heading to the dog park. As I stepped out of the shower there was a knock at the door. I answered the door soaking wet with a towel wrapped around my waist. It was another elderly couple from the park’s Hello Committee. They were so … mortified … at me answering the door like that that I didn’t have the heart to tell them that somebody from the Hello Committee had already stopped by. They said they would return tomorrow “at a more convenient time”. HA HA HA … yeah, okay.
　
The dozen or so dogs that are at the dog park on a regular basis were all in fine form today, perhaps because of the lovely weather. Even the old and / or timid ones were romping. After the dog party we went to the clubhouse where I used Wi-Fi while Joanne browsed the park’s “bargain table”. As she seems to do on a regular basis at SKP parks’ bargain tables, and / or Salvation Army thrift shops, she found me a brand new, unworn pair of Dockers brand pants in my waist size and leg length.
　
Tuesday ; Today was another sunny, warm day. The hydro service provider for this area of California charges for hydro on a graduated scale. The more hydro used per day, the higher the rate per kilowatt hour. And we have to pay for hydro usage in this RV park. So this morning I took a hydro meter reading and calculated our hydro usage and rate for the six days we’ve been here. YIKES ! Oh, Sully … I think we’re going to have to drastically reduce the usage of your heater blankie and the bedroom space heater.
　
DARN ! My new netbook computer has developed a rattle. It sounds like a small screw on the inside has become loose. I have tried shaking it out, to no avail. I’m afraid to try to open the computer case myself. And I really don’t want to ship it back for warranty service. The computer’s manual says that is the method for warranty service. I’m going to try to contact Hewlett-Packard by e-mail and see if there might be some other method for obtaining warranty service. I’m hoping that they may allow me to take it in for “walk-in” warranty service somewhere in Yuma, Arizona or Palm Springs, California. I’m afraid to ignore the loose, rattling screw for fear that it short circuits something inside the computer.
　
I spent much of today working … again … on maintenance and repair projects. I made multiple trips to the Pole Barn to use the tools and equipment there. I removed the old stair nosing and installed the new stair nosing in the trailer. At the Pole Barn I cut, deburred, drilled, and countersunk the new stair nosing. It’s so much easier to do a job like that on a workbench with a vise, and a nearby grinder, than to do it on the tailgate of the truck. I did part 1 of 2 of repairing the driver’s seat lumbar adjustment that broke our first day on the road. I glued some broken parts and we’ll see tomorrow if that worked. I’m not all that hopeful. Of course, I have a “Plan B”. The broken leg on our boot tray that I glued a few days ago fell apart today. At the Pole Barn I found a piece of pipe that I am going to try to fabricate into a new leg for the boot tray. That will be one of tomorrow’s jobs.
　
At 4 PM we headed to the dog park for our daily dog party. Bo spends an hour each day playing with his friends, and it’s great. It tires him out so much that each evening he goes to sleep at 8:30 PM and sleeps for twelve hours. There is a lot of interest in his agility components, more by the dog owners than by their dogs. HA HA HA ! After the dog party I went to the clubhouse for an hour of working online. I signed onto Skype to make a test call using my old cell phone hands free headset with the new adaptor plug I bought the other day when … WHOA … an incoming text message from Joanne’s brother-in-law in Winnipeg, Doug. I had invited the Carlson’s to download Skype software so that we can have free video chats with Joanne’s nieces. Doug had downloaded Skype although their computer doesn’t have a webcam or microphone. After a few minutes of bumbling and stumbling by both Doug and me, we were able to figure out how to communicate with one another. They can see and hear me on their computer, and communicate with me in return by sending text messages. It was neat to “talk” with Doug, Madeleine, Amelia, and Lorraine. Hopefully they will get a microphone and perhaps even a webcam, and we can have “real” Skype calls with audio and video. I never did succeed in making the old cell phone hands free headset work. I hope I can get a refund from Radio Shack for the adaptor.
　
Wednesday ; Nope … my driver’s seat back lumbar adjustment glue repair did not work ! I’ll have to try “Plan B”, a much more complex approach.
　
Today was mild and lightly overcast. While my lumbar adjustment glue repair didn’t work, this morning I did manage to fabricate and install a new leg on the boot tray using a piece of pipe. Oh, well … one out of two ! Late this morning we went to the clubhouse. Joanne wanted to use the Wi-Fi phone to make some phone calls to research some local attractions, and I had quite a bit of online work I wanted to get done. I didn’t get all my work done. One of the first things I did was send a Skype invitation to our friend Julie. She was online at the time, received the invitation immediately, and before too long she had downloaded Skype software and showed up on my Skype contact list. So we Skype phoned Julie and had a long chat. Her computer doesn’t have a webcam, so we didn’t have video of her, but her computer does have a microphone, so we sat outside on a bench in front of the clubhouse with the netbook on Joanne’s lap and chatted with Julie.
　
Late in the afternoon we headed to the dog park for the daily dog party. After an hour of Bo romping in the dog park with his friends I went to the clubhouse and finished the online work I hadn’t completed this morning. I sent an e-mail to Hewlett-Packard about the loose screw in the computer and I researched the feasibility of switching our VOIP home phone service from Vonage to Skype.
　
After supper I spent the evening updating my investment files. Well, the stock market recovery slowly continues. We’re a lot better off than a year ago, although a lot worse off than 2½ years ago.
　
Thursday ; Today was sunny and warm again. This morning after I trimmed my beard we headed into Oakhurst to run errands. I dropped Joanne off at Raley’s to do the grocery shopping and I went to Pro Flame to drop off the trailer’s two propane tanks for recertification. Until I pick them up tomorrow we will be without propane in the trailer, so no furnace and no stove. I went to Radio Shack and returned the adaptor I bought a few days ago. I went to H & L Lumber and shopped for hardware. I compiled a myriad of hardware that I hoped I could assemble into a concoction that would enable me to repair the driver’s seat back lumbar adjustment using a somewhat complex “Mexican mechanic” approach. I returned to Raley’s, picked up Joanne, and we headed home to SKP Park of the Sierras.
　
After lunch, and a short nap with Sully, I headed for the Pole Barn to work on the lumbar adjustment repair. The parts of the job that I thought would be most difficult went well. The parts of the job that I thought would be relatively easy turned out to be difficult. However, eventually I completed the repair and I am pleased and proud of the result. While I was at the Pole Barn Joanne walked with Bo to the dog park for the daily dog party. When I was finished at the Pole Barn I picked them up at the dog park.
　
We left Bo waiting in the truck and we went to the clubhouse. Joanne went to the library and I got online to retrieve e-mail. My first e-mail was from Joanne’s brother-in-law Doug. He had purchased a webcam with microphone and was ready and waiting for our first Skype video call. I connected and … WOO-HOO … there was the entire Carlson family on my computer screen, including Macie their new dog. I rushed over to the library room and got Joanne. We had a GREAT video chat with Joanne’s family. We are VERY impressed with Skype. We arranged to make another call on Sunday to allow the nieces to see Sully.
　
Hewlett-Packard responded to my e-mail and it seems as if the only way I can get the loose screw in the new computer repaired is to ship it back to HP Canada ( sigh ). It’s not practical to do that until we are somewhere we plan to stay for awhile. I suppose that I’ll have to arrange to ship the computer back to HP Canada for repair once we arrive in Yuma, Arizona in about a month. I dread the idea of being without a computer while mine is being shipped back and forth and being repaired, especially since the Christmas season will undoubtedly slow down the process. Perhaps while we’re in Palm Springs in a few weeks I’ll try to find a Hewlett Packard authorized service centre and attempt to convince them to allow me to bring the computer in for a “walk in” warranty repair, although that’s not the procedure set up by HP for warranty repairs on netbooks.
　
After supper we watched Survivor.
　
Friday ; Today started out sunny and warm, but became cloudy and cooler in the afternoon. In the evening it began to rain lightly.
　
This morning we headed to Oakhurst. We had only a couple of quick errands to do, so Bo came along for a “drivey”. We picked up the newly recertified propane tanks at Pro Flame, then refilled one of our five gallon water jugs. On our way back to SKP Park of the Sierras, we stopped at a thrift shop in Coarsegold. Joanne wanted to browse. ( sigh ) Bo and I waited in the truck … for almost an hour !
　
After lunch and a nap with Sully, I joined Joanne in a project she has undertaken to review and purge all of our paperwork files. She had already completed our travel information files and needed my participation to review and purge all of our medical files, corporate files, personal income tax and investment files. We reviewed and purged heavily when we started full time travelling, but that was 5½ years ago, and it was definitely time for another purge.
　
As usual we went to the dog park for the daily dog party, then the clubhouse for some online work before supper.
　
Saturday ; Today was mostly sunny and mild. We spent the day in Fresno, about a 45 minute drive south of SKP Park of the Sierras.
　
After some morning chores we headed south on Hwy. 41 to Fresno to a tourist attraction Joanne was interested in seeing. Forestiere Underground Gardens was built by Baldasare Forestiere, an immigrant from Sicily, between 1906 and 1946. He spent 40 years, with hand tools only, excavating and sculpting an underground complex of rooms, niches, patios, courtyards, and passageways, over 10 acres … and planted and grew citrus trees and grapevines in the catacombs. Very strange project ! Must have been a very strange man ! The site is currently owned and operated by his nieces and nephews.
　
When we came out of Forestiere Underground Gardens, well … how fortuitous ! Across the street was an IN-N-OUT Burger. Oh boy, our first IN-N-OUT Burger lunch of this year. After lunch we headed towards the historic Tower District. But on the way, we stopped at a PetSmart and stocked up on Greenies for Bo. Good thing … we were almost out of Greenies. Bo is addicted to having a Greenie every evening. We also stopped at a pool supply store to buy some new pool noodle mesh chairs, but the brand that they had wasn’t quite what we were looking for. We’ll look again in Palm Springs where we originally bought our pool noodle chairs.
　
The historic Tower District of Fresno was … well … a little mundane, actually. But … I noticed that the old Tower Theatre was advertising a New Year’s Eve live performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show. WOW … what a neat way to spend New Year’s Eve that would be ! We stopped at a small open air produce market, and … how fortuitous … again … beside the open air produce market was a … WOO-HOO … panaderia. HA HA HA ! While Joanne went to buy fruits and vegetables, I bought pan dulce. Six of ‘em ! Big ones !
　
After the Tower District, and before leaving Fresno, it was time for … ( big sigh ) … Wal-Martin’. Violating my long standing rule of “no Wal-Martin’ on weekends”. By the time we had finished shopping in this old, small ( by Wal-Mart standards ), congested Wal-Mart I was pretty cranky and ready to head for home.
　
We arrived home just in time to see the sun set behind the mountains. Very pretty ! We usually miss the sunset because we are in the dog park at that time.
　
A few days ago something in my right knee “popped” and I have had to wear a knee brace ever since. On today’s outing I even used my walking stick / cane but even so, I have been favouring my right knee so much that now even my right hip is hurting as well. I need new knees ! On the other hand, the Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplement ( for dogs ! ) that we have been feeding to Sully for the past month because his hips were so stiff and sore has worked so well that he now runs back and forth from the bedroom to the living room, up and down the stairs.
　
DSK

November 8 to 14, 2009

November 8 to 14, 2009 ; San Francisco to Coarsegold, California
　
Sunday ; Point Reyes National Seashore
　
Today was, surprisingly, sunny and mild again. I was a bit ill with colitis. We had a lazy morning, taking Bo for a long walk around the campground. This afternoon, with Julie and Judy, we went to Point Reyes National Seashore. We drove about 6 miles west of Samuel P Taylor State Park, entered the national park, then drove about 20 miles through the national park to the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean.
　
All four of us took a very short hike to a scenic overlook, then Julie, Judy, and Joanne took a long, up and down hike to visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse. I wasn’t feeling well, so I went by myself on a much shorter hike to another scenic viewpoint. While I waited for them to return from the lighthouse visit I napped briefly in the truck.
　
When we returned to the state park, I built a campfire at Julie’s campground host site while Julie prepared supper for the four of us. I used the remainder of the firewood I bought in Washington, because the California firewood that Julie sells to campers is green and burns poorly. And costs six bucks a little bundle ! After a dinner of salad and turkey chili with cornmeal dumplings, we prepared “s’mores” over the campfire.
　
Monday ; Samuel P Taylor State Park
　
Today was sunny and mild again. Judy spent the last 2 nights at Julie’s trailer so that Julie could accompany Judy to a medical appointment today at Stanford University Medical Centre in Palo Alto, an hour or so south of San Francisco, regarding Judy‘s pending liver transplant.
　
This past summer a neighbour offered me a good condition deep cycle RV battery that he no longer had use for. I brought it along with us as a spare / “backup” battery for the trailer. Good thing ! Julie’s Park Ranger “employer” has allowed us to park in an empty campground host site in the state park to enable us to visit with Julie, but has not allowed us to connect to electricity since she’s not charging us for the use of the site. Fair enough ! But our trailer battery has become drained after three cold nights of use. The furnace is a huge drain on the battery. This morning I connected the auxiliary battery to the trailer’s main battery using booster cables. Hopefully that will get us through another couple of nights. We had been planning to leave today but Julie asked us to stay until Wednesday so that we can have all day tomorrow for visiting.
　
When Julie and Judy returned from Palo Alto to San Francisco, Julie took a bus to Fairfax, a town near the state park. We drove to Fairfax and picked her up, then drove to San Rafael to refill with diesel, then to San Anselmo to buy groceries at Safeway. Back at the state park we invited Julie over for a Jambalaya dinner and an evening of visiting.
　
Tuesday ; Samuel P Taylor State Park
　
We spent the day visiting with Julie. She wandered by this morning while she was walking Triscuit and we were outside doing some chores. We chatted until lunch time then she joined us for lunch in our trailer. In the afternoon we went over to her campground host site. I mounted a new fire extinguisher in her RV for her. Then while she and Joanne chatted I got online using her Wi-Fi access and did e-mail and some other online work. I spent the rest of the afternoon working on processing all the photos I took over the last few days of San Francisco and area. I had not finished working on the photos by supper time.
　
I built a campfire. We sat around the campfire and visited. Joanne went back to our trailer to walk Bo and prepare cole slaw. Julie prepared a rice dish. I cooked seasoned Basa fillets with onions wrapped in foil on the campfire. Second time I’ve tried that in the last week or so, and second time it turned out pretty good ! We spent the rest of the evening sitting around the campfire visiting.
　
It was great to visit with Julie again. We realized while chatting that, prior to this visit of the last few days, it has been almost three years since we last visited with her. The last time we saw her was at the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day, 2007
　
Wednesday ; San Francisco to Coarsegold, California
　
Remembrance Day / Veteran’s Day ; Lest We Forget
　
This morning we prepared for departure, said goodbye to Julie and Triscuit, and left Samuel P Taylor State Park. We headed 16 miles back to the freeways, and got onto Interstate 580 heading east. We crossed San Francisco Bay over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge then headed south through Berkeley and Oakland.
　
It is important to me to observe a minute of silence “to remember” at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Today at that time we were in congested traffic on a six lane wide ( in each direction ) freeway with multi-level exit and entrance ramps all around us. All my attention was focused on driving. All Joanne’s attention was focused on navigating. We compromised and postponed the ritual until 11:00 P.M..
　
I-580 took us south and east through the Silicon Valley area and eventually to I-5. We turned south on I-5 to Los Baños ( strange name for a city … “The Bathrooms” in Spanish ) then east on Hwy. 152 until it ended at Hwy. 99. South on Hwy. 99 to Madera, east on Hwy. 145, then north on Hwy. 41 up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains to SKP Park Of The Sierras near Coarsegold and Yosemite National Park.
　
Park Of The Sierras is the prettiest of the 19 Escapees parks. It’s spread out over 161 acres of rolling, forested hills in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sites are far apart from one another, and laid out in random fashion following the natural contours of the land, not lined up in a grid pattern as in most RV parks. When we arrived just a few minutes before their office closed Joanne went in to register and I took Bo for a short walk, ending up at the RV park’s dog park. WOO-HOO … GYPSY ! Bo hadn’t seen Gypsy since two years ago at the Kofa Ko-op dog park in Yuma, Arizona.
　
We were fortunate enough to be assigned to a gorgeous site, a large lot high up on the hills in the park, with no neighbours close by, and a view overlooking a gulley and the next mountain. We got set up in our site, then watched the sun set behind the mountain, turning the lightly clouded sky a pretty pink.
　
Thursday ; SKP Park Of The Sierras / Coarsegold / Oakhurst, California
　
Today was a rainy day of chores and errands. This morning we unhitched the truck from the trailer. I hate doing that kind of outdoor work in cold rain ! We spent the morning in the clubhouse where Joanne did a lot of laundry and I got caught up on online work. The clubhouse is a Wi-Fi hotspot.
　
This afternoon we headed north on Hwy. 41 towards Yosemite National Park, through the village of Coarsegold to the town of Oakhurst. We shopped for groceries at both Vons and Raley’s, then did some shopping at CVS Pharmacy. I checked out a “lube, oil, & filter” business, then went to Kragen Auto Parts to check out the cost of buying the oil and filter, and changing the oil myself. SKP Park Of The Sierras has quite a large and well equipped service garage / workshop, and I am considering changing the truck’s filter and oil myself.
　
By the time we left Oakhurst it was dark. On the way back to SKP Park Of The Sierras we stopped in Coarsegold to refill with diesel. Joanne made my favourite spaghetti recipe for supper. In the evening we watched Survivor.
　
Friday ; Today was sunny and mild, a really nice day. While I was working outside this morning two members of the park’s Hello Committee came by to welcome us to the park, offer information, and answer questions. Nice touch !
　
I spent all of the morning and part of the afternoon doing maintenance and repair projects. Sometimes it seems as if Joanne finds creative new ways to break things faster than I can keep up with the repairs. I repaired a broken chair. I repaired a broken shoe tray. I repaired a section of stair nosing. I recharged our auxiliary trailer battery. I spent time underneath the truck ensuring that I could access the oil filter and oil drain plug, and that I had all the necessary tools and equipment to do an oil change myself. I worked at our campsite and at the “Pole Barn”, this park’s maintenance garage. Everything I need to do an oil change either I have or can find at the Pole Barn. While at the Pole Barn I sharpened and polished my axe with a variety of grinders. Had an axe to grind … HA HA HA !
　
On the way to the Pole Barn, I had to stop to allow something to slowly cross the road. HUH ? A large, hairy tarantula ? ! ? I got out of the truck and took some photos.
　
The one item that neither I nor the Pole Barn had was a “cap style” oil filter wrench. My friend Mischa had one. Lynn and Mischa invited us to the dog park at 4 PM, the time each day when many dog owners congregate at the dog park for dog and people socializing. At 4 PM we went to the dog park with Bo and his K9 Agility components. We packed about half of Bo’s agility course with us on this trip, the items that were easy to store ; big tunnel, little tunnel, a hurdle, and weave poles. Bo had an excellent time demonstrating K9 Agility for all his new ( and one old ) California dog friends. A few of them tried some of the agility components. Bo’s friend from 2 years ago, Gypsy, the only “larger” dog in the dog park today was … terrified after I tried to convince her to go through “big tunnel”. She spent the rest of the afternoon in the dog park hiding behind Lynn. It seemed as if the smaller the dog, the more brave and bold they were about trying the agility components.
　
Around 5 PM as it began to get dark, all the dogs and their owners left the dog park. We went to the clubhouse briefly so that I could retrieve and send e-mail.
　
Saturday ; Today was a lovely, sunny, mild day. This morning we went to the clubhouse for a park fund raising “biscuits & gravy” breakfast. Hmmm … never had “biscuits and gravy” breakfast before. Kind of interesting ! Pretty popular down here. Probably explains my ability to identify at a glance whether a woman is American or Canadian. HA HA HA ! After breakfast I used Wi-Fi briefly then went to the library to exchange some books.
　
Back at our trailer we took Bo and Sully outside for a walk to enjoy the fine weather. Well, Bo walked. Sully just sort of meandered around our large campsite / yard. He’s not much of a “walker”. I took photos of Sully, my first photos of Sully outdoors.
　
Every day between 3:30 and 5 PM there is a “dog party” in the dog park. We now attend on a daily basis. Bo romps and plays with many other dogs, and we do some “agility”. When we arrived back at our site after the dog party, just at dusk, there were … WHOA … MANY MANY DEER ! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF ! A herd of six deer were grazing in our site, beside our trailer. You would think that an hour and a half of playing in the dog park would leave Bo too tired to get so excited about some deer that he’s bouncing off the windshield, but NOOOOO !
　
DSK

November 1 to 7, 2009

November 1 to 7, 2009 ; Lake Chelan, Washington to San Francisco, California
　
Sunday ; Lake Chelan State Park to Pine Springs Resort near Goldendale, Washington
　
Today was the third time that Sully has witnessed the retraction of the trailer slides. The first time he was scared. The second time he was puzzled. Today he was curious. To keep him safe while retracting the slides, Joanne picks him up and cradles him upside down like a baby in her arms. Today when the slides began to retract Sully peeked around the corner to watch the bedroom slide come in, making the bedroom smaller, then turned to watch the dinette / living room slide come in and make the main living area smaller. When both slides were finished retracting he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. HA HA HA … no, Sully, we don’t retract the roof. But good thought process and cat logic though !
　
This morning we departed Lake Chelan State Park and headed east on Hwy. 971 back to Alt. 97 where we turned south. We stopped at Wenatchee to refill with diesel and get back onto Hwy. 97. We usually take an alternate route from Wenatchee to Ellensburg to avoid the winding steep grades on Hwy. 97 through the mountains, but the weather today was so nice we stayed on Hwy. 97 and enjoyed the scenery. From Ellensburg to past Yakima Hwy. 97 is also Interstate 82. At Toppenish Hwy. 97 resumes heading south.
　
Joanne found a Passport America Park with a cheap rate, cable TV service, and Wi-Fi. We stopped for the night at Pine Springs Resort next door to Brooks Memorial State Park. After getting set up in our campsite we went for a short walk with Bo in the state park next door. Unfortunately the cable TV service at Pine Springs Resort did not include a CBS network feed so we were unable to watch Amazing Race. And the Wi-Fi signal didn’t reach the our campsite, so I had to sit outside at a picnic table near the campground office to use Wi-Fi. BRRRRR ! It was pretty cold late in the afternoon at this high mountain elevation.
　
Monday ; Goldendale, Washington to The Cove Palisades State Park, Oregon
　
This morning before departing Pine Springs Resort I tried again to reactivate our U.S. cell phone. I have made numerous attempts since we entered the United States a few days ago, with no success. Last night I sent a request by e-mail for assistance to Virgin Mobile, but by this morning they had not yet responded.
　
We departed Pine Springs Resort heading south on Hwy. 97 again. Soon we descended into the Columbia River Gorge and crossed the Columbia River into Oregon. We encountered more hills and wind than expected and I ran low on fuel. Five miles before reaching the city of Madras the truck computer’s “distance to empty” reached “zero”. ( sigh ) I had to pull over and put in my 2.5 gallons of emergency diesel.
　
At Madras we refilled with diesel and shopped for groceries at Safeway. While Joanne began the grocery shopping I phoned Virgin Mobile from a pay phone. An agent ( allegedly ) helped me through the reactivation process, but after we were done I tried the cell phone and it still wasn’t working. The agent suggested that maybe it would start working in four hours. HUH ? Well, in four hours we were in a campground beyond cell phone service so I won’t know until tomorrow if the reactivation was successful.
　
After grocery shopping we had a very late lunch in the trailer in the Safeway parking lot. HMPH … should have had lunch before running the errands, but I was a bit obsessed with the fuel situation and the cell phone. We left Madras and headed south towards The Cove Palisades State Park. We like Washington’s and Oregon’s state parks, and as long as the weather remains nice, there is no motivation to drive long, hard days. And Oregon’s state parks are more reasonably priced than Washington’s, so we are planning to stay in a few.
　
We got set up in a campsite in the Crooked River Campground in The Cove Palisades State Park. We went for a walk with Bo, then took both Bo and Sully into the campground’s large fenced pet rest area. We played with Bo with his Kong while Sully meandered around in the leaves and grass. Back at our campsite I built a campfire. Like Teddy before him, Sully enjoys campfires, especially when he’s wrapped in a blanket on Joanne’s lap. It became dark by 5:30 P.M.! At dusk three deer wandered by, grazing no more than about 30 feet from us. Good thing we had already put Bo back into the trailer.
　
Supper was a bit of a disaster. Joanne bought a ready to bake pizza at Safeway today. It was to be baked on the cardboard like tray it came on. The bottom of the crust burned badly. YUCK ! Maybe that kind of cardboard like baking tray doesn’t work in an RV propane oven ?
　
HEY … that’s funny … HA HA HA ! I just stepped outside for a late night cigarette. There were four deer grazing in our campsite. When I shone a flashlight in their eyes, they allowed me to approach, standing there like “deer frozen in headlights”.
　
Tuesday ; The Cove Palisades State Park to LaPine State Park
　
Early this morning when I stepped outside with Bo to take him for his morning walk there were … DEER ! EVERYWHERE ! MANY OF THEM ! ! ! As far as the eye could see. And deer scent on the ground everywhere. And deer pellets / droppings. MMMMM ... what a yummy frozen dog treat. Bad dog, Bo ! Poor Bo … canine sensory overload. He didn’t know whether to wind his watch, take a shit, or steal third base. Fortunately his decision was to take a shit, which was great because that’s why we were out there in the first place. HA HA HA ! Good dog, Bo. I guess the deer figure out pretty quickly ( well, at least the smarter ones must ) that to survive hunting season they’d best hang around a state park where hunting is not allowed.
　
We didn’t travel very far today. Partially by design, partially by circumstance. We left The Cove Palisades State Park and continued southbound on Hwy. 97. At Redmond we stopped to do some shopping at Wal-Mart, then refilled an empty propane tank. The nights have been very cold, and the furnace has used a lot of propane. At Bend we stopped at PetsMart and made an engraved identity tag for Sully’s collar. Then … ( sigh ) … I continued my attempts to get our cell phone reactivated. First I had to find a pay phone to phone Virgin Mobile. That proved to be an impossible task. Pay phones don’t seem to exist anymore ? ! ? We drove to, and walked around, two shopping malls looking for a pay phone. Finally, in exasperation, I asked to use an office phone at a Visitor’s Information Centre. With more time and difficulty than it should have taken I finally got the cell phone reactivated. By then it was time for lunch.
　
After lunch we drove out of Bend and continued south on Hwy. 97 to LaPine State Park. We had been here two years ago and quite liked it. We got set up in a campsite, then went for a walk with Bo around the campground and to the Deschutes River. We sat for awhile on the riverbank enjoying the mild sunny afternoon. We discussed our plans for the next couple of days, and decided that if the weather remains sunny and nice we would probably take a day off driving tomorrow and stay here. The daytime temperatures have been in the mid-50’s and the night time temperatures have been in the mid-20’s.
　
Wednesday ; LaPine State Park
　
Today was a lovely, sunny, mild day. We spent a slightly lazy day relaxing at LaPine State Park. This morning Joanne went for a long walk / hike with Bo. I wasn’t felling well so I stayed at the trailer with Sully. I’m having a ( hopefully ) mild flare-up of colitis or perhaps it was just a case of mild food poisoning ? I felt better by late afternoon.
　
We spent half the morning and half the afternoon on a maintenance chore that, of course, we thought would only take an hour or less. Our little electric space heater has been functioning poorly, so we decided to disassemble it and clean out the insides. It turned into a bit of a nightmare of disassembly and reassembly. I guess products like that are manufactured to be disposable once they begin to function poorly. Of course, the manufacturer could install some kind of a filter on the air intake to prevent the insides from becoming clogged with dirt, but NOOOOOO !
　
We spent the latter part of the afternoon resting and reading around a campfire. I cooked supper over the coals of the campfire, wrapping some seasoned fish fillets in foil and baking them on the coals. AHHHHH … sometimes it feels good to return to the old fashioned, outdoor way of doing things.

Thursday ; LaPine State Park to Corning, California
　
This morning we departed LaPine State Park and continued south on Hwy. 97 to the end of it. Hwy. 97 starts near Kamloops, at the northern end of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, and ends at Weed, California, at Interstate 5. We stopped for lunch at a roadside rest area in Oregon just before crossing into California. The roadside rest area had Wi-Fi for a fee ( $2 for 20 minutes ! ) so I was able to send an e-mail to our friend Julie to advise her of our arrival tomorrow. We are heading to visit her at the state park near San Francisco where she is WorkCamping for the winter as the campground host.
　
The weather in the morning in Oregon was fine ; sunny and mild. But as soon as we crossed into California it began to get ugly ; strong winds and heavy rain. As we climbed up and over Mount Shasta it got really ugly ! When we got to the end of Hwy. 97 we refilled with diesel ( in the cold rain ) in Weed, then got onto Interstate 5 heading south. The traffic on I-5 was surprisingly heavy. At Redding we considered stopping for the night, but continued on. The rain began to diminish after Redding. By the time we reached Corning the rain had stopped.
　
At Corning we found our way to a Safeway and did some grocery shopping. By the time we were finished at Safeway it was dark. Near the Safeway we found a mall with a Dollar Tree and … wait for it … WOO-HOO … a panaderia. HA HA HA ! While Joanne went into the Dollar Tree I went into the panaderia and bought some pan dulce. The Mexican woman behind the counter did not speak English. Hey, no problem. I didn’t drive 9000 km. around Mexico without learning how to buy pan dulce in Spanish ! HA HA HA ( SNORT ) HA HA ! “Una empanada con leche, por favor, y una con manzana … uno mas galleta, por favor … gracias … Buenas Noches, Señora.”
　
We got back onto the Interstate and off again at the next exit to head to Flying J where we planned to boondock for the night. It was late and we were tired, so we had supper at Country Market, the buffet restaurant inside the Flying J.
　
Friday ; Corning to Samuel P Taylor State Park, California
　
This morning we pulled out of the RV overnight parking area at the Flying J and over to their RV service islands. In one location I refilled with diesel, refilled the fresh water tank, and dumped the waste holding tanks. Had I needed a propane tank refilled, I could have done it right there at the RV service island as well. I really appreciate Flying J’s provision of services and conveniences for RV’ers. We were finished and ready to depart right at 9:00 A.M., so we pulled right back into a spot in the RV parking area to take advantage of Flying J’s promotional offer of free Wi-Fi from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.. I sent and retrieved e-mail, and we were on our way.
　
We continued south on I-5 until almost reaching Sacramento when we turned onto I-505 to bypass Sacramento on the west side. After I-505 we took I-80 south past Napa then turned west on Hwy. 37 following the north shore of San Pablo Bay on the north side of San Francisco. At Novato we got onto Hwy. 101 south to San Rafael, then followed Sir Francis Drake Blvd. through 16 miles of expensive suburbia in the forested hills until we reached Samuel P Taylor State Park where our friend Julie is a campground host for the upcoming winter season.
　
Samuel P Taylor State Park is a lovely redwood rainforest. Which would be great except that … it’s a rainforest ! Julie will be lucky if she sees the sun before she leaves next spring. She had arranged for us to have a complimentary campsite for a short period of time while we visit her. Which is great because this park has a rate of $35 per night for unserviced sites ! ! ! And to add insult to injury, the showers in the comfort station require a dollar per ten minutes. Welcome to California !
　
We got set up in our complimentary site, actually a vacant campground host site. This campground has provision for three campground hosts, but only two of the positions are currently filled, because part of the campground is closed due to California’s budgetary constraints. We walked down to Julie’s site adjacent to the campground office. I started a campfire and we tried to visit for a couple of hours, but we weren’t able to visit much. Julie was very busy, having been assigned to check in the incoming campers tonight after the campground office closed. And it being Friday evening, there was a steady stream of incoming campers. We made arrangements to go into San Francisco tomorrow morning for some sightseeing, then returned to our trailer for a late, light supper.
　
It was great to see Julie again. We first met Julie five years ago, on our first WorkCamping job, at YMCA Of The Ozarks in Missouri where she was also WorkCamping. And today was the first time we met her new dog Triscuit, a very cute Powder Puff Chinese Crested.
　
Saturday ; San Francisco
　
Today was, surprisingly, sunny and mild. We spent the day sightseeing in San Francisco with our friend Julie and her friend Judy. This morning we left Samuel P Taylor State Park with Julie and drove 16 miles back on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. to Hwy. 101 then turned south towards the city. We passed through the expensive houseboat laden seaside community of Sausalito on San Francisco Bay, then over the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco. As we were driving across the Golden Gate Bridge a helicopter flew across San Francisco Bay and under the bridge ! We drove to Judy’s apartment and picked her up, then drove around for awhile viewing the beautiful, ornate architecture of the old homes, and marvelling at the steep hills we were driving up and down. Judy guided us to the last section of Lombard Street known as “the crookedest street in the world”. The last long block of the street was an extremely steep hill … a 40 degree slope ! The roadway was a series of very tight radius switchback curves. I decided after descending it … NOT meant for duallies ! One of the curves was actually too tight a radius for me to make it around, and I had to back up a bit to make it through.
　
Eventually we made our way to Fisherman’s Wharf on the San Francisco Bay waterfront. It wasn’t easy to find a parking spot that a dually fit in ! We cheated a bit … Judy brought along her handicapped parking permit. We spent the rest of the morning wandering around Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 43½ . I took photos of Alcatraz, a mile offshore. We had lunch at Boudin Bakery, home of the world famous San Francisco Sourdough Bread. The unique climate of the San Francisco Bay waterfront produces a uniquely flavoured sourdough bread that can’t be duplicated anywhere else. Of course, I had San Francisco Bay clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. MMMMM ! ! ! After lunch we took a bakery tour. Very interesting !
　
Judy is in poor health, awaiting a liver transplant, so after lunch she went to lie down in our truck. Julie, Joanne, and I walked over to Pier 39 for more wandering and sightseeing. We enjoyed seeing the colony of hundreds of sea lions that congregate at Pier 39. We returned to the truck and set off to spend the rest of the afternoon sightseeing by truck. We drove up a hill alongside a cable car. We drove through the Haight-Ashbury community and along the park of the same name that was famous in the 1960’s as “the place” for the hippies of the era. We drove through the large, lovely Golden Gate Park, then returned Julie and Judy to Judy’s apartment. They were going to drive back to Samuel P Taylor State Park in Judy’s car.
　
We drove back through and out of the city, and over the Golden Gate Bridge again. After crossing the bridge we stopped at the park on the north side of the bridge to take some photos, then we returned to the state park. Joanne and I began to prepare a barbecued chicken dinner, and when Julie and Judy returned to the park, they joined us for supper. After supper Judy went back to Julie’s trailer to rest, and we spent the rest of evening visiting and chatting with Julie.
　
DSK