We began this part of our journey April 25. We said our goodbyes to the kids and headed for the Elks Lodge at Atascadero. We stayed there for a few days enjoying a wonderful park we found that had a walking path around a beautiful lake. Also, nearby is Paso Robles that has wonderful vineyards of which we stopped for a wine tasting and purchased a few bottles. We also took a ride to Morro Bay which was about a 30 mile drive. Morro Bay is noted for a huge rock that sits in the bay. It is difficult to describe, but it is beautiful to see. The day there was so windy we just could not enjoy the day, but we could enjoy what we did see.
Our next stop was Santa Cruz at an RV Resort right in the middle of the Redwoods. WOW! The trees are gigantic, and these aren't the really big ones. We arrived there on Wednesday and one of the resturants in town has a Main Lobster special for $11.95, so we made our way into town. The resturant is located right on the pier at Santa Cruz beach. After dinner we enjoyed a walk on the pier. Just beautiful. Not too far from the campground was a state park that had great trails to walk thru the Redwoods. Andrea, Angel and I enjoyed the walks and the scenery deep in the Redwoods. I was able to contact an old friend of mine that I have not seen since my 50th birthday party. We had a chance to spend some time with Nick and his wife Mary Ann to do some catching up. they have a beautiful home that is in walking distance of the town of Capitola that is a beach front community. It was ironic that it was Nicks 40th birthday. I guess it is safe to assume that Nick is quite a few years younger than me, but hey, whos counting.
Next stop: The Elks Lodge in Petaluma. Traveling through San Francisco in an RV towing a car is a little un-nerving, but going across the Golden Gate Bridge definitely keeps you on alert. Once across it was only about an hour to Petaluma and that is where we hooked up with Andrea's friend Beverly. She lives close by. It was great spending some time with her. Near by the lodge is a wonderful park that is a preserve that has walking trails around the lake and along the Petaluma River. While here I had a chance to go to a Ford dealer to change the oil and rotate the tires on the tow car. I am so glad we have a tow car because we do a lot of driving once we get to an area to do some exploring. It is very hard and expensive to do that in the RV. At about 7 MPG it is not practicle. We had a great time in the area, but after a few days here it was time to move north.
Next stop: Garberville, CA. The Redwoods here are really BIG. We took a drive to Shelter Cove that is a most interesting little town on the coast. We had a chance to see some migrating whales that travel through the area every year at this time. The road to get there had more twits and turns then any road we have ever driven on. It was only about a 30 mile drive, but it was a really slow drive. It was worth it. After a picnic lunch by a light house we headed inland to take a drive on the Avenue of the Giants. That is where we saw the Redwoods in all there splender. This is where some of the biggest as well as oldest trees in the world are located. We feel so fortunate to be able to see this. However, it is time to move on.
Next stop: Crescent City, CA. This was a very profitable stop. Nearby the campground we stoped at a casino. I'm not much for gambling, but Andrea on the other hand really loves the sounds of the machines and the whole thing. Unlike most other times, this was different. She hit on a couple of different machines winning $270. And she didn't give it back. We walked out as winners. It was time to move on really fast so we wouldn't be tempted to go back.
Next stop: Grants Pass, OR. Well we made it to Oregon. The ride to Grants Pass was just beautiful. Almost the whole way we drove parallel to the Rogue River. Gorgeous. We didn't now at that time how much of the Rogue River would be in the picture for the rest of our time in Oregon. The campgound we stayed at was right on the river so we had the sight and the sound of the river for the four days we stayed in Grants Pass. We enjoyed the relaxation by the river. However, it was time to make our way a little closer to Crater Lake so we moved on to Prospect, OR.
We stayed at a Prospect RV Resort that was about 30 miles from both Crater Lake and Diamond Lake. All I can say is that these are the most beautiful results of a very violent past. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US at 1,943 feet, and is about 5 miles around. Even though we are in May there is still lots of snow on the ground. It was just amazing to see. I think the snow really added to the beauty as the water is this deep blue color that was in such contrast to the white snow. After we spent some time here we then drove to Diamond Lake. We didn't know that the lake was frozen over and covered with snow, but even with that it was beautiful to see.
Before reaching Crater Lake we stopped at Rogue River Gorge. The power of the river along this section is quite iimpressive. The volume of water that comes down from the mountain snow melt is amazing. It was time to move on, and begin our journey back into California. Next up is Mount Shasta.
Mount Shasta, CA. As we made our way down I-5 Mount Shasta begins to come into view about 75 miles from the actual mountain. She stands at over 14,000 feet so it is very domineering to all its surroundings. We just got here yesterday afternoon so we haven't had a chance to really see it. As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog it had been snowing. Since I started writing is has stopped so in a little while we will head out to see if we can take a drive up the mountain. There is lots of snow on the mountain so it is hard to say what we will see. That is part of the adventure, not knowing what lies ahead. So until next time.
Miles of smiles,Charlie, Andrea, and of course Angel
Shelter Cove, CA
The drive up to Crater Lake.
Crater Lake, Oregon
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