2020 - June 30 - Semi-Retired

Retired?

In January 2006 I began working for NorthBay Healthcare, specifically for the corporate affiliate named NorthBay Health Advantage (NBHA).  It owned a fledgling imaging company called Solano Diagnostics Imaging (SDI).  When I began, there were two redundant Fairfield imaging locations within 3 miles of each other and two other small x-ray services in Green Valley and Vacaville.  By 2007 it was clear we need to consolidate locations to provide more efficient radiology services.  In 2008 we closed one location (Webster Street), acquired digital mammography and added CT services.  We also went from film to digital (PACS) and joined the hospital's EMR/RIS.  In 2009 we added ultrasound to our Vacaville location.  In 2012 we began covering MRI 24/7 for the hospital inpatients.  In 2013 we added 3D mammography to our Vacaville location.  In 2014 we moved our MRI service in Fairfield across the street near the hospital.  In 2016 we created an entirely new imaging center in Vacaville, adding PET/CT and Stereotactic Biopsy. In 2017 we added MRI to the Vacaville campus near the hospital.  In 2018 we added x-ray services to the ortho department near Hilborn Road.

In addition to SDI, in 2012 I was tasked with having another department - Medical Fitness.  We researched, studied, designed, selected a management company, built, and opened a 53,000 Sq Ft medical fitness facility (HealthSpring Fitness) on July 1, 2016.  It was an immediate hit with the community, ultimately growing to 6,000 members of a high-end fitness club while providing medically integrated fitness programs to patients referred by providers.

From the beginning, I reported to Elnora.  It was clear over the years that she was the best boss I had ever worked for and we will certainly be life-long friends post the work environment.  On June 30, 2019 Elnora retired from a long, fruitful career at NorthBay.  I told my wife that I would give it a year to see if I wanted to continue.  At first things were status quo and all was well.  Then 2020 came.  A new boss and then COVID.  It was a time in which I examined my priorities and what plans we had for ultimate retirement out-of-State.  I made the difficult decision to end my career at NorthBay and ultimately retire from management.  I will continue to work in a clinical setting (MRI and/or CT) as a technologist, but need time away from 24/7 management duties to setup our retirement.

I've compiled some images in a video below to commemorate my time at SDI and HealthSpring....

Video

I'll miss you all!!

April 2020 - Arkansas Trip

We had booked our trip for Arkansas many months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  While we still had our vacation time approved, it wasn't until the last minute that we knew whether we were going to be able to travel or not (either of our employers could have cancelled vacations if the surge happened).  Even when we knew we could go, we had to contend with the shelter-in-place orders of several different states on the way to (and including) Arkansas.

Day 1 - We left early Thursday 4/10 and drove 14 hours to my mom's house in Arizona.  There was some weather between Bakersfield and Barstow that added a couple of hours to our initial drive and we arrived around 7 pm.  We had a nice visit that evening and breakfast in the morning.  We left around 9 am and headed to our next stop, Sante Fe, NM.

Day 2 - After about 8 hours of driving, we arrived at the KOA campground in Sante Fe, NM.  The NM COVID orders allowed RV camping (only self-contained, as the shower and bathroom facilities were closed).  The hosts were very pleasant and there was a nice fenced dog run where our two boys could run.

Day 3 - On Saturday we left early (around 6 am) and started the long 10 hour drive to Oklahoma City, OK.  We were familiar with this particular route on I40 from our trip in 2018.  It is long, straight, flat, and very windy.  After a long, uneventful day, we arrived at the KOA campground in the east side of OKC.  Again, the facility was experiencing similar COVID orders and there were very few RVs camping.  We had a nice rest and let the dogs run in a fenced area.  However - during the evening we experienced a very sever thunderstorm passing through the area.

Day 4 - Sunday presented a shorter leg of our trip, but a second thunderstorm system was following the one from the night before.  Looking at the weather app's radar, another storm from the south was going to join this one about the time we would arrive in Arkansas.  We made haste and left early, trying to stay ahead of the storm.  We were nearly to Conway, AR when our first rain started.  Our route took us north from here and we missed most of the storm during the drive.  We had booked a couple of nights at the Ozark RV Park in Mountain View, AR.  The storm finally hit that night and it had lost much of its intensity.  This was the last weather we had during our trip.  The RV Park was very pleasant and had very few RVs camping.

Day 5 - On Monday, we drove on Highway 66 west toward Highway 65.  We looked around Clinton, AR, and headed north to St. Joe (to look at some properties.  We moved our reservation  for this night to the Gilbert RV park near the Buffalo River National Park.  We were one of three RVs camping that night.

Day 6 - We headed north on Highway 65 on Tuesday, heading through Berryville and had a reservation at the KOA in Eureka Springs, AR.  This area normally was a bustling resort town, but due to COVID it was nearly deserted.  The RV park was nice and the dogs got another change to run around in a fenced area.

Day 7 - On Wednesday, we headed around the north side of Beaver Lake, through Rogers, Bentonville, and Fayetteville.  We had reservations at the Hog Valley RV and Treehouse Resort.  This was a relatively new RV park and there was active construction.  However, the hosts were very nice and we had a nice stay.

Days 8 - 11 - On Thursday, we made the decision to head home a little early.  We have viewed several different properties throughout the Ozarks (at least from the roads) and got a real feel for the different areas in which we would like to see more properties in the upcoming months.  Rather than stay a few more nights, we hit the road.  We headed back to the KOA in OKC, then to the KOA in Sante Fe, then back to my mom's house.  We drove 12 hours on Sunday and returned home later that evening.

Thoughts from our trip:

1) We definitely know we would like to buy raw land and build the house to our own specifications

2) We like the St. Joe area and other areas close to the Buffalo or White Rivers

3) There was a very nice Mercedes Dealership in Bentonville (we had our brakes and tires checked for the long trip home).

4) Finding a good place to stop and get diesel or have lunch (our own food in our RV) is not easy in the Desert areas (New Mexico, Arizona, California).  Finding fuel is easy, but we like to use a phone app to pay (don't trust the card readers at the pumps).  The truck stops seem to be the best places (logistically), like Love's or Pilot/Flying J.  However, the app doesn't let the user pay for diesel at the automobile pumps (have to use the Truck lanes).  Love's only allows commercial drivers to pay with the app.  We usually looked for a Shell, Chevron, or Exxon (apps that work very well).

5) Fuel prices outside of California were amazingly low.  In Oklahoma and Arkansas, gas was about $1.30 a gallon and diesel was as low as $1.80 a gallon.

6) KOA parks were surprisingly nice places, as long as you aren't in the city.

7)  During the entire trip, we practiced social distancing, wore masks when around others, and washed our hand prolifically.  Other travelers didn't seem to practice these measures as well.  The gas stations had the appropriate shielding and masks for employees but the travel centers had many travelers not using precautions.

8) For the very first time, we spent 10 nights and 11 days completely self contained.  We slept, showered, toileted, and ate in our RV.  It was good to "shelter" in our second home away from the masses.

February 2020 - San Simeon State Park

In February we took our first RV trip with just our two boys (Poodles Dexter and Atticus).  We booked a spot in the San Simeon State park near Highway 1 on the coast.  It was a parking spot with no hookups (or dump site) but it was very level and private.  The only issue we had was the "quiet" hours were before 10am and after 8pm.  Without electrical hookups, and needing the generator for coffee, it wasn't possible to brew in the morning.  To avoid caffeine withdrawal, we brewed a pot the night before and heated in a pot over the gas stove (cowboy style).  We parked in a lookout over the ocean and made our breakfast.  Overall a nice trip.

Kitchen Remodel 2019

We decided in late 2018 that it was finally time to remodel our kitchen, laundry room, and 3rd bath (the wing of the house off the garage).

We started by asking friends/colleagues about contractors they would recommend.  Our first contractor was recommended by a work friend.  Contractor #1 met with us and discussed our desires.  He left after measuring and stated he would get us a quote soon.  A few weeks went by (this is around December 2018) and no work.  We reached out but could not get in touch.  We then started looking at some of the larger kitchen/bath remodel companies in the greater Sacramento area.  We engaged two separate companies.  One got back to us quickly but the price was very (VERY) high, in our opinion.  The 2nd never finished giving us a quote for the entire job.  This was in late-January 2018, early February 2019.  Contractor #1 got back to us at this time, stating he had been sick.  So - we continued working to get a quote.  By March, nothing.  We were very frustrated and on a whim, we stopped by The Home Depot and found they had the same quality of cabinets we had been looking for.  The designer had many awards so we thought "Why not try them?".  We also stopped by Lowe's just or comparison.  Both of these box stores created similar quotes, but Home Depot had access to a contractor and Lowe's said we had to find our own.  We went with Home Depot.

The design process went very well.  However, we found that the price was going to be close to the very high quote we had received from the other remodel company.  We then understood that the quality of cabinets, finishes, and appliances desired would be a higher cost than we anticipated.  We met with the contractor and the designer on multiple occasions to finalize the design and by May 2019 we ordered our cabinets.

In mid-July, the cabinets arrived and took up our entire garage space.  The contractor came by and inspected, finding that a few cabinets needed to be replaced before we started.  This took a while and we didn't actually start the demolition until the first week of September.  With our older home (circa 1962) we expected the job would require electrical and plumbing updates.  Ultimately, the construction needed to take the space down to the studs.  The construction was substantially completed in mid-November, but not finished.  Throughout the construction, we had to order replacement cabinet pieces and our refrigerator cabinet facing was the longest delay.  When we took over the space mid-November we still had a few panels that were ordered.  The replacements came in late December, checked in early January - and were not correct.  Needed to be re-ordered.  The correct pieces finally came in late February and were installed in early March.

The process from inception to finish took more than a year and was not without hiccups.  However - the finished product is very pleasing and we are glad we went with high-end finishes and appliances.  Below is a slideshow of our construction progress from pre-construction to completion.

Kitchen Remodel Slideshow

Dee Dee (DeDe)

December 30, 2019 we said a surprise goodbye to our little girl, Dee Dee.  She was 9 years old (way to young) and died from advanced, undetected cancer.  While we had just a brief moment with her (less than 6 months) - she became part of our pack/family and we miss her dearly.  She was a sweet, loving, little girl and we will miss her.

Tribute Video for Dee Dee

Lula Mae

In July we said goodbye to our little girl, Lula Mae.  Nearly 14 1/2 years with us, and such a wonderful life we had with her.  She will be dearly missed.  She passed in her daddy's arms at home and will always be with us in spirit.

Lula's Memorial Video

2019 - July

It's hard to believe it has been so long since we have updated our blog.  Life has been very busy over the last 9 months.  Where to begin.....

Prior to our October trip last year, Holly's mom had a recurrence of cancer from 9 years previous.  It was a very tough road but we're pleased to say that she has beat it again!  It was a long winter and spring, but she got through it.  During the ordeal we all decided it would be best to move them closer to us in the event either parent was sick again.  So in the late spring we helped them find and buy a home and are now in the process of selling their old home.

In November we decided to finally work on remodeling our kitchen.  After many months, several different contractors, and a lot of leg work, we are finally approaching the delivery of our cabinets which will be followed by the demolition and complete remodel of our kitchen, mud room, and 3rd bathroom.  Fun times ahead!

After our October trip, and due to the aforementioned issues, we took a few months off from traveling.  It wasn't until March that we were able to get back on the road, and we were so glad to get out there again.

2019 - March - Still Water Cove, California

In late March we headed up the California Coast to visit a location that had personal historic significance for us.  46 years ago, Holly's oldest brother died in his early 20's while diving.  It was at this Still Water Cove location that the tragedy had occurred.  As an homage to he brother, we decided to visit this place for the first time.  We booked an RV site (no hookups) at the Stillwater Cove Regional Park.  The location is 26 miles north of Bodega Bay up Highway 1.  It takes nearly an hour to traverse the steep and winding road, there is no cell signal or services, but the views were spectacular.

The park was all but deserted and very quiet.  Even thought Highway 1 was relatively close, there was little traffic at night to cause much noise.  As we were boon-docking, we had to conserve water and run our generator when time to cook.  Our spot was fairly level too!

There was a nearby trail that took us under the highway and right to the beach area.  This is the area we are told her brother was last seen.

There are signs at this beach declaring it the "Most Dangerous Beach in California".  There are rip tides, Great White Sharks, and lots of hidden rocks.  It was a trip of reflection as well as relaxation.



2019 - April - Yosemite

Last year our planned trip to Yosemite was thwarted due to the Yosemite fires and associated smoke.  We decided to try again.  We also decided to join the Thousand Trail club for RV parks.  It is a membership-based club with which membership includes the RV reservation at the many sites associated with Thousand Trails.  We will trial it for the year we paid, then see if it is worth the money.

We booked the Yosemite Lakes RV Campground in Groveland, CA.  In the member area, it is a first-come basis for the RV spots.  We found a decent spot the first night and changed to a little better spot the next day (a little closer to the creek).  There was no cell signal but there was wifi at the clubhouse for a quick check-in with the world (and Holly's parents).

The sites had full hookups at our two locations.  We made camp and relaxed the first evening.  We broke camp early the next morning and headed into the Yosemite Valley for a dog-friendly hike at the Lower Yosemite Falls.

Overall a very relaxing trip!  It has been many years since either of us has visited.  It was a bonus because it was early in the season and not too crowded.

2019 - June - Sunflower RV Resort, Emmigrant Gap, CA

We took May off (due to the aforementioned Parent move) and were back at it in June.  We knew that with our impending kitchen remodel we wouldn't be on the road in July and August.  We booked another Thousand Trails location just an hour up I80 from Roseville.

The location was far enough from the freeway to be peaceful and quiet.  It was relatively busy, however.  We did find a spot that ended up being one of the best in the area!  We had a relatively unobstructed view of the lake from inside our RV.  There were nice trails to hike with the dogs and the weather was perfect!  I had to use level blocks on one side, but the spot was otherwise very nice.  There was electricity and water but no sewer.  Fortunately, there is a convenient dump station as you leave the area.  One note (and this was a first for us) - they ask for proof of registration and insurance on all vehicles staying at the property...so be prepared.  Also - the manager's office is quite a hike from the RV spots.  

That's it for now!!  We plan a trip back to Arkansas sometime in September.....more "Retirement Tour Research"

October 2018 - Arkansas Trip

In October, 2018 - we took our longest RV trip to date.  We had talked about visiting the "Hill Country" in Texas (Fredericksburg, Austin, etc.) and I've visited Northwest Arkansas on a few occasions by myself.  So we decided to make it in one trip.

Day 1 - Roseville, CA  to Blythe, CA - 626 miles; 9 hours driving

We were ready to go when we went to bed at home Thursday October 4.  Our goal was to be on the road by 5am on Friday and we made it.  With stops for fuel and let the dogs relieve themselves, we had about 11 hours on the road.  We checked into our hotel in Blythe around 4pm and settled in for the night.  The hotel (Clarion Inn) was barely passable for us, but we were able to park our RV right outside our door to give us a little more peace of mind.  On the long drive days, Holly and I agreed to share the driving load somewhat.  We started with me driving 3 hours and then she would drive for 1 hour.  This worked well, giving me a much needed break from the wheel.


Day 2 - Blythe, CA  to El Paso, TX - 586 miles; 8 hours driving

We hit the road early again, waking up around 3:30 am and on the road by 4 am.  After another 10 hours on the road, we pulled into our hotel in El Paso by around 2 pm.  We settled into our hotel, had dinner and went to bed early.  The dogs traveled fabulously.




Day 3 - El Paso, TX to Fredericksburg, TX -  494 miles, 7 hours driving

We left early again, plus had the extra hour from transitioning from Pacific Time to Mountain Time.  We left around 4 am Mountain time and arrived in Fredericksburg around 1pm.  We had booked the Chalet at Barons Creekside.  My dad and stepmom drove in from Houston earlier that day and we began our 2 day visit with them.  My dad and I drove into Fredericksburg and ordered food to go from a local bar & grill.  We were there on Sunday, the last day of a big Oktoberfest festival in Fredericksburg (a predominantly German-heritage town).

Day 4 - Fredericksburg, TX to Austin, TX - 78 miles; 1.5 hours driving

After checking out, we made the relatively short drive to Austin.  On the way, we stopped at the Becker Vineyards tasting room just outside of Fredericksburg.  After sampling some wines, we continued on to La Hacienda RV Resort.  We had booked a cottage for my parents and an adjacent RV spot to the cottage.  The resort was packed for October.  The weather was a little rainy (scattered thunderstorms).  Interestingly, the week after we left there was more rain and flooding that we missed.  We went to dinner at a nearby restaurant (mediocre food) and then visited into the evening.

Day 5 - Austin, TX to Mt Pleasant, TX - 314 miles; 5 hours driving

We had breakfast together, checked out, said our goodbyes and headed out.  There was a line of thunderstorms coming our was running all the way up through Dallas.  We decided to detour in Waco and take a more easterly route to try to outrun the storms.  It added about 45 minutes more to the drive but we were spared the downpours near Dallas.  We arrived at the KOA site in Mt Pleasant around 2pm, checked in and settled in for the night.  There was a nice fenced dog run to exercise the dogs and the location was very pleasant.

Day 6 - Mt Pleasant, TX to Russellville, AR - 234 miles; 4.5 hours driving

We had a more leisurely morning, stopped by the store to buy provisions, and took the northern route through the Ozarks.  It was slow-going, but beautiful scenery.  We were able to really get a sense of the Ozarks and the back-roads of Arkansas.  We arrived at Lake Dardanelle State Park around 4pm (Central Time).  The weather was sunny and calm.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.  There was a hiking trail and we exercised the dogs.

Day 7 - Lake Dardanelle State Park. - No driving

We spent another relaxing day, enjoying the weather and the lake.  We finally shook off the "jet lag" of the long drives and time changes and really began to relax.  There were a lot of boaters at this lake.  Apparently, it is one of the best fishing lakes around.  In fact, when we left the next day - we counted more than 100 boat trailers parked as there was a fishing tournament underway.  At the RV park, we noticed a lot of different types of RV's.  From B and C class to the huge A class and a lot of travel trailers.  However - there was one type that just didn't look right.  It was the type of RV that you put in the bed of a truck (seen lots of them on the road).  However - there was no truck!  Sort of looks like a disembodied RV.





Day 8 - Russellville, AR to Cotter, AR - 116 miles; 2.5 hours driving

We took our time in the morning, having only about 3 hours on the road to Cotter.  We took the scenic route, and while it was very scenic - the road was not friendly to RV's.  Thankfully, our Mercedes Chassis could handle the steep inclines/declines and hairpin turns.  Anything larger would have been a no-go.  That is one of the main gripes I have with Google Maps.  It may show the "fastest" route, but doesn't take into consideration the size of the vehicle on the road.  After about an hour of white-knuckle driving through the mountains we were on a more suitable highway.  We arrived at Denton Ferry RV site, on the bank of the White River.  The location was beautiful, but we were losing our sunny days, giving way to rain showers.

Day 9 - Cotter, AR to Tulsa, OK - 219 miles; 4 hours driving

Now - I must note, we were booked for 2 nights in Cotter and would have been here all day 9 and leave day 10.  However, the rain was increasing and there was no sign of slowing.  Additionally, more weather was forming through the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma, including freezing weather in Amarillo (where we were going to stay Day 10).  So - we got online and cancelled our hotel in Amarillo, booked a night in Tulsa, and headed out around 11 am to leave Arkansas.  We arrived in Tulsa in the mid-afternoon and were booked at the Double Tree hotel (uptown).  The hotel was in a business park in uptown Tulsa.  The problem was, there was a parking garage into which we were too tall to fit.  We were able to utilize a valet parking lot, which helped a lot.  We had dinner at the hotel and settled in.

Day 10 - Tulsa, OK to Albuquerque, NM - 647 miles; 9.25 hours driving

This was probably the longest and most unpleasant leg of our journey.  Going across western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle proved to be near-freezing temperatures and up to 30 mph winds.  We were glad we made the change as the temperature that night was to be around 24 degrees in Amarillo.  It was around 36 degrees in the afternoon.  We arrived in Albuquerque in the late afternoon, found a good parking spot (Homewood Suites - uptown), went to BJ's restaurant for dinner, and got some rest.

Day 11 - Albuquerque, NM to Williams, AZ - 359 miles; 5 hours driving

We went shopping in the morning, re-supplying at the Sam's Club before heading out.  The drive was uneventful, except for a fuel stop in New Mexico that felt unsafe.  There were several locals going car-to-car looking for hand-outs at the fuel station.  We fueled up and drove to a nearby hotel parking lot to eat our lunch.  The locals then followed us so we moved down the road a few miles to eat.

We arrived at my mom's house in Williams in the mid-afternoon and began our visit.  The temperature was dropping and while it wasn't technically freezing, there were snow flurries that day/night.  Our Rig held up nicely in the colder weather.

Day 12 - Williams, AZ to Kingman, AZ - 114 miles; 1.75 hours driving

The next day, we had breakfast with my parents and visited.  In the afternoon we went to a late lunch at Bearazona, a really nice park that had local animals (bears, panthers, otters, etc.).  It continued to snow without sticking to the ground.  We began to worry about ice in the morning for our long drive home.  So we decided that afternoon to head down the mountain and spend the night at a lower elevation in Kingman.  We found a hotel and settled in.  One more night on the road.

Day 13 - Kingman, AZ to Home!  629 miles; 9.5 hours driving

Our last day on the road was uneventful.  There was no wind to speak of in the desert that morning.  We took I40 to highway 58, to highway 99.  In Stockton, we moved over to I5 to have a little better road to drive on.  We arrived home that evening.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip.  We saw a lot and really got to know our RV very well.  13 days and 4,200 miles on this trip.  We learned a few things.  First, our RV (which we love) is great for trips where we only stay a day or two at a location.  If we were staying in one place for more than a few days, perhaps a larger RV would work better with a towed vehicle.  Second, we learned how difficult it is with three dogs in wet weather.  Taking them out for bathroom duties and then back in was an ordeal, to assure they didn't track water and/or mud into the Rig.  Finally - we learned to be flexible with our plans.  Leaving earlier than expected saved us some weather issues.  We were also prepared to extend our trip if needed, as we had a few days left of our time off from work by the time we arrived home.

August 2018 - Big Sur California

We were originally planning (and booked) to go to Umpqua Lighthouse park on the central coast of Oregon.  But the 7.5 hour one way trip was weighing on us, so we opted to go to the central California coast instead.  We found a place east of Big Sur, Ponderosa Campground, which stated it had RV spots (with no hook-ups).  We were excited to "boon dock" for the first time.  We filled our water tank, topped off our propane, and headed out.  It was a 4.5 hour drive and we arrived around 7pm, passing through the Fort Leggett base.  We were in a very remote area of the mountains east of Big Sur.  The road in was narrow and winding.  Not for the faint of heart.  We had no cell signal, no host, no electric hookup, no sewer and no water hookup (there were a couple of water fountains in various spots throughout the campground.

We had selected site number 6 online.  It was clear that this campground was not intended for RV's but rather a smaller vehicle and tent camping.  Our site was nice (if we were going to pitch a tent), but the parking area for our RV was 100' from the camping area.  We were tired, made dinner, and went to bed.  One nice feature was the silence.  No sounds other than nature could be heard.  for a while it appeared we were the only ones in the campground (but there were reserved signs on all the spots for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend.  The stars were beautiful without any light pollution.

In the morning, we walked the dogs around the campground.  There was one car that had pulled in overnight (no tent), but other than that - nobody else.  As we walked, we found what seemed to be a more suitable spot for us (Number 13).  Since we had no cell signal, we attempted to call the forest service number with our satellite phone, but the phone tree took too long (didn't want to burn too many minutes).  Instead, we walked to the entrance and self-registered for spot 13 for the night ($25).  We wrote a note about our reservation on spot 6 and asked if they would credit one of the nights.  We will see.

Spot 13 was much better.  Closer to the camping area and better views of the area.  We setup our mat and chairs with the hope of relaxing outside.  But the bugs were a problem.  Unfortunately, we forgot our bug repellent.  The gnats, flies, and bees were relentless.  We ultimately were relegated to staying indoors.  There were also a lot of fox-tails and stickers so we had to limit where we walked our dogs.

After lunch, we decided that we would rather drive home that evening rather than stay cooped up in the RV avoiding the bugs.  So - we headed out and got home around 8pm.

Overall the campground was well-maintained and very suitable for tent camping.  Since returning, we have already stocked up on bug spray for future trips to avoid a similar problem.

Next month - we finally go to Yosemite!

July 2018 - Lassen National Park

Our trip for July had some last minute changes.  We originally were booked to go near Yosemite, but a fire had started the previous Friday and was no where near containment (actually grew from a few thousand to nearly 20,000 acres.  The area we were going to (Groveland) wasn't directly affected, but due to the heat (95+ degrees F) and the excessive smoke pouring into Yosemite Valley, we decided to swap our September trip to Lassen with the Yosemite trip.  One note, the two sites near Yosemite were unsympathetic to the fire and smoke issue.  Since we were cancelling just a few days before, the cancellation charges would be steep (from $25 to full price).  So we rescheduled for September without a charge.

We had been researching locations in the Lassen area for September and quickly made some phone calls and found one site that had two nights available - Hat Creek Hereford Campground.  The reviews were good and we set out on Wednesday 7/18, during very hot weather (about 105 on the way up).  It was a good test of our rig's capabilities driving up a mountain in very hot conditions.

We arrived at the campground around 5:15pm, after a 3.5 hour drive.  When we checked in, the attendant stated she only had two left and checked us in.  I walked back to the rig and told Holly "well, this will be an adventure".  While we are relatively new at the RV experience, we have done enough to have some sort of expectation.  First of which is a pad (either paved or gravel) perhaps with a little grass area or picnic table or something.  Not this time.  Our site was just off the main entrance, near the office and we had to parallel park to get to our hookups.  We had a little area just outside our RV on which we could setup our chairs, etc.

So - we settled in, hooked up, and started prepping for dinner.  It was about 95 degrees outside.  We started having a power problem immediately.  We had the A/C running (obviously), but when Holly tried to use the microwave our power would cut out for a few seconds.  Then turn back on.  We managed to get dinner done by waiting during the power interruptions.  I walked over to the office which had the "closed" sign but saw the attendant who waived me in the unlocked door.  I asked if they were having power issues.  She said, "not that I know of...I know that we are full and sometimes you can't run the A/C and the microwave at the same time".  Fortunately, I purchased and use a power surge protector on my rig.  It is likely that it is the surge protector that was cutting off the power when there was a problem.

As we settled in for the night, the A/C continued to have interruptions.  Finally, it cooled down enough outside to shut off the A/C and use the vent windows and the house fan.

The property was nice.  There was a lake area, a grassy area for volleyball, etc.  There were many families with multiple generations fishing, swimming, etc.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  But - with the location of our spot and the power issues, we left in the morning (even though we were paid for 2 nights) and went looking for something else.

We had been researching another place in the Burney area (Burney Falls Trailer Resort).  We also wanted to hike to Burney Falls or some other hiking trail in that area.  We found a trail near Baum lake, but decided against it as the trail didn't seem well maintained and full of stickers and fox tails.

So - we headed to look at the RV Resort.  As we pulled in, it was unclear where the office was.  It was 11am.  The obvious choice was a house at the entrance, but there was no signage.  I did see some brochures sitting outside so I tried the door.  A nice lady met me.  The office was her house.  No counter, no business setup.  Just her living room.  I asked if she had a spot for the night.  She checked and found that she did.  She went to her kitchen to get her cell phone to setup the Square device to take our payment.  After I paid the $35 for the night, she handed me a cut square of paper on which I filled in my information.  She gave me another cut piece of paper with the WiFi password.

I left the office and drove around to see the location.  We didn't get a good vibe about the place.  There were obvious long-term residents (which isn't a problem for us normally).  But the area didn't seem well maintained and there was literally no where to walk our dogs or hike.  We would have been relegated to another night of just staying in the RV to avoid the heat.

Holly had been reading about another resort called Lassen RV Resort.  We called to see if they had a spot, they did.  So we kept driving (another 30 minutes) into the wilderness near the Lassen National Park.  We turned off the main highway and drove another few miles until we found this very remote Resort.  We were impressed right away.  The gravel roads were well maintained, there was very good signage.  I checked in, and the attendant was very helpful.  He then escorted us (via golf cart) to our spot.  We had full hookups with the closest occupied spot a good 50+ yards away.  We were sold.

We made camp and hooked up.  The power was perfect, water pressure great, and the area was remote and quiet.  They had WiFi, but only near the clubhouse (which was fine - we were disconnected but could check in whenever we wanted).  After lunch and a little nap, we took the dogs for a hike around the vast property.  After dinner and a movie we settled in for the night.  Very happy with this place!

The next morning we made the 4 hours drive home before it got too hot!

Take away's from this trip:  We need a smaller frying pay (probably 8").  Our new "movie" setup worked fabulously.  We now have access to all of our movie library on the road.  While we like that we have a fold-up bed in the back (queen), we will probably keep it down and made for most of our trips (the front full-size will be put up every day).  While we have blinds for the cab windows, we will order a custom cover for the windows on the outside to help with heat/cold in the cab area.  We learned that we can access our back storage from under the seats in the back (surprise!  I actually complained about no access to the manufacturer and dumb me didn't know I had access).  This will change how we store our linens.

June 2018 - Point Reyes

This month, we decided to go to the California Coast (Northern).  We found an RV park in the Point Reyes area, Olema RV park (just about 2 hours from home).

We arrived at the park around 5pm, and did an "after-hours" check-in.  We found our spot easily.  It had power and water but no sewer (which was ok, as they had a dump station).  The area was quiet, but it was a little windy.  Lots of families enjoying the cooler coastal weather.  We made camp, dinner, and settled in for the night.

The next day, we broke camp and headed to the coast to go for a hike.  We took the Kehoe Beach trail with the dogs (fitted with their new packs and leashes.

After the hike, we took the long, slow, bumpy ride to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.  It was very windy, so not as enjoyable as we would have liked.  After seeing the lighthouse, we headed back to the RV park, made camp and relaxed for the evening.  The next morning we set out early and headed home.

May 2018 - Lake Shasta

We decided that in addition to our 2 longer trips each year (about 2 weeks), we needed to do a short trip each month to "get to know" our RV.  In May, we booked 2 nights near Lake Shasta, CA at the Mountain Gate RV park.

We figured our short trips would be 2 to 4 hours radius.  We learned a lot from our first official trip.  We started to identify what we needed, what we didn't, how to cook, sleep, live, etc. in the rig.  The dogs took to the rig famously.  In fact, while driving, they even assumed the same positions that they do when we are driving (Lula behind Holly, Dexter behind me, and Atticus in the middle - the baby).

We broke camp after the first night and went for a hike with the dogs at the Flanagan Trail.  We only hiked about 5 miles and were ready to head back to relax.  There was a dog run at the Mountain Gate RV park, which worked well.

The next morning, we headed home.  I then got to learn about all the plumbing, tanks, etc. and prepped it for storage (we rented an indoor storage unit to keep her in between trips).  All-in-all, a good first outing.

April 2018 - Las Vegas/Arizona

It's been a while since we've blogged.  Our aforementioned RV was finally ready for us in April.  We drove to Las Vegas to complete the transaction and take delivery.  In the meantime, Holly's mom had a recurrence of esophageal cancer (she beat it 9 years ago); same cancer, same place.  We set her treatment in motion and set off for a quick 3 day trip to Las Vegas (with a stop at my mom's in Arizona).

We couldn't be happier with our new rig.  We christened her "The Lula Mae" after our 13-year-old Poodle, Lula (as she love's to travel and is nearing the end of her life).

So - back to the trip.  Or - let's regress and talk about the scheduling of the delivery.  In December, when we purchased the RV (or put a deposit for it being built), there were two rigs to choose from.  One had a standard be (didn't want that) and the other had a power-fold-down bed (that's for us).  We chose the latter and were told it would arrive in late March.  So - we started planning our March pickup as well as our April vacation to take our new rig to Washington State.  However, as we got close, and no word of delivery, we were informed that there was a miscommunication.  The "standard" bed RV was delivering in late March and ours was delivering in April.  So - scratch Washington.

But - we had 2 weeks of vacation in April booked.  So - no problem going to pick it up.  However - at the end of the first week, still no work on when it would arrive.  On the Sunday in the middle of our 2 week vacation, as we are at my in-laws following her port-a-cath placement, we got the call "it's here!!".  Oh bother.

So - called Avis, rented a car and set out the next morning for the 8 to 9 hour drive.  Arrived around 1pm, went to the bank for a cashier's check for the down payment, and finally arrived at the dealership (with all three dogs in tow).  Very hot, so Holly waited in the care while I did my part of the paperwork, then we switched.

After all was done, we went to the Oasis RV resort near the dealer.  The site was nice, very large, and packed.  The amenities (restaurant, store, etc.) were perfect.  So we slept the first night in our rig.  The next day we returned to the dealer as the door was sticking (house door).  The fixed it very quickly.  Then we returned the rental car, and headed back to the park for a nap (still tired from the previous day's driving and purchasing activities).  But - around 3pm or so we were ready to move on.  We left and headed to Arizona (about 4 hours).  We had dinner with my parents, spent the night in our rig (my dad had setup a 30amp plug just for our rig).  We had breakfast the next morning and started the 11 hour drive home.

The delivery was confusing and exhausting.  But - the dealer (despite the miscommunication) was awesome (Wagon Trail RV - think they might have changed their name recently).  The RV itself....how do I say it....we LOVE it!  Everything we wanted and more.

So - stay tuned.  We plan to use the heck out of this thing.

RV Owners!

It has been a busy winter.  Not with travel, but with our pursuit of an RV.  We've done copious research, have rented RV's (as evidenced by our previous blogs).  We know we like the RV experience (at least for the road and an occasional overnight).  We know that we like the Mercedes Sprinter chassis for the handling and the technology.  We know we like a dry-bath.  We know that we like a little bigger version than the straight van model.  We know we like the best quality and rarer vehicle.

All of this lead us to looking at the Leisure Travel Van Serenity.  We were planning on renting a 2015 version through Outdoorsy.com, but the price per night (and the deposit) was cost prohibitive.  Plus, the thought of driving to the East Bay to pick up and drop off wasn't appealing.  By the way, why would an owner charge a $3,000 deposit?  There is insurance!!

At any rate, we decided to start looking for our own Serenity.  The problem we found with the 2017, is the table.  It is not removable.  Granted, it moves in many directions and can be moved out of the way to get from the front to the back, but it is always there.  We only use the table one (or maybe two) times per day.  Having it always there was an issue.  They solved this in the 2018 model.  A removable table!!

We found that getting one is harder to come by than we thought.  There were only a handful of 2018 models throughout the country.  We found that they don't make a ton of them (which is a good thing).  Also - we found that the re-sale value holds very well.  Go to RV Trader or RVT websites and look at the pricing for used models.  We found a new 2017 in Davis CA for the same price as a new 2018.  I think the reason is the low supply and the fact that some do not want to wait 9 to 10 months to order one.

We know that we want new.  If we are seeing $140k for a used one and can get a new one (customized to us) for about the same price (or even $5k more) we are doing the latter.

We have one dealer near us.  La Mesa RV in Davis, CA.  Not impressed with our interactions.  In fact, on one occasion I stopped by to look at the Serenity referenced above.  Nobody greeted me.  I walked into the showroom, walked around, sat down and played with my phone.  Still nobody noticed or paid any attention to me.

So - we looked at other dealers.  The closest are near Portland OR, or Las Vegas (plus some in So Cal).  I found a 2018 on the Wagon Trail RV site in Las Vegas.  It was perfect.  But - apparently they have multiple dealerships across the US and this unit was in St. Louis.  We started looking at the logistics of flying there and driving the nearly 2,000 miles home.  But, alas, it was sold.

But - they had 2 on order that would be coming to Las Vegas (a much more manageable drive).  And - we can customize it how ever we wanted as it wasn't built yet.  We get the advantage of a custom order without the longer wait.  We chose one that is due in late March.

We customized it and put a $2,500 deposit to make it ours.

Now - we wait.  Well, actually we finalize the payment/financing/etc.

More to come in March.  Here are some stock photos that represent what we are getting.

October 2017 - RV Trip

RV Trip Through Oregon - October 2017

In April, we decided we like using an RV.  The one we rented then was too big and unwieldy.  So - we went a little more upscale and rented a B-Class RV (RV Van) built on a Mercedes Sprinter.  So, basically, we were driving a Mercedes Van that was converted into an RV.  I'll review the RV later.  First - the trip.

Day 1 Thursday 10/5- pick up RV

We had booked the RV for Thursday 10/5/17.  We booked through Outdoorsy.co (which became Outdoorsy.com while we were on our trip) and happened to pick the RV that was rented by one of the founders of the rental website.  I'll review the rental website later.

The website had the pickup/drop-off in Mill Valley.  However, when we finally were able to speak with the owner the day before, it was changed to San Francisco....downtown San Francisco....around noon.  This was 104 miles from our home, which is about the same distance as Mill Valley, but with much, much more traffic.  The drive in took more than 2 hours and the drive home took 3 hours.

We arrived home and cleaned the RV that evening (more on that in the review).

Day 2 Friday 10/6 - Drive to Myers Flat

We had booked an RV park in Myers Flat California as our first stop.  See my review of Giant Redwoods RV Camp on Tripadvisor.  We stayed the night in the small RV and it wasn't too bad.  Definitely at least as comfortable as the previous one.

But - the drive was a night-and-day difference.  The Mercedes (2017) chassis was a dream to drive.  It handled like a nice truck, had lane-assist and all the bells and whistles.  We had cut the drive times down considerable but probably didn't need to.  We decided right then to only consider the Mercedes Chassis.

This was basically just a stop over until we got to Oregon.  Decent place, but not much to see.

Day 3 Saturday 10/7 - Drive to Reedsport, Oregon

From Myers Flat, we were along the coast the entire way to Reedsport.  The coast drive was beautiful.  The weather was clear and sunny.  The drive took a little longer than expected due to at least 6 times we had one-lane traffic due to construction/repair of bridges along the route.  No matter - the driving was easy and the scenery divine.

That night we had our one night out for dinner.  After checking into the Best Western Salbasgeon Inn & Suites of Reedsport (see our review on Tripadvisor), we were given a tip about a restaurant nearby, Harbor Light Family Restaurant.  It was great (see review on Tripadvisor).  We had decided that since we gained 5 pounds on our last trips in April and May, we would eat sensibly - which entailed bringing our own food for the majority of our meals.  Holly prepared our sandwiches in the RV just like at home.  And she brought our Home Chef meals for dinners (minus one, which was when we ate out tonight).  We did have Subway for lunch twice too, but still ate sensibly...and...no weight gain!!

Day 4 Sunday 10/8 - Drive to Vancouver, Washington

We departed Reedsport and the coastal area of Oregon and headed toward I5.  We began through the Umpqua River Valley and as we drove we both uttered "Wow" at nearly the same time.  It was a beautiful area of river, rolling hills and valleys, mist on the hill tops, Elk grazing.  This is they type of area we are looking for - lush, green, interesting.

Once on I5, the drive allowed us to see the central area of Oregon.  We stopped in Eugene, drove through Salem and Portland, and landed in Vancouver.  We stayed at the Double Tree for the night.

Day 5 Monday 10/9 - Drive to Bend

We left Vancouver early, went on Highway 26 through the mountains into the high-desert area of Oregon.  Before getting to Bend we drove to Prineville to look around.  We then headed to the Bend/Sister Garden RV Park (see review on Tripadvisor).  We loved this place (had a RV spot and a fully-furnished cottage adjacent where we had a real kitchen to cook our meal).

Day 6 Tuesday 10/10 - Drive to Medford

We left Sisters, OR and drove down 97 toward Klamath Falls.  We took a detour and went to Crater lake (added about 90 minutes to the drive - at least, as we drove around the east rim.  Very beautiful.  We stopped in Klamath Falls for lunch and headed across 140 to Medford.  We detoured near Medford to look at some areas we had seen with property for sale.  We finally arrived at the Comfort Inn & Suites for the night.

Incidentally - it was at this time that I learned of the fires in Northern California (Santa Rosa and close to my work town - Fairfield, CA).  It was a terrible time back near work.

Day 7 Wednesday 10/11 - Drive Home

We left Medford and began the drive home.  We took 99 through Chico to avoid the fires on I5 (weren't sure but had heard that parts of I5 were involved.  We found out later that this was erroneous information).  We stopped in Chico for lunch and made it home in the early afternoon.  We emptied out the RV and cleaned it.

Day 8 Thursday 10/12 - Return RV

On Thursday we arranged to return the RV in San Francisco.  We went to the gym in Vacaville to work out (by the way - we were able to get a work out most days on our trip utilizing each hotel's gym - minus the Myers Flat and Bend//Sisters RV parks).  We spent 2.5 hours driving into San Francisco (caravan with RV and Prius) and 3 hours driving home.  The smoke in the bay area made it look apocalyptic - very surreal as the smoke blew south from the Santa Rosa area.

Overall Impression of Oregon

We had seen much of Oregon on this trip (except for the extreme East and North-East corner (Joseph - which is more for an Idaho or Washington trip).

We loved the areas just off the coast, in the river valleys.  We did not like the high-desert areas of Bend and Klamath Falls - reminded us of High-Desert in Arizona.  Our next trip will narrow down the search of a place to live (if we decide Oregon is for our retirement).  But who knows - there is still Washington to survey.

RV Rental

Rental website - Outdoorsy.co(m)

After our last rental in April (see our blog), we found Outdoorsy.com.  The website is very well done, showing private RV rentals similar to AirBnB.  We had been looking at the B-class Mercedes models online and found one in Mill Valley.  The booking was very easy.  When we booked, it included insurance (liability) as well as roadside assistance.  Very turn-key experience.

The RV - 2017 Mercedes Coachmen Galleria.

We really liked the driving experience of the Mercedes Chassis.  The only thing that took away from this was the actual RV part of is.  The drawers in the galley would not stay shut.  The first good turn I took, a drawer slammed open and broke my cocktail glass.  Later in the trip I stopped by Walmart and bought some suction cups and bungee ties to secure the drawers.  Also - the lav doors would rattle if you didn't shut them just right.  The bed was a twin in the back with boards to put down with cushions to make a full-size.  It was an awkward setup with the boards down (one was broken and taped).  We definitely found we don't like the bathroom in the mid-area and we don't like a marine bathroom.  This means we will have to look at the B+ models with a dry bath.  We also found that the sliding door was not to our liking.  If you didn't open all the way and catch, it would come sliding closed on you.

At least 10 days prior to the pickup, we began to IM the owner through the Outdoorsy website.  No response until literally the day before our rental.  We were trying to plan when we would pick it up (and where).  When it was changed to SF, that was a big let-down due to the traffic we knew would be there for us.  Also - we had to meet in the parking lot of the Best Buy as there was little room elsewhere to pickup the RV.  Not a pleasant area.  Finally, the RV was 45 minutes late getting there.  Apparently, on the last renting there was an issue so they took it to the shop to have it gone through.  Understandable but annoying.

As I drove it home, I could smell the refrigerator (that unplugged, moldy smell).  When I got home, I realized there was mold in the refrigerator.  I had to take out all the railings and holders to wash, then thoroughly clean the entire RV (it was dusty, dirty all throughout).  We took all of there "extras" out (bedding, dinner ware, etc) and used our own.  After this cleaning, careful use, and another thorough cleaning afterward, the RV was definitely better when we returned it.

2017 - Houston Space Center

In May, Holly had an ICU nursing conference in Houston, Texas (NTI for her CCRN certification).  We took the opportunity to visit with my parents just outside of Houston.  We had a wonderful visit, seeing their new home in Fulshear.

After our visit, we checked into our hotel downtown (Hilton Americas) and Holly commenced with her conference.  We were, however, able to squeeze in a visit to the Houston Space Center.  We booked a VIP tour and my parents were able to join us for the tour.

We stumbled onto the VIP tour by accident, but couldn't have been more pleased.  Rather than joining the masses (including lots and lots of school children) and piling into a crowded, open-air tram - we were part of a group of 9 people that had a nice, air-conditioned coach and a private guide for nearly five hours.

The tour started in a hanger in which a full-size Apollo Rocket was on display.  After this we traveled off-property to the underwater training facility.  Interestingly, there were two astronauts training in the water while we were there!  It was a great experience.

Next we went to the current day Mission Control, where the were monitoring the space station.  We were told that one of the astronauts had just completed an unplanned space walk to fix a faulty device outside the station.  We then went to the historic, 1960's Mission Control area, replete with the exact equipment used in the 60's to monitor and control the Apollo missions.

Finally, we were treated to a rare chance to visit the Shuttle Simulator.  It was an actual-size, fully functional Shuttle in a hanger.  If it had wheels, it could fly.  We were told that every astronaut had to train on this device prior to going into space.  Also, when a shuttle was in space this simulator had a crew operating the entire time, mimicking the actions and trying solutions prior to the actual shuttle in space trying them.  We were able to sit in the cockpit and see all the controls used to fly the shuttle!

I was born in Houston.  I have visited my parents many, many times.  This is the first time we had visited the Space Center.  A great trip!!

Here is a slideshow I made of our trip, including footage of the Apollo missions from the 60's to start it off.......

2017 - Desert RV Trip

2017 - Desert Trip

As we are now both officially in our 50's, we have been contemplating whether we are "RV" people  Our neighbor has a large RV and uses it prolifically (sometimes for 6 months out of the year).  To avoid the mistake of buying an RV only to find out we made a mistake, we decided we would rent to see if we like it.  At the end of this blog I will write about our adventures in finding a rental RV.

We also wanted to visit my mother in Arizona so we decided to make a road trip with the RV through the deserts of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.  Holly has always wanted to visit New Mexico to hunt for turquoise and liquid silver jewelry.  After reserving the RV and some hotels along the route - our trip began on our 9th anniversary (and Holly's birthday).

As you will read near the end, we rented a Class C from Cruise America.  We picked up the 30' RV that sleeps 7.  Probably over-kill (definitely over-kill), but it gave us an idea of the concept of RV-ing.

Overview of Route

Day 1 - Thursday April 13, 2017

Today was one of two, very long driving legs of the trip.  We drove from our home in Roseville to Henderson, NV.  The route was 575 miles and drive time was slated for 8 hours 16 minutes.  Coming into Nevada we encountered our first experience with wind and a high-profile vehicle.  The RV's steering had a little play and for the last 2 hours of the trip I was white-knuckled keeping the RV from being blown into the adjacent lane or shoulder.

We left at around 8am and arrived about 10 hours later to the hotel (Hampton Inn & Suites).  We encountered the first challenge of our trip - where to park this beast in a hotel parking lot.  After talking to the front desk staff, we took four parking spots, unloaded all of our gear (we weren't sure about the safety of the RV overnight and didn't want to risk losing anything valuable), got some dinner (PKWY Tavern), slept, worked out, and hit the road for our second day.

Here is a 360 look at having coffee in the hotel room with the poodles (click and drag on video to look around):

Day 2 - Friday April 14, 2017

After gassing up, we headed to Arizona.  Our first stop would be the Hoover Dam.  Taking the RV along the winding roads was challenging and the Dam was very (extremely) busy.  We are thinking spring break crowds but aren't sure.  We did not stop.  Once we made it across the Dam and back we had seen enough and could check off this location in our "been there" book.

We continued through the wind toward Williams Arizona to visit my parents.

Day 3 - Saturday April 15, 2017

We had a great visit, just hanging around the house and chatting.  I was able to float the drone up in the back yard and get some great video of there place.  We had lunch downtown at a nice pizza place on Route 66.

Drone footage:

360 Videos out back with poodles (click and drag on video to look around):

Day 4 - Sunday April 16, 2017 (Easter Sunday)

We set out relatively early to head east to New Mexico.  We gassed up in Flagstaff and braved the windy desert freeway for 6 hours.  When we arrived in Albuquerque, our hotel was near the airport.  In fact, you had to actually enter the airport property to get to the hotel.  When we checked in we asked where to put the RV (as it takes a lot of space).  I was surprised when they told me to park it up front under the check-in awning for safety.  I asked if I should be concerned and was told that they had an attempted break-in involving a moving trailer and a sign at the desk mentioned the same issue.  We were a little road weary and didn't have interest in trying to shop around Albuquerque.  We found that a pizza place would deliver and we took advantage.

Day 5 - Monday April 17, 2017

We took the relatively short drive to Santa Fe, taking the back road on the "Turquoise Trail".  Our hope was to see something worth stopping for along the route to perhaps find some jewelry.  Unfortunately, we didn't see anything that didn't look like a tourist trap and continued to Santa Fe.  Our hotel was about 15 minutes north of Santa Fe at the Buffalo Thunder Casino property (Homewood Suites).  We had lunch waiting for our room to be ready, settled in, left the dogs in the room, and headed to downtown Santa Fe.  Two things became painfully clear.  First, there was little to no parking downtown for a large RV.  We had a few tight spots in which I had to learn quickly how to maneuver a 30' RV in tight spots.  Second - we found that on Monday (the day we planned to shop) the main attraction we sought was closed (Palace of the Governors).  We decided to find parking for the next day and do our shopping then.  But - parking was the problem.  We would later find that perhaps we could park at the cathedral, but the convention center had nothing but a parking garage much too small for us.  We returned to the hotel property in low spirits.  We then found that the hotel had a shuttle going downtown!!  Problem solved.  We had a nice dinner at the casino, Holly won about $60 on a slot machine and we packed it in for the night.

Day 6 - Tuesday April 18, 2017

We caught the shuttle to the downtown area.  We were a little early and shops didn't open for an hour (10am).  We walked around window shopping and getting a lay of the land.  When shops were open we perused the jewelry offerings and other shopping opportunities.  We came away empty handed but were able to at least see what was available.  Instead of waiting for the shuttle, we used Uber to get back to our hotel.  We checked out and started on our next leg of the trip - heading to Monument Valley, Utah.

We took the scenic route through North West New Mexico, passing over a small dam.  We had the option of seeing the Four Corners monument but decided not to stop but power through.  The last 100 miles was tough.  That little leg on the map that goes straight north was painful.  It was about 96 miles in high winds on a 2-lane highway in disrepair.  After watching me white-knuckled, trying to keep the RV on the road in the wind, Holly mentioned I should have driving gloves.  As luck would have it, one of the jackets I brought had finger-less work gloves.  I put them on and didn't have to wipe the sweat from my palms anymore.  We arrived in the dark to the Goulding's RV park in Monument Valley, Utah.  This was our first, true RV experience.  We checked in, pulled into our spot, hooked up to power, and settled in for the night.  In the morning, I dumped the black water and we hit the road for our next destination.

Day 7 - Wednesday April 19, 2017

We saw the most unique and beautiful mountain scenery as we drove through the middle of Utah.  We saw all the monuments, arches, and formations despite the windy mountain passes (the gloves made all the difference).  We stopped in Moab for lunch and continued on through endless mountains, still capped with snow.  We finally arrived in Salt Lake City during 5 o'clock traffic.  We made our way to our hotel and settled down for the final night on our trip.

Day 8 - Thursday April 20, 2017

We loaded up early and hit the road.  It was our longest leg (618 miles) of the entire trip.  We fought through the wind all the way through Nevada.  Once past Reno, the wind was gone and we enjoyed going through our home-state mountains with which we were very familiar.  There was still lots of snow on the mountains and the relief with pulling into Roseville was palpable.  We unloaded and went straight to our much-missed bed.  The next day we cleaned up the RV, gassed it, emptied the tanks, and returned it.

RV the life for us?

We found very early on in the trip that we REALLY like this.  Not this particular RV (too big, unwieldy) but rather the concept of being self-contained.  Having a toilet on the road and a place to sit and eat or stretch out for a few minutes made the long drives more tolerable.  No longer did we have to stop to use the bathroom (even when we had to fuel).  There were stretches in which I drove for nearly three hours without stopping.  Plus - the poodles had room to stretch out.

We are still in the evaluation stage of which RV is for us.  We know that the larger Class A are too big.  The Class C are probably not for us either (don't really need the overhang sleeping area).  Next trip we will rent a Class B and try the Mercedes chassis to see how the handling compares to the Ford chassis we rented (we suspect the results will be obvious).

Then will come the decision to rent or buy.  A good, recent used Mercedes model runs about $85k.  We would have to RV at least 3 times a year to make buying better than renting.  Then there is storage.  If we can't park it at home, the costs go even higher.  More to come after our next trip to the Oregon Coast this fall.

Renting an RV

When we decided to rent we researched our options.  There seem to be only two nationwide companies that rent RVs:  El Monte and Cruise America.  While they have some actual company locations, most seem to be similar to U-Haul in which they franchise to local businesses that have other operations (such as a service station).  In the greater Sacramento area there was one El Monte franchise and two Cruise America franchises.  Let's start with the El Monte franchise.

El Monte

The location was in the southern industrial area of Sacramento.  We knew from the address it was going to be interesting.  We stopped by on a Saturday a while back to check it out.  It was in an industrial park as part of an antique car business.  I entered the facility and Holly stayed in the car as we had groceries and the area was a little sketchy.  I was greeted by an older lady and could see a man attending to a young family who was renting an RV.  She showed me the antique cars while I waited and then took me out to look at some RVs.  When the man was finished, Holly joined me.  We looked over the RVs and had no issues.  One problem we did have was the non-refundable rental deposit of $150.  No matter what, if we cancelled we lost the deposit (more of a rental fee than a deposit).  The larger problem was regarding which model year we would get when the time came to pickup the rental.  Their fleet has some older models and our research showed that some reviews stated that at the time of rental the reviewer was presented with an old model with no recourse.  With this in mind, we asked if we could reserve a newer model (3 years old or newer).  We were told that we would have to reserve it.  Then we could call to see which model was assigned and see if we could get a newer one.  What??  Why should we have to do the leg work???  We moved on to Cruise America.

Cruise America

There were two locations, one of which was much closer than the El Monte, located in Citrus Heights at Pastor's service shop.  We stopped by and the owner was manning the counter.  He showed us the 30' and smaller model.  For the price we had decided that the 30' would be a better value.  There was a deposit that was refundable (yea!).  The attitude of the proprietor wasn't that great however.  Even though their fleet was newer overall (3 years old or newer, Holly asked if we could reserve a newer model.  He flat-out said "we don't do that" and continued to state that even customers renting for long periods and long miles (i.e. more money for them) he didn't do that.  When we said it was a reasonable question he retorted "and I gave you a reasonable answer".  Despite getting off on the wrong foot, we had little choice but to rent from him.  We did get a little satisfaction, however.  I asked if we could rent online or directly from him.  He said that either is possible but if we rent directly from him they get a better commission.  We rented online.

We had a wonderful trip.  It was a grueling 2600 miles and 43 hours of driving through mountains and high winds but we were able to see the desert regions in all of its glory.

One last video clip of the late Robin Williams and the trials of using a rental RV