Apr 2007

We ran out of propane overnight, so it was 51 degrees in the trailer this morning. Warmer than the 39 degrees outside, but still cold! We need to figure out a way to determine when we’re running low in propane. Our method now is to wake up to a cold trailer – I’m not crazy about this method :-)

We couldn’t figure out where the Yosemite chapel was til later in the day so we missed church this morning. We rode around the 3 campgrounds in the valley this morning to check out other RVs and campsites. They only have about 5 campsites in the valley for a 35 ft trailer like we have, so very few large rigs here. All of the campgrounds have a FULL sign posted on them, but we see lots of empty sites. The cold and rain/snow may have chased some of the tenters home early. I can’t believe people tent in this kind of weather.

After lunch we bike around the valley.

Stopping at the visitors center first for their movie on Yosemite and their new museum. Then we bike over to the Yosemite falls

and finish the bike loop around the valley. It was cold! Today’s high was 55 degrees. It was warm in the sun, but cold anywhere else. I was glad to get back to the trailer.

We had dinner and then decided to go to the 6:30 church service, since we finally figured out where the chapel is located. There were 10 people at the service. The pastor played guitar and we sang several hymns and then he had an hour-plus sermon! Yes, a sermon that lasted over an hour for ten people. It was on creation, kindof. I followed the first 30 minutes but then he got way too technical for me. Plus, as many of you may know, after about 20 minutes, I start to daydream. I really did try to pay attention, but I decided this guy was way too ‘out there’ for me. I did enjoy the hymns though.

At 8:00 we excused ourselves from the service. I said we were on eastern time and were really tired – yes, I know that I lied to a pastor, I actually wanted to go see the film on Ansel Adams that started at 8pm and I was really tired of listening about his theories on creation, but I think it was better that I simply said we were tired from the timezone difference. I explained this rationalization to Jere and he simply smiled – he was glad to escape the service also.

We get up early and I take one last look at Morro Rock

We pack up and start our 6 hour drive to Yosemite National Park. Last November, I called for Yosemite Campground reservations as soon as reservations for this week opened. They only have about 5 campsites in the valley that fit our size RV so I knew it was going to take some planning in getting a reservation. Reservations opened at 10am; by 10:30am, all 5 campsites were reserved. I didn’t get my first choice, but I was happy to get a reservation.

The roads to Yosemite are small roads, except the highway through Fresno. The road we took out of Morro Bay was extremely windy and hilly, but we made it through without incident. It was probably good practice for later in the day when we got to Yosemite. Not only was the 2 lane road curvy and hilly in Yosemite, but it started to snow! There were some tense moments when it was also foggy. Jere took it slow, and with the help of some ‘white knuckles’ steering, we arrived at our campsite by 5pm.

It was only raining in the valley, so we dumped our tanks in the rain and backed into our campsite, with it’s many obstacles, in the rain also. It’s a nice campsite, but not the easiest place to back into.

We set up camp and have a late dinner and early bedtime.

The wind finally calmed down last night and today is gorgeous. Perfect day to drive up the coastal highway. The Hearst Castle is only about 20 minutes north of our campground so we stop there in the morning and take a tour and see their IMAX movie about the house. The house was built by Randolph Hearst in the early 1930s and has amazing architecture and craftsmanship. The house itself is way too fancy for my taste, but I loved the guest house and the pools.

The drive up the coast had phenomenal views. I was taking picture after picture. My battery was exhausted by 4pm from taking too many pictures. By the time we got to the famous Bixby Bridge I had no battery power left to take a photo – very frustrated with myself. Take my word for it, it was a phenomenal view.

We also stopped at a place where elephant seals, dozens and dozens, were laying on the beach.

We stopped at a café overlooking the ocean for a late lunch and ate outside on their patio overlooking the surf and seashore. It was a GORGEOUS view.

We got to Monterey around 5pm and drove around a little, but we knew we had a long drive home down highway 101, so we didn’t stay long. Very picturesque town. Of course my camera battery died so no pictures of that town either.

We filled up with diesel and headed home inland on highway 101. Long day, but fantastic scenery and wonderful drive. I can understand why some people say it is the most scenic drive in the country.

We had planned to go into the town of Solvang this morning and do some sightseeing, but we had several telephone calls and errands that had to be done and so we stayed at the campground in the morning to get caught up on things. I had hoped to visit a mission in Solvang, but hopefully we’ll visit a different mission before leaving CA.

We had an uneventful drive to Morro Bay, CA in the afternoon, but it was unbelievably windy today. Gusts of up to 60 mph in Santa Barbara that caused some damage. Our campground in Morro Bay is right across the street from the beach and was very very windy. We decided to try to walk on the beach in the wind and we were sandblasted til we got close to the water.

We have great wifi at this campground so Joe elects to play on the computer while Jere and I drive into town and check out Morro Rock. We park on the beach and enjoy watching the surf from the safety of our truck. The waves are incredible today.

We spend the evening doing wash and other chores, while Joe continues to enjoy the wifi connection.

We start the gorgeous sunny morning with a quick bike ride along the beach to enjoy watching the surf. The waves are incredibly big today.

Then, after almost 2 weeks at Dockweilers County Park we pack up and leave the park. The location of the park next to the beach and the bike path, and 15 minutes from Jen’s apartment were great. HOWEVER, the noise of the jets taking off every 3 minutes til 1am in the morning will NOT be missed. If we stay there in the future, I don’t think I’ll stay for more than a week. The sleep deprivation for 2 weeks at Dockweilers and the week before in Mesa (beside the noisy highway) is making me a grumpy person.

We left the campground around Noon but the traffic on the 405 was still slow and bumper to bumper with at least 4 lanes of traffic going north. I can’t imagine driving this road everyday during rush hour. We drive north to a town called Solvang. It was founded in the early 1900s by a group of Danish settlers and has become a tourist town known as “Little Denmark”.

The RV resort is pricey in this town, but we get a pull-through spot that is easy to park. After we set up we head into town and walk around the town. We stop at several of the Danish bakeries and I finally decide to buy some Danish waffles for breakfast tomorrow (yeah, they didn’t last – I ate them later that evening).

Jere uses their indoor hot tub after we get back to the campground. Joe and I watch TV and call it a day.