At Catalina, January, 2025

 

We are here!  Roughly 580 miles from home, with one overnight stop at the Elks Club in Wasco (near Bakersfield), Jimmy and I checked our motor home, "Tergel," in at Catalina Spa and RV Resort on Wednesday, 1/22/25.  We encountered no issues, fire-or-smoke-wise, and actually had a pleasant drive.

Such a lovely sunset from the Wasco Elks parking lot.

Catalina Spa in Desert Hot Springs, is a large RV resort, but there's plenty of room for everyone.  This is our third (or fourth?) time to stay in this park.  Our Oregon friends, Sue and Mo, were camped across from us last year, and we enjoyed fun times together.  They're coming later this year.  It's easy to make friends here; in fact, two people we met last year were here to greet us just after we pulled in this year.  And they invited us to go on a small-group bike ride the following day (Thursday).  We said, "OK!"

With their two bikes and our two bikes in the back of his Dodge Ram truck, Wayne and Betty, drove us to the meet-up spot in Palm Springs.  The day was sunny and mild.  Great for riding.  We tooled around the streets of the city, admiring homes ($$) and landscaping and green-green golf courses.  I think we had 12 in the group.

After a couple of miles, it's a quick break for lunch,

and then the group continued on.

Betty and Wayne's doggie, Gaffer, loves to ride in the basket behind him.  (and ride, she does, 'cause Wayne does all the pedaling!)  She doesn't bark or try to jump out, she just gazes at her surroundings.  Above, we were stopped at a traffic signal.  Excellent introduction to life at Catalina Spa!  Thanks, Betty and Wayne!

* * * * *

One afternoon, Jimmy and I went for a walk beyond Catalina, to an area we remembered where we could access a pond, like an oasis, but the durn gate was locked today, so we couldn't get in to see all the birds, just a photo of a duck paddling away from us.

And on the way we found a sort of Jurassic Park!  Private property, of course, surrounded by chain-link fencing, but not off limits to a camera.   All these critters were big, a lot taller than either of us.  We saw others, and more that were being built, but our question was, why?  Uh-oh, Triceratops, bottom right, has a broken front leg!

Isn't this fantastic?

We spotted goats in a different enclosure, with one cute li'l baby goat who loved to run and jump and chase the chicken you see in the photo above, right.  Interesting walk!

* * * * *

The desert is dry, drier than usual, I think.  No wildflowers are in bloom, and most plants and shrubs in their natural setting appear dull and dun-colored.  Tiny Creosote leaves are curled and crispy, hoping for rain, desperate for rain.  I was shocked to see Mount San Jacinto and San Gorgonio both barren of snow!  Been a very long time since the area has had appreciable moisture.  Ah, but look at the sky on Sunday, above!

Jimmy and I were again invited on the Palm Springs small-group bike ride.  With a weather forecast of afternoon showers, we almost didn't go.  But, you only live once, so what if you get wet!  That's Jimmy, above, riding toward a very dark sky!  I felt three (I counted them) raindrops; he felt one.  Wayne's truck wasn't far from where we were at this point.  We didn't get wet.  Another fine ride!

Da Biker Gang!

The big draw for me is the pool, above.  Odorless mineral hot springs.  We were done for the day and Jimmy in his red shirt is ready to return to our motor home.  The swimming pool has a temp that hovers between 88°-90° and I love slipping into water that caresses you like a lover.  Every day I swim.  It's good for me.

Jimmy loves the hot "tub," actually a large pool.

It's a hot pool!  (as in HOT, over 100°)

Heavy clouds moved in over Catalina Spa while we were in the pool (after our bike ride).  Yup, time to go home, I said, before it rains.  As soon as we closed Tergel's door behind us, we heard raindrops pinging our roof.  Oh boy.  Oh Yay!  Rain!  And, a rainbow!  By gum, a gentle rain fell, off and on into the night.  It's a start.  Perhaps we'll see desert flowers blooming before we leave in February.

We're back! Wed/Thurs, 5/22-5/23

 

When last we left you (click here), Jimmy and I were scouting around for someone to look at our RV to see what was the matter and fix it.  Sorry to leave you "on tenterhooks" for such a long time, but we were uncertain about if/when Tergel could be fixed, how long it would take.

On the Road Again!

We took her to Wayside Garage in Monterey CA, Monday morning, May 13th.  We wandered into nearby stores for several hours while they looked over Tergel.  When we returned to their fixit garage, it was determined they'd need her at least one entire day, probably more.  We elected to drive the five hours home that afternoon in Smartie (with our bikes) because who knew how long it might actually take to set her right ... something about wheel bearings and spindles and front axel and stuff like that.  Turns out more time was needed as parts ordered were not correct, and much had to be fabricated.

No more spring green grasses along South I-5.

The hills have gone golden!

Shelly called us yesterday, Tuesday afternoon, to say, Tergel was all better, come and get her!  I made an online reservation at the Monterey Elks Lodge so we wouldn't have to come and go in the same day.  We left for Monterey this morning, Wednesday, 5/22 in Smartie, paid Tergel's ran$om (haha), and drove to the Elks.

Russell Lupine with freeloader.

Flower pics taken today in Monterey.

Bottle Brush in full regalia, as big as a VW bus!

We're hoping everything is A-OK with Tergel now.  Rather than hanging around Monterey, we plan to return home tomorrow, with Smartie in tow as usual, and get on with our normal business of living.  Things to do, places to go, people to meet, and all that. 

Originally we came to the coast to fish for Halibut.  Yes, we caught one.  Only one.  Throw in this RV fix along with everything else, and you might NOT have The Most Expensive Fish Ever Caught, but I guarantee it's a close second!

Hittin' the Road, Jan 7-8, 2023

A few months ago, I made a two-week reservation at Catalina Spa and RV resort in Desert Hot Springs (California) for January 8th-22nd, little knowing at the time that it would a perfect time for a NorCal getaway!  But, kind of assuming, based on other years, that we'd be ready to leave our wet, soggy town.

We packed Tergel with the necessaries for two weeks away, unsure if we'd need sweats or shorts, so bringing both.  Essentials like bathing suits and towels were packed first.  I can't wait to park my body in one of their odorless mineral hot spring pools, which I hope to do daily.  (insert smiley face!)  We brought our E-bikes with us, and plan to get in some riding.  Anyhoot, we're set for a couple of weeks here.

We loaded Tergel in between rain showers.  Believe me, we've had some serious storms, Atmospheric Rivers they're called these days, and they've dumped buckets and gallons of water on NorCal.  We've had flood watches and wind advisories and it's been a mess.  Gale-force winds uproot mature trees in sodden soil, and a lot of downed trees have damaged homes and cars and even killed.  It's been bad.  So, were we anxious to head south?  You betcha.  We pulled out Saturday morning (in light rain), trying to beat another AR poised to hit the area.  By gum, we did it, once out of the Sacramento area, just clouds, no rain.  

We saw flood waters south of Sacramento at the Cosumnes River, which these next few pictures show.  Traveling south on I-5, we avoided Hwy 99, which was closed the day before due to flooding.    

Gray sky, gray day, lots of flooding.

Looks like someone or something clipped a highway sign.

50 or 60 miles south of Sacramento, the lovely hills adjoining I-5 had morphed from their summer golden grasses, to a lovely emerald green, like a verdant velvet mantle.  For miles we were treated to a lushness you only get from rain.  Rain can be a double-edged sword.

Our destination for Saturday night was the Wasco Elks Lodge parking lot, roughly half way between Nevada City and Desert Hot Springs.  We've stopped here in years past, but this night the lodge was dark (Saturday night!) and the lot empty.  We had the place to ourselves, grateful for the site and for electricity.  At this point we weren't sure if the storm would catch up to us or not.

Sunday, when I awoke near 7, this spectacular sunrise greeted me.  Oh wow!  Fire in the sky.  Unretouched photo!  I'd heard raindrops pinging Tergel's roof briefly off and on in the night, and as we rearranged the cover on our bikes, rain fell in earnest.  Luckily it didn't last, and we took off by 9, hoping for a break in today's weather, like yesterday.

Would you just look at this!  As we approached Tehachapi, the sun's rays poked through the clouds, illuminating those glorious mountains.  Eventually, the clouds disappeared, and the sun shone on us.  Thank goodness.

We didn't mind driving on hilly, winding Hwy 58.

Would you? 

I love this green, highlighted by El Sol.

Gorgeous hills.

Funny thing, we saw lots of trains, all at a standstill.  No moving trains.  We didn't know why (still don't).  Is there a strike?  Guess I'll look it up.

Train tunnel, one of a number along in this area.

Aha, lookee here, we're now on the dry side of the mountains, and look at that blue sky!  Creosote and Cholla cactus are the predominant species here.  And rocks.  Lots of rocks.  While the folks at home were being pounded by the latest storm, we managed to avoid it, two days in a row.  Whew!  The last I heard, the storm is headed for DHSprings on Tuesday.  Or maybe Monday, who knows?  At least it's warm here.  That's a plus. 

We stopped at Joshua Tree Nat'l Park Visitor Center to get info before cruising down-down-down the hill to DHS.  Happy to be parked up, set up, dinner's finished, and it's almost bedtime.  Tomorrow, rain or shine, we'll see about that pool.

A lovely way to go! To: Tues, 3/19/19

This post is a wrap-up of our seven-week trip, all 6,431 miles -- from Nevada City CA to Sarasota FL, and back.  Yes, you read it correctly:  Seven weeks, 6,431 miles.  We might have stayed out longer, but we had to return home to take care of income tax preparation and other appointments.  We've been known to be gone for six or seven months at a time, but that was before owning a bricks/mortar home.  With all the rain/snow Nevada City experienced while we were away, heaven knows what we'd find.  Yard work will no doubt be a challenge!

Above is an early morning shot from our campsite at Rock Hound St Pk in New Mexico (near Deming), and we saw that yesterday's (Saturday) snow stuck to the peaks across the valley.  A dusting, perhaps, and it might be melted by afternoon, but only if the temps rise.  Our outside gauge recorded 37 degrees, and we're far below the elevation on yonder peaks -- brrr, a cold morning!  Jimmy disconnected our water line last evening, as a precaution against below-freezing temps, so all he had to do was disconnect power.  After using the dump station, we were on our way, westward bound, of course.  We had miles to go before we slept tonight.

We didn't exactly plan to drive all the way to Yuma.  I figured we'd stop at Gila Bend or even Casa Grande in Arizona, but we were up for the long drive.  It's doable when you change drivers every couple of hours.  But, there you have it, we put 450 miles in today (Sunday).  Traffic is always lighter on Sundays, the pace not so hectic.  You know when you're done ... and we were done.  Why linger?  Home it was, and we'd do it in double time. 

The drive wasn't all strain or pressure.  While we fiddled in the eastern section of the country, the west was preparing an eye-popping bloom that gladdened my heart as we rolled along the freeway.  Great stretches of color appeared -- oranges, violets, yellows, whites.  I couldn't get enough of the dazzling display!  At 60 mph, it wasn't always easy to capture the wide image we could see, but I'll show you some of our best.  Truly, it was a lovely way to go! 

The mountains provided a wonderful backdrop for the lupines or bluebonnets, mixed with canary yellow wildflowers.  I couldn't tell what they were.  Not at 60 miles per hour!

From New Mexico, into Arizona, along the roadsides and into the desert, our drive was aglow with colorful wildflowers. 

Into California, along I-10 toward the low desert, in the Palm Springs/Indio area, vast swaths of brilliant color kept us company.  Around a curve, over a hill, right side, left side, a new surprise would draw an "ooh" or an "oh, look!"  If I was driving, Jimmy valiantly took over camera duty; if he drove, I went from window to window to catch what I could.  We took a lot of pictures!  But, even without photos, I'll remember this drive.  I've never seen so much beauty beside an interstate before.

This snow-covered mountain is in the Wrightwood area,

near the Cajon Pass on I-15.

We didn't go to the "super bloom" area near Lake Elsinore (it wasn't in the cards), but we did all right!  Golden California poppies mixed with violet lupines decorated the hills near Tehachapi along with hundreds of wind turbines of all sizes.  We call this "short cut" the Tehachapi Wind Tunnel, 'cause it's consistently windy.

This pic was so far away, I had to zoom in and enhance it to let the color gleam like we saw it.  This also was near Tehachapi.  Just outstanding.

Closer to Bakersfield, the mountains retreated, and the terrain grew softer.  Here, orange trees mixed with clusters of a purple flower were inescapable, and -- woohoo! -- thank goodness! 

Monday's drive from Yuma to Wasco (near Bakersfield, CA in the central valley) was another long one, approx 400 miles, but again, it wasn't unbearable ... quite the opposite, thanks to flower-power!  Jimmy asked me if I wanted to eat out after we were set up at the Wasco Elks, and he didn't have to ask me twice.  We unhooked Smartie for the short trip to "downtown" Wasco.  We cruised the main street on foot, and chose La Imperial out of the three eateries we saw.  Best Mexican food we've had in a long while ... authentic and delicious.

One more fairly long day from Wasco would get us home, roughly 325 miles.  Tuesday morning's sunrise (above) was a deep red -- sailor take warning! -- and rain was predicted for Nevada City Tuesday evening.  We hoped to be in and have a good head start on unpacking before the rains began.

North to South, I-5 is known for it's millions of Almond trees and vineyards, not its color.  We were lucky to catch the last of the pink Almond bloom, but didn't get a decent photo.  Instead,  I don't know what this vivid orange blanket of blossoms is, but it stretched for miles ...

... as did this yellow carpet!

We were curious about the reason for netting this orchard ...?

All these pictures are from Tergel's windows (sorry, that's not ideal).  The hills along I-5, especially near Kettlemen Hills were such a velvety green that it would make an Irishman weep.  Amazing what a little rain will do ....

Jimmy washed Tergel's BIG windshield three times during Tuesday's drive; in fact, every time we stopped.  Not only were we privy to a "super bloom," the bugs knew it was spring and were also Out and About, and apparently suicidal!  What a mess they made!

Want some stats?  6,431 miles in seven weeks.  $2,000 for gas, with an average price of $2.33/gal.  The price jumped (leaped!) between our coming and going.  In Lordsburg NM, the price went from a divine $1.88/gal to $2.34/gal -- up close to 50 cents in a few weeks!  That makes a big difference when filling a 75-gallon tank.  Our average overnight cost was $11/night, not bad, but it could have been lower if we'd had more favorable weather.

Now we settle in.  Hope to see a certain young miss who celebrated her 2nd birthday on March 15th, but she's sick with a sinus/ear infection, so we'll have to wait.  Spring may have sprung, but where we live at 3,200' in the Sierra Nevada foothills, it's still cold, with leafless trees ... but I see buds ready to pop!  Daffodils are up an inch, the deer ate my camellia and an azalea.  More rain is on our menu, and we'll be truly happy to see the sun and feel it's warmth.  Good trip?  You betcha!

Longboat Key, Florida, Tues, 2/26/19

Tuesday was to be another beach day for Ibby, Jimmy and me. Though Bernice was feeling all right, stomach-wise, she knew being Out and About at the beach wouldn’t be in her best interest. She encouraged us to go, saying she’d continue to take it easy.  Ibby talked about going to Venice (Florida, not Italy or California) and a place called shark beach, allegedly stacked with a seashell extravaganza (o boy!). On I-75, he drove south from Sarasota a few miles and turned off at a Gulf Beaches sign. When he pulled into a beach parking lot, he didn’t think it looked like the right place. After hailing a few friendly folk on a nearby street about shark beach, and no one had heard of it, he returned to the original parking lot. We got out, used the restrooms, and then stepped out onto a coarse, dark sand that in no way resembled the fine white sand of Siesta Key. The strand was narrow, with deep soft sand (hard to walk in) and a short, rather steep slope to the water (hard to walk on) and no flatish, hard in-between sand. Not surprisingly, we saw very few people. We tried walking, but everyone agreed it was a no-go, gave it up and returned to the car. We never did find out where shark beach was with its abundant, spectacular seashells!

Another partly-cloudy day.  Cool shell ring!

Coarse sand and lots of sharp, broken shells at the shoreline.

Okay, we're flexible.  Ibby wanted to show us Longboat Key. Up and over the Intercoastal Canal, he drove us onto an island paradise. Grand estates with lush landscaping mingled with “regular” homes. Long and narrow, with a two-lane bridge to mainland Florida at each end, it was also choked with stop-and-go traffic, backed up for miles at the southern entrance. Good thing we’d be leaving via the northern bridge!  We passed by Mote Aquarium because we wouldn't have enough time today to do it justice.  Hopefully, we'll visit it at some future date.  

We were aiming for Tide Tables, an old Florida restaurant on the Intercoastal water, a spot enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. It ain't a fancy joint -- it’s all about the food (great seafood) and scenery (pelicans), and it was packed.  I had grilled grouper, Ibby had corvina, and Jimmy had a shrimp po’boy.  Lots o' fun eating here.

Kalanchoe blossoms!

Ringside table to watch the birds!

Brown and White Pelicans -- white pelicans are twice as large as browns, (whites are one of our largest flying birds) but it's great sport watching both.  Their antics are comical to this human.  I don't think I've seen brown and white pelicans swimming together before, but I like. 

You lookin' at me?

Wow!

Back at the house -- Florida is sweaty country and we needed to wash the clothes we’d been wearing while in Sarasota. Bernice said, yes, of course.  I have to use free-and-clear laundry detergent, which Bernice didn’t have, but which I had in Tergel.  Jimmy and I took Smartie to Tergel at the Elks, gathered up any remaining stinky clothes, the soap, and hopped back in Smartie.  As we left, gray/black clouds loomed overhead, an assemblage of dark threats, each ominous mass trying to overtake its neighbor.  A few raindrops hit Smartie's windshield as we departed, but it didn't take long before we hit a wall of water that nearly floated Smartie away!  I think car manufacturers should make windshield wipers with a setting that says:  Monsoon. 

Bernice made us a delicious salmon and roasted vegetable dinner, and following clean-up, they wanted to learn the card game that Jimmy and I play, called Hand and Foot.  What a fun evening we had ... the girls won two and the guys won two.

This was our last evening in Sarasota; tomorrow we revisit the same route we took to get here from Nevada City, some 3,200-plus miles away ... Tallahassee, Mobile, Baton Rouge, and so on.  We've loved visiting our traveling friends.  Thanks for everything!  Come see us!

* * * * *

But, wait!  Wednesday morning became hair-cutting day!  Both of us needed to be shorn (it had been a month since haircuts), and Ibby surprised us by offering to clip our hairs.  For 50 years, he was a professional stylist in the NY-NJ area with some well-known clientele, so we took him up on his offer.  Best. Haircut. Ever.

Outside, of course.

And THEN, pounds lighter (all those hairs tumbled to the ground), we took off, headed north to Manatee Springs, FL.