Monday, March 16, 2015

I am still in the Santa Barbara area and am spending my time with Marge and Bill.  I moved Myrtle up into the hills to the east of Santa Barbara and am staying at Rancho Oso, which was originally a huge land grant from the Spanish king.  It is located in Las Padres National Forest, in the Santa Ynez recreational area.  The ranch is much smaller now, and has an RV area with full hookups, and cabins, covered wagons, and a teepee to rent.  They also have a couple of tent camp areas that are lovely.   There are large horse pastures where you can keep your horse or rent one of theirs.  For recreation there is every thing from a swimming pool and putt putt golf to trails to ride or walk.  Last year when I stayed here I camped next to a couple on motorcycles who were exploring back roads in the area and finding all kinds of interesting places.

Yesterday morning Susan and Rick (Marge's daughter and her husband) picked me up at Rancho Oso so that I could leave Myrtle and Livy camped while I drive Marge's car back and forth.  It is easier than moving Myrtle every day, and sure saves gas!

I took a couple of pictures yesterday from the RV area, which consists of sites on tiered steps up a good-sized hill.  Every site has a great view and each is a bit different.

Looking right down the hill from Myrtle's current site
you can see the tree we camped under last year.

You can see from the picture how green the area is.  The green is misleading.  The area is into the midst of a very long drought--can't remember if we are in the 7th or 8th year.  Santa Barbara had a massive rainstorm a few weeks ago--7 inches.  Consequently everything is growing madly, flowering and going to seed while it has enough moisture.  I'll take time to get some flower pictures in the next morning or two.  I get up there at night in the dark.

Even the most barren spots on the farther hills,
the results of past fires, are somewhat green.

I woke up this morning just as the sun was rising, pulled up the shade for the window over my bed, and saw a gorgeous sky.  I took a picture through the window screen because I was too sleepy to think of opening the screen.  Then went right back to sleep!

A bit strange, but you get the idea.  The silver shape
in the foreground is the Airstream-type trailer next door.

The weather here has been record breaking.  Saturday set a record at 88 degrees, and yesterday set a new record at 95 degrees.  This is the first time they have had so many days above 90 degrees so early in the year.

Marge is gradually getting healthier.  She is at the hairdresser's this morning having her hair done.  We'll see how tired she is when she gets back.  She is frustrated at her lack of "oomph!" The Encino Royale singers are doing a concert for the community St. Patrick's day celebration at 5 this evening.  Marge isn't sure she is going to be able to sing--we'll see how it goes.

That's the news.  I'm keeping my computer at Marge and Bill's because my signal is so weak at Rancho Oso.  I can talk on my phone up there only if I sit on my bed next to the window!  I'll talk at you all later!

Friday March 15, 2015

I am in Goleta at the home of Marge and Bill Livingstone.  Marge is my step mom, for those who don't know, and Bill is her wonderful husband. They live in a great retirement community centered around a golf course and club house with swimming pool.   I arrived in the early afternoon on Thursday, and got permission to park Myrtle on the community's street for the night.

Goleta is a little town on the western edge of Santa Barbara--remember that the coast goes east-west in this part of southern California.  I always have to remind myself that we're not north of Santa Barbara.

Marge is recovering from pneumonia slowly but surely.  She spent a couple of days in the hospital earlier this week and had a checkup with her doctor this morning.  She still doesn't feel great and tires easily, but is on the mend.

I took a couple of pictures this morning.  This first is Bill and Marge's patio overlooking the golf course.  They have a couple of new chairs that are very comfy.  But it is 85 degrees out there in the sun right now, so we're all indoors admiring the view.

Bill and Marge's condo looks across the golf course to the clubhouse.  The blur is my fingertip--sorry!  My connection here is so weak that it takes 6 minutes to upload each picture.  I'm not doing another shot!

I have a picture from yesterday of the RV park on the south end of King City (Cuidad del Rey, I think).  I stayed there Wednesday night and enjoyed the neighbors I met.  The town is south of Salinas in the Salinas Valley.  The valley is very green, so the small amounts of rain have done some good.  That's Myrtle's new bike rack on the right of the picture.  The morning had a high fog, so you can't get a glimpse of the surrounding mountains.

Finally, a picture of the park in Corning--Heritage Park--where I stayed Tuesday night.  We were having a light misty rain, so you are not seeing sunny California here either!

I will move Myrtle up into the hills above Santa Barbara this afternoon to spend 6 days camping at Rancho Oso.  I stayed there last year in April and it is a lovely spot with great views.  I think I may see wildflowers blooming, although I noticed that all of the azaleas down here in Goleta are done blooming so I might be too late!

Oh!  I told Gina last night about the unscheduled experiment on gas economy that I ran as I drove south.  I've been filling Myrtle's gas tank each morning.  Wednesday as I drove down I-5 from Corning I was averaging right around 67 mph.  I turned off I-5 at Santa Nella and stopped for lunch (great In n Out burger joint there!).  I checked to see what kind of gas milage I was getting--8.3 MPG!  So I slowed down for the rest of the day as I drove over Pacheco Pass and south down highway 101.  By the end of the day my MPG was up to 9.2.  So Thursday, as I continued down 101 I kept my speed at 57 or 58 mph.  When I arrived in Goleta my MPG was 11.3.  So increasing Myrtle's speed 10 miles per hour cost me 2 miles per gallon.  When I'm burning more than 30 gallons of gas a day that means I cover 60 miles less on that tank of gas!  No more hurry-up-and-get-there driving for me.

That's most of the news for today.  I'll catch up with all of you later.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

I fell down on the job last night.  After a couple of long days of driving I took the night off.  I sat and talked to neighbors in the RV park here in King City, met a cat who looks like Garfield and 4 dogs, had a pork chop and salad for dinner, read for an hour, and slept for about 9 hours!  My step-mom Marge is home after a few days in the hospital with pneumonia, so I am looking forward to arriving at her home in Goleta this afternoon.  I'll take some pictures here before I leave, and catch you all up this evening!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Today was mostly driving, with a cloud-covered sky and somewhat gusty winds. I'm in Corning California tonight, which is about 15 miles south of Red Bluff (which is slightly south of Redding).  I'm staying at Heritage Park--not more than a few blocks off I-5, but very quiet anyway.  All sites are pull-throughs, and there are shade trees at both ends of each driveway.  I sent myself a picture from my cell phone, but it has not come through to my computer email yet.

Driving through southern Oregon in spring brought back a lot of memories of Easter trips down to visit Grandma and Grandpa Isakson.  I saw new lambs and calves in the fields and tree leaves just starting to open.  As I came south through northern California the leaves on the trees got bigger and bigger.  Still lots of trees in bloom too--almond and olive, I think.

It is currently (6pm) 71 degrees in Corning despite the overcast sky.  Wednesday is predicted to be cloudy and cooler, but Thursday and Friday should be sunny and 78 degrees.  I'm hoping that I will drive into that sun more quickly as I head south tomorrow.

Livy had a very good day today.  No vomiting, and only one session of announcing that it was time to stop NOW!  I was ready to stop for lunch so our schedules agreed.  

We both took a walk around and I ate lunch while talking to a couple who live on Vancouver Island and are traveling with a 5th-wheel.  This is their first RV trip, so they were surprised at their truck's complaints coming over the Siskiyou Summit.

I have a reservation in King City tomorrow night. I'm hoping for sun!  I'll get an early start tomorrow.  Talk to you all tomorrow.

Monday March 9, 2015

I'm trekking with Myrtle again.  My cat Olivia (Livy) and I are camping in my motorhome Myrtle on our way down to Santa Barbara to see family.  We spent yesterday afternoon and evening enjoying beautiful 73 degree weather in Vancouver Washington with friends Kathryn and Alan Murphy.  This morning Kathryn and I took a brisk walk with Foyle, their Search and Rescue Poodle.  Still beautiful sunshine, but very nippy!

Livy is now wearing a Thundershirt when we go anywhere in a motor vehicle.  She has decided that she has to throw up at the beginning of each driving day, so the Thundershirt (which is sort of like a body hug) is supposed to comfort her.  She does not have breakfast when we are going to drive. When we left home yesterday she threw up very halfheartedly.  This morning she climbed up on the table while I was cooking myself an egg, and demanded her breakfast.
When I told her no breakfast she stared me in the eye and immediately vomited on the table. This cat clearly understands English, and knows that no breakfast means we're going to drive today.  She muttered about having to go into the Thundershirt after my breakfast, but was fine the rest of the day.

We had a nice drive down through Oregon, stopping at every other rest area so that we can both get out and walk around. Tonight we're staying in Twin Rivers Vacation Park on the Umquah River to the west of Roseburg Oregon. 

I took this picture about 5:30 pm so the sun is dropping behind the coast mountain range, but it is a very quiet, pretty campground with lots of grassy space.  There are several great places to walk--along the river or through the Master Gardener's garden across the road leading into the campground.

Tomorrow I want to get an early start so that I spend tomorrow night in a campground near Corning California (south of Redding and Red Bluff).  I just got word that my step mom is in a Santa Barbara hospital with what sounds like a light case of pneumonia (if there is such a thing).  I plan to be in Santa Barbara by Thursday and with luck she may be home by then.  Wishes, prayers, and meditations are appreciated!