Friday, May 30, 2014

MOUNT SHASTA CITY, CALIFORNIA

Well, it is May 28th, and we just pulled into the Koa campground here in Mount Shasta.  It is a gorgeous little mountain town.  Our site is plenty long enough, but alas can't get our satellite signal, but that is ok because koa has expanded cable with 52 channels, whee.  We go to the Black Bear Diner in town for lunch, been in business since 1940 and we both have chicken pot pies and green beans and bacon.  The food is good.  We have water with our meals because all the water here comes from springs and is delicious.  We drive around the little town and then come back to the coach and hang out at the campground.

Well, it is Thursday and we will be sightseeing today.  We go up to Trinity Forest to the lower, middle and upper water falls.  Watch all of the videos, they are so beautiful.  Even the photo of Mount Shasta is so lovely covered with snow.  The weather here is hot during the day but at night it goes down into the 50's.  We have a great time at the falls and the creek there and then go out for dinner to Casa Ramos and have a nice Mexican dinner. 

It is now Friday, our last night here.  We are in an enormous pine forest, lots of logging going on and a train to keep you informed with its whistle.  We take a long ride up in the mountains to a place called Bunny Flats, intending to go up to Panther Meadows to look around but alas the road is closed.  So we come back down to the Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery.  It breeds all the trout and stocks all the rivers and streams with money coming only from fish licenses.  It also had a nice museum on its premises showing you the history of Mount Shasta which in the 1800's was logging and gold mining.  In fact it had so many single men that all the town had was mostly saloons and brothels.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Tonight I will cook dinner and get ready for our trip tomorrow to Phoenix, Oregon which is 3 miles south of Medford.  Lots of things to do there.  We have a huge crack in the lower passenger side of our windshield so we will have to get a new windshield while we are there, among other things of course. 

 
Just had to put in this picture of the town of WEED, ha ha
 
 
 
Isn't this mountaintop magnificent
 
 
Trinity Forest and its beautiful creeks
 
 
Trout in the fish hatchery
 
]
 
These are the waterfall pics, make sure you look at the videos
Natures Wonders
 


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

REDDING, CA

May 21, Jgw Rv Park in Redding, Ca

We rely on our new gps to get us to I-5 and to this park.  The gps passed with flying colors and we pull in about 4:30 pm.  The first spot we park in will not give us a satellite signal, so we move to another spot but too many trees surrounding us will not let the satellite pick up the signal.  This park has no cable tv even though they advertise that they do, so we will have to do without tv for a week, ugh.  The park is lovely with lots of trees and flowers and very well kept, the sacramento river flows through it and the river is beautiful to see.  Just look at our beautiful site(pic). 

Today we went to the Sundial Bridge and Turtle Bay Exploratorium.  The Sundial Bridge is a gorgeous structure.  One huge pylon on one end and cable hold up the entire 720 feet of bridge.  It is a pedestrian bridge only which spans the Sacramento River.  The walking surface is made of a light blue translucent glass, really a sight to see.  At the end of the bridge is the Arboretum(tree zoo) and botanical gardens.  Lots of gorgeous plants and ceramic sculptures.  We went into the museum and had some fun with lorikeets(wild parrots that only drink sugar nectar and fruit for their diet) and the butterfly exhibition.  School is still in session here and there were field trips going on with loads of kids. 

We then went to Wienerschnitzel for lunch (we really love those hot dogs) and then back to the coach for some R & R.  We have cinnabar cinnamon buns and coffee for a snack and then I make shrimp marinara for dinner.  The weather here is a heat wave and it is in the 90's during the day.  With no tv we are really roughing it and we are reading a lot of books.  Thank heavens we have our internet.

Well, its Friday and we venture out after lunch to safeway for groceries.  Got some cooked teriyaki chicken wings and potato salad for dinner.  Then we stop at Camping World.  Beautiful new store but horrible service.  We can't find the way into it off the highway.  Finally Joel find a little service road, and the name of the road is Little Road and we make it in there.  It is not on the gps and no signage to tell you how to get in.  We ask why there are no signs and employees tell us the city does not allow it.  Marcus Lemonis (the ceo) will be hearing from us.  We buy some extra window awning straps and stakes and washers to hold down our outside mat.  We also renew our good sam membership.

The next morning, Saturday, we awake to 78 degrees and lots of wind.  It feels good to open up the screen door and the windows.  Joel pulled a muscle in his back so he is incapacitated today.  I am planning bubba burgers for dinner tonight.  It sounds weird but you have to try them, they are delicious.  They are in the frozen section of the supermarket and you cook them frozen in a skillet.

This is a very quiet park, hardly any kids and just the sound of birds and the rustling of leaves, very peaceful.  Well, we haven't gone anywhere else due to joels bad back and we have no pain pills.  We spent Sunday and Monday just vegging out.  This morning we will make plans for our trip to Oregon, tomorrow we will leave for mount Shasta.  Joel is now at the chiropractor and then later we will go to fetch groceries for our trip tomorrow.  We better have a satellite signal there or we will go bonkers, ha ha.
 
This is the surface of the sundial bridge
Below the sacramento river, man flying fishing in it
 
 
 
 
 
One of the water features of the park
 
 
 
Joel enjoying the lorikeets
 
 
Turtle pond
 
 
Butterfly gardens, these butterflies are eating a piece of orange
 
 
 
Cut surface of a huge redwood tree
 
 
 
 
 
Lorikeets above, joel below on sundial bridge
End to a lovely tourist attraction
 
 
 
 

Thursday, May 22, 2014

GILROY, CALIFORNIA

 
Gilroy, California, May 14th
 
Gilroy Garlic Usa Rv Park, well, we pull in after eating at Carl's Jr. Hamburgers on the road.  They are really great burgers.  We get in after 2pm and get a nice pull thru on a corner site.  They put cones around us because we are a little too long for the site.  We have dinner at "Mama Mia's" in town, a nice italian restaurant, and take a little ride with the top down.  Daytime temps here are in the 90's and during the evening in the low 70's. 

The next day we do some food shopping at Safeway and bed, bath and beyond.  We always need something.  We then have lunch at "Wienerschnitzel" hot dogs. Very good, and very inexpensive.  We pick up a rottiserie chicken for dinner and walk around outlet mall.  At 8pm we got to a comedy theater to see "A farce of Nature", a cute funny drama set in the Ozarks mtns of Arkansas.  All actors did a great job and we enjoy the evening. 

Today is Saturday and we are lazing around and watching tv and doing laundry.  I am making liver and onions and mashed taters for dinner, yum.  Tomorrow we will do some shopping and check out the historic district.

Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world so they say.  Yesterday we took a little trip to Morgan Hill, a pretty hillside community of wineries and vinyards.  We traveled on some beautiful forested mtn roads.  We ate lunch at a cute pink taco stand, and then loaded up on groceries and such at Walmart. 

Today is Monday, the 19th, Julies b-day.  The weather has turned cool but still sunny and we decide to go to the beachtown of Santa Cruz and walk on their famous boardwalk.  We had philly cheesesteak sandwiches for lunch and then took a real long walk all the way to the end of the pier. 

At the end of the pier under the rafters are sea lions all sleeping and swimming.   You can hear them barking as soon as you get there, enjoy the pics. 

We eat tonight at famous Daves bbq and had the brisquet.  We also have sweet tea, the first time we have had it since we left fl.  Tomorrow we will rest up for our next trip to Redding, Ca.
 
Enjoying the boardwalk at santa cruz
 
 
 
Joel is patiently waiting for our cheesesteaks to be cooked
 
 
 
 
The water here is real cold
 
 
 
Here are the sea lions enjoying their sunbath and another one swimming
 
 
 
We stopped for capuchino and choc. covered oreos
 

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS BLOG

Well, I touched a wrong button again and forgot to add the pic and video to previous blog so here they are. 
Above pic of joel waiting for food at steamers
 
Gorgeous view over looking pacific ocean
    
 
Stage of little theater
 
 
 
Warbirds car show
 
 
Below pics of hearst castle
 
Beautiful grounds
 
 
Indoor roman pool
 
 
Elephant seals basking in the sun
 
very friendly squirrels
 
 
above pic of joel playing water volleyball, right top left
below video of elephant seals