November 30, 2011

Journey’s End

Eight days in Ventura doing Thanksgiving, visiting, and attending to other matters.

We left Ventura yesterday afternoon at 2:00 in bright sun and warm winds.  Felt like summer.  East to I5 and north over the Grapevine.  Light traffic.  All the holiday traffic was over.  As soon as got over the hill and hit the valley floor the season changed – to winter.  FOG.  Low but not so low as to affect visibility. Went on up the valley to Apricot Tree Restaurant on Panoche Rd about half way up the San Joaquin Valley.  The restaurant allows overnight RV parking in their lot.  Very handy.  By the time we got there (about 7:00) the fog was starting to roll across the freeway and filled the parking lot.  Ready to stop.  We left this morning under high fog.  By Stockton it was gone.  Outside temperature never did get above 45 degrees though.  We stopped in Roseville for gas and groceries and then home.  Spent the afternoon emptying the carbus and now to get back to the home rut.

Miles driven:

Carbus  9351.5

Car       1929

Total   11280.5

Map of our 2011 journey.

November 25, 2011

On Hold in Ventura

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  We are still hanging out here for a bit longer.

Here is an updated map of our trip to date.  One piece yet to go.

Novenber 21, 2011

To Ventura

If one has to travel the LA freeways on Monday morning there are two good ways to do it.  One is leave at 2:00 in the morning.  The other is to start in the middle and travel out of town which is what we did.  Our trip from Burbank to Ventura was pretty much smooth sailing @ 50 mph plus all the way.  Staying away from the right hand lanes at freeway intersections (basically one slow moving parking lot joining another even slower parking lot) traffic was fine.  This pleasurable experience was made more so by the clean air.  Again the rain.  Today was sunny and crystal clear with blue skies.  the mountains were clean and clear and looked like cutouts pasted on a blue backdrop.  Again something not seen much in So. Cal.

We are now parked in the driveway at Sue’s mothers house where we will be through Thanksgiving.

November 20, 2011

Burbank

Sunday.  A better time to travel Southern California freeways.  It is never good but Sunday morning is better.

When we left in the morning the sky was overcast and it was chilly.  Started to get occasional sprinkles about Pasadena and as we arrived at Michaels house in Burbank about 11:00am it was just beginning to rain lightly.  We parked the carbus in his driveway, visited for a bit, had lunch, and visited some more.  All the time the rain was increasing.  He suggested visiting Griffith Observatory.  Off we went.  By now the street gutters were all full to the point that flowing water reached a quarter way into the streets on both sides creating one lane residential streets and two lane main arteries that usually are four or six lanes wide.  We crossed over the LA River, normally a very wide dry concrete ditch.  It was full and flowing fast. As we went through the park the first road to the observatory  was closed for construction.  Skip around the hill to another road.  We start up this road with water rushing on each side of us and often across the road.  The storm drains are expelling water rather than taking it in.  A mile or so up this road we find it closed – water and slides.  There is a third road.  We take it.  Still lots of water and some rocks on the road but passable all the way up.  Best time to visit Griffith Observatory is in the middle of a heavy rain storm – at least for parking.  Got a space right in front.  Can be a half mile walk on busy days.  Of course seeing sun and stars is hampered but there is still much to do and see.  The observatory just completed a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion a few years ago.  Lots of interactive exhibits and displays.  Lots of education available with out realizing it.  There is also a state of the art planetarium.  We watched a 30 minute star show and another show in a brand new underground theater that was donated by Leonard Nemoy.  About 5:00 we went outside.  The rain had stopped and the clouds were lifting.  We were treated with something many LA residents don’t get to see.  Crystal clear view of Hollywood and Los Angeles with all the lights and the sun just setting.  The rain had washed the air clean and we could see for miles.  Pretty neat. 

 

The sky was actually much darker than these pictures indicate.  The camera compensated and I didn’t get a chance to fix them.  Easier to see detail in these though.  That is not a reflecting pool in the lower picture.  It is water in the parking lot.

Down the hill and out to dinner at a BBQ diner.  We spent over seven weeks in the heart of rib country and go to Burbank to get some.  Go figure.

November 18-19, 2011

California Bound

Spent a very pleasant evening Thursday at the home of lifelong friends, visiting and having dinner.  We don’t see them very often and it was fun to spend one on one time with them.

Friday drove over the mountains to Prescott.  Nice, wide road with some noticeable elevation change but very doable for even big rigs (trucks).  The road south out of Prescott is the fun one.  True mountain road.  Two lane road of comfortable width.  There is a sign just out of town saying trucks over 40’ prohibited.  Soon found out why.  Twisty turny road with MANY tight turns and hairpins rated at 20 mph or less.  And the turns are banked to achieve that even speed .  Ups and downs but no great elevation change ‘till the last part when descending to the valley.  Carbus did fine and fit the turns with no problem.  Best asphalt roller coaster yet.  :)

Once back at lower elevation, the boredom of Arizona roads returns.  LONG, straight stretches with little scenery change.  We stopped in Quartzsite and parked in a BLM area that is several miles north of the freeway.  Very quiet and dark. :)

This morning it was ten miles to California (we are back the same time as all of you) and then 90+ miles of desert.  We are at an ELKS lodge RV spot for the night and then on to Burbank.  Hopefully Sunday traffic will not be too bad.

November 16-17, 2011

Across New Mexico and Eastern Arizona

Not much to say about western New Mexico.  High desert.  Sage brush and dry grass. 7000’ high.  Flat, wide open expanses that stretch for miles.  So flat and wide open (and remote) that there is a National Radio Telescope Very Large Array  in the middle of it.  Nothing to get in the way.  Near the border hills start to develop.  We crossed the Continental Divide at over 7700’  and went over one summit over 7950’.  In shade protected areas there was still snow from a fall storm about two weeks ago.  The mountains are pretty.  Eastern Arizona is the summer resort area for Phoenix residents.  At this time of year many things are closing down for the winter.  All the state parks are closed in the area and many of the private RV parks are closed or cut way back. 

Camping at over 7000’, in the middle of November, with a steady breeze (wind?) blowing, did not seem desirable to us so we pushed on another hour and 2000’ lower to Payson.  Bustling little town (it does have a Wal-Mart) that is close enough and high enough to be an easy summer escape for Phoenix Valley residents.  Not a problem at this time of year though.  Stayed in a nice little RV park south of town and a mile off the highway.  Very quiet.

From Payson north and west to Cottonwood.  Again climbing over 7100’ before dropping to the valley.  More roadside snow along the way.  Before dropping down the road overlooks the valley.  We got a graphic picture of how Cottonwood got its’ name.  One section of the floor of the valley is filled with Cottonwood trees and right now they are all yellow or light green/yellow mix. 

Right now we are in a small RV park on the bank of Oak Creek.  Google ‘Oak Creek Canyon’ for a description of the scenery associated with this creek.  Thousands of people come to this area  in the summer.  Right now, in this spot, we have it all to ourselves.

Outside our door

Far bank of Oak Creek.  Near side bank of creek is less than 40 feet from the back if Carbus.

 

In front of us.

November 15, 2011

White Sands National Monument

Two years ago when we were in southern New Mexico we somehow missed seeing White Sands Nat. Mon.  We corrected that this trip and avoided some Interstate at the same time.

Miles of fine white gypsum sand dunes in the middle of the desert.

From White Sands, north and west to Socorro, NM.  People say traveling across Texas is boring.  Traveling through most of New Mexico has Texas beat hands down for boring.