Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Headed North and Repairs

Tuesday we left Rancho Oso and backtracked to Valencia Ca, to get repairs done on our awning. The motor went out on it about a month ago and it has taken us this long to get a replacement sent to a Camping World that was close to us. Close meaning 80 miles.

We had an appointment set up for 11.00 am and we figured it would take about an hour or two to get it fixed. We needed to travel about 240 miles north and thought we would just boondock in the Camping World parking lot that night and continue on the next morning. When we arrived we quickly discovered that boondocking would not be an option. Their lot was crammed full of RV’s and just parking waiting for the service I was in the main roadway.

While the repairs were made we shopped inside the store. Camping World for us is like a toy store is to our grandkids. We just went up and down each aisle and somehow our arms were full by our first lap.

After the repairs, we went and had lunch and then went to Walmart for groceries. We got them all put away and then decided to head north. We found a Passport America campground in Tulare Ca, a little over halfway to Coarsegold Ca. We want to speed the Memorial Day weekend at the Escapee’s park that is in Coarsegold.

Driving up Interstate 5 through the “Grapevine” was not a pleasant experience. The Grapevine is a long steep grade. There were high wind warning signs everywhere, and they were not kidding. Max had a very hard time with the wind blowing the bike and cargo trailer everywhere and to make matters worse, the road had rain grooves in the middle and slow lanes.

Rain groves on a motorcycle can sometimes make the front end drift depending on how they are grooved. These were grooved poorly, between that and the wind she had a really squirrely motorcycle on her hands. Not fun for 30 miles.

We arrived at the Fun and Sun RV park  just off of highway 99. They have 3 pull throughs and a bunch of back ins. The roads are all paved with concrete pads. It is a very clean park and a great stop over for $18.50 a night.

We chose a pull through site and then quickly set up and headed across the street to a little Mexican restaurant. Very convenient! After dinner Max and I just sat outside and relaxed enjoying the warm breeze. We finally called it a night and went in to bed around 10:00pm.

Our plans for the next few weeks are to work our our way back over to Morgan Hill Ca, just south of San Francisco. In early June our grandsons Blake (9) and Gage (7) are going to be flying out to us from Indiana. They are flying by themselves under the unaccompanied minors program most airlines have. They have flown before but not by themselves. It will be a four hour flight and we think they will do pretty well. (fingers crossed)

Figuring out the parking at the airport to pick them up is harder than you would think. Our truck is a Ford F450 dually four door, meaning, long, wide and tall. All of the parking at the airport is in garages. We will not fit through the gates or inside the garage, and picking them up on the motorcycle is not an option.

I found a Bart station (subway) just north of the airport that has a Target shopping center next to it. We will park the truck at Target, get on the subway and then take it to the airport. I think the kids will like riding on a subway. Not too many of those in Roanoke Indiana.

We will have the boy’s for about a month and will work our way back inland to Yosemite National Park. We can not wait to see the boy’s. Grandpa has a bunch of stories to tell them!

Enjoy Your Day!

 

 

4 comments:

owensontheroad said...

My parents live just south of Morgan Hill. BART is a great way to get around up in that area.

I used to travel on the Grapevine (Before RV!). We're not looking forward to it when we get out to CA..

Have fun with the boys!

Dan and Tricia said...

Sounds like you will have a fun time with your grandkids! My son flew unaccompanied many many times as my sister works for USAirways. Never had a problem!

Steve and Joan said...

Way to go Maxine! I don't think I could do that kind of riding. Sounds tough. A month with the grandkids....fun!

Catherine, Jo Beth and Grace said...

Great idea for the parking. The kind will love riding on BART anyway:)