Frank & Rene
We will be on the road as of November 2012
Friday, May 31, 2013
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ROAD
Frank and I left Long Island, NY in November of 2012 and have made multiple stops to visit family and National Parks during this initial 'adventure'. Before we departed from New York we had installed one 95-watt solar panel and taken care of several maintenance items on our 1994 Fleetwood Tioga Montara.
Our stops along the way have lead to some good information on Alaska, camp hosting, sites to see, and boon docking tips. Its good to get some first hand information. I had spent the past summer reading many articles on RV organization, how to manage water use while boon docking, what food and items you really need, and other RV survival tips. My only previous RV experience was a vacation where my family and I had rented an RV for a week-long trip to Possum Lake, TX. The experience was mixed with good and funny memories, but the vote was not to travel by RV again. So many years later here I am venturing into full-time RVing with Frank and we plan to see this beautiful country of ours for years to come.
We have definitely over packed because after six months on the road many items are still packed up and won't be coming along on the next trip. Organizing and trying to improve upon our storage is definitely worthwhile, it saves time and space. I made large size shoe pockets that go all the way around both sides of the bed, they work great and by using an inexpensive paint tarp and some grommets the total cost was probably about $10. Frank added some wire shelves under the vanity counter in the bedroom and we use the space for clothes, hiking boots, his National Park hat collection, and extra storage. The kitchen cabinets have been tweaked and re-tweaked, we have added wire shelves in most cabinets in order to add a 2nd tier for organizing food and dishware items. One section was fitted with a 3-tier canned food holder, found at the Container Store, it works for cans, fruit cups, bottles and small boxes. We use two plastic bins on each side of the overhead space above the driver & passenger seats; one holds our sports and hiking equipment, and the other holds our books and maps.
We kicked into gear immediately with the water conservation effort. We collect water in the sink by keeping a plastic bin in it at all times to collect hand and dish washing water when we are without hookups (which will be most of the time) in many National Park and Forest campgrounds. This water is emptied into an old pail we keep in the shower. We also collect shower water in this pail when warming up the water at the start of our showers. These conservation efforts help us stay put for a week before we have to drive the RV to a dump station to empty the grey water tank. Our RV has a 30 gallon fresh water tank, a 35 gallon gray tank, and a 35 gallon black water holding tank.
In order to avoid having to drive the RV to fill up our fresh water tank we purchased two standard 7-gallon blue water jugs from Walmart, and store them in the Jeep so we can fill up on our way back from sightseeing. Frank purchased a 12-volt water pump from Northern Tools and added some PVC piping and quick-connect hose adapters from Home Depot so that we are able to pump water into the RV tank without any heavy lifting.
Food and meal preparation is an area that will be dependent on available RV space, personal choice, and how much effort you want to exert in order to make a meal. My food cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer have become a lot more orderly as our traveling has progressed. For our first two-week-long dry camping I took stock of what was on hand, developed possible meals, then created the shopping list. We were going to make do with what we had on hand in order to see if we could estimate food needs wisely. Well, we made it and had 5-6 meals left. A few shopping changes have been made since our trip began; powdered sports drink instead of buying bottled, Tang instead of fresh or frozen orange juice, powdered low fat milk instead of fresh, instant coffee instead of our Keurig, fruit cups to supplement fresh fruit. These are just a few items that come to mind. We keep 1/2 gallon containers in our refrigerator door for milk, juice, water, tea, so we can make drink items as we need them. If anyone told me I would be drinking powdered milk and instant coffee, and liking them, I would not have believed them but life on the road brings about change.
We purchased a 12-volt crock pot for Christmas with hopes of using it to make hot meals during our boon docking. After our first use it was apparent that we do not have enough power with the one solar panel and single 12-volt house battery to use the crock pot as planned. So we now use the crock pot for making meals while we travel "on the road" or when at sites with power - it works great and dinner is ready by the time we arrive at our destination. Lesson learned! Since starting our trip we have added a second battery and have a second solar panel waiting to be installed in New York. We may even make some modifications in order to fit a third or fourth battery.
We have experimented with the propane oven in the RV and have made fresh Italian and Irish breads, banana breads, cookies, and cupcakes. In some cases we have had to shave off the well-done bottom of a cake or muffin, but practice is improving that issue. We finally have the time to bake and cook so neither one of us lets the smaller space or lack of electricity keep us from a 'baking day' or 'Pasta Sunday'. Sure we could just start up the generator and take the easy way but that just wouldn't be the same.
Latest lesson learned on the road was how to address a serious medical issue. When I (Rene) had quit work last summer a very important task was to secure self-insured medical insurance coverage. This was not a slam dunk even for a seemingly very healthy 50-year old woman, but looking back I'm thankful for the coverage I did manage to find before our trip began. When I experienced a ruptured appendix we were forced to find medical care on the road, far from either of our homes. After searching my insurance directory for participating clinics and hospitals I scheduled an appointment. I was sent from clinic to the ER and then spent a week in the small hospital before returning weeks later for the laparoscopic surgery to conclude this chapter of our travel. We heard from many locals in the town that they would suggest going elsewhere for care but we had confidence in the 'traveling surgeon' and the wonderful staff at the small Sutter Coast Hospital in Crescent City, CA. While others may have taken a different path in addressing a serious medical issue on the road we are pretty happy with our outcome.
Hopefully we will be returning to the road next Wednesday and while we won't be taking our Alaska Adventure this summer we are pretty sure that our new plans to venture through the Tetons, Yellowstone and the Rocky Mountains on our way back towards home will still provide great memories and sites on our first of many 'Endless Adventures in the USA'.
Regards,
Rene & Frank
PS: To view all of our travel photos use the link below to Frank's facebook page.
www.facebook.com/frank.posillico.351
Monday, May 27, 2013
CRATER LAKE NP, OLYMPIC NP, LEWIS & CLARK NHS and OREGON DUNES NS - OR & WA
With Rene getting back to her old self we left Klamath on Saturday May 4th and set our sites on Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. We had an interesting drive on the winding roads of Highway 199 that runs from Crescent City to Grants Pass. We arrived safely at Joseph H. Stewart State Park on Highway 62, near Prospect, OR., which is about 36 miles from Crater Lake. It was still quite cold to camp in the National Park as their Mazama Village campground was still closed. We set up camp and enjoyed the rest of the day at this beautiful state park.
The following day we set out to visit Crater Lake National Park. It was a beautiful tree lined drive and as we got to higher elevations the snow started to appear on the side of the road. Once we got all the way up to the Steel Visitor Center the piles of snow left by the plows were still quite high and hiking was limited, unless of course you had snow shoes. We were still able to get good views of the lake and a section of the West Rim Drive had been cleared of snow up to Discovery Point. The park averages about 44 feet of snow each Winter. Obviously, the best time to visit is in the Summer months, because it may take until early July to open the entire Rim Drive. Just in case you didn't know, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It is fed by rain and snow and is considered to be the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world. They say it was formed about 7,700 years ago when the 12,000 foot tall volcano collapsed following a major eruption. Why didn't I like this kind of stuff when I was in school? Anyway, on our return trip we stopped at the Rogue River Gorge to view the rushing water at a point where the river narrows to about 25 feet in width. After that, it was still early when we got back to camp so we hiked a bit along the Lost Creek Reservoir trail before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Monday May 6th we continued North and were planning a side trip to Seattle. We stayed overnight at the Gettings Creek Rest Area and after breakfast drove to Potlatch State Park,near Hoodsport, which was not far from Bremerton where we could catch a ferry to Seattle. We set up camp, always looking for the sunniest site, and enjoyed the view of the Hood Canal right across the street from the campground. The next morning we were up early and took the ferry to Seattle and spent about half the day walking around the Pike Place Market area. The forecast was for sunny and warm so I wore shorts and sandles, well that didn't happen! Welcome to Seattle! Good thing I took a fleece with me. We had some great pizza at De Laurenti's for lunch and we each had a Boston creme filled donut for desert from the Pike Place Bakery. We also saw the very first Starbuck's coffee shop located on Pike Place. We stopped by some of the shops along the waterfront on our way back to the ferry terminal. All in all, it turned out to be a nice day and it got better when the sun came out while on our return ferry to Bremerton.
On Thursday May 9th we arrived in Port Angeles and stopped at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center before setting up camp on a sunny site at Heart O'the Hills Campground in Olympic National Park. It was still early in the day so we took the drive up to Hurricane Ridge for views of Mount Olympus, glaciers and the wilderness. There was still quite a bit of snow up there at this time of the year, so again, unless you have snow shoes you have to stay in the plowed areas around the visitor center. This is another location that should be visited in the summer months if you have that choice. But still, spectacular views! The following day we moved the RV to the Fairholme campground at Crescent Lake and hiked the Marymere Fall Trail. The day after that we drove to Sol Duc Hot Springs, hiked the Sol Duc Falls Trail and then took a dip in the Hot Springs Pools at the resort.
On Sunday May 12th we moved the RV to the Kalaloch campground, which Rene says is her favorite National Park campground that we have been to since Padre Island National Seashore. It is right on the Pacific Coast and we got a site right on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. We spent the rest of that day on R&R collecting driftwood and shells on the beautiful beach. The following day we visited the Hoh Rain Forest in the rain. We geared up in our rain suits and hiked around a bit. There's no better way to experience what the trees and plants feel like than to be in a rain forest in the rain! By the time we were finished there the sky started to clear and we were able to do some beach-combing in the afternoon. The next day was an R&R day with more beach-combing. On Wednesday May 15th we started heading South and stopped overnight at the Dunes RV Resort in Copalis to meet up with Jeremy & Hazel who had been driving North on Highway 101 on their way to Port Angeles to meet some friends. We shared a bottle of wine and had a nice evening with them.
We said goodbye to Jeremy & Hazel the following morning before heading to the Cape Disappointment State Park campground, which was only a short distance from where we were. We visited the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on the grounds and took a hike to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse where we met a young man from Stony Brook, NY. He was in the Coast Guard and stationed there. We had noticed the New York License Plates on a Jeep parked at the lighthouse, so we knocked on the window of the weather station and spoke with him briefly. He was a very pleasant young man. The next day we crossed the Columbia River and drove to Fort Stevens State Park to camp for the night. Nearby we visited Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Park. This is where the Corps of Discovery set up camp for the Winter of 1805-06, after reaching the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River. It was an amazing accomplishment and they only lost one member of their party, due to what was believed to be appendicitis, during their journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Why didn't I think this was cool when I was learning about it in grade school? If you ever have a chance you should check out the Ken Burns film about their journey that he made for PBS. Rene and I saw it when we were in St. Louis visiting the Arch.
On Saturday May 18th we continued South along Highway 101 and stopped at the Oregon Dunes National Seashore area and set up camp at the Lagoon campground. Lagoon has no hookups, but it does have fresh water. It does not have a dump station. It is a National Forest Service campground and is patrolled by Forest Service Rangers, so when you are driving around the park use your directional signals so that you don't get pulled over like I did! No ticket, just a warning! Whew! Anyway, we hiked some trails while we were there and spent some time at the beach. FYI - For the general public to get to the beach from the parking lot you have to climb over an enormous sand dune. There is no wooden staircase, just sand... on the way up and sand... on the way down. Getting to this beach would be difficult for some and there is no handicap wheelchair access. We would have liked to stay here longer, but the weather forecast was indicating rain and cloudy weather and that's not good news for our solar panels. It seems the Pacific Northwest is not the ideal place for boon-docking or dry camping, just not enough consistent sunshine to keep our batteries charged! We did great when we were down in the Southwest!
On Tuesday May 21st we departed the Lagoon campground and headed South on Highway 101, which, by the way, has spectacular views of the rugged Oregon coastline. It's a little nerve wracking driving a 29 foot RV towing a jeep along this curvaceous coastal road, but still spectacular. At least Rene was able to enjoy the view. We arrived at Shoreline RV Park in Crescent City, which is a city owned RV park, where we will probably stay until Rene has her pesky appendix removed on the 28th. It's not far from Sutter Coast Hospital. After her surgery we will consider what our next destination will be on our Endless Adventure!
Regards,
Frank & Rene
PS: To view all of our travel photos please use the link below to Frank's facebook page.
The following day we set out to visit Crater Lake National Park. It was a beautiful tree lined drive and as we got to higher elevations the snow started to appear on the side of the road. Once we got all the way up to the Steel Visitor Center the piles of snow left by the plows were still quite high and hiking was limited, unless of course you had snow shoes. We were still able to get good views of the lake and a section of the West Rim Drive had been cleared of snow up to Discovery Point. The park averages about 44 feet of snow each Winter. Obviously, the best time to visit is in the Summer months, because it may take until early July to open the entire Rim Drive. Just in case you didn't know, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It is fed by rain and snow and is considered to be the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world. They say it was formed about 7,700 years ago when the 12,000 foot tall volcano collapsed following a major eruption. Why didn't I like this kind of stuff when I was in school? Anyway, on our return trip we stopped at the Rogue River Gorge to view the rushing water at a point where the river narrows to about 25 feet in width. After that, it was still early when we got back to camp so we hiked a bit along the Lost Creek Reservoir trail before having dinner and settling in for the night.
On Monday May 6th we continued North and were planning a side trip to Seattle. We stayed overnight at the Gettings Creek Rest Area and after breakfast drove to Potlatch State Park,near Hoodsport, which was not far from Bremerton where we could catch a ferry to Seattle. We set up camp, always looking for the sunniest site, and enjoyed the view of the Hood Canal right across the street from the campground. The next morning we were up early and took the ferry to Seattle and spent about half the day walking around the Pike Place Market area. The forecast was for sunny and warm so I wore shorts and sandles, well that didn't happen! Welcome to Seattle! Good thing I took a fleece with me. We had some great pizza at De Laurenti's for lunch and we each had a Boston creme filled donut for desert from the Pike Place Bakery. We also saw the very first Starbuck's coffee shop located on Pike Place. We stopped by some of the shops along the waterfront on our way back to the ferry terminal. All in all, it turned out to be a nice day and it got better when the sun came out while on our return ferry to Bremerton.
On Thursday May 9th we arrived in Port Angeles and stopped at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center before setting up camp on a sunny site at Heart O'the Hills Campground in Olympic National Park. It was still early in the day so we took the drive up to Hurricane Ridge for views of Mount Olympus, glaciers and the wilderness. There was still quite a bit of snow up there at this time of the year, so again, unless you have snow shoes you have to stay in the plowed areas around the visitor center. This is another location that should be visited in the summer months if you have that choice. But still, spectacular views! The following day we moved the RV to the Fairholme campground at Crescent Lake and hiked the Marymere Fall Trail. The day after that we drove to Sol Duc Hot Springs, hiked the Sol Duc Falls Trail and then took a dip in the Hot Springs Pools at the resort.
On Sunday May 12th we moved the RV to the Kalaloch campground, which Rene says is her favorite National Park campground that we have been to since Padre Island National Seashore. It is right on the Pacific Coast and we got a site right on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. We spent the rest of that day on R&R collecting driftwood and shells on the beautiful beach. The following day we visited the Hoh Rain Forest in the rain. We geared up in our rain suits and hiked around a bit. There's no better way to experience what the trees and plants feel like than to be in a rain forest in the rain! By the time we were finished there the sky started to clear and we were able to do some beach-combing in the afternoon. The next day was an R&R day with more beach-combing. On Wednesday May 15th we started heading South and stopped overnight at the Dunes RV Resort in Copalis to meet up with Jeremy & Hazel who had been driving North on Highway 101 on their way to Port Angeles to meet some friends. We shared a bottle of wine and had a nice evening with them.
We said goodbye to Jeremy & Hazel the following morning before heading to the Cape Disappointment State Park campground, which was only a short distance from where we were. We visited the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on the grounds and took a hike to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse where we met a young man from Stony Brook, NY. He was in the Coast Guard and stationed there. We had noticed the New York License Plates on a Jeep parked at the lighthouse, so we knocked on the window of the weather station and spoke with him briefly. He was a very pleasant young man. The next day we crossed the Columbia River and drove to Fort Stevens State Park to camp for the night. Nearby we visited Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Park. This is where the Corps of Discovery set up camp for the Winter of 1805-06, after reaching the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River. It was an amazing accomplishment and they only lost one member of their party, due to what was believed to be appendicitis, during their journey from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Why didn't I think this was cool when I was learning about it in grade school? If you ever have a chance you should check out the Ken Burns film about their journey that he made for PBS. Rene and I saw it when we were in St. Louis visiting the Arch.
On Saturday May 18th we continued South along Highway 101 and stopped at the Oregon Dunes National Seashore area and set up camp at the Lagoon campground. Lagoon has no hookups, but it does have fresh water. It does not have a dump station. It is a National Forest Service campground and is patrolled by Forest Service Rangers, so when you are driving around the park use your directional signals so that you don't get pulled over like I did! No ticket, just a warning! Whew! Anyway, we hiked some trails while we were there and spent some time at the beach. FYI - For the general public to get to the beach from the parking lot you have to climb over an enormous sand dune. There is no wooden staircase, just sand... on the way up and sand... on the way down. Getting to this beach would be difficult for some and there is no handicap wheelchair access. We would have liked to stay here longer, but the weather forecast was indicating rain and cloudy weather and that's not good news for our solar panels. It seems the Pacific Northwest is not the ideal place for boon-docking or dry camping, just not enough consistent sunshine to keep our batteries charged! We did great when we were down in the Southwest!
On Tuesday May 21st we departed the Lagoon campground and headed South on Highway 101, which, by the way, has spectacular views of the rugged Oregon coastline. It's a little nerve wracking driving a 29 foot RV towing a jeep along this curvaceous coastal road, but still spectacular. At least Rene was able to enjoy the view. We arrived at Shoreline RV Park in Crescent City, which is a city owned RV park, where we will probably stay until Rene has her pesky appendix removed on the 28th. It's not far from Sutter Coast Hospital. After her surgery we will consider what our next destination will be on our Endless Adventure!
Regards,
Frank & Rene
PS: To view all of our travel photos please use the link below to Frank's facebook page.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, CA
On the morning of April 4th we left the Walmart in Napa and headed North to visit Redwood National Park. On the way up we stopped in Santa Rosa so that Rene could seek medical attention at a clinic for her sinus issues and to have the abdominal pain evaluated that she had been experiencing on her right side. After an office exam the PA gave her a prescription for an antibiotic and told her that her abdominal pain was probably stress related. We stopped at a Walmart Pharmacy and picked up her medication and were back on the road again. We stayed overnight at a rest area on Highway 101 just North of Eureka.
The following morning we continued our trek Northward and arrived at Chinook RV Resort in Klamath, CA. The campground was right on Highway 101 and located right on the Klamath River not far from the mouth where it meets the Pacific Ocean. The price was right at $15.00 a night for full hook-up with cable, WiFi, and a scenic location. Most of the campgrounds in this area cater to campers that like to fish and are booked during the Summer and early Fall at the peak of the Salmon and Steelhead fishing season. We had decided to stay at a private campground, because the National Park Service does not operate any campgrounds in this area. Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks do operate campgrounds, but they are quite expensive considering that they only have sites without hookups. In addition, the sites are wooded with not much sun for the solar panel. Anyway, we set up camp at Chinook and Rene rested over the weekend. While Rene's sinus issues improved, her abdominal pain continued and she requested that I take her to a clinic in Crescent City on Monday.
We arrived at the Sutter Coast Health Clinic Monday morning and after a quick exam they indicated that she may have appendicitis and directed us to the ER across the street at the Sutter Coast Hospital. After completing some forms she was seen in the ER by a PA and then by a surgeon. The surgeon sent her for a CT scan which confirmed the diagnosis of appendicitis. Now...I don't know about you, but we were always under the impression that if you have appendicitis you must have your appendix removed immediately, right?! Well... apparently there are some new treatment options that the medical profession is using that we were not aware of. What they do now, in some cases, is insert a drain and treat the abscess with antibiotics for a week during an in-hospital stay. After that week they discharge you, but have you take more antibiotics for 10 days, then you come back two weeks later for a recheck. If all is well they schedule laparoscopic surgery to remove the appendix in about a month. I confirmed this treatment plan with my sister, Linda, the nurse, and she indicated that what we described was exactly what was done for her daughter, Lauren, my niece, when she was diagnosed with appendicitis. So, with that said, Rene was admitted and treated in the hospital for a week. After our initial shock of having to deal with a serious medical emergency on the road, we came to realize that the staff at this "small town" hospital were all extremely professional, friendly and very accommodating. I was able to move the RV to the hospital parking lot where they provided me one of the two RV spots they had, with water and electric, at no charge! Rene responded very well to the treatment and the following Monday she was discharged after the last CT scan showed that the abscess was gone.
We returned to Chinook RV Resort, and after a day of rest, Rene was feeling well enough to start visiting some areas of Redwood National Park. Let's take a moment and look at some facts and differences about Redwoods and Sequoias. The Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) grow in a narrow strip along the Pacific Coast of California and Southwestern Oregon. Giant Sequoias grow only on the Sierra Nevada's Western slope. The worlds tallest living trees, Coast Redwoods tower over all other trees and some have been recorded as being as high as 370 feet. Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) grow to larger diameters and bulk, but do not grow as tall. Coast Redwoods can live to about 2,000 years old and average 500 to 700 years old. They have no known diseases and do not suffer any significant insect damage. Giant Sequoias can live to be 3,200 years old! We were in awe being in the presence of these magnificent trees!
We started our exploration at the Klamath Overlook, just down the road, at the mouth of the Klamath River. This was where we saw grey whales the following week. In between days of R&R we visited the Park Headquarters & Visitor Center in Crescent City, the Battery Point Lighthouse, the Stout Grove, the Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick, the Big Tree via the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Gold Bluff Beach, Fern Canyon, Point St. George, Lake Earl, Tolowa Dunes State Park and the Crescent Beach Overlook. During this two week period we also took care of some chores with trips to Walmart, the Post Office and to Del Norte Tire to buy new tires for the Jeep. We also did some laundry at the campground. All in all, we enjoyed touring around the area. We took it easy on the hiking and kept to the less strenuous trails since Rene was still in the process of recuperation.
During this two and a half week period before Rene's recheck, we spent some time with Jeremy & Hazel who we met at the Chinook RV Resort. They were from England and had been traveling around the United States for the past nine months. They had spent the previous three years traveling around Europe in a camping trailer or "caravan" as they refer to it. When they decided to visit North America they made arrangements through a RV dealer in the UK to purchase a new 5th Wheel camping trailer. They flew over last Summer to pick it up in Indiana along with their Dodge pickup to tow! We spend quite a bit of time with them having afternoon tea (vodka & tonic for some of us) and enjoyed getting to know them. They said when they are finished traveling in North America they will have the truck and trailer shipped back to the UK where they will continue living in it full-time. They will be traveling to Canada for a few months to visit friends and relatives. I believe they are on Vancouver Island for a month as I write this. They also indicated an interest in venturing into Mexico on the Baja Peninsula. We exchanged contact info and plan on staying in touch with them. You never know... maybe one day we will do some RVing over in Europe and can hook up with them!
Rene had her follow-up visit with the surgeon on May 1st and a CT scan on May 3rd and everything looked good. She has an appointment for surgery on May 28th. In the meantime, we will be traveling to Crater Lake NP, Olympic NP, then down the Oregon coast with stops near the mouth of the Columbia River to see the Lewis & Clark National Historic sites. We will then continue South to Oregon Dunes National Seashore before coming back to Crescent City. We will fill you in on that trip in our next blog.
Regards,
Frank & Rene
The following morning we continued our trek Northward and arrived at Chinook RV Resort in Klamath, CA. The campground was right on Highway 101 and located right on the Klamath River not far from the mouth where it meets the Pacific Ocean. The price was right at $15.00 a night for full hook-up with cable, WiFi, and a scenic location. Most of the campgrounds in this area cater to campers that like to fish and are booked during the Summer and early Fall at the peak of the Salmon and Steelhead fishing season. We had decided to stay at a private campground, because the National Park Service does not operate any campgrounds in this area. Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks do operate campgrounds, but they are quite expensive considering that they only have sites without hookups. In addition, the sites are wooded with not much sun for the solar panel. Anyway, we set up camp at Chinook and Rene rested over the weekend. While Rene's sinus issues improved, her abdominal pain continued and she requested that I take her to a clinic in Crescent City on Monday.
We arrived at the Sutter Coast Health Clinic Monday morning and after a quick exam they indicated that she may have appendicitis and directed us to the ER across the street at the Sutter Coast Hospital. After completing some forms she was seen in the ER by a PA and then by a surgeon. The surgeon sent her for a CT scan which confirmed the diagnosis of appendicitis. Now...I don't know about you, but we were always under the impression that if you have appendicitis you must have your appendix removed immediately, right?! Well... apparently there are some new treatment options that the medical profession is using that we were not aware of. What they do now, in some cases, is insert a drain and treat the abscess with antibiotics for a week during an in-hospital stay. After that week they discharge you, but have you take more antibiotics for 10 days, then you come back two weeks later for a recheck. If all is well they schedule laparoscopic surgery to remove the appendix in about a month. I confirmed this treatment plan with my sister, Linda, the nurse, and she indicated that what we described was exactly what was done for her daughter, Lauren, my niece, when she was diagnosed with appendicitis. So, with that said, Rene was admitted and treated in the hospital for a week. After our initial shock of having to deal with a serious medical emergency on the road, we came to realize that the staff at this "small town" hospital were all extremely professional, friendly and very accommodating. I was able to move the RV to the hospital parking lot where they provided me one of the two RV spots they had, with water and electric, at no charge! Rene responded very well to the treatment and the following Monday she was discharged after the last CT scan showed that the abscess was gone.
We returned to Chinook RV Resort, and after a day of rest, Rene was feeling well enough to start visiting some areas of Redwood National Park. Let's take a moment and look at some facts and differences about Redwoods and Sequoias. The Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) grow in a narrow strip along the Pacific Coast of California and Southwestern Oregon. Giant Sequoias grow only on the Sierra Nevada's Western slope. The worlds tallest living trees, Coast Redwoods tower over all other trees and some have been recorded as being as high as 370 feet. Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) grow to larger diameters and bulk, but do not grow as tall. Coast Redwoods can live to about 2,000 years old and average 500 to 700 years old. They have no known diseases and do not suffer any significant insect damage. Giant Sequoias can live to be 3,200 years old! We were in awe being in the presence of these magnificent trees!
We started our exploration at the Klamath Overlook, just down the road, at the mouth of the Klamath River. This was where we saw grey whales the following week. In between days of R&R we visited the Park Headquarters & Visitor Center in Crescent City, the Battery Point Lighthouse, the Stout Grove, the Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick, the Big Tree via the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Gold Bluff Beach, Fern Canyon, Point St. George, Lake Earl, Tolowa Dunes State Park and the Crescent Beach Overlook. During this two week period we also took care of some chores with trips to Walmart, the Post Office and to Del Norte Tire to buy new tires for the Jeep. We also did some laundry at the campground. All in all, we enjoyed touring around the area. We took it easy on the hiking and kept to the less strenuous trails since Rene was still in the process of recuperation.
During this two and a half week period before Rene's recheck, we spent some time with Jeremy & Hazel who we met at the Chinook RV Resort. They were from England and had been traveling around the United States for the past nine months. They had spent the previous three years traveling around Europe in a camping trailer or "caravan" as they refer to it. When they decided to visit North America they made arrangements through a RV dealer in the UK to purchase a new 5th Wheel camping trailer. They flew over last Summer to pick it up in Indiana along with their Dodge pickup to tow! We spend quite a bit of time with them having afternoon tea (vodka & tonic for some of us) and enjoyed getting to know them. They said when they are finished traveling in North America they will have the truck and trailer shipped back to the UK where they will continue living in it full-time. They will be traveling to Canada for a few months to visit friends and relatives. I believe they are on Vancouver Island for a month as I write this. They also indicated an interest in venturing into Mexico on the Baja Peninsula. We exchanged contact info and plan on staying in touch with them. You never know... maybe one day we will do some RVing over in Europe and can hook up with them!
Rene had her follow-up visit with the surgeon on May 1st and a CT scan on May 3rd and everything looked good. She has an appointment for surgery on May 28th. In the meantime, we will be traveling to Crater Lake NP, Olympic NP, then down the Oregon coast with stops near the mouth of the Columbia River to see the Lewis & Clark National Historic sites. We will then continue South to Oregon Dunes National Seashore before coming back to Crescent City. We will fill you in on that trip in our next blog.
Regards,
Frank & Rene
PS: To view more photos of our travels please use the link below to Frank's facebook page.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
VACAVILLE, NAPA AND MUIR WOODS
If you recall from the last Blog entry, we had a "loss of power" issue with the RV on our way to Yosemite. So when we left the park on Friday March 29 we headed for the Camping World in Vacaville, CA to have the RV looked at. Unfortunately, when we inquired about our problem we were told that this Camping World does not do engine repair work. However, they did recommend a truck repair business just down the road.
After leaving the Camping World we stopped at the truck repair facility, but had to wait for the owner to return to the shop. When he arrived we spoke with him and he told us that the earliest he could look at the RV would be Monday, the day after Easter. He suggested that we stay at one of the RV Parks around the block for the weekend. With that said, we checked into Midway RV Park and while we were there we started to consider some other options for the repair work, because we didn't get good vibes from that place. We called a number of Ford dealers in the general vicinity to see if their service department could handle our RV. Our Fleetwood Tioga Montara Class C Mini-motorhome is built on a Ford E-350 extended chassis with a Ford engine so we figured we would give it a shot. We got a call back from Napa Ford and had an appointment for Monday morning.
Since we were stuck in Napa for Easter weekend, Rene called her Uncle Charles who lives in Vallejo and we made plans to visit him on Easter Sunday. Rene had once lived in the Bay Area and discovered that at one time she lived within a few blocks of Charles and his wife Marcia, but as luck would have it they did not meet and discover this until Rene had moved from Vallejo into San Francisco. After relocating back to the Midwest Rene, and her daughter Kelsey, have made a point to visit with Charles during their vacations back to the SF Bay Area. So since we happen to be in the area we figured we would spend some time visiting with Charles and sharing our Easter Day with him. Thanks again for lunch Uncle Charles!
We got up early Monday morning and drove to Napa Ford where we arrived about 7:45 am. Our service advisor, Tim Clawson, took down all the information and we were in the shop by early afternoon. I had Googled our "loss of power" issue on the internet and there were a number of potential causes, including a bad catalytic converter, a bad fuel pump and some bad sensors. Tim kept us informed with the results as they came to him from our great technician, Rick. Over the course of a day and a half he tested the fuel pump, catalytic converter (which were OK) and a number of other things. What it came down to was the exhaust manifold leak had affected the plug wires. Hot exhaust gasses softened the insulation on the wires and caused a misfire. So after a complete tune-up and a new exhaust manifold we were good to go late Wednesday afternoon. We can't say enough good things about our experience with Napa Ford. They even allowed us stay in the RV overnight on the premises so we didn't have to pay for a Hotel/Motel. If you are ever in the Napa area and need service on your Ford or Lincoln you will be well taken care of at Napa Ford.
Since we had some time to kill while the RV was in the shop we decided to take a drive over to Muir Woods National Monument for the day on Tuesday and hike around. The Kent family bought the land in 1905 to protect one of the last stands of uncut redwoods and they donated the 295 acres to the federal government. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a national monument. At Mr. Kent's request, it was named for the conservationist John Muir. It was a good thing that we got an early start and arrived when we did, because the parking lot is small and it filled up not long after we got there. We stopped at the visitor center and purchased our guide before starting the Main Trail at Entrance Arch. We followed the numbered guide over Bridge 1 and hiked past the Bicentennial Tree and into the Bohemian Grove. We then took the Hillside Trail all the way to Bridge 4 at the North Monument Boundary. As we returned along a paved path we crossed the Fern Creek Bridge and walked through the area where it had been proposed to build a Dam/Reservoir before coming to the Cathedral Grove. We backtracked a bit since the trail had split and stopped to see the FDR Memorial Plaque. Continuing on we stopped at the Pinchot and Emerson Trees and then made our way back to the Cafe & Gift shop for some hot chocolate and tea to warm us up. It is suggested that you wear a jacket, because the sun doesn't shine too well through the Giant Coast Redwood groves here in Muir Woods.
On Wednesday afternoon when we got the RV back we stopped at the local Walmart, shopped for supplies and then stayed overnight in their parking lot. The next morning, after breakfast, we were on our way to Redwood National Park and the RV was running like a dream!
FP & RG
PS: To view all of our photos click on the link below to Frank's facebook page.
After leaving the Camping World we stopped at the truck repair facility, but had to wait for the owner to return to the shop. When he arrived we spoke with him and he told us that the earliest he could look at the RV would be Monday, the day after Easter. He suggested that we stay at one of the RV Parks around the block for the weekend. With that said, we checked into Midway RV Park and while we were there we started to consider some other options for the repair work, because we didn't get good vibes from that place. We called a number of Ford dealers in the general vicinity to see if their service department could handle our RV. Our Fleetwood Tioga Montara Class C Mini-motorhome is built on a Ford E-350 extended chassis with a Ford engine so we figured we would give it a shot. We got a call back from Napa Ford and had an appointment for Monday morning.
Since we were stuck in Napa for Easter weekend, Rene called her Uncle Charles who lives in Vallejo and we made plans to visit him on Easter Sunday. Rene had once lived in the Bay Area and discovered that at one time she lived within a few blocks of Charles and his wife Marcia, but as luck would have it they did not meet and discover this until Rene had moved from Vallejo into San Francisco. After relocating back to the Midwest Rene, and her daughter Kelsey, have made a point to visit with Charles during their vacations back to the SF Bay Area. So since we happen to be in the area we figured we would spend some time visiting with Charles and sharing our Easter Day with him. Thanks again for lunch Uncle Charles!
We got up early Monday morning and drove to Napa Ford where we arrived about 7:45 am. Our service advisor, Tim Clawson, took down all the information and we were in the shop by early afternoon. I had Googled our "loss of power" issue on the internet and there were a number of potential causes, including a bad catalytic converter, a bad fuel pump and some bad sensors. Tim kept us informed with the results as they came to him from our great technician, Rick. Over the course of a day and a half he tested the fuel pump, catalytic converter (which were OK) and a number of other things. What it came down to was the exhaust manifold leak had affected the plug wires. Hot exhaust gasses softened the insulation on the wires and caused a misfire. So after a complete tune-up and a new exhaust manifold we were good to go late Wednesday afternoon. We can't say enough good things about our experience with Napa Ford. They even allowed us stay in the RV overnight on the premises so we didn't have to pay for a Hotel/Motel. If you are ever in the Napa area and need service on your Ford or Lincoln you will be well taken care of at Napa Ford.
Since we had some time to kill while the RV was in the shop we decided to take a drive over to Muir Woods National Monument for the day on Tuesday and hike around. The Kent family bought the land in 1905 to protect one of the last stands of uncut redwoods and they donated the 295 acres to the federal government. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a national monument. At Mr. Kent's request, it was named for the conservationist John Muir. It was a good thing that we got an early start and arrived when we did, because the parking lot is small and it filled up not long after we got there. We stopped at the visitor center and purchased our guide before starting the Main Trail at Entrance Arch. We followed the numbered guide over Bridge 1 and hiked past the Bicentennial Tree and into the Bohemian Grove. We then took the Hillside Trail all the way to Bridge 4 at the North Monument Boundary. As we returned along a paved path we crossed the Fern Creek Bridge and walked through the area where it had been proposed to build a Dam/Reservoir before coming to the Cathedral Grove. We backtracked a bit since the trail had split and stopped to see the FDR Memorial Plaque. Continuing on we stopped at the Pinchot and Emerson Trees and then made our way back to the Cafe & Gift shop for some hot chocolate and tea to warm us up. It is suggested that you wear a jacket, because the sun doesn't shine too well through the Giant Coast Redwood groves here in Muir Woods.
On Wednesday afternoon when we got the RV back we stopped at the local Walmart, shopped for supplies and then stayed overnight in their parking lot. The next morning, after breakfast, we were on our way to Redwood National Park and the RV was running like a dream!
FP & RG
PS: To view all of our photos click on the link below to Frank's facebook page.
Monday, May 6, 2013
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA
We departed Kaweah RV Resort the morning of March 26, 2013 and set our sights on Yosemite National Park. On the way to our destination we developed some engine trouble and had to detach the Jeep in order to finish the trip. We managed to get to Indian Flat RV Park on Hwy 140 just West of El Portal and settled in. (I'll tell you about our engine trouble in a later post.) Indian Flat RV Park is nothing fancy, but it is one of the closest private RV parks to Yosemite, and was very reasonable. We had a water and electric site, but no internet. It was supposed to have cable, but after hooking up and getting no channels, we noticed that the coaxial cable was broken and wrapped around a tree branch. I guess they haven't gotten around to repairing that yet. Oh well, we weren't there to watch TV, we were there to visit Yosemite National Park. And besides our options were limited, as you need reservations for Yosemite and unfortunately we don't travel by a set schedule. We don't like to rush anywhere and we never know how long we may stay somewhere once we stop.
On our first day in Yosemite Valley we stopped for a short hike to Bridalveil Fall, then continued on the loop road for views of El Capitan, Lower Yosemite Fall and Upper Yosemite Fall. We then parked the Jeep in the visitor parking lot and walked to the Visitor Center, Gift Shop and Post Office in Yosemite Village. After that we went back to the Jeep for lunch and then hiked to Lower Yosemite Fall to get a close up and personal view. We then strolled back to the parking area and took a leisurely drive out of the park and back to the campground. It didn't seem like we did that much, but it took the entire day. We stopped at a gas station in El Portal, coming and going from the park to check our cellphones for messages, because we couldn't get any cell service at the campground with our Sprint phones.
Day two at the park we brought our bikes in. First we checked out the Indian Cultural Museum and Indian Village near the Visitor Center. Then we parked at the Trailhead Parking Area near the Upper Pines Campground. We walked to the trailhead and hiked over to Vernal Fall. Then we walked back to the Jeep, got the bikes and rode over to Mirror Lake on the bike trail. We locked up the bikes part way up the trail and hiked the rest of the way to Mirror Lake. We spent some time exploring the area and had some great views of Half Dome. On the way back we got a look at the Royal Arch Cascade and rode the bikes around the Upper Pines Campground to check it out. Lots of trees and shade in the campground and no hookups. It would be difficult to get enough Sun for our solar panel, so even if we had been able to stay here we would have to run our generator to keep our batteries charged. And nobody really likes to hear generators in a National Park! Anyway, it seems we finished just in time because the rain started to come down pretty heavy. Time to end our visit and head back to the campground. During the Summer months there's lots more to see, but at this time of the year a large part of the park is still closed due to Winter snow.
We checked out of Indian Flat RV Resort the following day and headed to the Camping World in Vacaville to see if they could help us with our engine troubles. I'll fill you in with all the details in our next installment!
FP & RG
PS: To view more photos of our adventures, please use the link below to Frank's facebook page and view albums.
https://www.facebook.com/frank.posillico.351
On our first day in Yosemite Valley we stopped for a short hike to Bridalveil Fall, then continued on the loop road for views of El Capitan, Lower Yosemite Fall and Upper Yosemite Fall. We then parked the Jeep in the visitor parking lot and walked to the Visitor Center, Gift Shop and Post Office in Yosemite Village. After that we went back to the Jeep for lunch and then hiked to Lower Yosemite Fall to get a close up and personal view. We then strolled back to the parking area and took a leisurely drive out of the park and back to the campground. It didn't seem like we did that much, but it took the entire day. We stopped at a gas station in El Portal, coming and going from the park to check our cellphones for messages, because we couldn't get any cell service at the campground with our Sprint phones.
Day two at the park we brought our bikes in. First we checked out the Indian Cultural Museum and Indian Village near the Visitor Center. Then we parked at the Trailhead Parking Area near the Upper Pines Campground. We walked to the trailhead and hiked over to Vernal Fall. Then we walked back to the Jeep, got the bikes and rode over to Mirror Lake on the bike trail. We locked up the bikes part way up the trail and hiked the rest of the way to Mirror Lake. We spent some time exploring the area and had some great views of Half Dome. On the way back we got a look at the Royal Arch Cascade and rode the bikes around the Upper Pines Campground to check it out. Lots of trees and shade in the campground and no hookups. It would be difficult to get enough Sun for our solar panel, so even if we had been able to stay here we would have to run our generator to keep our batteries charged. And nobody really likes to hear generators in a National Park! Anyway, it seems we finished just in time because the rain started to come down pretty heavy. Time to end our visit and head back to the campground. During the Summer months there's lots more to see, but at this time of the year a large part of the park is still closed due to Winter snow.
We checked out of Indian Flat RV Resort the following day and headed to the Camping World in Vacaville to see if they could help us with our engine troubles. I'll fill you in with all the details in our next installment!
FP & RG
PS: To view more photos of our adventures, please use the link below to Frank's facebook page and view albums.
https://www.facebook.com/frank.posillico.351
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)