My Midlife Crisis Chronicles

Driving-Mike pushed me harder than I wanted to be pushed and I got upset about it.  I need that though. I know that now-at the time I was just pissed and plotting his death!   I’m the type to wade in and if it’s cold, I’m turning around.  He’s more of the dive right in type of guy. I’m a naturally very anxious person with little confidence in my physical abilities.  I know I’m smart and nothing feels like too much of a mental challenge for me.  But I was never the child with any physical abilities at all-no coordination.  I don’t even play video games well-hand/eye coordination is not my thing.  I come in last at Mario Kart every time lol! 

 I remember when we moved to California I was petrified to drive on these freeways.  I had to do it. When we first arrived, Mike was staying at his mom’s house in Fremont with Hannah and our dog Whiskey while I stayed in Sacramento with his sister Sherma and husband David.  (We hadn’t found a place yet and I had to go to work so we were all dispersed.  Little Sherman stayed in Carson City with Auntie Debbie.) 

Our first weekend in California I had to drop Mike and Hannah off in Fremont and drive to Sacramento by myself.  I was so scared to get on that fast freeway and drive over the Altamont pass all by myself.  Motorcycles splitting lanes and whizzing past me, cars everywhere going 80+ MPH.  I sobbed all the way to Sacramento white knuckling it.  But, I knew I wanted to be a clinical director for 9 facilities all over CA and I knew I was going to have to learn to do this and I did!

 Driving to Tahoe on 50 for the first time was horrible-climbing mountains with steep drop off!  Ugh!  A few years later I was a regional and had a facility in Carson City-had to drive there at least monthly.  I got used to it and even looked forward to it.  It was easy after a while.  I know this will be too-maybe not backing up or tight corners but I’ll be okay!  I can do this.

 Mike pulled off the freeway just outside of Tehachapi and I drove to just outside of Las Vegas.  It’s not a busy highway and was 2 lanes on each side for the most part.  There is a small stretch that goes through a town that is single lane and has a stop light.  I did fine with that.  There was a point I had to merge into some pretty heavy traffic to pass a wide load going up a hill and I freaked out a little bit, nearly started sobbing and my whole body was convulsing just a bit, I think LOL!  I got through it though. 

I drove down a 6% downhill grade with no problem.  I’ve done a lot of mountain driving in CA and I know how to manage my speed and my brakes pretty well–and the engine brake on our RV was really nice to use too. I was really proud of how I handled that!

Fortunately, Mike knows how hard to push MOST of the time and he took over to maneuver us through Las Vegas traffic.  We arrived at Kings Row RV park just about 4:30 pm. 

King’s Row RV Park- Traveling through we weren’t sure where we could stay last minute and had thought of boondocking in Vegas- which from the online research I did isn’t the easiest to do.  From what I read the Stratosphere parking lot is about the only place they allow overnight parking anymore and it is quite a distance away from the strip as well.  I really felt we needed somewhere to fill our tanks, dump, do some baking and meal prep, and do laundry before we headed to Arizona so I started calling around.  Circus Circus has a campground right on the strip but it was pricey!  $158 for 2 nights after you pay the daily resort fees.  Crazy!  We could stay in a hotel cheaper than that.  Since it was the holiday there wasn’t much available.  I was able to reach King’s Row by calling first thing Christmas eve morning from Tehachapi and Doris worked us in to the overflow area. Don’t email them!  I had emailed 2 days prior and finally got a response that they were “full” about 30 minutes after we checked in.  (They had plenty of spaces still open as well.)  Fortunately, Doris forgot to ask me if we had pets when I called.  Apparently, they have 35 lb. limit for dogs. There website does not mention this.  The girl working the desk made a call and we got an exception for the two nights.  We had 30 amp and water for $20/night with a free dump area.

It’s a couple miles from the strip but I’ve never been IN to the Vegas scene.  Mike didn’t care to see it much either and we really didn’t want to leave the dogs alone for very long.  We’ve been slowly getting them accustomed to RV life and leave them for a couple of hours at a time.  So, we never made the strip but we did visit a casino buffet just down the street and won $20 and got back pretty quickly. With our BIG winnings we ended up spending a whopping $8.00 for Christmas dinner. We also met Ramona! Ramona was a spry 90 year old who had worked the strip for over 40 years. She was at the table next to us with her grand daughter and we struck up a conversation. She was a huge delight! Oh the stories she told us!

King’s Row is right on Boulder Highway and there are a lot of homeless.  I walked the dogs during the day and felt safe. Two dogs on pinch collars can look intimidating.  Even if they are GSP’s.  They look about 35 lbs don’t they?  LOL!  I told the desk they were around 40….gotta do what you gotta do when you need a site!

 As I walked down one dead end street on Christmas eve I met Michael who has a camp in a bush on this street.  He was thin with a white beard and kind eyes.  Hard to tell how old he was, the years had not been kind.  He was painting “Joy” in red and green on a piece of paper as we walked by.  I said hello and he smiled and asked me what happened to my dog’s tail (they both have cropped tails).  We visited a bit about his travels over the years and I shared a little about our travels. 

Michael tugged at my heart strings and I just really needed to do something.  I knew he most likely wouldn’t be celebrating Christmas and I knew any money I gave him would probably go to booze or drugs but that was his choice.  I needed to let him know I saw him.  I had one gift bag in the RV.  Filled it with some food items, a new chap stick I had in the first aid kit, and a few bucks and took it to him.  He was very gracious, especially when I told him there was a little cash for some Christmas cheer or whatever he might need.  “Hell ya! Thank you so much!” 

Christmas Day we walked by there again to say good bye.  He was lounging in a broken chair with a can in a bag.  We exchanged Merry Christmas’s and the dogs and I went on our way.  Not my place to change his life or make him see the light or whatever.  I won’t judge him today.  Society will.  But Michael will know on Christmas Day someone saw him as a human being.  That feeling I had was a great gift.  Best of luck to you Michael and may you find your way! 

We needed propane before we could boondock and the RV park delivery man was coming to the campground on Christmas eve so we opted for delivery even though you pay premium for the convenience of it.  We paid $3.50/gallon.  I saw Richard pull up in his PINK propane truck which does strike a conversation.  The company had someone close to them pass away from curable breast cancer because she couldn’t afford a mammogram.  They now donate some of their proceeds to the American Breast Cancer Foundation every year and use the color pink to spark awareness and conversation.  Very cool and made me feel better about the extra cost we were paid for delivery

Richard has also been full time in his RV for over 11 years and really enjoys the life.  He was helpful and answered a few questions about the air system for Mike.  Richard has his wife do the backing while he guides her so that he can watch the rig and how the tires bite, etc.  He said he’s been a truck driver for years but he feels this is the best way to park their 40 ft rig.  I’m not sure I’m up for that yet! 

As Richard was getting ready to leave, I tried to enter the coach and found we were locked out….again.  Mike had just crawled in the window-I always leave one unlocked while we are around the rig, just in case (we’ve been locked out once before, fortunately the window was unlocked.)  He had brought the keys with him when he came out to talk with Richard because of this so we thought we were in the clear.  I put the key in the lock and felt the click and NOTHING.  STILL locked out.  So, Mike climbed on the Jeep we had parked right by the window and climbed in.  We tried the lock on the inside and played with the door a bit and Houston, we have a problem. 

I posted on the Tiffin members FB page my concern and within minutes had a few responses.  Some more helpful than others but we had our answer and had a fix.  Mike proceeded to take the cover off the door handle and adjust this barrel looking thingy that I’ve now learned is called a driving rod.

Anyway, the door always opened very hard-we thought it was because it was sealing so tightly-and now it opens nicely.  It feels really good to learn new things and empowering to be able to fix them on your own with a little online guidance.  We always search our mountain of manuals, Youtube and then go to the social media pages and search there, then ask the group if we can’t find an answer.  It’s been very helpful and most people are very nice. 

We got into another little spat as we prepared to leave Las Vegas to head toward Lake Havasu City.  I was pretty anxious and Mike was determined I could do the drive.  I thought I was going to have to make a lot of turns inside the city and I was freaked.  Once he showed me the map and I realized I only had to make a right turn and head down about a half mile to get back on the freeway I felt better.  I of course, was still angry and made him pay in silence for a good half of an hour or more lol.  My stubborn streak runs deep!  Ask my family! 

The highways driving from Vegas to Lake Havasu City are very flat, very wide (2 lane divided highway most of the way) and have very little traffic.  I was able to set the cruise control at 60 and go.  Once you cross back into CA, the road becomes a single lane and is pretty wavy and bumpy but manageable.  We stopped at a fruit stand that was open on Christmas day and got a few snacks.  I drove us all the way to the Love’s Travel Plaza on 95 just a few minutes outside of Lake Havasu City.  I even pulled up to the pump!  They do have RV specific pumps that are huge and we are able to fuel from either side of our Coach, and it WAS Christmas Day and not very busy but I’m still going to take credit for pulling up to a pump lol!  Next stop our first BLM boondocking at Craggy Wash! 

Sonoma County Fairgrounds.  We stayed there 3 weekend nights.  It’s nothing more than a gravel lot with hook ups.  We used our Passport America membership to get our first night 50% off.  That is one membership that I knew we would be able to get our money’s worth right away.  It costs $44/year-we got 15 months on a special- and we saved $22.50 on this stay so it’s very close to being paid for already. 

We were in the area for a weekend long Regae festival.  It was dreary and rainy but we had a great time. 

There were over 70 families living there in FEMA trailers still from last years’ fires.  While the lot was kind of depressing and the view was very lacking, we were just there for the location for 3 days.  I wonder if the folks on the other side of this privacy fence ever wish their home was on wheels too. 

I felt blessed that I could change the view out of my living room 3 days later.  Headed back to home base AGAIN to snip a few more loose ends. 

We needed to be in the Folsom area again for a few days to sell Mike’s truck and transfer things in and out of our storage unit in preparation for our trip south so we landed at Red Hawk Casino again.  We were there 4 total nights and had no issues whatsoever.  One Class C was there when we arrived and left the day before we did.  A couple rigs came and went but no problems from campers or the casino.  They were very accommodating. 

I took advantage of our time and took the dogs back to Brown’s Ravine where our boat is still stored and did some hiking.  While Beal’s Point is flatter, Brown’s has some great hill climbing and nice dirt trails. 

We needed to change our generator oil before we did much more dry camping. We have an 8000K Onan generator in the front of our rig and oil is supposed to be changed every 100 hours. We were just over so we watched a Youtube video and got the necessary supplies and got that done along with cleaning the spark arrestor per recommendations. AutoZone accepts used oil and filters. While Mike did all the work, it was a fun project to research and learn together. This journey does require a lot of learning and new experiences that I think brings a couple closer together.

Because we were there a little longer than we had anticipated, we were a bit stretched for fresh water toward the end-we hadn’t filled our tank very full because we weren’t planning to stay too long and water is heavy-better mpg’s with tank empty. Our waste tanks had plenty of room after four days of boondocking, cooking, dishes, and a couple quick showers. I found these smaller water containers at Walmart and we use them all the time now. While our water is triple filtered and can easily be consumed, I want to always make sure we have water in the tank for flushing and showers. These are 2.5 gallons so they can be filled easily and aren’t heavy. So far we have not had any leaking from the containers either.

As I mentioned before, social media groups have taught me a lot in preparation for this life. Some things are for me, some are not. One of the best ideas I have found on water conservation while dry camping is to fill a spray bottle with concentrated soapy dish water. I have very good non stick pans and we do use paper quite a bit but for those items I need to wash, I spray them with the dishwater, let them soak a bit, then scrub them and rinse them with running water. Takes very little water to do my dishes, thus very little is added to my gray tank. I love this idea-not mine originally-but happy to pass it on.

We sold Mike’s truck, his baby, a 2012 Chevy Silverado 4×4 to Folsom Toyota.  While not the price we could have probably gotten from a private party, it was fair, quick, and easy.  I found Folsom Toyota when I was selling my convertible and they did much better than CarMax was willing to do.  Now that we had that task done, we could take off for a while! (We still need to sell our fish/ski boat, but storage is paid in full for that through the end of March so we’ll let that be for now. Let’s Go!!!!

Mike drove from Red Hawk to Tehachapi after we stopped at Express Fuel just one exit down from the casino.  They have the best prices around for fuel and a dump station and water.  There was a dog run there as well.  Large fueling lanes-be aware that there is NOT diesel on the interior pumps.  Had to circle a couple times not knowing that initially but it was pretty easy. Dump station was easily accessed behind the store and was $10-12, can’t recall exact amount. We filled up with water there as well, using our filter.  (We have a hose filter, the Coach has a filter, and the refrigerator has a filter)  The station would have gotten a A+, but they don’t fill propane.  If they had that, it would truly be a one stop shop. 

We got to Tehachapi, CA, just about 5 pm and the Warriors were playing at 5:30 so we pulled off for the night.  The Love’s Travel Plaza was easy to get to and not very crowded and we had no issues. It was roomy enough to put our slides out and get comfortable for the night. We visited with a couple truckers and no one gave two hoots if we had jacks down or slides out.  There is a lot of back and forth on proper truck stop/parking lot etiquette on social media.  We try to judge each site while we are there.  If the lot is empty and we’re not in any one’s way, I’m putting slides out, which means I’m putting jacks down.  We parked next to a semi trailer without a rig attached sitting on jacks that were much heavier duty than ours. 

Parking next to the idling diesel rigs there was no concern running our generator so I made some homemade wings and fries in the air fryer while we enjoyed the game. The parking lot is large and the dogs got a good walk in and we slept pretty well. We have dual pane windows and sleep with the television on so the noise from the semi’s was not a bother at all. I can see how it would be bothersome if one needs quiet to sleep. Heading to Vegas in the AM and I’m driving! Holy buckets!

A little over a month in and we’re right back where we started…. Beal’s Point-home base. Mike had shoulder surgery and came back home to the RV the same day.
The surgery went well, and the RV proved comfortable for his recovery. He is doing well and even helped tear down the yard, etc. for our departure. He really was an excellent patient. His pain has been manageable with ibuprofen and he feels confident he can drive to Santa Rosa for our next stay. I have kept him happy with fresh baked goods every day. I’ve found it’s easiest to mix up a batch of cookie dough and then only bake 9 cookies a night-9 big cookies fit on my pizza stone in the convection oven. I keep the dough in the fridge in a zip lock bag and bake it off over several days. I plan to freeze several batches before we head south to boondock in the desert later this month. That preparation will help reduce dishes and keep him in his beloved goodies. We MUST cut back from 9 though lol. WE feel the need to eat all 9 before the next evening lol! MUST GET BACK TO HEALTHY EATING! Soon lol!

Beal’s Point will always be remembered as our starting out point and I will always think of this area (EDH and Folsom Lake) as home. We finished raising our family here and the opportunities we had here helped afford us this adventure. It is a stunningly beautiful, safe, warm community. Beal’s Point is a wonderful state campground with nice sized sites and full 50-amp hook ups. My personal favorite site is 62. We had 64 for this trip and it was fine too.

 

It is located right off Folsom Auburn Road which makes travel to Folsom or Granite Bay/Roseville very easy. The couples who camp host are all very nice. They give you all the privacy you want but are also very approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. I enjoyed learning a little more about their full time RV lives. Thank you for making us feel welcome and affording just the right amount of privacy. Historic Sutter Street in Folsom is within a couple miles of the campground and so charming at Christmas time!

The Rainbow Bridge leading into Old Folsom is a historic landmark and one of the most stunning sites I had ever seen when I first moved to California 10 years ago. I vowed I would never forget how beautiful that bridge over the water was at that moment. We settled in and somehow over the years I began crossing Rainbow Bridge without even a thought, let alone a glance. I saw its beauty again with this visit. I was so grateful for that feeling!

The campground also sits on a huge trail system that is pedestrian, horse, and biker friendly. You can walk over a marathon one way on this beautiful, wide, established and largely paved trail. Yes, that sign says Negro Bar. It’s a state historical park where gold was discovered in 1849. Many groups have been consulted about the park name and it makes for some interesting reading if you choose to google it. It’s a beautiful park with easy Lake Natoma access for kayaking and canoeing. There are tons of blackberry bushes and hiking. Kayaks can be rented here as well as brought in. The water is ALWAYS ICE cold. Some kids jump in, but few stay in very long-it never warms up. It is filled from the bottom of Folsom Lake-ice cold snow melt!

There are also dirt trails easily marked in the wilderness along the lake’s shoreline. If that’s not enough, this time of year the lake is very low, and guests can enjoy miles and miles of exploring in the empty lake bed. Never know what you might find! All I found were broken sunglasses that someone probably lost boating last year but hey, you never know! There are lots of trees and rock formations that will be dozens of feet under the water this spring when the mountain snow melts.

The ruins of Mormon Island, one of the first sites gold was discovered in California, sit under the waters of Folsom Lake. Several artifacts were last discovered during the drought of 2013. Many locals bring their dogs and off leash running is allowed in the lake bed. The area is so vast it’s easy to find an area off to yourselves for your dogs to run and not interfere with others also hiking around. Be careful and check your dog’s paws frequently if they aren’t used to running on sand. Build up slowly if they’re new to it. It can really tear them up. Look at the water lines above you as you hike around and climb on the giant boulders. The current snow pack is above average for the season so far. If those levels are maintained until spring, that lake you are standing in could fill all the way to the top water line you can see. Stand there and imagine how much water that is for just a minute. The power of nature is so amazing! Another thing I am loving about this lifestyle.

We had 3 people sleep over at one time! Hannah came for 2 nights. She came down from Chico to bring some mail and packages and stayed so she could spend some time with the EDH family she nannied for over the past several years. We went to Dove Wood Court like we had done when she was young. Such amazing Christmas lights and only 10 minutes away. It’s an annual tradition that makes the local news every year! If you are in the area, it’s a must see!

The next night Cesar and YaYa (my great niece Julianna) stayed over since she had a basketball tournament in the area. Hannah and I went in to watch her play and had a great time. When I was working full time, I was selfish with the hours I had off. The kids would come down to stay and we wouldn’t go to their games. I always needed to fit in weekend household chores and run the errands for the next work week. Squeezing in extended family time felt like an added chore. How sad. I want to get to know my extended family again! Now, that I am in charge of my time, I went to her game with zero guilt and 100% pleasure! It was a fantastic afternoon!

Cesar slept on the fold down dining room table. While it is long enough for a shorter person to stretch out, he reports that the table is not very comfortable. Hannah and YaYa said the combination blow up sofa bed with mattress was a little hard but that can be adjusted with the amount of air you use. Others have told us it was comfortable.

YaYa and Cesar both needed to shower as did Mike. It was his third day post surgically and we had removed his pressure bandage. I had to dump the gray tank after YaYa’s shower-I had done 2 loads of laundry earlier in the day and showered myself. Once emptied (pulling up a lever) Cesar and Mike were both able to shower. Tankless hot water heater was AWESOME! One of my favorite guilty pleasures when we have full hook ups-loooonnnnnnggggg HOT showers are definitely on my agenda! Our shower is pretty good sized and has a seat to sit when shaving or whatever. Mike is 6’2” and can stand under the water. Pressure is good -never a problem rinsing my hair which is thick.

A tight but successful 3-person sleepover, a visit with my daughter, a successful surgery for Mike, lots of running for the dogs every single day, and a visit back to Folsom Care Center and the people I love, I should have been happy every minute, right?

Despite all of this, I’ve been moody, a little depressed I guess since getting to Beal’s. What does this lifestyle really mean? Do I have the courage to be true to this? Am I so programmed with beliefs in material status equating success that I can’t enjoy this?
The dream job I had thought I was going to start didn’t come to fruition. The position shifted from initial discussions of a liaison/trainer/quality assurance- ¾ time work with ½ time travel abroad as desired- to a managerial role ½ time with full time responsibilities negating any ability to really travel like we want. That was a big blow. I was looking forward to the stability of a regular position.

Not having guaranteed income is a renewed fear I ran from for years. I come from a lineage that put huge value on appearances-must have best yard in town, must have best car, best toys. That’s how it felt to me anyway. I had a baby at 19, single, and on welfare, not the best start per family standards. We struggled and clawed a curvy path out of poorness to own a home in El Dorado Hills and have money in the bank. I remember when we were scraping by, my biggest dream was to have enough money to buy a takeout pizza any time I wanted. We could buy a few pizzas or tacos or whatever we wanted. Security feels good! I was great at my position-my staff made it easy and we accomplished sooo much- and it came with the boss of a lifetime. I knew I was letting go of a great world, but for a greater cause-time doing what I love, with those I love. Knowing how good that would feel, I didn’t really think how it might feel to have less.

Would family still think the same of me? Would they see this change, this downsizing as downgrading? Money=adoration, money=success, money=approval, money=love, right? I know in my heart that’s not the case, but It’s a tougher one to get out of my head than I thought, I guess. Cutting our Christmas budget helped spark some of these feelings, I think. As I’ve been drafting this, I’ve been thinking about that. I’m agnostic. Yet the thought of not being able to blow thousands on a Christian holiday is upsetting me? That’s a little humorous and a lot sad really. I’ve decided I’m just grieving the past a bit, which is okay, and yes, I’ve made the right decision. Kiya thinks so anyway. She loves that I’m home every day for walks. When Tyler text me to inquire about Christmas gifts for us, these thoughts were heavy on my mind-I was working on this entry at the time. Here was our conversation. I hope he gives me what I want! I hope they all do! What a great gift!

I read about a local 49-year-old woman who just died in a car accident-speeding and not wearing a seat belt on Grant Line Road last night. I bet she had plans for tomorrow too.  A dear friend from my teenage years died in her sleep just 12 days before we went full time.  Katie was just 46.  I know she’s smiling down on me, encouraging me to walk to the beat of my owner drummer. 

 Mental note- don’t speed, buckle up, this lifestyle IS right. Maybe I just need to go back to Zihua to put it in perspective, maybe I need to read another obituary. I guess I just want you to know that it’s not automatic joy, this lifestyle. There are feelings I will need to work through, but I think the journey is the reward. Off to Santa Rosa!

We spent a full week parked in the street next to my niece’s home. The first three days we were in an area that we couldn’t really open any slides. That was little rough but we could make due. I was able to make coffee and then we ran the generator a couple times a day to ensure we had batteries for the furnace, etc.  Before getting our RV, we had always camped in a pick up camper.  We did a lot of dry camping at Pyramid Lake in Nevada and never had a generator so I think I’m really conservative with energy use, especially with this 8K generator we have lol. I was afraid to run anything and in reality I could have run everything!  

 It was tight but we did spend most of our time in the house with the family. Poor dogs don’t do well with other dogs so they had to rely on frequent small walks for exercise and entertainment.  I tried to take them at least 5K first thing in the AM going in a different direction each day, then little neighborhood walks every couple hours.  There were several days of rain so they REALLY needed exercise once it stopped!  Poor babies! But they would be the same poor babies in a regular home too.  Just a little less crowded in the S&B and they definitely get more exercise since living in the RV.  We all do!  I haven’t found a way to successfully install a doggie door in the RV, so we must walk!  And the way I’ve eaten since we started this journey, it’s a good thing we do or I would have gained a lot more than the 7 lbs I did gain!  I have to get back on my Weight Watchers!  There are weight limits in this RV and I’m not willing to give up any more possessions at this moment so I’ve got to get in line lol!  AND I have two beautiful grand babies I hope to keep up with over the years!  So, I’ll be getting back to tracking and will most likely include my thoughts on that whole other eating/weight control/tracking journey as well.  Just skip that part if it’s not your thing.  I completely understand!  I just include it because it’s part of my life and my thoughts and I do have friends who share this journey with me who might be interested in how I do it, or don’t do it for their own research.  I’m happy to share and frankly, I really do love to write.  

On the 4th day, we were able to secure a spot, still on the street but parallel to our niece’s home. It did allow for us to put jacks down and put out the passenger slides. I can’t believe how roomy it felt after 3 days of being completely closed up! The pups were grateful for the added space as well.
We didn’t do any real cooking and we used the house shower so tanks weren’t an issue. It really was more comfortable than staying in another family’s home, even if it was tight It was nice to have our space and even nicer to be able to spend an entire week just chilling with family.

We played a few games of Sequence, had some great meals, and even did some cooking at the house-was nice to get my hands on a Traeger again and I think my ribs came out pretty good. Although my little Ella and I tried to make the homemade macaroni and cheese bundt cake they show on FB and that was an epic fail-fell completely apart! And I’ve had better flavored mac n cheese. Oh well! Don’t know if you don’t try!

Enjoyed a little shopping for RV essentials and found a few dvds at the local thrift stores to add to our collection. Hannah and I even caught a matinee, Bohemian Rhapsody.
I had booked Beal’s Point for December 3rd through December 14 since Mike had a pre-op on the 3rd and rotator cuff surgery on the 4th. I thought all was good and we could just hang with family until then. However, the MD decided Mike MUST have an EKG ASAP and the insurance company would not authorize this non-emergent test outside of our area so we had to go back to Folsom area early.
One problem, Beal’s Point was booked for the additional days. And KOA  near Placerville was quoting ridiculous prices on their website in my humble opinion. I could not bring myself to pay $70-80/night as listed on their website.  I’ve stayed in hotels cheaper than that!  Some pretty sketchy hotels, but hey when you’re young and poor, you take your chances if you want to go somewhere on a limited budget.  Another reason I love the RV.  I take my bed with me.  No worries about bedbugs or mattresses being too soft or too firm.  My pillow is ALWAYS with me!  My sheets!  
From all the reading I had done in multiple RVing Facebook groups I knew that some casinos allowed you stay free. I checked Red Hawk’s website and searched the FB pages and found that it was RV friendly. So, we decided we’d go there and figure it out after the EKG the following day.

We found in our FB searches that we needed to head to the right at the parking lot entrance to area marked for deliveries. That area has allowed parking and can be more private and quieter than the area right behind the casino parking garage.  I stole the photo above from a google search.  It gives you an idea of area just behind the parking garage.  Go to the right and use the lower open lot.  
When we arrived there was a small class C at one end of the parking lot and a semi near the middle. We drove down as far as we could  and still manage to get the coach somewhat level-it’s not the easiest to find level areas in this lot. With that said, we were able to get nearly level-we have automatic jacks. No one else came that night and we slept pretty well. Mike went to his appointment and I hung out with the dogs. We got several channels on our antenna (we have been researching different satellites and options and still don’t know exactly what we want for TV) and I had good cell reception, so no big deal. It rained a lot. Fortunately this lot is paved. We parked near the edge of the lot and had quite a nice view actually. Did what most people do on rainy days at home-snuggled up in a blanket, did some reading, some surfing, and some TV vegging. It was surprisingly so easy to forget we were sitting in a parking lot. At a casino. Maybe because the RV feels like home. Of course when the dogs needed to go out, I would definitely notice.

We indulged in their buffet that first evening.  If you sign up for a player’s card they will give you a discount so the weeknight buffet is $15.99 each.  It was a nice buffet, no lines, and no dishes to wash!  We had already unhooked the Jeep so Mike could go to his MD appointment earlier so we just drove up to the casino.  There are shuttle stations with a number posted to call and they will pick you up and take you to the casino.  

Because it was raining quite hard and because Mike had agreed to meet some old buddies at the morning poker game, we took our chances and stayed a second night in the parking lot.  It was empty and it was a weeknight in late November so we felt pretty okay making this decision.  It was fine, no one even said boo to us during our entire stay.  Just a friendly wave once in awhile as they cruised through the area during security checks.  

While Mike was getting EKG’s and making a small donation to the morning poker buddies, I was looking around for where we might go next.  We had 3 days until we could get into our site at Beal’s Point and I was still adament we would not be spending $80 per night to stay in a campground.  I just cannot bring myself to do that.  Searching Thunder Valley Casino’s website I found they will allow up to 72 hours of camping in their large overflow parking lot across the street from the casino.  I called to confirm and got the okay to come on over! We stopped in Cameron Park and dumped our tanks.  There is a gas station just off 50 that provides dump area for $10. And then we drove the 18 miles to Thunder Valley Casino.  

Since it was such a short drive, and we were going to be in a lot of town traffic, I opted to follow in the Jeep rather than hook up and tow.  Mike had his first “accident” on the way over.  We were driving across Hazel Avenue which for those who know the area, know it’s pretty congested and lanes are small.  There are houses along this busy street and it had been trash day.  The bins were empty, but had been set back down well into the  traffic lane, outside the white line.  Following him, I could see what was coming and I knew there was nothing he could do about it.  There was no way to swerve out of the lane without hitting cars on the left, so there went the bin.  Mike was nervous as to what damage we might have once we parked but it was just a light scratch.  Sorry about your bin to our neighbors on Hazel Avenue but it was wayyy in the street!  

We stayed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Thunder Valley Casino.  There was plenty of area to walk the dogs and we even found an area to play some fetch in the parking lot-although Louie did get his pads tore up a bit from the pavement.  (I overdid it on the old boy a bit I guess).  I found that at the end of the road beside the parking lot there is a large RV storage area that sells propane with very easy in and out.  Convenient and good to know if you’re ever in the area.  

This parking lot does have a landfill area behind it.  It was the first part of December and we did not get much odor-every once in awhile that sickening sweet smell would come up while walking the dogs, but nothing inside the rig at all.  It can get a little noisy outside at times, but we slept really well.  There was a huge flock of seagulls that camped in the lot as well and they were fun to watch.

Stop in at the security desk and they will give you a 72 hour pass to put in the window of your RV-some parked rigs had these and some didn’t.  There were maybe 10 RV’s and about 8 semi’s at any given time during our 3 day stay.  Patrons are allowed to stay for 72 hours every 30 days.  Very nice feature.  Yes, it’s a parking lot but if you are visiting in the area or the weather is bad, it’s a great way to save money.  

We had good television reception and good cell reception, so good wifi via our Mifi with Verizon.  While sitting in a parking lot sounds horrific, it really wasn’t bad. We again used the time the same way one would use it in a sticks and bricks home when you can’t get outside.  I went through cupboards and made a grocery list.  We got out the manuals and got the AGS (automatic generator system) figured out!  That was amazing!  This thing can be set to come on at a certain battery voltage, or at a certain time, or at a certain coach temperature.  We can program it so that it adheres to park quiet hours too.  So Cool!! I also researched the refrigerator and figured out how to turn on the ice maker and where to replace the filter.  We read up on the generator and ordered supplies to change the oil and watched some how to videos so we were comfortable doing this ourselves.  I read some-a juicy guilty pleasure romance book- and got my blog caught up a bit.  

Making sure to turn water off between lathering and rinsing, we both were able to take 2 showers in the 3 days we were there without filling our grey tank or running out of water.  We did have drinking water on board since we haven’t sanitized our tanks yet.  

We signed up for Thunder Valley’s player’s cards as well and went to their Sunday night buffet.  The Friday and Saturday buffets are over $30/pp but they do have all you can eat crab and prime rib.  Mike got tons of crab at Timber Cove in November and we ate fresh crab nightly for 2 weeks.  So, we opted again for the lower priced Sunday buffet which was about $15.75/pp with discount.  It was also quite good and no dishes for me!  It was a little busier, but the lines moved pretty quickly.  

A nice added bonus, I got $5 in free slot play for signing up for a player’s card.  You will be pleased to know I cashed out for $18.76, nearly quadrupling my money!  Woohoo!  

I also drove around the parking lot for the first time!  It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be but I don’t think I’m quite ready for traffic yet.  I do think I could do some straight on highway driving.  I’ll get there slowly!  

Well, my goodness how time flies. Can’t believe it has been so long since my last post! Have we been to the most exciting places on the planet? So busy I couldn’t even take time to write? Not even close!
Our drive from Santa Rosa ended up being our first night time drive and our first time towing the Jeep. First, let me say the Jeep towed great. This Phaeton has the power to flat tow in the hills without any concerns. We are very glad we opted for the Phaeton over the smaller engine Red.
Since we hadn’t set up or learned anything about our Good Sam navigation that Ron and Marby were kind enough to throw in with the coach, I relied on Siri and my iPhone.

In my defense, I did ask Mike, as he drove through Santa Rosa at 4:30 pm, if he’d like to pull over and look at the route options. He said no. I also offered to navigate him to I80 which was a longer route, but hey it’s the freeway. He stated that I80 would be a parking lot at that time of day and just go with the shortest route. So off we went!
Our first turns took us through a residential area with the giant speed bumps-that was fun! But oh wait, it’s just getting fun!

We ended up on highway 128. Which apparently is some type of cut off or short cut for commuters because it is very busy around 5:00 pm on a weekday. And very narrow, and very curvy, and has no shoulder to speak of really. There were pull out areas and we did pull out and let cars go around as we were able. Just took it slow and eventually traffic ran out-so did civilization it seemed. We had to drive around mountain areas and the deer did not always follow the deer crossing signs. Luckily there was no one around and we could go slow and take the turns wide-again very narrow road. We did get passed by a fire truck at one point-met him a few miles down the road turning around-easy to get lost in this area apparently.
Mike did a wonderful job of driving and since he grew up in California and driving on these kinds of roads I wasn’t really concerned. We went slow and he used his engine brake-loves that thing!

• 

Because we were close to dear friends, we decided to stop for the night in Guinda and say hi to Mark and Carol. It was our first real boondocking experience in the RV. For family and friends who don’t RV, boondocking is another term for dry camping or free camping without hook ups. Nice open lot close to their house that we just parked for the night. We had the generator and just crawled into bed, leaving the slides in and didn’t put the jacks down. Was nice to see our friends and good to know that we could be self- sufficient. Just pushed a button to start the generator, fixed a cup of coffee and we were off in the AM.

While I still used Siri to navigate, the route to Chico from Guinda was a lot better. Highway 20 and Highway 45 were quite nice, and it was a pretty drive. There are a lot of camping areas along the river and this time of year, there was no one there. It looked like one could easily stay here last minute without a concern.
We needed to stop for propane and I haven’t yet found a great RV app for finding propane, so I relied on Siri. She directed us to Willows, CA, not far off our route. The first place had no one available to pump it and it looked like it would have been tough to get in and out of anyway. Luckily the lady running the joint was helpful and told us to go to Carl’s feed store. What a great place to get propane! We paid 2.66/gallon which I found out was a great deal compared to future purchases. Also, very very easy to get in and out of -big lot where we could run the dogs a little bit too on our journey. We were proud as peacocks that we had accomplished our first propane fill so easily until we got ready to get back in the coach and leave. We had locked ourselves out! Still not sure how this happened but fortunately we had left the window by the loveseat unlocked so Mike had to crawl through and we were on our way with little delay. Gotta hide a key somewhere so we are prepared for this. I know it will happen again!

After a couple days of traveling and many firsts-first towing, first night driving, first boondocking, first propane fill, first lock out-we have arrived in Chico for our first Thanksgiving with family and no idea where we’re going to stay (remember, we gave up our site for the fire evacuees..) Chico to be continued! Thanks for taking the time to read! Glad to be getting caught up!!!

• 

So we stayed at Timber Cove a total of 15 days.  During that time, I had to leave for a conference in Palm Springs which left Mike alone up there for several days.  While it was nice to go see all of my associates one more time, it was great to get back home!  We had a couple of days of quiet and the crab starting coming in for Mike while I was in Palm Springs and never stopped until we left.  Is it possible to get tired of crab?  Nah!  Once Friday came, Fresh N Salty Kayak group came in waves!  It was sooo fun!  And truly showed what Timber Cove Boat Launch and Campground was meant for!  This ugly guy pictured above was one of the winning fish (a Cabezon).  

I’m not sure how many showed up for the weekend, but what a great experience!  There were tents everywhere and tons of kayaks.  Everyone got along fabulously and we ate non stop for 3 days basically.  Several members flew in from SoCal and we had a great time meeting so many new friends.  My only complaint is that I gained 4 1/2 lbs in 3 days!  Back on the Weight Watchers wagon soon-well after Thanksgiving anyway!   

I think one of the best things about this new life is getting so many chances to meet new people and make connections.  Thanks to all who made us feel so welcome.  Endless teasing and smart ass remarks flew all weekend long.  There was a dildo bait competition to give you an idea of the fun sense of humor of this group.  (I never heard who caught the biggest fish with this “bait” lol)

It was so good to see our friend Jimmy who came up to kayak fish for the first time in the ocean.  It’s good that these groups get together and look out for one another out there!  We had Jimmy overnight in our RV and he reported our fold out sofa was pretty comfortable actually.  It’s a hybrid mattress that is a partial regular mattress and partially a blow up mattress.  With pocket doors to the bedroom area, the RV is comfortable to have guests overnight and still have some privacy. 

We got a call on Monday from the next campground where we had reservations to spend Thanksgiving week with family in Chico.  They would save our site if we wanted them to, but could use it for the ever growing number of evacuees from the Camp Fire.  Obviously and without question we forfeited our site to those who had lost everything in the fire.  It was an easy decision to make but did leave me feeling unnerved about our future and our plans.  

One thing Mike is able to do that doesn’t come as easily for me is to roll with the changes.  I’m a planner.  I  make endless lists so that I can cross things off and feel accomplished.  I’m hoping this adventure will help me become more open to the idea of not having every single thing planned and will allow me to let go of anxieties associated with not being 100% prepared and planned.  

But for right now, we are leaving Timber Cove at 3 pm and will be driving at night and towing for the first time.  Here’s to more adventures to come!  (Including some real probabilities of boondocking.) No worries, we’ve got this right? 

So while we only drove about 40 miles up the coast, it took a couple of hours to get here.  Highway 1 is NO JOKE!  We laughed that the route was about 8 major curves to the mile with at least 2 hairpin turns mixed in. Mike did a FABULOUS job! I followed in the Jeep.  While we met a few people towing on this stretch, it was not something we wanted to do-not quite yet anyway.  He is getting used to the engine brake and says he loves it.  What a great feature to have, especially on this road!  Go slow, and use the turn outs is about the only thing I can recommend for anyone wanting to drive this route.  It is beautiful!  

Timber Cove Boat Landing is a perfect spot for small boats and kayaks to launch into the ocean.  It’s a protected little cove where the waves don’t break.  Mike had made a few day trips here in the past couple of months so he knew what the place was like.  I had never been here so I did some searching online and the reviews were really mixed.  I just reread a few as I was preparing to write this post.  

To me, Timber Cove is a great fishing camp.  It is not a boat launch-we saw one guy get stuck in the sand-see picture below. That being said, it is indeed perfect for small boats and kayaks as mentioned above.  It is not a family destination, at least I don’t think so.  I would not be comfortable bringing small children here.  Some of the camp sites are right on the cliff, giving fabulous views but the fencing is sparse at best.  The meadow area is just off the highway.  Again no place for small kids.  The views are spectacular and the routine campers are amazingly friendly people.  Lots of regulars who just keep their campers here and come up for a few days to get out on the water.  During the week, we’ve had the place pretty much to ourselves. We haven’t met Brenda yet.  The regulars said she got a chance to go on a dream vacation so they helped us figure out where to park when we arrived.  The sites aren’t numbered and they are close together.  Several have sewer and water.  The electrical panels are dated and sketchy.  We were able to run a 15 amp cord and have surge protectors on the coach so we weren’t too worried.  There is a shower house but since we have hook ups, I haven’t been to see it.  We have a nice big shower in the coach. I have seen several fisherman use them after being in their kayaks all day and since no one is here, I don’t think anyone is cleaning them routinely.  With all the negative safety issues and space, I can see where some people may give a bad review if they didn’t know what to expect.  I’m very comfortable here.  I can walk my dogs on the trails, the people are amazing, it’s quiet, has great views, free  so-so wifi and partial, albeit a bit sketchy hook ups. We did have to call and use paypal to make reservations.  Since we stayed so long-we are here 15 days-Brenda gave us a great rate $304.00.  

Since I don’t fish, I was looking forward to this time basically to unwind, continue to organize and hike around with the dogs. Louie is still limping a bit. I think he tweaked a muscle at Beal’s Point chasing a jack rabbit so we are only going on very short walks right now.  There is a great trail that I am hoping to explore more when I get back from my conference.  We went a short distance on it and the views are amazing.  

Since hiking is limited, I’ve tried to work on the organizing and relaxing goals.  Mike and I emptied all of the under storage compartments- aka “the basement”  We spent an afternoon cleaning and organizing and I think we are almost at a point where there’s a place for everything and everything in it’s place.  It’s so nice to work together.  When we had a regular house he had his chores and I had mine and every once in a while the two would overlap.  Not that we wouldn’t help each other, it’s just that this journey feels like so much more of a partnership than home ownership ever did.  

How’s that relaxing coming along?  Glad you asked-not well!  I think I finally got some good sleep last night.  I’m a nervous person-for those that don’t know me well.  My anxiety can easily get the best of me and my children have-through no fault of their own-contributed to enormously to my inability to relax.  

My oldest messaged me on Wednesday that his baby was coming early-5 1/2 weeks early!  I was so scared for them!  As a mom you try to be the voice of calm and reassurance but I did a lot of crying that night. That feeling of helplessness is a difficult one for me.  Even though they are grown, I never want my kids to hurt or experience tragedies.  They were only able to give mom Emily one dose of steroids to help develop his lungs before little August decided to enter the world.  Fortunately that was all he needed and while he is needing some help eating/sucking, he required very little oxygen just after birth.  He is still in the NICU but is doing very well.  Meet August Duane Edwin Schutt.  He was named for grandfathers who are no longer with us. He was 5 lbs 1 oz and 17.5 inches long.  Not bad for 34 1/2 weeks gestation!

We had to get up early Thursday morning to head to Folsom.  Mike had an ortho appointment-he will have surgery before the end of the year for partially torn labrum and rotator cuff.  I drove since the Jeep doesn’t fit Mike very well.  It’s kind of a girl’s SUV but I enjoy it.  We barely made it back before we had heard from Hannah.  Paradise was on fire and Chico was in danger.  She may need to evacuate.  She’s 20. A young, El Dorado Hills sheltered life 20.  She’s never really driven in grid lock, or been faced with anything quite so serious.  She agreed to go to her cousin Nicci’s house as soon as her laundry was done.  Suffering from lack of sleep and my huge amount of natural anxiety, I began to sob once I hung up from her call.  Mike of course is the mind of reason-emotion gets in the way of reason. Calm down, that won’t help anything.   He began looking at fire maps and winds on the internet.  While he studied, I worried. Nicci sent us this photo from her roof top.  

Mike had read the fire was moving at a rate of 80 acres a minute in the beginning and had consumed 18,000 acres.  This looked way too close for comfort.  He studied Hannah’s address, Nicci’s address, winds. I could tell he was nervous too. Sending her to Nicci’s would send her closer to the fire, but she’s so young and this is a real threat.  We spoke to Cesar and he assured us it was still off quite a ways but yes she should forget her laundry and get there-the traffic alone could take her awhile to get across town. There were reports that traffic in both directions of East avenue was extremely slow.  

Hannah listens when dad speaks.  He got on the phone and told her to forget her laundry and leave immediately and call when she got to Nicci’s house.  She arrived a few minutes later -traffic wasn’t congested in that direction-still had conditioner in her hair and had wet laundry in tow but she was with people who loved her and would keep her safe.  Thankfully winds shifted and the danger, while still very present and real, has reduced.  Our baby has been instructed to stick like glue with family until this horrific fire is contained  

Slept a little better last night, knowing little Auggie and Hannah were both in good hands.  We had a small glitch figuring out the electrical set up and I was able to trouble shoot with some facebook groups and all  is good now.  So many buttons to work on this classy coach!  Winds are calm here on the coast and Mike was able to go out with a group to check his pots and do some fishing!  I have been able to walk the dogs a little-taking it slow on Lou Dog. We did go a little farther on the trail this morning to get some pics of Mike launching.  That’s my sexy beast in the orange dry suit! 

There is still a lot of smoke in the air-even though we are 4 1/2 hrs away from Chico.  But today, I know Hannah and Auggie are safe and I will relax.  Catching up on this blog, watching Mike do what he loves, and doing some RV baking are on the agenda for the rest of the day.  I have to leave Mike and the dogs tomorrow for a conference in Palm Springs for a few days.  I’ll make them some goodies to tide them over until my return!  

It was opening weekend for recreational crabbing season.  One must book sites at Lawson’s as soon as the booking window opens (16 weeks ahead) if you want a good site here this  particular weekend.  We didn’t even have the RV when I booked this site.  I anticipated and hoped we would have one so I booked for a maximum of 38 feet-knowing we didn’t want to exceed that length in a motor home.  We still had the pick up camper and this weekend is special to Mike so we knew we wanted to be here regardless of where we were in our RV search.  While I wasn’t quick enough to get a sea wall site, we were able to get the backside of the sea wall, site 740, not a bad site.  Lawson’s is pricey for dry camping, $76 per night for the sea wall, but it’s worth it for the view and easy access to launch for crabbing.  We love Lawson’s.  

Mike drove the RV and I followed in the Jeep. It’s a windy steep road down in to the campground and we figured we had plenty of time to practice towing on flatter roads.  When we arrived, there was no line to get in-highly unusual!  I walked up to the shack to register and while the paperwork only took a couple of minutes, the line had started to form.  While I was confirming license plate numbers, the gal checking us in said, “Your toad isn’t hooked up.  You will either have to hook it up and tow it in or move to a designated two vehicle spot.”  I was floored, as was the other gal assisting in the check in shack.  “Are you serious? It’s got the tow bar on it, it’s obviously a tow vehicle.”  She would not budge.  Something about state park laws and you must be connected when passing through the gate.  If she could only see the eyes of her coworker behind her!  We were both dumbfounded and the line was quickly growing behind us.  So, we hooked up as fast as we could.  I didn’t time it, but I am certain Mike got that baby hooked up within about 3 minutes.  Fortunately I was following him so we didn’t have too far to line things up.  An apology to the line waiting behind us, we weren’t aware of this “state park rule”. We had just stayed at Beal’s Point and had driven in separately? That’s a state park…..Who knows.  But I did feel bad that we were holding up the line at check in.  Fortunately no one said anything.  

We have camped here so many times over the last 10 years.  There is something special about crabbing weekend.  So many different walks of life gathering together in this cow pasture that has access to Tomales Bay.  When the tide is low, we kayak over to clam island and dig giant geoduck clams-so dirty and so fun.  Geoducks are the most phallic looking animals I have ever seen!  Here’s Mike and I a couple years ago on our first clam dig.  Thanks to Mark Witt for showing us the way!  

I wish Sherman would have been home just a few more days.  He and Mike shared great -and scary-times crabbing over the years.  They used to take a port a boat out to drop and pull pots.  This port a boat is basically a plastic fold up boat that you put wood planks in for seats and mount a motor on the back.  Sherman got to be first mate and pull pots.  

One year he and Uncle John went out to pull the last pots for the day near sunset.  They got out there and something happened where they lost power and had no radio, the sun was setting quickly and the tide was pulling them out. Sherman says it was one of the only times he ever heard Uncle John cuss.  Quite a frightening experience!  Mike had been just about ready to call the coast guard and was trying to figure out how to tell me he had lost our son when they were towed in.  

Lawon’s can be dangerous. I remember the first time Mike came here. Opening day was on a weekday so he and Sherman left early and Hannah and I drove over on a Saturday. They had no cell reception at that time.  As I got closer, I saw tons of flashing lights, helicopters in the air, fire trucks and ambulances at the launch.  No idea where my husband and son were at the time.  They weren’t at the camper.  I was frightened. 

As it turned out, an inexperienced group took a boat out through the mouth of Tomales into Bodega Bay under too rough of conditions and capsized.  I remember that a small boy was still inside.   He had found an air pocket to stay alive while they towed the boat to shore.  They cut him out right there at the launch while we watched. Several people were flown to the hospital.  I believe there were deaths as well.  Always respect the ocean and know your abilities, and the weather.  Mike has been very cautious as he learns to ocean kayak and I don’t think he will ever lose respect for the ocean.  

Ultimately, Mike was too tired to even go out this weekend.  This move was a lot-still feeling very surreal. We knew we had a 15 day stay booked just up the coast and we could take our time to unpack and set up the gear.  We were tired of packing and unpacking for the moment.  So, we just hung out and visited with people and tried to learn a little more about this RV.  

While I was hoping for walks on the beach with the dogs, Louie B is still limping from his jack rabbit chase so we needed to take it easy.  We got around the campground for short walks.  

Louie, Kiya Coco and I met a few new friends that were much larger than the dogs they were used to seeing!  The cows are all fenced in now, and can’t wander through the campsites like they could in past years.  I remember the first time we camped here years ago, they were everywhere.  Louie was a pup and these guys freaked him out.  

While Mike didn’t crab, our brother in law David Hamakawa was also at Lawson’s crabbing with his family.  He stopped by to say hi and traded us a couple crab for some ling cod we had from Mike’s last kayaking adventure. 

Since we loved our air fryer at home, I didn’t want to live without one when we got on the road.  While it uses a lot of power, it makes the best “fried” foods  We had fresh fish, fresh crab, and tots for dinner!  Not a bad meal at all!  I also decided to use the time to play with the convection oven.  I don’t know why I feel guilty using the generator, but I do!  Maybe it’s from all the years camping in the pick up camper.  We never had a generator and I learned how to be very conservative with power to help that one battery last for several days.  When you are camping at Lake Pyramid in December, heat is the priority and I became quite the master at getting by without using much battery.  We did have a propane oven in the pick up camper.  Our RV has a propane stove top but an electric microwave/convection oven. I got a ton of bananas at Grocery Outlet for $1.00 just before we left so banana nut bread was on the menu!  It came out pretty darn good!  I stuck to the time and temperature I would have cooked in a regular oven and was really happy with how it turned out.  I like a nice crust on my sweet breads and I most always glaze them. 

Since we haven’t figured out which satellite we want to install yet, we had antenna television only and I have done pretty good figuring out the Verizon jet pack. We were able to stream the Warriors game on the laptop so we haven’t felt deprived of amenities just yet.  We need to learn about the Automatic generator system a little bit more and get our battery bank checked out. For now, we just turn on the generator for a couple hours in the morning while I’m making breakfast and a couple hours at night during dinner.  We had a great breakfast with our camping neighbors.  I’ve been working with sourdough for about 9 months or so now.  I’ve named my starter Henry.  He of course made the RV living cut. He did a great job making waffles before we left on Sunday.

Through social media we learned some dear old friends of Mike’s were camping at the other end of the bay. Dolores’ kids, Benny and Tina, were Mike’s childhood friends and he has so many great memories with them.  While we missed seeing Tina, we did get to stop by and see Dolores on our way to our next adventure, Timber Cove Boat Launch

Thank you Lawson’s landing for a restful couple of days.  Til next time! 

Beal’s Point is on Folsom Lake just a few miles from where the apartment we had been renting is located.  It was also close to my job.  We booked Beal’s primarily for location to facilitate emptying the apartment and finishing up work.  Having lived in the area for so many years, we had never camped overnight at the park.  Compared to the area KOA, it was much more reasonably priced and closer to where we needed to be daily so we booked for 3 days.  

It was a little confusing at first, since some web sites said the maximum length is 31 feet.  I did find where they can accommodate larger rigs on one site and booked online.  It can definitely accommodate large rigs!  We camped at site 62 back in the campground and it was an awesome site.  For late October the campground was fairly busy and I did see lots of reservations for 2 weeks at a time.  Huge level sites, lots of space between them, and full hook ups.  We paid $52 per night.  Because we still have Mike’s pick up, we did pay $12/night for an extra vehicle.  (My Jeep toad was included in the price.) Here is the one pic we took time to take at our site.  

Since I was working still and Sherman was home visiting from Korea, Hannah came home from Chico to help us all empty the apartment and pack everything we wanted to take with us into the RV.  A big thank you to both kids who helped Mike take one last load the dump and move our boxes into the RV.  They packed many boxes into the rig and we moved it to Beal’s on the 30th of October.  We spent much of that evening and the next day trying to put things away, cleaning the apartment for move out,  tossing more things we decided we could live without, attending the wedding, and saying good bye to my work family and the kids as they headed back to their current homes.  Because it was a transition location, I didn’t take time to really enjoy it until the last day-November 1st.  

I was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, and the dogs needed a good walk-a run even.  I’m sure they were quite freaked out after the last few days.  There are wonderful trails, both wide easy trails and little paths through the woods.  We had a great walk and filled our tanks a little, reminding myself one of the reasons we were doing all of this and that we had forever to put things away.  The lake was low so Louie and Kiya got off leash and got a great run in, chasing jack rabbits and squirrels before we headed off on our first true adventure.  Poor Louie tweaked his right front foot so we will have to go slow for a few days but I do hope to get some good hiking in with these two soon.  

So, tanks emptied, hatches all battened down, good-byes said, and we are off to Lawson’s Landing for our annual crabbing adventures.  

Well, Andy did his best to try and teach all he could in a couple days-I roped him into helping me set up this site after I bought the domain.  Anyway, here we are.  We went full time just a few days ago-October 31, 2018.  Beside it being Halloween, I will never forget that date for many reasons.  Most importantly, our youngest son married his girlfriend of 2 1/2 years, giving our families around 24 hr’s notice.  (He was back visiting from Korea and they needed the time to do the paperwork for her to go to Japan in a few months when he leaves Korea.)  Congratulations Sherman and Cali!  May you have a lifetime of happiness!   If that wasn’t enough excitement, we officially vacated the apartment we had for 6 months, left a job I had held for 6 years with people I truly loved as family, and became full time RV dwellers.

A little under 9 months ago Mike (aka Sherman-long story) and I were strolling down the streets of Zihuatanejo, our first trip together out of the country when this idea to drastically change our lives came to life.  Zihua is so beautiful and the atmosphere is so warm and friendly and laid back, we knew instantly we wanted more of this feeling in our lives.  While the thought of running away to Mexico crossed our minds, we knew we weren’t quite ready for that-although maybe one day,  I would love to live in Zihuatanejo at least part time.  I fell in love with the town and the people, it had the best vibe.  Shout out to Santiago Valdovinos Olea, captain of the Gitana for making us feel like family.    We spent five days there, falling in love all over again and reminding ourselves what we wanted out of life.  It was great to finish raising the kids in high falooting El Dorado Hills with a big house on the hill.  We had a boat in the slip at Folsom Lake and a pick up camper to go play with any time we wanted. Lots of toys and trinkets. But the kids are nearly gone, do we really want a big house with a big mortgage and working all year long to pay for it?  There had to be more.  

Somehow, during our strolls along the streets of Zihua, hand in hand, the idea of full time RV living was sparked.  We knew we wanted to travel, we knew we loved our camping times together, and we knew we could live frugally and loved the idea of minimalism.  We even set a date-let’s go full time 2020!  We still had our 19 year old daughter at home and a 2300 square foot home to empty and had to figure out if I could job share a position with my employer or what I might do for work.  We decided we would research and plan and start looking for the best camper options for this new life.  We had time, how fun this would be.  This was February 2018.  

We went home and began reading with a vengeance, purchasing lots of books on Amazon regarding the lifestyle and subscribing to many of the Facebook sites dedicated to full time RV living.  We got closer during this journey-reading together, always something new to discuss-not just the kids, work, sports, and what was for dinner.  We were learning together about a subject we both loved.  We announced to our kids-who thought we were a little crazy already anyway and my work family.  

Meanwhile, the housing market was going crazy and homes in our swanky little town were selling for crazy amounts of money.  We decided to contact our friend Aaron Ralls, a realtor, to see what we should do to the house to prep it for sale and what he thought we could get out of it.  Aaron gave us a few tips and told us if we wanted the best money out of the house, to sell NOW.  Umm, eek!  Well, maybe we should update our plans!  So we did!  We met with Aaron late March, and were out of the house April 9, 2018, taking a 6 month lease on an apartment while we figured out the rest.  Our poor daughter had little time to digest the changes taking place in our lives-neither did we!  

House listed on April 19, 2018, and we closed on May 31st.  We did better than I imagined we could and looking back at where the market was then and where it is now, it was the perfect time to sell.  The sale was tough as was emptying out the contents.  We went from 2300 square feet to 1000 and all my pretty trinkets that I thought meant so much, were given away, sold, or tossed.  I remember breaking down on the way to the dump after our garage sale.  It was too much.  I was physically and emotionally exhausted and so surprised that so many things that held my heart meant nothing to others.  As I sobbed, my darling husband said the words that brought it all into proper perspective, “I didn’t know that candle meant so much to you, baby.”  I laughed through my tears.  He was right, it was the memories tied to the candle that mattered, not the candle.  Still there were things neither one of us could part with yet.  We still have a 10×10 storage unit for now.  

One Sunday morning mid August we found the perfect RV online.  It was also the day one of my favorite residents passed away.  Oh how I loved Reva and her daughters.  They brought so much life into the skilled nursing facility where I worked.  It was not an expected loss and it hurt.  Made me even more convinced that we were doing the right thing.  See Mike’s mom and dad both passed on pretty early in life.  His dad was only 62 years old.  They had barely bought their RV when he left us.  They didn’t really get a chance to enjoy it.  His sister also passed away young.  Debbie was only 58 when cancer took her from us.  I remember when she was diagnosed.  She thought she would have more time.  She said to me, “Patti, I’ll just do this round of radiation and then I’ll go see all the things I haven’t seen yet and wanted to see.  We’ll rent an RV and go to the east coast and see Tyler in New Jersey and see all those sites I’ve waited to see.”  She didn’t get that chance.  I believe she was diagnosed in February and died in June.  We also decided to do this so we can have precious time with family that is all over the US.  We have one grand daughter, Adalie with her brother August due in December.  Since two of  our boys are in the military and the other is a settled down homeowner in Iowa, it’s hard to take time off work to visit.  We’ve only been able to spend 11 precious days with our 2 1/2 year old princess.  This lifestyle will allow us time with family we may otherwise not get.    The older I get the more I feel the loss of my loved ones and the more I want to squeeze the goody out of life.  I think most people feel that way.  I cannot wait to snatch this sweet girl up for adventures with Gma and Gpa!

So that Sunday as I was surfing for RV’s, I adjusted my search criteria just a little-allowing for up to 36 feet in length, rather than just 34, and there she was.  Our new home was just 8 miles away from us in Cameron Park.  She was a 2013 Tiffin Phaeton QSH with only 17, 000 miles.  We made arrangements to see her on Tuesday.  While she was a little over our planned budget, Ron and Marby  threw in the tow vehicle-a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport and all the contents.  Ron and Marby take such immaculate care of all they own and we could tell they truly loved the coach that we had no concerns making this huge purchase.  Marby’s camper dishes were better than my home dishes lol!    They even let us store her at their amazing acreage until we were ready to go-along with countless training sessions and phone calls for “tech support.”  LOL.  We not only gained a home, we gained friends!

Mike went to tech school this past summer in Texas to start learning about the RV systems and this something we plan to continue.  He will learn all he can so that we can independently maintain this baby as much as possible.  We helped our daughter get situated in Chico-her dream town and once again downsized from 1000 square feet to around 500  or so I think.  We still have a lot to learn and a lot to put away and organize.  I drag the manuals out every day and read a little more-this thing is amazing and overwhelming at times.  I started this website so that our family and friends could check in on us and follow our adventures and misadventures without blowing up our facebook feeds.  I love to write and hope that you enjoy hearing about our journey.  For now, I hope you enjoy the view from the living room today!