Timber Cove Boat Landing

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!