San Clemente State Beach

We arrived in San Clemente, California which is in Orange County on the Southern California coast. It's approximately half way between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is adjacent to the Camp Pendleton Marine Base, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We feel really fortunate that we were selected to be Camp Hosts here for the next three months. What a gorgeous setting.

San Clemente State Beach is located  in the town of San Clemente and is one of the most popular beaches in California. The mile long beach stretches between the ocean surf and the foot of a steep bluff. Activities include hiking camping, swimming, surfing, snorkeling, beach combing, surf fishing, biking and whale watching. The pier is a short 1.25 mile walk along a wide easy trail along the beach.  Trestles surf beach is 2 miles south. 

Once we arrived, we met our new boss, the Camp Host Coordinator and received our welcome package. Once we had our fingerprinting done and the background check, we were ready to get on with our duties. For those who have wondered about camp hosting, you'll find it a wonderful opportunity to give back to some of the communities and parks you've taken for granted for so many years. I will devote an entire page to camp hosting in the coming days. Be sure to look for it. I'll also give you some pointers about questions to ask and what to look for so you'll find the right 'fit' when applying. Sometimes the work is tedious and boring, other times it's hectic and exciting. It's what you make it. We find it extremely rewarding. And if you get a great boss, it makes it doubly so.

Once we received our packets, we had to get our Park licenses to operate their vehicles. Here, Debi is impressing her instructor on the operation of the diesel Gator. I was following in another Gator. For those wondering, I had stopped to take this picture. (wink)

Licenses in my pocket, rig hooked up and everything put in it's proper place, it's time to relax with a beverage and enjoy the view. The campground sits on a large bluff overlooking the Pacific.

Looking south towards Cotton Point and the Trestles. Amtrak operates rail service along the beach between Los Angeles and San Diego. If you look really closely, you can see the tracks in the foreground of this picture. The Trestles is a world renown surfing beach. Cotton Point is the home of the Western White House as dubbed by Richard Nixon.

Looking north toward the pier. I have a closer shot below. The pier is 1.25 miles north of the park. San Clemente State Beach has 160 camping sites, 69 or which are full hookup sites with W/E/S. They can accommodate any size rigs despite what their web site says. It is big rig friendly with wide roadways and ample room in the sites. All hookup sites are pull thrus.

You can see the San Clemente Pier on the right side of this picture. The pier is 1296 feet long. It has been damaged several times during massive storms. It was last rebuilt in 1985 and is one of the few remaining all wood structures. There are restaurants, cafes and ice cream shops surrounding the pier bowl. It also serves as a stop for the Amtrak rail service.

The remaining pictures need no introductions. They were all taken from the campground and speak for themselves.

 My favorite picture, taken across from our campsite. Life is good!

Mesa, Arizona to San Clemente, California

We finally left Mesa and headed to California for a work camping opportunity. Debi and I have worked as volunteers for the California State Parks system and we just love it. If you've never work camped, you should look into it. It provides a means of 'giving back', allows you to meet some wonderful people and provides you with a camping spot for several months. There is some time and work involved but, believe me, it's well worth it. Then again, you'll only get out of it what you put into it, so think before you commit. So, let's get to it ---

As I said earlier, our departure was predicated on completion of a ramp for Debi's parents. So, here it is, almost finished... A little paint and it'll be done. The door was moved four feet forward and a new one installed. Why do they put a 28" door on a mobile? At any rate, it's finished and should provide them a safe and easy way to access their mobilehome.

We rarely travel more than three hours per day and this trip was to be no different. While we could have driven all the way to San Clemente in one day, we found traveling no more than 3 hours allows us to set up our coach for the night, enjoy some relaxation and leave the next morning refreshed.

We stayed at Araby Acres RV Park in Yuma. It's big rig friendly and offers discounts during the off season. We found it very quiet, the pool warm, the jacuzzi hot and the spaces big enough for any size rig. It's a one mile walk around the outside of the park.

Our newest upgrade. After years of standard def television, we decided to upgrade to the Winegard Trav'ler. For $2100, installed to my specs, we now have hi-def.  I wanted to continue to use my existing A-B switch in order to allow setting up a remote antenna should we find the signal blocked by trees. The installer was great and set it up perfectly.

Time to exit Arizona. We chose to take I-8 this year as we're tired of I-10. They both cross the Colorado River to get you into California. Be sure to visit the Yuma Prison before you leave Yuma. Speaking of Yuma, we haven't been there in several years and it's really modernized and cleaned itself up nicely.

Crossing into California you're presented with lots of sand dunes, desert and trains. 

After leaving Ocotillo, California, W/B I-8 divides and begins it's climb up and over the In-Ko-Pah mountain pass. The climb rises about 3500' so make sure your coach is prepared for the trip.

Near the summit is the Desert View tower.  It's 3 stories tall and provides a great view of the desert valley towards Coyote Wells. The stone tower was built from 1922 to 1928 as a roadside attraction by Bert Vaughn, a real estate developer who owned Jacumba Hot Springs,  just down the road on Old Hwy 80 near the Mexico border.

After by-passing San Diego we proceeded north. Outside of Oceanside, California is the sprawling Marine Corps base, Camp Pendleton. We passed the Marines playing with some very large tanks but because of traffic, I wasn't able to get any decent photos.

Our destination reached, San Clemente State Beach Park.  We will get settled in, register, meet our co-hosts and enjoy life for the next several months.  More to follow....D

Embarking on a new adventure for 2018

Hello folks,

It's been a busy time for us these past couple years so I haven't had much of an opportunity to update our blog. Now it's starting to settle down and I hope to have this blog up and running again. We've welcomed two new grandchildren, graduated grandchildren one and two, had the oldest one join the Navy and I had my knee replaced. Fun times for everyone involved. Anyway, to those who have followed us in the past, I thank you and hope you'll continue watching an commenting on our adventures. Those that want to join our group, I say welcome aboard and enjoy the ride. Feel free to comment, either directly or through the blog comment section. Also, since a blog is only a small snapshot of the locations we visit, feel free to ask for additional information if you need it. We don't like freeways, expressways and/or toll roads so most of our travels take place on back roads through small country towns. Debi loves old churches and I love old farmhouses and barns, so expect to see some pictures of those as we travel.

We started out 2018 at our place in Mesa, Arizona. Since my in-laws are getting up in years, I felt they needed an access ramp for their mobile home so they wouldn't be falling down any steps. As a result, we didn't get as early a start as normal as I had to oversee the construction of the ramp. Our first stop was in Yuma, Arizona and then on to San Clemente, California where we are going to work camp at the State Park for a couple of months. Look for pictures and information to be posted on the next few pages. We are excited to be on the road again and look forward to sharing our experiences with y'all.

Peace and love as always,   Dennis

Wildlife Viewing at Folsom Lake, California

While we were enjoying our time at Folsom Lake SRA, (State Recreation Area), we encountered many different species of wildlife. Besides squirrels, which number in the thousands and skunks, which I did not photograph, Folsom Lake is home to rabbits, coyotes, deer, turkey, possum, foxes, hawks, tortoise, snakes and both Golden and Bald Eagles. I offered to assist in capturing any snake found within the campground and I wasn't disappointed. Using a 'snake stick' made out of PVC we capture them and release them away from the campground where they won't encounter humans on a regular basis. I was unable to get a picture of a Golden Eagle that frequents the campground due to being too slow to grab my phone. They are beautiful birds though. Below are some photographs in no particular order.

Our 'friend' the notorious Jack Rabbit.

A harmless garter snake. While not poisonous, it will bite if provoked or threatened. Here, he's in my bucket waiting to be relocated.

We also encountered a couple king snakes which are also non poisonous.

This tortoise wandered into one of the tent sites. I took his picture and watched him scurry away into the underbrush. I was amazed at how quickly he disappeared.

One of two hawks that visit the tent campground on a regular basis. You can always tell when one is around as the momma squirrels make a serious racket. While it does not appear large in this picture, it's wingspan was a good 24-30 inches.

Several turkeys wander the tent campground through looking for free food.

And, of course my favorite, the dreaded rattlesnake. This guy scared more than a few campers who did not want to share their tents or sleeping bags with him. I relocated him several miles away from the campground as snakes can find their way back if it's less than a mile.

Folsom Lake SRA Folsom, California

Great news! Doctor released me May 15th allowing us to head out as soon as possible. We left Arizona on May 25th with the house selling the day before we left. Life is good again! We arrived in NorCal on May 30th and headed to Folsom Lake on June 1st. After settling in, we were contacted by the rangers to accept our assignments. If you've never work camped, it can be a rewarding experience. This is our second time work camping and it's important to know what is expected on both sides prior to your commitment, otherwise neither party will be satisfied with the assignment. In exchange for our camping spot, we were expected to work at least 15 hours/week, with our choice of hours and days. Our assignments included collection of fees, cleaning of sites and providing direction for campers. No bathroom or heavy duty assignment. In the evening, we were expected to sell firewood when necessary.

Folsom Lake SRA surrounds Folsom Lake. It has two distinct campgrounds, Beal's Point and Peninsula. Beal's Point is close to shopping etc. and has 19 FHU sites and 47 non hookup. It can accommodate any size rig. Peninsula is remote and has no hookups although water and a dump station are available. Facilities are 45 minutes away. 

Our site was extra large. You can see our coach amongst the trees. We did have excellent DirecTV service. The small building in the picture is the firewood shack. To the left of that is our screen room. We were also provided a motorized GEM electric cart to get around the campground.

Folsom Lake is located about 40 minutes east of Sacramento. It contains over 11,500 acres of water with 75 miles of shoreline.  The largest and most natural part of the park is the Peninsula area which encompasses some 1,485 acres. It is located on the east shore of the lake near Pilot Hill, California.

These pictures show the west side of the lake which is more civilized. Here you can find riding and bicycle trails, (32 miles to downtown Sacramento if you're so inclined), picnic areas, a snack bar and boat/canoe/kayak rentals.  There is something for every taste around this lake.

The lake itself was formed by the construction of Folsom Dam in 1955. Until the events of 9/11, you could drive across the dam. That road is now closed but a bypass has been constructed. The lake is fed by the American River  which then merges further downstream with the Sacramento river eventually flowing out to sea under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

There are many areas with access to the lake each with it's own distinct flavor to cater to almost anyone. Granite Bay, (day use/launch ramp) Beal's Point, (campground/swim beach) Negro Bar, (group camping) Brown's Ravine, (marina) Peninsula (campground) and Nimbus Flats, (day use). Folsom Lake SRA is the most visited park in the State Park system.

Beautiful sunsets are a given at any location around the lake.

 

The lake supports a large number of recreational activities including personal watercraft, fishing, sailing, wakeboarding, swimming, paddling, kayaking and nature appreciation. Aquatic activities account for almost 85% of all recreational visits to the lake. There are almost 100 miles of biking, hiking and equestrian trails within the park boundaries.  The Jedidiah Smith Memorial Trail traverses the park at Beal's Point. This paved off road trail links all the way to Old Town Sacramento and the train museum.

 

As a reservoir, the water levels in the lake fluctuate between 440 feet in the early summer and 405 feet in the early winter. Hidden beneath it's water is a gold rush city known as Mormon Island. In 2013 during an extended period of drought in the area much of this 'city' reappeared 58 years after being submerged under Folsom Lake, with stone walls from some of the outlying areas being revealed by the shrinking lake.

Up next are pictures of some of the wildlife found within the campground.

 

 

Welcome to 2016

Well, 2016 is well underway and I'm a little, actually quite a bit, late on posting so I'm going to try to bring our blog as current as possible with whatever time I have to do so. This year has been pretty busy so I've been remiss in posting. For that, I apologize. To begin with, 2016 saw us purchasing another property in Arizona where we usually spend our winter months, arriving around Thanksgiving or Christmas and getting back on the road in March or so. This gives us some time to get our annual physicals done, teeth cleaned, pet health checked etc. Anyway, I saw this property for sale a couple years ago and it came back on the market so I negotiated a deal that was accepted and we became the new owners. Because the previous owners had committed to renting it the first three months, we honored their commitment so we could not take possession until March. We decided to sell the property we owned as we didn't want two rentals. Obviously I was setting myself up for some really busy months, but I was ok with that. Unfortunately my knee, which has been steadily failing for the past couple years finally gave out. A visit to the doctor meant I was in for a total knee replacement. Those that have experienced this event know what's to come, but for those that have not...it's a relatively easy surgery where they sever the bones above and below the knee, drill thru those bones and cement an artificial knee in it's place. Stitch it all back together and away you go. While the procedure is simple the recovery is a bear. Lots of pain, lots of meds and a tremendous commitment to the rehab process. The rehab process is usually 60-90 days. I went under the knife March 1st and was released from rehab on May 15th. I am pleased with the results. I was able to trash the brace I've had to wear for the past several years and I am mostly pain free. Every surgery is not without it's negatives however. Knee surgery is no different. With a "fake" knee, my running/jogging days are over. Also, I am not supposed to do any jumping although I did try it a couple times with no apparent problems. I have pictures but I'm electing not to post them on here on the advice of my darling wife. Anyone wanting to see them, contact me and I'm happy to share.

As you can see, 2016 started out with a bang. We adjusted our schedule to fit everything we had in front of us. Then our youngest daughter let us know we were going to grandparents again in June. Happy days for sure, as this is their first. This compressed everything we had to accomplish into a few short months. It also necessitated us finding a place to call home for a couple months to help with the new grandbaby.  Fortunately we had been in discussions with the California State Parks regarding a camp host position and when they called in March asking us if we were still interested, we gave them an enthusiastic yes! We offered to come June 1st, pending my doctor's release and stay thru the Labor Day weekend. We could not stay longer as we also have to renew our driver's licenses this year. South Dakota requires an overnight stay in their State in order to renew and we wanted to get in and out before any snow fell.

That's it for now. On the following pages, I'll post pictures and a narrative relative to our camp host experience, pictures of the grand-baby and our continued trip up to South Dakota and eastward. Stay tuned.....Dennis and Debi

Quinault Rain Forest, Olympic National Park

About an hour north of Forks, Washington is the Quinault Rain Forest. After a short stop at the ranger station, you can take a very nice hike through the rain forest and see alpine lakes, streams and many old growth species of trees. Known as the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" because of the number of record size tree species found here, this area is in the second part of the Olympic National Park. This area receives an average of 12 feet of rain per year! Located on the western side of the Olympic Mountains this valley was carved out by a glacier. While the trail, at times, can be challenging, it is well worth the time and effort to make the hike. It's about 5 miles in length if you make the entire circle. Enjoy the pictures...I believe they speak for themselves and need very little input from me.





With 20+ pictures, I've posted them in a smaller format. For more detail, please double click on any picture for an expanded view. Enjoy !

The trail is, for the most part, pretty easy walking. There is some up and down and the path does disappear at times, but it's easily done.

We discovered many small waterfalls all along the trail.

Some unlucky parent is going to be in deep trouble once their child misses this parrot. We found it along the trail and I put it on one of the fallen trees. In spite of any argument from the little one, I'm sure the parents weren't about to retrace their path to retrieve it. It will be interesting to see how long it stays on this log. 

Anyone who takes this hike, drop me a note if you see it still there.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. If you are in this area, be sure to take the time to walk this trail. Even if you don't do the entire loop, there is an easy walk to a fabulous waterfall within 1/2 mile of the parking lot. You can also walk all the way to Lake Quinault although that trail is much more difficult.