Sunday, August 12, 2012

In a holding pattern in Ukiah, CA…

Mount Rainier Junco

We are currently parked at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds in Ukiah, California. Flowers near Randle WashingtonWe wouldn’t be this far south already if it weren’t for us trying to get near a big city (San Francisco Bay Area) so we could meet with a doctor. This is Sharon’s six week follow up visit for her surgically repaired broken arm. Now we know why we shouldn’t be this far south or this far from the coast. It is hot here away from the Pacific Coast.

We didn’t do much on our last day near Garberville as we spent most of the day trying to find spots near the San Francisco Bay Area. Parks that we could afford and that didn’t have very weak reviews are hard to find. I would have never thought it would be this difficult. But we were able to land two days at Redwood Empire Fairgrounds in Ukiah ($27 per night) and then we have four days at the Alameda County Fairgrounds ($30 per night). And I can’t even seem to find an available and affordable spot for a weekly stay between San Juan Bautista and Prunedale… but I will continue to look. At least we were able to sneak off and relax by the nearby Eel River one more time before we left.

Bee amongst CompositesThe 140 mile drive from Richardson Grove Campground & RV Park was pleasant with highway 101 varying between divided highway and two lane narrow and curvy roads and thankfully nothing eventful occurred… just the way we like it. We will have to make a future pit stop for a repair to our exterior steps since the toothed gear that retracts them lost a few teeth and will no longer pull in the steps without assistance. Hopefully we will find a spot down the road where we can stay a week or a month (nearer San Diego) where we can get the repairs done.

Oregon Low Clearance BridgeThis morning we plan to take a 142 mile loop drive that will take us away from the 100 degree temperatures forecasted for Ukiah today. We will drive part of Highway 1 along the coast where temperatures are expected to remain in the 60s.

The blog pictures today are some that we have taken during our journey from Washington to California since we didn’t really go anywhere the last few days so no new pictures to add to the blog.

From here we plan to spend a week here and there along the California Coast till we get near San Diego where we will look to stay a month or two somewhere in the area. Sure wished I had joined the Elks before now as they seem to be the places to stay here along the coast…

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15 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    I love San Diego, got some feelers in to workcamp there but nothing yet. I think August is the hardest month to find spots at campgrounds. I make my most reservations for this month.

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  2. AllisonAugust 12, 2012 at 12:08 PM

    I share your frustration with the San Fransisco area. We ended up at the Petaluma KOA, which is very expensive. It's a difficult area to visit, we probably won't do it again.

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  3. MerikayAugust 12, 2012 at 1:14 PM

    If you haven't left yet .... What part of Hwy 1 are you planning on driving? I'm looking at my trucker's map and based on the terrible time we had in July, and our drive over to Muir Woods in the car, I would definitly NOT recommend crossing back east over the small part of HWy 1 that is South of the Woods. Actually All of the mountain roads are very narrow and windy!

    I will keep my fingers crossed for you today!

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  4. MerikayAugust 12, 2012 at 4:44 PM

    I just reread your post and see you refer to driving a "loop". I asume this means you will be in a car. My fist read of it this morning was that you intended to go to the cast in your RV and I knew that was not a good plan!

    Hope you had a cool day.

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  5. SandybeeAugust 12, 2012 at 5:24 PM

    Hello.....We went up 101 last year and had a ball. Our goal was Canada. We were gone 2 months and never made it out of California because there was so much to see and do. We scout rv parks before we camp. We scouted many parks along the route from San Diego all the way to Klamath and were disappointed with most of them. I have some recommendations for campgrounds if you are interested, including the Bay Area. We live in San Diego. There are only a very few campgrounds here I would recommend. My email is sandybee at cox.net.

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  6. JeanetteAugust 12, 2012 at 5:24 PM

    Two recommendations from Jim & Jeanette Scott (still at Collier). San Lorenzo county park in King City is way above average and has a great weekly rate. If you check in, be sure to give your self the MULTIPLE discounts, senior, weekly rate, Good Sam, back in site, etc, etc! They have a greatpark, laundry, Safeway shopping, easy restaurants and a super museum and lots of hiking, birding.

    The BEST one month park in San Diego iscalled Santee Lakes, noother parkcomes in second. You can ride a Reilly to downtown and leave your toad in camp

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  7. Paul and MaryAugust 13, 2012 at 10:25 AM

    We lived in the SF Bay Area for a decade and got our RVing start there. "Reasonable" has an entirely different meaning there when it comes to campground prices there! Your pick of the Alameda County Fairgrounds is your best bet. You'll have easy access to BART if you need to go into The City. Pismo Beach is a great place to stop on the Central Coast. There is a private park and a state park next door to each other right on the coast. It's a lovely area.

    Be forewarned. Traffic in the Bay Area is INSANE! Travel safely!

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    Replies
    1. heyduke50August 13, 2012 at 7:44 PM

      Survived the traffic but it is still pretty hot here in the valley - 98 today... Alameda County Fairgrounds, nice location but very tight spots...

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  8. Prettypics123August 13, 2012 at 3:16 PM

    I lived in Ukiah for three months nearly twenty years ago. I really liked it. I never tired of hearing those stories from locals about the golden triangle and the adventures in the parks with the marijuana growers! They always said to me, don't go out walking deep into the parks. Those growers get protective.

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  9. heyduke50August 13, 2012 at 7:45 PM

    they had a bust while near there while we were in the area of over 27,000 plants all over 6 feet tall...YIKES!!!

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