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| White Pelican on the Salton Sea |
We are off to Joshua Tree National Park...but first, the road winds past the northern part of the Salton Sea. This is one of the richest birding areas in the entire U.S. and we have to take a quick look. Today we find white pelicans and great blue herons available for a photo shoot.
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| GBH....or, Great Blue Heron...looking, great! |
Our goal is to arrive at Joshua Tree before noon as the campsites this time of year are claimed early and often. We find a dandy site in Cottonwood campsite. $7.50 per night....because, we're OLD. Yes, that Golden Age Pass is the real deal...$10 to purchase the pass and it "expires when you do" according to the ranger who sold Steve his, seven years ago. Half price works for us!
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| Happy Hour....again.... |
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| Yip, yip, yippee....i-ey-i-Ohhhhh! |
Our new coyote mascot helps out with happy hour and ukulele howling. Sparky isn't sure about this new addition!
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| Jumping cholla cactus |
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| Hello, Joshua tree! |
It's been seven years since we've had a chance to visit this wonderful national park. We spend a whole day exploring the park by Jeep and wish we could figure out a good way to visit national parks with our dogs. No dogs allowed on any trail or anywhere more than 6 feet from the pavement. All for good reason as far as not harassing wildlife, but hard to get out and do a walkabout when the weather is hot.
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Steve gets some great photos
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After just two days we are off for Santa Cruz....a trip over to I-5, and a stop at Harris Ranch exit for an overnight and a great meal. I am checking Facebook on my phone as we are getting near and what do I see? Mary and Rick (more beach buddies) have made a post...from...Harris Ranch! Great to see them again and visit.
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| Steve, Rick and Mary....plus pooches! |
Dinner is great and a stop in the store proves fun as we find...a ukulele egg slicer! Who could live without one?
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| The perfect...um...thing. |
Come morning we are off to Santa Cruz to meet up with more beach friends, Bonnie and James. We will sell them a paddle board and stay overnight. Bonnie recommends Yank's RV Resort....and we reserve a space.
This turns out to be a great spot...if you are a little south of Santa Cruz on 101 and need a spot...this is it! The sites are large and well kept and level. There is a clean and fair priced laundry, a beautiful, warm pool and hot tub, an outdoor fireplace and lounge area, and a dog park is marked on the map. I am happy we can do laundry and continue to clean up....and as I wistfully look at the dogs...thinking...I so wish there was a "dog laundry"....Steve says: "Hey! The map says there's a dog wash here!" And so there is!
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| Outdoor common fireplace |
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| Great green grass at the dog park |
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| Wonderful swimming pool |
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| Sparky at the controls of the dog wash....he says Skipper is first! |
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| Surprise! They are both first! |
One night here and we use about everything they have to offer! We have a good meet up with Bonnie and James and now we are one SUP board lighter.
To get around San Francisco, without the challenging traffic...we head back to "the 5" and spend the night at Rolling Hills Casino at Corning, CA. The RV park there is great, the wifi fine, and when you get a casino card, it is loaded with $20 free credit. Now, we have never actually played the machines, so, how about a first time for everything?
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| We read the directions carefully.... |
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| Nan chooses this machine.... |
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| Steve chooses this machine....and... |
We put in our cards...and become observers of the machines whirring away, listen to the bells, and yes, whistles...and somehow...in the end...Steve "wins" $28.98 and Nan "wins" $24.52. Paid for dinner...and a little more. Then we laugh our way back to the rig.
On Tuesday we take hwy 299 out of Redding and head over to Crescent City, CA. It's good to be back on the coast.
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| Somewhere on the CA pacific coast |
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| Finally! A grey whale for Nan! |
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| Looks like Crescent City to me! |
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| Dogs run....RUN! |
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| Plenty of room on this beach! |
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| What's Crescent City without a look (and listen) at the sea lions? |
If you look carefully, you'll see this little guy (or gal) has a yellow tag on the left fore flipper. I can barely make out the number when I enlarge the photo. Probably not good enough for a report...the only very young sealion on the float....with about 50 adults.
Tomorrow we cross the border...and we will be in Oregon. Closer and closer to home we crawl!
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI seem to find myself in perfect mental and physical health for a man of my age
I put it all down to Luck. You know the place, it is just right there by Little Butternutl
ake.
The very lake, where we learn't how to row our own boats.
Apparently, I have more money than a man could possibly use in a lifetime,
Happy Trails,
And we meet again.
We shall be by the very shore of existance, and laugh, and throw flaming brands into very sea