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RE: What are your travel plans for the 2008 holiday season?
So, from November 1 onward, it's "Camp In-Laws" until the snow gets too deep!
Reminds me of a country song by Wesley Dennis, Bubbaland, where "It don't cost nothin' to stay at momma's." LOL
Have fun!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/18/08 03:32pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Camp Edison, Shaver Lake, Site # FHU w/Satelite
We camped out there 11 months ago last October. Try this page at the Camp Edison website. Scroll down about half way to the Manzanita loop and it lists all the sites and has a picture of them. Hopefully you'll find a site that suitable for your needs.
We had a great time at Shaver lake and it even started to snow while we were there. We were in the Manzanita Loop as well. Never went out to the marina. Did take the towed and road out to Lake Edison. I want to go back again next month but we just got back from a two week adventure to the redwoods up in northern California and feel we need to spend some time at work before taking more time off for the holidays. lol.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/18/08 10:55am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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What are your travel plans for the 2008 holiday season?
I finished making my reservations this week for Thanksgiving and Christmas. All the popular places I was looking at are pretty much booked up. I did manage to luck out for a spot at Morro Bay State Park and found three consecutive days available for an electrified site the weekend before Thanksgiving. I then managed to luck out with another two days at the campground at Pinnacles National Monument during the week of Thanksgiving. A couple days with the family in Aromas then back home in SFO.
For Christmas week I was the first to reserve 5 days for one of the electrified sites at Mt. Madonna county park, just 10 miles west of Gilroy. We took a drive up there on July 4 and cruised through the campground. They say 30' max but we saw some larger rigs there. Really beautiful area. We'll be spending Christmas in Aromas again in my brother's driveway, which has a spectacular view of Mt. Madonna and where we will be hosting a Christmas eve happy hour in our motor home for the second year since we bought the RV.
After spending a couple days with family in Aromas, we will be driving up the coast to Half Moon Bay and stay at the state beach for a day before returning home to SFO. Would have liked to have stayed at New Brighton or Sea Cliff state parks to see what all the hubbub is all about, but fat chance.
So what plans have you all made for this holiday season? Where are you going with the RV?
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/17/08 08:50pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: 3 Months in the San Francisco Bay Area
We store our motor home at Treasure Island RV Park in South San Francisco and it is very convenient and in a safe area. About half of it are mobile homes and the other half full hook-ups, mostly full-time residents but there are several empty spaces. Some of the motor homes are very nice and some are old trailers, but the tenants have all been very nice and alert. We drove in Friday afternoon and pulled over to unhook the towed and a security vehicle quickly stopped by to ask if we needed help. Said one of the residents had called that a big motor home had just driven into the park. We actually know one of the residents who walks his dog through the park and he keeps an eye on our motor home.
You got Costco within walking distance on one side and a peaceful cemetery on the back. A main thoroughfare along the front provides easy access to the freeway and to SFO. Don't know what rates you're looking for but at $775 per month, it's nearly a steal for being so close to the city.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/15/08 08:25pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Route to Bodego Bay
I don't know, we drove through Petaluma (East Washington exit) to Bodega Bay two weeks ago with no problems. Traffic lights aren't a big deal to us. There is a nice size parking lot at the Kragen and grocery store where you can easily pull into and around and park the rig to take a bathroom break or get some stuff from the grocery store in needed.
Coming from the south, I can't see why we'd ever want to travel further north to zig back south, then zag north again all to miss a few traffic lights. Also, driving our motor home with a towed vehicle through Sebastopol yesterday from Jenner was a piece of cake, nice wide lanes, so I would discount going through Sebastopol if you're in the area.
We stayed at the Bodega Bay RV Park just to the north of town. It's not on the bay and just a gravel/dirt lot with a few small trees, but a decent place to stay for a short time. Doran and Westside Sonoma regional park campgrounds are pretty nice but no hook-ups.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/13/08 11:04pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Directions to Salt Point SP, CA. N. of Jenner CA
We just drove from Gualala (north of Salt Point) to Jenner, yesterday, then east to highway 101. But instead of going on to Santa Rosa, we continued on route 116 through Forestville and Sebastopol all the way to 101 in Cotati, just south of Santa Rosa on our way south to SFO. It's an easy drive and you by-pass Santa Rosa.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/13/08 10:41pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Davis Mt. State Park Texas
Everyone's pretty much said everything about the Davis Mtns. but I'll put a plug for the Texas Hotel's Drugstore Restaurant for the best BBQ brisket in Texas, IMHO. It was the best BBQ I have ever et!
Hope you have lots of fun!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/13/08 10:08pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Wildwood and Woodside RV Parks near Ft Bragg CA
Hey Ray! We're back home now after two weeks touring the Pacific coast redwoods. By the time we got to the coast in Trinidad, the weather stayed foggy and overcast all the way up to Crescent City and down the coast to Fort Bragg and then on to Gualala and Jenner. The weather is the same here in SFO, but we did get some sun today. Blot isn't updated but I got 2 more posts from this trip before my computer crashed with a draft of the third leg of our trip.
The drive from Willits to Ft. Bragg on route 20 is easily done in a motor home, if the OP would rather park on the coast.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/13/08 09:19pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Wildwood and Woodside RV Parks near Ft Bragg CA
We passed by on Highway 1 this last Wednesday but didn't see much from the road. The rvparkreview however doesn't sound too good and the pictures from their website leave something to be desired (for myself). I did like the pictures from Pomo RV Park
which is also in Fort Bragg. This looks like a much nicer place (to me).
Also, don't know which route you plan on taking but, on our way to Gualala River Redwood park, it was recommended that we take Route 20 out of Willits to Fort Bragg as it was a good road for motorhomes. I believe Route 128 out of Cloverdale is good, too. They were right, it is a very good road. If you plan on going up the coast from anywhere north of Jenner, you're in for some narrow roads and tight turns in some places, especially between Jenner and Salt Point and at Navarro Beach. We just drove south on Highway 1 today and we drove both the motorhome and towed separately. We have a 31 foot rig, but it was a much more relaxing drive driving them independently, albeit slow.
Congratulations on your daughters wedding!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/12/08 09:43pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Kamp Klamath RV Park
Haven't stayed but earlier this week we did pass by Kamp Klamath and Klamath River RV park right next door. Both looked like great locations with great views of the river. We stayed in Trinidad, which was too far from all the northernmost redwood parks. Would have rather stayed in Klamath with those great views.
If you like scenic drives the coast road right there at kamp klamath meets up with Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway in Prairie Creek state park. Also, breakfast at the Palm Cafe in Orick is really good and their pies are homemade by the owner herself, 83 year old Martha Peal.
Hope you have a great time!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/12/08 09:23pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Monthly *Affordable* w/HU's Within 2hrs San Francisco?
I am about 1 hour north of San fran... Monthly rental FU 30a is 500. Have to pay electricity. We are on the Russian river as well. Want more info PM me
Just wondering if this is the RV park I saw last week called Michael's on River Road? I tried to find a website for future trips but couldn't find one.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/06/08 09:58pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: california coast again
The Sonoma coast offers some nice views as well. If you don't need full hook-ups, then the Sonoma County Parks site lists some county parks along the coast. We just stayed at Bodega Bay RV Park and it was a suitable place to stay while exploring the coast. The RV park in Olema also is suitable for exploring Pt. Reyes, Muir Woods, Tomales Bay and Samuel Taylor State Park. Also, Gualala River Redwood Park is another full hook-up RV park up the Sonoma coast, 40 miles north of Jenner at the mouth of the Russian River. We'll be at Gualala next week on our way back to SFO.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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09/04/08 11:23pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Camping in the Red Woods
We got our reservations in for the second week of September. Glad you're enjoying your trip. We leave Sunday for Bodega Bay, then Myers Flat, then Trinidad, then Gualala on the way back, for a tour of the Pacific coast redwoods.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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08/27/08 09:45pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Coloma RV Resort, American River, Ca
We stayed at Coloma Resort for a week last May. It's a wonderful place, smack dab in the heart of Gold Country. They put us up front, full-hook ups with a bunch of other RVs. As the week went on we had the whole section to ourselves and had a decent view without an RV next to us.
If you call them, they will give the best route to get there. Don't take CA-49 from either Auburn or Placerville. It can be done but the roads wind a bit. Better the more straight route from CA-50 on North Shingle Road to Lotus Road to CA-49 to Coloma.
They will also tell you if they will have a group of school children staying at the resort, tent camping. There were many groups of kids on field trips from all over the state and they're walking to and fro, from the state park and along the roads. But they weren't any bother.
Places to visit while in the area, the winery as mentioned before, the Gold Hill Olive Oil Company for some olive oil from locally grown olives, the Apple Hill orchard growing area just off CA-50 in Placerville; The Gold Bug Mine in Placerville; the Courthouse Museum in Auburn; Folsom Prison Museum was interesting; and The Argonaut Refreshment Saloon within walking distance of the Coloma Resort. They got great locally made (Apple Hill) pies, especially the strawberry-rhubarb pie with ice cream!
You can read about our trip here: Gold Country Just remember to start reading from the bottom entry to the top.
Hope you have fun where ever you decide to stay!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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08/25/08 09:16pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Big Bend National Park (SW Texas)
We stayed at Big Bend Motor Inn. It's about as close to the Chisos Basin as Rio Grande Village and within easy distance to the Big Bend Ranch State park and the Barton Warnock visitors center in the resort town of Lajitas. There was some live music at the cantina right next to the Inn and RV area.
Checked out the Rio Grande Village campground and thought it would be a great area if we didn't need hook ups. Across the main road there is a store with a parking lot and beyond that, the full hook-up section in a further parking lot. You check in at the store. Motorhomes in parking lot fashion on asphalt which gets even hotter. Still, there are trees and greenery surrounding the lot and a short walk and some grass on the way to the river.
Also checked out the Stillwell Ranch RV park which is really a dirt version of the parking lot at Rio Grande Village both of which had many large and expensive motorhomes. The Hattie Stillwell Museum behind the store is interesting as is the DVD which we bought. It details the pioneering history of the Big Bend area and Hattie's contribution as a pioneer, a rancher, a teacher and a Yellow Rose of Texas.
The Study Butte RV Park is down the road from the BB Motor Inn and closer to the West Entrance. We stopped by the store and they also have a gas station. Looked like a nice place to park for a few days.
If we were ever down that way again, we'd probably stay in the Rio Grande Village with no hook-ups just to get the full national park experience and take a gander at the peccaries which are supposed to frequent the campground.
NPS-Rio Grande Village
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/images/rgv-camp.jpg
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SebastianTGoodbear
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08/19/08 09:57pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Heading to Lee Vining/Mono Lake, any advice?
Looks like everyone's covered all the bases. One attraction that is off the beaten path is a drive to the Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs, between Crowley Lake and Hwy 6. The petroglyphs themselves are great, but the drive through Red Rock Canyon on Chidago Canyon Road to Benton Crossing Road is an awesome drive (check out Google map, using the Terrain tool, of the canyon. We drove through it in my pick-up truck seven years ago. You go through some narrow spots and there's lots of photo ops. Here is the BLM pdf document for the Volcanic Tableland area north of Bishop and the scenic drive to the petroglyphs and Red Rock Canyon.
There's also the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest on Hwy 168. You can drive all the way up the White Mountains to 11,000 feet to see these old trees.
You can relax at home. Vacations are for exploring! Either way take care of your GF. I second the hike at Devils Postpile to Rainbow Falls and Reds Meadow cafe. Burgers are great after a hike.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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07/26/08 09:06pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Hovenweep Access
County Road G (aka as the Airport Road) is a paved road which follows McElmo Creek) to BIA-5068 to 5069 to Hovenweep. Road paved all the way to the Hovenweep National Mon-Squ Tower Cmplx.
Been that way, too, though not in an RV. I do know that there is a length limit at the campground at Hovenweep.
Camping
There is a small campground near the visitor center which is open year round on a first-come, first-served basis. The sites are designed for tent camping, though a few sites will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long. Sites include tent pads, fire grills and picnic tables with shade structures. The fee is $10.00 per night. Flush toilets and running water are available.
I notice your rig is a bit longer, you might want to call ahead of time of you're taking your motorhome. If you do go, check out the Canyons of the Ancients Trail Road north of Hovenweep. It goes through one of the canyons to a ruins site. The Canyons of the Ancients, Anasazi Heritage Center is located 10 miles north of Cortez, CO.
Have fun exploring!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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07/26/08 07:39pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Santa Clara/San Jose Campgrounds
If you don't need hook-ups, then Joseph D. Grant County Park, Halls Valley campground looks like it can accomodate RVs. It's up near Mt. Hamilton, 20 miles from Great America. Looks like a nice park from the website, but the green grass has probably turned a nice tan by now.
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SebastianTGoodbear
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07/22/08 02:01pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Any one else into dinosaur museums & attractions?
Those sound like really great sites. We've been to some of them, too. On our trip to South Dakota in 2005, after Dinosaur National Monument, we traveled across the Rockies to Rocky Mtn. National Park, then north and east to the Black Hills. We also stopped by The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs and then went to the Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research in Hill City. That was a surprise and more than I expected from the outside. If you're visiting the area stop in Hill City at the institute.
After the Black Hills, we went off road and traveled to the Hudson-Meng Bison Kill Site & Museum near Crawford in Northwestern Nebraska and then to nearby Toadstool Geological Park.
We had planned to go the the Denver Museum of Nature & Science but got side tracked and had to get new tires for the Saturn in Colorado Springs.
In the Colorado Springs area the Garden of the Gods was a unique geological park and someone already mentioned the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland, CO. That was great, too. On the way to Great Sand Dunes we stopped off at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument off route 24 near Mueller State Park in Colorado. They had great displays of fossil plants and insects and other stuff, well worth the stop.
I've been setting up a gallery at the Kodak website with photos from this trip. It's taking more time than I thought, but as soon as I get it up, I'll post the address for you all to look at.
Keep the list going, there are sites here I've never heard about!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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07/09/08 11:23pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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Any one else into dinosaur museums & attractions?
Over the past few years, our vacations throughout the West has included various fossil sites and natural history museums. So far my favorite by far has been the Museum of Ancient Life at Thankgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. They had really great displays of dinosaurs and ancient life prior to the dinosaurs. If traveling through the area on Interstate 15, it's right off the freeway and a good visit can be done in one to two hours, if that's all you got. We were on our way to Dinosaur national monument the day we stopped by, so we didn't have a lot of time.
Dinosaur National Monument was also awesome as was the Field Museum in Vernal, Utah, which has great dino figures inside as well as in an outside courtyard. The whole area is very into dinos, if that is your interest. There's even a scenic and geologic drive through time north to Flaming Gorge and the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Park. The signs on the side of the road tell the story.
I wanted to start this thread to compile a list of dino, fossil and geologic attractions in all states in case people are interested in including something of this nature in their current itineraries. They can definitely inspire a young mind and even inspire some of us big kids at heart. I'll try to post some pictures later, but for now if anyone wants to post some of their favorite dino attractions, please feel free to include your descriptions, travel journal entries, pictures and websites!
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SebastianTGoodbear
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07/08/08 11:43pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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