On the road

November 18, 2007 we move to Ventura, CA. for 4 weeks. We love this beach town!

A big highlight for me was a Thanksgiving holiday visit from Evan for 6 days. Got to meet and spend some time with his friends he made while living here for 10 months. They are all very special and fun! Evan took me flying from Santa Paula to Ventura with the Channel Islands in clear view one perfect afternoon. We also took bike rides, visited the Santa Barbara Zoo, shopped and dined.

Jim traveled back to Tulsa to catch up with daughters, grandkids and family members, and catch a cold, too.

I found an incredibly brilliant flamenco instructor here. Ana Galindo has 57 years of music and dance experience. Her knowledge and teaching are unlike any other instruction I have ever had. And she embraced me with hospitality. Jim and I were invited to a very special evening at her house. A true flamenco juerga. Several flamenco guitarists, one from Barcelona, cantaores, lots of dancers, palmas and gipsy spirit. Ana is a unique and unforgettable personality.

Anthony Hopkins watch out! Jim and the bus were hired to be a part of an NCTA ad campaign. We took the bus to the TV spot shoot sight in the salt flats 20 miles east of 29 Palms, CA. The bus was the office, dressing and makeup room, with wardrobe set-up outside. Jim starred in a 30 second TV spot explaining the changeover from analog to all digital broadcasting beginning in February 2009, and he tells all cable TV subscribers that there will not be a problem with their old, worn out, outdated, last century TV sets; “they will work just fine”.

November 3, 2007 - The 5
Depart San Francisco and overnight in Lost Hills, CA. You probably wouldn’t know it by it’s name but this place was absolutely FLAT!

November 4, 2007 We head towards Mira Loma, CA with a stop at Castaic Lake Park for a football game break. So, we have a service appointment for service at Prevost Car in Mira Loma on Tuesday. We stay on their lot 3 nights and head out after $$$$ in service.

Arrival in an oasis.
November 7, 2007 Palm Desert, CA

Pulling into a palm tree lined, gated entry to the Emerald Desert RV Resort, we are incredibly impressed with the beautiful grounds. And the climate is divine (this time of year!).

Palm Desert is a walled/gated community mecca. Square mile after mile of walled neighborhoods and extra wide boulevards with 50mph speed limits. Palm Springs is just a short drive and has some awesome mid-century homes.

Stayed in the Palm Desert area, also known as the Coachella Valley, for 11 nights. Some of the highlights of this stay was an exercise room, beautiful whirlpool spas inside and out, and a huge swimming pool that was usually not in use by anyone else.

We visited a date farm and watched a movie named “The romance and sex life of the date”.

Took a hike in Palm Valley.

Saw the sun set on the Salton Sea, the largest lake in California, AND the most painful beach under bare feet in the world!

The beach is made of tiny seashells.

Took at rotating tram to the top of the San Jacinto? mountain.

Jim became obsessed with cleaning every single spot off of the windows.

Our only trick-or-treater was Dan. He came over for a visit to escape trick-or-treaters at his house.

After numerous stops along the beautiful Oregon coast, we roll across the border into California. We find an RV park to stay for a night in Crescent City, CA. and to go shopping for a camera battery. No luck.

October 22, 2007
Sun is shinin’, sea lions are playin’, seagulls are walkin’, the Clampitts are goin’ south. Through funky, old hippy towns we arrive in Trinidad, CA to stay at Sounds of the Sea RV park. Situated in another beautiful area next to the sea, we hiked through Patricks Point State Park to a cliff over the Pacific ocean for a sunset picnic dinner.

October 23, 2007
The Clampitts are still movin’ south, stopping in Eureka, CA to shop, again, for a camera battery. Eureka is a an artsy, hippy town with Victorian buildings, and it’s coastal. And eureka! We found a battery!

It’s time to nest for a day or two. We camp at the Riverwalk RV Park in Fortuna, CA. Got some work accomplished, had the bus washed, I cleaned inside, took a trip down the Avenue of the Giants, had a hike, AND met a Buddist named Virginia!

October 25, 2007
Shiny and clean, inside and out, we make our way to Calistoga, CA with a smile on the face of our bus, and on our faces too. The vineyards are in the fall color stage: rich shades of red, purple, yellow and orange. The sun is shining and the temperature is perfecto. Napa Valley Fairgrounds RV Park is a great location within Calistoga that could accommodate our big “Clampitt” rig. ‘Twas good digs for 4 nights.

The next 8 days was a whirlwind of wineries, wine, and wine country. A most wonderful gift was the arrival on Friday of Becky & Pat, who stayed in Calistoga for 4 days, and my sister Diane arriving on Saturday eve. Good friends Dan Sykes and Kathi Lentzsch have a “piece of heaven” 2nd home in the hills of Cloverdale, just north of Healdsburg. They invited us to spend Saturday afternoon with them for a cook-out.

The house has a spectacular view of the valley of vineyards and hills. They offer their home for nightly or weekly rental when they are not planning to be there. It can sleep 6 comfortably. If there is interest in renting the property you can email Dan: dsykes@n1ear.com

Diane meets the man of her dreams!

October 29, 2007-Birthday in San Fran
Had to sadly say goodbye to Beck & Pat on Monday. They returned to Tulsa as Jim, Diane and I left for San Francisco.

Diane stayed at the Chancellor Hotel in downtown SF and we stayed at Candlestick RV Park, adjacent to the 49ers Monster Park. We arrived a day after a game, and that place was trashed! The RV park was decent, but pricey. Highest nightly rate so far at $69.

Diane, Jim & I shared a bottle of champagne with Dan & Kathi at their Marina townhome, then walked to a popular restaurant, Bistro Aix. It was a very nice way to spend the day of my birth. Thanks to all that made it happen!

Diane and I spent one day walking, wandering, and exploring San Francisco. We ended up in the Haight-Ashbury area and meandered into a very cool bar that has been there since 1941. Zam Zam has a Morrocan decor that is straight from the ’40’s. It’s old, but has a comfortable classiness.

Tuesday, October 30 San Francisco had an earthquake that was 5.6 on the richter scale. We were having dinner in Sausalito and didn’t feel a thing. Dang! That would have been fun!

Saw a flamenco show with Carola Zertuche at a Bolivian restaurant. The performances were intense and stellar, the food above average.