The trailer is now safely stored with our friends Ed and Cindy. We drove south to Sn Leandro where we met up with Rich and Debra for our last weekend befor returning home. While we were with them our highlight was a return visit to the Knudson`s Ice Creamery, where we had a bit of a party with Kyle and his family.
Our exit route was to fly Virgin America from SFO on Suday lunchtime to LAS, wait for our Virgin Atlantic flight from LAS to MAN. From Manchester we had seats reserved a train to Middlesbrough. We arrived safely home at 4.45 local time on Monday afternoon. Total travel time 23 hours. So many thanks to our friends who have helped us. We will be back next year.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
May 16th - There's Gold In Them Thar Hills!
While we have been cleaning the trailer we have been chatting to a couple of our neighbours. The RV across the way, with some really nice people, is owned by real Gold Prospectors. Johnny and Lisa spend their summer months panning for gold, and they really do find it! They showed us some of the results of their labours. We had a very pleasant time talking about how to pan for gold and where some good places are, so next year when we come back we might have a go and see if we can pan some for ourselves.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
May 15th - Packing Up
View Spring 2013 Part 4 in a larger mapAll too soon we are once again cleaning and packing away the rig. The weather here is still glorius, though it hit the mid nineties yesterday. Last night we went with Ed and Cindy to the local casino for their buffet (senior discount - half price), which mean't we had to join the casino, which mean't that they gave us a $10 seed money, which mean't we had to get rid of it in a fruit machine on the way out, which mean't that Sally walked out with $50 and I walked out with $7, still I suppose you win some and then you ..... win some more!
Today we move our rig onto Ed and Cindy's property, which is a lovely country house with a large field. There are all sorts of birds flying around and it is very peaceful. they raise Barbary Sheep, which are great fun to watch at feeding time.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
May 24th - Corning
We moved on from Chico Fairground to our final destination, for this trip, of Corning, which is a small town which straddles Interstate 5. We are currently parked in a pleasant RV Park called Heritage RV, which is blessed with a small pool and trees. The temperature is continuing to climb into the mid nineties.
May 12th - How Little We Know
Coming to the end of Trip 12 we are still amazed by the way we stumble on great country and great stories. We are camped on the fairground at Chico, we arrived on Friday and as advertised on Friday evening there was a Meet at the Raceway, all of 100 yards from our trailer. It was noisy, but not too bad. We did not go to see it, now if it had been a demolition Derby we might have ventured out that far. Yesterday we took time to go East from Chico to visit friends. Chico is 'The last Major Town' in the Central Valley, north of Sacramento (Though Redding is further north, I don't think it is as big), we approached from the south on Highway 99, through the now normal views of flat land, irrigation and intensive agriculture. So when we drove East of Chico, taking a road called The Skyway we were surprised that within a cople of miles of the fairground we were immediately in hill country. We very quickly worked out why the road was called the Skyway. It is the only link to Paradise, originally a gold town, and as it goes East is slowly rises up, while the land either side drops away, leaving you on a narrow strip of land with the beautiful Little Butte Creek Canyon a thousand feet below you. What an amazing view, yet hidden from the rest of the world. Not only is it a wonderful view the river itself is a salmon river, which having almost died now has up to 12,500 salmon a year spawning there. Quite amazing. Having driven through Paradise, past the Chocolate Festival taking place this weekend, we had a wonderful, relaxing day with our friends in their lovely new house.
We drove back down in the evening, taking a further look at the Little Butte River Canyon, are again amazed at the variety and beauty of this country.
We drove back down in the evening, taking a further look at the Little Butte River Canyon, are again amazed at the variety and beauty of this country.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
9th May - Walmart Safari
Thursday
We are now in our last days in U.S.A. and staying in Folsom Lake State Park, about a mile from the Folsom Prison, though you can barely see it from the road.
We have spent a relaxing couple of days mooching around the shops here. Scooping up new clothes as Sally and I have needed a new wardrobe. Having visited the huge Westfield Mall on Monday evening we then set about some serious shopping. We are strategically placed between three Walmarts and I think we have emptied them all. Though reality has sort of set in as we have only 23kgs of luggage each to bring home.
On Wednesday we spent some time looking round Auburn, both at the shops and the town. Auburn was first settled in 1848, at the start of the gold rush (first gold found at Sutters Creek just 35 miles away) and became the commercial centre, once it had gone through the normal several burning down's, which seems to be the mark of almost every town in the west that was built in the nineteenth century, it settled into a very pretty little town. We had a walk around and a coffee/tea in Tsuda's Eatery, an interesting place. It started as a Buddhist temple, was bought by a Japanese man and became a School. In the Second World War the Japanese were interred (yes America does have skeletons in its closet as well), building on his release he had to buy back his own building and started a grocery, then eventually it became a cafe, fascinating history.
For lunch we took our picnic down the Auburn Ravine. A steep valley which has a major road. We had driven our van and trailer down it in 2011, but not had time to stop and look at the lovely views. the ravine has been cut by the American River and is a picnic area. Very pretty.
On Wednesday evening we drove past Folsom Prison, just to see it really.
We are now in our last days in U.S.A. and staying in Folsom Lake State Park, about a mile from the Folsom Prison, though you can barely see it from the road.
We have spent a relaxing couple of days mooching around the shops here. Scooping up new clothes as Sally and I have needed a new wardrobe. Having visited the huge Westfield Mall on Monday evening we then set about some serious shopping. We are strategically placed between three Walmarts and I think we have emptied them all. Though reality has sort of set in as we have only 23kgs of luggage each to bring home.
On Wednesday we spent some time looking round Auburn, both at the shops and the town. Auburn was first settled in 1848, at the start of the gold rush (first gold found at Sutters Creek just 35 miles away) and became the commercial centre, once it had gone through the normal several burning down's, which seems to be the mark of almost every town in the west that was built in the nineteenth century, it settled into a very pretty little town. We had a walk around and a coffee/tea in Tsuda's Eatery, an interesting place. It started as a Buddhist temple, was bought by a Japanese man and became a School. In the Second World War the Japanese were interred (yes America does have skeletons in its closet as well), building on his release he had to buy back his own building and started a grocery, then eventually it became a cafe, fascinating history.
For lunch we took our picnic down the Auburn Ravine. A steep valley which has a major road. We had driven our van and trailer down it in 2011, but not had time to stop and look at the lovely views. the ravine has been cut by the American River and is a picnic area. Very pretty.
On Wednesday evening we drove past Folsom Prison, just to see it really.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
May 6th - Sacramento
The Magic has broken!! On Sunday was overcast, but......Today it rained!
The first rain we have seen since leaving Manchester on March 5th. We thought we might get away with having no rain on this trip, however it was only showers as we were driving round the south of Napa, so the day was not spoiled.
We have returned to Sacramento to relax by Folsom Lake as a stopover going north. We stayed here for a couple of nights in October 2011. Last night we ventured out to the Westfield Mall, just to have a browse, which is something we have not been doing at all this trip.
The first rain we have seen since leaving Manchester on March 5th. We thought we might get away with having no rain on this trip, however it was only showers as we were driving round the south of Napa, so the day was not spoiled.
We have returned to Sacramento to relax by Folsom Lake as a stopover going north. We stayed here for a couple of nights in October 2011. Last night we ventured out to the Westfield Mall, just to have a browse, which is something we have not been doing at all this trip.
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