Peppy's Dream Moving Adventure Blog

We should have stayed in the RV a few days while we were still in Whitestone. We should have taken a shower in it. We should have gone to the bathroom in it. We should have packed it long before we left. There are lots of things we should have done, but we were also selling and moving out of our house of 21 years and shipping everything we owned to San Diego. At least we should have shipped everything we owned to San Diego, because we took MUCH too much stuff into the RV. By the time we realized we were trying to fit 3 rooms of stuff into a tiny RV, our stuff was boxed and out of the house and there was really not much we could do.

So, with the help of my darling friends, Maria B. and Susan R., we stuffed everything into the compartments on top and on bottom, using every single inch of available space. We made it all fit, but now Eric and I have NO idea where some things are!  We need a few days just to take everything out, see what we’ve got, and perhaps even pare down before repacking. We just don’t need everything we brought!  I tried to bring as few clothes as possible, and as few accessories, shoes and jewelry, but it still seems like I have too much.  Eric has WAY too much clothes, partly because we packed him and then took more clothes out of the dryer and off the clothes line and brought that into the RV, too.  He just doesn’t need seven pairs of jeans!!!!  He also has all his bicycling stuff, which includes gloves, helmets, armor (for mountain biking), camelbaks (like a backpack — to hold drinking water), jerseys, pants and shorts, bicycling shoes, and a myriad of other mountain biking necessities. His bicycling stuff takes up more room than anything else!

Before we ever got on the road, Eric noticed that the radiator fluid was low.  He added a lot, and it seemed to be going down pretty fast, so he knew there was a leak somewhere in the radiator.  This was troubling, but he kept a close eye on it and added fluid whenever he felt it needed it.  Nevertheless, this was something that needed to be resolved -- and soon!

The first night we had the RV on the road, we didn’t sleep in it. We stayed at our old and dear friend Marygrace’s house, with her and her husband Bill in Massapequa.  They were kind enough to let us stay with them. After a wonderful meal of Mexican food at Don Juan Restaurant with Marygrace’s brother Michael also joining us, we slept over.  Our last night in a house!

We ran a few errands, including going back to New Hyde Park and saying goodbye to Cindy at Sunshine Nails (and seeing her improvements to my old shop, which she is now moving into and renovating). She put down a new floor, installed a new ceiling, and put up lots of walls for massage rooms, waxing rooms, etc. It looks beautiful already!

Then we headed upstate to Mahopac to visit Eric’s old friend, Jim and his wife, Esther, two daughters — Hannah and Mary – and his Mom, Mary. We had a wonderful time. Their house is magnificent and the children are so beautiful. I so enjoyed talking to Jim’s mom, Mary. Esther and Jim had company all week and were expecting more company the next day, so they were not able to hang and talk much, but we were just glad we got to see them before we headed up to New Paltz. We got to New Paltz at around 9:00pm and hoped my sister and her family would be home from their Alaskan adventure, but they were not. We went to dinner at Blockheads, a Mexican restaurant in town, and our waitress was one of my customers! Now THAT’S a small world! Emily recognized me and then I realized who she was. It was just so strange to see her in such a different environment! She is a lovely college student who lives in New Hyde Park, but is going to school and working in New Paltz. She used to come into the shop for costume jewelry and was always so sweet and beautiful. She told me that her favorite pieces were those she purchased at Peppy’s Dream. That made my day!

We headed back to my sister's house and used their shower, bathroom and even did laundry, but slept in the RV (and, again, slept like babies – love that bed!!!).

Hung around New Paltz for a while, then headed to Saugerties to the Saugerties / Woodstock KOA Kampground.

We arrived there and immediately had a million questions for our host, Wayne Hampel. He was very patient with us and, for that, we are very grateful. He showed us how to dump (not too complicated or gross) and then helped us hook up the electric and water. Eric is still trying to figure everything out and it makes me feel so helpless, because I am no good at any of this, and he is so great at it. I don’t know how people would ever do this if they weren’t handy, or knew electrical and plumbing, as Eric does. He’s pretty much an expert in a house, and is just trying to figure it all out in an RV. I am so grateful to have him, because he is just determined to get it all down and figure it all out and be an expert and I love him so much for that.

I took my first shower in the RV. It’s not bad as far as water and heat are concerned, but the shower is SO small. Eric said it wasn’t bad, but I can’t believe it, because he’s so much bigger than me. It really is the smallest shower you can imagine. Just imagine taking a shower in an airplane bathroom and you’ve got the picture. It really is no bigger than that!

So, now, here I sit, relaxing and typing, and waiting for Eric to come back inside. I guess he’ll have to come back in when it gets dark, although he might be out there with a flashlight, if I know him!

We awoke at 9:00am and took showers in my sister’s house, so we would be ready when my friend, Scott called. He had called previously to let me know that he was going to Saratoga with some friends today and he wanted to stop off at New Paltz to see me, Eric and the Chinook. So, we went to the thruway to meet him and say hi. We took a few pictures with him and his lovely friend, Dana, hugged, gave them the tour of the RV (which takes about 5 minutes) and then they left to go to Albany and then on to Saratoga for the races.

Eric and I then went to Starbucks for coffee and a little breakfast and then went to get massages. Ahhhhhhhh! I got an hour; Eric a half-hour. Fabulous! We then went to the Water Street Market to see the antique shop where my friends, Adrienne and Jim have a booth. They weren’t there, but we got to see their merchandise, which was very impressive. Then we went to lunch at Biggy’s BBQ and I had a shrimp cobb salad (fabulous) and gazpacho, and Eric had a grilled barbeque chicken wrap and came back to the house feeling renewed and refreshed!

The boys are off at the Renegade’s baseball game in Dutchess County. Eddie is an intern with the team and got four tickets, so Rich, Eric, Scoop and Peter went and the girls stayed home, watched TV and organized!

I was ready for a big project and I told Lenae I wanted to reorganize her hutch, which had a gorgeous collection of teapots, including the Bailey’s cookie jars, cups/saucers, sugar and creamer and coffee pot set I had given Lenae. It took me about two hours, but now it looks fantastic and Lenae was SO happy! I really love projects like that. Wish I could make a living doing it!

We’re having grilled chicken and salmon pinwheels for dinner. I’m starving after all that organizing!!!

Good news!  First thing this morning I got a call from Wayne, the driver of our moving truck, telling me our things were in San Diego.  He said everything was in great shape and he was going to bring it to the warehouse.  I then got a call from Dave, our rep at VBO Mayflower in San Diego, saying everything was great and our stuff was being warehoused.  What a load off our minds, knowing everything arrived.  We won’t know what condition it’s all in until we get there in a month, but at least it’s all there!  I have to tell you that, so far, Mayflower has been fantastic.  Dave in San Diego has been a pleasure to deal with, the guys they sent to pack and load us were just the greatest, and they estimated that our things would arrive on the 22nd -- and they did!  Isn't that amazing!  I will tell you when I finally see my things in San Diego whether or not I would recommend them, but so far -- so good!

We finally left New Paltz (even though my family was teasing that we were going to be living in their driveway permanently), and headed to Massachusetts.  We stopped for lunch in Springfield, Mass., because we had heard there was a giant doughnut somewhere since Springfield is the name of the town where the Simpsons live.  Eric is a huge Simpson's fan, so it sounded like fun.  We couldn’t find the doughnut (no one knew what we were talking about, so maybe it's an urban legend), but we did have a great lunch at Friendly’s.  I love Friendly’s, and have gone there with my friends, Loretta, Lauren and Lizzy in New Hyde Park, and also with my friend, Artie in Syosset.  There wasn’t one in Queens, so I didn’t frequent them before, but I love their food!!!

We got to the next campground, Sunsetview Farm in Monson, Mass., at about 4:00pm.  We dumped (interesting, I know), hooked up to water and electricity, and then took a nap.  Isn’t this the most interesting blog you’ve ever read? 

Tonight we spent about an hour on the computer, because we wanted to find a state park with great mountain biking in Maine and we did – Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, Maine, which is right near the town of Freeport.  We will be heading there tomorrow, instead of Acadia, because Eric found out Acadia doesn’t have single-track, which is the most challenging ride.  He would be bored with double-track or carriage trails, which are more for beginners. 

It’s nice not to have a real itinerary, so we can change our plans anytime we like.

We left Sunsetview Farm campground in Monson, Massachusetts at 2:00pm and headed for another campground in Bellingham, Massachusetts — about an hour away.  Circle CG Farm is advertised as a country western campground with goats, a horse, and bathrooms titled “Cowboys” and “Cowgirls.”  It’s a little fancier than the ones to which we’ve previously been, so of course that appealed to me immediately!  Our view is of a beautiful pond and, as usual, we are surrounded by woods. 

Our plans have changed so much in the past few days.  Our goal from the beginning was to go to Acadia National Park, but we found out their mountain biking is geared more towards families with double-track, carriage trails, etc.  Eric has no interest in that kind of riding, except maybe to ride with me, and since he’s trying to get in some real mountain biking, we researched single-tracks and came up with Bradbury Mountain State Park, and then found Vietnam Trails Mountain Bike Trail, which Eric had read about in his mountain bike magazines.

The Vietnam Trails Mountain Bike Trail is just a few miles from here and we are headed there tomorrow, so Eric can do their challenging single-track.  He’s very excited about that!

We are staying at this campground until Sunday morning and hope to go to Cape Cod for some seafood on Saturday!

Left Geneva-on-the-Lake this morning.  Such a beautiful place.  We’ll never forget the view of Lake Erie.  Decided to drive as far as New Carlisle, Indiana today (about 270 miles) to a campground called LAKESIDE RESORT.

Had lunch in Westlake, Ohio at a FRIDAY'S.  Then had a special treat – STARBUCKS.  My first in a week.  Anyone who knows my addiction will understand how happy this made me.  We drove past Toledo and into Indiana.  Lots and lots of cornfields on either side of the thruway and not much else.  Also very flat.  Not Eric’s kind of place.  He likes mountains and trees, and plenty of ‘em!

Got to LAKESIDE RESORT at 7:00pm.  Our RV is about 100 feet from the railroad tracks and we've already heard the loud horns.  Uh oh!  Is this going to be another night like THE VILLAGES AT TURNING POINT and that scene in MY COUSIN VINNY?  I hope not.  The good thing about getting a bad night’s sleep is I don’t have to get up early and go to work tomorrow!

If I don’t get a good night’s sleep tonight, because of the trains, I know I can nap sometime tomorrow!  Am I lazy, or what?  That’s another thing that people who know me will know for sure:  I love to sleep.  I may be Peppy, but I need to recharge my batteries and work best on a good eight hours a night.

Here’s something else that’s fabulous: Taking a nap on the couch while Eric drives.  I’ve always been one of those people who fall asleep in a car.  There’s something so soothing about the movement and I always doze off.  I’m lucky Eric doesn’t mind, because it happens if I’m in the car for more than a half hour!  This is twice as nice, because I actually get to lay down with my own pillow and blanket!

Anyway, I'll nap while he drives and he’ll wake me if the GPS starts talking (we call her “Betty”), so I can help navigate.  Betty is the best investment we've ever made.  I SO highly recommend GPS systems, because -- as our friend, Larry, says -- "It takes all the anxiety out of driving someplace new!"

We’re excited about getting to the next campground tomorrow -- WINDY CITY CAMPGROUND in Tinley Park, which is only about a half hour from Chicago.  Our friend, Jerry, lives in Chicago and we are looking forward to spending the weekend seeing the sights with him.  I’m sure he’ll know the best places to go, and the most fun things to do!

Eric bought a fishing rod in Geneva-on-the-Lake and since LAKESIDE RESORT is, literally, right on the lake, he’ll be fishing tomorrow morning.  This I have to see!  I will definitely take pictures, so stay tuned!

No pictures today, but I guess you saw enough of us at NIAGARA FALLS and the ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME!

NOTE TO MY DEVOTED BLOG READERS:  I was unable to get on the internet from Sunday to Wednesday.  So, these entries are late.  SORRY!

NOW, ON TO THE BLOG: 

We were sorry to leave Memphis, but managed to have more fun this morning before we left.  We stopped for some grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches and Red Velvet Cake (Elvis’ favorites!) and took pictures in front of the gate to his mansion. 

The brick wall surrounding Elvis' mansion is completely covered with good wishes and words of love and adoration from the millions of people who have visited over the last 30 years.  Eric and I decided that, like everyone else, we wanted to leave our mark in Memphis, not like Elvis did, but in our own small way!  So, we added our own words.  I wrote "Peppy and Eric, 9/07" and Eric wrote "Long Live The King."

Eric leaves his mark on Graceland Wall: 

We hit the road and drove all day – right through Arkansas!  It looked like a beautiful place, and we were tempted to stop in Little Rock, but we wanted to make good time, because we were doing another three states in one day – Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma! 

So, we drove I-40 West for over 200 miles and landed in Gore, Oklahoma (named after Al Gore (just kidding!)).  Here’s what we’ve noticed in the 6,000 miles we’ve driven since we left NY: people all over the place drive while talking on their cell phones.  I don’t know why I thought it was a “New York thing.”  Or maybe just an “East Coast/West Coast thing,” but you see people in every state, in every kind of vehicle, talking while they drive.  It’s annoying, to say the least.

Here’s the other, very sad, thing:  There are no STARBUCKS or DUNKIN’ DONUTS anywhere.  I haven’t seen one since Florida.  There WAS Starbucks in New Orleans, but I was so happy with the Café au Lait at Café Du Monde that I didn’t bother.  Unfortunately, there were no other Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts in Louisiana, or Tennessee, or Arkansas and, so far as we can tell, Oklahoma.  BOO HOO!!!!

I’ll tell you what they DO have tons of – everywhere you drive in America – McDONALDS  and SUBWAY.  I told Eric that in some of these small towns they don’t even get the joke – Subway – because they don’t have subways here, though I guess they know what a subway is!  Anyway, I knew there were McDonalds all over the world, but I thought SUBWAY was a New York thing, too!

We’re here in Gore, Oklahoma at a lovely campsite called MARVAL RESORT, located in the Oklahoma Ozarks, and everything here is so pretty.  It’s a shame we have to leave tomorrow.  They have cable, but – unfortunately – I can’t get on the internet, and we can’t seem to make any phone calls.  Eric said there probably isn’t a cell phone tower for miles, so I’ll have to do yesterday’s blog and today’s blog when I can get back on the internet.  I hope it’s soon!  We got in so late last night that I didn’t have the energy to complete yesterday’s entry.  I know you are all DYING to hear of our adventures and will just faint if you don’t keep up!

So, I guess it will be a Sunday evening of television and relaxing!

Our campground was so great, except I couldn’t get on the internet at all, so I’m REALLY behind on responding to emails and blogging.  SO SORRY!

We left Gore, Oklahoma and a few hours to Oklahoma City.  We drove downtown and ate a delicious lunch at the Museum Café of the OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART.  It would have been lovely to go to the exhibit of THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO, but we still had six hours of driving to get to Amarillo, Texas by 8:00pm, when the OVERNITE RV PARK closed.  So, we hit the road and drove, drove, drove (or should I say, Eric drove, drove, drove).  Eric won’t let me drive anymore, because he thinks the tires aren’t aligned properly and are not safe enough for an “inexperienced RV driver” like me.  We are going to try to get two new front tire for the RV and get them balanced and aligned.  Then, maybe he’ll let me drive again!

So, we’re driving along in Oklahoma when Eric sees a cop car behind us, and the cop starts flashing the lights.  Eric knew he wasn’t speeding, but he thought maybe the tarp over the bicycles was coming loose.  He had put it on the night before, because it rained all night in Oklahoma.

The cop motioned for Eric to get out of the car (which made me nervous to begin with).  Then, Eric disappeared.  I sat there for a few minutes, then took off my seat belt to look for Eric through the window in the back door.  He and the cop were nowhere to be seen.  Then, I noticed Eric sitting in the passenger seat of the cop car.  From his hands, I could see he was having an animated conversation, but of course I couldn’t tell what they were talking about.  I was SO scared.  I was afraid the car was going to take off, with my husband in the car, leaving me alone on the road in the middle of Oklahoma. 

After another 5 minutes, Eric came back.  The reason the cop pulled us over is that the tarp was covering the license plate (which the cop called “the tag”).  Eric said he was really nice and asked where we were from and where we were going and Eric told him about our entire trip.  I’m in the RV thinking he was getting arrested and they’re making friends!  Eric said he was a really nice guy!  We were actually really surprised that we hadn’t gotten pulled over before, because we thought cops loved to pull over New Yorkers!  So, here we finally get pulled over, but no ticket – just a friendly conversation n a cop car!

After registering at the campground, we requested the free limo service (with the long horns on the hood) to THE BIG TEXAN restaurant, which was a huge restaurant and had more mounted animal heads than I had ever seen before in one place.   I’m not kidding.  There had to be at least 100 of them. 

The whole place was wood, leather and dead animals.  They have a 72 ounce steak for $72 and, if you can finish it in 60 minutes, it’s free.  They have a table on a stage with a count-down clock.  We were hoping someone would attempt it while we were there, but no one dared tonight!

We were serenaded by three handsome gentlemen.  They asked for requests and we asked them to play "Yellow Rose of Texas."  We thought it was appropriate!

I had the char-broiled fresh salmon (which was fabulous) and Eric had the chicken fried chicken breast with cream gravy.  We also shared fried mushrooms and four sides: salad with Roquefort dressing, cowboy beans, Texas rice and mashed potatoes with gravy.  We finished it off with a chocolate cake that oozed chocolate, which was called a “Volcano.”  We took half our dinner home, and half the dessert, too, but at least we’ll have lunch in the RV tomorrow!

Everything in Texas is big – even the bugs.  The Texans even joke about it, saying that their state bird is the fly!  There was some kind of black cricket in the bathroom that was the size of a quarter.  There are a LOT of bugs here, but mostly flies.  I guess it’s because there are lots of cows here and where there are cows, there are flies.  I learned that lesson well when I lived in Hershey Park in Pennsylvania the summer of ’81.  We would get those sticky strips you hang from a light and they’d be filled up with flies in a day.  It’s not pretty.  Why is it that some places have so many bugs (Florida and Texas) and some places don’t seem to have any bugs at all?  I just can’t figure it out.

Anyway, we had a fabulous night and are looking forward to more adventures tomorrow!

We left Palo Duro RV Park after playing with and taking pictures of the cute black kitten.  It absolutely broke my heart that we couldn’t take him with us, because he was the sweetest, cutest kitten (aren’t they all?) and I thought of him all day long.  Eric said we should call up in a week and ask if anyone has adopted him yet.  He loved him, too, and said we definitely would have taken him with us, if it wouldn’t make me sick!

Eric and his new best friend: 

We stopped back at Albertson’s in Amarillo, so I could get another Starbucks, and Eric could get another iced green tea latte, which is a great drink he really likes!  Then, we set off for Colorado Springs, so we had another three states-in-one-day trip: Texas to New Mexico to Colorado.

A gentleman at the campground last night told us to take an especially scenic route, so we went through Amarillo to Dumas to Dalhart (all in Texas).  I was driving and told Eric if I saw an antique shop I was stopping, and we found a fabulous one in Dalhart called WAGON WHEEL ANTIQUES, LLC, which is actually a consignment shop!  It was room after room of great stuff, plus a barn full of old furniture, etc.

Eric and I spent the better part of an hour looking at everything and even made a few purchases!  Eric got a deck of AMERICAN WILDLIFE playing cards with 52 different images, and two vintage pocket knives.  I got seven handkerchiefs and two 2-strand beaded chokers (browns and blues).  I could have really bought a lot, but I have to remember we’re in a tiny RV!

They had lots of FIESTA WARE, HALL CHINA, head vases, green depression glass, and tons of southwestern collectibles.  

I talked a lot with Ann, the woman who worked there, and told her that I had a consignment shop in New York.  She explained to me that the woman who owned the consignment shop was rarely there and only took 30% of the selling price.  The consignors get 70%, but have to work there 2 days a week without pay, so they make more when something sells, but supply free labor to the owner.  I thought that was a pretty interesting way to do business!  I don’t know how it would have worked for me, but it certainly seemed to be working for them!

After we finished paying for our purchases, we asked Ann where we could find the best lunch in Dalhart and she sent us to HODIES BAR BQ, where we had a delicious meal.  I had the catfish and Eric had ribs.  He hasn’t eaten meat in a few years, but we were told it was fabulous and it was (I even had a taste!).  The meal came with a couple of sides, including Texas Toast, which is much better in Texas than it is in your supermarket freezer!

We had fresh peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert.  Then, we were on our way to New Mexico, through Des Moines (yes, there’s one in New Mexico, too!), Capulin, where we saw the Capulin Volcanoes, Clayton and Raton (not Boca Raton, just Raton). 

I don’t think I ever mentioned that when we were in Orlando visiting our friends, Frank, Gloria, Frankie and JJ, Frank gave us a “car ready” CD player for the RV, because the front cab only has a cassette player and radio (the CD player is in the back).  We have been using it ever since and it makes driving so much more pleasurable.  Eric and I have made a deal.  When he drives, I get to pick the CD, but it has to be from his collection.  When I drive, Eric gets to pick the CD, but it has to be from my collection.  He says that rule won’t last forever, because sooner or later he’s going to run out of CDs he is willing to listen to from my collection.  I have an awful lot of Broadway and pop music he just doesn’t like.  Today, while I drove, we listened to JONI MITCHELL and while Eric drove we listened to THE DOORS and TALKING HEADS.

Finally, we entered Colorado and drove north for another two hours to MOUNTAINDALE CABINS & RV RESORT.  We saw some of the best scenery yet.  Spectacular ridgelines, mountains and cliffs.  Eric can’t wait to ride the mountain tomorrow.  We are in an unusually scenic campground, which is great – lots of big trees, mountains all around, etc.  But there are bear warnings everywhere, which makes me REALLY nervous.  Don’t leave food outside, don’t wear perfume if you’re sleeping in tents, back away slowly if approached by a bear.  I’d like to think I could back away slowly, but I kind of think I’d be screaming and running for my life.

I also found out in Palo Duro Canyon that I don’t really do well on mountains.  Actually, I found that out 23 years ago when Eric and I were on our honeymoon.  We were invited to a party in Santa Barbara and the guy lived on top of a mountain.  I was SO scared going up that mountain and even more scared going down.  I’m wondering how well I’m going to do at the Grand Canyon.  I’m really afraid of heights!

Tomorrow we head to PERFORMANCE BICYCLE SHOP, because Eric needs a part for his bicycle.  Then, he will go mountain biking and I will try to find a place to either antique shop or get a manicure/pedicure.  I haven’t had one since Chicago and I’m in DESPERATE need.

I haven’t been able to get onto the internet since Sunday, so my blogging is VERY behind.  Nothing much I can do about it, but be patient and hope the next town has better reception!

As John Denver first sang in 1972: 
 

“And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high”

We woke up to another gorgeous day in Colorado, but last night was a different story.  It got really, really windy.  I mean SO windy that the RV was actually rocking a little.  I couldn’t sleep, because I was scared.  The wind was howling, and the RV was rocking and I was afraid it was going to blow right onto it’s side, or get carried away to Oz and land on a wicked witch!

I guess it often gets windy up in the mountains, I’m just not used to it!  Anyway, we left GOLDEN TERRACE SOUTH RV RESORT and headed back into town, for breakfast and a little shopping!  We ate at a place called THE COTTAGE INN, which was the closest thing to a diner we’ve seen since New York, but more than half the menu was Mexican food!  It’s so strange, because there are SO many Mexican restaurants in Colorado, and the non-Mexican restaurants have Mexican food on the menu!

After breakfast Eric dropped me off at an antique mall in Golden called “The Antique Mall” (how clever!).  It was great!  Tons of collectibles to look at, and lots of costume jewelry.  The only problem was, most of the jewelry was more than I could afford, or just priced much higher than I thought it was worth!  It’s funny to think that fabulous jewelry in my shop was much cheaper than in a one-horse town in Colorado, but I guess I always knew my prices were low.  That’s why I had so many devoted customers.  Right, girls?

While I shopped there, Eric went to a bicycle shop and bought some body armor he needed.  He’s going to be doing a lot of mountain biking in the next week and wants to be prepared.

After Eric was done, he came to The Antique Mall and he helped me find two nice, inexpensive pins, so I was happy! 

Then, we hit the road for Fruita, Colorado, our last stop in Colorado before hitting Moab.  We are staying at MONUMENT RV RESORT – “Stay and Rest Where the View’s The Best!”  It is just two miles from the Colorado National Monument and right across the street – literally – from the National Park where Eric is going riding tomorrow morning.

We only stopped for gas, but it was a really fabulous drive, because the snow-capped Rocky Mountains were all around us for the first hour, and we had beautiful mountain views for all of the four hours.  This was the drive Eric dreamed about when he was driving straight for 100 miles through flat terrain with corn fields on either side of the road.  This was a curvy, mountain road with steep inclines and descents, canyons, mountains, streams, tunnels that ran right through the mountains and the Colorado River rushing by.

We arrived at MONUMENT RV RESORT and immediately drove into the town of Fruita for dinner.  The town is very small and the only restaurant we could find that was open (besides a Mexican Restaurant) was THE END ZONE, a sports bar, where Eric got to watch the football game while we had some surprisingly great salads (his with crab meat and mine with seared ahi tuna).  We finished off the meal sharing a piece of cake called “Chocolate Confusion.”   I think they gave it that name because there were about 5 different kinds of chocolate in one cake.  Delicious!

Eric is looking forward to a great morning of mountain biking and then we will go explore the Dinosaur Discovery Museum (which is also, conveniently, right across the street), the peach, apple, cherry, plum and pear orchards in the area, or the antique shopping in Grand Junction (the downtown Main Street Shopping Park).  There are tons of other things to do, so there’s no telling how long we’ll stay here.  Only time will tell!

We had an uneventful and restful night’s sleep at Wal-Mart and got washed and dressed in the RV so we could head over to GOODYEAR TIRE.  I forgot to mention that when we got into town last night we saw a lot of people and cars along the sides of the road and asked someone why everyone was milling about, setting up chairs and tents.  It turns out that there was a huge American Indian parade today, and there was also a carnival in town last night and today, right outside town.  If we weren’t so concerned about the tires, we might have gone to the parade, or the carnival, but we were focused on the RV.  We called GOODYEAR to make sure they could do the job.  Turns out, no one had turned up for work, because they were all at the parade.  Can you believe it?

They recommended a few other places and we finally ended up at TREADWORKS TIRE AND SERVICE CENTER.

 
There was a Laundromat across the street, so I decided to go across and do two loads of laundry while Eric waited for them to put four new tires on the back of the RV.  They did a great job (and so did I), and we were off by noon.

We had noticed a nice strip of stores and restaurants on Main Street, so we went back there and had a nice lunch at TJ’s DINER.  The girls there were all very interested in our trip, our RV and our previous lives in New York City.  They were all so friendly.

After lunch, Eric stayed in the RV and made phone calls while I went into a fabulous place called OLD FAITHFUL, INC., which sold antiques, camp & cottage décor, gifts, vintage clothes and books.  It had everything arranged so beautifully, and they had such a wonderful array of collectibles, linens, clothing, ephemera and furniture.  I loved it!  I spoke to one of the three owners and told her about the shop I had in New Hyde Park.  I know all my customers would LOVE this store!  Too bad it’s so far away.

Finally, we headed out of town.  I was exhausted, so I took a nap in the back while Eric drove.  I woke up when he turned off the engine, thinking we had arrived, but we had only gone about 10 miles.  He had turned off the engine, because traffic had come to a complete stop.  Turns out that, because of the parade and the carnival, there was bumper-to-bumper traffic going south on I-64 (the direction we had to go) and it ended up taking us two hours to go about 15 miles.

Once we passed the carnival, the traffic cleared and we made it out of New Mexico and into Arizona (again) by 6:00pm.

We had had another three-state-day yesterday (even though we had been in FOUR states at FOUR CORNERS!).  We went from Utah to Arizona to New Mexico.  Now, we drove back to Arizona to go to Holbrook where we would stay for the night and go to the Petrified Forest tomorrow.

We got into town at about 7:30pm, but we didn’t realize we had entered Pacific Time, so it was really 6:30pm!

We were hungry, so we looked for a restaurant in town and saw a Chinese restaurant.  We haven’t had Chinese food since we left New York!  We had Thai food in Chicago, Sushi in Tampa, and Vietnamese Food in Denver, but no Chinese, so we decided to stop.  MANDARIN BEAUTY RESTAURANT (specializing in Chinese & American Foods) was very busy, but there was only one young man waiting on all the tables, so service was very slow.  The food was okay, but after living in New York all our lives, it wasn’t what we were hoping for.  They brought us noodles and we asked for duck sauce and he had NO idea what we were talking about!  Can you imagine?  No duck sauce?  What’s up with THAT?

After dinner we came to the HOLBROOK/PETRIFIED FOREST KOA campground and had our fingers crossed that it would be nice.  We were not disappointed.  Laura, who greeted us in the registration office was SO lovely.  They had a great store where we purchased batteries (for my camera), ice (since the fridge isn’t working so great), ice cream (since we didn’t have dessert at dinner), and Arizona post cards.  Laura informed us that there is an “All You Can Eat” pancake breakfast every morning for $1.99.  You can’t beat that!  They also have a Cowboy Cookout every night from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.  What a place!

We headed to our site, which was very close to the showers.  Eric hooked up the electricity and the cable and we immediately took long, hot, showers and felt SO much better!

Then, we had some ice cream and watched TV.  Tomorrow we are off to the PETRIFIED FOREST.

Eric and I both woke up feeling sick.  He still had a headache, and my allergies were still really bad.  My nose hurt, because I was blowing it so much!  It just ran and ran and my head was clogged.  Nevertheless, I was going to FANGO DAY SPA for my spa treatments today and just hoped my nose didn’t run through it all.  I took two Tylenol Cold caplets and they helped a lot.

Eric wasn’t going to ride, because he said his headache would just get worse, so he relaxed in the RV for a while, and then took a nice walk around Sedona, while I had my 50-minute massage by Faith (fabulous), my manicure and pedicure by Regina (wonderful), and my touch-up and trim by Lomisa (fantastic).  I loved every minute.  I was treated like royalty by everyone on the staff and it was just a luxurious, lovely day.  I cannot recommend FANGO DAY SPA highly enough.  It is truly a wonderful spa with a friendly, talented staff.

One thing I did learn, because I told the girls at FANGO DAY SPA that my allergies were so bad and my husband had a headache, was that the change in climate and the altitude of Sedona causes lots of people to have allergic reactions and to get headaches!  Just our luck!  We come to this beautiful paradise and both get sick!  They said the secret was hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  They also said that people's skin gets dry as a bone and you have to moisturize much more than usual.  I guess the humidity in New York serves some purpose!

Anyway, Eric came in at the end and got his hair cut (cut off, I should say, as he gets a #1 buzz cut, which is the next best thing to being totally bald!).

After that, we went over to a fabulous place for lunch called SPICES RESTAURANT, which not only had delicious food, but was decorated in such a delightful way that it was also a feast for the eyes!

My handsome husband right after his haircut at FANGO DAY SPA:

I had the Mediterranean Salad, which had grilled Portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce and red peppers in a delicious vinaigrette dressing.  Eric had the Chicken Mango salad, with oranges, mango, strawberries, almonds, and a bed of garden greens with a mango dressing.  Very different!  We finished it off with a piece of hot apple pie with ice cream and whipped cream.  YUM!

After lunch, we headed over to WALGREENS to pick up some supplies, including DRIXORAL, which my dear friends, Geri and Larry, recommended.  They said it would alleviate my allergy symptoms.  Larry’s a doctor, so if he tells me to take something, I take it – doctor’s orders!

Then we headed to a SAFEWAY SUPERMARKET where, not only did they have a STARBUCKS, but I was able to get internet service in their parking lot.  I got my decaf and Eric took a late afternoon ride around Sedona.  I worked on yesterday’s blog and answered emails.

When Eric got back, we went into SAFEWAY to get something to eat to bring back to the campground, because we weren’t yet hungry, but knew we would be before the night was over.  The campground is really in the middle of nowhere and there’s nothing for miles and miles.  So, we got some sushi, which – for supermarket pre-made – was remarkably good!  It certainly satisfied the sushi cravings we’ve had for the past two weeks.

Tomorrow we leave Sedona, which – except for not feeling too good – was really a great place to visit.  The scenery never fails to amaze you.  My sister, Lenae, took an award-winning photograph in Sedona.  Now, I know why she was so inspired.
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Before I end today's blog, I want to share a story with you.  I hope you remember our friends, Sergio, Lourdes, and Angela, who were so kind and generous to us when we visited them in New Orleans.

Sergio sent me an email explaining that October 2nd was a special day for him, because it marked the anniversary of his immigration from Cuba to America.  I thought it was such a wonderful, touching story that everyone would enjoy reading it, so here it is, in Sergio's own words:

Today, Oct. 2nd, is always a bittersweet day.  It is my anniversary of leaving Cuba...47 years ago. You'd think by now I would have forgotten...I always relive that day fully from the trip to the airport, to the long hours of being detained to the arrival in Miami. The events of that day are so fresh in my mind.
 
It was common practice in those days for Castro's "milicianos" (goons) to use scare tactics to Cubans leaving, so they would delay the plane for hours and go through all the baggage. My mother wore no jewelery, because surely it would have been confiscated, plus she was risking it big time- Her Supreme Court papers allowing her, as a judge to leave the country had been forged, otherwise they would not have let her escape.) The plane was detained for 4 hours.

Of course I knew nothing of this at the time, but I could sense the tension, my mother wringing her hands in anguish. My parents had planned that even if one was left behind, the other would leave with me to freedom. It wasn't until I was on the plane that I found out we would come live in the states, I left thinking we were visiting for two weeks...It is now even more bittersweet, given my parents are no longer with me.  On days like today, I miss them so much it hurts, not talking to them and remembering with them. It is now just my story...

On the Pan Am plane, the stewardess gave me a muffin. It was only a 50 minute flight. I remember waving goodbye to Havana from the airplane window, the image is seared in my brain. Upon arrival, my parents applied for political asylum. We then took a taxi to Jimmy's house, where he had to pay the taxi driver from his savings since we had no dollars. A little while later, my grandmother, Jimmy's mother and Lily his sister arrived from the grocery store and there was a happy reunion. It was a Sunday and my uncle, Victor, arrived from New York where he had been on a business trip. Junior, JoAnne, Diana and Nuni were also there, and I was happy to be with them. I remember Jimmy talking about how he was for Kennedy, there was a furor about the upcoming presidential elections and who would win, I remember the adults talking about it and I was clueless at 8 years old.  All I wanted was to visit the stores in Miami, I loved Woolworth's in Cuba "El Tencen" as we called it, and my father kept saying there was a "tencen" on every corner in Miami downtown, and he was right they had Woolworths, McCrory's, and Kress...I was in heaven.

A week later, I remember my dad bought me a little set of Marx toys, it was Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto, Wimpy and Sweepea inside tiny race cars, I was so happy, having lost all my toys in Cuba. I played so much with them... I still have the Popeye racer, all the other characters broke and were lost through the years, but I still have Popeye in perfect condition in our dining room curio, a trophy of sorts from that first visit to "el tencen" in Miami. More significantly for me a child's symbol of a new beginning in the USA.

Here is a picture of 8-year-old Sergio.  His first photo taken in the United States, which actually came in those little plastic viewers that you have to hold up to your eye.  Such a handsome boy:

By the time we reach San Francisco tomorrow we will have driven 10,000 miles.  Pretty impressive, eh?  And it only took us 11 weeks!  Do you realize that if we had driven straight to California, we could have gone back and forth three times already?

Anyway, we’re still having fun, even though our lives are pretty much up in the air and we don’t know where we’re going to live.  No big deal, right?  I figure as long as I’m with Eric I could probably live just about anywhere, but the idea is for me to get a good job working in an office, and the bigger the city, the better the jobs.  For that reason we will look at bigger cities, rather than smaller towns, to settle.  San Francisco is fabulous (we were there on our honeymoon 23 years ago).  It is SO much like New York, but I was freezing in June and I’m afraid I’m going to be freezing there this coming week, since it’s the end of October!  I really didn’t want to be so far north, but – hey – anything can happen!

We woke up at the crack of dawn this morning (it was still dark out when I got out of the shower), because we had an appointment to be at TED WIENS TIRE & AUTO CENTER in Las Vegas at 7:00am. 

We got there and there was a STARBUCKS right across the street.  I knew right then it was going to be a good day!  We got drinks and a little something to eat and then went across the street.  I sat in their waiting room, which was really nice, and watched their big screen TV, read PEOPLE magazine and wrote out postcards.

Eric went for a test drive with the mechanic and told him what was wrong with the RV, which was that whenever he went 70 mph or faster, the RV shook.  It didn't feel like it was going to fall apart, but it was annoying.  Eric thought it might be the alignment of the front tires, but it ended up being all in the rear tires, and they were able to fix it in just under 4 hours.  We were on the road by 11:00am and made it to Barstow, California for lunch at BUN BOY RESTAURANT, which was a little run down and not the cleanest, but the food was okay.

We got back on the road and made it to Bakersfield, California and A COUNTRY RV PARK in time to have dinner in the RV (leftovers).  We watched TV (there’s cable!), and I answered emails and went through all the mail Geri and Larry lugged to Vegas.  I felt so bad, because they brought it with their carry-on and it probably weighed 30 pounds.  They’ve been getting our mail since we left NY.  We changed our address to theirs, and all our mail is being forwarded.  They will continue to get our mail until we settle somewhere.  It’s been so great having them do that for us, and it’s been a big inconvenience for them, because they’ve also been depositing checks we received, and opening bills to let us know how much to pay.  They’re good friends, to say the least!

Speaking of good friends, we are going to see our friend, Jimmy, tomorrow.  It’s been a LONG time since he visited NY, and we've never visited him in San Francisco, so we haven’t seen him in a few years.  I met him in 1991 when he lived in Manhattan and worked for THEATER WEEK MAGAZINE.  We became fast friends and have stayed in touch even though he moved back to San Francisco years ago.

We want to thank all the friends and family who have called and emailed to make sure we were okay and find out what we’re doing next.  My parents told me their phone has been ringing off the hook with all their friends and relatives calling, because they thought we were already in San Diego.  We feel so lucky to have so many people thinking of us, praying for us, and wishing us the very best.

Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected in any way by the fire.  We are praying that the fires are all out soon, so the healing process can begin.

Twenty-three years ago, we drove down Pacific Coast Highway on our honeymoon in a small rental car.  It was a real adventure.  We figured we’d do it again in the RV, so we could reminisce some more about our first trip and see how much it has changed.

We left Gilroy after a fast breakfast at JEFFREY’S.  My allergies have been very bad for the past 2 days, so I took another Drixoral, which makes me drowsy.  I’m pretty good if we’re doing something (like the museum and wharf yesterday), but if I’m in the RV, I’m as good as out.  I fall asleep so easily in a moving vehicle (be it train, car, bus or RV), so I knew I’d be sleeping for a while.

We took the same route to Monterey, then stayed on Pacific Coast Highway.  Also known as PCH, this road is designated as an “All-American Road.”  It is also known as State Route 1, Highway 1, Cabrillo Highway, and Shoreline Highway, depending where you are in California when you are driving on it.

I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, because I knew we were going to be on the outside all the way down, near high cliffs, and even after surviving my recent experiences, I’m still afraid!  Eric insisted, and he was driving, so I figured I’d “go along for the ride.”  It really wasn’t bad for a while, and then we saw a sign that said “Curving Roads next 60 miles.”

It started to get really hairy.  I was so sleepy I fell asleep in my seat.  I woke up and Eric wasn’t enjoying himself quite as much.  It was really hard in the RV and he wasn’t really able to enjoy the views, since he was trying so hard to keep the rig on the road!

We DID find a place where we had breakfast on our honeymoon and pulled in to take a look around.  It has changed so much it was almost unrecognizable, but we saw the same stream running behind the restaurant and remembered the fabulous eggs and rainbow trout we had enjoyed there years ago.

Eric kept pointing out things he remembered, and we also noticed how much towns have grown in the last 20 years.  Where there were just a few small buildings, now stands a STAPLES, and a COSTCO.  It’s kind of depressing, but that’s progress!

Eric woke me to ask if I wanted to see the ELEPHANT SEALS.  I thought he meant that they were swimming in the ocean, or sunning on a distant rock.  We pulled into a parking lot and walked about 20 feet and there they were – down on the beach – with only about 10 feet and a rope separating us.  It was amazing. 

There were thousands of them – up and down the beach, most sleeping or resting in big clumps – almost on top of each other.  Others were waddling across the beach in the awkward, “swimming on the sand” way that they move on land.

Some are almost white; some gray; some brown.  They’re all fat, I can tell you that!  I have learned that this area of the beach is called a “Rookery.”  The seals spend 8-10 months of the year in the open ocean and then migrate thousands of miles, twice a year, to their land based rookery for birthing, breeding, molting and rest.

We felt so lucky to have been there at the right time of year to see these amazing animals.
We got back on the road and I managed to stay up for the rest of the ride to PISMO SANDS RV PARK, which is in Oceano, outside Pismo Beach, just a little south of San Luis Obispo.  By now, Eric had a headache and a neck ache (just like in Las Vegas) and I was still stuffed up and sleepy from the pills.

We pulled into our site and Eric hooked up the electric, water and cable.  I made up the bed.  All we wanted was so lie down and take a nap for a few hours.  I woke up a little after 8:00pm and watched PRISON BREAK for the first time since last season.  I have no idea what’s going on, but I watched anyway and it’s pretty exciting.  After that was over (10:00pm), I turned the channels and found a special about THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, with lots of people talking about their experiences on the show.  That show was one of my favorites when I was growing up.

Eric was still sleeping, but he woke up to take a few Advils.  I’m feeling better, but unfortunately, Eric is very sick.  His head and neck are really hurting and I feel so helpless when this happens to him, because there’s nothing I can do.  I don’t know why he didn’t have a headache for 10 weeks and now has two in two weeks.  I told him I thought it was the stress of driving along the coast all day, because he had to concentrate so hard and it must have been hard.  He insisted that it wasn’t so bad and he doesn’t know why these neck aches and headaches happen.

I just pray that he feels better when he wakes up.  We were planning on driving down to Santa Barbara tomorrow, but if he’s not feeling well we may just stay here another day, until he’s feeling better.  I could drive, but he’s just as stressed watching me drive as when he’s driving, so it really doesn’t help him much.  I think he likes it better when he’s driving, because he’s in control, rather than watching me and worrying.

Sorry I don’t have a happier ending for this blog entry today.  Some days are just better than others.  Oh, and one more thing – there’s a train right near by (I’m already hearing the sounds).  There was a train nearby in Gilroy, too, but it wasn’t very loud.  This one’s a doozy!

We awoke at FLYING FLAGS RV RESORT at a little after 9:00am.  Checkout is not until noon, so we weren’t in any big rush.  This place is beautiful and picturesque, and we were so convenient to the laundry and restrooms, but there were some things I wasn’t happy about.  First of all, for some reason, they keep the doors to the men’s and women’s room propped open, and it’s unusually chilly this week, so it was FREEZING in the bathroom.  Even if it’s 65 degrees, that’s still a cold toilet seat!!!!!

I also wash up every night (Eric takes a shower; I just wash up and take my showers in the morning) and the water in the sinks wouldn’t get hot no matter how long I let it run.  I’ve noticed that problem in some campgrounds.  I guess they save money by keeping the thermostat really low on the sinks, and just give you hot water in the showers.  It’s no fun washing your face with cold water, while standing in a cold bathroom, so I wasn’t thrilled.

I found out this morning that the showers were nice, and they have paper towels, which is very important to me, so they get a “thumbs up” in that regard, but I still didn’t want to stay another day.

You may be wondering why I love paper towels in the bathroom so much.  It’s because I like to put them down on the floor when I take a shower, so I don’t step out of the shower onto a dirty floor.  I step on the paper towels, dry off my feet and put my shoes back on.  Also, I like to dry off all my accoutrements (shampoo, conditioner, etc.) before putting them back in my little green plastic basket, so if I have paper towels, I don’t have to use my own bath towel.  Okay, I’m fussy, I admit it!

I feel like after 10,000 miles and 90 days I could write a book called “Campgrounds We have Known,” but I’m sure any RV’er could do the same.  I know we’ve stayed in at least 40 different campgrounds, but I will do a final count when we’re settled in San Diego.  Some campgrounds are fabulous – luxurious and with wonderful amenities; some are nice – clean and friendly; some are okay; some leave a LOT to be desired.  This one was REALLY nice except for the freezing cold bathrooms and lack of hot water in the sinks!

Since I wasn’t thrilled with the amenities at this place and I thought it was a waste of time and gas to go 42 miles to Santa Barbara and then go 42 miles back up to Buellton, just to go 42 miles back down tomorrow (on our way to Los Angeles), I found us another place to stay tonight, which is 46 miles south of Santa Barbara.

When we were in Santa Barbara on our honeymoon, 23 years ago, we had the BEST time.  It was so beautiful, so quaint, so lovely and clean, so luxurious.  We were very curious to see how it would be so many years later.

Eric still had a very bad headache this morning, so I made him an appointment for a massage in Santa Barbara at CAMILLE, the day spa and salon, right on State Street.  That’s the main strip in Santa Barbara and the street where they hold the annual Summer Solstice Parade, which is VERY popular.

When Eric and I arrived here 23 years ago, it was Summer Solstice and we got to see the parade, which is a very big deal here.  It was really fun.  We had perfect timing in so many ways on our Honeymoon.

For instance, the day we left San Francisco, the cable cars were coming back after being renovated for 2 years.  They had a big celebration in Union Square Park, which was right across the street from the St. Francis Hotel, where we were staying.  We got to enjoy the whole celebration, including Tony Bennett singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco!”

While Eric gets his massage, I’m getting a cut and color.  I’m VERY jealous that I’m not getting a massage, but I don’t need it the way he does, and at least I’m getting something accomplished!  I just hope this helps him, as this is his third day with the headache, and he’s no fun at all when he feels this bad (don’t tell him I said that).

Eric agreed to let me drive to Santa Barbara, since his head was really hurting, and it’s just 42 miles on 101 South, so he relaxed in the back while I drove.  It was really a beautiful drive.  Mountains on the left; ocean on the right – but far enough away that I wasn’t afraid I’d drive off a cliff.  It was smooth sailing, and we arrived by 1:30pm.  I immediately found a Starbucks and then we parked on a side street and Eric rested while I went shopping!  I window shopped at some clothing stores, art galleries, book stores and children’s stores.

Then, just my luck – I found a fabulous vintage shop right on State Street around the corner from where we parked!  VICTORIAN VOGUE & COSTUME is a huge store that not only sells costumes, clothing, shoes, purses, jewelry, accessories and wigs, but also rents them!

I spoke to the two young girls running the shop and they told me that they are moving within a few weeks to another location further up on State Street.  I know it will be a HUGE job to move all their merchandise, because this place is packed from floor to ceiling and the store is really big.

You can imagine my shock when I saw they had a giant leopard shoe chair -- just like the one I had in MY shop (see photo, above, of the one I owned)!  I told them about mine and said it was such a great conversation piece.  I sometimes regret that I sold it, but knew it really wasn't the kind of thing I would have shipped to San Diego!

Their store is really organized and everything is beautifully displayed.  There are racks and racks of clothing, and each rack is organized by decade.  I found an adorable dress on the ‘50s rack, which was only $24.  I tried it on and it doesn’t quite fit, but I know it will as soon as I lose a few pounds, so I bought it.  I figured $24 isn’t a big investment, even if I stay fat!!

They had costume jewelry that had me drooling – a really beautiful collection – but I resisted.  I don’t know how I managed to be so strong, but I was!!!  I told them about my shop and gave them my business card.  I don’t know if they’ll check me out, but I’m proud of what I accomplished in PEPPY’S DREAM and love my website (my friend, Katie, does such a wonderful job), so I’m happy to show off!

At 4:00pm we went to CAMILLE.  They started Eric off with a sauna (which he didn’t like) and I got my roots touched up.  Marie, who did my hair, was adorable and we talked about life in New York, Santa Barbara, San Diego and thereabouts.  I told her that Eric and I honeymooned here 23 years ago.  I asked her if "Litte Audrey's" was still on State Street and she laughed, because she remembered it well, but said it closed about 12 years ago and there was an Indian restaurant there now.  I was so disappointed.  I told her we stood in front of that restaurant when we watched the Summer Solstice Parade.  Alas, time marches on.

After his sauna, Eric took a fast shower and then had an hour massage.  After my touch-up I got a trim, and read magazines for a while until he came out.  He felt better, but not much.  I was hoping for a miraculous recovery, like he had when Rosemary gave him a massage in New York.  She’s the only one so far who really had an impact on his condition.

I had found out from Marie that the restaurant we ate at 23 years ago (Chuck’s Waterfront Grill) was still open, so I was hoping Eric would feel well enough to go there for dinner.  Unfortunately, he didn’t and we had a 45 mile drive to Santa Paula to FAR WEST RESORTS, so we just got back in the RV and headed south on 101.

This campground sits on 70 acres and includes tent camping and RVs.  It is one of those campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, which I don’t like at all.  I much prefer the ones in urban settings, some of which are a block off the highway or freeway (even if they’re around the corner from the railroad).

This one was about 6 miles off the highway, on roads that had no lights at all – just reflectors on the ground.  If there weren’t good signs we would have been sunk because, for some reason, Betty told us to go left when the signs pointed right.  Although we usually have all the faith in the world in our GPS system, we ignored her and followed the signs (which, of course, were right).

There was no one in the office when we pulled up, but there was a sign that said to push the red button and speak into the intercom.  Believe it or not, someone spoke back and they soon appeared.  I registered and we drove to our site.  The first thing we did was go to the bathrooms.  It was so dark we EACH had to hold a flashlight.

The building was only about 200 feet away, but you had to climb up about 30 cement steps (no exaggeration) to get to the “clubhouse” where there were two private bathrooms, each with a sink, toilet and shower, and a big room where some old ladies were playing cards.  Thank goodness Eric was with me, because the faucet in the bathroom was the kind that you have to hold down to get water to come out.  It’s almost impossible to wash your face with one hand, while the other is keeping the water going, so he held it down while I washed up, and then I did the same for him.

Oh, I forgot to mention.  I was going to take a shower (I like to take a shower after getting my hair cut, because I feel all “hairy”), but the showers require quarters and, since we didn’t know in advance, we didn’t bring any money with us.  Eric offered to go all the way back to the RV to get some, but I figured I could just wait until morning.  He’s so good, even when he’s in pain!

We walked back to the RV and heated up leftovers for dinner.  My leftovers were from breakfast in Gilroy.  His were from dinner at Pea Soup Anderson’s last night in Buellton.  It’s funny how we sometimes have leftovers from different towns, and even different states!  Knock wood, the fridge has been working lately!

Now, if I just had something for dessert…

We have no cable, so Eric just went straight to sleep.  We’re both hoping and praying that he feels a lot better in the morning.  If he does, we may go back to Santa Barbara to walk around State Street and have lunch or dinner at that restaurant.  If not, we will just head south and I will drive.

If this place was closer to civilization, and it wasn’t so far to the bathrooms, we might have stayed another day, but this is one of those places where you go to “get away from it all,” and that’s not what we’re looking for.

I told Eric I think this place would be a good setting for a horror movie.  He said it was just because it was dark, but it’s more than that.  It’s the fact that you have to go so far just to tinkle!  I could just see some poor girl returning from the bathrooms in the middle of the night, walking down the cement steps, when suddenly she senses someone behind her.  She turns to see a madman rushing at her with a knife (or hatchet or ax or something sharp and menacing).  She starts to run down the steps, but they’re very steep and she’s wearing flip-flops.  She trips and falls.  I haven’t thought beyond that, but you have to admit – it’s scary!

Now, Eric’s sleeping and I’ve creeped myself out.  I have to go lock the back door.  Help me!!