Bakersfield to New Zealand

We head back to Bakersfield knowing the temperature will be over 100 every day until we leave.  The drive through Paso Robles is pretty with vineyards everywhere. The day was easy and we decided to head for Riverbank RV Park where we have stayed several times before so we can plug in and have air conditioning while we sort out of bags etc.

We have a few things to do before heading home to NZ, a couple of days to sort these out and organise our packing to come home.  We touch base with Duane and arrange to catch up & have dinner with him.  No surprise we need another suitcase to get home - all that shopping for the grand kids!!!
Duane had a spare and we borrow that - once again we can not thank Duane enough for his help and hospitality.

Guess who had to climb into the car to load it on & off the trailer each time!

Again, we pack everything up and clean our baby down, cover her up (in over 100 degree heat - the boys were dripping), park the RV, trailer and Dodge up and head on our way over the Grapevine into LA.

We drop off the vehicle and taxi to the airport where we spend a few hours in the Koru lounge before our flight home.  We are not looking forward to going home and I have a new job to start.....life is changing.

Laguna Seca Raceway & Scheid Winery

Daryl wants to visit Laguna Seca raceway - he has raced it on Grand Turismo many times and spotted the classics were on today.  This was balanced off with the offer of doing a winery on the way home......hmmmm

Still have the alcohol advertising over in the States.

 We had to see the Camaro race but it hit the wall earlier in the morning so they were running repairs.  It finally came out around 1.30pm and looked pretty smooth passing once he wound it up.

We headed south again and went down to Scheid Winery Tasting Room where we met Sonja who was from Germany and spent about an hour tasting their boutique wines before buying a couple we fancied.

We took a few photos around the gardens outside as it was a pretty nice setting.

Monterey

Today is a day trip to Monterey Bay - we take the back roads (G17) through the vineyards and field crops - miles and miles of both.  We pass crops and guess most of them but some are still a mystery - we even find large crops of cactus which we have seen for sale in the Mexican supermarkets in large wooden bins.

This is very much a Mexican territory - big labour for the fields.  As you can see not much left in the field once they have picked.

Also a lot of barns and old buildings in amongst the beautiful looking vineyards.








We arrive in Monterey and find our way to Fisherman's Wharf, where we visited on our 2009 trip - it looks pretty much the same and after taking in the seals & poking around the shops (full of tourist junk), we stop for some clam chowder in a bun & smoked salmon.
































After lunch we 
decide to drive around the bay a bit to see what we can find - I had seen signs for Cannery Row but wasn't sure what it was.  Passing through the tunnels we see more signs and pass the ends of the street looking into Cannery Row which looks like a lovely shopping district, so we make a turn to go and investigate - Daryl spots a car leaving a parking space and we are in.





























We spend another couple of hours looking around these shops which also have a lot of tourist stuff - didn't buy much but a nice area to spend a couple of hours.  There is an accident in the tunnel when we go to return and by the time we get back to the road with the vineyards, it is nearing five o'clock and we are too late for any wine tastings so just enjoy the ride home through the countryside.

Renovation project anyone?

Stockton to Greenfield

This morning we tried to book in at Pismo Beach, Marina Dunes, Grover Beach and found everything was pre-booked for the upcoming weekend.  Finally we found a brand new RV park, Yanks RV Resort, which had spaces free - it was a bit out of the way on the 101 but within driving distance to Monterey for the day so we booked for two nights and headed off about 11.30am after the drama of trying to find somewhere.

Heading down the 5 for 46 miles was pretty typical of being on the 5 - not much exciting to see but plenty of trucks.  We turned off on to the 33 to cross over to the 101, which drives around the base of a huge reservoir, down low due to the dire drought in California at the moment - the place looks like a tinder box through this area and would be very scary if a fire should start.

A shiny new rig we passed and then later it passed us ......love the rear mirror where you can spot our camper as he passes.

We make camp just before 3pm - it is in the middle of plains with mountains all around us and today it is very, very windy.  All new facilities with spa, gym, pool etc etc - very nice and very helpful hosts.  They give us information on the wine trails that start across the road and free tastings for three of them......guess what we are doing tomorrow!

Daryl tweaks his back while setting up so on with the deep heat and voltaran, then a quick trip to local Mexican supermarket, (where we have to ask what some things are) to get dinner before a soak in the spa.

 Sunsetting on the hills tonight.

Sparks to Stockton

Last night Bob suggested we take the US88 over to Stockton as we make our way back to Bakersfield, so we head back down the 395 to Minden and on to the US88 to cross over the Sierras.

This turns out to be a very pretty route to take with beautiful scenery including several lakes..... definitely the right choice and we are thankful for that local knowledge and advice.

 Overlooking Red Lake

Cable Bay, a little further along route 88

Wild flower meadow in settlement around 7000ft.

Still quite a bit of snow around....not too cold but we still haven't seen any bears or dear in California.  They are obviously in the area but hiding out!

We arrive at our camp tonight - slightly unusual place at another marina with both good and bad points like most.  The good however, is we are parked right on the rivers edge - pictures from our campsite & out the back window straight into the river.. 

Earlier we saw jet boat races and now we have a yacht race right outside our door - definitely a plus and hoping for a good sunset too.

Reno & Sparks

We haul out and head over the 50 to the 395 and up to Reno/Sparks to the Sparks Marina RV Resort, which turns out to be very nice - a little sterile but very nice & clean - a change from the last park!

Booking in for two days, Daryl phones Bob Lord, who we met via Dave Billington in New Zealand and have since crossed paths a number of times at rod runs.

We track Bob down and he calls round to the RV park to catch up and asks us to dinner with his family that night.  We accept and had a wonderful night enjoying their company and hospitality as they welcomed us into their home and family.  A good night, good food, good wine and great company - we thoroughly enjoyed seeing their home and being with them for the evening.  Leslie, Bob's wife is a magical quilter and has a Christmas collection that would make anyone envious.  We also enjoyed meeting Erin and Brett, their daughter and son in law - some great stories came out and Daryl loved Bob's garage set up with all the posters and memorabilia.

The next day we ran/walked around the marina before breakfast and then headed over the the outlet shops which were only about a mile down the road from our camp.  We spent the afternoon there buying mostly for the grandchildren.....such cute clothes.

Lunch at Olive Garden - didn't need diner tonight!

Returning to camp in the morning we are stopped by another couple who turn out to be from Gisborne but originally from Levin & Wanganui - Kathy & Murray Spiers.  They are doing the same as us but base themselves in Canada at present and are travelling in a  fifth wheel.  We catch up and have a beer later swapping travel tips and stories - nice couple who are enjoying the travelling as much as us - It's all a lifestyle choice.  Small world and of course Daryl & Murray eventually find someone in common.

Day two, we book in for another night and then catch up with Chris Goodwin, who we saw at Pleasanton in 2009 and lives in Reno now before heading downtown Reno to check out the sights including brunch at the original Mel's Diner.  

Then back to the outlet shops as we cant count and had uneven numbers of clothes for the kids (fatal, as they can count!) where we wandered for a good part of the afternoon before heading out to Summit Racing Equipment for a look around.

Heading home, Bob calls round and has a quiet one with Daryl while I shoot back to the outlets for the last item.  Later we head out and go to Jersey Boys at the theatre in Bourbon Square.