Sacramento to Redding

It is funny seeing Hydrangeas & Agapanthas in flower around the camp knowing they have all died off at home.

Today we hit the road & oh yeah it's that time of the year again.

Anyway we head off following the GPS and then decide we do not want to go the I5, we want to take the 99, so we take an off ramp & turn around to go back to the turn off for the 99.

Hard to tell in this pic but the plane flying so close to freeway

Good choice Mr D, the road is good and not as busy, a lot more scenery and interesting sights on this route.




Highway 99 lined with flowering Oleanders - very pretty and on both sides in some places.

We stop at Chico for lunch parking in the Lowe's car park and boiling some eggs up for fresh ham & egg sandwiches, orange & lemonade and free wifi from Lowe's - what more could you want.  

Naughts & crosses anyone - do you think the pilot was bored?

Moving on we are heading for Redding, our next stop for two nights before leaving California.

We arrive at camp, and hop out to realise the weather is a lot hotter up this way, which we were not expecting heading north.  Setting up we check and the dial is nearly on 100 F - the air con is the first to go on!!!

After checking out the camp we head out to pick up something for dinner, sockeye salmon and fresh salad. When we get back the shade is just reaching the RV - small mercies and we crack a beer for a relaxing evening in camp - can't beat it some days.

Nice spot - very good camp, Redding Premier RV Resort.

Nice relaxing evening with my darling - thanks for making my day so special. xxxx

Bakersfield - Eagles Concert

Duane gave us a fabulous wedding present of tickets to see the Eagles live, so today we headed south back to Bakersfield to meet up with him for the concert.
Daryl & I shared the four hour drive south down the I-5 which is very dry and not the most interesting road in America.

Arriving at Duane's in time for snacks and drinks with Duane and Dianna before we head out to see the Eagles.  I had (most sober one) to drive Duane's truck into the concert.....when we get in there parking is at a premium and we do the change driver's routine at an intersection - talk about musical seats as Daryl hops out to let Duane out of the back before hoping in to the back seat & I climb over the front seats while Duane runs around and hops in the driver's seat - bit of a laugh.

Massive stadium and very full - time to pick up a t-shirt and some beers before heading up to our seats.

Never seen the Men's line soooo long.... a lot of hopping up & down going on!

Great concert, great music & great company - what more could you want - thanks Duane for a fantastic wedding present.  After the concert we hit a couple of bars and then head home where we make some toastie sandwiches (a new experience for Dianna) and watch the start of the doco on the Eagles before crashing (around 3am we think).

Next day we head back the 300 miles to Mark J RV Park in Sacramento and have an early night!

P.S.   Found these for you Duane.

Sacramento - Our week here so far

So here we are and no matter where you are in the world, you still need to do the house work and the washing! After completing our chores......in the afternoon we headed over to Folsom Historic District as the neighbours had been down there and thought we would enjoy it.  Very nice area and well set up in theme but not so crowded as not a usual tourist place.

 We found a bakery for lunch (compulsory Macaroons) and having finished poking around the shops, went looking for the brewery we had been told about across the river, where it just wouldn't be right if we didn't enjoy a bear for Thirsty Thursday.

Over this time we have been sorting our cruise to Alaska - now I know why you use a travel agent!!!
Anyhow, we have booked a 5 day land tour starting @ Fairbanks and through Denali National Park, Mt Whitney and a few other places before heading to Whittier (Anchorage) where we board our ship for a 7 day cruise down to Vancouver.  We are looking forward to our Alaskan Honeymoon:).

Following day was another day of jobs with the car being serviced and so we went for a long walk to some shops and checked out what they had picking up some clothes for the kids & looking around the Home Depot for some time until the car was ready.

Daryl taking a stress test....

Saturday and it is Memorable weekend here - there is a Jazz Music Festival in Old Sacramento & so we head down to check this out, (but first have to check out a local car show).  Most bands are closed off and you have purchase tickets to enter the areas, plus food, plus drinks, plus merchandise etc etc etc.  We opt to walk around the area and check things out listening to the music and settle for lunch over looking the river - coconut prawns & calm chowder, yum.

After lunch we walk over the Tower Bridge & spot the State Capitol down town so head that way and check it out also.  

View from State Capitol back to Tower Bridge

Some very ornate rooms.

Daryl posing with Arnie.

Leaving here we wander into town and see some great old buildings like this church - where we saw our third wedding for the day.

We head back into Old Sac and find some bands playing in the street so hang around for a few numbers as they were pretty good.

 And of course, Daryl sniffs out another car show....

Still in Sacramento, yesterday we spent the afternoon with Starry Malcolm& Linda Malcolm in Tracy, it was a great catch up, they even feed & watered us which was totally unexpected & and muchly appreciated, it was great to see Starry's toys & projects and to see what they have achieved around their property since we last visited 3 years ago, thanks guys for your hospitality.
Off to the Eagles concert with Duane Jones tomorrow night, then we head North.

Sacramento

Today was our first day in Sacramento so we decided to take a look around - of course Daryl had the visit Sacramento Vintage Ford again and pick up a couple of bits for the 40.

 Some nice door art.....

An excited boy made it to the check out.

Great show room and diner all set up in theme and we made it out just after noon so had time to check out the Railway Museum.




Found parking and walked across into Old Sacramento - all set up with wooden board walks and lots of saloons.

Lots to see but is really a tourist place full of touristy shops and high prices....still fun to poke around and quite well set up.

Next we headed over to the California State Railway Museum - well worth a look, much like Te Papa, with some beautiful restored engines on display.

 Some cool stuff on display...

After the museum, we wandered along the river walk and the old railway buildings.

 Big contrast, the other side of the river was modern buildings.

We discovered the famous Tower Bridge over Sacramento River, an old draw bridge.

We poked around in antique and collectible shops and then decided to head home before the traffic got too bad at 3.45pm.


Another barbie in the sunshine tonight - Tony Roma's ribs...yum.