Week 367 - North to Calabasas Week 4 - 08-25-2013

North to Anaheim Calabasas 4th Week

If you're late, take the 108

After our route adjustment, the final week of our trip to Calabasas went as planned.

This was our plan for the month and how it is working out. This illustrates what our travels are like. Plan a general route and take it day by day. That's what makes it fun.

Week 1
101 North to ~~Moss Landing~~Gilroy
Hwy 1 to San Francisco
~~Hwy 1 to Stinson Beach, Fort Bragg and to it's end at Leggett~~Hwy 101 to Leggett, scooter trip to Fort Bragg

Week 2
101 to Eureka
Hwy 299 to Redding
Hwy 5 and 99 to Paradise

Week 3
Visit in Paradise
Hwy 70 to Reno

Week 4
~~Hwy 395 to Barstow~~
~~Hwy 15 to the Los Angeles area~~
~~Slug through traffic to Anaheim~~
~~After the Anaheim job, to a family wedding in Calabasas~~
Hwy 395 to the junction of Hwy 108
Hwy 108 to Twain Harte and Modesto
Modesto to Hwy 99 to Chowchilla
Chowchilla to Atascadero
Atasacadero to a family wedding in Calabasas

Week 5
Hwy 101 north to Santa Maria to visit Paul and Judy
Back to SLO North County for the Jarod and Kayleen wedding

Leaving north Reno we took Hwy 580 (395) bypassing Reno to the East.

Cruising past Topaz Lake as you leave Nevada and enter California.

Unlike most of our travel, this trip had a deadline to get to Calabasas on August 25th for the Blunt wedding. After spending four days in Reno with Bill, we needed to take the shortest route back home in time to get to Calabasas on time. So at the junction of 395 and Hwy 108 we headed west toward Twain Harte, California.

As we started up the 108, the first sign we saw said "Not recommended for trucks over 30 feet kingpin to rear axle". Okay, we are only 22 feet, so far, so good. Next sign "Steep inclines of 26%". Really? We drove 13% grade in British Columbia and that was huge. Will the Mothership even go up 26%? I guess we'll find out. Finally, "Curvy road Next 24 Miles". That's to be assumed going through the mountains. So Here we Go!

Most of the trip had only views of trees. Ellen caught this view as Pete's eyes were glued to the road.

Truly the road was curvy and we took almost three hours to cover the 24 miles.

The GPS verified the curves as do our photos. The road is great (if you have the nerve). We cruised through on a Sunday afternoon and met only a dozen cars on the road. We were able to find turnouts soon enough to let the sports cars to by. They, of course, wondered WHY WE WERE ON THEIR ROAD!

After an hour and a half and 12 miles we stopped for a break.

At the peak of 9,624 feet you crest the Sonora Pass. Put it first gear and coast the second half of the trip or burn out your brakes and park at the bottom of a ravine, most likely upside down.

While the turns never stopped, they are a bit straighter on the West side.

But, still a bit over the top for Mandy.

Finally, a straightaway as we approach the midpoint at Dardanelle. We planned to stay there but did not care for the camping areas. So, instead, we decided to break Craig's Rule. Craig says "if you want to enjoy every day of travel, on each trip, drive 200 miles or less, get there by 2 pm and stay at least two days".

We blew past Dardanelle at 160 miles and continue to Modesto. We got there by 8 pm and stayed only one night. The triple whammy, too long, too late, too short! It couldn't be helped as it was almost 100 degrees in Modesto. We couldn't take the heat and headed to Chowchilla the next day. The beautiful motorhome on the right is a Monaco Dynasty belonging to Sam and Virginia, full timers for four years. They invited us over, in the dark, and we shared with them for hours. Really fun.

In Chowchilla is the The Lakes RV Resort. This was the second RV park we visited when the Mothership was new in April 2006. Our high end spot on the water was $50. Clean, grassy, beautiful and only 108 degrees, wheeeee!

You get two rounds of free golf per day at The Lakes. But, preferably Pete swam twice and took four showers. Then during the lightening storm and rain, he rode his bicycle to the market. Does it get any better than this?

From Chowchilla, we headed home for two days, visited Cousin Judy in Nipomo and stayed with Paul in Santa Maria for three days. Then we rented a Ford Fusion and went to the wedding in Calabasas. The setting was amazing at the very upscale home in Calabasas.

The background was a great setting for the matrimony.

1)Cousin Bobby and his clan came from Phoenix. 2)Grandmother of the bride, Glenda and Bobby's mom, Betty Lynn.

1) We had the joy of spending a lot of time with Sherylon (sp?) the mother of the groom, Urundi. 2)The bride, Guinevere, escorted by her father Gordon. Yes, Gordon looked very serious, probably nerves. The rest of the evening, before and after the wedding, Gordon was all smiles.

Guinevere wore Grandma Glenda's dress; stunning. 2) The couple (after the wedding) poses at the precipice.

Pastor John introduces, for the first time as husband and wife, Urundi and Guinevere.

With love, Pete and Ellen.

This special edition travelogue was brought to you as there is nothing new in our travel.

Photos from Aug 2013