Seattle Bound - summer of 2018

Well a little less than a week ago we returned home from a trip to Spain and readied ourselves for our next adventure in the airstream.  You see I get restless.  Last year the information came out that the Airstream International rally would be in Salem Oregon this year.  We've never been and it was on our coast!  Oh and I mentioned restless right.  I guess I was probably home for a few weeks and feeling the need to make plans.

Since we were going to be all the way north in Oregon why not go to Seattle too!  So the planning began.  Turns out a number of folks from our own San Diego unit are also going and so a caravan was arranged.  Due to Spain we couldn't join up at the region rally in Mammoth lake so we'll meet up with the caravan in Jackson California on Monday.

So what does all that planning look like?  A 1/2 inch of paper with all of our maps, reservations, dates and important papers with multiple clips to keep the piles organized because Mark's an engineer.

Given I am never entirely relaxed while towing (although I'm way better than I used to be) I like to keep travel distances short so we planned a midway stop in Bakersfield.

Instead of the hustle of Los Angeles we decided to take the more inland route which is only about a twenty minute penalty....well it would have been if someone hadn't forgotten one very critical box at home....one hour in we turned around, so that's how todays journey started.  We drove 268 miles plus another 80 or so for the return of the forgotten item.  With a lunch and gas stop it ended up being just under 7 hours. This is a view of the golden rolling hills of California somewhere on highway 58.

We've used this park as a stopover before.  It's convenient, full of orange trees, has big level sites and good wifi!  It's also, contrary to reviews I read, not crowded.  For mid June I think they might be 1/4 full but then it's mid afternoon and since many use it as a stop over I'm guess it will fill up more as the day goes on.

With the Good Sam Discount it was $40 a night which fits the budget just fine.  It's 96 outside so I am thankful for full hook ups and air conditioning.

Typically the first thing I do when we arrive somewhere is create some zen.....then I can carry on with the relaxing! My poor air plant had a mishap in the back seat of the car so I'll be looking for a new one (which I am aware might not be that easy)    We won't even unhitch today, just spend the day in the cool air.  I'll probably knit and then cook.

I had a long chat with Maya and we're establishing boundaries.   I brought her favorite igloo bed and I told her she'd need to be in it unless we could establish a fair distance.  She prefers to be millimeters away from my thigh at any given point and it makes it hard to get in and out of the seating.  I'm hoping my iPad case will serve as reminder.  I love her, I do but six weeks of her on top of me is difficult.

Am I good Mom, is this good?

I'm trying, I promise

 Always nice when your kitchen window perfectly frames another airstream.

So today is the start of a six week journey.  I'm typically bad at keeping track of where we've stayed and how long we've driven and where we've eaten and what places we found to be beautiful and friends we've met along the way, so I hope to take you along on the journey while we create some memories.

Stats

Lemon Grove to Bakersfield

268 miles + 80 for the return of a forgotten item - 7 hours (lunch and gas stops)

Route 125 to 52 to 15 to 215 to 138 to 14 to 58

Diesel $3.99/gal $87.50

Orange Grove RV park $40 1 night