Sacramento, Yosemite, Tetons, Yellowstone, MT, WY, & CO with the Stocks

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Dean & Linda Stock

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Posts
1,195
Location
Cypress, California
Pardon our tardiness in starting this log.  We had a router problem which just got fixed, so we've been without internet.  We will try to post all as quickly as possible.

May 5, 2011      Day  1 Hanford, CA

We?re off  on our adventure!  ?Twas a hot drive up and over the mountains on I-5 and CA 99.  I called the wrong RV park to make a reservation so we spent an hour driving around with our loony GPS (brand new) giving us wrong directions.  Meanwhile, we passed the park I meant to call, and it was right by the freeway.  The people here are really nice and helped us park in the dark.  They say this valley is really struggling due to the economy.  So, Betty and others who enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner, the grape farmers in Delano really appreciate you!

Stayed at:  Bel Air RV Park?50 amps, FHU, nice park, $25
Should have stayed at: Sun & Fun RV Park, $14 with Passport America, 50 amps, FHU
Temperature in the 90?s
 
May 6, 2011 Day 2 Greeley, CA

We came to Hanford to see the Clark Center for Japanese Art & Culture.  While it didn?t disappoint, it was very different from what I expected. We could easily have bypassed it if a local hadn?t told us it was just past the Clark Dairy.  Mr. Clark has taken many trips to Japan, and he has acquired expensive pieces of art.  The show changes totally every 3 months.  There were only 4 ?paintings? in the front room, but they were exquisite and centuries old.  The focus of the second room was totally ceramic forms?not vases, but modern shapes, like airplane wings, etc  Interesting, obviously high-quality, but I?d never seen such art, so I asked questions.  The administrative assistant was very knowledgeable.  She is a graduate of Tufts, has lived and studied in Japan for 2 years, and she could describe how these art pieces were made.  Outside there was a bonsai patio.  But what was really special was seeibng Mr. Clark?s awesome home.  We couldn?t enter his yard, but the landscaping we could see, which was quite a lot, was amazing. He had many very mature trees, all of which were  A bullfrog announced his presence with a call so loud that both Dean and I thought he was a big goose.  Blue jays flew across the pond, and their wings sparkled.  It was so serene that it was hard to leave.

We traveled about 30 minutes to one of our favorite haunts, the Split Rail.  For many years BR (before retirement) every Easter vacation Dean and I would travel to  Lake Tahoe via US highways or CA routes through farmland.  We delighted in the way the farmers put up signs on farm machinery, trailers, etc. expressing their views on government, the UN, water, etc.  The highlight of our trip was a stop in Selma at the Split Rail, a good restaurant that had black swans in a large pond.  Every year they would bring in bales of hay for the swans to make a nest, and when we came through, the cygnets were usually just hatched.  By the time we  made the return trip 5 or 6 days later, they would have tripled in size and started to grow feathers.  We have been too busy since retirement to make this trip, so we were anxious to see how big the cygnets were this year.  Unfortunately, people make changes, and they now keep the males at the restaurant and the females at the hotel next door, so there are no more babies.  We still enjoyed watching the swans as we ate, and they have added a new smoker and do ribs and prime rib.  Oh my goodness, that prime rib was delicious, moist, just the right amount of smokiness, and enough that I made 2 meals from it.  They don?t have  a take-out for the smoked meats yet, but I would have bought more to put in our RV?s refrigerator.

The drive to Yosemite was long because of the winding road.  The manager of the RV park was wonderful and guided us through the black, black night with his flashlight.

Stayed at Yosemite-Westlake RV Park, 50 amps (l site only), No Internet because of trees everywhere, No cellphone reception except at Yosemite Village, FHU, $25 w/Passport America
 
May 7 2011 Day 3 Greeley, CA
We headed out to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center.  We parked in its parking lot, which is located ? mile from the VC.  Outside the VC was a beautiful short tree called a redbud?but it was covered with brilliant PURPLE flowers (Picture 1).  I wonder if the person who named it was color-blind or if maybe the buds are red and the inside is purple.After visiting the small but interesting museum inside the VC, we went to the deli.  Sandwiches that had little inside were $9?everything was expensive.  The caf? was closed because the season isn?t here yet, but everything was crowded.  All the turnouts were at capacity with about 15 cars. 

We took the ? mile paved/level dirt walk to Upper & Lower Yosemite Falls.  The spray from the Lower Falls sprayed over the walkway, and it was cold!  The power of the falls and their beauty are amazing. (Picture 2) The ranger told us that their peak flow is usually now, but they will peak this year in mid-to-late June.

Next door to the VC is the Museum & Indian village?which is a must-see, the best center in the park.  It personalized the area with stories, remnants, information on the various peoples who have lived here and what happened to them.  Outside the museum are big-leaf maple trees, which have small leaves compared with regular maples.

We passed the pretty Horsetail Falls and some powerful falls that rushed into rapids (Pictures 3 & 4 as we stood on a bridge over the rapids.  They really thundered! 

We were able to find places to park at the turnouts today.  However, we went into the store to get some produce, and there were so many people you could hardly turn around.  I think the NPS has done all they can to make everything as streamlined as possible, but I can?t imagine what it will be like with three times as many people during the summer.  Half the campgrounds haven?t opened yet, and we waited in lines for everything.  What will the lines be like later?  The rangers said that the weeks before and after Easter were a madhouse.  While I love the trees and falls, the smells of the forest, the many varieties of wildflowers (Picture 5) and the birds chirping and sparkling in the sun?s rays, I don?t think I would be willing to come here again.

Stayed at Yosemite-Westlake RV Park, 50 amps (l site only), No Internet because of trees everywhere, No cellphone reception except at Yosemite Village, FHU, $25 w/Passport America

Weather:  Absolutely gorgeous?high of 67, sunny
 

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What a pleasure to visit the Forum and find that Linda is writing again!  We really appreciate your reports.

Looking forward to traveling with you while we're spending the summer in one place for the first time in ten years, workcamping at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone. Hope you come our way......

Don and Mary Ann
 
Linda, great to be able to "read" along with you!  I've marked the Split Rail in Hanford to check out.  Tim loves ribs and I love prime rib.

You are right, the Red Bud trees actually have purple buds.    I have 4 planted in my yard and I love them.  They are little; but growing.  We are in Bakersfield getting the coach ready to roll north around the 1st of June.

Marsha~
 
It's wonderful to be reading your travel messages again, Linda!

I second Margi's comment!  Linda, you're starting early in what has been a late spring.  Go slow so you don't encounter the white stuff up north!  ::)

ArdraF
 
Glad that you are back to writing about your trip, really enjoy reading them.
 
Linda..glad you guys are enjoying Yosemite.  Redbud trees are beautiful and the flowers are buds..unfortunately they disappear after only a few weks..tim
 
gmsboss1 said:
Looking forward to traveling with you while we're spending the summer in one place for the first time in ten years, workcamping at Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone. Hope you come our way......

Don and Mary Ann

We'll definitely give you a call and see if we can meet up.  We got lucky and got a campsite in the Park at Fishing Bridge.  Grizzly was my second choice.  If I'd known you were there, it would have been my first choice.  I'll send you our Yellowstone ideas and see if maybe you can schedule our 3 days there so we can coordinate our itinerary and your work schedule.  I talked with YNP yesterday, and they were expecting snow.  I'm wishing you sun!
 
Marsha/CA said:
I've marked the Split Rail in Hanford to check out.  Tim loves ribs and I love prime rib.

You are right, the Red Bud trees actually have purple buds. 

Marsha, I must have written it wrong.  Split Rail is in Selma on Pea Soup Anderson Blvd.  I hesitate to recommend restaurants, but their smoked prime rib was amazing.  Let me know honestly what you and Tim think of it.

And, do you have any idea why they are called Red Bud treess?
 
ArdraF said:
Go slow so you don't encounter the white stuff up north!  ::)

ArdraF

We are encountering it in both the Grand Tetons & Yellowstone.  We are supposed to come into Tahoe on Sunday (reservations at Harrah's w/the coach parked in their lot while we're in the hotel).  Snow is predicted at 4000' level, and we have to go over 8000'!  We have reservations in Tahoe, Tetons, and Yellowstone, and it's like dominoes.  US-50 is closed for 2 weeks for repairs, and it's got a one-lane each way detour, so we are taking I-80.  I've talked with AAA, and I read the CA Highway website each day.  Pray for sun!
 
May 8, 2011 Day 4 Greeley, CA

We stayed at the RV dinking around in the morning, and went to the Ahwahnee Hotel (a nationally designated important historical site) for lunch.  I didn?t remember that it was Sunday or I would not have had breakfast and would have gone for what I suspect is an amazing brunch?at least it should be at $53.50 per person..  We ate at their caf?good food but way overpriced and crowded.

As the aroma of incense cedar filled the air, we drove to the Nature Center at Happy Isles, in Yosemite.  It?s a cute little museum, a must-stop if you have children with you.  The exhibits were  explained well, and there were two bubbly young rangers who were eager to help and share their knowledge.  We drove on to Mirror Lake (only those with HC placards can drive; others make a nice walk from the shuttle.)  You walk along a babbling brook, and after a half-mile you find a small lake with water going downstream over a little one-or-two-foot waterfall.  As we watched the water quickly flowing, along came a white duck with a black head and a yellow beak. I can?t find his name in my bird book.  Help?  I was betting that he would fly when he got to the waterfall, but he floated over it, shot the rapids below, shook his feathers, and continued floating along.  He just takes life as it comes and deals with it.

Stayed at Yosemite-Westlake RV Park, 50 amps (l site only), No Internet because of trees everywhere, No cellphone reception except at Yosemite Village, FHU, $25 w/Passport America

Weather:  High of 53?, misty, short periods of raindrops
 
May 9, 2011 Day 5 Sacramento, CA

As we left the RV park, I am 99% sure that I saw a bobcat walking across a small grass area, and he froze in his tracks and watched us go by.  I know they are nocturnal, shy, and run rather than freeze when they see people.    It happened so fast, and if we?d been in a car I would have insisted that we go back to try to see him again.  Unfortunately, our 37-foot motorhome doesn?t do U-turns easily, and especially not on winding roads, so I?ll never be able to prove what I saw..

We made the easy drive from Yosemite in a little over three hours.  We stopped to buy freshly picked cherries.  By the time we chatted with the nice people in the RV office, got directions to several places, and got all hooked up, it was too late to go to any of the city?s attractions. So we headed to the Red Hawk Casino because they advertised on signs on the highway $100 of free play for new players.  That?s $200 for 2 of us!  We couldn?t pass that up.  It turns out that if you play for an hour on $100 or more of your own money and you lose $100 or more, they will load $100 of free play on your card. It?s a new, very spacious casino with a large series of waterfalls out front.  Dean and I carefully tracked each time we won money so we could cash out our winnings.  Dean cashed out $130!  Unfortunately, I didn?t win much until we played blackjack, which we both won money playing.  We had a nice buffet dinner, too.

Stayed at Cal Expo RV Park?50 amps, gravel lot, FHU, $30,  no trees, so there should be great Internet, but ours is sick and the repairman didn?t call back today.
High of 50?, misty, short periods of raindrops
 
May 10, 2011 Day 6 Sacramento, CA

We started off early, eager to see our state?s capitol.  There were about three dozen protestors out front, protesting educational cuts.  They were part of the Committee for Educational Quality, and I don?t think they were teachers.  However, once we got through security, there were teachers, CTA people, and community people in support of education everywhere.  You could tell which were which by the color of their shirts.  However, I think it is overkill to shut rooms in the capitol because of calm people walking in the halls talking to their senators and assemblymen.

We had a great tour guide.  However, some of the places we would like to visit, like the Senate, were closed today as an increased security measure  because of the protestors.  We did get to see the Assembly chambers, which have a Spartan feel with little desks. (Picture 1) I loved all of the carved wood throughout the capitol. The capitol has been restored to how it was in the early 1900?s. 

There are 2 domes with a walkway in between?an interior and an exterior dome.  This allows them to change the light bulbs in the inner dome.  The interior dome was quite impressive with art designs (picture 1) and 31 stars representing that we were the 31st state admitted to the union.  However, circling the bottom were about a dozen animals which looked liked rats with pointy faces.  Our guide told us they were supposed to be grizzly bear faces.  They are hard to see in Picture 2 because of the lighting above them. Did they hire an art student to save money? 

The portraits of the governors were especially interesting. Ronald Reagan was posed in a beautiful landscape. Jerry Brown?s was very unusual and angular, and it reminded me of a Picasso.  I would have never recognized him.  He asked that it be unfinished because he wasn?t finished with government service, coming back as Oakland?s mayor, CA attorney general, and now our governor.

When the capitol was designed in the 1850?s, it was supposed to have a grand marble staircase, leading into the main foyer.  However, as in future times, they ran so far over budget that they just skipped the steps, left the door, and think of that entrance as a balcony. Picture 4 shows the original ?entrance/balcony) and the outer dome.

We had skipped breakfast, so a trip to Fat City, recommended by RVForumers was next.  They say they have never served fried chicken, though my notes said someone had told me that their fried chicken was awesome.  So, I ordered the roast chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, and Dean had their burger.  Everything was delicious, and the service was excellent. The restaurant is a restored brick dry goods store and has wonderful doors and Tiffany lamps.  Even if you just go for coffee and pie (they are known for their banana cream pie, but we were good and didn?t have any), it is worth seeing, just to make a nice step back into history.  Thanks so much for the tip, RVForum!

Just a block away was the  California Railroad Museum, and Dean has always loved trains.  I?ve asked Dean to tell about this part of our day.

Dean:  They have a VERY nice collection of  old (1800?s mostly) engines and cars, including an articulated cab-forward steam engine (4-8-8-0).  Most of them are operable, and some are taken out periodically and run on the weekends or for special events.  It is a very complete and well-done museum and worthy of its gem rating.

Linda:  While the engines and cars were amazing and in pristine condition, what impressed me was the interesting history of the Central Pacific Railroad.  There was one designer genius and 4 financial backers who were intimately involved with the day-to-day  operations, one of whom was Leland Stanford.  The museum did a great job of showing how they overcame problems, like building a 37-mile-long snow shed to protect an area of the track that received so much snow and so much rockfall that the train snowplows couldn?t clear it.  However, while recognizing the accomplishments and hard work of the Chinese, I felt that they really downplayed the ill treatment and discrimination they encountered.

Stayed at Cal Expo RV Park?50 amps, gravel lot, FHU, $30,  no trees, so there should be great Internet, but ours is sick and the repairman didn?t call back today.
 

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We love staying at Cal Expo because of how centrally located it is and the direct access to the green belt bike path which we like biking down to Old Town Sac!  Enjoy.

Rick
 
Orick said:
We love staying at Cal Expo because of how centrally located it is and the direct access to the green belt bike path which we like biking down to Old Town Sac!  Enjoy.

Rick

It is a nice park--has all the bells and whistles and very nice, knowledgeable managers.  And they recycle everything--cans, plastic, and newspapers, too!  However, it is all gravel and not pretty.  It is fun seeing the horses run around the track with that cute little cart behind them.  And hail bounces quite nicely on the gravel!
 
May 11, 2011 Day 7 Sacramento

We stayed home waiting for the Motosat repairman, who spent 3 hours working on our set-up before deciding it was the router. 

The Century Theatre is only a block away, and it was too late to do anything else, so we went to see ?Jumping the Broom?.  Dean went reluctantly, but it was so funny that he laughed out loud many times and he did admit that he enjoyed it.

Stayed at Cal Expo RV Park?50 amps, gravel lot, FHU, $30,  no trees, so there should be great Internet, but ours is sick and the repairman didn?t call back today.
 
May 12, 2011 Day 8 Sacramento

We postponed eating our first meal because I had heard that Ten22 @ 1022 Second St. had fabulous food, especially their juicy Hearty Burger.  Dean is a burger lover, and he goes reluctantly on my food adventures, so this was a ?thank you? meal.  It was everything that I hoped?wonderful service, an outstanding burger (Dean says it is even better than Fat City?s), outstanding sweet potato fries, very good coleslaw, and a zesty pulled pork sandwich.  The portions were so big that we brought home plenty for dinner.

We were so content after eating that we just perused Old Sacramento.  I bought a leather purse for $20!  The TINY Wells Fargo Museum was especially interesting.  There was a scale on display just like they really used to weigh gold, and miners said that it was so accurate that it could weigh a pencil mark.  A group of about 8 kids came in, which packed the museum and trapped Dean and me, but the lady transformed herself into a lady of the 1800?s and started telling stories, and I loved it! By the time we finished seeing everything, we wouldn?t have enough time at the Crocker Art Museum, which I wanted to see but Dean didn?t.  So we headed to the movies again because Dean wanted to see ?Hanna? (which he said later wasn?t good at all) and I wanted to see ?Water for Elephants,? which was very enjoyable.

Stayed at Cal Expo RV Park?50 amps, gravel lot, FHU, $30,  no trees, so there should be great Internet, but ours is sick and the repairman didn?t call back today.
 

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