Month: February 2017

After leaving Vian, OK we headed towards Lafayette, LA for Mardi Gras. The first night we thought to stop, since we had SO MUCH FUN in Vian, OK, in Vi(vi)an, LA. There was a Walmart. And the Walmart had a Dairy Queen Attached. It LOOKED good. There was a Blackhawks game on (v. the Wild), and it seemed all the requirements were in place. However, there was no WiFi and no Cell Service. So we sadly moved on, instead stopping in Shreveport. We did buy a couple Blizzards for the fridge before we hit the road.

In Shreveport, ALL of the local Hawks fans were watching the Hawks game. Liz and Dan. I think that the locals might have been a little afraid of us, with all the cheering coming from the bus. But, when you stay overnight in parking lots, perhaps it is not a bad thing for the locals to have at least a “healthy respect” if not a little fear of whatever might be inside RV WHERE YET.

We stopped in Carancro at an RV Park called “Bayou Wilderness.” Not really. But very nice and calm. We viewed this a place to stop, empty everything that needs to be empty and then fill everything that needs to be full for 5 days of Mardi Gras Dry Camping. It was all that, but not much more.

 

Our “headquarters” for the Mardi Gras festivities was directly across from the end of the parade routes in Lafayette. In the parking lot of the “Drug Emporium,” a local institution. Half the lot was roped off and given over to RVs of all vintages and styles. To say this was perfect would be a MAJOR understatement. Across the parking lot, a giant local grocery store with an excellent beer selection. Across the street the Cajundome…official Lafayette Mardi Gras Central. About a mile to LC Cambre’s house (our host and adopted Uncle). About a mile to Waffle House (the importance of which cannot be underestimated as we have been craving this since we left Texas headed west a month ago).

Arriving near Vian,  our instructions from hosts, Dave and Lynn Gray went something like this:  “Your GPS will never get you to us.  So here is what you do…take a right at the (one) stop sign in “Downtown” Vian.  Drive 2 miles and you will see a white pickup truck by a gate…”  Worked perfectly. 

Driving up the gravel road to their ranch house,  through Cattleguards and over culverts made me question the wisdom of this stop.  Visions of 28,000 lbs of bus stuck in a creek…surely that would test the limits of our “unlimited roadside assistance and towing” policy.   But we made it up the drive and parked on a nice flat spot. 

Dave helped with an extra length of extension cord to recharge the batteries drained by attempts to start the generator.  After dinner we retired to their awesome guest house,  complete with OVER-SIZED SHOWER that I can actually stand straight up within!     

The next day,  plans included a hike and a Dance lesson.  But first,  we had to figure out why the generator would not start.  Dave offered to help, and as we looked at the generator issue,  it became apparent that the fuel line was leaking (dripping gas as we primed the generator was the clue).  This turned out to be simply a rusted hose clamp.   The hardest part of fixing this was figuring out a safe way to get under the bus without risking life and limb.  One Bluebird owner said to me:  if you cannot do a 28,000 lb bench press,  do NOT crawl under your bus without taking MAJOR precautions!    Replaced clamp.  Generator purred to life. ALL IS GOOD for Dan and Liz and RV WHERE YET at Mardi Gras!!!

Dave turned out to be quite a handy guy…and willing to get dirty.  I should not have been surprised…he owns a ranch and there are plenty of cows, mud and stuff that looks like mud but apparently comes from cows…what do I know,  I am from Chicago… tractors, machinery and other ways to get dirty and things to take care of.      

Our hike around the Gray’s ranch included a lot of learning-opportunities.  About the Cattle business.  About Beavers.  Coyotes.  Power lines and eminent domain and Section 1222 of the 2005 Energy Act.  About the merits of mixed livestock (Goats and Cattle) for maintaining pasturelands.  I even saw CLOSE UP and for the first time ever, an Armadillo.  These apparently dig up the lawn (actually,  the entire ranch) in search of grubs.  They do not smell the grubs…they just dig until they find one.  They are STUPID, and they have no natural predators.  And they are still one of the last known vectors  for LEPROSY.  Makes me miss the rats in Chicago,  to be honest. 

Learning the nuances of the cattle business was especially fascinating.  Calves are born.  Sent to feed lots to be “finished.” This apparently refers to being fed massively until they are nice and fat; not to what most of us whose full exposure to beef is at the Grocery Store might think of as the “Finish.”  That comes later, performed by yet another entity.    Dave (who makes markets at the Merc on Cattle) explained the various ways this works from a commodity point of view.  Who owns the calves, who is speculating on the price of beef, etc.  Lynn described it thusly:  “The kids (calves) go off to college.  What happens after that we do not know or think about.” 

We also got our “Dog Fix” at the Grays.  Their Great Pyrenese “Daisy” is tasked with keeping the Coyotes away. She patrols all night, apparently successfully.  We heard yips and howls,  always in the distance, because we heard plenty of Daisy close by.  During the day,  she is quite friendly and effervescent.  WE REALLY MISS Heddy, but it is good to get a fix without long term commitment and attendant logistical issues.   

Leaving Vian, we realized (and the Grays encouraged this…) that it is at the center of the US going east-west and also North-south.  More or less,  anyway.  So we hope to come back through again.  And again.

 

Well,  it finally happened.  We have bottomed out! 

I don’t mean personally, chemically, emotionally, politically.  Well,  maybe politically.  But I am actually referring to the Tow-hitch on the bus.  We found a driveway with too big a dip.  Safety Cables cut through as was the cable that operates the tow car’s lights.    The good news is,  there is a Camping World in Flagstaff!  We drove there on the way to Sedona.  They said they could order the replacements and have them for us when we leave Sedona to head East. 

In the meantime, we spent 3 nights in Sedona,  and not by coincidence,  two sites down from our friends, the McDowells.  While in Sedona,  we did a couple of magnificent hikes.  We had a couple magnificent meals.  And basically relaxed under the direct supervision of Relaxation Sensei Mike McDowell.  

Our departure from Sedona was the day before SNOW WAS PREDICTED.  We do feel we are being stalked by the weather…we learned it was 70 and sunny in Chicago while it was 45 and rainy in Sedona.

One of our Sedona hikes was in search of one of the famous (in some circles)  Psychic Energy Vortices.  Apparently,  this place is the nexus of certain energy conditions.  Who knew? 

Apparently many people!!!  According to our dear friend and Dance instructor Kathy Brown,  who is an expert in matters of energy, “Sedona has a very strong Vortex.  Many people feel a huge difference there.  It has a much higher vibration that gives some people a peaceful experience and others a strong energy surge.  Others are not aware of it at all.  It depends on how you are wired.”  

I cannot say I noticed any such thing…except I felt very peaceful after a local craft beer and an enchilada.

But,  maybe there is something to the Vortex thing.  After our last newsletter,  at 12 dark 00 I got an email from a Chicago Neighbor.  She had read our blog, and noted they, too, were in Sedona!!!   Now there are two pretty mystical things about this.  Why would our neighbor from Chicago be in Sedona coincident with us.  (Stalking is one possibility,  of course)?  The second mystical thing is that someone actually reads our blog!!!   And,  I guess that means there are THREE mystical things…the abovementioned,  and the fact that only other person reading the blog was also in Sedona!!  

Now that I think about it,  Fran McDowell and Liz were clearly experiencing something that cannot be attributed to beer.

After Sedona,  we headed east, stopping first at Flagstaff Camping World to procure and install the replacement cables for the toad (towed….).  Our destination is Lafayette, LA for Mardi Gras via Vian (not a duplicate!) Oklahoma where friends from our Dance Club now live.  Along the way we stopped and/or drove past some “interesting” sites (and sights).   

One night,  we stopped overnight at a Navajo Casino after being turned away from yet another Walmart.  I wonder if word is getting out that wherever we go will have torrential rains (which are still occurring in California)?  Anyway, this casino set us back the princely sum of $11 for a full hookup and there was a Dairy Queen across the parking lot.  We’d have spent more than that for sure at Walmart. 

We drove past the Cadillac Ranch,  near Amarillo, Tx.  and  stayed at a great Walmart near Amarillo.  There we discovered (or created) a new problem with the bus…The Generator would not start.

Now, let me explain the seriousness of this.  If we cannot start the generator,  we cannot make coffee.  Nor can Liz dry her hair when we are in places like Walmart with no electrical hookup. 

This is a near disaster, especially since our plans in Lafayette include 5 days of dry camping (no hookups) at parade-central.  5 days with no coffee is just not possible.

To troubleshoot this problem,  we accelerated our transit to visit friends in Vian, Oklahoma where I knew I could get a power cord and a day to noodle the issue. 

We  stayed in Bullhead City, Az. overnight,  but NOT at the Moose Lodge.  We could have,  but I was worried about the entry to the lot—a very high driveway ramp looked like it would at the very least bottom out the hitch.  Perhaps the Clown Car would actually fly.   So we went just down the road to a Walmart. 

This Walmart is technically “No Overnight”  but according to the manager,  people do stay and Walmart doesn’t care for sure.  It just depends if the cops come and rap on the window at 2:00 AM.  She assured me if they did come,  it would not be with guns drawn, so we decided to take our chances…there was a casino just down the road in case we got the bum’s rush.  No Cops,  no problem.

We drove to Flagstaff via one of the only intact pieces of Route 66 still left. And,  there is not much left even on that stretch.  A couple of souvenir shops in Seligman and a whole lot of desert. 

Once in Flagstaff, we celebrated Valentines day in a manner that represents our fabulous new lifestyle.   First,  we stayed in the parking lot of a nearby Navajo Casino.   Liz wondered why she was breathless (after running)…Flagstaff is at 7,000 ft.  You should see the size of our (exercise) ball at altitude! 

Then we stared longingly into each other’s eyes while  …wait for it…Safelite repaired the bus windshield.  Just a couple nicks from stones on a really bad Highway 5 near Bakersfield, Ca.   Better to repair before a full-fledged crack develops – esp. since the repair is free and windshield replacement might be difficult. 

Anyway,  after our Safelite-dalliance,  the original plan was to meet the McDowells again and spend 3 days at the Grand Canyon,  however SNOW was predicted.  AAAACCCKKKK.    Having no interest in driving 2-lane mountain roads in  the snow, and utterly confident that the Grand Canyon will still be there the next time we are in the area, we collectively cancelled and decided to spend a few days in Sedona.

Three days spent in Marin country having an AWESOME time with college-friend Mark and his charming wife, Tracy. Despite the rain.  And RAIN IT MOST CERTAINLY DID.  Enough to affect in some small or not so small way everything we did. 

Day 1: We drove up to Sonoma Country for some Wine Tasting.  The normal route we would have taken would have put us at our first tasting room within 45 minutes or so.  That route was closed.  We had to drive about 90 minutes.  As a result we “only” could make it to two places. Both excellent.  After which we drove back and had excellent Indian Food.   

Day 2: We headed up north to Russian River Brewing Company; also in Sonoma County.  They have an annual release of something called “Pliny the Younger.”  A beer in limited release, such that people line up for blocks to get in to the tap room.  .  We figured since it was Thursday, and rain had closed several access roads,  we would NOT be faced with this.  We were wrong.  A line of very wet aficionados, all of whom must be retired, unemployed or soon-to-be-unemployed,  over 2 blocks long!   Fortunately,  we had passed a perfectly reasonable plan “B” for beer and lunch.  Plan “B” was back south — 20 minutes from Mark and Tracy’s —  so we drove 2+ hours including our fruitless (and beer-less) visit to RRBC.    No worries…lots of conversation.  This was followed by dinner “in” at Mark and Tracy’s.   

As part of our plan for Day 2,  we unhooked the Clown car and parked it at Mark and Tracy’s.  MAJOR RAIN was forecast,  and the RV Park is right on the estuary.   Not so worried about the bus…it is pretty high off the ground and quite heavy.  And the proprietor of the RV park assured us the worst they ever have is a little standing water.  Still, we thought it might be best to have the CC elsewhere because even with only a few inches of water we might have to retrieve it floating in the bay.   Little did we know several hillsides in San Rafael would come down…and the gutters on all the streets became rushing torrents.  But none near the CC.  And the RV Park was not flooded.   

Day 3:  For the first time…SUN!!!  We WALKED to and around nearby San Anselmo, where we met some of Tracy and Mark’s friends who own a store selling Infused Olive Oils and Special flavored Balsamic Vinegars from their own family business in Italy.  When we got there, they were just finishing cleaning up some of the water that came into their store under the sand bags.  We got a lesson on the oils and vinegars, lots of tastes and some special mixtures.  WOW what fantastic flavors.  We acquired several for the bus,  and lessons on how to use each (Gilberto is a chef in addition to a purveyor of such delicacies. ).  We learned about a drink called a “Shrub” that features flavored Balsamic Vinegar and sparkling water.  Of course,  it must be an EXCELLENT Balsamic Vinegar,  or it will just taste like a pickle.  We tried several…Honey-Ginger,  Grapefruit, Apricot, Mango…Very refreshing.  No designated driver necessary and no hangover possible (no alcohol).   

If anyone is interested,  you can learn more and order online:  Amphoranueva.com.    Try the Honey Ginger and/or Grapefruit Vinegars for Shrubs and Mission Fig Vinegar for Salads or a Salmon Baste on the Grill.  Or Tunisian Baklouti (Green Chilli Oil) on grilled veggies.       

After our education and a round of Shrubbery,  we went to a local bar where Mark and Tracy (and a LOT of others) watch the GS Warriors.  We have always noticed that showing an interest in local sports gets a traveler special consideration and acceptance  among locals – maybe even a get-out-of-jail-free card — in far-away places.  So,  Gaelic Football in Ireland,  Rugby or Cricket in New Zealand, Aussie Rules in Oz – and I guess NBA Basketball in San Francisco!!   Fortunately,  the bar was willing to put Blackhawks Hockey up on one little screen in the corner.  Warriors won, Blackhawks won and Dan and Liz won! 

Leaving Marin we headed for some extraordinary places.  For example, a stay at the Moose Lodge in Bullhead City, Az.  And, for Valentine’s Day we are going to Flagstaff, Az.  As we drove through the Mojave Desert, it was RAINING.  Well,  just a little.  But enough for a rainbow!  Check it out,  just next to the truck in the Picture below.

Spending several days in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. This is more like we imagined our travels.  Up until now,  we have been pretty actively moving.  At HMB,  we have been pretty actively relaxing!   Our friends Mike and Fran McDowell counselled us on this. When full-time RVing,  don’t think like you are on vacation…it is OK to not do sumthin every minute.  Sometimes you need to read  a book,  do laundry, etc.  So,  from now on when we feel like we are too frantic about activity we shall channel Sensei Mike,  relaxation guru.

The State Park where we are staying is great.  We are 50’ from beach.  People are extremely friendly — we have given a bunch of bus tours.  There is an excellent coastal bike trail,  which we have used every day.  There is a very nice Brew-pub about 2 miles away right on that bike trail.  Several restaurants serve fresh,  locally caught Crab.  You can also buy said-crab directly from the boats.

On Tuesday,  we drove down to San Jose to catch a Blackhawks game v. the San Jose Sharks. Our neighbor at the park was also going!  He gave us recommendations on where to park (for cheap — $7) and where to eat.  On the latter,  the wait was too long so we went to a small Mexican place and had an excellent (and inexpensive) burrito.  The game result was not what we might have liked,  but we had a really good time.  And it WAS a good game, until the last 2 minutes.    There were a LOT of red sweaters in the crowd and a lot of always perfectly appropriate and polite trash-talk.

Getting tickets to the game was more drama than it should have been.  Bought them on line from Ticketmaster.  After gladly accepting my credit card, their system would not deliver them to me.  Their tech support could not figure out why,  could not deliver them to me, and could not promise they would be available at Will Call.  One agent, about an hour before the event,  actually had the nerve to say, “If They are not able to produce them at Will Call,  call us back and we will work on a refund!”   

WOW.  I explained to her that we had travelled 2,500 miles for this event (I did not disclose that we had done a few other things along the way) and a refund, therefore, would NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.   When we got to Will Call,  in fact SAP Center staff, too, could not get the tickets for us.  But to their credit, even though we were wearing the enemy sweater,  they ultimately prevailed and provided our tickets.   

As a final insult,  the morning after the game I got an email from Ticketmaster Support.  It said:  “It seems this is a past event, and it took place Tuesday the 31st of this Month, Hopefully everything went smoothly and someone attended and enjoyed event.”  In the email,  there was a link to a customer survey…it was broken! 

The rest of the week we spent at the park in relax-mode.  Some bike riding.  Some bus-fixing – and even an idea for a Clown Car Engine upgrade….  Laundry.  I even set up Liz’s WII for her morning exercise.  Yoga and some more-active things such as a hula-hoop simulator.  I PROMISED her I would not post a video,  but I can describe!  The hula hoop thing had the bus vigorously rocking back and forth.  I wonder if neighboring folks are getting the wrong idea about what we do for exercise? 

On Thursday we met cousins Kevin and Cecily for dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.  Our original plans were to first have cocktails at the bus, then dinner,  but the weather closed in (again).  Off-and-on rain and 40 MPH winds right off the ocean.  Adaptability is key…we had previously stopped at HMBBC on bikes to sample their liquid wares, so we knew that cocktails THERE would be wunnerful (and dry).   The menu turned out to be broad and excellent,  and it was good to catch up.  

Friday we head up to Walnut Creek where we have a special permit to park the bus in front of friends Dan and Karolyn Ray’s house.  We have a new definition of friendship now: Friends, knowing advance HOW we are visiting still arrange/encourage a permit (vs. arranging to be out of town!).  There are (and should be) limits to friendship however.  Dan keeps insisting that the “best” parking place is in front of his neighbor’s house.  I wonder,  is there a spat going on with the neighbor?  Do the Rays want plausible deniability if we turn out to be “Uncle Eddie” RVers?

Before leaving HMB,  we became the target of an apparent act of random kindness.  Someone left a bottle of wine on our doorstep.  No note.  No indication of the donor.  Or,  for the more cynical, the California Wine Board (is there such a thing) is trying to create new “junkies?”

FOLLOWUP:  It turns out, the donor was….the Sharks Fans from the RV next to us.  Such nice people…or possibly the ultimate trash-talk.  Help the Hawks fans drown their sorrows…

Before you look it up,  there is NO LAKE MARIN.  Just a reference to our RV park, which became a lake after torrential (and nearly perpetual) rain.  The bus is high and dry,  but there is a lake at the entrance. Not too worried about getting the bus out (very high clearance), but we may have to hope the Clown Car will float along after us.  

I am getting ahead of myself…

We left Walnut Creek after a VERY SUCCESSFUL Super Bowl Party.  By that  I do NOT mean we were rooting for the Patriots.  I DO mean that we ate more than our fill of Super Bowl Party fare, including Karolyn Ray’s WORLD FAMOUS Bean Dip.    Now some might say that there is a bit of exaggeration in that statement, but NO.  I was there a few years back when a mutual friend from Australia partook of said bean dip at one of the Ray’s previous Superbowl Fetes.  So therefore it is WORLD FAMOUS.

While in Walnut Creek we had a terrific time catching up with old friends.  And I do mean OLD. To keep the “Dans” straight,  Dan Ray’s Brother-in-law took to calling us “Old Dan” and “Tall Dan.”    We parked right in front of the Ray’s house, a special permit arranged for by Old Dan.  Not sure,  but I think the local officials wanted (required?) Dan to keep an eye on us at all times. 

Anyway,  during our stay,  we played Bocce Ball,  tasted wine, ate, drank and were generally merry.  Old Dan invited us back, and I think he had in mind to help him construct his imagined Bocce Ball Court in the back yard (which would involve moving tons of hillside).  Old Dan thought Tall Dan would look very GQ with a shovel in his hand.  Despite this obvious (not hidden) motive, It was AWESOME to connect with friends and take up right where we left off several years previous. 

Leaving Walnut Creek we proceeded to Marin County and a small RV park right by the Larkspur Ferry.  Passing through the toll booth on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge,  we pulled up to the “Cash” agent.  The sign said “$5 Autos.”  He looked up at me, down the side of the bus and  onwards towards the towed-clown car.  He said, ”$20 please.”   I am wondering if he noticed I had that exact denomination in my hand and was just trying to make it convenient for me…Or, perhaps the toll was $10 and he assumed I was in a tipping mood?

Unhooking the Clown Car, we drove to the People’s Republic of Berkeley (PRB) and dinner with former neighbors from Chicago.  Sara had encouraged us to also park in front of THEIR house. Actually,  she was hoping in front of their neighbor’s,  who is fond of chanting mantras while smoking (medicinal) herbs under their bedroom window.  We would have been happy to oblige,  perhaps even aiming the exhaust pipe at that house and undertaking some engine maintenance.  But fortunately Brian was more thoughtful.  They live on a winding, narrow,  VERY STEEP street (9 degrees,  Brian said).  “RV Where Yet” would have NEVER made it up.  And if by chance we did make it up,  RV-Would-Still-Be-There-Yet.  Knowing this was why we decided to drive over to Marin and then come back.      

For dinner,  we had Thai – missed that.  I think we have not had such a meal since leaving Chicago.  After dinner we walked down the street with an intention of having Ice Cream.  Instead,  the shop had closed (15 minutes BEFORE the closing time shown on the door).  So we went back to Brian and Sara’s and had an after-dinner drink. Malört was offered.  Never had that before so was intrigued.  AAAACKKK.   After a smell from the glass and a sip,  I realized I HAD had Malört before.  But the last time,  I had used it to clean paint brushes. That Malört came in a different container. 

Heading back to Marin after dinner was a white-knuckle drive.  The weather was closing in again … HEAVY rain expected and VERY windy.  The Clown Car does NOT have a very deep wheel-base or much in the way of weight. So let’s just say the conditions were not ideal for us in particular.  It was eerie…there was NO traffic.  I wondered if the road was actually closed and we were headed for disaster.  Liz practiced tapping her heels and chanting “I want to go home…”   We took it slow across the Richmond Bridge (quite a long bridge over the SF Bay – with nothing to break the wind) back to our Marin RV Base. 

It rained all night,  and in the morning the RV Park was partially a lake.  We were dry,  but for a time no one could get in.  There was a break in the weather projected for about 36 hours,  and we planned to connect with College friend Mark Morris and his wife, Tracy. Not sure with the rain if hiking or bike-riding are possible,  but Mark reminded me that most Wineries and Taprooms are INDOORS.   Good thing.  As it turned out,  there was NO break in the weather at all.  

Spending several days in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. This is more like we imagined our travels.  Up until now,  we have been pretty actively moving.  At HMB,  we have been pretty actively relaxing!   Our friends Mike and Fran McDowell counselled us on this. When full-time RVing,  don’t think like you are on vacation…it is OK to not do sumthin every minute.  Sometimes you need to read  a book,  do laundry, etc.  So,  from now on when we feel like we are too frantic about activity we shall channel Sensei Mike,  relaxation guru. 

The State Park where we are staying is great.  We are 50’ from beach.  People are extremely friendly — we have given a bunch of bus tours.  There is an excellent coastal bike trail,  which we have used every day.  There is a very nice Brew-pub about 2 miles away right on that bike trail.  Several restaurants serve fresh,  locally caught Crab.  You can also buy said-crab directly from the boats.

On Tuesday,  we drove down to San Jose to catch a Blackhawks game v. the San Jose Sharks. Our neighbor at the park was also going!  He gave us recommendations on where to park (for cheap — $7) and where to eat.  On the latter,  the wait was too long so we went to a small Mexican place and had an excellent (and inexpensive) burrito. 

The game result was not what we might have liked,  but we had a really good time.  And it WAS a good game, until the last 2 minutes.    There were a LOT of red sweaters in the crowd and a lot of always appropriate and polite trash-talk.

Getting tickets to the game was more drama than it should have been.  We bought them on line from Ticketmaster.  After gladly accepting my credit card, their system would not deliver tickets to me.  Their tech support could not figure out why,  also could not deliver them to me, and could not even promise they would be available at Will Call.  One agent, about an hour before the event,  actually had the nerve to say, “If They are not able to produce them at Will Call,  call us back and we will work on a refund!”    WOW.  I explained to her that we had travelled 2,500 miles for this event (I did not disclose that we had done a few other things along the way) and a refund, therefore, would NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.  

When we got to Will Call,  in fact SAP Center staff, too, could not get the tickets for us.  But to their credit, even though we were wearing the enemy sweater,  they ultimately prevailed and provided our tickets.    

As a final insult,  the morning after the game I got an email from Ticketmaster Support.  It said:  “It seems this is a past event, and it took place Tuesday the 31st of this Month, Hopefully everything went smoothly and someone attended and enjoyed event.”  In the email,  there was a link to a customer survey…it was broken! 

The rest of the week we spent at the park in relax-mode.  Some bike riding.  Laundry.  Some bus-fixing – and even an idea for a Clown Car Engine upgrade….   I even set up Liz’s WII for her morning exercise.  Yoga and some more-active things such as a hula-hoop simulator.  I PROMISED her I would not post a video,  but I can describe!  The hula hoop thing had the bus vigorously rocking back and forth.  I wonder if neighboring folks are getting the wrong idea about what we do for exercise? 

On Thursday we met cousins Kevin and Cecily for dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.  Our original plans were to first have cocktails at the bus, then dinner,  but the weather closed in (again).  Off-and-on rain and 40 MPH winds right off the ocean.  Adaptability is key…we had previously stopped at HMBBC on bikes to sample their liquid wares, so we knew that cocktails THERE would be wunnerful (and dry).   The menu turned out to be broad and excellent,  and it was good to catch up.   

Friday we head up to Walnut Creek where we have a special permit to park the bus in front of friends Dan and Karolyn Ray’s house.  We have a new definition of friendship now: Knowing in advance HOW we are visiting, “Friends”  still arrange/encourage a permit (vs. arranging to be out of town!). 

There are (and should be) limits to friendship however.  Dan keeps insisting that the “best” parking place is in front of his neighbor’s house.  I wonder,  is there a spat going on with the neighbor?  Do the Rays want plausible deniablility if we turn out to be “Uncle Eddie” RVers?

Before leaving HMB,  we became the target of an apparent act of random kindness.  Someone left a bottle of wine on our doorstep.  No note.  No indication of the donor.  Or,  for the more cynical, the California Wine Board (is there such a thing?) is trying to create new “junkies?”

---

FOLLOWUP:  It turns out, the donor was….the Sharks Fans from the RV next to us.  Such nice people…or possibly the ultimate trash-talk.  Help the Hawks fans drown their sorrows…