RE: RV Park/Campground in Santa Barbara, CA?
By chance have you ever been able to just show up at Carpinteria and get in without reservations?
As a matter of fact, yes, we have. It was a few years ago, when the kids were on winter break (ours lasts longer than most other schools, we don't go back until January 13th or so). There were a couple of spots right on the beach during midweek. We have a 24' trailer, and the sites are short and hard to get into with our Chevy 1500 extended cab and our trailer. But we did fit, and enjoyed staying there. It was wonderful in early January. Not too cold, not too many people in the campground, and full hookups! We usually dry camp in the summer, but during the winter, full hookups are great.
Last time I checked, they also have enroute camping there, you can stay for one night and have to leave the next morning.
We made reservations for this winter break too..another beachfront space. We love to travel south along the coast and then into the desert during the winter break. Death Valley, Joshua Tree Nat'l Munument, Sam's Family Spa; can't wait to go back.
RE: RV Park/Campground in Santa Barbara, CA?
I tried to call them myself a few years ago. Nobody ever answered the phone. I gave up.
When we can get reservations, or just happen to pass by in the dead of winter, we stay at Carpinteria.
RE: How do you store spices/seasonings?
I keep two of these containers (emptied of the sprinkles) filled up with the spices I use most often in our little trailer kitchen drawer:
http://www.cookiesinseattle.com/product.php?id=2837
It holds 12 different spices in very little space. I freshen them up every spring.
You can usually find them in the cake decorating section of your grocery store.
RE: First time in RV - California Trip Advice
I understand your idea about not doing too much driving and just a lot of visiting and enjoying. There are a lot of things to do around Santa Cruz, Columbia (you can visit Calaveras Big Trees from there) and Yosemite.
We've stayed at the Big Sur Campgrounds & Cabins, it's a nice place, but our trailer is 24'. I think it's great for little kids. We stayed in one of the river sites right next to the bridge, it was pretty easy to get into. Ask about those sites, they are concrete pads and less dirt.
You wouldn't go wrong staying at Pfiffer State Park, either, if you're into dry camping. It's more spread out and the river is bigger.
You could also check out Pinto Lake Park in Watsonville http://www.pintolake.com/, it's closer to Capitola than the RV parks in Felton, and it's less expensive. And you don't have to deal with that awful traffic on Highways 17 and 1. It's also closer to Monterey if you want to do some day trips there, and less expensive than Monterey Dunes. Monterey Dunes is right next to the freeway so it may be a bit loud if you get one of the sites on that side of the campground.
Keep in mind that April is Easter vacation here, and if you don't have reservations now, it will be difficult to get them if you wait. So don't wait.
Forget about going to S. California, that can be another trip.
Take the kids to the park at the end of Branciforte, overlooking the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, they have HUGE swings and slides that the kids will love. http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pr/parksrec/.
Do NOT miss Dennis the Menace park in Monterey (you may have to go there more than once) http://www.lotsafunmaps.com/details.php?locationid=219
Don't forget that it can be VERY cold in Yosemite and Columbia during April. You just never know. Bring warm clothes for the kids, and hopefully your RV will have a generator so you can run the furnace (but you can't run it all night, there are quiet times). It can also be unseasonably warm. California has really variable weather.
The "cities" around here aren't that crowded (except for SF) so parking shouldn't be a problem.
There is a park near Hayward: http://reserveamerica.com/camping/Anthony_Chabot/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=EB&parkId=110004&topTabIndex=CampingSpot.
Have a lot of fun!
RE: new small computers from Dell
To install CD pgms, I make a burned or copy of the CD on my tower PC into an "ISO" file which I dump onto a flashdrive. On the no CD-RW mini 9, I use Daemon to create and run a virtual CD drive and auto run the program from the plugged-in USB flashdrive.
My daughter just bought one of the Acer One mini's. Is there a website where I could do some reading on this so that I could understand exactly how to do this? I don't know what an "ISO" file is, or Daemon, or how to create a virtual CD drive. I thought I was really doing well when I was able to download the 3rd copy of our 3-PC Webroot antivirus/spyware program off the internet for her.
RE: We get fewer stations after connecting the converter????
I bought a converter box and tried it in the house. Zero reception with the rabbit ears.
I took it out to the trailer and attached it to the Winegard amplified antenna. It was amazing how many crystal clear digital stations came in. But it looks like I'm going to have to buy a new amplified antenna for the house if I want to watch TV off the air in the house. I don't think it's worth it, I have Dish Network and I'll just stop watching the off the air broadcasts. No more TV in the kitchen to watch the news in the morning (it was pretty much blur-vision anyway). I think that a lot of people will lose what little reception they get now when the analog broadcasts cease.
RE: How long does it take to set up your HTT?
My kids amaze me. I took them to Oregon last month in the TrailManor, and they know just what to do by now to get it set up. We open the shells (I can do that by myself, but it's a nice family endeavor if we all do it together), pull out the beds, put down the steps, and then they go inside and do the rest while I set about fitting the door, setting the stabilizers, and attaching the hookups. I think it takes about 5 minutes or less to get the basic trailer set up, with the bathroom walls, beds, velcro, closet, etc. I'm always amazed when I come inside and it's ready to go. I love the easy setup.
Next time we go out I'll try to remember to time it.
RE: I have a chihuahua on my deck, and he's scared
I haven't seen him since that night. We have no new neighbors. I lost my chance to take him in and take care of him and that makes me sad. He seemed as scared of me as he was of whatever it was that chased him onto our deck. What was weird was that he looked pretty healthy.
A couple of years ago there was a really, really old dog hanging around here for a couple of days, poor thing. He was almost completely deaf, unbelievably matted, and didn't like people. He wouldn't come near us. I left some food for him in the bushes between our house and the barn. He was here for a couple of days and we didn't see him again after that.
RE: I have a chihuahua on my deck, and he's scared
We have so many dogs that are abandoned here in the desert. It breaks my heart to when I run across one that is so thin, then get me so mad that someone would do this to an animal.
One night I heard a dog barking amongst the cries of several coyotes, then a wine, then silence, then the noise coyotes make when they make a kill.
I heard the coyotes whooping it up this evening when we got home, we have quite a large population of them here. They are not afraid of us at all. The neighborhood dogs (the German Shepherd and the Austrailan Shepherd) go nuts when they hear them. We also have several fairly large bobcats (and who knows what else). My son saw a mountain lion last weekend in Seascape crossing the street (near Aptos, CA) when they were skateboarding around! Both my DH and I have heard rustling; painful cries, and growling sounds in the last couple of months coming from the slough below our house.
I just feel so bad that I couldn't help this little dog. I hope he found a safe haven somewhere. Our 19 year old cat was dumped off here in 1989, and I really think that someone dumped off that poor little dog here. They probably don't realize that we have so many carnivores here looking for an easy meal. He would have been so much safer in the animal shelter.
RE: I have a chihuahua on my deck, and he's scared
Well, I had to wait for the septic tank pump truck this morning so I was home until about 11:15, but no sign of the little dog.
I'll let you know if he comes back. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
RE: I have a chihuahua on my deck, and he's scared
Darn it, I was trying to barricade the deck so nothing could get to him, and he ran off and squeezed under the tensor barricade I put up for our cats so the neighbor's dogs can't get to them (not that it works for the neighbor's Austrailian Shepherd, that dog is agile with an "A", and the other neighbor's dog, a German Shepherd, climbs onto our roof and barks at the cats from up there). I have a feeling he'll be around tomorrow, so I will try to find a box to coax him into (when I get home from work). It's best that he's off the deck though, I've seen a feral cat jump off of it after being cornered there by a bobcat, and that is a LONG drop down. At least he ate some food before he ran off. Poor little guy, probably got dumped off by somebody who had their house foreclosed on....or who knows? I hope he survives the night.
I have a chihuahua on my deck, and he's scared
A couple of hours ago I heard a scuffling on our deck, went out there and there is this little white chihuahua cowering at the very back corner of the deck about 18 feet high off the ground. I have offered him (or her) food and water, and tried to coax him into the house, we have bobcats and wild animals around here so I can't leave him outside all night. He's finally stood up and then laid back down, but he's right next to the edge of the deck and I don't dare try to grab him. He growled at us at first, but I think he's just really scared.
I think someone dumped him off here, I called the nearby neighbors and they said that they had seen him in their driveway too. He doesn't have a collar and the poor thing is petrified with fear.
What should I do?
RE: Travel to Santa Cruz California
You could also check out Pinto Lake. It's not too far from Highway 1, off of
Green Valley Rd. by Watsonville, and very reasonable. There are restaurants and stores close by, and also Gizdich Ranch, where you can pick your own berries & apples in season, and buy pies & other goodies.
http://www.pintolake.com/
http://www.gizdich-ranch.com/
Weirdest thing you've found in your washing machine?
I started a thread on this a while back (2004), but none of the responses could top this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25725071
All I've found so far was a frog and a butternut squash.
RE: San Francisco Campgrounds
Ditto Twins89. Stayed at Anthony Chabot this May. Worth the ride in. Quiet, many hiking trails, beautiful views over the lake. Wild tukey and deer, yet only about a 15 min. drive to the Bart station. Al C.
I've been wanting to visit my mom's cousin in Berkeley and thought that this might be a good place to stay. How hard is it to get a 20' trailer into the sites? Someone said that it was pretty tight (and I'm not good at parking, like really bad, as I would be going without DH).
And they do close the gates at 10 pm?
RE: San Francisco Campgrounds
You might also try Samuel P Taylor State Park, no hookups but not too far away. I've heard a lot of people say nice things about the Petaluma KOA, too. There's also a place in Redwood City http://www.campingfriend.com/TrailerVillaRVPark/default.asp?file=Home but it's right off of 101 and may be noisy. However, you probably won't be spending too much time there!
Here's some others:
Candlestick RV Park, San Francisco (415) 822-2299 (already mentioned)
Golden Gate Trailer Park, Larkspur (415) 924-0683
Novato RV Park, Novato (415) 897-1271
Marin RV Park, Larkspur (415) 461-5199
San Francisco RV Resort, Pacifica (650) 355-7093 (also mentioned).
Both China Camp and Mt. Tamalpias State Parks have enroute camping close by.
As to parking close to the piers with a large vehicle, you may be able to find parking at Chrissy Field.
Here's a map: http://www.nps.gov/prsf/planyourvisit/upload/Pad%20Map%2012-07_color.pdf.
You can also usually find parking for larger vehicles at the end of Clement Street (toward the Pacific Ocean side in the 30th to 40th Avenues range) and you can take a bus or two into the Pier area. The buses in the City run quite frequently. Check the SF Muni website for more info. http://www.sfmta.com/cms/home/sfmta.php
RE: Where to spend Chistmas on the West Coast?
If you're looking for a jumping off place for Joshua Tree, we've stayed at Sam's Family Spa http://samsfamilyspa.com/ twice, once in the trailer and last winter I drove down with the kids for a few days and stayed in their motel. It's funky and older, but clean. They have wonderful mineral pools and a big heated pool. There is a clubhouse with a pool table. There are some play areas for kids (no formal playground, but little things here and there). Last winter we took two day trips into Joshua Tree, one from the north side and one from the south. There is a lot to see there but you have to get out and hike. There are old mines, an old stamp mill, old cars & a windmill left out to rust in the desert, and lots of other things we didn't get time to see. I think the Cottonwood side would be better camping for your size rig.
From there, you may want to go to Death Valley. There is a lot to see there too and even more if you want to get out and hike. I think DV gets pretty busy during the weeks the kids get out of school. The Furnace Creek Resort has a heated pool and showers you can use for $3 per person per day (at least they did when we were there a few years ago, you might want to call them and ask if they still allow that). So if you were to camp next door in the NPS campground Furnace Creek, you could probably just walk over there and use the pool. It's spring fed from an underground hot springs so it's nice and warm.
Here is an interesting website for people who love Death Valley: http://deathvalley.com/dvtalk/dvtalk.shtml#post. If you have any questions about things to do and see there someone is always willing to reply.
RE: Pacific Coast Highway Closed?
This is a quote from the CA highway conditions page as of 9:33 this morning (Sunday)
"SR 1
NO TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ARE REPORTED FOR THIS AREA.
IS CLOSED FROM 18.8 MI SOUTH TO 25.7 MI NORTH OF PFEIFFER BURNS STATE PARK
(MONTEREY CO) - DUE TO A WILDLAND FIRE - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE"
This is a bad fire...you may have to skip Big Sur this trip, but check these websites so you know what's happening:
Check in here for road info: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/
And for news on the fire: http://www.ksbw.com/index.html
Even if you have to skip Big Sur and you still want to go north, it's probably just as fast to go around that area using Hwy 101 and you can cut over to Monterey & go north from there. It's been really nice here in Santa Cruz over the weekend. Fog in the morning, but it's been clearing up every day.
Upon edit, here is the Monterey County website on the fires:
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/PR_OES/PR_fire.htm
RE: california campgrounds
I think the most beautiful campground we've ever stayed in was Lower Pines in Yosemite, not so much the campground itself but just being in Yosemite Valley. Waking up to the sight of those granite cliffs is a definite "WOW" factor.
The most beautiful campground we've ever not stayed in but visited was Juniper Lake in Lassen Nat'l Forest. Our trailer is too big to fit in there and the steep, gravel road would shake the heck out of it. It made me long for our old truck camper; we could take it just about anywhere. Medicine Lake was beautiful, too. They both made nice day trips.
RE: Recirculating toilet?
And if I really want to cheat, I will just add 1/2 gal. or so of water for the initial charge (along with the deodorizer), and then "flush" with water from a container until the level reaches the pump. Chap
We do that too, it makes a big difference in capacity. Like twice as much!
