Wheels Down - Northern Exposure Concludes - Arrival and Wedding Prep!

Kevin held his breath as the ascent was made from the non-existent Lake Isabella. Theresa was happy to be in the solitude of the Toad and not subjected to any 'excitement' that would surely accompany the reverse trail back over the pass. Without the Toad, the Smitanic smoothly climbed the up hill grade. At the top Kevin pulled over to reconnect the CRV. After surveying the area it was determined that there was still too much down hill slop to attach the toad so the team elected to continue untethered until the grade flattened out. That did not happen until just yards shy of a stop sign and the next turn.

Kevin and Theresa were relieved once the main artery of I-395 was once again under the wheels. There was one more climb, the infamous 'El Cajon' pass then the descent into Riverside County for the final stop for the day. Traffic was light, by California standards, up the pass, the traffic however became increasingly heavy as a construction zone was entered. Kevin cursed drivers who acted as if they were playing Grand Theft Auto dodging in an out of vehicles to gain inches on their destination with out regard to any rules nor safety. After all one can just commandeer another car if yours is wrecked! By 3pm the destination of Sun Lakes in Banning, CA was attained. Theresa's sister, Carol and brother -in-law Bob, live in this gated active senior community. Bob had arranged for the Smitanic to park in the Club house Parking lot for a few days until the Friday service appointment in Colton, CA. It was an extremely tight fit in and around the curves and trees that guarded the community entrance. Kevin managed to avoid scraping the coach by going up over the curbs to round the bends of the entry. After that it was pretty much a straight shot to the clubhouse and the designated RV parking.

After unhooking the Toad, it was loaded with a first round of essentials for an undetermined stay in Bob and Carol's guest room while the Smitanic was being serviced. Zin made herself at home rotating between rugs and the cool tile floor, she liked at there house. A second trip back to the RV was made to unload the refrigerator and freezer so items could be utilized for the staycation and not be left to spoil while the RV was serviced. It was a good thing Bob and Carol had lots of room in their 'frig because it was stuffed by the time all was stowed.

The following day the RV refrig was cleaned and a problematic leak around the cooling fin drainage tray was diagnosed. No water was getting out thru a tube in the back of the tray. Theresa removed all the interior racks to get to the drainage tray to see a tube that exited out the back of the frig. Kevin removed the cover to the back of the refrigerator on the exterior of the RV to discover that the tube was completely clogged with muck! After this was cleaned, Theresa tested the drainage and it was working! Ron Clanton would be proud! One less item on the service list!

A few more items where unloaded from the RV in prep for an anticipated 3-5 day service stay. 

For lunch, Theresa and Kevin drove down to Hemet to make a brief visit to her Mom and Dorothy. On the way back to her Mom's, Theresa received the news that her Aunt Jean had passed. Aunt Jean was Theresa's Mom's younger sister (by 17 years) and had been fighting a good strong fight against stage 4 colon cancer for several years. Theresa's mom was very close to Jean and was heartbroken to hear of her passing. Theresa's Mom knew Jean was battling cancer but like all of the extended family saw how Jean remained so strong and put up such a good fight and never really let on that she was ill at all. Heaven has one more Angel.

On Friday, the Smitanic with Toad, was guided out of a side gate of the community with fewer obstacles and driven 30 miles to the Mike Thompsons RV center for it's scheduled service appointment. The service technician,Rick, was very professional and took copious notes as Kevin elaborated on each of the 10 items that needed serviced or addressed. After the paperwork was completed (in triplicate) Rick “ball-parked” an estimate of the following Wednesday for all the work to be completed! Good thing Carol and Bob were so accommodating and willing to let the team stay for as long as it takes!

Kiehl and Madison invited the soon to be 'parents of the groom' to spend part of the weekend with them in LA and take care of some wedding 'to do' items. Zin was very happy to stay with her new BFF, Bob. 

Kevin loaded up his Drone in anticipation of a high altitude flyover from a hiking spot in the heart of LA hills. This spot has a 360 degree view of LA proper as well as all the way to Long Beach on a clear day. See flyover.

Theresa was able to see the 'Bride to be' in her gown... just stunning! 

After fighting crowds and traffic running some errands, Kevin continues to ponder why on earth anyone would live in this densely populated environment?

It was great to see the almost newlyweds and share in their excitement! 

On Sunday it was back to Banning to save Bob from Zin and enjoy a bit of the senior community lifestyle... taking long walks, golfing (well at least the driving range), long lunches, and exercise classes! 

As Wednesday afternoon rolled around, finally Mike reported to Kevin that all the work was complete. Kevin made arrangements to pick up the RV the next morning to avoid peak traffic times.

To Kevin's delight all the items on his list were completed as expected. Even when Kevin detected the oil level a bit low, the service tech promptly came out with a gallon of oil, put a tad bit in the tank and then gave the remainder to Kevin! Good to find a reliable RV service place in this area, it may come in handy.

It was only a hour drive down to the final destination of Golden Village Palms RV Resort in Hemet, CA. (just across the street from Theresa's Mom's community.) Checking in at the front desk, Theresa signed the paperwork for the 4+ month stay in the same site as last year 921. 

It took about 3 tries to get the RV positioned just right for the extended stay. All systems were effortlessly hooked up and items that had been stowed for the past 2 months awaiting this moment were extracted including 2 Tables, 5 chairs, grill, ladder, outdoor rug, window covers, and wheel covers. 

Arrangements were made with a mobile RV wash and Wax service to clean the bug splattered and road grime covered Smitanic and Toad for the next morning. See them in action.

Finally settled in, home sweet home for the next 4+ months. This year is the first that neither Kevin nor Theresa have work interfering with participating with resort activities like the pools and spas, rec center, pickleball, lunch and other meet and greet activities.

The resort was generally unpopulated except for a large group in one section that was there for a long weekend event. Most of the Canadian Snowbirds do not arrive until mid-October or after Thanksgiving. Then the fun begins!

In the meantime the excitement is mounting as Kevin and Theresa are preparing for the final non-RV Northern Exposure destination, a trip into LA for Kiehl and Madz wedding on October 10.

This will be the final travel post to the NE Blog. During the stay in California there will be updates periodically and announced via Facebook. Hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as Kevin and Theresa have.

Here are some final stats from the trip:
Miles traveled = 6017

Gallons of Diesel = 853.27

Hours on Generator = 14

# of Stops = 38

Buck list items checked off – Theresa = 2, MJB = 3

Lots of Reminiscing for All

Theresa and Kevin respectfully dedicate this entire Blog to Jean Allen (Theresa's Aunt) who was and avid reader of the blog and enjoyed the spirit and adventures that have been shared. She was a role model on how to persevere and look life straight in the eye and smile, laugh and make the most out of it! Miss you deeply!

Day 56 – Stopped by the HWY Patrol

Lake Isabella sounded like a nice place to spend a few days before heading for Theresa's sister's Carol and Bob's place in Banning, with a follow-up stop by the RV for maintenance in Cathedral City, CA near Palm Springs. 

Theresa had shown Kevin the route, location, and Good Sam's rating for the Lake Isabella RV Resort grounds. Kevin had a premonition that any site that far off the major highways may have challenges. Those challenges likely include; narrow roads, steep climbs, tight turns, no/limited services. The Good Sam's club app, nor Google maps app indicated any evidence of climbs nor descents that would make the destination less appealing. It was however 40 miles off the tried and true 395 corridor. 

The address was plugged into Nora, the GPS. The team broke camp just after 12 pm. Temperatures were already tickling 90 degrees. The Toad was attached to the Smitanic. Theresa guided the Smitanic and Tow out of its slip and indicated all vessels ready to sail.

Kevin guided the vessels onto highway 395 headed south towards Southern California. After 50 miles on 395, Nora announced a right turn onto HWY 14. Visual signs indicated less than 150 miles to LA! So close to Kiehl and Madison and so close to their wedding only 18 days away!

Next Nora commanded another right turn onto Hwy 178. Instantly Kevin found a lump in his throat and found it hard to swallow. The road before him headed up and up a long unexpected climb. The Smitanic engine temp warning light came on as it reached 215 degrees! Kevin worked the transmission in an attempt to keep the rpms high and the speed low in an effort to stop the engine temps from climbing. 215 became 217 became 219, engine warning lights flashed, temp now 221. Time to pull off and let the engine cool and let the accumulation of vehicles behind him pass. With the engine temp back to 185, Kevin creeped back on the hwy and rooted (meaning lots of expletives) for overheated beast to reach the crest of the pass before blowing the engine!

It was a tie! The max of 220 (boiling point of water) was displayed on the instrument panel just as the crest of the hill was reached. Relief was insight until.... a sign warning 7% down hill grade was spied on the side of the road. Kevin put the engine break on and Theresa began bracing herself on each sharp turn. Nora indicated there were 30 more miles to go. This better be worth it! 

Kevin maintained a reasonable speed but cars were accumulating behind him and there were no safe places to turn out to let them by. A Highway patrol was one of the vehicles to his rear. As the Smitanic headed across a bridge the lights on the patrol car started to flash. Alas Kevin found a safe place to pull over and the patrol car pulled in behind him. Kevin thought the trooper was just letting the lineup get by, but the trooper got out of the car and headed up towards the driver's side.

Kevin anticipated the scolding he was about to receive from the patrolman.

“I tried to get you to move over back there at the bridge”

“I did not see a pull off”

“You missed several pull offs”

“I did not recognize any pull offs, until this one”

“This is NOT a Pull Off, You know you can get a ticket for going too slow”

“Yes Sir, I was holding it back on the down hill to make the curves”

“We have lots of blind curves on this road and people go way to fast, I do not want them to run into the back of you”.

“There are several more Pull outs up ahead, make sure you use them to keep cars from piling up behind you”

“Where are you headed”

“Lake Isabella”

“There is no Lake at Lake Isabella” The officer smiled

“I am not surprised” replied Kevin.

With that Kevin guided the Smitanic back onto highway 178 towards a lake that does not exist.

Kevin continued with his best efforts to maintain a legal speed while Theresa helped spot turnouts if needed. With 2 miles left the promised lake should be visible, but where is it? The RV 'Resort' indicated the lake was across the street. 

This is the web site picture... wonder how many years ago this was taken?

The RV park was sited and the Smitanic made the left turn into the entrance. It looked a bit empty... wonder why? 

The lady at the desk lamented that the Lake once was just across the street but over the years has all but disappeared. Theresa checked in and toured a few available sites. One site met the minimal criteria. Theresa paid the Good Sam's club rate for just one day. One night is all this stay will be.

The rest of the evening was spent getting video and blog posts ready to publish and planning the entry into the Riverside County.

Day 55 – The Assault on Mt. Whitney

Alarms sounded way too early but the opportunity to ascend, (at least 2/3rds), the highest summit in the contiguous US was awaiting! The trail is described as non-technical (no ropes or climbing gear required) but strenuous trail thru Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park.

There were a few last minute tasks that were left until the AM. Theresa made the PB&J sandwiches on tortillas (for better transport), then applied mole skin (at least 20 years old) to her heals along with an ample coating of Vaseline before socks and hiking boots were put on. Zin then needed to be let out to do her business, as it would be a very long day for her in the AC of the RV. Meanwhile Kevin was assigned to get all the gear packed into the 2 backpacks and one fanny pack and load it and spare cloths and water for after the hike, all in the car.

At 4:30am the two hikers were finally in the CRV and making the 30 min drive to the Whitney Portal 13 miles up a dark & winding road 13 miles outside the one and only Lone Pine stop light.

The hikers began the trek in the dark at 5:11AM, an hour later than planned. The ascent began at 8200 ft elevation. With head lamp, flashlight and both team members in long sleeves the shuffling sounds generated by climbing boots and sticks began. The team encountered a sky filled with Billions and Billions of stars. It was a challenge to keep an eye on the trail with the distraction of the vast universe also demanding attention. Kevin began to chronicle the adventure by taking pictures all along the trail. He continued to chronicle the trip from sun rise to the last miles of the trip. The sunrise started to lighten the crests of the mountains and illuminate the trail for the hikers by 6:11AM. An estimated 1 mile had been completed, right on track. The first notable point on the trail was Lone Pine Lake about 2.6 miles from the trailhead. There was a trail leading to the lake, this would add more miles and give up the high ground. Never give up the High Ground.

Link to Slideshow Here  or see the slideshow to the right ---->

There were a number of small water crossings and many, many switchbacks leading up to a green meadow that housed the Outpost Camp (3.8 miles from trailhead). This was an area that allowed hikers to elect to make the ascent to the Trail Crest in 2 - 3 days using this area as a base camp for the night prior and after assent.

Up thru a boulder field and several more switchbacks was the appropriately named Mirror Lake. On a calm day Mirror Lake reflects the peak of Mt. Whitney an its surrounding neighbors. Reaching Mirror Lake was the minimum objective of the team. The unspoken goal was to push on to the base of the last set of switchbacks signaling the last phase to the summit of Mt. Whitney. A brief rest and some yummy snacks were consumed here to power the hikers for the next segment.

The next stretch would ascend beyond the tree line to about 11K feet. This would also challenge the hikers to a technically rougher trail with large steps over boulders, limited trail marking's, unstable footing, as well as steeper grades, and thinner air. It took the team longer than expected to get to the next mark of Trail Side Meadow marking 5 miles into the ascent. As the air thins speed becomes a surreal reality, but the clock stays constant in its measurement of 24 hours in a day.

The team pushed on past the Trail Side Meadow afraid to stop and pause in this new surreal world of thin air.

Up, Up, Up, nothing but Gray Boulders, Blue Sky, Bright Sun, and the sound of Deep Deep Breathing, the team pushed on.

On several occasions the team would glance up from their focus of the trail obstacles in anticipation of some definable point or destination up the trail. “Maybe it is just over or around this rock” Kevin would suggest as if it would encourage him and his teammate. “You OK”? He would ask. “Lets see what is there” Theresa would reply in response to Kevin's attempt at encouragement and optimism.

Another glance up the trail resulted in a short pause to inspect where the team had come from, and what might be a possible point of interest. As Kevin lifted his head to perform a 360 review he suddenly stopped, he may even have stopped breathing, as a crystal clear turquoise lake called Constitution Lake exposed itself just shy of the team's destination of Trail Camp.

After an appropriate pause and several pictures the team pushed on. In less than a mile the team rolled over the top of a grade to discover yet another small lake and the area known to all Mt. Whitney backpackers as Trail Head Camp Site.

Several backpackers were just breaking camp to head back down to the portal after a previous days ascent. Several others were preparing their day packs to accomplish the ascent and descent from the Trail head to the summit and back to Trail camp within the daylight hours that remained. It was just 11 AM so the destination of 6.5 – 7 miles and 12K ft had been made in under 6 hours for the Smitanic Team! Nice job! The descend would surely be faster, right? The mantra goes 2/3 rds of the time to ascent 1/3 to descend.

The pause at the top meant time for more nourishment, water, and rest for the now numbing legs and feet. Kevin took the time to take off his boots, remove all wrinkles from the socks, and then relace the boots for the trip down the mountain. At 11:51 the effort to descend back to the Portal began.

Gravity began as a friend, each hiker had 2 hiking sticks to lessen the impact on knees as each step and rock was traversed. Theresa's knees were bad to start with and refused to bend more than 30 degrees. To avoid the extreme strain she would take the steeper steps down sideways, and pray that her knees nor legs would not give out on her.



Kevin was pacing ahead anticipating that the 1/3 rule was in effect. He quickly learned that the rule did not apply to all hikers. Kevin began a green light red light technique as he waited for his group leader every 20 min or so. He leveraged each stop as a water break, video, or picture spot, or opportunity to visit with other hikers on the trail. With less than a mile to Whitney Portal Kevin elected to finish in an attempt to prepare for his team members arrival at the car.

At about 4pm Kevin was at the car, he unloaded the day pack, changed socks and shoes, and awaited Theresa's arrival. Theresa arrived 20 min later with her legs barely able to support her and her feet throbbing. The momentous 13 – 14 miles were completed in about 11 hours! 

Next time more preparation, mainly training and no dog waiting, will allow the crest to be reached.

The RV resort's jacuzzi was a slight relief to the weary hiker's lower extremities. Even better was a spaghetti dinner that Theresa concocted out of leftover burgers, sausage and veggies.

Plans were made to do laundry the next morning before pulling up stakes and heading to the penultimate stop of Lake Isabella, CA mere 105 miles south.

Day 54 – Lottery winners!

Yesterday when talking to the Ranger, he said to be at the visitor center by 2pm to stand by the map to get into the drawing for the available passes for the next days Mt Whitney Portal Zone day pass lottery drawing. In order to be in line for the Whitney Lottery the team pulled up stakes by 9 am at Mammoth Mountain. The drive was only 104 miles so the Smitanic could potentially pull into the Boulder Creek RV Resort right around high noon. The drive proved to be straight forward and uneventful as the team rolled into their base camp for the next adventure. Set up of the Smitanic went smoothly until, suddenly the 50 amp shore power quit. Kevin immediately thought that the sequence of powering on systems may have blown a switch. Before trouble shooting what fuse may have blown Kevin checked the origin of the shore power to ensure it was still operational. He noticed that the power meter was no longer registering watts. Just as he was prepared to continue his trouble shooting techniques other campers were seen exiting their RV's. Others were also working to determine the lack of shore power. “I checked all my fuses and could not find the issue”, replied one of the many campers. “Me too”, replied another. Kevin informed the group that “It appeared the Power Meter was not registering any power, and it might be global in nature”. One elected to visit the office and returned quickly with information that the entire town of Lone Pine was without power with no estimated up time. At least the Smitanic was not at fault :). The Smitanic crew quickly resolved the power issue by unplugging from shore power, followed by starting up the onboard generator. Within minutes all systems were ready to be engaged. Air Conditioners along with refrigerator, cell phone and laptop charging stations were all now online. Plans were then made to try their hand at the Whitney Lottery. The toad was unburdened from its multiple bicycle load. The crew then drove the 4 miles back towards the town of Lone Pine to the Visitor Center at the turn off to Death Valley.

The visitor center was also without power but the lottery for permits take place by pulling numbers out of a hat which required no wattage. There were several others who were hanging around awaiting on the lottery. At 2pm numbers were pulled from a hat. Theresa, the designated group leader (her and Kevin), took her turn and drew #3. That was better than #10. The first 2 numbers were called to get their passes just as the power came back and the computer network was restored. Number 3 was then called and Theresa quickly approached the counter and submitted the info for the next days permit. Permits are valid from midnight to midnight, so hikers have 24 hours to complete the 22 mile round trip summit climb.

Kevin and Theresa had discussed prior that they only had at max 12 hours to leave Zin alone in the RV. With this in mind they never planned to complete the entire 22 mile round trip. They still needed a full days pass to accomplish their objective of trying to make it to the Trail Camp which was estimated at 6.5 to 7 miles one way from Whitney Portal. The Trail Camp was at the base of the last set of switchbacks that signaled the last assent to the summit. If the team was able to conservatively hike 1 mile per hour, including stops, they felt they could accomplish the 13 to 14 mile planned hike.

The Ranger logged the team information, shared his wisdom of how to dress properly, how much the team needs to hydrate, and where to Piss and Poop along the trail. It is acceptable to pee several yards away from any water source/stream. It is acceptable to Poop only in a bag and pack the waste out. The ranger then handed the team 2 WAG bags with instructions on how to use them.

With the permit in hand as well as 2 WAG bags the 2 unprepared hikers headed to the nearest sporting goods stores and market to get additional supplies needed for the next days trek. First the hikers would need to either carry, or have a filtration system for water for 2 people for 13 - 14 miles, that was estimated at 8 liters. A inexpensive filtration system was purchased as well as 2 gallons of water. Next was food/snacks for the 10-12 hours. Bananas, PB&J as well as goldfish and cookies were selected to provide nutrients for the day. Just what every child would crave.

Back at the RV all the needed items were assembled systematically. 2 x (day/small) backpacks, 2 x Head lamps, 2 x spare flash lights, spare AAA batteries, sun shirts, cargo pants with zip off legs, tee shirts, socks, spare socks, hats, sun glasses, reading glasses, 2 sets of expandable hiking sticks, 2 pairs of hiking boots, sun screen, back pack, Topo map of the area, not to scale map with hand written notes on expected water consumption needs and where to find/pump/purify water on trail, 2 x Wag bags, water purifier system, fanny pack, 7 water bottles, Leather man tool, permits for each hiker, granola bars, baggy of Gold Fish, 3 X PB&J tortillas. Baggy of Mint Chocolate Milano Cookies, Fig Newtons, mixed nuts with chocolate chips, two bananas, 4 Aleve tablets, 3 Pepcid tablets, mole skin, Vaseline, Go Pro camera, SLR camera, two cell phones/one that will be turned off to save power as a back up if needed. In addition a bag of spare cloths and comfortable shoes for after the hike was assembled. Dinner was leftovers from a previous dinner out.

Alarms were set for 3AM with the plan to be on the trail by 4AM.

Day 53 – A Devil and a Rainbow

A perfect day by definition! Clear skies, mid 60s, slight breeze one of the best locations on the planet! Kevin was able to capture this perfection in a drone fly over. Then all the hiking paraphernalia and the dog were loaded in the CRV for the drive to the trail-head.

Reaching the gate to the national monument, Kevin presented his Senior pass to gain free entry. The Devils post pile trail head was at a ranger station down a narrow road with signs indicated 'Up hill bound vehicles had the right of way'. There were a few pull outs that would allow for that courtesy.

There was also a 32 ft length restriction, so the Smitanic would never be allowed however there were some class C-RVs at the ranger station that braved the slope.

Just a short .5 miles from the trail-head was the first notable formation of Devils Post pile. It is a columnar volcanic formation of hexagonal pillars much like Devil's Tower (visited earlier in the trip) It is amazing to think that this monument has survived since being exposed when glaciers carved out the valley. After several photo ops of the natural wonder the hike resumed another 2 miles thru a 1992 burn area that burned more than 80,000 acres of forest.

The burn area still was barren of any new growth even after these many years.

From that location the trio continued on to Rainbow Falls. The reward of the falls were incredible! The rainbow from the mist of the water hitting the rocks below was faint but visible to the eye but not the camera.

The trio continued down to the base of the water falls for a group photo op.

The hikers chalked up 5 miles for the round trip. That was plenty for the day! All were worn out including Zin, who barely moved the rest of the night.

Back at the RV a brief respite with a cold beverage was enjoyed for a few moments. Theresa then got to work on the next days destination of Lone Pine at the base of Mt Whitney along with exploring hiking options in the area... most of which require a permit.

Dinner included hamburgers cole slaw and cowboy potatoes. Theresa got all the prep done so Kevin could do his grill master thing when ready.

Theresa then started to look at a broken small day/night shade in the rear bedroom that had busted earlier in the trip. She had successfully repaired other shades in the RV but none with a broken string! She reviewed a YouTube video on how to string up a shade and indeed it looked complicated and something she was hoping to avoid!

After some investigation and deconstruction of the assembly she found that the blind was held up with 2 unneeded screws that were virtually impossible to get to. After much persistence the blind was finally out so it could be restrung. Following the YouTube video she retied the broken string and carefully fed the string in the proper path thru the blind. Quite ingenious how these work. Delighted that she was able to put all the parts back together . the next challenge was to see if she could pop the shade into the brackets without the 2 screws that has previously secured the shade. There was no clear line of site to see the brackets nor the top of the shade to insure the shade was getting inserted into the brackets correctly. All needed to be done by feel. Once she had the back slot hooked on the bracket all she needed to do was gently push up and pop the front into place. WOW it worked! Guess all her years of putting up blinds with similar brackets came in handy! Next the strings needed to be secured on each side at the bottom of the window. Then a test was performed, first the day shade then the night shade then all the way up! Amazed she left it in place hoping it will withstand the casual use it will get. Time will tell.

Kevin put dinner on the grill and was just as pleased with Theresa's successful repair effort, but still hopes your vote is for a new RV!

Day 52 – Back in the Saddle Again

A hearty biscuits and gravy breakfast was prepared and consumed to fuel the days activity.

A park maintenance guy came to check out the cable. He hooked a TV up and it was great. The conclusion points to the front TV, or its connection will need to be repaired/replaced. Or the entire RV as Kevin was thinking. Replacing the TV would involve replacing the majority of the stereo electronics and cabling. Not something he wants to tackle! A new RV would correct a lot of the little things that needed updating or replacing that seemed to pile up over the life of this 2006 vehicle. It is a financial decision, replace the 2006 RV with a more current yet used RV, or upgrade the current RV with new floors, carpets, lights, electronics, awnings, repair/replace driver side slide out,...... replace driver for an upgraded model that has far more energy and is much better looking. Please vote with a thumbs up on newer RV or thumbs down to vote for replace repair current RV, and replace old worn out driver. 

This issue will require your guidance! 

The days selected activity is a mountain bike ride. It had been many, many years since Kevin or Theresa had done any mountain biking of any kind so today's ride should prove to be interesting. Kevin changed his tires to ones more suitable for the loose dirt and gravel conditions and checked his breaks. The back breaks were not doing a very good job of stopping. They were old and crusty just as the rider. Kevin used a sand-board to rough them up a bit and hoped that would be good enough for the days ride. The most popular mountain biking in the area is at the Mammoth Mountain Ski and Biking park. The ski lifts would take a rider and their bike to the top of the mountain and then they select a Red, Blue or Green route for the decent. The lift prices did not justify the single run that Kevin nor Theresa would be able or willing to do so other area rides were reviewed. The Shulls loop route was one briefly documented on a single green sheet of area rides outside the park. It was described as a 10 mile loop with a hefty climb at the start and a nice gradual decent if the rider did the loop clockwise.

The trailhead was just a block or two from the RV park so Kevin and Theresa left Zin in the comfort of the RV and headed out.

The map and trail signs were sketchy at best with several dirt roads and paths that intersected and made finding the correct clockwise path not that obvious.

The yellow bike trail signs as well as blue trail markers seemed to be marking the trail as it headed up in the clockwise direction. The trail was a wide fire road that wound relentlessly up and up. Some portions were un-bikeable by Theresa so she admitted defeat and pushed her bike up the steep incline. Kevin refused to let the hill beat him, after all 25-30 years ago these non-technical trails would be a nothing! He made it part way up until his front tire started coming off the ground, then he fell to the side launching bike and rider off trail and into the brush. Back up to try again with the same result. Finally realizing his efforts were futile he too walked the bike in shame and frustration up the last few yards of the climb. The hills were winning so it was decided to just enjoy being out there and do what can be done and declare any small victories.

At the summit of the days climbs there were several trails that crisscrossed everywhere. Theresa studied the NOT TO SCALE MAP to find one path that made sense and was selected for the team to push onward. As the team continued to follow the elected trail for a bit it did not appear to be heading in the desired direction to continue in a Clockwise direction.

Kevin suggested to see if the phone's map would help. Theresa was delighted that she at least had 2 bars of coverage in this seemingly remote isolated area! Consulting google earth maps it was more clear 1) the current location and 2) the correct direction to go to get back to town. Back tracking to make the correct choice would require climbing back up the high ground that was just given up. Theresa could see that if the team continued forward they would intersect a road that would lead straight back to Mammoth Mountain. The downhill to town was awesome! It led to a paved road that had a nice wide bike lane and within minutes Mammoth Mountain Village was reached. Kevin pulled into the local bike repair shop to get new breaks after a thrilling downhill into town with limited breaking capability. Let it FLY was all he could do as his eyes would tear up do to the fast down hill.

After the three hour bike ride it was time for some recouping while watching the working TV outside before dinner was prepared.

The next days activity will be an easier mountain bike trail and / or a Devils Post pile and Rainbow falls hike ... all sound wonderful!

Day 51 - White Caps

A late check out of 1pm was requested so that a morning drive to at least peek at Lake Tahoe's peaks could be leisurely enjoyed. Kevin recalled past visits to the scenic lake. Kevin recalled the many MTB trails, The Flume, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Lost lake, the Rubicon, just to name a few of the past adventures. On these prior trips he recalled the climb up to Lake Tahoe required ascending a two lane winding mountain road at 9% grades and sharp curves that crested and then descended into the heart of South Lake Tahoe's casino district. 

The RV park was a bit north of that so an alternate route using HWY 50 was a closer choice. At first impressions Kevin thought that the RV could make it up this route because it was a nice smooth, 4 lane road with plenty of room for passing slow trucks . The roads curves, and grade were not significant. Once the lake was in sight however there was a road construction sign that narrowed the 4 lanes into 2 and thru a arched tunnel with markers indicating a 12'4” clearance. The Smitanic requires a 13' min clearance. This was puzzling since there were many semi-trucks and other RVs that were on the same trail. Theresa had researched a few potential hiking areas towards South Lake Tahoe. One was Zypher bay, however on arriving it required a $10 parking fee and did not allow dogs. Navigation then turned to visual signs only. The next area was Nevada Beach. Just prior to a nice campground entrance, Kevin notice cars parked on the side of the road and several trails that led off in all directions with a doggie bag station at the gate. This would work! Zin was ready to stroll!

The air was brisk and with 20mph winds coming straight off the lake. One path lead to a swimming beach with signs plastered all around the perimeter 'No Dogs beyond this point!' Another trail had paw print markings that led to a Dog Friendly beach where kayaks and other small vessels were launched. The lake was rough with 3-5 ft white caps, so there were very few boats of any kind out on the clear emerald water. Zin shied away from the waters edge but did enjoy a little bit of a run on the corse grain sandy beach.

The trio of hikers continued on the trail around the campground and onto another trail that wound into the protection of the massive pine trees. Checking the time Theresa announced there was only about 1 hour left to hike before heading back to the RV park for check out. A paved trail led back in the direction of the car and then across the street and up around a 'vista point'. Kevin wanted to take that trail for a bit to see what was up there thinking there would be good photo ops of the lake. 

The trail curved around the side of a bolder field with charred trees and blacked rock obviously from a semi-recent fire. On the crest of the path was a small community of log cabins that were all boarded up to reduce further weather damage. Kevin and Theresa deduced that these structures had also been victims of the fire and perhaps were part of the adjacent state park. It would cost a small fortune to restore the buildings, but oh what a view and access to the lake one would have, if these cabins where functional! It might be worth it...

Kevin snapped a few more shots and then it was indeed time to get back to the car and drive back over the pass and down to the RV park. An alternate route back was selected that was more familiar to Kevin. This was the twisty 2 lane road that he drove many times for skiing and mountain bike trips 25-30 years ago! He affirmed that the RV would not be a good idea to bring up this path nor the other hwy that was taken earlier in the day. The best way to enjoy the area in an RV was staying in Carson City or Minden and then driving in for the days adventure.

Back at the RV by noon the team prepared for departure and the 3 hour drive to Mammoth Lakes, CA.

The route headed out of Carson City/Lake Tahoe area was very familiar to Kevin from the numerous trips from San Diego when he and Theresa would haul bikes and/ or skis with several friends up to Tahoe or Mammoth for long weekend or weeks adventure in the mountains. The sign for entering CA was welcomed as this was the final State for the Northern Exposure trek! The border check was a tight fit for the big rig but Kevin squeezed thru after a brief questioning by the guard.

As the route passed by Mono Lake, there was a series of bicyclist strung out for several miles in what appeared to be an organized ride of some sort. Both Kevin and Theresa lamented that they would love to do a week or longer ride that was organized and all the participant has to do is the biking and enjoy! No logistics, no meal prep or foraging, no hauling of tents and baggage... just riding! Maybe this will be something to explore for 2016!

The road continued following a rippling stream up to over 7000 feet and then ascended slightly into the Mammoth Basin. The ski lifts could be seen with the familiar bowl in the center with a web of runs on either side. The Mammoth Mountain RV Resort (with indoor pool & jacuzzi) was on Main street across from the visitor center. The Smitanic was assigned to a back-in full hook up site next to the shower/bathroom facilities. How convenient! 

This place seemed quire familiar to Kevin especially when he toured the pool area. Theresa suggested that perhaps this or a similar campground in the area was the site of one of the infamous trips with the class 'C' (bed over the cab) RV that was the original Smit adventure-fun-mobile when Kevin and Theresa lived in San Diego. Theresa recalled that Carol (aka)Bumps, friend from the Hash, brought her teenage son, Patrick on the trip and both Kiehl and Kassel were along as well. Patrick was enjoying playing Batman with Kassel who was about 2-3 years old at the time. Kassel had his blanket, that he was never far from, tied around his neck for a cape to make him the superhero. At one point Kassel asked to go to the restroom... “I got to go bad” with the familiar look of panic in his eyes. Patrick offered, “I can take him”. Off they went. A bit later they returned. Kassel was ready to continue to play and Patrick reported. “I did not know I had to participate!” All the adults rolled with laughter! What a fond memory! Still brings a big smile to the face!

The hook up was a bit different as the electric outlets were underneath the box which made it a bit more challenging to identify the correct plug and get the plug to stay in with gravitational pull working against it. Cable connection was a welcome plus because that would allow for the viewing of the Republican debates scheduled for later that evening. All hook ups were completed and ready for the slides to be deployed to make the site home for the next 3 nights.

Cable TV was a big challenge. The main TV could not find any of the stations, the rear TV could find the stations but was a bit broken up and it was a bit too chilly to try the outdoor TV. Yes this RV has 3 TVs, is that a bit excessive?

The issue was reported to the front desk but no one could address it until tomorrow. Argh! So the debates were viewed in part on the rear TV and then when that was so broken up that it became un-watchable the last resort was to listen to it old school style via radio. 

Dinner was leftovers from previous feasts as the debate was in full swing. 

Theresa researched a few trails in the area for mountain biking as well as hiking for the next days consideration. A trip to the visitor's center would be required prior to selecting the days adventure.

Day 50 – Lazy Day

The time change meant the normal 8am rise and shine was more like 7am! So coffee and the morning ritual of Theresa taking Zin to do her duty while Kevin did his laptop triage got an early start. 

Theresa then prepared some bacon, eggs and toast with fruit for b-fast. Kevin thought the meal was worthy of mimosas as well!

The temps were very pleasant (in the 60's) and other campers were donning jackets and long sleeves. Kevin brought out the drone for a flyover opportunity. See video.

The 'only' task today was to get the Mr. Opinion podcast posted for Kiehl. Notes had already been made while listening to it the previous evening so it did not take very long to complete the publishing process.

With less than 12 days of the original plan remaining and fires raging in CA the plan needed to be reviewed. Calls were made to the Carson City (Tahoe area) campground to discover they had lots of open sites so no reservations were required. Theresa also asked how the smoke conditions were in the area. The reply was a very honest “It's really bad”. With this eyewitness report, the plan was changed to only stay one night as a pass thru. Too bad because Kevin and Theresa were looking forward to returning to some of the Tahoe mountain biking trails they had experienced more than 25 years ago. Maybe it is a good thing. 

The next stop, Mammoth Lakes was called. They had a similar story but said it had rained and that had helped some. Optimistically Theresa booked three nights there. There was lots of hiking and biking to do in that area! Hopes are for more rain to clear the air and keep the fires at bay. 

Next Theresa looked up a place near Palm Springs that could do some normal maintenance and minor repair work before the final landing in Hemet. The Smitanic service was booked for Sept 25th with the hopes it will be just a one day affair. (Kevin gives the odds at 20% for that).

With all but 2 campgrounds left to book, the plan seemed solidified. More supplies were needed so the obligatory run to Walmart was required. 

All that was left was to chill and work on blog and prep for check out tomorrow.

Day 49 – Scorched Hill Sides

Theresa started the day by getting 3 blog posts out for the morning audience to enjoy with their coffee.  Kevin did most of the stowing, disconnecting and general prep to ready the Smitanic for the days 240 mile drive.

The route was a 2 lane State Hwy the entire way. The landscape forced roads and all travelers on them into an always climbing or descending at 4-6 % grade. This terain made maintaining consistent speed a challenge to manage. The Road was smooth, except at a few bridges where construction slowed the speed to 30MPH. Bumps reminiscent of I40 conditions were encountered at those construction locations.

Fresh burn areas from recent fires blacked the hills as far as the eye could see. The exceptions to the scorched landscape appeared at each ranch house. This is were the fire crews would take a stand against the flames to protect ranch homesteads, corals, or farm buildings. Even the electric/telephone posts were chard clear to the top.

As Idaho was exited, Pacific time was entered as the Smitanic sailed into central Oregon. Theresa counted maybe 3 towns (more like intersections) with a gas station, church, bar and closed cafe in each. Nevada was then announced and the first building across the state line was, you guessed it, a casino!

The destination of Winnemucca, NV unfolded with a decent into a larger, flat green valley. Winnemucca's claim of fame is that Butch Cassidy and the Hole in the wall gang robbed a bank here and then left.

The destination, a KOA campground, had a western theme with fence posts rails used to delineate each site. The Smitainc was guided into the assigned pull thru. All the needed amenities where available, laundry, game room, pool, groceries (including some liquor and wine), showers and even a dog wash (boy Zin was happy to see that)! 

There were really no planned activities for the day so Theresa began a cleaning frenzy of sorts. First all the laundry was gathered and hauled to the Laundry room. Three loads were started then back tho the RV, she drug Zin over to the doggie wash. Zin did not know what to think at first, but once the primping began she was all in and cooperated completely. Zin was back in the RV just as it was time for the laundry to be transferred to the dryers.

All that cleaning worked up an appetite. Dinner was hamburgers, grilled potatoes and a salad consumed out side as the 90 degree temps gave way to a more reasonable 75.

With the smell of clean sheets the travelers elected to shower themselves before nestling in for some deserved slumber.

Day 48 - Rafting on the Payette River

No words can do this day justice so Kevin has put a video together instead!  Enjoy!

Day 47 – Biking the Greenbelt in Boise.

A RV neighbor had mentioned there was a bike path in Boise where one could ride 25 miles along a river, all on paved trails. This would be a perfect place for Kevin to pull Zin in the trailer and explore the area. Theresa and Kevin were excited to try some local cycling . The 2 touring Bikes were loaded on the CRV. The destination for one of the Greenbelt parks that intersected the bike path was dialed in.

Once at the park it took about 20 min to assemble all the parts and pieces for the ride, get Zin all set up and garmins ready.

The trail followed the river, it traversed several underpasses to miss roads and bridges. It snaked onward to connect multiple neighborhoods, each with multiple bike paths of their own. There were many spillways and rapids on the river. At one point there was a group of about 10 surfers taking turns riding a spillway wave.

Check out the video.

Nice houses and apartments lined the path with wonderful views and sounds of the river. Both Kevin and Theresa loved the architecture and vibe that this city projected!

The trail went on forever in many directions, connecting with extended trails to other parts of the city, and beyond. After 10 miles out it was time to head back. The team elected this time to travel on the other side of the river just to see that perspective. 

With only 5 miles left to the finish, there was an annual Art in the Park event. It offered crafts, various styles of art, and food. Bikes and dogs were not allowed in the venue. Kevin sat on a nearby bench in the shade with Zin while Theresa went foraging for food/snacks to power the team thru rest of the way back to the car. Theresa did find a moose made out of welded steel but just could not figure out how he would fit on her bike nor in the RV to get it home. She did bring back BBQ for the team to enjoy.

The trail had been well marked, every half mile or so, there were maps with points of interest. At two locations on the route there was a the bike repair station complete with tools and pump. Simply ingenious! Boise really knows how to do a bike trail! This Greenbelt gets 4 thumbs up and a paw!

Once back at the RV Theresa did a grocery store run while Kevin did a bit of needed bike repair. Dinner was grilled chicken, corn on the cob and snap peas, yum!

Tomorrow's plans calls for an early rise with a 1 hour drive to go Rafting on the Payette River!

Day 46 – Thursday is open in Caldwell, ID

The riverfront RV park was hard to leave but there was a long days drive ahead (240 miles) and another state to enter. Although the route was pretty much all I-84 it had it's own challenges. Luckily the roads were good and lightly travelled. 

Captain Kevin did have to deal with many steep grades, forcing him to manage the Smitanic's transmission and speed while passing slower trucks on the up hills. Then he was seen shifting to using the engine brake at the proper moments on down hills while maintaining momentum and control thru curves that were marked 45 mph.

The days temperature went from a warm 65 to well into the 90s as Mountain time was entered near the boarder of Idaho.

The Ambassador RV Resort (yes it has a pool therefore 'resort') promised nice level pads with grass and concrete patio. Check in was a breeze since the fee was prepaid and included the 10% Good Sam's club discount. The clerk reviewed the park layout , internet passwords, shower and laundry codes, and cable stations. The assigned site was a pull thru on the end-cap with a nice shade tree, and was close to the dog walk. 

The Airport was across the street, Kevin was sad that this proximity to an airport means it was a no drone zone. After the rig was all hooked up, Kevin made a call to his cousin Susie and her husband Glenn to see when would be a good time to meet up. Susie reviewed her, normally blank, calendar and discovered Thursday is wide open so “let's plan on dinner tonight”!

The dinner was at Susie and Glenn's favorite Mexican restaurant . As the group entered the establishment Glenn and Sue were greeted by all, clearly they have been there before. Kevin immediately began to banter with the wait staff Alfredo who gave it right back to him.

After a great meal it was back to Susie and Glenn's house for dessert. The house was immaculately decorated with both western and more ornate artifacts from their past.

Susie had all sorts of collectables with wonderful stories. Some were family historical items and others were just old but had equally good stories.

Heads of various animals were displayed caribou, elk, deer, grizzly and several black bars. Theresa thought about how Glenn should be introduced to her Brother, Tom (aka Charlie). They would compare stories and become inseparable! Two peas in the hunting pod!

Glenn continued the tour to the garage where his current project and pride and joy resided, a red 1966 Mustang convertible. Theresa drooled and recalled her first car, a 67 Mustang hard top. Not nearly as classy as this one, but she could defiantly entertain the concept of owning a vintage Mustangs.

Glenn then shared his artesian collection of hunting rifles, classic hand guns, and fire arms, all very skillfully placed in vaults for safety. Kevin marveled at the precision and artistry of all the vintage and more current fire arms. Glen works for a subsidiary of Colt and heads the Sales team in customer manufacturing of their product so the arsenal was very impressive and extensive!

Out in the side pasture was their horse, Cookie. Glenn cut up some carrots so Theresa could get close and give Cookie the treat! Cookie was one of the horses they had when Glenn and Sue lived in NC. Kevin and Theresa took the Scouts of troop 216 to ride the horses that Glenn and Sue had. Kassel loved the experience with the horses and enjoyed meeting his dads cousin Sue.

Susie served everyone ice cream and Kevin commented on how special it was to hear all the wonderful stories that go with all the collected items. He and Theresa thought they should be captured so that the stories can be passed on for future generations of Smits/Berfields. Perhaps Kiehl should call Susie and help her get started with documenting that family history.

A future Podcast from Mr. Opinion in the works.

Big Thank You to Glenn and Susie!  

Day 44 &45 – Smooth Sailing – Whine Not?

Kevin was relieved to find that the days drive was the easiest drive yet, great roads (smooth straight, relatively flat), with nice scenery along the Columbia River. The days destination was advertised as a Marina and RV Park. With very low expectations Kevin and Theresa were delighted that as advertised the park was right on the river with spacious grassy sites, nice shade and a 3 mile walking path! Full hook up was provided. This location ranks as one of the best encountered on the trip to date.

The team worked together to put the Smitanic into slip number 25. Then the the jacks were dropped, shore power attached as well as the water, and sewer lines. The lawn chairs and grill were also extracted from the storage bays. Ah almost there! The final task was to expand the slides, extend the patio awning awnings, and take in the views of the location. It took a whole 20 minutes to set up camp. Not bad!

As part of the effort to explore the campgrounds a short walk down to the marina was initiated. This path also led to a nice park and beach that seemed like it would be very popular in the summertime, however everything was shut down and there were no boats nor people doing anything in the water! Must be the end of the season.

As the afternoon hours unfolded the spots around the Smitanic space 25 filled up with other motorhomes, trailers, fifth wheels and even one guy in a tent! One of the neighbors, Merle, introduced himself as a retired school teacher and now is a firefighter for hire. He had all sorts stories of and pictures from recent blazes he help extinguish. One of the pictures he took was a wall of flames 500 ft into the air. He and his wife and 2 corkies were on their way to the Oregon coast to check out a beach house that he had bought site unseen ! He seemed like the kind of guy that would love that kind of challenge and the thrill of dealing with all the unknowns. Good luck to him.

The weather was a perfect warm day with a nice breeze and cooled off for a pleasant nights sleep. The team did notice for the first time in weeks that they were having to deal with bugs. (Flys, small gnats, and a few mosquitoes.)

In the morning, Kevin reported that the park's washer and dryers where only $1 each, the cheapest yet, though there were only 2 of each so waiting for an open unit was required.

The sky was clear for the first day in 2 weeks and the wind was calm making the river look like glass and reflecting the distant shoreline. It was also perfect for a Drone fly over.

Kevin updated once again the drone Software and Firmware to get some long awaited features. Kevin has anticipated that several features would slowly be added to the Drone's abilities. With this most recent updates of firmware and software the Drone will have the ability to be programmed to fly a specific pattern of way points, or perform a fly around a specific landmark, or perform a Follow ME flight. Each of these new features will require additional reading and YouTube video reviews before Kevin attempts them on his Drone. The software that has to be used with the Drone is very configurable and each function and feature needs to be properly configured for the proper results to occur. THIS IS NO TOY.  Right?
This required another flyover.

When Theresa was finishing the laundry she spotted a stand with flyers for various visitor activities of the area... she was immediately drawn to the local Winery flyer. With just a quick google search of the area she discovered several wineries in the area including one she recognized, Colombia Crest. It was a bit of a drive, 45 min, but it was a nice day and the reward would be well … wine! The country side had it's own beauty with Tree farms lining the highway as well as corn, onions and apples being harvested in the fields.

The Columbia Crest winery covered 12K acres of the Horse Heaven Hills area that was home to several other wineries as well. The tasting offered a selection of 'Reserve' wines that could only be purchased at the winery itself. A Cabernet and Melbec were selected to fill a case. The Sommelier mentioned another sister winery that was one of Kevin and Theresa's favorites, 14 Hands. It was another 30 minutes up the road, in Prosser, WA but what the heck what is 30 min when more than 4500 miles have already been traveled?

Kevin and Theresa were very impressed with the modern look and feel of the winery's tasting room. It had windows that could be opened on a nice summer day with outdoor seating and a colorful flower garden. A very similar tasting format once again led to the selection of a nice Reserve Melbec and Cabernet (must be a common theme here). During the tasting the Sommelier was talking a bit about the history of the area an revealed another surprising local resource... deposits of plutonium (mined for the first A-Bombs), mustard gas and agent orange are stock piled in the surrounding hills and is now being 'dealt with'. Hum, perhaps is this the reason that the wine made one glow a bit?

Once back at the RV the days haul was safely stowed and dinner was put on the grill. As dinner was cleaned up, the entire park was rewarded with another brilliant sunset over the river. Kevin did a sunset Drone fly over. See video here.

This indeed is a place worth repeating!

Days 41-43 – Portland aka. mini San Francisco

The walk in Forest Park which was in the middle of Portland promised the 'True portland experience'!

Forest Park trail was one of many that spanned the well used park.

Is it time to go back?

On the way back down a HHH check was spied ..  Never expected a Hash here but why not.  Looking later it was discoverdd that the America's InterHash was in Portland over Labor Day weekend.  There was no way to register at this late date but it did bring back fond memories of the Hashing life !

Bragg map gets another state of Oregon!

Trail on river front freeked out Zin with noise and moving platforms

Are the trolly cars dangerous to Cyclists?

Meet up with Dave and Ginny Katz for b-fast!

Dinner on the river with house boats lining the shore

Kevin has found his new boat!

It was great to see Portland and also relax and get some chores done while it rained!