http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/SamCraig/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from SamCraig en-us Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:22:34 +0000 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:22:34 +0000 10th July 2009. Going HomeWhat a day a very long one at that up early out to Riverside in Los Angeles to pick up the RV had been at Richardsons Service Dept for a few warranty fixes then back into the city to drop the RV off at the shippers bit more to it than that as we had to secure everything for shipment including removing the microwave and electrical appliances as USA voltage is 110 http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Bay-of-Plenty/Tauranga/blog-418781.html 9th July 2009. Buena Park Los Angeles.Woke up tired and sore this morning after the worst nights sleep we have had since we moved into the RV and we were staying in a motel. RV builders put in the cheapest queen mattress they can find which is also 6 inches shorter. We went out and purchased a memory topper pad before we went into the RV one of our best purchases has provided us with comfort http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/Anaheim/blog-417023.html 8th July 2009. Beuna Park Los Angeles California.Back to the place we started from not quite it's across the road we are staying in a Super 8 MotelBeuna Park Hotel 130 US a night Rooms old and smellySuper 8 60 Room much better and free continental breakfasts.Those Travel agents know how to get the most out of us don't they. Dropped the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/Anaheim/blog-416601.html 7th July 2009. Banning Los Angeles.Had to get up early this morning a 69 mile drive to meet a fellow New Zealander Grant the guy with the funny car he kindly made himself available as a postal address for us while we were over here to enable Government agencies to send out Rego etc. He is over in Orange County so tried to avoid peak hour traffic didn't work the highway system is amazin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Riverside/blog-416326.html 6th July 2009. Travel to Banning Los Angeles CaliforniaLeft Mojave early to beat the winds the winds tend to push the RV around so much easier without them hasn't changed overnight still a barren place. Travelled to Four Corners where we turned right onto HW395 and the winds lovely.Prior to getting to Four Corners we saw our first ever Mirage a great Lake out in the desert NOT it wa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/blog-416018.html 5th July 2009. Trip to Mojave CaliforniaUp and away again not many of those to go now down through Tulare Pixy Delano and Bakersfield where we got off HW99. onto HW202 then up the Tehachapi Mountains through Tehachapi and onto Mojave. Mojave is in a huge desert basin and of course in the Mojave Desert.Over the top of the Mountains and the first thing was how barren it was only little sti http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-416017.html 4th July 2009. Visalia California.4th July and it's American Independence Day this morning we headed out to Exceter a small town 12 miles from here to welcome in the day. Exeter has a Pancake Breakfast Market Day Fun Run and tonight a Fireworks display all to celebrate the day. Nice country town feeling everyone friendly and a great breakfast two pancakes two sausages and coffee all f http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Visalia/blog-415145.html 3rd July 2009. Visalia California.Off out to Tulare this morning approx 12 miles down the road and another 57000 people some cities are really close here Fresno has 900000 people and is 40 miles up the road.Looking for something particular as its Independence Day sales found purchased and stored ready for the trip home that wasn't hard Anyway were going to do a round trip of two other http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Visalia/blog-414982.html 2nd July 2009 Visalia California.Sequoia National Park today off early for the 57 mile run to the park. At about the 40 mile mark you enter the park pay the fee 25 US which of course we don't have to as we purchased a Parks pass all those months ago and head up an 8 incline. Climbs about 5500 ft in 17 miles the road has numerous 10mph hairpins and speed limit is 25mph BUT nice road and g http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Visalia/blog-414607.html 1st July 2009. Visalia California.Well big effort this morning we drove 40 miles down the road to Visalia a town of about 120000 and center of a big fruit growing and farming area. Californian Raisins are grown and processed nearby. More importantly to us it is close to Sequoia and Kings national parks Sequoia is the home of the giant Sequoia Trees which we plan to visit tomorrow.Today we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Visalia/blog-414293.html 30th June 2009. Travel to Fresno California.What a day got away at 8.30am temperature was 77F first climb was back over the Sierra Mountains height of 7500 feet not bad from 6300 but then we went down on Carson City side a drop of 2500 ft and steep a few back roads and we were back on the main highway to Yosemite National Park. Passed many lakes quite green area and plenty of stock in t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Fresno/blog-413920.html 29th June 2009. South Lake Tahoe Nevada.Sore Butt this evening we decided to go on a 11 mile bike ride up early so we could get in before it heated up hired two push bikes and headed off around a section of Lake. Through houses industrial anything else but lake in the end we had to take detours down to the Lake every time we wanted to have a look. Still a great ride had a look at a couple http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Lake-Tahoe/blog-413918.html 28th June 2009. Travel to South Lake Tahoe Nevada.Up and out of Reno over some big hills and down into Carson City another Nevada Casino town passed through quickly and onto the bottom of the Sierra Mountains forever crossing these a climb up to 7500ft and then dropped down to Lake Tahoe absolutely stunning not a cloud in the sky and the Lake flatter than a pancake followed the Lake ar http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Lake-Tahoe/blog-413907.html 27th June 2009. Reno Nevada.Into downtown Reno this morning the depression has hit here four Casino's have closed down in the main street and numerous other buildings with no tenants the Pawn shops were doing a good trade again you can buy cheaper new than in the old pawn shop. We saw a number of people with their hands out looking for a bit of cash and the ever hopeful dreamers plugging http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Reno/blog-413518.html 26th June 2009. Reno Nevada.Up and into it this morning 77 degrees 23.5C at 8.30am nice. Had heard about a small Cowboy town Virginia City about 23 miles from here so off we went.What an interesting place centre of a huge gold strike they too over 73 million dollars of gold out of there in the late 1800's. The town is basically in its original state that is after it had been rebuilt for http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Reno/blog-413466.html 25th June 2009. Travel to Reno Nevada.Left Auburn nice and early 8.30am and headed for Reno great run on Highway 80 even though we struck road works on a large section of road. Climbed to over 6500ft rising over the Sierra Mountains. The road works involved pouring a foot of reinforced concrete over the existing road huge job when you are doing a 4 lane highway.Down into Reno a stop at Cab http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-413237.html 24th June 2009. Auburn California.Driving home this evening the temperature was still 94 degrees 32C cooling down from a very nice day. Heard on the radio that we can look forward to three digit temperatures over the weekend personally I am not looking forward to getting my Butt cooked off but we have found an RV park with a pool in Reno so that should help. Today was a bit of a catch up an http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Auburn/blog-412059.html 22nd June 2009. Travel to Auburn California.71 degrees this morning clear skies another beautiful day BUT we are travelling in the ChevyNo problems for the first part of the journey on SH1 then as we got to Marysville the GPS decided we should go cross country at the same time we were due to get onto SH 65 so we got lost had to turn around read the map and do our own navigation bit har http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Auburn/blog-411512.html 21st June 2009. Redding California.Lucky Craig fathers day here in USA today so breakfast in bed for me bit disappointed though no cards from the kids never mind you will be able to make up for it in September.Went for a Sunday drive out to Shasta Dam provides power for over 2 million people and more importantly irrigation water for as far down as Los Angeles. Also a recreation area and http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-410913.html 20th June 2009 Travel to Redding California.Crossed back into California this morning left Gold Beach at around 8.15am down through Brookings and a short time later we crossed into California stopped by Homeland security at the Border they were checking for Advocado's Citris and plants of course we had none.Ten mile further on we started to get into the Coastal Redwoods these are some of http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/blog-410645.html