Avoiding a storm and reverse parking for the first time

We’ve been RVers for over a week now and learnt a few lessons on the way.  The most important one being to make sure you are on level ground although it is quite entertaining chasing your wine glass round the table.  Not quite as much fun for the person in the bunk room where there is a tendency to roll out of bed.

Wooden sidewalks at Virginia City

From Bonneville we drove across the top of Nevada towards Reno.  Bypassed Reno and headed towards the historical town of Virginia City.  What an amazing place.  Wooden sidewalks, old saloons, toothless characters (and I suspect just a wee bit under the influence).  Had a beer at the Ponderosa Saloon then went on a short underground mine tour from the back of the bar. 

What do you plumbers think of this spouting?

Also took in a quick tour of Virginia City by way of an old tram.  Chatting with the operator who, when we told him of our intention to go to Yosemite, told us to hurry on our way, there’s a huge storm coming and very likely that Tioga Pass through Yosemite will be closed if it wasn’t already (it was).  He gave

Beers at the Ponderosa Saloon

 

us an alternative route to Jackson, a town he thought would be low enough not to get into trouble with the fifth wheel, but that road was closed as well so we did a rethink and did manage to miss most of the storm, arriving at Jackson about 8.30 that night.  Yay, night time driving, rain and narrow roads – just what every novice Fifth Wheel operator wants.  Drove through South Lake Tahoe area on the way.  Very pretty area but must get crowded with tourists.  It snowed lightly driving through Tahoe but after that it mostly rained – the first rain of our trip.


Remembered at the last minute we were 12'6 so scooted to the middle of the tunnel. In case you can't read it, the height on the right (where we are driving) is 12'4

 Stayed at an RV park on the outskirts of Yosemite.  No laundry, no Wi-Fi and, worst of all, no pull-through parks.  Sue had to reverse the 5W for the very first time.  The park owner did give us the easiest park to reverse into for which Sue will be eternally grateful.  Took a bit of to-ing and fro-ing but she did it and was straight.

Half Dome at Yosemite

Yosemite Falls

Jean & Sue at Yosemite National Park

Then there is Yosemite Park itself.  There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe this park and we were only in a very small corner of park competing for the views with hundreds of other tourists.  Just beautiful.  Two days of hiking (yes, I’ll admit, they were short hikes and not overly strenuous, but they were still hikes and enough to get sore feet both days anyway).  Jean is missing her spa pool terribly and wants to find a way to include one.  Sue will settle for the wine that Jean used to drink while relaxing in the said pool.

Lunch in the snow at Mariposa Grove, Yosemite

Contemplating which local brew to have next

 

Meeting old friends and a visit to Bonneville Salt Flats

It’s official.  We are now RV people.  Picked up our Fifth Wheel from the lovely people at Rocky Mountain RV and we were on our way.  Sue started off driving, only going 35mph initially, increasing speed in 5mph increments.  She was eventually cruising quite nicely at 65mph before remembering that the speed limit for towing vehicles was 55mph.  Oops.  Not that many others seem to stick to that rule though.  Not 100% certain that Sue didn’t close her eyes when trucks were passing us on both the left and right hand sides on the freeway through Salt Lake City.

  


Our first meal in the fifth wheel







 

Headed south to a town named Price where we parked up and did day trips.  First trip was to a place named Fantasy Canyon that had all these weird and wonderful rock formations in the middle of a desert.

Fantasy Canyon

Spot the gargoyle

Next day trip was to a big slice of American kitsch – the Hole in the Rock south of Moab.  Loved it.  The Hole in the Rock started out as a hollowed out sleep out in the hill for the original settlers 5 sons, became a diner for uranium miners and eventually a home.  Sadly for us, no cameras allowed underground (that sounds familiar) but we did get some good surface shots.

That's about right

From there we headed to the Arches National Park where we did a bit of hiking and took a lot of photos.  Fantastic place.



                                    

Balancing Rock                                                                            North & South Windows



Could've done the 5km walk to this arch but time was getting on

Double Arch

Back to Salt Lake City where Sue caught up with her old penfriend, Shelly, from high school days for the second time in 23 years.  Bit of a buzz going to a bar and finding a brew from NZ on sale – Waikikamukau.  Here’s the 5 of us back in the 5^th wheel after dinner.

Sue, Dennis, Shelly, Jean, Madsen

On Sunday we left Utah although with one final stop before crossing the border into Nevada.  What kiwi hasn’t heard of the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway after watching The World’s Fastest Indian?  Didn’t go for a spin on the track but got some good pics (we think so anyway).

Snowball fights and Walmart shopping

Today we’re picking up our 5^th wheel.  Payment has gone through, paperwork complete, familiarisation done (and already half forgotten).  Last night we became Walmart shoppers and brought supplies for our new home.

You're not a true Walmart shopper without your pyjamas on

Earlier yesterday we travelled from Logan to Garden City and had some fun playing in the snow, making snow angels, throwing snowballs, taking scenic photos, trying not to get hit by the snow plough as it's speeding along.  All the usual stuff you can do for free.

Snowball top right corner.  ETA on Jean 1.7 seconds

Heard a rumour that this was bear country.  Sue got a bit worried at this.  She was hoping not to see any this trip.

 

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.  Jean mentioned on Facebook that we visited the Musical Road in Lancaster, CA.  For those without Facebook, we visited the Musical Road in Lancaster, CA.  We drove over it twice and took this movie.  Can you pick what the tune is?  There are no prizes for guessing correctly.  Just a bit of admiration from the travelling kiwis because we couldn’t pick it and we even knew what it was.

Visited Death Valley, the Hoover Dam, a small town named Jean and a slightly larger town named Las Vegas on our way north to Utah.  We were in Death Valley in one of the cooler months of the year but it was still 30^oC.  Driving down the Strip in Vegas was entertaining.  We had to stop at every traffic signal on the journey.  I have never enjoyed red lights so much before.


Death Valley, CA



Hoover Dam, NV & AZ

Jean at Jean





 

 

 

 

 

… and not a gaming table in sight

 



We brought a truck

A Ford F250 to be exact.  Four days after arriving, we’re still in Los Angeles.  It’s taken a while and a lot of miles to find a pickup that we like but we did it.  Took ownership of our new vehicle today.  Driving the 100 miles back to Ontario from Oxnard (out by Ventura) we struck Friday traffic.  Boy!  Did we strike Friday traffic.  But we are intrepid and we coped.  Plus, we have a big truck.

Other than brave traffic, haven’t really done anything worth writing home about.  I will anyway.  Jet lag hit us both big time the first night.  We were both wide awake at 1am through to at least 4am.  When we did get to sleep, it was until 9.50am.  We missed breakfast!  We were not amused.  Especially not Sue.  She likes her food.  Actually, so does Jean.  Luckily there was a Starbucks over the road.  Next morning we had waffles and haven’t missed a breakfast since.


We both want one of these machines

Had the pleasure of the company of our darling niece, Angelica and good friend of Jeans, Glenda at Auckland before flying out.  Lovely to catch up with you both.

Prior to that, of course, we left Napier.  Not much in the way of belongings for 12 months is it.