Watsonville, CA

Well, we've spent a week at NAS Lemoore, got the air leak in one trailer tire solved.   OK, solved for at least two days, and we're now setting in the Santa Cruz/Monterey KOA (made famous by Undercover Boss earlier this year.)  Once, again, we're setting in a KOA with little or no Verizon Wireless cell phone service, a dead MiFi (consistent with the poor cell phone service), and a so-so WiFi.  So, if you're reading this & wondering why we're not calling, now you know why.   But...that darn new satellite TV antenna on the roof - it was able to pull in all three satellites. From eye level, those three satellites are well hidden behind a clump of firs. Apparently, it can find them through those trees or they're just above them. 

The trip up from Pismo Beach to Lemoore was one of the strongest headwind days we've experienced in a long time.  Donna said it wasn't too bad, but she was glad we had the dual wheels pulling the trailer.  The area along the way was basically agriculture watered by irrigation.  Where there's no water - just desert.

Oh, sorry about the lack of pictures.  I'm just uncomfortable taking pictures on bases, so I don't take any.  Apparently, the sequestration hasn't impacted flight ops too much.  Wasn't too noisy and at times entertaining.  Otherwise nothing there.  Town of Lemoore is just a cross roads for 41 and 198.  Shopping is at Hanford, CA just a little further east of Lemoore on 198.  I have no idea why they put an RV park at NAS Lemoore, but glad they did.  And it was an easy trip up and back to Fresno to have the trailer tires looked at. And as in Port Hueneme, nice commissary and exchange.  We're gonna miss these commissaries!  Oh, and NAS Lemoore has a real nice area set aside for people to do outdoor recreation.  They had a 3-mile dirt track around the marine obstacle course that made it easy to get out and do things.

So that's it from here.  It's time to get out and see what's so exciting about the Santa Cruz/Monterey area.

Later, David

Pismo Beach, CA

Sunset at Pismo Beach, CA

The dunes of Pismo

Well, we moved to NAS Lemoore, CA, today, but had a great time last week at Pismo Beach, CA. Wayne & Debbie came up to visit for the weekend and it was sad to see them go.  Probably won't be back this way for a couple of years.

After being given the lay of the land at Pismo, we traveled up the Pacific Coast Highway to visit the Elephant Seals and Hearst Castle at San Simeon, CA.

Seals everywhere.  (OK, only the beach at San Simeon)

Being from the east coast and being about the same age, Patty Hearst (W.R. Hearst's granddaughter) was more familiar to me that the Hearst Castle.  We took the Grand Room tour - one of many different tours - just to get a feel for the place.  Big place & took lots of money to build. And worth a visit if you're in the area.

Otherwise, most days were full of walks along the beach and into town.  It's all a nice area and we do plan to return.

Today's move puts us within easy commute to Fresno to have a trailer tire attended to.  The campground we planned to stay at while in Fresno was full (at least for rigs our size),  So the Naval Air Station is the next closest (and lowest cost), and we've extended our stay to almost a week before heading back west to Santa Cruz, CA for a few days around the Monterey/Santa Cruz area.

Hearst Castle - south side

So that's it from here.  We're fine and just trying to learn the lay of the land around the air station.  Later, David

One of two pools - this being the only outdoor pool.

Last Day at Port Hueneme

View from Ojai Valley Trail

Another view from the Ojai Valley Trail

Well, it's our last day here at Port Hueneme.  We've had a wonderful time and thank Wayne & Debbie for being superior hosts.  We've really enjoyed our stay and hope to return in a couple of years.

This week we got to visit Donna's Aunt Peggy and spend some time with her.  Made a quick trip to Camping World for some stuff, too.  Oh,

Donna & her Aunt Peggy

another dinner out with Wayne and Debbie at another fine restaurant, as well.  Remaining time was just enjoying the area and getting ready to travel.

So if all goes well tomorrow, we move to Pismo Beach, CA where Wayne and Debbie are planning to join us for the weekend.  We hope to get one more weekend blast with them before we start heading north.  Lookin' forward to it!

So that's it for us.  We plan to be at Pismo Beach for a week.  Later, David

A walk along the Seabridge Community

Peterson Automotive Museum

1932 Duesenberg

1957 Ford Thunderbird

This week we joined Wayne & Debbie in a visit to the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.  Talked them into going while it was the 60th Anniversary of the Corvette exhibit.  As we were visiting on a Saturday, it was packed and the corvettes were on exhibit in the Peterson Museum's parking garage.

1931 Ford Model A Station Wagon

It was a great visit and the museum is fantastic.  The pictures here don't do it justice.  So you'll just have to go and see it for yourself.

On Tuesday, Donna and Wayne rode their bicycles down the Ojai Valley Trail.  It was a cloudy day that broke for some sunshine just for their ride; then closed back in.  They got 9+ miles in about 45 minutes.  Donna loved it & it didn't hurt that they rode downhill!

2014 C7 Corvette

Ojai looks like another touristy type town in the mountains with a Hispanic theme.  It'd be worth a walk just down the main street.

Weather-wise, it's been a cloudy week and it's suppose to rain starting tonight.  Temps in the 60s during the day, so we've definitely picked the correct coast to spend this winter.  And if you qualify, staying on Venture County Naval Base's Fairways RV Resort at Port Hueneme makes a great base camp.

Later, David

2000 C5 ... oh, wait, that's Donna's Corvette