Jan 16 - RV in for service, in Lancaster, CA

  We took the RV into the RV service shop for an annual service, including fixing several items that were actually broken.  We had a long list for them to "check over", and they thought it may take up to a week.  So we left the RV with them, and returned to Robbie and Ann's for the week.  It was like going to a ritzy hotel, on the water, and vacationing in luxury all week!  What delightful hostesses are Robbie and Ann.  Thanks so much for your amazing hospitality.
  We arrived and had a sunset cruise in  their boat, complete with cocktails and appetizers.

No photos today.

Jan 15 - Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, near Acton, CA

  It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we had the whole day to do with as we pleased.  We decided to drive over the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, about 20 minutes from our campgrounds.  It turns out this is really an amazing place.  A large geological area, of upthrust rocks, owned privately, previously, and is now a Natural Area Park.  The formations are just amazing and incredible.  We walked a loop throughout the various formations and climbed on some.  This location has been the site of many, many Hollywood western movies throughout the decades, including the Lone Ranger, and even Start Trek episodes.  We actually saw a movie scene being shot, in amongst the rocks.  We also saw a wedding photographer doing their shoot, with the amazing backgrounds of the rocks.  Robbie says that my folks used to take visitors here a lot.
 
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park photos:

Jan 14 - Return to RV in Acton, CA

  We returned to where we had stored the RV for the last two months, up in Acton, CA, about an hour and a half north of Robbie's.  So our first challenge of the day was to find that the RV Mercedes battery was dead, dead as a door nail.  No problem, this happened once last year, when we bought the battery cables.  Open the hood--but, oops, we can't find the battery!  And, oh yes, our car  battery isn't really strong enough to jump start the dead RV battery.  So, we drove back over to the office, figuring that an RV campground would be very familiar with dead RV batteries.  But, no, for liability reasons, they are prohibited from doing or even suggesting how to jump start an RV.  Fortunately, a very nice man, who happened to be sitting in the office with us, who was a local HVAC/plumber, offered to take his truck over to the storage area and help us jump it.  Even he had trouble finding the battery.  Turns out the battery ISN'T under the hood, but is somewhere below the seats.  HOWEVER, it seems there is a cable under the hood that had a red cap on it, that when you turn it just so, and then push it down, just right, it reveals a connection to the positive terminal on the hidden battery.  Once we figured that out, jumping it turned out to be straight forward. 
  Second challenge was to find a good spot to camp, given that the sites near the office all had poor WiFi/internet/cell coverage, along with the train tracks right nearby.  So, we went over to the second area, with a high open area, and a more shady area down lower, by the "stream", or would be stream, if there had been any water in it.  The lower level was nixed due to bad internet, so we traversed many times the upper area, looking at the open sites, for one we could claim.  However, each  on had a sign on the electrical box saying "No power" or "needs maintenance".   Finally, a couple happened to mention that a site right at the entrance, was open.  We found it and took it.  Worked out OK, once we were finally able to level the RV.
  Since we were only going to be here two nights, and had to have a clean, empty refrigerator for when we take the RV in for service, we went into the little town, and found a nice Mexican restaurant for dinner.  This area is in the mountains, in canyons, and is very interesting, but we find it very dry and brown.  Nice place to visit, but we wouldn't want to live here.

No photos today.

Jan 13 - Coastal hike, sunset boat ride and dinner at the marina in Long Beach, CA

  Monday morning, Robbie went off to her workout at the gym, Ann went to surf, and Peter and I took a 4 mile round trip hike along the canal, over to the coast trail, and ending at the Belmont Pier.  The walk along the ocean was very enjoyable, as there is both a bicycle trail and a separate walking path.  We passed a dog park section, where you can let your dogs run without their leashes, lots of volleyball courts, and beautiful sandy beaches.  If you looked out into the ocean, you see lots of oil wells, some of them were designed as palm-covered islands, to look better from the shore.  Also, many ships waiting to go into the Los Angeles port. 
  We spent the afternoon just hanging out.  Since I had just purchased a new, upgraded cell phone, with a "really good camera", Robbie and I spent some time fiddling around with the camera, trying to figure out some of its features.  I think it does, indeed, take nice photos.
  We went for another sunset cruise, and ended up at the marina where we parked the boat, and walked over to the restaurants.  Had a delicious Mexican dinner, outside overlooking the marina.  Boated (is that a word?) home, and watched a movie.

Bridge over the canal Robbie lives on photo:

Sunset cruise photos:

Fun features of my new phone photos:

Jan 12 - Trip to Claremont,CA to pick up our car.

  We had left our car at Bob & Jane's in Claremont, as they have a big driveway.  Before we retrieved the car, Peter, Robbie and I went for a really nice hike at the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park.  We then had lunch at a great little sandwich spot in Historic downtown Claremont, right in the middle of all those colleges (Claremont, Harvey Mudd, Pomona College, Pitzer College and Scripps College).
  We ordered pizza for dinner, and worked on a very challenging jiggsaw puzzle, and completed it.  Early to bed again.  Nice day.

Claremont Hills Wilderness Park hike photos:

Jan 11 - Arrive at Robbie's in Long Beach, CA

  We had a pretty easy flight to California.  If you ignore the rather bumpy ride for the first part of the  flight.  You know things will be bumpy when they announce on the loudspeaker that they are suspending beverage service for the first three hours, due to high winds. Even when they finally gave us our beverages, we hit some turbulence and Peter spilled the entire coffee onto the floor.
  Ah, sunny California!  We arrived at Robbie's, settled in, and then went out for cocktails and appetizers on their "duffy" boat, to see the sunset.  What a delight!  After dinner, we went to bed "early" by their time, late by ours.

Long Beach canal sunset cruise on Robbie & Ann's duffy photos:

Jan 8 - Our Southwest Trip - 2020

We are beginning to get ready to fly back out to California, to pick up our RV and begin our next journey, ultimately arriving home by May 1, 2020.

Here is a photo of our planned route:

I will be blogging again, as I go.  Hope you enjoy "traveling with us".