Yesterday, January 31, I took off around 11:00 after a fairly peaceful night. Watched the first of the series Electric Dreams on Amazon (thank you FireTV.) It was ok. I think it is modeled after Black Mirror which I liked quite a lot.

I couldn’t decide where I wanted to go. Was thinking about going to the Redwood National Forest area as it is another place I have never seen. But I also wanted to check out Ashland and there was a good quilt store there. The route to the Redwoods took off at Grant’s Pass. I pulled off there and picked up a few things I still needed. (I can’t figure out why I can’t find Comet or something like it. I have looked in 2 Fred Meyer and one Ray’s and no luck. Shouldn’t it be on the same aisle as all the other cleaning products??!!)

After looking at the map, I decided not to go to Redwoods and headed towards Ashland. I had found an RV park east of there that had pretty good reviews. When I found it I was more than a little surprised. It was a trashy permanent RV type place, not a ‘campground.’ I drove through and back out again. There was another one somewhere close by but there was no cell service so I couldn’t look it up and just headed back to the freeway.

I ended up going across the Siskiyou Pass and into California before I knew it. I found another campground not too far past the border. It was east of the freeway about 7 miles. Lots of ranch land and down a curvy, two lane road. I saw a deer on the left side of the road and slowed down, but the only other car I saw on the road was coming towards me and didn’t see it until it leapt out in front of him. He was able to stop in time but from the carcasses and bones along the road, many people don’t stop in time. I went very slowly the rest of the way.

The campground/rv park was along the Klamath river. Big paved spot with full hookups. I parked and went to the office and checked in. There was no cell service but the lady told me that if I had an emergency to come back and rouse her and I could use the landline.

It was really a nice setting. Maybe 6 total vehicles there. Two looked like long term stays. I put Misty on the leash and took her outside but it was fairly cool so I didn’t stay out long. She is so funny when I put the leash on her. She walks with her belly dragging the ground like she has the weight of the world on her back. I call her Slinky when she does that.

I had leftovers for dinner and listened to my book on tape but ended up in bed really early. I slept pretty darn good too for about 9 hours. Misty did get a bit rambunctious around 5:30 for a while but then settled down.

After having my first cup of coffee this morning, I put her back on the leash and we walked around for a while. I hooked the leash onto a pole and was in the camper when she came running up the steps and into the camper. I went out to unhook the leash as she couldn’t go too far in, and there was a woman from the closest RV walking over. She had come over to see the cat but that was why Misty had run away. She is usually very friendly but she is still too skittish on this trip.

I talked with the woman for a bit. They were from Oakland and had been there for 3 days. Her husband is a fisherman. I had noticed a truck pulling a drift boat stop and drop him off yesterday. I guess he caught 3 steelhead. I had told her I hadn’t figured out where to attach the water directly into the camper yet and she said to be sure and use a regulator as they hadn’t used one at one point and sprang leaks due to high pressure. Don’t need any more of those!

As I was unplugging and getting ready to leave I found the place where you attach the hose. Then when I was getting the non-potable water hose out to clean the sewer hose I found a regulator that had never been used. I am in the water business now! I still use a Brita for drinking water and coffee because the water tastes like plastic.

The neighbor’s husband came over while I was packing up to tell me about a place they really like to go to by the Salton Sea. It is called Fountain of Youth and sounds like quite the place. It has hot springs and all kinds of activities. Doesn’t really sound like my kind of place, but, you never know. I might have to check it out.

It was a beautiful morning and I decided I wasn’t going to go far today and just enjoy the lack of rain. After getting to a place with cell service I looked up campgrounds. Most of the state parks aren’t open for the year yet. I really wanted someplace close to Mt. Shasta since it was so awesome looking. But I couldn’t find a place I wanted to stay so headed towards Redding. I am at Lakeshore Villa RV Park. It is okay but not as nice as the website, etc. make it out to be. Haven’t seen a lake. But I haven’t walked around yet. It might be at the opposite end of the park from where I am or may not be close at all. I also heard a really loud noise like a large airplane going low overhead, then saw a train go by. No mention anywhere of being near railroad tracks and it is pretty close to the freeway.

Put Misty out on her leash, got my chair and small table out, got some cheese, crackers, and veggies, poured a small glass of wine, and sat in the sun. It must be 70 degrees or warmer. It is nice to be out of the rain and into the sunshine.

Misty is so funny. She will go as far as the leash allows then lay down. She might move around some but always as far as she can go. My biggest worry with her is that she will get used to jumping out of camper or truck and get away. I am very careful to put leash on her before opening the door, but things happen. Not sure what she would do.

Tomorrow I am heading to the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area to a campground there. Will stay one or two nights depending on how much I like it. I checked online and they have availability but when I tried to reserve it wouldn’t allow me to start Friday. I called and you have to allow 48 hours. So I went on to get Saturday night and when I went to check out, it was going to be a $7.99 reservation fee! The campsites are already expensive so I didn’t want to add $8 to it! I called and they said first come first served without reservations. So, I will take my chance.

I want to be somewhere with internet on Sunday so I can watch the Super Bowl. Don’t know if there is cell reception at the Folsom area so it may be a couple of days before I post again.