Wayne and Margy's Rental RV Trip Log 10

Trip Log Part 10

Sunday, February 10 -- Today was the last day of the ASU Kajikawa Softball Tournament. We decided to go to the 9:00 am game between the University of Oregon and Seattle University.

Our original plan was to stay for all the games and spend one more night at the Apache Palms RV Park. Due to weather concerns, we decided to leave early and begin our trek to Bellingham. Along the way, we hit the 2,000 mile mark just east of Tonopah on I-10.

The agricultural inspection station entering California.

After a Blythe gas stop, gusts were hitting us broadside making riding in the RV uncomfortable. We decided to find a nearby RV park for the night. We selected Lake Tamarisk Resort in Desert Center.

Airplane camping at Desert Center Airport in 2005.

When we lived in California, we flew Piper 997 to the Desert Center Airport. The dark sky was perfect for Wayne's telescope. Barney was Mt. San Antonio College Flying Team's mascot. He got "points" to fly to unusual places, so he came along with us.

Sand blowing in the distance.

Lake Tamarisk is a 55+ mobile home and all ages RV resort. We arrived when the office was closed, but an after-hours registration packet was available.

Site 65 at Tamarisk Lake Resort complete with cactus garden.

We picked site 65 tucked between two mobile homes, yet it had plenty of privacy. We will come back again.


Monday, February 11 -- The wind raged into the night, but calmed in the morning. We got up and were back on I-10 by 7:11 am. Wayne said that was a winning time, at least in a craps dice game.

Driving I-10 down towards Palm Springs.

When we are trying to move fast, eating at a gas stop works well. Denny's restaurants fit the bill for us.

A 24-foot RV can fit in most regular parking lots.

The sky was blue and the freeways uncrowded by the time we got into the Los Angeles area. I got to see the the California Aqueduct. As a kid, I always asked my parents to wake me at the "waterfall" on the way to visit my grandparents in Waterford.

The California Aqueduct "waterfall."

We headed up the I-5 ridge route and down into the Central Valley. They have truck runaway lanes on the last steep downhill stretch now that the "grapevine" has been straightened out. The old road had winding switchbacks, hence the name.

A truck runaway lane at the Grapevine.

On the way south we used I-5 through the valley because of fog. This time we were able to go north on more historic and scenic Highway 99. This is the route I took with my family going to visit my grandparents in the 50s and 60s. For me it was a flash from the past.

Our overnight RV spot at the Visalia KOA.

Our destination for the night was the Visalia KOA. It's freeway close, but far enough away to be quiet at night. This was our second KOA campground on this trip. They have a standardized layout and online registration is easy. We used the rest of the day to relax in the warm sunshine. -- Margy