Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1 Ends: Pomona to USC to Bellingham

Part 1: Days 41 - 43

Women's basketball at USC.

December 14-15: We got up and moved our RV from the KOA to long-term storage. It was bittersweet. We were glad to be heading back to Bellingham, but it has been so much fun traveling and staying in new places.

We arranged for an Uber ride to the Los Angeles Vagabond Inn at USC for the last three days of our adventure. We couldn't stay in our favourite USC Hotel because it was full for the Rolling Loud music festival nearby.

The men played my alma mater, Long Beach State University.

We had tickets for two University of Southern California basketball games, The first was the Women of Troy vs. University of Las Vegas. The next day it was men playing the 49ers from California State University, Long Beach. That was my alma mater for both my bachelor's and master's degrees.

An advantage of the Vagabond Inn was its close proximity to restaurants. The down side was youthful (and noisy) music festival goers next door the last night.


December 16: We got up early to get an Uber ride to Los Angeles International Airport. Even starting at 6:00 am, it took us an hour to go 15 miles to the Alaska Terminal.

Our Alaska Airlines plane waiting for us at the gate.

Thanks for coming along on Part 1 of our Snowbird RV Adventure. After spending Christmas with our good friend Jeanne in Bellingham we'll head home to our float cabin on Powell Lake.

Wayne and I invite you to come back in early February and ride along with us to Arizona in Part 2. -- Wayne and Margy

Trip Mileage Log

Part 1 Snowbird RV Adventure Totals
Total RV Driving Distance - 1644 miles
Total Length of Adventure - 43 days

USC Basketball Sports-cation

USC Galen Center basketball court.

Wayne and I enjoyed lots of USC basketball last week on our fall sun and sports-cation. Because Wayne's a USC alumnus, we plan trips around their sports events.

Both men and women play home basketball games at the Galen Center. It's a great venue for basketball, volleyball, concerts and other shows.

The Galen Center is freeway close and parking is easily accessible just after the Exposition Blvd. exit off the Harbor (110) Freeway.

We fly to Los Angeles International Airport and take a cab. It costs about $50 one way plus tip. That's cheaper than renting a car and paying parking. A bonus, most cabs have transponders to use the freeway express lanes which really cuts down on travel time and headaches.

USC women's basketball at the Galen Center.

Now that we live up north, we stay at the USC Raddison. that's right next door. There are several eating establishments within walking distance including The Lab Gastropub. We also take our mobile meal kit and go to Trader Joe's at USC Village to get breakfast items, salads and snacks for room meals.

We enjoy both men's and women's basketball. Last week we saw one men's game and two women's.


It was pre-conference so good tickets were easy to get. We especially enjoy women's games because the crowd is more supportive, and the women perform as a unified team, each player working with her peers to do the best that they can.

"Our bench" for sun in the USC quad.

In between games we grab some of that wonderful Southern California sunshine to revitalize our tans and spirits. The location of choice is the USC quad where we can student watch while we read our Kindles.

Wayne multitasking watching football and basketball live,

Last week was the annual rivalry football game between USC and UCLA. It was at the Rose Bowl this year so we didn't attend.

But we did experience the on-campus pep rally and the duct tape wrapped mascot statues.

 This year SC was successful is spray painting the UCLA bear on their campus, but Tommy Trojan and Traveler survived unscathed.

USC mascots before and "under wraps".

Vacations are great for so many reasons. What are some of your favourite destinations and activities? -- Margy

University of Southern California

For us, a trip to Los Angeles always means a visit to the University of Southern California. Wayne received his Master's Degree from USC. My dad almost got his doctorate there. We are what you might call a USC family, unless you talked to my Mom who graduated from UCLA. That must have been a marriage almost as difficult as my great grandmother who was Norwegian and married a Swede.

This week Wayne and I are on a "winter" getaway. The purpose is two-fold. We want sun and warmth while it's cold and rainy at our float cabin home. We also want to go to USC sporting events, especially the annual USC vs UCLA football game at the historic Memorial Coliseum.

What sport is more Southern California than beach volleyball? We sat in on a Sunday morning practice to soak up some rays while enjoying a game.

We also saw women's basketball at the Galen Center. This time the Women of Troy played California State University at Long Beach, my alma matre. That makes it another rivalry.

Each day we walked to our favourite bench in the main quad on campus. Here we can soak up those much needed rays and relax while reading and people watching.

We also took time to walk the campus. Buildings old and new are made with beautiful brickwork. Staying across the street in the Radisson Hotel makes walking everywhere easy.

USC has a long tradition. It welcomed its first 53 students in 1880. My dad worked on his doctorate in the 1950s and Wayne received his degree in 1976. Once a Trojan, always a Trojan. Fight on! -- Margy

The Goodyear Blimp

I grew up in Southern California, and as far back as I can remember the Goodyear Blimp has been flying our skies. Last Saturday was no exception. The blimp circled the LA Coliseum throughout the USC vs. UCLA football game.

The Pilgrim was the first airship used for promotion in 1925. In the 50s, when I saw my first Goodyear Blimp, incandescent bulbs were used for nighttime text messages. They also started using them to film events. In the 60s, the signs expanded to four colours and movement.

Goodyear's fleet of blimps were soon used nationwide and internationally for filming and advertising. In the 90s, the signs went LED with lots of colours and bright enough to see in daylight. In the 2000s, computers have enabled high resolution.

The Goodyear Blimp over the LA Coliseum for USC vs. UCLA football.

The LA area Goodyear Blimp base is in Carson. When I lived in Torrance and drove to my teaching assignment in Bellflower, I passed the blimp twice a day. On rare occasions, I got to see a takeoff or landing. This is the 90th anniversary the Goodyear airship program.

Have you seen a Goodyear Blimp? Where and what did you think? -- Margy

Los Angeles Sportscation

The LA Lakers playing at Staples Arena.

The second leg of our fall sportscation brought us to the mega-metropolis of Los Angeles.

Wayne and I are very familiar with the area because we lived here in the suburbs. I was born and raised in nearby Compton and Wayne came to Los Angeles in the early 1970s to attend graduate school at the University of Southern California. That's why he is such an avid USC fan. My dad went there as well for graduate school, so I can root for the home team as well.

USC men's basketball vs. Northridge.

Our choice of Southern California as a sportscation destination had two purposes: one was to attend USC sporting events, the other was to get some sunshine and warmth. We love our float cabin home on Powell Lake in British Columbia, but a break from short cloudy days is welcome this time of year. Plus, our tans are starting to fade.

This trip began with USC football at the University of Oregon, then followed the team home to LA. We drove to Eugene, but left our car at the airport and caught an Allegiant flight direct to LAX. We rented a car and headed to the Raddison next to the USC campus. This hotel gave us easy walking or Metro Rail access to all the sports venues.

Our Hotel Travelling Meal Kit packed to go.

Because we were staying in a hotel for an extended period of time, we brought along our traveling meal kit. We stopped at Ralph's on the way out of the airport area and purchase breakfast and dinner items for the first four days. I keep a log of which hotels have refrigerators and microwave ovens. If there's no refrigerator we use our folding cooler bag. If there's no microwave, we purchase deli meals that don't need cooking. Check it out here.

USC vs. UCLA women's volleyball game.

The USC vs. UCLA football game wasn't until the following Saturday, so we used the week in between to watch other sports: USC men's basketball, USC women's volleyball (they won the Pac-12 title), a Laker's professional basketball home game at Staples, and the exciting USC pre-game Bonfire Rally on campus.

We also drove to Lancaster to visit Carl and Lori, friends from Wayne's teaching days at Mt. San Antonio College. Lori made us a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings! And we spent the night getting caught up since our visit last year. We are thankful to have such good friends.

USC Trojan football at the LA Coliseum.

Finally, it was Saturday and time for the USC vs. UCLA football game. We walked over to the Coliseum (home to the 1932 and 1984 Olympics), missing all the traffic and parking headaches. A 40 to 21 win by USC was the perfect culmination to a week long sportscation with the added bonus of some fun in the sun.

Do you ever take theme vacations? Do you like to follow high school or college sporting events? If not, consider giving it a try. -- Margy

Crosstown USC vs. UCLA Rivalry

The University of Southern California

Do you remember high school or college days and the high spirits prior to a game with your main rival? Do you remember pranks involving mascots? The crosstown rivalry between USC (University of Southern California) and UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) has been front and center since 1916. Because the campuses are only twelve miles apart there's lots of opportunities for hi-jinks.

We're staying at the Raddison on the USC campus for the second leg of our sportscation. It's perfect for us to walk to all sports venues. It's also next to the Metro light-rail "Expo" line to downtown Los Angeles and the Staples and the Convention Centers.

But back to rivalries. During Conquest Week, the mascot statues are covered for protection. Here are before and after pictures. First comes George Tirebiter, a stray dog that became an unofficial mascot that led the USC Marching Band into football games in the 1940s.

George Tirebiter, a 1940s mascot.

George "in the doghouse" for safety.

Next comes Traveller, the white horse that has galloped in the football stadium carrying a Trojan warrior at home games since 1961. During Conquest week, Traveller gets wrapped in duct tape to keep him safe from UCLA Bruins fans.

The Traveller statue.

Traveller all taped up.

Finally comes Tommy Trojan. He represents the spirit of USC. He also gets covered in duct tape so he doesn't end up with a coat of blue and gold paint in the dead of night.

Wayne with Tommy Trojan.

Tommy Trojan "under wraps."

In addition to the protective coverings, the mascot statues are guarded 24-7 by representatives of the Trojan Knights philanthropic and school support group.

Last night there was a Bonfire Rally on the USC campus. It was closed to outsiders, but we watched from outside the fence. First came team introductions with the USC Marching Band and Song Girls.

Then it was time to light the bonfire.

When we walked through the campus earlier in the day we saw the bonfire pile and Bruin effigy that would go up in flames.

At the rally we saw the results, followed by fireworks, and bands playing until the wee hours. It's fun to return to your alma mater and enjoy the fun, even if the music is a whole lot different. -- Margy

Sportscation in Euguene, Oregon

Do you like to watch sports? High school? College? Professional? Why not combine that interest with your vacation plans. Games can be the main purpose of your trip, or an adjunct activity. Either way, taking a sportscation is a fun way to travel.

Wayne and I drove to Eugene, Oregon for the first leg of our fall sportscation.  We come here for lots of USC sporting events at the University of Oregon.

We checked in at the downtown Eugene Hilton. We like to stay here because it's within walking distance to Autzen Stadium for football, Matthew Knight Arena for basketball and volleyball, and the new Jane Sanders softball stadium that will open in 2016.

We timed our arrival to watch a women's volleyball game. We're USC fans, but enjoy watching other teams when SC isn't playing.

The Oregon women faced off against Washington, but weren't able to win over the No. 2 ranked Huskies despite an initial win in the first set. Volleyball is a new sport for us, and for this game we got excellent seats right up front and even with the net.


Several years ago we discovered a great breakfast spot, The Original Pancake House, and had to return on our way to the USC vs. Oregon football game the next morning.

There wan't time for us to get their signature Dutch Baby Apple Pancake, but anything at this popular Ducks hangout is great. Plus, it's right on the way to Autzen Stadium. Walking to the game is much easier (for us) than trying to battle the crowded streets and park.

To work off our breakfast and get to the game, we walked along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail.

This popular riverside path follows along on both sides of Willamette River as it meanders through town. You can use the dedicated foot bridges and make it a two mile or so loop. Parts are paved to share with bikes, and parts are dirt along the north shore. One branch will take you right to the front of Autzen Stadium. Just follow the crowd.

Finally to the main event, the USC Football portion of our trip. We took our Coleman portable stadium seats and it was a good thing we did. We were on the shady side and the benches were still wet and cold from rain and dew the previous night.

Wayne picked these stadium seats because they are light weight, roll up fairly compact, and are easy to pack in a suitcase for our sportscation trips.


Because we were on the shady side, it was was a lot colder than the sunny side.  Even with my sweatshirt, jacket, and gloves I was chilly. At half time, I went downstairs to warm up in the sunshine and get a Dutch Bros. hot cocoa.

After a good warming, I went back to the game, but USC was a bit cold as well. They lost to the Ducks 48 to 28. Seems like we didn't bring them enough Canadian luck.

What's a vacation without lots of good food. We probably should have opted for a light dinner, but NOT. We headed over to the Cornucopia. We
had the Saturday special, a hot meatball sandwich, fries and a brew for only $12.99. Good food, USC and Ducks fans (getting along), and a funky atmosphere.

A perfect end to the first leg of our fall sportscation. -- Margy

Overnighter to Euguene, Oregon

Steelhead Brewery and Pub on 5th Street in the Market District.

Wayne and I traveled from Corvallis to Eugene, Oregon for the second half of our USC Women's Basketball sports-cation.  We come here for lots of USC sporting events at the University of Oregon.

We checked in at the downtown Eugene Hilton. We like to stay here because it's within walking distance to both football and basketball.

It was Super Bowl Sunday so we settled in to watch. We're Seahawks fans, so the results weren't the best, but the game was exciting. We planned ahead and fixed dinner in our room using our mobile meal kit and a spaghetti dinner I prepared at home.


Last year we discovered a great breakfast spot, The Original Pancake House, and had to return.

Wayne and I shared their signature Apple Pancake. Don't let the name fool you. It's a plate sized air filled pancake with sautéed apples and cinnamon sugar baked until it caramelizes. You have to wait a long time for it to cook, but the wait is well worth it! Yum!

Willamette River from the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail.

To work off our breakfast, we walked along the Willamette River on the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail. Last year it was at flood stage, over-running its banks. Today it was high and fast, but well under control. The river runs right through town, an easy walk from almost any location.

The River Trail follows along on both sides, so you can use the dedicated foot bridges and make it a two mile or so loop. Parts are paved to share with bikes, and parts are dirt along the north shore.

J. Michaels Bookstore at 160 E. Broadway.

After our walk was finished, Wayne went back to the room and I reversed course to go downtown to a bookstore we passed earlier. J. Michaels Books has a well organized and extensive collection of used and new books.

I'm always on the lookout for a good read and found Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell about mid-1900s life in a remote cabin on the west coast of Scotland.

Finally to the USC Women's Basketball portion of our trip. They played in the Matthew Knight Arena. It's amazing with a unique floor representing a forest of fir trees and a giant green "O" in the middle for the Oregon Ducks. The Women of Troy fought a hard battle, but again did not win. Either way, we enjoy this town.

Little Big Burger on Orchard next to the OU campus.

What is a vacation without lots of good food. We probably should have opted for a light dinner, but NOT. We headed over to Little Big Burger. The buns are smaller, but the burger is thick and juicy, and the truffle fries are amazing, especially with the gourmet Camden's catsup with a kick.

If that wasn't enough, after walking back to the Hilton, we stopped downstairs for dessert. Now we'll have to go out walking again tomorrow and work it all off. -- Margy

Overnighter to Corvallis, Oregon

Downtown Corvallis, Oregon.

This weekend we are on a sports-cation road trip following the USC Women's Basketball team to Oregon. We drove from Bellingham to  Oregon State University in Corvallis. We come here quite often for sports events and love the vibrancy of this college town.

We checked into the Hilton Garden Inn on the south side of campus. This is a great place to stay because it is right next to the softball, football and basketball venues. Be sure to get early reservations for big sports events.

We went to the Willamette Riverfront Park to check on the river level (way high) before heading over to the Oregon State University campus to watch the basketball game. 

The Women of Troy fought a hard game, but bowed to the power of the OSU team for the second year in a row.

The Hilton has a nice restaurant, but we like to go downtown to eat. We've eaten at Sky High Brewing several times, but this trip we decided to try Block 15, another brew pub.   They have excellent pub food, and I do love a fresh brew.

You can walk the mile and a quarter fairly easily, and check out the Oregon State University campus on the way. We were blown away with the excellent beer, great food (ribs for me and a buffalo burger for Wayne), and the outstanding service Matt gave us in the "Game Room."  We liked this seating better than the main restaurant.

Pale and red ales at Block 15 Brewery.

It was smaller, quieter, and had two TVs showing games on the Pac12 Network. For Wayne to say it may have been the best restaurant meal he'd ever had, that's saying something. We'll be back for sure!

Kayaking the Willamette River.

Just past the restaurant is the Willamette River with a Riverfront Commemorative Park, perfect for a stroll or relaxing on a bench.

We launched our kayak near here to travel down the Willamette to Salem 2011. It's an easy river when the water level is lower.

The Broken Yolk breakfast spot in Corvallis.

On the way out of town, we stopped at our favourite breakfast spot, The Broken Yolk Cafe. It's modern on the outside, but funky inside. The food's plentiful, reasonably priced, and tasty.

Our recommendations: cinnamon buns, juevos rancheros, and the Beaver combi-Nation (a play on words for the OSU mascot). A great way to end an overnighter in Corvallis. -- Margy

USC Sports-cation

USC Women's Basketball at CSULB

When the weather gets cold, we start our sports-cations to California and Arizona laced with University of Southern California sporting events.

This time of year there's football and basketball. Within a 10-day period, we took in two football games, several basketball games, and a Lakers pro game.

We flew from Bellingham to Palm Springs on Allegiant. Avoiding rush hour, driving to Los Angeles is better than airplane transfers.

USC vs UCLA at the Rose Bowl

We drove straight to Long Beach State University. USC women were playing against my alma mater. It was fun to return to my college after twenty years. USC won, but I was rooting for both teams.

Wayne coordinates hotels to match sports venues, so we headed to the Pasadena Hilton to position ourselves for USC vs. UCLA football. We sat in "enemy" territory and had to listen to a lot of heckling, even though UCLA won.

USC Men's Basketball takes Cal State Fullerton

We had a late at the Pasadena Cheesecake Factory in honour of the Big Bang Theory we watch on our laptop at the cabin

Between games Wayne picked the Montebello Hilton Garden Inn for some serious sunbathing. Heading to the suburbs, he got a good deal.

Next was USC men's basketball at the Galen Center.  Wayne got us into the Raddison next door. This can be difficult on football weekends, but at off times it's a good choice.

Sunny downtown LA

We headed to the Downtown Sheraton. From here we could walk or ride the Metro Rail to our remaining events.  First was the Lakers basketball game at Staples Center. It was exciting to see the players in action, especially Kobe.

On Thanksgiving we walked to the LA Auto Show at the Convention Center. It was a good way to see all models in one place. Later, we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the classic downtown Pantry Cafe.


Our last event was the USC vs. Notre Dame football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Metro Rail to Exposition Park was 35 cents each way for seniors, or $1.75 full fare. One great thing about a big city is inexpensive rapid transit.

The LA Coliseum

This game was more positive game with a win for our team. What a great end to a USC sports-cation.

Wayne does our travel plans and reservations. When game tickets go on sale, he purchases them directly from the schools. Our second choice is to use StubHub. 

You can develop your own sports-cations around your favourite college (or professional) sports teams. While Wayne is the USC sports nut in our family, I enjoy the trips and going to the games. Over the years, I've learned a lot about football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball. Because we enjoy both men's and women's events, it broadens the opportunities within a short period of time.

Do you follow a favourite team?
Consider crafting a vacation around their sporting events. -- Margy