2016 Trip -19) Las Vegas, NV to Castaic, CA

 

Sat. 7/30…  (Las Vegas, NV)  We got a voicemail last night from our campground in Acton.  They don’t have power in the park and don’t expect to by the time we get there.  So we called around and now have changed our agenda.  We will still stay in Barstow on Sunday but then head to Valencia Travel Village for Monday and Tuesday.  We could probably go straight to Santa Paula but our sites there do not have sewers and we want to minimize the days there.  So even though Travel Village is only 15 miles away from Santa Paula we can at least arrive with empty tanks. That settled, we kicked back for the rest of the morning, and then decided to drive to downtown Vegas and walk the ‘Fremont Street Experience’. 

 

 

Now this place is under a large roof with electric lights and music.  We had seen it before but we wanted to see what has changed.  It was pretty much what we remembered.  Lots of people partying and shopping and coming and going into the various casinos.  Plus lots of street people with buckets for donations…….

 

I sent this picture out to several folks, including my sister. 

 

Reaction from all was more or less…’yuuuck!’ We walked and shopped a bit then headed back down the strip toward home.  We stopped at Circus Circus to see if the RV Park was still there.  Yep, and still as nasty as ever!  The area around CC is being renovated.  Part of The Riviera across the street has been imploded and what’s left is being prepped for the next round. There’s a place called Paradise Park coming in as a Wynn property and there’s also a place called The Alon under construction where the Frontier once was.  A Chinese hotel just off the strip called the Lucky Dragon is also beginning construction. When we come back in the future it will all be new again!  Anyway, after returning and cooling off a bit, we waited until we heard back from Lee and Lyn about dinner.  We met them at Cracker Barrel at 3:00 and still waited to get in.  No problem – they have a gift shop!  After a nice meal we left to go back and relax a bit before settling in for the night.  We leave tomorrow. 

 

Sun. 7/31…  (Barstow, CA) Today’s drive was 166 miles but we had to climb Baker Grade in the heat.  No problem but it was still a hot day!  Temps have been 115° most of the days in Las Vegas.  We are now at Shady Lane RV Camp, Barstow, CA (tl$39x1.).

 

 

Temp here right now is 102°.  This park is really old, BUT we all like it!  The staff is very nice.  They parked us and said, ‘Eat lunch and relax and come in and pay whenever you’re ready’! What they don’t have in amenities, they make up for in friendliness and cleanliness. That rates them higher in my book! We rested and cooled down a bit and napped. Janie is cooking tonight so we went over at 4:00pm for a chicken and broccoli casserole (from the 2001 NSDC cookbook) which she made for the first time.  It took a little longer to cook but it was very good.  The broccoli didn’t set well with my stomach later but I still liked it!  The park is kind of tiny so it was a short walk for Bailey. We made several rounds.  From our site, you can see the Skyline Drive-In Theater.  They remodeled this theater and show movies on two screens seven nights a week! We returned to the rig and it has cooled down a bunch and Lydia was asleep already.     

 

Mon. 8/1…  (Castaic, CA) With our new destination 125 miles away, we slept in and left about 9:30am.  We chose the route through Pearblossom Highway and I14.  Probably not the best choice because Highway 18 was closed and we had to detour.  Plus there was a fire next to the I14 so we had to reroute a bit.  But no worries. We are now at Valencia Travel Village (tl$45.), in Castaic, CA.  Our camping Club comes here every year so we know this place well.  We are here for two days. We are up front by the pool and I had to jockey a bit to get in the tight space (A11) but we’re good now.  We relaxed and then I gave Bailey a little walk.  She did not like today’s ride and got sick twice. But she’s eaten a bit and seems to be ok.  Lydia went over to the laundry to wash a few things.  She found her first machines that do not take cash – only credit/debit cards!  I was there with her so we used my card and she got 3 loads washed.  We’re good now till we get home.The weather is cooler here (96°) so hopefully it will cool off even more and she will be ok. We decided to go out to eat while here because we know the restaurants.  Rick chose since his birthday is Wednesday but we won’t be near that many places in Santa Paula.  So he chose to take us to Red Lobster.  We had a nice meal on their gift cards.  Thanks, guys!  Afterward, we walked Bailey and settled in for the night.