Oregon Living 2020 – Blog #5 – Working Our Way Home

 

Friday, Jan 17^th, 2020……  We got out of the campground at 8:45am and hit the 710 and the 405 and then the 5. Traffic was exactly what we remembered – really slow and stop and go. But we got through it with no issues and headed up to Santa Nella RV. We had a hiccup when our gps had us turn into the mobile home park next door!  But we eventually got straightened out and checked in around 2:30pm and got set up for the night. Wait for this - there is an In & Out right across the street!  We couldn’t pass that up! I had to unhook the car anyway because we didn’t fit in the pull-thrus so I went over and got us dinner. It was yummy and a nice treat since we hadn’t been in over 2 ½ years. After that, I took Rylee out to smell around the park and then came in and she settled down and Lydia and I watched tv until it was time to take butthead out for one last run before bedtime. I took her out and we settled in for the night. Weather is getting colder so we have our electric blanket going and the cube heater running most of the night to take the chill off. 

 

Saturday, Jan 18^th, 2020……  This morning we had our shortest leg on the trip home, so we were in no hurry to get up and going. I went over to McDonalds across the street and got us breakfast before we got ready. We left about 10:00am and drove 222 miles and are now in Red Bluff (30 miles south of Redding) at Durango RV Resort. Now this place is first class! When we drove by it on the way down, it looked impressive from the highway and we wanted to check it out. Price was only $47.00 with my discount. The park in Redding we stayed at on the way down was $59.00!  We will have a 30-mile longer drive tomorrow but I think it’s worth it to be here. It should work out.  Once I got set up and got Rylee out for a while, I took some cube steak out to defrost for dinner tonight. I made mashed potatoes with gravy. Not fancy but a favorite that we eat at home all of the time!  After dinner, I walked down and checked out the park amenities. The pool is closed for maintenance (and the winter weather!) but the spa was working. There was no one in it and I didn’t want to go in this time. So, I just spent the evening with Lydia watching tv and then taking butthead out one last time before bed.   

Sunday, Jan 19^th, 2020……  We wanted to get going early. We have been monitoring the Siskiyou pass and I spoke with a guy who just came down from Oregon today and he said it was clean and pristine and sunny! No weather is expected so today is supposed to be the same. I had stopped for fuel yesterday so we didn’t need to worry about that until after we get into Oregon and I choose to top off the tanks before putting it in the garage. So, we left around 8:15am and just trucked up and over Shasta summit 

and then crossed Siskiyou with no issues at all. After that, it was just do the miles and get home! Rylee did ok.

And Lydia was comfy under her blanket with her feet up, drinking her tea and munching on her Cheerios!

I did decide to stop at Pilot and fuel up before we got home. Even with that stop, we pulled into the driveway at 3:08pm and I got the car unhooked (w/another dead battery) and the motorhome unloaded and back into her garage. My sister met us at the house and she was very helpful in helping me get everything (clean and dirty clothes, frozen food, fridge stuff, and cupboard stuff, etc.) unloaded and back in the house. She even went out and picked us up KFC for dinner! Thanks Sis!  Tomorrow Lydia has labs to do early and then her biopsy appointment in Corvallis.  

Summary: we were gone for  17 days and although I didn't track the starting mileage, I guesstimate we drove the motorhome just around 2,000 miles round trip. We stopped 5 times for fuel (including filling up before we got home). It was sure nice to get out on the road again plus we got to see family and friends again in California after 2 1/2 years away.  We want to go to the National Square Dance Convention in Tacoma and then the FMCA Northwest Rally in Roseburg, both in June, but we will need to wait and concentrate on Lydia's health to determine if we can make those trips.