The rumours are not true ... we are still in USA! (thanks Nicko/Gonzo)

It has been a long time; more than a month since my last post. There is so much to bring you up to date with. We have had the kids here for 3 weeks. I could say that we are still recovering!! It was full on and exhausting and ... so good to see them.


Before I share the highs and highs of their trip I want to let you know what we have been doing since they went home.

Saying good-bye!

On Saturday 27 April, we drove away from LAX feeling a bit lost. Our recent travels have been largely directed by the need to be in San Francisco on 5 April when Kim, Mace and Finlay arrived and the many plans and arrangements put in place for the time they were here. For most of April we have been consumed with ensuring they had the best time possible.

Now we need a new plan and ... to get back on the road. Otherwise I think I will cry!

First we are going to visit Dan and Ellen in Tollhouse which is located in the Sierra Nevadas in Fresno County.

We met Dan and Ellen in 2011 when we came to California with our friends Kerry and Jo.  Kerry and Trevor did the swims from Alcatraz. We then rented a motorhome for 10 days with the express purpose of 'trying it out'.
Dan is a cousin of our friend Ron ( who lives in South Dakota). I remember very well the drive to Tollhouse in July 2011. We picked up the motorhome in Fremont outside San Francisco and drove straight to Tollhouse, arriving after dark.  We had no clear idea where we were; no gps; we got lost and Dan had to come and find us.  Tollhouse is in the hills; in the country. The road there is narrow and very windy ... or seemed so on our very first day of driving!
We stayed with Dan and Ellen for 2 nights and slept in their spare bedroom - we were not ready for the motorhome!! They were so kind to us with lots of ideas and patient advice. They also took us exploring into the Sequoia National Park; an amazing place. We said we would be back!!

On 29 April we leave LA. I-5 is our friend now! I  remember when we were leaving San Diego we went many miles further than we possibly needed to, to avoid driving anywhere near Los Angeles. Since being here with the kids and driving them everywhere in the rental car, I-5 is a breeze. Possibly an overstatement; Trevor may not agree.
We drive out of Anaheim and straight into 6 lanes! But the traffic is not too heavy; it is 10.15am.

After about 20 minutes the traffic gets heavier with lots of trucks and a bumpy surface. It is very foggy/smoggy looking to Downtown LA and the approaching hills are also shrouded in fog. Then we are into the San Rafael mountains and through the Tejon Pass at 4183 feet - very gusty.

The drive down the other side to the valley is slow. We are in the truck lane which is doing 40mph. We don't really mind. It is a very steep grade. We have driven this section of 1-5 recently when we were on our way to San Francisco.








We turn off I-5 onto Hwy 99 toward Bakersfield. We are going to take a couple of days to get to Dan and Ellen.

Bakersfield is in Kern County. It is the 9th largest city in California with major industries being agriculture and oil production. Fertile plains spread out across the valley; planted fields on each side of the highway. A continuous hedge of oleanders runs down the centre of the highway for many miles - I counted one continuous stretch of 25 miles. They look lovely; white, pink, red and crimson flowers.

We stop at Tulare - the Sun and Fun RV Park!!  It is good to be back on the road!