Eureka to Oceanside, California 2014

9-17-14

I left the Moose Lodge camping area at 9:00 AM. Somebody had sent out a WIN bulletin and informed the group of a different route to the Fairgrounds in Ferndale. The regular way requires going over a long narrow bridge.

I had gone over that bridge many times and saw no reason to take a different route. I wish I had. In the middle of the bridge I met a large truck. I stopped and waited for the truck to pass me. When I started driving again I heard a noise on the passenger side of the motorhome. I thought that I had left out the step.

After I crossed the bridge I stopped and noticed that the front vertical awning support was swinging about. The bracket was ripped out of the motorhome wall and had disappeared. I took some wire and tied the support to the wall.

When I arrived at the fairgrounds camping area Dan and Ted noticed that the back bumper was loose. It also had made contact with the stone railing of the bridge.  One of the running lights on the side of the motorhome was also ripped off.

After setting up the motorhome I left by car for the Century Service Center in Eureka. They had helped me with an electrical problem last year.

When I arrived at the center Dan called me and told me not to have the bumper and the side light fixed.

The gentleman at the service center took some parts down and laid them out. He will cannibalize new and old awning assemblies and will repair my awning. I have an 8:00 AM appointment tomorrow.

I felt a lot better and went to see Doris. She was going shopping, so I joined her. We went to Costco, Winco, and a nursery in McKinleyville. I bought a large birthday cake.

After shopping we walked a trail along the water. It started to rain and we had to hurry to get back to the car.

9-19-14

Yesterday morning I took the motorhome to Eureka to have the awning fixed. $ 450.00 later I was on my way. The mechanic did a good job.

In the afternoon I looked for a side running light. Dealers have many but not the same as I need. It  rained again. The rain is welcomed by farmers and a lot of other people.

This morning we went to Doris’s fifth wheel trailer and took pictures. She is going to sell both, the trailer and the truck.

Today, Doris took me for lunch to Rita's Mexican Restaurant.

Then we drove to the motorhome to attend the 5:00 PM Circle Meeting,  I introduced Doris and we served the large birthday cake I had bought at Costco.

In the evening we went dancing at the Elks Lodge. Several WINs and members of the Friendship Circle Dance Club where there too.

I had a wonderful birthday.

9-20-14
At 5:00 PM we went to the house of the grandson of Doris. He celebrated his 25^th birthday and a lot of his friends were there.

We were the old folks.

After eating hamburgers and the trimmings we drove to the grange in Bayside for the fundraiser of the Arcata House Partnership. This organization assists people experiencing homelessness. There are many homeless people in the Eureka-Arcata area.

It was also the 60^th birthday celebration of the executive director of AHP. There was a lot of good food, but we could not eat any more.

The band played a lot of rock music and we danced only a few times.

The WINs went today to the Kokatat plant where they manufacture kayak gear including wet and dry suits.

9-21-14

We had breakfast at Gill’s Restaurant, the first restaurant Doris took me to. Then we drove to Arcata where the town had the North Coast Fair. The theme seemed to be environment and health. At the town square were many booths selling environmentally save products or handing out brochures informing the public about the dangers we are facing now.

A karate school was displaying the skills of their students.

At 1:00 PM was a parade.

 At 2:30 PM I watched Jacob and his soccer team winning another game. 

Some of the WINs went kayaking today, and some walked the Headwater Forest Preserve Trail. In the evening a large group went to the Samoa Cookhouse for dinner. It is an old lumber mill mess hall and the meals are served family style.

9-22-14

Doris and I went walking, shopping and dancing today. Nine WINs came to the dance at the Moose Lodge. Some people did not come because tomorrow is a traveling day.

9-23-14

Mr. Big, my new traveling companion, and I left the Ferndale Fairgrounds at 6:30 AM.

  
I had hoped that I would be on the long narrow bridge by myself that early. A big truck met me about half way. There was no problem this time.

I arrived at the parking lot of the Coyote Valley Casino at 9:30 AM. I had stopped in Willets for gasoline. It was $ 3.57 a gallon at ARCO, paying with cash. In Eureka the cheapest was $ 4.29 per gallon.

After setting up the motorhome I drove to the Visitor Center in Ukiah and picked up brochures.

During the 4:00 PM circle meeting the manager of the casino and the manager of human resources paid us a visit. They were surprised to see 31 motorhomes and trailers at their property. They made us welcome and handed out $ 5.00 and $ 10.00 coupons for playing on their machines.

When I signed up for a players card I won a $ 20.00 coupon. It took me five minutes to lose the money.

Some people stay and lose some of their own money. I just walked out.

It was very warm in Ukiah. I had to use my large 12 volt fan to keep the temperature in the motorhome down.

9-24-14

I am the host for this gathering.

We left at 10:30 AM for the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas at the Buddhist monastery. 

On the outside of the hall are several large paintings.

  

In the walls of the hall are thousands of small buddhas. They are located in niches. 

What seems to be electric candles are on several fixtures. Each candle has a name and date with it.

Writings are in several places.

After visiting the hall we headed for the vegetarian restaurant. I had eaten there before and knew that the food was delicious. I was not disappointed this time either.

On our way home it started to rain and the temperature dropped.

A few hardy souls joined me for the 5:00 PM circle meeting.

9-25-14

This morning I took some pictures of our gathering place. We are about 30 rigs. 36 WINs signed in but several left already and new ones came in.

The weather was beautiful in the morning and it rained during the afternoon. The sun was shining at the 5:00 PM circle meeting.

No activities were scheduled for today. A lot of people did laundry and went shopping. A few made donations at the casino. I spent the $ 20.00 and $ 10.00 coupons in the machine and walked out. I do not like to throw my own money away.

9-26-14

On my morning walk I see a lot of beautiful sights, but sometimes it is not so pretty. Signs mean nothing to some people.

  

This was a busy day. We drove to the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopeland, and took the 11:00 AM guided tour of their facilities. A young woman from Scotland was the tour guide.

  

The center teaches how to live off the grid. A solar oven is one way to reduce the use of fossil fuel.

Buildings made of bricks and cob are better insulated.

Yurts are easy to construct. The kitchen for the interns is a yurt.

The center experiments with all kinds of building materials.

They also try to grow food with the Aguaponics Cycle. Fish are part of the system.

The store is in a beautiful building.

Trees grow through cars.

The interns grow most of their vegetables in the garden.

The center has some picturesque spots.

After lunch we went for the 2:00 PM guided tour at the Grace Hudson Museum. Grace Hudson was a talented artist who became known for her paintings of Pomo Indian children and women.

Her self portrait, when she was fifteen years old, hangs in the lobby of the museum.

From the museum we went to Sun House, the house where Grace Hudson and her husband lived.

9-27-14

This is my last day in Ukiah.

After Hugs and Mugs I drove to Lakeport where the” Clear Lake Splash In” was in progress.

Seaplanes were having a gathering.

It was a beautiful day with blue skies. The lake was filled with shiny crystals, at least it appeared so.

After looking at some of the planes I walked into Down Town.

Because of yesterdays storm not all the planes arrived yesterday. Some came today.

I was lucky to park next to Elmer. I could piggy back on his Internet access. It saved me from going to the library.

Sally was driving John Priest, in his motorhome, to a winery for wine tasting. They stopped at my motorhome and I had a short conversation with John. From now on he has to stay in Rapid City, South Dakota, for medical attention. He was visiting a grandson. 

9-28-14

I left Ukiah at 4:45 AM. The plan was to drive as close as possible to Los Angeles and go through the city real early tomorrow morning.

I actually drove all the way to the Elks Lodge in Santa Anna, arriving there at 6:00 PM.  The camp host at the lodge let me camp free. I had asked him whether I can dry camp since I did not want to unhook the car and back into a site.

I had stopped twice and took naps. At the last place I called Nelda Morris and asked her whether she has time for a short visit. She was in her daughter’s car. They were on the way to see a movie. I will try again on my way back to Eureka.

I told her that we miss her “Better than sex” cake. Nelda hung up her keys two years ago. I believe she is now 86 years old.