Gold Hill

It took us three days of driving, but we're now out of California. But not out of the smoke. It was really thick closer to the Oregon/California border but still a fair bit here in Medford, OR as well.

Aside from the smoke taking away from the scenic beauty along parts of the route and a minor incident with the trailer where we damaged the step and now can no longer use it to get in and out, it's been smooth sailing.

Each day has started at a leisurely pace with getting ourselves fed and washed and then readying the trailer for the drive. With everyone pitching in its been easy.

We generally drive for a couple of hours and then stop somewhere. One day it was at a designated rest stop on the highway, another in downtown Merced, where we went for a walk and found an ice cream shop.

Yesterday we drove through an area full of nut growing ranches and we stopped at a nut store. We picked up some pistachios and a nut mix. One of the workers invited us outside to show us a pistachio tree and explained the process of picking and processing pistachios. She also showed us a male and a female pistachio tree. Do you know how you can tell them apart?

Then, before arriving at our campground we might stop for groceries so that we don't need to unhook the trailer.

The KOA's have all been great. We've been able to enjoy playing ping pong or pool at most as well as use the swimming pool when it's been hot. Yesterday, in Oroville we were able to walk a short distance to a huge Casino on the property. Not to gamble but to have dinner in the restaurant. We actually didn't walk there. We were about to but were able to hop on a free shuttle cart.Read more