Travel Log 13: November 3, 2009 - Oliver, BC to Vegas in 48 Hours!

We left Canada from Oliver, on Tuesday, October 27. We crossed into the U.S. at Oroville and continued south headed for Yakima, WA. 

 

We mused as we started our trip that day about how "green" we were last year when we left. We really didn't know what we didn't know! Now we have a picture in our mind of where we are destined and how we shall get there. 

 

South through Washington state we took a small cutoff via Route 17 at Brewster, WA. Time to introduce Lola, our GPS again as we will refer to her periodically. This cutoff was her idea and it save us 1.5 hours on our trip that day. We went through a lovely area around Moses Lake. We were so impressed we definitely want to visit that area again. Taking this route also skipped a mountain pass which we were happy about.

 

With this gain in time we decided to just keep travelling until we were tired. We stopped for groceries in Kennewick, then continued on to Pendleton. We camped in the WalMart here overnight. It seemed appropriate since this is Lola's hometown. We purchased her last year at this exact WalMart. This first travel day was 7 hours.

 

We then left Pendeton the next day bound for Jackpot, NV. We travelled via 84 to Twin Falls, ID. When we arrived late in the day, our campsite had a light dusting of snow on the grass, and the prediction was for -13 C the next day. This travel day was 7.5 hours.

 

We left Jackpot the next day at -10 C and high-tailed it for Vegas. We travelled the 93 to Ely, then took the 318 to Ash Springs. This cutoff allowed us to miss another mountain pass! 

 

We are still a bit boggled at how quickly we made it to Vegas. Our last travel day was 8.5 hours. Overall, we left Oliver October 27 at 3pm and landed Vegas October 29 at 5:00. Just a little over 48 hours.  Wouldn't recommend this pace as we were pretty much useless for a day or two after.

 

We spent one week in Vegas. We were able to see Adrian's cousins, Kim and Syd and their kids. We made our traditional trek to the Freemont Street Experience together and had a great time!

 

November 5 we left Vegas for Mesa, AZ. We took the 95 south to Laughlin, then over to Kingman and back on the 93 cut through Arizona. We wanted to travel via the 93 over the Hoover Dam to check out the progress on the big bridge they are building to bypass the dam, but we saw signs indicating construction delays we opted out.

 

We arrived in Mesa at View Point RV & Golf Resort just before 5:00 that day. This is a huge park and we are staying here with our friends Terry and Sandy Peterman (Olds, Alberta) who we met in Bucerias last year. When we arrived at the park, the office was already closed, and there is no process for late-arrival check-ins (unusual). So, we had to stay in their parking lot (which had hookups) and wait for the office to open the next day to be assigned a spot.  

 

Terry and Sandy had already arranged to make dinner for us when we arrived, which was a huge relief, as we didn't have to fully set ourselves up.

 

It's an interesting contrast from last year where we did so much alone, and this year we have friends at our destination waiting for us and making dinner! It's great!!

 

The next day, November 6, we were assigned a spot and here we sit in Mesa for one month. The pool and common house are very nice. The sites are wide and clean. The weather is gorgeous -- high 20's to low 30's. It's dry with no bugs!

 

So far we've been working on some catch-up stuff. Just before we left Canada Adrian's laptop "passed away" so we delayed our departure by a few days to get a new laptop organized and get the data transferred over. His laptop is working, but there are continual little bugs and things we find out which need to be addressed.

 

We've had a few minor things break on the trailer (really???? I'm so surprised!!!). The fan in the hood of the cooking range stopped working, so Adrian fixed that yesterday. Adrian also pressure washed the trailer as it was filthy from our travels. Now that the outside is washed, tomorrow I'll give the windows a spit-shine and we'll be all set to let the sun in!

 

We'll have to organize getting the laundry done. The other RV resorts where we have stayed all use coin-operated machines. Here they have a card system, where you buy a card with a $5 bill from a vending machine and you swipe the card. Of course, I came down with a sock-full of U.S. quarters, so I guess I'll have to use them in the casino!

 

Yesterday was a grocery shopping day. There is a natural food grocery here called "Sprouts", much like our "Whole Foods" at home, except the prices here are very reasonable. They also have my favourite grocery "Fresh and Easy". This chain is in California, Arizona and Nevada. Their mandate is that everyone should be able to afford organic food. They have wonderful pre-made dinners which are made fresh daily -- things like beef stroganoff; shepherd's pie; Chinese food dishes, etc. These dinners make the RV kitchen duties a little easier! We received coupons to get two canvas re-usable grocery bags from this store. Of course, without really thinking it through, I realize now that after buying groceries, I am walking through the parking lot with two bags which have emblazoned on the side "Fresh and Easy". Not the personal commentary that I want to put "out there"! I'll have to turn them inside out.

 

Anyway, I'll close for now. As I said we are here for a month. Where do we go from here? I can honestly say, we have no idea. Shall keep you posted!