Saturday, April 23, 2022

Pismo SB North Campground

Saturday: (04/23) Rice and diced apple for breakfast. Salad for lunch. Nachos Supreme for dinner from Tacos El Grullense. We worked all day preparing to leave. I washed the RV, in particular the solar panels. I did the tank duty emptying and filling as needed. I checked the sprinklers for the garden to see if they are working. Dawn’s garden timer had failed due to a leak in the control. I replaced it with one of the non Internet connected timers. My preparation isn’t too involved since I live in the RV full time even here at home.

Sunday: (04/24) On the road by 1000. We drove separately as we left so I could, more easily, get into the cheap gas station that has little room to maneuver. Luckily, the lane I needed was clear when we arrived. Cash price $5.19 which is .20 - 1.30 less than other stations nearby. We then hooked up the Jeep and hit the road South. We stopped in Gilroy for breakfast at the Longhouse Restaurant, great garlic pork chops. Breakfast was about 1100 so no lunch was needed. We did stop in Greenfield for me to take a nap while Lou and Dawn explored the shops. We were settled into our campsite at Pismo Beach State Park, North Campground by 1700. For dinner we had leftover pork chops with artichokes from our garden, brussels sprouts, and pancakes.

Monday: (04/25) I made toast with ham, cheese and hummus for breakfast. Green salad with chicken for lunch. Chicken artichoke over rice for dinner. We did some shopping at Walmart and Outdoor supply. On our way yesterday our chair compartment door opened and we lost our doormat so we replaced it today. Of course, we also stopped at a couple of thrift stores on the way home. Otherwise I just relaxed in camp.

Tuesday: (04/26) My birthday. Lou made latkes with ham for breakfast. We were out of flour so she substituted cornstarch and it actually made them better. We set up her thrift shop tent. Interesting figuring out just how to do it. Even though the directions were in English, they obviously lost something in translation. About 1100, I took off for a walk. I walked South toward our usual campground in Oceana through the dunes then along the river and around the airport finally arriving at Old Juan’s Cantina. I called Lou and she and Dawn met me for a late birthday lunch. I had a wonderful Adobo Poblano pepper stuffed with chicken shrimp cheese and who knows what else. We returned to camp and I needed to do some work on the tent. We hadn’t installed the fly so I did that and added some tie down ropes because the wind had picked up and was really gusty. Lou plans on using the tent to work on a quilt and they used it for games when I took my walk.

Wednesday: (04/27) We drove up to San Luis Obispo after breakfast. I took a hike in the Irish Hill Preserve. The hike was 4.5 miles and about 800 feet climb, a good stretch. Afterwards, I stopped at Costco and joined myself. Lou and Dawn are already members. I needed to join to be able to try to use their Auto Purchase program. I had one of their chicken bakes for lunch. I then walked over to the Ford dealer and asked about ordering a van. The word was as I expected, no chance. They aren’t even able to order anything right now and if something was available it would be $5k over MSRP. So, I’ll have to make other considerations, like converting my little Hyundai. Lou and Dawn were thrifting. Leftovers for breakfast. I had a latke, some carnitas and some shrimp rice. Lunch at Costco in SLO. Roast beast with baked potatoes for dinner.

Thursday:
 (04/28) We spent the morning in San Luis Obispo. We visited a couple of thrift stores including a new one I spotted. Unfortunately I spotted two butt lift recliners there in great shape for an excellent low price of $100 each. We have been looking at replacement loveseat recliners but they run $800-3000 each. So we bought them and will pick them up Saturday. I reserved a box trailer and Lou will tow it home in the Jeep. I’ll be stopping at the Pinnacles on my way home. She may get them out of the trailer before I return or they will wait in the trailer for me to arrive. Toast for breakfast. Lunch at Pismo Fish and Chips. Salads for dinner.

Friday: (04/29) Another cold windy day. Breakfast at Francisco's Country Kitchen in Arroyo Grande. No lunch due to the slightly late and excellent breakfast. Lou made pasta with leftovers du jour for dinner. A little shopping after breakfast and otherwise relaxing at home today.

Saturday: (04/30) Leftovers for breakfast. We headed up to Morro Bay to get our Uhaul trailer. The hooking took a couple of minutes but the paperwork took 30 minutes. Uhaul's computer was down. Then we were off to Harbor Freight to get some web straps and a drop hitch. The rental trailer rode with its rear bumper quite close to the ground. We couldn't find a good drop hitch so just got the web straps. Then we made it to the thrift shop to get our two recliners. They were not open and two workers were waiting outside. It seems that the key man called in sick. After a couple of hours the shop opened and we got our chairs. I tied them down and we tried to get gas at Costco but the line was too long so we got it closer to home. Then back to camp to relax. Later we disassembled the tent and put everything away to be ready to leave tomorrow. Lunch at IHOP on the way home. Leftover lunch for dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Friday, April 22, 2022

Wunderlich Park Hike

Friday: (04/22) Ham, egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast. I met fellow SJMW hikers at Wunderlich Park in Woodside for a hike to Alice’s Restaurant on Skyline Blvd. This was a special hike because one of our fellow hikers, Karen who moved to Switzerland, was visiting. In addition Don, another hiker who moved away to the central valley was on the hike. And, it was also the last hike for Chris, who is moving away to Phoenix. Even with the heavy rain we had last night and early this morning, we enjoyed a rainless hike. Evidently they had showers here at home. Back home, I checked on the sewer project and took a shower then relaxed the rest of the day. Lou made shrimp rice with veggies for dinner.


Wednesday, April 20, 2022

New Sewer Street Mains

Wednesday: (04/20) Rice with banana and honey for breakfast. Salad and ham for lunch. Lou made beef noodle stew for dinner. A busy day watching the sewer line replacement project on our street. It was so interesting that I missed my Wednesday webinar. The crew is very efficient unlike so many construction workers. They are slipping in an eight inch main line to replace the existing six inch line. They pull and hammer in the HDPE pipe breaking the existing clay pipe. Quite amazing. What is most amazing is that there is no bad smell even though until they connect the lateral lines from the houses, all the sewage just pools in the pits they dug to intercept the lines. This is even more interesting than when they replaced our gas lines.

Thursday: (04/21) Rice with banana and honey for breakfast. Salad and ham for lunch. Leftover corned beef hash and eggs for dinner. I had a busy day watching the sewer line replacement project on our street. It rained last night and showered starting about again 1830.

 


Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Foothills Nature Preserve Hike

Tuesday: (04/19) The usual breakfast ham egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast before my hike. I led a hike at Palo Alto Foothills Nature Preserve doing the Los Trancos Trail. It was a 6.5 mile hike with 1500 feet of climb. Beautiful green after last night’s good rain. The flowers were certainly out in abundance. 18 fellow hikers joined me. We started at 0930 and finished about 1220. Back home for a shower and some corn chowder with toast for lunch. Salad for dinner.

 

 

 



Saturday, April 16, 2022

Heavy Rain

Saturday: (04/16) Heavy rain this morning. Toast and honey for breakfast. I picked several artichokes which we had for dinner. Chicken soup and toast for lunch. Spaghetti for dinner. I posted a hike for Tuesday.

Sunday: (04/17) I rode the bike over to Grocery Outlet to get some peppers and then cooked some corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. Cottage cheese and fruit for lunch. Dawn made honey glazed ham with rice au gratin and green beans for dinner.

Monday: (04/18) Leftover corned beef hash with eggs for breakfast. We had our Easter morning breakfast today, chocolate dipped everything. I spent some time watching a new project on our street, the sewer line replacement project. Leftover ham with leftover au gratin rice and green beans for dinner, again.


 

 

 

 

Friday, April 15, 2022

Henry Coe State Park Hike

Friday: (04/15) I prepared breakfast sandwiches for breakfast. I was off to a hike at Henry Coe State Park. Tara was leading her annual hike through the Narrows, a hike with ¾ mile of creek wading. Wonderful day, wonderful hike. 12 hikers, beautiful green hills, nice weather. We started at 0930 and finished the 12.2 mile hike at 1600. I took the non freeway roads home. Much more relaxing. I picked up dinner for Lou, Dawn and I at Aqui’s Restaurant in Cupertino on the way home. Mine was carne asada and Lou and Dawn shared a salmon enchilada plate. All good. I felt much better after my shower but I’ll need to go through my backpack tomorrow.