back to Park Sierra

That's my daughter Katie and her husband Billy.Jeni and I can't thank them enough for getting up early Sunday morning and helping us load our stuff from our storage unit into the rental truck for our trek down to Park Sierra. After we were loaded up , we all went to "Suzies" (its a restaurant right down the street from Folsom lake) for breakfast. We said our goodbyes and Jeni and I were off. I drove the motor home towing the car, Jeni drove the 10' rental truck pulling a trailer with the golf cart in it. 4 hrs later we were in our site#419.Our site is a pull thru so both rigs fit with no problems.Monday morning we got to work unloading our stuff into our storage shed. Everything fit in nicely and we might even be able to fit the golf cart in when we leave the park for the summer.
everyone came by to congratulate us on getting in as a member. We saw old friends and made new friends.We are on the list to help out with Sat. nights BBQ dinner. All this week its "stage coach" days here at the park with all kinds of activities Thurs. thru Sat.
Wed morning I went down to the pole barn to help out with the maint. crew.
The road across the creek that the hayrides are on drains poorly so we regraded it to drain off to the side of the road.The creek usually doesn't run as high as it is this year,but with all the rain,its running above normal. The park is full as everyone is here for the festivities. Jeni and I have had fun getting in on the fun.
Saturday morning we reported to the kitchen to help our good friends Gary and Laverene with the BBQ for Sat. night. These two wonderful people have put in countless hours and stepped up to see that the park is a "Happening Place"with last yrs. "fall harvest festival",countless breakfasts,
dinners, and socials during the year, and the current "Stage Coach days" going on. I don't know how they do it!
Gary and I start cooking hamburger and sausage to put in the beans.thats 4 roasters of beans! remember we are feeding 250 people. Next we trim the fat off 71,yes I said 71 tri tips! that's over 160lbs of meat.Meanwhile, Laverne,Jeni and and the other ladies are preparing salads,dessert,bread and" god knows " what else for the BBQ.About 2pm Gary and the vols for BBQ started cooking the tri tips. 35 at a time.It kept Larry and Ron(the vol BBQers) hopping.
At 5pm,like clock work, dinner was served. And it was delicious.Our hats are off to Gary, Laverne, and their hard working helpers. Great job!
Jeni and I stayed for the play after dinner that the resident drama club volunteers put on. It was a hoot. But then we drug our tired bodies home for a good nights sleep.
Sunday morning we went to the final event of "Stage Coach Days", the" hitch up" breakfast.After that,we sat on our patio and watched the rigs head out. Finally, the park was getting back to normal.QUIET! We packed for our trip back to Sacramento to babysit for DJ while Dustin and Jackie go to Baja for their anniversary.
We love our new site and this is going to be our home base.So when we say home from now on we will be referring to site#419 at Park Sierra.

Baseball and BBQ's

That's my Daughter Jackie and me at the SF Giants Baseball game at Pac Bell Park. Her husband Dustin got the tickets and he had to go out of town so Jackie asked her "ole Daddy" to go.We had a great time.We had "club level" seats and even though the Giants didn't win, it was a great game. One thing Jackie and I found out,even though we had free tickets, we had to park($30),we had hot dogs and drinks($25),toll bridge coming and going($9),gas(180 miles $60). It wasn't free! But well worth it. Thanks Jackie and Dustin!
As I have said before, I love sports but my passion is baseball.I would go no matter the price or talent level. I always enjoy a good game.
Well this is our last week at Beals Point and we have a bad case of "hitch itch".We are stowing away for our Sunday departure.We played cards for the last time with the camp hosts Tues. night.Friday and Saturday are our last two days of work for us.
Sunday morning we will pick up the rental truck and trailer,go to our storage unit, load the trailer,go back to the park and load up the golf cart. Prep the motor home,hook the car up and caravan down to park sierra for a
month.One thing that is high on my list this week is giving my Grandson DJ one last ride on the gator. I will miss him when we leave. When the time comes to leave you always dread leaving the ones you love the most. But one thing I know ,our kids understand that Mom and Dad are living the dream of travel and support our dream.We know it is tough on all of them when we leave,but they never let on, they wish us well until next time not knowing when that might be. Jeni and I hope our kids get to follow their dreams like we have and enjoy life.

Last Saturday the parks dept. had a pancake breakfast for all its employees and volunteers. The rangers were the chefs and they put on a great feed.Sausage,bacon pancakes,eggs,and coffee and juice.Yummy! Everybody we have worked with this winter has been super and Jeni and I will miss all of them.
As we are sad to leave the people here at Folsom lake, we temper that with the happy prospect of seeing all of our friends at park sierra and our new home base.As one chapter closes,another chapter opens for us.Until next time,get out there and follow your dreams.

The train ride at "Old Sacramento

Last Friday morning Jeni and I scooped
up our grandson DJ and headed off to
"old Sacramento". Its the restored waterfront with shops,restaurants,museums, and a train that takes you on a scenic ride along the Sacramento river.
The train was our destination for this morning. We bought our tickets and were booked on the "silver Star" at 11am.
We strolled the streets awaiting our boarding call, checking out the various shops and boutiques.
Finally, we started boarding. You can ride inside in a restored Pullman car or you can ride outside in a covered
flat car that has bench seats. We chose riding outside to get the full experience.
The train takes you along the Sacramento river south to the free port marina. Then,the engine of the train unhooks and goes to the back of the train and hooks on and pulls us back to the station. In all, it is a 40 minute train ride on a real restored Santa Fe train. The price was very reasonable at $8 bucks a head and DJ was free. For $15 bucks you can ride in the luxury coach "the sierra car" where they serve snacks
and drinks.
As you ride along the river you see the Tower Bridge which spans the Sacramento river, The rice silos at the port of Sacramento and spectacular views of the river.
DJ loves trains so he loved the ride. He was ready to go again but I bribed him with hot dogs and candy. After our fantastic train ride we toured the California state railway museum which is right by the train station. If you are a train buff, this is the place for you. It has all sorts of restored locomotives and displays of all kinds of train cars. It also has one of the best railroad libraries in the west.
Back when we first moved to Sacramento,My mother came in for a visit. I took her the train museum as her dad,my grandfather,was an engineer on the train back in Nebraska. He was killed in a train wreck back in the 30's. She wanted to research the accident in the museum archives.I was amazed how much stuff she found on it. it is an impressive place to see.
Upstairs in the museum is displays of all kinds of model trains. And there is a section that is interactive so the little ones,like DJ can play with them.
All in all we had a great time in old Sac.I snapped a photo of DJ on the caboose. He really didn't want to leave the train.He was holding on to the rails hoping grandpa wouldn't come get him off the train.
Five minutes in the car,and DJ was sound asleep in his car seat.
Back at the park,after a day with our grandson,"We Got Nothin!" he wore us out and we were in bed early.
We were on duty Easter Sunday but since the state has hired park aides to work the weekends, our duties have declined.We don't work in the kiosk anymore.Just camp checks and cleanup.Poor Jeni, she enjoyed working the kiosk so there's little for her to do now.
Well we only have 2 weeks left here so were getting the rig" travel ready" for the trip south to park sierra for a month.We rented a truck and trailer to haul our stuff to our storage site on our site.The next two weeks will be hectic.
Last Wednesday morning the Rangers from our park had a pancake breakfast for their employees,and volunteers...us! There was about 150 people there. We had sausage,eggs,pancakes,bacon,and fresh fruit(if you like that stuff).
I have pictures but I will put them on the next blog. The people we volunteered for here are a great bunch of people and have treated Jeni and I very well.
You know that restless feeling you get sometimes.The dreaming of far away places,the open road,the rumble of 22000lbs under your control.....its "hitch itch!"When you get it the only thing you can to do to cure it is "hit the road!"Even though we are headed right back to where we came from in Dec.it is the feel of the open road...I can't wait.

DJ watching out the train

Rice Silos at the port of Sacramento

Jeni and DJ in front of the railroad museum

One of the many restored locomotives at the museum