Lesson of First, Profit the Next Trip

T'was our first RV "Shake down" trip. We'd planned to go to Lake Lomolo, up near Diamond Lake. We'd camped there last year and felt familiar enough to launch our new vehicle's maiden voyage there. So we drove the windy Highway 62, feeling, rather like driving a "cloud", and found the last available lake side camping site. I'm the one sitting in the driver's seat, dropping the hydraulic leveling system and Roland, on his side in the dirt below my window, when he notices "something" squirting out of an area that looks like the breaks. Oh, SWELL!! The next hour, we're searching the Owner's Manual to try locating where the break fluid reservoir is located ~ ~ finally we find it and it's very full. S-I-G-H!!! Ok, now perhaps we can enjoy ourselves. (But we still don't know what the squirting fluid is?)

I get household details set up, the beautiful dahlia's from Mary's garden that she brought over as we were leaving, get in their vase, place mats on table etc. and it's starting to feel like home. We take a walk down the shore watching Cody romp in the shallow beach in front of the show covered mountain backdrop. Later in the evening we manage to bake our first pizza in our lil' oven, well, it did burn a tad. The smoke set off the smoke alarm and freaked Cody out (as he loves peace and undisturbed quiet). I'm getting used to which switches need to be on for the water to work and where to crawl under the bed to see what our water level is (especially because we are "dry" camping). Sleeping in our comfy bed is relaxing and refreshing.


It's a chilly wake up, but with Roland's positive encouragement, even in the foggy rain, we head out to visit waterfalls! Our first stop is at Whitehorse Falls, a low, but thunderous cascade. Next we drive to Toketee Falls with it's near half mile hike thru lovely redwood forest with lush, white dogwood trees blossoming in front of rich evergreen shadows. This tiered waterfall has two layers (top drops 40 feet, the second 80 feet), both set back among basalt columns with lovely turquoise blue pools below. The most breathtaking waterfall was our third and last to see, Watson Falls. Not only do you get an enchanting hike into the forest, with numerous wild flower faces peering silently up at you, but one of the tallest 272 foot falls can be seen from a bridge right in the middle of the creek! By the second waterfall, the sun had burst out, sprinkling sun spots everywhere in the green surroundings ~ lovely day! We watch an evening movie after dinner and curl up early as the night's chill creeps over us.

This morning breaks with a 48 degree temperature and I'm turning on the heat to do my yoga and meditation! Breakfast finds things a bit warmer, but I notice the lights seem dim, don't they? Middle of dish washing, the CO2 alarm goes off!! This is like the last straw for Cody and he's outside in no time, standing over by the car, wanting to go home. Roland notices the lights too and starts a search to find out why the batteries are not recharging themselves. Roland has trouble starting the generator and finally, in a unanimous vote, Cody especially, we agree, heading home is the best thing to do before we can't get home. I drive the car behind the RV, and instruct Roland to JUMP if anything should go wrong en route! So we return home, tail between our legs.

Next RV endeavor, we've gotten several things repaired and ourselves more informed :) We choose a nearby campsite on Road #37 at the North Fork of the Butte Creek. Green, shady lil spot and just as I'm putting down the levelers again, I notice some kind of liquid on the sheet he's lying on under the RV. Grief, it's still leaking . . . ok . . . we opt to just stay crooked. I've been crooked before, I can live with this! We settle in and actually get to relax.

In the morning, we're attempting to set records here, it's 37 degrees outside! After a leisurely breakfast, watching the chipmunks hop from rock to rock, we don our day packs and head out for the meandering trail along Butte Creek. From this end of the creek we come up to the back of Fish Creek and at the crest of the dam we see this invigorating view. Mt. McLoughlin reflects in the quiet waters and two fishermen carve thru the mirror stillness. This is the kind of camping I'd been envisioning :)

We stayed another relaxing day, leaving the next day. I'm looking at alot of my little "cling-y" patterns that I want to keep doing even in the RV and am learning to let go of them, exercise flexibility. So I'm seeing this whole direction with the RV and the possible move to Mexico, as a huge learning experience for me. I certainly has freed up my attitude and I'm growing too, along the way. So, I encourage you all, to remain open. Just to see what magical gift the Universe may have in store for you! Happy trails . . .