An Unfaithful, Two-Timing Thanksgiving

It’s a little difficult to have a “view” when we no longer have a “View”.  However, last week during Thanksgiving we cheated and rented a different small RV and toured south of San Francisco along the Pacific coast.  Does it really count as cheating when we no longer have the View?

On Wednesday L & I flew to San Francisco and were picked up at SFO by Sande from www.RVSanFrancisco.com.  After an orientation and chat we headed out to explore for four days.  Her rig is a Roadtrek RS-Adventurous, it’s clean, looks like new, everything works, and her customer service is outstanding.  I hesitate to even mention this option as we want to go back up to use it again soon.  So although I spilled the 411, don’t wreck it, dent it, lose anything, or reserve it for anytime we want to use it!

Besides the fun of RV’ing again some of our highlights were:  Trader Joe’s food in the Half Time Oven, Arcangeli Artichoke Garlic Herb bread from Norm’s Market in Pescadero, CA www.normsmarket.com/store/artichoke-garlic-herb-p-846.html, staring up at the Santa Cruz and Big Sur Redwoods, the green Forest of the Nisene Marks State Park, Roaring Camp Railroad www.roaringcamp.com, Monterey Wharf, Cannery Row, 17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach, oak grilled oysters from Monterey Fish House (no website, it’s a local’s place), Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo in Carmel-By-The-Sea www.carmelmission.org, L was handed back a smoldering debit card at Carmel Bay Company in Carmel-By-The Sea www.carmelbaycompany.com, Point Lobos State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and dinner at Big Sur River Inn www.bigsurriverinn.com.  Ok, you get the idea, we got around.

For anyone reading this blog entry looking for camping info, here are the campgrounds we spent time in:

SANTA CRUZ REDWOODS RV RESORT – Felton, CA – read the Yelp reviews, they are correct!  Average facility but clean. I’d research others nearby when returning

SANTA CRUZ / MONTEREY BAY KOA – La Selva Beach, CA – the best KOA we have stayed in.  Get one of the sites with concrete RV pad, gravel surrounding, with fire pit and chairs – it’s a great campground for those with kids – they even surprised us with a complimentary Thanksgiving dinner on turkey day!  How cool is that!

MONTEREY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS – Monterey, CA – best for self-contained RV’s only!  Bring all of the leveling blocks you own, can borrow, can buy.  Plus, all hook-ups will be at the rear of your RV (and may even be at the adjoining site) so bring extensions for everything.

BIG SUR CAMPGROUNDS AND CABINS – Big Sur, CA – sleeping underneath a grove of redwoods. It was a rainy mess when we were there but somehow they kept the restrooms very clean (even the floors) – no sewer sites just W & E.  I would call it “not friendly for big rigs” as the place is really to tight to drive a big rig around the trees.

Here’s some proof that we were there:

J