Our base camp through Jan 13 |
Lost our power last night, just after I posted the blog entry. We heard a transformer blow a short distance away. Figured, since we are kind of in the middle of nowhere, that it wouldn't be restored until some time today, but it came back on a couple of hours later - just as we were heading to bed.
Up earlier today (6am) and it's 0 celsius. Glad the power came back on, so we could have the small heater running all night to keep the chill off. Just thinking about today's forecast high for our destination (23C) keeps me warm.
On the road by 8, driving straight into the sun. The visor sits really high and, being vertically challenged I sit kind of low, so will have to wait a while for the sun to rise higher so I can see again (providing my retinas aren't permanently damaged).
Up earlier today (6am) and it's 0 celsius. Glad the power came back on, so we could have the small heater running all night to keep the chill off. Just thinking about today's forecast high for our destination (23C) keeps me warm.
On the road by 8, driving straight into the sun. The visor sits really high and, being vertically challenged I sit kind of low, so will have to wait a while for the sun to rise higher so I can see again (providing my retinas aren't permanently damaged).
It kind of feels like the prairies - nothing but flat road as far as you can see. Actually maybe more like the Calgary area, because you can occasionally see mountains in the distance.
About an hour out, we passed what looked like a pretty bad accident in the northbound lanes. A car was flipped on its side and car content debris was all over the road. Rescue personnel was on site. The amount of traffic backup made us think that it hadn't happened all that long before we drove by and just after passing we saw a fire rescue truck heading in that direction from one of the intersecting highways. Hope everyone is OK.
So, I had forgotten how crazy the traffic is once you get over the Tejon Pass (also known as Grapevine) and get down into Santa Clarita and all the highways and cities north and northeast of Los Angeles. It was really unsettling for me in the motor home, although Robin said he didn't find it any worse than when he towed the 5th wheel. Just so many lanes of traffic, and vehicles zipping in and out, and merging off and on. When we came through last year, it was a Sunday, so perhaps the traffic was a bit lighter. All I can say is thank heavens we didn't have to go through during rush hour. It took us about two hours to get through all the crazy stuff to a more normal highway, and we were moving at a good pace the whole time. Felt to me more like two weeks! At least the sun was shining and we had to open the windows to cool down. We had to drive an hour short of our destination before we could even find a rest area to stop and have some lunch and do whatever you do at rest areas.
Arrived at our destination shortly after 3, got set up and headed out to pick up some groceries. Then back to camp to put dinner in the oven and relax with a drink. At 6pm, after the sun had been down for an hour, it was still 14C. After dinner we wandered over to check out the pool and the hot tub. Chatted with a couple from the Calgary area about tomorrow night's New Year's Eve festivities. They warned us that the New Year is celebrated at 9pm - they watch the ball drop at New York time. I guess that's so they don't end up with half the crowd asleep in their chairs, or with a bunch of seniors who have over-imbibed waiting for the magic hour. Whatever, we will probably attend anyway and see what's going down.
I think we will just relax for the next couple of days, then look at what kinds of adventures we can get up to in the area.
Until next time dear followers, give someone a hug and/or a smile.
So, I had forgotten how crazy the traffic is once you get over the Tejon Pass (also known as Grapevine) and get down into Santa Clarita and all the highways and cities north and northeast of Los Angeles. It was really unsettling for me in the motor home, although Robin said he didn't find it any worse than when he towed the 5th wheel. Just so many lanes of traffic, and vehicles zipping in and out, and merging off and on. When we came through last year, it was a Sunday, so perhaps the traffic was a bit lighter. All I can say is thank heavens we didn't have to go through during rush hour. It took us about two hours to get through all the crazy stuff to a more normal highway, and we were moving at a good pace the whole time. Felt to me more like two weeks! At least the sun was shining and we had to open the windows to cool down. We had to drive an hour short of our destination before we could even find a rest area to stop and have some lunch and do whatever you do at rest areas.
Arrived at our destination shortly after 3, got set up and headed out to pick up some groceries. Then back to camp to put dinner in the oven and relax with a drink. At 6pm, after the sun had been down for an hour, it was still 14C. After dinner we wandered over to check out the pool and the hot tub. Chatted with a couple from the Calgary area about tomorrow night's New Year's Eve festivities. They warned us that the New Year is celebrated at 9pm - they watch the ball drop at New York time. I guess that's so they don't end up with half the crowd asleep in their chairs, or with a bunch of seniors who have over-imbibed waiting for the magic hour. Whatever, we will probably attend anyway and see what's going down.
I think we will just relax for the next couple of days, then look at what kinds of adventures we can get up to in the area.
Until next time dear followers, give someone a hug and/or a smile.