San Francisco Traffic Nightmare!!

On February 6, I found myself in San Francisco... downtown... after dark... on city streets.. in rush hour.. in misty rain. ARRRRGH!!!!

Here is a pic I took on the highway before I ended up in that mess.

After much cursing and accidentally running a few red lights, I was able to get on my way to Sacramento where I have been now for a week.

I am busy with buying goodies at thrift stores and reselling them on ebay which is going very well. I did that a lot back in 2001-2004 during the time I lived here from 1999-2004. (Speaking of which, as I was writing the following paragraph, a $30 item sold that I paid $2 for!)

I have also been busy visiting friends and an uncle who lives here too. As long as you keep out of business parking lots and don't take up a curbside parking place that might be used by someone regularly.. and on one complains... it seems a tiny RV like mine is able to be parked for a long period of time in the same general spot (being moved often) without being ticketed or knocked on. But I have a pretty good place I am parking. It is very noisy traffic wise but it's on a public street and isn't directly outside anyone's home or business and it's not in a "no parking" zone or fire lane.

Scott Creek Beach

After heading out from Santa Cruz, I headed up CA-1 and stopped off at a roadside beach, Scott Creek Beach. I hung around for about 30 minutes enjoying it then continued on up toward Half Moon Bay.

Santa Cruz, CA

The next morning (February 6), after departing New Brighton State Beach, I drove back to Santa Cruz to visit the beach and wharf. It was windy, a bit misty rainy and very overcast. So much for relaxing on a sunny beach!

 

 There is a large free public parking lot right across from the main part of the old boardwalk buildings.

 Someone had been on the beach earlier that morning and decided to leave some fun sand graffiti. 

New Brighton State Beach

After leaving Morongo Casino on February 4, I drove on through the northen LA area by way of Pasadena and headed North on I-5. I stopped off in Wasco, CA (North of Bakersfield) and parked overnight at a K-Mart. There was one other RV parked there. I didn't see any "no overnight" parking signs, nor did I have any problems. There was an Anytime Fitness so I was able to get a shower as well.

The next day (February 5) I headed up to Santa Cruz, CA with the idea that I would be able to stay around there for a month or two. That was quickly squished flat by how militant the local police are about RVs and the homeless in autos. I drove out to New Brighton State Beach and finally made use of the CA State Parks disabled discount card I mailed away for years ago.

The regular camping fee for a sight that isn't considered "premium" (a direct ocean view from the sight) is $35 a night. You get no hookups, bathrooms and coin operated showers (25 cents per 2 minutes). You basically just get a place to park. I paid $17 with my discount card and I still felt like I was being ripped off. I cannot imagine paying $35 for what amounts to a place to park and a bathroom.

The "premium" sites are $50 which also totally lacks hookups!

They do have a single dump station in the park and potable water throughout... someplace. I had just dumped and filled a couple days before at a Flying J so I didn't need or use those facilities.

Salton Sea

Oops... I should have posted this before the Morongo Casino post. Here is a photo I took of the Salton Sea between Niland and Mecca.

Morongo Casino - Cabazon, CA

On Feb 3 I stopped off at Morongo Casino located just off if I-10 in Cabazon, CA. They have a large overflow parking lot in the rear behind the parking garage that allows RVs and buses (but not semis) to park overnight. I went in and got the member card and got $10 in free food. They give you a choice of food credit or slots credit. I ended up spending $20 in slots as well plus eating in the food court. $30 for food, a bit of entertainment, restroom access plus a place to park overnight wasn't bad at all. I decided to move on the next day so I wouldn't be tempted to spend anymore.. heh.

Niland, CA

I am really late posting this and other posts I will be doing today. I spend the end of January down at Slab City as previously posted. Here are a couple photos I took in town at Niland, CA.

 

I wonder what this building was... a bank perhaps? It is rather massive. It's a few blocks from CA-111 otherwise perhaps it wouldn't have been left so abandoned. The rear of it is being used for a metal recycling business.

Huh... that's something you don't see everyday; horses outside of a laundromat. 

(I did laundry there before I left out on Feb 3)