Traveling to and exploring Fresno - May 10th and 11th, 2021

The next leg of our caravan trip was to visit Fresno and some of the wonders of that area. We left Vallejo on Monday morning and headed down the road. After dealing with a slight problem with the way the Nissan pick up truck was hitched to Karen and Mike's motorhome we made good time to our new camp location at an Elks lodge in Fresno. Its a great location with a small lake for water fowl in the area to enjoy. 

 Our 1st full day in Fresno we went to go check out an underground garden that was built back in the early 1900s by a gentleman from Sicily. This was very fascinating to see all these underground tunnels that he had built. It started out as an 80 acre parcel when he 1st bought it in the 1800s, but then after he passed away and his family divided up the property as each generation has taken control over it there is now just 5 acres to the garden. 

 We truly enjoyed our visit to these underground gardens. If you ever in the area I suggest you check them out. 

Safe travels all 

Eric Anderson

Visiting I car show and a winery in the Bay area may 8th 2021

On Saturdy the 8th of May we got together with Marq, Stephanie and the kids at a winery in the Bay area. It was a great outing because it included a car show of very spiffy looking Ford's. :) At the car show location at this winery they also had a rehab Pan for injured farm animals. It was a great opportunity for the kids to see some farm animals up close and personal.  :) 

Later in the day, we want to mark and Stephanie's for a barbecue consisting of hamburgers and hot dogs. Marq is quite the barbecue master. :) 

on Sunday the 9th of May we got together with Marq,  Stephanie Peyton and Brady as well as Stefanie's mom Debbie. :) Mike and I put a basketball hoop stand up for Brady while Marq BBQ'ed tri-tip. t was a great mothers day gathering at Marq and Stephanie's house. :) 

 We wrapped up our visit to the Bay area with a stop at a brew pub at the mirror island naval shipyards. It was the perfect way to wrap up our visit here to the Bay area.

Our visit to Vallejo now comes to an end. Tomorrow, we head out to Fresno which will be our base camp for visiting Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon.

Safe travels all! 

Eric Anderson 

The first full day in Vallejo

Thursday the 6th was a travel day for Karen and Mike as well as myself. They were coming from Red Bluff, and I was coming from Sacramento. Once we got Camp set up, we went to Marq and Stephanie's home in Orinda. They are just wrapping up the remodel of their home in this beautiful neighborhood.  

Our 1st full day in Vallejo was spent going to the Rosie the riveter National Park in Richmond California as well as spending time with Marq, Stephanie and their kids. :) The park here in Vallejo is older but fairly well maintained and adequate for a centralized base camp in the bay area. 

it's so great that all of our family hunkered down appropriately during the pandemic so that we could all emerge once again to spend quality time together.  

Safe travels all! 

Eric Anderson 

Starting a two week road trip May 4th and 5th 2021

My sister Karen and my Brother in law Mike are starting their last road trip in their motorhome. They are visiting family in California and I thought I would come along for the ride. Our first family stop will be four days in Vallejo to visit Marq, Stephanie, Peyton and Brady. 

But, before I hooked up with Karen and Mike in Vallejo, I had some things to take care of in. The Sacramento area.  I had to get an oul Change done on the jeep, I got together with a dear friend of mine Anna Cambrey, I also got together with Carol to do some catching up. I also had some work tat I needed to go into the office for a little while. 

We stayed at the Sac West RV park in West Sacramento.  When we departed Yreka with the Jeep in tow, I forgot to make sure the fan on the dash of the jeep was off. As a result,  when we arrived at the campground at 10:30 at night, the jeep battery was dead. So, after using the winch to get the jeep into its spot for the night, I did get the jeep just started in the next morning. 

The RV park charges 72 dollars a night. That is an awful high charge for 30 amp service and foxtail rich environment, but there are few options in Sacramento.  

Next stop Vallejo. 

Safe travels everyone. 

Eric Anderson 

My new addition to my life - Welcome to my Motorhome - Remi

 When Carol and I went our separate ways, Carol and I knew what a bonded pair of dogs they were. Pirate really needed a yard with a 6 foot fence and Carol adores both Charlie and Pirate as much as anyone could. Though I truly believe Carol and I love Charlie and Pirate as much as the other person, I was ok with the idea of the boys living with Carol and knowing that I could find another great dog to help them have a new forever home.

I knew that with my involvement at Rescue Ranch, I had lots of great opportunities to find a great dog to share my life with. I asked a Rescue Ranch Staff member, Austin if he had any suggestions. Austin, who like me lives in an RV, has a unique perspective on what I am looking for. Austin suggested a hound mix Remington who had been surrendered by her family late in 2020 due to her aggression to another family dog. 

Once she arrived at Rescue Ranch, ranch staff asked the family if there had been any changes that might have caused the change in this beloved family member that they had for 5 years. They assured the staff that no, nothing had changed. Staff asked if she was spayed and the owners said 'no'. Staff asked if there was any chance she was pregnant, and again the owners assured the staff she was not pregnant. So Remington's owners were determined to leave her at the Ranch, the staff took Remington into their care. 

Shortly after arriving at Rescue Ranch, Remington was scheduled for a Spay surgery at our contract veterinarian in Ashland. Once the vet started the surgery, they found that she was in fact pregnant. She wasn't very far along, but the surgery had gone too far and the potential puppies had already been lost. Once Remington returned to the ranch and completed her recovery, she was up for adoption. 

I didn't want to adopt the first dog I came across. And as you will see in an other post, I had considered a German Shepherd named Major. After meeting several dogs including a dog named Sigh, I spent time getting to know lots of dogs before making my final decision. 

After much consideration, I know that I made the right decision by adopting Remington. I changed her name to Remi because I just can't stand Guns. And Remi loves it when ever I say her name. Remi will not be sharing lifes adventures with me and I am thrilled to have her in my life. 

Remi is the largest dog I have ever had, but she is such a sweetheart and her tail sure wags whenever I come into the room. Baby girl, I will never forget any of the dogs that have come into my life before you, but I sure thank you for being part of my life today and in the future. 

Safe Travels

Eric Anderson

A day in the life of a Rescue Ranch volunteer

Though I might not have picked Yreka as a typical place that I would want to live in, there is one aspect of Yreka California that speaks to me like no place before has ever spoken to me. That aspect is a no-kill dog shelter named Rescue Ranch. 

Rescue Ranch was formed in 2001. The Ranch is located on 10 acres just outside of Yreka which was donated by a family in 2001. This no-kill shelter does everything it can to save those animals that can no longer be cared for, or are no longer wanted. Every member of the staff and every volunteer are truly holding true to the moto of Rescue Ranch - "We do it for the dogs". 

Though I started Tele-volunteering for Rescue Ranch in January of 2021, I started volunteering in person, as a member of the on-site team, in April of 2021. I am very proud to be part of this team, the tireless efforts that they go through, every single day of the care of their animals. This video covers one aspect of what a day of me volunteering at Rescue Ranch consists of, at least at this point. I'm sure there are a great number more of projects I'll be working on as I continue to volunteer in the future for Rescue Ranch, but this is a sample of what I am up to these days!

A day in the life of this Rescue Ranch Volunteer

Safe Travels. 

Eric Anderson

The first dog I thought about adopting Major

 Ok, so just so everyone knows, who doesn't know me that well, I'm a Liberal... and I'm proud of it. Though my blog typically won't dealve into politics, I wanted to establish that context for this next post. I am thrilled that Joe Biden is now our president, and the fact that he has adopted dogs in the past truly speaks to me of the character of the human beings Joe and Dr. Jill Biden are. 

Unless you have completely ignored them, you know that one of their dogs is named Major. When I started volunteering at Rescue Ranch, one of the first dogs I met is a German Shepherd named Major. I thought to myself how cool it would be to have a dog that was the same breed and name as Joe Biden's beloved dog. 

So, I took the opportunity a few times to work with Major. Here is a compilation of video clips of me working with Major at Rescue Ranch. 

Video of Major at Rescue Ranch

Spoiler alert... Major was not the dog that I ultimately ended up adopting as I continue my full time RV living. But that was not due to any fault of Major, it was my fault as I did not move fast enough to adopt him. Someone else beat me to the punch. I wish Major and his new family all the best! 

Safe travels all! 

Eric Anderson