California RVer

In Sonoma, find a bit of travel trailer history

2012-02-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

When in northern California, you may want to stop by Kevin O'Connell's place to take in a good gaze of RV history. No, O'Connell doesn't run an RV museum -- he runs an RV restoration shop.

Tucked away in the scenic Russian River Valley in colorful Sonoma County, it only seems natural that the shop would be here. The town has a sort-of "Route 66" feel to it. If Barney Fife gave you a parking ticket, you wouldn't be a bit surprised.

Kevin O'Connell describes himself as a "detail freak," a man who puts whatever amount of time he feels needed to bring back the real feeling of the rigs he restores. Some he picks up, restores, and markets for himself. Others come to him from folks who can't do the work themselves and turn to his skilled hand to bring back their bygone era RVs.

O'Connell's Russian River Vintage Travel Trailers is just off the main street running through the valley's town of Guerneville. Come on a Friday or weekend, you may be able to walk through the establishment and lose yourself in a time when times were a bit slower.

Visit O'Connell's website for more pictures, and opportunities to by your own period piece.

Yosemite: Too popular for its own good?

2012-02-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Planning a visit to Yosemite National Park? Don't count on overnighting with your RV. A new report shows that camp sites at the popular treasure are at a premium, and it doesn't appear that new ones will be quick in coming. The situation has some literally weeping.

When the Merced River ran out of its banks and through a large areas of the park back in 1997, it took buildings and campgrounds with it in the rampage -- right through the midst of Yosemite Valley, the park's most popular locale. Prior to the flood there were 828 campsites in the valley, and 1,525 rental rooms. Since the flood those numbers have been reduced to just 464 campsites (a bit more than half) and 1,130 rooms.

In an interview with recodnet.com, Brian Ouzounian, the co-founder of Yosemite Valley Campers Coalition, the situation is more than just a nuisance, it's heart-rending. "I get calls from families asking how come they can't get reservations; they are weeping on the phone," says Ouzounian. He and other camping advocates suggest the Park Service may find that rebuilding rooms to rent is more profitable than reconstructing campgrounds.

The Park Service says it's a matter of carefully building campsites where future flooding won't just take them out again. Park officials also cite environmental concerns when putting in campgrounds. They also aptly point out that there are many other campgrounds in areas other than the Yosemite Valley inside the park where folks can camp. Some high country campgrounds are on a first-come first-served basis, unlike campgrounds in the valley. Even so, these can fill up quickly in high season.

Bottom line: If you're making plans for a visit, don't dilly-dally with making reservations.

Bridalveil Falls, courtesy National Park Service

Best places to camp, hike, and be outdoors with your dog

2012-02-02T11:57:00.000-08:00

If a major enjoyment of your RV lifestyle is traveling with your pet, more specifically a dog, you have probably had to deal with various rules wherever you camp regarding how your canine friend is to be treated. It can range from free-to-run to keep-out.

Tom Steinstra, the outdoor columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of California Camping, a guide to 50,000 campgrounds in the state that includes forest service and BLM campgrounds, wrote about the best and worst places to take your dog on California public lands in a Chronicle article published Thursday.

You can tell he has a personal feeling about dogs--as most of you do who have one--when he says, "If you grew up with a dog, you learned to treat them as members of the family, partners for life, and the best buddy on the trail you could ask for, where to watch them run free and happy provides exhilarating satisfaction. If you have never had a dog, you might prefer a world without them, and want dogs kept out of parks and off trails. The rules at parks, which vary widely, often cater to that difference in thinking."

Here are his findings on the best places in California (and some specific to the San Francisco Bay Area) to camp, hike, or simply just be with your dog.

Five best for dogs

1. U.S. Forest Service: Nineteen national forests in California, 1 million acres, 800 campgrounds, 60 major wilderness areas; dogs permitted except in selected campgrounds or a few places where signed.

2. Bureau of Land Management (BLM): 15.2 million acres (includes huge portions of southern deserts), 87 wilderness areas: The primitive, dog-friendly BLM allows dogs in wilderness (King Range National Conservation Area), has dog training days at Fort Ord, and limits dogs only in areas with critical wildlife habitat and endangered species.

3. East Bay Regional Park District: 65 parks, 110,000 acres, 1,200 miles of trails; dogs permitted on most trails, including off leash away from trailheads if under voice command.

4. Marin Municipal Water District: 21,250 acres, 130 miles of trails and ranch roads; dogs permitted on leash on virtually all trails and ranch roads.

5. Marin County Parks and Open Space District: 21 parks and 34 open space preserves, including several waterfront parks with picnic areas; dogs permitted on leash, with some areas OK off leash.

But if you are among those who prefer there be no dogs where you recreate, Steinstra recommends:

Five best for no dogs

1. San Francisco watershed lands: 23,000 acres (with four lakes) at the Crystal Springs Watershed on the Peninsula, 30,000 acres (with two lakes) at Alameda/Calaveras watershed lands near Sunol. Vast swaths of wildlands have private, subsidized homes as perks for employees, yet provide an unparalleled lack of public access.

2. U.S. National Parks: 25 national parks in California, including Yosemite, Lassen, Redwood and Sequoia-Kings Canyon; dogs are best left home because they are allowed only in campsites and are forbidden from most open spaces, trails and wilderness.

3. San Mateo County Parks and Recreation: 17 parks, 15,680 acres; no dogs permitted on any trail in any park.

4. State Parks: 279 units, 1.3 million acres, 5,095 miles of trails, roughly 50 parks in Bay Area (depending where you draw the boundary); dogs allowed only in campsites and on asphalt, prohibited on trails (one exception is undeveloped McNee Ranch State Park) and state beaches.

5. Mid-peninsula Regional Open Space District: 26 preserves, 60,000 acres; dogs permitted only on designated trails at nine preserves, those not removing dog waste can be cited, though horse owners get a pass.

Prehistoric dinosaurs and dragons found in Borrego Valley

2012-01-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

If you've made your way on the annual snowbird migration to Anza Borrego Desert State Park in Southeastern California for the Spring wildflower display you may think you've accidentally mixed some magic mushrooms in with your salad greens when you look out across the desert floor.

But don't become alarmed. What you see is a collection of metal sculptures scattered about created by artist Ricardo Breceda. Though his sculptures are now found around the world, the greatest concentration is in Borrego Valley, a project commissioned by a Borrego landowner on private land called Galleta Meadows within the state park, land that he has held for years for conservation.

The sculptures range from Pleistocene mammoths, to a 350-foot dragon, and a full-size Jeep CJ-3A with a driver and passenger--over 100 in all. The exhibit is open to the public and you can even camp for up to three days among the creatures. I wonder what seeing the menagerie in the moonlight will do to inspire some lively dreams.

Slab City: "The last free place in America"

2012-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Slab City? It's a community of RVers on 600-acres of desert land that was once a WWI artillery training range. The RVers here squat for free for weeks, even months at a time in the otherwise desolate area near the Salton Sea in the Southern California desert. Some of their RVs run, some don't.

There's no water, no electricity, no sewers, and no mail service. But no problem: the residents love it just the same. And "free" is good. Many of the residents are happy to call the place home.

Here's a story from National Public Radio about "the Slabs," sometimes dubbed "the last free place in America."

Photo courtesy DesertUSA.com.

Southern California RV resort keeps guests busy

2012-01-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

There's a lot going on at Hemet's Golden Village Palms RV Resort.

During the winter months, this 1,019-site resort 90 miles east of downtown Los Angeles offers more than 200 different activities, more than most small towns.

“We are getting a lot of new RVers because of the concerts and events,” said resort manager Michael Carle. “It’s the Baby Boomers,” said Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. “They like to be entertained, and they specifically seek out parks that offer a wide variety of activities and entertainment.” As a result, she said, RV parks and resorts that offer the most activities and entertainment tend to be the busiest during the winter months.

Last week, Golden Village Palms filled its 300-seat ballroom with a band that paid tribute to the Beatles, while “The Crooners” will perform an interactive dinner play with the “Rat Pack” on Feb. 6. A group that pays tribute to the Eagles is scheduled to perform Feb. 13. On March 19, the Four Tops Revue will perform.

Other upcoming special events include an authentic Brazilian carnival on Feb. 3 with food, music, dancing and a drawing to win free roundtrip airfare to Brazil from Copa Airlines; a car show and beer tasting event on March 3; jazz and cognac tasting on March 4; and a fiesta dinner show on March 9 with beer and tequila tasting, salsa dance lessons as well as a diverse lineup of performers including Mariachi musicians and Flamenco dancers. The resort has even scheduled a Mediterranean Nights dinner event with Ouzo tasting on Feb. 20. The event will also include live snake charmers and belly dancing.

The entertainment isn’t limited to nighttime. The Golden Village Palms offers more than 200 different classes including woodcarving, stained glass and cooking. Many of the classes are exercise oriented. "We’re trying to offer fun ways for people to stay limber and stay healthy, Carle said.” The resort also offers a monthly RV driving school, with February classes the 7th and 21st.

Golden Village Palms also invites local restaurants to the resort’s swimming pool area at lunchtime to introduce their menu offerings. Golden Village Palms also holds a farmers market once a week.

Golden Village Palms RV Resort is owned and operated by La Jolla, Calif.-based Sunland RV Resorts. For more information visit its website at www.goldenvillagepalms.com.

California beach use controversy

2012-01-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

Did you know that sand can burn? It was news to us, but from the looks of the news out in San Luis Obispo-land, Kern County's Oceano Dunes are the flashpoint of controversy. It all centers on the one beach in California where it's lawful to drive vehicles--including off-road vehicles.

Supporters and opponents of off-roading have been getting a full share of sounding off on the issue and there are two large matters at play. At the heart of the fight is the state-managed Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Here's folks with motorized play toys can frolic, more or less to their heart's content, among the sandy dunes along the Pacific.

Enter the Sierra Club. The environmental group sued the state park agency arguing the tract where the off-road park is located is technically a buffer area under county planning views, and hence off-limits to vehicles. They demanded the courts close down that section of the dunes to riders. Near the end of December, after the case had wound its way around lower courts, an appeals court ruled against the Sierra Club. In fact, the court said the environmental group must pay the cost of appeals, and can no more raise the issue in the courts in the future.

The Sierra Club says the matter is a setback, but they'll keep at it, figuring if litigation won't work, perhaps advocating before other government agencies will.

Before dune buggy fans launch fireworks to mark success, they have another foe, this one not so much concerned about buffer zones, but in buffering noses (and lungs) from perceived potential harm. The San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District contends that off-roading at the beach is stirring up air pollution in the form of particulate matter.

In question, "PM10" particulates--small bits of dust or soot around 10 microns in size. A micron being a millionth of a meter, even 10 of those little critters is pretty small. But plenty big enough to do damage to the human lung by the pollution control folks figuring. The California standard for PM10 is 50 micrograms per cubic meter on a 24-hour average. The District says levels from the area regularly exceeded the limit, and sometimes spiked at 200 to 700 micrograms.

Air air pollution sniffer officials said they associate the high levels of the particulate to the dunes. Just how the particulate blasts are related to the use of off-road rigs is a subject of a great deal of controversy. Off-roaders argue that the wind blowing on the sand is what produces the particulates; the government agency says it's because the off-road rigs are breaking down a crust on the sand that would otherwise limit the release of particulates.

Bottom line: What the Sierra Club couldn't do through litigation may be imposed by legislation. Time will reveal how the scenario plays out.

photo: Airstream Life on flickr.com

Tourism heads up in California--Slab city beckons

2011-12-21T11:08:00.000-08:00

If spending by tourists is any indication of popularity, prepare to see more visitors in California in 2012. Golden State tourist spending is up 10% over 2010, and the projections indicate more is coming.

In a story carried by The LA Times, tourists brought over $95 billion into the state's economy in 2010. Consulting firm, Tourism Economics says $104 billion plus can be expected this year. Why the big jump? California's Tourism Board says it's the states wide variety of attractions and activities.

How do tourist dollars translate in to actual numbers of visitors? If you thought your visit this year was perhaps a bit crowded, then add 4% more to the crowd factor when you make your travel plans.

Here's a hint for snowbirds: Skip the crowded RV parks and try an off-beat alternative: Slab City, just outside Niland, California. A former military base cum-RV boondocker's paradise, Slab City may not have hot tubs, golf courses, and hookups, but it does have some of the widest variety of RVers you could ever meet. From half-million dollar motorcoaches to marooned school-bus conversions, you'll find any kind of RV and RVer possible camped out on the old concrete slabs that give the place its name.

Niland is squeezed between the Chocolate Mountains to the east and the Salton Sea to the west, down at the southern end of the big inland "sea," formed decades ago when an irrigation plan went awry.

slab city photo: fontplaydotcom on flickr.com

RVers often miss Big Morongo Canyon between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park

2011-11-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

Boardwalk through bog

Big Morongo Canyon is one of the ten largest cottonwood and willow oases in the California desert, a startling discovery surrounded by Mojave desert creosote and yucca.

The upstream end of the canyon lies in the Mojave Desert, while its downstream end opens into the Colorado Desert.

But RVers often miss is, headed instead to its neighbors upscale Palm Springs and th Coachella Valley to the south and Joshua Tree National Park to the north east.

Hooded Oriole and Vermilian Flycatcher

This soggy riparian habitat is nationally recognized for its migratory bird watching, and is also home to numerous songbirds, great horned owls, raccoons, ringtail cats, coyotes, bobcats, red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, and is frequented by bighorn sheep who come out of the high rocky canyons to drink.

Several trails of various lengths lace through and around the boggy canyon bottom, by desert plants of the dry canyon sides, and over a boardwalk through the fresh-water marsh where plants have adapted to a life-time of living up to their knees in water. Another trail canyon trail skirts the marsh providing overlooks into the wetlands.

With 31,000 acres and elevations ranging from 600 feet on the canyon floor to 3000 feet on the ridge top, this diverse landscape has been an important part of the Morongo Basin’s natural and cultural history for almost two billion years. In 1982 the Bureau of Land Management designated BMCP as an Area of Critical Environment Concern in recognition of its special values.

From Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs, turn north on Highway 62 (or from Joshua Tree National Park, drive south on 62) to Morongo Valley. Turn east on East Drive to the signed entrance. There is a large drive through parking lot suitable for large rigs. For more information call the Palm Springs BLM office at (619) 251-0812.

New pay machines give California State Park visitors a price break

2011-11-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

California State Parks will implement a new parking system along San Diego beaches that will give a price break to park visitors, and maybe even improve park revenue.

Automated pay machines for payment of daytime fees will see be installed at beach parking lots along San Diego’s Coast including South Ponto, San Elijo Day Use, North Cardiff, South Cardiff, Torrey Pines, and Silver Strand State Beach. At present, park visitors pay a flat fee for the entire day, regardless of their length of stay.

The new machines could allow more flexibility in the number of hours a visitor
can stay at the park, and some locations will have reduced fee options for hourly parking, depending on the location and/or time of year. If visitors want a short visit, like a run on the beach or a sunset, they would not pay for the whole day, but rather just for the time they select and that’s how they would be given a price break. Also, State Parks thinks this will help with revenue because it may encourage more people to take advantage of the opportunity for shorter visits, possibly creating more turnover of visitors and therefore more revenue. In addition, visitors may choose to use the state lots at hourly rates rather than park farther away from the beach.

California State Parks has contracted with LAZ Parking San Diego, LLC to collect the day use fees on behalf of the state as "park, pay, display" using the automated pay machines that are easy to use and accept credit cards and discount passes. On busy weekends and in environmentally sensitive areas, LAZ will provide a parking attendant to welcome park visitors and facilitate easier access to the park.

With an unprecedented permanent budget reduction of $22 million, the California State Department of Parks and Recreation continues to explore creative solutions to serve the public, collect day use fees, and still reduce operating costs.

State park gear now 15% off--proceeds help parks

2011-11-15T15:21:00.000-08:00

You can support California State Parks this Christmas by shopping in the California State Parks Foundation store. Their high-quality QuailWear like T-shirts, baseball caps, and hoodies as well as other items like coffee mugs, in fact, are on sale now for 15% off until the end of November. In their store enter the discount code THANKS when checking out to get your 15% discount.

This is also the place to go to get information on how to volunteer, get news, and find information on the state parks. The parks need all the help they can get and the profits from store items will go to help keep the parks off the closure list.

Non-profits allowed to take over some Cal state park operations

2011-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

California's Governor, Jerry Brown, has signed off on a bill that will allow non profit groups to take over operating a quarter of the state's budget plagued parks. After threatening to close 70 of the lowest visited parks in the Golden State, park users are heaving a collective sigh of relief.

"We're thrilled the governor has signed the legislation and we look forward to forward to working with state parks to keep the doors to the Mission open," said Bonny Hawley, executive director of Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. Hawley's comments were reported in the Mercury News. She represents a group that will work hard to keep the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park operating, to the tune of nearly $100,000 a year. The group says it will raise the funds through donations.

Popular parks didn't appear to be immediately threatened under the Governor's threats. Friends groups say the parks most likely to be closed are the ones hardest to keep open from a financial standpoint, generally historic parks. These often have buildings with maintenance woes, and with fewer visitors, the state isn't as interested in pumping money into upkeep.

California holds 1.3 million of acres in state parks. Parks operations have an annual budget of $845 million, about $123 million of which comes from the state's general fund.

Santa Cruz Mission photo: wikipedia.org

Three state parks saved by the National Park Service

2011-10-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

The cavalry arrived just in time in the form of the National Park Service (NPS) to save three California State Parks from closing.

Tomales Bay SP (left) and Samuel P. Taylor SP (below left), both in Marin County, and Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP just north of Eureka will remain open at least through 2013 as the NPS will take over operations and security at the parks. This is good news for the estimated 250,000 people that visit these three parks each year.

The rescue was possible since these state parks lie adjacent to or within an existing National Park enabling the NPS to take over with minimal additional expense. Tomales is within both Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area; Samuel P. Taylor is located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area; and Del Norte is in Redwood National Park near Crescent City.

Additional parks may be spared because of certain fedeeral and state laws. For instance, State law prohibits states and cities from closing any parks that have received federal funding, and about a dozen of the parks on the closure list are on the coast, where public access guarantees under state law state that they cannot be closed without approval of the Coastal Commission.

In addition, sixteen parks received money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund that provides money from offshore oil drilling royalties to purchase and renovate parks.

Palomar State Park closed

2011-10-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

California State Parks in an abrupt move on Monday closed Palomar Mountain State Park's two campgrounds as well as Green Valley Campground and the Granite Springs Environmental Campground at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The latter two are scheduled to reopen July 1, but Palomar is not scheduled to reopen.

Notifications have been given to those with reservations that they would not be honored and campers in the campground were told they had to leave.

The closures came when anticipated funding fell through.

Finding California's big trees: Easy RV vacations

2011-10-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

Looking for giant trees? Writing in the Modesto Bee, Adam Blauert mentions some easy to find Sequoia trees in or near the Sequoia National Monument. Here's a recap of his findings:

Trail of 100 Giants: An easy, 1.3-mile paved loop trail among the Long Meadow Grove giant sequoias is accessible to all visitors regardless of ability or mobility. Ten miles south of Quaking Aspen along the Western Divide Highway, find the trail across the road from Redwood Meadow Campground. Parking is $5, camping $18/night.

Dome Rock: A relatively easy hike, walk five minutes uphill walk to a panorama of the Western Divide Country. About three miles south of Quaking Aspen along the Western Divide Highway, a left turn can be hard to spot as the sign is only visible if you are driving the opposite direction. If you go too far, flip around and you'll see it.

Tule River: Highway 190 provides great views through a steep river canyon. $10 parking fee.
Jordan Peak: Amoderate 60-foot climb leads to "Wow!" views of the Western Divide Country and the San Joaquin Valley. Fire lookout tower welcomes visitors from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Friday through Tuesday.

McIntyre Grove: Just beyond Camp Nelson. Follow the signs through town to the Belknap Campground. The trail through this magnificent grove starts beyond campsites 4 and 5. Lots of large sequoias. Camping: $18/night.

Black Mountain Grove: Hard to find but worth the trip. Start at the Camp Nelson exit, and follow the signs for Coy Flat Campground. Continue past the campground on Forest Road 21S94 about 4 ½ miles. At the junction with 21S12, turn right and continue five plus miles along a mountainside landscape interspersed with sequoias.

Check out Uncle Sam's take on the National Monument, too.

Read the whole story at the Bee.

Tree photo: MiguelVieira, flickr.com

59th Annual California RV Show comes to the Pomona Fairplex

2011-10-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

The largest RV show in the West starts Friday, October 14 and runs through Sunday, October 23 from 10 AM - 6 PM daily.

The Show features over 800 RVs, 40 manufacturers, 16 California RV dealers, 150 RVs, 40 Factory reps giving demos, 60 RV seminars, 45 RV travel seminars, 18 camping cooking shows, and 2 cooking contests.

The new entrance policy allows unlimited admission for the entire 10-day length of the show for $10 for adults. Also new is the Drive Your RV to the Show and Park for Free promotion, so that if you find another RV you like, you can have your old one appraisedand make the deal then and there.

Highlights of this year’s show include appearances by Mike Faverman and Pat Mac, stars of Ultimate Camp Cooking, a combination comedy and cooking show. They’ll share some favorite recipes and laughs as well as MC the Dutch Oven Cook-Off on Monday and Wednesday. And don’t miss award-winning film-maker, cinematographer and travel expert John Holod as he discusses the ins and outs of life on the road each day of the show.

Seniors (65 +) can use an online coupon on Monday, October 17 only and pay only $6 for entry. The Pomona Fairplex is located 2200 North White, just off the 10 Freeway, Pomona. Call 951-274-9215 for recorded information. Visit their website for discount admission coupons and complete event details.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest implements fire restrictions

2011-09-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

This forest Service press release (reproduced in part below) explains current fire restrictions for Shasta-Trinity NF enacted on September 2nd.

With the increased fire risk, forest visitors are reminded to exercise caution when visiting the National Forest. Travelers through the Forest should remain on designated roads and never park on dry brush or grass.

Fire restrictions include:

No campfires or charcoal fires except inside established campfire sites within Forest Service campgrounds and other developed recreation sites and designated fire safe sites (see video below).
Campfires will not be allowed in the Yolla Bolla-Middle Eel, Chanchelulla, Castle Crags or Mount Shasta Wildernesses.
Smoking will be confined to enclosed vehicles or buildings, developed recreation sites and other designated fire-safe sites.
Use of internal combustion engines is prohibited, except on roads and designated trails. All engines must be equipped with spark-arresting devices.
Campfire permits are required where campfires are not explicitly prohibited. Campfire permits are free and available at all Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and CAL FIRE offices. Permits are also available from campground hosts and Forest Service field personnel. The permit must be obtained in person.
Persons interested in camping outside of designated areas should contact the nearest Forest Service office for instructions, updated fire information, campfire permits and current restrictions.
Persons in violation of these prohibitions may be subject to a fine, six-months in jail or both. If a person is found to have caused a wildfire he/she may be held liable for firefighting and resource damage costs and any injuries that occur.
Visitors are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” and call ahead to the local Ranger Station to check on location conditions.

Watch this video for an explanation of fire rules for the forest:

Mysterious red tide killing abalone by the hundreds along Sonoma County coast

2011-09-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Abalone divers

If you've driven the Sonoma County coastline in Northern California you are familiar with maneuvering your RV along the twisting and turning Route 1, but well worth it for the dramatic sea coast scenery, whether it is foggy--common--or sunny.

And as Californians know, the months of September, October, and some of November are the clearest and sunniest of the year, when many RVers take to the coast for camping and the recreational pleasures of the north coast.

This is a good time to visit Fort Ross, Salt Point, and Bodega Bay State Parks. If you are an abalone diver, you know that this is the prime abalone diving area on the California coast. But the number of abalone have been shrinking over the past several years, much of it attributed to poaching since a single red abalone can sell for $100 on the black market.

Red abalone

In 1997 California Fish and Game banned the commercial harvesting of abalone, though red abalone over seven inches in size--which takes it ten years to reach--can be taken for personal use and only by snorkel diving, scuba gear is not allowed. It was hoped that this would help restore the abalone population. Then this disaster hit.

A mysterious "red tide" is killing off the abalone in large numbers, littering the shoreline and shallow waters with the dead shellfish. Though red tides are common along the coast, this one is particularly virulent, with the die-off spreading from Anchor Bay in southern Mendocino County to Bodega Bay, with Fort Ross the hardest hit area.

Authorities are guessing that a biotoxin discovered in the dead abalone and present in this particular plankton species is poisoning sea life. An emergency closure will be approved within the next few days, and divers are being advised to avoid the affected areas and refrain from eating abalone until further notice.

Red tide updates are posted by the California department of Public Health.

Can corporations save California State Parks?

2011-08-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

California state parks are closing. This is not just a threat by government to impose higher taxes or charge higher fees. There simply is not enough revenue to sustain the operation of many of the lesser used parks. What can be done?

Corporations such as Coke Cola and a supermarket chain are offering to rescue some of the parks with infusions of cash--and of course, at a price. What that price is and how you look at it may make the difference whether a park stays open and if it does, how will the new corporate sponsorships affect the look, feel, and experience of the park?

Corporate spokespersons claim that though branding will be part of the deal, over-selling or changing the park experience is not what they want, and indeed feel that this would not help their brand but create a backlash. Their view, it seems, falls somewhere between philanthropy and branding.

So far, Coke Cola's involvement has included logo agreements that are already in place at a handful of parks. "A partnership between Coca-Cola and Stater Bros., for example," reports the Los Angeles Times, "replanted trees in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, which in 2003 suffered a wildfire so devastating that there were no trees left to provide seed for new growth. The companies also partnered in a project that rehabilitated areas of Chino Hills State Park after a 2008 fire burned more than 90% of the park. The supermarket chain promoted offers in which the purchase of $10 worth of Coca-Cola products would result in a donation of $1 to state parks."

In three years more than $2 million was raised for the parks. And what did Coke Cola and Slater Bros. get for their efforts and money? A very modest rendition of the company logos included at the bottom of interpretive signs in the parks.

Would this amount of corporate identity be acceptable to park goers? Would this open the floodgates for corporate lobbyists to apply pressure to legislators for ever increasing corporate identity? Or could we put a program together with explicit restrictions that would insure that the parks identity with corporate sponsors be clearly identified, and that corporations and the park-going public would both be happy--and our parks saved?

A letter or email to your legislator just might carry some weight. Read the entire Times opinion piece here.

Connect from California State Parks

2011-08-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Inland Empire" state parks slate service reductions

2011-08-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Faced with big budget cuts, California State Parks are taking some drastic action to keep afloat. In the latest round, "Inland Empire" region parks announce service reductions. Simply put: Many state parks will close during mid-week days, then reopen on busier weekends. The changes will go into effect on October 1, and continue indefinitely.

Here's the list of affected parks:

· Lake Perris SRA - Park closed to public vehicle entry for day use and camping every Tuesday and Wednesday each week until April 30, 2012. Park will be open for Day Use and Camping Thursday through Monday and any holidays each week until April 30, 2012. Park Day Use hours changed to 7am – 6pm (current hours 6am – 8pm). Starting May 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012 – Park returns to being open 7 days a week with Day Use hours changed to 6am to 10pm. On October 1, 2012 the park will return to the same weekday service reduction cycle for fiscal year 2012/13.

· Silverwood Lake SRA - Park closed to public vehicle entry for day use and camping every Wednesday and Thursday each week until April 30, 2012. Park will be open for Day Use and Camping Friday through Tuesday and any holidays each week until April 30, 2012. Park Day Use hours changed to 7am – 5pm (current hours 7am – 7pm). Starting May 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012 – Park returns to being open 7
days a week with Day Use hours changed to 6am to 9pm. On October 1, 2012 the park will return to the same weekday service reduction cycle for fiscal year 2012/13.

· California Citrus SHP - Park closed to public vehicle entry for day use every Tuesday through Thursday each week until further notice. Park will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday each week. Summer Day Use hours remain 8am – 5pm weekdays and 8 am – 7pm weekends. Winter Day Use hours will remain 8am- 5pm. Weddings and Sunkist Building Rentals will still be available 7 days a week through the California Citrus Non-Profit Management Corporation. School tours will also still be accommodated by park volunteers on a case by case basis.

· Chino Hills SP - Park closed to public vehicle entry for day use and camping every Tuesday through Thursday each week until further notice. Park will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday each week. Summer Day Use hours remain 8am – 7pm. Winter hours will remain 8am – 5pm.

· Mount San Jacinto SP - Idyllwild Campground, Day Use and Sector Office will be closed every Wednesday and Thursday each week until April 30, 2012. This facility will be open Friday through Tuesday each week. Starting May 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012 these park facilities we revert back to being open 7 days a week. On October 1, 2012 the park will return to the same weekday service reduction cycle for fiscal year 2012/13. Stone Creek Campground near Idyllwild is normally closed for the winter season and will be open during the summer season. Mount San Jacinto Wilderness Area and Long Valley Ranger Station (Palm Springs Tram area) will remain open year round as usual.

· San Timoteo and Wildwood Canyon - No Service Reductions.

RV recipes will get show tickets, loot

2011-08-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Calling all RV chefs: Want to get some free tickets to the 59th Annual California RV Show in Pomona? Ship your favorite RV recipe in for an opportunity to not only get four passes into the show, but a hundred bucks to boot. Get your name (and your recipe) up in lights as winners will be printed up in the RV show program book.

The show opens October 15 and runs through the 24th. To that end, your recipe needs to be e-mailed in by September 1. Here's the fine print:

Entries must be received by September 1st by the California RV Show, 6835 Aldea Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406 or by e-mail to PennyNicolai@aol.com. Submit your favorite recipe in the body of the e-mail. Do NOT attach a document. One entry per person. Void where prohibited. ncluIde your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail with your entry. Winners will be notified by mail and/or e-mail on September 15th. All entries become the property of the California RV Show and may be used for publication at the show, on show web sites and other promotional uses.

Discover Pasos Robles wines

2011-08-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Ron Bez www.ronbez.com

Paso Robles is a quiet country town on Route 101 halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. With its hot, dry climate, it has made a name for itself as a grape growing and wine making area, expanding from 35 wineries ten years ago to180+ bonded wineries today.

About two-thirds of Paso Robles wineries produce less than 5,000 cases as more than 95% of the region’s brands are family owned and operated.

In addition to wineries with estate vineyards, there are nearly 120 Paso Robles Wine Country grape growers who sell their fruit to wineries both within and outside the Paso Robles AVA.

The most widely planted varieties in the Paso Robles area are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay, which account for 80% of the Paso Robles AVA production.

Touring Paso Robles wineries is an ideal stop for RVers traveling between California's two major cities. You can learn more about Paso Robles wines at their website and download a map of the wineries here.

The Paso Robles RV Ranch (398 Exline Road), just off Hwy 101 on a 6 acre semi-secluded setting overlooking a panoramic view of the Salinas Valley, is a logical layover. They have 70 20/30/50 amp sites and you can charge your electrical vehicle dinghy at your campsite for $10.

A plan for keeping state park campgrounds open

2011-08-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

With the imminent closure of 70 state parks, some with campgrounds, is there some creative way that could keep them open?

Maybe we should look to the state of Nebraska, where the forward-thinking Game and Parks Commission just approved campground stays of up to 90 days from the current maximum stay of two weeks.

The rule will begin in January for 25 state parks and recreation areas across the state. The commission made the change after feedback from campers said the high cost of fuel made it expensive to drive their RVs back and forth, said Roger Kuhn, administrator of the parks division.

About 5 percent of the campsites in a designated state park (photo - Lake Ogallala State Park, NB) or recreation area will be set aside for longer stays, Kuhn said, adding that they will be in low-use areas.

A fee schedule was approved Friday at the commission's meeting in Lincoln. Campers who stay longer will receive the following discounts on their nightly overnight camping fee: 20 percent for 15-to-30 days; 30 percent for 31-to-60 days, and 40 percent for 61-to-90 days.

It makes a lot of sense to fill campgrounds with people--like fulltimers and extended timers--and give them a break on fees rather than leave the sites empty. It will not increase the parks expenses, will be gladly welcomed by seniors and retirees, and will bring revenue in to the state. A win-win situation for everybody. Maybe the California State Parks could offer a similar plan to raise revenue and keep parks open.

Have high state park camping fees reached a plateau yet?

2011-07-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

It wasn't too long ago when you could camp at a California state park for $12, or pay only $3 for a day use visit. Fat chance that we will ever see those fees again.

To help cover deficits in these tough fiscal times, California has relied on fee increases on everything from parks to universities, shifting more of the cost burden away from taxpayers and onto program users. Gone is the concept of the "common good."

Campgrounds in the state park system now routinely charge $30 with day use fees of $10. But it is not possible to cover the costs of state parks with user fees. Even with these fee hikes, California plans to still close 70 of its 278 parks.

That will not be the end of the problem. As the public so far is willing to pay the increased fees, at some point there will be pull back. Day users will park outside parks and ride bikes in. Campers will shorten their camping trips or avoid the parks altogether and instead look for places in the national forests to boondock for free--so far the forest service hasn't found a way to charge for boondocking outside of designated campgrounds.

For California RVers, there doesn't appear to be any immediate relief, as the economic cycle is concentrated on reduction of government services to slice expenses from the state budget. It is likely also that private campgrounds and RV resorts will inch up their fees as state parks become less of a competitor. We RVers don't have much of a recourse, other than grousing and using other options for camping.

Call for volunteers by California State Parks Foundation

2011-07-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

In response to the $14.2 million cut that State Parks is enduring, California State Parks Foundation created our Park Champions Program. This program provides consistent, sustainable volunteer support in the area of park improvements.

Partnering with California State Parks and Volunteers for Outdoor California (V-O-Cal), CSPF will hold their first work day at Burleigh Murray Ranch. An old, historic orchard on the property needs a lot of TLC so we will start with some general brushing and clearing of overgrowth around the trees. It’s a beautiful place and we’re excited about restoring it! Our first work day is planned for July 12th, 9am – 1pm. On-site training and lunch will be provided.

If you are interested, please register here and click on the Burleigh Murray Ranch link. Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with other details. This registration is also important so we can plan for the day. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,
California State Parks Foundation

Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park is located in San Mateo County between Skyline Blvd. and Half Moon Bay, south of Highway 92. Purchased by the State of California in 1983, this historic ranch property is hidden in a valley and offers solitude, groves of mature eucalyptus, and a rich assortment of wildlife.

Crystal Cove State Park campground opens in affluent Laguna Beach

2011-07-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Are you old enough to remember the halcyon days of state park campgrounds for $8/nite? I think those days are gone forever. The model now seems to be to raise camping fees to near prohibitive levels or just close the parks if they don't pay their way.

But California is both shutting down unprofitable state parks--70 to close at last count--and opening new ones. Well, at least one new one.

The new $15-million Crystal Cove State Park coastal campground opened on the 4th of July weekend at Laguna Beach in Orange County south of Los Angeles. The Moro Campground, with electric-only campsites for a staggering $65/nite, isn't even on the beach. The hilltop campsites do, however, face the ocean--on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway. To get to the beach you have to pass through a pedestrian tunnel under the highway.

But if the $65 pricetag is too high for you, tent sites are going for $50 a night. The park has also added 200 "day-use spots" that cost $15 each--what ever they are. But the steep fees didn't deter Southern California campers as the park quickly sold out all campsites for the opening weekend.

The campground is built on the site of the former El Morro Trailer Village. The state kicked out the Village residents a few years ago after a prolonged fight to save their homes.

So if you are wondering how a new campground could open with today's multiple budget crises, the park has been in the works for years, long before the state ran into fiscal trouble.

As an investment, however, the park should work out financially--for the state if not for campers. The park also retained 15 historic vintage rental beach cottages and along with the campground, parking, and a percentage off the concessionaire's business, Crystal Cove will bring in between $1 million and $1.5 million annually.

Reduced camping rates at Shasta Trinity

2011-06-29T13:07:00.000-07:00

Northern California lovers may find an attractive deal coming up at four of the Shasta-Trinity Nation Forest campgrounds: A fifty percent rate reduction from August through to the end of the camping season.

The four campgrounds are Antlers and Hirz Bay campgrounds Lake Shasta, and the Alpine and Hayward Flat campgrounds at Trinity Lake. New camping rates will run between $8 and $20 per night. Nah, it's too good to be true that the rates would that low on Labor Day holiday, but they are in effect at all other times during the period.

photo: misserion on flickr.com

For more information, check out the concessionaire's website at shastalakecamping.com.

July 4 weekend busy, but RV spaces still available

2011-06-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

The summer's hottest camping weekend is big in California, but don't despair: There are still RV parks reporting openings for the weekend. The California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds says they've found at least 73 parks across the Golden State that still have openings for folks looking to get away this weekend.

How much of a getaway it is may depend on your tastes. Some parks are offering a place to park your rig, others are making a big to-do over the weekend. One outfit offers a Friday welcome including Maragritas and music. Others offer BBQs, outdoor movies, and ice cream socials. Got a strong arm? Nail pounding contests. Strong ears? Parades--no doubt with marching bands. Strong stomach? Watermelon eating contests.

Check out the outfit's website for pointers to available parks and activities here.

stock photo: mel_rowling on flickr.com

California budget deficit wields lethal blow to state parks

2011-06-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

"State parks here are in a downward spiral amid budget cuts that have left many only partially open and in decrepit condition heading into the busy summer season—amid plans to indefinitely close a quarter of the 278 parks" reports the Wall Street Journal.

If the 70 state parks close that are scheduled to close by 2012, to help close the nearly $10 billion budget deficit, it will be the first in the 84-year history of the state park system--the nation's largest.

Sixty state parks are partially closed while 90 more have experienced severe reductions in services, said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Officials are brain-storming on ways to keep the parks open, including a bill that would make it easier for nonprofit groups to take over some park operations. But the bill is unlikely to keep all the parks open.

Other suggestions include raising campground fees, already at record high levels, and charging higher day use fees. In the meantime, budget cuts have resulted in deferment of basic repairs to structures and trails (photo: Sonoma Coast State Park trail) as well as reducing the number of days parks or campgrounds are open. Read the entire WSJ article.

UPDATE: Activists representing more than half of the 70 state parks targeted for closure braved broiling temperatures Tuesday (June 21) in Sacramento to rally at the Capitol building. Park supporters have also been writing letters to state legislators to ward off the closures.

There’s pending legislation in the state legislature that could help to keep the parks open. AB 64 and AB 42 are on the Assembly and Senate floors and could allow the state to join with nonprofit organizations and local governments in the effort to stave off closures.

New campground opens at Southern California's Crystal Cove State Park

2011-06-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend, California State Parks has announced the July 1st opening of the much-anticipated Crystal Cove State Park Moro Campground and beach day use area.

Located in the heart of the spectacular Orange County coastline, the campground is open for reservations as of today by contacting Reserve America at www.reserveamerica.com or by calling 1-800-444-7275. The public is invited to a free visit of the site during an open house on Thursday, June 30from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

It may seem odd that a new campground is opening at a time when State Parks is proposing to close some parks due to budget reductions. However, this park is located in one of the highest demand areas of the state and park officials are projecting that revenue from this campground will provide additional funding for other parks within the system.

“This is an exciting and long-awaited milestone for full public use and enjoyment of one of our treasured California State Parks,” said Ruth Coleman, director for California State Parks. “Not only will this park generate revenue to support this park and others, it will bring an economic boost to Orange County.”

With 60 overnight campsites and 200 day use parking spaces, the park will attract an influx of local and out-of-town tourists traveling to the area, buying gas, groceries and other supplies, and taking advantage of local restaurants and other tourism businesses, added Coleman.

The park is also supported by a corps of volunteers and docents, campground hosts, and the non-profit Crystal Cove Alliance, one of nearly 85 official State Park Cooperating Associations who help raise funds and support for a variety of educational programs and park preservation projects. Future plans for the Moro Canyon area include a small scaled concession operation which will offer quality food and beverages, camping supplies, recreational equipment sales and rentals, and event catering to park visitors. Finishing touches on the outdoor educational amphitheater will be completed by the Fall.

The $15M campground and park improvement project was funded by 2000 Proposition 12 voter approved bond monies and completes a major component of the publicly approved 1982 Crystal Cove State Park General Plan.

The new campground is the first coastal campground to be added to the State Park system in roughly 20 years. Its completion is doubly important because it will be offering new camping and affordable overnight lodging opportunities in an urban area where the demand for coastal camping spaces has far outstripped the supply. Given the popularity of coastal park camping, it will likely be sold-out year-round. In 2006 the parklands were dedicated as part of the Irvine Ranch National Natural Landmark and subsequently received California Natural Landmark status.

Closing some of California's state parks would violate federal law

2011-06-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Federal officials announced that Governor Jerry Brown's plan to shutter 70 California State Parks is against the law. At least for sixteen of them, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

The warning centers around a federal program known as the Land and Water Conservation Fund enacted by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 using funds from offshore oil drilling that uses the money to buy land for national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges.

The leading source of parks funding in the United States, the fund also issues grants to state and local parks to pay for everything from land acquisition to building new trails, visitor centers and restrooms.

Since 1965, California has received $287.3 million from the fund. Written into the law is a requirement that any parks that receive the funds are required to remain open to the public. If states close parks that received the funding, the law does not require them to pay the money back, but it does require states to provide new park land of equal appraised value in a nearby location.

Also, the National Park Service could declare California ineligible for future federal parks grants if it closes parks that were purchased with land and water act funding.

California announces closures of 70 state parks

2011-05-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 13, 2011 -- Friday the 13th has brought some bad news to users of California State Parks. State officials announced the closure today of 70 parks because of the state budget deficit. Many of the parks include campgrounds -- a blow to RVers and other campers. The parks will begin cutting down services this summer. Shutdowns will begin in September with all the parks on the hit list to close by July 2012.

Gov. Jerry Brown's January budget plan proposed reducing the state parks budget by $22 million. In March, the legislature approved $11 million in cuts to state parks and $10 million in cuts to off highway vehicle parks in the next fiscal year, with $22 million in cuts to state parks in future years.

Photo: Mono Lake State Nature Reserve. Just one of 70 parks to be closed.

The California State Parks System was directed to identify which parks would close based on attendance rates and historical significance. The department operates more than 270 state park units.

"We regret closing any park," Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks, said in a statement. "But with the proposed budget reductions over the next two years, we can no longer afford to operate all parks within the system."

The department said service reductions will begin over the summer and closures will begin in September. All parks on the list are to be padlocked by July 1, 2012 under the current budget proposal. The cuts have not yet been signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, so a final list could grow or shrink based on the actions the legislature takes to close the budget deficit.

Parks officials said they tried to protect the most significant cultural and natural resources, while maintaining the parks that provided the most public access and state revenue. In addition, the department intends to seek partnership agreements with local governments and non-profits in attempt to keep some of the parks open. They said 92 percent of total park attendance will be retained and 94 percent of existing revenues even with the closures.

Besides the recently renovated Stanford Mansion and the Governor's Mansion state historic parks, both in downtown Sacramento, the list includes Brannan Island State Recreation Area in Sacramento County and Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park and South Yuba River State Park in Nevada County.

Here's a complete list of the closures:
Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor's Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Portola Redwoods SP
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB

Source: Sacramento Bee and others.

California Poppy Festival April 23-24

2011-04-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

Another sign that Spring is on us once again is the opening of the California Poppy Festival, now in its 20th year, and the beginning of the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve walking tours.

Though California State Parks interpreter Jeanne Rhyne says that poppy blooms are scarce so far this year, with most of the color appearing in scattered high desert spots, there will still be poppies blooming along with other wildflowers.

The festival kicks off Saturday, April 23rd at the Lancaster City Park, 43011 N. 10th St. West and will run from 10 AM until 6 PM. Exhibits of poppy photos and artwork, a farmers market, and rides and activities for children will accompany a swing band on Saturday and a couple of tribute bands on Sunday. Tickets are $8.

Included will be free wildflower walks at the nearby Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve. The walks will also feature the history and geology of poppies and other wildflowers. The hikes start at the Interpretive Center at 10 AM and 2 PM weekends and 11 AM weekdays and will continue until May 8th. The center is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM weekends and 9 AM. to 4 PM weekdays ($10 per car for parking). More information: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, 15101 Lancaster Road, Lancaster, Calif.

McGrath State Beach near Oxnard will close

2011-04-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

McGrath State Beach, a popular camping spot by the Oxnard shore, will close indefinitely in September for lack of money to replace an aging sewer line and lift station.

"We have to close the park because the sewer infrastructure has gotten to a point of decay where I can't in good conscience keep it open," said Richard Rozelle, superintendent of state parks and beaches in the area.

The Los Angeles Times reports engineers last year studied the sewer line, which crosses the bird-rich estuary of the Santa Clara River and concluded that it could fail within two years. The cost of upgrading the system was put at half a million dollars. Rozelle said he wanted to give the public "a chance for one more summer" before shutting the Ventura County park.

McGrath's 188 campsites sit beside dunes that stretch along two miles of coastline. Although state budget problems have limited hours and services at more than half of the state's 278 parks, McGrath will be among the first to close.

Death Valley visitor center to close for renovation

2011-04-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

Death Valley National Park is preparing for a visitor center remodeling project. The Mission 66 structure at Furnace Creek will close in November after the Death Valley 49er Encampment. The project is expected to last up to 18 months.

During the remodel, a temporary visitor center will be set close to the visitor center and adjacent to the Furnace Creek Ranch and Resort property. Though space will be limited, the park plans to continue providing its full range of services including answering and assisting visitors with their questions and park planning needs, issuing backcountry permits, issuing park passes, and selling books and other educational materials through the Death Valley Natural History Association. The park will also provide a full range of ranger conducted activities throughout the winter and spring. The project does not affect any of the park campgrounds; they will be open as usual.

Anxiety mounts over which state parks will close

2011-04-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

Rangers and the public are both growing anxious about Governor Jerry Brown's intentions to close some state parks as a result of the budget deficit.

In January, Gov. Brown unveiled his proposed budget and announced that California would, for the first time in history. According to the Marin Independent Journal, it would need to close state parks as a cost-saving measure in an attempt to save $11 million this year and $22 million next year.

Though the governor hopes that not revealing which parks he intends to close will forestall legislators voting against the new budget unless parks in their district are left open, it's making it difficult for campers to plan vacations.

Not knowing whether the park where campground reservations have been made will be open may leave campers in the lurch without a reservation at another park. As camping season approaches, alternative choices may already be full.

"We're quite disturbed we haven't seen the list," said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group. "We think if there's any chance for the nonprofit community to step up and help the state when it looks like parks are going to be closing, the more time organizations have to plan, the more likely we'll find some kind of interim solutions."

Until it's known which of California's 278 state parks are to be closed, those arrangements can't be made.

A bill has been introduced to allow the state to enter into agreements with nonprofit groups that would keep parks open. Though they could collect fees at small parks, nonprofits are not permitted to patrol large parks or carry guns.

Gil Duran, a spokesman for Brown, confirmed that state parks Director Ruth Coleman and her staff have given a list to the governor's office, but would not say how many parks were on the list, only that . . . "dozens would be safe to say." Asked when a list might be made public, he said he didn't know.

Hwy 50 improvements will close Echo Summit

2011-04-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Caltrans will temporarily close U.S. Highway 50 at Echo Summit for up to two weeks from mid-to-late April until early-to-mid May. The closure is part of the first stage of a safety enhancement project that will remove damaged rock walls and replace them with a barrier that meets current safety standards. The closure dates may be changed, depending on weather conditions in the Sierra.

Motorists should allow one hour extra travel time during the temporary full closure to reach South Lake Tahoe. Two alternate routes will be available:

In Sacramento: Exit at Power Inn Road and take Highway 16 to Highway 49 to Highway 88 to Highway 89 and back to Highway 50.

In Placerville: Exit at Missouri Flat Road and take Highway 49 South to Highway 88 to Highway 89 and back to Highway 50.

Highway 50 over Echo Summit is a beautiful drive in good weather but can be a harrowing experience in heavy rain, snow or fog. The two-lane road is walled on one side by mountain with an old rock wall on the east-bound side acting as a traffic barrier to a dizzying, precipitous cliff that drops as much as hundreds of feet. The rock wall was built in the 1930s and has deteriorated over time from the elements and damage caused by collisions.

Caltrans has launched a website featuring up-to-date information about the project and alternate routes: www.Way2Tahoe.com

Big Sur isolated by two landslides on Hwy 1

2011-03-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

The California Department of Transportation reported today that a 40-mile stretch of Highway 1 will be isolated for at least another week. Heavy rains caused a massive rock and landslide which forced the closure of the scenic coastal highway at Alder Creek, about 2 miles south of Gorda and 38 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Caltrans repair crews are working from sunup to sundown daily to clear the road.

North of Big Sur Highway 1 remains closed between the Bixby Creek Bridge and Palo Colorado near Carmel after a March 16th slide sent a section of the highway crashing into the sea at Rocky Creek. Repair crews assessing the situation there say it will be at least a month and perhaps longer before a temporary repair can allow traffic to resume.

For now, the only access in and out of Big Sur is over the narrow, winding Nacimiento Fergusson Road, which crosses the coastal range between King City and Kirk Creek.

Food companies partner to save SoCal state parks

2011-03-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Facing major cut-backs and closures, the California State Parks system has

announced it is partnering again with Stater Bros. Supermarkets and Coca-Cola Refreshments. This public/private partnership unites for the third straight year to raise funds for state parks in Southern California. This year's program, "Preserve Our Parks" (www.preserveourparks.info), is an intensive, six-week campaign with the goal of raising at least $750,000 to help provide forest preservation, trail maintenance, habitat preservation and beach clean-up across 750,000 acres of parklands that comprise the state park system in Southern California, alone.

The campaign encourages consumers to support Southern California State Parks while shopping at Stater Bros. Supermarkets. Shoppers can make a one-dollar, tax-deductible donation to the Preserve Our Parks campaign at Stater Bros. checkout stands through April 26, 2011 or they may donate online at www.preserveourparks.info. Additionally, through May 10, 2011, Coca-Cola Refreshments will donate one dollar when consumers purchase ten dollars' worth of participating Coca-Cola products at Stater Bros., including branded soft drinks, vitaminwater®, vitaminwater zero™, smartwater®, POWERADE ION4™, POWERADE ZERO™, FUZE®, DASANI® Gold Peak products, Minute Maid® products, Simply® juices and Honest Tea® products.

Preserve Our Parks directly benefits Southern California State Parks, and that partial list includes: Malibu Creek State Park and Topanga State Park in Los Angeles County; Huntington Beach, San Clemente and Crystal Cove State Parks in Orange County; Anza-Borrego, Cuyamaca Rancho and Carlsbad State Parks in San Diego County; Silverwood Lake and Chino Hills in San Bernardino County; and Lake Perris and Mount San Jacinto in Riverside County.

Moaning Caverns: Adventurer's Thrill, Claustrophobic's Nightmare

2011-03-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

by Dave Williams

A number of years ago when our boys were still kids my wife and I took them camping in Yosemite National Park and then worked our way up Highway 4 to Mark Twain country, Angels Camp in Calaveras County. Just outside of nearby Vallecito we discovered Moaning Caverns and spent a good portion of a day we will never forget for opposite reasons: Carolann and the kids had a blast, I was petrified.

Photo by Lisa Boulton

Moaning Caverns was discovered by the Miwok Indians and later, in 1851, by gold miners, but archaeological explorations into the caverns have uncovered prehistoric human remains, some of the oldest ever found in North America. The piles of human skulls and other fossilized bones were found in heaps -- right where the unlucky victims obviously fell thousands of years ago.

It gets its name from the moaning sound made by water dripping into small holes at the bottom of the "chocolate waterfall" flowstone formation, which causes a drumming sound that echoes off the cave walls and is carried by the wind through the natural entrances to the cavern.

When you visit Moaning Caverns you can start outside with a flying adventure on zip lines created for the tourist trade, which you'll see at the beginning of this video. As you continue to watch, the video takes you on a tour deep into the bowels of California's Gold Country, a couple hundred feet below the surface, where intrepid tourist adventurers squeeze themselves through narrow paths and cracks in the rock to reach the grand cavern floor at the bottom.

Our family didn't do any rappelling, we just took the "easy" guided walking tour down hundreds of steps, but about halfway down my pounding heart and heaving lungs couldn't let me press on. I was in a full-blown claustrophobic panic and had to scramble my way to the surface while my wife and kids pointed and laughed as they continued their descent. Upon my exit from the hole I told the man selling the guided tours I just couldn't hack it. He was nice enough to give me a refund but when I said, "I guess this happens to a lot of people, huh?" He thought for a second, smiled nicely and replied, "No, not really."

Watch this and decide for yourself. Are you man or woman enough to explore Moaning Caverns?

Nor Cal's Black Butte Lake campgrounds open April 1

2011-03-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

ORLAND, Calif. – Black Butte Lake is set to open the summer camping season April 1. Day use fees will remain the same at $4. Fees for individual campsites at Black Butte Lake will increase to $18 per night, the first increase since 2006.

Orland Buttes group campground fees will increase from $90 to $100, and Buckhorn group campground fees will increase from $120 to $150. The boat ramp at the Buckhorn group site remains under construction and is expected to open in mid-April.

"Our visitors will really enjoy all the improvements we’ve made to the park over the past year, like new restrooms and new playgrounds," said Mary Ann Deeming, park ranger at Black Butte Lake. "Even with this increase in fees, our lake remains one of the best value camping spots in the area."

Individual and group campsites in both areas can be reserved in advance for dates after April 1 by calling the National Recreation Reservation Service at 877-444-6777, or online at www.Recreation.gov.

Questions about Black Butte Lake may be directed to the park office at 530-865-4781. Black Butte Lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District.

Proposal for water park near Cachuma Lake gets early approval

2011-03-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

Cautiously enthusiastic, Santa Barbara County Supervisors have voted to conduct a feasibility study and hold public hearings on a proposal to build a water park near the campground and RV park at Lake Cachuma. According to the Lompoc Record, the project would cost an estimated 3.5 million dollars with a completion date possibly as early as 2013.

County deputy parks director Brian Roney said it would give some of the park's 720,000 annual visitors a much needed place to cool off during hot summer months. The park currently has two small public swimming pools which can only accommodate 40 - 50 people at a time. Swimming is prohibited in the lake because it serves as the public water supply for much of the county.

Roney says the plan would create a modest size water park rather than a large, Raging Rivers type facility. It would include a lazy river, a toddler's pool, a large jungle gym with some medium size water slides and perhaps one ride.

Earth Day at California State Parks

2011-03-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

This email was sent to blogger Bob Difley from the California State Parks Foundation about the upcoming Earth Day:

Dear Bob,
On Saturday, April 16th thousands of Californians will gather together at their local state park to mend fences, plant native trees, restore trails and wildlife habitats, clean beaches, and more. Why? Because they will be participating in CSPF's Annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup presented by PG&E.

Will you join them?

This is the 14th year we have held Earth Day as a way to show our commitment to our planet and our parks, and 2011 is the 10th year of our partnership with PG&E. We have environmental improvement projects planned at 36 state parks across California, and we need volunteers.

Last year thousands of volunteers statewide pitched in; and this year we hope for even more. In a time of budget cuts and staff shortfalls, Earth Day provides an opportunity to get involved in your local community, while helping state parks with long overdue maintenance and improvement projects. Please take a look at the 36 project sites throughout California and come out and join us at a park near you!

We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Goldstein
President

Stroll through Gold Rush history in Old Sacramento

2011-03-18T11:06:00.000-07:00

by Dave Williams

As a Sacramento native I can tell you without hesitation and with total, if biased, objectivity that a day spent visiting historic Old Sacramento is one your family will never forget.

Front Street, Old Sacramento

Unlike any other "old town" in the West, this unique 28-acre National Historic Landmark District and State Historic Park is snuggled alongside the beautiful Sacramento River. Bustling with activity, the district is alive with shopping, riverfront dining, entertainment, historical attractions and world-renowned museums set among the original cobblestone streets and Gold Rush-era brick and wood landmarks. Here, you will find a 15-foot bronze statue at the western terminus of the Pony Express as well as the world-famous California State Railroad Museum and underground tours.

The Delta King original paddlewheel hotel

Every Memorial Day Weekend Old Sacramento challenges Disneyland for its claim to being "the happiest place on Earth" when the internationally renowned Sacramento Jazz Festival brings the best traditional jazz musicians in the world to the state capital. This year more than 70 bands will blast their way through 450 sets of toe-tappin', cakewalkin' fun along the riverfront and within walking distance of major hotels. Old Sacramento is just a short drive for RVers hooked up at the nearby West Sacramento/Old Town KOA across the river. Cal Expo RV Park is a mere 15-minute drive.

SacJazz.com

If you're coming in for the Jazz Festival make your reservations asap. For information on other special events, activities and the history of what was originally known as Sutter's Embarcadero, visit the official website.

Then, bring the family for at least one full day in Old Sacramento. The memories will last you a lifetime.

California travel guide, magazine and map yours for the asking

2011-03-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

Whether you live in California or are planning a family RV trip to the Golden State, here's a resource worth having and it's absolutely free.

The new 204-page edition of the 2011 Official California State Visitor's Guide and Road Trips magazine includes 36 all-new trip ideas with detailed planning maps and stunning photography. Readers also get a free pull-out Official State Map with all-new roundups of California destinations and activities.

The 2011 Official California State Visitor's Guide and Road Trips magazine, is available free online or by mail, at www.visitcalifornia.com/Visitors-Guide/

Help keep California State parks open

2011-03-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

I received the following message from the California State Parks Foundation. It speaks for itself.

Dear Bob,

On Tuesday, March 22, over 150 park supporters from throughout California will walk the halls of the state Capitol to advocate in support of our state parks. And they need YOUR help to lobby for protecting state parks and keeping our parks open.

Although you may not be able to make it to Sacramento, you can add your voice to the chorus of park supporters that are participating in Park Advocacy Day. Please take a moment to send your message of support. Your fellow park advocates will deliver the letters on your behalf when they meet directly with your state Assemblymember and Senator during Park Advocacy Day.

By taking action, your letters will help send a powerful message to your legislators about their constituents’ support for legislation benefiting state parks. Sending your message will take only a couple minutes and will have a tremendous impact on our efforts at Park Advocacy Day.

Thank you in advance for being a virtual participant in Park Advocacy Day 2011!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Goldstein
President

The spring gold rush to Daffodil Hill

2011-03-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

Daffodil Hill

There is no place on Earth like Northern California in the spring. The sky is scrubbed clean by recent and frequent rains. The winter chill hangs low in the morning but midday brings a shirt-sleeves and shorts climate to the gold country.

California State Highway 49 was named for the historic Gold Rush of 1849. Unofficially yet famously called The Gold Rush Trail, it stretches along the Sierra Nevada foothills from southwest of Yosemite National Park to the northeasternmost corner of the state. It meanders through some 300 miles of the most beautiful and historic land in the West.

Less than an hour's drive from California's capitol, Highway 49 passes through an array of mining towns with names that spring from historical texts including Sutter Creek, named after the man whose nearby lumber mill was the gold discovery site in 1848. People still pan gold from the rivers and streams of the region but these days the main Gold Rush is the annual spring pilgrimage of tourists to nearby Daffodil Hill.

Daffodil Hill is in a beautiful alpine setting at an elevation of over 3,000 feet. With pine trees, an old barn, wagon wheels, rusting mining equipment and farming tools, the flowers are everywhere, some three-hundred thousand of them. Here, pea-fowl, chickens, pigeons and lambs make themselves at home because it is their home. Daffodil Hill is a working ranch still owned and operated by the McClaughlin family which planted the first bulbs into this ground in 1887.

Nature sets the schedule for public viewing. Daffodil Hill is a nonprofit and non-commercial tourist favorite which is neither formally promoted nor publicized. The grounds are opened to the public when twenty-five percent of the flowers are in bloom and closes when only twenty-five percent remain.

300,000 daffodils

The time to visit Daffodil Hill is the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April. It's the only time of year you can visit Daffodil Hill without a personal invitation from the McLaughlins.

As of March 10, 2011, the anticipated public opening of Daffodil Hill is Saturday, March 18th. Give it another week or two for maximum blooms.

For the most recently updated visitation schedule phone (209) 296-7048.

Buy two nights, get one free in beautiful SLO County

2011-03-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Coastal Dunes RV Park

Whether you are visiting California or have spent your entire life here the Golden State is a tough place to earn a vacation these days. With the price of gas threatening to rocket through the historic high of $4.11 a gallon in July 2008, traveling the distances required to see California in its breathtaking variety of natural wonders is a daunting prospect. Campgrounds and RV parks aren't cheap here, either, when compared to other states. And so, we choose our destinations wisely and jump on bargains when we find them.

Oceano Campground

San Luis Obispo County is now offering visitors an early spring discount of one free night with the purchase of two at five county-operated campgrounds on or near the Central California Coast: Coastal Dunes RV Park, Santa Margarita Lake, Lopez Lake, El Chorro Regional Park, and Oceano Campground.

For more information and reservations, phone 805 781-5930 and mention promo code WB2011S. Hurry! The offer is valid through March and April 2011 only, on an availability basis.

Explore Monterey with new, free app

2011-03-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

Tech-savvy travelers can now have the very best of Monterey County at their fingertips with the new mobile application, “Explore Monterey.” A free download for Android, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, “Explore Monterey” is the official mobile application for Monterey County, complete with maps, visitors guide details and county-wide information spanning Moss Landing to Big Sur.

“Explore Monterey” is an instant source for dining, wine, things to do, shopping, outdoor activities, scenic drives, lodging, events and services. Designed with ease of use in mind, the app features map functions, a “What’s Near Me” button that presents businesses within a 10 mile radius, photos and links to further visitor information.

The fastest way to get “Explore Monterey” on your device is to search “Explore Monterey” in the Android Market or Apple Store, providing a free and direct download.

See the monarch butterflies at Pismo Beach before they migrate

2011-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

The Monarch butterflies that migrate each year spend a lot of their time at The Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, the largest butterfly grove in California, where about 25,000 gather in the eucalyptus trees between November and February.

But hurry if you want to see them as they will soon migrate on. The Monarch Butterfly Grove is located in North Beach Campground just off Highway One in Oceano just south of Pismo Beach. While some monarchs can be observed feeding on low-growing plants or consummating their courtship on the ground, the vast majority are clustered on branches in the trees, so a spotting scope, binoculars, or a long-lens camera are useful for close up views.

March: North Coast Whale Festivals

2011-02-25T06:53:00.000-08:00

Every year in December an estimated 20,000 gray whales begin their annual migration north from the calving lagoons of Baja. By March they can be seen in large pods off the California coast and it is cause for celebration in three of the north state's most beloved communities along a thirteen mile stretch of Highway 1.

This year's Mendocino Whale Festival will begin the festivities March 5th and 6th with wineries setting up tasting stations in inns, galleries and shops throughout Mendocino Village and Little River, while the area’s top chefs produce their favorite seafood chowders in a tasting event. A marine mammal art exhibit, outdoor painting demonstrations, and docent-led walks are all part of the two-day festival.

Mendocino Village

The following weekend, March 12th and 13th the whale-watching wine and food party will move three miles south of Mendocino to the tiny region of restaurants and B&Bs known as Little River.

North of Mendocino, Fort Bragg gets its turn to highlight whale-watching season the weekend of March 19th and 20th with microbrew and food tasting, whale-watching cruises, hikes and horseback expeditions, an art exhibit, crafts fair and 5k and 10k competitive and fun runs/walks.

Avenue of the Giants' road projects alarm environmentalists

2011-02-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

The state Transportation Department wants to widen four bridges on a scenic stretch of road through Northern California redwoods, but environmentalists fear that the project could harm trees and wildlife.

The department will soon release an impact report on the road work planned for the Avenue of the Giants, which runs through Humboldt Redwoods State Park in southern Humboldt County, and is expected to deal with possible effects to the habitat for protected marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls. The report also says work would be near the roots of old-growth redwoods.

Environmentalists already are opposing another project to widen Highway 101 at Richardson Grove--where the road barely fits between towering redwoods that crowd the highway--over concerns about damaging redwoods.

Transportation officials have scheduled a meeting for Monday, February 28th at the park's visitor center to discuss the project.

Angels Camp: "Flies, Dan'l, flies!"...

2011-02-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

...and quicker'n you could wink, he'd spring straight up, and snake a fly off'n the counter...

So goes Mark Twain's famous tale, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

The story is pure fabrication but Calaveras County does exist, as does the tiny Gold Rush-era mining town of Angels Camp, in which the fable is set. Nestled in the Sierra Foothills between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, a scenic and historic hour-and-a-half drive from Sacramento, the town of barely 3,000 people blossoms with its wildflowers every spring when it becomes home to the world-renowned Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee.


Larry the Cable Guy

This year's event will be held the weekend of May 19-21 and will feature all the traditional activities of a small-town county fair: carnival, rodeo, livestock judging, auto racing and much more.

The big event, of course, is the frog jumping competition which has been known to draw as many as four thousand contestants, including a celebrity or two.

Mark Twain's Cabin

There are three RV parks in the area and quite a few motels, too.

While you're in the neighborhood you really should take time to see some of the natural wonders like California Cavern, Moaning Cavern and historic locations including the Mark Twain Cabin at nearby Jackass Hill. It was here that Sam Clemens began writing the legend of a frog named Dan'l Webster and the heritage of Angels Camp, California.
Photos courtesy of Frogtown . org

April: Three Rivers Jazz Affair 2011

2011-02-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Traditional jazz is America's original art form, celebrated worldwide as the happiest music on Earth.

For three days each spring some of the finest jazz musicians in the country make their way to Three Rivers, California, the little town known as the Gateway to Sequoia National Park. This year's Jazz Affair, as the festival is known, features nine internationally-acclaimed trad jazz bands from Connecticut to San Francisco, St. Louis and Three Rivers' own world-famous High Sierra Jazz Band.

Brett Stamps, Cornet Chop Suey

Three Rivers is RV friendly.

There are several nice RV parks in the area and one of the primary music venues of the Jazz Affair offers a large, inexpensive dry camp where you can park your rig and walk to the music, food and bar.

Jazz Affair 2011 is April 8, 9, and 10. For more information including admission, maps and information about local lodging, restaurants, side tours to Sequoia National Park and much more, please visit: http://www.jazzaffair.info

Dave Ruffner, Blue Street Jazz Band

For information about nearby RV parks, we recommend RV Park Reviews

NOTICE! Private RV parks are a short ride to the music venues but not close enough to walk. If you have a motorhome without a toad you should make plans to stay in the festival dry camp or rent a car in Visalia before you arrive.

Kaweah River RV Park, Three Rivers, CA.

Pictures by Dave Williams

Should California state parks consider private alternatives to closures?

2011-02-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

California's continuing budget dilemma is again raising the specter of closing state parks. John Koeberer, CEO and co-owner of the California Parks Company and former chairman of the State Chamber of Commerce, wrote an op-ed piece in the Napa Valley Register that private alternatives should be considered before closure of any parks.

With the failure of Propsition 21 in last November's ballot to fund parks with an increase in vehicle license fees, voters have said no new taxes. Koebere suggested the following solutions:

"• Assess state parks. As a park professional, it is difficult for me to even mouth this, but some parks don’t belong in the state park system. Most of these are the smallest of our parks. They lack any semblance of statewide historical, natural, cultural, recreational or economic significance and were often added in response to political influence or when funding was more available. California needs an independent task force (similar to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission) to assess which parks should be retained and which should be mothballed until times are better. The task force might also recommend parks for adoption by nonprofits, local park districts or other sympathetic entities. The potential savings from this assessment could be substantial.

"• Private management. Many parks could be packaged regionally for private-sector management, while others have sufficient real or potential revenues to be managed privately on their own. Private enterprise has demonstrated itself capable of operating parks, on average 30 percent less than it costs government to do so at comparable standards. Under this scenario, supervision and protection (public safety and natural resources) would remain under the direction of state park personnel. Functions like maintenance, janitorial, fee collection, interpretation and limited security services could be assumed by private contractors. These represent the lion’s share of the overall costs to keep parks open. There are many examples of this working at public parks across the country. The savings (both human and financial) at these privately operated parks could make it easier to fund parks still operated directly by the California State Parks.

"• Generate new revenue. Many privately managed approaches can raise funds for parks, such as: automated 24/7 fee collection at park entrances, parking lots and showers; privately owned and managed portable tent cabins, park models, yurts and other forms of alternative camping; special events (such as concerts, competitions and spectator events); and new types of tours, recreational and interpretive programs that appeal to new audiences of park users. To its credit, California State Parks is now studying some of these; however, a top-to-bottom review of outdated policies could result in considerable gains, such as at Hearst Castle where significant revenue is lost because of current approaches. More revenue to the state can be generated without additional investment by state government. In many cases, existing concessionaires would be willing to invest privately to expand their operations in ways that increase revenue to the state, sustain and improve upon the park experience and preserve park values.

"• Seek concessionaire solutions. It is in the DNA of entrepreneurs to invent new ways to stimulate revenue. Do that by challenging state park concessionaires to propose revenue-producing ideas and programs appropriate to the parks. Private capital will flow when opportunities for return on investment are given. These private investments could convert to state ownership upon contract expiration, providing even greater revenue to the state when those contracts are rebid.

"• Reinvent state parks. Considering that old approaches aren’t working, it’s time for a fresh start. Take this opportunity to review and reinvent how state parks are managed and operated. Major U.S. corporations and nonprofit organizations stay competitive, vital and relevant by employing private consultants. The same approach could benefit state parks."

Koeberer says that these private-sector approaches can be accomplished at little to no cost, and that if the public and politicians have the political will to consider new private approaches to the state parks, that "park closures and deteriorated parks need not be inevitable."

What do you think? Is this the way to save our parks?

Check out Bob Difley's Boondocking and Snowbird Guide eBooks at RVbookstore.com

iPhone App Guides State Park Visitors

2011-02-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) has announced the release of its new iPhone application “CalParks.” The free app allows users to take trail guide information with them while they explore state parks and beaches across California. To develop and launch the app, CSPF partnered with EveryTrail, the leading online and mobile travel technology company.

The CalParks app offers visitors a detailed, media-rich, interactive, and location-aware experience, complete with Guides to over 45 parks. It is light-weight and always up-to-date with the latest park information. Users can download the app in the App Store today or find it on iTunes.

New exhibit shows how fruit labels sold the "California dream"

2011-02-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento will debut a new exhibit titled “Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & the California Dream” on Friday, March 4. More than 80 iconic fruit crate art labels from the 1880s through the early 1950s will be on display as part of the visually powerful exhibit. Chosen from the museum’s collection and from the California State Library, the striking crate labels portray vibrant hues and whimsical motifs that romanticized life in the Golden State and served as an alluring call to “Go West.”

Beginning in the 1840s, early railroads experimented with shipments of perishables cooled by ice. In the decades after 1869, when the Transcontinental Railroad connected West with East, techniques for cooling insulated wooden railroad cars—using ice—were perfected. Suddenly a vast new market opened up for California’s farmers. As the primary means of transport, the railroad was instrumental in the early expansion and success of the Golden State’s agriculture industry. But along with sharing luscious fresh produce with new markets, these refrigerated cars (known as “reefers” in railroad slang) inadvertently delivered something more to a wider population—the California Dream.

FILLED WITH FRESH CALIFORNIA PRODUCE, wooden shipping crates were identified on their exteriors by artistically and fantastically designed labels. Dripping with color, these labels communicated the powerful allure of the Golden State. Many labels depicted verdant fields and idyllic pastoral scenes, subtly suggesting that California was a magical place – a place where it was always sunny and the grass was somehow greener.

Visitors to the new “Pick Me!” exhibit will enjoy seeing the impressive label collection and exploring how fruit crate art developed over time as a graphic art form, a printing technique and a means of marketing. Additionally, this exhibit will explore the mechanics of how ice was packed into the top hatch of each “reefer” car to keep it cool in this era before mechanical refrigeration. Using magnetic cut-outs of typical label design elements, children and adults alike will also have a hands-on opportunity to design a label of their own and are encouraged to bring a camera to capture their creations.

Located inside the Museum’s restored 1924 Fruit Growers Express Refrigerator Car and along its re- created loading dock/icing station, “Pick Me! Fruit Crate Art & the California Dream” will remain on display through March 30, 2012.

Plumas-Eureka State Park to Close--temporarily

2011-01-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

California's Plumas-Eureka State Park, located in the Sierra near Graeagle, will be partially closed this summer to allow for a cleanup of hazardous materials.

Parts of the park will remain open, but the campground, museum area, and other selected sites throughout the park will temporarily be closed for clean-up.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has initiated a remediation effort to remove toxic materials, a legacy left behind from the days when the site was a working gold mine. Soils within certain areas of the park were found to be contaminated with arsenic, lead and mercury at actionable levels above federal standards.

The work will begin immediately after the spring thaw and will likely proceed into the fall. Should the work proceed without unforeseen problems and be completed sooner, State Parks will reopen portions of the park as soon as possible. The campground will be the first site treated, in an effort to allow camping to resume as soon as possible.

Plumas-Eureka State Park is the site of a historic hard-rock gold mining operation and was a major producer of gold in the late 1800s. State Parks acquired the site as a park in 1959, inheriting 4,000 acres of a high Sierra forested watershed, but also a legacy of historic mine tailings left from the milling process.

Visitors holding reservations will be contacted by Reserve America’s Customer Service to transfer their reservation to another date or another park, pending availability. If your reservation cannot be transferred, it will be cancelled and a full refund issued.

Gold Bluff Beach campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park closes for season

2010-12-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

"Redwood National and State Parks Superintendent Jeff Bomke has announced that the Gold Bluffs Beach Campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park will be closed through May 1", reports the Times-Standard that serves Eureka and California's north coast.

The isolated and wind swept primitive campground, which is part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, is lightly used during the winter, which also makes it an attractive back-to-nature camping option. Set along the beach, resident Roosevelt elk regularly graze on the grass growing from the low dunes. Davison Road to the Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon, however, will remain open to the public through the winter.

But with cutbacks in the state park system, staffing shortages made the park unable to provide an acceptable level of service to the remote campground without compromising the operations of other, more heavily used campgrounds.

The Elk Prairie Campground in the park and the Jedediah Smith Campground in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park will remain open through the winter. Both campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis through the winter season. No reservations are required.

For up-to-date information on all roads, trails and campgrounds within Redwood National and State Parks, call 707-465-7335, or visit the parks' website, www.nps.gov/redw.

Check out Bob Difley's Boondocking and Snowbird Guide eBooks at RVbookstore.com

California 2011 travel planner now available

2010-12-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

The California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) has released its 2011 California Official State Visitor's Guide and Travel Planner, a valuable guide to planning a California getaway.

"Our annual Visitor's Guide is both a glossy travel magazine with compelling editorial, and a practical detailed guidebook," said Caroline Beteta, CTTC president and CEO. "Visitors will find the best ways to explore the wonders of the Golden State, from our glorious beaches and mountains, lush wine country and abundant farmlands to dramatic deserts, dynamic cities and fun ways to play."

The revised, 204-page edition, distributed free to visitors around the world, includes 36 all-new trip ideas with detailed planning maps and color photography. Plus, each page reveals where locals go to discover, enjoy and play throughout the state, making the 2011 Visitor's Guide a valuable travel tool for exploring California's 12 distinct regions, each with its own unique character and attractions. Readers will also get a free pull-out Official State Map with all-new roundups of California discoveries - wet and wild theme park rides, surfing hot spots, elegant missions and much more.

The 2011 Visitor's Guide also includes full-color features on activities and destinations, including adventures along the Central Coast; perfect San Francisco and L.A. vacations for three types of travelers: newlyweds, young families and empty nesters; hidden gems in California's High Sierra trio of national parks - Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon; pet-friendly fun in picture-perfect Carmel; and favorite local foods, artisanal products and award-winning wines from the editors at Sunset magazine.

For more information about CTTC and for a free California Visitor's Guide as well as California Road Trips 2011, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com.

California campground closed due to the plague

2010-11-20T15:43:00.000-08:00

A ground squirrel found to be carrying "the plague" has prompted the closure of the Los Alamos Campground in the Angeles National Forest.

The park was officially shut down on Saturday and will remain closed for at least ten days while officials dust area squirrel burrows for fleas in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease.

The plague spreads when infected rodents are bitten by fleas, who then go on to bite humans, passing along a bacteria that can bring on a severe fever, the chills, and a blood infection. In rare occasions, it can also lead to the pneumonic plague and possibly even death.

One form of "the plague"--which sounds like the name of a B-movie--is the bubonic variety that spread across Europe in the 14th century, killing in excess of 25 million people.

But health officials have been quick to point out that there have been only four cases of plague in Los Angeles County since 1984, and none of those were fatal. But just to be sure, they recommend visitors to the Angeles National Forest avoid having squirrels and chipmunks to dinner while visiting the park, and wear insect repellent, preferably with DEET, to keep fleas away.

So now, in addition to bears, mountain lions, moose, skunks, and fire ants, we can add squirrels, chipmunks, and fleas to the dangers of heading out into the wilderness to go camping.

Forest Service waives fees on Veterans Day Nov. 11

2010-11-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., November 1, 2010 — In honor of America’s Veterans and Armed Services personnel, Thursday, November 11, will be a “Fee Free Day” on the national forests in Southern California. The National Forest Adventure Pass will not be required for visitors recreating in the San Bernardino, Angeles (photo), Cleveland and Los Padres National Forests.

The Forest Service is working to ensure as many visitors as possible have the opportunity to experience the great outdoors and take advantage of the many recreational activities America’s national forests and grasslands have to offer.

“By waiving fees, the Forest Service hopes everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonder and rejuvenation of recreation on national forests and grasslands, while also honoring our country’s veterans,” said Southern California Recreation Fee Program Manager Al Colby.

The Veterans Day Free Day is observed each year on November 11, regardless of the day of the week. In addition to Veterans Day, the Southern California national forests also waive fees on National Trails Day in June and National Public Lands Day in September.

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A Halloween trick and treat: Colonel Allensworth SHP Ghost Tours

2010-10-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

On October 29th, Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park will offer a lantern light ghost tour of the century old town of Allensworth. The Park preserves the only town in California founded, built, and populated by African Americans and is the only State Park in Tulare County.

While walking through the inky darkness with the creatures of the night, visitors will hear stories of unexplained noises and strange happenings in and around the historic buildings. The Porterville Ghost Society will be available to show how their equipment and devices are used to detect paranormal activity attached to the home of Colonel Allensworth along with other homes of the community. This will be a unique experience for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of this isolated town and has a desire to do something a little out of the ordinary.

The tours will begin at 8:30pm and 10:30pm. Visitors will meet at the visitor center parking lot. Wear good walking shoes, bring water, and layered clothing, just in case you feel a “chill”. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own flashlights and a vivid imagination. There will be a Halloween treat at the end of the tour at the historic Allensworth hotel. These are walking tours that will take approximately 90 minutes. Tour fees are $10.00 per person, children 12 and under are free. Fees will be collected at the entrance station upon arrival. For questions, directions, or more information, please contact the park (see below).

Contact: Steve Ptomey or Jerelyn Oliveira at 661-849-3433

Email Address: sptomey@parks.ca.gov or joliveira@parks.ca.gov

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Landmark decision on solar farms on public land

2010-10-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

A big deal in alternative energy happened on Tuesday when Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, announced two new solar energy projects to be installed on public lands. This is the first, after years of efforts, that solar projects like these have been permitted on public land.

A Chevron owned project will build solar PV panels on 422 acres in the Lucerne Valley of San Bernardino County in Southern California. The project will have a "green screen" designed to camouflage its appearance and to keep dust down. The 45 megawatt project will also create 48 jobs, according to Chevron and BLM.

The other project in the Imperial Valley belongs to Tessera. the Arizona based company will construct a solar dish array on 6360 acres the BLM oversees in Imperial County. Tessera and BLM anticipate the 709 megawatt project will generate nearly 900 new jobs.

Environmental organizations like Defenders of Wildlife and The Wilderness Society are jumping onboard, as is the Natural Resources Defence Council's Johanna Wald, who stated: “Chevron’s Lucerne Valley solar project is a great example of a project that’s smart from the start. The project fits the bill because, as a result of careful planning up front, its site has high solar potential, is close to existing roads and transmission, and avoids sensitive wildlife areas and other vital natural resources.

"Although the Tessera Solar project site in Imperial Valley met some of NRDC’s criteria, it initially posed resource and technology issues. Today, it serves as an example of what can be accomplished when parties are committed to finding solutions to such issues. During the federal and state reviews Tessera Solar moved the project out of sensitive desert washes, scaling it back to 709-megawatts, to reduce important impacts. Tessera Solar then sat down with NRDC and our conservation partners and agreed to develop the project in two distinct stages and other measures, all of which went above and beyond the requirements imposed by state and federal regulators."

Check out Bob Difley's eBooks at RVbookstore.com

Halloween performances return to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

2010-09-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

“Séance at the Seeley Stable. Is Anybody There?”

Would you like to meet “real” ghosts and learn their stories? Come to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to hear scary, funny, and tragic stories of people who once lived in early San Diego during the 1800s. Meet the spirit of Hippolyte Bouchard, but don’t call him a pirate or he will react! Is Joaquin Murietta still looking for his head? Is that ghostly stagecoach driver Charley or Charlotte? These are the comic and tragic stories of people who lived in California long ago. You will be present at a “séance” led by Madam Stolichnaya as she attempts to summon “real live” ghosts who will tell their stories in a fun and spooky way.

Tickets are $10 each for adults and $5.00 for children 12 to 18. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the Robinson-Rose Visitor Information Center and the Seeley Stable. Advance reservations may be made through the Internet at www.brownpapertickets/event/128125 . Tickets purchased through Brown Paper Tickets will receive a discount.

Ticket holders will be entitled to a onetime 20% discount on food at the newly restored historic Cosmopolitan Restaurant.

Performances are limited to 35 people. Two performances will be offered on the nights of October 15,16,22,23,29,30,and 31. The first performance begins at 6:30 PM and the second performance begins at 7:30 PM. It is strongly recommended that you be at the Seeley Stable approximately 15 minutes before the start of the performance. Children under age 12 will not be admitted.

Information:
Performance Name: “Séance at the Seeley Stable. Is Anybody There?”
Event Dates: October 15,16,22,23,29,30, and 31.
Event Times: Performances at 6:30 and 7:30 PM. Please be at the Seeley Stable at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. No one will be admitted after the performance has begun.
Maximum: 35 people per performance
Cost: Adults: $10 per ticket; Children 12 to 18: $5.00.
Performance Length: 1 hour.
Tickets: Seeley Stable at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Tickets are only available on the day of the performance on a first-come-first-served basis. Advance reservations are only available through Brown Paper Tickets.
Reservations: www.brownpapertickets/event/128125
Information: 619-220-5422
Webpage: www.parks.ca.gov/oldtownsandiego

California campgrounds, RV parks offer special $50 deal

2010-09-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Nearly 50 private California campgrounds and RV parks from San Diego to Crescent City plan to offer two nights of camping for $50 on the first weekend of October.

“Our members offer this promotion to boost shoulder season camping and to entice consumers who have never camped before,” said Verna Wiseman, director of communications for the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, which organized the promotion. Here’s a sampling of participating parks by region:

San Francisco and the North Coast
Crescent City Redwoods KOA, Crescent City
Kamp Klamath RV Park & Campground, Klamath
Mirabel Trailer Park & Campground, Santa Rosa
Novato RV Park, Novato
Sportsman’s RV Park, Fort Bragg

Shasta – Cascade Region
Fawndale Oaks RV Park, Redding
Mountain Gate RV Park, Redding
Old Lewiston Bridge RV Resort, Lewiston

Central Valley
Bakersfield Palms RV Park, Bakersfield
Flag City RV Resort, Lodi
Merced River RV Park, Delhi
New Horizons Mobile RV Park, Fresno
Two Rivers RV Park, Manteca
Vineyard RV Park, Vacaville

Gold Country and High Sierra
Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park & Marina
Clio’s Rivers Edge RV Park
Coachland RV Park
Frandy Park
Meadowcliff RV Resort
Movin’ West RV Park
Paradise Shores RV Park
Tahoe Valley Campground
Wishon Village

Los Angeles
Acton Los Angeles North KOA
Valencia Travel Village

Inland Empire
Anza RV Resort, Inc., Anza
Golden Village Palms RV Resort, Hemet
Pine Tree RV Park, Big Bear Lake

Deserts
Big River RV Park, Big River (near Parker, Ariz.)
Black Meadow Landing, Parker Dam
Emerald Desert Golf & RV Resort, Palm Desert
Fountain of Youth Spa, Niland
Shadow Hills RV Resort, Indio
The Springs at Borrego, Borrego Springs

San Diego Area
Bernardo Shores, Coronado
Champagne Lakes RV Resort, Escondido
Circle RV Resort, El Cajon
Escondido RV Resort, Escondino
Oak Creek RV Resort, El Cajon
Rancho Los Coches RV Park, Lakeside
Sacred Rocks Reserve, Boulevard
San Diego RV Resort, La Mesa
Vacationer RV Resort, El Cajon

Listings of private campgrounds, online reservation requests and other camping-related information is available at Camp-California.com.

Fall canoe tours offered in the delta

2010-09-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

NOTE: On September 13, the state parks announced that they were postponing the Fall Canoe trips (below) until Spring of 2011.

California State Parks is again offering guided canoe tours of the Delta area in Central California. Explore one of the few remaining natural islands in the Delta on canoe tours of the Delta Meadows River Park area, which is located near the towns of Locke and Walnut Grove, about 28 miles south of Sacramento.

Learn a few basic canoeing skills, and then explore the area looking for otter, beaver, muskrat, birds, and other wildlife.

The 2010 fall tour season will run from September 18 until October 30. One tour is offered each Saturday, at 10 a.m. Tours last between two and three hours.
These tours fill up quickly, so call the Brannan Island State Recreation Area at (916) 777-7701 for reservations now. There is a $20 fee for each tour.

Toxic RV tank chemical bill in Callifornia legislature

2010-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

The type of chemical you add to your RV's black water tank may soon be not just about personal preference but about the law.

A bill currently in the California Legislature, AB 1824, would prohibit the use of nonbiodegradable toxic chemicals in a chemical toilet, RV, or waste facility of a vessel. The bill also prohibits the sale in California of any product containing these chemicals that is labeled for use in a septic holding tank or chemical toilet. The banned chemicals specified in the bill are:

(A) 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, commonly known as bronopol.
(B) 1-(3-chlorallyl)-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride,
commonly known as dowicil.
(C) Formaldehyde.
(D) Glutaraldehyde.
(E) Para-formaldehyde.
(F) Para-dichlorobenzene.

The bill also allows other nonbiodegradable toxic chemicals to be added to the ban list.

If you are a California resident, you may wish to contact your state representatives and voice your opinion. The bill is almost completely through the legislative process, and it appears very likely that it will pass and eventually become law. The jury is still out on how such a law could actually be enforced or how it would affect RV travelers from out of state.

Full text of the bill is available at www.aroundthecapitol.com/Bills/AB_1824.

SOURCE: Escapees Press Release and RVtravel.com.

California camping guide expands coverage

2010-07-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

No longer limiting itself to its affiliated campgrounds, the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds is now promoting state, federal and locally-run parks as well as privately owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts in the Camp-California! Guide. The camper’s guide to California has tripled its database with the addition of both government-run campgrounds and private campgrounds that are not affiliated with the statewide campground association.

The additions, completed in May, increased Camp-California!’s database from 350 parks to more than 1,000, with a digital version of the guide available now at Camp-California.com. Approximately 250,000 copies of the four-color print edition are being distributed free of charge at visitor’s centers, California Welcome Centers and RV shows throughout the state. Consumers can also request their own free copy by sending an e-mail to info@camp-california.com.

Photo courtesy KOA Kampgrounds.

Find a California State Park from your Smart Phone

2010-06-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

California State Parks has introduced a system for the last minute camper or recreation seeker that is designed to run on a broad spectrum of mobile devices and smart phones. The mobile app displays the availability of campsites from two weeks to 48 hours out. For the last minute recreation seeker, it provides additional information on activities like biking, hiking, tours, fishing and more for all State parks.

It helps visitors locate a park, make reservations, find bike trails or beach wheelchairs from the palm of their hand. In addition, visitors can check out seasonal parks, provide input to the park system on Facebook and learn about new stuff coming on Twitter. "We want to give our visitors a user friendly mobile connection to their State Parks. People lead busy lives and don’t have time to plan ahead; this lets them be spontaneous," said Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks.

To use the application, grab your mobile device or Smart Phone and go to http://m.parks.ca.gov. Pick a topic, like "Find a State Park," and then decide how to search -- by region, activity, facility or county. Within a couple of clicks, you'll have a listing of all the parks in that part of the state. When looking for a campsite, click on "Find Reservation Availability" which leads to the ReserveAmerica site and you can view places and maps to see available campsites.

Bay Area bridges jack auto rates -- trailers okay for a year

2010-06-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

OAKLAND, California -- If Tony Bennett has plans of taking his RV across any of the five county-operated Bay Bridges, he may be leaving more than just his heart in San Francisco. A rate increase slated for July 1 may mean leaving a few more dollars behind, too.

Effective July 1, vehicles with two axles (which could include some motorhomes) will see a jump in crossing fees--and throw in the mix is a new factor for some: Congestion pricing — also known as time-of-day pricing — on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which is by far the region's busiest toll bridge. Beginning July 1, two axle vehicle tolls on the Bay Bridge will vary from $4 during weekday off-peak hours, to $5 all day on Saturdays and Sundays, to $6 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. The regular two-axle toll will rise to $5 at all times on the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges.

For vehicles with more than two axles (motorhomes or rigs towing trailers), the rate increases won't catch up with you until next year. On July 1, 2011, a two-axle rig pulling a tandem axle trailer (making the unit a four axle vehicle) will see the crossing fees jump from the current $8.25 to $14.00. Evidently time of day has no effect on the rate for rigs with more than two axles. To mix it up even more, come July 2012, vehicles with more than two axles will be charged a rate of $5 per axle, making our hypothetical RV here cost $20.00 to cross.

Popular recreation area finds future in doubt

2010-06-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

North of Sacramento lies Placer County, home to one of the state's most popular recreation areas--the Auburn State Recreation Area. An area once infested with gold miners, when the gold rush calmed down, the next big rush was for electric power. In the mid-1960's, Uncle Sam's Bureau of Reclamation claimed some 35,000 acres along the North and Middle Forks of the American River.

The dam never got going, but the land was still in the hands of the government--and recreationists have found it to be a veritable natural playground, with an estimated 900,000 coming to play there each year. Since 1977, California State Parks has managed the recreational aspects of the land--but a big problem now looms: The Bureau of Reclamation, which shunts money to California says they can't afford to slice off over a million dollars a year, so they announced that they'd only fund the process until September.

A hue and cry rose up from the recreational masses. The Reclamationists backpedaled--a little. For the finance year ending this September, the Bureau has handed over $1.4 million; they say they can pay $1.1 million for one more year of operation, but say they won't do any planning with the state on park management, saying it isn't prudent in light of the lack of available funding--and too, the Bureau would simply like to get out of the business.

The whole matter leaves lovers of the Auburn SRA in a quandary. If the feds bow out, and the state park system is already in a financial shambles, who is left to manage the resource, and care for recreational needs? Some point to the the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a potential caretaker. But BLM officials say they're hard pressed enough already, caring for their already allocated holdings, and taking on the Auburn project is more than they can hack.

State Park's officials have already raised user rates in an attempt to keep the SRA a going concern; nevertheless, the increased income has fallen short of the needs. Now the dreaded words, "seasonal closures," are more and more batted around. Just who will step up to the plate remains a bureaucratic mystery.

photo: California State Parks

Wildflower sniffer? Yosemite calls!

2010-06-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

When Ferdinand the bull forsook the ring and matador, he turned his attention to smelling the flowers. Had he known of the wealth of fragrant (and perhaps, not so fragrant) blossoms in Yosemite National Park, he might well have left Madrid and headed to California.

Wildflower enthusiasts find 11,000 foot range in elevation to be a haven for a huge number of spectacular species. Did you know, for instance, that over a quarter of California's native flowers can be found right here in the middle of the Sierra Madre? Nearly 1,500 different species of flora call Yosemite home, and park officials make the most of it.

To help flower fanatics, park staff publish a web page called "Now in Bloom," tattling on where in the park flowering fauna can be found. For those new to the game, an on-line guide to the park's common wildflowers will help you identify your finds, and learn a bit more about their background.

Since there are 'so many flowers, so little time,' plan on bringing your rig and staying on in one of the park's 10 campgrounds set up to accommodate RVs. Check out their website for details. As for Ferdinand, once the bloom is over, perhaps there are other things for him to consider. After all, California stakes claim to being the home to 'happy cows.'

KOA and Jelly Belly join up for fun on Mother's Day

2010-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Jelly Belly Candy Company will team up with Kampgrounds of America on Mothers Day Weekend, May 7-8, at the Stockton Delta, California KOA Campground for a Very Jelly Belly Mother’s Day Weekend.

The Stockton Delta KOA event follows a similar successful Easter weekend event at the Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay, California KOA.

On Friday, May 7 at the Stockton Delta KOA, located at 14900 West Highway 12 just west of Lodi, the event will begin with a “Top Your Own Sundaes, Jelly Belly Style” Ice Cream Social at 7 p.m. in the campground pavilion. On Saturday, May 8, the day will begin at 10 a.m. with Jelly Bean art classes where kids can make Mom a special Jelly Belly-inspired gift. At 11, there will be a slip and slide before the kids join the iconic Jelly Belly mascot as “jumping beans” on the campground’s giant jumping pillow.

The big event comes at 2 p.m., Saturday, with the Jelly Belly cupcake decorating classes in the pavilion. The rest of the day includes other events such as Jelly Bean fishing, hay wagon rides and Kampfire Karaoke. The event wraps us Saturday evening with a outdoor showing of the movie, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

$5 RV oil change--for real

2010-04-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

CARSON, CA -- If you've taken your mammoth motorhome in for an oil change, you know just how much that can set you back. Now a California RV dealer wants to yank you into the store on a sweet deal: Just $5 for an oil change. But like everything else almost too good to be true, this offer does come with a catch.

The dealer, Altmans Winnebago of Carson, California says they'll offer $5 oil changes--including the oil filter--to the first 120 customers May 15 and 16th at their Carson dealership. If you can't make that date, then you might be one of the 60 slots open at the company's big event at the RV Expo in Colton the following weekend.

Here's the catch: You'll need to get a reservation for the service work--and as soon as the next motorhome owner reads this post, you can be sure he'll be buzzing up the wire trying to secure one of those coveted service slots. Call Altmans now at 310-518-6182.

map courtesy google.com

Italian motor tour comes to Mendocino

2010-04-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

If names like Porche, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia put a little horsepower in your blood, head over to Mendocino by the 27th of April for a taste of the famed Mille Miglia being recreated as the California Mille. It's the 20th running of this thousand mile drive, which actually covers April 26 through 29. Some 70 fast cars including those from Italy and other parts of Europe will roll into Mendocino for a two day show. The local Mendocino Hotel will host a benefit for the Mendocino Headlands State Park. A $10 admission fee will go straight to the cause--and attendees will be able to vote for their favorite vintage racer.

It's all a part of the multi-day event that will take drivers and their rigs on a thousand mile drive heading north or south from San Francisco with the objective of discovering little-known roads, time-capsule towns, and the best dining available. "We'll be re-visiting areas that have been favorites with our drivers over the years--the fantastic Lost Coast (called "California's least-developed coastline"), Honeydew (where the same bearded old-timers seem to snooze on the same bench in front of the Honeydew Country Store on Mattole Road, and the Avenue of the Giants with redwoods even older than our cars," says Martin Swig, the California Mille organizer, who drove the revived Mille Miglia from Brescia to Rome to Brescia in l982.

Swig persuaded the Italian Mille organizers to authorize an American version of their drive---not as a race but as a fast tour. "Northern California looks more Italian that Italy ," says Swig, "and it didn't take much thought to realize that our state was perfect for the re-creation of a great motoring event."

Here's a partial list of participating rigs:

1961 Alfa Romeo; 2000 Spider; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce; 1952 Allard J2X; 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super; 1939 Jaguar SS-100; 1927 Bentley; 1936 HRG; 1952 Lancia Aurelia B20S; 1952 Siata Daina Gran Sport; 1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce Lt. Wt.; 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750GS53 Siata 208S; 1957 Porsche Speedster; 1957 AC Ace-Bristol Zagato; 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL; 1956 Jaguar XK140MC ots; 1927 Bentley; 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider; 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint; 1952 Jaguar XK120 ots; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1956 Jaguar XK140MC SE; 1952 Ferrari 212 Barchetta; 1957 Chevrolet Corvette; 1955 Jaguar XK140 SE; 1955 Austin-Healey 100M; 1957 Porsche Speedster; 1937 Lancia Aprilia; 1957 Jaguar XK150; 1927 Lancia Lambda; 1953 Ferrari 340MM; 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1957 AC Aceca - Bristol coupe; 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS; 1955 Alfa Romeo 750C Berlina; 1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S; 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900SS; 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1952 Jaguar XK120 Speciale; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce; 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1954 Jaguar XK120 ots; 1960 Porsche 356; 1952 Ferrari 212 Europa Vignale cabriolet; 1957 Jaguar XK140MC; 1934 Lagonda M45; 1955 Fiat Abarth Zagato 750; 1950 Talbot-Lago T26; 1957 Alfa Romeo Spider; 1956 AC Ace - Bristol; 1958 Ferrari 250GT LWB; 1957 Porsche 356GT; 1952 MG-TD; 1939 BMW 328; 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta; 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900CS; 1957 Chevrolet Corvette; 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1927 Lancia Lambda; 1927 Alfa Romeo 1500CS; 1955 Lancia Aurelia B20S; 1954 Maserati A6GCS; 1957 AC Ace- Bristol; 1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S

While the Mendocino Headlands State Park is a day-use only park, there are numerous other campgrounds in the area. For more information on camping, visit this site.
photo Ed Callow [torquespeak] on flickr.com by creative commons license

Eastman Lake raises some camping fees

2010-03-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Fees for individual campsites at Eastman Lake’s Codorniz campground have increased $2. Rates for standard non-electric sites increased from $14 to $16. Sites with electric and water hook-ups are up $20 to $22 and sites with electric, water, and sewer hook-ups are now $24. All other camping and day use fees at Eastman remain unchanged.

The park is currently upgrading 20 Codorniz campsites with 50 amp electric service, expected to be available for use by early summer.

Eastman Lake is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District. It's nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills surrounded by grasslands and blue oaks, 23 miles northeast of Chowchilla. At maximum capacity, the lake has 1,780 surface acres and holds 150,000 acre feet of water. The lake was created by the construction of Buchanan Dam on the Chowchilla River.

The Corp of Engineers is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting more than 350 million visitors per year at more than 400 lakes and river projects.

Columbia State Historic Park celebrates 160 years!

2010-02-24T17:34:00.000-08:00

Columbia State Historic Park will celebrate its 160th birthday on Saturday, March 27, from 12 – 4 pm. The park will present live reenactments of the discovery of gold, costumed docents in venues throughout town and special town tours highlighting the town’s beginning. Refreshments will be served. The event is sponsored by Friends of Columbia State Historic Park.

The town of Columbia became instantly famous when a party of men uncovered a rich gold deposit in 1850. This discovery changed the land forever when thousands of people came to the area to “strike it rich”. Learn about Columbia’s history and why the town exists and how it grew into one of the richest Gold Rush era towns in California’s history.

Columbia State Historic Park, located in Tuolumne County, is designated as a National Historic Landmark District, and has been preserved to tell the story of the towns which arose during the California Gold Rush to serve the needs of miners. California State Parks has restored and continues to preserve over 30 of the original brick buildings along the town’s Main Street.

The Park annually hosts over 600,000 visitors, and is a major tourist destination in Tuolumne County. Its many historic-style stores and restaurants are run by over 20 concessionaires whose businesses, along with park staff and volunteers, help recreate the experience of the California Gold Rush for visitors from around the world.

Learn about Bob Difley's Boondocking and Desert eBooks at RVbookstore.com

Southern California RV resort now offers state-of-the-art dog wash

2010-02-19T08:17:00.000-08:00

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort in Newport Beach, Calif., is going to the dogs, well, sort of. The marina and RV resort has introduced a state-of-the-art dog wash that shampoos and conditions pets while treating them for fleas. The eight-minute process, which utilizes warm water and a warm blow dry, is $8.

“Newport Dunes has long been a haven for dogs. In fact, we encourage those with well-behaved pets to visit our RV park and beaches and we even have a section at the Back Bay Bistro reserved for man’s best friend,” said Andrew Theodorou, executive vice president and general manager of the Dunes. “The introduction of our new dog wash is just an extension to the services we offer for pets and their owners.”

Newport Dunes Resort features a 386-site state-of-the-art RV park and a 450-slip marina and is located at 1131 Back Bay Drive. For more information, call (949) 729-3863.

Redwoods threatened by fog--or lack thereof

2010-02-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

Among some of California's most popular RV trip routes are those leading travelers through the nearly mystical redwood forests. Sequoia sempervirens are the tallest trees on earth, some pushing 400 feet in height. With a lifespan of over two millennia, it's no wonder that visitors can only stand in awe, gazing upward at these towering giants.

But look out, the enemies of the Sequoia don't come bearing chainsaws, it looks as though nature itself may be giving new life in the redwood forests the cold shoulder. In a study released earlier this month by the University of California, Berkeley, a decline in fog may threaten new growth in the California and southern Oregon redwood forests.

"Since 1901, the average number of hours of fog along the coast in summer has dropped from 56 percent to 42 percent, which is a loss of about three hours per day," said study leader James A. Johnstone. "A cool coast and warm interior is one of the defining characteristics of California's coastal climate, but the temperature difference between the coast and interior has declined substantially in the last century, in step with the decline in summer fog."

What's the fallout from the fog falloff? Todd E. Dawson, UC Berkeley professor, is the study's co-author. Dawson warns, "As fog decreases, the mature redwoods along the coast are not likely to die outright, but there may be less recruitment of new trees; they will look elsewhere for water, high humidity and cooler temperatures," Dawson said. "What does that mean for the current redwood range and that of the plants and animals with them?"

While less fog makes for an easier time of RVing, evidently it's not so advantageous for a redwood.

For a great place to see more of the redwoods, and on where to camp with your RV, visit the National Park Service website dedicated to the redwoods.

Photo: puliarf on flickr.com under creative commons license agreement.

Santa Monica flying museum to open this spring

2010-02-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

The Museum of Flying, opening this spring, will be located in the south side of the Santa Monica Airport directly adjacent to the DC–3 Aircraft Monument and park. The museum will place heavy emphasis on Douglas Aircraft and the history of the Santa Monica Airport. Originally founded in 1974 by Donald Douglas Jr. as the Douglas Museum and Library, the museum reopened as the Museum of Flying in April of 1989. The museum gradually grew to a collection of more than 50 vintage aircraft with many still in flight–ready condition. The new museum will feature nearly two dozen aircraft chronicling the beginning of flight—from a replica Wright Flyer, all the way to the jet age, with the BD–5 micro jet and the FedEx 727 nose section. The museum will also feature a broad collection of aviation art, rare artifacts and ephemera from famous aviators.

Cougars threaten hikers in Bay Area

2010-02-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

Two men hiking in the Bay Area's Pescadero Creek County Park escaped unharmed after being confronted by two mountain lions. The men swung a stick to drive the cougars away, then walked back to their car as the animals followed them in the distance. San Mateo County officials later put out calls to all residents in the vicinity of Loma Mar and La Honda, the settlements closest to the county park, and posted warnings.

Here is what to do if you are confronted by a mountain lion:
-- Do not approach the lion.
-- Do not run.
-- Raise your arms or open your jacket to appear larger.
-- Throw objects, wave your arms and speak firmly in a loud voice.
-- Pick up small children.
-- If attacked, fight back.

23rd Annual Whale Watch Weekend at Cabrillo National Monument

2010-02-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

Each year, an estimated 20,000 gray whales in the Eastern Pacific herd return from Alaskan feeding waters to warm, shallow lagoons in Baja California to give birth and find mates. Their round trip migration is the longest of any mammal in the world.

Cabrillo National Monument will hold its 23rd annual Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Life Festival this weekend, February 6 and 7, 2010, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This educational, family-oriented event celebrates the return of migrating Pacific gray whales to Point Loma and the intertidal life found in the tide pools on the
monument’s western shore. This year’s festival will also celebrate the ribbon-cutting for the park’s new Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook and will coincide with the park’s hosting of the temporary exhibit “Sea of Cortez.”

In addition to whales and sea anemones, this weekend will feature
guest speakers, films, and a puppet show. For more information, contact Rick Jenkins at 619-523-4573 or Rick_Jenkins@nps.gov.

Shoreline camping in the desert

2010-02-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

The parade of RVs along I-8, towing every configuration of off highway vehicle imaginable between Southern CA and the Imperial sand dune recreation area, miss tiny Finney/Ramer Lakes Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area.

Though used mostly by local fishermen, it has two of the ingredients that are difficult to find anywhere: a bird refuge that has lakeshore no-frills camping.

A few miles north of the desert farm belt town of Brawley the lakes are stopovers on the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds and an ideal and protected habitat for nesting birds. Non-motorized boats for fishing can be launched from lakeshore campsites or from the boat launch.

An adjacent off-limit pond during nesting season has crags and snags crammed full of egrets, herons, and cormorants. Around the lake you can hear the raucous calls of yellow-headed and red-winged Blackbirds, see white-faced ibis in log strings flying overhead, and spot several species of ducks on the lake feeding on water plants.

There are a few miles of level dikes to walk, bike, and bird watch and a public dump station and water fill are within a quarter mile at a rest area--and it’s all free. Look for the sign and turn off from Highway 111, about 21/2 miles south of Calipatria, and immediately south of the rest area on the east side of the Highway. Turn east and follow the signs to Finney/Rameer Lakes. Just sign in, kick back in your camp chair with a fishing pole in the water, and enjoy the sunset.

Learn about Bob Difley's Boondocking and Desert Camping eBooks at RVbookstore.com

Win two free nights camping in San Diego County

2010-02-01T15:02:00.000-08:00

If you are a resident of San Diego County, here is your chance to have a say in what type of programs the parks department will plan for county parks.

Take an online survey, which will take about five minutes, which will not only get your voice heard, but all respondents will be entered in a drawing for two free nights of camping at a county park.

The survey is available at co.san-diego.ca.us/parks/news.html#surveys.

The survey will be available through the end of February.

Bridge toll fees to jump for RV owners

2010-01-29T13:25:00.000-08:00

The Bay Area Toll Authority, that has control over the seven state-run toll bridges in teh greater San Francisco Bay Area, will vote Wednesday on whether to increase tolls for multi-axle vehicles. In case that didn't get your attention, chances are if you are an RVer, you drive a multi axle vehicle--which includes trailers, fifth-wheels, and toads.

That means that you would be charged on the same basis that a commercial freight truck driver would pay.

Recreation advocates, which include boaters, campers, and recreational vehicle owners, would be gouged by a toll system that blindly bases charges on the total number of axles. Under the current system, the driver of a two-axle pickup truck towing a three-axle fifth wheel already pays the same--and unfair--$11.25 toll as a commercial big rig and trailer with five axles.

But with the rate increase, this same configuration would jump to $18 after July 20ll and $25 after July 2012. A two-axle motorhome towing a car would see a fee increase from $8.25 to $14 in July of 2011 and $20 in July of 2012.

An irony of this is fee schedule is that a motorhome could unhitch its toad before reaching the toll plaza and drive both vehicles over the bridge paying only $5 per vehicle, total $10, or half what towing it across would cost. If that make no sense to you, $20 to cross a bridge is even more senseless--unless the "rich" recreational vehicle owner is being selected to fill the coffers of the bridge department.

Toll Authority members say state law requires them to base tolls on the number of axles. The idea is that more axles means more weight and more wear and tear on highways and bridges, said Rod McMillan, the toll authority director of bridge oversight and operations. Oh yeah, my motorhome and toad inflicts the same wear and tear as a commercial big rig!

If this plan works, I can see bridge directors in other states passing their own fee increases and salivating over how many RV owners they can now soak for ridiculously high tolls.

Woman hiker missing at Point Reyes, second in two weeks

2010-01-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

Authorities say that foul play is not suspected in the disappearance Sunday of a Nicasio woman at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Search crews on Monday continued to hunt for Silvia Lange, 77, a docent beloved by hiking enthusiasts and colleagues at Angel Island State Park. She also trained dogs to become helpers with those with disabilities.

Lange has not been seen since Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon, her car was found at the North Beach parking lot at Point Reyes, triggering a search-and-rescue effort that lasted until 11 p.m. and continued all day Monday.

What triggers an alert for many is that Lange's disappearance comes two weeks after search-and-rescue crews could not find 37-year-old Katherine Truitt of Alameda at McClures Beach, also in Point Reyes, eight miles north of the North Beach area. Truitt has not been found.

"We have no evidence of foul play," says Lucas Marciniak of the San Mateo Search and Rescue team, "and no evidence to suggest a link" between the two disappearances, said Don Neubacher, superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Point Reyes National Seashore, extending out into the Pacific Ocean on a prominent peninsula north of San Francisco, is a windy, chilly place even in summer, but in winter winds can be ferocious, fog thick, and rain heavy. Winter visitors are hardy and few. Hikers may not see many others in the large and isolated park.

I have hiked many of the trails in the park, and can say from experience that it is easy for hikers to fall from a collapsing bluff, or slip into a rain swept canyon where it may be days--or weeks for isolated trails--until another person comes along and finds them.

But the other possibility should also be considered. Though foul play is not at this time being talked about, the disappearance of two women, both alone, from this park that is lightly used in winter, within two weeks of each other would be a striking coincidence.

Nevertheless, the gray whales are migrating and whale watching is excellent at Point Reyes. Visitors should not be discouraged from these wonderful sights of spouting leviathans, but caution is advised. Don't visit and hike these lonesome trails alone if you can find a companion, both for the unthinkable reason, and for the inherent trail dangers of rain, loose slippery banks, isolation, and other winter hazards of this wonderfully scenic national seaxhore.

City of Encinitas seeks Park Host

2010-01-26T14:49:00.001-08:00

The city of Encinitas Parks and Recreation Department is looking for someone to fill a Park Host job at Oakcrest Park after the previous park host retired. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 29th.

The host must agree to be in the park from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays, and most of the time on weekends. In return, the host is allowed to live rent-free in their maximum 30-foot trailer or RV at a designated spot in the park with full hookups.

The contract is for one year for either an individual or a couple, and can be renewed at the city’s option. The duties of the position include locking and unlocking restrooms and other facilities, keeping logs of activity and reporting problems to city officials or the Sheriff’s Department. The park host is responsible for enforcing some rules, such as no smoking or glass containers.

Oakcrest Park is on the south side of Encinitas Boulevard, 1.6 miles east of Interstate 5, on a grassy hill, with plenty of picnic tables and a built-in barbecue grill. Amenities include a playground and courts for basketball, boccie ball and horseshoe throwing. Dirt trails lead to an observation deck and to the Encinitas Community and Senior Center next door.

Contact Encinitas Parks and Recreation at (760) 633-2740.

Gray whales now migrating off the coast

2010-01-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

The California gray whale swims 10,000 miles each year, the longest migration of any mammal, spending about one third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California.

Along the way, these incredible animals can often be seen from the shores of Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County northwest of Sana Francisco. What drives the gray whale to undertake this incredible annual round trip from Alaska to Baja? The basics of mammal urges, food and sex.

Jutting ten miles into the Pacific Ocean, the headlands of the Point Reyes Peninsula offer one of the finest spots along the California coast to view the gray whale. The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary provides a twenty mile-wide "highway" through which the whales cruise.

Sometimes they swim well off the coast, but often traveling close in to shore, where they can easily be viewed from the high bluffs of the headland. The areas around Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse offer some of the best whale watching spots in the park.

At Point Reyes National Seashore, the peak of the southern migration usually occurs in mid-January and that of the northern migration in mid-March. Late April and early May afford the opportunity to see mothers and calves close to shore.

California State Parks needs help from voters

2010-01-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

California State Parks narrowly missed massive closures this past year due to the fiscal crisis and a diminishing budget. Hoping not to be doomed to the same fate as the Arizona State Parks, California State Parks and other organizations have created the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010.

This measure, if it receives the required 430,000 signatures, will be placed on the November 2010 ballot. This will possibly determine the destiny of the park system well into the future.

The act would add $18 to California's annual vehicle licensing fees raising about $500 million each year for state parks, wildlife, and some other projects.

The $500 million would be split 85 percent to state parks and 15 percent to the other conservation efforts,such as the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and California Tahoe Conservancy.

In return for their votes, California vehicle owners would get free day admission to all state parks, year-round, with two or three uses covering the extra license fee.

Model railroad is amazing. Watch a video

2010-01-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

If you like model railroads, you will be in railroading heaven at the Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert, California. The G scale model train garden features more than 3,000 feet of track on eight working lines over an acre.

Watch the amazing video at the bottom of this story, which was taken right from a locomotive as the model train makes a ten-minute roundtrip. At times, you will swear you are aboard a real, full-sized train.

With six different loops of track, each varying from 150 feet to over 900 feet long, the railroad has grown to an acre. The mainline train travels on 980 feet of trackHistoric scenes in the Train Garden include Mount Rushmore, Southwest cliff dwellings, a California logging and mining town, the Old Indio train station in the Coachella Valley and part of the Grand Canyon with the El Tovar Hotel.

They layout's biggest claim to fame is a hand-built trestle bridge, which is the world's longest for G-scale trains at 202 feet.

The trains are driven into a workshop each night, measuring approximately 12 x 42 feet. They are checked for any necessary repairs, cleaned, and made ready for the next day. Over the railroad's existence, volunteers have logged more than 100,000 hours and built more than 3,300 feet of track.

The Living Desert Train Garden is located at 47900 Portola Ave in Palm Desert. Trains operate from Oct 1 to June 15, normally 7 days a week.

General Admission: $11.95 less for seniors, military and children.

Seacliff State Beach campground evacuated due to high surf

2010-01-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

A winter storm passing through California's Monterey Bay area prompted lifeguards at Santa Cruz County beaches to issue high wave and surf warnings, warning surfers to stay out of the water. The storm was predicted to produce a 20-foot or higher surf.

RVers at Seacliff State Beach were urged to leave the campground Tuesday with warnings that the high surf could inundate the campground. The waves were expected to diminish by Thursday.

Another storm, possibly the largest since October, is expected next week.

A Mojave Desert original: World's tallest thermometer

2010-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

The number One Hundred And Thirty Four carries weighty significance to travelers passing through Baker, California, even though they may not know it. Add "degrees" to this number and you have the highest temperature ever recorded in North America. The small desert community of Baker at the corner of the Mojave National Preserve is the gateway to where this temperature was recorded back in 1913--Death Valley National Park.

This number should serve as a reminder to travelers and those pursuing desert recreation that the Mojave Desert can get pretty darned hot, and not to forget the sun block, a wide-brimmed sun hat, and plenty of water if you plan to explore these desert treasures.

The Bun Boy restaurant (Now Bob's Big Boy) had been serving food, fuel, and supplies to travelers since 1925 when Las Vegas was linked to the rest of the world with a dirt road over Mountain Pass. They wanted to be sure that their customers were prepared for the extremes of the desert environment, so in 1991 they decided to build a thermometer next to their restaurant.

Not just any ordinary thermometer, mind you, that would mundanely tell the temperature to passersby. They built this one to a height of--you guessed it--134 feet, entering the record books as the World's Tallest Thermometer.

It's 4,943 lamps, pulling over 2,000 amperes, has become a Baker landmark, displaying the desert's temperature for miles up and down Interstate 15 and from Route 127 into Death Valley.

At the base of the thermometer, the Mojave Desert Information Center dispenses maps, publications, and information on the vast Mojave National Preserve and Death Valley National Park. A stop at the center is a must for visitors to the desert.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The visitor center has moved to the restored Kelso Depot.
From Baker, continue 35 miles southeast on Kelbaker Road to Kelso.

The renovated Kelso Depot is now the primary Visitor Center for Mojave National Preserve. Former dormitory rooms contain exhibits describing the cultural and natural history of the surrounding desert. The baggage room, ticket office, and two dormitory rooms have been historically furnished to illustrate life in the depot in the first half of the twentieth century. A 12-minute orientation film is shown in the theater.

Basement gallery space features rotating fine art collections by local artists, focusing on the cultural history and natural splendors of Mojave national Preserve.

After a nearly two decade long haitus, the Kelso Depot lunch counter, The Beanery, is back in business.

Volunteers sought to collect signatures for State Park Access Pass act

2010-01-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

California state park supporters are gathering signatures in the hope of putting a statewide measure on the November ballot, aiming to provide a stable source of funding for the parks.

The California State Park Ranger Association, in cooperation with the Empire Mine, South Yuba River and Malakoff Diggins state park associations, is holding a training session for volunteers interested in helping to collect signatures.

The training will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room, 908 Helling Way, Nevada City.

The State Parks and Wildlife Conversation Trust Fund Act of 2010, also referred to as the State Park Access Pass, would be funded by an $18 annual State Park Access Pass surcharge on California vehicles.

It is estimated the fund would generate about $500 million each year, of which 85 percent would be allocated to state parks and 15 percent to other state wildlife and ocean protection agencies.

Vehicles subject to the surcharge would receive free, year-round admission to all state parks throughout the year. Park visitors now pay up to $125 for an annual pass or $10 to $15 per day at most parks. Out-of-state vehicles would continue to pay full entrance fees at parks.

For more information on the measure, visit the California State Parks Foundation Web site at www.calparks.org. For more information on the training, call CSPRA President Pam Armas at (916) 320-9126.

Fog warnings in Central Valley hoped will reduce accidents

2010-01-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

Visibility along Highway 99 often drops to less than 100 feet, leading to dangerous conditions for drivers. If you've ever driven your big rig pulling a toad and run smack into a fog bank--and knowing you can't stop on a dime--it can be one of the most frightening experiences any RVer can experience. But the California Department of Transportation is hoping a new $12 million fog-warning system will help.

Sensors were placed along a 10.5-mile stretch from the Kings River to Manning Avenue in Fowler. The system is designed to give drivers about 30 seconds' warning before they drive into a fog bank. It was installed during the summer and first used in November.

The integrated systems involved include weather stations, electronic freeway message signs, microwave vehicle/motion detectors and visibility sensors. They will monitor weather patterns and traffic conditions, Caltrans officials said. The project is based on a smaller system in Stockton.

The stretch of highway in Fresno and Tulare counties was chosen because of the frequency of dense fog and reduced-visibility incidents in recent years. Crashes in the area have included an 18-car pileup in the fog that resulted in 10 injuries in 2008.

RV canyon country "off beaten track," but close to Palm Springs

2010-01-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's kind of an odd combination: Solitude and quiet, yet still within a short hop of a major California city. If you're looking for an unusual venue for free camping, check out the Box Canyon of the Mecca Hills Wilderness, not far from the south entrance to Joshua Tree National Park.

Most folks crawling up out of the Coachella Valley, heading east on Interstate 10 would probably never guess there's a rugged and tricky system of slot canyons and natural upthrusts, "just over that hill." Less than 10 miles, as the bird flies, the sound of the trucks is so forgotten, the loudest sounds you'll hear are those that emanate from inside your own skull.

Are you into canyoneering? Bring your equipment. Just looking for a quiet place to park the rig and enjoy some great sunsets? Box Canyon is your place. The product of earthquake upthrusts and the erosion of wind and water, Box Canyon is a place of slot canyons, rugged rocks, sandy roads, and occasional flash floods. For the prepared, it's a great spot for a night's rest, or for days of exploration.

The BLM manages this little known spot, and with conditions "primitive" at best, the agency doesn't charge campers. It's a pack-it-in, pack-it-out area, and you'll need to have other resources as well, namely empty black and gray water tanks, and full fresh water tanks. Summer here can be unbearably hot, but winters are mild. We spent a few January nights and found the overnight lows barely dipped into the low 50s. Do watch out for rain: You'll be parking your rig next to the main road, which although paved, can get washed over with mud if a flash flood hits.

Access to the area is via Box Canyon Road. From the west, make your way east out of the little town of Mecca via 66th Avenue. Just follow the road out of town and you'll soon arrive in the canyon. Or from the east, jump off Interstate 10 at the Joshua Tree National Park exit, but instead of going north into the park, travel south and follow the road as it switches back and forth, taking you west and down into the canyon.

Enjoy California in your RV as a camp host at a state park

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

The California State Park system has more than 270 state parks. Their miles of breathtaking coastline, remarkable wetlands, majestic redwood forests, beautiful deserts and colorful valleys provide a variety found nowhere else in the world. Volunteer camp host positions are available in over 100 parks. This is a great opportunity for RV enthusiasts to spend time in a wonderful location and meet fellow travelers.

Camp host duties vary according to each park but generally include providing visitor information, staffing visitor centers and museums, maintenance projects and general housekeeping. Most hosts work approximately 20 hours a week and, in exchange for those services, the hosts are provided with an RV campsite during their stay.

Many parks have full hookups and are equipped with restrooms and showers. For those who prefer a more rustic setting, there are parks with little or no hookups or commercial amenities. When applying as a park or campground host, make sure the location that interests you has the appropriate hookups for your needs.

For a complete list of California State Parks that use volunteers and/or campground hosts, the California State Park District Offices file provides a helpful overview. In addition, parks often advertise current and ongoing campground and park host openings. To see the current list, click here.

A dog lover's guide to California State Parks

2010-01-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

Millions of dogs along with their owners visit a California State Park every year. Thanks to the natural diversity of state parks, dog owners can choose many areas to enjoy with their pets.

A recent survey at RVtravel.com showed that about half of RVers travel with a pet, most of them dogs. Needless to say, most want to find a place for them to enjoy their pets in open spaces, especially as open spaces in cities become more scarce.

California State Parks provide opportunities for high-quality recreation while protecting California's priceless wildlife heritage. In most parks, dogs are restricted to campground and picnic areas. A few parks have trail areas where visitors can take their dogs for a hike. (Dogs are not permitted at Ano Nuevo State Reserve and a number of other beaches and parks.)

It's always a good idea to call ahead before you bring your dog, since conditions can change, such as wildlife habitat protection, revegetation and other projects.

Here are some state parks where you can bring your dog:

Asilomar State Beach, in Pacific Grove, allows dogs on leash. For more information, call (831) 372-8016.

Doheny State Beach, off Highway One at Dana Point, allows dogs in the campground area. For more information, call (949) 496-6171 or (949) 492-0802.

Leo Carrillo State Park, 28 miles northwest of Santa Barbara on Highway One, allows dogs in the North Beach area. For more information, call (818) 880-0350 or (805) 986-8591.

Plumas-Eureka State Park, four miles west of Graeagle in northern California, allows dogs in the campground area. For more information, call (530) 836-2380.

Point Mugu State Park, 15 miles south of Oxnard in southern California, allows dogs at Thornhill Broom Beach. For more information, call (818) 880-0350.

San Buenaventura State Beach, in Ventura, allows dogs in the picnic are and on the bike path. For more information, call (805) 648-4127.

Learn more about camping with dogs at RVbookstore.com.

Protection for the Mojave Desert

2009-12-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

From The Sun, a newspaper serving San Bernardino and the Inland Empire

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, author of the 1994 California Desert Protection Act that upgraded Death Valley and Joshua Tree to national park status and created the Mojave National Preserve, is back with proposed protection for more of the Inland Empire's desert. Last week she introduced legislation to establish two new national monuments and to set aside nearly 1.5 million acres of public land for preservation.

The centerpiece of the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 would be the Mojave Trails National Monument of some 941,000 acres, including 266,000 acres of former railroad easements along historic Route 66 between Ludlow and Needles. Existing recreatonal uses, including hunting and rock collecting, would be maintained.

The act would also establish the Sand to Snow National Monument, about 134,000 acres stretching from the desert floor in Coachella Valley to the peak of Mount San Gorgonio, including Big Morongo Canyon and Whitewater Canyon. It would give Wild and Scenic River protection to Deep Creek, Whitewater River, and two other streams, add nearly 74,000 acres to the national parks and preserve, and designate five new wilderness areas.

But that's not all. The legislation also would designate as permanent four existing off-roading areas. It would streamline the federal permitting process for wind and solar energy projects in the desert on both public and private land. And it would permit construction of transmission lines on existing utility rights of way.

"I strongly believe that conservation, renewable energy development and recreation can and must co-exist in the California desert," Feinstein said. "This legislation strikes a careful balance between these sometimes competing concerns."

And so it does, no less than we would expect from one of the more balanced members of the U.S. Senate. Feinstein and her staff worked with desert stakeholders--environmental groups, energy companies, off-roaders, Native American tribes, the military--to arrive at a bill that would serve as many of their interests as possible.

Among the supporters of Feinstein's bill are just about every desert conservation group, Edison International and Cogentrix Energy, the Route 66 Preservation Foundation, the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, and the cities of San Bernardino, Hesperia, Barstow, Yucaipa, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Palm Springs.

Visitors spend more than $230 million annually on outdoor recreation in the California desert, and Death Valley and Joshua Tree draw nearly 3 million visitors a year.

We think Feinstein's legislation will be good for tourism, recreation, and renewable energy in the desert--and for the desert itself.

Check out my new eBook, Snowbird Guide to Camping and Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts.