Our Journey Across the Country
Lake Of The Springs Resort, Dobbins, CA | 11/30/21 - 12/6/21
Because the sale of the house took us all the way through November and Mary’s work continued into December, we decided to stay in the NorCal area through the holiday season. For our maiden voyage in the RV we traveled to the Lake of the Springs Resort in the Oregon House area. It was a short trip, only 36 miles or so, but first we went west to a truck stop in Williams to fuel up with diesel and propane, and to get our RV and tow car weighed (max weight for the RV is 31,250 lbs, and with all of our fuel tanks and fresh water tanks full, along with the 2 - 5-gal propane canisters we brought for the BBQ and 4 5-gal jugs of water (because we had them), not to mention all the last-minute stuff Mary threw in the rig as we emptied out the house, we tipped the scales at a hefty 33,040 including the car. After a busy morning finishing laundry in the house and getting our final items out, to storage, or into the RV, we were about 3 hours behind schedule. It took us nearly 45 minutes out on the street in front of the house to re-figure out how to get the car into towing mode and hooked up to the RV! (this process now takes about 5 mintues). The kitties did surprisingly well on their very first journey, and Mike expertly navigated us through the truck stop. But because of our late start, we were getting near the Resort just as the sun was going down. As soon as Mary commented “we’ll get there just in time to find our spot before it’s totally dark”, we passed a turn that our phone maps were telling us to take but that the Garmin (RV-specific gps mapping) did not, so we continued up the mountain road as the sun was setting. I will interject here that I (Mary) was just learning how to be a passenger in a big rig, and was increasingly nervous on the winding, shoulderless mountain roads. Being on the far outside edge, up about 5’ higher than a car is an acquired taste! I continually reminded myself that Mike knows what he’s doing (which he does!!). After passing the turnoff and the big Thousand Trails park sign, we ended up taking a hairpin turn onto Frenchtown Dobbins Road (turns out Garmin didn’t know where we were going and had picked a different address to lead us to!) which was a narrow road with no shoulder lines. As we continued on the road became narrower and narrower, and the trees closer to the road and overhead. Mary suggested disconnecting the car and turning around but Mike felt it best to press on. Soon there was no centerline, and a few trees brushed the roof of the RV and the light of day was nowhere to be found. Then a single-lane bridge with a 22-ton weight limit (Mike had to remind me that that equals 44,000 lbs) followed by a dog leg - Mary’s tension was high but trusting, and Mike was calm and cool under pressure. Eventually the centerline returned, then the fog lines, and soon we were at Lake of the Springs, but we had to navigate the park in the dark! It was definitely trial by fire for us first timers. The campground was quiet and had lots of deer. In the end it was a great place to relax after the crazy push to sell the house, and to begin to reorganize and settle into our new home on wheels.
Lake of the Springs is a Thousand Trails park.
Carmine and Vinnie comfort each other after their first voyage.
Lovely fall colors and good weather welcomed us
The park deer congregated in large groups, sometimes a dozen or more.
Wifi was available only at the lodge, so Mary got some work in on the deck and unexpectedly in front of a roaring fire one chilly morning.
The lodge here has not been updated since the 80s we think (check out the photos on the walls!). It was a blast from the past - reminds Mike of summer camp.
Vinnie enjoying some window time, adapting well to the nomad lifestyle.
Snuck a glimpse of the ol' Sutter Buttes