Southern California – Small Wanders

11-13 Aug 2023: Joshua Tree/Perseid Meteor Shower

I saw a post about the 2023 Perseid Meteor Shower on Instagram. One of the best places to see this event in California is Joshua Tree National Park, a dark-sky area. But Joshua Tree is 105°F during the day in August. Regardless, all available campsites at Joshua Tree National Park were booked.
Our last trip to Joshua Tree was the same way, so we stayed at TwentyNine Palms RV Resort. It’s located 3mi from the north entrance and usually has available sites with full hookups. Until we install or buy a RV with 12v A/C, we prefer to stay at a place with electrical hookups when it’s that hot. We do not want to run a gas/propane generator for hours to stay cool.
Since we arrived before sunset on Friday Aug 11th, we drove into Joshua Tree to find a location to photograph the Milky Way. The Perseid Meteor Shower was already happening but peak viewing was Saturday, the next night. I wanted to photograph the Milky Way with Joshua Trees. So we stopped at Cap Rock and I found a Joshua tree foreground for my Milky Way photo along the southern trail.
On our way out, we stopped at Skull Rock to watch shooting stars for an hour before heading to the RV. Since Saturday night was forecast to be peak viewing of the meteor shower. I focused on getting a Milky Way+Joshua Tree photo Friday night. Saturday, I’d spend photographing shooting stars with a star tracker.

As we were leaving Joshua Tree NP Friday night, we noticed many people had chairs & recliners that made star gazing more comfortable. So Saturday, our mission was to find two zero gravity recliners in Yucca Valley. We found the last two on clearance at Home Depot. Tip: definitely invest in zero gravity recliners if you plan on spending any serious time star gazing.
Saturday, I wanted to do a hike before we setup for the meteor shower viewing. The temperature that evening was cool enough to hike the Heart Rock and Arch Rock Trail before it got dark. Turns out the area around the Arch Rock Trail parking lot would work for meteor shower viewing. Especially since we were lucky enough to grab one of the last parking spots. The lot was full and people were already setting up for meteor viewing when we arrived before sunset. Little did we know how CRAZY crowded Joshua Tree National Park would be tonight.

We saw an amazing display of shooting stars but not the hundred per hour predicted. I set up my Move Shoot Move star tracker and shot 2 minute exposures of the northeast sky and straight-up. After 3 hours of exposures from 2200-0100, ~90 frames, I was disappointed that the many shooting stars we saw were not in frame. This was my first try at star-tracked astrophotography and I was successful at polar alignment & tracking the stars. But successful astrophotography images are the result of practice & patience and I definitely need more of both. I didn’t want to interrupt the interval to check for successful capturing of what we were seeing. I thought the 14mm focal length was wide enough to catch the meteor trails.
We packed it in a little after 0100, after 3 hours of star-gazing. Our RV park is still in the dark area so if the meteor shower improved at 0200. We could still watch from outside our RV. As we left the park, the line of cars to get in stretched the 3mi to the main road. Crazy that hundreds of people were just arriving at 0100.
Regardless, we had a great time and were glad we got there early – the zero gravity recliners were a wonderful, comfortable way to star gaze. We’ll definitely make it a point to visit Joshua Tree at night often.

We packed up and departed 29Palms at 11am. Unfortunately, all the other thousands of people who came to Joshua Tree for the meteor shower were also heading West at that time. It took a few extra hours to get home because of the traffic.

03-05 Aug 2023: San Diego Urban Camping

by JamesAugust 3, 2023April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / RV Parks / RVing / Southern California / Trips

It’s been increasing difficult to find a spur-of-the-moment RV site this year, especially affordable ones. Our weekday schedule has been busy and campgrounds on the weekend are all booked. So we felt lucky to find a few days at San Diego Metro KOA to take the grand-kids for a few nights of ‘urban RV camping’. This San Diego KOA is close to most of San Diego’s sights like Sea World and the San Diego Zoo but we were able to find plenty to do at the KOA.

They offer a nice list of daily activities for kids and families plus they have a great swimming pool. It’s large and mostly shallow so the kiddos spent a lot of time in the water. August was warm so cooling off in the pool was a great way to spend the day. The RV sites are also nicely shaded by trees so we did not need to run the A/C all the time. But these trees continually drop leaves and seed pods on Howie so I needed to sweep the roof before we left.
The KOA has special events celebrating holidays & special times of the year, such as Fall Festivals, and Halloween. But there’s always something going on Monday-Saturday during the summer, like Movies under the Stars. Some activities were not operational – the Rock Climbing Wall or Surf Shack Shootout were closed while we were there. So refer to the activities calendar when you arrive to not miss something.
Some of the activities that kept us busy:

Swimming pool – the kiddos can spend hours at the pool and the KOA had a Mermaid/Pirate-hosted pool party Saturday morning.
Barrel Train – throughout the morning & early afternoon, there is a barrel train that takes kids and adults around the perimeter of the resort for a fun, free five-minute ride.
Jumping pillows – the large jumping pillow get hot during mid-day but morning and evening bouncing is great fun and will expend loads of energy.
Bicycle rentals – if you didn’t bring bikes or want to try some fun bikes that you don’t have at home! They rent 3-wheel Fun Cycles, 4-wheel Peddle Carts, and 2-6 Person Surrey Bikes. Hour or half hour rentals.
Cotton Candy or Shaved Ice – these activities have a small fee but are a special treat!
Bike/Scooter Decorating – add streamers and balloon to your favorite mode of transportation
Scavenger Hunt – follow the clue sheet to find different locations & fun facts around the resort, take a selfie when you get there, and be awarded a free craft coupon.

25 Mar 2023: Imperial Sand Dunes

by JamesMarch 25, 2023April 16, 2024California / Day Trips / Hikes / Sightseeing / Southern California / Travel

After spending the morning at Center of the World, & lunching in Yuma, we drove an hour to the Imperial Sand Dunes. We couldn’t find the turnoff for Ted Kipf Rd to North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area so we stopped at the Hugh T. Osborne Lookout. There are restrooms and a large parking lot & it was busy. This is the ATVs & ORVs meet-up place with large parking spots for their support vehicles. The dunes south of highway 78 are etched with tire tracks so not the best for sand dune photographs. It’s an epic place to offroad w/ friends & carve up the dunes, or take photos of such activities. A permit is required to operate vehicles on the Imperial Sand Dunes – permit info here; area Map pdf here.

North of the 78, is the beginning of the BLM protected wilderness area where motorized vehicles are prohibited. We parked at Osborne Overlook then hiked across the road (78) where the Wilderness Area begins and no vehicles are allowed. There were some photo-worthy dunes so I made the best of the afternoon light. Hiking the dunes is challenging and be sure to bring water.

I wanted to find the road to the North Algodones Dunes which google maps outlines so clearly. It turns out Ted Kipf Rd is a barely marked, easy-to-miss dirt road that turns north off highway 78 at Glamis. After hiking the nearby dunes and the busy morning, we decided not to navigate Ted Kipf Rd. I was okay with the few images I took near the Overlook – below is a mix of north & south dunes. I will definitely be back to explore the North Algodones Dunes at sunset & Milky Way season.

17-20 Oct 2021 – Silver Strand Beach

by JamesOctober 18, 2021April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / Day Trips / E-Biking / RVing / Southern California / State Parks / Trips

When we first brought our 20ft travel trailer home in Nov 2020, we wanted to camp locally to practice & learn. We ended up staying at Campland-On-the-Bay, which was a great 1st trip. But we also were interested in staying at some other beach campgrounds like Silver Stand State Beach in south San Diego. Unfortunately, it was booked solid for months but Carol found a block of three nights available. This opening was Oct 17-19 2021, late into our camping season. In fact, pretty much ending our summer camping season. This state beach is open year-round and a great place for winter camping although the ocean is obviously colder in autumn or winter.
Across the bay from Sun Outdoors RV Resort, which we enjoyed in August. Silver Strand State Beach campground is a small, beach-front ‘parking lot’ with water & electric hookups. There is a fee-based ($10) dump station but we noticed most rv’ers preferred to hire a mobile pumping service. The campground is the last of three large parking lots next to the road so road noise is noticeable, louder that the waves.
We brought our e-bikes since we figured this flat stretch of beach would have good bike trails and we were right. There is a great bike trail next to highway 75, Silver Stand Blvd, dedicated to pedestrians, joggers, & (e)bikes. Being later in the season, the beach weather was cool and windy so we did not spend too much time on the beautiful, wide sandy beach. We brought our dog Bodhi, our ~38lb terri-poo, since he did not travel with us to Zion. Bodhi tolerates RV travel because he loves being with us 7/24. But because we started rv’ing later in his life (9yrs old), he does not adapt well to the tight confines of Howie & trailer living. But he does enjoy getting out with us, he just doesn’t have the stamina for long outings. Coronado has a great dog beach about 6mi north so we took him in the late afternoon when the tide was low. Both the bike trail, which we rode to the Hotel Del Coronado, and the dog beach are highly recommended if you stay in this area.

28 Jul-01 Aug 2021: Glamping in San Diego

by JamesJuly 29, 2021April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / RVing / Southern California / Trips

With full campgrounds, wild fires, and heat waves in areas we’d like to camp. We were lucky to find a vacancy at a campground an hour south at Sun Outdoors RV Resort San Diego Bay Sun Outdoors is a chain of upscale RV resorts which opened a new campground in Chula Vista CA in Spring 2021. They have a lot to offer rv’ers who like “glamping”, offering resort-style amenities. Like Campland-By-The-Bay, it’s “urban camping” and near San Diego points-of-interest such as the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Coronado, & Petco Park. They are also located next to the Living Coast Discovery Center – an educational place to learn about our coastal environment & wildlife. Entry is complimentary for Sun Outdoors RV’er families.

With our grandkids starting school in a few weeks, we took them here on a 4-day trip, July 29-Aug 1st. It’s very family-oriented, with lots of activities for young people (crafts, foam party, playgrounds), adults (fitness classes/gym, casino nights, live music, bar, bird watching), and families (arcade, movies, pool, Discovery Center tour, shuttles into San Diego). There’s even a small fenced dog-park & multiple dog stations scattered throughout the park. Unlike dry camping at San Onofre, where activities are the beach, biking, & hiking. This place is a resort with places to dine & play away from the RV. Great for camping with young kids 3 & 5yrs old.
If you like camping in the mountains or by a peaceful river, this is not the place. There is a lot of open area west of the RV park with views of south San Diego Bay & Coronado Bridge so you are not in the middle of town. But it is urban camping/glamping.

Tagged : 2021 / Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay

7-9 Jun 2021: San Onofre Bluffs

by JamesJune 7, 2021April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / Camping / RVing / Southern California / State Parks

We drycamped at San Onofre State Beach, Bluffs Campground 30 miles north of Oceanside. Availability at this campground is pretty open since it is essentially a long parking lot next to the I-5 freeway just south of the retired San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. There are no hookups but sites do include an area for tents, picnic tables (in pretty poor shape but usable if covered) and fire rings. Restrooms have rv-style flushable toilets, outdoor beach-styled cold-water shower and sink. The RV campsites are wide asphalt parking spaces with adjacent dirt areas with fire rings & tables. The ranger-recommended tent site was on the bluff above our RV, on a wide hiking trail. But in other sections of the campground, most tents were pitched at parking level (quieter). Hikers & dog walkers use the trail so it’s not very private, although there wasn’t much foot traffic. Noise from the I-5 freeway and railroad is noticeable especially higher up where the tent was pitched.
Each section of the campground has a restroom & trail leading to the beach (see map below). We were next to Trail 5 which was closed due to an unstable cliff collapse. Next trail, Trail 6, is quite a ways down so if you are carrying beach gear, driving to the trailhead is a good idea. The beach at Trail 6 is not busy, rocky, and dog-friendly. If you prefer a sandy beach then drive N a couple miles to Trail 1. The hike to the beach on Trail 6 is longer but less steep than Trail 1. People with e-bikes had the best method to access Trail 6’s beach. Trail 1 was steeper and coming back uphill was shorter but more challenging.
The coastline & bluffs are beautiful here. But other than visiting the beach, surfing, or biking along the 3.5mi stretch of paved, level road, there is not much to do.
There were groups of people in RVs & tents gathered & enjoying getting together. So if you are having trouble finding a campsite, this campground usually has vacancies. For no hookups, rustic restrooms, and closed trails, paying $40/night is a bit pricey since it dry camping. We’ve stayed at other Ca state beaches with water & electric for the same rate. There is a dump station but there is a $10 fee, even for paying rv’ers. When talking to the ranger, he said it was something they recently implemented because non-paying rv’ers were dumping when the ranger station was closed.

Shakedown Trip: Campland-On-The-Bay

by JRWilkinsonNovember 21, 2020April 16, 2024California / Campgrounds / RVing / Southern California / Tow Vehicle / Travel Trailer / Trips

After some very basic additions to our Geo Pro G19RD “Howie”, we did a three-day shakedown trip to Campland-On-The-Bay Nov 18-21 2020. We bought a long list of support equipment recommended by the numerous YouTube videos we watched on essentials.

Following a tip I saw online, I painted the trailer’s hitch a light gray to make it easier to see in the Tacoma’s backup camera. It helps a lot when aligning the ball hitch to trailer hitch without a second person. It took awhile to remember the sequence of attaching the Equalizer E4 wdh but after referring to my notes and a few retries, I had it hooked up properly. An electronic tongue jack, standard on the Geo Pros, really helps speed up the process.

Campland-On-The-Bay is an “urban” bay-side campground in San Diego on Mission Bay, about 34 miles from home. It’s a short drive through town then mainly freeway, with only minor elevation changes. Towing went fine until we pulled off the Campland freeway exit then I noticed a slight “push” from the trailer when braking. The brake controller read “n.c.” – n.c. means “no contact or connection” so we lost our trailer brakes. Fortunately, the G19RD is less than 4000lbs & light enough for the Tacoma to stop unassisted. Campland is less than a mile from the freeway exit so we were able to make it to our campsite without issue. My wife booked a pull-through site so I thankfully didn’t have to remember my trailer backup skills. We leveled the trailer using a bubble level, Beech Lane leveling block and our LevelMate Pro+ which I had calibrated at home. Campland has full hookups (photo) so I connected the pressure regulator, water filter and fresh water hose. The water pressure gauge initially read over 60psi(!) so I adjusted it down to ~45psi. Next was power, attaching the 30amp surge protector and power cable to Howie. I threaded a cable lock through the surge protector since I read they are often stolen. Lastly, I attached the Rhino flex hose to the sewer fitting, using the hose-support slinky and sandbag to keep it seated tightly. Everything worked fine – no leaks were detected inside because of the initial 60psi water pressure. On shore power, we used the electric water heater vs propane.

The “east-west” full bed was comfortable but cozy with two smaller adults (5’9″, 5’1″) and 38lb dog (photo). We added a memory foam topper to the stock mattress and it’s good enough for now. It’s a heated mattress but we didn’t test it out. San Diego in November was still warm.
Our next mod: someone in our Geo Pro Facebook group posted a modification that extends the mattress, converting the “east-west” bed to “north-south”. They constructed a short, retractable, plywood board that pulls out from under the mattress. Adding cushions the height of the mattress, extending the length the bed.

Day 2 started with breakfast cooked on the propane griddle that comes standard with the Geo Pro/E-Pro trailers. I hooked it up to the external propane connector and it works really well. We read that using it against the trailer can scorch the side panel. So we used it on a separate stand-alone table well away from Howie. The exterior metal shelf, also standard, works fine for holding plates, utensils & food. The kitchen’s propane stove was used to boil water for tea & coffee. A small Nespresso machine will travel with us next time. But this time I used a manual Nespresso coffee press which worked fine but requires some effort. Microwave-heated milk topped the latte – I’m debating on whether a milk frother is worth carrying. The 12v fridge worked great although some bins or bungees could be useful to minimize shifting of taller items during transit. Since we were hooked up to shore power, our 2 6v batteries never dropped below 100%. We tested the AC & furnace – they worked fine although a bit noisy – but neither was needed. It was cool enough during the day to just open the windows & use the MaxAir fan. At night, we used a small electric space heater instead of the furnace. Moisture was visible on the stove top when using propane even when using the oven fan hood. But the windows never had significant condensation since we kept the MaxAir fan on low full time & a window cracked. We also had a DampRid passive dehumidifier. But buy the end of our shakedown, there was very little water condensed at the bottom. The weather was dry all 3 days with very little humidity even though we were bay-side.

Getting back to the brake failure problem: I fussed with my Tacoma’s fuse box to see it the brake control circuit needed a new fuse. It was fine – the Tacoma’s main fuse box is in the engine compartment. It’s lid has a key to all the fuses, identifying the brake controller fuse (photo). There are also a few spare fuses & a fuse puller clipped to the fuse box lid. I brought assorted spare fuses (bought from Amazon) too since trailer fuses often need to be replaced. I called my RV dealer and the service manager gave me some trouble-shooting tips to try. The best tip he gave me was to ask my neighbor if I could hook up my Tacoma to their trailer to see if the brake controller works. It did, so we knew the problem was with the brand new trailer.

Next, I tried Forest River Roadside Assistance (FRRA) that’s listed in the binder that came with the trailer. It’s the wrong number but the person who answered gave me the right number (866)209-2895. Since we did not have a membership # yet, FFRA couldn’t really help us – when you take delivery of the trailer, your RV dealer submits the application to Forest River for you. If they do not submit your application right away, it can take quite a long time to get your card. Some dealers wait until they have a stack of applications to submit, so ask your dealer to expedite your application just in case you need roadside assistance early.
When I called our dealer back for a service appointment. They said, because of Covid, “walk-ins” were not allowed & the next appointment was in March 2021 (so much for buying locally getting priority). I asked about our Forest River Roadside Assistance application & they said they would check on its status & expedite submission if needed. (Update: we received our membership # & card yesterday Jan 19 2021 after taking delivery Nov 12 2020.)
I was able to talk to a Forest River’s technician but his suggestions didn’t fix the problem.
Finally, I asked the concierge at Campland for a mobile repairman recommendation and he gave me a card. The mobile RV repairman (Guillermo from www.sosrepair.services) was kind enough to squeeze us into his full schedule. He came by ~6:30pm Nov 20, diagnosed & fixed the problem in 10mins. I took him longer to do the electronic paperwork, invoice me $150, & accept payment.
The problem he found was the ground to the brakes were faulty. He replaced the two crimp connectors (photo), which he thought were the wrong gauge, with the correct ones. (Sidenote: if you want a career that’s in high-demand & great-paying, become a RV repairman.) After explaining our situation & experience to Forest River. They were kind enough to reimburse us the full $150. Something they said they do not usually due.
We had a great first trip and learned a lot about setting up a rv. We are planning our 2021 trips although in California. Many campgrounds are still closed due to the pandemic.