Category: Travel

General travel, not necessarily by RV

13 Aug 2022: Smith Rock/Trillian Lake

by JamesDay Trips / Hikes / Oregon / Sightseeing / State Parks / Travel / Trips

For our drive back to Portland, we took the south Mt Hood route – highways 97 & 26, stopping at Smith Rock and Trillian Lake along the way.
Smith Rock has been a place I’ve wanted to visit for quite awhile. I didn’t realize it was so close to Bend so it was an easy detour as we drove that direction towards Portland.

The Crooked River Trail is an easy hike especially when compared to Misery Ridge & River Trail which takes you to the top of Misery Ridge. Although it was getting hot by noon, there were trees offering shade along the trail. The Smith Rock valley and cliffs reminded us of Utah, specifically Zion. Like Zion, it is very popular with rock climbers and we spotted several as we made our way down the trail. It’s a great, easy hike once you get down into the valley. The start and end incline is pretty steep but short, only 321ft.

Trillian Lake

Trillian Lake is only ~2mi off Highway 26 so a short and easy detour. It is an extremely busy lake especially on Sunday with a lot of swimmers, kayakers, and paddle boarders (kayaks & paddle-boards are available for rent btw). But we found parking since it was late in the day (~6 pm) and wanted to use our $5 day pass (bought online). There is a campground here and it would be a wonderful place to stay with a RV. The weather was clear so Mt Hood was reflected in the lake. I’m sure with a morning calm the reflection would be even better. But late in the day was okay since I found a calm section near the dam. We did not hike the lake loop, just to the southern trail to the ‘dam’. We wanted to arrive in Portland before dark (>9pm) and it was a few hours away.

10-13 Aug 2022: Bend/La Pine Oregon

by JamesDay Trips / Hikes / Oregon / Sightseeing / State Parks / Travel / Trips

We always enjoy visiting Oregon particularly Central Oregon where my brother moved 30+yrs ago.
There is so much to see and do outdoors around Bend. Now that we are retired, enjoying a RV lifestyle. We can really appreciate places like La Pine, away from the urban sprawl of southern California.

There are an amazing amount of places to see and trails to hike under a hour’s drive from Bend-La Pine. Just 15mins from La Pine is Newberry National Volcanic Monument with Paulina Lake and Big Obsidian Flow. We did the short hike to Obsidian Flow before having lunch at East Lake. The photos will never do this place justice. Very short hike with steep metal stairs at the beginning then an easy trail with benches and lookouts along the way.

10 Aug 2022: Multnomah Falls

by JamesDay Trips / Hikes / Oregon / Sightseeing / Travel / Trips

Since we flew into Portland, we had a 3 hour drive to Bend. We chose the 84 eastbound along the Columbia River since we enjoy this beautiful scenic drive. We spent a few hours hiking to the top of Multnomah Falls before continuing eastward. Like Vernal Falls in Yosemite, the hike to the top of the falls is a continuous climb upward. The trail leads away from the falls but has beautiful views of the Columbia River. The trail is partially paved then compacted dirt and wide enough for two-way traffic in most sections. Reaching the summit, you drop down into the river bed and can enjoy soaking your feet in the cold water before it falls 542ft.

From May 24 through Sept 5 of this year, Multnomah Falls requires a timed permit that limits the amount of people here. We were fortunate to use our cell phone (there is reception in the parking lot) and get the last 1pm ticket. The tickets have a hourly entry window. You also need a separate permit to drive the ‘waterfall corridor’ along US 30 Historic Highway.

18-19 2022: Yosemite Valley

by JamesCalifornia / Campgrounds / Day Trips / Hikes / National Parks / RVing / Sightseeing / Travel / Travel Trailer / Trips / Wildlife / Yosemite

The iconic Yosemite Valley is always a great place to visit. With national park visitation so popular, we are glad they’ve implemented the 3-day pass ($2) requirement. Fortunately, we were able to take advantage of our July pass somewhat last-minute, booking our campsites just a month before traveling.

July can be hot in Yosemite with 95-100°F mid-day temperatures. Starting hikes early, picking shaded trails, and bringing plenty of water and sunscreen can help make the experience enjoyable. The free shuttle buses stop frequently but many riders do not comply with the mandatory mask mandate. So we chose to drive & bike to the trails and lodge for lunch. Parking becomes scarce by noon so biking around Yosemite Valley, once you find a parking spot, is an ideal way to see the place.

Because of the heat, we picked shorter hikes – Day 1: Mirror Lake, which we mostly biked to, was pretty low but Half Dome was reflecting in the pools.

and Day 2: Mist Trail to Vernal Falls, a somewhat challenging 4mi hike because of the 1279ft elevation gain and 600+ often slippery steps. Like Angel’s Landing in Zion, this is a must-do especially during summer since many waterfalls are low flowing. This was one of the few falls in late July to have a decent flow. In Spring, this waterfall is normally much fuller with mist showering the trail & hikers. Here is the website that tells you what the flow rate is: Should I Hike the Mist Trail Today? (yosemitehikes.com)
This one is worth the hard upward effort but, like Angels Landing, crowded by noon.

15-17 July 2022: Bass Lake

by JamesCalifornia / Campgrounds / Day Trips / Hikes / Sightseeing / State Parks / Travel / Yosemite

Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort is ~372mi from Oceanside, CA. So after a 1-night stop in Bakersfield, we arrived at Bass Lake at ~2pm 15 Jul 2022 – it was 95°F.

Bass Lake RV Resort Map, site 67


Bass Lake at Yosemite RV Resort has both a members-only section and public campsites (RV & tent). The campground is on the lake’s eastern slope so many sites are terraces, especially the non-member sites. We were assigned site 67, a terraced campsite where backing in was a bit of a challenge. It is angled on a curve section of road (see campsite map), and sloped, making the wdh hitch disconnect difficult.
Once unhitched and leveled, we cranked up the AC and relaxed in Howie until it cooled down. The wooded campground is beautiful with a short quarter mile hike to the lake. So our 1st evening we did the short hike on the Willow Creek trail to the lake. Mosquito repellent is a necessity and bear spray an extra precaution although the trail is short and well-traveled.


Most of the eastern shore of Bass Lake is private property and marinas. The northern and western shores are US Dept of Agriculture (USDA) property with several primitive campgrounds & day-use beaches. Parking on the shoreline street does not appear subject to the $10 day use fee.
On Saturday, we stopped to rent a boat at the Bass Lake Marina but everything was booked so we reserved a pontoon boat for 8am Sunday. Next, we drove the west side of the lake and enjoyed some time soaking in the cool water. Having passed the lakeside Forks Resort cafe earlier, we went back for lunch on their shaded outdoor patio. Turns out we could have rented a boat here. So if Bass Lake Boat Rentals (basslakeboatrentals.com) has nothing available, check around.


Tripadvisor highly recommended the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad Moonlight Special. They serve BBQ before taking passengers on a 100+yr old steam engine ride through the forest, stopping for a campfire sing-along. It was a fun time and the starlit train ride back was memorable.

The Bass Lake Boat Rentals and Watersports marina was adjacent our campground so easy to get to by 7:15am. They recommend arriving well before your rental time so the line queue, paperwork & orientation does not take time from your rental window. Their pontoon boats are very similar to one we rented at Big Bear Lake so orientation went quickly. The lake gets really busy by late morning so boating early, when the lake is glassy, is a more relaxing, pleasurable experience. As we pulled out, a fisherman caught & released a good size bass right by the marina’s dock. The lake is long and narrow so great for water-skiing. I fished near the dam as recommended by the marina host but didn’t have a nibble. Bass Lake was an enjoyable stop on our way to Yosemite.

Starlink for RVs

by JamesCamping / Gear / Mods / RVing / Travel

Update: Starlink for RVs 2022

After nearly two years of rv’ing and relying on our cell phones &/or campground wifi, we decided to try Starlink for RVs. Residential Starlink service in our area is scheduled for sometime in 2023. So when Starlink for RVs was announced & became immediately available, we bought the antenna & service. We had planned on testing the residential service ‘on-the-road’ when traveling as some RV YouTuber’s demonstrated. But a legitimate, roaming, mobile satellite internet service appeared to be an easier solution. Plus we can use the antenna & service at home when not traveling – this is currently being tested since Starlink for RVs is throttled. A speed test at home can get over 200mbps then, a short time later, get only 22-30mbps.
On our 1st trip w/ Starlink, to Yosemite, there was zero cell service & campground wifi was terrible/non-existent. We were online in several minutes once the antenna was set on top of our travel trailer & the router powered on. Although partially obstructed by trees, we were able to stream DirectTV, Netflix & place phone calls. Starlink’s speed varies quite a bit due to congestion, throttling, partial obstructions, and the ‘growing pains’ of new technology. But having any reception in an area without cell service is wonderful. Stay tuned for continued assessment & comments.

Snorkeling Hawaii Apr-May 2022

by JamesDay Trips / Hawaii / Sightseeing / Travel / Trips / Wildlife

During our stay in Maui and Kauai 23 Apr – 03 May 2022, when not hiking or in the pool, we enjoyed the beach and ocean to stay cool. The ocean in Hawaii is always inviting, clearer & warmer then southern California.
Just north of our Kaanapali Hotel is a popular snorkeling & cliff-jumping spot, Black Rock Beach. Turtles are common and visibility is better in this partially protected cove. In April, the Trade Winds can blow pretty hard especially in the afternoon, stirring up the waves and water so clarity goes down.
We also took the Teralani snorkeling charter to get to some of the best snorkeling areas, the secluded Honolua and Namalu Bays. These areas are beach-accessible but snorkeling off a catamaran is way easier & it’s an awesome, scenic sail to get there. Not to mention food and open-bar.

29 Apr – 03 May 2022: Kauai

by JamesDay Trips / Hawaii / Hikes / Kauai / Sightseeing / State Parks / Travel / Trips

After a week in Maui, we ‘hopped over’ to Kauai. It’s the last major Hawaiian Island we’ve wanted to visit and considered to be the least crowded of the four main islands. We stayed in Lihue so we could access both the southwest and northern parts of the island. We had a rental car and put about 288mi on it in 3 days. Unfortunately, day 4 was spent at the hotel due to food-related illness so our last day was quiet.
Kauai is beautiful and easy to drive although the Waimea Canyon drive is slow with many switchbacks. Tour buses visit the main Waimea Lookout but do not appear to head further up the canyon. The highlight of our trip was Waimea State Park and the ‘moderate’ (more like hard!) Canyon Trail hike. Like Maui, the weather continued to be windy with scattered showers but warm, not hot. Great weather to explore the island and get photos with interesting skies. Like Maui, the weather and landscape – rainforest vs dry – depends on which side of the island you are on.
Most of the beaches tended to be rough for snorkeling but many have protective coves or jetties. Many of Kauai’s waterfalls are near the road but access to the base of the waterfalls requires kayaks &/or hiking.

23-29 Apr 2022: Maui

by JamesHawaii / Maui / Sightseeing / Travel / Trips

Another trip without Howie but with good reason – Hawaii. This is our first trip by plane since returning from Italy in Jan 2020. With an invitation from family to join them for a week in Maui, postponed since 2020. We were happy to finally travel someplace without towing a travel trailer, especially with gas prices at ~$6/gal.
We spent a week in Ka’anapali Maui with family then spent 5 days on Kauai, our first trip to that island. We’ve now visited four of the main islands – Oahu, Maui, Big Hawaii (Big Island) & Kauai. We considered a day-trip to Lanai from Lahaina but the Trade Winds were pretty strong during the week we were there. Traveling back across the channel in the afternoon would have been rough. So we opted for a 5hr snorkeling day-trip on a Teralani sailboat along the Maui west coast.

27-28 Mar 2022: SD Padres Spring Training

by JamesArizona / Baseball / Day Trips / Travel / Trips

We had planned a Spring RV trip to New Mexico with a stop at San Diego Padres Spring Training in Az on our drive back. But a cold snap in weather and the baseball lockout changed our plans. Fortunately, the baseball lockout ended before the season started and we had a 3-week window to see two Spring Training games in Peoria.
With family joining us this trip, we opted for an AirBnB vs our original RV camping plan. We saw two games to get us ready for a full season of baseball. With my UCSD Photography Interest Group theme of ‘motion’ this month. I took my Olympus OM1 Mrk III and 100-400mm lens to catch some baseball action.