Red Bluff, California: We woke to the joyous news that - once again - someone had used our credit card for a fraudulent purchase. $119 Groupon. Why? The last idiot using our credit card purchased an airline ticket and was arrested before boarding a $247 flight. Sometimes, just sometimes, Dear Reader, it is so difficult to be positive about the Human Race. Now we have to cancel any on-going charges to the card - yet again - and land somewhere long enough to have a new card delivered via FedEx.
I can't recommend enough checking your card activity often (daily!) or having any charges incurred on your credit or debit cards immediately text-messaged to your phone. These notifications pop-up seconds after a charge - I mean, while I am still at the check-out counter at the grocer, or 2.4 seconds after I push the PLACE ORDER button when ordering online. This immediate notice can stop a thief quicker than you can say have fun in jail, jerkface.
And then we left Seven Feathers, continuing south on I-5; our usual route. This time, however, we were driving in 100+ degree temperatures. It was HOT. We only stopped once, for a nice hour-long break for lunch and leg-stretching, before ending-up in Red Bluff at Durango RV Resort (mostly because they have an exercise bike in their fitness cener and My Driver is still not able to jog). The resort advertises itself as "California's Best RV Experience" but we all know this is just not true... even though Durango is a super great RV park.
Again, Durango RV Resort situated us in one of their double-long pull-through monster sites. These pads offer two hook-up situations - front or rear of a Big Rig. On more crowded weekends, the long sites can house two not-so-massive RVs. Very clever. Tonight, 45-footers have claimed every site in this row.
Remember the day we left Indio - May 12th - and I served our traditional first-night-on-the-road lasagna? I wrote that night half the Turkey Lasagna sauce had been vacuum-sealed and frozen for another use. It was used tonight. Never mind the air conditioners were running at full speed as I used the oven. Tradition is tradition. The Turkey Lasagna ragu is one of my favorite sauces and one of my "go-to" recipes. The sauce is great in lasagna - with or without cheese - and also delicious served over any pasta. Spaghetti. Penne. Polenta? Whatever you have in the pantry.Tonight I served the lasagna with a mixed salad: romaine, kale, arugula, radicchio, tomato, cucumber, radish and green onion - with a simple vinaigrette.
After dinner, when the temperature had dropped to the low 90's, we walked down to the river (this RV park is on the Sacramento River) to see what we could see. The river is completely full. It has been years and years since we have seen the Sacramento flooding its banks. Lately, it is barely (what an Oregonian would call) a river. Tonight, it was amazing to see just how fast the river was flowing to the San Francisco Bay.
So happy we decided to stop here tonight to witness this beautiful river in her full glory!Until my next update, I remain, your hot correspondent.
RV Park: Durango RV Resort - Full service park with pool, hot tub, fitness center, rally facilities/lodge room, small store, sport court, bocce, massage/spa, easy pull-through and back-in sites. 30/50 amp. Some live-ins. Free wifi and cable television. Bathhouses and laundry. Walk to grocery store. Freeway noise. We paid $47 with Good Sam discount. This is a very nice RV park!