Sacramento, California: When I last reported, we were in Red Bluff. We are now in Sacramento - less than a four hour drive (in a motorhome) south of Red Bluff on I-5. We will be here for a week to attend the USA Track & Field Championships. The top three finishers in each event will represent the US at the World Championship meet in London in August.
There is a bit of controversy about this meet and the surprising fact it is being held in Sacramento after a long run in Eugene, Oregon. The facility in Sacramento, at Sacramento State University, is not quite up to the standard offered in Eugene... but Sacramento has something to offer that Eugene cannot claim: 109° temperatures. I am not a doctor (and I do not play one on TV) but these temperatures are simply unsafe for athletic activity - especially at the world-class level. (At least) one of the racers is pregnant. This is just not a good idea. In any way. Is this a good time to mention the temperatures in Eugene will be in the mid-80's this week? Oh. My. Goodness. 109 is really really really super hot. Especially if you are living in a tin box. While driving from Red Bluff to Sacramento yesterday, the dash air conditioner just wasn't enough. I (we rarely do this!) fired-up the generator while we were driving down the road and made use of a roof-top air conditioner. When we arrived to our reserved spot in the "back yard" (gravel parking lot) at Cal-Expo our motorhome was not liking the 50 amp she was receiving from the pedestal. The electronics were all working. The roof-top air conditioners were working. We were just not getting any readings on our Silverleaf monitoring system. DT tried unplugging and restarting. Rebooting. I text-messaged our tech, Brian Van De Walker, and he suggested a few things. Nothing would make the Silverleaf tell us how many amps we were using. Brian decided if the air conditioners (and everything else) were working, we shouldn't worry and it was probably due to the heat or some oddity at the pedestal. He suggested the system would right itself when we moved on to the next campsite. I was fine with it, but My Driver is fairly obsessed with wanting to know how many amps we are drawing 24/7. With no way to get the system to report, DT finally had to pull an (weather antithesis of) Elsa and just "Let It Go". When we woke in the morning, the Silverleaf was once again reporting amp usage. Yes! All was right with the world. Was it the temperature? Pedestal? We may never know.
Our situation in SacramentoWe spent today in Merced (two hours south of Sacramento) visiting Dave's Mom (who still will not allow her photo to be taken!). Virginia is greatly improved from our visit four weeks ago. Much stronger and in a fierce bean bag toss competition when we arrived. Dave's mom had a beauty appointment this afternoon, so we went to lunch with Brother Bill during her pampering. Great to see the family again.
REPORT FROM LOS ANGELES: Lisa and Lenny have enrolled Leo in a few fun camps over the summer. Today Leo went swimming, practiced archery, rode horses and saw baby squirrels. Lisa reported he came home, ate dinner, had a bath and went to bed. Exhausted.
Until my next update, I remain, your hot correspondent.
RV Park: Cal-Expo RV Park - Why is it our campsites are so often at Native American casinos or fairgrounds? Cal-Expo is on the California State Fairgrounds and is constantly busy due to the various events scheduled at the fairgrounds. Always make a reservation! Campers have two choices - paved campsites in a tilted parking lot or flat campsites in a gravel lot. Big Rigs should always choose the gravel lot. (Our airbags can never get us level in the paved area.) 30/50 amp full-service, pull-through and back-in sites. Friendly staff. Laundry and bathhouse. No pool. No spa. On the American River with miles of bike/walking paths. Shops (a huge mall - NORDSTROM!), restaurants and grocers very close. We are paying $225 for the week.