Jacqueline’s Jaunts: March 2025

Sunday, March 30, 2025

03-30-2025, Florida Key West Trip 3/27 – 6/30 2025, 96 Days, 7986 Miles, 44 Stops

30 March 2025, Bakersfield, California

Jeeps 10

Ken and Jan made it to Santa Nella before we left, so we could follow each other to Bakersfield. The wind was crazy; we even saw semi-trucks blown around the freeway. We stopped about half an hour from Bakersfield to get gas so we would not have to get it in the morning.

We pulled into the RV park behind K&J, so I'm unsure how they went. Beautiful weather here. We both hooked up our rigs to power, sewer and water. We got a quick tour of their new RV and headed to the restaurant for Happy Hour. The restaurant has a great happy hour and we remembered from the last time we stayed here. We both got caught up on family stuff, ate appetizers, and drank.

Back to the RVs to relax.

03-29-2025, Florida Key West Trip 3/27 – 6/30 2025, 96 Days, 7986 Miles, 44 Stops

29 March 2025, Santa Nella, California

I did not fall asleep until 4:00 AM, but Barry let me sleep until about 8:30 this morning. I wish I knew why I cannot sleep. I am turning into my mother. I walked out to see birds while Barry did his thing with the RV. I saw a Turkey Vulture, hundreds of Red-winged Blackbirds and about eight Rock Pigeons. We packed up after breakfast and headed down I-5.

We do not miss the road conditions in California. Not much has changed on I-5, other than more housing. We made it to Santa Nella around 2:30 PM. Uncle Richard and Aunt Laura met us at our RV park around 3:00 PM. They came from Uncle Richard's seventy-first Turlock High School reunion in Turlock, California.

Aunt Laura and I took off to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in her new car. It is only about ten minutes west of the RV park. The whole reason we camped here is to visit this cemetery. My Uncle Sam Threet, Aunt Florence and Laura’s first husband, George Heiser, are buried there. I found Uncle Sam and Aunt Florence's gravesite quickly, thanks to Find A Grave and a map I found online. Find A Grave listed the section and site #. The cemetery is very well-marked, so it was easy to find. The great thing about this cemetery is that in the upper right corner of the headstones is the section number and then the site number. All the graves are in numerical order. You can see this information in the photo of his gravestone below, 9 965. The cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful place with a great history of how it came to be.

We returned to the RV park, picked up the guys and drove across the highway to the Hotel Mission De Oro. The restaurant is in the back with beautiful gardens, firepits, and a substantial, gorgeous greenhouse where they grow vegetables for the restaurant. We were so impressed with the inside of the restaurant and the menu. This is not something you would think was in Santa Nella. If you ever get a chance, check it out. The food was delicious and plated nicely.

It was wonderful spending time with Uncle Richard and Aunt Laura. I have missed them since we moved to Oregon, even though we call each other.

Friday, March 28, 2025

03-28-2025, Florida Key West Trip 3/27 – 6/30 2025, 96 Days, 7986 Miles, 44 Stops

28 March 2025, Chico Rice, Willows, California

We slept in a little this morning, which felt terrific. As we got ready to leave this morning, Julie (our RV) would not start. A dead battery. We think it was the inverter used to keep my CPAP working all night. I have a new CPAP machine since our last trip and the 12-volt connection I used on my old machine does not match my new one. We didn't even think of that. Hooked up Julie to the Jeep battery and she fired right up. While she was charging, I took a walk to record bird sounds on my app. I recorded the following: House Finch, Brewer's Blackbird, European Starling, Northern Flicker, Eurasian Collard-Dove, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, Lesser Goldfinch, Red-winged Blackbird, Mallard Duck.

We stopped for gas and then on our way to our next HH (Harvest Host) stop, Chico Rice in Willows, California. It is a quarter-mile off I5. We arrived around 3:45 PM. After parking, we walked to the Self-Serve Kiosk and bought sushi rice, brown rice and some local raw honey. As a HH member, they ask you to support the businesses you stay at for free. This is one of the things we like about HH membership.

There were lots of black birds and chickens. Plenty of rice was still in husks all around the grain bins to feed the birds and chickens. It was a nice, peaceful area.

An interesting fact is that, according to the back of the rice bag, the mountains you see to the south are the Sutter Buttes, known as the smallest mountain range in the world. I posted a photo below.

Chico Rice Barns

Brass Buttons

Julie by Grain Bins

Chico Rice & Honey We Purchased

Self Serve Kiosk

Sutter Buttes

03-27-2025, Florida Key West Trip 3/27 – 6/30 2025, 96 Days, 7986 Miles, 44 Stops

27 March 2025, EdenVale Winery, Medford, Oregon

Left home at 11:15 AM. Rain-Wind-Sideways Rain through the mountains, Grants Pass, and over to Medford. Once here, the skies cleared, sunny, 58°. Arrived at 3:30 PM. We are the only Harvest Host Guests tonight so we can park anywhere. We decided to park down by the barn since the area was a flat gravel road. We walked up to the tasting room, one white flight for me and a red flight for Barry. We also had a fabulous cheese and meat board. Great conversation and a new recipe for this delicious onion compote they made there. Barry was able to get the recipe and cannot wait to try it. We bought six bottles and a sangria for our trip. The new tires on the RV made a significant difference on this trip. A much smoother ride. A great evening of bird watching; Starlings, Brewer’s Blackbird, Eurasian Collared-Dove.

Jacqueline’s Jaunts