RVentures with Doug and Chris

Autumn ... the year's last, loveliest smile.

William Cullent Bryant

For travelers who love "chasing the 70s" ... the temperature range, not the disco era ... Minnesota in November wouldn't usually make the cut. But since we needed to pause our California travels for a quick eye-doctor visit, we decided to turn this detour into a "mini" Minnesota vacation.

Much to our delight, these ten days gifted us with a tapestry of

Rich Colors and Warm Friendships.

(and a delicious autumn treat or two)

We turned inland from the California coast to Palm Springs after hearing from friends about the surprisingly inexpensive flights from there to Minneapolis. And sure enough, Sun Country Airlines ... champions of the winter escape ... had a bargain direct flight waiting for us. After prepping Baby Beest, we left her at a "park and fly" lot near the airport. Loaded down with our winter gear, we bid farewell to the 90s. We hate to admit it, but we were looking forward to a slight cool-down. Even for us “chasing-the-70s” folks, these desert temps seemed a bit like overkill.

As we expected, Minneapolis greeted us with a brisk "hello" the second we stepped off the plane. Luckily, the welcoming smiles of family and friends quickly filled us with all the warmth we needed.

Heart warming Minnesota moments included ...

... a Whitewater State Park hike with Dave, our "Energizer bunny" friend,

... a "brisk" hike and lively conversation with our former biking buddies,

... a chance meeting with dear friends who just happened to be in town when we were,

... new works of art to adorn my fridge,

... an evening with friends who recently returned after hiking a portion of the Camino de Santiago in Spain ... their stories and photos definitely helped add another destination to our travel bucket list,

... a family gathering at my sister's "old" house which just so happens to be my nephew's "new" house,

... a chance to marvel at our son's "serious" skateboarding skills,

(yes, he nailed it!)

... an early "John Hardy's BBQ" Thanksgiving dinner with our boys,

... Sunday Vikings games with grand-puppies who would rather have us engage in our own game of throw and catch,

... comfortable resting spots and delicious homemade treats,

and of course ... lots of girlfriend time!

As we know from our past experiences, there are "piles" of reasons why a November trip to Minnesota may not be the best idea ...

but those raking skills quickly come back!

And at the end of the day,

we were grateful to escape the desert heat as we enjoyed autumn's warmest and loveliest smiles that once again welcomed us "home".

Heading south from the Oregon Coast into California, the temperatures continued to rise even as the hours of daylight dwindled. The shorter days gifted us with ample sunshine, and the Pacific sunsets glowed with all the rich colors of autumn.

Sure, the higher gas prices and crowded highways can make cruisin' California a bit of a challenge, but the mix of vibrant cities and natural beauty always seems to draw us back to the Golden State.

From hikes among towering trees,

to a refreshing coastal breeze,

to happy Hymer hippie sightings,

we basked in the golden warmth of ...

California's Autumn Glow

The Redwoods ... California's Gentle Giants

The famous giants of California's foggy northern coast once again welcomed us to enjoy a few days of quiet solitude. We were able to snag a site at Burlington Campground in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and spent a few days nestled under these gentle giants. The Avenue of the Giants, a scenic 31 mile county road that winds through this state park, offered us the chance to hike and bike among some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world.

Some glowing moments included:

A ten mile bike ride along the Avenue of the Giants in search of a small town cafe for Doug's latte fix.

A visit to Rockefeller Grove which is the location of the largest remaining "old growth" redwood forests in the world. Such a special treat to walk among one of the few places where the redwoods' grandeur and natural beauty managed to remain untouched by the lumbering industry.

Oh, the stories these ancient trees could tell...

An informative ranger-led hike through the silent, stately redwood grove just across from our campground. We learned that the reason redwood forests are so quiet is because the tannin in their bark makes them resistant to insects.

Without insects to eat, birds are not motivated to "move in" and build a nest in these stately "high-rises".

We also learned how these coastal redwoods can clone themselves by sprouting new trees from their roots, thus creating a “family circle" of future redwoods around the original trunk.

San Francisco ... The Fun City by the Bay

The charm of San Francisco (and the primo boondocking spot in nearby Sausalito) drew us back to spend a few days in the Bay once again. For just $25/day (in the off season), the Sausalito Marina allowed us to park for up to three days. A short walk to the ferry terminal or the city bus stop made for a quick and easy journey into the heart of San Francisco.

Some glowing moments included:

A few of those rare, bluebird days on the Bay, making it easy to talk Doug into walking across the Golden Gate Bridge once again to soak in the incredible views.

A birds-eye view of the Fleet Week airshow from atop of the historic Coit Tower.

Another relaxing ride across town with our skillful but not very talkative Waymo driver.

A return visit for some of our favorite chocolate almond croissants at Arsicault Bakery.

Energized by those fabulous croissants, we enjoyed some beautiful urban hikes past colorful homes,

... who are always trying to keep up with their fashionable neighbors, the Painted Ladies.

In his search for another craft brewery, we walked along the San Francisco Bay Trail which gave us stunning views of the Bay Bridge.

Since we saw most of the "touristy" sites last year when we visited, I was happy when we found some of San Francisco's most unique and beautiful hidden treasures ...

The Privately Owned Public Open Space.

These plazas, terraces, atriums, and green spaces are scattered throughout the city. They are maintained by private businesses yet open to the public for all to enjoy. These beautiful natural areas benefit both the business and the public by creating a more inviting downtown area that will attract both new businesses and visitors.

Some of our favorite "secret gardens" included the Transamerica Redwood Park, complete with ... you guessed it ... Redwoods.

A free gondola ride took us up to the public open space on the fourth floor of Salesforce, a computer software company.

There we enjoyed a walking path that led past a variety of interesting plants in this tranquil 5.4 acre natural area that is nestled above a busy metropolitan area.

After a full day of sightseeing in San Francisco, we were happy to take the ferry back to Sausalito, our "camping" spot for the night. Although we were just a short distance from big city lights, we like how Sausalito is able to maintain a small-town feel. On the main street, intimate cafes buzzed with late evening diners, the local ice cream parlor enticed us to stop in for a special treat, and local musicians gathered for informal jam sessions.

A short walk down the street brought us to the unique boat community of Galilee Harbor. This colorful community is home to 38 people who live on their boats in this harbor full-time.

Morro Bay ... Happy Hymer Hippie Sightings

Once again, Morro Bay State Park was the location for a pre-halloween gathering of Hymer van owners. And you can't have a gathering this close to October 31 without a bit of costumed shenanigans. As you can see, we all embraced this year's Happy Hymer Hippies theme.

Some glowing moments included:

Information sharing and "fix it" sessions by fellow Hymer gurus whose knowledge and years of experience benefits us all.

Lively happy hours and delicious potlucks ... where I found several new recipes to add to my "I can make that in my small van kitchen" collection ... because tomato soup and grilled cheese get old after a while.

Abundant singing, dancing, and laughter shared with new friends who we hope to see again somewhere down the road.

Pismo Beach ... Life Among the Monarchs

Although this California coastal route is fairly familiar to us, we were happy to spend a few days exploring a new hidden gem. Pismo Beach State Park campground is located on the Pacific Coast just south of Morro Bay and is an easy walk into the colorful town of Pismo Beach. Adding more magic to this location was the fact that in late fall/early winter thousands of monarch butterflies "meet-up" here as a part of their winter migration.

Some glowing moments included:

Walks into the town of Pismo Beach where we found lattes, clam chowder, and a scenic ocean pier for views of the waters that in the past earned Pismo Beach the title of "Clam Capital of the World". Unfortunately, over-harvesting has decreased the numbers and sizes of clams over the years.

Strolls through the Monarch Butterfly grove near our campground where if we were patient enough and sharp-eyed enough ...

we were rewarded with a view of these resilient orange creatures as they rested amid the leaves of the eucalyptus trees.

Beach walks and another chance to hang out with some Hymer friends before we went our separate ways.

Los Angeles ... Quality Time in the Big City

Los Angeles is definitely not our favorite city to drive through ... and that's usually what we do ... drive through it as quickly as we can. But because some dear friends live on the outskirts of town, and my niece is spending a year studying in a suburb of LA, I managed to sweet-talk my fearless driver into getting off the freeway and experiencing a few days of "big city life".

Some glowing moments included:

Driveway "camping" and kitchen "take-over" with yet another Hymer friend who realized that yes, we will take you up on your offer to stop if we ever find ourselves in the Los Angeles area.

Time with my niece who is expanding her United States living experiences by spending a year studying in LA.

Dinner, Dominos, and delightful conversation with former hometown friends who relocated to southern California.

Four days of falling asleep to the sounds of waves and waking up to views like this from our campsite near Laguna Beach.

Traveling through California can be challenging. But surprisingly, because of its vast and varied natural beauty, California remains at the top of our list of favorite states to visit.