# Small Wanders > Rving in a small travel trailer ## Posts - [26 Sept 2021 - Sand Hollow State Park](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/26/26-sept-2021-sand-hollow-state-park/): We had an easy day at Sand Hollow. We started a little later today, figuring it’d be cooler by the water – wrong! it was hot by noon. We brought our e-bikes, planing a ride around the lake. But unlike Quail Creek, Sand Hollow does not have a good bike trail – lots of OHV […] - [25 Sept 2021 - South Taylor Creek Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/25/25-sept-2021-south-taylor-creek-trail/): After hiking Middle Taylor Creek Trail yesterday, we drove into Leeds for lunch and came back for the Kolob Canyon scenic drive. If you are tired of hiking or not a hiker, this is a great scenic drive with pullouts/parking lots with spectacular views. Park volunteer John had described how to find the South Fork […] - [24 Sept 2021 - Middle Taylor Creek Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/24/24-sept-2021-taylor-creek-trail/): One of the best trails to hike in Zion’s Kolob Canyon is Middle Fork Taylor Creek Trail. It’s a 5mi (total) out and back trail that’s 2 miles from the visitor center (1st parking lot on the left). It features a river/creek (depending on the season) and is rated as moderate. The trail is accessible […] - [23 Sept 2021 - Quail Creek State Park](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/23/22-sept-2021-quail-creek-state-park/): We were unable to get a full-hookup campsite at the south entrance of Zion National Park for the first 5 nights of our trip. Fortunately, there was availability at the St George/Hurricane KOA. There is plenty to do in this area – access the Kolob Canyon entrance of Zion NP, and several State Parks such […] - [21 Sep-01 Oct 2021: Zion National Park Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/21/21-sep-01-oct-2021-st-george-zion/): We finally planned our first out-of-state National Park RV trip, to Zion National Park. It’s 470mi away from Oceanside so we planned on two travel days. This is our first trip with our new Lectric E-Bikes. They add ~130lbs to our truck’s payload so we moved as much weight as possible to Howie. Instead of […] - [SmallWanders Logo](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/03/smallwanders-logo/): We do not typically do a lot of customization to our vehicles, let alone our travel trailer. We’ve had our GeoPro several months and the only mods we’ve done are to make it more liveable – bed extension, table reduction, sink counter extension. I know many people add a lot to their RVs to make […] - [Lectric E-Bikes Setup](https://smallwanders.net/2021/08/26/lectric-e-bikes-setup/): It took a little over 2months to get our two Lectric e-bikes. Unlike some new owners on the Lectric XP EBike Owners Facebook group, ours seem to come undamaged and working fine. After unboxing and general checkout, it took ~4hrs to charge each bike’s battery. My Black XP 2.0’s front brake was scrapping slightly which […] - [Trying to Buy a Lectric XP 2.0 E-Bike](https://smallwanders.net/2021/08/22/trying-to-buy-a-lectric-xp-2-0-e-bike/): Aug 22 2021 Update #2: My wife’s White Step-Thru 2.0 appeared unannounced Sunday 8am. I never got the FedEx shipping label that is usually sent a few days prior. But we are happy since Sunday was the day we were going to celebrate her birthday with family. It took 8 weeks for us to receive […] - [28 Jul-01 Aug 2021: Glamping in San Diego](https://smallwanders.net/2021/07/29/jul-28-aug-1-glamping-in-san-diego/): With full campgrounds, wild fires, and heat waves in areas we’d like to camp. We were lucky to find a vacancy at a campground an hour south at Sun Outdoors RV Resort San Diego Bay Sun Outdoors is a chain of upscale RV resorts which opened a new campground in Chula Vista CA in Spring […] - [7-9 Jun 2021: San Onofre Bluffs](https://smallwanders.net/2021/06/07/jun-7-9-2021-san-onofre-bluffs/): We drycamped at San Onofre State Beach, Bluffs Campground 30 miles north of Oceanside. Availability at this campground is pretty open since it is essentially a long parking lot next to the I-5 freeway just south of the retired San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. There are no hookups but sites do include an area for […] - [16-17 May 2021: Flying Flags, Buellton](https://smallwanders.net/2021/05/17/17-may-2021-flying-flags-buellton/): Our first 6 months of rv’ing on the West Coast have been short hops from one campground to another, on one tank of gas. Our Tacoma’s range is only ~200mi/tank and being new at towing a travel trailer. We’ve been conservative, only driving ~150-160 miles each day. But traveling home from Monterey to Oceanside (~431mi), […] - [13-16 May 2021: Monterey/Santa Cruz KOA](https://smallwanders.net/2021/05/13/may-13-16-2021-monterey-santa-cruz-koa/): On our furthest trip north towing Howie, our third stop was the KOA campground in Watsonville. It’s 28mi north of Monterey, midway between Monterey & Santa Cruz. Carol was lucky enough to get us tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium the first Saturday they opened to non-members. We love Monterey Bay Aquarium & have missed […] - [09-13 May 2021: Pismo State Beach](https://smallwanders.net/2021/05/09/pismo-state-beach-09-13-may-2021/): We camped here in February and enjoyed the location so much we wanted to come back during warmer weather. Unfortunately, we returned during a cold spell which was very much like February. The day we arrived was beautiful sunny and warm but the “May Grey” hovered over the campground the next few days. Pismo State […] - [07-09 May 2021: Ventura Ranch KOA](https://smallwanders.net/2021/05/08/ventura-ranch-may-07-09-2021/): Our first stop northward was the Ventura Ranch KOA, our first stay at a KOA campground since becoming members. We had a back-in site, fairly wide, with electric and water. The campground is ~17mi inland from Ventura so warm and sunny during our stay. We’ve been using InRoute RV navigation app on my iPhone for […] - [07-18 May 2021: Monterey Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2021/05/07/may-2021-monterey-trip-may-07-18/): After a one week trip from Oceanside to Pismo Beach in February 2021, we wanted to do another trip there during summer. Our trip northward, we kept to the “2-2-2” rule – “take a break every 2hrs, drive 200mi, stop by 2pm”. Our arrivals were often closer to 3 or 4pm but we stuck to […] - [Customizing Howie: New Dinette Table](https://smallwanders.net/2021/04/30/customizing-howie-new-table/): The standard dinette table in the Geo Pro G19RD is designed to convert into a full bed. It is 52″ long 31.25″ wide which takes up a lot of space in the rear of the trailer. It can be difficult to sit on both sides of the dinette. The table has to be slid from […] - [Towing With A Tacoma](https://smallwanders.net/2021/03/23/towing-with-a-tacoma/): We bought our tow vehicle first. I picked a Toyota Tacoma after driving a Prius for 12yrs. Our 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road 4×4, crew cab short bed is rated to tow ~6400lbs. So we shopped for small trailers under 4000lbs, starting with teardrops. We bought the Geo Pro G19RD because we loved its floor […] - [Indio "Glamping"+Joshua Tree Day Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2021/03/14/indio-glamping/): For our third trip of 2021, we wanted to visit family in Desert Hot Springs & Indio Mar 14-18th. Shadow Hills RV Resort in Indio, CA was a great location to stay since it’s less than a mile from family. This RV park has all the amenities allowed by Covid-19 restrictions. Fortunately we arrived Sunday […] - [Customizing Howie: Bed Extension](https://smallwanders.net/2021/03/13/customizing-howie-bed-extension/): Following a thread in the Geo Pro Facebook group, we built an bed extension to convert our E-W bed to N-S. Starting with a 4’x8’x1/2″ piece of finished birch plywood from Home Depot, we had them cut a 41″x44″ piece. I used a hole saw, jigsaw and router to make holes for aeration & weight […] - [Dry-camping at Joshua Tree](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/23/dry-camping-at-joshua-tree/): Feb 23-24 2021: Our grandson Ronan wanted to go camping to celebrate his 5th birthday. His Mom & Dad booked a site at Indian Cove Campground for a tent & trailer, without hookups. There are fewer sites available at Indian Cove because their Covid-19 strategy is to closed every other site. There is an empty […] - [18 Feb 2021, Leg 3: Carpinteria State Beach](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/18/feb-18-2021-leg-3-carpinteria-state-beach/): Since towing Howie is still new to us and stressful, we prefer not to drive more than a tankful of gas. As we gain more experience and fuel at rv-friendly stations, we’ll consider driving longer distances. For now, keeping our drives under 200mi is good. Since Pismo State Beach campground did not have full hookups, […] - [17 Feb 2021: Pismo Beach Area](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/17/feb-17-2021-avila-pismo-beach/): We had clear sunny windy weather most of our week in Ventura. Today was supposed to be a calmer day but everything is relative. We stopped at the Butterfly Grove where Monarch Butterflies are abundant Oct-Feb. This February, there were only several but the grove is free, easy to access so worth a visit. There […] - [16 Feb 2021: Day-trip to Morro Bay](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/16/feb-16-2021-day-trip-to-morro-bay/): Morro Bay is a great scenic destination to get out and stay socially-distanced. We had a beautiful clear windy day, thankful we were not towing. Morro Rock is the cornerstone of Morro Bay. There’s a wide beach & plenty of free parking, large enough for motorhomes. Just south of Morro Rock in Morro Bay, is […] - [15-18 Feb 2021 Leg 2: Pismo Beach](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/15/feb-2021-leg-2-pismo-beach/): After 3 nights at Ventura Beach RV Resort, we headed ~110mi north to Pismo Beach State Beach in Oceano. This is a California State Beach campground with electrical & water hookups. It’s adjacent to Oceano Dunes beach, where you can drive your vehicle on the beach (may be banned soon). At the campground, there is […] - [12-15 Feb 2021, Leg 1: Ventura Beach RV Resort](https://smallwanders.net/2021/02/12/first-trip-2021-ventura-beach-rv-resort/): Our first trip of 2021 was a one week trip up the West Coast of California from Oceanside to Ventura Feb 12-15th. We’ve been wanting to visit family that live & work at Ventura Beach RV Resort since Oct 2020. It’s about 161mi from home and our first outing since our short shakedown trip in […] - [Storing Our Travel Trailer](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/25/storing-our-travel-trailer/): We live in a neighborhood with a HOA that prevents us from parking Howie in the driveway or on the street for more than a few days. With 2020’s RV surge in popularity, storage lots in our area are pretty full. Luckily, we were able to find a spot in a nearby outdoor, gated RV […] - [Customizing Howie](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/23/customizing-howie/): Starting our RV life at the end of 2020, we made some highly recommended tweaks to improve our overall experience. Worn corner from us sliding into the dinette Solution: oak molding glued to corner After taking a few trips and seeing mods other GeoPro owners have done. We made a few more changes to make […] - [Shakedown Trip: Campland-On-The-Bay](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/21/shakedown-trip-campland-by-the-bay/): After some very basic additions to our Geo Pro G19RD “Howie”, we did a three-day shakedown trip to Campland-On-The-Bay Nov 18-21 2020. We bought a long list of support equipment recommended by the numerous YouTube videos we watched on essentials. Following a tip I saw online, I painted the trailer’s hitch a light gray to […] - [Equipping Our Travel Trailer](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/15/equipping-howie/): After watching dozens of RV YouTube videos, we’ve outfitted our Geo Pro G19RD with the essentials plus some extra safety equipment. Like other rv’ers, we ended up with a huge pile of Amazon boxes. A few items were ordered from Campingworld.com using our Good Sam membership discount. We also shopped at a local Camping World […] - ["Howie", our 2021 G19RD](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/13/howie-our-2021-g19rd/): It started as an idea to do a van conversion when I retired but ended up a quest for a small travel trailer. We searched long and hard for just the right travel trailer. With the Covid pandemic causing poor availability of small towables, it was quite a challenge in mid to late 2020. We […] - [Bringing Howie Home](https://smallwanders.net/2020/11/12/bringing-howie-home/): We first saw the Geo Pro G19RD in September at GiantRV in Temecula, along with other small trailers like the Kodiak Cub & Jaybird. We weren’t ready to buy just yet, trying to decide if we’d prefer a teardrop like the Tab 400 or Little Guy Max. After shopping around, we decided the slightly larger […] - [Equipping Our Tow Vehicle](https://smallwanders.net/2020/08/25/equipping-our-tow-vehicle/): 2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4×4 Since buying a small towable travel trailer was challenging due to low inventory in mid-2020. We considered renting to help decide what size trailer would work for us. After buying a Tacoma with tow package, I outfitted it with a weight-distribution hitch (wdh) and Curt wireless brake controller. After reading […] - [Buying a RV in So.California during a pandemic](https://smallwanders.net/2020/06/23/buying-an-rv-during-a-pandemic/): My wife & I retired in 2020 with the idea of traveling while we are still relatively young, healthy and able to enjoy ourselves. Then Covid-19 hit and like everyone else on the entire planet, plans changed. So we’ve gone through lock-downs, home quarantine, and have been very cautious since we are near the age […] - [18-20 Oct 2024: Desert Hot Springs/Joshua Tree](https://smallwanders.net/2024/10/20/18-20-oct-2024-desert-hot-springs-joshua-tree/): We took much shorter trips in 2024, not getting away for much more than a long weekend. We stayed at the Joshua Tree KOA in Desert Hot Springs to visit family nearby. Staying at Joshua Tree KOA is much closer to them than La Quinta or Indio. Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) that was visiting our […] - [01 May 2024: Vernal Falls Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2024/05/01/01-may-2024-vernal-falls-trail/): Gary and I spent most of our time in Yosemite Valley walking the easy trails to Lower Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Mirror Lake Trail and at Tunnel View (just up a few hundred yards on the trailhead for a better view). But we did one major hike to Vernal Falls. This is a hike Carol […] - [01 May 2024: Milky Way Over Half Dome](https://smallwanders.net/2024/05/01/01-may-2024-half-dome-milky-way/): Yosemite National Park is a ‘dark skies’ area, which means there is little light pollution from nearby city lights. This makes it a great location for star gazing and astrophotography. Since we’ve been having clear skies during the past week, I checked PhotoPills for the Milky Way position and its rise time. I wanted it […] - [30 April 2024: Yosemite & Bridalveil Falls](https://smallwanders.net/2024/04/30/30-april-2024-yosemite-falls-valley/): Tuesday we drove to the Ahwahnee Lodge and had a wonderful breakfast in their historic dining room. Afterwards, we hiked to Yosemite Falls. It was busy, being one of the most accessible and beautiful falls in Yosemite Valley. Plus it was flowing full volume so picturesque. Again, we had beautiful blue skies and warm weather, […] - [29 April 2024: Mirror Lake & Yosemite Evening](https://smallwanders.net/2024/04/29/29-april-2024-mirror-lake-yosemite-evening/): Gary and I broke out the bikes – his aluminum 28lb German folding conventional bike and my new Maui 40lb folding e-bike – and headed to Mirror Lake. It was a clear, warm, virtually cloud-less day so we were thankful we had some clouds the day before. Gary likes the workout of biking uphill; me, […] - [28 April 2024: Yosemite Valley](https://smallwanders.net/2024/04/28/28-april-2024-yosemite-valley/): Since we got into the park around noon and setup camp quickly. We took advantage of the great afternoon light and drove through Yosemite Valley. Because it was the last day of the free National Park entry week, Yosemite Valley had a lot of visitors. Gary and I were anxious to get out and scout […] - [28 Apr - 02 May 2024: Yosemite National Park](https://smallwanders.net/2024/04/28/28-apr-02-may-2024-yosemite-national-park/): I was fortunate enough to be invited to Yosemite National Park by Gary Wellwood, a friend from the UCSD Photography Interest Group. He had a reservation for Lower Pines Campground for 4 nights and he was looking for another photographer to join him. Other than a couple nights in Anza-Borrego earlier this month, I have […] - [06-08 Apr 2024: Anza-Borrego](https://smallwanders.net/2024/04/06/06-08-apr-2024-anza-borrego/): We’ve dry-camped in Anza-Borrego State Park a few times and had a great experience. But we’ve always been interested in finding a site in the full-hookup section of the park. Mainly to be able to run the AC during the hotter part of the season. In late 2023, I was searching Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego […] - [15 March 2024: Watson Lake, Prescott AZ](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/15/15-march-2024-watson-lake-prescott-az/): Another rainy day so we decided to try heading west towards Prescott. We have never travel through this part of Arizona and hoped the weather would improve. It didn’t. Watson Lake looked like an interesting area to hike. The rock formations remind of Joshua Tree National Park. The lake and rocks are amazing and this […] - [14 March 2024: West Fork of Oak Creek Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/14/14-march-2024-west-fork-of-oak-creek-trail/): We have friends who have lived in Phoenix for quite awhile and visit Sedona often. During Spring Training post-game dinner, we asked them what is their favorite hike in Sedona. They said “West Fork of Oak Creek Trail, so we added it to our list of hikes to do this trip. Oak Creek Canyon is […] - [13 March 2024: Crescent Moon Ranch, Sedona](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/13/12-march-2024-crescent-moon-ranch-sedona/): Our second day in the Camp Verde area was rainy. We hoped the weather would improve as we drove north toward Sedona. Most of the earlier part of the day was scattered showers so we were able to enjoy some time in the late morning exploring & hiking Crescent Moon Ranch. Unfortunately, it began to […] - [12 March 2024: Courthouse Butte/Bell Rock Loop](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/12/13-march-2024-courthouse-butte-bell-rock-loop/): Wednesday was a great weather day – clear and cool – so we drove to Sedona, stopping at the Visitors Information Center. Sedona was really busy while we were visiting since our trip happened to coincide with Spring Break. We asked the docent of which popular trail we should hike and she recommended a less […] - [11-16 Mar 2024: Camp Verde/Verde Ranch RV Resort](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/11/11-16-mar-2024-camp-verde-verde-ranch-rv-resort/): When we take our travel trailer to Padres Spring Training, we like to extend our time away to explore Arizona or Utah. Last year, the late snow season around Flagstaff diverted us south to Tucson, instead to Page and Monument Valley. This time we headed north but did not travel as far & stayed at […] - [08-10 March 2024 - San Diego Padres Spring Training](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/08/08-10-march-2024-san-diego-padres-spring-training/): It’s become a family tradition to travel to San Diego Padres Spring Training. Other than in 2020, during the Covid shutdown, we’ve gone to Arizona in March for baseball. The last few times, we taken our travel trailer, Howie, and made a vacation of it, traveling beyond Phoenix after attending a few games. Our son […] - [07-16 Mar 2024: Arizona/Baseball Spring Training](https://smallwanders.net/2024/03/07/07-16-mar-2024-arizona-baseball-spring-training/): So far, we’ve stayed close to home most of 2024, with only a few short trips. Caring for our grandson has been a priority and we haven’t felt the ‘call of the road’. One trip early this year, was to San Diego Padres Spring Training in March. Our son, daughter-in-law, & grandson were going to […] - [Bye Lectric, Hello Maui Summers](https://smallwanders.net/2024/02/19/bye-lectric-hello-maui-summers/): While camping at Cattail Cove State Park in Nov 2023, our Canadian neighbor had a compact, folding “Maui” e-bike. I was unfamiliar with the brand but it resembles the Qualisports Volador I was considering buying to replace our Lectric XPs. We love our Lectric XP 2.0s E-Bikes but at 65+lbs each, they are hard to […] - [RV Dog Playpen](https://smallwanders.net/2023/11/25/rv-dog-playpen/): On our trip to Lake Havasu we brought our dog Bodhi and Ollie, my eldest son’s dog. We’ve traveled with Bodhi before and he’s always been on-leash when outside the RV. So we decided to buy a fence like we’ve seen around other RV, so they could be outside without being on a leash. Ollie […] - [24 Nov 2023: Havasu Island Bike Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2023/11/24/24-nov-2023-havasu-island-bike-trail/): The majority of the trails around Lake Havasu are for mountain biking or quads. There is a commuter bike path that parallels the highway and takes you into town. But we wanted to a more scenic bike ride, away from traffic so we picked the Havasu Island Trail. It’s a popular ~3.5mi walking and biking […] - [23 Nov 2023: Sara Park Trail/Thanksgiving Potluck](https://smallwanders.net/2023/11/23/23-nov-2023-sara-park-trails/): There are plenty of things to do around Lake Havasu but most are boating or other water-sports on the lake. We wanted to hike at least once during our stay so we chose the Sara Crack Slot Canyon Trail. Sara Park is only a few miles north from Cattail Cove just off the road to […] - [22 Nov 2023: Lake Havasu City/Parker Dam](https://smallwanders.net/2023/11/22/22-nov-2023-lake-havasu-city-parker-dam/): About 12mi north of Cattail Cove State Park is Lake Havasu City. It is a sprawling town spread around the eastern shore of the lake formed by the Colorado River & Parker Dam. The lake is definitely the main attraction of the area. There are many lake resort communities especially on the ‘Island’. Many of […] - [20-27 Nov 2023: Lake Havasu Thanksgiving Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2023/11/21/20-27-nov-2023-lake-havasu-thanksgiving-trip/): Thanksgiving 2023, our sons & families had travel plans – one to Dominican Republic, the other to Arizona. So we took the opportunity to travel to Cattail Cove State Park at Lake Havasu. We had booked here in March 2023 but ended up heading into southern Arizona to Tucson and Yuma because of bad weather. […] - [18 Oct 2024: Last Day in Lone Pine](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/18/18-oct-2024-last-day-in-lone-pine/): When we travel, we rarely sit idle by the RV. So we usually fill our days, especially our last day on vacation. So after a few short hikes in the Alabama Hills in search of Nightmare Rock/Miss Alabama Rock and Shark Fin Rock. We drove north to historic Mt Whitney Fish Hatchery. “The Mt Whitney […] - [17 Oct 2024: Mt Whitney/Lone Pine Lake Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/17/17-oct-2024-mt-whitney-lone-pine-lake-trail/): We wanted to hike a cooler, more forested trail so we headed up Mt Whitney Portal. The trails around Mt Whitney and the eastern Sierras here are hard with lots of elevation change. But we thought we’d give the 6mi Lone Pine Lake Trail as try. I came to Lone Pine and the Eastern Sierras […] - [14, 16 Oct 2023: Alabama Hills Movie Road](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/16/14-16-oct-2023-alabama-hills/): The Alabama Hills &/or Mt Whitney are why you visit Lone Pine. Many highway 395 travelers stop here for lunch as they head to Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, or Lake Tahoe. But Lone Pine has a lot to offer, mainly hiking/climbing Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, and the Alabama Hills Movie […] - [16 Oct 2024: Museum of Western Film History](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/16/16-oct-2024-museum-of-western-film-history/): If you are a classic film buff, enjoy westerns, or movies in general, a short but worthwhile stop in Lone Pine is the Museum of Western Film History. It a relatively small museum but with plenty of memorabilia and information about the hundreds of films and shows filmed in the Alabama Hills. Admission is a […] - [Olancha Sculpture Garden](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/16/olancha-sculpture-garden/): An unusual roadside point-of-interest south of Lone Pine, is the Olancha Sculpture Garden. A much smaller metal sculpture array than Anza-Borrego’s larger metal sculptures. The Olancha Sculpture Garden is an installation by Jael Hoffman. It’s right on the 395 and free, although there’s a donation sculpture (“Give & Take”) with Venmo address. Quirky, unusual metal […] - [15 Oct 2023: Bristlecone Pine Ancient Forest](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/15/15-oct-2023-bristlecone-pine-ancient-forest/): After our stop at Manzanar National Historic Site, we drove into Bishop for lunch. From Boulder Creek RV Park in south Lone Pine, Manzanar is about 18mi north, Bishop ~80mi. Manzanar was a surprise, we hadn’t planned a stop but being of Japanese heritage. When I saw the sign driving north, I thought it worth […] - [15 Oct 2023: Manzanar National Historic Site](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/15/15-oct-2023-manzanar-national-historic-site/): We took a daytrip, north on the 395, to hike the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. On the way, about 15mi north of Boulder Creek RV Resort, we passed the Manzanar National Historic Site. We were in no hurry so we stopped. I was aware of the history of Japanese-Americans on the Pacific Coast being sent […] - [14-19 Oct 2024: Lone Pine, CA](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/14/lone-pine/): Lone Pine is a small town on Highway 395 in the Owens Valley. Lone Pine has a few stores and restaurants and is mainly a portal to Mt McKinley & the Alabama Hills. Travelers often stop here on their way to Bishop, Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe. There aren’t many RV parks in this area […] - [13-19 Oct 2023: Lone Pine Alabama Hills Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2023/10/13/13-19-oct-2023-lone-pine-alabama-hills/): We’ve been staying closer to home and taking shorter trips. So our RV trips are to locations that are within two-days travel from home. We were hoping that there might be Fall colors in the eastern Sierras based on some travel vlogs & Google searches. Plus some photographers in the UCSD Photography Interest Group have […] - [Upgrading/Migrating smallwanders.net](https://smallwanders.net/2023/09/14/easier-than-phpmyadmin-find-replace/): I recently moved this website from Hostinger Premium Hosting to Hostinger Business Hosting. Smallwanders.net was stressing the ‘premium’ webserver. I was receiving ‘limited resources’ messages even though only ~50% of the 100gb was used. So for improved performance & 200gb storage, I moved this site to a ‘business’ webserver with double the specs. Not a […] - [11-13 Aug 2023: Joshua Tree/Perseid Meteor Shower](https://smallwanders.net/2023/08/11/11-13-aug-2023-joshua-tree-perseid-meteor-shower/): I saw a post about the 2023 Perseid Meteor Shower on Instagram. One of the best places to see this event in California is Joshua Tree National Park, a dark-sky area. But Joshua Tree is 105°F during the day in August. Regardless, all available campsites at Joshua Tree National Park were booked. Our last trip […] - [03-05 Aug 2023: San Diego Urban Camping](https://smallwanders.net/2023/08/03/03-05-aug-2023-san-diego-urban-camping/): It’s been increasing difficult to find a spur-of-the-moment RV site this year, especially affordable ones. Our weekday schedule has been busy and campgrounds on the weekend are all booked. So we felt lucky to find a few days at San Diego Metro KOA to take the grand-kids for a few nights of ‘urban RV camping’. […] - [10-24 May 2023: Japan](https://smallwanders.net/2023/05/24/10-24-may-2023-japan/): Not a RV trip of course, but this was our first international trip since Italy in Dec 2019/Jan 2020. Our son Sean & family planned a long-awaited trip to Japan and invited us to join them. They planned a 3-week trip but we only planned for a two-week stay. We would overlap in Tokyo for […] - [Day 3: Sumo Tournament, Kanda Matsuri Festival, Skytree](https://smallwanders.net/2023/05/14/sumo-tournament-kanda-matsuri-festival-skytree/): Tokyo Day 3 Our itinerary in Tokyo was full thanks to Sean & Melissa’s planning. This was their first family visit to Japan so they wanted to make the most of it. May 14th was Mother’s Day so Melissa wanted to see the Kanda Matsuri Festival. This is an important cultural Shinto event that she […] - [Day 2: Mini Pig Cafe, Giants Baseball & Tokyo Dome](https://smallwanders.net/2023/05/13/13-may-2023-tokyo-day-2/): MINI PIG CAFE 11 AM There is so much to see in Tokyo and you can just hop on the train and/or walk to many sights. But if you want to visit certain venues or businesses, many require a reservation. Japan has many animal-themed cafes where you can visit dogs, cats, hedgehogs, pigs, birds, and […] - [Day 1: Godzilla, Gotokuji Temple & Ghibli Museum](https://smallwanders.net/2023/05/12/11-16-may-2023-tokyo/): We started our two weeks in Japan in Tokyo. Staying at the Hotel Edmont that’s walking distance from the train station. This location was a great base location for our destinations around Tokyo. Sean & Melissa had planned most of the activities for us, buying tickets etc. It was great traveling to Japan with our […] - [25 Mar 2023: Imperial Sand Dunes](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/25/25-mar-2023-imperial-sand-dunes/): After spending the morning at Center of the World, & lunching in Yuma, we drove an hour to the Imperial Sand Dunes. We couldn’t find the turnoff for Ted Kipf Rd to North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area so we stopped at the Hugh T. Osborne Lookout. There are restrooms and a large parking lot & […] - [25 Mar 2023: Center of the World](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/25/25-mar-2023-center-of-the-world/): We stayed at Encore Pilot RV Resort in Winterhaven, CA ~10mi from Yuma, AZ. It’s an Encore/Thousand Trails RV Resort in southeastern California on the Arizona border. When searching for places-of-interest in the area, the Center of The World Museum came up. It was right across the freeway from our RV resort. Since I wanted […] - [24 Mar 2023: Yuma Az/Encore Pilot Knob RV Resort](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/24/24-mar-2023-yuma-az-encore-pilot-knob-rv-resort/): We scheduled one more stop before heading home – Yuma, AZ. We actually stayed in Winterhaven at Encore/Thousand Trails Pilot Knob RV Resort ~10mi from Yuma. I wanted to photograph the Imperial Sand Dunes, specifically the dunes in the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area. This RV park is about an hour from the dunes wilderness […] - [23 Mar 2023: Tanque Verde Falls Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/23/23-mar-2023-tanque-verde-falls-trail/): One of most popular trails in east Tucson, according to AllTrails and other online hiking sites, is the Tanque Verde Falls Trail in the Coronado National Forest. It is rated ‘moderate’ by Alltrails and only ~2 miles out & back. We found this to be a really challenging hike. There wasn’t an obvious trail by […] - [22 Mar 2023: Saguaro National Park East](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/22/22-mar-2023-saguaro-national-park-east/): The weather continued to be cool and rainy but great for hiking and photography. Saguaro National Park East appears to have more hiking trails than the west. There’s also a popular scenic drive loop through the park that has many pull-outs and trailheads. I thought the terrain was more interesting than the valley of the […] - [21 Mar 2023: Saguaro National Park West](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/21/21-mar-2023-saguaro-national-park-west/): We read that Saguaro National Park West is more popular than the East so we visited here first. With winter rains generating large patches of wildflowers in California and Arizona. Our first stop was just over the ridge dropping into Saguaro National Park West valley on W.Picture Rock Road. The Cam-Boh/Ringtail trailhead was covered in […] - [20-23 Mar 2023: Tucson/Saguaro National Park](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/20/19-22-mar-2023-tucson-gates-pass-overlook/): With unpredictable weather north of Phoenix, we decided to head south to Tucson. Our bucket-list of visiting all the national parks did not have a check mark next to Saguaro National Park. Plus the weather and driving conditions were noticeably better heading south. We book three nights at the Tucson/Lazydays KOA primarily for its location. […] - [17-20 Mar 2023: San Diego Padres Spring Training](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/17/17-19-mar-2023-san-diego-padres-spring-training/): Heading to Peoria in March has become an annual Spring getaway. Except for the Covid year off, we’ve made it tos see Padres Spring Training the last several years. This year, we decided to combine our usual long baseball weekend in March, with a RV trip. Since we are in Arizona, why not spend some […] - [16-26 Mar 2023: Spring Training/Arizona](https://smallwanders.net/2023/03/16/16-26-mar-2023-spring-training-arizona/): We had ambitious plans for March. First going to San Diego Padres Spring Training in Peoria, Az for three days then heading to northern Arizona and Utah. Unfortunately, like February, the weather became a factor and all our northward plans to Page, to Monument Valley, to Flagstaff, to Lake Havasu, ending in Desert Hot Springs […] - [20-23 Feb 2023: Wildflowers & Wildweather](https://smallwanders.net/2023/02/20/20-23-feb-2023-anza-borrego-borrego-springs/): Finding a campsite for 3 days at Anza-Borrego State Park, even during the week, is challenging during peak season (Oct-May). Desert spaces are extremely popular during the winter, especially around Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego. Fortunately, we found a spot at the Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort for 3 nights. It was a very different […] - [17-20 Feb 2023: Desert Hot Springs](https://smallwanders.net/2023/02/17/17-20-feb-2023-desert-hot-springs/): Our first trip of 2023 was supposed to be to Agua Caliente County Park Jan 2 2023 but we had to cancelled to help family. Which ended up being less disappointing because it rained the entire week and that area is prone to flash floods. So we postponed our first RV trip to February, combining […] - [Trip-planning, Navigation, & Hiking Tools](https://smallwanders.net/2023/02/11/trip-planning-navigation-hiking-tools/): We’ve been taking trips around the western USA in our 20ft travel trailer Howie for over two years. I find myself relying on the same websites, apps and navigation tools to help get to where we are going. Here are a few of my favs as of Feb 2023: Trip Planning Navigation (and Route-planning) Hiking - [Starlink for RV 2022 Update](https://smallwanders.net/2022/12/22/starlink-for-rv-2022-update/): After six months of using Starlink for RV I think the pluses strongly outweigh the minuses. Not a glowing endorsement but the main plus is having internet when there isn’t cell service or wifi. That’s a pretty big plus when you are traveling. Plus Starlink’s tech support is excellent if you ever have issues. The […] - [Towing With A Tacoma 2022 Update](https://smallwanders.net/2022/12/22/towing-with-a-tacoma-2022-update/): As you can tell from this blog, we’ve been towing around the Western United States for two years. Our Tacoma, “Toby”, has been pulling our 20ft travel trailer, “Howie”, reliably. I have had concerns about steep inclines and our Tacoma does struggle a bit after a few thousand feet. Especially if the incline is greater […] - [08 Oct 2022: Barstow/Yermo KOA](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/08/08-oct-2022-barstow-yermo-koa/): There aren’t many good stopping point midway between Utah & Oceanside if you want to overnight in a RV Park. For our two-day drive home we wanted to have an early arrival day 2 (Oct 9th) so that meant driving longer day 1 (Oct 8th). If we stopped again at Thousand Trails Las Vegas, our […] - [07 Oct 2022: Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/07/07-oct-2022-coral-sand-dunes-state-park/): About 20 miles from Kanab is the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. According to the State Park website, these 10,000-15,000 year old sand dunes are created by three things: sand, high winds, and a notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains, that causes the dune formation. The eroding Navajo sandstone gives the sand dunes […] - [06 Oct 2022: Grand Canyon North Rim](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/06/06-oct-2022-grand-canyon-north-rim/): The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is 8000ft. It’s much cooler, heavily forested, and more rustic than the south rim. Most of the facilities, like the lodge, close by mid-October or at first snowfall. The North Rim is lesser-visited than its Southern counterpart. So less crowded, except at the lodge, which is the main […] - [05 Oct 2022: Sand Caves](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/05/05-oct-2022-sand-caves/): When searching for things to do in Kanab, the Sand Caves just north of town are a popular stop. This feature is close to the road as you drive into town from the north. It’s a short easy hike that becomes moderate because it requires scrambling up angular sandstone slabs ~100ft. It is an easy-access […] - [05-08 Oct 2022: Kanab Utah](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/05/05-08-oct-2022-kanab/): After all the hikes and scenic drives at Zion & Bryce Canyon, by the time we arrived at Kanab, we were tired. So we shortened our 4 night stay at Kanab RV Corral to 3 nights. It’s a RV campground with full hookups on the south end of town. Close to everything, practical, affordable but […] - [04 Oct 2022 Bryce: Mossy Cave & Scenic Drive](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/04/04-oct-2022-mossy-cave-trail-scenic-drive/): Bryce Canyon Coffee in Tropic, about 10mi from Ruby’s Inn, was one of the few places serving really good coffee & tea. When we drove there for coffee a few days before, we saw the sign for the Mossy Cave Trail. After looking it up on Alltrails.com, we thought it’d be fun to come back […] - [03 Oct 2022: Bryce Canyon Peekaboo Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/03/03-oct-2022-peekaboo-trail/): Our second hike was another popular and more challenging trail, Peekaboo Loop. The trailhead starts at Bryce Point (8300ft), higher than either Sunrise or Sunset Points. Peekaboo Trail gets it name from the surprises around every corner on the trail and it lives up to its name. The changes in scenery around every bend are […] - [02 Oct 2022: Bryce Queens Garden to Navajo Loop Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/02/02-oct-2022-queens-garden-navajo-loop-trail/): Other than trails from one viewpoint to another along the rim, most loop down into the canyon and back. Because of their vertical nature, AllTrails.com accurately rates them moderate. These trails are well-groomed but there can be collapses along the way. So mini-tractors are deployed on some trails to clear the path. Wall Street Trail […] - [01 Oct 2022: Bryce Canyon](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/01/01-oct-2022-bryce-canyon/): Bryce canyon is breathtaking – photos cannot do it’s intricate landscapes justice, even with epic light. This was our first visit to Bryce Canyon and it has a similar appeal as the Grand Canyon but is uniquely different. Grand Canyon impresses with it grandeur. Bryce Canyon with thousands of hoodoos and banded-colored sediments forming spectacular […] - [01 Oct 2022: Zion to Bryce Scenic Drive](https://smallwanders.net/2022/10/01/01-oct-2022-zion-to-bryce-scenic-drive/): Ordinarily, our drive from one destination to another doesn’t warrant comment but this one is pretty unique. There are a couple ways to get from Springdale to Bryce Canyon. The shortest is UT-9E through Zion National Park to US-89. But UT-9E is a winding route that has a 1.1mi tunnel with height restrictions. If your […] - [30 Sep 2022: Zion Lower Pine Creek Waterfall](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/30/30-sep-2022-lower-pine-creek-waterfall/): Our last hike in Zion NP this trip was the Lower Pine Creek Waterfall trail. This is not well advertised but can be found as one of the top trails in AllTrails app or .com. The hike is short but requires crossing Lower Pine Creek several times. This means scrambling over boulders, scaling some rock […] - [29 Sep 2022: Pa'rus Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/29/29-sep-2022-parus-trail-sunset/): After hiking earlier in the day to Zion Canyon Overlook & Shelf Canyon. We drove into town for lunch then relaxed in the RV till early evening. It rained heavily that afternoon so I wondered how dramatic sunset might be, if there was one. So we planned to go into the park and photograph the […] - [29 Sep 2022: Shelf Canyon Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/29/29-sep-2022-shelf-canyon-parus-trail/): After our short hike on the Zion Canyon Overlook trail, we wanted to hike the nearby Shelf Canyon Trail. The trailhead is just a few hundred yards up the road from the Zion Canyon Overlook trailhead. According to Alltrails, the trail begins near the rest-stop parking lot. The trailhead isn’t marked and is not a […] - [29 Sep 2022: Zion Canyon Overlook Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/29/29-sep-2022-zion-canyon-overlook-trail/): The biggest challenge of this hike, because of its location & popularity, is parking. Just beyond the Zion Tunnel’s east exit is a tiny parking lot. There’s also sparse parking up the road a few hundred yards. Since the hike is fairly short, there are people leaving quite often so you can get lucky. But, […] - [28 Sep 2022: Zion Emerald Pools Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/28/28-sep-2022-emerald-pools-trail/): The Emerald Pools Trailhead starts at the Zion Lodge shuttle stop. It’s considered a moderate trail because it starts in the canyon and heads uphill to a series of three pools – Lower, Middle, & Upper Emerald Pools. The hike to the lower pool is actually pretty easy and accessible so the trail can be […] - [27 Sep - Oct 01 2022: Zion National Park](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/27/27-sep-oct-01-2022-zion-national-park/): Our favorite RV campground in Springdale is Zion Canyon Campground and RV Resort. The same campground we stayed in 2021. Its location just outside the park and availability of river-side campsites make it our favorite place to stay. Last year we hiked Zion’s two most popular trails – the Narrows and Angels Landing. So this […] - [26 Sep - 09 Oct 2022: Zion/Bryce/Kanab](https://smallwanders.net/2022/09/26/26-sep-09-oct-2022-zion-bryce-kanab/): In September 2021, we took our first RV trip out of California to St. George Utah & Zion National Park. It was such a great trip, we decided to visit southern Utah again in 2022 to explore the many places we missed. Utah is a RV and hiker’s paradise with so many diverse and amazing […] - [14-16 Aug 2022: Portland Oregon](https://smallwanders.net/2022/08/14/13-14-aug-2022-portland-oregon/): My brother typically visits SoCal in August and we celebrate his birthday. Since he and his wife just bought a home, we thought we’d make the trip north to checkout their new place. It’s a 1000+mi road trip north so we opted for a ~2hr plane ride versus a 2-3 day road trip (each way) […] - [13 Aug 2022: Smith Rock/Trillian Lake](https://smallwanders.net/2022/08/13/13-aug-2022-smith-rock-trillian-lake/): 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 […] - [10-13 Aug 2022: Bend/La Pine Oregon](https://smallwanders.net/2022/08/11/09-13-aug-2022-bend-la-pine-oregon/): 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 […] - [10 Aug 2022: Multnomah Falls](https://smallwanders.net/2022/08/10/10-aug-2022-multnomah-falls/): 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 […] - [20 Jul 2022: Tioga Road](https://smallwanders.net/2022/07/20/20-jul-2022-yosemite-tioga-road/): After two-days in Yosemite Valley, we spent our third day on Yosemite’s Tioga Road. The drive takes you to higher elevations than Yosemite Valley so it’s much cooler. The only challenges were the 20-30min road construction delays at places along the road. These significantly slowed our progress exploring this part of Yosemite. But this area […] - [18-19 2022: Yosemite Valley](https://smallwanders.net/2022/07/17/17-21-2022-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 […] - [15-17 July 2022: Bass Lake](https://smallwanders.net/2022/07/15/15-17-july-2022-bass-lake/): 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 at Yosemite RV Resort has both a members-only section and public campsites (RV & tent). The campground is on the lake’s […] - [14-22 July 2022: Yosemite National Park](https://smallwanders.net/2022/07/14/13-22-july-2022-yosemite-national-park/): Our last RV trip was in February so by mid-June, after our new grandson’s Jun 2nd arrival, we were ready for a road-trip. Fortunately, Carol made a July reservation for Yosemite and accepting the $6/gal fuel costs and 90-100°F temperatures forecast. We found a campsite available for a week at Bass Lake at Yosemite RV […] - [Tacoma Mod: Sumo Springs Jul 2022](https://smallwanders.net/2022/07/07/tacoma-mod-sumo-springs-jul-2022/): Our GeoPro G19RD has a tongue weight of ~420lbs. When the truck bed is loaded for a RV trip, the weight of cargo plus the GeoPro causes hitch sag. There are a variety of solutions to improve the truck’s rear suspension but Sumo Springs are easy to install and simple. I opted for the black […] - [Starlink for RVs](https://smallwanders.net/2022/06/30/starlink-for-rvs/): 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 & […] - [Snorkeling Hawaii Apr-May 2022](https://smallwanders.net/2022/05/01/snorkeling-hawaii-apr-may-2022/): 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, […] - [29 Apr - 03 May 2022: Kauai](https://smallwanders.net/2022/04/29/29-apr-03-may-2022-kauai/): 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 […] - [23-29 Apr 2022: Maui](https://smallwanders.net/2022/04/23/23-29-apr-2022-maui/): 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 […] - [04 Apr 2022: Carlsbad Flower Fields](https://smallwanders.net/2022/04/04/04-apr-2022-carlsbad-flower-fields/): With family get-togethers and a Hawaii trip planned in April, we have been staying close to home. The Carlsbad Flower Fields are blooming and it’s another nearby place we often consider visiting but rarely do. Here are a few photos from our daytrip to the flower fields on a beautiful but breezy afternoon. - [27-28 Mar 2022: SD Padres Spring Training](https://smallwanders.net/2022/03/27/27-28-mar-2022-sd-padres-spring-training/): 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 […] - [21 Feb 2022: Skull Rock, Hall of Horrors, Barker Dam, Hidden Valley](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/22/21-feb-2022-skull-rock-hall-of-horrors-barker-dam-hidden-valley/): We got a much earlier start today, President’s Day, and had a much better experience with smaller crowds. There were plenty of hikers, just not the insane number yesterday. The weather was clear and sunny but the wind had picked up significantly. Although sunny, it was cold and REALLY windy. But once on the trail, […] - [20 Feb 2022: Joshua Tree-Split Rock Loop Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/20/20-feb-2022-joshua-tree-split-rock-loop-trail/): It should have been no surprise to us that Joshua Tree National Park on President’s Day weekend would be crowded. But the number of cars & people was insane – I know national parks are more popular than ever but today was nuts. Even the north entrance had a queue of 20 cars. We have […] - [19-22 Feb 2022: 29Palms/Joshua Tree](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/19/19-22-feb-2022-29palms-joshua-tree/): We left Anza-Borrego on such a high note, seeing & photographing Bighorn Sheep. I felt less enthusiastic moving on to Joshua Tree. Last time we camped there in Feb 2021 was such a short visit, we wanted to see more of the National Park. After the excitement of successful wildlife photography, landscape photography seemed less […] - [19 Feb 2022: Finally Bighorn Sheep](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/19/feb-19-2022-finally-bighorn-sheep/): 11am – an hour before departure from Borrego Palm Canyon Campground: on our way back to campsite 105, we drove to the day-use parking lot to turn-around. A Ranger directing traffic for Palm Canyon Trail parking had me pull into a parking spot and before I could tell him “I’m just turning around”. He pointed […] - [18 Feb 2022: The Slot](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/18/feb-18-2022-the-slot/): Anza-Borrego State Park is the largest state park in California so the drive to The Slot actually leaves the park then re-enters. From Borrego Palm Canyon Campground it’s ~17mi 27mins. The dirt road ‘entrance’ (Borrego Mountain Wash on Google Maps) is pretty easy to miss since it’s not marked. Our navigation app said to park […] - [17 Feb 2022: Palm Canyon Trail-Montezuma Rd](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/17/feb-17-2022-borrego-palm-canyon-trail/): Since we were staying in Borrego Palm Canyon Campground. The trailhead was just a feet hundred feet from our campsite. On Thursday, there were fewer hikers especially at 9:30am. This trail can get pretty busy especially on the weekends. Plus it is a popular trail for school & nature tours with a day-use, fee-based parking […] - [16-19 Feb 2022: Anza-Borrego State Park](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/16/feb-16-19-2022-anza-borrego-state-park/): After a short Valentine’s Day visit with family in Indio, we moved to Borrego Palm Canyon Campground in the State Park. Although Sat-Sun were completely booked for months, we were able to get three nights – two at one site (97), one nearby (105). So on Friday we had to move a couple hundred feet […] - [13-22 Feb 2022: Indio/Anza-Borrego/Joshua Tree](https://smallwanders.net/2022/02/13/feb-13-22-2022-indio-anza-borrego-joshua-tree/): Our original plan to head east through Arizona to New Mexico this month changed because of the cold front that hit much of the US mid-Feb. On our way back from New Mexico, our hope was to stop in Peoria & see a few Padres Spring Training games. So with Spring Training being canceled & […] - [22 Jan 2022: Salton Sea](https://smallwanders.net/2022/01/22/jan-22-2022-salton-sea/): After a lot of driving to Anza-Borrego & Fonts Point yesterday, another long drive into Joshua Tree will wait till next trip. So while Carol visited family, I did a shorter drive to the Salton Sea. I’ve seen photos of this area and thought it looked interesting photographically. It was still windy and there were […] - [21 Jan 2022: Anza-Borrego Day-Trip](https://smallwanders.net/2022/01/21/jan-21-2022-anza-borrego-state-park/): Although we have lived most of our lives in SoCal, we’ve never visited Anza-Borrego. It’s always been on our list of places to go but we’ve just never made it out there. Working as an oceanographer, with month-long cruises in Jan and April, kept me busy during the prime months to visit. Now that we […] - [19-23 Jan 2022: Indian Waters RV Resort, Indio](https://smallwanders.net/2022/01/19/jan-19-23-2022-indian-waters-rv-resort-indio/): Our first trip in 2022 was a short 5-day trip to visit family in Palm Desert & Indio, CA. This area is popular with snowbirds this time of year, their peak season. The weather in this area is perfect for escaping the frigid north and east winter conditions. Even though we live in SoCal and […] - [17-20 Oct 2021 - Silver Strand Beach](https://smallwanders.net/2021/10/18/17-20-oct-2021-silver-strand-beach/): When we first brought our 20ft travel trailer home in Nov 2020, we wanted to camp locally to practice & learn. We ended up staying at Campland-On-the-Bay, which was a great 1st trip. But we also were interested in staying at some other beach campgrounds like Silver Stand State Beach in south San Diego. Unfortunately, […] - [30 Sept 2021 - Leaving Zion](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/30/30-sept-2021-heading-home/): Zion Canyon RV Resort cleared out Tuesday & Wednesday so if you are trying to get a spot. Your chances on these days are better than nearer to the weekend. Yesterday’s hike to Angel’s Landing was less crowded on the shuttle than Monday when we hiked the Narrows. We considered e-biking early today but settled […] - [29 Sept 2021 - Angel's Landing](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/29/29-sept-2021-angels-landing/): The 2nd most popular hike, or tied at #1 with the Narrows, is Angel’s Landing. A hard, out-n-back 4.4mi hike that changes elevations ~1600ft. The trail is one of the busiest and the main reason it’s so dangerous at the summit. A lot of people of various skill & physical ability on a narrow, vertical, […] - [28 Sept 2021 - The Narrows](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/28/28-sept-2021-the-narrows/): At the top of every Zion visitor’s list of places to hike is the Narrows. A river hike in the Virgin River through Zion Canyon. With its popularity, this can be a crowded ‘trail’ so we got an early start. But not as early as originally planned since morning temperatures were mid 50s. We layered […] - [27 Sept 2021 - Zion Canyon RV Resort](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/27/28-sept-2021-zion-canyon-rv-resort/): Although visiting Zion National Park is only a 25min drive from St. George or Hurricane campgrounds. If you can stay closer, it’s easier to get an early start. In late September, afternoon temperatures are in the high 80s low 90s so morning excursions are recommended.We were lucky to book 3 nights in Zion Canyon RV […] - [27 Sept 2021 - Red Reef Trail](https://smallwanders.net/2021/09/27/27-oct-2021-red-reef-trail/): Since we didn’t hike yesterday and we weren’t leaving the KOA till noon (late checkout request okayed by KOA). We wanted to do a short hike to Red Reef Trail next to the campground. We checked it out yesterday evening, going through the underpass directly across from the KOA – it would be a great […] ## Pages - [Contact Info](https://smallwanders.net/contact-info/): smallwanders.net is a personal blog that documents our journey into retirement in our 20ft GeoPro G19RD. Primarily a travel journal for our ourselves, our family & friends. It chronicles our trips and the lessons learned owning & traveling in travel trailer. It’s my favorite method of ‘photojournaling’ our experiences as recent (Nov 2020) rv’ers. Although […] ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/smallwanders.net/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)