Home for now!

If the ambulance is too late, they can use the hearse!
 View across the street from RV last night in Tempe.

After parking and stowing the RV in Tempe during a driving (and drenching) rainstorm, we headed west navigating the "free"ways and interstates of Phoenix, then LA.  Since we left so late in the day (4 PM after lunch, we hit the rush hour in Phoenix but missed it in SoCal. I had planned to take a snapshot with iPhone of the RV in storage but forgot 2 times.  Once during parking because of the rain, and second time  after we left the restaurant despite talking about it over late lunch.  Senior moment I guess.

I read to Sraddha while she drove the first leg into Riverside, then drove the remaining evening through the north side of LA on the 210 to Valencia just south of the grapevine and Tejon pass.

Using on of the hotel travel apps on the iphone I found an inexpensive Best western motel just off the freeway in Valencia. where we dragged our overnight gear into the first motel of the trip and collapsed in bed.  When I called ahead to the motel to confirm availabitlity and pricing (cheaper than the app said), we were also informed that a Starbucks was right across the street for the next morning pick-me-up.  A godsend for weary travelers and the first purchased coffee in weeks.  We had really been enjoying our morning post meditation beverage prepared in our own mobile "kitchen" since we departed the village mid November.  Strange to travel the way we used to for a couple of days.

Our breakfast at Tita's Pupusaria
in Buttonwillow

Early next morning we headed north, fortified with our coffee, over the Tejon pass as the light fog burned off revealing snow on the surrounding peaks.  I was driving so couldn't snap any pix.  About 2 hours into the day we hit Buttonwillow on Interstate 5.  What and where is BUTTONWILLOW?! literally in the middle of no-whereville.  However...

We wanted something other than typical fast food. During previous trips through the area, Sraddha had stopped here and discovered a little Salvadoran restaurant converted from an older fast food place which server "pupusa's" made fresh from maiz flour as we waited.We pulled off the highway, drove up and down the roads and found it.  Tita's Pupusaria.  Hmm. sounds intriguing. This salvadoran place in an old hamburger joint serves fantastic food. The fried plantains sweet and when combined with savory pupusa offers a wonderful complement. Being vegetarians, we ordered the pupusa con queso y loroco. The accompanying slaw has some oregano which flavors the whole dish. Great spot to stop en route between SoCal and NorCal. really fun.   I really couldn't finish it

Off we drove north and, after obligatory stops at Trader Joe's in Roseville, and the food co-op in Grass valley we made it home by just as the sun set.  Saw a red shouldered (as opposed to a red tailed) hawk as we drove down the last little road to our non-mobile home in the woods.

View outside front of RV in desert.

Sorry for the late post as it just has been very busy since we have been out for a month.

Will post some more stories of the trip as time permits.

then off again to recoup our RV in late February.