Driving Old Blue Home – February 2010

  Long Beach, CA to Palm Springs, CA: Our destination was originally my aunt & uncle's place in Palm Springs, but there was no room at the inn (RV resort does not allow overnight guests). Plan B: campground (hotel was out due to the stuff in Dad's truck). Not having sleeping bags, we were on the hunt for a Target, Walmart, etc. We stopped at a gas station along the dark Highway 111 (could barely see the entrance road; will definitely need to relay the headlights!) and were given directions to a Target and a campground. We exited at what we thought was the right road and happened upon a Walmart! Because it was late and very dark, we opted to not bother with searching for the campground and, instead, "camped out" at Walmart... along with several others. Very cool and convenient to just pop the top, pull out the beds and hit the hay!

  Palm Springs, CA to Phoenix, AZ: The next morning we stopped to see my aunt and uncle who live in an RV resort. Before leaving we thought it'd be cute to get a few pictures of our "RV" parked next to one of those luxury RVs. We weren't able to do that, but we were able to take some pictures at their vacationing friends' pads. Our "RV" would not be allowed in this place; not necessarily because it isn't luxurious, but because it doesn't meet the minimum length requirement! The pictures show the van parked in spots long enough for 40+-foot motorhomes.

After stopping in Blythe to rendezvous with my cousin who was heading home from Lake Havasu, we crossed the state line and had to climb a slight grade on I-10. Driving in the right lane (where slow vehicles belong, right?), we were approaching what appeared to be something familiar in the left lane. The closer we got, the more familiar it looked. Yep, we were right! I waved as we passed the late model tin-top Vanagon, in the right lane. Yes, Old Blue, a full-camper Vanagon with its original 2.1L WBX'er passed a regular passenger Vanagon going up hill!! The older couple in that Vanagon didn't know what to make of it!

Total miles: 412

Updated: 1-Jan-2024