We landed at Seabreeze RV Resort, a Navy campground in Seal Beach, CA. After a strong push across the country, it was fabulous to land in one campground and remain there for sixteen nights. Equally fantastic was the chance to be around our son and his family, who live 20 miles north of the campground.
Before arriving at Seal Beach, we experienced issues with our bedroom slide extending and retracting. The slide finally gave out at our stop at Fort Irwin, CA, and we could not get it to retract. Seal Beach was 200 miles away, and I would drive with the slide extended, but Helen had a better idea. Our route would take us through Barstow, CA, and she successfully located an RV Mobile repair technician (Fred) who would meet us in the Barstow Home Depot parking lot to investigate the problem. Fred reworked the wiring on the slide motor and had us on the road to Seal Beach in an hour and a half.
In the early days at Seal Beach, we used some time for repair and maintenance. One of our pantry shelves had fallen and needed some reworking. The trim around our front window had separated from the wall, and I reattached that. The heating element in our water burned out. I bought the last one available at Camping World and replaced it (thanks to a YouTube video).
A few days after arriving, we visited Justin’s neighborhood, where our granddaughter, Abby, and her friends stood for pictures after dressing up for the Winter Formal hosted by her High School. The young ladies were gorgeous, and the young men were strikingly handsome. The students gathered in a local park while their parents (and grandparents) took picture after picture.
Our Grandson, Carter, played in a two-day volleyball tournament conveniently held in Seal Beach. Helen and I felt fortunate to have the opportunity to watch the action. Carter’s team won more games than they lost, and Carter played very well.
Helen and I don’t go out for meals very often, but when we’re in Southern California, I insist we visit Hennessey’s Irish Pub in Hermosa Beach. Carter and I each had the Dubliner Gourmet Burger.
I also insist I have my annual picture of Abby and me seated together, which we did this time. Abby doesn’t appear to be relishing the moment, but she probably had a lot on her mind. Her high school cheerleading team was on their way to Orlando for the National High School Cheerleading competition as the defending National Champions. This year, the team competed hard and took home the Bronze Medal. Third in the nation is still an outstanding accomplishment.
Southern California’s weather has been unusually wet and cold, and we spent much of the first week indoors. I can’t complain much about the rain because it is badly needed here, and thankfully, a lot of it fell in the Pacific Palisades area, where most of the wildfire damage occurred earlier in January.
Finally, the sun broke through, and we drove to Seal Beach’s historic downtown area to walk past the shops and onto the pier. The day was gorgeous, and the surfers were out in droves—most were excellent, and all were wearing wet suits. I have no idea what the water temperature was that day, but I’m confident it was very cold.
The Seal Beach Pier is nearly a half-mile long, with a large viewing area at the end. Many ships rested in the water, awaiting their turn to dock at the Port of Long Beach. One ship, moored way offshore, stood between me and Catalina Island. The words of the song by the Four Preps ran through my head:
“Twenty-six miles across the Sea, Santa Catalina is waiting for me…”
The song became an earworm and stuck with me all afternoon. If you want to make it your earworm, too, here’s a link to the lyrics:
https://genius.com/The-four-preps-26-miles-santa-catalina-lyrics
Enjoy your day…we’re Easin’ Along.
I love the photo of you and Abby, even if she is pulling the obligatory teenage face to please Grandpa! She still looks adorable.
I am glad the RV troubles didn’t derail your trip. Go Helen for finding Fred.
That last surfer shot is a beauty!
Hello!
Suzanne, Fred was another of several angels we’ve encountered on the road lately. Out trailer is showing its age and we need them around. Abby is a lovely (and very active) young lady who is also a good student involved in the “right stuff.” We’re very proud of her. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend. Joe
Time spent with family is always the best the best thing about travel. The West definitely needs the rain. I hope CA doesn’t have to deal with severe mudslides, etc. 🙏 Safe travels!
Hi, Ingrid,
We REALLY enjoyed our time in Seal Bech and being around our kids. They’re a delight and time with them is precious. We had two days of much-needed heavy rain when we arrived in Oceanside. Hopefully the mudslides won’t be severe around the burn areas, and those poor people can get a break. I really feel for them. I saw where you got together with some fellow bloggers recently. That had to be fun! Great to hear from you! Joe
Sounds like another great trip. Have fun and safe travels when you start home‼️💓
Good afternoon, Ginny,
We had a delightful time with our family in Seal Beach. We’re now about an hour south of them, but will go back next weekend for a volleyball tournament. FUN! Thanks for checking in. Have a great weekend! Joe
Hi, Joe –
I always enjoy following your travels, and this post was no exception. What a great mix of adventure, family time, and a little RV problem-solving along the way.
“26 Miles” is now playing in my head. 😀
I look forward to your next update—safe travels!
Donna,
I discovered the term “earworm” from you but Helen had never heard it until she read today’s blog post. She’s had “26 miles” in her head all day and blaming me for it–LOL. Thanks for Easin’ Along with us. We’re in Oceanside, CA for three weeks. The sun finally poked through today, and we had a delightful afternoon. Thanks for stopping by. Have a fabulous weekend! Joe
Joe, Helen’s solution regarding the mobile mechanic was brilliant! You’re lucky to have such a competent and quick-thinking shotgun rider. I know you and Helen make it a point to spend time with both of your sons and their families whenever you can. What’s really special about your get-togethers is the time you spend enjoying your grandkids’ pursuits. You’ve been in attendance at so many interesting and exciting events and competitions – special memories for all of you, I’m sure. Safe travels, friends!
Good morning, Mary,
Helen is my “Passenger Princess.” I drive, cook, and wash dishes. Helen rides along, doing her nails, and playing word games on her iPad. She’s also very good at thinking through road incidents, and she came through on this trip. It works out for both of us. My grandkids pursuits are tailor-made for a genuine sports nut. Soccer, volleyball, basketball, cheering competitions, are as much fun for me as for them. Thanks for being with us. We’re moving down the coast, and the weather is glorious. Have a great weekend! Joe
Joe, I laughed at the image of you driving with the bedroom slide extended. I’m glad you have Helen to save you from your bad ideas, LOL. BTW, I’m impressed that you do the driving and cooking and dishwashing! Do you do most of the cooking at home, too? Eric enjoys cooking (thankfully) and fixes dinner about half the time. I like to cook, but not ALL the time.
As always, your photos of time with your family are delightful. I hope you’re continuing to enjoy great weather in California!
Laurel,
No doubt that Helen saved me, but I did drive 30 miles with the slide out. It was a blessing that Barstow is in the middle of nowhere, and we had little traffic. In order to persuade Helen to let me buy an RV, I promised I would drive, cook, and wash dishes. I kept that promise for a couple of years before we changed the routine. Now, I drive all the time, wash dishes most of the time, and cook some of the time. Before we set out on a trip, Helen cooks a lot of meals that we freeze, including her famous spaghetti sauce. I prepare my (almost as good) gumbo, and we stock the freezer in our trailer. I enjoy cooking, so I chip in a lot on the road and at home. Meal time is a big deal with us. Our kids say we’re planning our next meal before we finish the one we’re having now LOL. The weather is improving in SoCal and should be in the 70s next week. Thanks for checking in–always great to hear from you!