From 90-Degree Heat to Another Planet
Four weeks on the road, 19 National Parks down, and apparently October in Northern California didn't get the memo that fall is supposed to be here.
This week took us to Redding, California, where we discovered that sometimes the town you're staying in isn't necessarily the reason you're there.
And that's okay.
Because the real prize was waiting about an hour away.
Redding: Not the Destination, But a Nice Place to Restock
After two weeks of increasingly remote living, arriving in Redding felt a little like returning to civilization.
We stayed at Boulder Creek RV Resort, and while Redding itself isn't exactly overflowing with attractions, we were genuinely happy to have easy access to the things we had been missing – grocery stores, etc.
The weather was hot. Temperatures climbed into the 90s this week, which was a bit of a shock considering it was October.
The Sundial Bridge: Meh
Redding's signature attraction is the Sundial Bridge, an enormous pedestrian bridge spanning the Sacramento River.
It’s the only thing to see in Redding, so we saw it. But it didn’t impress us much.
And Then Lassen Blew Us Away
We came to Redding for Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is an hour away.
And wow. We were not expecting to be quite so impressed.
Lassen absolutely exceeded our expectations.
This was our 19th National Park together as we continue our quest to visit all 63.
We chose the highly recommended Bumpass Hell Trail, a three-mile round-trip hike that starts at approx. 8,400 feet and leads into a massive hydrothermal basin.
Calling it “otherworldly” almost doesn't do it justice. The landscape looked like something from another planet.
Roaring fumaroles.
Bubbling mud pots.
And minerals creating brilliant shades of turquoise, yellow and orange throughout the basin.
Even before reaching the basin, the hike itself was spectacular. The first mile opened to panoramic views of Little Hot Springs Valley, Lassen Peak and the remnants of ancient volcanic activity.
And then you round the corner, and suddenly you're looking down into this bizarre, steaming landscape.
Add this lesser known park to your list.
Full-Time RV Life: The Glamour and the Reality
Of course, not every part of RV life this week was national-park-worthy.
Dinkel is barely eating.
We're keeping a very close eye on him.
And then there is the other pain point.
Our mattress.
We have had enough. We gave it the old college try, but this mattress has become decidedly unacceptable after four weeks of sleeping on it.
So… we drove an hour and a half each way to Chico to visit a custom mattress factory.
And yes…we ordered yet another new mattress (this will be our fourth in the RV)!
1 Month In: The Adventure Is Starting to Feel Real
On one hand, it's hard to believe we're already four weeks into this. On the other, it feels hard to believe it has only been four weeks, as it feels like this is what we were meant to be doing.
We've gone from the Oregon coast to the Redwoods to Northern California's volcanic landscape. We've learned how remote is too remote for us, figured out that we need to plan our grocery stops a little better, discovered that our cats have stark opinions about RV life, and learned that our mattress has become our mortal enemy.
And through all of it, we're settling into this strange, wonderful rhythm.
We work.
We travel.
We explore.
We solve problems.
We move on.
Repeat.
Some weeks are spectacular.
Some are mostly about finding groceries and staying cool.
And some contain a little bit of everything.
That's the reality of full-time RV life—and we're still loving it.
Next Stop: Back to Base!
Tomorrow, we point the RV toward Travis Air Force Base, where we'll stay at the military FamCamp for the next two weeks.
