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I’ve spent the afternoon starting the packing process… James, Mel and I will be on the road all month so packing is a little more involved than the shorter trips. And boy oh boy I can’t wait to go; we haven’t busted out Lance all month, so I’m suffering a little wanderlust fever.
Our first official stop will be the “California RV Show”, or by its better-known-but-unofficial-name, the Pomona Show. We’re planning to be there all day on Friday Oct 5th and Saturday the 6th. Our home base will be the Winnebago campervans display, so while we’re not running around seeing everything, you can find us in our overstimulated-kids-in-candy-store states near the Travatos.
To make it easier to find us, I’m going to make sure we’re hanging in the booth on both Friday and Saturday from 3pm-4pm. So! If you’re planning to come to the show, do swing by and say hi! The weather looks like it’s going to be BEAUTIFUL! This is big news, because usually when we attend this thing it’s two thousand degrees out.
After Pomona, we’re headed north on a volcano-themed tour… eventually landing in Seattle area before heading back to Utah. It’s been a while since we’ve tried a volcano tour. Last time, it turned out ill-fated and we had to abort it, as our old rig Das Bus decided to conk out at a gas station 80 miles from Medford, Oregon. That was the start of 8 days of being stranded while we waited for parts to arrive from Germany. Fingers-crossed the crystal we bought at Mount Shasta on that same trip (which now hangs on Lance’s rearview mirror) finally unleashes its protection powers and we have no such troubles this time around.
James wearing our Lemurian crystal “good luck charm.” The day before Das Bus broke down.
And get this. WE AREN’T BRINGING THE ROAD BIKES! I know, we’re being so outside-the-box for us. See! We aren’t predictable! We figured without the bikes we’d be more focused on hiking; and being on a volcano tour it seems hiking’s a better fit. Except we couldn’t totally go cold-turkey. The mountain bikes are coming. Hey, baby steps here.
We’ve only got a loose plan going forward on our volcano tour, so if you have places to camp, trails to hike, or parks to visit, please share!
And as for Pomona Show, hope we see you there!
xoxo,
Stef
Wow, the Pomona RV show had a lot of Greats. Great weather, Great RVs, Great 2019 Travatos and the best Great was meeting Stefany and James in person. During our greetings I was amazed on seeing and meeting so many new Travato owners. I wouldnt be surprised if they sell out. Thats Great for the Travato Nation.
We really enjoyed the RV show during our day trip from Vegas. It was especially great meeting you guys. Keep up the excellent work and happy travels.
Thanks again Robin and Garrett. Lets get together and ride!
James and Stefany,
Enjoyed speaking with you briefly at the show. We missed you last year We look forward to more blog posts as well as James’ sometimes quirky videos . Thanks again!
Hey Doug, glad we got to say hi at the show. I was just saying to Stef the Pomona show this year was the best weather we’ve ever had at an RV show. Ever. Here’s hoping it becomes a new trend at Pomona!
Central Oregon is volcano country. LaPine State Park would be a good base for visiting the Newberry National Volcanic Monument and hiking the environs of the South Sister (the hike to the Green Lakes is my favorite). As Ron Cook notes below, the highway over McKenzie Pass is spectacular, and since the Pacific Crest Trail bisects it, there is some hiking along the way. It would be worth stopping at a bookstore along the way and picking up one of William Sullivan’s excellent hiking guidebooks – while there is plenty of info online, he is very reliable, and you’ll want to have some options for lower elevation hikes if the weather gets cold. Happy trails! And next time you’re in this neck of the woods, bring your road bikes. There are some EPIC road rides in Central Oregon.
Can’t tell you how much we appreciate these tips. I’ve bookmarked LaPine and will put that book on our radar too… thanks!
Mostly no volcano suggestions, but here’s some mountain biking suggestions.
There are some stellar MTB options as you head north into OR and WA! Here’s a few Greats:
Alpine trail in Oakridge, OR
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4324612/alpine-3450
Alsea Falls in Alsea, OR
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/6136343/alsea-falls-complete-loop
Lewis River trail in southern WA. Like the McKenzie river trail, but with no people…(and great camping)
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4518520/lewis-river-trail
Plains of Abraham on Mt St Helens (Volcano!)
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4550979/ape-canyon-to-plains-of-abraham-imba-epic
Tiger Mountain in Issaquah, WA. Anything really, but definitely pedal up Inside Passage to Off the Grid
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7001973/off-the-grid
Enjoy!
Wow, Annie, thanks so much for taking the time to share these rides with us, you’ve saved us a ton of time. We will put them on our radar!
James,
I noticed recently Winnebago came up with a new Fuse floor plan: the 23F. If they are coming with “new” floor plans for other models, I’m wondering if they are working on something for a 3rd floor plan for the Travato? If possible, could you ask your industry contacts at the Pomono show if Winnebago has plans to come out with another Travato floor plan in the future? I’m currently a wannabe and I’m torn: I like the G’s front lounge but I also like the K’s double bed. I was perusing the Facebook Travato posts whereby I ran across Chuck Sharp’s “travato 3.0” diagram that he would like to see (its a cross between a G (front lounge) and a K (twin beds). I know the post was a “suggestion” but I would buy that model today if they built it! Thanks for considering my request.
Since I’m in the west side North Cascades foothills, near Mt Baker, I’ll hop in with a few thoughts.
October is a real transition month, so you will either be subject to soggy weather, snow (or both at higher elevations), or truly spectacular fall weather and foliage.
Many of the N.F. official campgrounds will be closed, but lots of the FS roads have great places to use as boondocking bases camps. And miles of flat and steep FS roads and spectacular trails to bike or hike on.
We just came back from a trip south side of the Skagit River, in our van conversion, and had a great time in all that varied weather.
Because of the changing season, my guess is that you’ll need to make your plans changeable at short notice.
I’d be happy to talk in more detail off line.
Thanks, Stan. I looked up that Skagit River, and it’s a little off the route we’ll be taking. But, I’ve noted it for future trips through the area. And good point on the unpredictable weather. Luckily, Lance is winter-hardy and so we will be prepared!
My partner and I recently visited a National Park in CA that neither of us had heard of: Lassen Volcanic National Park. A National Park since 1916, it is beautiful, uncrowded, and has tons of hiking trails through forests and around lakes, and even includes part of the PCT. “The area surrounding Lassen Peak is still active with boiling mud pots, stinking fumaroles, and churning hot springs. Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the few areas in the world where all four types of volcano can be found (plug dome, shield, cinder cone, and strato).“ —Wikipedia. We’ve been on the road since late Aug to Seattle for son’s wedding and visiting no problem’s on the way to TX for my HS reunion. (You made a nice reply to my comment on your Instagram post.) Safe & Happy travels!
Lassen is so totally on our list!
It was actually on our list the FIRST time we tried a volcano tour, but we never got there because we got a late start and had to join our itinerary later.
We’re definitely going to make it there this time though! (fingers crossed.)
All of these posts and the great info in the very interesting blogs is so inspiring. Peg and I are in Austin TX but by February of next year hope to be cashed-out of our business, untethered and on the road indefinitely in a 2019 Travato 59GL. James and Stef – you inspire us. Thank you so much for all the good tips. PS – come see us.
Austin! One of my favorite US cities! If all goes as planned for you, save these dates March 21-24th 2019 for your first van rally! I’m organizing this one on behalf of the “WinnieBs”, which is a club of Winnebago campervan owners I helped start a few years back. This rally will be AWESOME… held at McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Scottsdale area, and will include a “modfest”, outdoor pursuits, and educational seminars. Link here; but registration not quite open yet. Hope we’ll see ya there, Dave! https://sites.google.com/view/winniebees/rallies/bnr-info
Hi, folks! Thanks for your response. I don’t expect to see this posted, but I would appreciate some advice. As I mentioned, Peg and I will be buying a Travato 59. Now the question is GL or KL… We recently saw and drove both. That experience, together with your very helpful videos, gives us a very clear picture. We sleep close together, so the smaller bed in the GL would not be a problem, and the larger fridge is a plus (though no convection Microwave…). But the bed isn’t that time consuming to set up in the K, and though it is a funky shape for togetherness we could make it work. We’d sacrifice fridge space. Biggest issue: The bathroom in the G is, at least on paper, bigger than the K, tho the K feels bigger. The dang sliding door on the G rattles like crazy on the road and would drive me crazy; the K’s bathroom door/s could be wedged to keep the noise down. Plus, the bathroom could actually be aired out in the K by cracking open the back doors. All in all, the K just appears roomier which, in a 21 foot van, means a lot. (Have I just convinced myself?!? Please may I have your views? Thank you so much in advance. PS – we avoid Facebook so I cannot enter into the discussion group there… All the best, Dave
Hi David! Glad you let me know you’re not on Facebook because I would have pointed you there. So really, this has to be a decision based on your own use-case. One floor plan isn’t better than another. It’s all about how you will USE it. Can you get to an RV show and do a side by side comparison? James wrote a super-useful article on this very topic; give it a look! https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/8-step-program-for-choosing-your-first-rv/
One thing I’d warn about is getting too hung up on which one looks more pleasing. Because that becomes something you don’t even notice at all once you hit the road. Vans are all about FUNCTION, and being a catalyst for what you want to DO. Best of luck and do keep us posted!
Hope to see you guys in Pomona. Looing forward to great weather in Pomona. My wife and I have been their when it has been three billion degrees outside. Maybe James can crawl under the RVs on his back and not melt to the asphalt this year.
It looks like your getting a lot of invites this trip. Well, here is another. If your travels take you thru Las Vegas and want to go for a Mountain bike ride, then lets hook up and ride. Red Rock, Late Night, Cotton Wood and Mesa Park are just a few of the local spots to ride. These rides are all intermediate and should be very fun and educational in learning about the Red Rock area. So, the invite is out and if your time permits feel free to contact me. Thanks Garrett
Thanks for the invite, sir!
I think our first stop is Pomona this time around, so we’ll be passing through Vegas, but not stopping (except maybe for dinner).
Hanging on to the names of those places though, as we *frequently* find ourselves passing through the area.
Cheers!
Since it’s volcano themed and your not towing the trailer have you checked out the McKenzie Hwy from Sisters, Oregon? We camped at Sisters and left early morning to beat others and were at the observatory with no one around. You drive through the lava fields and it’s impressive. The trip down the highway to the coast side is zig zag and only suitable for under 25′ rigs so Lance is good to go. Take in the Sno Cap Drive in in Sisters for burger and shake!
On another note back from Dolomites (Melodia Del Bosco) and Riccione (Belvedere Hotel) and unbelievable road cycling.
Stef?!? Am I allowed to have a shake?
Did you see the YouTube of the new propane powered, 500 watt, Fuel Cell being used soon by Roadtrek..? Looks like a great ‘new toy’ for rig…
This could be a great addition to ones solar bank… quiet running, no pollution, & about 1/3 lbs of fuel per hour… I’ll bet it primo $’s, tho..!
If you get a chance, it would be great to see some comments on the new Crossfit B with the Li3 equipment… a first on a Ford Chassis, to give MB some much needed compilation, IMHO…
Ray in Nor-Cal near Lodi…
Yep – we’ve been following.
It’s interesting tech, but I’m struggling to think of how it would be useful in our current RV.
It’s only 500 watts, and our current inverter is 3000 (with a large enough battery to support that). Also, it runs on propane, when we’re actually trying to move *away* from propane.
Still, it’s interesting technology, and I have to applaud anyone who tries to innovate in the RV industry.
If they’re there at Pomona, we’ll definitely be checking them out!
Hey James and Stef, I’ve been enjoying your videos for a long time and appreciate your gift to the RV’rs out here. Even though we haven’t met I feel like I know you. If you make it to the Seattle area before the end of October I’m inviting you to join me salmon fishing for a day if that interests you, weather permitting. Let me know if you’re up for it and we’ll work out the details. BTW, while not a yacht my boat has all the comforts of home.
Steve Hall
WHAT!!! This is awesome! Be on the lookout for an email… I’m so excited!!! For the rest of you readers, y’all have to be careful what you offer because WE WILL TAKE YOU UP! Thanks Steve!!! 🙂
Sounds like a great trip! And you are hitting the weather just right for the Pomona RV show! You will miss the thunderstorms from Tropical Storm Rosa and it will be about the coolest weekend we’ve had all summer – though it will be humid by southern California standards because of the storm’s influence. Still, should be great. We’ll be there Saturday and will try to find you then.
Humid! In Stefland that translates to ponytail weather; glad you warned me. Note to self; pack hair ties. Hope I see ya Saturday, Rich! 🙂