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Right by the ocean? Can’t complain about that!

We decided to splurge a bit on this location and stay right on the coast just south of San Francisco called Pacifica. This specific location with our Thousand Trails membership does have a daily cost of $20, however, the prices here for everything else are crazy. It was foggy half the time but we didn’t care. It was SO NICE!

I love opening up the windows in the morning and hearing the constant sound of the waves crashing on the beach. We are able to walk down to the beach, but currently, it’s on a cement pad at the top of a cliff. Great location for whale and dolphin watching!

The weather was really welcomed. We stayed 4 days in Cloverdale Ca which is also known as wine country next to the Russian River. It was ridiculously hot… We thought the river would be easy to access but it really wasn’t. We do have AC, but this old Bay can only do so much when it’s hot outside. Now we just leave the windows open most of the time.

Let’s Get Together!

We met up with some networking people that Ben knows and had a great time. People are very friendly and love their city! It is busy here! It’s almost like Ben and I forgot what a big city felt like. We met at a local brewery and met a bunch of people from the area. I really like how Ben isn’t afraid to connect with other marketers. They are so friendly and do think alike. I talk about my Mermaid Blog and they get all excited. I am not as embarrassed as I usually am to tell them about my niche site. They seem to get it!

A woman named Michelle was a contact of Bens that came over after work and we had a really good conversation. She even invited us over for dinner that Sunday night! We met her two cute kids and husband Arney. What an amazing couple. Thanks so much for having us over!

Oakland Trip

Ben had a work meeting over in Oakland so I came along and went to the Oakland Temple. It was fun to talk with the Sisters and even got some suggestions on where to eat! They recommended Fentons for icecream. I guess it’s a pretty famous place!

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Sausalito

Just north of the bridge, we had the chance to spend an afternoon in Sausalito. It’s advertised as a Mediterranean town next to the water. I wouldn’t go that far, but it was a busy place with lots of visitors, shops, and icecream! We walked along and saw some fun stuff but was fine leaving an hour later. There were SO many tourists there.

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

For our play day, we asked a few locals what to do and they recommended a Big Bus tour that would take you around the city. We actually love these and haven’t done one since Boston MA! We spent all day seeing the sights, going to Pier 39, and crossing the Golden Gate bridge. It’s such a great way to see the city and everything it has to offer.

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We ate at a super fancy seafood place in Pier 39. The Clam chowder was super good, and the fish was excellent. We definitely spent the most money on food while we were there. It’s not every day that you get this great of food while on the road! We made our way over to the Fishermans Warf and found ourselves in this odd coin-operated museum. Don’t get me wrong, it was ridiculously fun, but strang at the same time!

I don’t think 2 weeks will really give SF enough time to let its true light shine.

More Food! Sushi and Filipino

Sushi was a MUST for me while in SF. I have been craving it like crazy! A place called Amami Sushi Bistro was recommended to us and wasn’t disappointing. My brother Jason gave me a gift card for my birthday back in June so we used that up. Thanks for the great B-day gift, Jason!

Ben served his mission in the Philippines and was itching to get some authentic Filipino food while in SF. As for me, I wasn’t quite sure what I was in for. He ordered and my dish wasn’t too bad but was extremely filling. It was a noodle-based dish with chicken, sausage, and veg mixed in. Ben said it was what people got for their birthdays because it could feed a lot of people. We splurged and got the Halo-Halo dessert which means “everything mixed up.” Um… I really couldn’t eat it… It had ice cream, black beans, jello something, and even like a potato root mixture… It was expensive so I felt bad but we both agreed it wasn’t very good.

Mermaid Meet Up

During our stay, I contacted the Norcal mermaid group on FB and found that they were doing a meetup and photoshoot at a beach less than 15 minutes from where we were staying! I am never sure what to expect when it comes to these meetups but I am always happy I went. I even met someone who reads my blog! How about that! I’ll post more pictures when I get them.

Moving On

We really enjoyed staying in SF. What a treat to be right next to the beach and enjoy such great food! We are heading toward Stockton CA for a week, then we will be in Yosemite for two whole weeks! Neither Ben nor I have been there so it will be fun to explore.

Making our way south and crossed the California border. Not sure if we expected things to be different but it still very similar to the Oregon coast but the trees have definitely increased in size! Which is exactly what we came for.

Our RV park is right next to the river and pretty bare bones. The internet hasn’t been great which is a bummer and this is really the second place after a year that we couldn’t get great internet. Oh well. Luckily, they have an office within walking distance that is nice which we can work at. Something good that came from this lack of internet is the connection you make. They have a community fire every night at 7 pm which Ben and I have ventured to a few nights and met a fun older couple from San Diego that gave us some great suggestions of what to do in the Redwoods. Also, you should ask us more about John and Gale. They were a pretty interesting old couple.

Klamath Ocean Overlook

One night, we went on a Klamath ocean overlook drive that had some fun historical points along the way. It’s been nice having the coast so close and seeing the ocean. We saw the dark sand beaches and the waves crash against the huge rocks scattered in the water.

Ladybird Johnson Hike

We also took a half-day and the Redwood forest with the Ladybird Johnson hike. We were originally trying to hit the tall trees hike but when we got there, we realized that a permit was needed. It was a blessing in disguise though, we found out later that it was a pretty strenuous hike.

They had a self-guided map with history and information about the Redwoods. These trees are massive and will outlast most things in the world. Some of them are over 1500 years old! They stand fire, termites, floods, and pretty much anything else mother nature can throw at them. It’s more likely a Redwood tree will die from the human intervention than on their own.

Fern Valley

This place was probably the most unique little coastal hike I have ever been on. It wasn’t super easy to get to but it was super worth it! It’s a canyon you can walk through with ferns lining the high walls, and a crystal clear stream going through the center. It felt like a fairy tale. We took our time and absorbed the greenery. There were these little wooden bridges that allowed us to cross the streams. We could have hung out there all day.

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Drive-Thru Tree

We also drove through a tree! It only 5 minutes from where we are staying so we ventured there one night. Nothing too spectacular but still fun to say we did it!

Paul Bunion?

This statue is huge and what is going on with his chest hair? We checked out the store but didn’t do the gondola ride. Funny story, we bought a selfie stick so we could take a photo with Paul and his blue bull but the first one we got broke right as it came out of the package. We walked back inside and switched it for another one. The second one, the button didn’t work so we just returned it.

One More Hike

The day before we left, we went and hiked Big Tree Wayside which was just a mix of short hikes around a huge tree. It was exactly what we needed. Just being out in nature and so close to everything was fun.

It was fun to be in such spectacular nature and these trees almost didn’t seem real!

Moving Down The Coast

Currently, we are staying in a place called Cloverdale CA which is about an hour north of San Fransisco. The temperature is in the 90s and we are HOT! It’s just been a 4-day stay-over and we are anxious to get to a bigger town as well as the cooler weather, and the beach.

We made it to the Oregon coast!

So crazy that we were in Florida soaking our feet in the Gulf of Mexico back in February, only to find ourselves on the totally opposite side of the country 6 months later.

We are staying at a park near Florence which is right on the coast. This 68-degree weather has been really welcomed as it was getting hot in Idaho. We even had to add another blanket on the bed at nights. Sorry to all our Texas friends who are dealing with the 100+ degree heat right now.

Ben really wanted to spend time on the Oregon coast and it hasn’t been disappointing. The drive along the Pacific Highway is breathtaking.

We ventured one afternoon to the sea lions cave which is the largest sea lion cave in America. You take an elevator down and get a sneak peek at this huge football-sized cave where sea lions hang out most of the year. Wintertime you will have more inside be we saw plenty!

We also went a little more north to some more well-known beaches with Thors well, Devils churn and hiked a bit through beautiful terrain.

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We met a lovely couple in the ward we went to and they invited us to go to the sand dunes with them. Neither Ben and I have gone so we were really excited to go! We had no idea how fun it would be. We explored miles of sand that you wouldn’t think would be in Oregon.

Sure glad we had those goggles on, the sand got everywhere. We stopped by the coast and looked for sand dollars and pieces of shells.

We loved the coast and how green everything was. Now we head into California for the next few months!

Heading north for family, friends, and Yellowstone!

We said our goodbyes to family in SLC and headed up north to Idaho. I haven’t spent much time in this state but Ben went to school here at BYUI. We spent a week in a place called Ririe Idaho right next to the reservoir. It was beautiful up there. I couldn’t believe how amazing the sunsets were every night.

Ririe is close to Idaho Falls where I was able to visit a few mermaid vendors, and Ben was able to visit some of his old college buddies at Stukent. It’s this amazing company that helps teachers teach digital marketing. We even saw a picture of our friend Scott we visited up in Michigan.

I was happy Ben got to talk marketing for a few hours. I know he loves it.

We were also able to go to dinner with some old friends of Bens from Idaho. They are writers and took over a wedding venue business in Idaho Falls. It’s a beautiful place if anyone needs space for a reception! It’s called the Loft. Thanks, Josh and Georgia for showing us around!

Yellowstone!

As we are making our way through the national parks, Yellowstone was a must on our list. My mom and stepdad Bill have a little teardrop camper and came along with us! We parked at Jareds Wild Rose next to Henry Lake for 4 days. It’s a fun place with gorgeous views. The park was crowded as this is the best time of year to go, but it was still a really good time.

We spent two days driving through the park and stopping to see mother nature at it’s finest.

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Ben has fond memories of going to the PlayMill in the city of Madison with his family from previous trips so we bought tickets to go see Music Man! I really enjoyed it. Just a young cast with a lot of talent! Also, Bill bought Dole icecream which totally hit the spot!

Rigby and Rexburg Idaho

I am just realizing that Idaho has a lot of “R” cities in it. Anyway, Ben has some family that lives in Rigby so we crashed at their place for a few nights. Every once in a while, it just feels good to be in a home. They are an amazing family and I am so spoiled by all the instant family members I got from marrying this guy.

While in the area, we went to lunch with one of Bens old college professors at BYUI. Marketers are great people. They are super personable and for whatever reason, they understand each other. This professor has a passion for his students and goes above and beyond to prepare them for the workforce. I wish I had a professor who helped from college student to working professional. That transition wasn’t pretty for me back in 2008.

While on campus, we drove around and essentially walked down memory lane for Ben. I LOVED hearing his tell stories from his college years and how much the campus has changed. As a side note, it took forever for us to find a BYUI sign to take a picture with. I think this one turned out well, what about you?

On our way through Idaho, we stopped by Burley where yet another college friend of Bens lives. There are some really successful people who came out of that BYUI graduating class! Our RV has allowed us the mobility to travel and see these old friends and make new connections while catching up on life. Thanks for the dinner, Mike!

Where to next?

So glad you asked. We are heading straight west to the Oregon coast! Ben hasn’t been there, and I am excited to spend some time on the Pacific coast.

This town is good for the soul. It’s where I grew up and being around family always seems so grounding. It’s also very rewarding to have my husband and family members spend time together and connect.

All I want to do is hang out in my dad’s basement and watch a Sci-Fi movie”

This is what I said after the whole “engine leaking like crazy” fiasco. Seriously though, it’s a tradition to watch crazy unrealistic sci-fi shows with my dad. It’s the most relaxing thing I can think of. We were feeling a little “funned out” and rather than going to Arches, we just went home to SLC.

One of the first things we did was surprised the nieces and nephew at a ball game Chris was playing. These girls have grown up so much and I love to spend time with them.

Huntsville UT

My brother Trevor and his wife Corine live up in Huntsville Ut so we decided to spend a few days up there with them and their cute little boy Lincoln. He was born with CF and usually, these babies have a hard time keeping on their weight. Not this guy! He is so cute and peaceful to be around. We even went on a hike and to the lake and hung out.

He wasn’t fussy at all. Probably just tired and a little hot.

I can’t get over how cute he looks in his little Sailor outfit 🙂

Lincoln has this way of just staring at your soul. I gave him a bottle and tried to get him to sleep but for the full 30 minutes, he just stared at me with these big curious eyes.

4th of July!

Growing up, we always had this tradition of going to the Oakley Rodeo up in Kamas. As tradition goes, we all went and had a blast.

It was cold but so fun! I’m grateful that the hubs could be there this year! There were a few years when I lived in SLC that I didn’t want to go because I didn’t have a significant other with me. I am so in love with my Benjamin.

Ax Throwing With The Boys

Last but not least, we did a Nye family event where we went ax throwing. We met up in Ogden which is up toward Huntsville. All my brothers are really good at this and they all had fun. Good times… good times…

Also, All 3 boys hit the 10-point green target! I sent these pictures to their wives/girlfriend and they loved it!

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Truthfully, it was harder to leave home this time around. As fun as this RV adventure is, there is nothing like family. We are excited to come back in December for Christmas. It will be here before we know it.

Bryce Canyon was a short but sweet stop. We stayed at a place in Hatch Utah for 4 days which is a gorgeous valley with a winding river traveling down the middle. Everything was so green due to the high rains this spring.

We recovered for a few days from the drive, worked, then headed to Bryce for the day.

The Navajo trail has been closed but lucky for us, opened up the night before! So we enjoyed the views of the amphitheater there, and then hiked at the bottom and saw the queens garden, and came up the other “Sunset” point.

Funny story,

As we were hiking down “Wall Street” we heard a group of loud and rowdy kids coming up behind us. We thought if we hurried up, we would stay ahead of them but they were moving fast. They sounded like a group camp out of some sort but both mixed with girls and boy. They kept chanting something about being great and awesome.

Ben and I moved to the side to help them pass, and one of the boys looks at me and says “say the word awesome.” I really didn’t want to so I just looked at Ben.

The kid averted his attention to Ben and asked the same question in which Ben responded: “why?”

The kid says “Just do it, you will like it,” and that is when I chimed back in with “will it make you guys start chanting again?

The kid grinning says “Yes!” and I said, “in that case no…”

The poor kid looked pretty defeated in front of the rest of the group but they didn’t chant anything after that! Peace and quiet for the rest of us! I may have felt a little bad, but only just a little.

We made a few other view point stops, and eventually made our way to the Mossy Cave where we say a waterfall.

We noticed a humming sound coming from the trees as we were walking noticed these bugs. When they moved their wings, it made that buzzing sound. They were all over the trees! One of them decided it liked Ben and decided to catch a ride!

They were harmless… just loud.

Engine Scare On The Road

The next day, we packed everything up and headed to our next national park Arches on the east side of Utah. We headed north for a while, then as we got to Salina, took a right and headed straight east. There is 100 mile stretch between Salina and Green River where we make another turn for Arches.

Ben asked me “Do you smell anything? It smells like something is burning.”

I didn’t smell anything up front but when I went to the back I could for sure smell it! We stopped at the next rest stop and we found a huge puddle of oil under the engine! YIKES!

We checked the oil level and they were dangerously low. We let the engine cool down and put 2 gallons of oil back in the tank. We kept driving and everything sounded fine but Ben wanted to check the oil levels about 20 minutes later. Good thing we stopped because those 2 gallons had already drained out!

So there we were, right in the middle of Salina and Green River, not really sure what to do. Luckily we have good insurance with Progressive and they could tow us up to 60 miles somewhere. We found a freight liner back in Salina that was 55 miles away! YAY! Totally lucked out!

So the tow guy came and a few hours later we were parked at the Freight Liner in Salina next to a post with an electrical outlet.

Because it was a Saturday, we had to wait until Monday to chat with anyone and by Monday afternoon we found out what was wrong.

A brass tubbing burst and that was leaking the oil. Luckily, the part only cost $3.50, but the labor was about 100 times that. Oh well, we got some good advice about the other parts that we thought needed repairs.

As they were wrapping up, we went to get a bite to eat at Dennys to figure out what we wanted to do. Our RV could make it to Arches and up to SLC, however, I think we were a little “funned out” and needed some time away from the RV. We decided to head to SLC and stay with family longer. It’s been a much-needed break and we are enjoying everyone’s company.

We even surprised my nieces at a baseball game! I love these little nuggets so much.

We parked the RV at a friends house, and are staying with my Dad. Will update in a few weeks but for now we will be enjoying family time and enjoying the extra room.