This week was by far our most uneventful week on the road yet—and honestly, we weren't complaining. After several busy weeks full of adventures and surprises, it was nice to slow down, catch up on work, and simply relax.
Well... almost.
One thing did remind us of our years living in South Florida. Let's just say we were quickly reminded why we will never live near railroad tracks again! Hearing freight trains rumble by day and night was something we definitely didn't miss.
This week we stayed at Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails, which turned out to be yet another giant sand pit. While it wasn't our favorite campground, it served its purpose and gave us a place to unwind before hitting the road again.
Little did we know, our quiet week would end with our most eventful travel day yet.
This weekend was a two-day travel weekend. Saturday was a smooth, easy drive that ended at one of our favorite types of overnight stops—a Harvest Hosts location.
If you're not familiar with Harvest Hosts, it's a membership program that allows RVers to stay overnight on private properties like wineries, farms, breweries, golf courses, and museums. Most locations offer one free night, with a suggested purchase or donation, while some allow you to stay for several nights for a small fee. Many even offer water and electrical hookups.
The Harvest Host we stayed at happened to be a vineyard that grows the grapes used to make Sun-Maid raisins, which we thought was really cool. It was peaceful, beautiful, and the perfect place to spend the night before our next travel day.
Sunday...
That's when the adventure really began.
William spent quite a bit of time researching the best route. He knew that taking the wrong road could make for a very stressful drive with a 37-foot, 11-inch fifth wheel in tow. Every online local recommendation pointed us toward what everyone called the "locals' route," supposedly the safest option for large RVs.
Let's just say... the research didn't exactly pay off.
For the next 35 miles, we found ourselves creeping down a narrow two-lane mountain road with one lane in each direction. On one side was a 1,500-foot drop-off with no guardrail. The road twisted through constant switchbacks while climbing and descending grades as steep as 14%.
With our truck and fifth wheel stretching over 54 feet in total length, there wasn't much room for error.
To say we were white-knuckling it would be an understatement.
William kept both hands firmly on the wheel, completely focused on every curve, while Krysta made the mistake of looking over the edge of the mountain and commenting on just how far down it was. Needless to say... that didn't help either of us!
For a little perspective, William has professionally raced cars, taking hairpin turns at speeds of over 130 mph, and even he admitted this mountain road gave him the heebie-jeebies.
As stressful as the drive was, it also rewarded us with some of the most breathtaking views we've seen since starting this journey.
Thankfully, we made it through safely...
And finally arrived at our next destination.
Can you guess where we stopped next?
