The Grapes of Ralph

     So- we aren't exactly back on the road...but we are...but we're not. 

Life changes all the time and we're the type of people that change with it. This time last year - pre-RV - we were getting ready for a two- month road trip in our van, mainly to see if we could live in a small space and not kill each other. We found out we could, even in a snowstorm in Mammoth. 

Damn, it was cold, but we, much like Jesus and the Donner Party, had wine. Ralph a little more than me, because I have to write stuff for a living and talk to important people, while he has to read a map (yes, he still reads maps) and make a fire and scare away bears. Apparently he can do this and drink wine. A lot of it. He’s good at it and he doesn’t age. (He'll be 68 this year, ladies.) Seriously, Ask his doctor who recently said, “I wish all my patients were as happy healthy and handsome as you.” Hmmm…

Anyway, Ralph loves his wine more than an OC Housewife loves her Botox. He finds us beautiful sunsets and white, sandy beaches and pristine forests- and he always has a wine to pair with an adventure - like what to sip while attending a polo match.

 He loves it all, mostly red, and since our budget is tight, I'm lucky he's not a wine snob. 

Since I’m starting up this blog again, Wednesdays will be devoted to Ralph and his wine. He might review it, advise you on one of his favorite wineries, or just drink the cheap stuff and tell a joke, depending where we are. Oh, and right now we are at a campground in Oceanside, CA.It’s a tad tacky, but its a mile from the beach and it's home for now and it' has been since the first of the year. I’m not sure how long we’ll stay or where we will go next, but Ralph says not to worry about it and you know, have another glass of wine.

Ralph's favorite cheap wine is Trader Joe's Block Red wine. It's about 13 bucks (although it's important to note that although he may drink cheap wine, he does NOT lower his standards by drinking 2-buck Chuck. He does have principals!)

"It's full-bodied, yet mellow and very drinkable," Ralph says. "It goes well with pizza, steak or a pan-seared trout. As I said, it's very drinkable."

Two Months and Counting

We've been on the road for two months now, and so far we haven't killed each other or actually filed for divorce. 

RV roughing it

 So that's a good thing. 

 The ongoing discussion about why the leaky sink isn't fixed could cause more issues than it's worth, so I'll try and keep it to myself for the next few weeks.

In early October we headed from San Diego and stayed on the beach- and the 101- for a night in Huntington Beach, and I will have to say the cars were louder than the waves. 

Not us swimming...but it could be.

Then we went to Monterey to visit the family for a few days and we found some peaceful empty beaches.

Carmel-By-The Sea; not to be confused with the candy I guess.

Have I mentioned I love the beach?

We met two funny guys in a dive bar in HB, and they made me laugh since I really wanted to cry after falling off my bike twice.

One funny guy (L) and one funny husband. (R)

Who falls off a bike on the boardwalk?

We arrived at our destination in beautiful Lake Ruth/Mad River at my aunt's home to do some repair work on her cabin. (The Husband is doing the work. I write and waste time on Facebook.)

Ruth Lake, only full lake in California...or so I'm told. 

The area is beautiful, but there is no...anything. OK, there is a bar where the guys growing weed stop in after work...smelling like weed. The whole area smells like weed!

We've been here almost two months and the family part is great, but the forest is scary and I can't hike because of the weed farms and the lake is cold and...it's time to move on. 

And maybe get the fucking sink fixed.