Mammoth Lakes, California (2013)

It's always helpful to have multiple drivers…



We made it back to Mammoth Lakes in the beautiful High Sierras of California. I have blogged about this area before so I will try not to repeat myself.

Once again, we stayed at the Mammoth RV park. The park offers everything from tents to cabins to full hook up RV camping. In the wooded section you will be on dirt with a little gravel, pine needles and pine cones. Rolling would be easier with fatter tires or a power chair. However, they do offer sites that are on cement and are much more accommodating to someone with mobility limitations.

Mammoth RV Park
www.mammothrv.com

We arrived at night. The RV park was not well lit and the hookups are hard to see. Fortunately, an RV park employee happened to wander by and offer his assistance.

Mammoth Lakes, California has paved trails throughout the town. There are also an abundance of dirt trails. Some are very rugged but many are smoother hard pack. A rugged manual chair, scooter or power wheelchair would be helpful. Remember this is a mountain community. The up and downhill grades vary.

On this trip we toured the lakes in Mammoth. We went to and drove around Lake Crowley, Lake Mary, Convict and June Lake. Outstanding views everywhere.

We also spent time visiting some favorite restaurants…

The Smokeyard BBQ in the village
Giovanni's Pizza
Roberto's Mexican restaurant

All three restaurants are yummy!!!. At Roberto's, if you want to try a margarita I recommend the pomegranate.

Travel day. Bend to Mammoth Lakes

For the drive from Oregon to Mammoth Lakes, California we decided to take US-97 to OR-39/CA-139, to US-395. This was the route recommended by the Good Sam RV Route Planner.

We were wrong! My recommendation is not to take this path. Oh, it was great at the beginning but is soon as we hit Nevada the fun stopped! More often than I could count, the freeway diverted through some sort of pop up town. Highway speeds became 20 mile an hour school zone speed. At one point, the freeway completely ended and the rest of the drive was through the mountains with semi-trucks on a single lane road.

Because of all the different diversions our 9-hour trip took over 12-hours.
So unless…
* You enjoy highway names and numbers changing at a whim.
* You never want to use your cruise control because of the speed fluctuations.
* You enjoy never ending pop-up towns.
* You want to drive the scary mountain road with semi trucks in the dark.
* You don't mind spending an extra three hours on your drive.
And, most importantly…
* You don't mind the possible trip to DIVORCE COURT.

Then I highly recommend an alternate route or just "Keep calm and carry on"

Bend, Oregon (CrownVilla RV Resort)

If I said nothing else it would be..…"WOW"!! Oregon is so beautiful you would swear it was kissed by God. Bend is located in Central Oregon. Although, when I think of Oregon I also think of rain. That is not so much the case in Bend. They enjoy all four seasons but it's relatively moderate.

We stayed at the Crown Villa RV Resort. It is 5-Star amazing! The entire facility is wheelchair friendly. The landscaping is perfect. All sites have brick pavers and a large grassy area with beautiful trees on both sides. However, the resort is located in a residential area and you will need a car to get to restaurants and everything else.

The amenities include:
Full hookups
Bistro table and chairs
Lockable brick storage garage
Daily newspaper delivered to your front door
Wi-Fi
Tennis court
Horseshoes
Shuffleboard
Spa
Lounge
Laundry facility
Etc.

Crown Villa RV Resort
60801 Brosterhous Road

Bend, Oregon 97702
(541)388–1131 or (866)500–5300
www.crownvillarvresort.com

** Important info.
Get directions from the resort. Don't use your GPS directions because it will take you under a low bridge.

My only gripe about Crowne Villa was the Wi-Fi was hit and miss.

WHAT TO DO:

* Take a beautiful drive up Cascade Highway to Mt. Bachelor and Twins Lakes.

* Explore the Deschutes River Trail. The upper part is paved and easily accessible. There is also a dirt trail that goes along the river. From what I could see it looked smooth and accessible.

 

* Visit The High Desert Museum.

It is a rehabilitative facility for injured animals that can longer survive in the wild. They have wonderful exhibits, fascinating wildlife, living history and riveting educational programs. Have a close-up encounter with eagles, owls, and other birds of prey. You can also see a lynx, a bobcat and more.

** The upper main building is completely wheelchair friendly. In this building you will find tours, exhibits, a gift shop and plenty more. Outside the terrain is rough and steep. I recommend a strong assistant or a power chair for the outside parts.

* Spend a day in downtown Bend
You will find ice cream, pizza, great restaurants and lots of shopping. I recommend Pizza Mondo. Downtown Bend is easily accessible with a wheelchair or walker. The area is relatively flat with good curb cutouts. In the middle of downtown you will find the Tower Theater. It's a beautifully restored Art Deco building where they still show live theater.

* Drive to Sisters
Sisters, Oregon is beyond beautiful. Make sure you get some yummy stuff from the Sisters Bakery.

While driving through sisters we took a wrong turn. It was the most wonderful mistake ever! We found ourselves in the middle of the Deschutes National Forest.

The Dee Wright Observatory at the top of the lava field

Lake Shasta, CA ( Grass Lake Rest Stop )

When in route to your next adventure there will come a point where you just can't drive anymore. When driving from California to Oregon we found a great rest area. It's the Grass Lake Rest Stop. Located just off the 97 in the Shasta area (still in California).

It's clean, quiet, flat and FREE. It has plenty of space to exercise your children or dogs. It is so wheelchair friendly that you will even find a handicap parking spot.

Rincon Beach Parkway

Rincon Beach Parkway is a year-round RV-ers hotspot.  It is located in Ventura, California on Pacific Coast Highway between Hobson and Faria (exit Highway 101 at Seacliff).  You will find beautiful ocean views above the sandy beach.  During high tide the beach will disappear.

This area offers 127 paved spots that separate the beach from PCH.  Each spot is large enough for one RV and one car. It is first come first serve.  During the summer and on a weekend cross your fingers and hope for the best. This piece of prime California real estate comes with no amenities.  No hookups, no electricity, no water and no bathrooms of any kind.  No tent camping either.  It is a self-serve payment of $27 per night.  Cash or check put into a dropbox (Be prepared because the "oops I forgot fine" is huge).   However, what you do get is Priceless!!  This beach on the Southern California coast is beautiful, the sunset is always stunning and after that you can listen to the waves crash all night long.

 

My helpful hints:

  * for the wheelchair user or someone with limited mobility the accessible and safe area would be on the beach side of your campsite.  Because a wall of large rocks protect PCH from the surf, access to the beach is challenging (no matter who you are).  So... For the wheelchair user unless you have someone willing to give you the scary piggyback ride over the rocks don't count on playing in the water. 

  * Avoid spaces 4 thru 19.  There is a tide-wall that will separate campers from the beach (someone in a wheelchair will never see around, over or through it).

  * Bring a bottle of wine and enjoy the breathtaking sunset!

A Rugged Chair

After our trip to Mammoth Lakes I found that I needed a new tool.  Something to help me get through the looser dirt.  I was struggling with my everyday manual wheelchair but didn't quite need my electric scooter.  I needed some sort of hybrid wheelchair.

As soon as we got home my husband put on his "MacGyver–hat" to come up with a solution.  He used my old manual wheelchair and slapped on a pair of hefty mountain bike tires and more durable tubes.  To save my skin from rubbing from the tires he added some wheel spacers.  Also, the front tires needed to be a little larger to avoid getting stuck and making me fly forward out of the chair. 

This was the end result...

I call it my "Trailblazer"!!

Mammoth Lakes, California (RV Park)

September 2012

I love this area!  The air is clean, the trees are beautiful and there is so much to do.  As an able-bodied person I came to Mammoth often in the winter to ski.  This was my first trip back as a wheelchair user.  At this point I feel the need to apologize.  When I started this RV adventure, I had no idea that I would create a wheelchair accessibility blog from it.  So now I'm playing catch-up by memory of my travels over the last year.  But here goes… 

Mammoth Mountain RV Park
2667 Main St
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 
(760) 934-3822 

Amenities include;

Full and partial Hookups RV site

Cabins and tent areas

Indoor pool and spa

Wi-Fi

The beauty of this park are the trees but that means the sites are full of pine needles and cones. They do offer sites on pavement that are a little more wheelchair friendly but, we chose to go for the full experience.  We stayed in the more natural wooded section.  Although the sites are well groomed I found them a bit challenging in a manual wheelchair.  You may want to use a chair with rugged tires, a power chair or a scooter.  Also a mat or rug for the patio / picnic area.

Accessible things not to miss…

A wide paved path off Lake Mary Rd. in the Twin Lakes area.  You will come across lakes, waterfalls and even a horse stable.

This path along the lakes goes on for miles

Ride the gondola to the top of Mammoth Mountain.  The staff was awesome and well prepared to assist you on and off the gondola.  A portable ramp is available to roll you and your chair into the gondola.  They will radio the top so a ramp is waiting when you get there.  When you start off it's a little unnerving and you will feel like you're flying.  The scenery is unbelievable!!  Not much to do at the top except say "WOW... Look what I did". (Have a jacket because it can be cold at the top)

9/11/2001 is a date nobody will ever forgot.  The last time I was in Mammoth was with a very good friend who was lost in the 9/11 tragedies.  On 9/11/2012, even though I am terrified of heights, I wanted to ride the gondola to the top in memory of my lost friend.

I started out scared but the ride and view was amazing.

Go shopping at "The Village at Mammoth".

Dining suggestions...

Giovanni's -  An Italian restaurant in town.  Handicap parking spot in front. One step up into the restaurant but otherwise fully accessible. I recommend the Mammoth pizza.  You will be eating leftovers for days.

Roberto's Cafe  –  A Mexican restaurant in town. Outdoor dining is accessible. Good margaritas!!

Truth be told… I have not found a bad restaurant in Mammoth yet.

Helpful advice – Bring a sweater, because when the sun goes down the temperature drops!!

Mammoth Lakes, California (Whitmore 2012)

September, 2012 we headed to Mammoth Lakes, California so my husband could participate in the High Sierra Fall Classic bike ride.  It's an annual 100 mile ride in the Sierra mountains.

The ride started and finished at the Whitmore baseball field, near Mammoth Airport.  We were fortunate to be able to dry camp in right field for the weekend.  It's a beautiful spot next to Crowley Lake.  The promoters of the bike ride hosted a barbecue with music and games.  After the party the campers were given all of the extra ice cream.  That was a win – win for the rest of our adventure.

There was no electricity, no amenities and no facilities.  We were completely self-contained (with only my glam-ping supplies).   The grass is tall and this site was NOT wheelchair friendly at all.

My husband enjoyed his race,  I caught up on some reading and we both enjoyed a couple of spectacular sunsets!!

I survived my first dry camping experience... Yay!!

Chula Vista, California

July 2012 was our first official camping experience in our new motorhome.  It was at the Chula Vista RV Resort.  Chula Vista is located just east of San Diego, California.

Chula Vista RV Resort
460 Sandpiper Way
Chula Vista, CA 91910
800-770-2878

I found the park extremely wheelchair friendly.  Access throughout the park is paved.  Each site comes with a cement patio, picnic table and some sort of hedge for privacy.  We chose a back-in site which was tight but, they also have pull-throughs.  

Amenities in the park include:
Full hook-ups
Wi-Fi
Pool and Jacuzzi
Fitness room
Small dog runs
Ice cream social
Tiki bar
Etc.

The RV park is attached to the southern side of San Diego Bay, across from Coronado Island.  There is a marina, a few restaurants, and a park.  It is all connected by a paved wheelchair accessible path.  ** The gate is a little bit tricky.  To get out the handle is high and the door opens inward.

Attractions in the area:  
Sea World
The San Diego Zoo
Seaport Village
Coronado Island
Legoland
Etc.

On this trip we did not bring an extra car. I guess that means that next time we will have even more fun things to do.

On the negative side, the freeway system getting to the RV park was a nightmare and we were disrupted by maintenance crews cleaning the park in the middle of the night.  All in all we had a good time.

** Keep in mind summer temperatures in Chula Vista can be very hot.     

Maiden Voyage

Almost immediately after the modifications were completed, we went out on a test run.  We went to a local RV park with full hookups.  We spent 24 hours trying to learn how everything worked, plugging in, turning on and playing with every gadget.  We filled and emptied, opened and closed, raised and lowered, in and out, on and off, the whole 9 yards.

Primarily we wanted to make sure that everything worked.  We made a list of questions and concerns. Also, we were able to shake off most of our first-timers fears.

This was not the fun stuff but so well worth it.  You don't want to get too far away only to find out "The whatever" doesn't work.

This was a SUCCESSFUL first outing…

My goal of this blog…

My vision of this blog is to go on my RV adventure and report on my accessibility findings.  Because everyone's perception of accessibility is different... I will do my best to include as much as possible.  I welcome any corrections, comments or questions.  Just be respectful… You never know who's reading this.

Since my paralysis comes from a neurological condition, I face a lot of different accessibility issues. Along with mobility restraints I deal with temperature and fatigue.  However, I am blessed to have a "Hunky Hubby" who helps me navigate the tougher spots.  You might find my observations as not nearly enough or "overkill" but... I hope that it helps.

It doesn't matter if you're reading this for yourself or someone else.  Don't let limitations scary you. Get out and live life!!  This is me "Living outside of my comfort zone".

Remember, my thought on was camping was always equivalent to a bad motel.  So… My RV adventure will have a "Glam-ping" twist.  Enjoy!!

The wheelchair-lift and other modifications

After verifying with Mobility Specialists that this motorhome was a good candidate for the necessary modifications, we made the purchase. 

They did a great job of adding the door and integrating it with the lift so that it all operated with the same remote. I could not be happier with the fabricator that I used!!
   
The Mobility Specialist, Inc. 
Vince Fabozzi 
490 Capricorn Street Brea, CA 92821 

(877)777-LIFT
 www.mobilityspecialists.com

By removing the loveseat and cutting a hole in the now vacant area behind the passenger seat a wheelchair-lift was installed.

Because the model of RV that I chose has a full-wall slide I have plenty of elbow room.  After purchasing a shower seat ($30 from Amazon.com)  and, building a ramp ($0. for materials found in my garage) for the step up into the bedroom I was good to go.

Deciding on the RV for me.

Choosing the RV was no easy task!  The choices are endless.  The research took on a life of its own. From fantasy versus reality the process seemed to take forever.  New or used?  Big or small?  Drive  or tow?   Where will you keep it?   And, the bottom line… How much are you willing to spend??

At first we thought "Okay this will be easy".  We will get a toy-hauler type trailer.  The wheelchair can go in and out the ramp in the back.  Plus, the insurance for the trailer is much less.  Oh crap… Now we need a new truck big enough to pull whatever!  Because we thought that all of the costs for a new truck would negate any savings on the trailer we moved on.

Now we're looking for something that you drive.  Not too big but big enough for two adults and two big dogs.  My husband is a cyclist  so we will have a minimum of two bikes traveling with us.  Even if I only take one, my wheelchair is still another big thing.

We now seem to be looking at a Class-A something.  Still wanting to save a few pennies we were looking at the gas models.   Because the door for the gas model is generally in the center of the RV we thought it might be a good spot to widen and add a wheelchair lift.  With help from Nick at Niels RV we started looking for a floor plan that would work.  Nothing we found seem to be an easy fit (too small, too many modifications required, etc...). So we kept looking.

Motion sickness is often a problem with multiple sclerosis.  After researching we found that a diesel pusher has a smoother ride because it has air suspension.  Now I need something with the perfect floor plan to accommodate a wheelchair lift and maneuvering room inside.  Many of the diesels have a love seat that can be removed to cut a hole in the side of the RV for my VIP entrance.  I would also like it to require minimal amount of modification to make it accessible for me.

After what seemed like forever this is what we found…

2007 Fleetwood Discovery 39V

We purchased it from Nick at Niels RV in North Hills, CA.  Nick was not your typical pushy salesman.  Very relaxed and easy going.  If your in the market for an RV I highly recommend that you contact Nick at www.nielsrv.com

How this adventure began…

I love to travel... see and do something new! However, 20+ years ago I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Along the way I became a wheelchair user, which put a wrinkle in my plan.  The best word I have to describe travel in a wheelchair is challenging.

It never failed when booking accessible hotel rooms the result was anything but!  The room for the handicapped person is always the furthest away.  Most things in the room were either too high or too far.  The roll-in shower was usually a bathtub.  I even found a perfectly appointed handicap assessable room with a doorway not wide enough for a wheelchair to get through.  The worst was after traveling 3000 miles we got to our hotel and found they don't have accessible rooms (Even though our email confirmation said they did ).

After years of vacations being overshadowed by making sure everything was accessible enough my husband came to me with a crazy-ass idea.  He wondered if I had any thoughts about a RV?  I said "Have you ever met me"?? The idea seemed so strange because my idea of camping is a bad hotel. After researching the idea we found that it just might work.

And the adventure begins: