Saturday – August 25, 2007 – Vacaville

We opened the morning with a visit to the Corning, CA, Olive Festival. We missed the parade last night, but did manage to find the Festival Park and participate in the Pancake Breakfast. I normally don’t care a lot for pancakes, but this breakfast included generous helpings of scrambled eggs and large sausage patties. The pancakes were made with buttermilk and were excellent. At $5 / person, it was quite enjoyable.

From what we saw, I think this “Festival” was primarily a local event. Everyone around us seemed to know each other. Lots of kids playing together and folks talking about local stuff. I had looked forward to trying out lots of olives and the various “stuffings” but it was getting pretty warm (even at 9:30 a.m.) and the sun was intense on the olives and olive oil. That fact, together with the big breakfast, turned me off from sampling the wares.

Corning, CA, is an interesting town. Although it looked small from the freeway, it took time to reach the Festival park. From the looks of the various signs, there is a lot of community involvement with various chili cook-offs, church dinners, and fun-runs. I liked one gentleman’s T-shirt: Corning Fun Run – For Olive Us.

We pulled out from our olive-grove campground and headed south. The directions we had to the next RV park – in Vacaville – were mis-leading. Not because they weren’t completely accurate; but confusing because there are two RV parks within a quarter-mile of each other; on the same road; at the same exit off I-505. Of course we pulled into the wrong one. It took several minutes before we could raise the correct RV park on the cell phone (the “wrong one” attendant was out – couldn’t check with him – so we sat there until we could reach the right park on the phone). Anyway, we are here.

Our friends, Harold and Carolyn, are due to arrive tomorrow evening so we have this evening free and plan to find a local gourmet restaurant.

While sitting here, I realized the motor-home next to us was sporting a Florida license plate. So I got out and introduced myself. They are from Leesburg, Florida – about 175 miles southwest of Amelia Island. They have a Holiday Rambler – older than ours, but a little larger. I was surprised that they had made the trip to Vacaville in less than a month and anticipated being back home before the end of September.

I can see why affinity camping clubs exist – those clubs that own similar equipment – it’s fun to compare notes on what works, what doesn’t, and repairs / improvements can be / have been made. Our neighbors belong to two such clubs in Florida. I passed along our family “business” cards. Maybe we’ll hear from them back in Florida.