The valve in the shower that our brand new tenants need to use suddenly stopped working, Dottie needed an urgent vet visit, and somebody tried to steal our Kia. Apparently Kia theft is all the rage these days, but the would-be thief was relegated by their incompetence to the role of vandal, as all the damage they caused didn’t help them start the vehicle.

My cousin, who has been storing the 5th wheel in her pasture for us, was gracious enough to let us camp there for a few days while we took care of issues at home and got the RV ready for full time living again. It was nice to spend some time with her family even though it was an unplanned delay.

When we finally set out for Yosemite Lakes, there was just one last point of stress: Priest Grade on Highway 120. It’s a narrow, steep and winding road that sits on the edge of a ledge, but for me, the biggest concern was my transmission temperature. These types of climbs with a heavy load in tow are hard on the truck.

I’ve always enjoyed seeing Yosemite in different seasons, but this is the first chance I’ve had to make

This year was different because our traditional campground was closed for renovations. Instead we booked a large group site at a campground on the other side of the lake. Still, there were already several RVs in the lot from our group and the campground advises no RVs over 28ft. Not to worry, we had a boondocking spot pre-scouted just down the road. We could park the RV there and take the opportunity for a trial run at boondocking and still spend plenty of time with the family at the lake or around the campfire.