Cricket Says: Don’t Park Here

Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort [Oceano, CA]

• Dog Life: On leash, in the campground (for safety!) and then walk on over to...

THE GINORMOUS NEVER ENDING SAND DUNES OFF LEASH AREA 😍

Plus many near-by dog beaches. I was a very happy girl. A tired girl, but a very happy girl.

• As far as signal: workable!

AT&T worked well, human got a fancy MiMo Antenna (“the NetGear one”) and it for sure improved. Not hugely. But improvement of any scale is always apresh.

Verizon had signal but deffo too weak to work, maybe would have been okay for light social media and streaming.

• Discounts: Thousand Trails + $20/night.

Didn’t ask about anything else considering if you’re in an area for a bit, the zone pass really makes the most sense if you don’t want a full in membership. This park BOOKS UP though so plan your stay as early as you can... it is beautiful.

• The Park: Fairly clean shower stall in a bathroom house with a few toilets. Semi private, no locks - just a curtain for dressing and another curtain for the shower. All sites looked like FHU on the upper level so if you brought your own shower, use it.

Fairly level gravel sites; most are pull-through, perimeters were back-ins. There’s an upper and lower level, and this TT actually asigns your spot which was actually nicer than having to figure it out on your own. Not super spacious, but enough room to have awnings out and not be touching your neighbor.

The sunsets were incredible. Those sand dunes... I mean, come on.

There are no trees in the loops, so be wary that this is Southern California - pups and humans will both want air conditioning If home during the day. Make sure yours works well! 🥵🥶

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TL;DR - We very much look forward to coming back.

Williamson River Campground [Chiloquin, OR]

• Dog Life: I had to stay on leash, considering this is a Forest Service Campground - all US Forest Service rules apply.

No off leash areas; this is a bare bones spot to boondock and enjoy nature. At least this also meant no assaults from anyone with bad manners. So, a plus?

• As far as signal: workable!

AT&T only. Verizon had signal but deffo too weak to work - maybe would have been okay for light social media and streaming.

Beware: Some parts of the loop are better than others, so speedtest the spots you like and choose the best one for you.

• Discounts: $7.50/night for the reduced off season fee, normally $10/night — dry sites only. It looked like all the sites were dry sites, but that doesn’t affect us at all.

Forest campgrounds are the cheapest places you’ll stay that aren’t downright free or moochdocking. But typically with way better scenery. Especially for nature doggos, my sniffer still works on leash!

• The Park: No showers, just some pit toilets. Looks like maybe water is available to fill your tanks part of the year, but none available when we were there.

Fairly level gravel sites, surrounded by trees, with decent space between each spot. Some pull-through, most were back-ins.

Cute little nature walk down to a river.

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TL;DR - Cheap, no-frills, nature boondocking. Dogs on leash, but you’re also not hitting awnings with your neighbor. Near enough to Crater Lake - go check out your NP nearby!

Lake Minden RV Resort [Nicolaus, CA]

• Dog Life: They host dog shows!

During the event there was tons of fun and activities. For normal days there’s a nice-sized fenced in off-leash area. The walk around the lake itself is lovely - the RV park encircles the lake!

Aside from my noodle family, the other doggos there seemed nice enough. I was too busy hanging with cousins to make new friends though. Stay on leash when not at your site, there is wildlife, including many stray cats.

• As far as signal: workable!

Beware: Only Verizon and *only* in the “D” loop so two-way instead of FHU, though their showers are nice so it’s easy to get by. Be sure to speedtest your spot!

• Discounts: Thousand Trials park, they are the reason we joined! Though when we originally had a retail spot, learned they offer weekly rates and do also honor PA - it’s amazing what calling in can do for you.

• The Park: Showering in D loop was fine. Free hot showers, clean, and decently spacious private area to dress in your shower stall. In the same bathroom as the toilets, along the opposite wall.

Grass and gravel back-in sites both in the A (FHU) and D (two-way) loops, can’t speak for the rest of the park. Decently level in both loops, though A loop is tight and has a lot of trees to maneuver. We had to ask our neighbor to bring in the awning so we could set up, thankfully they were very nice about it.

The park has a 5mph speed limit one-way loop-road around the park (remember, the park encircles a lake) so keep that in mind when scouting for your spot.

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TL;DR - reasonably priced, or members stay free. Wouldn’t go out of our way to stay here, but it wasn’t bad. Fairly easy access to Sacramento & Davis.

Kit Fox RV Park [Patterson, CA]

• Dog Life: Fenced dog area, accessible grass between the RV pads in a decently maintained RV park.

Dog run not big enough for sighthound zooms, but the other doggo residents seemed cool with it.

There are BSL type of restrictions here, so be sure to check their info if your doggo lifts. Though am noodle, this makes me sad for lifting doggos - if everyone was nice on leash, and respects each other in off-leash areas, there should be no need for breedism. Human should be mindful of doggo, very sad when doggos get punished for irresponsible humans.

• As far as signal: workable!

Verizon and AT&T both had acceptable speeds for telecommuting - human was pleased. Human also pleased with concurrent streaming speeds, no bog down noted. Nothing pleases the demon, Pig grumpy as ever.

• Discounts: Passport America! Didn’t ask about anything else becuase we love PA! Accepted all seven days a week with a five night max for discount. Very reasonable considering California is so expensive, and considering FHU at each site & free showers.

• The Park: Levl gravel sites with a paved pad for a toad next to it. Grass between loops, not much in way of trees/shade.

Free hot showers, not the best water pressure but not terrible by any means. Clean enough, human is a germaphobe and did fine. Decently sized dressing area when using the facility in the main office building, the stand alone bathrooms through the park give you a private combo toilet / shower and essentially a whole room to yourself (so plenty of room to dress).

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TL;DR - would stay here again, though a bit far from any points of interest. Makes for decent stop-over.

Casa de Fruta RV Orchard Resort [Hollister, CA]

• Dog Life: ... they charge extra for doggos, that’s literally speciesism but considering I have no thumbs, I cannot influence the decision makers. No fenced area, no real lawn for me either (“dog walk area”, pfft). I hates it, especially since there are wild roaming PEACOCKS to taunt me and the cat. At least we are allowed.

• As far as signal: workable!

AT&T LTE FULL BARS! 27 Mpbs down, 33 up

Verizon - 42 down, 3 up

• Discounts: they *only* take Good Sam, used to be Passport America, not no more. No AAA, no nothing - just the Good Sam.

$54/night for FHU

$270/weekly rate prior to pet fees and taxes - $291.6 final total.

Pricier than we like, but if human can work then it’s something we just grin and bear.

• The Park: Showering is a delight here. Beautiful, clean, great pressure, and ample private space in shower stalls that are more dressing room than cramped cleaning station.

Did I meantion this is FREE? Literally, I cannot say enough about these showers. Full-timers will *understand* why this makes me so giddy.

Parking lot with FHU utilities, nothing special. Mostly level, and if you get a good space then adequate shade.

DO NOT EAT AT THE RESTAURANT. We have stayed here twice, fair to say the restaurant is a hard pass. There is a country store, baked goods, ice cream... lots of options on the property. Sadly only have tried the not-good sit-down option of these.

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TL; DR - Pricey, pets allowed, works in a pinch - the lack of edible sit-down food, and grass, is made up for by the amazing shower experience. Not terribly far from Santa Cruz, Monterey, or Big Sur - huge plus.

San Benito RV & Camping Resort [Paicines, CA]

• Dog Life: There were goat heads (caltrop thorns!) everywhere, which really hurt my paws.

I refused to trust the grass after the first one - DIDN’T pee til we got to Hollister. Went to the fenced in dog area, and was getting slobbered on and mounted by a neutered dog - not cute; my folks got me out of there right quick. Fenced area was not big enough to run, and some of the other dogs (on extendable leashes no less!) were less than laid back.

It’s California, smoke some good herb and be kind to your neighbors!

• As far as signal: ... if a guy in his forties tells you he’s a desert, believe him.

This was a dead zone. There was spotty Verizon, not even enough to Netflix & chill. No way human could actually work. AT&T’s ghost didn’t even haunt here.

• Discounts: Thousand Trails campground, so did not ask on anything else - that’s legit the entire point of joining up.

• The Park: Several loops of FHU with not enough shade to around. Several poorly marked tent sites dispersed - meaning no utilities, though they are sprinkled throughout the loops.

There were some other buildings, including a hot tub, and bathrooms/showers, but human did not explore these. They were too busy enjoying the air conditioning and trying to figure out our next stop.

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TL;DR - hard pass.