California Delta

We headed out Friday Morning for the maiden voyage of the Clipper. Meals planned, fresh water tank filled with the good water from our well (better water than bottled) rather than the city (or was it shitty) water they put in the tank when we picked the trailer up, and a short 2+ hour drive down Highway 88 and across Highway 12 to the Delta.

The California Delta is formed at the western edge of the central valley by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. We stayed at the Sacramento River/Delta KOA Campground.

When we looked for a place to stay we found, at this campground, the following descriptions:

" Backup to HUGE grassy area"

See any huge grassy area back there?

Or there?

Or how about around the trailer?

" with babbling brook"

Didn't babble

In places it was even stagnant

"Premium sites with shade trees and delta breezes"

Don't know how "premium" it was, but it did have shade trees and on Friday the Delta Breeze did blow. Remember I've talked about the "Delta Breeze" on a couple of occasions and it can blow up to 35 or 40 miles per hour and is still called the Delta Breeze. 

On Friday it was a nice breeze.

Before I go into Saturday, I wanted to show you the vista across from our site which, by the way, we were the only inhabitants of. 

Across the road and to the right:

This motor home hasn't been moved in at least two years.

Across the road and to the left:

The far trailer hasn't been moved since Dwight D Eisenhower was in office

So why did we stay? One, it was already paid for because you have to when you make reservations and is non-refundable unless you cancel 48 hours in advance. Two, it was quiet since we were by ourselves. And three, it was centrally located in the Delta area.

OK, so on to Saturday. We headed out after breakfast and our first stop was Isleton. Small town on the Sacramento River and not much going on. Big time place when they have the Crawdad Festival.

Next place was Locke. Locke was founded in 1915 after a fire broke out in the Chinese section of nearby Walnut Grove. The Chinese who lived in that area decided that it was time to establish a town of their own. They approached George Locke a land owner and asked if they could build on his land. An agreement was reached and the rest is history. 

The town is basically one street long and on August 2, 1970, Locke was added to the registry of national historical places, by the Sacramento County Historical Society, because of its unique status as the only town in the United States built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese.

Then we headed to Walnut Grove, but nothing there so we headed back to Isleton for lunch. Here is where it gets interesting. We ate at a Mexican Restaurant called Rogelio's. No big because we used to eat at a Rogelio's in Gold River all the time, but this one was not only Mexican food, but Chinese food too. Excellent Mexican food served by a Chinese woman. Sorry, but it just struck me as a little weird.    

After lunch we drove over to Rio Vista, but here again nothing big until they have the Bass Derby and Festival in October. Little town, lots of people, lots going on. I personally will be staying home. 

Did I fish while I was over there. Nope. I came across a couple of guys and all they were catching were little Crappie and Blue Gills maybe this <...............> big. OK, maybe they were a little bigger. Since they seemed to know what they were talking about I decided just to blow it off and hit the trout streams next week. 

From this experience, I would gauge any website description of a campground at 50% of what they say it is. 

See you next week.     
 

Mark