R-Ranch rally, Napa Valley - Feb 17-20

[zamboni]

Feb 3rd Update

Formerly known as the Neil's Vineyard self-service rally.  Since there are only a few of us, crawldaddy has invited people to R-Ranch, a group-owned campground in Napa that he is a member of.  The cost is $10/person/night (not including young children).

Attendees so far, Friday-Monday:
crawldaddy (3 adult, maybe 4th & child)
OC Campers (2 adult, 3 children)
zamboni (2 adult, 1 baby)

See page 2 for more info, including a link to the ranch.





Campground website: http://www.campingfriend.com/VineyardRVPark/

Make your own reservations... let us know; we'll try to get in one area.
Rate: $39/night
Phone: Toll Free: (866)447-8797

Lots of trees, dog run, putting green, wireless internet, about 5 miles from the Vacaville outlet malls.  Reasonably close to Napa Valley, and Camping World (Fairfield).

Attending so far (have not made reservations yet; office closed at 5pm daily).

OC Campers (Fri morning-Monday)
zamboni (Fri evening - Monday)

[OC Campers]

Glen--This place looks really nice and appears easy to find too.   Let me know what site you got and I will call and reserve too.

Jacqui
 
p.s.  pull thru sites really appeal to me:D

[Dee4j]

ooooh sounds tempting...I'll check it out more this weekend I have to get up early and Viking told me not to be on the boards all nite and go to bed...meeting them in the am :eyecrazy:

[zamboni]

I have reserved 4 sites under Popup Times For Friday 17-Mon 20.

They only took my credit card number to "hold them".  No charge if cancelled at least 24 hours in advance.

The site numbers are 59, 60, 61, 62 (all in a row)
Site map:http://www.campingfriend.com/VineyardRVPark/pictures/mapsite.gif

There is is only one more site available -- #63 (which is across from #57, so quite close).  They are fairly full that weekend as there are 2 clubs there.  Popular place!

So far:
zamboni
OC Campers
(2 spots left)...

[OC Campers]

Since you reserved the 4 sites do we call and pay for the site we want or do we pay when we get there? Which site are you going to occupy?
 
Jacqui

[zamboni]

It is my understanding that we pay when we get there (since they have my credit card).  I don't care what site -- I figured we'd play it by ear and see how many we get

I'll cancel any un-needed sites before the trip... I'll call back next weekend to re-verify the reservation, as it might make me more comfortable.

Dee?

[OC Campers]

Sounds good.  Just let me know

Jacqui

[OC Campers]

Good news Glen--Randy has been doing so much traveling (including a 2 week trip coming up) that he was able to get off 2/17 and 2/20.  Hooray!!!  We should be there pretty early on Friday.

Jacqui

[zamboni]

Anybody else?

So far, it is just OC Campers & us... I'll have to cancel the extra 2 sites in about a week or so unless we get any takers.

[crawldaddy]

Anybody else?

So far, it is just OC Campers & us... I'll have to cancel the extra 2 sites in about a week or so unless we get any takers.

Anyone know what happened to this group?  And to Mike (the founder/moderator).

We're hoping for good weather, and if we get it, we will fly fish at Lake Solano (about 30 minutes away), so we might drop-in.  We pay about $1000 per year on fees at a 1000 acre ranch with 300 rv sites, and it's about 15 minutes the other way.  We will probably opt to stay there because it's paid for.

If you folks would like to join us, it's $10 per night, but that's per person, not per site.  If you all want to do that, we will make sure we're there, rain or shine.

Bill

[OC Campers]

This sounds interesting. My husband is a big fly fisherman. Unfortunately, he hasn't found a lot of time to go. What else is there to offer here? Are the RV sites shaded and is there hook-ups? Where is this place located? So, it is $10 per person per night? What does this include? Would there be an additional fee for dh and the kids to fish?  What are the sites like?  Are they shaded, paved or is it just out in a field and park your RV wherever you want?
 
Glen, what is your thought on this? I have no problem staying at Neil's Vineyard either. There is a lot to do there and I told Randy we are going rain or shine. Which means lots of shopping and lots of wine tasting:eyecrazy:
 
Jacqui

[crawldaddy]

This sounds interesting. My husband is a big fly fisherman. Unfortunately, he hasn't found a lot of time to go. What else is there to offer here? Are the RV sites shaded and is there hook-ups? Where is this place located? So, it is $10 per person per night? What does this include? Would there be an additional fee for dh and the kids to fish?  What are the sites like?  Are they shaded, paved or is it just out in a field and park your RV wherever you want?
 
Glen, what is your thought on this? I have no problem staying at Neil's Vineyard either. There is a lot to do there and I told Randy we are going rain or shine. Which means lots of shopping and lots of wine tasting:eyecrazy:
 
Jacqui

The place is called R-Ranch at the Lake, but that's not where the fly fishing is.  

The fly fishing is on Putah Creek below the dam at Lake Berryessa along 128 about 7 mi. west of Winters...but that's fairly challenging so we will probably fish above the next dam down river from there - Lake Solano located at 8685 Pleasants Valley Road, Winters, CA 95694.  I believe there are small fees for park use.

R-Ranch is a 1100 acre RV ranch with about a mile of hwy 128 frontage.  It is owned by 1800 families who pay $1000 per year to be able to use the place on an "unlimited" basis...nonetheless, it's not crowded except on the really big weekends.  There are 300 RV sites, most with electric and water, but none with direct dump facilities (though there are guys with poo tank trailers behind their golf carts, and they will empty your black water for about $10).  There is a monster swiming pool (largest in Napa county), 50 horses, tennis courts, a video arcade, pool tables, ping pong, a snack bar, convenience mart, laundromat, bmx track, kids fishing pond (may not be accessable due to creek flooding) - all the usual summer stuff that you won't care about this time of year.

Like many places, it might be an acquired taste but we really like it and wouldn't go anywhere else except that getting out with the NNC crowd is hecka fun and shows us other camping areas.  (and last year's cioppino cook-off was such a blast).

Hey I just remembered - we have a website: http://rranch.info/

This place is not like a commercial campground - it's better.  There's a 95% chance that we will be there anyway that weekend, so allow me to extend an invitation to you to join me at the ranch....and I'll be sure to get there early.  

bill

[zamboni]

Glen, what is your thought on this? I have no problem staying at Neil's Vineyard either. There is a lot to do there and I told Randy we are going rain or shine. Which means lots of shopping and lots of wine tasting:eyecrazy:

I looked through crawldaddy's site, and it looks like a neat place; Google maps puts it at about 60 miles from our house (cutting through Davis and along CA 128), so not a bad drive.

We need to be in Napa on Monday anyway, as we are doing a cheesy timeshare presentation on Monday (11am, strictly to get a 2-for-1 Carnival cruise coupon that we really wanted).  R-Ranch is only 16 miles from the timeshare, and from the winetasting areas in general.  If one went up CA-29 from Napa, through Yountville, to St Helena (visiting all the wineries), it would only be about 17 miles back across the north to the campground.

However, $10/person/night would represent quite a premium for you with 3 kids.

Crawldaddy - is there a discount for children, babies, etc?

[crawldaddy]

I looked through crawldaddy's site, and it looks like a neat place; Google maps puts it at about 60 miles from our house (cutting through Davis and along CA 128), so not a bad drive.

We need to be in Napa on Monday anyway, as we are doing a cheesy timeshare presentation on Monday (11am, strictly to get a 2-for-1 Carnival cruise coupon that we really wanted).  R-Ranch is only 16 miles from the timeshare, and from the winetasting areas in general.  If one went up CA-29 from Napa, through Yountville, to St Helena (visiting all the wineries), it would only be about 17 miles back across the north to the campground.

However, $10/person/night would represent quite a premium for you with 3 kids.

Crawldaddy - is there a discount for children, babies, etc?

I kids under 6-ish are freebies, but (since you mentioned timeshares), I suspect there's some "slack" in the rules for families that are interesed in the property - so we can show the place off, so I've put in a call to the Ranch Manager - she will get back to me by Wed. evening.

We toured the timeshare in Napa, and we're doing the Hawaii trip sometime relatively soon - Carnival later.  It's an interesting take on a timeshare, but here's the deal killer for us (our middle daughter chose to purchase there, but we did not) - the purchase is clearly only "right to use" and does not include ANY ownership in the property.  It's no different than a health club membership - it's clearly not ownership.  It also has a limited term (like 30 or 50 years), so it's long-term value may be nil.  So, while you would be allowed to sell your membership, it's not clear that anyone would want to purchase it, nor that it would have any real value since it's not truly real estate.  

Study what I've said, and throw it in their face just before you say "Aloha."  Enjoy your Carnival cruise!

From the ranch, the upper end of 128 takes you to Rutherford and Saint Helena.  I believe Calistoga is only about 45 minutes, so plan on dropping the rig and doing some local road trips.

Too bad they scheduled the annual Crab Feed for the week before this trip.

[OC Campers]

If it is apprx $40 a night that is no big deal to us.  That is about what Nel's would of run us.   I was looking at the website and reading the newsletter and this place looks neat (crab feed got my attention) .  My 14 year old daughter will be at the barn all day long.

So how do you get there from Northeast Sacramento (I-80).  
 
Are popups allowed here?  I know Glen has moved up but we still have the ole Coleman.  Let us know Bill what we have to do.  When do you usually arrive on Friday?  Do you need to be there for us to check in?  Are we able to stay till Monday?  Do they allow pets?
 
Sorry about all the questions.  
 
Jacqui