Week 642-643 - Join the Elks - 12-09-2018

Join the Elks


After six months in Atascadero with dozens of doctor's visits, we have a new motto. "A doctor a day keeps the apple away!". Finally we are on the road again, in the Coachella Valley (think Palm Springs) and are preparing for the January FMCA rally. This will be our 4th year presenting our seminar Full Time RV Travelers Guide, our class for full time wannabes.

The first thing we tell any full time traveler is join the Elks! In the last 13 years we have stayed at 111 Elks lodges. This has saved us over $20,000 in RV parking fees. The lodges turn our donations into their donations to the local community. It's a win-win. And the Elks members are always very hospitable giving us the low down on their town. Join the Elks!



Every Elks lodge is different. Some are just a meeting hall like ours in Atascadero. But it has 14 full hookup sites. Some lodges have just a small building and a parking lot with no RV hookups. Ands then there are lodges on lakes, on rivers, with golf courses, bowling alleys; the variety is endless. But they all have welcoming members and are joy to be with.

These are the lodges we have stayed at.

As you can see from the following list, a good number of these lodges have no RV hookups. When you call a lodge don't ask "Do you have RV hookups?" Ask "do you have RV parking?" Many will respond "we don't have hookups, but you can park here." Eight of these lodges pulled out an extension cord to provide power to keep our batteries up. Nice! Some of our best visits were those without hookups. Don't skip them.

Louisville Kentucky Elks

$donate - These did not not have a published donation, suggested $5
  03-15-17 Reno NV Elks                  Dry   (2.5) $donate
  07-17-12 Rifle CO Elks                 Dry   (2.5) $donate       
  07-14-12 Ely NV Elks                   Dry   (2)   $donate
  08-25-11 Louisville KY Elks            2     (3)   $donate       
  07-11-11 John Day OR Elks              Dry   (2)   $donate
  02-12-10 Escondido CA Elks             Dry   (2)   $donate
  04-17-09 West Sacramento CA Elks       2W    (2)   $donate closed
  06-22-07 Warren NJ Elks                2     (2.5) $donate
  12-09-06 Huntington Beach CA Elks      Dry   (2.5) $donate
  
Salisbury Maryland Elks

$free - These lodges would NOT take a donation, just happy to have us
  08-16-11 Jeffersonville IN Elks        3     (3)   $free         
  09-26-10 Sonora CA Elks                Dry   (2)   $free
  08-12-09 Polson Elks MT Elks           Dry   (2)   $free
  07-20-09 Valdez AK Elks                Dry   (2)   $free
  06-27-09 Eagle River AK Elks           Dry   (1.5) $free
  04-29-09 Bellingham WA Elks            Dry   (2)   $free
  08-30-08 Pueblo CO Elks                Dry   (1.5) $free
  09-14-07 Casper WY Elks                Dry   (1.5) $free
  09-01-07 Milwaukee WI Elks             2     (3)   $free         
  06-07-07 Salisbury MD Elks             Dry   (2)   $free         
  06-05-07 Dover DE Elks                 Dry   (3)   $free
  05-28-07 Pawleys Island SC Elks        2     (2.5) $free         
  04-02-07 Carlsbad NM Elks              E     (1.5) $free
  03-27-07 Silver City NM Elks           Dry   (2)   $free
  
Sacramento California Elks

$4 to $8 - Some dry camping only, others with power
  01-10-13 Gila Bend AZ Elks             Dry   (2)   $5
  12-06-10 Yuma AZ Elks                  I     (2)   $8  closed          
  12-05-10 Casa Grande AZ Elks           W     (2)   $5
  08-28-08 Colorado Springs CO Elks      Dry   (3)   $5
  08-15-08 Silverthorne CO Elks          E     (2)   $5            
  08-10-08 Pocatello ID Elks             E     (1)   $5
  04-14-08 Sacramento CA Elks            Dry   (2)   $5
  04-23-07 Panama City FL Elks           E     (2.5) $5
  
Cape Girardeau Missouri

$10 to $12 - Facilities varied
  01-11-15 Glendale CA Elks              2     (3)   $10  3W is more
  03-14-12 Palm Springs CA Elks          Dry   (2.5) $10           
  05-19-11 Willows CA Elks               3W    (2.5) $10
  09-09-11 Kansas City MO Elks           5W    (2.5) $10
  02-18-11 Sun City AZ Elks              Dry   (2)   $10
  09-17-09 Eugene OR Elks                3D    (2)   $10
  04-07-09 Roseville CA Elks             2W    (2)   $10
  12-19-08 Bakersfield CA Elks           E     (1.5) $10
  10-19-07 Redbluff CA Elks              EW    (2)   $12
  08-01-07 Cape Girardeau MO Elks        5     (4)   $10           
  05-21-07 Charleston SC Elks            Dry   (3)   $10
  04-09-07 Del Rio TX Elks               E     (2)   $12
  04-01-07 Roswell NM Elks               EW    (2)   $10
  03-31-07 Alamogordo NM Elks            EWS   (2)   $10
  
Palmer-Wasilla Alaska Elks

$15 to $19 - The most popular donation range
  10-20-17 St. George UT Elks            5wD   (3)   $15           
  04-20-16 Burbank CA Elks               3W    (3)   $15           
  08-05-15 Brookings OR Elks             3W    (3)   $18
  08-02-13 Santa Cruz CA Elks            Dry   (2.5) $15 closed
  05-03-13 San Jose CA Elks              3W    (3)   $19           
  10-30-12 Canoga Park CA Elks           3WD   (3)   $18
  01-01-12 Hesperia CA Elks              3WCD  (2.5) $18
  07-21-11 Spokane WA Elks               5WI   (2.5) $15
  03-08-11 Parker AZ Elks                3W    (2.5) $15
  01-05-11 Santa Clarita CA Elks         3WC   (2.5) $15           
  05-30-11 Paradise CA Elks              3WS   (3.5) $16
  10-17-10 Needles CA Elks               5WS   (3)   $17
  09-24-10 Oakhurst CA Elks              3W    (3)   $15
  09-17-09 Florence OR Elks              5WD   (3)   $18
  07-08-09 Soldotna AK Elks              2     (2)   $15
  06-23-09 Palmer/Wasilla AK Elks        3W    (3)   $15           
  03-23-09 Tempe Elks AZ                 3WS   (3)   $17
  01-21-09 Oxnard CA Elks                EW    (2.5) $15
  10-19-09 Springfield OR Elks           5WI   (2)   $15
  09-14-09 Newport OR Elks               3WC   (2.5) $15
  09-13-09 Oceanlake Camp OR Elks        3W    (2.5) $18 closed
  09-11-09 Kelso-Longview WA Elks        3WC   (2.5) $15
  04-25-09 Burien Elks  WA               5W    (2.5) $15
  09-29-08 Tucumcari NM Elks             EW    (3)   $15
  08-21-08 Westminster CO Elks           EWS   (2.5) $16
  07-01-08 Ocean Shores WA Elks          EWS   (2)   $15
  06-15-08 Lodi CA Elks                  EW    (3)   $16
  06-13-08 Tracy CA Elks                 EWS   (2)   $15
  08-04-06 Chico CA Elks                 3WD   (3)   $16
 
Coeur d'Alene Idaho Elks

$20 to $24 - All these had power, water and dump or sewer
  11-15-18 Rancho Cordova CA Elks        3WD   (3)   $22
  11-06-18 Jackson CA Elks               3W    (2)   $20
  10-14-18 Gilroy CA Elks                5W    (2.5) $20
  03-23-18 Santa Ana CA Elks             3WD   (3)   $20 closed
  03-30-17 South San Francisco CA Elks   3W    (2.5) $20
  08-29-16 Coeur d'Alene ID  Elks        EW    (2)   $20
  07-30-16 Vancouver WA Elks             5     (3)   $20
  07-17-16 Bend OR Elks                  3     (3)   $20
  08-13-15 Walnut Creek CA Elks          3W    (2.5) $20
  06-25-15 Santa Maria CA Elks           3WD   (3)   $20
  10-14-14 Grants Pass OR Elks           5WS   (2.5) $20
  04-07-14 Lancaster CA Elks             3WdC  (3)   $20
  10-03-13 Oceanside CA Elks             EWD   (3)   $20
  10-02-13 El Cajon CA Elks              5WDc  (3)   $20
  08-18-13 Modesto CA Elks               3Wd   (2.5) $20
  04-11-12 Fresno CA Elks                3WD   (3)   $20
  04-09-12 Palmdale CA Elks              3WD   (2.5) $20
  04-21-09 Redding CA Elks               5WDC  (3)   $20           
  01-11-09 San Luis Obispo CA Elks       3WD   (2.5) $20
  02-16-07 Prescott Valley AZ Elks       EWS   (2)   $20

Napa California Elks

$25plus - The highest donations requested
  11-17-18 Atascadero CA Elks            5WSC  (3.5) $35           
  11-04-18 Placerville CA Elks           3W    (3)   $25
  11-03-18 Carmichael CA Elks            5W    (3)   $30
  11-01-18 Nevada City CA Elks           3W    (3.5) $25
  03-29-18 Redlands CA Elks              3WD   (3)   $25
  03-21-18 Chula Vista CA  Elks          3WSC  (3)   $27
  01-15-18 Indio CA Elks                 3WD   (3)   $25/20
  11-06-17 Santa Clara CA Elks           5WD   (3)   $30
  10-24-17 Napa CA Elks                  3WS   (3.5) $30
  10-10-17 Boulder City NV Elks          EWS   (3)   $25
  10-06-17 West Covina CA Elks           5WD   (2.5) $25
  03-09-17 Lake Havasu AZ Elks           5WS   (3.5) $25
  09-24-15 Santa Barbara CA Elks         EWCD  (3)   $25
  09-21-15 Oceano CA Elks                3W    (2)   $25
  08-05-15 Eureka CA Elks                3W    (2.5) $25
  07-29-15 Petaluma CA Elks              53WS  (3)   $25
  07-23-15 Monterey CA Elks              5WD   (3)   $25


Where are we today? Sitting at the Palm Springs Elks Lodge. Dry camping on level payment next to beautiful rock formations blocking the hot afternoon sun. Within a few miles is every store you ever wanted and hundreds more you have never heard of.

We see you next week as we move to Desert Hot Springs.

With love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

Photos from December 2018

The Full Time Motorhome Living Guide

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